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Marie: Sorry, my countdown clock was unreliable; then it became completely unreliable. I can't keep up with it. Maybe I'll try another one later.

 

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The Washington Post publishes a series of U.S. maps here to tell you what weather to expect in your area this summer in terms of temperatures, humidity, precipitation, and cloud cover. The maps compare this year's forecasts with 1993-2016 averages.

Zoë Schlanger in the Atlantic: "Throw out your black plastic spatula. In a world of plastic consumer goods, avoiding the material entirely requires the fervor of a religious conversion. But getting rid of black plastic kitchen utensils is a low-stakes move, and worth it. Cooking with any plastic is a dubious enterprise, because heat encourages potentially harmful plastic compounds to migrate out of the polymers and potentially into the food. But, as Andrew Turner, a biochemist at the University of Plymouth recently told me, black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid." This is a gift link from laura h.

Mashable: "Following the 2024 presidential election results and [Elon] Musk's support for ... Donald Trump, users have been deactivating en masse. And this time, it appears most everyone has settled on one particular X alternative: Bluesky.... Bluesky has gained more than 100,000 new sign ups per day since the U.S. election on Nov. 5. It now has over 15 million users. It's enjoyed a prolonged stay on the very top of Apple's App Store charts as well. Ready to join? Here's how to get started on Bluesky[.]"

CNN did a live telecast Saturday night (June 7) of the Broadway play "Good Night, and Good Luck," written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, about legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow's effort to hold to account Sen. Joe McCarthy, "the junior senator from Wisconsin." Clooney plays Murrow. Here's Murrow himself with his famous take on McCarthy & McCarthyism, brief remarks that especially resonate today: ~~~

     ~~~ This article lists ways you still can watch the play. 

New York Times: “The New York Times Company has agreed to license its editorial content to Amazon for use in the tech giant’s artificial intelligence platforms, the company said on Thursday. The multiyear agreement 'will bring Times editorial content to a variety of Amazon customer experiences,' the news organization said in a statement. Besides news articles, the agreement encompasses material from NYT Cooking, The Times’s food and recipe site, and The Athletic, which focuses on sports. This is The Times’s first licensing arrangement with a focus on generative A.I. technology. In 2023, The Times sued OpenAI and its partner, Microsoft, for copyright infringement, accusing the tech companies of using millions of articles published by The Times to train automated chatbots without any kind of compensation. OpenAI and Microsoft have rejected those accusations.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I have no idea what this means for "the Amazon customer experience." Does it mean that if I don't have a NYT subscription but do have Amazon Prime I can read NYT content? And where, exactly, would I find that content? I don't know. I don't know.

Washington Post reporters asked three AI image generators what a beautiful woman looks like. "The Post found that they steer users toward a startlingly narrow vision of attractiveness. Prompted to show a 'beautiful woman,' all three tools generated thin women, without exception.... Her body looks like Barbie — slim hips, impossible waist, round breasts.... Just 2 percent of the images showed visible signs of aging. More than a third of the images had medium skin tones. But only nine percent had dark skin tones. Asked to show 'normal women,' the tools produced images that remained overwhelmingly thin.... However bias originates, The Post’s analysis found that popular image tools struggle to render realistic images of women outside the Western ideal." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: The reporters seem to think they are calling out the AI programs for being unrealistic. But there's a lot about the "beautiful women" images they miss. I find these omissions remarkably sexist. For one thing, the reporters seem to think AI is a magical "thing" that self-generates. It isn't. It's programmed. It's programmed by boys, many of them incels who have little or no experience or insights beyond comic books and Internet porn of how to gauge female "beauty." As a result, the AI-generated women look like cartoons; that is, a lot like an air-brushed photo of Kristi Noem: globs of every kind of dark eye makeup, Scandinavian nose, Botox lips, slathered-on skin concealer/toner/etc. makeup, long dark hair and the aforementioned impossible Barbie body shape, including huge, round plastic breasts. 

New York Times: “George Clooney’s Broadway debut, 'Good Night, and Good Luck,' has been one of the sensations of the 2024-25 theater season, breaking box office records and drawing packed houses of audiences eager to see the popular movie star in a timely drama about the importance of an independent press. Now the play will become much more widely available: CNN is planning a live broadcast of the penultimate performance, on June 7 at 7 p.m. Eastern. The performance will be preceded and followed by coverage of, and discussion about, the show and the state of journalism.”

No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land. -- Magna Carta ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “Bought for $27.50 after World War II, the faint, water stained manuscript in the library of Harvard Law School had attracted relatively little attention since it arrived there in 1946. That is about to change. Two British academics, one of whom happened on the manuscript by chance, have discovered that it is an original 1300 version — not a copy, as long thought — of Magna Carta, the medieval document that helped establish some of the world’s most cherished liberties. It is one of just seven such documents from that date still in existence.... A 710-year-old version of Magna Carta was sold in 2007 for $21.3 million.... First issued in 1215, it put into writing a set of concessions won by rebellious barons from a recalcitrant King John of England — or Bad King John, as he became known in folklore. He later revoked the charter, but his son, Henry III, issued amended versions, the last one in 1225, and Henry’s son, Edward I, in turn confirmed the 1225 version in 1297 and again in 1300.”

NPR lists all of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize winners. Poynter lists the prizes awarded in journalism as well as the finalists in these categories.

Wherein Michael McIntyre explains how Americans adapted English to their needs. With examples:

 

Contact Marie

Email Marie at constantweader@gmail.com

Constant Comments

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. — Anonymous

A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolvesEdward R. Murrow

Publisher & Editor: Marie Burns

I have a Bluesky account now. The URL is https://bsky.app/profile/marie-burns.bsky.social . When Reality Chex goes down, check my Bluesky page for whatever info I am able to report on the status of Reality Chex. If you can't access the URL, I found that I could Google Bluesky and ask for Marie Burns. Google will include links to accounts for people whose names are, at least in part, Maria Burns, so you'll have to tell Google you looking only for Marie.

Tuesday
Jun172025

The Conversation -- June 17, 2025

Every president* seems to think he needs a war. Now, the person who described himself as a "man of peace" seems to want his, too: ~~~

New York Times liveblog: Donald “Trump on Tuesday called for Iran’s 'unconditional surrender,' cited the possibility of killing Iran’s supreme leader and referred to Israel’s war efforts with the word 'we' — all apparent suggestions that the United States could enter the war against Iran. Mr. Trump’s comments, in social media posts, came as Israel has been pressing the White House to intervene militarily in the conflict with Iran to put an end to that country’s nuclear program. The president has long professed opposition to getting involved in foreign wars and has expressed hopes for a negotiated agreement with Iran. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, wants the United States to drop its largest bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s Fordo nuclear site, which lies deep underground. Israel has neither bombs that big nor warplanes big enough to carry them. In a post on Truth Social, Mr. Trump wrote, 'we know exactly where'  Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, 'is hiding,' but added,  'we are not going to take him out (kill!), at least for now.' Boasting of Israel’s air superiority, which he suggested was based on American technology, he wrote, 'We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,' associating himself with Israel’s war effort.” ~~~

     ~~~ An NPR story is here.

~~~ Here's the G-7 leaders' statement on Middle East peace, released by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Roger Cohen of the New York Times: Donald “Trump said on Tuesday that President Emmanuel Macron of France 'always gets it wrong,' as simmering tensions between the two leaders over the Israel-Iran conflict blew up into insults. As he made an early exit from the Group of 7 meeting in Canada and flew back to Washington, Mr. Trump called Mr. Macron 'publicity seeking.' In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr. Trump said the French leader 'has no idea why I am on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire.' Mr. Macron had told reporters covering the G7 meeting in Calgary, Alberta, that the United States had given assurances that 'they will find a cease-fire, and since they can pressure Israel, things may change.' The speculation about his intentions clearly infuriated Mr. Trump, who said, without elaborating, that the real reason for his departure was 'much bigger than that.' In an earlier Truth Social post, he had said that 'everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran.'” MB: I'm shocked at the idea of a world leader's being “publicity seeking.” ~~~

~~~ Besides, Trump knows all ~~~

~~~ "I Don't Care What She Said." Avery Lotz of Axios: Donald "Trump on Tuesday said Iran was 'very close' to having a nuclear weapon, despite March testimony from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that Tehran was not building one.... His comments, which critics see as shirking his DNI's own assessment, came after he sent shockwaves through the Middle East with a Monday Truth Social post calling for the evacuation of Tehran.... When pressed on Gabbard's assessment by reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump replied, 'I don't care what she said. I think they were very close to having' a nuclear weapon. Trump has repeatedly stressed the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. Israel wants the administration's help by joining the war against Iran to destroy its nuclear program."

Ali Watkins of the New York Times: Donald “Trump said that he had no plans to call Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota after a man assassinated a state lawmaker there and wounded another over the weekend, calling Mr. Walz 'whacked out' and 'a mess.' 'I don’t really call him,' Mr. Trump told reporters during his flight back to Washington after making an early exit from the Group of 7 summit in Canada late Monday. 'I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out, I’m not calling him. Why would I call him?' It is a well established custom for presidents to call state leaders to express sympathy and offer support after deadly shootings and other calamities. But after the shootings in the Minneapolis suburbs over the weekend, which left one Democratic lawmaker and her husband dead and another lawmaker and his wife gravely wounded, Mr. Trump seemed perplexed when asked by reporters if he intended to call Mr. Walz....” The U.S. attorney and FBI agents already have been helping Minnesota apprehend and charge the alleged assassin, so I can't see what Trump's problem is, other than than he's a boor who doesn't know how to behave in polite society. ~~~

~~~ Steve M: "Pundits don't feel moral outrage in response to Trump's contempt and the [Brevard County, Florida,] sheriffs' bloodlust because, at least subconsciously, they feel the president and the sheriffs are punching up -- snooty lefties deserve to be taken down a peg. Trump and the sheriff are seen as avengers speaking on behalf of the downtrodden working class, not as power-mad fascists. I wouldn't say that contempt for liberals and leftists is 'the last acceptable prejudice' -- in Trump's America, there are many, many acceptable prejudices -- but this one has been acceptable all our lives."

