500 Worst Things Trump Did in 2025, Part 4

#301-400. June-September

This is a comprehensive accounting of the 500 worst abuses of the Trump admin in 2025, in chronological order. Each of these was documented in one of my daily ‘Today in Politics’ columns here on Substack. The final 100, which go from Sept-Dec, will be published on Jan 1. Here are the links to each of the previous 100.

Part 1: #1-100. Part 2: #101-200. Part 3: #201-300.

JUNE 2025

301. Stephen Miller summoned 50 senior ICE officials from around the country for an emergency meeting about deportation numbers. One official after the meeting: “They’ve been threatened, told they’re watching their emails and texts and Signals. It’s a fearful environment. Everybody is afraid. There’s no morale. Everybody is demoralized. Miller came in there and eviscerated everyone. ‘You guys aren’t doing a good job. You’re horrible leaders.’ He just ripped everybody. He had nothing positive to say about anybody, shot morale down. Miller wants everybody arrested. ‘Why aren’t you at Home Depot? Why aren’t you at 7-Eleven?’”

302. Steel market analyst Josh Spoore on Trump’s 50% tariffs on steel: “This was an absolute surprise. Already steel prices in the US are higher than anywhere else, and it is a net importer which needs to have volumes coming in. All this does is raise prices there. Autos, construction products and appliances are all products that are going to feel the impact.” Economist Justin Wolfers: “If you wanted to find a way to really destroy American manufacturing, what you would do is figure out a way to jack up the cost of steel for American manufacturers.”

303. Even Trump’s own supporters were outraged about his plan to develop a massive database on Americans using the tech firm Palantir, which was co-founded by Musk’s former mentor Peter Thiel. Jason Bassler, co-founder of The Free Thought Project: “This Palantir database isn’t like the others. It will combine: Tax filings, Student debt, Social Security, Bank accounts, Medical claims, Immigration status. No previous database system has ever centralized this much personal info across various fed agencies.”

304. Trump was asked in the Oval Office why he has repeatedly threatened additional sanctions on Russia but has done nothing: “When I see the moment where it’s not going to stop, we’re going to be very tough. And it could be on both countries.”

305. Trump appointed a 22-year old former campaign worker to run a counter-terrorism unit for DHS. ProPublica: “When Thomas Fugate graduated from college last year with a degree in politics, he celebrated in a social media post about the exciting opportunities that lay beyond campus life in Texas. A year after graduation, the 22-year-old with no apparent national security expertise is now a DHS official overseeing the govt’s main hub for terrorism prevention, including an $18 million grant program intended to help communities combat violent extremism.”

306. Trump issued an executive order directing the State Dept and DOJ to prevent any new foreign students from enrolling at Harvard. AG Pam Bondi: “Admission to the US to study at an ‘elite’ American university is a privilege, not a right. This DOJ will vigorously defend the President’s proclamation suspending the entry of new foreign students at Harvard University based on national security concerns.” Harvard: “This is yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the Admin in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights. Harvard will continue to protect its international students.”

307. NYT: “Trump took extraordinary action by calling up 2,000 National Guard troops to quell immigration protests in CA, making rare use of fed powers and bypassing the authority of Gavin Newsom. It is the first time since 1965 that a president has activated a state’s National Guard force without a request from that state’s governor, the last time was when LBJ sent troops to Alabama to protect civil rights demonstrators in 1965.”

308. Trump was asked about Tom Homan’s statement that he may arrest Gavin Newsom: “I would do it it I were Tom, I think it would be great.” Newsom responded: “The President just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America. I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.” Sen. Tommy Tuberville: “Lock him up. LA looks like a third world country.”

309. Pete Hegseth: “Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty US Marines are being deployed to LA to restore order. Newsom said he spoke to Trump the night before and he never mentioned it: “We talked for 20 minutes, this issue never came up. I kept trying to talk about LA, he wanted to talk about all these other issues. He never once brought up the Nat Guard. He’s a stone cold liar. There’s no working with the President. There’s only working for him. I will never work for Trump.”

310. RFK Jr. disbanded and fired all 17 members of the scientific committee that advises the CDC on how vaccines should be used. He promised Sen. Bill Cassidy, who cast the deciding vote to confirm him, that he would not do this during his confirmation hearing. Cassidy even posted a statement that RFK Jr. assured him he would not disband this panel. Sen Susan Collins: “It seems excessive to ask for everybody’s resignations. Generally, I think vaccine and other advisory committees are very helpful to the public. So to cancel all of the people or cancel the meetings raises serious questions.”

311. Trump held a military parade in DC on his birthday. Axios: “The parade will include 28 M1A1 Abrams tanks, 28 M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and 4 Paladin Howitzers. There will be 8 CH-47 Chinook helicopters, 16 AH-64 Apache helicopters, and 16 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.” Sen Bernie Sanders: “We all like to enjoy a nice birthday party. But most of us don’t celebrate with a $45 million taxpayer-funded military parade.” Sen Sheldon Whitehouse: “For the first time in 30 years, a Vietnam Veterans ceremony must relocate from DC to Virginia - so Vietnam Draft Dodger Trump can throw himself the world’s creepiest birthday party.”

