Elect a Clown, Expect the Circus

lousubcap

Friday C;lown Show summary:

"FBI Director Kash Patel yesterday told lawmakers that agents who had worked on an investigation of Trump were dismissed last month because they were found to have violated the bureau’s ethics rules. Patel declined to specify what the purported violations were, citing pending litigation over the matter. Devlin Barrett reports for the New York Times.  

Trump told reporters yesterday that the Justice Department’s investigation into Jerome Powell over testimony about a costly Federal Reserve renovation should continue, despite a ruling by a federal judge that the administration’s subpoenas were a “mere pretext” to pressure the Fed to lower interest rates. U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said last week she would appeal the court decision quashing her subpoena requests. Victoria Guida reports for POLITICO."

lousubcap

Monday Clown Show summary:

The White House on Friday unveiled an AI national policy for Congress that urges lawmakers to enact legislation to preempt “cumbersome state AI laws.” The document also sets out measures to protect children, including giving parents control of accounts and devices to protect their children's privacy and suggests requiring that AI platforms include features to combat potential sexual exploitation or self-harm. Reuters reports.  

Only 9% of the Defense Department’s civilian workforce agreed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s leadership “generates high levels of motivation in the workforce,” according to a survey conducted by Partnership for Public Service released last week. The survey also shows that civilian workers with the Navy and Marine Corps have seen the biggest plunge in work satisfaction, from a score of 68.1 out of 100 in 2024 to 36.4 in 2025. The scores for Air Force workers dropped from 67 to 38.5; Army, from 70.3 to 48.1; and Hegseth’s office, the Joint Staff and other fourth-estate organizations, from 63.6 to 40.6. Meghann Myers reports for Defense One. 

A statue of Christopher Columbus was installed on the grounds of the White House yesterday morning. The statue is a replica of one that protesters in Baltimore tore down and dumped into the city’s Inner Harbor in 2020. “In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero, and President Trump will ensure he’s honored as such for generations to come,” a White House spokesperson said. Julia Jacobs reports for the New York Times. "

lousubcap

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

The Trump administration will pay $1 billion to TotalEnergies, a French company, to walk away from two U.S. offshore wind leases, the Interior Department announced yesterday. TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said the refunded lease fees will finance the construction of a liquefied natural gas plant in Texas and the development of its oil and gas activities. Jennifer McDermott and Matthew Daly report for AP News.

The Education Department yesterday announced two new investigations into Harvard University, focusing on antisemitism on campus and its admission practices. Harvard said the actions are retaliatory as Harvard refuses to surrender its independence and constitutional rights. Michael C. Bender and Alan Blinder report for the New York Times. 

A POLITICO analysis found that Trump has approved far fewer disaster aid requests from Democratic-led states (23%) than Republican-led ones (89%) since Jan. 2025. Trump rejected most of the requests even after FEMA had documented that the damage met its financial threshold to warrant receiving federal aid. Thomas Frank reports. "

lousubcap

Wednesday Clown Show summary:

The Agriculture Department is cutting hundreds of millions from the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program, which is aimed at helping farmers buy and retain land, three sources told POLITICOyesterday. The projects were especially targeted to address land access issues facing black farmers, immigrant farmers, indigenous farmers, and veterans. According to one of the cancellation letters shared with POLITICO, USDA determined that the program “involved discriminatory preferences based on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” as well as “wasteful spending.” Marcia Brown reports."

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Thursday Clown Show summary:

The Pentagon is not planning to release a Global Posture Review, which traditionally outlines military priorities and where the Defense Department plans to station assets, according to four U.S. and NATO defense officials and three European diplomats. Defense officials are instead opting to hold informal meetings with lawmakers and U.S. allies. Paul McLeary, Leo Shane III, and Chris Lunday report for POLITICO.  

Trump yesterday tapped several high-profile technology executives to serve as members on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Brendan Bordelon reports for POLITICO. 