Trumpelthinskin Lashes Out at Drunk Pete. Adam Nichols of the Raw Story: "Donald Trump unleashed his rage on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after last weekend's military parade failed to project the intimidating image the president craved, according to explosive new revelations from biographer Michael Wolff.... 'He's pissed off at the soldiers,' Wolff revealed, explaining that Trump was livid his troops appeared to be 'having a good time' rather than displaying the 'menacing' military face he had wanted. As thousands of soldiers and tanks paraded past largely empty bleachers on Constitution Avenue, social media erupted with mockery over the out-of-sync marching and dreary atmosphere.... The sparse crowds and lackluster energy clearly got under Trump's skin." MB: Gosh, Donald, maybe the lack of enthusiasm is a reflection of the fact that most people despise you.

Phil Williams of WTVF Nashville: “An armed man arrested Saturday during Nashville’s 'No Kings' protest has a long history of fascination with Nazis and mass murderers, and he was already on the FBI's radar.... Elijah Millar, 19, of Murfreesboro, was arrested Saturday after he  'brandished' a handgun while clashing with a few of the thousands of protesters who attended the peaceful rally in downtown Nashville, according to the arrest warrant taken out by Metro Nashville police. Millar was later released on bond.... For much of his time wandering around the protest at the Bicentennial Mall, Millar was livestreaming, declaring on X that he was going to be  'counter-protesting these commies.' He shouted at protesters, 'Commie scum! No f***ing commie, commie scum in America, motherf***er.'”

Lisa Lerer of the New York Times: “Former President Barack Obama will gingerly step into the public fray on Tuesday night, after weeks of quiet grumbling from some demoralized Democrats for what they say is his silence in the face of a frontal assault on liberal America by the Trump administration. Mr. Obama will participate in a discussion in Hartford, Conn., with Heather Cox Richardson, a popular liberal writer and historian, at a moment of deep uncertainty and volatility for his party, the country and the world.” MB: I can just hear President Obama's hesitant, stammering remarks now, but I'm hoping he embraces the fierce urgency of now and metaphorically knocks Trumpolini on his fat ass. 

Luis Ferré-Sadurní of the New York Times: “Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller who is running for mayor, was arrested on Tuesday by federal agents at an immigration courthouse in Lower Manhattan as he tried to escort a migrant out of the building to prevent his arrest. Mr. Lander, a Democrat, was observing proceedings at the city’s main immigration courthouse, at 26 Federal Plaza, where an increasing number of migrants who appear for court have been arrested in recent weeks by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Videos taken by reporters at the courthouse show Mr. Lander standing by a migrant man in a crowded hallway when several men who appear to be law enforcement officers, some wearing masks, walk up to the pair in an apparent attempt to arrest the migrant. Mr. Lander repeatedly asks the agents whether they have a judicial warrant and walks behind them, according to one of the videos, which was posted on social media by a reporter from The City, a digital news outlet.... Agents can be seen trying to pry Mr. Lander away. They ultimately separate Mr. Lander from the man, push him against a wall by the elevators and place handcuffs on him.... A spokeswoman for the comptroller’s office, said Mr. Lander was being held on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza, where migrants apprehended by ICE are typically detained.” AM New York's story is here.

A Senator Goes to Jail. Tracey Tully of the New York Times: “For decades, Robert Menendez had the ear of presidents and prime ministers. He controlled the flow of military aid as the Democratic leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A son of Cuban refugees, he was a go-to authority on immigration policy. But on Tuesday, just after 9 a.m., Mr. Menendez became a ward of the same government that he had once helped to lead when he entered a federal prison in Pennsylvania to begin an 11-year sentence for political corruption. He will be known as prisoner No. 67277-050 at Federal Correctional Institution Schuylkill in Minersville, Pa., roughly three hours away from the home he has shared in New Jersey with his wife, Nadine Menendez, who is expected to be sentenced in September for her role in the scheme.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Peter Baker of the New York Times: “It has been 10 years now, as of Monday, since Donald J. Trump descended to the lobby of his namesake tower to announce his campaign for president.... In those 10 years, Mr. Trump has come to define his age in a way rarely seen in America, more so than any president of the past century other than Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, even though he has never had anywhere near their broad public support. Somehow the most unpopular president in the history of polling has translated the backing of a minority of Americans into the most consequential political force of modern times, rewriting all of the rules along the way.” MB: Notwithstanding his recent forays into reality, Baker seems pretty impressed with Trump, and he literally returns to both-siderism: Trump's politics, Baker writes, “have transformed America for good or ill in profoundly fundamental ways.” Emphasis added. (Also linked yesterday.)  

You've heard this story before: Donald Trump attends international summit, embarrasses U.S. ~~~

~~~ Cat Zakrzewski, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump on Monday avoided the personal attacks on U.S. allies that have defined many of his past international summits, but his remarks at the opening of this year’s Group of Seven meeting did not mask the sharp divide between his worldview and that of the other heads of state at the gathering in the Canadian Rockies. Former leaders made a 'big mistake' in 2014 when they booted Russian President Vladimir Putin from what was then called the Group of Eight, Trump said. The war in Ukraine would never have happened if Russia had not been indefinitely suspended after invading and then annexing the country’s Crimean Peninsula. 'You know you have your enemy at the table,' Trump said. 'He wasn’t really an enemy at that time. There was no concept — if I were president, this war would have never happened.'” ~~~

     ~~~ This Story Has Been Updated Because TACO: “... Donald Trump will leave the Group of Seven summit a day early to attend to the conflict between Israel and Iran, the White House announced Monday, hours after he declined to join a statement at the meeting calling for de-escalation by both sides. 'I have to be back,' Trump told reporters Monday night while posing for photos.... Trump posted a statement on his Truth Social platform declaring that 'everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!,' referring to Iran’s capital, which has a population of almost 10 million. 'AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!' he wrote in a separate post.” (Also linked yesterday.) See links to related stories under Israel/Iran, et al. ~~~

     ~~~ This Story Has Been Updated AGAIN Because TACO Again: “... Donald Trump left the Group of Seven summit a day early to attend to the conflict between Israel and Iran, the White House announced Monday, after he called for 'a broader de-escalation of hostilities' in the Middle East in a statement with other global leaders. Trump initially declined to sign the G-7’s statement, but reversed his position following discussions with other leaders in the group and changes to the initial draft, according to a U.S. official.... The official declined to say what changes secured Trump’s sign-off, but the statement omitted language that called for both Iran and Israel “to show restraint,” which appeared in an earlier draft of the agreement viewed by The Washington Post.” ~~~

~~~ He's an old man. He gets confused. He drops things. He plays favorites for no reason: ~~~

     ~~~ Kevin Schofield of the Huffington Post: “Speaking at the G7 summit in Canada after holding talks with [British Prime Minister Keir] Starmer, Trump said: 'The UK is very well protected, you know why? Because I like them. That’s their ultimate protection.'... Bizarrely, at one point Trump appeared to confuse the UK with the European Union. He said: 'We have our trade agreement with the European Union, and it’s a fair deal for both, and it produces a lot of jobs, a lot of income.' The president also dropped a sheaf of papers on the deal, forcing Starmer to bend down to pick them up and give him them back.”

~~~ Proud to Be Putin's Puppet. Erica Green  Zolan Kanno-Youngs of the New York Times: At the G-7 meeting in Canada, Donald Trump pimped for Putin, He blamed “former President Barack Obama and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada for kicking Russia out, and argued that its inclusion in the group would have averted the war in Ukraine. (Mr. Trump was wrong — it was not Mr. Trudeau, but rather Stephen Harper, who was the Canadian prime minister at the time of Russia’s expulsion.)... Mr. Trump’s argument on Monday was even more remarkable given that he returned to the summit three years after Russia escalated the aggression that got it ejected in the first place — launching an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with similar goals of seizing its territory. The scene on Monday illustrated how even more aligned Mr. Trump has grown with the Russian autocrat since his first time in office, and how alienated Mr. Trump has become from American allies who have rallied around Ukraine.... On Monday, Mr. Trump ... boast[ed] about his close relationship with Mr. Putin. 'Putin speaks to me; he doesn’t speak to anybody else,' Mr. Trump said,  'because he was very insulted when he got thrown out at the G8....'”

     ~~~ Maddow included a humorous cameo for "Bella Ciao," the Italian resistance song, in her segment, but it appears to have been edited out in the video above. Maddow made clear that the brass players subdued the Proud Boys by playing "Bella Ciao," but you can't really tell that in this video. Begins at about 1:40 minutes in. 

Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times: “... what really made No Kings feel like a potential turning point was the juxtaposition with Trump’s anemic parade in Washington, which fell on his birthday.... The Wall Street Journal, no left-wing rag, described the crowd as  'sparse' and 'subdued.' A display that was meant to be bombastic and menacing instead looked pathetic.... Trump will keep trying to tear this increasingly fragile and beleaguered nation apart. But as Saturday showed, if and when he does so, he may not end up with the biggest piece.”

Marie: For those of us pleased or excited that millions of Americans stood up to Donald Trump, Saturday's very successful "No Kings" protests are but one skirmish in a long war Trump and his ilk are ready to fight. Already Trump has warned he will prioritize deportations in cities run by Democrats -- cities that, not coincidentally, were sites of some of the largest demonstrations Saturday. And there's this: ~~~

~~~ Gustaf Kilander of the Independent: “Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said that states that don’t cooperate with the federal government’s deportation efforts may not receive any funding to rebuild their infrastructure. 'The @USDOT will NOT fund rogue state actors who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement,' Duffy wrote on X on Monday. 'And to cities that stand by while rioters destroy transportation infrastructure — don’t expect a red cent from DOT, either. Follow the law, or forfeit the funding.' Duffy’s comments come after ... Donald Trump issued a directive for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to target Democratic-run cities to deport unauthorized immigrants.” (Also linked yesterday.) AND this: ~~~

~~~ Aaron Glantz of the Guardian: “Doctors at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals nationwide could refuse to treat unmarried veterans and Democrats under new hospital guidelines imposed following an executive order by Donald Trump. The new rules ... also apply to psychologists, dentists and a host of other occupations. They have already gone into effect in at least some VA medical centers. Medical staff are still required to treat veterans regardless of race, color, religion and sex, and all veterans remain entitled to treatment. But individual workers are now free to decline to care for patients based on personal characteristics not explicitly prohibited by federal law. Language requiring healthcare professionals to care for veterans regardless of their politics and marital status has been explicitly eliminated.” Thanks to RAS for the link. (Also linked yesterday.)  

Still, Trump remains popular at Fox "News," even when they have to work at it ~~~

