Members phkrause Posted Tuesday at 12:26 AM Author Members Posted Tuesday at 12:26 AM Trump presented the World Cup trophy to Spain. But to him, the real victor just might be the US President Donald Trump stood alongside Spain, which won the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Argentina, as they jumped up and down and gold confetti shot out of a cannon. Later, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Trump said he took pride in the country's success as a host, adding that “all over the world, people have come and they love our country.” Read more. Why this matters: The Trump administration was under considerable pressure to pull off a successful World Cup tournament because the U.S. will soon host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The White House faced warnings from human rights groups, and the tournament confronted backlash over high ticket prices. Trump also created controversy with a phone call he made to FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this month in which he asked for a review of a controversial referee call in Team USA’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The U.S. faced broader tensions with its World Cup co-hosts of Canada and Mexico. Still, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the final at Trump’s request, in a sign that soccer can overcome some geopolitical tensions. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Trump hails World Cup success How Ferran Torres scored the World Cup-winning goal for Spain to beat Argentina Goals, technology and hydration breaks: How the biggest World Cup in history will be remembered Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted Tuesday at 12:39 AM Author Members Posted Tuesday at 12:39 AM Trump’s World Cup Stunt Gets Savaged in Hot Mic Moment The president’s attention-seeking moment was called out on Australian TV. President Donald Trump’s cringeworthy stage invasion during Spain’s World Cup victory ceremony was savaged in a brutal hot mic TV moment.Trump, 80, conducted a walk of shame, where he was booed while he crossed the field following Spain’s victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday. According to HuffPost White House reporter S.V. Dáte, “Ambient crowd noise was about 78 decibels. Booing brought it to 84,” roughly the sound of a passing diesel truck.After the president presented the trophy to one of the team’s star players and Golden Ball recipient, midfielder Rodri, he refused to leave the stage as they celebrated their victory over Argentina by lifting the trophy up into the air. Trump’s friend and ally, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, ran over to the president to attempt to move him out of the way of the victorious team. However, Trump was still lingering next to the team as smoke machines and confetti cannons kicked in, and the team’s celebrations were captured on camera. The attention-seeking moment was referenced by Australian broadcaster SBS, which has been airing all the World Cup matches. As Trump was awkwardly loitering on the stage, an SBS commentator can be heard saying, “They can edit him out of that,” as footage of the celebratory moment, with added U.S. president, was shown on Australian TV. The Daily Beast has contacted SBS for comment. The SBS footage quickly gained traction and was shared online, with one social media user writing: “Editing Trump OUT is the best idea I’ve heard yet! Let’s just edit him right out of everything.” Another said Trump had tried to “upstage & hog the limelight from Spain and called him ”a colossal embarrassment to America. His selfishness is childlike.” The president has already had several embarrassing moments at this year’s World Cup, including personally getting involved in a controversial referee decision. Trump contacted Infantino, who invented a Peace Prize for Trump last year after he was snubbed by the Nobel committee, when Team USA superstar Folarin Balogun was handed a red card. The suspension was dramatically overturned. However, the American team was beaten by Belgium in the game Balogun was originally due to miss because of his suspension. Footage widely shared on social media showed Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku leading his team in imitating Trump’s awkward dance style after he scored the final goal of the match. The players formed a circle on the sideline and pumped their fists in and out, while keeping their feet planted on the ground, in a brief victory dance to reference the U.S. president. That led the progressive news outlet Meidas Touch to call out the “Trump curse,” which continued through the matches. That curse was blamed after England lost to Argentina in a semifinal, shortly after English captain Harry Kane had discussed golfing with Trump. “I think Kane is a great player,” Trump, 80, had said earlier this month. “I played golf with him, and I like him a lot. He’s a good golfer, too. He’s really great.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-world-cup-stunt-gets-savaged-in-hot-mic-moment/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted Tuesday at 12:44 AM Author Members Posted Tuesday at 12:44 AM Trump Faces Deafening Jeers at World Cup Trophy Ceremony The president got to hear what people really think of him. President Donald Trump was greeted by a deafening chorus of in-person booing at his beloved World Cup during a humiliating walk of shame.Trump, 80, walked onto the field following Spain’s victory over Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday. However, the crowd gave the president an instant popularity check with a rousing sea of jeers as he headed to present the winners with their medals and trophy. The boos could be heard ringing through the stadium as Trump waved to the crowd, flanked by security. As the president continued to wave, the booing also kept going. According to HuffPost White House reporter S.V. Dáte, “Ambient crowd noise was about 78 decibels” before Trump walked onto the field. “Booing brought it to 84,” which is the equivalent of a passing diesel truck and the point where prolonged exposure can result in gradual hearing loss. The boos were so loud at times that they overpowered the background music being played. One X user suggested that Trump’s appearance “Probably made the whole world boo at home, too.” Another X user filmed themselves as the booing echoed through the stadium, initially thinking someone was fighting after the game, before realizing the negativity was directed at the president. The booing sounded even louder in footage filmed by attendees watching in the upper levels. Trump was joined by his friend and ally, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who is also a controversial figure with sports fans. X account Anonymous shared footage of British commentator Gabby Logan remarking on the booing, saying, “Not the warmest of receptions there, not quite sure which one that’s directed toward.” The president’s post-game booing followed soccer fans also jeering him before the game had even begun. That time, the jeers came after Trump appeared on the Jumbotron just after Jennifer Hudson performed the national anthem. The unpopularity of the president saw networks quickly swap from an image of Trump to an aerial shot of the stadium. Online footage of fans watching the World Cup being televised at an outdoor event in Vancouver showed Trump being soundly booed. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment. After his walk of shame to present the trophy to the winning team, Trump had another cringe moment when he stood next to Spain’s team as they celebrated their victory over Argentina by lifting the trophy up into the air. That led Infantino to dart across the stage toward Trump, appearing to try to escort him away to let the champions celebrate as a team. One social media user posted, “The best part of Spain winning the World Cup, is seeing them ignore Donald Trump on stage!” https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-faces-deafening-jeers-at-world-cup-trophy-ceremony/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted Tuesday at 10:06 PM Author Members Posted Tuesday at 10:06 PM Republicans Defy Trump’s Senate MAGA Power Grab Senate hopefuls aren’t waiting around for Trump’s preferred Lindsey Graham replacement. Republican Senate hopefuls are ignoring Donald Trump’s attempt to put his finger on the scale in the race to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The president, 80, made the push for Graham’s sister, newly sworn-in Senator Darline Graham, to run for a full term after she was appointed to fill her brother’s seat for the remainder of his current term last week following Graham’s unexpected death. But a growing number of GOP members are rejecting the president’s bid to clear a path for her in the special primary election next month and are instead jumping into the race. On Monday, Rep. Russell Fry, who represents South Carolina’s 7th congressional district, announced he was running for the seat. It comes after Rep. Ralph Norman shared over the weekend that he would run in the special election as well. Graham, who died just over a week ago, was running for reelection in November. While his sister was appointed to fill his seat through the current term, a special primary election must be held to choose a GOP candidate for the midterms. The special election will take place on August 11. Candidate filing opens on Tuesday and remains open through July 28. In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump praised Senator Darline Graham Nordone, who has never held elected office, as a “spectacular person” and “WINNER all of her life.” He wrote that if she chose to run for a full term, she would have his “Complete and Total Endorsement.” But on Saturday, Rep. Ralph Norman, who recently lost the primary for governor, said he was jumping into the race and that the state needed a true conservative. Even as Republicans are ignoring Trump’s attempt to be the kingmaker in the primary, they are looking to align with him as they try to win over GOP voters in the short campaign season. “I’m running to represent the people of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate because we need a fighter who will stand with President Trump and carry on Lindsey Graham’s legacy!” Norman wrote. “I’ve spent years fighting for the Palmetto State in the state house, in Congress, and now I want to get the SAVE America Act passed in the Senate!” While Norman admitted he asked Trump for his endorsement and did not receive it, he said he would not drop out if Graham decides to run for a full term and that he was in it to win. In his own announcement early Monday, Fry touted his MAGA credentials. The banner image on his X page notably features him standing alongside the president. “We need a conservative fighter in the Senate who delivers real results. I will be your conservative MAGA candidate in the special primary Senate election this summer,” Fry wrote in his announcement post. Fry ran uncontested in his House primary last month, so he is running for two seats at once. If he wins the special election primary, it would leave his safe Republican House seat exposed or vacant come November. The new Senator Graham has not shared publicly whether she would officially run for a full term after barely a week in the Senate. In an open letter to South Carolinians shared over the weekend, she wrote, “Now, it’s time for me to step up for South Carolina” and “In the most challenging of times, I’ve learned God often calls on ordinary people to do extraordinary things.” She added that she is not her brother and has her own way of doing things, but they were raised with the same values. While she thanked the people of the state and asked for their prayers, she did not specifically share what her plans might be going forward. Trump’s endorsement has proven to be powerful in the 2026 GOP primaries, but it has not always resulted in his preferred candidate’s victory. In the South Carolina Republican primary for governor, Trump’s original endorsement went to Lt. Governor Pam Evette, but she did not get enough support to avoid a runoff last month. In the end, Trump copped out and made a double-endorsement of both candidates in the runoff, including Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson, who ended up winning. Trump’s endorsements in other 2026 primaries have also resulted in mixed results in recent months. However, the president was an early backer of the late senator in his reelection bid and helped him avoid a nasty primary despite facing well-funded GOP challengers. Graham won the June primary with more than 56 percent of the vote, but his closest challenger, Mark Lynch, still received nearly 29 percent, with more than 134,000 votes. https://www.thedailybeast.com/republicans-defy-trumps-senate-maga-power-grab/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted Tuesday at 10:12 PM Author Members Posted Tuesday at 10:12 PM Trump’s Gas Price Boasts Blow Up in His Face The president’s victory lap over falling gas prices may have been premature as tensions with Iran threaten another spike. Donald Trump’s bragging about gas prices has blown up in his face following his renewed attacks on Iran. The temporary peace deal had given the president his first sniff of making good on his promise to lower gas prices following a dramatic spike caused by the outbreak of his war in late February. Prices at the pump have flirted with the $5 mark nationally and, in parts of California, exceeded $6. Now things are moving in the wrong direction once again for the White House, after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, and its government’s military wing, the Revolutionary Guard, said “this passage will not be safe for the transit of petrochemical products, nor even a single drop of oil and gas,” the Guardian reports. It comes despite a bullish Trump writing on Truth Social in late June, “GAS PRICES COMING DOWN, FAST! REPORT ANY ABUSES AT RETAIL LEVEL!!! President DJT.” On Monday, the AAA put the national average price at $4.0030, up from Sunday’s $3.9980, which was up again from the average a week ago at $3.8720. That, in turn, was a far cry from the average one year ago, at $3.1410. The U.S. has once again imposed a blockade of the strait, dashing any optimism about prices that had sprouted last month during the brief pause in hostilities. While prices have not yet reached the highs seen earlier in the conflict, Axios reports that Trump was in the Situation Room with top advisors on Tuesday, where they discussed the possibility of expanding the scope of the operation. His actions appear at odds with his words, clashing with the narrative the president has peddled throughout his conflict that high prices would be but a blip. In March, eight days after the first bombs fell, he wrote in another Truth Social post, “Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!President DJT.” Now Americans are in their fifth month of being stung by the conflict, and as relations between Washington and Tehran worsen once again, it is feasible that consumers might not have respite any time soon. On the last day of June, he blamed high prices on someone else: retailers and the California government. In a shouty Truth Social post, he said, “Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY! They’re too high considering that