Gas Bandit's Political Thread V: The Vampire Likes Bats
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GasBandit
Staff member
Fucking fucks.
Shareholders sue UnitedHealth Group after murder of Brian Thompson
The lawsuit alleges the healthcare giant did not adjust its 2025 earnings outlook to factor in how the killing of Brian Thompson would impact operations.
www.kare11.com
GasBandit
Staff member
1/ Trump announced a trade deal with the U.K., calling it “a great deal for both countries” despite no signed agreement and unresolved terms. The 10% blanket tariff also remains in place. Nevertheless, Trump said that “They made a good deal,” and claimed the U.K. was picked first because “they always treated us with great respect.” He added that “Things are going to move very quickly both ways,” and that the agreement would “cement the relationship […] for many years to come.” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, meanwhile, said the U.S. would ease tariffs on British steel, aluminum, and cars – but only within limited quotas. British Prime Minister Starmer called it “historic,” while U.S. officials gave no timeline for expanded access to beef, ethanol, and machinery. Sen. Ron Wyden dismissed the deal, saying “The details aren’t even finalized. There’s not much THERE, there.” (New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Associated Press / Politico / CNBC / NBC News / NPR / Washington Post)
3/ Trump fired the acting FEMA chief one day after he defended the agency in testimony to Congress. Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem have both called for dismantling FEMA, which manages $45 billion in disaster aid. Cameron Hamilton, however, had testified that FEMA “should not be eliminated,” directly contradicting Noem. Homeland Security named David Richardson, a former Marine with no disaster relief experience, as his replacement. Hurricane season starts in 24 days. (Washington Post / Politico / New York Times / ABC News / The Hill)
4/ Trump selected a “wellness influencer” with no active medical license to replace a former Fox News contributor as Surgeon General. While Casey Means earned an MD from Stanford, she dropped out of her residency after becoming “disillusioned” with the health care system. Instead, she pivoted to blending alternative health practices with entrepreneurship to promote disputed claims about sugar, metabolism, nutrition, and autoimmune disease, while selling glucose monitors primarily to non-diabetics and endorsing sponsored wellness products like supplements. In her newsletter, she once described building a meditation shrine with ancestor photos and mantras, performing full moon ceremonies, speaking to trees, and using psychedelic mushrooms during a two-year effort to “call in love.” Nevertheless, Trump called her “impeccable” and said her “academic achievements, together with her life’s work, are absolutely outstanding.” Means replaces Janette Nesheiwat, who completed a U.S. residency and is board-certified, but was dropped days before her Senate hearing after far-right activist Laura Loomer attacked her for supporting COVID-19 vaccines. Loomer said Nesheiwat “used her access to Fox News to promote the dangerous Covid vaccine.” (The Independent / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / New Republic / NPR / Mediaite / Bloomberg / Politico / The Cut)
5/ Trump pulled his nominee for U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C. after Senate Republicans couldn’t stand behind Ed Martin’s support for a Capitol rioter who praised Hitler and said he would “kill all the Jews and eat them for breakfast.” Martin, a former Missouri GOP chair and board member of a Jan. 6 legal defense fund, had called Timothy Hale-Cusanelli “an extraordinary leader” and featured him on his podcast despite Hale-Cusanelli’s documented antisemitic and Nazi sympathies. Martin also fired career prosecutors who brought Jan. 6 cases, dismissed pending riot charges after Trump’s mass pardons, and appeared over 150 times on Russian state media without initially disclosing it to the Senate. His nomination collapsed after Sen. Thom Tillis said he would vote no, effectively blocking confirmation. Trump said Martin wasn’t “rejected” but admitted, “it would be hard,” and promised to find him another role. He is now considering Fox News host Jeanine Pirro for the post. (New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN / Axios / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal)
6/ The Trump administration refused to explain how it wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia, citing national security. A federal judge ordered sworn statements from Trump officials and gave government lawyers until Monday to justify the secrecy. Trump previously publicly said he could bring Garcia back from El Salvador “with a phone call,” but repeated unproven gang claims instead. Another judge questioned whether Trump’s public comments undercut the claim that the U.S. had no control over the detainees. Justice Department lawyers, meanwhile, admitted the U.S. sent money that El Salvador used to detain migrants, but denied any legal responsibility. (NBC News / Associated Press / Politico / CNN / New York Times)
Notables.
