Week 82 — The Return – The Weekly List

This was a week full of setbacks for Trump, at home and abroad. The U.S. continued to be mired in Trump’s war of choice with Iran, which, by all appearances, the U.S. seems to be losing. As we pass the three month mark, Trump and his regime seemed to vacillate, day by day, on whether a ceasefire or escalation was near, or whether, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the war was over.

On the home front, Trump suffered two major setbacks, first with a federal judge reversing his rebranding of the Kennedy Center, and then, bowing to both political and legal pushback, Trump backed down on his so-called ‘anti-weaponization’ fund. Backed down in part — not on the immunity audit, which benefits him personally. Uncharacteristically in recent days and weeks, Trump has largely avoided the media, and spent another weekend sending a flood of AI slop on Truth Social.

Increasingly it appears that Trump, as he put it this week, does not “care about the midterms.” His focus instead seems to be on throwing himself a big 80th birthday party at the nation’s capital, putting his name and brand as many places as possible, and enriching himself, his family and allies as much as possible before the clock runs out.

What alarms me most is all that we have normalized. The Justice Department, now run by his personal lawyer, has become a cudgel for Trump’s personal vendettas. This week, he crossed the line to pursuing E. Jean Carroll, who is completely a personal target, unrelated to his time in office. He named Bill Pulte to acting director of national intelligence, handing his ally unfettered access to a gold mine of intelligence, which he would undoubtedly use to target enemies, and could also harness to impact midterms. Trump’s regime acts like a mafia organization, awarding huge government contracts and loans, as Trump places stock market bets with his personal funds on companies he then champions. Our leadership in all realms is continuing to become more white and male, and less competent.

The question now is whether Republicans will at long last stand up to Trump, as they did with his fund, or if they will revert to being compliant junior assistants. Trump made some enemies in the Senate, after endorsing primary opponents of Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Cornyn. Will the Senate at long last push back? If not, it becomes a waiting game for how much damage Trump can do before the midterm elections, just five months away.

On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of 35 former federal judges filed a motion urging the judge who oversaw Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS to reopen the case, and conduct an inquiry into whether the deal reached by Trump and the IRS could be challenged as an act of fraud.
Lawyers for the judges wrote, “The purported ‘settlement’…raises profound questions about the parties’ candor toward the court and manipulation of the judicial system, which threatens to undermine confidence in the administration of justice.”
On Friday, a federal judge temporarily froze payments from Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ in response to a lawsuit by former Jan. 6 prosecutor Andrew Floyd and other plaintiffs, claiming the fund is unlawfully discriminatory by benefiting political allies of Trump.
On Wednesday, CNN reported that Trump’s DOJ launched a criminal investigation of E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexual assault and won in court on the allegation and defamation, again using the DOJ to pursue his personal enemies.
The investigation of perjury was brought by U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros in Chicago, whose office had dismissed a case against the “Broadway Six” in Week 81, over a 2022 statement by Carroll in New York that she received no outside funding for her lawsuit.
On Thursday, in a public statement, Boutros said the Northern District of Illinois “has not opened — and has never opened — a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll.” CNN reported their sources reaffirmed the investigation after his statement.
Bloomberg reported that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro subpoenaed Reddit and X seeking names, addresses, and banking information of anonymous users who had been critical of the Trump regime’s deportation efforts, as part of a criminal investigation.
At least two anonymous users learned of the subpoenas and hired lawyers, who said the investigation could relate to allegations of revealing federal officers’ locations. Civil rights group warned the move could chill protected free speech and intimidate dissenters.
NYT reported roughly one in five lawyers who worked for the federal government at the end of 2024 had departed, many going to work for state attorneys general and nonprofits. Once working for the DOJ was the gold standard, now lawyers worry it would tarnish their resume.
The Department of Education lost 53% of its lawyers, leaving a large backlog of discrimination cases, while Housing lost 40%. The only federal agency to increase lawyers was Homeland Security, which grew by 21%, driven by Trump’s immigration crackdown.
WAPO reported that starting last year, two Trump appointees in the Treasury Department pushed staffers at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to prepare prototypes of a $250 bill featuring an image of Trump, and signed by Trump and Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent.
After pushing back on the request, citing legal and procedural steps that typically take years, bureau director Patricia Solimene was reassigned. No living person has appeared on U.S. currency since 1866. Rep. Joe Wilson, a Trump loyalist, has pushed for a bill in the House.
