The stories you want. The opinions that matter.
No, thanks
{{ site.specific_data.Twitter }}
Historian: Why Trump Is Obsessed With Building A White House Ballroom

Historian: Why Trump Is Obsessed With Building A White House Ballroom

In an article for The Guardian published Sunday, political historian Jan‑Werner Müller argued that President Donald Trump’s obsessive push to build a grand new ballroom at the White House is about much more than hosting lavish receptions — it is a projection of power, messaging and raw symbolism.

Müller wrote that the project – including the demolition of the historic East Wing – combines classic elements of Trump’s governance style: bold physical spectacle, falsehoods about the impact of construction, disregard for preservation laws and networking via corporate giveaways to curry favor.

The Princeton historian placed the ballroom in a wider pattern of far-right populist leaders who use monumental architecture to claim ownership of their nations, define a “real people,” and leave enduring legacies of dominance.

"For all these peculiarities, Trump’s disfiguring the White House fits into a larger global trend: far-right populist leaders in many countries have used spectacular architecture to advance their political agenda and, more particularly, to set their vision of a 'real people' – as in 'real Americans,' 'real Hungarians' et cetera – in stone," he wrote.

Müller explained that for Trump the ballroom becomes a stage for adulation and deal-making, a place where the fantasies of his business persona intersect with the presidency.

He added that the sheer size, the private-funding narrative and the haste to advance the project all serve to dramatise a leader reshaping the “people’s house” in his own image.

“And while size matters for all far-right leaders on one level (just think of Erdoğan’s enormous palace in Ankara), hardly anybody else would have fixated on a ballroom. Perhaps the reason is as banal as the fact that banquets and catering were one of the few business ventures in which Trump ever had genuine success; more likely, it is a space for unlimited adulation of the president and for plenty of occasions for 'deal-making.'"

The writer argued that the underlying message behind this project is: “We won and now the country is ours.”

Müller contended that Trump’s fixation on the ballroom is less about function, and more about symbol. It signals a shift from democratic institutions towards spectacle, from collective governance to personalized rule. The architecture, he added, is a statement of power, permanence and entitlement.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

Trump Erupts In Fury When Questioned Over East Wing Demolition

Trump Erupts In Fury When Questioned Over East Wing Demolition

President Donald Trump lashed out at a reporter Wednesday who asked for his response to critics saying he has not been transparent about the construction of a ballroom at the White House.

"I haven't been transparent? Really? I showed this to everybody that would listen. Third rate reporters didn't see it because they didn't look. You're a third rate reporter. Always have been," he said during a press conference alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Oval Office.

"We've been more transparent than anybody," he added, saying that the samples of the planned ballroom have "gotten great reviews.

Trump also indicated that the estimated cost of the ballroom has risen. He previously stated it would cost $250 million, but he now puts the price tag at "about $300 million."

The entire East Wing of the White House is currently under demolition as part of a sweeping transformation to accommodate a vast new ballroom adjoining the White House – a project initiated by Trump. Many of the changes have already begun despite significant questions over oversight, transparency, and historic preservation.

According to several reports, crews have already removed portions of the façade and interior of the wing, and the full teardown is expected to continue rapidly.

The White House said plans will be submitted to the oversight body, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), but demolition has already advanced well ahead of formal approval.

The move sparked backlash after photos of the demolition of a significant portion of the East Wing were published on Monday.

“It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it," former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote on the social platform X.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

Mike Johnson

Republicans Still Yearn To Kill Obamacare, But Fear 'Political Disaster' If They Do

The standoff over the federal shutdown has exposed deep fractures within the GOP, particularly around health care — a longstanding vulnerability for Republicans.

The New York Times highlighted in a report Sunday that while Democrats insist they will not support a spending deal without extending the expiring tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that safeguard coverage for millions, Republicans are split between ideology and electoral reality.

On one end, hard-line conservatives still press to eliminate the ACA outright; on the other, pragmatists recognize that wiping it out without a credible replacement could inflict “a political disaster” on their party, per the report.

The shutdown has forced the GOP into a public tug-of-war over what to do with a law they largely oppose but cannot realistically undo without major risk.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) insisted the dispute is not about health care, calling Democrats’ insistence on subsidies a “red herring” that distracts from the funding fight.

At the same time, top Republicans such as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) pledged to vote against extending the credits, arguing they would “bail out insurance companies,” even as many recipients live in GOP-held districts.

At least 14 House Republicans and several senators signaled they would support a renewal of the credits through 2027, recognizing what some advisers called “a potential political catastrophe for the G.O.P.” if coverage were lost.

The report noted that the broader dynamic reveals why the party remains stuck. Even though Republicans have long pledged to “repeal and replace” the ACA, they have repeatedly failed to articulate what “replace” means in practice. The 2017 Senate health care bill collapsed amid conservative-moderate splits, leaving GOP leaders without an alternative mapped out.

