Category: Authoritarian

Trump Posts Jesus-Like Picture of Himself Amid Pope Leo Feud

President Donald Trump posted an artificial intelligence-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ performing a miraculous healing on a sick man, complete with religious iconography including a glowing hand, American flags, the Statue of Liberty, fighter jets, and angelic soldiers. The image also featured a praying woman, a person in what appears to be an Immigration and Customs Enforcement uniform, and a nurse observing Trump’s supposed miracle work in a hospital setting.

Trump posted the image approximately 40 minutes after launching a hostile attack on Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff’s criticism of the Iran war. Trump branded the pope “WEAK” on crime and nuclear weapons, calling him “terrible” on foreign policy. Trump also attacked the pope’s brother, Louis Prevost, claiming he preferred him because Prevost was “all MAGA,” demonstrating Trump’s weaponization of family members to escalate conflicts.

The pope’s criticism stemmed from Trump’s threats to obliterate “a whole civilization” in Iran if its leadership refused to make a deal, which the pontiff called “truly unacceptable.” Pope Leo XIV subsequently declared that “God does not bless any conflict.” The pope had previously denounced the Trump administration’s “extremely disrespectful” treatment of undocumented immigrants, establishing a pattern of moral opposition to Trump’s policies.

When speaking to reporters at Air Force One on Sunday evening, Trump doubled down on his attacks, stating “We don’t like a pope that’s going to say it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon” and describing Pope Leo XIV as “a very liberal person” who “doesn’t believe in stopping crime.” Trump’s messaging contradicted the pope’s actual position on nuclear proliferation while mischaracterizing the pontiff’s humanitarian stances.

The AI-generated image and accompanying tirade reflect Trump’s pattern of appropriating religious imagery and language to reinforce a messianic narrative among his supporters, while simultaneously attacking religious figures who challenge his military and immigration policies. The juxtaposition of the image with the pope attack demonstrated Trump’s weaponization of faith rhetoric to delegitimize moral opposition to his authoritarian actions.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-posts-jesus-like-picture-of-himself-performing-miracle-on-sick-man-minutes-after-ramping-up-feud-with-pope-leo/)

Trump Blasts Pope Leo XIV for Iran War Stance

President Donald Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV on social media Sunday, calling the first American pontiff “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy” while criticizing his opposition to nuclear weapons in Iran. Trump’s posts escalated a feud with the Catholic Church leader that began after Pope Leo XIV denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and called for political leaders to negotiate peace instead of pursuing military action.

Speaking to reporters after landing near Washington from Florida, Trump stated he was “not a fan of Pope Leo” and claimed the pontiff is “a very liberal person” who wrongly supports Iran possessing nuclear capabilities. Trump’s criticism followed the Pope’s evening prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica, which coincided with the start of U.S.-Iran face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a ceasefire, though Leo did not mention the United States or Trump by name.

Pope Leo XIV’s remarks appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials who have justified the Iran war using religious arguments and touted American military superiority. The Pope’s position reflects longstanding Catholic doctrine emphasizing peaceful diplomacy over military conflict, contrasting sharply with Trump’s hawkish stance on Iran and nuclear weapons policy.

This clash between Trump and the pontiff represents a significant breach between the Republican president and a major global religious institution at a critical moment in Middle East diplomacy. Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to depart Monday for an 11-day trip to Africa, continuing his international engagement separate from the escalating U.S. political controversy.

(Source: https://abc7.com/post/president-donald-trump-lambasts-pope-leo-xiv-extending-feud-iran-war-first-american-pontiff/18877162/)

Trump Announces Blockade on Iran’s Strait That Iran Already has Blockaded

President Donald Trump announced on Fox News Sunday that the United States will impose a naval blockade on all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of 21-hour negotiations with Iran. Trump claimed Iran refused to abandon its nuclear weapons program, which he characterized as the sole obstacle to an agreement, despite asserting that Iranian military capabilities were “obliterated” and its leadership “gone.”

