Category: Policies

Jeremy Carl Nomination Collapses Over Antisemitic Great Replacement Rhetoric

Jeremy Carl's nomination as assistant secretary of state for international organizations collapsed after a contentious Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on February 12, 2026, where Republican Sen. John Curtis and all Democrats questioned his record of antisemitic and anti-Israel remarks. Curtis announced his opposition, stating he could not support Carl given his "anti-Israel views and insensitive remarks about the Jewish people," which would block the nomination from advancing out of committee.

During the hearing, Carl defended comments claiming the U.S. prioritizes Israel excessively and that "white Americans are undergoing cultural genocide" through immigration and diversity initiatives. When pressed by Sen. Chris Murphy to define white culture, Carl cited differences in churches, food, and music—pointing to a Spanish-language Super Bowl halftime performance as evidence of cultural erasure. Carl explicitly affirmed the Great Replacement Theory, stating the Democratic Party "through its immigration policies has certainly shown signs of that" intentional effort to replace white Americans with immigrants.

Sen. Cory Booker extracted partial concessions from Carl on Holocaust minimization, with Carl acknowledging past comments "downplaying the effects of the Holocaust" were "absolutely wrong." Carl also disputed being a racial nationalist, claiming instead to be a "civic nationalist" concerned with "majority common American culture" becoming "balkanized" through mass immigration. However, Carl refused to renounce his belief that white Americans face discrimination or to specify which aspects of white identity require protection.

In neo-Nazi literature, they argue that multi-ethnic societies are inherently unstable. They point to the "Balkanization" of the U.S. to claim that different races cannot coexist peacefully, eventually leading to a "race war" or a total national collapse.

By claiming the country is already "Balkanized," neo-Nazis argue that the only solution is formal separation, the creation of a "White Ethnostate." They view this as a return to a "natural" order where heredity and geography align.

For example, in Carl’s mention of the Super Bowl halftime show not being in English, "Balkanization" is framed as a loss for the "majority." In this worldview, the presence of other languages or cultures doesn't add to the whole; it subtracts from a specific "white culture" that they believe should be the national standard.

Sen. Jacky Rosen condemned Carl's recorded statement that "the Jews love to see themselves as oppressed," rejecting his Jewish heritage—Carl converted to Christianity—as justification for antisemitic rhetoric. She framed a vote for Carl as disrespecting Jewish Americans and Holocaust survivors. Sen. Booker additionally condemned Carl for defending January 6 Capitol rioters, accusing him of lacking "decency" and "honor" and of disgracing the legacy of those who died serving the nation.

Sen. Jeff Merkley challenged Carl's qualifications, noting his complete absence of staff experience at the U.N. or in diplomatic roles and his inability to articulate specific policy positions on United Nations organizations. Carl's evasiveness on whether other U.S. allies receive excessive attention, combined with his failure during the hearing to substantively address antisemitic rhetoric he had previously encountered, led Curtis to question whether Carl could credibly push back against anti-Israel and antisemitic agendas presented by foreign diplomats.

(Source: https://jewishinsider.com/2026/02/jeremy-carl-nomination-hearing-antisemitism-john-curtis/)

Trump Erases EPA Climate Endangerment Finding, Kills Greenhouse Gas Rules

President Trump announced the elimination of the federal government’s scientific finding that climate change endangers human health and the environment, a move that strips the EPA of its legal authority to regulate carbon dioxide, methane, and four other greenhouse gases. Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change a “hoax,” rejected decades of peer-reviewed research and the scientific consensus accepted by presidents of both parties since Richard Nixon, whose advisers warned of climate dangers in the 1970s, and George H.W. Bush, who signed an international climate treaty.

The action directly accelerates the transition away from pollution controls on fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources like solar and wind. By terminating what Trump called the “disastrous Obama-era policy,” the administration eliminated the regulatory framework that had allowed the federal government to impose limits on the emissions driving heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and other extreme weather events documented by climate scientists.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stood alongside Trump at the White House announcement, visibly approving of the decision Trump described as “about as big as it gets.” The move represents the culmination of a yearslong campaign by conservative activists and fossil fuel industry interests—including oil, gas, and coal companies—to block the nation’s shift away from carbon-intensive energy sources.

This decision dismantles protections that had been grounded in scientific fact for decades. By erasing the endangerment finding, Trump’s administration declared that the overwhelming majority of scientists worldwide are incorrect about the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and planetary warming, contradicting a body of evidence that has informed climate policy across multiple presidential administrations.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/climate/trump-epa-greenhouse-gases-climate-change.html)

Trump Orders Pentagon to Purchase Coal Power

President Trump issued an executive order directing the Pentagon to increase purchases of coal-generated electricity, effectively using the Department of Defense budget to subsidize a declining fossil fuel industry. The order represents a direct intervention into energy markets to artificially prop up coal production, which has failed to remain competitive against cheaper and cleaner alternatives.