On Wednesday, shortly after the Trump regime announced the schedule for Freedom 250 at the National Mall, five of the nine musical artists listed in the program said they would not appear, citing they were not aware prior of the event’s politicization.
Bruce Springsteen and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello announced that they along with Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Brittany Howard, and Joan Baez would headline a protest festival a month before midterms in Washington D.C.
On Saturday, Trump suggested on Truth Social cancelling the concert and having a “giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY” instead, where he would be the speaker, rather than the “overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear” and who “do nothing but complain.”
WAPO reported that the Pentagon was recruiting troops to attend Trump’s UFC fights at the White House. To be eligible, troops “MUST MEET CURRENT WAIST-HEIGHT RATIO and current physical fitness standard,” and would have to pay for their own travel and lodging.
NYT reported that Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the company that was given a no bid contract from the Trump regime to paint the Reflecting Pool, was making a margin of 20% for their work, significantly higher than the typical margin for federal work (6–10%).
Notus reported the Trump regime planned to spend $5 million on a contract to put a fresh coat of gold over four bronze horses along the roads surrounding the Lincoln Memorial. The National Park Service awarded the contract without a fully competitive bid.
WAPO reported that the Trump regime diverted at least $90 million of National Park Services fees that would typically be used on the parks themselves, for necessary maintenance and improvements, to instead fund Trump’s July 4 celebration and repairs to the Reflecting Pool.
NYT reported that Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth blocked nine of the nominees on the U.S. Navy promotion list to be one-star admirals who had been selected by a board of senior Navy admirals, including three women and two Black officers. His block violated the rules governing the promotion system.
With his block, all 22 of the nominees were white men, despite women making up 21% of active-duty Navy, and racial minorities making up 38%. WSJ reported Hegseth added at least one member of his inner circle to the list, who was previously passed over several times.
WSJ also reported that Hegseth had delayed promotions of at least two dozen more senior officers. Concerns grew at the Pentagon and Capitol Hill that Hegseth targeted officers for their race, gender, association with Biden’s DEI policies, or for being insufficiently loyal.
WAPO reported the Pentagon banned journalists from its press office, designating it as a classified space, restricting a space where journalists had been able to walk freely, and taking away their access to public affairs officers, who traditionally answered their questions.
On Wednesday, the Department of Defense awarded Dell with a $9.7 billion five-year deal, after its founder and CEO, Michael Dell, had pledged $6.25 billion to fund investment accounts for children known as “Trump accounts.”
The deal also came after Trump’s disclosures showed that on February 10, Trump acquired between $1 million and $5 million worth of shares, and days later at an event told supporters, “go out and buy a Dell computer,” and praised Dell at a White House Rose Garden luncheon.
On Wednesday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission asked a judge to vacate an order that included a $5 million penalty against Gemini Trust, a cryptocurrency exchange founded by the Winklevoss twins, who donated $1 million each to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
The move discredited career civil servants whose cases were approved by prior CFTC leadership. Trump’s initial pick to lead the CFTC, Brian Quintenz, accused the twins of lobbying the White House to stall his nomination over the lawsuit. Trump withdrew his nomination.
Propublica reported Vulcan Elements, a startup with ties to Donald Jr., got a $620 million loan from the Pentagon, which was granted to the company at an unusually rapid pace. A staffer cited, “the call came from the White House: We have to get this done.”
The Guardian reported that LEO, a company founded and led by Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy, who was pardoned by Trump at the end of his first regime, was awarded a $106 million federal contract from the Bureau of Prisons, the first contract for the AI company.
The Guardian reported that AAFS Infrastructure and Energy, a company connected to Donald Jr., was likely to be awarded a $1 billion energy contract to build and operate a pipeline across the Balkans, despite the company having almost no experience with a project of this scale.
On Thursday, CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss fired Tanya Simon, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” saying it was time for a “new approach.” Weiss had also fired Sharyn Alfonsi, whose segment was pulled, and Cecilia Vega.
On Monday, in a staff meeting, Scott Pelley referred to the firings as “Black Thursday,” and accused Weiss of “murdering” the show. He said Nick Bilton, the new executive producer, had “slender” qualifications for his new job, and questioned the network’s commitment to the show.
