Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

Elon Musk, in first DOGE team interview: "This is a revolution"
Axios | Ben Berkowitz | 03/28/25

Elon Musk described the Department of Government Efficiency's work as a "revolution" in his team's first interview on the department's behalf Thursday.

Why it matters: DOGE has forced out tens of thousands of employees, shuttered agencies, canceled grants and contracts and upended how the U.S. does business - changes the public tells pollsters they don't generally like.

What they're saying: "This is a revolution, and I think it might be the biggest revolution in the government since the original revolution," Musk, flanked by seven DOGE colleagues, told Fox News.

Musk suggested the balance of that work could be done soon.

Zoom in: He holds "special government employee" status, which means he can work on government business for 130 days in every 365-day period. Fox host Bret Baier asked Musk if he had any plans to stay on past that 130-day window. ... Read more

Trump's shadowy, big-money fan clubs
Axios | Alex Isenstadt | 03/28/25

About a dozen political groups, using unlimited and undisclosed donations, are running ads with twin goals: Boosting - and flattering - President Trump.

Why it matters: The groups - separate from Trump's official political operation - have combined to spend more than $20 million since his election. Their spending is expected to escalate dramatically in the coming months.

The TV and digital ads are being run in Washington, D.C., where they can be seen by lawmakers.

Some also are being aired in the Palm Beach, Fla., area, so they can catch Trump himself when he's at his Mar-a-Lago club - a sign that some of the groups are looking to curry favor with the TV-obsessed president.

One such ad campaign is by a group called the Vapor Technology Association, which is running a flight of commercials in South Florida in which self-described vaping enthusiasts talk about how they turned out for Trump in the election. ... Read more

Elon Musk's Family History in South Africa Reveals Ties to Apartheid & Neo-Nazi Movements | DN | 03/27/25 | 24:34

The Atlantic releases screenshots of timing, weapons used in Yemen war plans Signal chat
Politico | Eric Bazail-Eimil | 03/26/25

The Atlantic on Wednesday released the screenshots of messages sent between top Trump administration officials through the encrypted app Signal detailing the timing and weapons used in military strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi militant group in Yemen, arguing that spin from the White House warranted as full a release as possible.

In a piece published Wednesday, the magazine said that it decided that "there is a clear public interest in disclosing the sort of information that Trump advisers included in nonsecure communications channels, especially because senior administration figures are attempting to downplay the significance of the messages that were shared." ... Read more

The Atlantic publishes more Signal messages after Trump admin denials
Axios | Avery Lotz | 03/26/25

The Atlantic on Wednesday published additional messages Trump administration officials sent in a Signal group chat that inadvertently included the magazine's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.

Why it matters: President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other administration officials strongly denied that "war plans" and "classified materials" were shared - essentially daring The Atlantic to publish info it had previously opted not to release.

The newly disclosed messages include a text from Hegseth with specific times and sequencing of planned U.S. strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. ... Read more

What is Signal, the app Trump officials used to discuss war plans
Axios | Angrej Singh | 03/26/25

Top Trump administration officials used the messaging app Signal to debate highly sensitive plans for bombing Yemen and accidentally included the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic in a group text in the encrypted chat.

Why it matters: The incident has raised serious questions about whether the group chat violated laws including the Espionage Act and some Democratic lawmakers are calling for an investigation and potential repercussions against the officials involved.

Signal is a secure messaging service that uses end-to-end encryption, which means only the sender and recipient can read messages. The service provider cannot access or read private conversations and calls from users on its app.

1. A phone number is required to register and create an account.
2. Signal does not track or store any sensitive information and message history is stored on users' own devices, according to its terms of service.
3. Signal includes a function that automatically deletes all messages from a conversation within a set time frame, configurable from one second to four weeks after they've been read by the recipient. However, a recipient can always take a screenshot or screen record to retain messages.

How to Use Signal App - Signal Private Messenger | TechZG | older | 8:15

The mystery of Trump's tariff bomb
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 03/24/25

The Trump administration is expected to soon announce the most aggressive pivot in U.S. trade policy in decades. For a change so big, businesses know surprisingly little about what's coming in mere days.

Why it matters: The fallout might be a scramble to adjust to the new trade normal that could jolt the global economy.

Trump has called April 2 "the big one" and "Liberation Day," referring to the wide-ranging levies expected to be announced and potentially take effect a week from Wednesday.

