Donald Trump is demanding the House of Representatives votes on the debt ceiling extension (or abolition) “NOW” so any congressional battle falls in Joe Biden’s presidency and not his.
The president-elect said on Sunday the 2023 debt ceiling extension agreed by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Biden will “go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.”
Under the deal, the debt ceiling was suspended until January 1, 2025, though the Treasury will be able to pay its bills for several months after that. Congress needs to address the issue by around June.
Without the 2023 deal, the US would have defaulted, roiling financial markets worldwide, and likely leading to a downgrade of the nation’s credit rating.
Meanwhile, Trump hailed the H-1B visa program for skilled workers as “great” claiming to have always been in favor of it.
Speaking to The New York Post, the president-elect sided with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, after they both defended the need for hiring skilled workers from overseas.
Their statements triggered pushback from MAGA’s “America First” hardliners, including Steve Bannon. They want strict immigration control, and a furious war of words erupted on social media.
Key Points
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Trump demands Democrats be forced to vote on debt ceiling issue ‘NOW’
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Trump sides with Elon Musk in MAGA immigration feud over H-1B visas for skilled workers
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Bannon calls Musk ‘toddler’, tells tech mogul to ‘bring it’ in war over H1-B visas
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Fox News hosts ‘tip toe’ through MAGA visa feud minefield after Trump back Musk
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Trump pays tribute to Carter: ‘We all owe him a debt of gratitude’
Report: Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and thinks he could’ve won
01:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Joe Biden still regrets pulling out of the 2024 presidential race and believes he could have beaten Donald Trump for the White House, according to a report.
The outgoing president backed out of the race over the summer following a disastrous first debate against his Republican rival, low approval numbers, and dwindling donations.
But Biden recently told people that despite the issues his campaign faced he is confident he could have defeated Trump in November, sources familiar with the conversations told The Washington Post.
Graeme Massie reports.
Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and believes he could have beaten Trump
Trump attacks ‘dumbest’ 2023 debt limit extension
00:41 , Reuters
President-elect Donald Trump attends Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 22, 2024 (REUTERS)
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday the 2023 debt ceiling extension agreed by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden will “go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.”
Under the 2023 budget deal, Congress suspended the debt ceiling until Jan. 1, 2025. The U.S. Treasury will be able to pay its bills for several months beyond that deadline, but Congress will have to address the issue, possibly around mid-year.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “The extension of the Debt Ceiling by a previous Speaker of the House, a good man and a friend of mine … will go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.”
He added, “The Democrats must be forced to take a vote on this treacherous issue NOW, during the Biden Administration, and not in June. They should be blamed for this potential disaster, not the Republicans!”
Republicans, however, will control both chambers of Congress beginning on Jan. 3 and at least some of the party’s lawmakers would have to go along with a debt limit increase or elimination in order for it to become law.
Without the 2023 debt limit increase, the United States would have seen a historic default on its debt payments that would have roiled financial markets worldwide.
A debt default would also likely have brought a downgrade in the U.S. credit rating, raising borrowing costs for businesses and individuals.
At the time, several far-right Republicans in the House of Representatives had pushed for deeper federal spending cuts as a condition for raising the debt limit than what had been negotiated.
About a week ago, with U.S. government discretionary funding due to expire on Dec. 20, Trump, encouraged by billionaire Elon Musk, demanded the debt limit either be eliminated or extended, possibly to 2029 when his presidency would end.
That idea was tacked onto an extension of government funding into March, but it was quickly voted down by a coalition of House Democrats and hard-right Republicans, many of whom represent districts in Trump-leaning states.
A government-funding bill without a debt-limit provision was then enacted into law.
Reuters
Yellen warns Congress ‘extraordinary measures’ will be needed to stop US hitting debt limit
00:30 , AP
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon.
“Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23,” Yellen wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation’s debt ceiling — which has been suspended until Jan. 1, 2025.
Continue reading…
Janet Yellen issues warning to Congress as US nears debt limit
Trump joins tributes to Jimmy Carter, who passed away today
00:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Washington joined in mourning on Sunday after news of former President Jimmy Carter’s death was announced by Chip Carter, his son.
The nation’s 39th president was renowned for his committment to public service in the years after his exit from political life, and earned a strong reputation for helping America’s neediest families in his post-presidential years. After news of his passing was reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tributes began to swiftly pour in for the 100-year-old statesman.
John Bowden reports.
Washington pays tribute to ‘public servant’ Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100
Trump demands Democrats be forced to vote on debt ceiling issue ‘NOW’ — not when he’s president
Sunday 29 December 2024 23:30 , Oliver O’Connell
While Washington is focused on honoring former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away today, after offering his own tribute, Donald Trump has taken to Truth Social to talk about the debt ceiling.
The President-elect wants House Democrats to be forced to vote on the debt ceiling while President Joe Biden is still in office and not when he is in the White House in June.
He also said the decision to push the vote into June by the former speaker, whom he calls “a good man and a friend of mine” was “one of the dumbest political decisions made in years.”
Here’s what he wrote on Truth Social in full:
The extension of the Debt Ceiling by a previous Speaker of the House, a good man and a friend of mine, from this past September of the Biden Administration, to June of the Trump Administration, will go down as one of the dumbest political decisions made in years. There was no reason to do it – NOTHING WAS GAINED, and we got nothing for it – A major reason why that Speakership was lost. It was Biden’s problem, not ours. Now it becomes ours. I call it “1929” because the Democrats don’t care what our Country may be forced into. In fact, they would prefer “Depression” as long as it hurt the Republican Party. The Democrats must be forced to take a vote on this treacherous issue NOW, during the Biden Administration, and not in June. They should be blamed for this potential disaster, not the Republicans!
ICYMI: Trump shares bizarre Truth Social post claiming Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago
Sunday 29 December 2024 23:10 , Oliver O’Connell
As tensions flare between Elon Musk and Trump’s MAGA allies, President-elect Donald Trump posted what appeared to be a personal message to Musk on Truth Social, claiming that fellow billionaire Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago.
