Category: Authoritarian

Kash Patel’s push against Democratic lawmaker raises concerns within FBI – The Washington Post

FBI Director Kash Patel is directing agents in the San Francisco office to rapidly redact and prepare for public release a decade-old investigative file concerning Representative Eric Swalwell and a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter. No evidence of wrongdoing by Swalwell has been identified in the file.

Patel's push to release the file has generated alarm within the FBI, with officials concerned that the action reflects a pattern of weaponizing the bureau against political opponents. The effort represents a continuance of Trump administration tactics targeting Democratic lawmakers, particularly those who have been vocal critics, including Swalwell and other members who led investigations into Trump.

Swalwell has been a consistent Trump critic and was previously targeted by the administration's Department of Justice in unsubstantiated allegations. The renewed focus on a file containing no evidence of his misconduct demonstrates the administration's systematic use of law enforcement to discredit and intimidate political adversaries rather than pursue genuine national security interests.

Internal FBI resistance to Patel's directive underscores deep institutional concern about the politicization of the bureau under his leadership. Career officials view the accelerated release of an investigative file unrelated to any proven violation as an abuse of power designed to damage a Democratic lawmaker through selective disclosure and public innuendo.

Representative Swalwell was approached by an FBI informant named Fang Fang, but upon being confronted by the FBI, he immediately cooperated and worked with federal agents to help stop the foreign operative's activities. However, conservative media outlets and Fox News spent years deliberately spreading false claims that Swalwell had a romantic relationship with Fang Fang, when in fact such a relationship involved a different political figure. In stark contrast, when Donald Trump was confronted with evidence of foreign agent involvement, the Mueller Investigation documented that he instead leveraged these contacts for his benefit and actively obstructed the FBI's ability to investigate him and his associates.

(Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/28/fbi-patel-eric-swalwell/)

White House Claims 9 Million Strong No Kings Rallies Nationwide Are Fake

Massive protests under the “No Kings” banner took place Saturday across nearly every major U.S. city, including New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis, with organizers opposing Trump administration policies on the Iran war, federal immigration enforcement, and cost of living. The third iteration of No Kings rallies drew enormous crowds to iconic locations including the Lincoln Memorial, Times Square, and state capitols, with the previous October rally drawing nearly seven million participants nationally. American expats also demonstrated in Paris, London, and Lisbon, with signs calling Trump a “fascist” and “war criminal.”

The Minnesota rally held special significance after federal immigration agents killed two American citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, in January, sparking nationwide outrage over Trump’s immigration tactics. Thousands gathered outside the Minnesota State Capitol, and musician Bruce Springsteen performed his protest anthem “Streets of Minneapolis” to condemn immigration enforcement policies. Protesters across all demonstrations carried signs and effigies demanding the removal and arrest of Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other administration officials.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson dismissed the protests as “Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions,” claiming reporters were the only people interested in covering them and suggesting the events were manufactured by “leftist funding networks.” This characterization contradicts the scale and geographic breadth of Saturday’s demonstrations, which extended from major metropolitan areas to small towns like Shelbyville, Kentucky, with populations under 10,000.

Since taking office in January, Trump has dramatically expanded executive power through orders dismantling federal government functions and deployed National Guard troops to U.S. cities over state governors’ objections. The administration has also directed law enforcement to prosecute perceived political enemies, moves Trump describes as necessary crisis management while dismissing accusations of authoritarian behavior. Critics warn these actions violate constitutional limits and threaten American democracy, though Trump denies comparisons to monarchical rule.

(Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8wy7g1gd1o)

Trump Demands Filibuster Elimination, Threatens Republicans

Donald Trump threatened to expose Republican senators who resist eliminating the Senate filibuster, demanding the procedural rule be abolished to end a month-long partial government shutdown and advance his legislative agenda. On Truth Social Saturday, Trump declared that “weak and ineffective” Republicans blocking filibuster elimination “should be exposed to the public,” framing the demand as necessary to overcome Democratic opposition to funding without Department of Homeland Security reforms.