What they're saying: "Because of the attention President Trump has drawn to April 2, presumably something is going to happen. The hard part is trying to figure out what precisely that might be," UBS economist Jonathan Pingle wrote Friday in a client note. ... Read more

In DOGE effort to combat fraud, Social Security's core mission at stake
Axios | Emily Peck | 03/24/25

The Trump administration's drive to eradicate a small amount of fraud in Social Security is risking the agency's longstanding mission to serve the public, current and former Social Security Administration officials tell Axios.

Why it matters: The DOGE-led effort threatens a system that provides critical benefits to more than 74 million Americans. It's also starting to ignite some political blowback for the Trump administration.

The big picture: "Social Security has always talked about its twin missions of stewardship and service," says someone familiar with the agency's longstanding effort to combat fraud.

But now, we're in a moment where fighting fraud is in the driver's seat. "That's probably going to be bad for a lot of people around the edges," this person said.

Rich GOP spokesperson | "Only fraudsters would complain if they didn't get their SS checks" | 03/24/25 | 0:20

The Real Reason Trump Is Firing Park Rangers | Eric Hanson | 03/23/25 | 23:20

Elon Musk visits Pentagon after bombshell reports on access to China war plans
Axios | Rebecca Falconer,Natalie Daher | 03/21/25

Elon Musk met with the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday after President Trump and other officials denied reports that he was originally scheduled to receive a top-secret briefing for a potential war with China.

Why it matters: Some lawmakers and ethics experts have raised conflict of interest concerns about Musk's role as senior adviser to the president while his companies hold substantial government contracts - in particular SpaceX, which has deals with the Pentagon and NASA.

The billionaire CEO has been the face of DOGE-driven federal cuts that have triggered protests and seen Tesla vehicles and dealerships targeted in attacks the FBI is investigating as domestic terrorism

After a New York Times reporter asked Hegseth what he and Musk spoke about, the Defense Secretary responded: "Why would I tell you?" ... Read more

'Access Denied': Trump stops a meeting at the Pentagon to brief Elon Musk on potential war plans | MSNBC | 03/21/25 | 9:20

AI infrastructure's all-out spending spree
Axios | Scott Rosenberg | 03/21/25

The AI Infrastructure Partnership announced Wednesday that it was adding Nvidia and xAI as new partners in its fund, which aims to build data centers and energy facilities supporting AI, mostly in the U.S.

Microsoft, BlackRock and UAE-based MGX were already key investors in what was announced last September as a $30 billion fund that could be leveraged up to $100 billion.

Thursday, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told the Financial Times he expects his company will manufacture "several hundred billion" dollars' worth of electronics in the U.S. over the next four years.

The Abu Dhabi-based wealth fund ADQ and U.S. heavyweight Energy Capital Partners intend to invest over $25 billion in projects to power data centers and other industrial consumers, Axios' Ben Geman reported Wednesday. ... Read more

Probationary federal workers who were fired
Click to enlarge
Axios | Emily Peck | 03/19/25

All over the country, fired federal workers got a bit of good news this week - they're getting their jobs back. For now, anyway.

Why it matters: The recently rehired could soon become the newly re-fired, and the productivity of the entire federal workforce is taking another hit.

Where it stands: Two federal judges have ordered agencies to reinstate the tens of thousands of probationary workers they've terminated over the past month, but the White House is appealing those orders.

Meanwhile, the administration has also told agencies to do even more layoffs - this time through the more formal process of reductions in force, or RIFs. ... Read more

Climate change indicators hit record levels in 2024, UN study finds
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 03/19/25

A new scientific report depicts a rapidly warming Earth, with widespread consequences such as sea level rise, melting glaciers and extreme weather events.

Why it matters: The World Meteorological Organization's State of the Global Climate 2024 report is designed to inform policymakers of the status of the climate system.

It depicts a planet with a high - and increasing - fever due to record high levels of human-caused greenhouse gases.

Zoom in: The United Nations agency's annual report, which dates back to 1993, doesn't contain many surprises for those closely following climate science. But it drives home how widespread and unprecedented climate change's effects already are. ... ... ... Read more

Changes at the Social Security Administration | 60 Minutes | 03/17/25 | 1:00

Cuts 'absolutely going to crater' Social Security, says former commissioner | MSNBC | 03/19/25 | 7:47

Israel resumes war in Gaza with a series of massive airstrikes against Hamas
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/18/25

Israel resumed the war in Gaza with a series of massive airstrikes against what it described as Hamas targets all across the enclave overnight.

