Politics

Lee Zeldin might be dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency bit by bit, but at least he’s making gas cans great again. The EPA administrator announced Friday that he had made an official plea to gas-can manufacturers, begging them to change their spout designs.  “Gas cans used to POUR gas. Now they just DRIBBLE like a child’s sippy cup. The Trump EPA’s message to gas can makers: VENT THE DARN CAN and let it FLOW BABY FLOW!” he wrote on X. In a memo sent to can manufacturers, Zeldin’s EPA encouraged the designers to stop making cans in compliance with a 2009 EPA standard that was meant to cut down on the release of harmful greenhouse gases.  On one hand, the frustration among consumers using gas cans seems to be more than just among a sparse few. However, as Zeldin wages public battles with plastic cans, he has also been wreaking havoc on his environmental colleagues. Last week, Zeldin announced his plans to shut down the scientific research arm of the EPA.  “Under President Trump’s leadership, EPA has taken a close look at our operations to ensure the agency is better equipped than ever to deliver on our core mission of protecting human health and the environment while powering the great American comeback,” Zeldin said in a statement. “This reduction in force will ensure we can better fulfill that mission while being responsible stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars.” A sign protesting emissions from oil and gas stands across from Lybrook Elementary School, in Counselor, New Mexico, Navajo Nation, on March 11. Zeldin’s plan is to shutter the Office of Research and Development, which oversees studies into the harms of toxic chemicals, wildfires, climate change, drinking-water pollutants, and more. And less oversight and public awareness is just what the chemical industry wants. All of this fits into Zeldin’s other work since taking on his role at the EPA.  Since January, he has cut the workforce, including scientists and researchers, and pulled critical research grants across the country. And as he seeks to hamper the EPA’s ability to do its job, he has also made it easier for companies to bypass regulations as well. From no longer collecting most greenhouse-gas data to allowing companies to opt out of regulations by emailing in their requests, Zeldin has been hard at work.  After all, it was his initial plan to “driv[e] a dagger” through the heart of “climate-change religion.” And now the world gets to suffer from that wound.

Disgraced former GOP Rep. George Santos of New York reported to federal prison Friday to begin his sentence of more than seven years. He pleaded guilty in April to a series of fraud schemes ranging from wire fraud to aggravated identity theft. But if you thought he would go quietly, think again. In true Santos fashion, he’s spent the past few weeks making the rounds on podcasts—including Tucker Carlson’s—posting lengthy farewells on social media, and sending cameo videos to fans for more than $300 each. On Wednesday, he posted a clip on X of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” complete with the line, “And now the end is near / and so I face the final curtain.”  Then on Thursday, Santos wrote a rhinestone-studded goodbye on X. Santos arrives at federal court for his sentencing on April 25. “Well, darlings… The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed. From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried… most days,” he wrote. “To my supporters: You made this wild political cabaret worth it. To my critics: Thanks for the free press. I may be leaving the stage (for now), but trust me legends never truly exit.” Later that evening, he hosted a final 90-minute X Spaces call, which at one point had more than 800 listeners, according to ABC News. When asked about the possibility of a presidential pardon, Santos replied, “The only person that could answer that question is, you know, whoever the President of the United States is—in this case, President Donald Trump.” He also got emotional during the stream, thanking his supporters, getting choked up, and insisting that he wouldn’t repeat his mistakes.  “Make better choices, be smarter than me, that’s for sure. I’ve made a string of shit choices in my life and for that, I’m sorry,” he said. “We built common ground through trust and transparency, and I wouldn’t have done it any other way.” Ginger Gaetz, wife of disgraced former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, was among those who called in to wish Santos well. And he got in a few final jabs, calling his sentence excessive. “There’s something to be said about the prison industrial complex, by the way. They’re selling fucking Twinkies for $5,” he said. “I mean, they have to be making banging profits. I mean, I’m thinking maybe when I get out of prison, I open a prison.”  Santos while still a representative He also joked about bad advice he’s received—like fighting the biggest guy on the inside—and said he planned to bring only a notepad, a Bible from his grandmother, and a pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution. He added that he hopes to teach civics while behind bars. Santos rose to fame in 2022 after flipping a House seat on Long Island. But by 2023, the lies had caught up with him. Reporters uncovered discrepancies in his résumé and campaign filings, while prosecutors alleged he had defrauded donors, misused funds, and stolen identities to rack up fraudulent charges. He was ultimately expelled from the House in December 2023, becoming the sixth member in history to face such a punishment. He pleaded guilty before trial to 23 counts—including fraud, money laundering, and false statements—and he was sentenced to 87 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $600,000 in restitution and forfeitures.  Santos closed his X Spaces stream by urging people to come together across political divides. “I hope you all keep doing exactly what you’ve been doing, which is keeping each other honest and engaging in very much needed discourse,” he said. “We are in a time in our [lives] where we need to come closer as humans and not further.” Even in his final moments of freedom, Santos didn’t shy away from settling scores—or playing the tragic star of his own political cabaret.

