Author: Stop the Donald Trump

Trump is expected to meet with Rutte as he muses about pulling out of NATO | PBS News

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Wednesday to address Trump’s threats to withdraw the United States from NATO over the alliance’s refusal to support his war against Iran. Trump demanded NATO members help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Iran closed it, and when several allied nations refused or restricted use of their airspace for U.S. military operations, Trump responded by threatening to leave the alliance and suggesting the U.S. may abandon countries that do not meet his demands.

Trump escalated tensions by threatening to bomb Iran’s civilian infrastructure, declaring that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not capitulate by an 8 p.m. deadline. Following this threat, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday that includes reopening the strait, though details of the plan remain unclear and are expected to dominate Wednesday’s meeting with Rutte. The ceasefire followed Trump’s extreme rhetoric, which he now appears willing to back away from as negotiations proceed.

Trump’s demands that NATO allies fund his war of choice represent a fundamental misuse of the alliance’s mutual defense agreement, which obligates members to defend each other only against attacks, not to finance one nation’s discretionary military campaigns. Trump has repeatedly threatened NATO withdrawal and called the alliance a “paper tiger” despite Congress passing a 2023 law requiring presidential approval from Congress to leave NATO, a safeguard enacted precisely because Trump claimed during his first term he could unilaterally abandon the alliance.

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell issued a statement in support of NATO, reminding Trump that alliance members sent troops to die alongside Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq following the September 11 attacks. McConnell urged Trump to focus on deterring adversaries rather than “nursing grudges with allies,” directly contradicting Trump’s position that NATO allies owe him support for his Iran conflict.

Trump’s hostility toward NATO intensified after he reduced U.S. military support for Ukraine and threatened to seize Greenland from Denmark, actions that have already destabilized the transatlantic relationship. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whom Trump has singled out for particular criticism, was traveling to the Gulf on Wednesday to support the ceasefire, while NATO members including Spain and France worked on developing a post-conflict security plan for the Strait of Hormuz despite Trump’s demands.

(Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/world/trump-is-expected-to-meet-with-rutte-as-he-muses-about-pulling-out-of-nato)

Trump Demands Fox News Take Jessica Tarlov off Air

President Donald Trump demanded Fox News remove co-host Jessica Tarlov from the air, calling her “a real loser” and criticizing her voice, statements, and overall presence on the network. Trump posted his demand on Truth Social, claiming Tarlov uses “fake numbers” and “fake polls” while expressing his dislike for her work, though he added he was “sure she’s a lovely person.”

Trump also targeted Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream, criticizing her interview with Democratic Representative Jake Auchincloss and instructing her to correct Democratic guests when they present what he calls “propaganda and lies.” The president objected to Bream’s characterization of the SAVE Act, insisting it be called the “SAVE America Act,” a distinction he emphasized as significant.

This marks a continued pattern of Trump attacking Fox News personalities who he perceives as insufficiently loyal or critical of his positions. In 2024, Trump accused Bream of conducting an “anti-MAGA” interview with his attorney, and he has repeatedly called Tarlov a “loser” in previous public statements, including during a March appearance on The Five when Tarlov was absent.

Trump’s demand reflects his expectation that media outlets, including Fox News, align with his messaging without independent editorial judgment or hosting of opposing viewpoints. His explicit instruction to “Fox executives” to remove Tarlov demonstrates an abuse of power, using his position as president to pressure media organizations into personnel decisions based on his personal preferences rather than journalistic merit.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump/trump-demands-fox-news-take-host-off-air-a-real-loser/)

Trump Threatens Iran Annihilation by 8 PM Deadline

President Donald Trump escalated threats against Iran on Tuesday, declaring that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if the country does not capitulate to his demands by an 8 p.m. Eastern Time deadline. Trump’s ultimatum requires Iran to agree to a peace deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face bombardment of civilian infrastructure including bridges, power plants, and desalination facilities. Trump stated the U.S. possesses plans to destroy Iran’s infrastructure within four hours and return the country to the “stone ages,” continuing a pattern of threats he first issued on March 21.

