Category: Authoritarian

Hegseth Pressures Scouting America to Ban Transgender Youth

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that Scouting America will implement policy changes targeting transgender youths at the Pentagon's direction, requiring members to use their "biological sex at birth and not gender identity" on applications and prohibiting opposite-gender individuals from sharing bathrooms, tents, and similar spaces. Hegseth stated the Pentagon will "vigorously review" the organization's compliance and withdraw support if it fails to comply, declaring his intent to restore the organization to its original purpose of developing "boys into men."

The policy changes include discontinuing the Citizenship in Society merit badge, introducing a Military Service merit badge, and waiving registration fees for military children's families. Scouting America acknowledged the need to comply with Trump's executive order targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs but avoided explicitly addressing the transgender youth restrictions in its public statement. The organization emphasized maintaining its 2024 rebrand name and service to over 200,000 girls in its programs.

Hegseth's Pentagon campaign against diversity efforts extends beyond Scouting America, including ending military training partnerships at Harvard and removing what he calls "woke distractions" from the military newspaper Stars and Stripes. The Pentagon previously stated the organization had "lost its way" and violated administration values through DEI initiatives and "gender-fluid ideological stances," demanding rapid implementation of what it termed "common-sense, core value reforms."

Scouting America's historical evolution toward inclusion, including accepting gay youths in 2013, ending the blanket ban on gay adult leaders in 2015, and accepting transgender students in 2017, directly conflicts with Hegseth's vision. The organization began accepting girls as Cub Scouts in 2018 and into the Boys Scout program in 2019, reaching approximately 1 million members last year with minimal membership growth of about 16,000 new scouts.

The military has maintained a century-long partnership with Scouting America, providing logistical support for the National Boy Scout Jamboree since 1937 and maintaining strong relationships with Eagle Scouts, who frequently enlist. Hegseth's personnel decisions at the Pentagon demonstrate his broader effort to reshape military institutions and remove individuals perceived as opposing his ideological direction.

(Source: https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/scouting-america-alter-policies-maintain-support-us-military-130562779?fbclid=IwdGRleAQOr69leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEePjcVZKq_PzycLSnX56qyK1Zgn8TeDkzmaHWkJfSBIL5cWCIMk7OnTEA8c-M_aem_8JHDpUpUVTXIyaqAj3xXsw)

Trump Claims He’s Entitled to Illegal Third Term

President Donald Trump declared Friday that he is “entitled” to an unconstitutional third term, stating at a Texas port event, “Maybe we do one more term…we are entitled to it.” This assertion follows his State of the Union address Tuesday, where he repeated his false claim that Democrats stole the 2020 election and characterized a third term as rightfully his, contradicting the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms.

Trump has repeatedly alluded to extending his presidency beyond constitutional limits, admiring authoritarian leaders like Chinese President Xi Jinping, who eliminated term limits in 2018. Republican allies including Senator Lindsey Graham and convicted fraudster Steve Bannon, whom Trump pardoned, have publicly backed a third term for Trump’s administration. A constitutional amendment enabling a third term remains impossible by 2028, forcing Trump and his allies to pursue alternative strategies centered on voter suppression.

Right-wing activists are drafting an executive order granting the president “extraordinary power over voting,” according to reporting by The Washington Post. The draft order, published by Democracy Dockets in April 2025, contains numerous errors and falsely cites Chinese election interference as justification, despite the Office of the Director of National Intelligence concluding no such interference occurred. National security expert Marc Polymeropoulos characterized the draft order as “authoritarian.”

The effort to suppress voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections demonstrates Trump’s systematic abuse of power to manipulate electoral outcomes rather than pursue legitimate constitutional amendments. Trump’s cabinet meetings have showcased alarming acceptance of authoritarian governance, while banners displaying Trump’s image on federal buildings signal his control over government institutions. These actions construct the infrastructure for permanent authoritarian rule.

(Source: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2675435238/)

Tom Homan Lectures Pope on Immigration, Faces FBI Bribery Investigation

Border Czar Tom Homan, a Trump loyalist facing an FBI investigation into accepting a $50,000 bribe from undercover agents in 2024, publicly lectured Pope Leo XIV on Catholic doctrine regarding immigration. In a Wednesday interview with Letters from Leo Substack, Homan claimed the pontiff misunderstood Church teachings and declared that “Catholic faith is always in support of law enforcement,” asserting the pope should align with the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign.