Oil is now at $68 a Barrel, and heading south. The Retailers must quickly react to this statement, and do what they know is right — DROP YOUR PRICE FOR OUR GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE! “There will be no gauging, which is totally illegal. If Retailers don’t do this, big problems lie ahead! Start targeting around the $2.50 a Gallon number, and California should stop charging such heavy Taxes on their Gasoline. “Soon the Tax will be higher than the Product itself, and the United States will not stand for it, nor will the People of California, who are being abused by these ridiculous Taxes, and by their own Government. President DONALD J. TRUMP” In a statement to the Daily Beast, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said, “As the U.S. military degrades the terrorist Iranian regime’s ability to attack commercial vessels and disrupt the free flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz, oil and gas prices will plummet back to pre-conflict levels. “President Trump remains committed to unleashing American energy dominance, cutting costs, and putting more money back in the pockets of hardworking American families.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-gas-price-boasts-blow-up-in-his-face/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted Tuesday at 11:13 PM Author Members Posted Tuesday at 11:13 PM Trump imposes 50% tariffs on Canadian goods, citing disputes over autos, alcohol and cheese WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday imposed 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, declaring that Canada has unfairly discriminated against American autos, alcohol and dairy products. https://apnews.com/article/trump-canada-50-tariff-autos-alcohol-cheese-ca268ef24992b16695954c4c2e5eae6a? ps:How much more pathetic can he get?? Ex-Olympian charged with damaging Reflecting Pool gets Sept. 28 trial date A judge in the nation's capital has set a trial date in September for a former Olympic canoe racer charged with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the site of a troubled multimillion-dollar renovation project championed by President Donald Trump. Read More. Officials sought phone records of NYT journalists and their relatives in an effort to unmask sources President Donald Trump's administration sought phone records of several New York Times journalists and even those of some of their relatives, according to a motion unsealed Monday — an unusually aggressive attempt to unmask the confidential sources of reporters who wrote about Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet. Read More. Feds advance plan to open 2,800 acres of Ohio’s Wayne National Forest to fracking The federal government took a major step forward Friday toward opening more than 2,800 acres of Ohio’s only national forest to oil and gas development. Read More. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted Tuesday at 11:53 PM Author Members Posted Tuesday at 11:53 PM The Price of Hubris (Andrew Harnik / Getty) View in browser You could, if you were so inclined, tell a story of the Donald Trump era via memes. Pepe the Frog, “This Is Fine” Dog, “Covfefe,” Leopards Eating People’s Faces—things of that nature. One of the essential examples would be an October 2016 Twitter post by Jesse Farrar, parodying the enduring belief that the walls were closing in on Trump: Well, I’d like to see ol Donny Trump wriggle his way out of THIS jam! *Trump wriggles his way out of the jam easily* Ah! Well. Nevertheless, The conviction that Trump was on the brink of final collapse remained popular in some quarters for years after Farrar’s post—as anyone who remembers the fevered anticipation around Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report and the subsequent letdown can attest—but at some moment, the tweet transformed from a riposte to naive pundits into a shorthand for the strangeness of American politics. During the previous decade, Trump weathered a series of scandals that would likely have been career-ending for any other politician: the Access Hollywood tape, in which he boasted that he would “grab” women “by the pussy” without consent; the firing of then–FBI Director James Comey; his indiscreet sharing of intelligence with Russian officials in the Oval Office; an impeachment for attempting to extort Ukraine; an egregious approach to COVID-19, followed by a bout with the disease that reportedly nearly killed him; a series of attempts to steal the 2020 presidential election, culminating in the January 6 insurrection; his absconding with sensitive documents to Mar-a-Lago after his term ended; and 34 felony convictions. Despite all of this, Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. The notion of his invincibility became canon. Perhaps Trump himself came to believe it. But the war in Iran has dealt a serious blow to the idea that Trump can slip out of any bind easily. Over the past three days, three American service members died in that conflict: two in Jordan, where Iranian missiles struck a military base, and a third in Iraq, killed by debris during the intentional destruction of an Iranian drone. The official American death toll in the Iran war now sits at 17. That number is low—still less, for example, than the toll from the 1983 invasion of Grenada—although the military appears to have been keeping quiet just how many troops have been injured. As my colleague Tom Nichols wrote over the weekend, the president’s limp attempt at consolation (“It’s a very sad thing,” he said) is especially dismaying because “Trump has offered no comprehensive explanation about why his administration is ordering U.S. military personnel to put their lives on the line.” And the death toll may begin to rise, because Trump appears to be on the verge of being drawn into a larger war. As the defense analyst Brynn Tannehill wrote in The Atlantic last week, the president faces only bad choices. The United States could effectively cede control of the Strait of Hormuz to Iran, accepting a fee system that breaks global precedent and centuries of American policy and granting a hostile power the opportunity to close an important shipping lane at any future moment. Or the White House could embark on a major ground war, because fighting over the past few months has shown the limitations of relying on air power. That would be politically hazardous, likely lead to more American deaths, and suck the U.S. into a long-running presence in the region, and it might still fail. Meanwhile, the conflict threatens to grow even larger as Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen threaten to close some traffic to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Deciding what to do is hard when you don’t know what you want. Trump has vacillated over whether the point of the war is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and whether the war has already achieved that. He’s offered different answers about whether one goal is regime change, and whether that has been achieved. He has suggested that the purpose is to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, even though it was open before the war and even though that may no longer be manageable. The administration has also struggled to explain to skeptical members of Congress why it needs more war funding. In short, Trump’s misadventure in Iran is a story of hubris. The president didn’t bother to plan or consider the dangers before he started a war, and now it has spiraled to a point where even he seems unable to find a way to wriggle out of a jam. For the first time in a very long time—to some extent, the first time in his life—Trump appears to be facing the consequences of his actions. These circumstances might give Trump’s critics and opponents a chance to feel some delicious schadenfreude if the results of the blunder were not so terrible. The costs are measured not only in the blood of American service members but also in the deaths of Iranian civilians and of merchant mariners trying to sail through the Persian Gulf, in the damage to the global economy, and in the erosion of American alliances and a long-standing global order. Being confronted with a snare that he can’t escape must be unpleasant for Trump, but people around the globe will face misery because of it. Related: Trump owes Americans a better explanation about Iran. The U.S. has only terrible choices with Iran. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted yesterday at 12:38 AM Author Members Posted yesterday at 12:38 AM Trump's Iran choice President Trump is nearing a decisive fork in the Iran war, with U.S. and Israeli officials envisioning only two viable endgames, Axios' Barak Ravid reports: Option 1: Pursue a new 10-day ceasefire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Option 2: Launch a massive joint military campaign with Israel to force Tehran's capitulation. Why it matters: Trump hasn't decided yet. But officials believe the next few days will determine which path prevails — with little room left for the grinding, open-ended conflict paralyzing the Gulf. Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan and other regional mediators have presented the U.S. and Iran with a 10-day ceasefire proposal, two regional sources with direct knowledge of the effort told Axios. The Trump administration is exploring the proposal and has urged Israel to avoid steps that could close the diplomatic window, U.S. officials say. But Washington is simultaneously preparing for the talks to fail. The U.S. military has sent dozens of fighter jets and refueling aircraft to the region in recent days, assembling the forces needed for a major escalation. Israeli sources say the IDF is on high alert and preparing for a possible expansion of the war into a full-scale, coordinated campaign within days. 🖼️ The big picture: Ten straight nights of U.S. bombing have failed to break Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz, dragging Trump deeper into a war he has repeatedly declared won. At least three U.S. service members have been killed in the renewed fighting. Trump said yesterday he had ordered the Pentagon to make Iran pay "many times over" for every American death. Oil briefly broke $90 a barrel this weekend as Iran widened its strikes on commercial ships and Gulf infrastructure. Gas prices are rising again, compounding the domestic backlash to an already unpopular war. State of play: Neither Trump nor Iran has accepted the ceasefire proposal, and both sides appear determined to gain leverage through further strikes before committing to a ceasefire. A senior U.S. official said talks are continuing, but said Trump has yet to finish retaliating. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted yesterday at 12:39 AM Author Members Posted yesterday at 12:39 AM 🏒 Trump targets Canada The Trump administration imposed an additional 50% tariff on certain Canadian goods yesterday — including hockey sticks, wine and cement — accusing the country of discriminating against U.S. exports, Axios' Courtenay Brown writes. Why it matters: The move ratchets up tensions in an increasingly bitter trade dispute between two of the world's closest economic partners. The tariffs, which take effect next month, will be imposed under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 — a never-before-used authority. The duties cover roughly $20 billion in annual Canadian imports. A senior administration official said the tariffs aren't the wildfire tariffs that President Trump had earlier threatened. The official said those options remain under consideration. Keep reading. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted yesterday at 01:14 AM Author Members Posted yesterday at 01:14 AM Trump imposes 50% tariffs on Canadian goods, citing disputes over autos, alcohol and cheese The move could unleash a new wave of economic chaos, with risks of higher inflation and further fraying of relations between two nations that had been closely woven together before President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. The administration official previewing the action said that Canada was one of the only nations other than China that retaliated against Trump’s previous tariffs and must be held accountable. Read more. Why this matters: The White House said in a fact sheet that the tariffs would go into effect in 30 days, meaning there is time for negotiations as Trump has not always followed through on his announced tax hikes on imports. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement that his government believes in the “benefits of free and fair trade,” having signed “more than 20 new economic and security partnerships.” He said Canada is prepared to negotiate with the Trump administration. “This trade dispute has raised costs for families, particularly in the U.S.,” Carney said. Still, the tariffs could escalate into a wider trade war as Canada seeks to defend its economy. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Darline Graham says she will run for a full term in Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat Officials sought phone records of NYT journalists and their relatives in an effort to unmask sources Senators demand ICE answers and body cameras after 2 fatal shootings in Maine and Houston Judge says Paramount and Warner must halt merger for at least two weeks, granting states’ request 2 more convictions thrown out in 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan governor Alaska wants to seize a pilot’s plane over a 6-pack of beer. The Supreme Court will hear his case White House: Trump to fly old Air Force One for about a month as Qatari-gifted jet gets ‘upgrades’ Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted yesterday at 01:17 AM Author Members Posted yesterday at 01:17 AM The men behind Trump’s $3.47 gas: An NFL coach, a GOP fundraiser and two New Jersey brothers President Donald Trump and his White House have enthusiastically promoted the Freedom Fuel Network. Read more. What to know: Records indicate the chain, which was launched last month, is run by a disparate collection of businessmen that includes an NFL kicking coach, a GOP fundraiser and a New Jersey entrepreneur who this year was ordered, along with his brother, to pay civil damages for unlawfully taking more than 200,000 gallons of fuel. How the stations got Trump’s attention remains a mystery, and the four businessmen declined to — or could not be reached for — comment. The White House denied Trump had any personal connection to the venture, but declined to say how the project was developed. It acknowledged having discussions with individuals who set up the network of gas stations. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Gas prices back up to an average of $4 a gallon as US and Iran launch attacks Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 6 hours ago Author Members Posted 6 hours ago Florida retirement haven unravels as seniors face ruin under Trump economy The cost of living continues to explode under President Donald Trump, and now, a new CNN report on Florida seniors has exposed the reality of this economic ruin. https://local.newsbreak.com/florida-state/4783331960498-florida-retirement-haven-unravels-as-seniors-face-ruin-under-trump-economy? Trump-Appointed Judge Stops Admin From Forcing Minnesota to Cooperate With Feds on Immigration Enforcement A federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump has dismissed a lawsuit filed by his administration that was attempting to force Minnesota and several local governments within the state to cooperate with the federal government on immigration enforcement, finding the feds’ legal pleading to be insufficient in multiple ways. https://local.newsbreak.com/minnesota-state/4782594154891-trump-appointed-judge-stops-admin-from-forcing-minnesota-to-cooperate-with-feds-on-immigration-enforcement? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 5 hours ago Author Members Posted 5 hours ago Trump Humiliated as He’s Forced to Beg His Foes for Help Trump has found himself at the mercy of the very senators he spent years insulting. Donald Trump has been forced to beg his Republican foes for a helping hand as he scrambles to rescue his former personal lawyer’s nomination as attorney general. The White House has found itself courting GOP Sens. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn—both vilified by the president as disloyal—as they hold off on supporting Todd Blanche’s nomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Politico reports. A single Republican “no” vote on the committee could sink Blanche’s nomination. Tillis, 65, and Cornyn, 74, both confirmed the White House’s outreach in interviews with Politico on Capitol Hill Monday evening, while a White House official told the outlet that “the Administration continues to have active conversations with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump has repeatedly insulted both senators, blasting Tillis as a “loser” and a “quitter,” while dismissing Cornyn as “hopeless.” The 80-year-old president effectively ended Cornyn’s Senate career when he endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over Cornyn in Texas’s Republican primary, leading Paxton to trounce him. Both Tillis and Cornyn have been wary of Blanche, the acting attorney general, over his role in signing off on the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” taxpayer slush fund to compensate Trump’s allies and agreeing to give the Trump family immunity from tax investigations. “Those are the issues we’re continuing to discuss with the administration to see whether we can get a modification of the settlement agreement,” Cornyn told Politico. Asked whether he could secure concessions from Blanche, who had previously resisted amending the agreement he entered into on Trump’s behalf, Cornyn replied, “Well, does he want to get confirmed or not?” In response to bipartisan outrage over money from the fund potentially going to rioters who violently attacked the police on Jan. 6, the Justice Department has said the fund would not move forward. But Blanche has stopped short of putting the commitment in writing, prompting Cornyn to grill him on the issue during his confirmation hearing before the Judiciary Committee last week. Tillis told Politico that he has been encouraged by the Justice Department’s efforts to work with his staff to address his concerns, saying, “I know my staff have been in touch, almost, probably daily.” Blanche acquiesced to Tillis’s demand that he meet with Jeffrey Epstein’s victims last week, but many of the women later said the meeting only deepened their frustration. “It had absolutely nothing to do with us, and it had everything to do with Blanche checking a box so that he can get a promotion,” survivor Liz Stein told the hosts of MS NOW’s The Weeknight last week. “I don’t think we had high expectations going into this meeting,” Stein added, “but I didn’t expect to walk out of the meeting feeling the way we feel right now. It was demoralizing.” She added that Blanche took no accountability for the botched redaction system that saw some victims’ names released in the Epstein files. Politico reported Tillis said he would “like to understand what, if any, steps were taken for opening FBI investigations—whether it was a request or whether it was an acceptance to do it,” in regards to Blanche’s plans to bring Epstein’s co-conspirators to justice. The publication quoted an anonymous source linked to the nomination process who said Tillis will wind up voting to support Blanche, saying, “Tillis, we think, is squared away.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-humiliated-as-hes-forced-to-beg-his-foes-thom-tillis-and-john-cornyn-for-help-with-todd-blanche/? ps:What goes around comes around! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 4 hours ago Author Members Posted 4 hours ago Gusher. The Trump administration’s escalation of the war with Iran once again has Americans paying more at the pump, leading to a massive windfall for oil companies — even as the industry slashes jobs and reaps the benefits of reduced wartime regulations. After briefly dropping in June, the price of a gallon of gas hit $4 this week, up from $3.14 one year ago, as affordability becomes a major issue in the 2026 midterm elections. The world’s top 100 oil and gas companies reportedly raked in more than $30 million in excess profits every hour when gas prices spiked at the start of the war. And in the coming weeks, U.S.-based oil firms are expected to report their best quarterly profits in years. 📉 Still, despite increased production, employment in the oil and gas industry has fallen sharply, with Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, ConocoPhillips, and Imperial Oil collectively shedding tens of thousands of jobs. In 2016, U.S. oil and gas extraction jobs employed 187,300 people. By June of 2026, that number had fallen to 114,500. 🫠 Under pressure from the U.S., the European Union will waive penalties for oil and gas companies that violate methane emissions laws for the next three years. The European Commission said the fee waivers are necessary to “avoid supply disruptions” caused by “the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.” Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 4 hours ago Author Members Posted 4 hours ago Judge Gives Blunt Warning to Trump Goons in Reflecting Pool ‘Vandal’ Case The president is caught between fixing the mess he’s made and punishing the people he blamed instead. A D.C. judge has lambasted Donald Trump’s Justice Department goons over their efforts to blame someone else for the mess his administration has made of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Judge Todd E. Edelman, an Obama appointee, warned U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, 75, on Monday that the Trump administration is “operating at its own peril” in the way it has handled its case against David Hearn, 67, a former Olympic canoeist. Trump, 80, and Pirro have accused Hearn of vandalizing the D.C. landmark after the president’s botched $16 million attempt to turn its waters “American flag blue” succeeded only in transforming the pool into a slimy green monstrosity. The renovation deal went in part to a Trump ally with a criminal history and no prior record of federal contracting work. “The Reflecting Pool, so badly damaged by Deranged Vandals, has been emptied as the massive slash gets repaired,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday. “The Scum in Court will hopefully be prosecuted to the MAX,” he added—presumably referring to Hearn rather than the algal film that has covered the pool in recent weeks. Hearn’s attorneys filed a motion on Thursday to have the case against him thrown out, arguing that Pirro had failed to preserve the government’s key evidence against him. The DOJ accused Hearn of “forcefully and violently” ripping up parts of the pool lining, which they claim led to the runaway algal bloom. “Despite the importance of the pool liner to the case, in the brief period since June 19, 2026, the