According to the report, Democrats "have forced the G.O.P. to wrestle publicly with its divisions about what to do with the health care law, which most Republicans revile but many recognize would be impossible to unravel without bringing political disaster to their party.”

Reprinted with permission from Alternet


Don Jr. And Business Partners Claim Treasury Imprimatur For Private AI 'Summit'

Don Jr. And Business Partners Claim Treasury Imprimatur For Private AI 'Summit'

An investment fund led by prominent backers of President Donald Trump marketed a private tech conference in a way that appears to misappropriate the prestige of the U.S. Treasury, raising serious ethical concerns over whether public authority is being leveraged for private gain.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the fund, 1789 Capital, distributed pitch materials to technology firms promoting an event dubbed the “Inaugural U.S. Treasury A.I. Summit,” telling potential sponsors that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would use the platform to unveil the government’s artificial intelligence strategy. Among the 1789 Capital partners are Donald Trump, Jr. and such major Trump supporters as GOP megadonors Rebekah Mercer and Omeed Malik.

The materials were framed as an official government launch, despite no apparent authorization from the Treasury.

"The fact that a private conference was marketed as a government-hosted event designed to unveil U.S. government policy startled ethics experts. While government officials often attend conferences that are sponsored by corporate interests as speakers, it is unusual for conference organizers to seek out sponsorships and characterize it specifically as a government event," the report reads.

After media scrutiny, the report said, organizers rebranded the conference as the “AI Summit on American Prosperity,” dropping direct references to “Treasury." However, insiders say the pitch varied depending on the audience.

The report quoted a spokesperson for the Treasury Department, who was not named, as saying it had not approved the distributed materials. The spokesperson confirmed Bessent had been invited and intended to attend, citing his “focus on the economics of AI and ensuring that it will work for American businesses and workers.” A subsequent Treasury official added that Bessent could retract his participation if the ongoing government shutdown persists.

Ethics experts say the private event’s facade of government endorsement is alarming.

Norm Eisen, an ethics lawyer at the Democracy Defenders Fund, told the Journal: “You have the official imprimatur of the U.S. Treasury being used for an event that appears to result in the personal gain of outside actors."

According to the report, the pitch promised sponsors access to VIP dinners, cocktail parties, logo placement in livestreams, and other branding perks.

Some companies reportedly expressed interest, hoping it would afford them influence with senior administration figures. The presentation did not specify sponsorship costs, per the report.

Tension Rises At Texas Prison Over 'Favorable Treatment' Of Epstein Enabler Maxwell

Tension Rises At Texas Prison Over 'Favorable Treatment' Of Epstein Enabler Maxwell

The transfer of convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell to the Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas has drawn criticism from fellow inmates, who say her presence is altering daily life in a facility known for its relaxed routine.

Maxwell, the former British socialite convicted in 2021 for her role in facilitating convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minors, is serving a 20‑year sentence.

She was moved this summer from a higher‑security prison in Florida to the minimum‑security camp in Bryan, a decision that generated widespread criticism.

The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that at Bryan, where inmates typically live in dormitory‑style quarters and enjoy relative freedom of movement, some prisoners say the adjustment to Maxwell’s presence has been disruptive. They report more frequent lockdowns and stricter security procedures.

According to the report, several inmates also claim Maxwell is receiving treatment not extended to others. Guards deliver meals to her room and a there is heightened focus on her personal safety.

"Maxwell’s unexpected arrival upset the camp’s usually relaxed atmosphere, leading to more frequent lockdowns, the addition of armed guards and other changes. Current and former inmates said in interviews that Maxwell appeared to receive unusually favorable treatment at times, sparking resentment from other inmates," the report noted.

One inmate described a mid‑August lockdown during which Maxwell was allowed to meet visitors in the prison chapel. The inmate recalled she returned to her unit smiling, and when asked about the meeting, “she said it had gone well.”

At the prison facility, housing arrangements are relatively informal. Cells can accommodate up to four individuals and typically lack doors, according to former inmates quoted in the report.

In one recent incident, a newly transferred prisoner entered Maxwell’s living area and complimented her hairstyle. Maxwell responded by asking her to leave, a request that reportedly escalated into a confrontation, per the report.

“She said she didn’t belong here,” recalled another inmate who witnessed the exchange.

The situation ended with the new arrival being removed by correctional staff and placed in a different dormitory.

In response to the incident, the prison’s warden addressed the inmate population in what was described as a “town meeting.”

During the gathering, the report said, she issued a warning: any threats made against Maxwell, efforts to harm her, or attempts to speak to media outlets about her could result in immediate transfer to a higher-security institution, according to individuals familiar with the meeting.

In July, the Department of Justice released a transcript of Maxwell’s conversation with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, in which she said she had never “seen the president do anything improper or illegal.”

Reprinted with permission from Alternet


'Indication Of Dictatorship': Retired National Guard General Denounces Trump Deployment

'Indication Of Dictatorship': Retired National Guard General Denounces Trump Deployment

Former National Guard Vice Chief Major General Randy E. Manner strongly criticized President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to U.S. cities, saying it is a "full indication of dictatorship and intimidation in the use of the military."