Homan, citing his credentials as a “life-long Catholic,” dismissed the pope’s criticism of Trump’s immigration crackdown and told the Vicar of Christ to focus on “fixing the Catholic Church” instead. He then listed statistics about assaults on migrant women, sex trafficking, and fentanyl deaths as justification for the Trump administration’s enforcement operations, which have deployed federal agents across the country to round up and deport undocumented immigrants.

Homan further claimed that Vatican security protocols impose harsher penalties for unauthorized border crossing than the U.S. immigration system applies to undocumented migrants. This public rebuke of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, marks the latest instance of Trump administration officials dismissing the pontiff’s calls for compassionate immigration policy in direct contradiction to Church teachings on welcoming foreigners.

The incident follows House Speaker Mike Johnson’s similar lecture to the pope earlier this month, in which Johnson argued that the Bible mandates “assimilation” and defended his interpretation across social media in a post exceeding 1,300 words. Pope Leo XIV has emerged as a vocal critic of Trump’s policies, and multiple administration officials have now publicly attempted to reframe Catholic doctrine to align with Trump’s hardline stance on immigration.

Homan’s credibility is further compromised by allegations that he accepted a $50,000 cash bribe from FBI agents posing as businessmen seeking government contracts during the previous Trump administration. His lecture to the pope about law enforcement and Catholic values occurs while Trump’s mass deportation agenda operates through facilities designed to detain thousands of migrants, contradicting the humanitarian principles the pontiff has consistently articulated.

(Source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/another-trump-goon-tom-homan-mansplains-religion-to-pope-leo-xiv/)

Trump Purges Indiana Republicans Opposing His Gerrymandering

President Donald Trump launched a coordinated campaign on Truth Social endorsing six candidates while attacking six Indiana State Senate members who voted against his redistricting plan in December 2025. Trump used dehumanizing language, labeling the opposing Republicans as “RINO” (Republican in Name Only) politicians and claiming their refusal to gerrymander endangered Republican control of the House ahead of the 2026 midterms. The president explicitly tied the purge to his gerrymandering agenda, stating that Indiana could have “easily picked up two seats” had redistricting passed.

Trump targeted State Senator Travis Holdman, Jim Buck, Spencer Deery, Greg Goode, Greg Walker, and Eric Bassler with hostile posts, using epithets such as “pathetic,” “ineffective,” “LOSER,” and “pawn.” He endorsed Blake Fiechter, Tracey Powell, Paula Copenhaver, Brenda Wilson, Michelle Davis, and Jeff Ellington as replacements, branding them as “America First Patriot” and “REAL Republican” candidates loyal to his political agenda. This abuse of power demonstrates Trump’s weaponization of the presidency to eliminate Republican legislators who refuse to abuse the redistricting process for partisan gain.

The Indiana State Senate voted 31-19 against Trump’s redistricting proposal in December, prompting his threat of a “MAGA primary” to purge dissident Republicans. Trump previously threatened primary challenges against Indiana Republicans who rejected his gerrymandering demand, and his latest endorsement blitz executes that threat by channeling his presidential platform directly into state-level electoral interference. Indiana Governor Mike Braun subsequently aligned with Trump’s gerrymandering push, illustrating the authoritarian consolidation of party loyalty around Trump’s demands.

Trump’s coordinated posting spree violates foundational democratic norms by using the presidency to punish legislators for voting independently on redistricting matters. His language dehumanizes Republican opponents and frames partisan gerrymandering as a patriotic duty, conflating electoral manipulation with loyalty to him personally rather than to constitutional governance. The Supreme Court rejected the Independent State Legislature theory that Trump promoted to justify similar gerrymandering schemes, yet Trump continues leveraging executive authority to coerce state-level compliance with his redistricting agenda regardless of legal and ethical constraints.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-pushes-rino-purge-with-endorsement-spree-against-republicans-who-opposed-his-redistricting-plan/)

FBI Fires 10 Agents From Trump Documents Investigation

At least 10 FBI employees who investigated Trump’s retention of classified documents were fired on Wednesday following allegations by FBI Director Kash Patel that the bureau had improperly subpoenaed his phone records as a private citizen. Patel claimed the FBI used “flimsy pretexts” to obtain the records, though Reuters reported he provided no evidence of wrongdoing by the terminated staff. All fired agents and analysts worked on the documents case overseen by Special Counsel Jack Smith, which resulted in the first federal criminal indictments against a former president.

The firings represent Trump administration retaliation against federal employees who conducted investigations into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and obstruct the Justice Department’s classified documents inquiry. A source confirmed that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ records were reviewed as part of the documents case, though verification of Patel’s claims remained unavailable. The Trump administration has systematically targeted personnel from both investigations, having previously purged senior FBI agents involved in Trump criminal investigations and fired prosecutors who worked on Smith’s team.

