This Weekend in Politics, Bulletin 128

… Trump is accepting a 747-8 “flying palace” jumbo jet from Qatar as a gift. ABC: “The Trump admin is preparing to accept a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar - a gift that is to be available for use by President Trump as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation.”

… “The gift is expected to be announced next week, when Trump visits Qatar on the first foreign trip of his second term. Trump toured the plane, which is so opulently configured it is known as ‘a flying palace,’ while it was parked at the West Palm Beach International Airport in February.”

… “WH counsel's office and DOJ drafted an analysis for SecDef Pete Hegseth concluding that is legal for the DOD to accept the aircraft as a gift and later turn it over to the Trump library, and that it does not violate laws against bribery or the Constitution's prohibition (the emoluments clause) of any US govt official accepting gifts ‘from any King, Prince or foreign State.’”

… Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT): “This isn’t a good idea even if the plane was being donated to the US govt. But Trump GETS TO KEEP THE PLANE??? It’s simply a cash payment to Trump in exchange for favors. Just wildly illegal.”

… Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX): “While ordinary Americans’ flights are grounded because of problems at the FAA, Trump is taking a $400 million bribe in the form of a ‘palace in the sky’ from a foreign government. Over and over: He gets paid. Everyone else gets screwed.”

… Even Laura Loomer: “I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him. But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million “gift” from jihadists in suits. The Qataris fund the same Iranian proxies in Hamas and Hezbollah who have murdered US Service Members. The same proxies that have worked with the Mexican cartels to get jihadists across our border. This is really going to be such a stain on the admin if this is true. And I say that as someone who would take a bullet for Trump. I’m so disappointed.”

… CREW: “During the 4 years that Trump serves his 2nd term, real estate developers will be working on, planning, building and opening a total of 20 Trump-branded projects around the globe. In 9 foreign countries, these developers will seek subcontractors, buyers and permits from the govt. The developments that are underway—being planned, constructed, sold and delivered to buyers—will nearly triple the number of Trump properties operating abroad.”

… NBC: “Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff broke with long-standing protocol by not employing his own interpreter during three high-level meetings with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, opting instead to rely on translators from the Kremlin. Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow for several hours on Feb. 11, on March 13, and in St. Petersburg on April 11, and used their translators.”

… “A short video of the meeting released by the Kremlin shows a smiling Witkoff entering the room alone before he shakes hands with Putin, who is also broadly beaming. Witkoff does not appear to be accompanied by any advisers or experts who typically support American officials conducting delicate and complicated negotiations. As a woman joined Witkoff on his side of the table, he pointed at her and said, ‘Interpreter? From the embassy? OK.’”

… Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul: “This is a very bad idea” that put Witkoff “at a real disadvantage. I speak Russian and have listened to Kremlin interpreters and US interpreters at the same meeting, and the language is never the same. At the end of every meeting that I attended, I debriefed the interpreter to make sure we heard everything correctly. You can’t do that using a Russian official.”

… Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) was asked about the report of Witkoff using a Kremlin interpreter: "Steve Witkoff is a very skilled and capable negotiator. He has the president's total trust and he's 100% loyal to the president. He's doing what the president has asked."

… When JD Vance was first asked about the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan on Fox, this is what he said: "We're not going to get involved in the middle of war that's fundamentally none of our business and has nothing to do with America's ability to control it.”

… Then Vance got hit with a heavy dose of reality from the real world instead of his MAGA social media echo chamber. CNN: “A core group of top US officials had been closely monitoring the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan when on Friday morning, the US received alarming intelligence. They said it was critical in persuading the 3 officials that the US should escalate its involvement.”

… Trump, naturally, claimed credit for a ceasefire: “After a long night of talks mediated by the US, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

… But it turns out even though we got involved belatedly, Trump’s bid for the Nobel Peace prize is premature. NYT: “India contradicts Rubio, saying the cease-fire was worked out directly between India and Pakistan, and that there had been no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any location.”