Trump has repeatedly extended his original 48-hour deadline while oscillating between apocalyptic threats and claims that negotiations are proceeding well. On Sunday, Trump told ABC News he would “blow up the entire country” if no agreement was reached. On Monday, he told White House reporters the country “could be taken out in one night,” while simultaneously stating “maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen” with Iran’s current leadership. When confronted about whether such attacks would constitute war crimes under international law, Trump dismissed the concern and argued that Iran possessing nuclear weapons constitutes the actual war crime.

Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran continued via mediators including Pakistan, with the U.S. attempting to broker a 45-day ceasefire ahead of Trump’s deadline. Iran rejected a U.S.-backed mediator proposal on Monday and offered its own 10-point plan described by a U.S. official as maximalist. The New York Times reported Tuesday that Iran told Pakistan it was no longer engaging in ceasefire talks, though ABC News has not independently confirmed this claim. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that “only the President knows where things stand and what he will do.”

Iran vowed a “regret-inducing” response if the U.S. attacks its energy infrastructure, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps told neighboring Gulf countries it would no longer exercise “restraint” in selecting regional targets for retaliation. Iran’s deputy minister of sports and youth called for citizens to form human chains around power plants in response to Trump’s threats.

Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin expressed hope that Trump’s threats are “bluster” and stated his opposition to destroying civilian infrastructure, saying “We are not at war with the Iranian people. We are trying to liberate them.” Legal experts have warned that attacks on civilian infrastructure could violate international law and constitute war crimes, though Trump dismissed such concerns as irrelevant.

(Source: https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-hours-deadline-threatens-irans-civilization-die-tonight/story?id=131797915)

Trump makes jab on Biden and Harris’ intelligence to children at Easter Egg Roll | The Independent

During the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, April 6, Trump questioned the intelligence of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris while speaking to event attendees, including children. Trump referred to Harris as a “low-IQ person” and asked guests which of the two Democratic leaders had lower intelligence, framing the comparison as “probably the toughest question.”

Trump’s remarks at the family-oriented Easter event represented an abuse of power by using an official presidential function to demean political opponents in front of children. The incident demonstrates Trump’s pattern of making personal attacks rather than substantive policy critiques against Democratic leaders.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/trump-easter-white-house-biden-harris-video-b2953213.html)

Acting AG Blanche Denies DOJ Weaponization While Targeting

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Trump administration’s use of the Justice Department against political rivals during a White House press conference on Tuesday, dismissing concerns about weaponization as “completely false.” Blanche instead inverted the accusation, claiming that former President Joe Biden’s DOJ had weaponized the department against Trump in an unprecedented manner by pursuing multiple indictments and supporting local prosecutions, including the Manhattan hush-money case and the Georgia election interference case.

Blanche criticized media outlets for what he characterized as selective outrage, stating that journalists had ignored Biden-era prosecutions of Trump but now complained when the Trump administration targeted his political rivals. He argued that Trump and his associates, including family members, staff, and security personnel, had been subjected to “massive investigations” under the previous administration. Blanche has previously boasted about purging federal employees from the DOJ and FBI who investigated Trump, describing the effort as necessary reforms rather than political retaliation.

The acting attorney general reframed the Trump administration’s prosecutorial actions as pursuing “justice” rather than political vengeance, claiming the president has repeatedly stated he wants the department to serve the rule of law. However, the administration has already expanded DOJ investigations into Democratic officials, including subpoenaing Minnesota Democratic leaders over immigration policies. Blanche’s remarks occurred less than a week after Trump dismissed former Attorney General Pam Bondi and appointed him to lead the Justice Department.

