Category: Corruption

Trump Orders U.S. Agencies to Stop Using Anthropic AI Tech After Pentagon Standoff – The New York Times

Trump ordered federal agencies to cease using Anthropic’s artificial intelligence technology on Friday, attacking the company as “radical Left” and claiming its leadership lacks understanding of reality. Within 13 minutes of Trump’s announcement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally designated Anthropic a “supply-chain risk to national security,” barring any military contractor from conducting business with the company, a designation previously reserved for foreign adversaries rather than American firms.

Anthropic had resisted Pentagon demands for unfettered access to its AI systems without safety guardrails, citing two specific concerns. The company refused to allow its AI models to be deployed in autonomous weapons systems, arguing current models are unreliable and would endanger American troops and civilians, and rejected use of its technology for mass domestic surveillance, which it characterized as violating fundamental rights.

Legal experts characterized the Pentagon’s action as unprecedented and legally vulnerable. Anthropic stated it would challenge the designation in court, calling it historically reserved for U.S. adversaries and warning the move establishes a dangerous precedent for American companies negotiating with the government. The company had attempted good faith negotiations with the Pentagon over acceptable uses of its AI technology for national security purposes.

The confrontation reflects Trump’s pattern of weaponizing government authority against corporations that resist his demands, consistent with his broader efforts to remake federal institutions and eliminate independence from executive control. Hours after Anthropic’s designation, OpenAI announced a deal with the Defense Department to provide AI technology for classified military systems, demonstrating Trump’s preference for companies willing to comply without restrictions.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/us/politics/anthropic-military-ai.html)

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/)

Trump’s Surgeon General Pick Dodges Vaccine Questions at Senate

Casey Means, Donald Trump’s nominee for US surgeon general, testified before the Senate health committee on Wednesday and repeatedly declined to directly answer questions about vaccine guidance. Despite graduating from Stanford School of Medicine, Means does not have an active medical license, did not complete her surgical residency, and is not board-certified, instead building her career as a wellness influencer aligned with health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s vaccine skepticism.

When pressed by Republican Senator Bill Cassidy on whether she would encourage routine childhood vaccinations like the MMR vaccine, Means avoided a direct answer and instead emphasized parental “autonomy” in medical decisions. She similarly sidestepped questions about whether vaccines cause autism, a discredited theory promoted by Kennedy, and declined to affirm whether the flu vaccine prevents hospitalization, instead offering only that it prevents severe illness “at a population level.”

Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders expressed serious concerns about Means’s ability to counteract Kennedy’s disinformation about vaccine safety and efficacy at a time when measles outbreaks are spreading across the country, including the worst outbreak in South Carolina in over 30 years. Means also faces significant conflicts of interest stemming from undisclosed financial partnerships with wellness products, with Senator Chris Murphy noting apparent violations of Federal Trade Commission rules regarding compensation for product promotion.

Under Kennedy’s direction at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Trump administration has terminated grants, driven out career public health experts, and installed anti-vaccine loyalists to the immunization advisory committee despite Kennedy’s assurances during his own confirmation that he would not interfere with its composition. Means’s nomination represents a direct threat to evidence-based public health policy, with former Surgeon General Richard Carmona calling it a “disgrace” and stating the role requires “a real leader” equipped to combat disinformation.

Means abandoned her medical residency after becoming “disillusioned with traditional healthcare” and co-founded a glucose-monitoring company while co-authoring a book with her brother, a Kennedy adviser, arguing that metabolic health offers alternatives to conventional medicine. This is Trump’s second surgeon general nomination; his first nominee, Dr Janette Nesheiwat, was withdrawn after reports of misleading medical credentials emerged.

(Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/25/casey-means-surgeon-general-nominee)

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)

Trump Praises Kavanaugh as Hero After Tariff Ruling Loss

President Donald Trump praised Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh as his “new hero” on Saturday morning, along with Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, after the Court voted 6-3 to strike down his emergency tariff authority on Friday. The decision included votes against Trump from Chief Justice John Roberts and two Trump-appointed justices, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, alongside the three Democratic-appointed justices. Trump’s public embrace of the three dissenters revealed his deliberate strategy to reward judicial loyalty and punish perceived disloyalty.

