Category: Intolerance

‘Some homework to do’: Trump appointees vote to address gaps in arch plan in heated meeting – ABC News

Trump’s National Capital Planning Commission, stacked with his appointees, voted Thursday to conditionally advance a 250-foot “triumphal arch” project near Arlington National Cemetery, but only after staff identified significant gaps requiring the administration to provide additional details before final approval. Commission Chair Will Scharf, Trump’s White House staff secretary, acknowledged the project team has “homework to do,” requesting more renderings and technical information on lighting, stormwater management, materials, and height justification under the Height of Buildings Act. Despite Trump immediately claiming approval on social media, Scharf clarified the vote was not final and will return for further review.

The commission received 1,696 public comments before the hearing, nearly all opposing the project as a vanity structure inconsistent with American values. Veterans including Gary Langston and Marine Jimi Shaughnessy testified that the arch would obstruct views of Arlington National Cemetery and cast literal and figurative shadows over sacred ground where their families rest. Langston warned the design contains “elements that I fear won’t stand the test of time,” while Shaughnessy called the 250-foot structure “a profound disruption and insult at the entrance to sacred ground” and “a momentous symbol of selfishness.”

Commission staff, though outnumbered by Trump loyalists, raised critical unresolved issues including pedestrian safety, potential interference with Reagan National Airport flight paths, and obstruction of cemetery views. Jamie Herr, the commission’s urban planner, stated the submission lacks essential information and noted the administration must provide “necessary elements for the commission to review as the design advances.” Jessica Bowron, representing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, supported the staff recommendations and pledged to provide the requested additional information.

The vote to accept staff concerns passed 9-1, with only Evan Cash, representing D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, voting no on grounds that the administration cannot answer the “fundamental question about why this project belongs in this place.” Cash’s dissent highlighted the threshold issue: whether Trump’s triumphal arch near Arlington serves any purpose beyond personal aggrandizement, part of a broader pattern of Trump spending millions to gild and renovate Washington monuments while bypassing normal oversight processes.(Source: https://abcnews.com/Politics/homework-trump-appointees-vote-address-gaps-arch-plan/story?id=133600719)

White House App Exposes Users to Data Theft Via Undisclosed Third Parties

The Trump White House's official app collects and shares user data with third-party vendors without proper disclosure, according to cybersecurity researchers who analyzed its code. The app's privacy manifest on Apple's App Store is blank despite the fact that it transmits IP addresses, time zones, device identifiers, and mobile carrier information to companies including OneSignal and Elfsight, a Russia-founded software vendor. Philip Fields, a cybersecurity researcher and former FBI intelligence analyst, stated that "having an amateur WordPress developer running the White House's public presence puts everybody who visits it at risk," especially while the U.S. is engaged in military conflict.

The app fails to meet federal security standards and bypasses established oversight mechanisms. Federal apps and websites are required to use certified cloud services such as FedRamp or GovCloud, which have been vetted and certified by Congress for security compliance. Instead, the White House contracted with 45Press, an Ohio-based WordPress development company with no disclosed mobile app experience, which was awarded over $1.4 million in February. The app lacks basic security protections including code obfuscation and certificate pinning, making its code and network traffic vulnerable to reverse engineering.

Data sharing with third parties violates the app's stated privacy disclosures to users. Apple's app store requires developers to declare all data collection in privacy manifests; the White House app's manifest is completely blank, falsely indicating no data collection occurs. Cybersecurity researcher Thereallo noted that "users downloading an official government app would reasonably expect their data to stay within the US government systems, not flow to commercial third-party platforms." OneSignal's chief marketing officer acknowledged the company collects functional data but stated it is Apple's responsibility to ensure developers disclose this collection accurately.

The White House defended the app's security practices, claiming third-party vendors underwent full IT review and that data sharing is "standard" for applications. However, Sen. Dick Durbin, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, criticized the administration's cybersecurity failures, stating "in true Trump White House fashion, their lackluster app appears to pose a cybersecurity threat to its users," particularly as the administration simultaneously cuts funding from cybersecurity agencies. The app ranks as the third-most downloaded news app on Apple's App Store after its launch last week, with Trump promoting it as providing "front-row access" to his administration.