The Justice Department has agreed to pay Michael T. Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, $1.25 million to settle claims that he was wrongfully prosecuted for making false statements to federal agents investigating ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, a source said yesterday. Flynn, who had previously been pardoned by Trump, called the settlement a step toward correcting “a profound wrong,” while the department framed it as redressing a “historic injustice.” Alan Feuer reports for the New York Times. "

Botch

Stock market/war announcement timeline:  

https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/treason-in-the-futures-markets?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=email

lousubcap

Friday Clown Show summary:

Trump’s signature will appear on newly printed U.S. paper currency as part of the administration’s efforts to “honor the 250th anniversary of the United States of America,” the Treasury Department announced yesterday. The move makes Trump the first sitting president to have his signature on U.S. paper currency. Aide Reiter reports for POLITICO.  

Trump yesterday signed an executive order asking federal contractors and their subcontractors to eliminate DEI practices, according to the White House. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters. 

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard yesterday shared an unclassified summary of ODNI’s year-one efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and modernize tech at U.S. intelligence agencies. Tim Starks reports for Cyberscoop.  

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said yesterday that every Justice Department or FBI employee who worked on the criminal investigation into Trump has been fired, resigned, or took early retirement. At the DOJ, Blanche said, that number amounts to over 200 people. Hannah Rabinowitz reports for CNN.  

The Justice Department on Wednesday informed Stanford University, the Ohio State University, and the University of California, San Diego, that it has opened investigations into their admissions policies. The DOJ has demanded that the schools turn over extensive lists of data by April 24 or risk interruption to essential federal funding, two sources said. The government is seeking information about medical school applicants over the past seven years and has also demanded copies of any internal messages at the universities about DEI. Michael C. Bender and Alan Blinder report for the New York Times."

Botch

https://apnews.com/live/tsa-government-shutdown-ice-trump-03-27-2026
 
I am surprised that the House republicans rejected this bill (thank goodness the White House TACO'd out and TSA will now be paid, via executive order).  Unlike 2/3rds of the Senate, 100% of all House representatives are up for re-election this year, and they just handed the dems a pretty strong campaign point.  

lousubcap

Monday Clown Show summary:

Trump administration officials have ordered FBI agents to gather documents about a decade-old investigation into Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and his ties to a suspected Chinese spy that resulted in no criminal charges, according to several sources. Edward Wong and Devlin Barrett report for the New York Times.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is blocking the promotion of four Army officers to be one-star generals, senior military officials said on Friday. Two of the officers targeted by Hegseth are Black and two are women on a promotion list that consists of about three dozen officers, most of whom are white men, the officials said. Sources said that Hegseth unilaterally struck the names from the list earlier this month, though it is not clear if he has the legal authority to do so. Greg Jaffe, Eric Schmitt, Helene Cooper, and Adm Entous report for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

Over two dozen U.S. onshore wind projects are stalled due to Pentagon delays in carrying out the necessary reviews. The American Clean Power Association is waiting to hear back on a letter it sent earlier this month to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment Dale Marks asking him to explain what is causing the delays. Amy Harder reports for Axios."

lousubcap

Wednesday Clown Show summary:

"Trump yesterday signed an executive order seeking to create lists of U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote in each state, and instructing the U.S. Postal Service to send mail ballots only to verified voters. “The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary. It’s horrible, what’s gone on. It’s very clearly covered … I think this will help a lot with elections,” Trump said in the Oval Office. Democratic elections lawyer Marc Elias said yesterday that he plans to sue Trump over the order. Aaron Pellish, Ben Johansen, and Andrew Howard report for POLITICO; Ashley Lopez and Benjamin Swasey report for NPR.

The Pentagon is considering sending a powerful anti-drone laser system to the military base in Washington where Hegseth and Rubio reside, four sources said. The Army has been debating the deployment after reports of unusual drone activity in the airspace around Fort McNair. Placing the lasers would add a layer of complexity to the heavily traveled airspace over Washington. Kate Kelly, Eric Schmitt, and Tyler Pager report for the New York Times.

Trump is set to attend today’s Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship, according to his public schedule. Elvia Limon reports for The Hill."