In an early morning post on Friday, Trump suggested the Microsoft co-founder had asked to come to Mar-a-Lago. The 78-year-old Republican encouraged him to visit.
Kelly Rissman has the story of the post that looked like a direct message…
Trump claims Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago in bizarre Truth Social post
Panamanian president dismisses Trump’s ‘nonsense’ claims China controls Panama Canal
Sunday 29 December 2024 22:40 , Oliver O’Connell
President José Raúl Mulino of Panama brushed off U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s baseless claim that Chinese soldiers are “operating the Panama Canal,” calling it “nonsense.”
In a Christmas Day message on Truth Social, Trump sarcastically wished a merry Christmas to “the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal” and “making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about anything.”
He then claimed the Panamanian government is “ripping off” the United States at the Panama Canal.
Ariana Baio reports.
‘Nonsense’: Panamanian president dismisses Trump claims China controls Panama Canal
Musk says ‘hateful unrepentant racists’ must be removed from GOP
Sunday 29 December 2024 22:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Elon Musk has declared that “hateful, unrepentant racists” should be removed from the Republican Party “root and stem” as the in-party feud over H-1B visas intensifies.
Conversations around H-1B visas have divided Donald Trump’s party, with his Department of Government Efficiency heads Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy on one side and other allies like Laura Loomer on the other. The Space X founder escalated the feud on Friday night when he called for some “contemptible fools” in the GOP to be removed.
Musk made the statement in response to a post on X by Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council.
Kelly Rissman has the details.
Musk says ‘hateful unrepentant racists’ must be removed from GOP as visa feud deepens
‘We all owe him a debt of gratitude’: Trump pays tribute to Carter
Sunday 29 December 2024 22:09 , Oliver O’Connell
President-elect Donald Trump has paid tribute to former President Jimmy Carter saying that Americans “owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Here’s the full statement posted on Truth Social:
I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History.
The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.
Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.
Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Musk after he tells X user to ‘f*** yourself’ over visa bust-up
Sunday 29 December 2024 21:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Steve Bannon joined the MAGA immigration civil war with gusto on Friday, calling Elon Musk a “toddler,” and telling the owner of X to “bring it.”
As Musk doubled down on his support for H-1B work visas and criticism of American workers, Bannon posted on the social media platform Gettr: “Someone please notify ‘Child Protective Services’— need to do a ‘wellness check’ on this toddler.”
The former Trump adviser and War Room podcast host made the post in reaction to Musk telling a critic of his stance on immigration to “f*** yourself in the face.”
Read on…
Steve Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Elon Musk after he tells as MAGA visa war escalates
BREAKING: Former president Jimmy Carter dies, aged 100
Sunday 29 December 2024 21:21 , Oliver O’Connell
James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr, a naval officer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and peanut farm operator who became governor of Georgia and later the 39th president of the United States, has died.
Carter, who was the longest-living former American president, died on Sunday, December 29, his son announced.
He served as president for one term from 1977 to 1981, but is just as well-known for his humanitarian service after leaving Washington, DC, working for Habitat for Humanity and negotiating peace deals.
Follow here for the latest updates:
Jimmy Carter death updates: 39th US president dies aged 100
Democrat congressman calls for decriminalizing sex work
Sunday 29 December 2024 21:10 , Oliver O’Connell
A Democratic congressman is calling for the U.S. to decriminalize sex work nationwide in response to damning findings released by the House Ethics Committee about Matt Gaetz.
Shri Thanedar of Illinois wrote in a Twitter post on Thursday that sex workers should be able to come to law enforcement when they are victims of abuse, adding that decriminalizing sex work would aid in efforts to prevent children from being trafficked and otherwise exploited.
John Bowden reports.
Democrat congressman calls for decriminalizing sex work after House report on Gaetz
North Korea’s Kim vows the toughest anti-US policy before Trump takes office
Sunday 29 December 2024 20:55 , Oliver O’Connell
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to implement the “toughest” anti-U.S. policy, state media reported Sunday, less than a month before Donald Trump takes office as U.S. president.
Trump’s return to the White House raises prospects for high-profile diplomacy with North Korea. During his first term, Trump met Kim three times for talks on the North’s nuclear program. Many experts however say a quick resumption of Kim-Trump summitry is unlikely as Trump would first focus on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. North Korea’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine also poses a challenge to efforts to revive diplomacy, experts say.
During a five-day plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party that ended Friday, Kim called the U.S. “the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its invariable state policy.” Kim said that the U.S.-South Korea-Japan security partnership is expanding into “a nuclear military bloc for aggression.”
“This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how,” Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
It said Kim’s speech “clarified the strategy for the toughest anti-U.S. counteraction to be launched aggressively” by North Korea for its long-term national interests and security.
KCNA didn’t elaborate on the anti-U.S. strategy. But it said Kim set forth tasks to bolster military capability through defense technology advancements and stressed the need to improve the mental toughness of North Korean soldiers.
The previous meetings between Trump and Kim had not only put an end to their exchanges of fiery rhetoric and threats of destruction, but they developed personal connections. Trump once famously said he and Kim “fell in love.” But their talks eventually collapsed in 2019, as they wrangled over U.S.-led sanctions on the North.
‘There is no Trump-lite’: GOP governor claims Trump has not permanently changed party
Sunday 29 December 2024 20:40 , Oliver O’Connell
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said he does not think President-elect Donald Trump has permanently changed the GOP.
Sununu, a moderate Republican, said on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning that he does not imagine someone will take Trump’s place as leader of the GOP after his term is over.
“Trump is Trump. There’s no ‘Trump-lite.’ There’s no ‘Trump 2.0’ coming up,” he said. “I always say that Trump is who he is because he’s built up himself in the American psyche for 40 years. I mean, really since the 80s.”
Andrea Cavallier has the story.