312. Trump went to Ft. Bragg today where he gave an overtly partisan political speech to active duty troops, which is something George Washington in his farewell address to the nation said a president should never do: “In LA the governor of CA, the mayor—they're incompetent and they paid troublemakers, agitators and insurrectionists, they're engaged in this willful attempt to nullify fed law and aid the occupation of the city by criminal invaders.”

313. DNI Tulsi Gabbard posted an unhinged video of Putin talking points where she went through how bad a nuclear war with Russia would be and finished with this: “As we stand here today, closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before, political elite warmongers are carelessly fomenting fear and tensions between nuclear powers. Perhaps because they are confident that they will have access to nuclear shelters for themselves and their families that regular people won’t have access to.” Sen. John Kennedy: “She obviously needs to change her meds.”

314. Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly dragged out of Kristi Noem’s press conference by multiple FBI agents when he showed up to ask her questions. Padilla was dragged out of the room into the hallway where he was pinned to the ground and handcuffed by multiple federal agents. Padilla: “If this is how the admin responds to a Senator with a question, you can only imagine what they're doing to farmworkers, cooks, and day laborers throughout the country.”

315. Eric Trump announced the latest family grift - Trump Mobile: “Trump Mobile is going to revolutionize cell phones. We’re going to do it better and safer. You’re going to have phones made in America and it’s going to be cheaper. We’re really excited to get into this space.” They promised delivery in September. People were still waiting in Dec. They changed the photo of the phone on the website after press inquiries and also deleted references to it being Made in America. The whole thing was a scam.

316. Director of WH Personnel Sergio Gor refused to say what country he’s from and refuses to complete the paperwork for his background check. NY Post: “Gor is in charge of picking about 4,000 executive-branch staff, but has not turned in his SF 86 - a set of questions required for officials who need security clearances.” “Gor claimed to be from Malta, though an official could not confirm he was born there. It would later turn out that Gor was from the Soviet Union. Gor would be replaced by Trump’s former golf caddie and named Ambassador to India.

317. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Trump lied about an imminent trade deal with India and also lied about brokering a peace deal between India and Pakistan: “PM Modi clearly told Trump that during this entire episode, there was never any discussion at any level about an India-US trade deal or US mediation between India and Pakistan. The discussion to halt military action occurred directly between India and Pakistan through existing channels between both armies and was made at Pakistan's request.”

318. Trump called for a Special Prosecutor to be appointed to investigate the 2020 election: “Crooked Joe Biden, a man who lost the 2020 Presidential Election by a “LANDSLIDE!” Biden was grossly incompetent, and the 2020 election was a total FRAUD! The evidence is MASSIVE and OVERWHELMING. A Special Prosecutor must be appointed. This cannot be allowed to happen again in the USA! Let the work begin!”

319. A court blocked Sean Duffy from his attempt to withhold money from states for roads, bridges and infrastructure if they don’t actively assist ICE with deportations: “Congress did not authorize or grant authority to the Secretary of Transportation to impose immigration enforcement conditions on fed dollars specifically appropriated for transportation purposes.”

320. Narcisco Barranca is a landscaper and father of 3 US Marines. He was working outside an IHOP when several masked men approached him. Frightened, he began to run away and he was tackled, beaten, and pepper sprayed. He suffered a dislocated shoulder and denied medical treatment, food and water for 24 hours in detention. Podcaster Joe Rogan: “These ICE raids are fucking nuts. If Trump had said during the campaign that we’re gonna go to Home Depot and arrest everyone, tackle people at construction sites, I don’t think anyone would’ve signed up for that. They said we’re going to get rid of the criminals and gang members. Now we’re seeing Home Depots raided. It’s crazy.”

321. Trump decided to threaten nuclear war with Russia because of a drunken midnight tweet from their former president: “Did I hear Former President Medvedev casually throwing around the “N word” (Nuclear!), and saying that he and other Countries would supply Nuclear Warheads to Iran? The “N word” should not be treated so casually. I guess that’s why Putin’s “THE BOSS.” By the way, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our Nuclear Submarines. They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built.”

322. DOJ lawyer Erez Reuveni came forward as a whistleblower to Congress and the DOJ IG. He said senior DOJ official Emil Bove planned to intentionally ignore court orders on deportations. He said during a key meeting with several senior DOJ officials, Bove announced plans for Trump to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to swiftly deport a group of immigrants that weekend. Bove emphasized that the removal flights needed to depart “no matter what.” Anticipating possible judicial intervention, Bove said if a judge issued an order to halt the removals then DOJ might have to tell the courts “fuck you” and proceed with the deportations.

323. NYT: “The Trump admin said that it would open up 58 million acres of back country in national forests to road construction and development, removing protections that had been in place for 25 years. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced plans to repeal the 2001 ‘roadless rule’ that had preserved the wild nature of nearly a third of the land in national forests in the US.” Chris Wood, CEO of Trout Unlimited: “Most Americans value these pristine backcountry areas for their sense of wildness, for the clean water they provide, for the fishing and hunting and wildlife habitat.”