- The Trump administration pushed foreign governments to approve Elon Musk’s Starlink while those countries face Trump’s new tariffs, internal cables show. In several cases officials linked Starlink approvals to hopes of avoiding trade penalties. The State Department called the moves “patriotic,” even as Musk remains a Trump adviser and major political donor. A White House spokesman claimed, “President Trump will not tolerate any conflicts of interest.” (Washington Post / TechCrunch)
- Trump plans to scrap the Biden-era “AI diffusion” rule limiting global chip exports, which would lift restrictions for dozens of countries except China. The Commerce Department called the old framework “overly bureaucratic” and said it will be replaced with a simpler system that encourages “American AI dominance.” The reversal benefits firms like Nvidia and Oracle and opens the door for bilateral chip deals. (Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)
3/ Trump fired the acting FEMA chief one day after he defended the agency in testimony to Congress. Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem have both called for dismantling FEMA, which manages $45 billion in disaster aid. Cameron Hamilton, however, had testified that FEMA “should not be eliminated,” directly contradicting Noem. Homeland Security named David Richardson, a former Marine with no disaster relief experience, as his replacement. Hurricane season starts in 24 days. (Washington Post / Politico / New York Times / ABC News / The Hill)
4/ Trump selected a “wellness influencer” with no active medical license to replace a former Fox News contributor as Surgeon General. While Casey Means earned an MD from Stanford, she dropped out of her residency after becoming “disillusioned” with the health care system. Instead, she pivoted to blending alternative health practices with entrepreneurship to promote disputed claims about sugar, metabolism, nutrition, and autoimmune disease, while selling glucose monitors primarily to non-diabetics and endorsing sponsored wellness products like supplements. In her newsletter, she once described building a meditation shrine with ancestor photos and mantras, performing full moon ceremonies, speaking to trees, and using psychedelic mushrooms during a two-year effort to “call in love.” Nevertheless, Trump called her “impeccable” and said her “academic achievements, together with her life’s work, are absolutely outstanding.” Means replaces Janette Nesheiwat, who completed a U.S. residency and is board-certified, but was dropped days before her Senate hearing after far-right activist Laura Loomer attacked her for supporting COVID-19 vaccines. Loomer said Nesheiwat “used her access to Fox News to promote the dangerous Covid vaccine.” (The Independent / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / New Republic / NPR / Mediaite / Bloomberg / Politico / The Cut)
5/ Trump pulled his nominee for U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C. after Senate Republicans couldn’t stand behind Ed Martin’s support for a Capitol rioter who praised Hitler and said he would “kill all the Jews and eat them for breakfast.” Martin, a former Missouri GOP chair and board member of a Jan. 6 legal defense fund, had called Timothy Hale-Cusanelli “an extraordinary leader” and featured him on his podcast despite Hale-Cusanelli’s documented antisemitic and Nazi sympathies. Martin also fired career prosecutors who brought Jan. 6 cases, dismissed pending riot charges after Trump’s mass pardons, and appeared over 150 times on Russian state media without initially disclosing it to the Senate. His nomination collapsed after Sen. Thom Tillis said he would vote no, effectively blocking confirmation. Trump said Martin wasn’t “rejected” but admitted, “it would be hard,” and promised to find him another role. He is now considering Fox News host Jeanine Pirro for the post. (New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN / Axios / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal)
6/ The Trump administration refused to explain how it wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia, citing national security. A federal judge ordered sworn statements from Trump officials and gave government lawyers until Monday to justify the secrecy. Trump previously publicly said he could bring Garcia back from El Salvador “with a phone call,” but repeated unproven gang claims instead. Another judge questioned whether Trump’s public comments undercut the claim that the U.S. had no control over the detainees. Justice Department lawyers, meanwhile, admitted the U.S. sent money that El Salvador used to detain migrants, but denied any legal responsibility. (NBC News / Associated Press / Politico / CNN / New York Times)
- Trump’s executive orders have drawn at least 328 lawsuits since he took office, with federal judges stopped administration policies in 128 cases as of May 1. Courts paused Trump’s actions more than 200 times, while allowing them to proceed in just 43 cases; 142 lawsuits remain undecided. Challenges target major pillars of Trump’s second-term agenda, including immigration, federal funding cuts, transgender policy rollbacks, and Elon Musk’s “efficiency” overhaul of the government. The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to intervene 13 times, more than Bush and Obama combined. Trump-appointed judges blocked his policies in nearly a quarter of the losses, while Democratic-appointed judges approved some controversial efforts. Trump said he would follow “all courts,” but officials faced contempt proceedings for ignoring at least one order.
