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LetMyPeopleVote's Journal
LetMyPeopleVote's Journal
March 30, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/whether-the-cdc-will-survive-rfk-jr-s-tenure-is-an-open-question
MaddowBlog-Whether the CDC will survive RFK Jr.'s tenure is an open question
The fact that bullet-pocked windows remain in place at the agency’s headquarters makes it difficult to be optimistic about the CDC’s future.
The fact that the CDC’s bullet-pocked windows remain in place, seven months after a shooting, is ridiculous. It's also emblematic of a larger problem:
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-03-30T21:07:35.062Z
RFK Jr has created an existential crisis at the agency, and its future is far from certain. tinyurl.com/3f55pccw
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/whether-the-cdc-will-survive-rfk-jr-s-tenure-is-an-open-question
Last August, a gunman opened fire in Atlanta near the campuses of both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University, killing a police officer and shooting many windows at the CDC headquarters. The suspect, who did not survive the assault, was reportedly fixated on the Covid-19 vaccine, blaming it for his health problems.....
For his part, RFK Jr. did condemn the shooting in Atlanta in a short message published to social media, but the Cabinet secretary waited until a day after the violence, and he posted his statement after posting images of himself fishing. (Donald Trump, meanwhile, failed to comment altogether on the shooting that left a police officer dead.)
As difficult as this might seem to believe, the CDC’s shot-up windows still haven’t been replaced. The Associated Press reported:
.....To be sure, the problems are not altogether new. Last fall, nine former CDC chiefs, including Anne Schuchat, who served as an acting director during Trump’s first term, linked arms and wrote a joint op-ed, in which they characterized Kennedy’s work as a dangerous public menace. (The headline said, “We Ran the C.D.C.: Kennedy Is Endangering Every American’s Health.”)
It was around this same time when it became common to see reports quoting CDC insiders referring to the agency in the past tense. The New York Times published a report with a headline and subhead that immediately generated some attention: “Will the C.D.C. Survive? Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s assault may have dealt lasting damage to the agency, experts fear, with harsh consequences for public health.”
Seven months later, existential questions about the CDC’s future remain unanswered, and the fact that bullet-pocked windows remain in place at the agency’s headquarters make it difficult to be optimistic.
For his part, RFK Jr. did condemn the shooting in Atlanta in a short message published to social media, but the Cabinet secretary waited until a day after the violence, and he posted his statement after posting images of himself fishing. (Donald Trump, meanwhile, failed to comment altogether on the shooting that left a police officer dead.)
As difficult as this might seem to believe, the CDC’s shot-up windows still haven’t been replaced. The Associated Press reported:
The federal government has not yet replaced the bullet-pocked windows that serve as a grim reminder of an attack at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than seven months ago, the agency’s acting chief acknowledged Wednesday.
CDC employees asked Dr. Jay Bhattacharya about the broken windows during a staff meeting, noting that the panes were papered over. ‘We’re working on that,’ Bhattacharya said, adding that it’s a priority.
.....To be sure, the problems are not altogether new. Last fall, nine former CDC chiefs, including Anne Schuchat, who served as an acting director during Trump’s first term, linked arms and wrote a joint op-ed, in which they characterized Kennedy’s work as a dangerous public menace. (The headline said, “We Ran the C.D.C.: Kennedy Is Endangering Every American’s Health.”)
It was around this same time when it became common to see reports quoting CDC insiders referring to the agency in the past tense. The New York Times published a report with a headline and subhead that immediately generated some attention: “Will the C.D.C. Survive? Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s assault may have dealt lasting damage to the agency, experts fear, with harsh consequences for public health.”
Seven months later, existential questions about the CDC’s future remain unanswered, and the fact that bullet-pocked windows remain in place at the agency’s headquarters make it difficult to be optimistic.