324. Forbes reported that Trump cashed out hundreds of millions of dollars from his crypto scam. This followed previous sell-offs in the hundreds of millions: “The change, which came with zero fanfare, is the latest indication that the president—or someone working on his behalf—continues conducting backroom deals while he serves in office.”

325. Fox: “DHS has announced it is terminating Temporary Protected Status for more than half a million Haitians in the US, arguing that conditions in Haiti have improved enough for them to return home. Haitians have 2 months to leave the country or find another form of relief or legal status.” Immigration lawyer Aaron Reichlin-Melnick: “The Trump admin claims, despite all reality, that Haiti is a safe country to return to - even though large portions of the country are ruled by vicious gangs and civil governance has collapsed.”

326. AP: “Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that her admin is investigating contamination from a SpaceX facility near the Mexican border in Texas, and planning its next course of action. This follows the explosion of a Starship rocket during a test, which sent a massive fireball into the sky. Pieces of metal, plastic and rocket pieces were reportedly found in Tamaulipas, which borders the SpaceX’s Starbase.” Sheinbaum on Musk’s company, which has largely been deregulated by Trump: “There’s a general review underway to find out what international laws they are violating. There is contamination.”

327. Local 10 (FL): “DOD announced it would immediately stop ingesting, processing, and transmitting data essential to most hurricane forecasts. NOAA distributed a service change notice to all users, including the National Hurricane Center, that they would no longer receive real-time microwave data collected aboard 3 weather satellites jointly run by NOAA and DOD. The permanent discontinuation of data from the SSMIS will severely impede and degrade hurricane forecasts, affecting tens of millions of Americans who live along its hurricane-prone shorelines.”

328. Sen. Brian Schatz on Trump’s budget: “Building Trades Opposed. Solar industry opposed. Musk Opposed. Nursing homes opposed. Hospitals opposed. This thing is a rotting fish. 1) Biggest wealth transfer in American history. 2) Kills solar industry, raising prices. 3) Almost a trillion dollar cut to Medicaid. 4) Nursing homes shutting down. 5) Energy shortages. 6) 4.5 trillion in NEW DEBT. 300,000 fewer jobs per year in wind and solar. 300 GW less wind and solar built this decade. This is several times more than what we add to the grid in an entire year and we’ll just lose it, as demand soars. $450 billion of lost capital. Meanwhile China will surge ahead. Loser stuff.”

329. NBC: “Pam Bondi has fired 3 career DOJ prosecutors who worked on cases related to the J6 insurrection. The attorneys were informed in letters signed by Bondi that they were ‘removed from federal service effective immediately’ with no further explanation.” A fed official: “This is a slap in the face not only to them, but to all career DOJ prosecutors. No one is safe from this admin’s whims and impulses, and the public certainly is not served by the continued brain drain of DOJ—we are losing the best among us every day.”

330. After an Israeli court denied Trump’s demand to postpone Netanyahu’s corruption trial, he threatened to withhold aid to Israel if they didn’t reverse their decision: “It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu. He is a War Hero, and a PM who did a fabulous job working with the US to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran. The USA spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this.” 12 hours later, an Israeli court complied with Trump’s demands and postponed the trial.

331. Trump pardoned reality-TV fraudsters Todd and Julie Chrisley from 12 convictions for bank fraud and tax evasion. They got out of prison and no longer have to pay back the $17.8 million they defrauded. Todd: “We owe thanks to God and God touched President Trump’s heart. God led people to advocate for us. Every night I would pray that God would return me home, and he did that.”

332. Financial Times: “The US dollar is headed for its worst first half of the year since 1973, as Trump’s trade and economic policies prompt global investors to rethink their exposure to the world’s dominant currency. The dollar index, which measures the currency’s strength against a basket of 6 others including the pound, euro and yen, has slumped more than 10% so far in 2025, the worst start to the year since the end of the gold-backed Bretton Woods system.”

333. Francesco Pesole, strategist at multinational banking firm ING: “The dollar has become the whipping boy of Trump 2.0’s erratic policies. The president’s stop-start tariff war, the US’s vast borrowing needs and worries about the independence of the Federal Reserve had undermined the appeal of the dollar as a safe haven for investors.”

334. Lisa Tate, a 6th-generation farmer in CA, to Reuters: “In the fields, I would say 70% of the workers are gone. If 70% of your workforce doesn’t show up, 70% of your crop doesn’t get picked and can go bad in one day. Most Americans don’t want to do this work. Most farmers here are barely breaking even. I fear this has created a tipping point where many will go bust.” One farm supervisor was overseeing a field being prepared for planting strawberries. Usually he would have 300 workers, he said. On this day he had just 80. Another supervisor at a different farm said he usually has 80 workers in a field, but today just 17.

