Category: Unpresidential

Trump will support more strikes on Iran if it rebuilds its missiles program

President Trump declared Monday that he would support Israeli military strikes against Iran if the country rebuilds its ballistic missile or nuclear weapons programs, stating “we will knock the hell out of them.” Speaking ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Palm Beach residence, Trump claimed he had learned Iran was attempting to expand its missile capabilities and threatened military action to prevent such advancement.

Trump referenced his June authorization of U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, which he had previously claimed totally destroyed the country’s capabilities. He conditioned future support for Israeli action on Iran’s continued weapons development, saying “if they will continue with the missiles, yes. The nuclear, fast,” signaling readiness to endorse immediate strikes if nuclear programs resumed.

During the Monday meeting with Netanyahu, Trump also endorsed granting the Israeli prime minister a pardon from Israeli President Isaac Herzog, calling Netanyahu a “wartime prime minister who’s a hero” and claiming Herzog told him a pardon was forthcoming. Netanyahu is currently facing a corruption trial and has requested the preemptive pardon before any potential conviction.

The meeting occurred as Netanyahu and Trump discussed escalating Iranian threats and the Gaza ceasefire. Trump’s statements on Iran followed his hosting of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago the previous day, where Trump expressed optimism about negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, demonstrating his administration’s willingness to pursue military action against some adversaries while seeking diplomatic deals with others.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-support-more-strikes-iran-203217312.html)

Trump Doubles Down On Claim U.S. Attacked Inside Venezuela

President Donald Trump claimed on December 29 that the United States struck a facility inside Venezuela, stating during a conversation at Mar-a-Lago that “we hit all the boats and now we hit the area.” Trump declined to specify whether the U.S. military or CIA conducted the operation, saying only that it occurred “along the shore” and that the targeted area is “no longer around.” This assertion followed an earlier radio interview where Trump first mentioned knocking out a “big facility where the ships come from” two nights prior.

The White House, Pentagon, U.S. Southern Command, and CIA have provided no official confirmation or evidence corroborating Trump’s claim. Anonymous American officials told The New York Times that Trump was “referring to a drug facility in Venezuela” but offered no details. Videos circulated online suggesting an explosion and fire at a Primazol chemical plant near Lake Maracaibo matched Trump’s timeline, though the company rejected claims it was attacked. A local journalist cautioned against the connection, noting residents observed nothing unusual. Trump’s statement remains unverified by independent sources or Venezuelan authorities.

Trump’s announcement followed months of escalating military operations in the Caribbean, including a declared “total and complete blockade” of Venezuelan oil shipments and numerous strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels that have killed over 100 people. The U.S. military presence has expanded significantly, with satellite imagery documenting doubled deployments of MC-130J transport aircraft, CV-22B Osprey tilt-rotors, MQ-9 Reaper drones, and special operations forces staging at Puerto Rico airports. Personnel have been photographed obscuring fences to conceal military aircraft from public view.

The Trump administration has simultaneously expanded U.S. military presence across Latin America through security agreements, establishing troop deployment rights and operational access across multiple nations under the stated pretext of counter-narcotics efforts. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned both the blockade and seizures of Venezuelan oil tankers, characterizing the policy as “neo-colonial” and warning of unpredictable consequences for the Western Hemisphere. The proximity of an amphibious ready group and special operations mothership in late December suggests preparations for operations beyond attacks on vessels.

Trump’s unsubstantiated claim of a Venezuelan strike contradicts the established pattern of official silence regarding covert military action, raising questions about the veracity of his assertion and the scope of undisclosed operations in the region. The absence of White House corroboration, military confirmation, or independent verification stands against Trump’s public statements, while escalating military deployments and infrastructure expansion indicate sustained preparations for expanded kinetic operations.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-doubles-down-claim-u-204927819.html)

Trump threatens lawsuit against Fed Chair Jerome Powell

President Trump announced he is considering filing a lawsuit against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, citing “gross incompetence” over renovations to Federal Reserve buildings. During a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump claimed the construction project was poorly managed and that the costs ballooned unnecessarily, calling Powell’s oversight of the work his “baby” and describing the outcome as incompetent.

Powell has disputed Trump’s characterization of the renovation expenses. The Federal Reserve published a FAQ addressing the claims, clarifying that the project was first approved in 2017 and has undergone annual budget review by the Fed’s board of governors since its inception, contradicting Trump’s narrative of unchecked spending under Powell’s watch.

