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LetMyPeopleVote's Journal
April 13, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/jd-vances-latest-failures-join-a-growing-and-embarrassing-list-of-trump-imposed-flops
I am betting that Vance is taking this abuse because Vance is hoping that trump will not get through this term.
MaddowBlog-JD Vance's latest failures join a growing and embarrassing list of Trump-imposed flops
Since taking office, the vice president has suffered a series of humiliations and failures after being assigned impossible tasks.
JD Vance’s first failure as VP was in December 2024 — when he was tasked with trying to convince senators to confirm Matt Gaetz as AG.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-04-13T18:18:33.956Z
The list of humiliations has grown longer ever since, including two embarrassments over the weekend.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/jd-vances-latest-failures-join-a-growing-and-embarrassing-list-of-trump-imposed-flops
That failure was a sign of things to come.
Indeed, the events of December 2024 came to mind this week as Vance suffered back-to-back embarrassments. The vice president led a U.S. delegation in Pakistan for talks with Iran, which ended in failure due in part to the instructions he received from Trump; and less than a day later, the world learned of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán’s landslide defeat, despite Vance having campaigned on his behalf.
These were arguably two of the most important tasks the vice president has been assigned while in office, and both ended in failure. They were not, however, his only humiliations:
The vice president, in other words, isn’t exactly racking up victories.
At a recent White House event, Trump asked Vance to comment on negotiations with Iran. When the vice president said the process was “going good,” the president quickly followed up, asking whether the efforts would resolve the war. Vance hedged and said he’d brief Trump later.
“So if it doesn’t happen, I’m blaming JD Vance,” the president concluded. “If it does happen, I’m taking full credit.”
Indeed, the events of December 2024 came to mind this week as Vance suffered back-to-back embarrassments. The vice president led a U.S. delegation in Pakistan for talks with Iran, which ended in failure due in part to the instructions he received from Trump; and less than a day later, the world learned of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán’s landslide defeat, despite Vance having campaigned on his behalf.
These were arguably two of the most important tasks the vice president has been assigned while in office, and both ended in failure. They were not, however, his only humiliations:
Vance reportedly advised Trump not to launch the war in Iran. He was ignored.
Vance tried to lead a diplomatic effort in Greenland last year, which was met with a swift and unsubtle backlash.
Vance tried to boost Germany’s right-wing party AfD in the country’s 2025 elections, and those efforts fell short, too.
Throughout his tenure, Vance has been publicly contradicted by Trump on everything from pardons to the deployment of federal troops to U.S. cities to immigration policy.
The vice president, in other words, isn’t exactly racking up victories.
At a recent White House event, Trump asked Vance to comment on negotiations with Iran. When the vice president said the process was “going good,” the president quickly followed up, asking whether the efforts would resolve the war. Vance hedged and said he’d brief Trump later.
“So if it doesn’t happen, I’m blaming JD Vance,” the president concluded. “If it does happen, I’m taking full credit.”
I am betting that Vance is taking this abuse because Vance is hoping that trump will not get through this term.
April 13, 2026
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/vance-scolds-iran-trump-made-you
The Borowitz Report-Vance Scolds Iran: "Trump Made You Rich off the Strait of Hormuz and You Haven't Said Thank You Once
Vance Scolds Iran: “Trump Made You Rich off the Strait of Hormuz and You Haven’t Said Thank You Onceâ€
— Cameron Kuss (@ckuss.bsky.social) 2026-04-13T15:04:14.786Z
open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/vance-scolds-iran-trump-made-you
ISLAMABAD (The Borowitz Report)—Negotiations between Iran and the US collapsed over the weekend after Vice President JD Vance scolded the Iranians, “President Trump has made you rich off the Strait of Hormuz and you haven’t said ‘thank you’ once.”
“The president has spent billions of US taxpayers’ money over the past six weeks,” Vance said. “He’s left your regime intact, hasn’t removed a single pound of enriched uranium, and has enabled you to charge millions for ships to pass through the Strait, which you never could before he attacked you. The least you could do is show a little gratitude.”
The chief Iranian negotiator seemed unmoved by Vance’s lecture, informing him, “You have no cards.”
“The president has spent billions of US taxpayers’ money over the past six weeks,” Vance said. “He’s left your regime intact, hasn’t removed a single pound of enriched uranium, and has enabled you to charge millions for ships to pass through the Strait, which you never could before he attacked you. The least you could do is show a little gratitude.”
The chief Iranian negotiator seemed unmoved by Vance’s lecture, informing him, “You have no cards.”
