“Military leaders have raised serious concerns about the Trump administration’s forthcoming defense strategy, exposing a divide between the Pentagon’s political and uniformed leadership as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summons top brass to a highly unusual summit in Virginia on Tuesday,” the Washington Post reports.
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Trump Posts Deepfake Slam of Democratic Leaders
“If a government shutdown wasn’t already exceedingly likely, President Donald Trump might have made it a near certainty Monday night,” Politico reports.
“The president posted a vulgar AI-generated deepfake video to his Truth Social slamming the top Democratic leaders — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — just hours after he hosted the two for an Oval Office meeting…”
“Jeffries appeared to reply on X: ‘Bigotry will get you nowhere. Cancel the Cuts. Lower the Cost. Save Healthcare. We are NOT backing down.’ Later, he posted a photo of Trump with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.”
Trump’s Shortsighted Campaign of Vengeance
Jonathan Chait: “As the president knows too well, efforts to censor or convict foes can often make them more popular.”
Another Bonus Quote of the Day
“This can be done the easy way, or it can be done the hard way.”
— Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, quoted by the New York Times, warning Hamas if it rejects the proposed U.S. peace plan.
QAnon Shaman Sues Trump for $40 Trillion
“The QAnon shaman has sued Donald Trump for $40 trillion in a rambling lawsuit that targets Elon Musk, T-Mobile, and Warner Bros,” The Independent reports.
“Jacob Chansley, infamous for wearing a horned warrior outfit while storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, has claimed that he is the rightful commander-in-chief.”
“In his 26-page complaint, he has claimed that an elite group has launched a conspiracy to violate the Constitution. The entire complaint, which is more akin to a manifesto than a formal legal document, is presented in a single paragraph.”
Bad Bunny Tapped for Super Bowl Halftime Show
“The selection of Bad Bunny to headline the Super Bowl halftime show is about more than music,” the AP reports.
“The move signals a cultural spotlight for Latin identity at America’s most-watched television event. It also raises fresh questions about how much space there will be for his trademark symbolism and social commentary — including his past criticism of President Donald Trump — given the NFL’s history of keeping performances tightly managed.”
Colombia’s Foreign Minister ‘Renounced’ Her U.S. Visa
Colombia’s foreign minister has “renounced” her U.S. visa to protest a decision by the U.S. State department to revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the AP reports.
Republicans Use Democrats’ Rhetoric in California
New York Times: “In order for Newsom and California Democrats to be able to draw new maps, however, voters in the state must decide whether to temporarily remove the state’s independent commission that regularly draws maps and instead hand over that power to Democrats in the State Legislature, via a measure known as Proposition 50.”
“And, in a particularly 2025 twist, the Republicans and others seeking to thwart Newsom’s efforts have been borrowing language most commonly used by Democrats ever since Trump rose to power in 2016 — language that warns that representative democracy is at stake.”
More on the Looming Government Shutdown
I spoke to Julie Mason on her fantastic radio show about this week’s likely government shutdown.
Trump Plans New Financial Strike on Harvard
“The Trump administration is escalating its fight with Harvard University by starting a process that could make the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university ineligible for federal grants over allegations of antisemitism on campus,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
YouTube to Pay $24.5 Million to Settle Trump Lawsuit
“YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a 2021 lawsuit that President Trump brought against the company and its chief executive over its suspension of Trump’s account after that year’s riot at the U.S. Capitol,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The settlement makes YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet’s Google, the final Big Tech company to settle a trio of lawsuits Trump brought against social-media platforms in the months after he left the White House.”
Shutdown Summit Fails to Produce a Deal
“Congressional leaders left a high-stakes Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump without a breakthrough Monday, greatly raising the likelihood of a government shutdown starting early Wednesday morning,” Politico reports.
Trump’s Shutdown Playbook Is About Unpredictability
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Disney Had 1.7 Million Cancellations of Streaming Service
Disney saw more than 1.7 million total paid streaming cancellations in the week after suspending Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show, The Handbasket reports.
More Americans Side with the Palestinians Over Israel
“Nearly two years into the war in Gaza, American support for Israel has undergone a seismic reversal, with large shares of voters expressing starkly negative views about the Israeli government’s management of the conflict,” a new New York Times/Siena poll finds.
“In the aftermath of the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, American voters broadly sympathized with Israelis over Palestinians, with 47% siding with Israel and 20% with Palestinians. In the new poll, 34% said they sided with Israel and 35% with Palestinians. Thirty-one percent said they were unsure or backed both equally.”
How Tom Homan Wound Up Ensnared in an FBI Sting
“Tom Homan, the White House border czar, became entangled in an FBI sting last year after an associate of his suggested to undercover FBI agents that Homan could facilitate future government contracts in exchange for big money,” MSNBC reports.
“Julian ‘Jace’ Calderas, a former U.S. immigration official who worked under Homan in the Obama administration, allegedly proposed to the agents — who were posing as businessmen — that Homan, in exchange for $1 million, could help them win lucrative federal contracts if Donald Trump became president again.”
Netanyahu Agrees to Trump’s Plan to End Gaza War
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed Monday to a deal to end the war in Gaza that was proposed by President Donald Trump, amid a fresh push by the White House to halt two years of bitter war,” the Washington Post reports.
“The step toward peace still requires agreement by Hamas.”
“Trump called it ‘a beautiful day, potentially one of the great days ever in civilization,’ speaking alongside Netanyahu following hours of meetings at the White House.”
Schumer Floats Very Short Term Funding Bill
“Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is sounding out his members about a spending bill to reopen the government for seven to 10 days — if a shutdown is in fact triggered on Oct. 1,” Axios reports.
“Schumer’s Plan B anticipates a government shutdown. He and Senate Democrats are also starting to think about how to get out of one.”
“A 7-10 day spending bill would require unanimous consent in the Senate, which could put pressure on Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Republicans to abandon their plans for a seven-week bill.”
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