Trump has previously threatened legal action against Powell and has repeatedly demanded his resignation, stating “He should resign. It would be a favor to the nation.” However, Trump indicated he would allow Powell to complete his term, which ends in May, noting he was “so close” to the term’s conclusion and acknowledged Powell’s impending departure even as he suggested he might still remove him.

Trump originally nominated Powell to lead the Federal Reserve during his first presidency, and President Biden subsequently renominated Powell for a second four-year term. Trump’s ongoing fixation on the Federal Reserve leadership and his repeated attacks on Powell reflect his broader pattern of targeting the institution when monetary policy decisions conflict with his economic demands.

This lawsuit threat represents another instance of Trump weaponizing the legal system against federal officials who do not comply with his directives. The Federal Reserve’s independence from presidential control is foundational to U.S. economic stability; Trump’s repeated attempts to intimidate, remove, or sue the Fed chair directly undermine that institutional autonomy.

(Source: https://thehill.com/business/5665840-trump-powell-lawsuit-fed-buildings/amp/)

Trump Hires Beauty Salon Owner Mora Namdar to Decide Who to Ban From U.S.

Donald Trump appointed Mora Namdar, a Texas-based beauty salon owner and attorney, as assistant secretary for consular affairs, giving her authority over visa approvals, revocations, and decisions about who enters the United States. Namdar, 46, owns the Bam salon chain in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Plano, offering blowouts starting at $45 and makeup sessions at $55, while simultaneously operating a one-woman law firm she announced closing on Christmas Day. She previously held an interim position in the State Department’s Middle East and North Africa bureau during Trump’s first term in 2020.

Namdar’s Senate confirmation this month elevates a politically connected operative with no demonstrated expertise in immigration or consular affairs to control visa adjudications affecting millions of foreigners. In testimony, she aligned visa decisions with Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s national security framing, stating that consular officers can revoke visas for individuals who “undermine” U.S. foreign policy, a standard potentially weaponizable against political opponents and critics.

Namdar contributed to Project 2025, Trump’s policy blueprint, by authoring a section attacking the U.S. Agency for Global Media—which operates Voice of America and Radio Free Europe—accusing it of “espionage-related security risks” and “anti-U.S. talking points,” and calling for its reform or closure. Her appointment operationalizes the “personnel is policy” strategy documented by PBS, which found the administration has implemented approximately half of Project 2025’s agenda through ideological staffing choices.

Her interim leadership of the State Department’s Near Eastern affairs bureau triggered internal concerns about management and morale according to multiple outlets. Namdar now oversees implementation of the administration’s ban on citizens from various European countries announced Wednesday, which Trump and Rubio framed as punishment for “egregious” social media censorship of “American viewpoints,” with additional bans promised.

This appointment exemplifies Trump’s strategy of installing operatives committed to Project 2025’s authoritarian goals across government agencies controlling speech and entry. Paired with FCC chairman Brendan Carr—another Project 2025 architect now pushing regulatory rollbacks and culture-war “censorship” narratives—Namdar’s position consolidates power to silence dissent and control who accesses the United States based on political loyalty rather than law.

(Source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-hires-beauty-salon-owner-mora-namdar-to-decide-who-to-ban-from-us/)

White House calls for “60 Minutes” producers to be fired: “Clean house” – Newsweek

Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, demanded that CBS News fire producers who objected to the network’s decision to pull a 60 Minutes segment from Sunday’s broadcast. Miller told Fox News on Tuesday that every producer involved in the “revolt” should be terminated, stating “Clean house. Fire them.”

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss removed the 13-minute segment titled “Inside CECOT” just three hours before air, which documented interviews with Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration to El Salvador’s CECOT prison without trials or due process. Weiss claimed the story needed additional reporting and suggested adding an interview with Miller or another Trump official, though correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi stated the piece had passed all legal and editorial reviews and was ready to broadcast.

Alfonsi rejected Weiss’s explanation in a message to CBS colleagues, stating the decision was “not an editorial decision, it is a political one” and warned that allowing the administration to block stories through non-participation gives them a “kill switch” for inconvenient reporting. She noted the segment had already been promoted to viewers, and its absence without explanation would be correctly identified as corporate censorship.

Miller defended the deportations on Fox News, falsely characterizing the Venezuelan men as “monsters” and “murderers and rapists,” despite reporting that many lacked U.S. criminal records and had only violated immigration laws. According to the Cato Institute, approximately 240 Venezuelan men were deported to CECOT in March; Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented that prisoners there are denied attorney and family contact and face widespread mistreatment.

