The U.S. Executive Branch, 2025-28

[lizkat]

Wait, Canada started this? REALLY? Does the Times even have editors anymore?

Yeah the LA TImes had a pretty factual headline for news on the retaliatory tariffs. The bolding is mine.

"Mexico and Canada order retaliatory tariffs on U.S. after Trump starts trade war"​

​

Mexico and Canada order retaliatory tariffs on U.S. after Trump starts trade war

President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on goods imported from Mexico, Canada and China, triggering a trade war and raising fears about consumer costs.

www.latimes.com

Guess the LA Times owner --despite having quashed a Harris endorsement-- is savvy enough to think that not only are tariffs stupid but that most LA Times readers would agree or at least not think the paper lied in saying that it was Trump who started this beef... as opposed to NYT which apparently remains focused primarily on not getting sued "for defamation" by Donald Trump and secondarily on playing the bothsides card it thinks is needed to keep up its subscriber numbers.

 

[Thomas Veil]

Next up: the EU. 😣

Tariffs on EU goods imported into the US will happen "pretty soon", says President Donald Trump.

"They've really taken advantage of [the US]," he says.

"They don't take our cars, they don't take our farm products. They take almost nothing, and we take everything from the millions of cars, tremendous amounts of food and farm products."

Well! Why not just put tariffs on the entire world? 🤨

Whoops!

"The United States has been ripped off by virtually every country in the world. We have deficits with almost every country - not every country - but almost, and we're going to change it. It's been unfair."

Two weeks in, and it’s already time to impeach this bastard.

Trump says EU tariffs will happen and UK is 'out of line' but deal 'can be worked out' - live updates

Asked by the BBC whether he would target the UK with tariffs, Donald Trump says "it might happen".

www.bbc.com

 

[Thomas Veil]

Oh. My. God.



Trump only wants the best and the brightest.

 

[lizkat]

Two weeks in, and it’s already time to impeach this bastard.

I'm up for that. Just trying to dismantle the existence and work of USAID agency entirely is enough abuse of power and demonstration of malfeasance. There are new developments there, including more ousters, and even the resignation of the Trump-appointed USAID chief of staff Matt Hopson (he apparently resigned immediately after the security employees were put on leave by DOGE stooges for simply having done what was legally required of them, i.e. denying access to people lacking clearance to visit secure offices or view classified docs.). This is getting really ugly and meanwhile the stop-work orders have put lives in jeopardy around the world.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/more-usaid-staff-ousted-trump-administration-dismantles-aid-agency-2025-02-02/

Congressional Democrats said the changes appeared to violate U.S. laws establishing USAID and funding it as a separate agency. Two senior Senate Democratic aides said lawmakers and staff had been meeting on Sunday and would meet again on Monday to consider further steps, including legal action.

Meanwhile, billionaire Trump ally Musk on Sunday continued to slam USAID in his posts and reposts on his X social network. Trump has assigned Musk to lead a federal cost-cutting panel with broad oversight powers. Officials from DOGE have made frequent visits to USAID headquarters in Washington, according to sources familiar with the matter. On Sunday, Musk accused USAID of being "a criminal organization" without providing any evidence and added "Time for it to die".

 

[P___X]

"They don't take our cars, they don't take our farm products. They take almost nothing, and we take everything from the millions of cars, tremendous amounts of food and farm products."

Italian streets:


American cars:



French food:


American food:


----------
But jokes aside, EU food, especially produce quality is waaaaay higher than in the US, and I trust EU food safety regulations waaaaay more than American. American food's competitiveness is maxed out by McDonald's market share. Also, produce trade is a touchy topic even among EU members. So that's kind of a war that is not happening.
And then cars. The most common cars sold in the US are pickups. They simply don't fit ant lack practicality in most of densely populated, narrow-streeted Europe.

 

[SouprMatt]

Trump is even more senile than his handlers let on. Musk and associates are running everything. They placate Trump by letting him rail against transgender people and DEI, all while they steal directly from the US Treasury.

We are witnessing the fall of an empire.

 

[SouprMatt]

I'm up for that. Just trying to dismantle the existence and work of USAID agency entirely is enough abuse of power and demonstration of malfeasance. There are new developments there, including more ousters, and even the resignation of the Trump-appointed USAID chief of staff Matt Hopson (he apparently resigned immediately after the security employees were put on leave by DOGE stooges for simply having done what was legally required of them, i.e. denying access to people lacking clearance to visit secure offices or view classified docs.). This is getting really ugly and meanwhile the stop-work orders have put lives in jeopardy around the world.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/more-usaid-staff-ousted-trump-administration-dismantles-aid-agency-2025-02-02/

USAID employees are some of the best and brightest people in the nation, if not the world. Other countries would LOVE to hire them. And if they do leave, how will they be replaced? Would good people with outstanding intelligence, empathy, and creativity want to work for the US Government in the future?