The FBI Agents Association condemned the firings as violations of due process, stating the removals “weaken the Bureau by stripping away critical expertise and destabilizing the workforce” while undermining recruitment and national security. Smith’s investigations led to charges that Trump unlawfully attempted to overturn the 2020 election results and retained classified records while obstructing efforts to retrieve them. A federal judge dismissed the classified documents charges in mid-2024 on grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed, and Smith dropped the election charges after Trump won the 2024 race.

Trump has demanded prosecution of Smith, former Attorney General Merrick Garland, and former FBI Director Christopher Wray for what he characterized as “illegal and highly unethical behavior.” Attorneys for Smith countered that his actions were “entirely lawful, proper and consistent with established Department of Justice policy.” The Trump administration’s firing campaign extended to agents who worked the Arctic Frost election investigation, as controversy erupted over the FBI obtaining phone records of Republican lawmakers during the January 6 Capitol riot investigation.

(Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/at-least-10-fbi-staffers-who-worked-on-mar-a-lago-documents-case-are-fired-sources-say/)

Trump Yanks Hurd Endorsement Over Tariff Opposition

President Donald Trump withdrew his endorsement of Representative Jim Hurd (R-CO) on Saturday via Truth Social, citing the congressman’s opposition to Trump’s tariff policies. Hurd voted for H.J.Res.72, which seeks to terminate Trump’s 25% tariff on Canadian goods, an action Trump characterized as betrayal of the country.

Trump claimed this was only the second time he has yanked an endorsement, the first being ex-Representative Mo Brooks (R-AL) in 2022 after Brooks questioned Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election. In his Saturday post, Trump stated Hurd “let me and our Country down” by prioritizing foreign interests over American ones, describing the congressman as more loyal to countries “ripping us off for decades” than to the United States.

Trump immediately endorsed Hope Scheppelman, a Navy veteran and nurse, as Hurd’s replacement in Colorado’s 3rd District. Trump praised Scheppelman as someone who “will never let you down,” contrasting her with what he called a “RINO” (Republican in Name Only) in Hurd. This endorsement shift demonstrates Trump’s willingness to weaponize party support to enforce loyalty to his tariff agenda.

The withdrawal follows Trump’s earlier threats against six Republican members of Congress who opposed his tariff policies, with Trump declaring they would “seriously suffer the consequences come Election time.” The move underscores Trump’s pattern of using primary challenges and endorsement reversals to punish Republicans who defy his economic agenda, effectively demanding absolute loyalty over independent legislative judgment.

Trump’s action came one day after the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that his tariff authority exceeded his statutory power under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Trump attacked the justices who ruled against him as “unpatriotic and disloyal,” demonstrating his broader campaign to punish any institution or individual who challenges his authority.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-yanks-endorsement-for-republican-lawmaker-for-second-time-ever-over-lack-of-support-for-tariffs/)

Trump Demands Netflix Fire Susan Rice Over Corporate

President Trump demanded Netflix fire Susan Rice, a board member since 2023, after Rice criticized corporations that capitulate to Trump’s agenda. In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump called Rice a “racist, Trump Deranged” political hack with “no talent or skills,” threatening Netflix with unspecified consequences if the company did not comply immediately. Trump’s attack followed a video clip shared by Laura Loomer showing Rice warning that companies bowing to Trump will face accountability from Democrats if they return to power.

Rice, former National Security Adviser and U.N. Ambassador under President Obama, stated that corporations, law firms, universities, and media entities taking a knee to Trump will not fare well. She argued their capitulation represents short-term self-interest and predicted they will be held accountable by future Democratic administrations for firing employees and abandoning principles. Rice specifically challenged the assumption that Democrats would forgive such actions, saying corporations have “another thing coming” if they expect leniency.

The timing of Trump’s attack coincides with Netflix’s efforts to close a $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery while facing Department of Justice scrutiny over potential harm to consumers. Trump’s demand for Rice’s firing exploits regulatory vulnerability as competing bidders, including Paramount Skydance, attempt to block the merger and acquire WBD themselves. Rice has previously criticized Trump initiatives, including his dismantling of federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and his defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth.