The segment subsequently appeared online, intensifying backlash against CBS News. Multiple veteran correspondents questioned Weiss’s decision during a Monday meeting, Democratic Senator Brian Schatz called the situation “a terrible embarrassment,” and internal sources reported staff threatening to resign over the incident. Weiss stated the segment will air eventually, though timing remains unclear.

(Source: https://www.newsweek.com/white-house-calls-60-minutes-producers-to-be-fired-stephen-miller-11260869)

Trump Tells Child He Wants ‘To Make Sure’ That ‘A Bad Santa’ Doesn’t Enter U.S.

During a Christmas Eve NORAD call with children, President Trump used the Santa tracker conversation to promote misinformation about coal. When a child stated she did not want coal as a Christmas gift, Trump interjected to insist that coal is “clean and beautiful,” contradicting established scientific consensus that coal is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

Trump’s remarks about tracking Santa included unsolicited commentary about border security, telling one child that officials monitor Santa “all over the world” to ensure “a bad Santa” does not “infiltrate into our country.” The president connected the fictional scenario to his policy priorities, characterizing national entry oversight through the Santa metaphor.

When asked by another child what present she wanted, Trump engaged in typical gift-discussion banter, offering to help secure a dollhouse. However, his fixation on coal misinformation dominated his interactions, repeatedly correcting the child’s preference and demanding she “remember that at all costs” regarding coal’s environmental properties.

The exchange demonstrated Trump’s pattern of using informal settings with children to advance false or misleading claims about energy policy and security narratives. Similar instances show Trump using holiday events to promote debunked talking points, prioritizing messaging over age-appropriate conversation.

Trump’s insistence that coal is environmentally benign contradicts decades of peer-reviewed research and international climate data. His deployment of misinformation during a family-oriented charitable broadcast reflects his consistent strategy of embedding false claims into casual public appearances to expand their reach and normalize their repetition.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/trump-tells-child-he-wants-to-make-sure-that-a-bad-santa-doesnt-enter-the-country/)

How Did DOGE Disrupt So Much While Saving So Little? – The New York Times

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency claimed to have made over 29,000 federal cuts and slashed billion-dollar contracts, yet federal spending increased rather than decreased under DOGE’s oversight. The group failed to achieve its stated goal of reducing federal spending by $1 trillion before October, contradicting Musk’s core promises about the agency’s mission.

A New York Times analysis of hundreds of federal records found that 28 of DOGE’s top 40 largest savings claims were inaccurate, with the 13 largest claims all proven wrong. Two Defense Department contracts—one for information technology and one for aircraft maintenance—were listed as terminated with claimed savings of $7.9 billion, but both contracts remain active and the savings were fabricated. A U.S.A.I.D. contract with Accenture showed DOGE claiming $312 million in savings by reducing the contract ceiling, despite actual spending patterns making that figure implausible by the original 2033 end date.

Beyond inflated major claims, the overwhelming majority of DOGE’s cuts involved minimal amounts, with 80 percent of contract and grant cancellations claiming savings of $1 million or less. Of approximately 29,000 total cuts reported, 8,611 claimed zero savings, while only 11 claimed savings exceeding $1 billion, demonstrating that DOGE’s disruption of federal operations produced negligible fiscal results.

The analysis demonstrates that DOGE’s extensive disruption of federal programs, grants to small businesses, and foreign aid functioned without corresponding budget reductions. NASA workforce cuts exceeded 20 percent and misinformation campaigns targeted the Social Security Administration, yet these actions produced neither the promised savings nor policy improvements. DOGE’s track record reveals systematic exaggeration masking a failure to deliver on its central mission.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/us/politics/doge-musk-trump-analysis.html)

Donald Trump Threatens Americans to ‘Enjoy What May be Your Last Merry Christmas’

Donald Trump posted a Christmas Day message on Truth Social attacking Democrats, the New York Times, and others connected to Jeffrey Epstein, claiming he was “the only one who did drop Epstein” before concluding with a veiled threat: “Enjoy what may be your last Merry Christmas!” The statement came as the Department of Justice released additional files from Epstein investigations, including a document containing an unverified 1999 rape allegation against Trump reported by a former limousine driver.

The FBI intake report, dated October 27, 2020, describes an alleged incident where the driver claimed Trump discussed “abusing some girl” and repeatedly mentioned “Jeffrey” during a phone call. According to the document, an unnamed woman present allegedly stated Trump and Epstein had raped her, though the account remains unverified and was submitted to the FBI shortly before the 2020 election.