GOP senator claims Trump has not permanently changed party: ‘There is no Trump-lite’
‘A lot of people confused’ by Trump’s take on H-1B visas, says Fox host
Sunday 29 December 2024 20:25 , Oliver O’Connell
The co-hosts of Fox & Friends Weekend were faced with a tricky job on Sunday morning — navigating the feud that has broken out amongst supporters of President-elect Donald Trump over H-1B visas for highly skilled immigrants, which significantly escalated on Saturday.
Read on…
Fox News admits that Trump’s take on H-1B visas ‘left a lot of people confused’
I covered the UK and US elections in 2024 – here are the key similarities every voter should know
Sunday 29 December 2024 20:10 , Alicja Hagopian
It’s been well publicised that 2024 was a big year for elections, with billions of people in at least 60 countries going to the polls.
The year started with votes in the world’s largest country, India, and is ending in the wake of an annulled election in Romania over accusations of Russian interference.
As a data correspondent, I spent most of this year covering what were arguably the two most influential polls: the UK general election in July, and the US presidential election in November.
From an outside glance, the two electoral events had little in common; not least because Sir Keir Starmer and President-elect Donald Trump are far apart in most aspects of their character.
In the UK, Labour won by a landslide; a majority of 156 seats, and a 10 per cent majority in national vote share. In the US, Trump dominated the electoral college, but in the end won just a 1.6 per cent national majority over Kamala Harris.
In both cases, the incumbent government was voted out, in no uncertain terms.
Indeed, these elections shared some key similarities which may point to trends in the future of global politics, particularly in the digital age.
Continue reading…
I covered UK and US elections in 2024: here are the similarities voters should know
Watch: Johnson won’t be speaker by end of 2025, CBS correspondent predicts
Sunday 29 December 2024 19:55 , Oliver O’Connell
Sununu claims Musk is too rich to have any conflicts of interest in government
Sunday 29 December 2024 19:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Elon Musk is too rich to care about making more money, a GOP governor claimed during an interview on Sunday.
Chris Sununu made the bold assertion on CNN’s State of the Union as he sat down for an interview with co-host Dana Bash. The New Hampshire Republican is one of the few holdouts in his party who remain in office without fully embracing the MAGA brand — though Sununu has been far more deferential than others like him.
John Bowden reports from Washington, D.C.
GOP governor claims Elon Musk is too rich to have any conflicts of interest
Watch: 2025 will be ‘governing by crisis’, says Costa
Sunday 29 December 2024 19:25 , Oliver O’Connell
Report: Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and believes he could have beaten Trump
Sunday 29 December 2024 19:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Joe Biden still regrets pulling out of the 2024 presidential race and believes he could have beaten Donald Trump for the White House, according to a report.
The outgoing president backed out of the race over the summer following a disastrous first debate against his Republican rival, low approval numbers, and dwindling donations.
But Biden recently told people that despite the issues his campaign faced he is confident he could have defeated Trump in November, sources familiar with the conversations told The Washington Post.
Graeme Massie reports.
Biden still regrets dropping out of 2024 race and believes he could have beaten Trump
Watch: Challenging environment will see spike in D.C. retirements in 2025
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:55 , Oliver O’Connell
COMMENT: Trump terrors? Here’s how to survive his second term in the White House
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Will Gore writes:
In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the year of the snake. Rather fittingly, it is also the year that Donald Trump will slither his way back into the White House (which may prove venomous for the whole world).
Since the US election result was called, back in November, there has not been the same sense of profound shock that accompanied Trump’s first presidential win. Then, it seemed impossible that a man with no political experience – and who seemed so patently objectionable on almost every level – could win the White House. This time, for all the late hope that Kamala Harris brought to the Democratic Party ticket, a Trump win felt inevitable.
If you are a progressively-minded individual living in the US, there is an immediate and visceral materiality to deal with, as “The Donald’s” inauguration approaches. For those of us living across the pond, the thought of Trump in the presidential hotseat may not be less gruesome, but its impact is not quite so direct. Either way, how should we best handle the nagging fear of what might be to come?
Continue reading…
Trump terrors? Here’s how to survive his second term
Bannon tells Fox News to choose a side in MAGA immigration feud
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:26 , Oliver O’Connell
Steve Bannon railed against Fox News this morning following the efforts of the Fox & Friends Weekend co-hosts to “tip-toe” through the minefield that is legal immigration in MAGA world amid the feud that erupted this week.
Reposting Mediaite’s report on the segment, the former Trump adviser wrote on Gettr: “Stop with the ‘Tip-Toe’…”
“Choose a Side: Either Stand with American Citizen Workers or with Globalist Elitist Tech Oligarchs Who Feast on Foreign Indentured Servants …Simple.”
Fox News hosts ‘tip toe’ through MAGA visa feud minefield
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:18 , Oliver O’Connell
Over on Fox News this morning, the co-hosts of Fox & Friends Weekend were faced with the tricky job of navigating the feud that has broken out in MAGA world over H-1B visas for highly skilled immigrants.
“America First” acolytes on the far-right want strict draconian immigration measures when Donald Trump takes office in January for both illegal and legal migrants.
In contrast, the Silicon Valley “tech bro” contingent led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy that backed his election wants better legal immigration routes such as the H-1B program to fill skills gaps.
Yesterday afternoon, President-elect Donald Trump came out in support of Musk and the latter option.
Per Mediaite:
Rachel Campos-Duffy claimed that Trump coming out in favor of the H-1B visa program on Saturday when he had previously been against it, “left a lot of people confused”.
Charlie Hurt remarked, “The idea of having a program that allows an Elon Musk to come into the country, I don’t think anybody has a problem with that, and certainly Donald Trump doesn’t have a problem with that. The problem with the program is that it’s been so abused and turned into a system where it is designed for big tech employers to get, maybe not cheap labor, but cheaper labor.”
Later in the segment, Will Cain attempted to put a human face on the issue by adding, “We’re not an algorithm. We’re not a company. We are a country. We’re a nation. We are a people. And that purpose of that nation is to serve Americans.”