Trump’s demand weaponizes his presidential authority to pressure a major media company into firing a corporate board member for expressing political speech. This attack exemplifies Trump’s use of regulatory power and public threats to silence critics and enforce loyalty, directly targeting someone who warned corporations against capitulating to his administration.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-demands-netflix-fire-racist-susan-rice-after-ex-obama-ambassador-slammed-companies-that-take-a-knee-to-potus/)

Trump Escalates Global Tariffs to 15% After Court

Donald Trump announced a 15% global tariff effective immediately on Saturday via Truth Social, escalating from the 10% levy he imposed Friday after the Supreme Court struck down his reciprocal tariff policy. Trump claimed the higher rate was “fully allowed, and legally tested,” attacking the court’s decision as “ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American” while asserting countries have been “ripping off” the United States for decades.

The British Chambers of Commerce condemned the increase as damaging to UK businesses, warning that the additional 5% tariff on most British exports would harm trade, US consumers, and global economic growth. William Bain, head of trade policy at the BCC, stated the announcement proved their fears that Trump’s backup plan would be worse than his initial proposal and called for businesses to receive “clarity and certainty” rather than escalating tariffs.

Britain had negotiated the lowest initial rate of 10% under a deal between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Trump, with carve-outs protecting steel, automobiles, and pharmaceuticals. The UK government indicated it expected these preferential arrangements to remain intact under the new 15% framework, though officials acknowledged uncertainty about the tariff’s full implications for British trade.

Trump bypassed Congress by signing an executive order Friday invoking emergency powers after the Supreme Court overturned his reciprocal tariffs policy, allowing him to unilaterally increase import taxes. His escalation to 15% followed his public attacks on Supreme Court justices as “unpatriotic and disloyal” for blocking his previous tariff authority.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/president-donald-trump-keir-starmer-government-uk-government-b2925023.html)

FCC Chair Carr Demands Patriotic Content While Silencing Late-Night Hosts

Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, has called on broadcasters to air “patriotic, pro-America” content as part of a “Pledge America Campaign” ahead of the nation’s 250th independence anniversary in July. Carr’s directive explicitly requests networks air programming celebrating American history, begin each broadcast day with the Pledge of Allegiance, and feature music by composers including John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland, Duke Ellington, and George Gershwin. The campaign frames such programming as addressing declining civics education and serving broadcasters’ public interest obligations.

Carr has become a central figure in the Trump administration’s conflict with late-night television hosts after pressuring ABC to suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s show in September over comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting. Upon returning, Kimmel called out Carr’s hypocrisy by citing a 2022 social media post from Carr himself stating that “political satire is one of the oldest and most important forms of free speech.” Stephen Colbert similarly attacked Carr this week after CBS reportedly blocked an interview with Democrat James Talarico running for U.S. Senate in Texas, with Carr having indicated he was considering removing talk show exemptions from FCC equal-time rules.

Anna Gomez, the sole Democratic FCC Commissioner, directly opposed Carr’s campaign, stating on X that “nothing is more American than defending our constitutional rights against those who would erode our civil liberties” and urging broadcasters to refuse government interference by defending their First Amendment rights. CBS denied blocking the Talarico interview, stating instead that legal guidance indicated broadcast could trigger equal-time requirements for other candidates. The FCC’s equal-time rules do not apply to digital platforms, and the blocked interview has garnered over 8.3 million views on The Late Show’s YouTube channel.

Carr has framed his actions as ending broadcaster control over public discourse. In a Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham, Carr declared that “the days that these legacy media broadcasters get to decide what we can say, what we can think, who we can vote for, are over,” crediting Trump with “smashing the facade” of media independence. Carr’s language and actions demonstrate the administration’s deliberate effort to pressure networks into aligning content with government-approved messaging while simultaneously attacking press freedom as a mechanism of control.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-fcc-brendan-carr-patriotic-colbert-kimmel-b2924780.html)

Draft-Dodging Trump Thirsts Over Awarding Himself Military Medal

During a Thursday speech in Georgia, Donald Trump disclosed his desire to award himself the Congressional Medal of Honor, claiming he considered doing so during his first term but was dissuaded by advisers. Trump, who avoided military service through draft deferments, stated he has awarded the medal to combat veterans with severe injuries and suggested changing the law to permit self-awarding the honor.

Trump acknowledged the apparent contradiction between his consideration of self-awarding the medal and the sacrifices of wounded soldiers he has honored. He described veterans who lost limbs in combat and framed his hesitation as recognizing the medal’s significance to those with documented battlefield injuries, yet he continued to express interest in obtaining one for himself.

The statement exemplifies Trump’s pattern of self-aggrandizement and disregard for institutional norms. His draft dodging during the Vietnam War, combined with his repeated efforts to claim military accomplishments and honors he did not earn, contradicts his public positioning as a defender of military service and sacrifice.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/draft-dodging-trump-thirsts-over-004234640.html)

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