The DOJ preemptively characterized the allegations as “untrue and sensationalist claims” in a statement released December 23. These document releases occur under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Trump signed in November despite previously opposing similar legislation—a shift motivated by his desire to access and control the narrative surrounding files that name him and feature photographs of him with Epstein.

Trump’s holiday messaging prioritized personal grievances over seasonal remarks, using Christmas Eve calls with children to brag about winning Pennsylvania “three times” in the 2024 election. His Truth Social post dismissed coverage of his documented relationship with Epstein as “fake” while attacking Democrats and calling the 2016 Russian interference investigation fabricated, a pattern of deflection consistent with his administration’s weaponization of the Justice Department.

The veiled threat embedded in Trump’s Christmas message—”Enjoy what may be your last Merry Christmas”—targets political opponents and their associates, signaling potential retaliation as Epstein files continue surfacing. This rhetorical escalation demonstrates his use of authoritarian messaging to intimidate critics and consolidate power through fear.

(Source: https://people.com/donald-trump-threatens-americans-to-enjoy-what-may-be-your-last-merry-christmas-11876269)

US watchdog says paycheck advances no longer subject to lending law | Reuters

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reversed its position on paycheck advance products under Trump’s administration, determining that earned wage advances no longer qualify as consumer loans subject to the Truth in Lending Act. This reversal eliminates disclosure requirements that companies previously had to provide to workers, including information about credit costs and terms. The CFPB stated the advisory opinion offers clarity to industry participants, though it carries no legal binding force.

Under President Joe Biden, the CFPB had issued interpretive guidance in 2024 classifying paycheck advances as equivalent to consumer loans, establishing federal safeguards intended to increase transparency for workers using these products. Companies like digital bank Chime, which offers customers access to up to $500 of their wages interest-free before payday with no mandatory fees, operate in a market that has grown significantly in recent years. Several states including Nevada and Wisconsin have already specified in state law that such products are not loans, but federal clarification had remained absent until Biden’s guidance.

Under Trump, the CFPB has systematically dismantled regulations from the previous administration, framing deregulation as relief for businesses. The agency last month also proposed narrowing civil-rights-era anti-discrimination requirements for the financial industry, following Trump’s executive order to eliminate disparate-impact liability enforcement. This pattern demonstrates Trump’s effort to restrict oversight mechanisms designed to protect workers and consumers from predatory financial practices.

The removal of lending protections for paycheck advances disproportionately affects low-wage workers who depend on early access to earned wages and lack alternative credit sources. Without mandatory disclosures, companies face no obligation to inform workers about the actual financial terms or risks associated with these advances, creating conditions favorable to exploitation. The decision eliminates transparency requirements that served as a baseline consumer protection regardless of whether products were classified as loans.

(Source: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/us-watchdog-says-paycheck-advances-no-longer-subject-lending-law-2025-12-22/?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=6949b879e698f200017a2f57&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwdGRleAO31mdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeDiG48GBBantZYI16IVBsLaHQKJNEK11cXEC22AFjNA8nGSP92bD_N_aUEG4_aem_kJ_apUkt961CfAzlBgEzNg)

Pentagon plan calls for major power shifts within U.S. military – The Washington Post

Senior Pentagon officials are preparing a reorganization plan that would downgrade multiple major military headquarters and redistribute authority among the U.S. armed forces’ top generals, according to sources familiar with the initiative. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is driving the consolidation effort, which marks a significant restructuring of military command hierarchy.

The plan involves substantial shifts in power dynamics within the Department of Defense, fundamentally altering how the military branches coordinate and operate under unified command structures. The specific details of which headquarters would be downgraded and how authority would be redistributed remain under development by Pentagon leadership.

This reorganization reflects Hegseth’s broader agenda to reshape institutional military structures since his appointment as Defense Secretary. The consolidation strategy signals an effort to centralize control and streamline decision-making processes within the military establishment.

The timing and scope of these changes underscore the administration’s intent to remake federal institutions according to its preferences, consistent with earlier purges of independent oversight mechanisms across agencies. Such institutional overhauls typically encounter resistance from career military officers and existing power structures invested in current arrangements.

(Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/12/15/military-command-plan-caine-hegseth/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwdGRleAOtqdBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeb0mL3h6sJ1c_rBbLs0pcvApkKc8QD239S1X4dkYO2-ExKYQR2RscmrNIDOA_aem_QgyNhVpMmirOwJFbOUMA9w)

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