April 13, 2026
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-jesus-2676706680/
'Thou shalt always TACO': Trump ridiculed as he succumbs to 'blasphemy' rage
No one is surprised that trump took down the image depicting him as a Jesus Christ-like figure
After facing a wave of backlash from critics and supporters alike, President Donald Trump appeared to have deleted a social media post that featured an image depicting him as a Jesus Christ-like figure — prompting ridicule from onlookers.
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-04-13T16:15:10Z
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-jesus-2676706680/
After facing a wave of backlash from critics and supporters alike, President Donald Trump appeared to have deleted a social media post that featured an image depicting him as a Jesus Christ-like figure — prompting ridicule from onlookers.
“Thou shalt always TACO… Trump 3:16,” quipped Tommy Christopher, writer and editor for Mediaite and former White House reporter, in a social media post on X to his more than 25,000 followers.....
Later on Monday morning, however, Trump – or his staffers – appeared to have deleted the social media post, prompting some to take further digs at the president, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“Now delete your presidency,” Newsom wrote in a social media post on X to his nearly 3 million followers.
https://x.com/GavinNewsom/status/2043720390376062984
“Thou shalt always TACO… Trump 3:16,” quipped Tommy Christopher, writer and editor for Mediaite and former White House reporter, in a social media post on X to his more than 25,000 followers.....
Later on Monday morning, however, Trump – or his staffers – appeared to have deleted the social media post, prompting some to take further digs at the president, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“Now delete your presidency,” Newsom wrote in a social media post on X to his nearly 3 million followers.
https://x.com/GavinNewsom/status/2043720390376062984
April 13, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/judge-dismisses-trump-wall-street-journal-epstein-case
The cases brought by trump were all very stupid and deserved to be dismissed. I believe that the attorneys who brought these cases should worry about bar sanctions. Only an unethical or incompetent attorney would file these cases.
MaddowBlog-Federal judge rejects Trump's dubious defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal
The demise of the president’s case is a demonstration of the benefits of fighting back — and of the folly of appeasement.
As Trump’s foolish defamation case against the Wall Street Journal gets thrown out of court, there’s a larger lesson here:
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-04-13T14:16:39.944Z
Those who push back against his abuses — news organizations, law firms, universities, et al. — succeed, while those who try appeasement fail.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/judge-dismisses-trump-wall-street-journal-epstein-case
Last summer, after The Wall Street Journal reported on Donald Trump’s alleged 2003 birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein, the president responded with unsubtle threats. “President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly,” he wrote online, referring to himself in the third person for reasons unknown....
In mid-July, the president did, in fact, file the defamation suit, seeking a jury trial and a judgment of at least $10 billion. At least for now, it now appears he will get neither. The Journal reported:
“Because President Trump has not plausibly alleged that defendants published the article with actual malice, both Counts must be dismissed,” the jurist wrote.....
The Trump campaign’s 2020 case against CNN failed. Trump’s 2021 case against The New York Times failed. Trump’s 2023 case against journalist Bob Woodward failed. The Trump campaign’s case against The Washington Post failed. Trump’s so-called class-action lawsuit against social media giants also failed. (Last year, Trump filed a $15 billion civil suit against The New York Times, which was thrown out four days later, not because it lacked merit, but because a federal judge found that the president’s lawyers’ court filing was simply too ridiculous.)
Americans have never before had a president who sued independent news organizations or individual journalists for publishing reports the White House disapproved of, but we have also never before had a president lose so many civil cases while in office......
Meanwhile, news organizations that stood up for themselves and resisted the ridiculous attempts at intimidation have prevailed.
Let this be a lesson to the larger political world: The only way to lose in a fight against Trump is to pursue a course rooted in appeasement. It’s true when it comes to law firms; it’s true when it comes to higher education; and it’s true in his court fights against news organizations.
In mid-July, the president did, in fact, file the defamation suit, seeking a jury trial and a judgment of at least $10 billion. At least for now, it now appears he will get neither. The Journal reported:
A federal judge on Monday dismissed President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the publisher of The Wall Street Journal.
U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles, based in Miami, Fla., ruled Trump hadn’t made a valid legal claim that he was defamed by an article about a letter to financier Jeffrey Epstein bearing Trump’s name.
“Because President Trump has not plausibly alleged that defendants published the article with actual malice, both Counts must be dismissed,” the jurist wrote.....
The Trump campaign’s 2020 case against CNN failed. Trump’s 2021 case against The New York Times failed. Trump’s 2023 case against journalist Bob Woodward failed. The Trump campaign’s case against The Washington Post failed. Trump’s so-called class-action lawsuit against social media giants also failed. (Last year, Trump filed a $15 billion civil suit against The New York Times, which was thrown out four days later, not because it lacked merit, but because a federal judge found that the president’s lawyers’ court filing was simply too ridiculous.)
