Elect a Clown, Expect the Circus

lousubcap

Monday Clown Show summary:

"The Department of Veteran Affairs plans to cut as many as 35,000 health care positions this month, according to an internal memo and U.S. officials. The agency hopes that the cuts will reduce the health care workforce by around 10 per cent, according to the memo. A VA spokesperson said that the “move will have no effect on VA operations or the way the department delivers care to Veterans, we are simply eliminating open and unfilled [positions].” Thomas Dargon Jr., deputy general counsel for the American Federation of Government Employees, said the union had not been consulted by the agency about the cuts, adding that “the VA has been chronically understaffed for years, and employees are obviously going to be facing the brunt of any further job cuts.” Meryl Kornfield, Hannah Natanson, and Lisa Rein report for the Washington Post.

The Trump administration ordered the National Park Service to remove any merchandise related to diversity, equity, and inclusion from its gift shops by Dec.19, according to an Interior Department memo last month. The memo did not provide any examples of which merchandise should be removed. The Interior Department said in a statement on Friday that the review of retail items would “ensure our gift shops remain neutral spaces that serve all visitors” and “do not promote specific viewpoints.” Ashley Ahn reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

"Trump yesterday signed an executive order classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. The order cites the lethality of the drug and that the sale of fentanyl by Foreign Terrorist Organizations threatens national security. Speaking as he signed the order, Trump said that the amount of drugs coming into the United States by sea has decreased by 94 per cent, adding that drug flows are “a direct military threat to the United States of America.” Erica Bazail-Eimil and Jack Detsch report for POLITICO. 

Senior Pentagon officials are preparing to downgrade several of the U.S. military’s major headquarters and shift the balance of power among its top generals, according to sources. The plans would reduce the prominence of U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command by placing them under the control of a new organization known as U.S. International Command, five sources said. The plan also calls for realigning U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Northern Command under a new headquarters to be known as U.S. Americas Command, or Americom. Dan Lamothe, Tara Copp, Noah Robertson, and Alex Horton report for the Washington Post.  

The Pentagon is escalating its preliminary review into Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) over a recent video where he and five other Democratic lawmakers told U.S. troops to defy illegal orders to an official command investigation, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office told The Hill. Filip Timotija reports."

lousubcap

Wednesday Clown Show summary:

"“The [Vanity Fair]  article published early this morning is a disingenuously framed hit piece on me and the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history,” White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles wrote yesterday. Wiles and other administration officials came out to criticize the articles, with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance offering explanations of Wiles’ comments as reported, defending both her and the administration. Isaac Arnsdorf and Maegan Vazquez report for the Washington Post.

Trump has nominated Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd, a career Special Forces officer and current deputy commander of Indo-Pacific Command, to be the next head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command,according to two sources. Rudd would formally replace Gen. Timothy Haugh, who was fired by Trump in April. Speaking in general terms about Rudd’s nomination, a former U.S. official said, “Why would we think it’s a good idea to make someone without cyber experience head of Cyber Command?” Ellen Nakashima and Alex Horton report for the Washington Post."

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show summary:

"FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said yesterday that he plans to step down from the bureau in January. After Bongino's announcement, FBI Director Kash Patel called him "the best partner I could’ve asked for in helping restore this FBI." Ryan Lucas reports for NPR; Dareh Gregorian reports for NBC  News."

lousubcap

Friday Clown Show summary:

"Trump yesterday signed into law the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes $901 billion in annual military spending. The White House announced that Trump had signed it, but no Oval Office ceremony with reporters was held. Patricia Zengerle reports for Reuters.

The U.S. Coast Guard yesterday deleted language from its new workplace harassment policy that had downgraded the definition of swastikas and nooses from hate symbols to “potentially divisive.” In a message to all Coast Guard personnel, Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard’s acting commandant, said those revisions had been “completely removed” from the policy manual. Lunday also said that a separate directive he issued last month prohibiting swastikas and nooses “remains in full effect.” Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jack Rosen (D-NV) said that they had lifted their holds on Lunday’s nomination to lead the Coast Guard following his announcement. Tara Copp and Marianne LeVine report for the Washington Post.