March 30, 2026
MaddowBlog-Democrats see a 'shocking abuse' as the FBI's Patel reportedly targets Eric Swalwell
Democrats see a ‘shocking abuse’ as the FBI’s Patel reportedly targets Eric Swalwell
https://x.com/FrancescaLive4/status/2038708008084230589
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/democrats-see-a-shocking-abuse-as-the-fbis-patel-reportedly-targets-eric-swalwell
Donald Trump hasn’t been subtle about his contempt for Rep. Eric Swalwell. In recent years, the president has condemned the California Democrat as “a loser,” “a lowlife,” an “idiot” and a “total sleazebag.” If the Republican has an enemies list specifically focused on members of Congress, it’s probably fair to say that Swalwell is near the top....
Almost five months later, however, the campaign against Swalwell — now a leading Democratic gubernatorial candidate in California — appears to be taking an even more aggressive turn. The Washington Post reported:
......If the latest reporting is correct, however, the Trump loyalist leading the FBI wants the decade-old investigative file released anyway. The Post’s report, highlighting the obvious, noted, “It is highly unusual for the FBI to release case files tied to a probe that did not result in criminal charges.”
Over the weekend, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement, “The FBI is attempting to smear a sitting U.S. Congressman, candidate for governor, and vocal opponent of the president. What the hell does that have to do with law enforcement? This is plain weaponization of the FBI for partisan political purposes. … The abuse of government information is out of control.”....
Time will tell what comes of this, but whether Team Trump appreciates this or not, there’s a very real possibility that the alleged smear campaign will backfire. Let’s not forget that Adam Schiff’s Democratic Senate campaign in California benefited enormously from Trump’s attacks: The then-representative was able to tell voters honestly that the Republican president and his allies hated him, which made Schiff even more popular in one of the nation’s most Democratic-leaning states.
Almost five months later, however, the campaign against Swalwell — now a leading Democratic gubernatorial candidate in California — appears to be taking an even more aggressive turn. The Washington Post reported:
FBI Director Kash Patel is pressing to release a decade-old investigative file involving Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-California) and a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, recently dispatching agents in the bureau’s San Francisco office to quickly redact the files before they are released publicly despite no evidence of wrongdoing by Swalwell, according to three people familiar with the effort.
The potential release is part of the Trump administration’s aggressive push to investigate Swalwell, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and a leading Democratic candidate for California governor, according to the people familiar with the effort.
......If the latest reporting is correct, however, the Trump loyalist leading the FBI wants the decade-old investigative file released anyway. The Post’s report, highlighting the obvious, noted, “It is highly unusual for the FBI to release case files tied to a probe that did not result in criminal charges.”
Over the weekend, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement, “The FBI is attempting to smear a sitting U.S. Congressman, candidate for governor, and vocal opponent of the president. What the hell does that have to do with law enforcement? This is plain weaponization of the FBI for partisan political purposes. … The abuse of government information is out of control.”....
Time will tell what comes of this, but whether Team Trump appreciates this or not, there’s a very real possibility that the alleged smear campaign will backfire. Let’s not forget that Adam Schiff’s Democratic Senate campaign in California benefited enormously from Trump’s attacks: The then-representative was able to tell voters honestly that the Republican president and his allies hated him, which made Schiff even more popular in one of the nation’s most Democratic-leaning states.
March 30, 2026
https://www.ms.now/opinion/joseph-mazzara-emails-protesters-sticks-ice-dhs-noem
Emails show Trump official's thirst for violence against protesters
Joseph Mazzara, a State Department employee who previously was at DHS, reportedly sent emails last summer fantasizing about agents beating anti-ICE protesters with sticks.
Emails show Trump official’s thirst for violence against protesters
— Emma Jean Kitty (@emmajeankitty.bsky.social) 2026-03-29T04:49:32.860Z
Joseph Mazzara, a State Department employee who previously was at DHS, reportedly sent emails last summer fantasizing about agents beating anti-ICE protesters with sticks.
www.ms.now/opinion/jose...
https://www.ms.now/opinion/joseph-mazzara-emails-protesters-sticks-ice-dhs-noem
Newly unearthed emails show a top Trump administration official’s thirst for violence against people protesting the administration’s racist anti-immigrant crackdown last summer.....