The White House has deployed four updates to the app within one week of its release, with developers attributing two updates to "minor bug fixes." Initial versions included inactive location-tracking permissions that were subsequently removed. Cybersecurity expert Adam Enger warned that state-sponsored attackers possess far more sophisticated analysis capabilities than independent researchers and are actively monitoring the app for vulnerabilities, stating "if I could find this by myself in an hour on Friday night, then how far along are our adversaries with this?"

(Source: https://www.notus.org/technology/trump-white-house-app-cybersecurity)

Pete Hegseth Blocks Black and Female Navy Officers from Getting Promotions: Report

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked promotions for at least seven Navy officers in May 2026, including two women and two Black men, according to reporting by The New York Times on June 1. Three additional officers removed from the promotion list were white men. The blocking contradicts the stated composition of the Navy, where women comprise approximately 21% of active-duty personnel and about 38% identify as racial minorities, yet the May promotion list included no female officers and only two nonwhite officers.

Four current and former defense officials characterized Hegseth's actions as "highly unusual." This pattern aligns with reporting from NBC News in April, citing nine U.S. officials, that Hegseth blocked or delayed promotions across all military branches based on officers' "race, gender or perceived affiliation with [former President Joe] Biden administration policies or officials." In March, The New York Times documented Hegseth blocking promotions of two women Army officers and two Black Army officers to one-star general ranks.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell denied the report, calling The New York Times "race-baiting garbage" and claiming the outlet views "almost everything through the lens of race and gender over merit." Parnell stated that "military promotions are given to those who have earned them" and asserted the Department will never consider "the color of a service member's skin or their gender as a factor in promotions." These denials came despite the documented pattern of exclusions.

House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith, a Democrat, directly attributed the removals to Hegseth's ideological targeting. Smith stated in April that Hegseth has "oust[ed] numerous decorated, knowledgeable, and well-respected U.S. military leaders" and "continue[s] to target others in the department who appear to pose a challenge to him personally or don't fit his world view rather than letting merit and competence determine promotions." Smith warned the actions "threaten the stability of our armed forces" and "erode the non-partisan role of the military."

Hegseth's removals form part of a broader pattern of institutional control consistent with efforts to restrict press access to Pentagon operations and consolidate loyalty within the defense apparatus. These personnel decisions demonstrate the use of military authority to enforce ideological conformity rather than merit-based advancement.

(Source: https://people.com/pete-hegseth-blocks-black-and-female-navy-officers-from-receiving-promotions-report-11988460?utm_campaign=peoplemagazine&utm_content=photo&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_term=6a1e215499519100013f9925&fbclid=IwdGRjcASLs9JleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeIbFKNfkDxLmkNcnnWrrCrZ2LoFJkdKXsd1PjTri2IF8qGLfzwfgr-Gk_ws0_aem_YSm1EWQnHrlm8PnYzAlpWQ)

Trump Budget Zeros Out 6,000 Homeless Veterans Housing

President Donald Trump allocated zero dollars in his $2.2 trillion fiscal 2027 budget proposal for a promised Los Angeles facility to house 6,000 homeless veterans, despite signing an executive order last year pledging completion by January 1, 2028. The proposed National Center for Warrior Independence was to be constructed on the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus, but Trump's budget included no funding for the housing project.

Trump's administration has required Department of Veterans Affairs officials and local advocates to sign nondisclosure agreements regarding the project, preventing transparency about planning and costs. During a May 13 House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, Republican Chairman Mike Bost demanded answers, stating "Transparency should be a priority, not an option," and Rep. Derrick Van Orden criticized the plan as incomplete, calling it "corruption." The VA delivered its plan to lawmakers eight months behind schedule and could not specify total project costs despite requesting $500 million as an initial payment.

VA officials claimed the department was "hard at work implementing" Trump's order and issued a request for proposals with a June 23 deadline to establish additional housing units. However, testimony revealed that housing capacity at the West LA center increased from 955 to 1,377 beds during Trump's second term, yet none of this growth resulted from his executive order. Trump has never explained the 6,000-veteran figure, which exceeds Los Angeles' total homeless veteran population by approximately double, prompting speculation about plans to relocate veterans from other regions.

Rep. Mark Takano raised concerns that VA staffing cuts have created insufficient personnel to support homeless veterans already at the West LA facility, let alone the promised 6,000 residents. Veterans who secured a federal court order for additional housing at the site have opposed the VA's plan to construct 800 tiny 8-by-8-foot homes there. Takano warned that inadequate support services could turn the property into "a vast West Side skid row," jeopardizing tenant safety and mental health.

