Gas Bandit's Political Thread V: The Vampire Likes Bats

GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
  1. Musk says he’ll reduce government work after Tesla profits plunge 71% and protests mount.
  2. Trump blames Zelenskyy for blocking peace by refusing to let Russia keep seized territory.
  3. Trump orders crackdown on college accreditors to reshape colleges around ideology, not education.
  4. EEOC texts Columbia and Barnard employees asking if they are Jewish or Israeli, then probing for antisemitism.
  5. Trump orders K-12 schools to embrace AI and scrap equity-based discipline rules targeting racial disparities.
  6. VA launches Christian bias task force to probe Biden-era discrimination and invites employees to report each other.
  7. Hegseth installed Signal on a secure Pentagon computer to secretly message Trump officials from inside classified areas.
  8. Federal government fights judge’s order to move jailed Tufts student from Louisiana to Vermont after arrest over Gaza essay.
  9. Trump attacks Fed chair again for keeping rates high and hints he may call to demand cuts.
  10. Judge slams Trump administration for defying court order in deportation case but grants DOJ a short delay.
  11. Trump meme coin jumps 58% after dinner offer to top holders triggers access-for-crypto backlash.
  12. Army suspends Fort McCoy commander after Trump and Hegseth portraits go missing from leadership wall.
  13. Twelve states sue Trump over new tariffs, calling them illegal and outside presidential authority.
  14. Two major law firms seek permanent block on Trump orders they say retaliate for past legal work.
  15. Trump administration pushes IMF and World Bank overhaul to scrap climate work, limit equity programs, and confront China.
  16. Trump rejects millionaire tax hikes, claiming rich would flee and tariffs could replace income tax.
  17. Trump adds portraits, gold trim, and two 100-foot flagpoles in White House revamp, plans to pave Rose Garden lawn.
  18. Hegseth installs Pentagon makeup studio for VIP media prep as scandal over Signal use grows.
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
1/ Trump reversed course and said he would not fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell and that his 145% tariffs on Chinese goods would “come down substantially.” The shift follows warnings from top executives at Walmart, Target, and major financial firms about inflation, economic fallout, and product shortages. “We’re going to have a fair deal with China,” Trump said, though Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made clear there would be “no unilateral reduction in tariffs” and that any deal would require action from both sides. China, meanwhile, dismissed Trump’s remarks and rejected his “threats and coercion,” saying talks would only happen under “mutual respect and reciprocity.” Despite Trump’s claim that negotiations are “active,” no formal discussions with Beijing have begun. The reversal follows weeks of market volatility and internal pressure from Trump’s own advisers. Business leaders have also warned that Trump’s tariffs could disrupt summer inventories and wreck the holiday supply chain. Powell also cautioned that the tariffs would raise prices and said the Fed would keep interest rates steady while watching for inflation. Nevertheless, Trump said he had “no intention” of firing Powell – days after calling him a “major loser” and that his removal “cannot come fast enough.” When pressed, Trump added: “Never did.” Powell’s term runs through May 2026, and current law bars his removal without cause. (Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Bloomberg / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / CNN / Associated Press / NPR / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / New York Times / CNBC / Axios)

  • Trump About-Face on Powell, China Follows Dire Economic Warnings. “Confronted with fresh warnings from financial markets, business leaders and top advisers, President Donald Trump this week eased off on two of his frequent punching bags: Jerome Powell and China.” (Bloomberg)
  • Why Trump Decided Not to Try to Fire Jerome Powell. “White House lawyers were studying legal options for ousting the Fed chair, but senior advisers warned Trump that attempting to do so would rattle markets.” (Wall Street Journal)
  • Top Trump aides urged president to tone down attacks on Jerome Powell. “The president’s about-face on the central bank chief, after advice from his treasury and commerce secretaries, sent markets surging.” (Washington Post)
2/ Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the U.S. will withhold support from the IMF and World Bank without “real progress,” saying both are “falling short” of their missions. He accused the IMF of focusing on “climate change, gender, and social issues” and called the World Bank’s efforts “vapid, buzzword-centric marketing.” Bessent said the $4 billion U.S. aid contribution is contingent on reform and that agency leaders must “earn the confidence of the administration.” He also called it “absurd” that the Bank still treats China as a developing country. (Washington Post / Politico / New York Times / Associated Press / Axios / CNBC)