same government that presented and returned the indictment against Mr. Hearn has fenced off the scene, begun draining the pool yet again, and publicly announced its intention to repair the very liner whose condition is at issue,” they wrote. Hearn, who competed for the United States in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympics, has pleaded not guilty to a single count of destruction of property. He told NBC News that he was arrested and detained for five hours after touching a piece of the lining of the pool that had detached “to satisfy my curiosity as a citizen of what was happening with all the algae and the peeling blue coating.” “The condition of the Reflecting Pool was the same after I stepped away from the water as it was before I got there,” he told the network. The Washington Post reports that Judge Edelman denied Hearn’s attorneys’ motion to have the case dismissed outright but asked prosecutors to account for the current status of work at the site. They could not, telling the court that they were unsure whether the evidence against Hearn had been preserved. Edelman, who set a trial date for September 28, also asked why the Trump administration could not “maintain the status quo” for the rest of the week to avoid access to evidence becoming an “issue at this trial,” according to News From the States. The judge also urged the “government to not do anything further” on the pool before denying Hearn’s motion to dismiss the case, the outlet reports. Edelman called the motion “entirely premature” but did not prohibit Hearn’s attorneys from filing another motion to dismiss going forward. Edelman conceded that the prosecutors, “personally, are not in control” of renovations at the Reflecting Pool. He added that “there may well not be any prejudice,” meaning the case could still go ahead, even as he warned that the government was endangering its chances of a successful prosecution. The Daily Beast has contacted the Justice Department for comment on this story. https://www.thedailybeast.com/judge-gives-blunt-warning-to-trump-doj-goon-jeanine-pirro-in-reflecting-pool-vandal-case/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 4 hours ago Author Members Posted 4 hours ago Trump says US-Lebanon flights can resume, pledges help for that country after meeting its president WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump pledged to help Lebanon “a lot” during a White House meeting on Tuesday with the country’s leader, Joseph Aoun, who came to push for long-term calm after months of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-president-hezbollah-trump-aoun-israel-e0364d0334c2f4d888d2b3970c9fe5b1? MAGA chiefs gather to plot midterms Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios President Trump's top political advisers are meeting this afternoon to review polling, messaging and strategy ahead of the midterms, Axios' Marc Caputo reports. The meeting is the second in what is becoming a series of regular conclaves to coordinate the GOP, its candidates and Trump's political operation. Trump won't be there. But several top MAGA shot-callers will be present, including... Tony Fabrizio, Trump's longtime top pollster. James Blair, Trump's hands-on political operations chief in charge of executing a midterm plan. Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff and Trump's longest-serving political adviser. Cabinet officials (except Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who's in Manila on official business). 💰 The big picture: Trump's super PAC and the Republican National Committee are sitting on about $530 million, and now his team is figuring out how, when and where to deploy it. That doesn't include what insiders say is hundreds of millions of dollars more in Trump's dark-money political nonprofit, Securing American Greatness. 📉 Republicans acknowledge that it'll be tough to keep the House as Trump's poll numbers bottom out amid rising gas prices and the war in Iran. But Trump operatives argue that voters are wary of Democrats' progressive overreach — and they think this election will be about who Americans hate more, not who they love. 🪂 Yes, but: Trump is fighting political gravity. Polls show that voters believe the economy is in lousy shape — and that they're blaming Trump. A Trump operative involved in today's meeting tells Axios: "The Trump tax cuts have saved people real money, and the president is keeping Americans safe. ... We have the manpower, the message and the money to make that clear." Go deeper. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 4 hours ago Author Members Posted 4 hours ago ⛔️ The Trump administration is halting more than $1 billion in federal Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota until they take more steps to investigate questionable claims, federal officials said today. Go deeper. 🏅 The White House Correspondents' Association is giving awards to Secret Service Police Officer Victor Gonzales and the staff of the Washington Hilton for "exceptional service" after a gunman tried to storm its annual dinner in April. Go deeper. Appeals court reverses decision that freed pro-Palestinian Columbia activist Mohsen Mahdawi A federal appeals panel has reversed a lower court decision ordering the release of pro-Palestinian activist Mohsen Mahdawi, opening the door to the re-arrest of a student protest organizer whom the Trump administration has spent more than a year trying to deport. Read More. Appeals court upholds White House adviser Peter Navarro's contempt of Congress convictions A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld White House adviser Peter Navarro's convictions for defying a subpoena for records from the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of President Donald Trump's supporters. Read More. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 1 hour ago Author Members Posted 1 hour ago ⚖️ Trump doesn't plan to block Tate extradition President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio aren't planning to block the extradition to the U.K. of the Tate brothers, the notorious "manosphere" influencers accused of rape and human trafficking, Axios' Marc Caputo writes. Why it matters: Andrew and Tristan Tate were part of the coalition of hyper-masculine social media voices advocating for Trump when he was reelected in 2024. The brothers have reported connections to two of Trump's sons and have had support from top Trump advisers. Officially and publicly, Trump and his administration have kept the Tates at arm's length because of their sordid reputations. "The U.S. has an extradition treaty with the U.K. and the administration intends to honor it in this case," a senior administration official told Axios. U.S. marshals arrested the Tates in Miami on Saturday after British authorities issued 38 new sex-crime charges against the brothers, bringing the total combined counts against them to 59. 🔎 Behind the scenes: Those who know Rubio's thinking say the secretary, a conservative Catholic who fought as a U.S. senator for stronger human trafficking laws and protections for victims, isn't inclined to help the Tates. "Marco thinks these guys are scum," said one source. "Now if the president overrules him, which I don't think is likely, he's got a problem." A source familiar with Trump's thinking said the president wants nothing to do with the brothers. "The Tates want to pretend they were responsible for the president's victory [in 2024], but they weren't part of our strategy and the president doesn't know them," a former Trump campaign adviser said. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 1 hour ago Author Members Posted 1 hour ago 🏛️ Charted: Trump's exit rate Data: Partnership for Public Service. (Includes departures of Cabinet department officials nominated during the same administration. Excludes U.S. attorneys, U.S. marshals and ambassadors.) Chart: Noah Bressner/Axios Senior Trump administration officials are leaving office in record numbers 18 months after Inauguration Day — outpacing even the churn from President Trump's first term, according to data from the Partnership for Public Service. 27 Senate-confirmed officials within the Cabinet departments have left their positions, nearly 2 1/2 times the number from Trump 1.0. With departures piling up, Trump has been slow to nominate replacements. He has made fewer Senate-confirmed nominations than any president since Reagan, shifting more posts to acting officials who skip Senate confirmation. More data. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 1 hour ago Author Members Posted 1 hour ago 💰 Trump's new tariff playbook Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios The Trump administration could soon fire its next tariff salvo — possibly this week — with new duties expected to emerge from investigations covering roughly 60 trading partners under an expanding mix of legal authorities, Axios' Courtenay Brown writes. Why it matters: Just days before a temporary tariff authority is set to expire, the White House is still finding ways to pursue President Trump's tariff agenda despite its legal setbacks. The next escalation would arrive as renewed conflict in the Middle East pushes energy prices higher — an awkward backdrop for a White House seeking to ratchet up tariffs without reigniting inflation. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC to "expect to see some action soon" from an investigation into whether countries are doing enough to block goods made with forced labor. The Financial Times reported that the administration is weighing tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on imports from a slew of nations as soon as this week — a major expansion of Trump's tariff agenda. 🎨 The big picture: After the Supreme Court struck down the president's emergency tariffs earlier this year, the administration replaced many of them with a 10% global levy under Section 122 of the Trade Act — a temporary authority that expires Friday. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 1 hour ago Author Members Posted 1 hour ago Hegseth estimates Iran war has cost $37.5 billion Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the new estimate, up from earlier assessments, while facing fiery questions at a Senate hearing Tuesday. Read more. Why this matters: Hegseth and other officials appeared as Republicans prepare a $95 billion package to fund the military, along with other White House priorities including farm aid and voting law changes. Hegseth said the supplemental war funding is an “urgent, necessary” injection of money. The hearing came days after the Pentagon announced that three more American service members have died in the conflict, bringing the U.S. death toll to 17, and that more than 100 have been injured since early July. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US and Iran attacks rage as officials question whether diplomacy can stop march toward war resuming Trump will attend the dignified transfer of 4 US service members killed in the Middle East What to know about Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, home to underground nuclear site threatened by Trump Trump approves nuclear agreement that may allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium, 2 AP sources say NYC can’t arrest Netanyahu but the federal government should, Mamdani says Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 44 minutes ago Author Members Posted 44 minutes ago Trump administration says it’s deferring $1B in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the new actions — which come after previously announced Medicaid funding deferrals in those states — are part of the administration's strategy to “stop the fraud before it happens.” Read more. Why this matters: It’s the latest in a series of punitive steps the Trump administration has linked to allegations of fraud in mostly Democratic-led states. The tactic is part of the administration’s sweeping campaign to show it’s cracking down and saving taxpayers money when rising healthcare costs and other economic stressors have made affordability a top voter concern in November’s midterm elections. But the federal government hasn't provided “data or explanation on how the deferral amount was calculated or what it was based on” to Minnesota, said John Connolly, the temporary commissioner and state Medicaid director for Minnesota’s Department of Human Services. California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom accused the administration of targeting it for political reasons. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Andy Biggs wins Republican nomination to challenge Democrat Katie Hobbs for Arizona governor Have progressives peaked? The next few weeks will be crucial in Democrats’ tug-of-war House passes temporary government funding bill months early to avoid election season shutdown 6,600 noncitizens registered to vote after error in New Jersey motor vehicle system, governor says Appeals court upholds White House adviser Peter Navarro’s contempt of Congress convictions The Gates Foundation met with Epstein about 30 times despite staff concerns, an external review says Appeals court rejects Biden’s bid to block release of recordings of ghostwriter interviews Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 16 minutes ago Author Members Posted 16 minutes ago How This Fallen Teenage Soldier Puts Hegseth to Shame This is a real portrait of courage the Secretary of “War” can’t compare to. On July 17, two days shy of a year after she left her Texas home to begin basic training, Army Pvt. Isabella Gonzales was killed by an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack in Jordan. “Such a young age,” former classmate Zuleyka Acosta told CBS News Texas. “I think people need to recognize that she’s still just a teenager.” The teenager from Carrollton was a year younger than Barron Trump, whose entire extended family had never spent a single day in uniform. Gonzales’ friends say she enlisted 49 days after graduating from Hebron High School with the hope of making people proud of her, and she had already accomplished that when she was killed on July 17. That was exactly 115 days after Trump’s March 24 declaration that, ”We’ve won this war.“ Also killed in the attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base was 25-year-old 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii and Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York, who had initially been listed as missing in action.Gonzales could not have imagined that her sacrifice, or that of her comrades, would be repeatedly cited during the U.S. Senate hearing on the Trump administration’s request for an additional $67 billion to fund a conflict of Donald Trump’s choosing that is said to have already cost $37.5 billion. Gen. Dan “Razin’” Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, honored the fallen three, along with 30-year-old Sgt. Michael Swinton, who was killed on July 19 during the controlled explosion of a downed Iranian drone in Iraq.“I ask all of us here in the Senate and across the American people to never forget our fallen and their families who continue to show us what courage, tenacity, grit, and commitment to the nation looks like,” Caine said.