During the phone interview with Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo, Trump stated the blockade would take time to implement but become “effective pretty soon.” He claimed Iran’s negotiating position relied solely on the threat of deploying mines in the strait, which he described as “extortion” against global shipping. Trump portrayed the talks as “very friendly” while insisting Iran’s refusal on nuclear weapons was disqualifying.

Trump represented the talks as led by Vice President JD Vance, advisor Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner, describing the American delegation as “very, very good representatives.” He dismissed Iran’s negotiating stance by claiming its military had been effectively destroyed and its top leadership, including Supreme Leader Khamenei, was “gone,” assertions unsupported by documented fact.

The blockade announcement follows Trump’s earlier escalating threats against Iran and his demands that NATO members support his Iran war. Trump’s unilateral decision to blockade a critical international waterway represents a significant militarization of the conflict without apparent diplomatic alternatives or international coordination.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/were-going-to-be-blockading-trump-calls-in-to-fox-news-after-very-friendly-talks-with-iran-collapse/)

Trump’s 250-Foot Triumphal Arch Near Arlington Gets Veterans’ Lawsuit Pause

Trump administration officials released renderings Friday for a 250-foot-tall “triumphal arch” planned for Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial. The monument would feature an inscription reading “One Nation Under God,” a gold statue of Lady Liberty at its apex with outstretched wings, and four golden lions at its base. Trump stated in January he wants it to be the world’s largest arch, exceeding the 164-foot Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and called it on social media the “GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL” structure “anywhere in the world.”

The arch proposal faces legal opposition from multiple groups. Veterans sued to block construction, but the Trump administration reached a compromise this week agreeing to provide at least two weeks’ public notice before beginning work, temporarily halting the lawsuit. However, the veterans’ group can resume litigation if the administration fails to follow legal procedures. A coalition of Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Jared Huffman of California and Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, filed an amicus brief arguing the project violates the Commemorative Works Act and requires congressional approval.

Federal spending documents revealed taxpayer funds would partially finance the project. The Office of Budget and Management approved $2 million in “special initiative funds” and $13 million in matching grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities for the arch, according to a spending plan released this week.

(Source: https://abcnews.com/Politics/new-renderings-released-trumps-proposed-triumphal-arch/story?id=131928451)

Trump Pushes Automatic Draft Registration After Five Dodges

Trump, who evaded the military draft five times during the Vietnam War era through student deferments and a bone spur diagnosis at age 22, is now directing his administration to implement automatic draft registration for 18-year-old males. The Selective Service System has proposed eliminating voluntary self-registration and instead automatically populating its lists from federal databases, a policy Trump approved in December and which awaits regulatory review.

The automatic registration proposal arrives as Trump pursues aggressive military expansion abroad, contradicting his 2024 campaign promises and his self-styled “President of Peace” branding. He has launched wars against Iran and Venezuela, threatened military action against U.S. allies including Mexico, Colombia, Panama, and Greenland, and stated intentions to erase Iran’s “whole civilization.” These actions signal potential reliance on emergency draft measures unused since the 1973 end of the Vietnam War.

Trump has a documented pattern of disrespect toward military personnel, reportedly calling veterans “losers” and “suckers” in private conversations. Additionally, he is exploring whether to award himself the Congressional Medal of Honor, which would make him the first recipient since its 1861 establishment to receive the honor without military service. Despite attending the New York Military Academy, a military-style boarding school, Trump never served in any capacity in the armed forces.

The hypocrisy is stark: the president who avoided mandatory military service five times now seeks to bind teenagers to automatic enrollment in a draft system he himself circumvented. This policy deepens the double standard inherent in forcing working-class youth to assume obligations the wealthy and politically connected have historically evaded.

(Source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/draft-dodging-peace-president-donald-trump-to-register-boys-for-military-draft-at-18/)

Trump is expected to meet with Rutte as he muses about pulling out of NATO | PBS News

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Wednesday to address Trump’s threats to withdraw the United States from NATO over the alliance’s refusal to support his war against Iran. Trump demanded NATO members help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Iran closed it, and when several allied nations refused or restricted use of their airspace for U.S. military operations, Trump responded by threatening to leave the alliance and suggesting the U.S. may abandon countries that do not meet his demands.