… CNN: “Rubio had been calling people in the region beginning Tuesday during which he began learning of the parameters both sides wanted in a ceasefire. But the admin left the finer details of the agreement to India and Pakistan to work out directly with each other. The Trump admin was not involved in helping draft the agreement, the admin officials said, and viewed their role mostly as getting the two sides together to talk.”

… ABC reported that the ceasefire didn’t last long: “India has accused Pakistan of breaking the ceasefire. India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed a ceasefire agreement had been reached, but accused Pakistan of violating it Saturday evening. He called on Pakistan to act to stop the violations to avoid escalation along the border, and says that India is "giving an adequate and appropriate response."

… India's chief minister for the territory of Kashmir and Jammu, Omar Abdullah: “There is no ceasefire. The air defense units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.”

… NBC: “US officials have ordered spy agencies to ramp up efforts to gather intelligence on Greenland. The move has drawn objections from Denmark. Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, has said he will summon the American ambassador over the report: ‘It worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends.’”

… DNI Tulsi Gabbard sent out a directive last week to intelligence agencies to gather information on Greenland’s independence political movement, perceptions about US interest in the island’s resources, and to identify people who might support Trump’s move to take it over.

… National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt was asked to comment on the report, which was first reported by WSJ: “The President has been very clear that the US is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic.”

… Gabbard: “The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the President by politicizing and leaking classified information. They are breaking the law and undermining our nation’s security and democracy. Those who leak classified information will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

… Fox host Rachel Campos-Duffy: “Trump has worked so hard towards peace. He’s going right into the Middle East to try and get that under control. He even held a peace summit inside St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican at a funeral. But meanwhile the Nobel Prize people gave the prize to Barack Obama who started wars and didn’t do anything. If they don’t give a peace prize to Trump, they’re really discrediting themselves.”

… Trump’s former golf caddie and current WH Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino posted this today. Happy Mother’s Day.”

… Despite the fact that Russia refused to agree to a ceasefire, Trump wants direct peace talks between Putin and Zelensky to go forward: “President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY. At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!”

… Garry Kasparov: “Everyone already knows! Trump rushes to abandon his own and Europe's ceasefire deadline, which Ukraine already agreed to, to embrace Putin's latest bullshit and pressure Ukraine into worthless negotiations. The brief posturing was a sham, then, and Trump is still on Russia's side. ‘Ukraine must’ this and ‘Ukraine must’ that, while invader Russia slaughters Ukrainian civilians every day and Putin preens with fellow dictators on parade. How about: Ukraine must survive. Ukraine must win and Russia must lose, or the free world order once led by the US collapses.”

… Zelensky is calling Putin’s bluff: “We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.”

… Tatiana Stanovaya, CEO of R.Politik: “Putin sees an opportunity to draw Ukraine into an “Istanbul-2” process, closely resembling the talks of March–April 2022, to pursue the same objectives—now including the newly annexed territories. His aim is to stall Western arms deliveries, exploit any weakening of Zelensky’s position, and exacerbate Ukraine’s internal instability.”

… “The reality is that neither Moscow nor Kyiv is ready to agree to a durable peace, as their positions are fundamentally irreconcilable. For a workable deal to emerge, either domestic change (in Russia or Ukraine) or a military breakthrough is required—more likely for Moscow, though still improbable; virtually impossible for Ukraine. A sustainable ceasefire is not currently achievable objectively. The American initiative to broker a deal is doomed to fail—at least at this stage. No agreement is realistically possible now.”

… “Finally, no level of external pressure, including the “WORST SANCTIONS IN THE WORLD”, will alter Putin’s position. His objective remains to turn Ukraine into a “friendly” state, and so long as he remains in power, he will continue either to fight or to coerce capitulation.”

… Pope Leo XIV just spoke about the war for the first time publicly as Pope: "This is a real imperialist invasion, where Russia wants to conquer territory for reasons of strength and its own superiority. Crimes against humanity are being committed in Ukraine.”