On Tuesday, Pelley was fired by CBS News, after working at the network for 37 years. Bilton said in a letter that Pelley was terminated for cause. Pelley said in a letter that the program’s standards were being eroded for political reasons, writing, “The principles I hold dear are gone.”
On Wednesday, a federal judge, appointed by Trump, refused to block his executive order that would limit mail-in voting, after Democrats and civil rights groups said it was unconstitutional. The judge cited it was too early to block the order, since it had not been implemented.
On Friday, the Trump regime quietly released a 400-page proposal which would require that the regime approve all federal grants, including for health, housing, science, and transportation, to ensure they support Trump’s agenda. Grants that do not could be blocked.
WAPO reported that after filing a FOIA request with the newly operational Trump Presidential Library, which is responsible for preserving White House records, for Trump’s Twitter DMs, they claimed none existed, despite the Post having evidence that Trump sent them.
On Wednesday, at a cabinet meeting, Trump said he felt no pressure to make a deal with Iran, saying, “I don’t care about the midterms,” adding, “The primary urgency is that we can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” and claiming gas prices were “going to come down fast.”
Trump also claimed Iran was “negotiating on fumes,” lying that “their navy is gone, their air force is gone, everything’s gone,” while a U.S. intelligence assessment found Iran’s military was far stronger than Trump claimed. Trump also said, “their economy is in freefall.”
Trump also threatened to blow up longtime ally Oman if they cooperated with Iran to impose a tolling system, saying, “Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up.” Bessent also threatened Oman that the U.S. would “aggressively” impose sanctions.
WSJ reported the Trump regime had continued to whipsaw on Iran over the past week. On Thursday afternoon the White House said there was an agreed upon deal awaiting Trump’s sign off. Minutes later, Bessent told reporters there were “several red lines.”
On Friday, Trump told reporters he would make a “final determination” on whether to accept an extension of the ceasefire deal with Iran, even as the two remained far apart on major issues like nuclear. After a two hour meeting in the Situation Room, Trump left with no update.
On Saturday, Hegseth said at a speech in Singapore that he had spoken to Trump that morning, and “He wanted me to reiterate how patient he is,” and that “any deal will be a good one. A great one,” to ensure “they don’t get a nuclear weapon.”
Later Saturday, Bloomberg reported that several Americans had been injured in recent days by a missile attack on a Kuwaiti air base. Trump and his regime continued to send mixed signals.
On Friday, Reuters reported that U.S. General Francis Donovan, the general overseeing forces in Latin America, held a meeting with Cuban military officials at the edge of Guantanamo Bay. The meeting was the first in recent times, amid potential escalation by Trump.
NYT reported that even as U.S. Central Command continued to announce strikes on alleged drug vessels, killing nearly 200 people, there was no evidence that what some experts said was an unlawful operation was slowing cocaine traffic into the U.S.
As strikes continued, and the death toll rose above 200, coastal communities in Colombia and Ecuador noted not only the lost lives, but also the fear in fishing villages of being able to make a living. Some lifelong fisherman have stopped working for fear of being killed.
AP reported that the Trump regime has instructed federal prosecutors in Miami to halt a criminal investigation of Trump ally, Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez, despite her being a longtime target of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
CBS News reported that while Trump was at Walter Reed on Wednesday morning, though the White House announced that he met “our amazing service members and medical staff,” Trump did not see any of the 14 troops injured in the Iran War who were recovering at the hospital.
NYT reported in addition to measles, hospitals were seeing a resurgence of diseases such as whooping cough and bacterial infections in children, as vaccination rates declined under HHS Sec. Robert Kennedy, Jr. Many adults were also were also refusing tetanus shots.
WAPO reported members of the U.S. Public Health Service had begun training before being sent to Kenya to treat U.S. citizens exposed to Ebola and sent to a quarantine there. Experts said the three day training period was insufficient, and called on Trump to bring citizens home.
The Trump regime announced a new rule that would tighten the exception for the work requirements for Medicaid, doing away with some carve outs for serious illnesses or “medically frail” recipients. The changes could impact millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid.
On Monday, a federal judge ruled demonstrators did not need to take down a ‘86–47’ flag, saying that in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the phrase “86” originated in the 1930s, meaning to “throw out.” The ruling could also have implications for the DOJ’s case against James Comey.
NYT reported several people who were fired for criticizing Charlie Kirk on social media after his death, after Republicans like Vice President JD Vance encouraged firings, including professors and staffers, have won lawsuits providing large settlements, citing the First Amendment.