The latest: More than 400 Palestinians were killed in the airstrikes, per the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes told Axios, "Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war."

The big picture: The strikes come exactly two months after the signing of the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal that the Biden administration brokered with the help of the incoming Trump administration. ... Read more

AI is "tearing apart" companies, survey finds
Axios | Megan Morrone | 03/18/25

AI adoption in the workplace is deepening divisions and sparking new power struggles between leaders and workers, with half of executives saying that AI is "tearing their company apart," according to new research from Writer, the enterprise AI startup.

The big picture: Executives are pushing AI as an inevitable revolution, but workers aren't buying it.

Driving the news: Nearly all (94%) C-suite execs surveyed say they're not satisfied with their current AI solution.

72% of C-suite leaders say their company has faced "at least one challenge" in adopting AI.

71% of these leaders complain that their AI applications are being created "in a silo."

Stunning stat: 59% of the executives say they're "actively looking for a new job with a company that's more innovative with generative AI."

Among employees, the number is 35%. ... Read more

Corporatists vs Oligarchs | | | 2:27

Enough with woke | | | 2:24

Trump trade war casts dark cloud over North America economy, forecast says
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 03/17/25

President Trump's trade war would put a brake on global economic growth and stoke inflation, according to new forecasts by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Why it matters: The OECD sees a stagflationary economic scenario for the U.S. and its North American allies, with significant GDP downgrades across the continent and new price pressures as a result of tariffs and policy uncertainty.

What they're saying: "The overall picture is one of generalized [growth] downgrades partly because of trade uncertainty and economic policy uncertainty, but also the imposition of tariffs," Álvaro Pereira, the OECD's chief economist, told reporters on Monday.

State of play: The organization has a gloomier outlook for the world's major economies than at the end of 2024.

That includes the U.S., the world's engine of growth, which economists had regularly upgraded — until now. ... Read more

At least 40 killed as tornadoes, severe weather threaten multiple states
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 03/17/25

At least 40 people are dead after tornadoes, high winds and wildfires hit more than a half-dozen states since Thursday.

Threat level: Although the Sunday outlook was less dire, more severe thunderstorms with potential tornadoes were expected from Pennsylvania to Florida.

Between the lines: This severe weather outbreak has been testing NOAA's ability to handle a large-scale, deadly weather event in the wake of laying off about 800 staff, including more than 100 meteorologists, in late February. ... Read more

Sports Betting: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | 03/17/25 | 32:20

Trump says he'll speak with Putin Tuesday as he pushes ceasefire plan
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/17/25

President Trump said he plans to speak with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as part of the U.S. leader's push to reach a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Why it matters: While Ukraine agreed to Trump's ceasefire proposal, Putin refused to accept it unconditionally.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff met the Russian president for several hours on Thursday. ... Read more

AI's creative block
Axios | Scott Rosenberg | 03/13/25

Tech evangelists predict the arrival of "superintelligence" any year now, but others doubt AI will ever produce its own Leonardos and Einsteins.

Driving the news: In a post on X Tuesday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman touted the company's development of "a new model that is good at creative writing" and showed off its work - a thousand-word "metafictional" composition on "AI and grief."article

Wolf called AI that does research "yes-men on servers."

"To create an Einstein in a data center, we don't just need a system that knows all the answers, but rather one that can ask questions nobody else has thought of or dared to ask," Wolf argued.

The benchmarks we're using to gauge AI's advances "consist of very difficult questions - usually written by PhDs - but with clear, closed-end answers. ... Real scientific breakthroughs will come not from answering known questions, but from asking challenging new questions and questioning common conceptions and previous ideas."

The bottom line: LLMs are like youngsters who have read a lot but do not have experience of the world. And right now there's not much of a way for AIs to get it. ... Read more

Who loses if Social Security breaks
Axios | Emily Peck | 03/13/25>

DOGE is taking its wrecking ball to the Social Security Administration, the agency responsible for overseeing retirement and disability benefits for 73 million Americans.

Why it matters: The cuts underway could wind up breaking critical parts of a system that millions of the nation's most vulnerable citizens rely on, including nearly 90% of Americans over age 65.

The agency announced last month it seeks to cut about 7,000 employees, or 12% of staff, through voluntary resignations and a reduction-in-force plan due Thursday.