Eliminating the filibuster would lower the threshold for passing most Senate legislation from 60 votes to a simple majority of 51 votes, allowing the Republican-controlled chamber to bypass Democratic obstruction entirely. Trump has pursued this goal repeatedly, calling for Republicans to invoke the “Nuclear Option” on Thursday night to remove what he views as an obstacle to swift executive power and unilateral control over legislation, including the SAVE America Act.

A majority of Republicans have resisted filibuster elimination because the rule would also benefit Democrats if Republicans lose Senate control. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated Democrats “will not give a blank check to Trump’s lawless and deadly immigration militia without reforms,” blocking a short-term House funding bill approved Friday. Senator John Kennedy confirmed Trump rejected a bipartisan plan with Senator Ted Cruz to restore TSA funding because it required Democratic compromise, exposing Trump’s refusal to negotiate over his immigration enforcement agenda.

The filibuster encourages legislative compromise, a process Trump has consistently bypassed through executive orders favoring unilateral action over dealmaking. The partial shutdown shows no immediate resolution as the House recesses for Easter until at least April 13, leaving negotiations stalled and demonstrating Trump’s willingness to weaponize government dysfunction to consolidate power.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-calls-for-republicans-who-oppose-ending-filibuster-to-be-exposed-to-the-public/)

Miller Pushes States to Strip Education Rights from Undocumented

Stephen Miller, Trump’s senior immigration adviser, is orchestrating a campaign to dismantle the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment by encouraging Republican-led states to deny public education funding to undocumented children. Miller raised this idea in a closed-door meeting with Texas lawmakers in Washington, citing congressional gridlock as justification for state-level action that would challenge the 1982 Supreme Court precedent in Plyler v. Doe, which mandated free public education for undocumented children as a constitutional right.

If enacted, Miller’s proposal would classify approximately one million children as members of a subordinate class excluded from mainstream society. As Justice William Brennan wrote in the Plyler decision, denying these children basic education forecloses their ability to contribute to the nation’s progress and violates the 14th Amendment’s guarantee that “The 14th Amendment to the Constitution is not confined to the protection of citizens.” Miller’s strategy aims to use state legislation as a testing ground to weaken federal constitutional protections, encouraging other Republican states and federal lawmakers to follow suit.

Miller’s assault on the 14th Amendment extends beyond education policy and represents a broader assault on the constitutional protections established after the Civil War. The 14th Amendment was designed as a political text to ensure equal protection and citizenship rights for all people, directly extending the prohibitions of the 13th Amendment against slavery and involuntary servitude. Miller’s crusade against immigration and his efforts to strip constitutional protections from vulnerable populations reveal an intent to fundamentally reshape American democracy by dismantling the legal and political framework designed to prevent the creation of subordinate classes.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/28/opinion/stephen-miller-birthright-citizenship-14th-amendment.html)

Trump tells DHS to pay TSA despite government shutdown after agents miss another paycheck | The Independent

President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum on Friday directing the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA employees using undisclosed funds, following weeks of missed paychecks during a partial government shutdown. The directive covers approximately 50,000 security officers at airports and came after a six-week funding lapse that has caused excruciatingly long security lines and prompted nearly 500 TSA agents to quit while thousands more called out sick at record rates. Trump framed the action as necessary to address an “emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security,” though the source of the funds remains unclear.

The shutdown resulted from Democratic refusal to fund DHS until the Trump administration agrees to reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Trump rejected a Senate bill passed Friday morning that would have funded most DHS functions, including TSA, because it excluded ICE and CBP funding. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated Democrats would not provide funding without reforms, calling the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics “lawless and deadly.”

Trump’s memorandum blamed Democrats for the shutdown while emphasizing security vulnerabilities created by depleted TSA staffing and wait times exceeding three hours at some airports. DHS announced that TSA employees would begin receiving pay as soon as Monday. The administration has faced criticism for its aggressive immigration crackdown, including a January incident in Minneapolis where immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, which the administration characterized as self-defense.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-pay-tsa-shutdown-b2947422.html)

Donald Trump Plans to Add His Signature to US Currency | Vanity Fair

The Trump administration is adding Donald Trump’s signature to all denominations of US currency, replacing the signature of Treasurer Brandon Beach for the first time in 165 years. The Treasury Department is already developing new printing plates, with the bills scheduled to enter circulation within months. This marks the first instance in American history of a sitting president’s signature appearing on currency, and the measure is permanent unless a future administration reverses it.