~~~ Fox Adds Indoor Applause Track to Outdoor Trump Speech. Maryam Khanum of the Latin Times: "Social media users are ridiculing ... Donald Trump and Fox News after the network was accused of adding fake applause sounds to footage of the President's military parade last weekend. Users pointed out that footage of Trump's remarks during the event which aired on Fox News was accompanied by applause sounds that didn't sound correct for the setting. Furthermore, they pointed out that the footage of the same point in the event aired on other networks, such as PBS, was not accompanied by the same cheering. 'Sound engineers pointing out in the comments that the applause is from an indoor audience on an outdoor event,' wrote one user who reposted the video on Bluesky." Thanks to Akhilleus for the lead. See his commentary in Monday's thread. And, yes, adding an applause track to Trump's speech is both hilarious and a journalistic taboo. (Also linked yesterday.)  ~~~

~~~ Justin Baragona of the Independent: “Four months after giving Ariel Abergel a warm on-air sendoff when he left the network, the Fox & Friends crew praised their 25-year-old former producer for his role in overseeing Donald Trump’s much-hyped but sparsely attended military parade, insisting he did a 'fantastic' job producing the event. With the president’s parade coming across as a 'medium-sized town’s July 4th celebration' while the 'No Kings' protests drew millions of demonstrators across the country, the hosts of Trump’s favorite morning show also made sure to draw a contrast between the events and frame the demonstrations as anti-American.” (Also linked yesterday.)  

Can You Hear Me Now? Sharon LaFraniere & Ben Protess of the New York Times: Donald “Trump’s family business announced Monday that it was launching a mobile phone and cellular service in the first family’s latest attempt to capitalize on Mr. Trump’s political base. The announcement by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest sons, who run the Trump Organization, left some basic questions unanswered. The new $499 gold-toned Android phones would be designed and manufactured in the United States, but it was not clear how or where. The country lacks much of the necessary infrastructure to produce smartphones. One member of the new Trump phone team also said a $47 monthly cellular service plan would include 24/7 telemedicine. But the health services that the company says would be included typically cost much more than the entire monthly fee.... Although the Trumps are merely lending their name to the venture, the deal could still pose conflicts of interest as the president’s family moves into an industry regulated by his administration.” ~~~

~~~ “The Trump Family's Latest Grift Is a Cheap Phone that May Not Work. Macolm Ferguson of the New Republic, republished by Yahoo! News: “This family just cannot stop coming up with these modern snake oil salesmen side hustles that likely work on a good chunk of their base.... The Verge’s David Pierce noted that it would be 'utterly unfathomable' for the Trump Organization to produce a good, working phone [for $499], with multiple contradictory specs, in the next three months.”

And a Win for Stephen Miller. Carol Leonnig, et al., of the Washington Post: “The Department of Homeland Security on Monday told staff that it was reversing guidance issued last week that agents were not to conduct immigration raids at farms, hotels and restaurants — a decision that stood at odds with President Donald Trump’s calls for mass deportations of anyone without legal status. Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including its Homeland Security Investigations division, told agency leaders in a call Monday that agents must continue conducting immigration raids at agricultural businesses, hotels and restaurants, according to two people familiar with the call. The new instructions were shared in an 11 a.m. call to representatives from 30 field offices across the country.... [Stephen] Miller, an architect of much of Trump’s aggressive immigration policy, had privately opposed carving out exceptions for certain industries that rely heavily on workers without legal status....”

David Lynch of the Washington Post: Donald Trump's “trade barriers may damage the larger and faster-growing part of the economy: the services industries that employ more than 80 percent of American workers. Since January, manufacturing payrolls have increased by 6,000 jobs, a fraction of the 470,000 new providers of services such as financial advice, health care and education, who generally escape presidential notice.... Unlike its merchandise trade, where the United States buys more from the world than it sells abroad, providing services such as financial advice, health care, education and travel to foreign customers is an American strength. The United States last year ran a surplus in services trade of $293.4 billion, which the president rarely acknowledges.... Trump’s [trade] demands risk expanding the global trade war to ensnare U.S. services providers.” ~~~

~~~ Worse Than Tariffs. Gene Sperling in a Washington Post op-ed: “Ever since Alexander Hamilton established the full faith and credit of the U.S. government as ironclad, generations of Americans have benefited from exceptional trust in our country’s economic integrity.... A major component of this American economic exceptionalism has been our demonstrated fidelity to serious economic norms, nonpolitical economic institutions and the rule of law. While ... Donald Trump’s tariffs, and his indifference to mounting deficits, are causing zigzags in the stock and bond markets, it is his disregard for rigorous economic decision-making and the rule of law that may create the most long-term damage to the country’s economic reputation.... Trump has backed off on some of his most extreme tariff threats, but his disregard for serious economic decision-making, independent economic institutions and the rule of law has continued.... Trump’s increasingly aggressive criticism of Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell has created harmful uncertainty about whether Powell’s eventual successor will operate with full independence.... The White House is now engaging in unprecedented attacks on the credibility of the ... Congressional Budget Office.... And in August, Trump repeatedly and baselessly attacked the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 'fraudulently manipulating job statistics,' when it was simply conducting standard benchmark adjustments.”

Niha Masih of the Washington Post: “The NAACP will not invite ... Donald Trump to its national convention this year — the first time in the civil rights organization’s 116-year history that it has excluded a sitting president — citing what it described as his attacks on American democracy. 'The president has signed unconstitutional executive orders to oppress voters and undo federal civil rights protections; he has illegally turned the military on our communities, and he continually undermines every pillar of our democracy to make himself more powerful and to personally benefit from the U.S. government,' NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said Monday, announcing the group’s decision.”

Gregory Svirnovskiy of Politico: “The American Bar Association is suing the White House to stop ... Donald Trump’s use of executive orders to punish and pressure law firms. The ABA — a voluntary professional organization for lawyers — alleged in its complaint filed in federal court in Washington Monday that the executive orders pursued by the Trump administration, as well as the deals it has reached with some of America’s top law firms seeking a reprieve from federal sanctions, have cast a 'blizzard-like chill' across the legal industry.” (Also linked yesterday.)  ~~~

~~~ Adam Liptak of the New York Times: “The Trump administration is ordinarily quick to appeal its losses.... But administration lawyers have done nothing to challenge a series of stinging rulings rejecting Mr. Trump’s efforts to punish prominent law firms for what he called 'conduct detrimental to critical American interests' by representing clients and causes not to his liking. The administration’s unconventional litigation strategy is telling, said W. Bradley Wendel, a law professor at Cornell.... 'They knew that these were losing positions from the beginning and were not actually hoping to win in court, but rather to intimidate firms into settling, as many firms did,' he said. 'Now that they have racked up the four losses in district courts, it is not surprising that they are not appealing, because I don’t think they ever thought these were serious positions.'... Harold Koh, who is a professor at Yale Law School and its former dean, said the administration’s lawless attacks had been rewarded[:] 'The Trump administration ... never expected such capitulation. Through blatantly unconstitutional actions, it extracted deals from nine leading law firms for approaching $1 billion in coerced pro bono legal services and has chilled litigation and public opposition from law firms nationwide.'” (Also linked yesterday.)  

Reagan Judge Overrules Trump/Musk Discriminatory Cuts. Zach Montague of the New York Times: “A federal judge on Monday declared the Trump administration’s move to cut hundreds of grants issued by the National Institutes of Health illegal, accusing the government of discrimination against minorities and L.G.B.T.Q. individuals. Ruling from the bench, Judge William G. Young of the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts ordered the government to restore much of the funding. Judge Young, a Reagan appointee with 40 years of experience as a federal judge, said the Trump administration’s rationale for canceling the grants, which support research into topics such as gender identity and equity in health care, appeared to be rooted in prejudice. He noted the administration’s efforts to eliminate any trace of diversity and equity initiatives from the federal government, as well as its attacks on transgender people. He said that throughout his career he had 'never seen government racial discrimination like this,' and that he felt duty bound to state his conclusion about the government’s intent.” (Also linked yesterday.) The AP report is here.

Tony Romm of the New York Times: “The Trump administration broke the law when it withheld funding for the nation’s libraries, a nonpartisan government watchdog said on Monday, a finding that inches the White House another step closer to a legal showdown over its powers to reconfigure the country’s spending. The decision by the Government Accountability Office was the second time in two months that oversight officials have found fault in the ways that ... [Donald] Trump and his top aides have tried to circumvent lawmakers in their quest to reshape the federal budget so that it conforms with their political views.... The accountability office, an arm of Congress that keeps watch over the nation’s spending, concluded on Monday that the library agency ultimately “ceased performing” its functions after the president’s directive, and withheld funding that lawmakers had previously appropriated to carry out its mission. Ethics officials ultimately classified the interruption in aid as an illegal impoundment, which is prohibited under a 1970s law meant to restrict the president and his ability to defy Congress on spending. The White House maintains that those limits are unconstitutional....” (Also linked yesterday.) 

Alexandra Berzon, et al., of the New York Times: “Throughout the early months of this Trump presidency, [Elon] Musk and his allies systematically built a false narrative of widespread fraud at the Social Security Administration based on misinterpreted data, using their claims to justify an aggressive effort to gain access to personal information on millions of Americans.... Their work has led to the departures of thousands of employees, thinning an already overstretched work force.... At Social Security, Mr. Musk’s efforts amount to a case study in what happened when his team of government novices ran a critical government agency through misinformation and social media blasts.... Mr. Musk’s deputies became so intent on their work at Social Security that they pushed employees to continue giving them access to sensitive agency data even after a federal judge demanded that DOGE’s access be cut off.... The Supreme Court ruled this month that DOGE’s access can resume. The Times also reviewed previously unreported emails that showed how DOGE members used the agency for political aims, directing Mr. Dudek to cancel important contracts in Maine after the state’s governor, a Democrat, clashed with Mr. Trump.” The story provides details of the Musk-led subterfuge.  The link is a gift link. (Also linked yesterday.)  