Notables.- Biden said he takes “responsibility” for Trump’s return to power, but blamed Harris’s loss on Republicans attacking her race and gender. “A consistent campaign undercut the notion that a woman couldn’t lead the country, and a woman of mixed race,” Biden said. In his first TV interview since leaving office, Biden denied cognitive decline – “There’s nothing to sustain that” – and claimed he stayed in the 2024 race to avoid dividing Democrats, despite polling that showed broad concern over his age and debate performance. Jill Biden, meanwhile, rejected reports that she shielded him, calling the reports “very hurtful” while that “I did not create a cocoon around him.” (New York Times / Politico / Associated Press / Politico)
- Sen. John Fetterman repeatedly shouted, slammed a desk, and asked “Why does everyone hate me?” during a meeting with the Pennsylvania teachers union last week. A staffer ended the meeting and reportedly broke down crying in the hallway. The incident came one day before New York Magazine published claims from former aides concerned about Fetterman’s mental health because he’d abandoned his treatment plan. Fetterman, who’s struggled with health concerns since his 2022 stroke and depression diagnosis, dismissed both the article and the outburst, calling the meeting a “spirited conversation” about education funding. (Associated Press)
- Trump’s meme coin drew $15 million from over 67,000 small-dollar investors. Nearly all bought at the top – days before Trump’s second inauguration – and have lost money after coin’s value dropped 85% since January. Trump-tied wallets, meanwhile, made over $300 million through automatic fees and token sales. The project promised access to Trump for top holders, including a private dinner and White House tour, with rankings tracked on a public leaderboard. More than half of those top investors used offshore crypto exchanges that claim to block U.S. users, raising legal and national security questions. Democrats, meanwhile, blocked the Senate’s crypto regulation bill after Republicans refused to add language barring presidents from profiting off crypto. The bill – known as the GENIUS Act – would have created the first federal framework for stablecoins. (CNBC / Washington Post / Bloomberg / NBC News / Politico / NBC News / New York Times / Bloomberg)
- The House approved Marjorie Taylor Greene’s bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.” The bill would require all federal maps and documents to adopt the new name. Only one Republican, Rep. Don Bacon, joined Democrats in opposing the measure, calling it “juvenile.” The bill now moves to the Senate, where its future is uncertain due to the 60-vote threshold. Democrats, meanwhile, criticized the move as wasteful, with Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon calling it “the dumbest bill brought to the floor.” Passing a law, unlike Trump’s executive order, makes the change permanent across the federal government and prevents a future administration from easily reversing it. (CNN / ABC News / Axios)
- Trump claimed credit for the election of Pope Leo XIV, calling it “a Great Honor for our Country” – a reference to Leo’s status as the first American pope. But the new pope, formerly Cardinal Prevost, has openly criticized Trump and his administration. He once reposted a message comparing Trump’s immigration policies to “injustices and infamies,” and asked whether Trump’s team could “see the suffering.” He also condemned JD Vance’s interpretation of Christianity, writing: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.” (CNBC / CNN / The Independent / Daily Beast)
GasBandit
Staff member
- Vance says US will not intervene in India-Pakistan conflict, calling it “fundamentally none of our business.”
- Trump touts symbolic trade deal with the United Kingdom as first since tariff pause, but specifics remain unclear.
- Trump calls Fed Chair Jerome Powell a “fool” for holding interest rates steady, dismisses inflation concerns.
- Vance echoes Trump’s attacks on Fed Chair Jerome Powell, calling him a “nice guy” who is “wrong about almost everything.”