Trump’s signature will appear alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on all future bills. Treasurer Brandon Beach defended the decision in a statement, calling Trump’s signature on currency “appropriate” and “well deserved,” and framing it as recognition of Trump’s economic agenda. Beach claimed the president’s “mark on history as the architect of America’s golden age economic revival is undeniable.”

This currency initiative is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to stamp his name and image throughout federal institutions and public spaces. Trump has already draped enormous banners of his face over government buildings, added his name to the Kennedy Center’s walls, and ordered the East Wing of the White House demolished to construct a 90,000-square-foot ballroom decorated with gold accents. The administration is also pursuing additional projects to promote Trump’s image on national symbols.

Last week, the Commission of Fine Arts, composed entirely of Trump appointees, approved a 24-karat commemorative gold coin featuring Trump’s likeness to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary. These actions reflect Trump’s consistent pattern of using his position to advance his personal brand across American institutions and currency systems.

(Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-signature-dollar-currency)

Trump Deputy AG Boasts Purging DOJ and FBI of Trump Investigators

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney now serving as the number two official at the Justice Department, publicly boasted at the Conservative Political Action Committee conference that the administration has purged federal employees from the DOJ and FBI who were involved in investigating Trump. Blanche declared that Director Patel has “cleaned house” at the FBI, removing every agent who had any connection to Trump’s prosecution, and asserted that employees in the executive branch must demonstrate absolute loyalty to the sitting president.

Blanche stated that Trump has claimed authority over all executive branch workers, saying “if you work in the executive branch, you work for me,” and criticized past administrations for tolerating what he called “partisan actors” within the Justice Department. His remarks constituted an explicit acknowledgment of politically motivated purges designed to eliminate officials based on their prior duties investigating the president, demonstrating the administration’s abuse of power to weaponize federal institutions.

Legal experts and observers condemned Blanche’s statements as evidence of authoritarian governance. Anti-Trump national security lawyer Mark Zaid announced he would use Blanche’s remarks as evidence in ongoing litigation challenging the unlawful political firing of federal employees who performed their constitutional duties. The Atlantic’s Tom Nichols accused Blanche of deliberately lying, stating the lawyer knows his claims are false but advanced them anyway.

Social media responses characterized Blanche’s boasting as bragging about staffing the FBI exclusively with Trump loyalists and abandoning merit-based hiring. Critics described the admission as confirmation of an authoritarian takeover in which the Justice Department and intelligence agencies serve only the president’s personal interests rather than the American people or the rule of law. Multiple observers underscored that the purge eliminated career professionals simply for executing their jobs during prior investigations.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/this-is-nuts-trumps-deputy-ag-roasted-for-bragging-about-purging-doj-and-fbi/)

Trump administration announces new probes into Harvard over race and religion | The Independent

The Trump administration’s Education Department has opened two new federal investigations into Harvard University, alleging the institution discriminates against students based on race, color, and national origin in violation of federal law. The probes will examine whether Harvard employs race-based preferences in admissions following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that ended affirmative action in higher education, and will also investigate allegations of antisemitism on campus. Harvard’s spokesperson rejected the accusations, stating the university is “firmly committed to confronting antisemitism,” does not discriminate on grounds of race, and complies with all applicable laws including the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision.

The investigations represent part of the Trump administration’s broader campaign targeting universities over pro-Palestinian protests, transgender policies, climate programs, and diversity initiatives. Last week, the administration sued Harvard seeking billions of dollars for allegedly failing to protect Jewish students, while a separate February lawsuit demanded documents to determine whether the university considered race in admissions. Academic advocates have warned these efforts could violate privacy rights and constitute “a tool for anti-civil rights enforcement,” according to a former Biden administration official.

Pro-Palestinian protesters, including some Jewish groups, argue the government conflates legitimate criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism, and wrongly characterizes Palestinian rights advocacy as support for extremism. The Trump administration has not initiated equivalent investigations into allegations of Islamophobia or anti-Palestinian bias at universities. Legal and judicial obstacles have impeded the administration’s efforts to freeze federal funding at universities, though it has reached settlement deals with some institutions including Columbia University, which agreed to pay over $200 million.