PoliticusUSA is one of the lone independent voices in an endless stream of Trump-caving big media. We need your help. Support us by becoming a subscriber. The mainstream media hated the Biden administration. Why did they hate the Biden White House so much? To hear the White House journalists themselves tell it, Biden was too competent, didn’t give them access, and did not provide them a platform to get book deals and other career-advancing opportunities. One White House journalist told Politico that it was unfortunate that Jen Psaki was so good at her job: “Jen [Psaki] is very good at her job, which is unfortunate,” one reporter who has covered the past two administrations from the room said. “And the work is a lot less rewarding, because you’re no longer saving democracy from Sean Spicer and his Men’s Wearhouse suit. Jawing with Jen just makes you look like an asshole.” There are a couple of important points in the quote above. Mainstream corporate journalists want the White House to be bad at its job. These same mainstream journalists also want to be the stars and the heroes. During the first Trump administration, most Americans were scared and stressed by the chaos, and that stress and fear translated into millions of dollars in the pockets of journalists who covered Trump through book deals. The mainstream media made a lot of money from Donald Trump coverage, and they had a personal financial interest in seeing the former president back in the White House, which is why the Trump coverage never stopped after he left office, and the media moved so rapidly to force Joe Biden out of the race in 2024. In a case of be careful what you wish for, the media got Trump back into office, and now all of their books are bombing. Trump Kills Ratings, Clicks, And Book Sales When Trump was about to return to office, there was excited chatter from mainstream media about a Trump bump. They believed that viewers would be riveted by their Trump coverage, allowing them to pick up where they left off in 2021. The people would be scared, and the corporate press would resume their role as stars in the Trump show. What really happened was that people tuned out. Read more

House Democrats are cranking up the pressure on their Senate colleagues to hold the line against any Republican spending bills, warning that support for partisan legislation would prove more harmful than a potential shutdown — and trigger an outcry from the party’s already deflated base. House Democrats were virtually united against a GOP spending package…

Trump administration officials are weighing a controversial maneuver aimed at allowing them to block federal funding previously authorized by Congress without lawmakers’ approval.  White House budget chief Russell Vought said earlier this month that the gambit, known as “pocket rescissions,” is one of the options on the table for the administration as it continues its…

