Category: Authoritarian

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)

Trump Brands Democrats America’s Greatest Enemy

President Donald Trump declared on Truth Social that Iran has effectively ceased to exist as a threat, then immediately branded the Democratic Party as America’s “greatest enemy.” Trump’s proclamation that “the death of Iran” has already occurred stands in stark contradiction to his administration’s simultaneous request for $200 billion in additional funding from Congress to continue military operations against Iran.

Hours before declaring Iran defeated, Trump issued an ultimatum threatening to “hit and obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the country does not fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. This threat reveals the disinformation embedded in Trump’s claim of Iran’s demise, as an already-destroyed adversary would require no such coercive demands. Trump’s escalating Iran war has alienated NATO allies and contradicts his stated position on military drawdowns in the Middle East.

Trump’s characterization of the Democratic Party as a greater threat than a foreign adversary reflects his abuse of power in weaponizing the presidency against political opponents. Trump previously claimed the Iran war was nearing success while spreading disinformation about its purpose and progress, establishing a pattern of deliberately misleading the public about military objectives and outcomes.

The president’s weekend social media posts also included celebration of former FBI Director Robert Mueller’s death, stating “Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people.” This statement demonstrates Trump’s use of the presidency to attack officials who conducted legitimate investigations into his conduct, further illustrating his contempt for institutional independence and the rule of law.

Trump’s contradictory claims about Iran’s status, coupled with his simultaneous demands for expanded war funding and threats of escalated military strikes, exemplify his reliance on disinformation to consolidate power. His equation of domestic political opposition with foreign military threats weaponizes national security rhetoric to justify suppression of dissent and consolidation of authoritarian control.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-declares-the-death-of-iran-then-brands-democratic-party-americas-greatest-enemy-in-stunning-post/)

Trump Threatens ICE Deployment at Airports if Funding Fails

President Trump threatened Saturday to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to U.S. airports Monday if Democrats do not agree to fund the Department of Homeland Security during an ongoing partial government shutdown. Trump posted on Truth Social that ICE would “do the job far better than ever done before” and stated he had already instructed agents to “GET READY,” framing the deployment as a response to alleged security failures.

ICE agents lack training in airport security screening, a role that typically requires several months of preparation for TSA personnel. Trump’s proposal to use untrained immigration agents in security checkpoint roles contradicts established protocols and raises operational questions about how ICE would function in an airport environment designed for trained screeners.

The threat emerges as a weeks-long funding stalemate has disrupted airports nationwide, leaving TSA workers unpaid and creating staffing shortages that have caused flight delays. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have attempted to negotiate a resolution, though an agreement remains elusive.

In an earlier post, Trump suggested ICE would “do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia.” This statement conflates airport security operations with immigration enforcement and targets a specific nationality, demonstrating an abuse of power by weaponizing federal agencies for political purposes.

Trump’s threat to unilaterally deploy law enforcement to airports without proper authorization or training exemplifies his pattern of using emergency rhetoric to justify authoritarian actions. The scheme exploits a funding crisis he could resolve through negotiation, instead using it as pretext to expand executive power and deploy immigration agents in violation of their operational mandate.

(Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/21/politics/ice-agents-airports-tsa-trump-threat)

Trump Shifts $1.7T Student Loan Portfolio to Treasury

The Trump administration is transferring the $1.7 trillion federal student loan portfolio from the Department of Education to the Treasury Department as part of its dismantling of the Education agency. The move initially affects approximately 10 million borrowers in default or late-stage delinquency, according to senior department officials. Education Secretary Linda McMahon characterized the shift as a “historic step” toward abolishing the Education Department, claiming Treasury’s financial expertise will end decades of alleged mismanagement.

Treasury will assume operational control of collecting defaulted federal student loan debt previously managed by the Office of Federal Student Aid. The multiphase process represents one of at least ten interagency agreements McMahon has implemented to shutter the Education Department by transferring its functions to other federal agencies including Health and Human Services, Interior, Labor, and State. McMahon has advocated for relocating the student debt portfolio to Treasury, calling it a “natural area” for the loans to reside.

Education advocates and Democratic lawmakers object to the transfer, warning it creates additional confusion and chaos for borrowers already struggling financially. Roxanne Garza, director of higher education policy at EdTrust, told ABC News that shifting the loan portfolio raises concerns about what support defaulted borrowers will receive and which agency they should contact for assistance. Ranking Member Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., questioned whether the administration intentionally seeks to create chaos for borrowers juggling student loan payments alongside rising costs for groceries, gas, child care, healthcare, and housing.