- NOAA to discontinue weather disaster database as Trump administration cuts agency resources.
- Education Dept investigates Penn over ‘inaccurate’ foreign donation disclosures, demands all records.
- Pentagon orders removal of up to 1,000 transgender troops following Supreme Court decision allowing Trump’s military ban.
- Vance says Russia is demanding territory it hasn’t conquered in peace talks over Ukraine invasion.
- Trump withdraws Ed Martin’s DC attorney nomination amid Senate pushback over Jan. 6 ties.
- Trump names Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro interim U.S. attorney for D.C. after Senate pushback derails Ed Martin nomination.
- FBI Director Kash Patel walks back call for more funding, says bureau will “make it work” under Trump’s proposed budget cuts.
- Acting FEMA head fired a day after testifying against closing the agency, sources say.
- Trump asks Supreme Court to revoke humanitarian status for over 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, challenging lower court rulings.
- CBP quietly revokes protections for pregnant women, infants, and other vulnerable detainees.
- First Afrikaners granted refugee status to arrive in U.S. on Monday after Trump order prioritizing resettlement.
- Alabama student detained for 6 weeks granted self-deportation to Iran at immigration court hearing.
- Democrats block stablecoin bill over concerns Trump family would profit from crypto windfall.
- Chief Justice John Roberts defends judicial independence in Buffalo as Trump officials criticize federal courts.
- Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden by email after criticism over costly visitor center project.
- FBI opens criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James over alleged mortgage fraud.
- Pope Leo XIV, then-cardinal, repeatedly criticized Trump and Vance on immigration and Catholic teachings on love before his election.
- Cadwalader law firm loses attorneys after striking $100 million pro bono deal with Trump to avoid punitive executive order.
- Dutch museum director reconsiders loaning artwork to U.S. museums due to Trump administration’s proposed funding cuts.
In rare public criticism, Justice Sotomayor urges lawyers to “stand up” against Trump administration’s attacks on legal profession.
Am me here so looking forward to seeing the utter devastation that would happen when they actually cut the thing that i bet a majority of Trump voters depend on, even though they don't realise it...
GasBandit
Staff member
Just a heads up, as I'm going to be on the road for a week starting tomorrow, my updates to this thread will be spotty.
Angry crowd in Massachusetts stops ICE from arresting mother with baby.
- BREAKING OVERNIGHT: Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s sweeping government overhaul, saying constitutional limits require congressional approval.
- German Chancellor Merz urges Trump to end trade war and eliminate tariffs.
- US grants refugee status to 54 white Afrikaner South Africans, who arrive on Monday.
- Trump signals possible reduction of China tariffs to 80 percent ahead of weekend trade talks in Switzerland.
- Treasury Secretary Bessent warns Congress to raise debt ceiling by mid-July before August recess as cash reserves dwindle.
- Washington Post analysis finds nearly 67,000 small-time investors lost millions as Trump-linked meme coin value plummets 85 percent.
- Trump fires three Democratic appointees on Consumer Product Safety Commission in move that violates Supreme Court precedent.
- National Science Foundation eliminates equity division and cancels 73 more grants.
- Fifteen states sue over Trump order fast-tracking fossil fuel projects after he declares “energy emergency.”
- Trump signs four bills overturning Biden-era efficiency regulations for appliances.
- Pentagon orders military libraries to remove books addressing diversity, anti-racism and gender issues by May 21.
- Newark Mayor Baraka arrested and charged with trespassing at private ICE detention facility in his city while congressional members allowed to conduct oversight visit.
- Trump personally involved in discussions about suspending habeas corpus to fast-track deportations.
- Justice Dept. investigating proposed Muslim-centric development in Dallas-area following requests from Senator Cornyn.
- Ed Martin appointed to Justice Department roles overseeing ‘Weaponization Working Group’ and pardons after Senate rejected his U.S. attorney nomination.
- Trump says NYC Mayor Adams came to White House ‘to thank me’ after DOJ dismissed his federal corruption indictment.
- New FEMA head Richardson tells staff he will ‘run right over’ those who resist changes as agency faces major cuts.