Campos-Duffy then suggested that tech CEOs such as Musk might have to pay American tech workers a more attractive wage and pay themselves a little less…
If you limit those visas and only bring in the Elon Musks and the really exceptional people, what you’re going to see is that there’s a tighter market and the wages will have to be — you’ll have to pay wages that young math students like my son-in-law, who is married and has to support a family, would want to be part of. And that may mean, guys, guess what? Fox News alert! It may mean that big tech bosses make a little less money and they have to pay their workers a little better. I think all of us would be okay with that.
She added that the federal government should invest in educational opportunities in underserved communities to train the next generation to take the jobs currently being filled by skilled immigrants.
Trump sides with Elon Musk in MAGA immigration feud over H-1B visas
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:10 , Andrew Georgeson
Donald Trump has sided with Elon Musk in the feud over H-1B skilled worker visas that has split the American political right over the past few days.
Speaking by phone with The New York Post on Saturday, the president-elect said: “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them.”
He added: “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”
Read on…
Trump sides with Elon Musk in MAGA immigration feud over visas for skilled workers
Watch: GOP Rep. Lawler agrees with Trump and Musk — H-1B visas have been beneficial to economy
Sunday 29 December 2024 17:55 , Oliver O’Connell
“We need immigration … we need a system focused on our economic needs.”
Elon Musk backs German far-right party in editorial; paper’s opinion editor resigns
Sunday 29 December 2024 17:40 , AP
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest.
Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy.
Continue reading…
Musk’s backing of far-right German party sparks backlash and resignation at paper
Watch: Former Trump NSA says climate change makes Greenland strategically important
Sunday 29 December 2024 17:25 , Oliver O’Connell
Former National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien appeared on Sunday Morning Futures on Fox News today to explain the rationale for President-elect Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland.
He argues that Denmark is now on the frontline of the confrontation with Russia given the strategic importance of the Arctic territory.
O’Brien goes on to suggest that Greenland can become part of Alaska.
One reason for Greenland’s increasingly important strategic location is apparently… climate change.
GOP Governor defends Musk over conflicts of interest
Sunday 29 December 2024 17:10 , Andrew Georgeson
Republican New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu argued that Elon Musk is too wealthy to have a conflict of interest regarding his businesses and his influence over the incoming Trump administration during an appearance on On CNN’s State of the Union.
Man accused of attacking TV reporter and yelling ‘This is Trump’s America now’
Sunday 29 December 2024 16:10 , AP
A Colorado man is facing possible bias-motivated charges for allegedly attacking a television news reporter after demanding to know whether he was a citizen, saying “This is Trump’s America now,” according to court documents.
Patrick Thomas Egan, 39, was arrested Dec. 18 in Grand Junction, Colorado, after police say he followed KKCO/KJCT reporter Ja’Ronn Alex’s vehicle for around 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the Delta area. Alex told police that he believed he had been followed and attacked because he is Pacific Islander.
Continue reading…
Man accused of attacking TV reporter and yelling ‘This is Trump’s America now’
ICYMI: Steve Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Elon Musk after he tells X user to ‘f*** yourself’ over visa bust-up
Sunday 29 December 2024 15:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Steve Bannon joined the MAGA immigration civil war with gusto on Friday, calling Elon Musk a “toddler,” and telling the owner of X to “bring it.”
As Musk doubled down on his support for H1-B work visas and criticism of American workers, Bannon posted on the social media platform Gettr: “Someone please notify ‘Child Protective Services’— need to do a ‘wellness check’ on this toddler.”
The former Trump adviser and War Room podcast host made the post in reaction to Musk telling a critic of his stance on immigration to “f*** yourself in the face.”
Continue reading…
Steve Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Elon Musk after he tells as MAGA visa war escalates
Trump claims Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago
Sunday 29 December 2024 14:10 , Oliver O’Connell
As tensions flare between Elon Musk and Trump’s MAGA allies, President-elect Donald Trump posted what appeared to be a personal message to Musk on Truth Social, claiming that fellow billionaire Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago.
In an early morning post on Friday, Trump suggested the Microsoft co-founder had asked to come to Mar-a-Lago. The 78-year-old Republican encouraged him to visit.
Kelly Rissman reports on the bizarre post.
Trump claims Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago in bizarre Truth Social post
Trump tariff threats trigger supply chain ‘freak out’
Sunday 29 December 2024 13:10 , Oliver O’Connell
President-elect Donald Trump’s continuing threats of massive tariffs are sparking global supply chain concerns as both American and European companies are frontloading orders and considering raising prices while Chinese factories look for buyers outside of the U.S.
Businesses across the world are pushing out orders ahead of Trump’s inauguration January 20, choosing not to wait to see which products or countries will be on the list of targets in Trump’s expected trade war.
The president-elect’s threat of universal tariffs has set off a scramble to get orders out that’s creating bottlenecks and higher costs.
Read on…
Trump tariff threats trigger supply chain ‘freak out’
Panamanian president dismisses Trump claims China controls Panama Canal
Sunday 29 December 2024 12:10 , Oliver O’Connell
President José Raúl Mulino of Panama brushed off U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s baseless claim that Chinese soldiers are “operating the Panama Canal,” calling it “nonsense.”
In a Christmas Day message on Truth Social, Trump sarcastically wished a merry Christmas to “the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal” and “making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about anything.”
Ariana Baio reports on the Panamanian leader’s response.
‘Nonsense’: Panamanian president dismisses Trump claims China controls Panama Canal
‘Something great’ about Trump wanting to make Canada the 51st state, says Shark Tank star
Sunday 29 December 2024 11:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary praised President-elect Donald Trump’s continued fascination with annexing Canada as an American state, saying there was “something great” about it because it would form “the most powerful country on earth.”
Having spent the past few weeks taunting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by offering to make him a “governor” of “the 51st state,” the incoming president upped the ante with a Christmas message to the United States’ neighbor to the north. Besides recommending that hockey great Wayne Gretzky run to be “the Governor of Canada,” Trump also claimed that Canadians’ taxes would massively drop if they joined the American union.