Coal generation is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, yet Trump continues to promote it as economically and environmentally sound. His administration has pursued fossil fuel favoritism through exclusive assistance to oil and coal companies, while simultaneously blocking renewable energy projects, demonstrating deliberate prioritization of polluting industries over clean energy development.

This Pentagon directive exemplifies Trump’s pattern of weaponizing federal agencies to advance personal ideology and financial interests aligned with fossil fuel donors. The order compels military spending to serve as a subsidy mechanism for an uncompetitive industry rather than optimizing defense procurement based on cost or operational efficiency.

Trump has repeatedly made false claims about coal being “clean and beautiful,” contradicting established scientific consensus on coal’s environmental harm. The administration is simultaneously pushing looser pollution rules and increased coal funding, while the EPA delays Biden-era pollution standards that would otherwise protect waterways and air quality.

The executive order redirects taxpayer dollars from military readiness and innovation into sustaining a dying industry, subordinating national defense priorities to fossil fuel industry profits. This diversion of Pentagon resources demonstrates how Trump’s administration systematically bends federal power toward enriching allied industries regardless of economic rationality or public health consequences.

(Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/02/11/trump-coal-pentagon-order/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwY2xjawP698xleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEersty_fFS5HGzkHTkEM7ZQSoTKMW1nx6KGJ_yNjB0KB40S39AeTAEN5P90rM_aem_oqWqjPN1L0uzL5J7-4JNaQ)

Trump Threatens GOP Tariff Dissenters With Primary Challenges

President Donald Trump threatened Republican members of Congress with primary challenges and electoral defeat if they vote against his tariff policies, declaring they will “seriously suffer the consequences come Election time.” Trump made the threat on Truth Social after six GOP representatives—Don Bacon of Nebraska, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Jeff Hurd of Colorado, Kevin Kiley of California, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Dan Newhouse of Washington—joined Democrats in voting to block his emergency tariffs on Canada.

Trump justified the tariffs by citing stock market gains and claimed they reduced the trade deficit by 78 percent, asserting that tariffs provide both economic and national security benefits. He stated that “no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege” and framed opposition as disloyalty to the party and the administration’s economic agenda.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, countered that the vote was straightforward: “stand with working families and lower costs, or keep prices high out of loyalty to Donald Trump.” Rep. Don Bacon defended his vote by writing that tariffs function as a tax on American consumers and that congressional debate should precede major trade policy decisions.

The nonpartisan Tax Foundation estimated that Trump’s tariffs imposed an average tax increase of $1,000 per U.S. household in 2025 and warned costs could rise further if the policy continues. The tariffs have strained relations with major trading partners including Canada, Mexico, China, India, Brazil, and the European Union, triggering Canadian retaliatory boycotts of American goods.

Trump’s threat represents his pattern of weaponizing federal authority against officials and lawmakers who resist his demands, extending party discipline through electoral intimidation rather than policy persuasion.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-republicans-tariffs-threat-canada-b2918970.html)

DOJ Fails to Indict Six Democrats Over Military Video

The Trump administration’s Department of Justice attempted and failed to indict six Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a November video urging military and intelligence personnel to refuse unlawful orders. The federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., rejected the prosecution’s case on Tuesday, with prosecutors unable to convince even a single juror that probable cause existed for charges, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The video featured Representatives Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan—all with military or intelligence backgrounds—explaining that service members can refuse orders that are manifestly illegal under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The prosecution, led by Trump appointee Jeanine Pirro at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, employed political appointees rather than career prosecutors, according to one source. Trump had publicly accused the lawmakers of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH” on his Truth Social platform following the video’s release. Legal experts widely rejected the prosecution’s theory, citing both First Amendment protections for political speech and the Constitution’s speech-or-debate clause, which grants lawmakers immunity from prosecution for legislative acts.

The failed indictment reflects a broader pattern of weaponizing the Justice Department against Trump’s perceived political opponents. The administration previously dismantled the Public Integrity Section, eliminating standard oversight requirements that normally govern investigations of sitting members of Congress, especially those involving free speech considerations. The Justice Department has also failed to secure indictments against New York Attorney General Letitia James before separate grand juries in Norfolk and Alexandria, and Pirro’s office has struggled to obtain convictions even in cases involving alleged assaults on federal officers.