- Federal judge orders release of Turkish Tufts student detained over Israel criticism, saying detention ‘chills speech of millions’.
- ICE transfers Venezuelan detainees to Texas facility where judge has not halted Alien Enemies Act deportations.
- Newark Liberty International Airport experiences another radar outage as air traffic control problems continue.
- White House claims Librarian of Congress Hayden fired over “inappropriate books for children” and DEI initiatives despite mandatory collection requirements.
- Texas House advances bill prohibiting citizens of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from buying land without legal U.S. residency.
- Mexico sues Google for renaming Gulf of Mexico as ‘Gulf of America’ for US users following Trump’s executive order.
Angry crowd in Massachusetts stops ICE from arresting mother with baby.
GasBandit
Staff member
- Trump announces ceasefire between India and Pakistan in Kashmir conflict, but violations reported hours later.
- Trump claims progress toward “total reset” in U.S.-China trade relations after 10-hour tariff talks in Switzerland.
- Columbia University suspends over 65 students following pro-Palestinian protest in library where demonstrators scrawled threatening messages.
- White House directs federal agencies to stop using social cost of carbon when making regulatory decisions.
- DHS confirms Democratic members of Congress may face arrests after scuffle with ICE officers during protest of Newark mayor’s arrest.
- Tennessee Highway Patrol makes over 500 stops and ICE arrests more than 100 people during joint operation supporting deportation effort.
- Trump orders DHS to add 20,000 officers focused on deportation and deputize state and local law enforcement.
- Tufts doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk arrived in Boston Saturday after federal judge orders her release from six weeks of ICE detention for writing opinion piece critical of Israel.
- Trump fires US Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter two days after dismissing Librarian of Congress and one day after she questioned Musk’s AI copyright requests.
- Trump has received only 12 intelligence briefings since January inauguration while conducting high-stakes diplomacy with foreign powers.
Quakers march 300 miles from New York to Washington to protest Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants supporting faith tradition of activism.
figmentPez
Staff member
Didn't know where else to put this:
GasBandit
Staff member
- BREAKING OVERNIGHT: U.S. drops China tariffs from 125% to 30% while China cuts U.S. tariffs from 125% to 10% in 90-day agreement after Switzerland talks.
- Iran calls nuclear talks with U.S. “difficult” while both sides agree to continue negotiations despite disagreeing on uranium enrichment red lines.
- Trump administration prepares to accept $400 million Qatar jumbo jet dubbed “flying palace” as temporary Air Force One before transferring ownership to Trump presidential library.
- Hamas announces plan to release last known living American hostage Edan Alexander as goodwill gesture following secret U.S. talks before Trump Middle East trip.
- Trump revives previously court-blocked “most favored nation” drug pricing plan claiming 30-80% cuts despite unclear Medicare/Medicaid coverage scope.
- House Republicans propose $900 billion Medicaid cuts requiring work for benefits and $35 copays per visit.
- Federal judges face intimidation through hundreds of unsolicited pizza deliveries including orders placed using name of murdered son of Judge Salas who ruled on Trump cases.
- Transportation Secretary Duffy plans Newark flight cuts after equipment outage marks third equipment failure alongside controller shortage.
Hundreds protest in Worcester, MA for third straight day after ICE separates Brazilian mother from child during immigration arrest.
figmentPez
Staff member
I hope everyone who bought anything under the highest tariffs is pissed right now.
Dave
Staff member
Tariffs are paused for 90 days. Right now they are selling. In 90 days the market will crash again and they'll buy. Rinse. Repeat.
Still doesn't help that our ports are currently empty and the shipping world doesn't turn around that fast.
Dave
Staff member
Wouldn't worry about that. Republicans last night passed a bill that cuts $880 from Medicaid. Why? Tax breaks for the top earners. No, I'm really not kidding.
edit: Released to be voted on and passed before Memorial Day. Not passed yet.
House Republicans unveil Medicaid cuts that Democrats warn will leave millions without care
House Republicans have unveiled the cost-saving centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”
apnews.com
figmentPez
Staff member
I was talking about the average consumer; anyone who unexpectedly paid over double for things they ordered online, but fair point about how some stock trading billionaires were happy to buy up tanked stocks.