Catie Edmondson, et al., of the New York Times: “Senate Republicans on Monday released legislation that would cut Medicaid far more aggressively than would the House-passed bill to deliver ... [Donald] Trump’s domestic agenda, while also salvaging or slowing the elimination of some clean-energy tax credits, setting up a fight over their party’s marquee policy package. The measure, released by the Senate Finance Committee, contains the core provisions of that chamber’s version of the legislation that Republicans muscled through the House last month and are hoping to speed through the Senate and deliver to Mr. Trump's desk by July 4. But its differences with that bill are substantial and are all but certain to complicate the measure’s path to enactment....” Politico has a brief story here. ~~~

~~~ The House Bill Is Already Lethal Enough. Kaitlin Sullivan of NBC News: "The proposed Medicaid cuts in the House Republicans’ sprawling domestic policy bill could cause an estimated 7.6 million Americans to lose health insurance, leading to thousands of preventable deaths, according to an analysis published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study estimated the cuts could cause nearly 2 million people to lose their primary doctor, 1.3 million people to not fill medications they need and 380,270 women to skip a mammogram. More than 16,600 people could die as a result of losing access to or forgoing care, the researchers estimated."

Holly Bailey, et al., of the Washington Post: “The man charged with shooting two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses this weekend went to the homes of at least two other Minnesota elected officials as he carried out the attacks, authorities said on Monday. Joseph H. Thompson, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, said Vance Luther Boelter extensively stalked his victims and posed as a law enforcement officer during the attacks. He allegedly stopped at the homes of a state representative in Maple Grove and a state senator in New Hope in between shootings that killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and left state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, seriously injured.... Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office filed initial charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder over the weekend to secure a warrant for Boelter’s arrest. She intends to pursue a first-degree murder case once state prosecutors can present their case to a grand jury.... Boelter researched his targets, looking up their addresses and other personal information on publicly available websites and compiling a list of potential elected officials, most of whom were Democrats, the complaint says. He allegedly purchased flashlights, a 'hyperrealistic silicone mask' and materials authorities said he would later use to disguise his car as a police vehicle.” The story goes on to report some details of Boelter's alleged actions. (Also linked yesterday.)  ~~~

~~~ Hayley Miller of NBC News: "The Justice Department on Monday announced six counts, including federal murder charges, against Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man accused of shooting two Democratic state lawmakers and their spouses on Saturday.... A 20-page federal criminal affidavit released Monday provided the clearest timeline yet of Boelter’s alleged plot to assassinate Democratic politicians in Minnesota." The page includes a copy of the full affidavit. The federal criminal complaint is here. State charging documents are here. (Also linked yesterday.)  

Jordain Carney & Calen Razor of Politico: “Sen. Mike Lee of Utah was confronted by a Senate colleague Monday over his social media posts that blamed the Minnesota shootings over the weekend that killed a former Democratic legislative leader on 'Marxists.' Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, a friend of murdered state Rep. Melissa Hortman, spoke to the Utah Republican in a hallway off the Senate floor during evening votes. 'I wanted him to know how much pain that caused me and the other people in my state, and I think around the country, who think that this was a brutal attack,' Smith told reporters afterward.... Smith’s personal confrontation was among a wave of criticism directed at Lee from Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday demanded he remove the posts and apologize to the victims and their families, calling them 'reckless and beneath the dignity of his office.'... Separately, a top aide to Smith wrote an email to members of Lee’s staff lambasting the senator for having 'exploited the murder of a lifetime public servant and her husband to post some sick burns about Democrats.... Using the office of US Senator to post not just one but a series of jokes about an assassination — is that a successful day of work on Team Lee?... Did you come into the office Monday and feel proud of the work you did over the weekend?'” (Also linked yesterday.) A New York Times story is here.

David Yaffe-Bellany of the New York Times: “The MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, who spread baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election, defamed a former employee of Dominion Voting Systems, a federal jury in Denver found on Monday. The jury awarded $2.3 million in damages to the former employee, Eric Coomer, after a two-week trial, according to one of his lawyers, David Beller. Mr. Lindell claimed without evidence that the vote had been rigged to prevent ... [Donald] Trump from winning re-election. Among his targets was Dr. Coomer, who is a former director of product strategy and security at Dominion, a Denver-based manufacturer of voting machines that was falsely accused of flipping votes from Mr. Trump to Joseph R. Biden Jr. Mr. Lindell called Dr. Coomer 'a traitor to the United States' and said he should turn himself in to the authorities, according to court filings. Dr. Coomer sued Mr. Lindell in 2022, arguing that those attacks had effectively ended his career in the election industry and led to  'frequent credible death threats.'” The AP's story is here.

~~~~~~~~~~~

California. Scott Nover of the Washington Post: “The Los Angeles Press Club sued the city of Los Angeles and its police chief, Jim McDonnell, over alleged police violence toward journalists covering the ongoing protests of immigration raids in L.A. The press club, which advocates for journalists in Southern California, filed its lawsuit Monday in federal district court in Los Angeles, saying that the defendants violated journalists’ First Amendment rights by using 'excessive force' against them.... Law enforcement officers at the protests have routinely shot less-lethal ammunition at demonstrators, in some cases hitting and injuring members of the press. Sergio Olmos, a reporter for CalMatters, told The Washington Post last week that he’s covered hundreds of days of protests in his career and has never seen the police use so many less-lethal rounds.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Iran, et al. Farnaz Fassihiet al., of the New York Times: “Israel escalated its bombings across Iran on Monday, striking Iran’s elite military force and the nation’s state broadcaster and sending thousands fleeing from Tehran, as its offensive entered its fourth day and showed no signs of slowing. Some of Israel’s attack was televised. On Monday evening, an Iranian state news anchor was live on air when an explosion shook the scene, causing falling debris and the sound of screams and breaking glass. Iranian state media said the blast injured some employees, disabled its website and forced the broadcaster briefly off air. In what is likely to be a more consequential strike, Israel also bombed the Tehran command center of the Quds Force, one of the most important and covert arms of Iran’s military. The force largely runs Iran’s foreign operations — including training and arming its proxy groups, like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza — and any disruption could be a significant blow to Iran’s military capabilities and regional reach.” ~~~

~~~ Robert Jimison of the New York Times: “Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, is leading a push to curb ... [Donald] Trump’s authority to use U.S. forces to engage in hostilities against Iran, as the war between Israel and Iran raises fears of American entanglement in a broader conflict. A resolution Mr. Kaine introduced Monday would require explicit congressional authorization or a formal declaration of war before U.S. forces could take direct action against Iran. It faces long odds on Capitol Hill given Republicans’ reluctance to challenge Mr. Trump’s power, but it could prompt a vibrant debate as lawmakers in both parties warn against involving the United States in the escalating conflict. The measure is a direct invocation of the War Powers Resolution, a 1973 federal law intended to be a check on the president’s power to enter an armed conflict without the consent of Congress.”

Ukraine/Russia, et al. As Trump Embraces Putin. Lizzie Johnson & Serhii Korolchuk of the Washington Post: “At least 15 people, including an American citizen, were killed and 114 injured in a massive overnight attack on Kyiv, marking the deadliest strike on the Ukrainian capital this year. Russia pummeled Kyiv and its suburbs with 175 drones, 14 cruise missiles and two ballistic missiles, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, said in a post on Telegram. Across Ukraine, more than 440 drones and 32 missiles hit multiple cities, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, including Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kropyvnytskyi, Mykolaiv and Odessa, where a 15th victim — a 60-year-old woman — died and another 17 were injured.”

Monday
Jun162025

The Conversation -- June 16, 2025

You've heard this story before: Donald Trump attends international summit, embarrasses U.S. ~~~

~~~ Cat Zakrzewski, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump on Monday avoided the personal attacks on U.S. allies that have defined many of his past international summits, but his remarks at the opening of this year’s Group of Seven meeting did not mask the sharp divide between his worldview and that of the other heads of state at the gathering in the Canadian Rockies. Former leaders made a 'big mistake' in 2014 when they booted Russian President Vladimir Putin from what was then called the Group of Eight, Trump said. The war in Ukraine would never have happened if Russia had not been indefinitely suspended after invading and then annexing the country’s Crimean Peninsula. 'You know you have your enemy at the table,' Trump said. 'He wasn’t really an enemy at that time. There was no concept — if I were president, this war would have never happened.'” ~~~

     ~~~ This Story Has Been Updated Because TACO: “... Donald Trump will leave the Group of Seven summit a day early to attend to the conflict between Israel and Iran, the White House announced Monday, hours after he declined to join a statement at the meeting calling for de-escalation by both sides. 'I have to be back,' Trump told reporters Monday night while posing for photos.... Trump posted a statement on his Truth Social platform declaring that 'everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!,' referring to Iran’s capital, which has a population of almost 10 million. 'AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!' he wrote in a separate post.”

Jordain Carney & Calen Razor of Politico: “Sen. Mike Lee of Utah was confronted by a Senate colleague Monday over his social media posts that blamed the Minnesota shootings over the weekend that killed a former Democratic legislative leader on 'Marxists.' Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, a friend of murdered state Rep. Melissa Hortman, spoke to the Utah Republican in a hallway off the Senate floor during evening votes. 'I wanted him to know how much pain that caused me and the other people in my state, and I think around the country, who think that this was a brutal attack,' Smith told reporters afterward.... Smith’s personal confrontation was among a wave of criticism directed at Lee from Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday demanded he remove the posts and apologize to the victims and their families, calling them 'reckless and beneath the dignity of his office.'... Separately, a top aide to Smith wrote an email to members of Lee’s staff lambasting the senator for having 'exploited the murder of a lifetime public servant and her husband to post some sick burns about Democrats.... Using the office of US Senator to post not just one but a series of jokes about an assassination — is that a successful day of work on Team Lee?... Did you come into the office Monday and feel proud of the work you did over the weekend?'”

Marie: For those of us pleased or excited that millions of Americans stood up Saturday to Donald Trump, Saturday's very successful "No Kings" protests are but one skirmish in a long war Trump and his ilk are ready to fight. Already Trump has warned he will prioritize deportations in cities run by Democrats -- cities that, not coincidentally, were sites of some of the largest demonstrations Saturday. And there's this: ~~~

~~~ Gustaf Kilander of the Independent: “Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said that states that don’t cooperate with the federal government’s deportation efforts may not receive any funding to rebuild their infrastructure. 'The @USDOT will NOT fund rogue state actors who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement,' Duffy wrote on X on Monday. 'And to cities that stand by while rioters destroy transportation infrastructure — don’t expect a red cent from DOT, either. Follow the law, or forfeit the funding.' Duffy’s comments come after ... Donald Trump issued a directive for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to target Democratic-run cities to deport unauthorized immigrants.”