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was the focus of intense questioning by Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia. “On day 14 of this conflict, Mr. Secretary, day 14, nearly five months ago, you stated that Iran’s military had been, ‘destroyed,’ and “made combat-ineffective,’” Ossoff said. “Was that an accurate statement? “ “They didn’t have a navy any longer,” Hegseth replied. “It was completely sunk. Their missiles were buried underneath a lot of their underground facilities, and their defense industrial base has been almost completely destroyed.” Ossoff kept pressing. “Mr. Secretary, early in the conflict, day three, you said one of those core objectives was to ‘destroy the missile threat,’” Ossoff noted. “And, as you restated it on day five, to ‘obliterate’ Iran’s missiles and drones. Those were clearly and repeatedly stated core objectives of the campaign, which, four months ago, you declared had been completed victoriously with every single objective achieved. Were those objectives achieved four months ago?” Hegseth said, “No one ever stated that every single missile was gone. Ultimately, ‘combat-ineffective’ means they’re not able to dig them out of their UGFs [underground facilities]. …It doesn’t mean they don’t have underground facilities where they put missiles in them and hold onto them because they’re the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. So we never expected they would stop having capabilities to shoot.” Hegeseth seemed to imagine he was making sense. “The question is, at scale, against an opponent like the United States of America, which, when toe to toe with them, Iran couldn’t,” he continued. Ossoff was not done. He reminded Hegseth that on day nine of the war he had “assured the American people that Iran would surrender. “Does that remain your prediction”? Ossoff asked. Hegseth resorted to what Trump always says when pressed about the war he started with the illusion that knocking out the regime in Iran would be as easy an “excursion” as deposing the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. “Ultimately, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon to threaten the United States of America,” Hegseth said. “That has been the objective, and it remains so.” Ossoff kept at him. “So just to review, you will not answer whether your statement made on the 14th day of the war that Iran’s military had been ‘destroyed’ and ‘made combat-ineffective,’ was a truthful statement to the American people, as you sit here and ask for tens of billions more.” At one point, when his warfighter testosterone seemed to fail him in the face of persistent fact, Hegseth called out, “They can lob missiles!” as if that were really nothing in the face of American lethality. But what Iran was still able to lob killed Gonzales and the three other Americans whose flag-covered caskets will be carried from plane to tarmac at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Tuesday. That will bring the total of slain American service members in Trump’s war to 18. “The most important thing that I do is make sure that the president and the other leaders understand the risks and carefully consider the Dover test,” Caine said near the conclusion of the hearing. “And that is: are we willing to go to Dover, as we will tomorrow, to bring back the fallen?” A year and five days after she left Texas to begin basic training, Gonzales will come home, never to see 20. She is no less a hero because her country failed the Dover test with a war of choice. https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-this-fallen-teenage-soldier-puts-hegseth-to-shame/? ps:The most pathetic administration ever!!!!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 11 minutes ago Author Members Posted 11 minutes ago Trump Shares Eyebrow-Raising Edit of Cringe World Cup Moment The presidential director’s cut leaves out a key moment. President Donald Trump has shared footage of his hijacking of Spain’s World Cup victory celebrations—with a very strategic edit. Trump, 80, spent last Sunday getting booed by fans at the World Cup final in New Jersey. His walk of shame across the MetLife Stadium saw the ambient crowd noise rise from 78 to 84 decibels once the booing kicked in, roughly the sound of a passing diesel truck. He then attempted to photobomb Spain as they assembled on the winner’s podium. After presenting a trophy to Spanish captain Rodri, Trump stayed on the stage as the team celebrated their victory, and loitered next to the players. At one point, his friend, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, ran across the stage to move Trump out of the way as cameras attempted to capture the traditional money shot of the winning team celebrating. During a Tuesday self-soothing Truth Social posting spree, Trump shared a video clip of himself from Sunday walking to the winners’ podium, handing a trophy to Rodri and shaking hands with players. However, Trump’s 24-second Truth Social video of the celebrations crucially concludes before Infantino’s intervention. It also removes the awkward footage of the president still standing on the side of the stage as confetti cannons exploded, and instead ends just before the cameras zoomed in on the winning team, instead of him. Trump’s face-saving edit of his presidential stage invasion comes days after Spain’s official national team account shared photos and videos of the trophy lift—including a tight crop with the U.S. president not visible.The official FIFA account also posted a picture of Spain’s trophy lift that cropped the president out.The idea of removing Trump from the victory footage was floated in real time on Sunday when an Australian soccer commentator was heard on a hot mic saying, “They can edit him out of that,” as images of Trump still lingering next to the team aired globally. Trump putting himself and Infantino in his Truth Social feed comes on the same day as the U.S. president is pitching the FIFA president for a plum new job. Sources tell the New York Post Trump wants Infantino, 56, to be elected as the next secretary-general of the United Nations. Trump believes that Infantino “is respected by everyone around the world, and recognizes he has a special ability to bring people together,” a source close to the president told the Post. The U.N. General Assembly will elect a new secretary-general this year when António Guterres, who has served as U.N chief since 2017, steps down. Infantino created a “FIFA Peace Prize” that he presented to the president to placate him after he failed to secure the Nobel Peace Prize he had pined for. At the time, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said: “There is no one else in the world more deserving of FIFA’s first-ever Peace Prize than President Trump. Anyone who thinks otherwise clearly suffers from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.” The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-shares-eyebrow-raising-edit-of-cringe-world-cup-moment/? ps:What a hypocrite!!!!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted 3 minutes ago Author Members Posted 3 minutes ago Union objects to Trump administration move to privatize security at Tampa International Airport Officials with the union representing transportation security officers at more than 400 U.S. airports are criticizing the decision by the Trump administration and officials with Tampa International Airport to privatize security operations there next year. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/07/21/union-objects-to-trump-administration-move-to-privatize-security-at-tampa-international-airport/? ps:What's he afraid of? That those that voted for him won't protect him at his pathetic airport????? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
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