During an appearance on CNN Wednesday, Manner compared the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials conducting raids across the country to the Gestapo of 1930s Germany, adding that they "act like a mob."

The retired major general went on to say that the administration is “trying to create false flags" in which ICE agents are killed so it can secure a pretext to expand its use of the military.

Manner also observed that National Guard troops are different from ICE agents.

"They cover their faces. They want anonymity. They look like a bunch of Proud Boys," he said of ICE officials, but he added that the National Guard troops "are not undisciplined thugs."

"They are your sons and daughters in uniform, and you should treat them that way," he said of the National Guard.

President Donald Trump has escalated deployment of federalized National Guard troops in multiple U.S. cities under the guise of curbing “crime,” even as state and local leaders (from Illinois to Oregon and D.C.) have filed legal challenges arguing these moves violate the Constitution, the Posse Comitatus Act, and states’ sovereignty.

Earlier on Wednesday, NBC reported that White House advisers are now seriously weighing whether Trump might invoke the Insurrection Act — an obscure law from the early 1800s that permits the use of active-duty military troops within U.S. borders for law enforcement duties.

Markwayne Mullin

Report: Trump Sent Mullin To Deal With Democrats As Shutdown Spooks GOP

As the government shutdown stretches into its second week, President Donald Trump has taken matters into his own hands, enlisting one of his closest Senate allies to open a direct channel to Democrats, Politico reported Tuesday.

The report noted that Trump’s decision to personally “deputize” a senator for backchannel discussions caught GOP leaders off guard, further complicating a fractured Republican strategy that has struggled to present a united front.

According to the report, “the administration has informally deputized Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to serve as a conduit to Democrats. Asked about the arrangement, Mullin said, ‘I don’t have a badge,’ and otherwise declined to discuss whether he was briefing the administration on bipartisan Senate talks.”

“I would like to see a deal made for great health care,” Trump said Monday in the Oval Office, adding that he had been in talks with Democrats.

But hours later, he reversed course on his Truth Social platform, posting: “I am happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to re-open.”

The conflicting signals prompted a scramble among GOP leaders.

The report further noted that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told reporters Tuesday he had spoken with Trump “at length” and reiterated that reopening the government should come first.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), meanwhile, acknowledged “ongoing conversations” but showed signs of frustration with the president’s messaging.

According to the report, behind closed doors, aides say the White House and Capitol Hill Republicans have repeatedly clashed over strategy, often without coordination.

Much of the tension is said to stem from hardline tactics pushed by Trump’s budget chief, Russ Vought, who has championed measures targeting blue-state spending and federal worker protections — gambits that have not moved Democrats but have drawn GOP leaders into awkward defensive postures.

A new memo from the White House budget office on federal worker back pay is the latest example.

Both Johnson and Thune had previously supported guaranteed pay for furloughed employees, yet the administration appeared to waver.

Asked about it Tuesday, Trump offered a murky answer: “For the most part, we’re going to take care of our people, but for some people they don’t deserve to be taken care of.” The report noted that Thune, visibly caught off guard, admitted he wasn’t familiar with the memo’s legal rationale but added, “All you have to do to prevent any federal employee from not getting paid is to open up the government.”.

The GOP appears split over how to handle both the shutdown and the broader health care debate,.

Johnson and Thune have pressed to delay health care negotiations until the government is open, while Trump’s interest in negotiating with Democrats — particularly over Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire — has opened a new front in the standoff.

“The Administration will not negotiate while the American people are being held hostage by Democrats,” Jackson said.

Republicans had hoped to make Democrats bear the political cost of the shutdown, especially those in the Senate who are blocking the House-passed stopgap bill.

“If you’re Republicans, you have to get Dems to blink first,” a source close to the White House told the outlet.

But Trump and Vought have largely ignored that plan, opting instead to pursue broader political goals — from punishing the federal bureaucracy to letting premiums spike in Democratic-leaning districts.

That approach has only widened the rift within the GOP, with conservatives like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) criticizing leadership for ignoring skyrocketing healthcare costs.

“Not a single Republican in leadership talked to us about this or has given us a plan to help Americans deal with their health insurance premiums DOUBLING!!!” Greene posted on the social platform X.

Johnson, attempting to downplay the criticism, responded: “She’s probably not read that in on some of that, because it’s still been sort of in the silos of the people who specialize in those issues.”

Democrats, meanwhile, have seized on the Republican dysfunction.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer read Greene’s post aloud on the Senate floor, saying, “Hold on to your hats: I think this is the first time I’ve said this, but on this issue, Rep. Greene said it perfectly.”

Despite the GOP disarray, some quiet bipartisan efforts are underway in the Senate to find a path forward. Lawmakers are considering potential compromises tied to ACA subsidies and unresolved budget issues.