In response to congressional criticism, the VA blamed "litigation inherited" by the Trump administration and promised monthly briefings. The department stated it was "reclaiming sections of the campus that had long been irresponsibly leased" to private companies and that "subsequent budget requests will include adding thousands more housing units," offering no commitment to fund the project in the current fiscal year.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-homeless-veterans-housing-budget-b2985273.html)

Trump UFC Octagon White House June 14 Freedom

Construction of a UFC Octagon cage has begun on the White House South Lawn for a scheduled June 14 event billed as "UFC Freedom Fights 250," timed to coincide with President Trump's birthday and Flag Day during America's 250th anniversary celebrations. The event will feature a lightweight title matchup between champion Ilia Topuria and interim title holder Justin Gaethje, plus four additional fights, with prize money partially funded by Crypto.com.

Trump claims the venue will accommodate approximately 100,000 spectators across the South Lawn and Ellipse, with 75,000 to 100,000 additional viewers in surrounding parks watching on large screens. The president announced tickets would be free and told reporters he has "never seen anybody want anything so much as people want those tickets," asserting broad public demand for the spectacle.

Visible scaffolding now frames the cage structure and rises above the West Wing and Oval Office, transforming the traditional seat of constitutional democracy into a fighting arena. The staging transforms the nation's symbolic center into a venue for combat sport, with the president positioned as the event's chief promoter and beneficiary of its association.

UFC released renderings showing the cage surrounded by stadium seating and a "UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest" setup in Ellipse Park. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle called the event "one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history" and framed it as evidence of Trump's "vision to celebrate America's monumental 250th anniversary."

The event underscores the blending of personal presidential interests with official state ceremony. Trump's repeated public promotion of ticket demand, the direct involvement of UFC leadership close to the president, and the appropriation of White House grounds typically reserved for constitutional functions into a combat sports venue reflect a consolidation of entertainment, business, and political authority into a single masculine spectacle centered on executive power.

(Source: https://abcnews.com/Politics/construction-underway-ufc-octagon-white-house-flag-day/story?id=133316489)

HUD Moves to Limit Assistance Animals for Disabled Tenants – The New York Times

The Trump administration's Department of Housing and Urban Development issued an internal memo on Friday that immediately narrows the definition of assistance animals permitted for disabled tenants, potentially triggering thousands of evictions. The memo, obtained by The New York Times, directs HUD's fair housing office to exclude emotional support animals and impose stricter scrutiny on service animal designations when approving disability accommodations. Under the Fair Housing Act, disabled renters can request waivers of no-pet policies, but HUD now characterizes emotional support animals as a loophole, claiming "an entire industry has emerged to convert pets into emotional support animals."

The policy shift represents a reversal from the first Trump administration, when HUD issued guidance affirming that emotional support animals and other assistance animals were protected accommodations under fair housing law because they provided therapeutic support for people with disabilities. Under the new rule, only animals trained to perform specific disability-related services qualify as presumptively reasonable accommodations, while requests for untrained emotional support animals are deemed unreasonable.

Erik Heins, a former HUD fair housing enforcement attorney, warned that the policy will devastate tenants relying on assistance animals for psychiatric and mental health conditions, including military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Heins stated that such cases represent a significant portion of HUD's fair housing investigations and that the department could now dismiss or shelve thousands of pending disability accommodation appeals under the new standard.

HUD, under the leadership of Scott Turner, has moved aggressively to tighten rules on public housing, including increased scrutiny of tenants' immigration status. The memo's framing of emotional support animals as circumventing pet policies contradicts the therapeutic function these animals provide for disabled individuals managing invisible disabilities that do not appear on medical imaging.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/us/politics/hud-assistance-animals-disabled.html)

White House “Re-migration” Rhetoric Mirrors Neo-Nazi Ideologies and Invokes Ethnic Cleansing

A recent post by the White House has sparked concern over its use of the term "re-migration," normalizing language deeply rooted in neo-Nazi ideology. This terminology has gained traction within far-right circles and is part of a disturbing trend where state policies reflect and reinforce extremist beliefs. The rhetoric of re-migration mirrors the enforcement tactics used by ICE, where mass deportations are seen as a form of ethnic cleansing. This approach, under the guise of maintaining national security and order, contributes to a broader, unsettling narrative that targets and alienates communities based on ethnicity.