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show summary:

Senate and House Republican leaders yesterday announced a deal to reopen the Homeland Security Department, funding the department through Sept. 30 but excluding new funding for ICE and Border Patrol. Their statement said, “In the coming days, Republicans in the Senate and House will be following through on the president’s directive by fully funding the entire Department of Homeland Security on two parallel tracks: through the appropriations process and through the reconciliation process.” This plan had previously been rejected by House Republicans last week. Carl Hulse and Michael Gold report for the New York Times.

Home Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin yesterday revoked a Noem-era policy requiring the secretary to personally approve contracts and grants worth more than $100,000. Jacob Wendler reports for POLITICO.

Trump has discussed firing Attorney General Pam Bondi in recent days over his frustration at her handling of the Epstein files, according to four sources. Trump has not made a final decision, but the sources said he is considering replacing her with Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Tyler Pager reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Friday Clown Show summary:

Trump announced yesterday that Attorney General Pam Bondi will be leaving her role in the Justice Department and “transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector.” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will lead the department in an acting capacity. An administration official told POLITICO that Trump is considering additional changes to his cabinet, adding “he’s very angry and he’s going to be moving people.” Trump has expressed particular frustration with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez DeRemer. Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein report for POLITICO; Dasha Burns reports.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and take immediate retirement, sources told CBS News. A senior Defense Department official said, “We are grateful for his service, but it was time for a leadership change in the Army.” One source said Hegseth wants to replace George with someone who will implement Trump and Hegseth’s vision for the army. Sources told the New York Times that two weeks ago, George asked Hegseth to meet with him to discuss the removal of four officers from the one-star list, as well as the general’s view that Hegseth was interfering unnecessarily in Army personnel decisions overall. Jennifer Jacobs, Eleanor Watson, and James LaPorta report; Greg Jaffe, Helene Cooper, and Eric Schmitt report.

Hegseth has taken steps to block or delay promotions for more than a dozen Black and female senior officers across all four branches of the military, according to nine U.S. officials. Two officials said there are concerns in the military and the White House that Hegseth is blocking promotions because of race or gender, as he targets DEI initiatives at the Pentagon. Gordon Lubold and Courtney Kube report for NBC News.

Hegseth directed military commanders yesterday to allow troops to carry personal firearms while stationed at bases. Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Monday Clown Show summary:

Trump has proposed boosting defense spending to $1.5 trillion in his 2027 budget released on Friday. This would amount to a roughly 40 percent increase from what the United States spent on the Pentagon this fiscal year. Trump is also seeking $152 million to return the former Alcatraz prison island to active duty. Regarding cuts, the budget proposes that “savings are achieved by reducing or eliminating woke, weaponized, and wasteful programs,” a White House fact sheet says. Tony Romm reports for the New York Times; Nate Raymond reports for Reuters; Herb Scribner reports for Axios."

lousubcap

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

"The Trump administration yesterday terminated multiple civil rights settlements aimed at ensuring transgender students’ rights to equal opportunity to an education. The terminations rescinded all or portions of six settlements negotiated under the Obama or Biden administrations. Education Department officials said there was no precedent for the federal government terminating previously negotiated civil rights settlements with schools. Michael C. Bender reports for the New York Times."

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Wednesday Clown Show summary:

"“Nobody has any idea why the attorney general is no longer the attorney general… except for President Trump,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters yesterday. Blanche said he was not taking any particular lesson from Pam Bondi’s removal nor planning any course correction for the DOJ. “I grow tired of people in the media saying why President Trump did or did not do something, because President Trump’s the only one that knows that,” Blanche added. Josh Gerstein reports for POLITICO.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told the Washington Post yesterday that he has no plans to resign from his role at the Pentagon, after a series of internal clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth and Driscoll have disagreed on several issues, including Hegseth’s moves to block the promotions of several Army officers, officials said, adding that tensions between the two date back at least a year. Dan Lamothe reports."

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show summary:

"The Trump administration has opened an investigation into Los Angeles Unified’s policy allowing schools discretion over whether to disclose students’ gender identities to parents. The probe, according to reporting on documents reviewed by the New York Times, was prompted by a lawsuit from parents who say the policy contributed to their child’s suicide and comes amid a broader federal rollback of transgender student protections. Michael C. Bender reports.