Former President Biden sued the DOJ over the potential release of his interviews with his ghostwriter while drafting his 2017 memoir, arguing that the request by a Republican-led committee as part of their Biden family investigation “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose.”
Watchdog group U.S. Government Accountability Office reported at the end of fiscal year 2025, the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, which oversees nuclear clean-up, had a staff vacancy rate of 45%, almost half in mission critical roles.
On Thursday, Trump refiled his lawsuit against the WSJ over the Epstein birthday letter story, alleging the Journal tarnished his reputation, and adding the claim that owner Rupert Murdoch told him he would “handle”the story after Trump called him to complain.
On Friday, testifying before the House Oversight Committee in a closed door hearing, former AG Pam Bondi refused to answer questions about Trump’s role in the Epstein files, and claimed she had little authority in the release, shifting blame to current acting AG Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Bondi was accompanied by DOJ officials, including Harmeet Dhillon, head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, who acted as her counsel. Democrats said that arrangement created a conflict of interest.
On Thursday, Ryan Fournier, a pro-Trump activist and founder of Students for Trump, was arrested on domestic violence charges. Fournier was previously arrested on domestic violence charges in 2023.
On Thursday, a federal judge rejected a lawsuit by the Trump regime challenging a Boston city ordinance restricting police cooperation with federal immigration agents, finding there was “no source of authority” empowering the Trump regime to tell Boston police what to do.
On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security walked back their policy on green cards after widespread confusion and pushback, saying most immigrants would not need to leave the U.S. in order to apply for a green card.
NYT reported that the Trump regime has been pushing immigrants to self-deport by systematically cutting off access to jobs, healthcare, and housing for non-citizens, including those here legally under temporary protected status.
CBS News reported the regime was developing a plan for a new DHS regulation that would allow U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to reject asylum applicants more quickly, without needing to conduct an interview.
On Friday, ICE agent Christian J. Castro, who was wanted in Minneapolis by the Hennepin County attorney’s office for second degree assault for shooting a Venezuelan man in January, who he lied had been bludgeoned by a shovel, was captured in Texas.
On Friday, DHS said ICE agents would leave Delaney Hall in Newark, after protests continued over poor conditions at the immigration detention center. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill sent state troopers to protect public safety and to prevent ICE from escalating the situation.
NYT reported that the travel industry and business leaders denounced a proposal repeatedly floated by DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin to remove customs officers from airports in so-called ‘sanctuary cities,’ saying it would create chaos for travelers and threaten the travel economy.
On Tuesday, in his testimony before a U.S. Senate subcommittee, Mullin refused to commit to the DHS following court orders, citing the “courts were politicized,” and baselessly claiming, “we see courts over and over again that use their bench for their political opinion.”
On Friday, a federal judge ordered Trump’s DOJ to provide justification for their request to dismiss the seditious conspiracy conviction of the Oath Keepers and their founder Stewart Rhodes.
On Friday, a federal judge ruled Trump’s rebranding of the Kennedy Center violated the law, and ordered the regime to take down all signage and eliminate all references to Trump within 14 days, citing, “Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.”
The judge also blasted the board of Trump appointees voting to close the center for two years at Trump’s request for major renovations, calling it an “ill-informed” and “seemingly preordained” decision, and ordered that it remain open.
Shortly after, in a Truth Social rant, Trump wrote, “Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing,” and claimed he would “transfer” it back to Congress.
Trump added that the judge and “the Radical Left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it,” adding, “I cannot be involved with a situation where danger to the Public is allowed to flourish in plain and open sight.”
On Friday, the federal judge that oversaw Trump’s IRS lawsuit reopened that case, saying she wanted to investigate “grievous allegations” that the deal that led to the fund was “premised on deception,” adding she was “empowered to investigate serious misconduct.”
The judge gave Trump’s lawyers until June 12 to respond to whether the suit should be formally reopened because “the court was the victim of a fraud,” and whether Trump had colluded with his own government to settle the case in order to “avoid judicial scrutiny.”
WSJ reported Trump’s top aides, who were not informed of the deal until a few days before it was announced, were discussing killing the $1.776 billion fund. More than a dozen Senate Republicans have urged Trump aides to drop the fund.