When federal loans enter default status, borrowers become eligible for mandatory debt collection, which damages credit scores, reduces future student aid eligibility, and can result in driver’s license revocation. The administration has phased out Biden-era student loan repayment plans and will introduce a new income-driven repayment option under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act beginning July 1. Department of Education officials stress borrowers should contact the Federal Student Aid office to arrange repayment, though the institutional transition creates uncertainty about which agency will handle inquiries and disputes.

Republican House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Rep. Tim Walberg endorsed the transfer, claiming it will simplify aid delivery and reduce taxpayer costs. The Education Department announcement Thursday follows months of planning to dismantle the agency as fulfillment of Trump’s campaign pledge to abolish it, consolidating student aid administration under Treasury while the broader institutional dissolution continues across multiple federal departments.

(Source: https://abcnews.com/Politics/treasury-taking-federal-student-loans-amid-dismantling-department/story?id=131230589)

Trump DOJ Subpoenas Comey In Retribution Grand Conspiracy

The Department of Justice, led by Trump’s former personal attorneys, subpoenaed former FBI Director James Comey as part of a “grand conspiracy” probe targeting Trump’s political enemies, according to multiple media reports. The investigation, being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, targets former intelligence and law enforcement officials who allegedly conspired to prevent Trump from exercising constitutional rights between his 2016 election and 2023 federal indictments. The probe has issued over 130 subpoenas in total.

Comey’s subpoena relates to his role drafting a January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment concluding that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to sabotage Hillary Clinton and benefit Trump. Former CIA Director John Brennan received a similar subpoena last year for his involvement in the same assessment. Trump’s current CIA director, John Ratcliffe, referred both Comey and Brennan to the DOJ for prosecution, claiming they committed misconduct by including a summary of the Steele dossier in the assessment.

The dossier summary was placed in an annex and did not support the assessment’s core analytical judgments, a distinction that a Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee confirmed in 2020 when it reached identical conclusions about Russian interference and determined the dossier played no role in supporting the assessment’s core findings. A Trump-appointed federal judge, Aileen Cannon, oversees the grand jury in the Trump-friendly Southern District of Florida and previously showed Trump unusual deference while handling special counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents investigation.

The DOJ’s retribution campaign against Trump’s perceived enemies has already produced a failed prosecution of Comey in the Eastern District of Virginia after judges ruled the prosecutor, former Trump attorney Lindsey Halligan, was unlawfully appointed. Attorney General Pam Bondi, another Trump personal attorney, all but confirmed the conspiracy investigation’s existence in statements to a far-right media outlet in December, while prominent Trump supporters previewed it in comments last year.

Brennan previously requested that the chief judge in the Southern District of Florida block Cannon from overseeing the DOJ’s conspiracy investigation due to her demonstrated bias during the classified documents case, citing her unusual favoritism toward Trump throughout that proceeding.

(Source: https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/justice-departmeny-comey-subpoena-trump-grand-conspiracy-probe/)

Trump Assails NATO as Cowards While Deepening Iran War

President Trump denounced NATO allies as “cowards” on Friday for refusing to deploy troops to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping corridor through which one-fifth of global oil trades. Trump’s hostility toward allies coincides with his unilateral Iran war that has backfired diplomatically, as he initiated military strikes alongside Israel without coordinating with partners, then demanded their support managing the consequences. The Pentagon is deploying approximately 2,200 additional Marines and three warships to the Middle East, marking the second Marine expeditionary unit sent since the conflict began on February 28.

The war has devastated global energy markets and inflicted heavy casualties on U.S. forces. Brent crude oil surged to $112 per barrel, up from roughly $70 before the conflict, with gasoline prices approaching $4 per gallon. The Pentagon reported 232 American service members injured since the war started, with 10 in serious condition. The Treasury Department temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian oil at sea in an attempt to ease prices, marking a break from Trump’s stated “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran. Pentagon officials have prepared detailed plans for potential ground troop deployment into Iran, though Trump claims the U.S. is considering “winding down” operations while simultaneously retaining options to strike Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal.