The California Supreme Court moved Wednesday to freeze Sheriff Chad Bianco’s investigation into last year’s special election, intervening after the Riverside County sheriff seized more than 650,000 ballots. Bianco, who is running for governor, opened the probe after activists alleged vote-count irregularities that local election officials said were baseless; the court’s order leaves the materials preserved while the case proceeds. Nick Corasaniti reports for the New York Times.

The White House has secured tens of millions of dollars’ worth of European steel for Trump’s new ballroom project, even as the president continues to champion tariffs on foreign metals. According to the New York Times, ArcelorMittal, a Luxembourg-based steelmaker, is donating the material, which Trump said last year had been valued at $37 million. Ana Swanson and Luke Broadwater report for the New York Times."

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Friday Clown Show summary:

A White House official told Reuters that President Donald Trump is considering withdrawing some U.S. troops from Europe. Gram Slattery and Steve Holland report for Reuters.

Trump officials are redirecting U.S. counterterrorism efforts toward antifa and other far-left groups and pressing allies abroad to do the same, a New York Times investigation revealed. The Times says the administration is planning international meetings on the issue even as some officials worry the shift is drawing attention and resources away from more immediate threats, including those related to Iran. Jack Nicas, Alan Feuer, Matina Stevis-Gridneff, Edward Wong, and Jim Tankersley report.

The Trump administration has pressured immigration judges to speed deportations, threatening discipline and firing judges seen as out of step with its enforcement agenda, a New York Times investigation found. Since Trump returned to office, more than 100 immigration judges have been dismissed and 143 replacements installed, as deportation orders rose and asylum grants fell below 10 per cent. It said the drop reflected more than tougher rulings on Biden-era arrivals: fired judges tended to be more immigrant-friendly, the administration targeted courts seen that way, and a June 2025 memo threatened discipline for perceived “bias” against DHS, Nicholas Nehamas, Allison McCann, Steven Rich, Jazmine Ulloa, and Hamed Aleaziz report.

Federal prosecutors’ effort to directly search devices seized from Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson appeared to face fresh hurdles Thursday as a federal judge seemed skeptical that an earlier ruling had actually impeded the Justice Department’s investigation, while a magistrate judge later continued building a court-led review of materials that Natanson and The Post say include years of reporting files and more than 1,200 confidential sources. The magistrate judge also refused prosecutors’ request to pause the process, allowed the FBI to resume processing accessible data, and said he would keep moving forward “until someone tells me to stop.” Perry Stein reports for the Washington Post.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has rewritten the charter governing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee, expanding the panel’s remit after a federal judge temporarily blocked an earlier overhaul of federal vaccine policy. The new rules direct the committee to examine alleged gaps in vaccine-safety research, cumulative effects of the childhood schedule, ingredients such as aluminum, mRNA platforms, and foreign vaccine schedules, while also adding non-voting liaison roles for vaccine-skeptic groups. Brenda Goodman reports for CNN; Sophie Gardner and Lauren Gardner report for POLITICO."

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Monday Clown Show summary:

The Trump administration has terminated all six board members of the federal agency that oversees the Presidio, a San Francisco park at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. All of the board members, appointed by former President Joe Biden, were fired last Wednesday, and new members have not been installed, a Presidio Trust spokesperson said on Saturday. New York Times.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell summoned bank executives for a meeting this week where they encouraged the executives to use Anthropic’s new Mythos model to detect vulnerabilities, according to Bloomberg. JPMorgan Chase was the only bank listed as one of the initial partner organizations with access to the model, but sources said that Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Bank of America, and Morgan Stanley are testing Mythos as well. Anthony Ha reports for TechCrunch.

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday that the U.S. military can use high-energy lasers to shoot down suspected drones in U.S. airspace. This ends a two-month standoff over whether the weapons endangered the airspace. Karoun Demirjian reports for the New York Times."

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Tuesday Clown Show summary:

Trump yesterday deleted an AI-generated image he posted on social media depicting himself in a Christ-like healing pose, following widespread backlash from Christian commentators. When asked about the post, Trump said, “I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross.” Finya Swai reports for POLITICO.