But with Trump now actively engaging in his own strategy and Republicans still at odds over the next move, a resolution remains elusive.

One Senate Republican, who was not named, told Politico: “They are absolutely struggling to figure out how they are going to get out of this.”

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

'Narrative Jolt': Trump's Epstein Coverup Failing As White House Message Fractures

'Narrative Jolt': Trump's Epstein Coverup Failing As White House Message Fractures

In an article for Salon published Sunday, the outlet's senior writer, Sophia Tesfaye, argued that a deep and destabilizing fissure has opened within the Trump administration over how to control the narrative around convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Tesfaye noted that while the White House has tried to project unified silence or denial about the Epstein files, recent statements from within Trump’s orbit expose that narrative as fractured.

She sees the administration’s strategy of evasion collapsing under pressure, as single officials now speak openly in ways that conflict with the official message.

One flashpoint Tesfaye highlighted is an interview by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who described Epstein as the “greatest blackmailer ever." In that same interview, Lutnick claimed of Epstein's approach toward his associates: “Get a massage, get a massage,” and added, “what happened in that massage room, I assume, was on video.”

Those remarks, from a Cabinet official closely tied to President Donald Trump, represent a direct break from earlier public denials that any compromising material or “client list” existed."Lutnick made 'a complete unforced error' with his revelation, Wired Magazine’s Jake LaHut told NBC News. As a sitting Cabinet official and former neighbor of Epstein, the secretary’s story places him at odds with the public posture of DOJ and FBI officials. It seemingly backs up Attorney General Pam Bondi’s initial claim of an 'Epstein client list,' while simultaneously undermining FBI Director Kash Patel’s conflicting testimony that no credible evidence of blackmail or a client list exists," the article noted.

"Lutnick’s interview presents a significant narrative jolt because it comes from inside the Trump orbit and directly conflicts with the administration’s public claims about the Epstein files," Tesfaye wrote.

Tesfaye traced how the administration has tried multiple tactics to deflect scrutiny. She noted that early on, some Trump-allied voices floated the idea that Epstein’s files were part of a deep-state scheme; then the White House briefly leaned into the notion that a “wonderful secret” linked to Trump was being suppressed.But now, she argued, that façade is failing as internal statements — like Lutnick’s — break through.

She further underscored that Trump’s legal and communications teams are now forced to react to narratives that no longer fit the controlled contours they sought. Tesfaye asserted that the Epstein matter has shifted from a background headache to a disruptive force exposing fault lines inside the Trump coalition.

"Lutnick’s comments — and [host Miranda] Devine’s interest — make it clear the scandal of Trump’s Epstein connections won’t be going away any time soon," she wrote.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

Pope Leo XIV

MAGA Meltdown Over Pope Leo's Remarks On Abortion, Death Penalty

In a rare moment of direct commentary on American politics, Pope Leo XIV ignited a firestorm among conservative Catholics and MAGA-aligned figures after defending Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich’s decision to honor longtime Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) — a pro-choice Democrat — for his decades of public service.

Speaking to reporters at the Vatican on Tuesday night, Pope Leo XIV called for a broader, more consistent interpretation of Catholic social teaching, particularly around what it means to be "pro-life."

“I think that is very important to look at the overall work that this Senator has done during, if I'm not mistaken, 40 years of service in the United States Senate,” the pope said.

“I understand the difficulty and the tensions, but I think, as I myself have spoken in the past, it’s important to look at many issues that are related to what is the teaching of the Church," the pontiff said. "Someone who says 'I'm against abortion but I'm in favor of the death penalty' is not really pro-life. So someone who says 'I'm against abortion but I'm in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States' — I don't know if that's pro-life.”

The remarks came just days after Cardinal Cupich announced that Durbin would receive the Archbishop Bernardin Award for Public Witness, praising the Illinois Democrat’s “lifelong commitment to human dignity, social justice and the common good.” The reaction from the MAGA wing of the American Catholic community to Pope Leo XIV's remarks was swift and vitriolic.

Conservative influencers, commentators, and clergy accused both Cupich and Pope Leo XIV of "selling out" the pro-life cause and elevating politics over doctrine.

MAGA filmmaker and anti-DEI advocate Robby Statbuck wrote: “Pope after Pope has been a disappointing profile in cowardice who I just can’t look to as a leader. If Robert Sarah was Pope, this would not happen. Many would come back to the church then. Leo sounds like another Francis.”

Joe Rigney, an associate pastor, wrote: “I know that Protestants are supposed to be sheepish in the face of Catholic social teaching (‘deep in history,’ layers of tradition, antiquity, etc), but when the ‘Vicar’ of Christ and the successor of Peter morally equates abortion, deportations, and the death penalty for heinous crimes, and then proceeds to bless a block of ice in order to save the planet from climate change, I admit to being decidedly unimpressed with the ‘seamless garment.’”