3/ Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly got into a shouting match in the West Wing last week during a dispute over who would lead the IRS. The confrontation escalated when Bessent accused Musk of undermining the Treasury and Musk responded by calling him a “Soros agent.” An aide reportedly stepped between them to break it up. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt nevertheless downplayed the clash, saying “disagreements are a normal part of any healthy policy process.” Musk’s pick, Gary Shapley, was removed the next day, and Bessent’s choice, Michael Faulkender, took over as acting IRS commissioner. (Axios)

4/ Elon Musk will reduce his time at the Department of Government Efficiency next month after Tesla posted a 71% drop in quarterly profit and a 20% decline in revenue. Musk told investors he’ll still work “a day or two per week” in Washington, defending his role by saying: “the waste and fraud we stopped must not come roaring back.” But the move comes amid pressure inside the White House, where some officials have privately said Musk has become a liability for Trump. One senior aide described the shift as “a quiet phase-out,” while another noted that Musk’s 130-day cap as a special government employee conveniently expires at the end of May. Tesla, meanwhile, cited weak demand, political backlash, and production delays as major factors behind its worst earnings in years. Analysts said Musk’s political work has damaged the brand, while Tesla warned that changing trade policy and sentiment could further erode demand. (NPR / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CNBC)

5/ Trump blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not accepting a U.S. peace plan that give Russia Crimea and block Ukraine from joining NATO. U.S. officials walked away after Zelensky said: “There is nothing to talk about. This violates our Constitution.” Trump claimed a deal was “very close” and accused Zelensky of prolonging the “killing field,” while warning he could “lose the whole country.” JD Vance also threatened the U.S. would “walk away” if Ukraine didn’t accept the terms, which European officials say heavily favor Moscow. Despite pressure, Ukrainian officials said they won’t concede territory and called the U.S. proposal a “frozen conflict disguised as peace.” (Associated Press / Axios / New York Times / NBC News / CNN / Wall Street Journal)

poll/ 40% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance – down 7 percentage points from February. (Pew Research Center)

poll/ 42% of Americans under 30 say they are barely getting by financially. 51% believe the country is on the wrong track, with 31% unsure. Trump’s job approval among young Americans stands at 31%. (Harvard Youth Poll)

poll/ 53% of Americans say their financial situation has gotten worse – the first time since 2001 that a majority of Americans have rated their financial situation as poor. (Gallup)

poll/ 55% of Americans say they’re not confident Trump can make good decisions about economic policy, while 45% are confident. (Pew Research Center)

poll/ 37% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy – his worst rating ever – and down from 42% from January. 87% said they’re worried about inflation, 76% said they’re worried about a recession, and 56% said Trump’s handling of the economy is “too erratic.” (Reuters)

poll/ 78% of Americans believe the Trump administration must follow court orders. (Pew Research Center)

poll/ 46% of Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution – nearly 25 million more people compared to last year’s report. (Axios)

The midterm elections are in 559 days.