Employees have been fleeing, resulting in "a significant loss of expertise," former staffer Tiffany Flick said in an affidavit filed late last week.

The agency also announced plans to shutter six of 10 regional offices. ... Read more

Delays and uncertainty dog Intel's dream of Rust belt manufacturing hub
TheGuardian | Stephen Starr in Licking county, Ohio | 03/12/25

In 37 deliveries over the past 11 months, Intel had planned everything to a T, the final superload landing last month in Licking county at the first greenfield site the company has opened for 40 years. Since the $28bn project was announced in September 2022, construction crews have logged more than 6.4m work hours on the site and seas of concrete have been poured.

But while Intel has succeeded in the world of logistics, as a company, it's hanging on by a thread.

Intel shares fell by 60% last year, with the company besieged by competition from Nvidia and problems emerging around its advanced 18A artificial intelligence chips. In November, it lost its spot on the Dow Jones Industrial Average after vowing in August to cut 15,000 jobs or 15% of its global workforce. ... Read more

Economists on How Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts Actually Played Out | WSJ | 03/01/25 | 6:56

ADL: Antisemitic incidents hit record high in year since Oct. 7
Axios | Russell Contreras | 10/06/24 (old, but good)

The United States has experienced more than 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the year since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, according to preliminary data from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

The big picture: It's the highest number of antisemitic hate crimes, insults, bullying and vandalism ever recorded in any single-year period since ADL started tracking in 1979.

The incidents, recorded from Oct. 7, 2023, to Sept. 24, 2024, represent a more than 200% increase compared with the same period a year before.

Context: Antisemitic, Islamophobic and anti-Arab incidents all have skyrocketed nationwide during the Israel-Hamas war, which became a flashpoint on college campuses.

After the Oct. 7 attacks, the Biden administration unveiled a series of new initiatives in response to rising antisemitism across the U.S. ... Read more

Trump plays with fire - by choice
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 03/11/25

They did it delicately, privately and belatedly. But some Cabinet members and top confidants warned President Trump that two pillars of his flood-the-zone strategy could backfire: tariffs and Elon Musk's budget-gutting.

Why it matters: Both moves hacked off allies - some Hill Republicans and Cabinet officials with cuts, Canada and Mexico with tariffs - and created the impression and reality of uncertainty or outright chaos.

Now, the public is weighing in:

Markets hate uncertainty and chaos. The S&P 500 is down 6.4% since Inauguration Day, and 3% since Election Day — one of the worst-performing major indices in the world. Most market signals are negative - partly because of a tech meltdown that's not entirely Trump-driven. But the uncertainty is the critical element. The uncertainty is the point. ... ... ... Read more

Washigton "CABINET MEETING" | Mr. Newberger's | 03/09/25 | 2:02

Trump's nuclear dilemma: "Greatest threat" is getting bigger
Axios | Dave Lawler | 03/11/25

may be ushering in a world of more nuclear powers and fewer nuclear guardrails.

Why it matters: Trump on Sunday reiterated his urgent hope to halt the nuclear spiral in which China, Russia and the U.S. are developing ever-more sophisticated tools to end life on Earth.

He also revealed that he'd written to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei expressing his desire for a new nuclear deal - while warning that without one, he'll have to take "the other option" to ensure Tehran never gets a nuke.

The flipside: Trump's withdrawal of U.S. support for Kyiv has U.S. allies debating whether to develop their own nukes, rather than depend on Washington. ... ... ... Read more

The real "stagflation" risk: No help from Washington
Axios | Neil Irwin,Courtenay Brown | 03/10/25

Wall Street is talking about stagflation, a combination of stagnant growth and elevated inflation. The real risk is not just that stagflation could arrive, but that the usual policy tools to fight it won't be in play.

The big picture: The president and his advisers have been blasé about the risk of a growth slump or new inflation spike, believing that it's necessary to jolt the economy into a better long-term condition.

The Fed will be constrained in responding to any economic weakening with rate cuts because inflation has already been well above its target for four straight years. ... ... ... Read more

Trump CRASHES & BURNS with devastating public admission | btc | 03/09/25 | 10:05

What America is losing as President Trump fires independent government watchdogs | 60 Minutes | 03/09/25| 13:19

ICE Detention: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | john Oliver | 03/09/25| 24:18

What to know about Mark Carney, Canada's next prime minister
Axios | Avery Lotz | 03/10/25

Mark Carney stepped into the international spotlight Sunday when Canada's ruling Liberal party chose the former central banker to succeed Justin Trudeau as the country's next prime minister.