JULY 2025

335. Energy Sec Chris Wright argued that solar power is unnecessary: “Our biggest source of reliable power today by far is natural gas. Our second biggest source is nuclear. And our third biggest source, right behind that is coal. So those are the three keys to the future of our electricity grid.” Elon Musk responded: “Everything else combined is like cave men throwing little sticks into the fire compared to the Sun.”

336. WSJ’s Yaroslav Trofimov: “The Pentagon cut off ammo for Ukraine without even the courtesy of informing Kyiv or NATO allies. This just 4 days after the NATO summit, Trump’s meeting with Zelensky, and his public promise to look into more Patriots for Kyiv. This removes his key leverage over Russia. There are legitimate reasons for the DOD to evaluate weapons stocks, especially after the wasteful and inconclusive campaign against the Houthis. But look at the timing and the fashion in which decision happened.”

337. Trump threatened Dem nominee for NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani on Truth Social: “I’m not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York. Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards. I’ll save NYC, and make it ‘Hot’ and ‘Great’ again, just like I did with the Good Ol’ USA!”

338. Pam Bondi announced DOJ is closing the Epstein investigation and not releasing any additional info. Axios’s Alex Isenstadt to Meidas: “The DOJ says it has found no evidence to suggest that disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein kept a client list, blackmailed any of his clients, or that he was murdered.” Savannah Hernandez with Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA: “This is a slap in the face to the American people and it’s disgusting that our DOJ is protecting pedophiles.”

339. Trump announced massive tariffs on over 100 countries with form letters, which included this language: “If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge.” Tahra Hoops, Chamber of Progress: “Unless this gets pulled back, consumers would be seeing a large impact on prices, especially for cars, electronics, and industrial goods. The US imports billions in vehicles, semiconductors, and machinery from Japan and S. Korea.”

340. Trump finally transferred 10 Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine from 30 that were previously stuck in Poland due to the suspension of military aid. Phillips O’Brien, Prof of Strategic Studies at St. Andrews Univ: “So Trump snatched 30 Patriot missiles away from Ukraine at the last minute, and is now agreeing to hand over 10. It’s a strategy of death by little cuts for Ukraine. It’s a derisory move, meant to appease pro-Ukraine voices in the GOP.”

350. CNBC: “The IRS in a new federal court filing says that churches can endorse political candidates without risking the loss of their tax-exempt status. The move upends a 70-year interpretation of the US tax code, whose Johnson Amendment has barred non-profit groups, including churches, from endorsing political candidates without putting their tax-exempt status in jeopardy.”

351. EPA Secretary Lee Zeldin said he is going to investigate the latest right-wing conspiracy that the Deep State caused deadly Texas floods: “Americans have questions about geoengineering and contrails. They expect honesty and transparency from their govt when seeking answers. For years, people who asked questions in good faith were dismissed, even vilified by the media and their own govt. This ends today.” Rep. Don Beyer responded: “Some people have ‘questions’ about whether birds are real. Will that be your next project? How much taxpayer money will you be spending on this?”

352. CNN: “Kristi Noem enacted a sweeping rule aimed at cutting spending: Every contract and grant over $100,000 now requires her personal sign-off before any funds can be released. As Texas towns were submerged in rising waters, FEMA officials realized they couldn’t pre-position Urban Search and Rescue crews from a network of teams stationed regionally across the country. In the past, FEMA would have swiftly staged these teams closer to a disaster zone. But even as Texas rescue crews raced to save lives, FEMA officials realized they needed Noem’s approval before sending those additional assets. Noem didn’t authorize FEMA’s deployment of the teams until more than 72 hours after the flooding began.”

353. Trump appointed Transportation Sec Sean Duffy to also run NASA after he dumped Musk’s friend. The former Fox host was now in charge of Transportation and the US space program. Max Burns: “I get that Sean Duffy was a natural pick to be Transportation Secretary because he was on MTV’s Road Rules, but as far as I can tell he’s never been on any space-themed reality TV.”

354. Trump hit Brazil with 50% tariffs, driving up prices on coffee and other goods: “Brazil is doing a terrible thing on their treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro. I have watched, as has the World, as they have done nothing but come after him, day after day, night after night, month after month, year after year! LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!” Brazilian President Lula: “Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage. The judicial proceedings against those responsible for planning the coup d’état fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of Brazil’s Judicial Branch and, as such, are not subject to any interference or threats that could compromise the independence of national institutions.”

355. Trump infuriated his supporters for days with this post, and permanently lost some: “What’s going on with my ‘boys’ and, in some cases, ‘gals?’ They’re all going after AG Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening. For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again. My so-called ‘friends’ are playing right into their hands. Kash Patel, and the FBI, must be focused on investigating Voter Fraud, Political Corruption, ActBlue, The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020, and arresting Thugs and Criminals, instead of spending month after month looking at nothing but the same old, Radical Left inspired Documents on Jeffrey Epstein. Let’s not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.”

356. Bondi attempted to divert attention away from Epstein by dropping charges in the middle of the trial against a MAGA favorite, Michael Kirk Moore. Moore was charged with discarding hundreds of covid vaccines and distributing 2,000 fraudulent vaccination cards in exchange for cash or required ‘donations.’ Moore gave saline shots to children so they would think they were getting the vaccine.