The Trump administration will repurpose $2.6 billion in military housing assistance to pay $1,776 “warrior dividend” bonuses to service members, according to a senior administration official. Roughly 1.45 million service members, including 174,000 reservists, will receive the bonuses. Trump said on Wednesday that the money for the bonuses came from tariffs, but this was incorrect as Trump does not have the authority to spend the money from tariffs without authorization from Congress. Jacob Bogage, Noah Robertson, and Riley Beggin report for the Washington Post."

lousubcap

Tuesday (1/6) Clown Show summary:

"The Defense Department has initiated proceedings to demote Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) from a retired Navy captain to a lower rank, with a corresponding reduction in pay, in response to his video warning service members not to follow illegal orders, Hegseth said yesterday. Leo Shane III and Connor O’Brien report for POLITICO.

The Trump administration plans to freeze $10 billion in funding for child care subsidies, social services, and cash support for low-income families in five Democratic-led states, according to Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon. Around $7 billion in funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program will be cut off in Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois, and Colorado. “Democrat-led states and governors have been complicit in allowing massive amounts of fraud to occur under their watch,” Nixon said. “Under the Trump administration, we are ensuring that federal taxpayer dollars are being used for legitimate purposes.” Minho Kim reports for the New York Times.

The Homeland Security Department has drafted plans to cut the Federal Emergency Management Agency Workforce in 2026 through potential reductions of thousands of disaster response and recovery roles, according to documents obtained by the Washington Post. Emails sent to senior agency leadership in late December include detailed tables identifying roles that can be cut from the agency’s divisions. These tables include a 41 per cent reduction in CORE disaster roles, more than 4,300 positions. In a statement, FEMA spokesperson Daniel Llargués said the agency has “not issued and is not implementing a percentage-based workforce reduction.” Brianna Sacks reports."

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show summary:

"Trump yesterday signed a presidential memorandum initiating the withdrawal of U.S. support from 66 international organizations, agencies, commissions and treaties that are contrary to U.S. interests. The memorandum includes the U.S. withdrawal from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and targets many U.N.- related bodies that focus on climate, labor, and migration. Other non-U.N. organizations on the list include the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, and the Global Counterterrorism Forum. Matthew Lee and Farnoush Amiri report for AP News; Somini Sengupta and Lisa Friedman report for the New York Times.

“Our Military Budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 Trillion Dollars,” Trump wrote on social media yesterday, adding that this would allow the United States to build the “‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to.” Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times.

Trump yesterday said he will block defense contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until they accelerate weapons production and deliver projects on time and on budget. Trump’s executive orderdirects the Pentagon to identify defense contractors within 30 days who are underperforming and have engaged in stock buybacks. The Pentagon will then engage with those firms, which would have a chance to submit a remediation plan for review within a 15-day period after the notification. Mike Stone and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters."

lousubcap

Friday Clown Show summary:

"When asked in an interview with the New York Times if there were any limits on his global power, Trump said, “Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.” “I don’t need international law,” he added. “I’m not looking to hurt people.” David E. Sanger, Tyler Pager, Katie Rogers, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs report.

Vice President JD Vance yesterday announced the creation of a new position within the Justice Department charged with investigating allegations of “fraud” across the country. Vance said the new assistant attorney general, who has been selected but not announced, will initially focus on fraud in Minnesota, but it will be a “nationwide effort, because unfortunately, the American people have been defrauded in a very nationwide way.” Ben Johansen reports for POLITICO."

SamIAm2

" lousubcap said:

Friday Clown Show summary:

but it will be a “nationwide effort, because unfortunately, the American people have been defrauded in a very nationwide way.” Ben Johansen reports for POLITICO."