Why it matters: Carney is assuming leadership during a trade war and escalating tension with the U.S., after President Trump imposed tariffs on its longtime ally and has made repeated annexation threats.

Carney won 85.9% of the vote to be elected Liberal Party leader.

1. Carney was born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, and attended Harvard University, where he earned a bachelor's in economics in 1988, according to his Bank of Canada bio.
2. e received both a master's degree and a doctorate in economics from Oxford University in the '90s.
3. Both of his parents were educators.

AI's "freaks and geeks" divide
Axios | Scott Rosenberg | 03/07/25

While many AI insiders are betting on some kind of all-in-one AGI breakthrough within a handful of years, on-the-ground progress has clearly split into two diverging paths: optimizing AI to write code and do math, or improving AI's "soft" skills with words and creativity.

The big picture: On the one hand, the latest wave of "reasoning models" excel at computer programming and quantitative analysis. They're AI's nerdy tech geniuses.

On the other hand, a handful of new projects show AI getting much better at replicating the nuances of how humans communicate. These are AI's English majors and theater kids.

Chinese tech giant Alibaba Thursday released a new model, called Qwen QwQ-32B, that matches the performance of DeepSeek's R1 but requires a fraction of the computing power to run.

Like DeepSeek, the new Qwen model is open source, and both Chinese projects are reasoning models that excel at technical work. ... Read more

"Trump trades" are falling across markets
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Axios | Ben Berkowitz | 03/06/25

After a two-month honeymoon, where the value of just about anything Trump-adjacent rose as he prepared to take office, markets have now soured on many "Trump trades."

But the assets most closely tied to President Trump are falling faster than the broader market - some because hopes about his policies may have exceeded reality, others as consumers and investors sour on the activities of Trump advisors like Elon Musk.

Peter Thiel's defense contractor Palantir is down 13%, Trump's own social media company Trump Media & Technology Group is down 26% and Musk's Tesla is down 29%.

"The first crypto president" has seen bitcoin fall 8% in the last month, even factoring in the huge rally he sparked last weekend by advancing the idea of a national crypto reserve.

The Trump family's own meme coins are tanking, too — Official Trump is down 23% and Melania Meme is down 51%. ... Read more

The Gilded Age Is Back - And That Should Worry Conservatives
Politico | Joshua Zeitz | 03/02/25

Corporate dominance over politics brought power, wealth - and backlash.

At his second inauguration, as President Donald Trump promised to usher America into a new "golden age," he was surrounded in the Capitol Rotunda by a handful of tech billionaires whose companies account for roughly one-fifth of the market cap of U.S. public equities. It was a not-so-subtle sign that the second Trump administration will be staffed, advised and led by titans of wealth. Which means that Trump's golden age looks an awful lot like a new Gilded Age.

The Gilded Age was the era in the late 19th century when business and industry dominated American life as never before or since. It was a period of unprecedented economic growth and technological progress, but also of economic consolidation and growing wealth inequality. Titans of industry enjoyed enormous control over political institutions, while everyday Americans buckled under the strain of change. As the gap between the haves and the have-nots widened, political culture ultimately grew coarse - and violent. ... Read more

Zelensky expresses regret for Oval Office spat with Trump
Axios | Barak Ravid | 03/04/25

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday expressed regret for his Oval Office spat with President Trump last week and said he's ready to sign a U.S. minerals deal "any time and in any convenient format."

Why it matters: Zelensky's statement, a day after Trump suspended all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, was an attempt to adhere to the conditions laid out by the White House for ending the diplomatic crisis.

Trump officials had demanded that Zelensky publicly apologize, express a desire to negotiate for peace, and sign the minerals deal in order to get the U.S.-Ukraine relationship back on track. ... Read more

Trade war erupts as Trump hits Canada, Mexico and China with tariffs
Axios | Rebecca Falconer |03/04/25

President Trump's 25% tariffs on Canada's and Mexico's exports to the U.S. and new levies on China took effect early Tuesday.

Why it matters: Trump's confirmation of the tariffs sent markets sliding Monday amid fears it could raise prices for U.S. customers, see inflation soar and start a trade war - and Canada and China took retaliatory action against U.S. products as tariffs targeting their countries took effect.