The emails in question were uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act request by watchdog group American Oversight. They reportedly show Joseph Mazzara, a State Department employee who at the time was DHS’ acting general counsel, suggesting that federal agents should have beaten demonstrators who tried to breach a protective line at a federal building while protesting Trump’s authoritarian deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles.
Per the Times’ report:
.....This story, of a top legal official at DHS being found pushing violent extremist rhetoric, bears similarity to this piece I wrote in January, concerning a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lawyer who returned to work despite being linked to a social media account known for promoting bigotry and fascism.
The Trump administration’s deadly anti-immigrant crackdown became so brutal last year that even some popular figures who have supported the president compared it to Nazism. That reputation is only bolstered by these revelations of violent bloodlust by a top lawyer formerly tasked with advising the people waging that crackdown
The emails in question were uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act request by watchdog group American Oversight. They reportedly show Joseph Mazzara, a State Department employee who at the time was DHS’ acting general counsel, suggesting that federal agents should have beaten demonstrators who tried to breach a protective line at a federal building while protesting Trump’s authoritarian deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles.
Per the Times’ report:
On June 11, he wrote: ‘Every time I read about the battering ram incident I’m just floored at how wild that is.’
Referring to law enforcement as ‘they,’ he continued: ‘They should have, when they brought the line in, just started hitting the rioters and arresting everyone that couldn’t get away from them. No one likes being hit by a stick, and people tend to run when that starts happening in earnest.’
The Department of Homeland Security didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Mazzara was later appointed deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
.....This story, of a top legal official at DHS being found pushing violent extremist rhetoric, bears similarity to this piece I wrote in January, concerning a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lawyer who returned to work despite being linked to a social media account known for promoting bigotry and fascism.
The Trump administration’s deadly anti-immigrant crackdown became so brutal last year that even some popular figures who have supported the president compared it to Nazism. That reputation is only bolstered by these revelations of violent bloodlust by a top lawyer formerly tasked with advising the people waging that crackdown
March 30, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-shares-a-conversation-with-sharpie-maker-that-apparently-never-occurred
MaddowBlog-Trump shares a conversation with Sharpie maker that apparently never occurred
As a rule, when the president talks about imaginary conversations, his descriptions are vague. Occasionally, he slips up.
Look, I realize this framing is trite, but for all of the obsessive focus on Biden’s age and mental acuity, he never went around sharing the details of imaginary conversations that he claimed to be having in the here and now.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-03-30T17:59:37.440Z
Trump, meanwhile, does it all the time.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-shares-a-conversation-with-sharpie-maker-that-apparently-never-occurred
Partway through the meeting, the Republican took several minutes to talk about his appreciation for, of all things, Sharpie pens. The Associated Press reported:
What followed was a lengthy and detailed description of a conversation the president claimed to have had with the company that makes the pens.
.....The day after the Cabinet meeting, The Washington Post reported, “The company that makes the permanent markers said the exchange never happened. … Presented with a transcript of Trump’s account, a spokesperson for Sharpie maker Newell Brands said it did not occur.” When the Post asked the White House to clarify who the president had spoken to and when, it received no response.
Trump already had a “Sharpiegate” mess in his first term, and the sequel is about as absurd.
But what troubles me about this is the familiarity of the circumstances. As a rule, when the president talks about imaginary conversations, he sticks to vague descriptions that make fact-checking difficult.....
I realize this framing is trite, but for all of the obsessive focus on Joe Biden’s age and mental acuity during his term, the Democratic president never went around sharing the details of fictional conversations that he said he was having in the here and now. Trump, meanwhile, does it all the time.
During a Cabinet meeting Thursday that discussed the war in Iran, record-long security lines at many of the nation’s top airports, rising oil prices and skittish stock markets, the president interjected by holding up a custom-made black and gold Sharpie and offering a long story about how his preferred marker came to be a White House fixture.