✏ Notables.
  1. The Senate’s No. 2 Democrat will not seek reelection in 2026, ending a 44-year congressional career. Dick Durbin’s decision opens a rare Senate seat in solidly Democratic Illinois and a high-ranking leadership spot. “In my heart I know it’s time to pass the torch,” Durbin said. (New York Times / Axios / Associated Press)
  2. A U.S. citizen with a learning disabilities, who cannot read or write and has trouble speaking, was held by immigration authorities for 10 days after he allegedly said he illegally entering the U.S. and identified himself as a Mexican citizen. Jose Hermosillo was arrested in Tucson after approaching a Border Patrol agent for help, then mistakenly signed a statement saying he was a Mexican national. A judge dropped the case once Hermosillo’s birth certificate was provided, but DHS has continued to justify the detention. (CBS News / Popular Information)
  3. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is creating a national autism registry using private medical records pulled from federal and commercial sources. The National Institutes of Health confirmed it is gathering prescription histories, genetic data, insurance claims, and even fitness tracker information to support Kennedy’s promise to uncover the cause of autism – a claim many scientists call unrealistic and harmful. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said up to 20 research teams will get access to the data, though records will be anonymized and restricted to aggregated use. Kennedy has promised answers by September, though NIH says it could take at least a year to release initial findings. (New Republic / CBS News / CBS News / The Guardian)
  4. The Trump administration plans to eliminate the 988 suicide hotline’s specialized support for LGBTQ youth. The program currently receives around 2,100 daily contacts and has served over 1.3 million since 2022. Mental health experts warn that ending these services will increase suicide risk among LGBTQ youth, who already face higher rates of mental health challenges. The plan still requires congressional approval. (Mother Jones / HuffPost)
  5. A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, ordering the government to rehire staff and resume funding. Judge Royce Lamberth said the administration’s shutdown attempt violated legal mandates for independent public broadcasting. His ruling followed a lawsuit led by VOA journalist Patsy Widakuswara, which accused the Trump administration of silencing the outlet in violation of the First Amendment. The court found that the administration acted without a clear plan, calling the shutdown “arbitrary and capricious.” The ruling does not apply to Radio Free Europe, which filed a separate case. (Associated Press / The Hill / CBS News)
  6. The executive producer of 60 Minutes resigned, saying CBS and its parent company Paramount no longer let him run the show with journalistic independence. “It’s clear the company is done with me,” Bill Owens said. The move comes following pressure from Trump, who is suing CBS for $20 billion over an edited interview with Harris, and as Paramount seeks federal approval to sell the company to Skydance. Owens opposed settling the lawsuit, which legal experts called baseless, and said CBS executives had added oversight that compromised editorial freedom. “I am stepping aside so the show can move forward.” (New York Times / NPR / Associated Press)
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
www.nbcnews.com

DNC chair rebukes David Hogg for pushing primaries against Democratic incumbents

A number of party leaders are frustrated that Hogg, who has a leadership position in the party, is pushing primaries against some incumbents in deep-blue seats.
www.nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com

Hogg wants to present primary challenges to Democrats that are not actually trying to effectively counter Trump. DNC leadership isn't happy about it.
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
1/ A federal judge blocked part of Trump’s executive order that would have required people to prove their citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. For now, the Election Assistance Commission can’t change the form to require documents like a passport or birth certificate. Trump’s order tried to sidestep Congress by pushing through parts of the SAVE Act, pending legislation that would mandate proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. The House passed it earlier this month, but it faces opposition in the Senate. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote, “No statutory delegation of authority to the Executive Branch permits the President to short-circuit Congress’s deliberative process by executive order.” (Associated Press / NPR / Washington Post / ABC News / CNN)

2/ Trump will direct the Justice Department to investigate the Democrats’ main online fundraising platform. The memo cites a House Republican report that found 237 donations to ActBlue made using foreign IP addresses and prepaid cards during a 30-day window in the 2024 cycle. The report also identified 22 major fraud campaigns – nearly half with foreign ties – and criticized ActBlue’s internal instability and weak fraud prevention. ActBlue called the move “politically motivated” and said it complies with all laws. The memo, however, doesn’t mention WinRed, the Republican’s fundraising platform, which has faced its own scrutiny, including reports of recurring donations being processed without clear user consent and allegations of donor confusion over pre-checked boxes. ActBlue CEO Regina Wallace-Jones called the selective enforcement “the next version of ’the big lie.’” (NBC News / Politico / Wall Street Journal / New York Times)

3/ Two federal judges blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a policy that threatened to cut federal funding from schools with diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Judge Landya McCafferty called the Education Department’s directive “textbook viewpoint discrimination” and said it forced educators into “a Hobson’s Choice” between teaching honestly or risking penalties. She added: “The Constitution requires more.” In a separate case, Judge Stephanie Gallagher ruled that the government “likely did not follow the procedures it should have” and emphasized that “This case is about procedure.” Both judges criticized the policy’s lack of clarity, noting that the Education Department “does not even define what a ‘DEI program’ is.” (Axios / Associated Press / New York Times / CNN / ABC News)