Far-right podcaster and self-described traditional Catholic Matt Walsh wrote: “Really terrible answer from Pope Leo. God Himself prescribes the death penalty in the Bible. Is the Pope saying that God is ‘not pro-life’? And who exactly is advocating for ‘inhumane treatment of immigrants’? What sort of inhumane treatment is he referring to? Deportations? Also, how can he say that ‘nobody has all the truth’ on any of these issues? We know the truth on abortion. It isn't complicated. Awful stuff from the Pope. Truly horrendous on about five different levels.”

He continued: “Even if you disagree with the death penalty, to draw a moral equivalence between executing convicted murders after a fair trial and dismembering children in the womb is moral madness. Reddit-tier nonsense coming from the Pope. Very disturbing.”

Michael Heinlein, a Catholic commentator, wrote: “A terribly unclear question made this all the worse. As Cardinal George used to say ‘don’t tell me how you feel, tell me what you think!’”

Christopher Hale, a former Democratic nominee for Congress, mocked the MAGA backlash and wrote: “Maybe if he said it in Latin while wearing the papal tiara, MAGA would listen to him.”

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Vought's 'Aggressive' Gutting Of Government Enrages GOP Senators

Vought's 'Aggressive' Gutting Of Government Enrages GOP Senators

Republican lawmakers are criticizing Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought for taking what they call an overly “aggressive” approach to the ongoing government shutdown, warning that his hardline tactics could backfire on the party.

“Russ is less politically in tune than the president,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) a member of the Senate’s DOGE (Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency) Caucus.

“We, as Republicans, have never had so much moral high ground on a government funding bill in our lives ... I just don’t see why we would squander it, which I think is the risk of being aggressive with executive power in this moment,” he told Semafor, according to a report published Wednesday.

The report noted that just one day into the shutdown, tensions are flaring within the GOP over how President Donald Trump's administration is handling the crisis.

Vought, seen as a loyal enforcer of Trump’s budget-slashing agenda, has already halted $18 billion in infrastructure projects in New York — the home state of Democratic congressional leaders — and frozen $8 billion in clean energy initiatives across 16 mostly Democratic-led states.

Critics, including Republican allies, worry Vought is pushing too far, too fast.

“That is totally unacceptable,” said Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), referring to the delay of critical New York infrastructure projects, including the Hudson Tunnel.

“I’ve actually seen the damage that was done by the hurricane, and it is serious,” she told the outlet.

The report cited sources familiar with a private House GOP call, who said Vought told lawmakers that federal employee layoffs could begin within days. That statement drew concern from Republicans representing districts with large numbers of government workers.

Democrats argue that Vought is using the shutdown as cover to impose sweeping cuts that would have happened anyway.

According to the report, Collins acknowledged that the lapse in funding gave Vought increased authority to declare employees "non-essential" and begin layoffs: “No doubt about that.”

The controversy mirrors the earlier backlash over tech billionaire Elon Musk’s now-dormant Department of Government Efficiency, a Trump administration initiative aimed at shrinking the federal bureaucracy.

While popular with some conservative voters, polls showed most Americans disapproved of Musk’s handling of the program, leaving Republicans to defend politically damaging cuts.

Now, with Vought picking up where Musk left off, frustration is again boiling over.

“The administration and the agencies have no boundaries; that they are, in an illegitimate way, taking money that has been appropriated,” said Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), per the report.

“The fingerprints are everywhere — and they will continue whether Elon Musk is here or not," she added.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), told Semafor she expects New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, to pursue legal action over the halted projects, while unions have already filed lawsuits against OMB over the layoff threats.

With Vought’s aggressive strategy in full swing, lawmakers on both sides are growing increasingly pessimistic about the chances of reaching a bipartisan deal to reopen the government.

“We don’t have true negotiating partners; they just want to make this difficult. They’ve been cheering this on for months,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-CA), per the report.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Bizarre Video Posted By Trump Endorsing QAnon's Mythical 'MedBeds'

Bizarre Video Posted By Trump Endorsing QAnon's Mythical 'MedBeds'

President Donald Trump on Saturday appeared to endorse the idea of “medbeds,” devices long circulated in conspiracy circles that supposedly heal illnesses, reverse aging, or regenerate limbs.

The president’s endorsement came via a video posted to his Truth Social platform, in which an AI-generated version of Trump could be heard saying that “medbed hospitals” would be part of a new health care system in the United States. The video framed the concept as a significant innovation in medical treatment.

“Medbeds” refer to a pseudoscientific theory that a kind of medical bed exists which can diagnose, heal, or reverse disease, aging, or injury in miraculous ways. The concept has gained traction in online communities aligned with QAnon and other fringe groups.

Despite Trump’s presentation, no credible scientific evidence or peer‑reviewed research confirms that any device with the purported medbed capabilities exists. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory bodies do not recognize any device capable of such broad, instantaneous healing.

The video posted by Trump led to strong reactions on social media, including from fact-checkers.