The Justice Department released a report today accusing the Biden administration of unfairly using a federal law meant to protect access to abortion clinics to go after anti-abortion protesters. The report is the first product from the DOJ’s “Weaponization Working Group.” Paula Reid and Casey Gannon report for CNN."

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Wednesday Clown Show summary:

Sebastian Gorka, a national security aide to Trump, is seeking to become the next head of the National Counterterrorism Center, a position that would give him broad powers over the country’s counterterrorism apparatus, according to four sources. Gorka has focused much of his career on a hard-line approach to Islamist extremist and immigration policy. It remains unclear whether the administration intends to nominate Gorka. Noah Robertson, John Hudson, and Dan Lamothe report for the Washington Post.

Staff from at least two federal agencies have reached out to Anthropic in recent days to express interest in integrating Claude Mythos into their cyber defense efforts, according to a former U.S. technology official. The Commerce Department’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation is actively testing Mythos’ hacking prowess, four sources said. John Sakellariadis and Brendan Bordelon report for POLITICO.Sebastian Gorka, a national security aide to Trump, is seeking to become the next head of the National Counterterrorism Center, a position that would give him broad powers over the country’s counterterrorism apparatus, according to four sources. Gorka has focused much of his career on a hard-line approach to Islamist extremist and immigration policy. It remains unclear whether the administration intends to nominate Gorka. Noah Robertson, John Hudson, and Dan Lamothe report for the Washington Post."

Staff from at least two federal agencies have reached out to Anthropic in recent days to express interest in integrating Claude Mythos into their cyber defense efforts, according to a former U.S. technology official. The Commerce Department’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation is actively testing Mythos’ hacking prowess, four sources said. John Sakellariadis and Brendan Bordelon report for POLITICO.

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show summary:

Trump yesterday threatened to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell if he does not leave his role when his term ends. Trump also declined to direct the Justice Department to stand down from its investigation into the Fed’s $2.5 billion office renovation. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) is blocking Trump’s Fed nominee Kevin Warsh until the probe is dropped. Andrew Ackerman reports for the Washington Post; Jordain Carney and Jasper Goodman report for POLITICO.

The Trump administration is asking U.S. manufacturers to increase their roles in military production, according to sources. Senior defense officials have held talks about producing weapons and other military supplies with the top executives of several companies, including General Motors and Ford Motor, the sources said. The Pentagon is interested in enlisting the companies as the wars in Ukraine and Iran deplete stocks. Sharon Terlep and Marcus Weisgerber report for the Wall Street Journal.

The Commission of Fine Arts is scheduled today to consider Trump’s plan to build a 250-foot arch on the other side of the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial. Trump’s plan to build the giant arch - more than quadrupling its size from original plans - has alienated early proponents of the project, classical architects, and veterans groups who say it will diminish nearby Arlington Cemetery. Luke Broadwater and Zachary Small report for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Monday Clown Show summary:

"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent joined a meeting on Friday between White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, a source told Axios. Regarding the declaration of Anthropic as a “supply chain risk,” a Trump advisor said, “This is a big problem. Everyone’s complaining. There’s all this drama. So this got elevated to Susie to hear Dario out, determine what is **** and start to plot a way forward.” The meeting explored potential collaboration on advanced AI tools like Mythos while balancing innovation with safety concerns, though no clear breakthrough was confirmed. Maria Curi, Marc Caputo, and Dave Lawler report. 

The National Security Agency is already using Anthropic’s Mythos model, despite the Pentagon’s insistence that the company is a supply chain risk, two sources said. Maria Curi and Sam Sabin report for Axios. "

lousubcap

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

"Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving the Trump administration “to take a position in the private sector,” a White House aide posted on social media yesterday. Keith Sonderling, the current deputy, will become acting secretary in her place. The move comes amid multiple allegations of misconduct, including abuse of power, inappropriate relationships with staff, and drinking on the job, which had been under investigation by the Labor Department’s inspector general. Seung Min Kim reports for AP News. "

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Wednesday Clown Show summary:

Trump told CNBC yesterday that “it’s possible” there will be a deal allowing Anthropic’s AI models to be used within the Defense Department.  “They came to the White House a few days ago and we had some very good talks with them, and I think they’re shaping up,” Trump said. Ashley Capoot reports.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency does not have access to Anthropic’s new Mythos Preview model, even though some other government agencies are using it, two sources told Axios. Sam Sabin reports. 