Trump escalated tensions by threatening to bomb Iran’s civilian infrastructure, declaring that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not capitulate by an 8 p.m. deadline. Following this threat, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday that includes reopening the strait, though details of the plan remain unclear and are expected to dominate Wednesday’s meeting with Rutte. The ceasefire followed Trump’s extreme rhetoric, which he now appears willing to back away from as negotiations proceed.

Trump’s demands that NATO allies fund his war of choice represent a fundamental misuse of the alliance’s mutual defense agreement, which obligates members to defend each other only against attacks, not to finance one nation’s discretionary military campaigns. Trump has repeatedly threatened NATO withdrawal and called the alliance a “paper tiger” despite Congress passing a 2023 law requiring presidential approval from Congress to leave NATO, a safeguard enacted precisely because Trump claimed during his first term he could unilaterally abandon the alliance.

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell issued a statement in support of NATO, reminding Trump that alliance members sent troops to die alongside Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq following the September 11 attacks. McConnell urged Trump to focus on deterring adversaries rather than “nursing grudges with allies,” directly contradicting Trump’s position that NATO allies owe him support for his Iran conflict.

Trump’s hostility toward NATO intensified after he reduced U.S. military support for Ukraine and threatened to seize Greenland from Denmark, actions that have already destabilized the transatlantic relationship. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whom Trump has singled out for particular criticism, was traveling to the Gulf on Wednesday to support the ceasefire, while NATO members including Spain and France worked on developing a post-conflict security plan for the Strait of Hormuz despite Trump’s demands.

(Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/world/trump-is-expected-to-meet-with-rutte-as-he-muses-about-pulling-out-of-nato)

Trump Demands Fox News Take Jessica Tarlov off Air

President Donald Trump demanded Fox News remove co-host Jessica Tarlov from the air, calling her “a real loser” and criticizing her voice, statements, and overall presence on the network. Trump posted his demand on Truth Social, claiming Tarlov uses “fake numbers” and “fake polls” while expressing his dislike for her work, though he added he was “sure she’s a lovely person.”

Trump also targeted Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream, criticizing her interview with Democratic Representative Jake Auchincloss and instructing her to correct Democratic guests when they present what he calls “propaganda and lies.” The president objected to Bream’s characterization of the SAVE Act, insisting it be called the “SAVE America Act,” a distinction he emphasized as significant.

This marks a continued pattern of Trump attacking Fox News personalities who he perceives as insufficiently loyal or critical of his positions. In 2024, Trump accused Bream of conducting an “anti-MAGA” interview with his attorney, and he has repeatedly called Tarlov a “loser” in previous public statements, including during a March appearance on The Five when Tarlov was absent.

Trump’s demand reflects his expectation that media outlets, including Fox News, align with his messaging without independent editorial judgment or hosting of opposing viewpoints. His explicit instruction to “Fox executives” to remove Tarlov demonstrates an abuse of power, using his position as president to pressure media organizations into personnel decisions based on his personal preferences rather than journalistic merit.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump/trump-demands-fox-news-take-host-off-air-a-real-loser/)

Acting AG Blanche Denies DOJ Weaponization While Targeting

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Trump administration’s use of the Justice Department against political rivals during a White House press conference on Tuesday, dismissing concerns about weaponization as “completely false.” Blanche instead inverted the accusation, claiming that former President Joe Biden’s DOJ had weaponized the department against Trump in an unprecedented manner by pursuing multiple indictments and supporting local prosecutions, including the Manhattan hush-money case and the Georgia election interference case.

Blanche criticized media outlets for what he characterized as selective outrage, stating that journalists had ignored Biden-era prosecutions of Trump but now complained when the Trump administration targeted his political rivals. He argued that Trump and his associates, including family members, staff, and security personnel, had been subjected to “massive investigations” under the previous administration. Blanche has previously boasted about purging federal employees from the DOJ and FBI who investigated Trump, describing the effort as necessary reforms rather than political retaliation.