Still, Trump remains popular at Fox "News," even when they have to work at it ~~~

~~~ Fox Adds Indoor Applause Track to Outdoor Trump Speech. Maryam Khanum of the Latin Times: "Social media users are ridiculing ... Donald Trump and Fox News after the network was accused of adding fake applause sounds to footage of the President's military parade last weekend. Users pointed out that footage of Trump's remarks during the event which aired on Fox News was accompanied by applause sounds that didn't sound correct for the setting. Furthermore, they pointed out that the footage of the same point in the event aired on other networks, such as PBS, was not accompanied by the same cheering. 'Sound engineers pointing out in the comments that the applause is from an indoor audience on an outdoor event,' wrote one user who reposted the video on Bluesky." Thanks to Akhilleus for the lead. See his commentary in Monday's thread. And, yes, adding an applause track to Trump's speech is both hilarious and a journalistic taboo. ~~~

~~~ Justin Baragona of the Independent: “Four months after giving Ariel Abergel a warm on-air sendoff when he left the network, the Fox & Friends crew praised their 25-year-old former producer for his role in overseeing Donald Trump’s much-hyped but sparsely attended military parade, insisting he did a 'fantastic' job producing the event. With the president’s parade coming across as a 'medium-sized town’s July 4th celebration' while the 'No Kings' protests drew millions of demonstrators across the country, the hosts of Trump’s favorite morning show also made sure to draw a contrast between the events and frame the demonstrations as anti-American.”

Peter Baker of the New York Times: “It has been 10 years now, as of Monday, since Donald J. Trump descended to the lobby of his namesake tower to announce his campaign for president.... In those 10 years, Mr. Trump has come to define his age in a way rarely seen in America, more so than any president of the past century other than Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, even though he has never had anywhere near their broad public support. Somehow the most unpopular president in the history of polling has translated the backing of a minority of Americans into the most consequential political force of modern times, rewriting all of the rules along the way.” MB: Notwithstanding his recent forays into reality, Baker seems pretty impressed with Trump, and he literally returns to both-siderism: Trump's politics, Baker writes, “have transformed America for good or ill in profoundly fundamental ways.” Emphasis added.

Gregory Svirnovskiy of Politico: “The American Bar Association is suing the White House to stop ... Donald Trump’s use of executive orders to punish and pressure law firms. The ABA — a voluntary professional organization for lawyers — alleged in its complaint filed in federal court in Washington Monday that the executive orders pursued by the Trump administration, as well as the deals it has reached with some of America’s top law firms seeking a reprieve from federal sanctions, have cast a 'blizzard-like chill' across the legal industry.” ~~~

~~~ Adam Liptak of the New York Times: “The Trump administration is ordinarily quick to appeal its losses.... But administration lawyers have done nothing to challenge a series of stinging rulings rejecting Mr. Trump’s efforts to punish prominent law firms for what he called 'conduct detrimental to critical American interests' by representing clients and causes not to his liking. The administration’s unconventional litigation strategy is telling, said W. Bradley Wendel, a law professor at Cornell.... 'They knew that these were losing positions from the beginning and were not actually hoping to win in court, but rather to intimidate firms into settling, as many firms did,' he said. 'Now that they have racked up the four losses in district courts, it is not surprising that they are not appealing, because I don’t think they ever thought these were serious positions.'... Harold Koh, who is a professor at Yale Law School and its former dean, said the administration’s lawless attacks had been rewarded[:] 'The Trump administration ... never expected such capitulation. Through blatantly unconstitutional actions, it extracted deals from nine leading law firms for approaching $1 billion in coerced pro bono legal services and has chilled litigation and public opposition from law firms nationwide.'”

Reagan Judge Overrules Trump/Musk Discriminatory Cuts. Zach Montague of the New York Times: “A federal judge on Monday declared the Trump administration’s move to cut hundreds of grants issued by the National Institutes of Health illegal, accusing the government of discrimination against minorities and L.G.B.T.Q. individuals. Ruling from the bench, Judge William G. Young of the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts ordered the government to restore much of the funding. Judge Young, a Reagan appointee with 40 years of experience as a federal judge, said the Trump administration’s rationale for canceling the grants, which support research into topics such as gender identity and equity in health care, appeared to be rooted in prejudice. He noted the administration’s efforts to eliminate any trace of diversity and equity initiatives from the federal government, as well as its attacks on transgender people. He said that throughout his career he had 'never seen government racial discrimination like this,' and that he felt duty bound to state his conclusion about the government’s intent.”

Tony Romm of the New York Times: “The Trump administration broke the law when it withheld funding for the nation’s libraries, a nonpartisan government watchdog said on Monday, a finding that inches the White House another step closer to a legal showdown over its powers to reconfigure the country’s spending. The decision by the Government Accountability Office was the second time in two months that oversight officials have found fault in the ways that ... [Donald] Trump and his top aides have tried to circumvent lawmakers in their quest to reshape the federal budget so that it conforms with their political views.... The accountability office, an arm of Congress that keeps watch over the nation’s spending, concluded on Monday that the library agency ultimately “ceased performing” its functions after the president’s directive, and withheld funding that lawmakers had previously appropriated to carry out its mission. Ethics officials ultimately classified the interruption in aid as an illegal impoundment, which is prohibited under a 1970s law meant to restrict the president and his ability to defy Congress on spending. The White House maintains that those limits are unconstitutional....”

Aaron Glantz of the Guardian: “Doctors at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals nationwide could refuse to treat unmarried veterans and Democrats under new hospital guidelines imposed following an executive order by Donald Trump. The new rules ... also apply to psychologists, dentists and a host of other occupations. They have already gone into effect in at least some VA medical centers. Medical staff are still required to treat veterans regardless of race, color, religion and sex, and all veterans remain entitled to treatment. But individual workers are now free to decline to care for patients based on personal characteristics not explicitly prohibited by federal law. Language requiring healthcare professionals to care for veterans regardless of their politics and marital status has been explicitly eliminated.” Thanks to RAS for the link.

Alexandra Berzon, et al., of the New York Times: “Throughout the early months of this Trump presidency, [Elon] Musk and his allies systematically built a false narrative of widespread fraud at the Social Security Administration based on misinterpreted data, using their claims to justify an aggressive effort to gain access to personal information on millions of Americans.... Their work has led to the departures of thousands of employees, thinning an already overstretched work force.... At Social Security, Mr. Musk’s efforts amount to a case study in what happened when his team of government novices ran a critical government agency through misinformation and social media blasts.... Mr. Musk’s deputies became so intent on their work at Social Security that they pushed employees to continue giving them access to sensitive agency data even after a federal judge demanded that DOGE’s access be cut off.... The Supreme Court ruled this month that DOGE’s access can resume. The Times also reviewed previously unreported emails that showed how DOGE members used the agency for political aims, directing Mr. Dudek to cancel important contracts in Maine after the state’s governor, a Democrat, clashed with Mr. Trump.” The story goes on to provide details of the Musk-led subterfuge.  The link is a gift link.

Holly Bailey, et al., of the Washington Post: “The man charged with shooting two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses this weekend went to the homes of at least two other Minnesota elected officials as he carried out the attacks, authorities said on Monday. Joseph H. Thompson, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, said Vance Luther Boelter extensively stalked his victims and posed as a law enforcement officer during the attacks. He allegedly stopped at the homes of a state representative in Maple Grove and a state senator in New Hope in between shootings that killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and left state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, seriously injured.... Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office filed initial charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder over the weekend to secure a warrant for Boelter’s arrest. She intends to pursue a first-degree murder case once state prosecutors can present their case to a grand jury.... Boelter researched his targets, looking up their addresses and other personal information on publicly available websites and compiling a list of potential elected officials, most of whom were Democrats, the complaint says. He allegedly purchased flashlights, a 'hyperrealistic silicone mask' and materials authorities said he would later use to disguise his car as a police vehicle.” The story goes on to report some details of Boelter's alleged actions. ~~~

~~~ Hayley Miller of NBC News: "The Justice Department on Monday announced six counts, including federal murder charges, against Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man accused of shooting two Democratic state lawmakers and their spouses on Saturday.... A 20-page federal criminal affidavit released Monday provided the clearest timeline yet of Boelter’s alleged plot to assassinate Democratic politicians in Minnesota." The page includes a copy of the full affidavit. The federal criminal complaint is here. State charging documents are here.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Philip Kennicott of the Washington Post: “The Army’s 250th birthday parade was not the grand military spectacle that many anticipated, and for that Americans can breathe a momentary, measured sigh of relief. It was a family-friendly conclusion to a celebratory day, with events on the Mall and fireworks at the end. What had been billed as an overwhelming display of military might turned out to be a linear history lesson, from the early days of revolution to the age of robotic dogs and flying drones. A narrator made sense of it all over loudspeakers and for those watching the live stream on television, with a sfmacript that rarely strayed from the Army’s disciplined sense of itself as a lethal fighting machine in the service of democracy and the Constitution.” ~~~

~~~ Still, Everything Trump Does Is Shady. Minho Kim of the New York Times: “Saturday’s military parade in Washington celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army was sponsored by at least four brands that have strong financial and political ties to ... [Donald] Trump, raising questions about whether the event benefited his allies and supporters. Attendees who sought relief from the sweltering heat on the National Mall found free cans of a new energy drink brand sponsored by Dana White, who is the chief executive of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and one of Mr. Trump’s staunchest allies. Palantir, the data analysis and technology firm whose contracts with the federal government are expanding, and Coinbase, a cryptocurrency firm that donated to the president’s inauguration, also sponsored the event. Oracle, a database company whose co-founder is a close friend of Mr. Trump’s, received a shout-out on Saturday as a sponsor. U.F.C. was mentioned as a sponsor during the military procession and on the event’s website.... Federal regulations prohibit the use of public office for the private gain of officeholders or their friends, relatives or nongovernmental affiliates, said Richard W. Painter..., chief ethics lawyer ... under President George W. Bush.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Guests on MSNBC last night who attended the parade said soldiers were handing out cans of Dana White's energy drinks to the people in the crowd. What could possibly be wrong with that? ~~~