Starts at the top, though there is no self awareness from that quarter. 

lousubcap

Monday Clown Show summary:

"Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday quietly ordered new restrictions on congressional visits to immigration detention facilities. The restrictions, revealed in court on Saturday, force lawmakers to seek a week’s advance notice before conducting oversight of ICE facilities. They are virtually identical to a policy that a federal judge halted last month after ruling that it appeared to violate a provision of the appropriations law that funds ICE. Noem said she would bypass the ruling by using the injection of funds given to ICE through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act instead. Kyle Cheney, Ben Johansen, and Gregory Svirnovskiy report for POLITICO; Michael Gold reports for the New York Times.

The Trump administration will send “hundreds more” federal agents to Minneapolis “today or tomorrow” to support the work of ICE agents, Noem said yesterday, citing a major welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota as the reason. Noem also said some nonprofits in Minnesota were being investigated for their funding sources, and claimed they had trained protestors in impeding law enforcement operations and "weaponizing" vehicles against ICE agents. Minho Kim reports for the New York Times.

The U.S. attorney's office in the District of Columbia has opened an investigation into the chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome H. Powell, over the central bank’s renovation of its Washington headquarters and whether Powell lied about the scope of the project, according to officials. Powell yesterday acknowledged that the Justice Department had served the central bank with grand jury subpoenas in recent days. Stock futures fell, the dollar weakened, and gold prices jumped to a record after Powell said that Trump was seeking to press the central bank into cutting interest rates with the threat of a criminal indictment. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), a swing vote on the Banking Committee, said in a statement, “If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” adding “it is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.” Glenn Thrush and Colby Smith report for the New York Times; the Wall Street Journal reports."

lousubcap

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

"In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly complained to his aides about Attorney General Pam Bondi, describing her as a weak and ineffective enforcer of his agenda, administration officials and other sources said. Some officials said that the criticisms appear to be part of an intense campaign by Trump to pressure the Justice Department to pursue his policies more aggressively. Trump’s chief grievance is what he sees as Bondi’s failure to prosecute Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, the sources said. Josh Dawsey, Sadie Gurman, and C. Ryan Barber report for the Wall Street Journal.  

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Trump late Sunday that the federal investigation into the Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell “made a mess” and could be bad for financial markets, two sources told Axios. “The secretary isn’t happy, and he let the president know,” one source said. The sources added that the U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office in D.C. launched the probe without giving a heads up to the Treasury, top White House officials, or the main Justice Department. Trump "didn't tell Pirro to do it. But I can't say he's going to tell her to withdraw it," one of the sources said. "The president is angry with Powell. What can I say?" Marc Caputo reports."

lousubcap

Wednesday Clown Show summary:

"President Trump criticized a group of U.S. attorneys at a White House photo event Thursday, calling them “weak” and complaining they were not moving fast enough to prosecute targets he favors, according to people familiar with the exchange. Last week, dozens of U.S. attorneys who run prosecutors’ offices nationwide went to the White House, anticipating a routine, ceremonial photo opportunity. After Attorney General Pam Bondi introduced the group, Trump told them they were ineffective and said their performance was making it harder for Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to do their jobs, the people said. Sadie Gurman, C. Ryan Barber, and Josh Dawsey report for the Wall Street Journal.  

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said Monday that federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., are investigating her after she helped organize a video urging military service members to resist illegal orders. Slotkin said she learned of the inquiry from the office of Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, after Pirro’s office emailed the Senate sergeant-at-arms requesting an interview with Slotkin or her private counsel. Pirro’s office declined to confirm or deny any investigation, and it remains unclear what specific crime officials believe the video implicates. Greg Jaffe reports for the New York Times.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. yesterday expanded the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices by appointing two obstetrician-gynecologists who have sharply criticized vaccination, including during pregnancy. HHS named the appointees as Kimberly Biss and Adam Urato; the Washington Postreported that a review of their past interviews, podcasts, and social media found their criticism “goes deeper” than pandemic-era objections. In a December 2022 podcast, Biss said, “I was not anti-vaxxer, but I am now,” and later called the vaccine industry “disgusting,” adding, “My grandchildren will not get any shots if I can help it,” according to the Post. Lena H. Sun reports for the Washington Post. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) assistant chief counsel James “Jim” Joseph Rodden has returned to work in Dallas immigration court after the Texas Observer identified him as the alleged operator of the “GlomarResponder” X account that posted white-supremacist and other hateful content. The Observer reported that, after its initial story, Rodden was apparently pulled from federal immigration court schedules, and ICE said its Office of Professional Responsibility “understands the seriousness of the allegations” and would address them, but it has provided no further public update. After receiving a tip, the Observer went to Dallas Immigration Court yesterday and reported that Rodden was seated at the prosecutors’ desk in Judge Deitrich H. Sims’s courtroom. Steven Monacelli reports for the Texas Observer. "