‘See this pen right here?’ Trump said at the start of a roughly five-minute, on-and-off diatribe on the Sharpie. ‘This pen is an interesting example.’
What followed was a lengthy and detailed description of a conversation the president claimed to have had with the company that makes the pens.
Trump: "See, this pen right here. This pen is an interesting example. It's the same thing. So this pen is very inexpensive. But it writes well. I like it. But I can't have the pen the way it was. You know what it is. I don't want to give too much publicity but they do treat me well. Sharpie."
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-03-26T15:34:25.401Z
.....The day after the Cabinet meeting, The Washington Post reported, “The company that makes the permanent markers said the exchange never happened. … Presented with a transcript of Trump’s account, a spokesperson for Sharpie maker Newell Brands said it did not occur.” When the Post asked the White House to clarify who the president had spoken to and when, it received no response.
Trump already had a “Sharpiegate” mess in his first term, and the sequel is about as absurd.
But what troubles me about this is the familiarity of the circumstances. As a rule, when the president talks about imaginary conversations, he sticks to vague descriptions that make fact-checking difficult.....
I realize this framing is trite, but for all of the obsessive focus on Joe Biden’s age and mental acuity during his term, the Democratic president never went around sharing the details of fictional conversations that he said he was having in the here and now. Trump, meanwhile, does it all the time.
March 30, 2026
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/30/trump-ballroom-defense
Trump shows off new ballroom designs as he defends $400 million project
The planned White House addition, a top priority of the president, is facing a key vote this week. A federal judge may also rule this week to halt the project.
Trump shows off new ballroom designs as he defends 0 million project
— Freedom Writers Collaborative (@fwcollaborative.bsky.social) 2026-03-30T12:41:16Z
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/30/trump-ballroom-defense
The ballroom has been a top priority for Trump, who rapidly demolished the East Wing last year to make way for it. He has solicited millions of dollars from private companies to pay for the project, and he frequently mentions it in speeches and unscripted remarks.
It has proved less popular with voters, polls have found. Fifty-eight percent of Americans said they opposed tearing down the East Wing to build the ballroom, according to an Economist/YouGov poll conducted last month, while 25 percent said they supported it.
Members of the public sent more than 35,000 comments about the project to a federal commission reviewing the project, and a Washington Post analysis found more than 97 percent of those comments were critical of the president’s plans.
The design has been panned by architects and historic preservationists, who say that the 90,000-square-foot addition is too large and will overshadow the 55,000-square-foot White House. James McCrery II, Trump’s first architect on the project, clashed with the president over his plans to enlarge the ballroom, then was replaced.....
The New York Times on Sunday wrote about concerns over the ballroom’s design, an article that appeared to irk the president, who mentioned it several times aboard Air Force One
It has proved less popular with voters, polls have found. Fifty-eight percent of Americans said they opposed tearing down the East Wing to build the ballroom, according to an Economist/YouGov poll conducted last month, while 25 percent said they supported it.
Members of the public sent more than 35,000 comments about the project to a federal commission reviewing the project, and a Washington Post analysis found more than 97 percent of those comments were critical of the president’s plans.
The design has been panned by architects and historic preservationists, who say that the 90,000-square-foot addition is too large and will overshadow the 55,000-square-foot White House. James McCrery II, Trump’s first architect on the project, clashed with the president over his plans to enlarge the ballroom, then was replaced.....
The New York Times on Sunday wrote about concerns over the ballroom’s design, an article that appeared to irk the president, who mentioned it several times aboard Air Force One
March 30, 2026
https://www.rawstory.com/birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-2676636588
'Alarm bells' ring as Trump resurrects racist arguments in major legal case: experts
The 14th Amendment is clear to me and the arguments being raised by trump are weak. The authority cited by trump's DOJ is really weak.
