Today in Politics, Bulletin 143. 6/2/25

… Stephen Miller summoned 50 senior ICE officials from around the country for a bonkers emergency meeting about deportation numbers, according to a new report from the conservative Washington Examiner. One official after the meeting: “They’ve been threatened, told they’re watching their emails and texts and Signals. That’s what is horrible about things right now. It’s a fearful environment. Everybody in leadership 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 into everybody. He had nothing positive to say about anybody, shot morale down. Stephen Miller wants everybody arrested. ‘Why aren’t you at Home Depot? Why aren’t you at 7-Eleven?'”

… One official stood up and told Miller that DHS and the WH said they were only supposed to be focused on migrants who had criminal records: “Miller said, ‘What do you mean you’re only going after criminals?’ Miller got into a little bit of a pissing contest. ‘That’s what Tom Homan says every time he’s on TV: ‘We’re going after criminals,'” the ICE official told Miller.”

… Apparently what they say to the public is not the same as what they are saying internally to senior ICE officials.

… The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that DHS’s controversial list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” for immigrants has been taken down from their website.

… Immigration expert Aaron Reichlin-Melnick: “The amateurs running DHS put up a list of ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ which included county governments which don't exist, misspelled cities, and sheriffs' departments which say they DO fully collaborate with ICE. The list has already been taken down after intense pushback.”

… Reuters reported that Trump’s new FEMA chief David Richardson stunned his own staffers today when he said during a briefing that he had not been aware the country has a hurricane season. Reuters: “The US hurricane season officially began on Sunday and lasts through November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast last week that this year's season is expected to bring as many as 10 hurricanes.”

… Trump fired his first FEMA chief Cameron Hamilton last month, one day after he testified to Congress that he doesn’t think his agency should be abolished. Richardson is the upgrade. What could go wrong?

… TACO Trump is caving to Iran on negotiations over their nuke program, based on new reporting from both Axios and Reuters. First, a senior diplomat close to Iran’s negotiators told Reuters that the country was about to reject the Trump admin’s nuke proposal: "Iran is drafting a negative response to the US proposal, which could be interpreted as a rejection of the US offer."

… “After 5 rounds of discussions between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff, several obstacles remain. Trump's revival of ‘maximum pressure’ against Tehran has included tightening sanctions and threatening to bomb Iran if the negotiations yield no deal. During his first term in 2018, Trump ditched Tehran's 2015 nuclear pact with 6 powers. Iran responded by escalating enrichment far beyond the pact's limits.”

… But then Axios reported that Witkoff is offering Iran a new proposal that is much more favorable to Iran and is likely to infuriate other countries in the region such as Israel since it would allow limited uranium enrichment by Iran. Both Witkoff and Sec of State Marco Rubio have said publicly that the US would not allow Iran to enrich uranium and would demand that they completely disband their nuke facilities.

… Axios: “Iran has consistently said it won't sign any deal that bans enrichment for civilian purposes — a red line that is irreconcilable with the US public posture. By making this offer, the Trump admin is risking backlash from its allies on the Hill and in Israel. PM Netanyahu's govt and dozens of Republican senators have pushed the admin to maintain red lines on zero nuclear enrichment and the full dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program.”

… At least 11 major companies have cut ties with the law firms that surrendered to Trump’s executive order extortion attempt. A WSJ report notes that some of those companies have moved their business over to the specific firms who are fighting Trump’s orders in court. Businesses who have left the weak appeasers include Oracle, Morgan Stanley, an unnamed airline, a pharmaceutical company, and McDonald’s.

… The trial for Dominion’s defamation lawsuit against pillow-man Mike Lindell started today. Lindell to Rolling Stone: "Of course I'm gonna testify at my own trial! I have nothing to hide. I am a former crack addict. I've always been open about that. I've always been open about everything! I'm as transparent as they come. So I have nothing to hide at this trial." Lindell also claimed that he is broke so they can’t get any money from him.

… Outside the courthouse, Lindell was asked who masterminded the alleged theft of the 2020 election from Trump: “Who’s behind it all? Satan. This is a nation that’s turn its back on God.” He then claimed that he is being railroaded because the state of Colorado deleted all the evidence that he needed to prove his innocence. Things are going well.

… CNBC reported that Trump’s announcement on Friday that he is going to increase tariffs on steel imports 25-50% this Wed shocked US businesses who rely on imported steel. Steel market analyst Josh Spoore: "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."

… US companies import steel from Canada, Mexico, Brazil, South Korea and Germany. We will see if TACO Trump makes an appearance before Wednesday to cave on this too after hearing from his CEO friends.

… Many of Trump’s own MAGA supporters are outraged about the recent report in the NYT about his plans to develop a massive database of private data on Americans. The Trump admin is using the tech firm Palantir, which was co-founded by Musk’s former mentor Peter Thiel. WH spokesman Taylor Rogers to Newsweek: "President Trump signed an executive order to eliminate information silos and streamline data collection across all agencies to increase govt efficiency and save hard-earned taxpayer dollars."

… 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 federal agencies."

… Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), a staunch Trump supporter, doesn’t like it: “Tolkien was a genius. Lord of the Rings conveys inevitable truths. We cannot allow one ring to rule them all to be built - or, having been built, it must be defeated and destroyed. No digital ID. No CBDC. No surveillance state.”

Forgot to report on my Rhode Island trip. Newport Gilden Age mansions were cool, but the highlight was the Providence food tour. Guide was a theater grad from Brown who is now a chef and food tour guide. 4th Gen Providence and 100% Italian. She took us to local seafood shack, a vegan place, an African place, a local brewery, a pastry place, and a Mexican place. All local owners, some immigrants, great history and food.

If you missed yesterday’s Bulletin, you can find it here. Thank you for supporting and sharing my work!

… China accused the US today of violating the terms of their 90-day trade truce that partially reduced the draconian tariffs put in place after Trump took office. Conversely, Trump is claiming that China “totally violated” the agreement.

… NBC: “The Chinese Commerce Ministry said that while China had implemented and actively upheld the deal, the US had introduced a series of ‘discriminatory and restrictive measures against China’ that ‘severely undermine’ the agreement. The ministry said those measures included AI chip export controls, a reported pause on