The Pentagon will no longer require troops to get annual flu vaccines, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said yesterday, calling the policy an “absurd, overreaching” mandate. Greg Jaffe reports for the New York Times.  

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said yesterday that his department will run out of money to pay employees’ salaries in the first week of May, as lawmakers race to end a two-month shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. “My payroll through DHS is just over $1.6 billion every two weeks, so the money is going extremely fast and once that happens, there is no emergency funds after that,” Mullin said.  Eric Bazail-Eimil and Meredith Lee Hil report for POLITICO.

Court filings submitted yesterday in a lawsuit against the Trump administration include messages and depositions suggesting that DHS contractor Kara Voorhies exercised significant authority over FEMA,directing actions and approving decisions despite rules barring contractors from such governmental roles. The evidence supports allegations that she acted as a “shadow administrator.” Hassan Ali Kanu and Eric Bazail-Eimil report for POLITICO."

lousubcap

Thursday Clown Show summary:

Navy Secretary John Phelan will depart the Trump administration, “effective immediately,” the Pentagon announced yesterday, without providing a reason for this unexpected departure. Five officials said that Phelan was forced out after repeated clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and deputy secretary Seve Feinberg over his management of shipbuilding and other issues. One official said Phelan was asked to step down. Konstantin Toropin and Ben Finley report for AP News; Dan Lamothe, Tara Copp, and Noah Roberston report for the Washington Post. 

Trump’s pick to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Sean Plankey, is withdrawing from consideration. “After thirteen months since my initial nomination, it has become clear the Senate will not confirm me,” Plankey said in a letter to the White House yesterday. John Sakellariadis and Dana Nickel report for POLITICO.  

The acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, has canceled the publication of a study that found the Covid vaccine reduced emergency visits due to Covid by 50% and hospitalizations by 55% last winter, according to a Health Department spokesperson and a summary of the study reviewed by the New York Times. Bhattacharya said the methodology gave an inaccurate picture of effectiveness.  Former CDC officials and scientists said the methods used were long-established and routinely applied to assess vaccine performance. Apoorva Mandavilli reports. 

The Trump administration has agreed to pay $1.25 million to settle a lawsuit from former Trump adviser Carter Page over FBI and Justice Department surveillance during the investigation into alleged ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein report for POLITICO. "

Botch

lousubcap said:

Thursday Clown Show summary:

Navy Secretary John Phelan will depart the Trump administration, “effective immediately,” the Pentagon announced yesterday, without providing a reason for this unexpected departure. Five officials said that Phelan was forced out after repeated clashes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and deputy secretary Seve Feinberg over his management of shipbuilding and other issues. One official said Phelan was asked to step down. Konstantin Toropin and Ben Finley report for AP News; Dan Lamothe, Tara Copp, and Noah Roberston report for the Washington Post. 

I was wondering what kind of background Mr. phelan had; this from wikipedia:
 

Business

This section needs expansion with: a more standard treatment of the long career of this financier, based on independent (truly third-party) sources. You can help by adding missing information.  (April 2026)

Phelan worked as an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs,[when?] and then in acquisitions in the WeZell-Merrill Lynch Real Estate Opportunity Funds.[when?][citation needed] He was then a principal for seven years at ESL Partners responsible for Special Situation and Distressed Investments.[4][better source needed][1][better source needed]

In 1998 Phelan became the co-founding partner and chief investment officer of MSD Capital, a private investment company established to manage the capital of Michael Dell.[3][5][verification needed]

In 2022, Phelan resigned as CEO of MSD and founded Rugger Management LLC, a private investment company based in Palm Beach, Florida.[1][better source needed][6]

Fundraising

The Phelans regularly host fundraising events at their homes in Palm Beach and Aspen. In 2022, they hosted a fundraiser for amfAR, a foundation for AIDS research, that raised $5.3 million.[7]