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… DHS spokesperson Tricial McLaughlin told Axios that “there will likely be more arrests coming” of Democratic members of Congress after they attempted to conduct oversight at an ICE facility that resulted in the arrest of the Newark mayor: "We actually have body camera footage of these members of Congress assaulting these ICE enforcement officers, including body slamming a female ICE officer.”

… Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Rob Menendez (D-NJ) and LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) were the ones present.

… Spokesperson for Watson-Coleman: "Threatening to arrest Members of Congress for exercising their lawful oversight authority is another example of this admin abusing its power to try to intimidate anyone to stands up to them. We reviewed the body came footage. ICE agents put their hands on Members of Congress - it also proves that DHS has been lying about this incident. We're honestly surprised they released this footage given that it so wholly contradicts their claims. Nobody was 'body slammed' nobody 'assaulted' any agents, and this footage confirms that."

… Rep. Menendez to CNN: "They had over 20 armed ICE HSI officers, they were heavily armed, their faces were covered, and they wearing no identification. So this is who they chose to have come engage with the mayor of Newark and 3 elected members of the House of Representatives."

… Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY): "The masked agents who physically accosted two Congresswomen must be identified immediately."

… Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) on Stephen Miller threatening to suspend habeas corpus: "The courts are gonna decide this one as to whether this invasion in fact constitutes what would be a state of war. Some would say it would."

… McCaul was asked about ICE threatening to arrest members of Congress: "We can peacefully protest in this country, but you cannot be complicit with gang violence against our law enforcement. And I think perhaps that's what it comes down to."

… AP reported that 103 people were arrested by the TN Highway Patrol and turned over to ICE as part of an operation where they made 588 traffic stops of suspected migrants. Lisa Sherman Luna, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition: “None of us have ever seen anything like this. All signs point to this being racial profiling intended to terrorize the heart of the immigrant and refugee community. What we’ve heard is that THP is flagging people down for things like a broken taillight or tinted windows.”

… Statement from TN Highway Patrol: “We do not enter neighborhoods or stop vehicles based on who someone is - we stop based on what they do behind the wheel.”

… Right.

… Disgraced former Rep and current OAN host Matt Gaetz went to visit the prison in El Salvador where US migrants have been deported with a film crew and Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (FL) and Andy Ogles (TN). These MAGA videos at the prison have become more popular with right-wingers than porn these days, and that’s saying something.

… Luna (R-FL): “I just heard a gang member admit to murdering 50+ people. He was in VA illegally. If you are storming ICE facilities and advocating against deportation of violent terrorists you are both heartless and dangerously ignorant.”

… A migrant serial killer who murdered 50 people in VA? Wow, I never saw this on the news. Big if true.

… Once again, Trump is making wildly exaggerated claims about trade talks with China: “A very good meeting today with China, in Switzerland. Many things discussed, much agreed to. A total reset negotiated in a friendly, but constructive, manner. We want to see, for the good of both China and the U.S., an opening up of China to American business. GREAT PROGRESS MADE!!!”

… Then they issued a statement claiming that they might maybe probably have the concepts of a trade deal with China. Sen. Chris Murphy: “There is no deal. There is nothing approximating a deal. They just make things up constantly.”

… China: “At the request of the US side, China and the US kicked off on Saturday a high-level meeting on economic and trade affairs in Switzerland. China decided to make contacts with the US side after taking full account of global expectations, national interests and appeals from US businesses and consumers. If Washington is truly committed to resolving trade frictions through dialogue, it must first confront the harm its tariff-driven policies have inflicted not only on the global trading system, but also on its own economy and citizens. It must honor established international trade rules and adhere to principles of fairness and justice. Talks should never be a pretext for continued coercion or extortion.”