357. Trump announced 30% tariffs on the EU in another form letter. EU leader Ursula von der Leyen urged countries around the world hit with Trump tariffs to do business with each other: “We’re living in turbulent times, and when economic uncertainty meets geopolitical volatility, partners like us must come closer together. In hard times, some turn inward, toward isolation and fragmentation. But you are always welcome here, and you can count on Europe.”

358. Trump called on Sen. Adam Schiff to be prosecuted: “I have always suspected Shifty Adam Schiff was a scam artist. And now I learn that Fannie Mae’s Financial Crimes Division have concluded that Schiff has engaged in a sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud. Schiff said that his primary residence was in MD to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CA because he was a Congressman from CA. Mortgage Fraud is very serious, and CROOKED Schiff needs to be brought to justice.”

359. DOJ fired James Comey’s daughter Maurene, who was Epstein and Maxwell’s prosecutor. Sen. Adam Schiff: “Either she was fired because she’s James Comey’s daughter, which would be totally inappropriate and a wrongful termination, or she was fired because she was prosecuting Epstein and his accomplices. And why would they fire her over that? And why would they fire her now?”

360. The Telegraph (UK): “Trump has overseen nearly as many air strikes in the first 5 months of his second term as Biden launched in his entire presidency. The onslaughts on Houthis in Yemen and jihadists in Somalia have been more ferocious than Biden’s, and he has ordered strikes on Iraq, Syria and Iran. After campaigning on a pledge to end American involvement in military conflicts, he has sharply escalated the country’s air campaigns. Trump has overseen 529 air strikes since his inauguration, compared with 555 over the entire 4 years of the previous admin.”

361. Trump sued WSJ and Rupert Murdoch after they published his signed birthday card to Epstein: “The WSJ, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly that the supposed letter they printed was a FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued. Murdoch stated that he would take care of it but, obviously, did not have the power to do so. I will be suing WSJ, NewsCorp, and Murdoch. The WSJ printed a FAKE letter, supposedly to Epstein. These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures. I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn’t print this Fake Story. But he did, and now I’m going to sue his ass off, and that of his third rate newspaper.”

362. Daily Mail: “DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has moved from her private residence into a US military installation, after her cozy living arrangement with senior adviser Corey Lewandowski was exposed. Lewandowski, however, still makes trips to see his longtime rumored lover, now at her new digs at the Coast Guard Commandant’s quarters. Noem cites security concerns for her decision to relocate, but some insiders have ridiculed that rationale.” An inside source: “Public safety is her concern here? That’s rich. She and her chief of affair(s) show up to every public safety event like it’s a couples’ retreat.”

363. Sen. Dick Durbin on the FBI assigning as many as 1,000 agents to search the Epstein files for references to Trump: “Who made the decision to reassign hundreds of NY Field Office personnel to this March review of Epstein-related records? Why were personnel told to flag records in which Trump was mentioned?”

364. Mike Johnson shut down the House to avoid a vote on the Epstein Files. Johnson sent the House home early for summer recess and canceled all scheduled votes and business to prevent a vote on the bipartisan motion to release the Epstein files. AOC: “Ummm so let me get this straight: Republicans have ground Congress to a halt and are considering adjourning the entire House for 6 weeks to avoid releasing the info they have on Epstein? What is going on here?” Elon Musk: “There is only one reason - to avoid voting on releasing the Epstein files.”

365. NBC: “Trump says DNI has proof of President Obama ‘treasonous’ acts re: 2016. If true, that evidence would’ve been missed by a bipartisan Senate Intel Committee investigation, Trump 1.0 DOJ, Special Counsels Mueller and Durham, survived through 4 years of Biden, then were found in less than 6 months by Gabbard.” Trump was asked who DOJ should target based on Gabbard’s criminal referral: “Obama. And Biden was there with him, but the leader of the gang was Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. He’s guilty. This is treason. There should be very severe consequences. It’s time to go after people.

366. The head of FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue branch resigned in protest over Kristi Noem’s new policy which delayed teams from being dispatched to save lives during the Texas flooding for several days. Ken Pagurek told colleagues at FEMA that the delay was the tipping point that led to his voluntary departure after months of frustration with the Trump admin’s efforts to dismantle the agency. It took more than 72 hours after the flooding for Noem to authorize the deployment of FEMA’s search and rescue network.

367. One week after Ghislaine Maxwell’s former prosecutor was fired, Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer Todd Blanche met with her a federal prison in FL. Maxwell’s attorney David Markus told reporters outside the prison after the meeting that it was a “very productive day” for his client. Former Dep. Asst. AG in Bush admin John Yoo reacted on Fox: “It’s extraordinary. I can’t think of another time in the history of this country where something like this has happened. I worked for a Deputy AG and clerked for another. They would never meet with any suspect or any witness or anyone convicted or serving time.”