Boris Epshteyn, Trump’s personal lawyer, was involved in negotiations to set up the fund, and also suggested potential names for a five-member commission. Only a few DOJ officials were involved, including Blanche’s top aide, Trent McCotter, and the Office of Legal Counsel.
Notus reported that Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito’s son works surreptitiously as a lawyer at Treasury, although his name was hidden, and online he was still listed at his former job. While the Supreme Court was set to hear a case on the $1.776 billion fund, Alito did not recuse himself.
Later Friday, Trump endorsed Pam Evette for governor of South Carolina, a snub of Rep. Nancy Mace who was one of the House Republicans who crossed party lines to vote for the release of the Epstein files.
On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social backing New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr., saying he had “my Complete and Total Endorsement,” and “HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Kean missed more than 100 floor votes since March, and had not been seen publicly for three months.
Later Friday, the White House released a memo from Trump’s physician relating to his visit to Walter Reed on Wednesday, claiming Trump “remains in excellent physical health,” but offering very little detail other than Trump gained 14 pounds since his 2025 visit.
WSJ reported doctors said the memo lacked details and several key metrics from tests to assess Trump’s cardiovascular health, gave limited details on medications Trump was taking, and did not give follow up information on Trump’s skin conditions of the past.
Late Friday, the Trump regime said it would appeal a judge’s authority to order across-the-board refunds of all of the $166 billion in tariffs, which the Supreme Court found to be illegal. The appeal was set to inject legal chaos into the refund process already underway.
On Friday, Alabama’s Republican Gov. Kay Ivey voided May 19 primary results for two state senate districts, and set a special election in August, after a federal appeals court ruled on Thursday that the state could use its previously struck-down map. The move was set to cause confusion.
On Saturday, beginning at noon, Trump shared or reshared more than 50 Truth Social posts over six hours, including mostly AI slop including patriotic fantasy art, self-congratulatory graphics, crime memes, military imagery, celebrity tributes, and attacks on political rivals.
Included were an AI image of a giant garbage can with the words, “The Obama Presidential Library;” an AI image of Trump riding a horse alongside George Washington; the AI meme of him overlooking Greenland; and a post about China having a ballroom.
Trump also attacked Pope Leo XIV, posting images of the Pope’s meeting in Chicago with the mayor, and saying, “Someone should explain to the Pope that the Mayor of Chicago is useless,” and adding, “Iran cannot have a Nuclear Weapon!”
Later Saturday, in an interview by Lara Trump on Fox News, Trump claimed on the Iranian military, “We’ve actually left their military alone. People would be surprised to hear that,” contradicting his prior statements.
Trump also gave her a tour of the White House, including the site for his ballroom, saying, “we’re going to have the inauguration here,” and it was a “gift to America.” Trump also showed her the site of the UFC fight set for June 14, which Trump feigned surprise was his 80th birthday.
A poll by The Economist showed Trump’s net approval at -24 (34 approve, 58 disapprove), the lowest of any president since the poll started in 2009. On the economy, three-quarters said that conditions are “fair” or “poor,” and 63% said that things were getting worse.
On Sunday, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett downplayed Americans’ economic anxiety on ABC News, saying, “look at what’s happening to real wages,” while ignoring the steep rise in prices, claiming “really positive news” about the economy was being ignored.
On Sunday, in another long series of Truth Social posts, Trump gave a new rationale for his ballroom in a lengthy post, citing the “DronePort at the White House,” saying the proposed drone facility would be “perhaps, the most sophisticated anywhere in the World.”
Trump also announced on Truth Social that he was giving his ally Tom Barrack, who was recently named in the Epstein files, a bigger role in the Middle East, expanding his role as the U.S. ambassador to Turkey to also became Trump’s envoy to Syria and Iraq.
On Monday, after Iran threatened to end negotiations over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon, Trump told CNBC, “I really don’t care. I couldn’t care less,” adding negotiations “started to get very boring.” Trump said he was “going to ask” Israel’s PM “what’s going on.”
Trump also baselessly claimed that Americans were okay with higher gas prices, saying, “Once you explain that this is all about Iran having a nuclear weapon, people are willing to pay a little bit more,” adding, “I think the oil will be dropping like a rock in…the very near distance.”
Shortly after, Trump posted on Truth Social that he “had a very productive call,” and representatives spoke to Hezbollah, and they “agreed that all shooting will stop.” Trump sent another post, saying, “Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace” with Iran.