… CA Gov Gavin Newsom on Fox Business: “The Trump tariff war is causing chaos and destruction. The Los Angeles port is already reporting a 35% drop in cargo. Long Beach is now anticipating a 30% drop. These tariffs are leading us to nothing but less goods, less jobs, and higher prices.”

… Commerce Sec Howard Lutnick was asked on Fox what his message is to dock workers who are out of work since no container ships are arriving from overseas: "You should be very optimistic and positive, because the president truthed it out, and I rely on the president."

… Evan Medeiros, Prof of Asian studies at Georgetown, to NYT: “China will use any and all tools at its disposal to cause pain and impose costs on the US and any country that aligns with America. The entire world is about to learn the answer to a very important question: how reliant are we on trade with China and how much is it worth to us?”

… CNN to Lutnick: The cost of tariffs are paid by the American consumer. Lutnick: “I disagree with that. Don't buy the silly arguments that the US consumer pays. The businesses and the countries eat the tariff.”

… Lutnick: “I don't hear a single word, not a single word, about those tariffs. No consumers in America are complaining about the tariffs."

… WSB2 (ATL) reported that the Social Security Admin, following DOGE directives, declared John Reid dead. Reid: “Anybody listening out there, John H. Reid III is alive. I found out I was dead by a letter I received on the 8th of April, a condolences letter from my insurance company, and then that was followed by a letter from Social Security. Can you imagine that? Waking up and then at zero, nothing’s in the bank account.”

… “Reid has been officially dead as far as the federal govt is concerned since early April. That means his bank, credit cards, and even health insurance all think he is dead, too. That Social Security letter announced his benefits were cut off. On his most recent trip to the doctor, Reid was told his insurance was canceled: “I presented my Blue Cross Blue Shield card and my Medicare card, A and B, and they told me I wasn’t in the system.”

… Martin O’Malley, the Social Security Commissioner under Biden: “They are terminating people’s financial lives, making their bank accounts get closed, they can’t open up a new bank account. We’ve all seen what a hassle it is if our credit card or debit card gets hacked, well imagine that happening, and then you can’t open up the new account.”

… Business Insider: “Tesla has instructed workers on Model Y and Cybertruck production lines at its Austin factory to stay home during Memorial Day week, marking an unusually extended break as the automaker grapples with declining deliveries. Employees indicated production schedules have been increasingly inconsistent since February, with many sent home early multiple times.”

… “The production pause follows Tesla’s Q1 delivery decline of 13% and comes amid mounting inventory concerns. The company produced 26,000 more vehicles than it delivered in the Q1, despite already reducing production by 100,000 units compared to the previous quarter. The company reported a 71% plunge in net income to $409 million. Tesla’s core automotive revenue tumbled 20% to $14 billion. Cybertruck has faced particular challenges, with over 10,000 units remain unsold. The company has delivered fewer than 50,000 Cybertrucks as of March.”

… House Republicans are adding big changes to the federal retirement system which they say will save $50 billion over the next 10 years. Rep. James Comer (R-KY): “The simple truth is that a significant amount of the costs associated with all of these benefits are funded by hardworking taxpayers in the private sector and increasingly now federal govt borrowing.”

… Jacqueline Simon, American Federation of Govt Employees: “They’re going to charge people more for the benefit, and then they’re going to reduce the benefit by changing the formula for how the benefit is calculated.”

… Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) so far is the only Republican to openly oppose the plan: “I oppose any and all efforts to reduce federal spending by taking money from the hard-earned pensions of federal workers. These pensions are not giveaways – they are promises to federal workers in exchange for their dedicated service.”

… CNN: “The most significant measure would raise the Fed Employees Retirement System contribution rate for many current civilian and postal employees to 4.4% of their salary. Those hired prior to 2014 generally contribute either 0.8% or 3.1%, while more recent hires typically already contribute 4.4%. The plan would also base retirees’ pension payments on their avg highest 5 earning years, instead of highest 3 years, which could reduce benefits by thousands of dollars annually.”