Academic experts have flagged concerns that settlement agreements set a dangerous precedent for “pay-to-play” arrangements between the government and universities. Harvard’s spokesperson characterized the new investigations as “retaliatory actions” against the university for refusing to “surrender our independence and constitutional rights.” A deal to resolve the multiple probes against Harvard remains unresolved, as the administration continues escalating its pressure campaign against the institution.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-harvard-university-investigations-race-religion-b2944219.html)

Trump Posts Third Term Image on Truth Social Defying 22nd Amendment

Donald Trump posted an image on Truth Social on Sunday depicting himself with text reading “3RD TERM FOR TRUMP AS A REWARD FROM STOLEN ELECTION,” continuing his pattern of promoting a third presidential term despite the constitutional ban imposed by the 22nd Amendment. The post references his false claims about the 2020 election, the same disinformation that motivated supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

This marks the latest instance of Trump openly discussing a third term while simultaneously selling “Trump 2028” merchandise and discussing the possibility of serving a fourth term. Trump has floated the concept of a “president for life” since at least 2018 and told NBC News in March 2025 that he was “not joking” about seeking a third term, stating “a lot of people want me to do it.”

Trump ally Steve Bannon declared in March 2025 that he and others were “working” to secure Trump a third term, telling NewsNation “I’m a firm believer that President Trump will run and win again in 2028.” Last month, Trump claimed he was “entitled” to a third term, despite the constitutional restriction preventing any president from serving more than two terms.

This persistent focus on extending Trump’s time in office reflects broader authoritarian aspirations, mirroring rhetoric about Trump’s designation of Democrats as America’s “greatest enemy” and his pattern of using Truth Social to communicate directly with supporters while bypassing traditional media scrutiny. Trump’s approval rating averaged approximately 41% according to The New York Times reporting on Sunday.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-once-again-posting-third-173638956.html)

Trump Delays Iran Strikes Claiming Talks Iran Denies

Trump postponed threatened strikes against Iranian power plants for five days, claiming “productive conversations” with Iranian officials about ending the month-long war. Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf rejected Trump’s account as fabrication designed to manipulate oil markets, stating on X that “no negotiations have been held with the U.S.” and characterizing the claim as an attempt to “escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.” Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner allegedly engaged in late-night talks Sunday, though the Iranian Foreign Ministry acknowledged only regional mediation efforts through intermediaries like Oman, Turkey, and Egypt.

Trump claimed the U.S. and Iran had reached 15 points of agreement, including that Iran cease nuclear weapons development and allow joint control of the Strait of Hormuz. He acknowledged killing Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said he was negotiating with “a top person” whom he believes is the most respected leader, though he expressed uncertainty about whether current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei remains alive after U.S. military operations destroyed telecommunications networks. Trump also stated the U.S. would confiscate Iran’s remaining enriched uranium and threatened to “keep bombing our little hearts out” if negotiations fail.

The war has killed more than 2,000 people in its fourth week and severely damaged 40 energy assets across nine countries, destabilizing global oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices plummeted after Trump’s announcement, which he attributed to market relief, and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized that infrastructure attacks were “escalating this war even further.” The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that deliberate attacks on essential services and civilian infrastructure can amount to war crimes.

Trump’s de-escalatory rhetoric contradicted his simultaneous military buildup, as the Pentagon deployed three California-based warships and approximately 2,500 Marines to the Middle East—the second major deployment in one week. Senator Adam Schiff criticized the troop surge as raising “alarm bells” about another “forever war.” When asked about the deployment, Trump refused to discuss strategy, stating “Do you really believe I’d give you an answer? Crazy question.”

Trump previously declared Iran ceased to exist as a threat while simultaneously requesting $200 billion in additional military funding from Congress, and he assailed NATO allies as “cowards” for refusing to deploy troops to the Strait. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Trump indicated the U.S. war objectives had been met but confirmed Israel would continue striking targets in Iran and Lebanon with “more to come.”

(Source: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2026-03-23/trump-iran-strait-of-hormuz-deadline)

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