The acting attorney general reframed the Trump administration’s prosecutorial actions as pursuing “justice” rather than political vengeance, claiming the president has repeatedly stated he wants the department to serve the rule of law. However, the administration has already expanded DOJ investigations into Democratic officials, including subpoenaing Minnesota Democratic leaders over immigration policies. Blanche’s remarks occurred less than a week after Trump dismissed former Attorney General Pam Bondi and appointed him to lead the Justice Department.

The controversy over DOJ misuse reflects a pattern within the Trump administration of conflating investigations into Trump’s own legal exposure with claims of Democratic weaponization. Blanche, Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer now serving as acting attorney general, has already demonstrated willingness to suppress information, including announcing in advance that the department would withhold documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein files despite legal requirements for transparency. The administration’s deployment of the DOJ against Democratic targets contradicts its public denial of political prosecutions.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/new-ag-todd-blanche-fumes-over-question-about-weaponization-of-doj-against-trump-enemies/)

Trump Attacks Supreme Court at 1AM Over Birthright Citizenship

President Donald Trump, 79, posted a hostile message on Truth Social just before 1 a.m. ET on Monday, attacking the Supreme Court as it deliberates his executive order to eliminate birthright citizenship. Trump suggested the justices should have watched Fox News host Mark Levin’s program arguing the 14th Amendment does not grant citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants, calling birthright citizenship a “money making HOAX” and demanding the Court use “COMMON SENSE FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY.”

Trump also criticized the Supreme Court’s past decisions on tariffs, claiming the justices “failed miserably” and cost the nation “Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in potential rebates,” warning them not to repeat such mistakes. He stated the country “can only withstand so many bad decisions from a Court that just doesn’t seem to care,” signaling his expectation that the justices should rule in his favor on the birthright citizenship case.

The rant followed Trump’s attendance at oral arguments on April 1, where he left early after the justices, including three he appointed, raised substantial skepticism about his administration’s constitutional arguments. Chief Justice John Roberts directly challenged Solicitor General D. John Sauer’s claim that the framers could not have foreseen modern circumstances, stating simply: “It’s a new world. It’s the same Constitution.” Justice Neil Gorsuch pressed whether Native American children should be denied birthright citizenship, exposing the order’s problematic scope.

Every lower federal court has struck down Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order as unconstitutional. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, explicitly grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” Trump’s late-night attack demonstrates his pattern of attempting to pressure and intimidate the judiciary when his legal arguments fail, disregarding institutional norms and constitutional independence that safeguard democratic governance.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/panicked-trump-79-rages-supreme-085111208.html)

Trump Kicks Off Presser With Haunting Threat Against Iran

During a Monday press conference, President Donald Trump opened remarks about the rescue of two American military pilots by threatening Iran with annihilation, stating the country “could be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night.” Trump framed the pilot rescue as a major military achievement while escalating his rhetoric about the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Trump claimed the rescue mission represented “one of the largest, most complex most harrowing combat searches” ever attempted, describing U.S. operations in the region as succeeding “at a level that nobody’s ever seen before.” The president also characterized the Easter holiday as “one of our better Easters” partly due to military performance, conflating religious observance with military aggression.

The threat came after Trump posted to Truth Social on Easter Sunday that “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” explicitly targeting civilian infrastructure. Trump’s post included vulgar language directed at Iran and referenced the Strait of Hormuz, demonstrating a pattern of escalating threats against Iranian civilian targets that violate post-World War II international law prohibiting attacks on non-military locations.

Trump’s rhetoric follows previous threats to commit war crimes against Iran at a White House briefing where he falsely blamed American journalists for revealing the downed pilot’s location, despite an Israeli journalist citing Iranian state media breaking the story first. Trump demanded identification and prosecution of the alleged leaker while dismissing concerns about violations of international law prohibiting civilian infrastructure attacks.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei rejected a U.S. ceasefire proposal and stated that Iran is reviewing a Pakistani-authored pause plan ahead of Trump’s deadline. Baghaei emphasized that negotiations are incompatible with ultimatums and threats to commit war crimes, indicating Iran views Trump’s public threats as precluding serious diplomatic engagement.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-issues-haunting-threat-iran-could-be-taken-out-in-one-night-and-that-night-might-be-tomorrow-night/)

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