4/ Trump signed an executive order to overhaul the role of college accreditors to eliminate “ideological overreach” and to increase “intellectual diversity” on campus. Accreditors are the private organizations that determine whether universities meet certain standards required to access more than $120 billion in federal education funding each year. Trump accused accreditors of enforcing liberal ideology, calling accreditation his “secret weapon” and claiming they “have allowed our colleges to become dominated by Marxist maniacs.” The order directs the Education Department to make it easier for colleges to switch accreditors and for new accreditors to gain federal recognition. It also allows the government to monitor or revoke approval from accreditors that use diversity-based practices. (Wall Street Journal / The Hill / Politico / NPR / New York Times)

5/ Trump asked the Supreme Court to let the Pentagon enforce his ban on transgender troops. Judge Benjamin Settle said the government offered “no evidence” the ban improves military readiness. The Trump administration, meanwhile, claimed the courts should defer to the Pentagon and accused Settle of overstepping. The policy blocks service for those with gender dysphoria or who have transitioned, reversing Biden-era rules. (NBC News / Reuters / Politico / New York Times / ABC News / CBS News)

6/ Trump called on Putin to “STOP!” after Russia launched a massive airstrike on Kyiv that at least 12 and injured 90 – the deadliest attack on Ukraine’s capital in nearly a year. “Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!” Trump posted, hours after blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not accepting a U.S. peace plan that would give Russia Crimea and block Ukraine from joining NATO. Trump is pushing for Ukraine to accept the deal in exchange for vague security guarantees. When asked if he would impose new sanctions on Russia, Trump said, “I want to see if we can have a deal,” but offered no timeline for action. (NPR / Associated Press / New York Times / CNN / Politico / Axios / Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)

poll/ 33% of Americans said they’ve heard the false claim that the MMR vaccine is more dangerous than measles – up 15 points since March 2024. 61% said they’ve heard the debunked theory linking the vaccine to autism. A separate poll found 22% believe vaccines cause autism, including 38% of Trump voters. (Reuters / The Hill)
  • Measles, once considered “eliminated” in the U.S., could infect millions in the U.S. over the next 25 years if childhood vaccination rates drop by 10%. The U.S. has reported about 800 measles cases in 2025 so far, including three child deaths. Researchers said a 5% boost in vaccination rates could prevent a widespread resurgence. (Washington Post)
poll/ 44% of Americans in a Fox News poll approve of the job Trump is doing as president at the 100-day mark — down 1 point from his 45% approval at the same point in 2017. It’s the lowest 100-day approval rating ever recorded by the poll, trailing Biden (54%), Obama (62%), and George W. Bush (63%). (Fox News)
  • Trump attacked Fox News after its latest poll showed his job approval 11 points underwater, writing: “Rupert Murdoch has told me for years that he is going to get rid of his FoxNews, Trump Hating, Fake Pollster, but he has never done so.” He added, “This ‘pollster’ has gotten me, and MAGA, wrong for years.” Trump also took aim at The Wall Street Journal, saying Murdoch “should start making changes at the China Loving Wall Street Journal. It sucks!!!” (Variety / Deadline / Mediaite)
The midterm elections are in 558 days.