Political analyst Arieh Kovler wrote on the social platform X: "It's not funny; the MedBed stuff is terribly sad. So many people who are dying or watching a loved one fade away, excited that Trump will finally release all the hidden cures and save them in time. Hang around QAnon-type spaces and you'll see them posting. It's heartbreaking."

Dr. Christine Sarteschi, a criminology professor, wrote: "This has to be a joke. Please say it's a joke."

Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur wrote: "I did not know this one but MAGA is about five good years from being described as a mental illness."

Reporter Jack Jenkins wrote: "Wait: so the President of the United States shared a video of a fake news report, rooted in a conspiracy theory, that features an AI-generated version of himself promoting a policy that…doesn’t exist?"

Writer Scott Santens said: "This conspiracy belief picked up steam in 2020 via QAnon and spread through his base. It's easier to believe this shit when society doesn't provide universal healthcare—even in a pandemic—and you live on the edge of medical bankruptcy or death. Now he's feeding their false hope."

EDITORS NOTE: The medbed video was taken down hours after Trump posted it.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Tom Homan

Blustering Homan Blurts Weak Response To Bribe Allegation On Fox News

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump's "border czar," is now addressing allegations that he accepted a $50,000 bribe from undercover FBI agents during a 2024 sting operation. In an interview on Fox News on Monday, Homan responded to the accusation by telling host Laura Ingraham, "I did nothing criminal or illegal."

On Saturday, MSNBC reported that agents posing as business executives allegedly offered Homan cash in exchange for promises to help secure government contracts related to immigration enforcement. The alleged transaction was reportedly recorded on video and audio. At the time, Homan was not serving in any official government capacity.

The Justice Department, under the Trump administration, initiated an investigation into the matter. However, the probe was closed earlier this year.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that no credible evidence of criminal wrongdoing was found.

The White House has strongly defended Homan, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that Trump has "complete confidence" in him and emphasized that he "did absolutely nothing wrong."

Leavitt characterized the investigation as politically motivated and part of an effort to "entrap one of the president's top allies."

Meanwhile, Homan's response to the accusation during the Fox interview led to strong reactions on social media, with many noting he didn't deny the allegation.

Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) wrote on the social platform X: "So ... did he take $50,000 in a paper bag from an undercover FBI agent on camera(!) or didn’t he?"

Reporter Paul Blest wrote: "Should be pretty easy to clear this up by releasing the tape."

CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem wrote: "Not a denial."

Scott Lincicome, Cato Institute's vice president, reacted to Homan's remarks and wrote: "One of the things you learn as a junior lawyer is how to spot 'weasel words' in public statements/submissions. Once you hear/read a million of them, they basically reveal themselves. Anyway, just thought I'd mention that experience for absolutely no reason at all."

New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush wrote: "Doesn’t directly (or indirectly) address report he took $50k in a Cava bag — Says it’s a hit job w/o explanation — complains about how little $ he’s making at ICE compared with what he made as a consultant — Ingraham asks no follow ups."

Watch the segment below:

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

'Civil War' Erupts As MAGA Factions Feud Over Kirk Legacy

'Civil War' Erupts As MAGA Factions Feud Over Kirk Legacy

In an article for The Bulwark published Thursday, political analyst Will Sommer highlighted a growing power struggle within the MAGA movement following the murder of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk.

Sommer's piece detailed an increasingly bitter feud among right-wing influencers, donors and media figures, each vying to shape Kirk’s legacy and the future of the massive political media empire he left behind.

At the center of the turmoil, the piece noted, is Kirk’s onetime protégée, Candace Owens, who has claimed that Kirk was rethinking his staunch support for Israel in the weeks leading up to his death.

Owens suggested that tensions with pro-Israel donors reached a boiling point at a billionaire-funded retreat in the Hamptons, describing it as an “ambush” aimed at stopping Kirk from featuring former Fox News primetime host Tucker Carlson at an upcoming Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event.

While billionaire Bill Ackman confirmed hosting the retreat, he and other attendees denied any confrontation with Kirk.

Still, Owens has pressed ahead with her version of events, asserting that Kirk had begun to question American backing of Israel and hinting at donor pressure to silence him.

“No one, and I mean absolutely no one outside of my husband and Erika Kirk, has the power to shut me up right now,” she said on her show, the piece noted.

Owens’ allegations have drawn support from a surprising set of voices. Carlson echoed her narrative, claiming on his program that pro-Israel donors “tormented Charlie Kirk until the day he died,” and that Kirk had even lost a $2 million donation over Carlson’s scheduled appearance at a TPUSA conference.

Carlson added that Kirk was “appalled” by the war in Gaza and had grown more concerned about wealth inequality — hinting at a broader ideological shift. “There’s no question his views were changing fast,” Carlson said.

Sommer reported that these claims are fueling an open war among Kirk’s former allies, marked by leaks, threats of damning recordings and social media broadsides.

Owens and Carlson have both suggested a backstage conversation from a July conference — recorded while both were wearing microphones — might reveal Kirk privately urging Carlson to tie convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to the Israeli government in his remarks.