Justin Barangoa reports.
Shark Tank star says there’s ‘something great’ about making Canada the 51st state
As MAGA looks to end federal programs, more Americans believe health care is responsibilty of government
Sunday 29 December 2024 10:10 , Oliver O’Connell
The highest percentage of Americans in over a decade, 62 percent, now say that it’s the government’s job to make sure that all Americans have access to health care, according to a Gallup poll.
In 2013, during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, that number was down to 42 percent. Back in 2006, it stood at 69 percent.
The annual Health and Healthcare survey was conducted between November 6 and 20. That same poll found that fewer Americans are rating U.S. health care coverage and quality in a positive way.
Gustaf Kilander has the details.
More Americans believe health care is the government’s responsibility
Toy stores could go bust under Trump’s proposed international tariffs
Sunday 29 December 2024 09:10 , Oliver O’Connell
The price of toys may soar if Donald Trump carries through on his vow to impose exorbitant international tariffs, leading to the closure of many independent retailers.
According to industry group The Toy Association, nearly 80 percent of U.S. toys are manufactured in China, one of the countries the President-elect has threatened to target with immediate charges on exports.
Mike Bedigan reports.
Toy stores could go bust under Trump’s proposed international tariffs
As businesses scramble to curry favor, Trump inaugural fund set to break record
Sunday 29 December 2024 08:10 , Oliver O’Connell
The Donald Trump-JD Vance inaugural committee is projected to raise more than $150 million, breaking the previous $107 million inauguration fundraising record, set at Trump’s first inauguration.
“There is an absolute deluge of interest,” a Republican fundraiser told ABC News.
The donations have included a variety of big names in the tech and finance world.
Amazon, Meta, Uber, and Ford are all reportedly planning $1 million donations, as are hedge fund manager Ken Griffin and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Josh Marcus has the details.
Trump inaugural fund set to break record as businesses scramble to curry favor
Aspiring MAGA congresswoman performs mock ‘execution’ of migrant
Sunday 29 December 2024 06:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Aspiring congresswoman and controversial MAGA cheerleader Valentina Gomez has sparked outrage once again after posting a video in which she appears to simulate executing an immigrant.
The 25-year-old, who tried and failed to be elected as the Missouri Secretary of State earlier this year, said in the disturbing clip that undocumented persons who committed violent crimes “deserve to be ended.”
Mike Bedigan has the story.
Aspiring MAGA congresswoman performs mock ‘execution’ of migrant in disturbing video
Trump’s ‘border czar’ says migrant families will be put in detention centers once again
Sunday 29 December 2024 04:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s incoming border czar says the administration’s plans for a mass deportation operation will include jailing immigrant families together in detention centers before they are removed from the country.
“We’re going to need to construct family facilities,” Tom Homan told The Washington Post in a recent interview. “How many beds we’re going to need will depend on what the data says.”
Alex Woodward reports.
Trump’s border czar wants ‘family’ detention centers for deportation plans
‘Exhausted’ Americans are tuning out politics
Sunday 29 December 2024 03:40 , Oliver O’Connell
While cable news networks CNN and MSNBC continue to see a massive post-election drop in their television ratings, a new Associated Press poll finds that most Americans are worn out since Donald Trump’s electoral victory and have tuned out from political news.
Conducted by the AP and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in early December, the survey found that roughly two-thirds of respondents said they “have recently felt the need to limit media consumption about politics and government because of overload.” Some participants explained why they felt fatigued and needed to step away.
Here’s Justin Barangoa:
‘Exhausted’ Americans are tuning out politics, according to TV ratings and new poll
Yellen warns Congress ‘extraordinary measures’ will be needed to stop US hitting debt limit
Sunday 29 December 2024 02:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon.
“Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23,” Yellen wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation’s debt ceiling — which has been suspended until Jan. 1, 2025.
The department has in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. But once those measures run out the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow.
“I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States,” she said.
Continue reading…
Janet Yellen issues warning to Congress as US nears debt limit
ICYMI: Trump claims victory over border wall ruling
Sunday 29 December 2024 02:10 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump is claiming victory after a judge ruled that the Biden administration must turn over purchasing records accounting for $1.4 billion Congress allocated to build a wall on the Mexico border, a federal judge in Texas said Friday.
The records will help track materials that Texas alleges the federal government auctioned off in violation of a court order, Bloomberg Law reports.
Judge Drew Tipton of the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, a Trump appointee, demanded the records at the end of a virtual hearing that Texas requested to determine if the federal government had unlawfully gotten rid of wall materials in anticipation of Trump’s reelection.
The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:
BREAKING: In a major, crucial WIN for America, and our National Security, a Federal Judge in Texas, based on papers we filed just a few days ago, has PROHIBITED the Biden Administration from selling any materials designated for the Border Wall, that has been wrecked by Biden and his cronies, and which I am going to rebuild in order to protect our Country from violent migrant crime, fentanyl smuggling, sex trafficking, terror attacks, and other heinous, Nation ending disasters. The Judge has also ordered an investigation into the illegal selling of the materials, which will expose just how corrupt and anti-American Radical Democrats are. I am honored to be joined in this vital case by the Great States of Texas and Missouri, and applaud Judge Drew Tipton for doing the right thing for our Country. We have to protect our Borders, and Save America. MAGA!
ICYMI: Laura Loomer lays into Elon Musk and loses her blue check on X
Sunday 29 December 2024 01:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Another volley has been fired in the ongoing MAGA civil war that’s been playing out online between hardcore “America First” acolytes and Trump-backing Silicon Valley oligarchs over an immigrant worker visa program — and now Elon Musk is being accused of personally punishing his critics.
Laura Loomer and other far-right activists who have railed against the X (formerly Twitter) owner and his DOGE co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy for supporting H-1B visas and criticizing American work culture allege that Musk removed their X verification badges and ability to monetize their accounts in an act of retribution.