'Alarm bells' ring as Trump resurrects racist arguments in major legal case: experts
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-03-30T14:30:15Z
https://www.rawstory.com/birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-2676636588
The Trump administration is relying on legal arguments developed by Confederate officers and 19th-century xenophobes to challenge birthright citizenship in a Supreme Court case expected to be decided by summer, drawing criticism from legal scholars who say the administration is recycling deeply racist historical precedents.
The administration's Supreme Court brief cites Alexander Porter Morse, a Confederate officer and Louisiana attorney who advocated for legalized segregation in the 1896 case that established the "separate but equal" doctrine that propped up Jim Crow laws, reported the Washington Post.
"The Trump administration has tapped Morse as an authority in its push to upend long-settled law that virtually everyone born in the United States is a citizen," the Post reported. "Over a century ago, Morse was among a trio of thinkers who spearheaded a failed effort — steeped in anti-Black and anti-Chinese racism — to erase birthright citizenship. The Trump administration is reviving their arguments to make its case today, some legal scholars say."
The administration also relies on arguments from Francis Wharton, a legal scholar who wrote that Chinese immigrants were insufficiently "civilized," and George D. Collins, a San Francisco attorney whose career ended in scandal.
Lucy Salyer, a University of New Hampshire history professor, expressed concern about the administration's approach. "If you know the history and the broader context of what they were trying to achieve, it does ring alarm bells," she said.
The administration's Supreme Court brief cites Alexander Porter Morse, a Confederate officer and Louisiana attorney who advocated for legalized segregation in the 1896 case that established the "separate but equal" doctrine that propped up Jim Crow laws, reported the Washington Post.
"The Trump administration has tapped Morse as an authority in its push to upend long-settled law that virtually everyone born in the United States is a citizen," the Post reported. "Over a century ago, Morse was among a trio of thinkers who spearheaded a failed effort — steeped in anti-Black and anti-Chinese racism — to erase birthright citizenship. The Trump administration is reviving their arguments to make its case today, some legal scholars say."
The administration also relies on arguments from Francis Wharton, a legal scholar who wrote that Chinese immigrants were insufficiently "civilized," and George D. Collins, a San Francisco attorney whose career ended in scandal.
Lucy Salyer, a University of New Hampshire history professor, expressed concern about the administration's approach. "If you know the history and the broader context of what they were trying to achieve, it does ring alarm bells," she said.
March 30, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-gives-russia-yet-another-pass-says-its-fine-for-putin-to-break-cuba-oil-blockade
trump is Putin's puppet. Putin can work with Iran to kill US troops and planes and now evade a US blockade. Putin owns trump
MaddowBlog-Trump gives Russia yet another pass, says it's 'fine' for Putin to break Cuba oil blockade
The president is no doubt aware of concerns that he has been compromised by Moscow, and he’s not exactly going out of his way to temper those fears.
Trump is aware of concerns that he’s been compromised by Russia — and he’s not exactly going out of his way to temper those fears:
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-03-30T13:04:10.016Z
- he’s allowing Putin to break US oil blockade around Cuba
- he’s indifferent to Moscow aiding Iran during US war
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-gives-russia-yet-another-pass-says-its-fine-for-putin-to-break-cuba-oil-blockade
Shortly after starting the war with Iran, Donald Trump made little effort to hide the fact that Cuba was his next target. The American president didn’t explicitly say that he intends to use military force against the island nation, but he did suggest that he intended to bring down the government in Havana — soon......
It was against this backdrop that Russia announced plans to provide Cuba with oil — and Team Trump is apparently fine with it. The New York Times reported that the U.S. administration is “allowing a Russian tanker full of crude oil to reach Cuba, delivering a critical supply of energy to the island nation.” From the article:
While the Times’ account, which mirrored a related report in The Washington Post, hasn’t been independently verified by MS NOW, Trump largely confirmed the story during his Air Force One Q&A.