Lara Trump won’t be running for Senate in North Carolina after all.  The former RNC co- chair, whose political experience sticks close to President Donald Trump’s campaigns, made the announcement Thursday morning via X. “After much consideration and heartfelt discussions with my family, friends, and supporters, I have decided not to pursue the United States Senate seat in North Carolina at this time,” she wrote. “I am deeply grateful for the encouragement and support I have received from the people of my home state whom I love so much. While I am not running in this election, my passion for Making America Great Again burns brightly, and I look forward to the future, wherever that leads.” Eric and Lara Trump stand behind President Donald Trump. Instead of giving a go at a Senate run, Lara will be continuing her years-long attempt at a beleaguered singing career. The mother of two and wife of Eric Trump released her new Christian music single, “Eyes of God,” on Thursday. The rest of her debut album, “Just Lara,” will drop in August.  “This song is a reminder that we are all more alike than we are different – everyone is dealing with different highs and lows and, in the era of hiding behind a screen, we should all take a moment to give one another a little grace,” she told The Telegraph. “Instead of turning to a negative comment, maybe it’s time we all turn to God.” And while she won’t be politically involved in North Carolina or her current home state of Florida—which was also a rumored possibility—she is still heavily involved at Fox News.  Just last week, Lara interviewed her father-in-law on the anniversary of his assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.  In other words, Lara might be passing on a Senate run, but her presence in the Trump White House isn’t wavering.  Not to mention, she’s doing a great job of following in Trump’s grifting footsteps.

There is no doubt that the American public is pissed off about Donald Trump’s cover-up around the Epstein files—and his most loyal Republican minions are feeling the wrath.  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was called a “pedophile” by a heckler during a press conference in Manatee County on Thursday. DeSantis was talking about the death of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan when a man stood up and shouted “Alligator Alcatraz, that’s your fucking legacy.” The protester was referring to the human rights disaster masquerading as a state-run immigration detention center that DeSantis eagerly built and funded at Trump’s request. “You bowed down to a fucking pedophile. You’re a fucking pedophile,” the man continued as security escorted him from the room. “Donald Trump and all of you are fucking Nazis.” YouTube Video Republicans are working hard to deflect attention from Trump’s failure to deliver the long-promised Epstein files. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson even started Congress’ summer break early to delay any vote on the matter until at least September. Right-wing news outlets are, in turn, running around like a chicken with its feathers on fire looking to latch on to any other conspiracy theory they can find so that the Epstein scandal blows over. Related | Trump and cronies are giddy to trample human rights at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Meanwhile, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is debasing herself in order to concoct the biggest nothingburger distraction in recent memory. She is alleging that former President Barack Obama orchestrated a vast conspiracy to undermine Trump that goes back almost a decade.  But despite all of their desperate efforts, that has not stopped the ongoing news cycle from linking Trump to his old buddy Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide while awaiting trial for allegedly trafficking women and underage girls. And Trump’s eager Republican enablers are deservedly feeling the fallout—just like DeSantis did on Thursday. 

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he wants Elon Musk’s companies to “thrive”—a sharp turnabout just one day after the White House expressed doubt about whether Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, should continue receiving government contracts. “Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon’s companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government. This is not so!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before!”  It was the latest twist in the Trump-Musk rollercoaster—one that’s swung between public threats and awkward praise since their breakup in June.  Just a day earlier, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether Trump wanted xAI to get federal contracts. “I don’t think so, no,” she replied. Leavitt added that she’d check with the president about possibly canceling existing deals, including one between the Department of Defense and xAI that is worth up to $200 million. It wasn’t just xAI under scrutiny. Reuters reported earlier this week that the administration is exploring alternatives to Musk’s SpaceX for work on the Golden Dome missile defense system—another sign that Musk’s hold on federal funds may be slipping. A person protesting Elon Musk’s actions in the Trump administration holds a sign outside a Tesla showroom in Seattle on Feb. 13. This wouldn’t be the first time Trump has threatened to pull the plug. Back in June, he floated the idea of gutting Musk’s funding entirely. “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” Trump posted online. He also took a swipe at Musk’s political ambitions earlier this month, calling his newly launched political party, the “America Party,” “ridiculous.” (He’s not wrong there.) “It’s ridiculous to start a third party,” Trump told reporters. “We have a tremendous success with the Republican Party. The Democrats have lost their way, but it’s always been a two-party system, and I think starting a third party just adds to confusion.” Now Trump may be walking it all back. His latest Truth Social post came just days after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department had told Trump he was mentioned in the Epstein files—something Musk had publicly claimed during their spat. Since The Journal’s report, Musk hasn’t mentioned it again. The timing didn’t go unnoticed. Trump’s administration is already facing heat over its handling of Epstein-related documents, and Musk has been a loud amplifier of the controversy. The two have been trading shots since late May, when Musk’s stint as a special government employee ended and he quickly began slamming Trump’s tax-and-spending agenda. Things escalated quickly—Musk accused Trump of ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and Trump responded by threatening to cut Musk’s contracts and subsidies. Before the fallout, Musk wasn’t just an ally—he was also at the helm of Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, and he’d pumped hundreds of millions into Trump’s reelection campaign. In March, Trump even promoted Teslas from the White House lawn like a QVC host, urging Americans to buy Musk’s cars. He even bought one—though after their fallout, he claimed he was considering tossing it. Still, if Musk was hoping for a win, Thursday didn’t bring it. According to Axios, Tesla shares dropped 9% in mid-morning trading after the company reported weak earnings and warned that Trump’s tax bill could hurt future results. Also, on a Wednesday earnings call, Musk predicted Tesla would face “a few rough quarters” due to rising tariffs and other factors. Now the ball’s in Musk’s court: Does he accept the olive branch—or strike again?