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show summary:

"Democratic Reps. Jason Crow (Colo.), Maggie Goodlander (N.H.), and Chrissy Houlahan (Pa.) said they are under investigation by Washington, D.C., federal prosecutors over their participation in a video urging service members to resist illegal orders, though it is unclear what crime authorities believe they may have committed. The lawmakers said they have been contacted by Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, seeking interviews with them or their private counsel—following a similar disclosure earlier this week by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.). Greg Jaffe reports for the New York Times. 

Trump administration officials are considering FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson to oversee a newly created Justice Department unit focused on combating nationwide fraud, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The sources said Ferguson would keep his FTC role while taking on the new assignment with the unit, which Vice President JD Vance has said he will head. Josh Sisco and Leah Nylen report. 

President Trump has “no plan” to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell despite a Justice Department criminal investigation tied to alleged cost overruns on a roughly $2.5 billion renovation of two historic buildings at the Fed’s headquarters, though he said it was “too early” to say what he might ultimately do, the president told Reuters yesterday. Steve Holland and Trevor Hunnicutt report for Reuters. 

The “Department of War” rebrand could cost as much as $125 million if implemented broadly and rapidly across the department, a Congressional Budget Office report published yesterday estimated. CBO put a more modest rollout at roughly $10 million. Fatima Hussein and Konstantin Toropin report for ABC News. 

Senate Republicans yesterday voted down a War Powers resolution that would have required congressional authorization before any further U.S. military action in Venezuela, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The measure had advanced last week after five Republicans joined Democrats, but two—Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.)—flipped after pressure from Trump and the administration. Both cited assurances from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the U.S. does not plan to deploy ground troops and would seek congressional authorization for any “major military operations,” circumstances permitting. Stephen Groves reports for the Associated Press.  

The House passed yesterday a two-bill “minibus” appropriations package funding the Treasury Department, the State Department, the IRS, and national security programs. H.R. 7006 passed 341–79 and would provide roughly $76 billion; it now heads to the Senate, which is expected to take it up, along with other spending measures, next week. Sudiksha Kochi and Mike Lillis report for The Hill. "

lousubcap

Friday Clown Show summary:

"The U.S. Commerce Department announced on Thursday that Taiwan will invest $250 billion in U.S. chipmaking under a new trade deal. In exchange, the United States will lower its tariff rate on Taiwan, bringing it down to 15 percent. It will also commit to zero “reciprocal” tariffs on certain goods, including generic pharmaceuticals. Kif Leswing reports for CNBC. 

The United States is stepping up its pressure on Mexico to allow U.S. forces, either Special Operation troops or C.I.A. officers, to conduct joint operations to dismantle fentanyl labs inside the country. The country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, opposes the idea of sending U.S. troops across the border. ​​Maria Abi-Habib, Julian E. Barnes, Eric Schmitt, and Tyler Pager report for the New York Times. 

The Pentagon announced on Thursday that it is overhauling the historically editorially independent newspaper Stars and Stripes. “The statement appears to challenge the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, which while a part of the Pentagon’s Defense Media Activity has long retained independence from editorial oversight from the Pentagon under a congressional mandate that it be governed by First Amendment principles.” Corey Dickstein reports for Stars and Stripes.