 

[P___X]

Trump is even more senile than his handlers let on. Musk and associates are running everything. They placate Trump by letting him rail against transgender people and DEI, all while they steal directly from the US Treasury.

We are witnessing the fall of an empire.

Now, remember that healthcare CEO murder thread? current events show what a waste of an effort that was.

 

[lizkat]

Trump is even more senile than his handlers let on. Musk and associates are running everything. They placate Trump by letting him rail against transgender people and DEI, all while they steal directly from the US Treasury.

We are witnessing the fall of an empire.

This is just so bad. And a lot of what's being done by this unelected DOGE thug and his appointd hirelings falls in category of "you can't unring a bell"... including downloading details of treasury disbursements to private external drives?, WTAF. Who'll end up with that info? Talk about data breaches. Are the Republicans who control Congress just sitting around sucking their thumbs this weekend? They're not just spineless, they are complicit even in the face of sure wrath from their constituents.

 

[SouprMatt]

Now, remember that healthcare CEO murder thread? current events show what a waste of an effort that was.

Are you saying Luigi shot the wrong CEO? 🤣🤣

 

[Jay Mysteri0]

Well, that's an accomplishment.

Can't wait to hear how 45 blames Biden for this.

 

[Jay Mysteri0]

For Fucking Fuck's sake, ...this truly is a fucking clown show

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/01/defense-department-identity-months-axed-010416

Identity months are officially dead at the Pentagon.

The Defense Department will no longer use “official resources, including man-hours” to celebrate “cultural awareness months,” according to guidance Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth issued Friday — on the eve of Black History Month, which began Saturday.

The list of celebrations called out include National African American/Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month and National American Indian Heritage Month.


“We are proud of our warriors and their history, but we will focus on the character of their service instead of their immutable characteristics,” the guidance says. It notes that service members and civilians may attend events “in an unofficial capacity outside of duty hours.”

Hegseth’s orders came the same day that President Donald Trump issued a proclamation calling for the recognition of Black History Month.

On Friday, Trump called “upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.”

Asked Friday if agencies that had called off Black History Month activities should reinstate them in response to the proclamation, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters “the president is leading here at the White House.”

A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment.

This is what happens when dickish behavior is celebrated. The head guy acts like a dick, so all the little subordinates think they need to show how big a dick they can be, but then the head guy doesn't like the reaction he gets for being a dick & turns around & reverses course. In the end everybody still looks like a dick, but they would kindly ask you out of respect for their feelings not to call them the dicks that they are. FTMF

Yes, all of that was intentional. 🤬

Trump recognizes Tiger Woods, Harriet Tubman for Black History Month

President Trump on Friday said he is “honored” to recognize February as Black History Month and that “black Americans have been among our country’s most consequential leaders.” “America…

thehill.com

President Trump on Friday said he is “honored” to recognize February as Black History Month and that “black Americans have been among our country’s most consequential leaders.”

“American heroes such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Sowell, Justice Clarence Thomas, and countless others represent what is best in America and her citizens,” Trump said in a statement.

Black History Month celebrates the achievements of Black Americans and the contributions they have made to American society. Created by Carter G. Woodson, the month originally began as Black History Week and was scheduled around President Lincoln’s birthday.

This year’s Black History Month theme, determined each year by the Association for the Study of Life and History, is African Americans and Labor.

Trump on Friday said that he would like to extend his “tremendous gratitude” to Black Americans for “all they have done to bring us to this moment” and any future contributions.

“Their achievements, which have monumentally advanced the tradition of equality under the law in our great country, continue to serve as an inspiration for all Americans,” Trump said.

“We will also never forget the achievements of American greats like Tiger Woods, who have pushed the boundaries of excellence in their respective fields, paving the way for others to follow,” he added.

Clarence Thomas? Tiger Woods?

 

[SouprMatt]

For Fucking Fuck's sake, ...this truly is a fucking clown show




This is what happens when dickish behavior is celebrated. The head guy acts like a dick, so all the little subordinates think they need to show how big a dick they can be, but then the head guy doesn't like the reaction he gets for being a dick & turns around & reverses course. In the end everybody still looks like a dick, but they would kindly ask you out of respect for their feelings not to call them the dicks that they are. FTMF

Yes, all of that was intentional. 🤬




Clarence Thomas? Tiger Woods?