Historically, this term was propagated by groups such as Identity Europa and Alternative for Germany (AfD), organizations known for their far-right affiliations and ideologies. These groups, which have often aligned themselves with neo-Nazi principles, see re-migration as a way to preserve ethnic homogeneity by exporting non-native populations. The rhetoric used by these groups emphasizes a stark division between “us” and “them,” often excluding anyone who does not fit their narrow definition of national identity.

The controversial nature of re-migration policies was thrust into the spotlight following a report by the German investigative newsroom Correctiv. According to their findings, a secret meeting took place in late 2023 attended by influential AfD leaders and far-right activists, including Martin Sellner, a prominent identitarian figure. During this meeting, a re-migration plan targeting asylum seekers, non-native residents, and "unassimilated" German citizens was outlined without any opposition from those present. This plan has been criticized as a form of ethnic cleansing under the guise of social engineering.

Critics and researchers have pointed out that the rhetoric of re-migration mirrors the language often used in white supremacist narratives, emphasizing themes of cultural dilution and existential threat to native populations. This aligns with the discourse used by political leaders in official stances against global initiatives such as the Global Compact on Migration. Public declarations have been made suggesting that under certain administrations, policies aligning with replacement migration, as promoted by international agreements, would be resisted strongly.

The debate surrounding re-migration underscores the urgent need for careful consideration of the language and policies being endorsed at the highest levels of government. As these ideologies continue to seep into mainstream discourse, it is crucial for policymakers and citizens alike to remain vigilant against the normalization of concepts rooted in bigotry and division. Efforts to address migration must prioritize human rights and integration, rather than fostering an environment of fear and exclusion.

Smith College: Department of Education opens investigation into all-women’s college for admitting trans women | CNN

The Department of Education launched a Title IX investigation into Smith College, an all-women’s liberal arts institution in Massachusetts, for admitting trans women as students. The investigation, initiated in response to a complaint filed by Defending Education, a conservative nonprofit, accuses Smith of violating Title IX by “admitting biological men and granting them access to women-only spaces, including dormitories, bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic teams.” Smith College clarified that it “considers for admission any applicants who self-identify as women; cis, trans, and nonbinary women are eligible to apply to Smith” and stated it remains “fully committed to its institutional values, including compliance with civil rights laws.”

The Department of Education claims that Smith’s admissions policy violates the single-sex exception under Title IX, arguing that “an all-girls college that enrolls male students professing a female identity would cease to qualify as single sex under Title IX.” Shannon Minter, an attorney with the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, characterized the investigation as government overreach into private institutions. Minter stated that women’s colleges “should be able to do freely without being worried about persecution by the federal government” when they admit transgender students. He described the investigation as reflecting a broader strategy by the current administration to eliminate any inclusion of transgender people in American society.

This investigation exemplifies Trump administration efforts to restrict transgender rights across multiple policy areas. Trump has implemented sweeping measures including banning trans people from the military, suing states for allowing trans athletes on high school sports teams, restricting trans and nonbinary children’s access to gender-affirming care, and issuing a Day 1 executive order redefining gender as “sex” determined by biology at conception. These actions target a demographic representing just 1% of the U.S. population ages 13 and older, according to the Williams Institute.

Smith College adapted its admissions policies in 2015 to explicitly include trans students after denying admission to trans woman Calliope Wong in 2013, which triggered campus activism. The college provides trans-affirming healthcare, peer support, single-occupancy all-gender restrooms, and an all-gender locker room with private changing and showering areas. Nicholas Hite, a senior attorney at Lambda Legal, noted that the complaint did not originate from anyone at Smith College and that trans students chose these institutions specifically for their inclusive policies.

Minter argued that the investigation constitutes “misuse and weaponization of anti-discrimination laws to do the very opposite of the thing those laws were enacted for,” stating that Title IX was meant to protect people against all forms of sex-based discrimination, including discrimination against transgender people. He warned that the investigation would likely cause fear and anxiety for trans students, describing the administration’s actions as “seeking to destroy every single safe place for transgender young people in this country” and characterizing them as “a vicious vendetta against a small vulne(Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/04/us/smith-college-title-ix-trans-students?Date=20260504&Profile=CNN,CNN+International&utm_content=1777937654&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwdGRjcARm0KRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe36UO6J33TOcE7wi1oenXSP3QdfbmnHil1wErZeyTQL11CBaq92qix64Zbj0_aem_WB4yfWOoKwkZg3ewFGLJdw)rable group of kids.”