… The plan also has an even more insidious provision that will dramatically impact new hires - imposing an additional 5% financial penalty on them unless they agree to give up civil service protections, which would allow them to be fired at will by current and future administrations.

… Politico reported that Trump has sat for just 12 daily briefings so far during his term. He has received just two in-person intelligence updates per month in the first quarter of 2025. During his first term, Trump averaged two per week, the same number as Biden did during his administration.“

… Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA): “It’s sadly clear that President Trump doesn’t value the expertise of and dangerous work performed by our intelligence professionals each and every day, and unfortunately, it leaves the American people increasingly vulnerable to threats we ought to see coming.”

… Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) to Real America’s Voice on Trump: "The man sleeps 4 hours. He's running circles around his 23 year old staffers. The man has endless, endless energy. Doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, and I think his only vice is Diet Coke."

… The US has now surpassed 1,000 measles cases in 30 states: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

… But RFK Jr. is focused on creating an autism registry and firing scientists.

… Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) did a rally in PA and was asked by Politico about John Fetterman: “There needs to be space for Fetterman and for other senators in our caucus. He still is a senator that fights for working-class people. We may not be 100% in agreement a lot of times in a lot of areas, but we don't have to be.”

… Gallego noted that Republican senators are making a push to get Fetterman to switch parties, or at least vote for their budget with Trump’s huge tax cuts. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA), have all praised Fetterman recently and defended him publicly from criticism he has received from fellow Democrats.

… Gallego told his rally crowd: “We got so ideologically pure that we started kicking people out of the tent — it ends up there aren't enough people in the tent to win elections.”

… Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) definitely sounds like she’s running for governor and is going to use Trump’s 2024 playbook. On Fox: “I am strongly considering running for governor of NY state. I have led the charge with holding elected Democrats in NY accountable. They have an illegals first agenda fueled by Kathy Hochul. It is ripe for new leadership in NY.”

… Rep. Marge Greene realizes she can’t beat Jon Ossoff or win any election outside her safe R+30 district: “Jon Ossoff isn’t the real problem. He’s just a vote. A pawn. No different than the Uniparty Republicans who skip key votes to attend fundraisers and let our agenda fail. Someone once said, ‘The Senate is where good ideas go to die.’ They were right. That’s why I’m not running. I won’t fight for a team that refuses to win, that protects its weakest players, and that undermines the very people it’s supposed to serve. To the elite retreaters, the consultants, and the establishment: consider this your warning.”

… Scott Jennings said on CNN last week that he was “going to drop a major bombshell on Dems this weekend.” MAGA thought he was going to run for Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat in Kentucky and were all excited. Turns out it was just to announce he was coming out with a new book. Doesn’t mean he won’t still run.

… New Yorker’s Katy Waldman on What Next podcast said the Kennedy Center’s problems are caused by Trump’s new director Ric Grenell: “Grenell is an ambassador. He did the National Security Council. He is also a real estate developer. He also, according to basically everyone who I’ve talked to who has interacted with him personally, is a pretty terrible human being. The quotes are something like, ‘This is the worst person I’ve ever met.’ He seems like a really cruel and combative guy. Not only are ticket sales down, but donations have been paused, artists are pulling out. All of the spigots for money have slowed or have been turned off.”

… King Charles has accepted the unusual request of Canada’s PM Mark Carney to speak at their opening session of the parliament on May 27. Carney reached out to Charles because he wanted him to make a strong statement to Trump: “This clearly underscores the sovereignty of our country. This historic honor matches the weight of our times.”

… Royal family historian Justin Vovk to NY Post: “Trump has made it very clear that he has tremendous respect for the monarchy and considerable affection for the king himself. So that does provide the prime minister with an additional tool in negotiating with the president.”

… WH Faith Advisor Paula White suggested that Trump played a major role in the election of an American Pope: "We're very excited that he's the first ever American Pope. Our president often says we're bringing religion back, and boy has God used this administration to exalt his name in unknown ways!"