GOP Senator Introduces Bill to Make All Porn a Federal Crime, Following Project 2025 Playbook
Mike Lee wants to deliver a death knell to PornHub.
gizmodo.com
--Patrick
GasBandit
Staff member
1/ The U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs. The U.S. dropped its combined tariff on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China cut its levies on U.S. products from 125% to 10%. The cuts do not reverse earlier tariffs from Trump’s first term or Biden’s term; the 20% fentanyl-related duty remains. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the previous tariff levels were “the equivalent of an embargo,” and claimed, “neither side wants that.” While the announcement triggered a stock market rally, businesses remain uncertain about what happens after August 10. Trump, nevertheless, called the deal a “total reset,” though the agreement includes no clear Chinese concessions and only outlines future meetings. (Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Axios / New York Times / CNBC / Washington Post / NPR / Bloomberg / Politico / NBC News / CNN)
2/ House Republicans proposed $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to help fund Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax plan. The bill would eliminate coverage for at least 8.6 million people, according to the Congressional Budget Office, with $715 billion of the savings coming from changes to federal health programs. It imposes work requirements, twice-yearly eligibility checks, and $35 co-pays on low-income enrollees, while disqualifying people with unverified citizenship or homes over $1 million. It also shortens ACA enrollment windows, restricts coverage renewals, and blocks Medicaid funds for Planned Parenthood and gender-affirming care for minors. Trump previously vowed not to cut Medicaid, but the bill does just that. (Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / The Hill / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)
3/ Trump signed an executive order directing drugmakers to cut U.S. drug prices or face federal intervention, reviving his “most favored nation” pricing plan that links U.S. prices to those paid in other wealthy countries. The order gives Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 30 days to negotiate price cuts, with a threat to impose mandatory caps if companies don’t comply. Trump claimed prices would fall “by 30% to 80%,” but the order lacks a clear enforcement mechanism and mirrors a 2020 attempt blocked by federal courts. (CNBC / New York Times / Politico / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / CNN / NPR / NBC News)
4/ Trump plans to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar’s royal family for use as Air Force One – a move that follows the Trump Organization’s deal to build a $5.5 billion golf resort in Qatar. The jet, valued at roughly $400 million, would be used by Trump while in office, then transferred to his presidential library. Despite the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which bars gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval, Trump rejected the ethical concerns, calling it a “great gesture” and said turning the offer would be “stupid.” Qatar, meanwhile, claims the deal is still under legal review, but White House lawyers and Attorney General Pam Bondi – a former lobbyist for Qatar – have signed off. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / The Hill / New York Times / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Associated Press / Reuters / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)
5/ Stephen Miller said the White House is “actively looking at” suspending habeas corpus — the constitutional right to challenge detention in court — to block migrants from doing so. He pointed to a clause allowing suspension during “invasion,” adding, “A lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.” Trump has repeatedly called illegal immigration an “invasion” and dismissed due process as too slow: “We’d have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials.” Federal judges, including a Trump appointee, have ruled the administration’s actions don’t meet the legal standard for invasion. (NBC News / New York Times / Axios / The Hill / CNBC / Bloomberg / CNN / CBS News)
The midterm elections are in 540 days.
Notables.