.....The initial reaction from the American president and his team to the original allegations was to express total indifference. This was soon followed by news that the Republican administration agreed effectively to reward Putin’s regime by temporarily easing oil sanctions on the country — twice.
Soon after, Trump explicitly made the case that he understands Russia’s role in helping Iran, since the U.S. has assisted Ukraine.
And in case that weren’t quite enough, the Republican is now letting Moscow undermine his own U.S. policy in Cuba, too.
Trump is no doubt aware of concerns that he has been compromised by Moscow, and he’s not exactly going out of his way to temper those fears.
It was against this backdrop that Russia announced plans to provide Cuba with oil — and Team Trump is apparently fine with it. The New York Times reported that the U.S. administration is “allowing a Russian tanker full of crude oil to reach Cuba, delivering a critical supply of energy to the island nation.” From the article:
The Russian ship’s arrival would shift the trajectory of a rapidly accelerating crisis in Cuba, buying the island nation at least a few weeks before its fuel reserves run out, analysts said.
It would also reduce pressure on a Cuban government facing a looming economic collapse and escalating threats from Washington, and show that, at least for now, the island can still depend on its longtime ally Russia.
While the Times’ account, which mirrored a related report in The Washington Post, hasn’t been independently verified by MS NOW, Trump largely confirmed the story during his Air Force One Q&A.
Q: Do you worry that that helps Vladimir Putin?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-03-30T00:51:10.341Z
TRUMP: He loses one boatload of oil. That's all it is. It's fine.
.....The initial reaction from the American president and his team to the original allegations was to express total indifference. This was soon followed by news that the Republican administration agreed effectively to reward Putin’s regime by temporarily easing oil sanctions on the country — twice.
Soon after, Trump explicitly made the case that he understands Russia’s role in helping Iran, since the U.S. has assisted Ukraine.
And in case that weren’t quite enough, the Republican is now letting Moscow undermine his own U.S. policy in Cuba, too.
Trump is no doubt aware of concerns that he has been compromised by Moscow, and he’s not exactly going out of his way to temper those fears.
trump is Putin's puppet. Putin can work with Iran to kill US troops and planes and now evade a US blockade. Putin owns trump
March 30, 2026
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/over-400-of-elon-musks-children-attended-6e7
The Borowitz Report-Over 400 of Elon Musk's Children Attended No Kings Rallies
Over 400 of Elon Musk’s Children Attended No Kings Rallies
— Ed Maibach (@maibached.bsky.social) 2026-03-30T12:44:50.028Z
😂😂😂
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/over-400-of-elon-musks-children-attended-6e7
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In yet another indication of the heavy turnout for the No Kings rallies, over 400 of Elon Musk’s children attended the protests, according to estimates released on Monday.
Furious about the size of the No Kings crowds, Donald J. Trump claimed that the estimated attendance of eight million “is much lower when you subtract all the people who were there to show their hate for Elon.”
“People are saying the number of Elon’s kids who turned out was much higher than 400—thousands, maybe millions,” he said. “You take away Elon’s kids and almost no one was there.”
Calling the number of Musk children who despise their father “a sad situation, quite frankly,” he added, “So many of Elon’s kids showed up there was practically no room for Antifa.”
Furious about the size of the No Kings crowds, Donald J. Trump claimed that the estimated attendance of eight million “is much lower when you subtract all the people who were there to show their hate for Elon.”
“People are saying the number of Elon’s kids who turned out was much higher than 400—thousands, maybe millions,” he said. “You take away Elon’s kids and almost no one was there.”
Calling the number of Musk children who despise their father “a sad situation, quite frankly,” he added, “So many of Elon’s kids showed up there was practically no room for Antifa.”
March 29, 2026
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-losers
Trump stuns with admission he surrounds himself with 'losers': 'That explains the Cabinet'
I remain shocked that most of the members of trump's cabinet were confirmed. trump's cabinet is full of incompetent idiots who would never be hired by a sane and intelligent president. trump appointed these idiots because they are losers and the GOP senate confirmed these idiots.