~~~ Josh Marcus of the Independent, republished in Yahoo! News: “... the Trump administration was quick to tout what appeared to be inflated attendance numbers and brand the 'No Kings' protest, which drew millions across events in some 2,000 cities and small towns across the country, as an 'utter failure with minuscule attendance.' 'Despite the threat of rain, over 250,000 patriots showed up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army,' White House commmunications director Steven Cheung wrote on X.... Outside estimates, meanwhile, suggest there were far fewer in attendance than the 200,000 people expected to view the parade, which coincided with the president’s birthday. Empty bleachers and gaps in the audience could be seen in the crowd that turned out to watch more than 6,000 soldiers and 128 Army tanks roll through Washington. '... it was something closer to a medium-sized town’s July 4th celebration,' The Independent’s Richard Hall wrote in his dispatch from the event. 'There were families, picnics, bad weather and small crowds.'... The 'No Kings' events ... [drew] between four and six million people, according to an estimate from data journalist G. Elliot Morris and outside analysts. The event’s organizers have put the number at more than 5 million.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Thanks to everybody who might have enjoyed the parade and would have come out for this Flag Day parade but did not because Trump. ~~~

~~~ Ruth Ben-Ghiat in a New York Times op-ed: “In the space of a week, the American public has been treated to two highly unusual sights: first, federalized National Guard members and active-duty Marines dressed for combat on the streets of Los Angeles, ready to stand opposite civilians protesting ICE roundups; then an extravagant military parade in Washington on the 250th anniversary of the Army’s founding — and on Mr. Trump’s birthday.... Mr. Trump appears eager to create optics that support his claim that public dissent constitutes an existential threat to the nation. He also apparently seeks to get the American public used to seeing our armed forces ... as an institution that serves at the behest of a leader and his ideological and political agendas, regardless of how much these depart from democratic understandings of the military’s role.” The link appears to be a gift link. ~~~

~~~ Size Matters. Paul Krugman: "... the victory or defeat of competitive authoritarianism will depend to a large extent on which side ordinary people believe will win. If Trump looks unstoppable, resistance will wither away and democracy will be lost. On the other hand, if he appears weak and stymied, resistance will grow and — just maybe — American democracy will survive. So what we saw on Saturday was more than just the juxtaposition of a poorly attended parade that was supposed to glorify the Leader against massive, enthusiastic protests. We also saw a body blow to Trump’s image of invincibility and a demonstration that millions of Americans are willing to stand up for democracy.... Trump spent his first 6 months in office trying to steamroller over all opposition, creating the impression that resistance is futile. Clearly, he hasn’t succeeded.... Despite the difficult times ahead, America has just passed an important test. May freedom ring." ~~~

~~~ Andy Borowitz, for once, posts a real report about the "No Kings" protests: "While America’s wannabe potentate staged a military parade as low energy as Jeb Bush, millions of Americans took to the streets to protest his failing fascist regime. On Saturday, I received an avalanche of texts from TBR community members reporting about their No Kings protests across the country. Here are just a few of their stories." ~~~

~~~ Marcie Jones of Wonkette has many more happy returns of the "No Kings" protest day celebrated around the country as well as some news about Proud Boys in Ocala and Miami and some other troublesome moments. ~~~

~~~ Guardian: “A demonstrator who was shot on Saturday during Salt Lake City’s 'No Kings' protest has died, Utah police said on Sunday afternoon. The man, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, had apparently been shot by a man who had been part of the event’s peacekeeping team. 'Our victim was not the intended target,' Brian Redd, the Salt Lake City police chief, said, 'but rather an innocent bystander participating in the demonstration.' Arturo Gamboa, 24, was taken into police custody on Saturday evening on a murder charge, said Redd at a Sunday news conference. Ah Loo had been taken to the hospital on Saturday evening, where he died from his wounds. Redd said a man in a brightly colored vest fired three shots from a handgun at Gamboa, inflicting a relatively minor injury to Gamboa but fatally shooting Ah Loo. Two of the peacekeepers in neon vests allegedly saw Gamboa separate from the crowd of marchers in downtown Salt Lake City, move behind a wall and retrieve a rifle around 8pm, Redd said. When the two men in vests confronted Gamboa with their handguns drawn, witnesses said Gamboa raised his rifle into a firing position and ran toward the crowd, said Redd. That’s when one of the men in the bright vests shot three rounds, hitting Gamboa and Ah Loo, said Redd. Gamboa, who police said didn’t have a criminal history, was wounded and treated before being booked into jail.... Police said they recovered an AR-15 style rifle, a gas mask and a backpack at the scene.”

Ana Swanson & Lauren Hirsch of the New York Times: “To save its takeover of U.S. Steel, Japan’s Nippon Steel agreed to an unusual arrangement, granting the White House a 'golden share' that gives the government an extraordinary amount of influence over a U.S. company. New details of the agreement show that the structure would give ... [Donald] Trump and his successors a permanent stake in U.S. Steel, significant sway over its board and veto power over a wide array of company actions, an arrangement that could change the nature of foreign investment in the United States. The terms of the arrangement were hammered out in meetings that went late into the night on Wednesday and Thursday, according to two people familiar with the details.... U.S. Steel’s charter will list nearly a dozen activities the company cannot undertake without the approval of the American president or someone he designates in his stead.... In an update on Saturday to members of the United Steelworkers union, which had strongly opposed a sale to Nippon, its president, David McCall, expressed displeasure about the deal.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It isn't socialism, it isn't deep-state regulation, it isn't bureaucratic red tape  -- if a Republican does it???

In case you were worried that Trump wanted to turn the U.S. into a fascist state like Russia, here some news: he wants to turn it into a totalitarian state like North Korea: ~~~

~~~ Candice Norwood of Politico: “... Donald Trump said Friday that he wants 'my people' to 'sit up at attention' the way North Koreans do for dictator Kim Jong Un. The comment came during an impromptu interview with Fox News..., days after Trump met with Kim in Singapore as part of an effort to reach a denuclearization deal with Pyongyang. When asked about whether Kim would be visiting the White House any time soon, Trump responded 'it could happen.' He then went on to praise the dictator for being a strong leader. 'He’s the head of a country and I mean he is the strong head,' Trump said to Fox. 'Don’t let anyone think anything different. He speaks and his people sit up at attention. I want my people to do the same.' When later asked by another reporter to expand on the remark, Trump said he was 'kidding.'... It’s not clear if Trump was referring to his staff or to a broader set of Americans when he referred to 'my people.'” ~~~

     ~~~ Akhilleus found the videotape. IMO, Trump does not sound as if he's kidding. What Trump means by "strong," in a political and societal context, is "repressive." 

Trump the Totalitarian, Ctd. Aamer Madhani of the AP: “... Donald Trump on Sunday directed federal immigration officials to prioritize deportations from Democratic-run cities, a move that comes after large protests erupted in Los Angeles and other major cities against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Trump in a social media posting called on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials 'to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.' He added that to reach the goal officials 'must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside.' Trump’s declaration comes after weeks of increased enforcement, and after Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and main architect of Trump’s immigration policies, said ICE officers would target at least 3,000 arrests a day, up from about 650 a day during the first five months of Trump’s second term.... Trump posted on his Truth Social site Thursday that he heard from hotel, agriculture and leisure industries that his 'very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them' and promised that changes would be made .” Thanks to Ken W. for the link.

     ~~~ Marie: Madhani does not report Trump's full deportation message, but Heather Cox Richardson does (also linked elsewhere on the page). I urge you to read Trump's full rant (it's a ways down her "letter"). Not only does Trump go into full attack mode against Democrats, he really proves what Ken W. obliquely suggested yesterday: that Trump's enthusiasm for deporting immigrants is more opportunistic than ideological. Where it doesn't suit Trump to round up immigrants, TACO Trump he is backing off, but where he can use raids on immigrants and military occupations to destabilize cities run by Democrats, he's all in. Meanwhile, Richardson's full post is worth reading.

Steve Karnowski, et al., of the AP: “The man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another crawled to officers in surrender Sunday after they located him in the woods near his home, bringing an end to a massive, nearly two-day search that put the entire state on edge. Vance Boelter was arrested and charged with two counts of murder and two of attempted murder. He is accused of posing as a police officer and fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs.” The Washington Post's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Rachel Scott of ABC News: "... Donald Trump told ABC News on Sunday that he 'may' call Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz after a political assassination sent shockwaves through the state. The president ... [told Scott,] 'Well, it's a terrible thing. I think he's a terrible governor. I think he's a grossly incompetent person. But I may, I may call him, I may call other people too.'... A source close the Walz told ABC News that Walz and Vice President JD Vance spoke regarding the shootings. Another source familiar with the Minnesota governor told ABC News early Sunday afternoon that Trump has not called Walz. The source said that former President Joe Biden called Walz 'right away.'" Marie: it takes a twisted person yo use an interview question regarding political assassinations as an opening to criticize the governor of the state where the murders took place. ~~~

~~~ Marie: Is there any U.S. senator who is worse than Trump? Maybe Mike Lee: ~~~

     ~~~ Ed Mazza of the Huffington Post:  “With the suspected killer still on the run ― reportedly armed and carrying a manifesto targeting 'many lawmakers and other officials' ― [Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah)] fired off a series of messages on social media. One suggested the suspect, Vance Boelter, was into 'Marxism,' despite reports that he was a religious conservative who had attended rallies in support of ... Donald Trump. Another tweet included an image of the suspect in a mask knocking on a victim’s door just before one of the shootings, which left two dead and two injured before Boelter was arrested Sunday night. 'Nightmare on Waltz Street,' Lee wrote, likely a reference to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D). Lee’s critics called him out over over the message ― and some called for his resignation[.]” Mazza includes quite a few of the criticisms leveled against Lee. ~~~

     ~~~ Here's Steve M. with more on the theme that Democrats a/k/a Marxist Radical Liberals are terrorists who will gun down other Democrats should they stray from the radically liberal Marxist agenda. Thanks to RAS for the link. ~~~

     ~~~ Heather Cox Richardson: “Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) noted that MAGA has been 'bathed in political violence' for the last five years. Trump’s pardoning of the January 6 rioters, including those convicted of extreme violence, 'became a clear endorsement of violence committed in his name.' Trump has encouraged violence and cozied up to brutal dictators, while MAGA has fetishized guns. When he celebrates violence, unhinged people listen. Murphy points out that while people of all political persuasions commit violence, no Democratic leader encourages violence as a political norm the way Trump and MAGA have done, citing 'a straight line from Jan 6 to the pardons to the assault on Sen[ator] Padilla to Minnesota.'” ~~~

     ~~~ See also Akhilleus' commentary at the top of today's thread.

Colby Itkowitz of the Washington Post interviewed Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) about the April 13 attack on him and his family during which the governor's mansion was severely damaged. 

Glenn Kessler of the Washington Post: “As part of the GOP campaign attacking the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office for the grim fiscal projections for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of tax and spending cuts pending in the Senate, [Sen. Tim] Scott [R-S.C.] posted a one-minute video that was instantly ridiculed for its errors — nine, by our count. That’s one mistake every 6.66 seconds. It even received a community note on the X platform. Apparently the senator, who chairs the Banking Committee, is beyond embarrassment.... But we thought it would be worth going through his commentary line by line, as it makes the sort of lazy arguments one might hear in a bar late at night.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Of course the ad is filled with lies. Just about everything Republicans say about the Big Bad Bill has to be a lie because the majority of Americans oppose most elements of the bill. 

Democrats in Disarray! Shane Goldmacher & Reid Epstein of the New York Times: “The leaders of two of the nation’s largest and most influential labor unions have quit their posts in the Democratic National Committee in a major rebuke to party’s new chairman, Ken Martin. Randi Weingarten, the longtime leader of the American Federation of Teachers and a major voice in Democratic politics, and Lee Saunders, the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, have told Mr. Martin they will decline offers to remain at-large members of the national party.... In their resignation messages, the two union chiefs suggested that under Mr. Martin’s leadership, the D.N.C. was failing to expand its coalition. Both labor leaders had supported Mr. Martin’s rival in the chairmanship race, Ben Wikler, the chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: At least in recent memory, the DNC and RNC have been weak organizations, fraught with infighting and dominated, at best, by bad decision-making. Neither has been, as far as I can see, much of an asset to its party.