On Friday evening, Trump responded to the tariff ruling by attacking the majority justices, claiming their decision was “ridiculous” and that the justices who voted against him “should be ashamed of themselves.” He specifically targeted his own appointees Gorsuch and Barrett, claiming they violated an implicit obligation by ruling against him and complaining that “this never seems to happen with Democrats,” who he alleged vote as a bloc in their own interest regardless of the case merits.

Trump’s escalating posts throughout Friday night revealed his transactional view of judicial appointments. He complained that he did not appoint Chief Justice Roberts, blaming Roberts for allowing “foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years to continue to do so.” His final evening post urged Republicans to “Unite, stick together, and WIN,” framing judicial independence as party disloyalty rather than constitutional obligation.

By Saturday morning, Trump shifted to praising the three justices who sided with him, declaring Kavanaugh his “new hero” and asserting without evidence that all three dissenters wanted to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” This pattern of public reward and punishment for judicial decisions directly contradicts the principle of an independent judiciary, positioning judges as political operatives accountable to the executive.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-wakes-up-blurting-praise-for-my-new-hero-and-its-about-his-devastating-court-loss/)

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)

Trump Pledges $10 Billion to ‘Board of Peace’ in First Meeting

President Trump announced a $10 billion transfer of taxpayer funds to his newly created “Board of Peace” during its inaugural meeting in Washington, D.C. on February 19, 2026. The board, which Trump controls as chairman without term limits or government oversight, includes nations with documented human rights abuses and corruption records such as Israel, El Salvador, Turkey, Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, and Saudi Arabia. Member states pay $1 billion each to join, with an additional $7 billion contributed by participating nations, though Congress has not authorized the U.S. spending and Trump provided no specification of where the $10 billion would originate.

Trump framed the board as overseeing implementation of a Gaza peace plan, but has previously stated his intention to redevelop Gaza as a “Trump Riviera” tourism destination. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law who holds no official government position, presented plans to reshape the war-torn region into a coastal investment opportunity. Kushner denied that individuals were personally profiting from the arrangement, yet the board’s structure grants Trump unilateral financial control without U.S. government oversight or restrictions, enabling him to access organizational funds beyond constitutional accountability mechanisms.

Major U.S. allies and Western democracies rejected participation in Trump’s coalition. The Vatican, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, and Ukraine all declined invitations, reflecting their assessment of the board as a mechanism for Trump to establish a controlled international alliance independent of established multilateral institutions. Putin received an invitation despite actively waging war against Ukraine, demonstrating Trump’s prioritization of personal relationships with authoritarian figures over democratic alignment.

At the Thursday gathering, Trump repeatedly appeared to fall asleep during speakers’ remarks, occurring throughout the more than two-hour meeting as foreign leaders addressed him. The event featured sycophantic praise from participating nations, including Egypt’s prime minister addressing Trump as “excellency,” a breach of protocol for U.S. presidents who historically reject monarchical titles. Kazakhstan’s autocratic President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed establishing a “President Trump award” to recognize Trump’s “outstanding efforts and achievements,” and FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended without clear justification.

Trump also used the event to announce he would decide on military action against Iran within ten days, despite claiming last year that a previous strike “obliterated” Iranian nuclear facilities. The announcement of potential renewed warfare contradicted the purported peace mission of the gathering. Trump characterized the $10 billion pledge as “a very small number” compared to war costs, equating it to two weeks of military spending, while maintaining that no congressional authorization for the expenditure existed.

