The Political Thread

[Chris]

https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5136255-trump-federal-funding-freeze-comply/

A federal judge in Rhode Island on Monday ordered the Trump administration to comply with his order to unfreeze federal grants, after attorneys general for several Democratic states claimed the directive was not being fulfilled.

In a short order, U.S. District Judge John McConnell directed the Trump administration to “immediately” end any federal funding pause until he decides whether to indefinitely block the freeze while litigation is ongoing.

The judge said specifically that the withheld funds that must be restored include those appropriated under two laws championed by former President Biden — the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act — and those intended for institutes and other agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

 

[Chris]

https://www.wsj.com/tech/elon-musk-openai-bid-4af12827

A consortium of investors led by Elon Musk is offering $97.4 billion to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI, upping the stakes in his battle with Sam Altman over the company behind ChatGPT.

Musk’s attorney, Marc Toberoff, said he submitted a bid for all the nonprofit’s assets to OpenAI’s board of directors Monday.

 

[Grim]

Yikes.

 

[Grim]

Can Elon and all these other billionaires fucking drop dead already.

 

[Chris]

Yeah both these guys suck, the dick swinging contest only hurts us. It would be worse if Elon bought it obviously bc that's more power to him that he certainly doesn't need but I don't give a fuck about Sam Altman either, he would be just as bad if he had the opportunity

 

[Chris]

Trump Imposes 25% Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum From Foreign Countries

The president imposed a 25 percent tariff on global metals, copying a move in his first term. Economists and foreign governments know what will come next.

www.nytimes.com

President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum on Monday, re-upping a policy from his first term that pleased domestic metal makers, but hurt other American industries and ignited trade wars with allies on multiple fronts.

The president signed two official proclamations Monday evening that would impose a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum from all countries globally. A White House official said in a call with reporters that there would be no exclusions offered, and that the president was directing customs officials to dramatically increase their oversight over such imports.

The measures will be welcomed by domestic steelmakers, who argue they are struggling to compete against cheap foreign metals. As they did during Mr. Trump’s first term, U.S. metal makers have been lobbying the administration for protection, and Trump officials agree that a strong domestic metal sector is essential for U.S. national security.

 

[Chris]

Lol so here's how my timeline just went. I was reading THIS

 

[Chris]

Oh that posted early oops lol but anyway I was reading that and wanted more context bc I couldn't remember his thing so I googled Eric Adams and found this

Mayor Adams' sports director backs Trump's trans athlete ban, defying city policy

On Instagram, top city aide Jasmine Ray expressed support for Trump's executive order banning transgender athletes from women's sports.

gothamist.com

Lol what a fucking cunt

 

[Chris]

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for top intelligence official, clears key Senate hurdle

Gabbard is now on track to be confirmed as the director of national intelligence, despite some concerns from members of both parties.

www.nbcnews.com

The GOP-controlled Senate on Monday voted to advance the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence, putting her on a path to be confirmed this week.

The party-line vote was 52-46, with all Republicans present voting in favor of Gabbard. Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and John Fetterman, D-Pa., did not vote. Last week, Gabbard’s nomination as the nation’s top-ranking intelligence official squeaked through the Senate Intelligence Committee on a party-line 9-8 vote.

 

[Chris]

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5137309-trump-jordan-egypt-aid/

President Trump said Monday he would consider withholding aid to Jordan and Egypt if they do not agree to take in Palestinians as part of a plan for the U.S. to take over and develop the Gaza Strip.

“Would you withhold aid to these countries if they don’t agree to take in the Palestinians?” Trump was asked during a gaggle with reporters in the Oval Office.

“Yeah, maybe. Sure, why not?” Trump responded. “If they don’t agree, I would conceivably withhold aid. Yeah.”

Jordan and Egypt are among the top recipients of U.S. military assistance.

The U.S. and Jordan signed a memorandum in 2022 in which the U.S. committed to providing more than $1 billion annually in foreign assistance. The U.S. provided roughly $1.5 billion in foreign assistance to Egypt in fiscal year 2023.

 

[Grim]

Say it with me now, fascists.

 

[OsBlaze]

 

[Chris]

Don't see anything negative about this, no one should be stuck in Russia for weed

Russia Releases Marc Fogel After Talks With Trump Envoy

The Kremlin freed Marc Fogel, a teacher held for more than three years on drug charges, in a deal negotiated by Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East envoy.

www.nytimes.com

President Trump on Tuesday secured the release of an American imprisoned in Russia as part of a deal with the Kremlin negotiated by Mr. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
Marc Fogel, a teacher who was arrested on charges of bringing medical marijuana into Russia in August 2021, was released by the Kremlin and flown out of the country on Mr. Witkoff’s plane. Though he began serving a 14-year sentence in June 2022, Mr. Fogel was only classified as wrongfully detained by the Biden administration late last year.

Mr. Witkoff, a billionaire New York real estate executive and close friend of Mr. Trump’s, had been secretly negotiating the deal, though his presence in Moscow became apparent when he flew there on his private jet, alerting online flight trackers. It was the first known trip to Moscow by a senior U.S. official since William J. Burns, then the C.I.A. director, flew to the Russian capital in November 2021 to try to head off an invasion of Ukraine.

 

[OsBlaze]

Don't see anything negative about this, no one should be stuck in Russia for weed

Russia Releases Marc Fogel After Talks With Trump Envoy

The Kremlin freed Marc Fogel, a teacher held for more than three years on drug charges, in a deal negotiated by Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East envoy.

www.nytimes.com

President Trump on Tuesday secured the release of an American imprisoned in Russia as part of a deal with the Kremlin negotiated by Mr. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
Marc Fogel, a teacher who was arrested on charges of bringing medical marijuana into Russia in August 2021, was released by the Kremlin and flown out of the country on Mr. Witkoff’s plane. Though he began serving a 14-year sentence in June 2022, Mr. Fogel was only classified as wrongfully detained by the Biden administration late last year.

Mr. Witkoff, a billionaire New York real estate executive and close friend of Mr. Trump’s, had been secretly negotiating the deal, though his presence in Moscow became apparent when he flew there on his private jet, alerting online flight trackers. It was the first known trip to Moscow by a senior U.S. official since William J. Burns, then the C.I.A. director, flew to the Russian capital in November 2021 to try to head off an invasion of Ukraine.

Yeah, this is pretty good. I’ll give credit here to Trump for getting this done.

 

[Professor Booty]

Shopify shut down Yeezy’s swastika shirt site

Eat shit Kanye