Justin Barangoa reports.
MAGA civil war ramps up as Laura Loomer lays into Musk — and loses her blue check
Online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition
Sunday 29 December 2024 01:10 , AP
An online spat between factions of Donald Trump‘s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House.
The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies.
Read on…
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition
Supply chain ‘freak out’ over Trump tariff threats
Sunday 29 December 2024 00:40 , Oliver O’Connell
President-elect Donald Trump’s continuing threats of massive tariffs are sparking global supply chain concerns as both American and European companies are frontloading orders and considering raising prices while Chinese factories look for buyers outside of the U.S.
Businesses across the world are pushing out orders ahead of Trump’s inauguration January 20, choosing not to wait to see which products or countries will be on the list of targets in Trump’s expected trade war.
The president-elect’s threat of universal tariffs has set off a scramble to get orders out that’s creating bottlenecks and higher costs.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Trump tariff threats trigger supply chain ‘freak out’
Trump asks Supreme Court to block TikTok ban
Saturday 28 December 2024 23:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to block a federal law’s imminent ban on TikTok in the United States if the popular app’s Chinese parent company doesn’t sell it by next month’s deadline.
The nation’s highest court will hear arguments in the case on January 10.
Alex Woodward has the details.
Trump asks Supreme Court to block TikTok ban as he considers ‘political resolution’
What’s in store for Trump and Putin in 2025? Here’s what Peruvian shamans believe…
Saturday 28 December 2024 23:10 , Oliver O’Connell
In case you were wondering.
Peruvian shamans share bizarre Trump-Putin predictions for 2025
Musk says ‘hateful unrepentant racists’ must be removed from GOP
Saturday 28 December 2024 22:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Elon Musk has declared that “hateful, unrepentant racists” should be removed from the Republican Party “root and stem” as the in-party feud over H-1B visas intensifies.
Conversations around H-1B visas have divided Donald Trump’s party, with his Department of Government Efficiency heads Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy on one side and other allies like Laura Loomer on the other. The Space X founder escalated the feud on Friday night when he called for some “contemptible fools” in the GOP to be removed.
Musk made the statement in response to a post on X by Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Musk says ‘hateful unrepentant racists’ must be removed from GOP as visa feud deepens
Man accused of attacking TV reporter and yelling ‘This is Trump’s America now’
Saturday 28 December 2024 22:10 , AP
A Colorado man is facing possible bias-motivated charges for allegedly attacking a television news reporter after demanding to know whether he was a citizen, saying “This is Trump’s America now,” according to court documents.
Patrick Thomas Egan, 39, was arrested Dec. 18 in Grand Junction, Colorado, after police say he followed KKCO/KJCT reporter Ja’Ronn Alex’s vehicle for around 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the Delta area. Alex told police that he believed he had been followed and attacked because he is a Pacific Islander.
Continue reading…
Man accused of attacking TV reporter and yelling ‘This is Trump’s America now’
Trump deportation plans: Mexico tests app for migrants in U.S. to warn family if they’re detained
Saturday 28 December 2024 21:55 , Oliver O’Connell
Mexico is developing a cellphone app that will allow migrants to warn relatives and local consulates if they think they are about to be detained by the U.S. immigration department, a senior official said Friday.
The move is in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to carry out mass deportations after he takes office on Jan. 20.
The app has been rolled out for small-scale testing and “appears to be working very well,” said Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico’s secretary of foreign affairs.
Continue reading…
Mexico tests app for migrants in U.S. to warn family if they’re detained
Trump shares bizarre Truth Social post claiming Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago
Saturday 28 December 2024 21:40 , Oliver O’Connell
As tensions flare between Elon Musk and Trump’s MAGA allies, President-elect Donald Trump posted what appeared to be a personal message to Musk on Truth Social, claiming that fellow billionaire Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago.
In an early morning post on Friday, Trump suggested the Microsoft co-founder had asked to come to Mar-a-Lago. The 78-year-old Republican encouraged him to visit.
Kelly Rissman has the story.
Trump claims Bill Gates asked to come to Mar-a-Lago in bizarre Truth Social post
‘Something great’ about Trump wanting to make Canada the 51st state, says Shark Tank star
Saturday 28 December 2024 21:25 , Oliver O’Connell
Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary praised President-elect Donald Trump’s continued fascination with annexing Canada as an American state, saying there was “something great” about it because it would form “the most powerful country on earth.”
Justin Barangoa has the story.
Shark Tank star says there’s ‘something great’ about making Canada the 51st state
Full story: Trump sides with Elon Musk in MAGA immigration feud over H-1B visas
Saturday 28 December 2024 21:05 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump has sided with Elon Musk in the feud over H-1B skilled worker visas that has split the American political right over the past few days.
Speaking by phone with The New York Post on Saturday, the president-elect said: “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them.”
Read on…
Trump sides with Elon Musk in MAGA immigration feud over visas for skilled workers
Watch: Rick Wilson of the Lincoln Project explains why he believes MAGA is at war with itself
Saturday 28 December 2024 21:02 , Oliver O’Connell
Trump’s return to the White House has some critics worried — others are ready for a fight
Saturday 28 December 2024 20:40 , Oliver O’Connell
With Donald Trump poised to pack the American law enforcement apparatus with loyalists who could implement an agenda of revenge on his behalf, some of his most prominent critics are bracing for possible impacts they may face.
Recently, Georgia Representative Barry Loudermilk used his perch atop a House Administration Subcommittee to issue a report that called for the incoming Trump justice department to investigate and prosecute former House January 6 committee vice-chair Liz Cheney for what he describes as “witness tampering” — in actuality the then-Wyoming congresswoman’s efforts to help ex-Mark Meadows aide Cassidy Hutchinson find new counsel after she was pressured to withhold information from the panel.
Trump has also called for the entirety of the now-defunct House panel to be jailed, and he has also routinely called for critics and political opponents to face criminal sanctions as well.