The controversy over DOJ misuse reflects a pattern within the Trump administration of conflating investigations into Trump’s own legal exposure with claims of Democratic weaponization. Blanche, Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer now serving as acting attorney general, has already demonstrated willingness to suppress information, including announcing in advance that the department would withhold documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein files despite legal requirements for transparency. The administration’s deployment of the DOJ against Democratic targets contradicts its public denial of political prosecutions.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/new-ag-todd-blanche-fumes-over-question-about-weaponization-of-doj-against-trump-enemies/)

Trump Attacks Supreme Court at 1AM Over Birthright Citizenship

President Donald Trump, 79, posted a hostile message on Truth Social just before 1 a.m. ET on Monday, attacking the Supreme Court as it deliberates his executive order to eliminate birthright citizenship. Trump suggested the justices should have watched Fox News host Mark Levin’s program arguing the 14th Amendment does not grant citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants, calling birthright citizenship a “money making HOAX” and demanding the Court use “COMMON SENSE FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY.”

Trump also criticized the Supreme Court’s past decisions on tariffs, claiming the justices “failed miserably” and cost the nation “Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in potential rebates,” warning them not to repeat such mistakes. He stated the country “can only withstand so many bad decisions from a Court that just doesn’t seem to care,” signaling his expectation that the justices should rule in his favor on the birthright citizenship case.

The rant followed Trump’s attendance at oral arguments on April 1, where he left early after the justices, including three he appointed, raised substantial skepticism about his administration’s constitutional arguments. Chief Justice John Roberts directly challenged Solicitor General D. John Sauer’s claim that the framers could not have foreseen modern circumstances, stating simply: “It’s a new world. It’s the same Constitution.” Justice Neil Gorsuch pressed whether Native American children should be denied birthright citizenship, exposing the order’s problematic scope.

Every lower federal court has struck down Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order as unconstitutional. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, explicitly grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” Trump’s late-night attack demonstrates his pattern of attempting to pressure and intimidate the judiciary when his legal arguments fail, disregarding institutional norms and constitutional independence that safeguard democratic governance.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/panicked-trump-79-rages-supreme-085111208.html)

Trump Kicks Off Presser With Haunting Threat Against Iran

During a Monday press conference, President Donald Trump opened remarks about the rescue of two American military pilots by threatening Iran with annihilation, stating the country “could be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night.” Trump framed the pilot rescue as a major military achievement while escalating his rhetoric about the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Trump claimed the rescue mission represented “one of the largest, most complex most harrowing combat searches” ever attempted, describing U.S. operations in the region as succeeding “at a level that nobody’s ever seen before.” The president also characterized the Easter holiday as “one of our better Easters” partly due to military performance, conflating religious observance with military aggression.

The threat came after Trump posted to Truth Social on Easter Sunday that “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” explicitly targeting civilian infrastructure. Trump’s post included vulgar language directed at Iran and referenced the Strait of Hormuz, demonstrating a pattern of escalating threats against Iranian civilian targets that violate post-World War II international law prohibiting attacks on non-military locations.

Trump’s rhetoric follows previous threats to commit war crimes against Iran at a White House briefing where he falsely blamed American journalists for revealing the downed pilot’s location, despite an Israeli journalist citing Iranian state media breaking the story first. Trump demanded identification and prosecution of the alleged leaker while dismissing concerns about violations of international law prohibiting civilian infrastructure attacks.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei rejected a U.S. ceasefire proposal and stated that Iran is reviewing a Pakistani-authored pause plan ahead of Trump’s deadline. Baghaei emphasized that negotiations are incompatible with ultimatums and threats to commit war crimes, indicating Iran views Trump’s public threats as precluding serious diplomatic engagement.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-issues-haunting-threat-iran-could-be-taken-out-in-one-night-and-that-night-might-be-tomorrow-night/)

Trump Calls Iranian Regime Bullshit Artists at Press

President Donald Trump used vulgar language Monday at a press conference to describe the Iranian regime, calling them “bullshit artists” who have deceived previous administrations for 47 years. Trump made the remarks while announcing the successful rescue of a U.S. airman whose F-15 was shot down by Iranian forces, claiming Iran’s military capabilities have been severely degraded through American military operations.