Here’s the final sentence of Hegseth’s order:

This guidance is effectively immediately.

The incompetence goes all the way down to the grammar.

 

[SouprMatt]

Members of Congress spoke in front of USAID in DC a brief time ago.

 

[SouprMatt]

Darren Beattie was fired from the first Trump administration after his white supremacy was exposed.

In Oct 2024, he tweeted:

Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work.

Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent white men.

Yep, he thinks only white men must be in charge. He is that open and shameless about his racism.

Guess what? He just got hired for the State Dept by Marco Rubio.

https://boingboing.net/2025/02/03/new-pick-for-high-level-state-department-job-competent-white-men-must-be-in-charge-if-you-want-things-to-work.html

 

[lizkat]

Darren Beattie was fired from the first Trump administration after his white supremacy was exposed.

In Oct 2024, he tweeted:



Yep, he thinks only white men must be in charge. He is that open and shameless about his racism.

Guess what? He just got hired for the State Dept by Marco Rubio.

https://boingboing.net/2025/02/03/new-pick-for-high-level-state-department-job-competent-white-men-must-be-in-charge-if-you-want-things-to-work.html

Gee, if competent white men can be so demoralized by the mere thought of competent minorities and women being considered for private or public sector jobs, we really are a pretty messed up country, and should reinstate DEI training programs immediately... and meanwhile stick with hiring more minorities and women, since they bring at least a modicum of emotional resilience to the workplace along with their academic and employment credentials.

Disappointed in Rubio already. Maybe not as surprised as I might have hoped I'd be. He had seemed like one of the less awful cabinet picks. But then one must consider the low bar set by the rest of them.

 

[P___X]

Are you saying Luigi shot the wrong CEO? 🤣🤣

There are certainly better uses of talent...

 

[SouprMatt]

So, the tariffs on Canada and Mexico are delayed... And will probably go away completely. Again, Trump has to create a crisis, then magically ends the crisis by simply behaving sanely the next day. And people act like he actually did something good.

Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Canada and Mexico after they pledge to boost border enforcement

Trump on Saturday had directed that 25% tariffs on most imports from the two American partners — and 10% on Canadian energy products — go into effect at midnight Tuesday.

apnews.com

 

[P___X]

So, the tariffs on Canada and Mexico are delayed... And will probably go away completely. Again, Trump has to create a crisis, then magically ends the crisis by simply behaving sanely the next day. And people act like he actually did something good.

Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Canada and Mexico after they pledge to boost border enforcement

Trump on Saturday had directed that 25% tariffs on most imports from the two American partners — and 10% on Canadian energy products — go into effect at midnight Tuesday.

apnews.com

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Trump is the political version of that Montana "oncologist" who diagnosed people with fake cancer and then treated their fake cancer with real chemo.

A Hospital Helped a Beloved Doctor’s Practice Flourish Even as It Suspected He Was Hurting Patients

Hailed as a savior upon his arrival in Helena, Dr. Thomas C. Weiner became a favorite of patients and his hospital’s highest earner. As the myth surrounding the high-profile oncologist grew, so did the trail of patient harm and suspicious deaths.

www.propublica.org

 

[SouprMatt]

The bogus offer to federal workers is laid bare here. In short, they could quit now… but could be told: sorry you still have to work up through September! And then they still lose their job at that time!

UPDATE: The "deferred resignation" scam

Last week, Popular Information broke down the "offer" that the Trump administration was making to millions of federal employees to induce them to resign voluntarily.

popular.info

Last week, Popular Information broke downthe "offer" that the Trump administration was making to millions of federal employees to induce them to resign voluntarily. The Trump administration wanted federal employees to believe that if they agreed to resign effective September 30, they would receive their full pay until then and not have to work for the next eight months.

Elon Musk, who engineered the deal through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), claimed on X that "[t]hose deciding to take the deferred resignation deal can do anything they want for the next eight months and are not required to work at all whatsoever." Many media outlets amplified this false narrative. The offer was widely reported as a "buyout," even though it did not include a lump sum payment or terminate the federal employees' work obligations.

The fine print of the deal, which at the time was detailed in an email and series of online FAQs, made it clear that employees could be required to work until their official resignation date. This means that federal employees could be agreeing to resign in exchange for nothing.