Trump Admin Shuts Detention Watchdog, Eliminates Abuse Oversight

The Department of Homeland Security closed the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, the agency responsible for investigating abuse and misconduct in immigration detention facilities. The office removed all public signage, shut down its website that helped detainees’ families file complaints, and ended inspections. DHS claimed Congress failed to fund the office in the recent appropriations bill, though the bill text contains no requirement for the closure.

Adam Isaacson of the Washington Office on Latin America stated the closure violates federal law because Congress established the office in 2019 and only Congress can eliminate it. The ombudsman’s office likely retained sufficient funding from previous appropriations to continue operating. Isaacson characterized the closure as part of a deliberate strategy to make detention conditions as severe as possible, forcing immigrants to abandon legal cases rather than endure confinement.

The Trump administration had already gutted the office’s capacity, reducing staff from over one hundred at the start of 2024 to five people by March 2025, even as immigration detention facilities more than doubled. Over 30 people died in ICE custody last year, the deadliest year since 2004, and 18 deaths have already been reported in 2025. DHS officials have explicitly stated that detention conditions are intentionally brutal to incentivize “self-deportation,” with one spokesperson telling HuffPost in March that “being in detention is a choice.”

The ombudsman’s closure removes a critical check on detention abuse as immigration detention capacity surged to a record 73,000 people earlier this year, though recent numbers decreased slightly to approximately 60,000. Isaacson described the move as part of a “larger strategy” to coerce immigrants into abandoning asylum and immigration proceedings through deliberate suffering and the threat of indefinite confinement in the worst possible conditions.

(Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/immigration-detention-ombudsman-closure_n_69f8facee4b0115dd7bf98e5?ref=bffbhuffpost&ncid_tag=fcbklnkushpmg00000063&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=us_main&d_id=11876884&fbclid=IwdGRjcARmzqVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEegPZQZVDRQoU8W0yMSsnkoSSsuT41cjzDBJyuDSR7EwDlQjmRjZonRxEws14_aem_wPy4NATdr6sslO9XelMVAA)

Trump Demands GOP Gerrymander Elections Amid Approval Collapse

Trump publicly urged Republican state legislatures to maximize racial gerrymandering following a Supreme Court decision that gutted protections against it. On Truth Social, Trump demanded GOP legislatures seize the opportunity, falsely claiming gerrymandering would net an additional 20 congressional seats in the midterms, conflating the current cycle with the next one without acknowledging the deception underlying his scheme to consolidate power as his approval ratings collapse to historic lows.

Trump’s call for systematic gerrymandering exposes his authoritarian intent to maintain Republican control regardless of voter preference. His net approval has reached a new low while disapproval hit a record high, yet he continues pushing antidemocratic tactics to offset cratering public support rather than adjusting his agenda to reflect constituent demands.

Fair Fight Action and voting rights advocates have documented that Democrats possess the capacity to undertake retaliatory redistrictings to neutralize GOP advantages created through gerrymandering. The strategic roadmap exists for Democrats to match Republican abuse of redistricting power, though the fundamental issue remains Trump’s explicit orchestration of electoral manipulation to guarantee one-party rule.

Trump’s demand for gerrymandering represents a direct assault on democratic representation and majority rule. His coordinated purge of Indiana Republicans who opposed gerrymandering demonstrates his willingness to eliminate party members who refuse to participate in his antidemocratic schemes, enforcing absolute loyalty to his power consolidation strategy.

The Supreme Court’s decision to allow states broader latitude in redistricting has enabled Trump to openly coordinate a nationwide effort to rig electoral maps in Republican favor. His stated regret about not ordering the National Guard to seize voting machines after 2020 demonstrates a continuous pattern of pursuing authoritarian measures to override democratic outcomes when electoral results threaten his control.

(Source: https://newrepublic.com/article/209932/confused-trump-openly-admits-plot-rig-midterms-polls-turn-brutal?utm_campaign=SF_TNR&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRleARoJ8ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEemSXZeap4xUm991Vl5RQmMxwUvgmormXLpYfsW6ypZDb2debTm5bgYH1HcHo_aem_slcdPJ-9b3CTP0x6UFGe1Q)

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