After the FBI raided a Washington Post reporter’s home on Wednesday, journalists from multiple outlets are taking new precautions to protect their reporting. “Many journalists said they saw the FBI raid as a jarring new step aimed at limiting news organizations’ ability to gather information that the government does not want to be made public.” Sarah Ellison, Patrick Marley and Colby Itkowitz report for the Washington Post. 

Staffers at CBS News expressed their concern and skepticism when the newsroom cited two anonymous “U.S. officials” on Wednesday to report that the ICE officer who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis “suffered internal bleeding to the torso” after the incident. Jeremy Barr reports for the Guardian. "

lousubcap

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

"If the Supreme Court rejects the legal foundation for Trump’s tariff program, the administration would move “the next day” to reimpose similar levies under other authorities, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said. In a Jan. 15 interview, Greer said the White House has “a lot of different options.” Ana Swanson for the New York Times.

U.S. consumers and importers paid about 96 per cent of the cost of last year’s U.S. tariff increases, with foreign exporters absorbing only about 4 per cent through lower prices, new research from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy found—cutting against Trump’s repeated claim that foreigners are footing the bill. Using roughly $4 trillion in shipment data from between Jan. 2024 and Nov. 2025, the researchers also found that after surprise tariff hikes on Brazil and India in August 2025, exporters largely did not cut unit prices to offset the tariffs, instead shipping less to the United States, pointing to higher U.S. prices over time and reduced export volumes rather than “foreign-paid” tariffs. Tom Fairless reports for the Wall Street Journal.

The National Guard will remain deployed in Washington, D.C., through 2026. About 2,400 troops are currently stationed in the city and they are mostly from Republican-controlled states. Steven Beynon reports for ABC News.

The three highest-ranking U.S. Catholic archbishops said Monday that recent U.S. actions on Venezuela, Ukraine, and Greenland raise “basic questions about the use of military force” and have put America’s moral role “under examination.” Michelle Boorstein and Anthony Faiola report for the Washington Post."

lousubcap

Wednesday Clown Show summary:

"The Justice Department yesterday disclosed that two Department of Government Efficiency employees at the Social Security Administration may have improperly accessed and shared sensitive Social Security data.The SSA referred both DOGE employees for potential violations of the Hatch Act, which bars government employees from using their official positions for political purposes. Kyle Cheney reports for POLITICO."

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show summary:

"The House Oversight Committee yesterday voted in support of holding former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress after they refused to appear for closed-door depositions related to the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. A resolution holding Hillary Clinton passed largely by party lines, 28-15. The resolution holding Bill Clinton in contempt received more Democratic support, passing by a 34-8 vote. Kadia Goba and Shayna Jacobs report for the Washington Post.  

Former special counsel Jack Smith is set to testify today before Congress about the criminal investigations into Trump. According to his prepared statement obtained by NBC News, Smith will say that his investigation developed “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump “engaged in a criminal scheme” to overturn his 2020 election loss. Ryan J. Reilly reports. 

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr yesterday issued guidance directing broadcasters to provide political candidates with equal time on morning and late-night shows. John Hendel reports for POLITICO. "

lousubcap

Friday Clown Show summary:

"Former special counsel Jack Smith said yesterday during his congressional testimony that he believes the Justice Department will indict him, adding, “I believe they will do everything in their power to do that because they have been ordered to by the President.” April Rubin reports for Axios. 

The Trump administration has pushed out two officials from the Commerce Department’s OICTS, focused on countering technological threats from China, sources said. Some U.S. officials and security hawks said the departures raised concerns about the Trump administration's softer stance towards China. Heather Somerville and Amrith Ramkumar report for the Wall Street Journal. 

The Office of Management and Budget has ordered all federal agencies except Defense and Veteran Affairs departments to report every grant, loan, contract, subcontract, and “other monetary award” to a group of 14 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C. The memo, sent Monday with instructions to report back by Jan. 28, says the exercise is meant to “facilitate efforts to reduce the improper and fraudulent use of those funds through administrative means or legislative proposals to Congress.” Jacob Bogage reports for the Washington Post."