Carlson said, “I think that that conversation — he had a mic on and so did I — probably exists somewhere on somebody’s server.”


So far, no such evidence has surfaced. What remains is speculation, clashing narratives, and a palpable hunger among MAGA influencers to define the meaning of Kirk’s death — and control the future of TPUSA.

That fight is attracting attention from figures as prominent as Vice President JD Vance and members of Congress, signaling the high political and financial stakes, Sommer noted.

Far-right podcaster Benny Johnson urged MAGA to use Kirk's death to unite against liberal critics.

“This is a generational opportunity,”Johnson said. “We must crush them.”

But others are consumed with intramural battles, jockeying for power in a post-Kirk, post-Trump right-wing landscape.

As Sommer notes, the paranoia is feeding on itself, with some conspiracy theorists suggesting Israel was behind the assassination — a claim Netanyahu himself has publicly denied.

“I will be an enemy of you,” Owens said to MAGA influencers in a now-viral clip emblematic of the internal chaos. "There is nothing that can stop me."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Jimmy Kimmel

'Galling Cowardice': ABC Cancels Kimmel Under Trump White House Pressure

Disney‑owned ABC announced Wednesday it is suspending Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely, following remarks made by host Jimmy Kimmel regarding the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The abrupt decision follows backlash from major ABC affiliate groups and regulatory pressure.

The spark for the controversy was Kimmel’s monologue on Monday, during which he criticized “the MAGA gang” for trying to detach the accused shooter, Tyler Robinson, from the broader pro‑Trump movement and accused them of using Kirk’s death for political gain.

Brendan Carr, Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, criticized Kimmel’s remarks and urged local ABC stations to stop broadcasting the show. Carr hinted at potential consequences for licenses if networks fail to act.

In its statement, ABC said simply that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be “pre‑empted indefinitely.” The network has not provided a timeline for when or if the show might return.

Earlier, Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest owners of ABC affiliates in the U.S. announced it would preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on all its ABC‑affiliated stations, declaring the comments “offensive and insensitive” and saying they did not represent the values of the communities served.

Meanwhile, ABC's announcement led to strong reactions, with many raising concerns about freedom of speech. Attorney and legal analyst Jeffrey Evan Gold called Kimmel's cancellation "an official state action done for partisan political purposes and to chill First Amendment rights."

Sen. Patty Murray (R-WA) wrote on the social platform X: "Yesterday, Trump was threatening a reporter he didn't like. Today, he coerced ABC to kick Kimmel off the air. He's also suing NYT & WSJ for reporting the truth. And it's not just media: he's threatening private companies, colleges, Congress—everyone. Enough. NONE OF US should cave. We ALL need to push back."

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) wrote: "The greatest casualty of the Trump Administration is the First Amendment."

Former GOP Congressman Joe Walsh wrote: "Make no mistake. Trump used the powers of the federal government to threaten to pull ABC’s broadcast license. Bcuz of what a late night comedian said in his monologue. This is an outrageous attack on free speech & the free press. If we ALL don’t stand against this, then kiss free speech & a free press goodbye."

Journalist S.E. Cupp wrote: "This administration is systematically killing free speech, and these capitulating media companies are acting as willing accomplices. Frightening and shameful."

Podcaster and former Obama advisor Dan Pfeiffer wrote: "The amount of cowardice being shown by the corporate media is galling. If the press won’t fight for the First Amendment, who will?"

Political commentator and MSNBC host Chris Hayes wrote: "This is the most straightforward attack on free speech from state actors I've ever seen in my life and it's not even close."

Journalist Julia Loffe wrote: "This is left-wing cancel culture run amok."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Spencer Cox

Utah Governor's Soothing Remarks On Kirk And Radicalization Enrage Bannon

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) admitted Sunday that right‑wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot at a university in Utah on Wednesday, had “said some very inflammatory things, and some corners of the web that’s all people have heard.”

During an appearance on CNN Sunday morning, Cox told host Dana Bash, "But he also said some other things about forgiveness. He said some amazing things about when things get dark, putting down our phones, reading scriptures, going to church, talking to our neighbors. He said that we have to engage and that's what I appreciate most about Charlie Kirk."

The governor said there are elements who benefit from radicalizing the nation, and added, "I'm not one of those."

"We need to find out how this happened and we need to stop it from happening."

Cox made these remarks in response to Bash's question about MAGA commentator Steve Bannon calling the governor "a national embarrassment in a time where we need action."

Bannon and other conservative activists have also been critical of FBI Director Kash Patel's handling of the investigation into Kirk's murder.

"He tells us to sing Kumbaya and hold hands with Antifa. This is a time to declare Antifa a domestic terrorist organization and have the FBI go kick down some doors," Bannon said of Cox during his recent podcast.