Trump contradicted his own position by claiming the U.S. does not need the Strait of Hormuz while simultaneously pressuring allies to defend it. He stated Iran’s leadership has been decimated, with “nobody to talk to” remaining, yet Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and military officials continue asserting they are producing ballistic missiles and threatening to target recreational and tourist sites worldwide. The International Atomic Energy Agency told CBS News that securing Iran’s enriched uranium will be “very challenging” even after fighting ends, undercutting Trump and Netanyahu’s stated nuclear prevention objectives.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized U.S. use of U.K. bases to strike Iranian missile sites, prompting Iran’s foreign minister to accuse Starmer of “putting British lives in danger.” NATO relocated its advisory mission from Iraq to Italy after Iranian attacks on allied bases. The humanitarian toll extends beyond military casualties; soaring oil prices are driving up costs across U.S. supply chains, affecting retail prices for consumers nationwide. Former Iran detainee Siamak Namazi warned that Americans held in Iranian prisons face heightened danger amid the escalating conflict.

Trump made a debunked claim about predicting the September 11 attacks while discussing the Strait of Hormuz, part of a pattern of disinformation throughout the conflict. The White House stated Trump “retains all options” militarily but claimed he has “no plans to send troops anywhere,” a contradiction given Pentagon preparations for ground deployment. As the war enters its fourth week with no diplomatic resolution, Trump’s contradictory statements and hostile treatment of allies underscore the absence of a coherent strategic plan.

(Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/live-updates/iran-war-us-israel-gas-and-oil-prices-trump-netanyahu-strait-hormuz/)

No H.I.V. Aid Without More Access to Minerals: U.S. Ponders ‘Sticks’ Against Zambia – The New York Times

The Trump administration is considering withholding lifesaving H.I.V. treatment and tuberculosis and malaria medications from 1.3 million Zambians as leverage to force the southern African nation to grant the United States greater access to its mineral resources, particularly copper, lithium, and cobalt. A State Department memo obtained by The New York Times states the administration will “only secure our priorities by demonstrating willingness to publicly take support away from Zambia on a massive scale,” with potential cuts to aid through PEPFAR beginning as soon as May.

Zambia’s critical minerals are central to the green energy transition globally, and the Trump administration views China’s access to these resources as a strategic threat. Unlike agreements with other nations that focus primarily on health spending commitments, the administration is attempting to weaponize health aid to coerce Zambia into signing a deal that prioritizes U.S. mineral access over public health needs.

This tactic follows the Trump administration’s broad cuts to foreign aid announced last year. The State Department has been pressuring countries to sign new agreements, with 24 nations having signed deals worth $20 billion in health aid over five years, though most agreements simply require recipient governments to increase their own health spending rather than serve geopolitical extraction goals.

Other African nations are resisting similar demands tied to aid. Zimbabwe’s government recently rejected negotiations, citing demands about data and biological sample sharing as intolerable sovereignty violations. Activists in Kenya have taken their country’s agreement to court over comparable concerns, signaling widespread resistance to conditioning essential health assistance on unfavorable terms.

The abuse of power represented by weaponizing H.I.V. treatment demonstrates how the Trump administration subordinates human life to resource extraction and geopolitical positioning, directly sacrificing the health and survival of vulnerable populations in service of mineral interests and competition with China.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/health/zambia-hiv-aid-minerals-trump.html)

Trump Admin Investigates 13 States Over Abortion Coverage

The Trump administration launched investigations into 13 states requiring health insurance coverage of abortion, claiming these policies violate the Weldon Amendment, a federal provision that protects health entities from being forced to cover or refer for abortion services. The targeted states are California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, with all but Vermont led by Democratic governors. The administration reinterpreted the Weldon Amendment to apply to employers and health plan sponsors, a position the Biden administration rejected.

Paula M. Stannard, director of the HHS civil rights office, stated the investigations aim to address states’ “alleged disregard of, or confusion about, compliance with the Weldon Amendment,” asserting that health care entities are protected from state discrimination for refusing abortion coverage based on conscience. The Trump administration sent letters to the states demanding information to support its legal theory that state abortion coverage mandates violate federal law by preventing employers and insurers from opting out.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill characterized the investigation as “nothing but a fishing expedition wasting taxpayers’ money,” defending her state’s requirement that health insurance plans comply with all applicable laws protecting reproductive freedom. Legal experts note the Weldon Amendment’s text does not explicitly mention employers or plan sponsors among protected health care entities, potentially undermining the administration’s interpretation. Elizabeth Sepper, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin, identified the investigations as fulfillment of commitments made to the religious right through Project 2025.

The dispute reflects a partisan pattern in interpreting conscience laws. During Trump’s first term in 2020, his administration attempted to withhold federal health care funding from California over Weldon Amendment violations, but the Biden administration reversed that decision upon taking office. The question of whether the amendment applies to employers and plan sponsors has never been definitively resolved in court, leaving the legal interpretation contested.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-administration-launches-investigation-states-170346571.html)

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