As it turns out, no amount of ass-kissing could save beleaguered New York City Mayor Eric Adams from President Donald Trump’s wrath.  Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that the Department of Justice is suing the Big Apple and its mayor for protecting immigrants. This is the latest in a string of lawsuits filed against cities which the feds claim are obstructing immigration enforcement. “The Department of Justice is suing New York City and Mayor Eric Adams for continuing to obstruct law enforcement with sanctuary city policies,” she wrote via X. “If New York’s leaders won’t step up to protect their citizens, we will.” All of this follows the shooting of an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent in the Bronx over the weekend. Two undocumented immigrants were taken into custody for shooting the agent during what appeared to be an attempted robbery. Despite the tragedy, he is expected to survive. And while Adams basically opened the door to the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans earlier this year in an attempt to avoid his own corruption scandal, that doesn’t seem to be good enough for Trump’s team any longer.  Even flirting with a party switch to join them on the GOP side wasn’t enough to keep Adams out of the hot seat.  Related | Trump’s team throws NYC Mayor Eric Adams under the bus Now, despite numerous one-on-one meetings between Adams and so-called border czar Tom Homan, he and his city are facing a 37-page lawsuit.  Homan stood alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Monday as she accused Adams during a press conference of “protecting criminals who go out and murder, rape, rob.” Of course, the Trump administration’s overstepping of power when it comes to sanctuary cities seems to be commonplace these days.  Just last month, they were activating thousands of National Guard members and deploying hundreds of active-duty Marines to Los Angeles not only to quell protests by shooting at journalists, but to assist in snatching up undocumented immigrants.  Then again, the administration’s stance, according to the lawsuit, is that if you just let these violent and masked immigration agents do their job, no one will get hurt—except immigrants.

A daily roundup of the best stories and cartoons by Daily Kos staff and contributors to keep you in the know. The worst person you know just filed the worst abortion lawsuit in Texas The arguments are nonsense, but that doesn’t matter when the courts are stuffed with conservatives eager to ban abortion. Sorry, kids: Trump’s tariffs are coming for your Halloween candy His tariffs are truly ruining everything. Fox News in crisis mode over Epstein bombshell Leave it to Fox News to always cover for Dear Leader. Cartoon: Why power hates humor It’s the best-kept secret weapon. ‘South Park’ dresses down Trump in shocking PSA You’ll truly have to see it to believe it. GOP senators push Obama conspiracy to hide Trump’s Epstein scandal This is one seriously far-fetched distraction. Columbia caves to Trump, setting dangerous precedent for higher ed How far the great (institutions) have fallen. ‘That’s bullsh-t’: Pete Buttigieg slams Trump’s anti-DEI crusade Mayor Pete tells it like it is. Click here to see more cartoons.