After Chinese exports were hit with an additional 10% tariff on top of the 10% Trump had imposed earlier this year, officials in Beijing announced 15% tariffs on some U.S. agriculture imports, including chicken, corn, cotton and wheat.

Canada, which is also facing 10% tariffs on energy products, announced a raft of countermeasures. ... ... ... Read more

NOAA layoffs threaten weather, climate forecasts
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 02/28/25

The cuts of about 800 probationary employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sliced deep into the agency tasked with a range of safety missions.

Why it matters: The cuts spared "only some" specialists at its National Weather Service, according to a congressional aide speaking on condition of anonymity.

Layoffs at NOAA, a top weather and climate agency, come as climate change causes more intense and frequent weather and climate extremes.

The big picture: By Thursday night, some Weather Service and NOAA offices were already cutting back on their services. ... Read more

The Billionaires' GAZA

"Uncomfortable" to hear Trump take Russia's side: EU foreign policy chief
Axios | Barak Ravid | 02/28/25

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Axios in an interview on Thursday that she felt "uncomfortable" hearing President Trump and other senior U.S. official in recent weeks "repeating Russian narratives and talking points" about the war in Ukraine.

Why it matters: The former Estonian prime minister has the seemingly impossible job of managing the EU's relationship with Trump's Washington. She received an ominous signal on shortly after arriving in D.C. on Tuesday, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled their meeting planned for the next morning.

Driving the news: The State Department claimed that was due to "scheduling reasons," but European diplomats think the cancellation was a political decision by the Trump administration. ... ... ... Read more

DOGE is now dramatically raising the potential for a government shutdown
Politico | Meredith Lee Hill | 02/27/25

Adding Musk's cuts to spending talks could help satisfy hard-liners but alienate Democrats whose votes will be needed to fund the government.e

Senior Republicans are seriously exploring how to include cuts made by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency in an upcoming government funding bill - a move that would skyrocket tensions with Democrats and drastically raise the potential for a government shutdown.

Top GOP leaders and President Donald Trump's team have been discussing the idea, which is far from finalized, according to three people who were granted anonymity to discuss the conversations.

But one of the people said the idea would be to codify some of the "most egregious" examples of alleged waste that DOGE has identified and incorporate them into a government funding patch through the end of the fiscal year. Republicans would then dare Democrats to vote against the package, lest they be blamed for causing a shutdown come the March 14 deadline. ... Read more

Kremlin contradicts Trump's claim on peacekeeping forces in Ukraine
Axios | Ivana Saric | 02/25/25

The Kremlin emphasized Tuesday that Russia had not dropped its opposition to peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, contradicting a claim that President Trump made a day earlier.

Why it matters: Trump is pushing to reach a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the three-year war. Peacekeeping forces are seen as a key component for any peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine.

Driving the news: During a White House meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron Monday, Trump told reporters that he had "specifically asked" Russian President Putin about the prospect of deploying European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine following a peace deal.

"He has no problem with it," Trump said of Putin's acceptance of the proposal. ... Read more

Justice Department purge under Trump administration | 60 Minutes | 02/23/25| 13:26

CFPB, the consumer watchdog agency, under fire by President Trump, DOGE | 60 Minutes | 02/23/25| 13:12

What to know about the Feb. 28 "economic blackout"
Axios | Ivana Saric | 02/25/25

A grassroots movement is calling on Americans to abstain from shopping with major retailers on Feb. 28 as part of an "economic blackout."

Why it matters: The economic protest comes as many everyday Americans struggle to keep up in the current financial landscape, characterized by high housing costs, surging egg prices and stubborn inflation.

Between the lines: This week's economic blackout is the latest, but not the first, grassroots movement against consumerism that has gained steam in the face of high costs of living.

Earlier this year the "no buy 2025" challenge gained traction on social media for similar reasons. ... Read more

Fed Workers Can Ignore Musk Email | A Living Cringe Meme | Trump Licks Feet In Viral AI Video | Stephen Colbert | 02/25/25 | 11:52

Zelensky's five moves that set off Trump
Axios | Marc Caputo | 02/21/25

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky angered Donald Trump so much during the peace talks with Russia that Trump was on the verge of withdrawing American military support from Ukraine, three U.S. officials familiar with the discussions tell Axios.

Why it matters: The conflict between Trump and Zelensky escalated into a war of words between the two that scared European allies who are worried about emboldening Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and rewarding his brutal expansionism.