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, D.C.
Donald Trump critics ready for his White House return and possible retribution
Panamanian president dismisses Trump claims China controls Panama Canal
Saturday 28 December 2024 20:20 , Oliver O’Connell
President José Raúl Mulino of Panama brushed off U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s baseless claim that Chinese soldiers are “operating the Panama Canal,” calling it “nonsense.”
In a Christmas Day message on Truth Social, Trump sarcastically wished a merry Christmas to “the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal” and “making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about anything.”
He then claimed the Panamanian government was “ripping off” the United States at the Panama Canal.
Ariana Baio reports on the Panamanian leader’s response.
‘Nonsense’: Panamanian president dismisses Trump claims China controls Panama Canal
Trump sides with Musk over H1-B visas in change of tune from previous administration
Saturday 28 December 2024 19:58 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump has sided with Elon Musk in the feud over H1-B skilled worker visas that has split the American political right over the past two days.
Speaking to The New York Post on Saturday, the president-elect said: “I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them.”
He added: “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”
In his first administration from 2017-2021, Trump restricted access to such visas and was critical of the program, calling it “very bad” for Americans.
While Trump-supporting tech leaders such as Musk have stressed that H1-B visas are critical to finding skilled workers, “America First” hardliners want a new Trump administration to impose tougher restrictions on immigration at all levels.
Musk vowed to go to “war” on the issue and told one critic to go “f*** yourself in the face.”
Steve Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Elon Musk after he tells as MAGA visa war escalates
Sarah Palin is not happy with Musk’s endorsement of post including slur
Saturday 28 December 2024 19:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin is not happy with Elon Musk’s apparent endorsement of a tweet that called Americans “re***ded” workers who can’t hold a candle to skilled foreign hires in Silicon Valley.
Musk was responding to a post — using a word widely considered a slur — explaining the difference between the “right right” (whom Trump claims to back) and the “tech right.”
Palin, who has a son with Down Syndrome, tweeted out a news item regarding the post and wrote: “Not cool. Do better.”
Nikki Haley reignites Ramaswamy feud after he bashes American work culture
Saturday 28 December 2024 19:20 , Oliver O’Connell
Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley tore into her old rival Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday, after the entrepreneur and Trump administration adviser wrote a lengthy takedown arguing mainstream U.S. culture doesn’t encourage science and technology excellence, leading companies to hire foreign-born and first-generation workers.
“There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture,” Haley wrote in response on X. “All you have to do is look at the border and see how many want what we have. We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers.”
The pair previously clashed when both were candidates during the 2024 Republican presidential primary.
Josh Marcus has the story.
Haley re-ups Ramaswamy feud after he slams America: ‘Nothing wrong with US workers’
As MAGA looks to end federal programs, more Americans believe healthcare is responsibility of government
Saturday 28 December 2024 18:50 , Oliver O’Connell
The highest percentage of Americans in over a decade, 62 percent, now say that it’s the government’s job to make sure that all Americans have access to health care, according to a Gallup poll.
In 2013, during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, that number was down to 42 percent. Back in 2006, it stood at 69 percent.
The annual Health and Healthcare survey was conducted between November 6 and 20. That same poll found that fewer Americans are rating U.S. healthcare coverage and quality in a positive way.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
More Americans believe health care is the government’s responsibility
Trump congratulates Florida lawmaker on decision to defect to Republican Party
Saturday 28 December 2024 18:35 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump has offered his congratulations to Florida lawmaker Hillary Cassel, the second Democratic state representative to switch party affiliation from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.
Per The Tallahassee Democrat:
A second Florida Democratic lawmaker has switched parties this month, further swelling the legislative Republican supermajority.
Rep. Hillary Cassel of Dania Beach, first elected to the state House in 2022, made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon.
“The decision was not made lightly but comes from a deep sense of responsibility to my constituents and my commitment to the values that guide my service,” Cassel said in a social media post, less than two months after winning a reelection in which she ran unopposed.
In a move that drew blowback from Democrats, Tampa state Rep. Susan Valdés shared the same news earlier this month. Valdés said she’d felt “ignored” by her party.
The president-elect wrote on Truth Social today:
Congratulations to Hillary Cassel for becoming the second State Representative from the Great State of Florida to switch her Party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, once more expanding the GOP Supermajority in the State House! I would further like to invite other Disillusioned Democrats to switch Parties, and join us on this noble quest to Save our Country and, Make America Great Again – GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. THANK YOU HILLARY!
Ramaswamy blames 90s sitcoms for tech companies hiring smarter immigrant workers
Saturday 28 December 2024 18:20 , Oliver O’Connell
Vivek Ramaswamy, one of the leaders of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, blamed a series of 1990s TV sitcoms for what he saw as a decline in U.S. dynamism in science and technology, leading tech companies to hire more qualified foreign-born and first-generation workers over their mentally lazy American counterparts.
“A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers,” he wrote in a post on X.
Josh Marcus reports.
Vivek Ramaswamy blames 90s sitcoms for tech companies hiring immigrant workers
Toy stores fear Trump’s proposed trade tariffs
Saturday 28 December 2024 18:00 , Oliver O’Connell
The price of toys may soar if Donald Trump carries through on his vow to impose exorbitant international tariffs, leading to the closure of many independent retailers.
According to industry group The Toy Association, nearly 80 percent of U.S. toys are manufactured in China, one of the countries the President-elect has threatened to target with immediate charges on exports.
Mike Bedigan has the details.
Toy stores could go bust under Trump’s proposed international tariffs
Steve Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Elon Musk after he tells X user to ‘f*** yourself’ over visa bust-up
Saturday 28 December 2024 17:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Steve Bannon joined the MAGA immigration civil war with gusto on Friday, calling Elon Musk a “toddler,” and telling the owner of X to “bring it.”
As Musk doubled down on his support for H1-B work visas and criticism of American workers, Bannon posted on the social media platform Gettr: “Someone please notify ‘Child Protective Services’— need to do a ‘wellness check’ on this toddler.”