~~~~~~~~~~

Virginia. Gregory Schneider & Laura Vozzella of the Washington Post: “Early voting was strong across Virginia this year in the 45 days leading up to Tuesday’s primary elections, in which voters will choose Democratic nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general and, in a handful of districts, candidates from both parties for the House of Delegates and local offices. Nearly 158,000 people had cast votes in Democratic primaries as of Thursday — up from 124,000 at the same point in Democratic primaries four years ago, when the party had a hotly contested, five-way primary for governor, according to analysis of the latest available data by the Virginia Public Access Project. Virginia’s early voting period, which is among the longest in the nation, ended Saturday. The totals also show a marked surge from a year ago, when about 120,000 voters cast ballots in a Democratic presidential primary that was never in doubt and as some in the party had little enthusiasm for then-President Joe Biden.... Former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is set as the Democratic nominee for governor, but six candidates are vying for lieutenant governor....”

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Iran, et al. Here is the New York Times liveblog of developments: “Israel said on Monday that it had struck the command center of Iran’s Quds Force, a special military unit that coordinates support for Iranian allies in the Middle East and reports directly to the country’s supreme leader. The attack on the Quds facility in Tehran, and the extent of any damage, could not immediately be verified independently. The strike was the latest by Israel since it began attacking Iran on Friday. Since then, Israeli strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran, according to the country’s health ministry, and injured more than 1,400 people. In Israel, at least 23 people, identified as civilians, have been killed in retaliatory barrages by Iran. The hostilities have been some of the fiercest and most prolonged in the decades-long enmity between Israel and Iran, raising fears of a wider war that could draw in the United States and other powers. So far there has been no sign that either side plans to de-escalate.” ~~~

~~~ Marie: Is there any democratically-selected national leader who is worse than Trump? Maybe Bibi: ~~~

     ~~~ Aamer Madhani of the AP: “... Donald Trump rejected a plan presented by Israel to the U.S. to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. The Israelis informed the Trump administration in recent days that they had developed a credible plan to kill Khamenei. After being briefed on the plan, the White House made clear to Israeli officials that Trump was opposed to the Israelis making the move, according to the official.... The Trump administration is desperate to keep Israel’s military operation aimed at decapitating Iran’s nuclear program from exploding into an even more expansive conflict and saw the plan to kill Khamenei as a move that would enflame the conflict and potentially destabilize the region.” The article goes on to outline related developments, so definitely worth a read. ~~~

     ~~~ Simon Tisdale of the Guardian: “Reasons can always be found to go to war. The roots of major conflicts often reach back decades – and this is true of the Israel-Iran vendetta, which dates to the 1979 Islamic revolution. The so-called 'shadow war' between the two intensified in recent years. Yet all-out conflict had been avoided, until now. So who is principally to blame for this sudden, unprecedented explosion? Answer: three angry old men whose behaviour raises serious doubts about their judgment, common sense, motives and even their sanity”; to wit, Netanyahu, Khamenei & Trump. “These angry old men could get us all killed.... Trump’s feeble ineptitude meant that when Israel’s leader insisted last week that the time was right for an all-out attack on Iran, he folded. Typically, once the attack began, he switched, trying to claim credit and issuing flatulent threats of his own.”

Sunday
Jun152025

The Conversation -- June 15, 2025

Here's a summary of yesterday's protest in Austin, Texas, from KUT, the local NPR station. Thanks to laura h. for the link: "The scene at the Capitol remained peaceful as crowds listened to speakers including U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, both Democrats representing Austin." ~~~

~~~ Marie: From what I've read today, it appears to me that across the nation there were millions of people protesting, and almost every one was nonviolent. On the other hand, in a few places, extreme violence was waged against them: a shooting in Salt Lake City, a vehicular attack in Culpeper, Va.  

~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you to everyone -- including Jeanne & Victoria B. -- who protested yesterday.

Annie Gowen of the Washington Post: “Americans turned out en masse in communities across the country Saturday, raucously pushing back on what they see as ... Donald Trump’s widening authoritarianism, attacks on immigrants and deep cuts to scores of federal programs.... Relatively few disruptions were reported during rallies where the mood ranged from joyful to defiant.... [Demonstrators] carried hand-lettered signs focused on democracy, the rule of law and human rights.... The day was marred by the news of deadly violence overnight in Minneapolis, where two Democratic state legislators were shot with their spouses in what Gov. Tim Walz called a 'politically motivated' attack.... The Texas Department of Public Safety warned of “credible threats” to lawmakers planning to attend the evening rally at the state capitol in Austin.... And Saturday night, a person taking part in the 'No Kings' rally in Salt Lake City was critically injured during a shooting. The police department posted on X that a person of interest was in custody and that the situation downtown remained 'very fluid.'” The story includes vignettes of the protests in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nashville, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City.

New York Times photos of some of the protests around the country are here.

Christian Piekos, et al., of ABC 7 Chicago: "Thousands in the Chicago area rallied for 'No Kings Day' protests against the Trump administration on Saturday. It was quite the demonstration, and it seemed like there was just a never-ending crowd of people that marched from Daley Plaza all throughout the Loop in downtown Chicago. Official attendance numbers from Chicago police have not yet been released, but the expected number of 10,000 people appeared to be far exceeded.... Everything had remained peaceful throughout the day as of 4 p.m., with a significant presence from Chicago police on every corner of the rally."

Drew Dixon of Florida Politics: "More than 4,000 people turned out to protest against the Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agency and ... Donald Trump Saturday outside the Duval County Courthouse in Jacksonville[, Florida].... tate Rep. Angie Nixon, a Jacksonville Democrat, was the keynote speaker at the Duval County event that lasted more than two hours in the sweltering heat.... Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office police kept their distance for the most part with department vehicles blocking road traffic at key intersections establishing a several-block perimeter surrounding the event."

Orlando Mayorquin, et al., of the New York Times: “Tensions flared between protesters and the police in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday as a major demonstration against the Trump administration gave way to yet another night of smaller but raucous protests against recent immigration raids. With the city’s downtown area facing an 8 p.m. curfew, the Los Angeles police began using tear gas and crowd-control munitions to break up protests after issuing a 4 p.m. dispersal order. Officers on horseback forced hundreds of people away from a federal building downtown, where a crowd had gathered, chanting at a line of National Guard troops guarding the structure as helicopters circled overhead. 'Shame on you! Shame on you!' the demonstrators shouted, as the troops stood at attention. In several posts on X, the Los Angeles Police Department accused protesters of throwing rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers. Law enforcement also said that “outside agitators” had blocked a portion of a street with fencing and other materials.”

Faris Tanyos of CBS News: "One person was wounded in a shooting Saturday evening that occurred during a 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City, Utah, officials said. Salt Lake City police said in a post to social media that the shooting was 'possibly associated with the demonstration.' The victim was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and a person of interest was in custody, police said. No further details were provided, and the circumstances that led up to the shooting were unclear. Police said about 10,000 people had been taking part in the protest."

Elissa Salamy of Fox 5 Washington, D.C.: "Police say a driver in an SUV intentionally drove into a crowd of protesters in Culpeper, [Virginia,] hitting at least one person. Police say Joseph R. Checklick Jr, 21, of Culpeper intentionally accelerated into a crowd of protesters near James Madison Highway Saturday afternoon.... Culpeper Democrats posted on Facebook, thanking Culpeper Police Department for their 'quick response and for keeping our protest safe.'" 

Ben Johansen of Politico: “The Texas state capitol was evacuated on Saturday after the state’s Department of Public Safety warned of a 'credible threat' against legislators, ahead of a planned anti-Trump protest Saturday evening in Austin.”