"President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelensky," National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Thursday at the White House press briefing. ... ... ... Read more

Schumer battles Thune in Senate "vote-a-rama" all-nighter
Axios | Stephen Neukam | 02/21/25

For Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the overnight session on Thursday is about proving Democrats have a path - and the guts - to get out of the political wilderness.

Why it matters: Schumer sees the budget "vote-a-rama" as his shot to convince voters that President Trump's GOP serves billionaires, not the working-class people who make up the new MAGA coalition. Axios scooped Schumer's thinking earlier this week.

Democrats are expected to offer about 40 amendments as part of the debate over the Senate GOP's $300 billion budget reconciliation package.

The amendments - which aren't expected to pass — are designed to pin Republicans between what's good for their reelections and what could infuriate Trump. ... Read more

Critics say Trump's executive orders to reshape the NIH 'will kill' Americans
The Guardian | Jessica Glenza | 02/20/25

Academics and scientists who work with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said the Trump administration’s orders have severely disrupted work - delaying projects and casting the future of research funding and jobs into doubt as chaos in the agency reigns.

An array of orders seeks to fundamentally reshape the NIH, the world's largest public funder of biomedical and behavioral research, in the Trump administration's image. The agency's work is the wellspring of scientific advancement in the US, and helped make the country a dominant force in health and science.

"They will have drastic effects on all of us - this is not hyperbole, this is fact," said Todd Wolfson, the president of the American Association of University Professors and an anthropologist at Rutgers University in New Jersey. ... Read more

Looking for the stupidest man, Look for the person who is cruelest | zen_by_beanatta | 01/30/25 | 1:21

IRS reportedly set to fire 6,000 workers at the height of tax-filing season
The Guardian | Leonie Chao-Fong | 02/20/25

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is expected to fire thousands of its probationary employees as early as today, according to reports on Wednesday.

About 6,000 IRS employees are reportedly slated for termination, with further reductions in the size of the agency expected as part of the Trump administration's push to downsize the federal work force.

The terminations will reportedly target relatively recent hires who do not enjoy as much job protection. They are described as largely auditors and support workers involved in compliance work, CNN reports.

The move would come during peak tax-filing season in the US. ... Read more

Trump's mega-MAGA month transforms America
Axios | Zachary Basu | 02/20/25

President Trump's first month in office has exceeded the wildest dreams of his most loyal supporters, and the darkest nightmares of his fiercest detractors.

Why it matters: Both groups can agree: The America that Joe Biden left behind on Jan. 20 is no longer recognizable, erased in four frenetic weeks by an empowered, implacable and historically popular MAGA presidency.

Like Trump 1.0, the firehose of news and norm-busting behavior is - and will continue to be - the defining feature of this administration.

Unlike Trump 1.0, the chaos is calculated - and explicitly designed to institutionalize MAGA, paralyze the president's enemies and permanently break the Washington establishment. ...

Zelenskyy: 'President Trump is living in this disinformation space' | DW News | 02/19/25| 19:24

Key takeaways from Trump and Musk's "Hannity" interview
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 02/19/25

President Trump and Elon Musk defended the DOGE-led overhaul of the federal workforce and agencies during an interview on Fox News' "Hannity" that aired on Tuesday night. The big picture: The pair praised each other during the interview as they pushed back against Democrats' criticism of DOGE, Trump declared "inflation is back" and the president revealed how much X paid him to settle a lawsuit, while Fox News' Sean Hannity noted: " I feel like I'm interviewing two brothers."

1. Trump says X paid him $10 million to settle lawsuit
2. "Inflation's back. ... I had nothing to do with that"
3. Trump and Musk on conflict of interest concerns
4. Defending criticism of DOGE
5. DOGE's $1 trillion goal

Sean Hannity 2/18/25 FULL HD | FOX BREAKING NEWS TRUMP | How to Trading in Crypto Currency Bitcoin | Amarnath Rai | 02/18/25| 1:05:38

There are many ways Trump could trigger a global collapse. Here's how to survive if that happens
The Guardian | George Monbiot | 02/19/25

Though we might find it hard to imagine, we cannot now rule it out: the possibility of systemic collapse in the United States. The degradation of federal government by Donald Trump and Elon Musk could trigger a series of converging and compounding crises, leading to social, financial and industrial failure.

There are several possible mechanisms. Let's start with an obvious one: their assault on financial regulation. Trump's appointee to the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Russell Vought, has suspended all the agency's activity, slashed its budget and could be pursuing Musk’s ambition to "delete" the bureau.