Americans have never before had a president who sued independent news organizations or individual journalists for publishing reports the White House disapproved of, but we have also never before had a president lose so many civil cases while in office......
Meanwhile, news organizations that stood up for themselves and resisted the ridiculous attempts at intimidation have prevailed.
Let this be a lesson to the larger political world: The only way to lose in a fight against Trump is to pursue a course rooted in appeasement. It’s true when it comes to law firms; it’s true when it comes to higher education; and it’s true in his court fights against news organizations.
The cases brought by trump were all very stupid and deserved to be dismissed. I believe that the attorneys who brought these cases should worry about bar sanctions. Only an unethical or incompetent attorney would file these cases.
April 13, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/after-picking-an-ugly-fight-with-pope-trump-promotes-image-panned-as-blasphemous
trump is truly crazy.
MaddowBlog-After picking an ugly fight with pope, Trump promotes image panned as 'blasphemy'
The president’s offensive against the pope, followed by the image presenting himself as some kind of American Jesus, represented quite the one-two punch.
I get that many will find Trump’s offensive against the pope as predictable — this is just what he does — but compare how he lashed out at Pope Francis in 2016 to how he targeted Pope Leo XIV yesterday.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-04-13T12:03:12.331Z
And then add in the mind-numbing American Jesus image.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/after-picking-an-ugly-fight-with-pope-trump-promotes-image-panned-as-blasphemous
A decade later, as president, the Republican decided to go even further in an offensive against Francis’ successor, Pope Leo XIV.
In a 330-word tirade published on Sunday night to his social media platform, Trump wrote, among other things:
.....Soon after, during a brief Q&A with reporters, Trump was asked why he “attacked” the pope. Instead of challenging the premise, the Republican replied, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess. … I am not a fan of Pope Leo.”
.....To be sure, none of this was too surprising. Leo, for example, recently chastised those who invoke God as supportive of military might, saying in a homily on Palm Sunday, “Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.”...
The question was less about whether Team Trump, which has spent months clashing with the faith community, would go after the Catholic leader, and more about how. We now have an answer.
On Monday morning, aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria, the church’s first-ever American pope told The Associated Press, “I have no fear of the Trump administration.”....
For good measure, this back-and-forth was not the Republican’s only message related to religion.
On Sunday night, Trump apparently thought it would also be a good idea to promote an image that appeared to present him as some kind of American Jesus.
“There is behavior that’s so self-evidently deranged that merely seeing it should lead to fury and disgust,” The New York Times’ David French wrote in response. “I’m concerned, however, that some evangelicals are so influenced by Trump that they won’t unite with their Catholic brothers and sisters in response to Trump’s blasphemy and intolerable attacks on the pope, but will instead turn against them.”
In a 330-word tirade published on Sunday night to his social media platform, Trump wrote, among other things:
Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. … I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t! … Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!
.....Soon after, during a brief Q&A with reporters, Trump was asked why he “attacked” the pope. Instead of challenging the premise, the Republican replied, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess. … I am not a fan of Pope Leo.”
Reporter: Why did you attack Pope Leo?
— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) 2026-04-13T01:33:12.402Z
Trump: I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess. We don’t like a pope who says it’s ok to have a nuclear weapon. We don’t want a pope that says crime is ok. I am not a fan of Pope Leo.
.....To be sure, none of this was too surprising. Leo, for example, recently chastised those who invoke God as supportive of military might, saying in a homily on Palm Sunday, “Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.”...
The question was less about whether Team Trump, which has spent months clashing with the faith community, would go after the Catholic leader, and more about how. We now have an answer.
On Monday morning, aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria, the church’s first-ever American pope told The Associated Press, “I have no fear of the Trump administration.”....
For good measure, this back-and-forth was not the Republican’s only message related to religion.
And Trump posted an image of himself as some sort of American Jesus healing people.
— Brian Kaylor (@briankaylor.bsky.social) 2026-04-13T02:02:10.235Z
On Sunday night, Trump apparently thought it would also be a good idea to promote an image that appeared to present him as some kind of American Jesus.
“There is behavior that’s so self-evidently deranged that merely seeing it should lead to fury and disgust,” The New York Times’ David French wrote in response. “I’m concerned, however, that some evangelicals are so influenced by Trump that they won’t unite with their Catholic brothers and sisters in response to Trump’s blasphemy and intolerable attacks on the pope, but will instead turn against them.”
trump is truly crazy.