Senator Kelly stated that the prosecution attempt followed administrative retaliation by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who issued a formal censure and sought to reduce Kelly’s retirement rank to punish his participation in the video. Slotkin condemned the effort as indicative of Trump’s authoritarian approach, declaring that “whether or not Pirro succeeded is not the point. It’s that President Trump continues to weaponize our justice system against his perceived enemies.” Other lawmakers rejected intimidation tactics, with Representative Crow stating that “Americans should be furious that Trump and his goons tried to weaponize our justice system again against his political opponents.”

(Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/doj-fails-secure-indictment-democrats-involved-illegal-orders-video-rcna258385)

Trump Blocks Bridge After Billionaire Competitor Meets Commerce Secretary

Donald Trump threatened to block Canada’s Gordie Howe International Bridge hours after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick met privately with Detroit billionaire Matthew Moroun, who controls the competing Ambassador Bridge, according to The New York Times. Two officials briefed on the meeting confirmed Lutnick met with Moroun in Washington on Monday, and Lutnick subsequently spoke with Trump by phone about the matter.

The Moroun family has spent decades attempting to prevent the Gordie Howe bridge through litigation and lobbying, including a challenge that reached Canada’s Supreme Court. The family previously urged Trump to halt construction of the $4.7 billion publicly funded bridge, which will compete with the Ambassador Bridge for over $300 million in daily cross-border trade once operational.

Trump posted on Truth Social threatening to block the bridge unless Canada addressed “a long list of grievances,” according to the Times report published Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump’s position by claiming he was “putting America’s interest first,” objecting to Canadian control of the bridge and land on both sides, and criticizing insufficient use of American-made materials.

The timing coincides with escalating tension between the nations since Trump’s election, during which he has questioned Canadian sovereignty and imposed tariffs on steel, lumber, and automobiles. The Gordie Howe bridge is fully financed by Canada and will be jointly operated by Canada and Michigan, making Trump’s threat an intervention in a cross-border infrastructure project already under construction.

(Source: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-canada-2675257271/)

NSA Detected Foreign Call About Trump Associate Gabbard Blocked

Last spring, the National Security Agency detected a phone call between two foreign intelligence operatives discussing a person close to Donald Trump. Rather than following standard protocol to distribute the intelligence report, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard delivered a paper copy directly to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and subsequently instructed the NSA to transmit the classified details to her office instead of publishing the report.

On April 17, a whistleblower contacted the inspector general alleging that Gabbard blocked the classified intelligence from routine distribution. The whistleblower filed a formal complaint on May 21 detailing Gabbard’s actions. The NSA does not monitor individuals without justification, and the person discussed in the call is not understood to be an administration official or special government employee, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The intelligence community inspector general dismissed the complaint after a 14-day review on June 6, stating the office “could not determine if the allegations appear credible.” The watchdog’s independence may be compromised after Gabbard assigned one of her top advisers, Dennis Kirk—a co-author of Project 2025 and a first Trump administration official—to work in the inspector general’s office on May 9, two weeks after the whistleblower’s initial contact.

For eight months, the complaint remained classified and withheld from congressional intelligence committees, violating the law requiring agencies to relay whistleblower complaints to Congress within 21 days. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner stated the months-long delay reflected an effort to “bury the complaint.” Members of the “gang of eight” received a heavily redacted version on Tuesday night, with much of the complaint withheld under claims of executive privilege—a move Gabbard’s attorney said flags presidential involvement in the underlying intelligence concerns.

Gabbard’s office denied all allegations, stating “every single action taken by DNI Gabbard was fully within her legal and statutory authority.” House Oversight Committee Democrat Stephen Lynch warned that Kirk’s appointment raised “troubling questions about the independence” of the intelligence community inspector general’s office, compromising the agency’s ability to serve as an independent watchdog against weaponization of intelligence for political purposes.

(Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/07/nsa-foreign-intelligence-trump-whistleblower)

Trump Threatens Trevor Noah Lawsuit Over Epstein Grammy Joke

President Donald Trump threatened legal action against comedian Trevor Noah on Monday after Noah joked during the Grammy Awards that Trump spent time on Jeffrey Epstein’s island. Trump denied any connection to Epstein, calling Noah’s performance “lousy” and asserting he has “nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein.” Trump also attacked author Michael Wolff, describing him as a “sleaze bag” who conspired with Epstein to damage his presidency.

The president claimed that newly released Justice Department files containing 3.5 million Epstein-related documents “absolve” him of improper conduct. Trump stated the DOJ should move on from the Epstein matter and asserted the files instead reveal misconduct by Democrats, Bill Clinton, and Bill Gates, but not him. When asked directly by ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott whether he planned to sue Noah, Trump confirmed his intention and elaborated on his grievances.