368. Trump visited the Federal Reserve HQ in his latest attempt to pressure Fed Chair Jerome Powell by accusing him of fraud on building renovations. Powell called him out live on camera when Trump tried to lie: “Trump: It looks like it’s over cost by about $3.1 billion. Powell shaking his head: I’m not aware of that. Trump: It just came out. (Trump then takes paper out of pocket and hands it to Powell) who looks at it and says: That’s cap. And you just added in a third building. This is a different building. Trump: It’s a building that’s being built. Powell: It was built 5 years ago.”

369. A report from the IG for DOD confirmed that Pete Hegseth shared classified info on his Signal chat which included a reporter, despite his denials under oath to Congress. Former CIA agent Marc Polymeropoulos: “Of course it was classified - to nobody’s surprise who knows this world. And let’s not forget the entire Intel Community leadership (who knew it was classified) did not come clean during previous congressional testimony.”

370. Washington Examiner: “The Trump WH rejected a disaster relief request from Gov. Wes Moore following devastating flooding in western MD. Moore requested $15.8 million in disaster relief funds from FEMA for repairs due to heavy flooding in May. At the same time Maryland’s request was denied, Trump approved disaster relief in Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, and WV.”

371. NYT reported that $934 million was transferred from funds being used to modernize the aging US ground-based nuclear stockpile to an account used to refurbish Trump’s new ‘Palace in the Sky’ jet that was a “gift” from Qatar.

372. Politico: “The EU has admitted it doesn’t have the power to deliver on a promise to invest $600 billion in the US economy, only hours after making the pledge at trade talks in Scotland. That’s because the cash would come entirely from private sector investment over which Brussels has no authority. EU President Ursula von der Leyen struck a deal with Trump to invest $600 billion of EU money into the US over the coming years. But officials clarified that money would come exclusively from private European companies, with public investment contributing nothing. EU has not said it will introduce any incentives to ensure the private sector meets that $600 billion target, nor given a precise timeframe for the investment.”

373. Kristi Noem traveled to Argentina and Chile for a week at taxpayer expense. She went with her “special friend” Corey Lewandowski as usual. Noem posted a video of herself riding a horse in Argentina that was professionally shot with a film crew in a vehicle riding alongside. DHS also posted a video of Noem riding horses and having a great time.

374. Tom Homan said that even though many of the people ICE are arresting don’t have criminal records, they are probably planning to commit crimes in the future: "I’ve done a lot of interviews where people keep saying that ICE is arresting a lot of people with no criminal records. They’re trying to turn the American people against us and steal the narrative. Most national security threats don't have a criminal history because they try to lay low until it's time for them to do things bad."

375. CNBC: “Trump signed an order imposing a universal 50% tariff on copper imports. The Trump admin says that the new duties, which follow 50% US tariffs already imposed on steel and aluminum, are aimed at boosting domestic industries and addressing ‘trade imbalances.’ But experts warn that they could raise prices on all sorts of products, ranging from construction materials to electronics, that utilize the versatile metal. Copper is the 3rd-most-consumed metal, behind iron and aluminum. The US imports nearly half of the copper it uses, most of which comes from Chile.”

376. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Fox Business: “Q- I thought we needed all forms of energy, including wind, to power AI. But it looks like the admin is killing the entire wind industry. Is it? Burgum: We’re ending the last 33 years of highly subsidized preferential treatment for certain forms of energy, particularly wind and solar. When the sun goes down, you have a catastrophic failure called sunset and there’s no solar energy produced, and yet we’re subsidizing these things that are intermittent, unreliable, and expensive.” Rep. Seth Magaziner responded: “Hey Doug, they are called batteries. They are why clean energy continues to power millions of homes even at night. But you know that because wind and solar provide 40% of the energy in North Dakota where you were Governor. Stop lying for your boss.”

377. CNBC: “DOJ dropped its case against Fat Brands and its Chair Andy Wiederhorn. In May 2024, the company and Wiederhorn were indicted by a federal grand jury in LA on charges of wire fraud, tax evasion and other counts related to what prosecutors alleged was a sham loan scheme that netted Wiederhorn $47 million. Prosecutors dismissed all charges against Wiederhorn and the company that owns Fatburger, Johnny Rockets and Great American Cookies.” The company donated $100,000 to Trump’s inauguration fund and major personal donations were made to Trump’s campaign.

AUGUST 2025

378. Todd Blanche moved Ghislaine Maxwell from her prison in FL to a minimum security Club Fed in TX after she claimed Trump did nothing wrong. The family of Epstein/Maxwell victim Virginia Giuffre: “It is with horror and outrage that we object to the preferential treatment convicted sex trafficker Maxwell has received. Maxwell is a sexual predator who physically assaulted minor children on multiple occasions, and she should never be shown any leniency, without any notification to the victims. MSNBC’s Ken Dilanian: “Maxwell was technically ineligible to be transferred from to a minimum-security federal prison camp - and the Bureau of Prisons had to waive a rule to facilitate the move. A prison consultant who deals with the Bureau of Prisons all the time told us he had never seen this done before for a sex offender.”

379. Trump posted that the terrible jobs report was rigged: “Today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad. But the good news is, our Country is doing GREAT!”