2/ House Republicans proposed $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to help fund Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax plan. The bill would eliminate coverage for at least 8.6 million people, according to the Congressional Budget Office, with $715 billion of the savings coming from changes to federal health programs. It imposes work requirements, twice-yearly eligibility checks, and $35 co-pays on low-income enrollees, while disqualifying people with unverified citizenship or homes over $1 million. It also shortens ACA enrollment windows, restricts coverage renewals, and blocks Medicaid funds for Planned Parenthood and gender-affirming care for minors. Trump previously vowed not to cut Medicaid, but the bill does just that. (Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / The Hill / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)
3/ Trump signed an executive order directing drugmakers to cut U.S. drug prices or face federal intervention, reviving his “most favored nation” pricing plan that links U.S. prices to those paid in other wealthy countries. The order gives Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 30 days to negotiate price cuts, with a threat to impose mandatory caps if companies don’t comply. Trump claimed prices would fall “by 30% to 80%,” but the order lacks a clear enforcement mechanism and mirrors a 2020 attempt blocked by federal courts. (CNBC / New York Times / Politico / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / CNN / NPR / NBC News)
4/ Trump plans to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar’s royal family for use as Air Force One – a move that follows the Trump Organization’s deal to build a $5.5 billion golf resort in Qatar. The jet, valued at roughly $400 million, would be used by Trump while in office, then transferred to his presidential library. Despite the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which bars gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval, Trump rejected the ethical concerns, calling it a “great gesture” and said turning the offer would be “stupid.” Qatar, meanwhile, claims the deal is still under legal review, but White House lawyers and Attorney General Pam Bondi – a former lobbyist for Qatar – have signed off. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / The Hill / New York Times / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Associated Press / Reuters / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)
5/ Stephen Miller said the White House is “actively looking at” suspending habeas corpus — the constitutional right to challenge detention in court — to block migrants from doing so. He pointed to a clause allowing suspension during “invasion,” adding, “A lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.” Trump has repeatedly called illegal immigration an “invasion” and dismissed due process as too slow: “We’d have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials.” Federal judges, including a Trump appointee, have ruled the administration’s actions don’t meet the legal standard for invasion. (NBC News / New York Times / Axios / The Hill / CNBC / Bloomberg / CNN / CBS News)
- Federal agents arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka outside an ICE detention facility after a confrontation involving three House Democrats and immigration officials. Baraka was charged with trespassing. Video showed agents handcuffing him after he had returned to the public side of the gate, though DHS claimed Baraka and the lawmakers “stormed the gate” and endangered law enforcement. Lawmakers said they were conducting a lawful oversight visit and accused ICE agents of using force. DHS later said the three lawmakers may also face arrest. (CNN / Politico / Washington Post / Axios / CNBC / NBC News)
- A federal judge ordered ICE to immediately release Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts, ruling her arrest was based solely on a campus op-ed criticizing Israel. Judge William Sessions said that “There is no evidence here […] absent consideration of the op-ed,” and called her continued detention “a violation of due process and First Amendment rights” and barred ICE from imposing travel restrictions or GPS monitoring. ICE agents arrested Ozturk in March outside her home near Boston and flew her to a detention facility in Louisiana. The Trump administration accused her of supporting Hamas but introduced no proof in court. (New York Times / CNN / Washington Post / NPR / Politico)
- The Trump administration granted refugee status to 49 white Afrikaners, reopening admissions for the first time since freezing the program for nearly all other groups. Trump defended the move by alleging a “genocide” against white farmers in South Africa, saying, “Whether they’re White or Black makes no difference to me. But White farmers are being brutally killed.” South African officials called Trump’s claim “completely false.” (Washington Post / The Guardian / New York Times / Politico)
The midterm elections are in 540 days.
Notables.- Trump appointed former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. Pirro, who helped push Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election and was named in a $787 million defamation settlement, replaces Ed Martin, whose own ties to Jan. 6 derailed his nomination. (ABC News / New York Times / CNN / NPR / The Hill)
- Trump fired all three Democrats from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, eliminating the agency’s majority without citing cause. The firings came one week after the commissioners advanced new safety rules for lithium-ion batteries and blocked efforts by the White House to install two staffers from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. (Washington Post / The Verge / Bloomberg / NPR)
- Trump removed Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and installed his criminal defense lawyer Todd Blanche as acting replacement. The Library’s acting chief, Robert Newlen, said in an internal email that Congress “has not given direction” and that the leadership transition remains unresolved. Blanche, who also serves as deputy attorney general, represented Trump in his 2024 criminal trial and holds no background in library science. The White House said Hayden was fired because “she did not fit the needs of the American people,” citing concerns over her work on diversity initiatives and “inappropriate books,” despite the Library of Congress not serving children. (NBC News / Associated Press / Politico / Axios)
- Trump fired U.S. Copyright Office chief Shira Perlmutter by email. The White House gave no public reason for the removal, but Perlmutter’s firing came days after her office released a 100-page report warning that generative AI tools may be infringing copyrights by using creative works without permission. “Several stages in the development of generative AI involve using copyrighted works in ways that implicate the owners’ exclusive rights,” the report stated. (Washington Post / Associated Press / The Hill / Axios)
- Hamas freed the last known living American hostage in Gaza after direct talks with the Trump administration – sidestepping Israel. Trump claimed credit, calling the release of Edan Alexander “a step taken in good faith.” Israeli officials said no cease-fire or prisoner concessions were made – only that a “safe corridor” was arranged. (Associated Press / Politico / Washington Post / CNN / Wall Street Journal)
- Trump has received only 12 intelligence briefings since taking office in January, while his FBI director, Kash Patel, has cut his own daily briefings to twice a week. Trump, who rarely reads the written briefing and prefers to call allies for updates, has left intelligence officials concerned that vital warnings aren’t reaching him. Patel, meanwhile, has skipped the FBI’s standard daily brief and eliminated weekly calls with field offices. (Politico / NBC News)
figmentPez
Staff member
Republicans are trying to pass a bill that would ban any regulation of AI for 10 years.