Trump accused Democrats of weaponizing Epstein allegations against him politically. He stated that Democrats only pushed Epstein-related claims as a strategy to undermine his election chances, saying “The Democrats are pushing it” and “it’s turning out to be the Democrats that were with — and conspired with — Epstein.” Trump referenced emails between Wolff and Epstein obtained from the released files, including a 2016 message in which Wolff offered to “help finish” Trump before the election.

Released Epstein correspondence documented Wolff’s discussions with the deceased sex offender about targeting Trump, with Wolff writing in 2015 that Trump’s denial of visiting Epstein’s properties would give Epstein “valuable PR and political currency” to use against him. Trump claimed this email exchange demonstrated a coordinated effort to harm his political standing. He announced over the weekend his intention to sue Wolff based on these communications.

Trump ended his remarks by celebrating his return to the presidency despite what he characterized as a Democratic conspiracy to prevent his election. He said the released files proved Democrats “were working together to try and help me lose the election,” but acknowledged his presence in the Oval Office indicated that conspiracy ultimately failed.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-thrashes-lightweight-trevor-noah-and-democrats-pushing-epstein-claims-in-oval-office-rant/)

Trump Launches TrumpRx Website, Exaggerates Drug Savings

President Trump unveiled TrumpRx.gov on Thursday at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a website designed to direct consumers to purchase prescription drugs at reduced prices. The site itself does not sell medications but serves as a search portal linking users to pharmacies and manufacturer websites where they can buy drugs directly. Trump claimed the platform would help Americans save money and improve their health.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, who oversees Medicare and Medicaid, stated at the event that offering fertility drugs through the site would result in a surge of “Trump babies.” Trump negotiated deals with major pharmaceutical manufacturers to reduce certain drug prices and increase domestic production in exchange for exempting the companies from threatened tariffs on foreign-made medications. The administration framed these agreements as a victory in controlling drug costs ahead of midterm elections, positioning affordability as a campaign issue.

Researchers specializing in drug pricing analysis issued warnings that TrumpRx would not deliver the savings Trump promised, projecting that many consumers would still pay excessive amounts for medications obtained through the platform. The site represents Trump’s attempt to claim credit for drug price reductions while relying on voluntary corporate participation rather than regulatory enforcement or government price negotiations that have historically achieved more significant savings for patients.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/health/trumprx-online-drugstore-prices.html)

Trump Withholds $16B Gateway Funding Unless Hubs Named After Him

President Donald Trump conditioned the release of over $16 billion in frozen federal funding for New York’s Gateway Tunnel project on Senator Chuck Schumer’s agreement to rename Penn Station and Dulles International Airport after Trump, according to Punchbowl News. Schumer rejected the demand, stating he lacked authority to rename the transportation hubs. This follows Trump’s pattern of demanding Penn Station and other infrastructure be renamed after himself in exchange for federal resources.

Trump has leveraged his position to encourage Republicans and allies to rename the Kennedy Center, a fleet of battleships, and the Institute of Peace in his honor since returning to office. By conditioning critical infrastructure funding on naming concessions, Trump has weaponized federal resources to advance personal branding. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand characterized the demand as Trump prioritizing “his own narcissism over the good-paying union jobs” the Gateway Project provides and called for the immediate unfreezing of all withheld projects.

Trump froze Gateway and Second Avenue subway funding in October under the pretext of reviewing DEI policy compliance, but officials warned the projects were rapidly depleting remaining resources. New York Representative Jerry Nadler labeled Trump’s naming condition as “extortion” and demanded immediate funding release. The Gateway Project’s oversight group filed a lawsuit seeking to compel the administration to release millions in construction payments as funding deadlines approached.

Democratic lawmakers condemned Trump’s extortion attempt as evidence of egregious abuse of executive authority. California Representative Eric Swalwell and Maryland Representative April McClain Delaney criticized the demand as demonstrating a complete lack of leadership on infrastructure competitiveness and national security. Governor Kathy Hochul’s office responded with an AI-generated image renaming Trump Tower to “Hochul Tower,” mocking the president’s narcissism.

Trump’s pattern of converting federal infrastructure into personal brand assets violates the public trust and institutional norms governing federal funding allocation. By withholding critical transportation upgrades unless officials agree to personalize federal property, Trump subordinates national infrastructure priorities to his self-enrichment agenda, demonstrating the systematic institutional capture characteristic of his authoritarian governance.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-penn-station-rename-funding-b2915414.html)

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