(Source: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-pledges-10-billion-board-of-peace-meeting-1235519576/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQErkNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe0VFQVzCo4RTtSQuznefPb57AtrlKN1M0W58uDN1ZVeUZ56Y6TStjQtA1BYM_aem_v8x_9FRA2dmfshMiH_8cyQ)

Trump family business files for trademark rights on any airports using the president’s name

The Trump Organization filed federal trademark applications seeking exclusive rights to use President Trump’s name on airports and related merchandise including buses, umbrellas, travel bags, and flight suits. The filings were triggered by a Florida state bill proposing to rename Palm Beach International Airport after Trump, and separate disputes over naming rights for a New York-New Jersey tunnel and Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

The Trump Organization stated it would not charge royalties or accept financial consideration for the Palm Beach airport renaming, claiming the applications were filed to protect against “bad actors” exploiting what it asserts is “the most infringed trademark in the world.” The company did not respond when asked whether it would charge royalties for using Trump’s name at other airports or on merchandise covered by the trademark filings.

Trademark lawyer Josh Gerben, who discovered the filings, called them “completely unprecedented,” noting that no sitting president’s private company has previously sought trademark rights in advance of airport naming proposals. He highlighted that presidents historically wait years—or must die—before airports are named after them: Bill Clinton waited 11 years, Ronald Reagan nine, and Gerald Ford 22 years, with JFK being the exception at one month following his assassination.

Recent months have seen multiple public venues and infrastructure renamed for Trump, including the Kennedy Center performing arts venue, a boulevard outside Mar-a-Lago, and a new class of battleships. The Trump Organization has also expanded its branding internationally, placing the Trump name on towers, golf resorts, and residential developments in Dubai, India, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam, while simultaneously selling Trump-branded electric guitars, bibles, and sneakers through its DTTM Operations unit.

Trump has previously defended his family’s business activities by stating the company is held in trust by his sons and that he has no day-to-day involvement, a response to ongoing criticism that he and his family are profiting from his presidency. The company’s claim of having the world’s most infringed trademark could not be quickly verified against established luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, and Rolex, which have all battled extensive counterfeiting for decades.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-family-business-files-trademark-172427158.html)

Trump Accepts Invented ‘Clean Coal’ Trophy From Mining

President Trump accepted a bronze trophy from Peabody Energy CEO Jim Grech at a White House event on Wednesday, named “Undisputed Champion of Beautiful Clean Coal” by the Washington Coal Club, a pro-coal advocacy group with financial ties to the coal mining industry. Trump used the occasion to tout his administration’s coal policies, claiming he “ended the war on coal” and citing a 4 million ton monthly production increase, while promoting withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord.

The award represents Trump’s repeated pattern of accepting newly invented honors created by organizations and individuals seeking his favor. Trump previously accepted a newly created “FIFA Peace Prize” from FIFA President Gianni Infantino in December 2025 after failing to receive a nomination for an actual Nobel Peace Prize, an omission he has publicly lamented. In January 2026, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado presented Trump with a Nobel Peace Prize despite the prize’s organizers explicitly stating the award “cannot be revoked, shared or transferred.”

Trump’s promotion of “beautiful clean coal” directly contradicts established climate science. During a December 2025 NORAD Christmas Eve call, Trump pressured a child who declined coal as a gift, insisting coal is “clean and beautiful,” despite coal being a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Trump has also directed the Pentagon to increase coal-generated electricity purchases through executive order, artificially subsidizing a declining fossil fuel industry.

The ceremony drew comparisons to Trump’s acceptance of a custom gold-plated gift from Apple CEO Tim Cook in August 2025, which prompted online criticism describing the gesture as deference to authoritarian leadership. Trump’s collection of self-created or invented awards underscores a pattern of surrounding himself with loyalists and industry figures willing to fabricate honors that reinforce his preferred narratives.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-clean-coal-white-house-meeting-b2918708.html?fbclid=IwdGRleAP8F_tleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe6qODtF520ZXkp8eFUWEZM0Ebz6YmUmRHz4-tjI0fUz_kq7chvFn3eGrgdx4_aem_nS9se4Nk2uqaOHIq1XXBgw)

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