The former Trump adviser and War Room podcast host made the post in reaction to Musk telling a critic of his stance on immigration to “f*** yourself in the face.”
Read on…
Steve Bannon mocks ‘toddler’ Elon Musk after he tells as MAGA visa war escalates
Yellen warns Congress ‘extraordinary measures’ will be needed to stop US hitting debt limit
Saturday 28 December 2024 17:20 , AP
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon.
“Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23,” Yellen wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation’s debt ceiling — which has been suspended until Jan. 1, 2025.
The department has in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. But once those measures run out the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow.
“I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States,” she said.
Continue reading…
Janet Yellen issues warning to Congress as US nears debt limit
Trump claims victory over border wall ruling
Saturday 28 December 2024 17:18 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump is claiming victory after a judge ruled that the Biden administration must turn over purchasing records accounting for $1.4 billion Congress allocated to build a wall on the Mexico border, a federal judge in Texas said Friday.
The records will help track materials that Texas alleges the federal government auctioned off in violation of a court order, Bloomberg Law reports.
Judge Drew Tipton of the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, a Trump appointee, demanded the records at the end of a virtual hearing that Texas requested to determine if the federal government had unlawfully gotten rid of wall materials in anticipation of Trump’s reelection.
The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:
BREAKING: In a major, crucial WIN for America, and our National Security, a Federal Judge in Texas, based on papers we filed just a few days ago, has PROHIBITED the Biden Administration from selling any materials designated for the Border Wall, that has been wrecked by Biden and his cronies, and which I am going to rebuild in order to protect our Country from violent migrant crime, fentanyl smuggling, sex trafficking, terror attacks, and other heinous, Nation ending disasters. The Judge has also ordered an investigation into the illegal selling of the materials, which will expose just how corrupt and anti-American Radical Democrats are. I am honored to be joined in this vital case by the Great States of Texas and Missouri, and applaud Judge Drew Tipton for doing the right thing for our Country. We have to protect our Borders, and Save America. MAGA!
ICYMI: Laura Loomer lays into Elon Musk and loses her blue check on X
Saturday 28 December 2024 17:06 , Oliver O’Connell
Another volley has been fired in the ongoing MAGA civil war that’s been playing out online between hardcore “America First” acolytes and Trump-backing Silicon Valley oligarchs over an immigrant worker visa program — and now Elon Musk is being accused of personally punishing his critics.
Laura Loomer and other far-right activists who have railed against the X (formerly Twitter) owner and his DOGE co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy for supporting H-1B visas and criticizing American work culture allege that Musk removed their X verification badges and ability to monetize their accounts in an act of retribution.
Justin Barangoa reports.
MAGA civil war ramps up as Laura Loomer lays into Musk — and loses her blue check
Online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition
Saturday 28 December 2024 16:40 , Oliver O’Connell
An online spat between factions of Donald Trump‘s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House.
The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies.
Read on…
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition
Supply chain ‘freak out’ over Trump tariff threats
Saturday 28 December 2024 16:20 , Oliver O’Connell
President-elect Donald Trump’s continuing threats of massive tariffs are sparking global supply chain concerns as both American and European companies are frontloading orders and considering raising prices while Chinese factories look for buyers outside of the U.S.
Businesses across the world are pushing out orders ahead of Trump’s inauguration January 20, choosing not to wait to see which products or countries will be on the list of targets in Trump’s expected trade war.
The president-elect’s threat of universal tariffs has set off a scramble to get orders out that’s creating bottlenecks and higher costs.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Trump tariff threats trigger supply chain ‘freak out’
Trump asks Supreme Court to block TikTok ban
Saturday 28 December 2024 16:00 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to block a federal law’s imminent ban on TikTok in the United States if the popular app’s Chinese parent company doesn’t sell it by next month’s deadline.
The nation’s highest court will hear arguments in the case on January 10.
Alex Woodward has the details.
Trump asks Supreme Court to block TikTok ban as he considers ‘political resolution’
What’s in store for Trump and Putin in 2025? Here’s what Peruvian shamans believe…
Saturday 28 December 2024 15:40 , Oliver O’Connell
Peruvian shamans share bizarre Trump-Putin predictions for 2025
Bannon calls Musk ‘toddler’, tells tech mogul to ‘bring it’ in war over H1-B visas
Saturday 28 December 2024 15:31 , Oliver O’Connell
Steve Bannon has some thoughts on Elon Musk’s stance on H1-B visas. The War Room podcast host wrote on Gettr:
Someone please notify ‘Child Protective Services’— need to do a ‘wellness check’ on this toddler
In other posts, he wrote:
American Jobs for American Workers : H1B Visas are a TOOL of the Tech Oligarchs to Keep Wages Down While Destroying the Spirit of American Citizens ….
And:
American Citizens Have Never Bent the Knee—to the British Empire , the Bolsheviks, the Nazis —Ain’t About to Start with South Africa….
At one point, Musk wrote on Twitter:
America rose to greatness over the past 150 years, because it was a meritocracy more than anywhere else on Earth.
I will fight to my last drop of blood to ensure that it remains that land of freedom and opportunity.
Bannon replied: “Bring.It.Dude—All of It.”
Musk says ‘hateful unrepentant racists’ must be removed from GOP
Saturday 28 December 2024 15:20 , Oliver O’Connell
Elon Musk has declared that “hateful, unrepentant racists” should be removed from the Republican Party “root and stem” as the in-party feud over H-1B visas intensifies.
Conversations around H-1B visas have divided Donald Trump’s party, with his Department of Government Efficiency heads Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy on one side and other allies like Laura Loomer on the other. The Space X founder escalated the feud on Friday night when he called for some “contemptible fools” in the GOP to be removed.
Musk made the statement in response to a post on X by Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Musk says ‘hateful unrepentant racists’ must be removed from GOP as visa feud deepens