But the hazards extend much further. Musk, calling for a "wholesale removal of regulations", sends his child soldiers to attack government departments stabilising the entire US system. Regulations, though endlessly maligned by corporate and oligarchic propaganda, are all that protect us from multiple disasters. In its initial impacts, deregulation is class war, hitting the poorest and the middle classes at the behest of the rich. As the effects proliferate, it becomes an assault on everyone's wellbeing. ... Read more

Polar vortex-tied Arctic blast to break dozens of cold weather records
Click to enlarge
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 02/18/25

An Arctic blast tied in part to the polar vortex is driving record frigid air south from the Northern Plains toward the Gulf Coast Tuesday in a cold snap that will last the entire week.

Threat level: This event is forecast to set records for the coldest temperatures on record for this late in the season, and bring below-zero Fahrenheit wind chills as far south as Texas and Arkansas.

By the numbers: The National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting wind chills as cold as minus-35degrees F to minus-60degrees F across the northern Plains for multiple days.

Conditions this cold can cause frostbite to exposed skin in just a few minutes. ... Read more

What Trump, Musk moves on USAID could mean for other government agencies | 60 Minutes | 02/17/25 | 13:22

A legal look at Trump's executive sprint | 60Minutes | 02/17/25 | 6:25

U.S. and Russian officials meet in Saudi Arabia on Ukraine war
Axios | Barak Ravid | 02/18/25

What they're saying: "The talks went well," Ushakov told Russian media on Tuesday.

1. He said the parties discussed the conditions for a Trump-Putin summit but stressed there is no date set.
2. Ushakov added that the parties agreed to start negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.article

Waltz said in a briefing with reporters that during the meeting the U.S. side discussed its core principles for any future deal between Russia and Ukraine.

1. "This should be a permanent end to the war and not a temporary one as it was in the past," he said.
2. Waltz added that any future negotiations will have to include talks on territory and security guarantees.

... Read more

Trump 2.0: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 02/17/25 | 34:51

DOGE seeks access to IRS system with sensitive taxpayer data
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 02/17/25

An Internal Revenue Service employee connected with the Elon Musk-led DOGE team is set to seek access to an IRS system that includes sensitive taxpayer data, the Washington Post first reported Sunday and Axios can confirm.

Why it matters: President Trump has given DOGE powers to oversee government agencies and the federal workforce with the goal of cutting bloat, but his administration is facing several lawsuits accusing it of violating privacy laws in regards to accessing sensitive data.

The big picture: The Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS) enables certain IRS employees "to have instantaneous visual access to certain taxpayer accounts," per an agency post.

It can be used for researching "account information and requesting returns" and automatically "generating notices, collection documents and other outputs," according to the IRS. ... Read more

This Winter Pattern Is About To Get A LOT Worse... | Max Velocity - Severe Weather Center | 02/16/25 | 8:45

U.S.-Russia meeting on Ukraine war to take place in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday
Axios | Barak Ravid | 02/17/25

The meeting between senior U.S. and Russia officials to discuss a possible agreement on ending the war in Ukraine and prepare for a Trump-Putin summit will take place on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, two sources with direct knowledge told Axios Sunday.

Why it matters: The meeting will be another significant step in improving U.S.-Russia relations since the breakthrough that happened last week with the phone call between President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The meeting created a lot of anxiety and frustration in the Ukrainian government, which is concerned about a U.S.-Russian deal behind Kyiv's back. ... Read more

The conservative delemma to unpacked by Samuel Perry | philosifind | 01/07/25 | 54s

Why Trump targets AP
Axiios | Marc Caputo | 02/17/25

One of the big reasons President Trump is limiting AP reporters' White House access is to protest what aides see as years of liberal word choices that the wire service's influential stylebook spread across mainstream media, according to top White House officials.

Why it matters: The trigger was the announcement by The Associated Press that it would continue using the 400-year-old "Gulf of Mexico" rather than switch to "Gulf of America," as declared by Trump in a Day 1 executive order. But it turns out that broader underlying grievances made AP a target.

The big picture: By spotlighting AP, Trump is amplifying Republican and conservative criticisms that the AP Stylebook, a first reference for most U.S. news organizations, shapes political dialogue by favoring liberal words and phrases concerning gender, immigration, race and law enforcement. ... Read more