Reacting to his comment, the governor said, "Well, again Mr. Bannon is angry and rightfully so. And I'm not saying we have to just sing Kumbaya and hold hands. What I'm saying is we actually should disagree. I think Charlie represented that better than anyone."

Cox has kept a notably measured tone in public remarks since the killing of Kirk, resisting the rush to assign blame even as tensions soared. From the outset he called for unity and responsibility rather than inflammatory rhetoric, urging people to think deeply about how political discourse has deteriorated.

At a news conference Friday, after authorities announced that a suspect was in custody, Cox acknowledged his own sorrow and anger, but repeatedly emphasized the need to “turn down the temperature.”

Meanwhile, conservative social media accounts are criticizing the governor for his Sunday remarks. Liberal commentators, on the other hand, pointed out that MSNBC contributor Matthew Dowd was fired for making a similar remark.

Some MAGA accounts went on to call the Utah governor a "closet liberal."

RedWave Press, a conservative digital platform, wrote on the social platform X: "PATHETIC: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R): 'Charlie [Kirk] said some very inflammatory things and some corners of the web that’s all people have heard.' How is preaching Biblical values 'inflammatory?' This makes my bl00d boil!"

Author Shannon Watts wrote: "Matthew Dowd was fired for saying this."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

George Conway Offers Visual Proof That Trump Signed Epstein 'Birthday Card'

George Conway Offers Visual Proof That Trump Signed Epstein 'Birthday Card'

The Wall Street Journal ignited a firestorm Monday by releasing images of a sexually suggestive birthday message allegedly penned by President Donald Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein back in 2003.

The note, reportedly part of a birthday tribute book marking Epstein’s 50th birthday, includes a nude sketch in which Trump’s signature is stylized as pubic hair. Trump denied signing the letter.

Now, people who reportedly received letters from Trump are also sharing them publicly, drawing comparisons between the signatures and the one featured in the Epstein tribute. Economist Geoff Wolfe tweeted several letters showing Trump's signature all in the same style as the one seen in the letter to Epstein.

The White House has denounced the report, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issuing a denial on social media.

“The latest piece published by the Wall Street Journal PROVES this entire ‘Birthday Card’ story is false. As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it. President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation,” she wrote on the social platform X.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich shared multiple images of Trump's signature over time on X, stating, "time for @newscorp to open that checkbook, its not his signature. DEFAMATION!"

Earlier, in response to the initial story about the birthday card, Trump filed a staggering $10 billion defamation lawsuit against both the Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, whose media empire includes the newspaper.

Meanwhile, George Conway, a former Trump associate who is now a vocal critic, shared a picture of a letter the president wrote to him in 2006.

In a post on the social platform X, Conway shared the letter from Trump, which said:“Dear George: I wanted to thank you for your wonderful assistance in providing Trump World Tower with one very important ingredient, namely, a tremendous board of directors. What a great group of people! What some people don’t comprehend is that I was having a very difficult situation. In any event, the building is doing marvelously, and for former Board Members, life goes on in a much more positive way!”

He continued: “Again, I very much appreciate your assistance.”

The letter ends with Trump’s signature, which is similar to the signature shown in the alleged birthday book Trump signed for Epstein.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

On Tape: Official Says Justice Department Sanitized Epstein Files To Protect GOP

On Tape: Official Says Justice Department Sanitized Epstein Files To Protect GOP

Rep. Thomas Massie (R‑KY) reacted Thursday to a leaked video circulating on social media that shows Joseph Schnitt, an Acting Deputy Chief in the Department of Justice, saying that DOJ is selectively managing the release of documents related to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. According to Massie, it proves the list of accused linked to Epstein is “not a conspiracy theory.”

Earlier on Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office scrambled into crisis mode after the senior DOJ official was secretly recorded telling someone he was with on a date that the Epstein files would be distorted to shield Republicans.

Schnitt was overheard disclosing this information to a woman he met through the Hinge dating app, unaware that she was actually an undercover operative for the O’Keefe Media Group, which is run by conservative activist James O'Keefe.

In the footage surfaced online on Thursday, Schnitt can be heard stating that the DOJ would execute a politically skewed release: “redact every Republican or conservative person in those files, leave all the liberal, Democratic people in those files, and have a very slanted version of it come out.”

Moreover, he mentioned that moving Jeffrey Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, to a lower-security prison defied the Bureau of Prisons' regulations because of her sex offender status, "which means they’re offering her something to keep her mouth shut.”

"Why would he be lying?" Massie said during an appearance on O'Keefe's podcast Wednesday evening. He added that the survivors who addressed a presser on Wednesday said the same thing about Maxwell, "that she was getting a light sentence."

He added: "It's not a conspiracy theory. We know it's happening. And you got somebody inside the DOJ who is admitting it's highly unusual."

Massie, who is leading a discharge petition that would force the release of Epstein files alongside Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), said his Republican colleagues are "not happy about covering up for a pedophile." He claimed that President Donald Trump's "political machine" is intimidating Republicans into staying away from the petition.



Reprinted with permission from Alternet