David Sanger of the New York Times: Donald “Trump presided over a show of American military might in the nation’s capital on Saturday evening, a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States Army that became a test of wills and competing imagery, with demonstrators around the country decrying his expansion of executive power. Mr. Trump sat in a reviewing stand on Constitution Avenue as armored vehicles dating from two World Wars and overflights of 80-year old bombers and modern helicopters shook downtown Washington. The city was locked down, divided by a wall of tall, black crowd-control fences designed to assure that the parade, the first of its kind since American troops returned from the Gulf War in 1991, was an uninterrupted demonstration of history and American power. It went off without a hitch, but also without even a nod to the current moment. When Mr. Trump left his seat between his wife, Melania Trump, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, it was to swear in new soldiers —  'Have a great life,' he told them after the brief ceremony — and then, at sundown, to recall the Army’s greatest moments. He invoked George Washington and recalled Gettysburg. Yet he spoke more to the Army’s power than to its purpose.” ~~~

~~~ The AP has photos of the parade here. Viewer discretion advised: there are way too many photos of Trump in the mix; one would have been more than enough. ~~~

~~~ Washington Post Editors: “No one needed ... Donald Trump’s military parade, which just happened to take place on his birthday, to know that the United States’ fearsome armed forces deserve respect. Ostentatious muscle-flexing does not make America appear confident — particularly when there are questions about whom, exactly, it is meant to honor.... This was the week that Trump politicized the military, challenging the core principles of civilian-military relations. The week began with his deployment of troops, including more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines, in response to protests of immigration raids in the Los Angeles area.... Trump appeared to revel in the politics of his stunt, warring with California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on social media and portraying Los Angeles as a hellscape of 'third-world lawlessness' that only military forces could pacify.... Then, on Tuesday, Trump led what felt like a political rally with enlisted troops at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.... Trump also used the Fort Bragg event to drag the military into another political battle, announcing that he would restore the names of seven Army bases that had originally honored Confederate leaders....”

New York Times liveblog Sunday: “The manhunt in Minnesota’s Twin Cities region for a man suspected of assassinating a Democratic state lawmaker and wounding another entered its second day on Sunday morning. The attacks shook leaders from both political parties and shocked a state that prides itself on political civility.Officials identified the suspect as Vance Boelter, 57. Officials said the gunman had been impersonating a police officer and was carrying a list of about 70 potential targets, including politicians and locations for Planned Parenthood clinics. The suspect was believed to still be in the Twin Cities area on Saturday but might be trying to flee, they said. The gunman killed Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, officials said, and wounded State Senator John A. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in separate attacks at the lawmakers’ homes in the Minneapolis suburbs on Saturday. The gunman also fired at police officers before fleeing. 'This was an act of targeted political violence,' Gov. Tim Walz said.” ~~~

     ~~~ Tim Sullivan, et al., of the AP: “A massive search was stretching into its second day for a man who authorities say posed as a police officer and fatally shot a Democratic state lawmaker in her suburban Minneapolis home.... Authorities said the suspect also shot and wounded a second lawmaker and was trying to flee the area.... Authorities identified the suspect as 57-year-old Vance Boelter, and the FBI issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. They shared a photo taken Saturday of Boelter wearing a tan cowboy hat and asked the public to report sightings. Hundreds of law enforcement officers fanned out in the search for the suspect.” ~~~

~~~ E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post: “Melissa Hortman, the former Minnesota House speaker felled by an assassin’s bullet at her home on Saturday, really did understand what democracy looks like.... Hortman lived her highly constructive life in politics in the knowledge that achieving change democratically requires painstaking work: planning, coalition-building, persuasion, conciliation, vote-counting.... I can’t do full justice here to all that Hortman and her colleagues achieved, but a lengthy partial list can give you a sense of just how much they got done. The miracle included legislation for paid family and medical leave, sick leave, transgender rights protections, driver’s licenses for undocumented residents, abortion rights and voting rights. Also on the list were background checks for private gun transfers, red flag laws, legalized recreational marijuana, expanded education funding, investment in affordable housing, big steps toward a carbon-free electric grid by 2040, new reading curriculums based on phonics, a $2.58 billion capital construction package, laws strengthening workers’ rights, unemployment insurance for hourly workers, a refundable child credit for lower-income Minnesotans; and free breakfast and lunch for all Minnesota K-12 students.” ~~~

Speaker Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humour and a sense of service. She was a formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place. She is irreplaceable and will be missed by so many. -- Gov. Tim Walz ~~~

~~~ Grace Panetta of the 19th: Melissa "Hortman worked closely with Gov. Tim Walz to enact policies that prioritized children and expanded protections for abortion and gender-affirming care."

See commentary by Akhilleus & RAS at the top of today's thread. These brief remarks put today's major news events in appropriate context.

Ben Johansen of Politico: “Democratic congressional leaders are calling for heightened security on Capitol Hill after a pair of Minnesota state lawmakers were shot in their homes early Saturday. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a statement Saturday afternoon said that he’s requested and received increased security presence for Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, who were both reportedly additional targets of the suspected assassin. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said in a press conference the suspect had a manifesto that 'identified many lawmakers and other officials.'... Schumer sought additional security earlier this week for Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), who was forcefully taken down to the ground and handcuffed after interrupting a press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a similar statement, asking the House sergeant at arms and U.S. Capitol Police to 'ensure the safety of our Minnesota delegation and Members of Congress across the country.' Both [Senate Majority Leader John] Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson released statements strongly condemning the assassination, but did not weigh in on additional security for the Minnesota congressional delegation.”

The TACO King Plays Songs of Weakening. Tyler Pager, et al., of the New York Times: Donald “Trump’s decision to pause most raids targeting farms and hospitality workers took many inside the White House by surprise. It came after intensive lobbying by his agriculture secretary [Brooke Rollins].... Some influential Trump donors who learned about the post began reaching out to people in the White House, urging Mr. Trump to include the restaurant sector in any directive to spare undocumented workers from enforcement.... It remains to be seen how effective the order will be and whether Mr. Trump will stick with his decision. Raids at other work sites, like the one in Los Angeles’s garment industry that led to mass protests, are still allowed. On Friday, the day after Mr. Trump issued the new guidance, farm workers were being rounded up in the fields of Oxnard, 50 miles north of Los Angeles, according to advocates. But the president’s decision to shield farmers and the hospitality industry — a business he knows well from his years as an owner of luxury hotels — reveals the tension between his deportation efforts and concerns about maintaining crucial support in his political coalition. This account of Mr. Trump’s retreat is based on interviews with 11 people....”

Marie: I linked to a couple of stories on this yesterday, but the WashPo does a better job of highlighting Trump's 2024 personal haul, IMO: ~~~

Grifter-in-Chief Cleans Up. Clara Morse & Matt Viser of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump reported over $600 million in income and $1.6 billion in assets in a public financial disclosure filed late Friday, including cryptocurrency holdings, income from his properties and lucrative licensing deals with foreign developers. The 234-page disclosure form, made public along with a large batch of other White House officials, provides a new window into his finances in 2024, before Trump was elected for a second term. It also reflects a period when he was raising money during his 2024 presidential campaign through various merchandise and marketing. One of his largest single sources of income was his stake in the cryptocurrency platform World Liberty Financial, where he reported income of $57.3 million off token sales. He holds 15.75 billion governance tokens in WLF, according to the filing.... The legal damages Trump incurred in court in 2024 still officially loom over him. He reported owing over $50 million to both E. Jean Carroll, who sued Trump, and the New York attorney general, who prosecuted him in a civil fraud case. In total in the court cases, Trump was ordered to pay nearly $90 million in two judgments, and $350 million plus interest in the civil fraud suit. However, he said in the disclosure any payments are 'pending appeal.'”

AP: “Russian President Vladimir Putin and ... Donald Trump held a lengthy call Saturday to discuss the escalating situation in the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine. Trump in a posting on his Truth Social platform said they spent the bulk of their conversation focused on Israel’s ongoing blistering attacks aimed at decapitating Iran’s nuclear program and Iran’s retaliatory strikes. But Trump said that he also pressed Putin to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. 'He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end,' said Trump, who added the conversation went about an hour. Putin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin briefed Trump on his recent talks with the leaders of Iran and Israel and reiterated Russia’s proposal to seek mutually acceptable solutions on the Iranian nuclear issue.” MB: This is a report based on reports from serial liars and propagandists, so it's impossible to tell if a single word is true. For all we know, the fellas talked about nothing but Trump's big military parade, or maybe the call never took place at all. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Iran., et al. AP: “The death toll grew Sunday as Israel and Iran exchanged missile attacks for a third consecutive day, with Israel warning that worse is to come. Israel targeted Iran’s Defense Ministry headquarters in Tehran and sites it alleged were associated with Iran’s nuclear program, while Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defenses and slammed into buildings deep inside Israel, causing civilian causalities.... Israel, which views a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat, launched its attacks after weeks of escalating tensions over Iran’s progressing nuclear program. Iran announced Thursday that it planned to activate a third nuclear enrichment facility shortly after the U.N. nuclear watchdog censured Iran for failing to comply with nonproliferation obligations.” ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates are here. ~~~

     ~~~ Eliza Gkritsi of Politico: “... Donald Trump said the United States will retaliate 'at levels never seen before' if attacked by Iran.... 'The U.S. had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight,' said Trump in the small hours of Sunday. 'If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before.' He added: 'However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!' Talks between the U.S. and Iran scheduled for today were canceled, said Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi in an X post.... On Sunday morning, Israel’s Defense Forces called on Iranian civilians living near weapons production facilities to evacuate.... 

“Shortly after the IDF issued its evacuation call on Sunday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel 'will strike the sites and continue to peel the skin off the Iranian snake in Tehran and everywhere, stripping it of nuclear capabilities and weapons systems.' Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said on Sunday that 13 people had been killed, according to the Associated Press. Iran’s U.N. ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said on Saturday that 78 people had died in the country and more than 320 wounded, wrote the Wall Street Journal.”

Nearby, our Very Good Friends in Saudi Arabia have murdered another journalist: ~~~

~~~ Saudi Arabia. Gabe Levin of the AP: “A prominent Saudi journalist who was arrested in 2018 and convicted on terrorism and treason charges has been executed, the kingdom said. Activist groups maintain that the charges against him were trumped up. Turki Al-Jasser, who was in his late 40s, was put to death on Saturday, according to the official Saudi Press Agency, after the death penalty was upheld by the nation’s top court. Authorities had raided Al-Jasser’s home in 2018, arresting him and seizing his computer and phones. It was not clear where his trial took place or how long it lasted. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, Saudi authorities maintained that Al-Jasser was behind a social media account on X, formerly Twitter, that levied corruption allegations against Saudi royals. Al-Jasser was also said to have posted several controversial tweets about militants and militant groups.... “The international community’s failure to deliver justice for Jamal Khashoggi did not just betray one journalist,” [CPJ’s program director Carlos Martínez de la Serna] said, adding it had 'emboldened de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to continue his persecution of the press.'”