380. Trump then announced that he was firing the statisticians who compile the data to replace them with his own political hacks: “I was just informed that our Country’s ‘Jobs Numbers’ are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics. We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified.”

381. NYT: “While Elizabeth Fago had raised money for Republican candidates for decades, her previous largest donation on record was $100,000 to the RNC in 2002. Yet the day before the dinner with Trump, she donated $1 million to MAGA Inc. Fago had particular incentive to curry favor with Trump at the time - she was appealing to the president to pardon her son, Paul Walczak, who had pleaded guilty to tax crimes late last year. Less than 3 weeks after Fago attended the dinner, Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon for Walczak. It spared him from having to pay nearly $4.4 million in restitution and from reporting to prison for an 18-month sentence.”

382. NYT: “Trump unveiled plans to construct a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot state ballroom off the East Wing. The project would be one of the largest renovations to the iconic building in decades. Questions about who is funding the project are also still largely unanswered. WH officials said the president and ‘other patriot donors’ would pay for the renovations but declined to give details.” It would get a lot more expensive, and bigger.

383. Pam Bondi directed DOJ to act on Tulsi Gabbard’s referral and conduct a criminal grand jury investigation into whether Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, James Clapper and others committed treason in 2016. Fox: “Bondi directed her staff to act on the criminal referral from Gabbard related to the alleged conspiracy to tie Trump to Russia, and DOJ is now opening a grand jury investigation into the matter. It is unclear who is under investigation and what charges could be in play given statutes of limitations for much of the activity from nearly a decade ago have lapsed.”

384. Transportation Secretary and now NASA administrator Sean Duffy announced that the primary focus of the agency over the next several years will be to build a nuclear power plant on the moon: “Energy is important. If we are going to be able to sustain life on the moon to then go to Mars, this technology is critically important. We have to marshal all our resources, all of our focus on going to the moon, which is what we’re going to do.”

385. NPR: “Less than 5 years after urging rioters to ‘kill’ police at the Capitol, a former J6 defendant is working as a senior adviser for DOJ. NPR has obtained police bodycam footage from multiple angles of the former defendant and current admin official, Jared Wise, berating officers and calling them ‘Nazi’ and ‘Gestapo.’ NPR also obtained the transcript of Wise’s testimony, in which he acknowledged that he repeatedly yelled ‘kill ‘em’ as officers were being attacked.” DOJ spokesperson: “Jared Wise is a valued member of the Justice Department and we appreciate his contributions to our team.”

386. RFK Jr: “BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu.” Jerome Adams, Trump’s Surgeon General in his first term, responded: “I’ve tried to be objective and non-alarmist in response to current HHS actions – but quite frankly this move is going to cost lives. mRNA technology has uses that go far beyond vaccines - and the vaccine they helped develop in record time is credited with saving millions.”

387. Trump fired IRS Commissioner Billy Long just two months after he was confirmed. Long, a former GOP congressman and staunch ally of Trump, will now be nominated as Ambassador to Iceland. NYT: “Long had been an unusual choice to lead the IRS. He did not have much background in tax policy beyond promoting a tax credit that the IRS has warned was riddled with fraud, and while he was in Congress he supported legislation calling for the abolition of the agency entirely.” Punchbowl: “The wild thing about this is that the Senate spent precious time confirming Long, who had basically no qualifications. GOP senators defended him. Voted for him. And he got pushed out almost immediately.”

388. Trump redecorated the WH to put gold everywhere. Rock icon Jack White: "Look at how disgusting trump has transformed the historic WH. It's now a vulgar, gold leafed and gaudy, professional wrestler's dressing room. Can't wait for the UFC match on the front lawn too, he's almost fully achieved the movie ‘Idiocracy’. Look at his disgusting taste, would you even buy a used car from this conman, let alone give him the nuclear codes? A gold plated trump bible would look perfect up on that mantle with a pair of trump shoes on either side wouldn't it? What an embarrassment to American history.”

389. Russian state media account RT posted a clip on X from a interview from JD Vance where he talked about Putin: “He’s more soft spoken than you’d necessarily expect. The American media has a particular image of him. He’s soft spoken in a certain way. He’s very deliberate, he’s very careful. Fundamentally, he’s a person who looks out for the interests as he sees it of Russia.” CNN’s Senior Nat Sec Correspondent Zachary Cohen: “This is not really a conclusion that’s consistent with anything US intel agencies or folks who studied Putin for a long time, have articulated, as far as I’m aware.” Mehdi Hasan: “Compare and contrast how Vance speaks about Putin and how he spoke about Zelensky. And then ask yourself why.”

390. Trump threatened Colorado if they refuse to release Mike Lindell associate Tina Peters from her 9-year prison sentence: “FREE TINA PETERS, a brave and innocent Patriot who has been tortured by Crooked Colorado politicians, including the big Mail-In Ballot supporting the governor of the State. Let Tina Peters out of jail, RIGHT NOW. She did nothing wrong, except catching the Democrats cheat in the Election. She is an old woman, and very sick. If she is not released, I am going to take harsh measures!!!”