✏ Notables.
  1. Trump claimed that the U.S. and China were “actively” discussing a trade deal, but Beijing denied any negotiations were taking place. “China and the U.S. have not engaged in any consultations or negotiations regarding tariffs,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said. Despite Trump’s suggestion that his 145% tariff rate may drop, the White House insisted there would be “no unilateral reduction.” Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gave another conflicting account, saying “both sides are waiting to speak to the other.” (Axios / NBC News / Bloomberg)
  2. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to bring back a second Venezuelan man it deported to El Salvador in violation of a previous court-approved settlement. The man, known as Cristian in court documents, was part of a class of asylum-seeking minors protected from removal while their claims were pending. Judge Stephanie Gallagher said the deportation breached a binding agreement and rejected the administration’s claim that invoking the Alien Enemies Act voided those protections. (ABC News / Politico / Washington Post / Associated Press / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)
  3. A federal judge blocked Trump’s latest attempt to cut off funding to sanctuary cities, calling the move unconstitutional and nearly identical to a failed effort from his first term. U.S. District Judge William Orrick said Trump’s 2025 executive orders violated the separation of powers and due process, writing: “Here we are again.” (Associated Press / Washington Post / NBC News)
  4. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had the encrypted messaging app Signal installed on his Pentagon office computer, allowing him to bypass cellphone restrictions in secure areas and to communicate freely, including with non-government contacts. Separately, Hegseth reportedly threatened Adm. Christopher Grady, the then-acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that “I’ll hook you up to a fucking polygraph!” after news leaked he was planning a classified briefing for Elon Musk about China. Hegseth demanded proof that Grady hadn’t leaked the news, and Grady was never subjected to a polygraph. (New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal)
  5. Trump rejected raising taxes on millionaires, killing a Republican effort to offset the cost of Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax-cut agenda. “Millionaires would leave the country,” Trump claimed, calling the idea “very disruptive.” House Speaker Mike Johnson added that Republicans “stands against that traditionally.” (Politico / NBC News / USA Today / Bloomberg)
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

PatrThom said:
SMASH DOOR - MUST SMASH DOOR
Dude, just break the window. Then you can reach in and unlock the inside. The only reason to smash it repeatedly like that would be to cause as much damage as ... ohhhh.

--Patrick
Click to expand...
Ehhh... I don't want to defend feds here, but breaking the glass and reaching through is a really good way to cut your wrist on broken glass, and also puts you in a pretty vulnerable position if you truly think you're breaking into the home of a dangerous criminal.

Actually I changed my mind, they should do that.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

GasBandit said:
Trump rejected raising taxes on millionaires, killing a Republican effort to offset the cost of Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax-cut agenda. “Millionaires would leave the country,” Trump claimed, calling the idea “very disruptive.”
Click to expand...
Let them leave.

Sure, lots of millionaires will pick up and move to a different country. And that would be "bad" because the USA could no longer tax them. But how many millionaires are there in Congress, hmm? Put aside for a moment the obvious idea that Congress would hate to be made to enact an additional tax on themselves. Instead realize that "millionaires would leave the country" means that most of Congress would leave the country...which would render them ineligible to serve. They would have to pay the higher taxes if they want to keep their seats, or else give up their seats if they wanted to keep the money.

LET.
THEM.
LEAVE.

--Patrick
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
  1. Judge rules only Congress can require proof of citizenship, blocks Trump order.
  2. Judge blocks Trump order to strip funds from sanctuary cities over immigration stance.
  3. Judge blocks Trump order to defund public schools over DEI programs.
  4. Trump asks Supreme Court to reinstate transgender military ban after judge blocks policy.
  5. Hegseth had unsecured internet line set up in Pentagon office to run Signal app, AP reports.
  6. Top Hegseth aide exits Pentagon after internal purge, returns in part-time role. Pete Hegseth's Chief of Staff Joe Kasper is the FIFTH senior Pentagon aide to leave in the last week
  7. Trump posts ‘Vladimir, STOP!’ after Russia’s deadliest Kyiv strike in months
  8. Trump calls Russia not taking over Ukraine a ‘pretty big concession’ in peace talks.
  9. Judge orders U.S. to return second migrant deported to El Salvador under 1798 law.
  10. Trump orders DOJ to investigate Democratic Party fundraising platform ActBlue.
  11. Trump order makes it harder for federal workers to gain job protections in their first two years.
  12. DHS admits ICE arrested Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil without a warrant.
  13. Venezuelans targeted under 1798 law are allowed only 12 hours to contest deportation.
  14. Trump pardons Republican ex–Las Vegas councilwoman convicted of defrauding police memorial fund.
  15. Canada would be better off as “51st state,” Trump told Carney three weeks ago during their first call.
  16. Trump orders sons to fire Trump Org. lawyer over Harvard ties and lawsuit against administration.
  17. Trump Org. sells ‘Trump 2028’ merch, raising fresh questions about third term ambitions.
FIGHTING BACK, Self-Inflicted Section
Transportation Dept. attorneys accidentally file internal memo with court admitting Trump admin’s congestion pricing lawsuit is a losing battle, are immediately replaced.
 
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