“...no State or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act,” says the text of the bill
“...no State or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act,” says the text of the bill
So the Fed passes Ted Cruz' TAKE IT DOWN act, which criminalizes the creation of "non-consensual/deepfake intimate imagery," but then this bill bans the local enforcement of this law? Which is it, Ted? Do I get to use A.I. to generate fake porn once all porn media are made illegal, or not?
--Patrick
--Patrick
GasBandit
Staff member
- Forty-nine white South Africans arrive in U.S. after Trump administration grants them refugee status citing “genocide” while blocking asylum pathways for hundreds of thousands.
- IL Gov Pritzker blocks federal access to personal autism health data two days after Kennedy announces plan to probe condition’s causes.
- House Republicans propose $5 billion private school voucher program funded by donors who would receive 100% tax credits, diverting resources from public schools.
- Harvard sends letter to Education Dept. denying partisan bias claims and warning of government overreach.
- EPA tells 1,500 scientists in Office of Research and Development to apply for new agency jobs after Trump administration reorganization targets their positions.
- DHS Secretary Noem strips legal residency from 9,000 Afghan nationals in U.S., making them deportable despite Taliban control of Afghanistan.
- Federal judge allows IRS to share immigrants’ tax data with ICE for deportation efforts.
- EEOC moves to fire suspended administrative judge who resisted Trump directives on gender identity cases and criticized agency leadership.
- Top 220 anonymous crypto buyers who combined paid $148 million for dinner with Trump finalized today in scheme allowing foreign entities to secretly purchase presidential access.
- Musk’s Boring Company brought in by Federal Railroad Administration to potentially take over $8.5 billion Amtrak tunnel project.
- White House Correspondents Association condemns Trump administration for excluding wire service reporters from Air Force One, blocking millions from immediate presidential coverage.
- FAA issues ground delay at Newark Airport with 101-minute average delays Monday as 5 controllers remain on trauma leave after ongoing equipment failures.
Episcopal Church quits federal refugee program as presiding bishop condemns Trump for giving white South Africans preferential treatment over millions blocked and still waiting in camps.
figmentPez
Staff member
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. submerges in creek with high bacteria levels, including E. coli
"Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared photos of himself submerged in Washington, D.C.'s Rock Creek with his grandchildren, despite longstanding warnings that high bacterial levels make the Potomac River tributary unsafe."
...
The National Park Service warns, "Rock Creek has high levels of bacteria and other infectious pathogens that make swimming, wading, and other contact with the water a hazard to human (and pet) health,"
"Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared photos of himself submerged in Washington, D.C.'s Rock Creek with his grandchildren, despite longstanding warnings that high bacterial levels make the Potomac River tributary unsafe."
...
The National Park Service warns, "Rock Creek has high levels of bacteria and other infectious pathogens that make swimming, wading, and other contact with the water a hazard to human (and pet) health,"
figmentPez
Staff member
That happened in Hawaii shortly before I moved there. Some guy either dove or fell into the Ala Wai Canal and died from flesh-eating bacteria afterward. FYI, the locals use the canal as a landfill when they miss garbage day.