391. NYT: “The Trump admin is preparing to lower the recruitment standards for FBI agents, eliciting alarm from many agents who worry that the move will undermine the agency’s primary mission of conducting complex investigations and tracking threats to national security. Under a plan pushed by Kash Patel, the FBI will start welcoming new classes of recruits who will receive less training and no longer be required to have a college degree. Instead of spending 18 weeks training at the academy, recruits will receive 8 weeks. The new plan seems to be part of a larger effort by Patel to have the bureau focus more on street crime, rather than on complicated cases touching on financial fraud, public corruption and national security.”

392. WSJ: “The Pentagon has for months been blocking Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles to strike inside Russia, limiting Kyiv from employing a powerful weapon in its fight against Moscow’s invasion. A high-level DOD approval procedure, which hasn’t been announced, has prevented Ukraine from firing any US-made long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, or Atacms, against targets in Russia since late spring. On at least one occasion, Ukraine sought to use Atacms against a target on Russian territory but was rejected.The review gives Pete Hegseth final say over whether Ukraine can employ the Atacms, which have a range of nearly 190 miles, to strike Russia.”

393. Trump was asked about sending the National Guard to Chicago: “I have a slob, like Pritzker, criticizing me. They say he's a dictator, he's a dictator. A lot of people are saying maybe I like dictators. I'm not a dictator. I'm a man with great common sense. I'm a smart person. We hate to be treated horribly by bad politicians, like a guy like Pritzker, he ought to spend more time in the gym. He is a disaster.”

394. Guardian on a plot by Vance to oust Zelensky after their confrontation in the Oval Office in March: “There was a flurry of telephone activity at the Ukrainian embassy in London. Vance’s team was on the line and wanted to set up a call with Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK and formerly the commander in chief of the army. Vance and others in Trump’s orbit were apparently sounding out potential alternatives to the troublesome Zelensky. Vance’s team ‘tried various diplomatic and other channels’ to get through to Zaluzhnyi. Zaluzhnyi refused to take the call. For Zaluzhnyi, whatever bad blood there was with Zelensky, siding with the Trump team against his own president was not an option. He met Zelensky at the airport in London, and posted on his social media channels a photograph of the two men shaking hands.”

395. Trump: “Despite a very high popularity and, according to many, among the greatest 8 months in Presidential History, ABC & NBC FAKE NEWS, two of the worst and most biased networks in history, give me 97% BAD STORIES. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEY ARE SIMPLY AN ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND SHOULD, ACCORDING TO MANY, HAVE THEIR LICENSES REVOKED BY THE FCC. I would be totally in favor of that because they are so biased and untruthful, an actual threat to our Democracy!!!”

396. Even Trump supporters hated his executive order criminalizing flag burning. Radio host Jesse Kelly: “I would never in a million years harm the American flag. But a president telling me I can’t has me as close as I’ll ever be to lighting one on fire. I am a free American citizen. And if I ever feel like torching one, I will. This is garbage.” Radio host Dana Loesch: “Flag burning is vile but the govt has no right to control speech or expression.” Barstool lead host: “I’m not gonna burn a flag, but that’s what America’s about - freedom of speech. I don’t like burning flags - it’s a dick move, but this is nuts to me. I need gas cheaper and food cheaper. That’s what makes this country America - the right to protest.”

397. Iowa Senator and corn farmer Chuck Grassley was upset about Trump’s fertilizer tariffs: “Fertilizer input prices are at ALL TIME HIGH relative to the low low prices of grain. The fastest relief for farmers would be lowering duties on fertilizer imports. Input price/grain price is the ratio historically used to predict profit or loss in farming.”

398. Trump became the first president to fire a director of the Federal Reserve when he tried to fire Lisa Cook: “Trump purported to fire me ‘for cause’ when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign. I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022.” Cook’s attorney Abbe Lowell: “Trump’s reflex to bully is flawed and his demands lack any proper process, basis or legal authority. We will take whatever actions are needed to prevent his attempted illegal action.”

399. NBC: “DNI Tulsi Gabbard blindsided CIA leaders last week when she disclosed the name of an undercover CIA officer on a list of people she stripped of security clearances. The CIA officer whom Gabbard publicly identified and stripped of her security clearance was a veteran analyst. Days earlier, she had worked intensely to help prepare the WH team for a summit in Alaska between Trump and Putin. She was due to take up a new assignment for the CIA in Europe. After the summit, the CIA informed the analyst that she had lost her security clearance, effectively ending her career. A CIA source: ‘She did most of the prep for the Putin summit and to this day has no idea why her clearance was removed.’”

400. NYT: “Social Security’s chief data officer, Charles Borges, has resigned, 3 days after submitting a whistle-blower complaint that alleged members of DOGE had uploaded the confidential personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans to an insecure cloud server. Borges said he was quitting because he could not ‘verify that agency data is being used in accordance with legal agreements or in compliance with federal requirements.’ He also said employees were afraid to speak out internally for ‘fear of retribution or termination.’”