The Senate, under GOP control, confirmed Joe Kent, a figure with documented ties to far-right extremism and conspiracy theories, as the new head of the National Counterterrorism Center. This decision, supported largely along party lines, faced strong opposition from Democrats who highlighted Kent’s history of promoting election falsehoods and his connections to extremist figures, including white nationalists and members of the Proud Boys. Kent, a former Green Beret, has been criticized for echoing conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and the January 6th Capitol attack. Furthermore, Kent was accused of attempting to manipulate intelligence assessments for political gain.
Read More
President Trump is planning a significant Mar-a-Lago-style makeover for the East Wing, including the construction of a new ballroom, set to begin in September at an estimated cost of $200 million funded by the president and private donors. The new ballroom will be approximately 90,000 square feet, nearly double the size of the current White House, and will have a capacity of 650 people. The project will also relocate offices currently in the East Wing, and is the latest in a series of White House construction projects under Trump’s administration, following renovations like the Rose Garden’s overhaul and gold leafing in the Oval Office.
Read More
President Trump announced a 90-day pause on increasing tariffs on Mexican goods, avoiding the threatened escalation to 30%. This extension allows time for a trade deal to be negotiated. During this period, Mexico will maintain existing tariffs, including 25% on fentanyl and auto imports and 50% on metal commodities. Additionally, Mexico has agreed to eliminate several non-tariff trade barriers. The extension highlights the significance of Mexico as a trading partner and the relationship between Trump and President Sheinbaum.
Read More
The United States has extended the existing trade deal with Mexico for 90 days, maintaining tariffs of 25% on fentanyl and cars, and 50% on steel, aluminum, and copper. Mexico has also agreed to immediately eliminate its unspecified non-tariff trade barriers. This extension provides Mexico with additional time to negotiate a comprehensive trade agreement with the U.S., avoiding the 30% tariff Trump had previously threatened to impose by August 1st.
Read More
A recent survey conducted by The Times revealed American voters view President Trump’s actions to arrest and deport immigrants as his most significant achievement. While nearly half of respondents graded Trump’s second term positively, they also identified inflation as the most pressing issue. The poll highlighted widespread concern over Trump’s tariff policy, with a majority believing it will negatively impact the country’s prosperity, and overall job performance approval has declined slightly. Interestingly, support for a third party led by Elon Musk is low, and his popularity has decreased since leaving the administration.
Read More
In response to a Supreme Court decision, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a memo outlining plans to revoke citizenship from children born to immigrants, including those with temporary legal status. The memo envisions federal review of parents’ documentation, potentially in hospitals, to determine a newborn’s citizenship status. The plan would deny citizenship to children of immigrants who are “unlawfully present,” potentially rendering them deportable, and also includes children of those with lawful but temporary presence, such as visa holders and Dreamers. This policy change would necessitate intrusive federal involvement and create a caste-based system, putting ICE agents in maternity wards and potentially deporting babies.
Read More
President Donald Trump is set to reinstate the Presidential Fitness Test, originally established in 1966, aiming to encourage healthy, active lifestyles among American schoolchildren. The program, which was modified in 2012 to prioritize individual health, will be re-launched alongside the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and will be overseen by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A Presidential Fitness Award will also be developed by the council. The event at the White House will include several prominent athletes, some of whom have faced controversy, reflecting Trump’s personal interest in sports and his vision for the future of sports and fitness in America.
Read More
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev provoked a sharp rebuke from Donald Trump after mocking Trump’s ultimatum to Russia regarding a ceasefire in Ukraine. Medvedev, comparing Trump to his political rival, warned against escalating tensions and suggested Trump’s threats were leading the countries toward war. In response, Trump labeled Medvedev a “failed president,” criticizing his comments as dangerous. The spat stemmed from Trump’s earlier threat to impose tariffs on Russia if a deal to end the war was not reached within a specified timeframe.
Read More
The former president dismissed the ongoing investigation as “old news” and a scam orchestrated by Democrats. He suggested that if any damaging information existed, it would have been released before the election. Trump’s remarks coincided with the push to declassify and share the classified annex to John Durham’s 2023 report on the FBI’s investigations with the Senate Judiciary Committee. However, given the prior legal outcomes of the report, any new revelations are considered unlikely to expose a vast conspiracy.
Read More
The family of Virginia Giuffre, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, has urged former President Trump not to consider clemency for Ghislaine Maxwell. Giuffre’s family expressed shock at Trump’s acknowledgement of her being “stolen” from his Mar-a-Lago club and questioned his awareness of Epstein and Maxwell’s criminal actions. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking charges. The family stated that any leniency towards Maxwell would be a “travesty of justice.”
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker
Trump Attacks Putin Ally Over “Sleepy Joe” Comparison
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev provoked a sharp rebuke from Donald Trump after mocking Trump’s ultimatum to Russia regarding a ceasefire in Ukraine. Medvedev, comparing Trump to his political rival, warned against escalating tensions and suggested Trump’s threats were leading the countries toward war. In response, Trump labeled Medvedev a “failed president,” criticizing his comments as dangerous. The spat stemmed from Trump’s earlier threat to impose tariffs on Russia if a deal to end the war was not reached within a specified timeframe.
Read More