On Tuesday, Sec. Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that despite what Iranian state media said on Monday, talks continue, and when asked, claimed, “there is the prospect” that Iran “could negotiate aspects of their nuclear program.”
Rubio also got into a heated exchange with Sen. Cory Booker, after baselessly claiming that “The war is over.”
Also, in a snub of HHS Sec. Kennedy, Rubio said the State Department was reclaiming control of the U.S. relationship with Gavi, an organization that provided immunizations to low income countries, and resuming funding, after Kennedy had pulled the U.S. out in 2025.
Later Tuesday, Trump posted on Truth Social “Fake News Reports” that Iran and the U.S. stopped speaking were “false and erroneous,” adding, “as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal,’” contradicting his statement to CNBC the day prior.
On Monday, Alexis Wilkins, the girlfriend of Kash Patel, sued MSNOW and two of its reporters, citing their “false portrayal,” and their use of anonymous sources to “push knowingly or recklessly false allegations” that she abused bureau resources.
NYT reported the Trump regime was dismantling a $368 million ocean monitoring system that collected data in the Atlantic and Pacific, and was used by scientists to track the impact of climate change and ocean research, and its impact on storms and flooding along the East Coast.
On Monday, Axios reported that the Trump regime planned to drop the $1.776 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fund, after political and legal pushback. The news came after Trump met with House Speaker Mike Johnson about the fund.
Shortly after, the DOJ posted a lengthy statement on X, saying the department “disagrees strongly with the decision” by the federal judge to pause the fund, but adding, “The Department will abide by the Court’s ruling.”
Shortly after, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters, “I do think the best way to handle it is if the administration decides to shut it down themselves.”
On Tuesday, at 12:08 a.m., Trump sent a long post on Truth Social, saying he was “an innocent man who has been horribly treated,” citing testimony against him by his former fixer Michael Cohen, who tried to take back his testimony and planned to apply for the $1.776 billion fund.
On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported while the plan to set up the ‘anti-weaponization’ fund was on hold, the part of the deal that gives audit immunity, barring the government from probing Trump, his family, and his businesses’ past tax filings, was still in place.
On Tuesday, in an interview with Fox News, Blanche was asked by Sean Hannity if there was a “grand conspiracy investigation” against Trump. Blanche lied, “Yes, absolutely.” And when asked if James Comey, John Brennan, and James Clapper were involved, he said “yeah.”
Later Tuesday, in testimony before a House Appropriations subcommittee, Blanche said, “We’re not moving forward with the fund,” and claimed it would be permanently withdrawn; on audit immunity for Trump, his family and businesses, “Nothing has changed with that.”
On Tuesday, WAPO reported that several Senate Republicans were concerned whether the deal was really dead, and wanted to hear it from Trump directly, not just the DOJ tweet on abiding by the ruling of a temporary pause.
On Tuesday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he was appointing Bill Pulte, a close ally, to be the acting director of national intelligence. Pulte had used information gleaned in his role as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to go after Trump’s perceived enemies.
In addition to going after Comey, Letitia James, Lisa Cook, Eric Swalwell, and Adam Schiff, Pulte fired his agency’s legal and ethics watchdogs. Pulte had no experience in intelligence, national security, or defense, prompting blowback from Democrats and some Republicans.
Concern was expressed that the DNI would have access to intelligence from 18 separate intelligence agencies and units. Pulte’s inexperience could put the country in danger. He could also politicize the vast intelligence available to him, or undermine the results of the midterm elections.
On Wednesday, WAPO reported that the Pentagon hired Elias Irizarry, who at age 19 had participated as a Jan. 6 insurrectionist, for a job in the Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict office, which handles highly classified information, raising alarm among the office’s staffers.
On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that Trump again proposed tariffs, this time citing alleging goods were produced by forced labor as a rationale to impose 10% tariffs on Canada, Mexico, the European Union, Taiwan, the U.K., and other countries.
On Wednesday, in an interview with the New York Post, Trump said he was in no hurry to end the war with Iran. Asked if the U.S. blockade would be removed if the Strait of Hormuz reopened in weeks, he said, “I don’t know.” Asked if by Labor Day, he said, “I think it could be, but I think it’s unlikely.”

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the rebranding of the Kennedy Center as the “Trump Kennedy Center” violates the law, and ordered that Trump’s name be removed from the building within two weeks.