Botch

https://youtube.com/shorts/6XgJJWmqfcY?si=M1lbxjm7kUES5uvR
 
  

lousubcap

Monday Clown Show Summary:

The Pentagon on Friday released the National Defense Strategy,reaffirming the Trump administration’s focus on the Western Hemisphere and defense of the U.S homeland. Jack Detsch reports for POLITICO. "

Botch

CBS News did something unusual on their show this morning; they overlaid kristy noem's narrative of the latest shooting over the video itself.  
I wanted to post it here, but cbsnews.com  is now blocked for me because of my ad blocker; fortunately they posted it separately on YT:
 
https://youtu.be/6QF-zWPbuLI?si=yLn04wKXiURTD5sO

lousubcap

She needs to go and right now. No credibility.  Certainly reads with the timing like it's her going on the offense independent of any checks and balances.  And nothing further once her claims were clearly false.  

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show summary:

"The Trump administration has overhauled a set of nuclear safety directives and shared them with the companies it is charged with regulating, without making the new rules available to the public, according to documents obtained by NPR. The orders slash hundreds of pages of reactor security requirements and loosen protections for groundwater and the environment. The changes were made to accelerate the development of next-generation nuclear reactor designs. Geoff Brumfiel reports.

The Trump administration yesterday announced that California is violating federal law by allowing schools to withhold information from parents about students’ gender identity. The finding targets a California policy signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said a federal investigation determined state officials “egregiously abused” their authority by pressuring local districts to keep quiet about transgender students. Eric He reports for POLITICO.  

The FBI yesterday searched an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, seeking records related to the 2020 election. Among the 2020 election documents sought are ballots, tabulator tapes from the scanners used to tally them, electronic ballot images, and voter rolls. An FBI spokesperson said agents were “executing a court authorized law enforcement action.” Kate Brumback reports for AP News."

Botch

lousubcap said:

Thursday Clown Show summary:

"The Trump administration has overhauled a set of nuclear safety directives and shared them with the companies it is charged with regulating, without making the new rules available to the public, according to documents obtained by NPR. The orders slash hundreds of pages of reactor security requirements and loosen protections for groundwater and the environment. The changes were made to accelerate the development of next-generation nuclear reactor designs. Geoff Brumfiel reports.

This one has me confused.  I thought Traitor was all about Big Beautiful Coal, Drill Baby Drill and other fossil fuels, and not cleaner forms of energy.  Did some reactor contractor (and, are  there any in the US anymore?) donate to the east-wing Epstein Memorial Ballroom?   

lousubcap

Friday Clown Show summary:

"Kevin Warsh will succeed Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve Chair, Trump announced this morning. Jeff Cox reports for CNBC.  

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has spent months investigating the 2020 election results and potential crimes, White House officials said, adding that this is a priority for the President. Gabbard has begun studying information about voting machines, analyzed data from swing states, and pursued theories that President Trump has promoted to claim the 2020 election was unfairly taken from him, the officials said. This role took Gabbard to a related FBI search of an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, this week. Josh Dawsey, Dustin Volz, and Sadie Gurman report for the Wall Street Journal ."

lousubcap

Monday Clown Show Summary:

"The Trump administration is buying and seeking to convert large industrial warehouses across at least eight states into a nationwide mass-detention network capable of holding up to 80,000 migrants to accelerate deportations. The Homeland Security Department bought two warehouses this month, one in Williamsport, Maryland, for $102 million and another in Surprise, Arizona, for $70 million, deed records show. Local leaders in Maryland say DHS only notified them two days before the purchase. Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-MD) said last week, “Planning a detention facility behind closed doors is not governance - it is intimidation.” Jonathan O’Connell and Douglas MacMillan report for the Washington Post.  

Federal judges across the United States are increasingly ordering the release of immigrant detainees after finding the Trump administration’s mandatory-detention policy violates longstanding legal interpretations requiring bond hearings. Miriam Jordan and Devlin Barrett report for the New York Times.  