In August 2024, the Phelans hosted a private fundraising dinner for then-former president Donald Trump, who was seeking a second term in office; the guests, who included Steve Wynn, Thomas Peterffy, Greg Abbott, Byron Donalds, Lauren Boebert and Cory Gardner, donated between $25,000 and $500,000 apiece.[8]

C.A. Bridges, writing for the USA Today Network, reported based on FEC records that in 2024, a "'John W. Phelan'[sic.] of MSD Capital in Palm Beach donated $834,600 to Trump’s joint fundraising committee..." and that earlier, a "'John C. Phelan'" of MSD Capital in Palm Beach donated $93,300".[5]

Secretary of the Navy

On November 27, 2024, president-elect Trump announced Phelan as his nominee-to-be for United States Secretary of the Navy.[9]Some defense experts noted his lack of experience with the Navy, the military, national-security policy, and the defense industry.[10]"Not all service secretaries come into the office with prior military experience, but he'd be the first in the Navy since 2006," the Associated Press reported.[10]

Phelan testified before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services on February 27, 2025.[11] He was confirmed with bipartisan support by a vote of 62–30 on March 24, 2025,[12] and sworn in as the 79th Secretary of the Navy the next day.[13]

On April 21, 2026, Phelan presented that the Navy was building AI capabilities and achieving recruiting targets.[14]

On April 22, 2026, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth asked Phelan to resign or be fired.[15] Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell put out a statement stating Phelan is departing immediately.[16] He was succeeded by Hung Cao, current Under Secretary of the Navy, as the Acting Secretary of the Navy.[17] Phelan had promoted the Trump-class battleship, which Hegseth saw as a distraction from his strategy of smaller, uncrewed ships which increased animosity between the two. Phelan had a closer relationship with Trump than Pentagon leaders expected. Hegseth had already fired Jon Harrison, Phelan's Chief of Staff, in October 2025.[14]

Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein

Passenger manifests released as part of the Epstein files indicate that Phelan flew twice on the plane of Jeffrey Epstein several months before Epstein's first arrest on sex charges[18]. The first flight took place on February 27, 2006, from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to London Luton Airport.[19] The manifest for the second flight, from London to New York on March 3, 2006, indicates that Phelan flew with 12 other passengers, including Epstein, modeling agent and Epstein associate Jean-Luc Brunel, and six people whose names are redacted on the version of the manifest released in October 2025 by the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.[20][21][22]

 

And there you go.    

lousubcap

Friday Clown Show summary:

The Trump administration has launched an investigation into New York City’s Education Department over claims that a group, known as N.Y.C. Educators for Palestine, had violated Jewish students’ civil rights. Matthew Haag for the New York Times.

The Trump administration is undoing immigration protections set by Biden for individuals with connections to the construction workers killed in the 2024 Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Ximena Bustillo reports for NPR."

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Monday Clown Show summary:

Several members of the National Science Board were abruptly dismissed in a message from the Presidential Personnel Office on Friday, according to screenshots shared with the Washington Post. It is unclear how many members of the board were dismissed and whether they will be replaced. Carolyn Y. Johnson reports. 

The Trump administration plans to add firing squads, electrocution, and gas asphyxiation as alternative methods of executing people convicted of the gravest federal crimes, the Justice Department said on Friday. The move revives older execution practices and follows a broader push to resume federal capital punishment. Jonathan Allen reports for Reuters. "

lousubcap

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

"The Trump administration will pay energy companies hundreds of millions of dollars to abandon their plans to build two wind farms off the U.S. coast, the Interior Department said yesterday, in a repeat of a tactic the government used to cancel other offshore wind leases last month. In exchange, the companies have pledged to invest that money in oil and gas projects, including liquefied natural gas facilities along the Gulf Coast. Maxine Joselow and Brad Plumer report for the New York Times.  

Pressure to fit the Trump administration’s priorities has led investigators and lawyers at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to focus its resources on pursuing and fast-tracking cases that have little evidence and tenuous legal bases, according to more than a dozen current and former employees. This involves focusing on charges of discrimination against white men and charges of antisemitism on college campuses. The sources described a deeply demoralized and fearful workforce at the agency. Rebecca Davis O’Brien reports for the New York Times. "