Trump asserted that Iran’s Navy, Air Force, mine-laying vessels, anti-aircraft weapons, radar systems, and communication infrastructure have been destroyed or eliminated. He expressed uncertainty about Iran’s remaining mine capabilities, stating he believes Iran may have no mines left despite Iranian claims of possessing some. Trump characterized Iran’s military statements as deception typical of what he claims has occurred for decades under previous presidents.

In a separate Sunday post on Truth Social, Trump referred to Iran’s leadership as “crazy bastards” and threatened targeted destruction of power plants and bridges, demanding Iran open the Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s language in the post included profanity and threats of leaving Iran’s population “living in Hell,” framing the ultimatum as a comprehensive assault on Iranian civilian infrastructure aligned with threats to commit war crimes against Iran.

Trump’s characterization of Iran as dishonest comes amid ongoing threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure and broader military escalation. The comments represent Trump’s pattern of using dehumanizing language toward foreign adversaries while threatening actions that would violate international law protecting civilian targets and infrastructure.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-calls-iranian-regime-bullsht-artists-for-47-years-theyve-been-bullshtting-other-presidents/)

Trump administration terminates agreements to protect transgender students in several schools | The Independent

The Trump administration’s Education Department terminated civil rights agreements on Monday that protected transgender students across five school districts and one college. The districts involved are Cape Henlopen School District in Delaware, Fife School District in Washington, Delaware Valley School District in Pennsylvania, and La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, Sacramento City Unified, and Taft College in California. By ending these agreements, the department ceased enforcement of protections that required schools to comply with federal civil rights law, specifically Title IX’s prohibition on sex discrimination in education.

Previous administrations under Barack Obama and Joe Biden had interpreted Title IX to include safeguards for transgender and gay students. The Trump administration reversed this interpretation and has instead launched coordinated attacks on schools accommodating transgender students. The department filed lawsuits in California and Minnesota against state policies allowing transgender students to participate in interscholastic sports and opened civil rights investigations targeting schools and universities over their transgender student policies.

This termination represents an abuse of power by withdrawing federal protections that previously ensured schools took steps to safeguard vulnerable students. By unilaterally ending these agreements without Congressional action, the Trump administration demonstrates its willingness to weaponize the Education Department against transgender youth and the districts attempting to provide them safe educational environments.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education-department-washington-trump-school-district-california-b2952614.html)

Trump Threatens Iran War Crimes, Falsely Blames Media for Pilot Leak

During a Monday White House briefing, Trump used a press conference ostensibly about a successful pilot rescue to threaten extensive war crimes against Iran, including attacks on civilian infrastructure like bridges, power plants, and desalinization facilities. Trump falsely claimed that American journalists had revealed the downed pilot's location to Iran, when an Israeli journalist citing Iranian state media actually broke the story first, then demanded the identification and prosecution of the supposed leaker.

Trump reiterated threats to destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure after an 8 p.m. Tuesday deadline, stating "they're gonna have no bridges, they're gonna have no power plants" and describing the outcome as returning Iran to the "stone ages." When confronted about violations of post-World War II international law prohibiting attacks on civilian targets, Trump dismissed the concern and attacked the New York Times reporter who posed the question rather than address the substance of the war crimes allegation.

Trump claimed he had intercepted communications from Iranians urging the U.S. to continue bombing their neighborhoods, asserting they would "suffer that in order to have freedom" under his campaign to weaken Iran's government. He also proposed that the U.S. could charge "tolls" for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, framing such extraction as payment for a war he claimed the U.S. had already won, despite ongoing conflict.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth spent the briefing praising Trump for ordering a routine rescue mission as if it were an extraordinary achievement, with Hegseth claiming the current bombing campaign represents the "largest volume" of munitions dropped on Iran since the war began. Trump also employed a racist slur during the event, underscoring the press conference's chaotic and inflammatory tone.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei rejected a U.S. ceasefire proposal and stated that Iran is reviewing a Pakistani-authored pause plan ahead of Trump's deadline. Baghaei emphasized that negotiations are incompatible with ultimatums and threats to commit war crimes, and that Iran would release its formal response in due time.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-iran-press-conference-war-crime-threats-b2952604.html)

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