Trump said yesterday that he will close Washington’s Kennedy Center in July for two years for construction. Trump’s announcement on social media follows a wave of cancellations by leading performers since the president replaced the previous leadership and added his name to the building. Trump made no mention in his post of the recent cancellations. Michlle L. Price and Lisa Mascaro report for AP News."

lousubcap

Tuesday Clown show summary:

"Trump yesterday announced a $12 billion initiative known as “Project Vault” aimed at bolstering domestic stockpiles of strategic critical minerals to reduce dependence on foreign producers, especially China. Project Vault will entail procuring and storing minerals for American manufacturers. Alan Rappeport and Tony Romm report for the New York Times.  

Trump said yesterday that the administration is pursuing $1 billion from Harvard to settle federal probes into the university. Trump's post came in response to a New York Times report, citing sources, saying the Trump administration has dropped its demand for cash from Harvard in ongoing talks to strike a deal. Trump dismissed the report. Rishabh Jaiswal, Shivani Tanna, and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters.  

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers in a letteryesterday that she attended an FBI search of the election office in Fulton County, Georgia, last week because Trump asked her to be there, adding that she accompanied the FBI “under my broad statutory authority to coordinate, integrate, and analyze intelligence related to election security.” Gabbard also acknowledged that she “facilitated” a brief phone call between Trump and FBI agents who conducted the search, in which Trump thanked the agents for their work. Eric Tucker reports for AP News; John Sakellariadis reports for POLITICO.  

A U.S. intelligence official has alleged wrongdoing by Gabbard in a whistleblower complaint filed eight months ago that has yet to be shared with Congress, as it contains highly classified content which could cause “grave damage to national security,” U.S. officials said. It also implicates another federal agency and raises potential claims of executive privilege that may involve the White House, officials said. Dustin Volz and C. Ryan Barber report for the Wall Street Journal.  "

lousubcap

Wednesday Clown Show summary:

"Trump yesterday signed a $1.2 trillion funding package into law, ending a partial shutdown that began early Saturday morning. The House voted 217-215, with support from 21 Democrats, following Senate passage last week. Sophia Cai reports for POLITICO. 

The Small Business Administration on Monday issued new policy guidance requiring 100 percent of all owners of a small business applying for the agency’s primary 7(a) loan program to be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals with their principal residences within the United States. The policy rescinds the previous policy issued in December, which allowed a loan borrower to have up to 5 percent of the business’s ownership held by a foreign national, green card holderm or U.S. citizen living outside the United States. Katherine Hapgood reports for POLITICO.  

The Pentagon issued a public warning on Monday to Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts, saying that the organization risks losing its partnership with the U.S. military unless it implements “core value reforms.” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said, “Back to God and country - immediately!” In recent days, the Pentagon has begun finalizing plans to end all support for the Scouts, seeking input from the National Guard and the military’s active-duty components on the potential impact of such a move, according to multiple sources. Tara Copp and David Ovalle report for the Washington Post. "

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show Summary:

"The Trump administration has stalled the development on federal lands of more than 60 large wind and solar farms, according to multiple sources. The administration is also holding up hundreds of wind and solar projects on private land that require federal consultations. Many projects are facing potentially fatal delays, according to interviews with more than a dozen energy companies, industry groups, and analysts. Brad Plumer and Rebecca F. Elliott report for the New York Times."  

lousubcap

Friday Clown Show summary:

"The Trump administration yesterday finalized a policy that would strip job protections from up to 50,000 federal workers, making it easier to fire or discipline career employees with policy-related roles and shifting whistle-blower complaints inside agencies. The policy did not say precisely which positions would be affected. Eileen Sullivan reports for the New York Times. 

The White House said yesterday that Trump has not outlined any formal plans to deploy ICE agents to polling locations during November’s midterm elections, while adding, “I can’t guarantee that an ICE agent won’t be around a polling station.” Leavitt’s comments followed Steve Bannon’s remarks on his War Room podcast on Tuesday, “You’re damn right we’re gonna have ICE surround the polls come November.” Nandita Bose reports for Reuters."