April 13, 2026
https://x.com/BadgerStew/status/2043005562405749047
https://x.com/colinabwallace/status/2043052998977356054
trump shares Hitler's fixation with monuments to himself
https://x.com/vincempls/status/2042967772456423851https://x.com/BadgerStew/status/2043005562405749047
https://x.com/colinabwallace/status/2043052998977356054
April 13, 2026
https://x.com/ValaAfshar/status/2042988032941236380
https://x.com/ValaAfshar/status/2042579509602345091
https://x.com/Harvarddoc32/status/2043311439750857068
Katherine Johnson must be smiling from Heaven at Victor Glover and the Artemis II mission
https://x.com/blkprofcct/status/2042982067051597841https://x.com/ValaAfshar/status/2042988032941236380
https://x.com/ValaAfshar/status/2042579509602345091
https://x.com/Harvarddoc32/status/2043311439750857068
April 12, 2026
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/ghost-of-pope-francis-to-viktor-orban
The Borowitz Report-Ghost of Pope Francis to Viktor Orban: "I Warned You Not to Let Vance Near You"
Ghost of Pope Francis to Viktor Orban: “I Warned You Not to Let Vance Near Youâ€
— Dr. Ohm (Unit of Resistance) (@dr-ohm.bsky.social) 2026-04-12T21:35:47.429Z
open.substack.com/pub/borowitz...
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/ghost-of-pope-francis-to-viktor-orban
BUDAPEST (The Borowitz Report)—In the immediate aftermath of his stunning defeat on Sunday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban received a visitation from the ghost of Pope Francis, who tore into him for meeting with JD Vance.
“I warned you not to let that monster near you,” the late pontiff said. “What kind of idiot are you?”
At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered no comment on the Hungarian election, but said that going forward Vance would participate in Cabinet meetings from a remote location only.
“I warned you not to let that monster near you,” the late pontiff said. “What kind of idiot are you?”
At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered no comment on the Hungarian election, but said that going forward Vance would participate in Cabinet meetings from a remote location only.
April 12, 2026
Democracy Docket-Trump DOJ now 0 for 4 on voter roll cases as court rejects Massachusetts lawsuit
I am still pissed that Abbott gave trump all of Texas' voter data. trump needs these voter records to do his database of voters. trump has filed 30 of these lawsuits and have lost everyone so far. I am glad that the courts have repeatedly rejected these lawsuits
https://x.com/DemocracyDocket/status/2043048694820356276
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-doj-now-0-for-5-on-voter-roll-cases-as-court-rejects-massachusetts-lawsuit/
A federal judge dismissed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit demanding Massachusetts’ unredacted voter registration rolls Thursday, marking the fourth loss for the agency, with zero wins, out of 30 active cases.
Since President Donald Trump returned to office, the DOJ demanded unfettered access to every state’s voter registration records as part of the administration’s obsessive focus on immigration enforcement. While 17 Republican-led states have complied, the rest have refused, leading the DOJ to sue 29 states and Washington, D.C. for their voter rolls.
But when the DOJ demanded Massachusetts’ voter data, which includes sensitive information like social security numbers and dates of birth, it failed to explain why as required by the 1960 Civil Rights Act (CRA), District Court Judge Leo Sorokin noted in his opinion.*
“The United States’ complaint fails for the simple reason that the Attorney General’s demand did not comply with Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960, the statute on which it purports to rely,” Sorokin wrote. “Here, the Attorney General offered no basis—none—and the demand was therefore facially inadequate.”
Under the CRA, the DOJ can request copies of state voter records to ensure compliance with federal laws, provided that the agency also provides a “basis” and “purpose” for the demand. In state after state, the DOJ failed to explicitly do that, leading to their losses in California and Oregon. A Trump-appointed judge in Michigan also ruled against the DOJ’s demands on separate legal grounds. Sorokin cited all of those cases in his ruling.
Since President Donald Trump returned to office, the DOJ demanded unfettered access to every state’s voter registration records as part of the administration’s obsessive focus on immigration enforcement. While 17 Republican-led states have complied, the rest have refused, leading the DOJ to sue 29 states and Washington, D.C. for their voter rolls.
But when the DOJ demanded Massachusetts’ voter data, which includes sensitive information like social security numbers and dates of birth, it failed to explain why as required by the 1960 Civil Rights Act (CRA), District Court Judge Leo Sorokin noted in his opinion.*
“The United States’ complaint fails for the simple reason that the Attorney General’s demand did not comply with Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960, the statute on which it purports to rely,” Sorokin wrote. “Here, the Attorney General offered no basis—none—and the demand was therefore facially inadequate.”
Under the CRA, the DOJ can request copies of state voter records to ensure compliance with federal laws, provided that the agency also provides a “basis” and “purpose” for the demand. In state after state, the DOJ failed to explicitly do that, leading to their losses in California and Oregon. A Trump-appointed judge in Michigan also ruled against the DOJ’s demands on separate legal grounds. Sorokin cited all of those cases in his ruling.
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