Trump stuns with admission he surrounds himself with 'losers': 'That explains the Cabinet'
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-03-28T14:33:15.856Z
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-losers
President Donald Trump made a wildly condescending admission about the sort of people he likes to surround himself with during an event in Miami shortly after the signing of his executive order to move money around to pay Transportation Security Administration officials in the absence of a congressional deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security.
"I hang out with losers because it makes be feel better," said Trump. "I hate guys that are very, very successful and you have to listen to their success stories. I like people that like to listen to my success."
This admission caused an eruption from commenters on social media.
"A better explanation of his two administrations than any idea that any pundit has come up with," wrote financial columnist Heidi Moore.
"The only moment of self-awareness in Trump’s life," wrote podcaster and former Barack Obama strategist Dan Pfeiffer.
"Well, that explains the Cabinet!" said writer and political commentator Robert A. George.
"I hang out with losers because it makes be feel better," said Trump. "I hate guys that are very, very successful and you have to listen to their success stories. I like people that like to listen to my success."
This admission caused an eruption from commenters on social media.
"A better explanation of his two administrations than any idea that any pundit has come up with," wrote financial columnist Heidi Moore.
"The only moment of self-awareness in Trump’s life," wrote podcaster and former Barack Obama strategist Dan Pfeiffer.
"Well, that explains the Cabinet!" said writer and political commentator Robert A. George.
March 29, 2026
https://www.rawstory.com/hegseth-iran-2676634943/
Hegseth has 'threatened' military chaplains who refuse to back his Iran war plans: report
Hegseth does not believe in the First Amendment. Hegseth believes that his version of radical christianity is the only acceptable religion. Jews, Muslims, Hindus and any other religions do not belong in Hegseth's military.
Hegseth has 'threatened' military chaplains who refuse to back his Iran war plans: report
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-03-29T14:00:23Z
https://www.rawstory.com/hegseth-iran-2676634943/
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has alienated a critical group within the military establishment — religious leaders and chaplains — by weaponizing Christianity to justify the Iran war and creating an atmosphere of fear for those who refuse to comply with his ideological demands.
According to Washington Post analyst Michelle Boorstein, Hegseth's inflammatory rhetoric at a recent Pentagon prayer service has triggered serious alarm among military chaplains and senior officials who view his approach as a dangerous departure from Pentagon norms.
At the prayer service, Hegseth invoked religious language to justify military violence, saying: "Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation. Give them wisdom in every decision … and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.".....
Pentagon insiders describe the atmosphere as chilling. An anonymous Department of Defense source characterized the environment as "terrifying," noting that personnel working under Hegseth fear being punished or fired for failing to embrace his Christian nationalist worldview.
An unnamed member of a recent Joint Chiefs chairman's leadership team articulated the constitutional threat directly: "I don't approve of cramming your religious faith down people's throats, and when the top of the chain couches these operations in this hyper-Christian tone, it flies in the face of the freedom of religion that the Constitution enshrines and that our men and women in uniform sign up to defend."
According to Washington Post analyst Michelle Boorstein, Hegseth's inflammatory rhetoric at a recent Pentagon prayer service has triggered serious alarm among military chaplains and senior officials who view his approach as a dangerous departure from Pentagon norms.
At the prayer service, Hegseth invoked religious language to justify military violence, saying: "Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation. Give them wisdom in every decision … and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.".....
Pentagon insiders describe the atmosphere as chilling. An anonymous Department of Defense source characterized the environment as "terrifying," noting that personnel working under Hegseth fear being punished or fired for failing to embrace his Christian nationalist worldview.
An unnamed member of a recent Joint Chiefs chairman's leadership team articulated the constitutional threat directly: "I don't approve of cramming your religious faith down people's throats, and when the top of the chain couches these operations in this hyper-Christian tone, it flies in the face of the freedom of religion that the Constitution enshrines and that our men and women in uniform sign up to defend."
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