Category: Authoritarian

ICE Deploys Warrantless Phone Tracking System

ICE acquired access to Tangles and Webloc, surveillance systems capable of monitoring mobile phones across entire neighborhoods without warrants, according to material obtained by 404 Media. The systems track device movements over time and follow individuals from workplaces to homes and other locations by querying commercial location data acquired from hundreds of millions of phones through Penlink.

An internal ICE legal analysis confirms that this location data can be accessed without judicial authorization. The purchase occurs during the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign and intensified suppression of protected speech, according to civil liberties organizations tracking the deployment.

Nathan Freed Wessler, deputy project director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, characterized the tool as dangerous when deployed by an agency without adequate oversight. He stated the granular location information creates detailed profiles of individuals’ movements, associations, and routines.

The surveillance capability directly enables ICE enforcement operations by identifying and tracking undocumented immigrants and their networks at scale. The warrantless access to commercial location data extracted from hundreds of millions of phones demonstrates mass surveillance infrastructure operating without individualized probable cause or judicial review.

This deployment reflects the Trump administration’s expansion of interior immigration enforcement capabilities while simultaneously restricting Americans’ freedom of association and movement through dragnet surveillance practices.

(Source: https://www.404media.co/inside-ices-tool-to-monitor-phones-in-entire-neighborhoods/)

Trump DOJ Fires Prosecutor Who Rejected Comey Prosecution

The Trump administration’s Justice Department fired Robert McBride, the second-ranking official in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, after he declined to lead the prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey. McBride, a 64-year-old career prosecutor and former Navy lawyer, was serving as first assistant to U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan and had been asked to take charge of the Comey case while also managing office operations.

McBride told senior Justice Department officials that leading the Comey prosecution while simultaneously running the office presented an untenable conflict, according to sources briefed on the matter. His removal came after he held private meetings with federal judges in the Eastern District of Virginia without Halligan’s knowledge—meetings that administration officials viewed as undermining their authority.

The timing of McBride’s firing directly follows a judge’s November ruling that Halligan was not legally appointed to her position, which led to the dismissal of both the Comey indictment and charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James. The Attorney General’s and Deputy Attorney General’s offices, along with the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys, supported McBride’s removal and signed the termination paperwork.

McBride’s firing exemplifies the systematic weaponization of the DOJ against perceived enemies, as the administration continues pursuing charges against Comey despite judicial rejection of the case. This action against a prosecutor unwilling to serve as a tool for the administration’s political agenda demonstrates the purge of officials who refuse absolute compliance with Trump’s directives.

(Source: https://www.ms.now/news/trump-doj-fires-prosecutor-who-declined-to-pursue-james-comey-case)

Trump Regrets Not Ordering Guard Seize Voting Machines

President Donald Trump told the New York Times he regretted not ordering the National Guard to seize voting machines after the 2020 presidential election to overturn the result, which he continues to claim without evidence was rigged. Trump stated directly, “Well, I should have,” when asked about the proposal during a recent interview with the Times. During his first term, Trump pressed then-Attorney General Bill Barr and personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani about the legality of seizing machines, but Barr rejected involvement and Giuliani was rebuffed by the Department of Homeland Security.

When questioned whether using the military to impound voting machines would have been viable, Trump expressed doubt about the National Guard’s capability, saying, “I don’t know that they are sophisticated enough.” He added that while “they’re good warriors,” he was uncertain whether they possessed the sophistication to counter what he described as Democratic cheating methods. These comments reveal Trump’s intent to deploy federal military forces against civilian election infrastructure based on unsubstantiated fraud allegations.

Trump’s admission that he considered but abandoned plans to seize voting machines demonstrates a documented pattern of weaponizing federal power for political objectives. The statement confirms he actively sought methods to overturn an election he lost and viewed the failure to execute such a seizure as a strategic error rather than an unconstitutional act he should have rejected outright. His regret signals willingness to pursue similar extra-legal measures in future elections.

Trump’s remarks triggered immediate political concern over whether his administration will attempt to disrupt the 2026 midterm elections, particularly given ongoing unprecedented mid-decade gerrymandering efforts already underway. The explicit acknowledgment that he contemplated military seizure of voting machines contradicts any pretense that election interference concerns are speculative or exaggerated. His public regret normalizes the concept of using federal forces to nullify democratic processes when outcomes displease him.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/i-should-have-trump-says-he-regrets-not-seizing-voting-machines-in-2020-to-overturn-election/)

Leavitt Defends ICE Shooting, Dismisses Renee Good Protesters

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed Minneapolis protesters demonstrating against the fatal shooting of 37-year-old poet and mother Renee Good by ICE officer Jonathan Ross, questioning their grievances during a Monday press gaggle. Leavitt framed the killing as justified self-defense, claiming Good rammed Ross with her vehicle during what she characterized as an organized effort to impede law enforcement operations. Vice President JD Vance has falsely claimed the officer is protected by absolute immunity, a legal assertion that contradicts established law.

Leavitt attacked protesters by asserting they opposed ICE’s removal of individuals she described as “heinous murderers and rapists and criminals,” framing opposition to the agency as protection of “illegal alien pedophiles” rather than engagement with the specific circumstances of Good’s death. She declared ICE performs a critical national security function and pledged the administration’s full support for “the brave men and women of ice, including the officer in Minneapolis.” This rhetorical strategy conflated general immigration enforcement with the narrow question of whether Ross’s use of lethal force was proportional and lawful.

Protesters have explicitly demanded ICE’s removal from their communities, justice for Good, and state involvement in the shooting investigation—specific demands grounded in accountability for the killing itself. President Trump has blocked Minnesota state investigators from the probe, citing the state’s purportedly “corrupt” government, centralizing control over the investigation in federal hands where the Trump administration exercises direct authority over the Department of Justice.

Video evidence of the incident has been widely described as a “Rorschach Test” reflecting observers’ preexisting political positions rather than settling disputed facts about whether Good’s actions constituted a lethal threat requiring deadly force in response. Leavitt’s dismissal of protesters’ concerns sidestepped the substantive questions surrounding the shooting itself, instead reframing the event within an immigration enforcement narrative designed to delegitimize dissent.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/protesting-what-exactly-karoline-leavitt-rages-at-protesters-angry-over-renee-good-shooting/)

Federal prosecutors open criminal investigation into the Fed and Jerome Powell | CNN Business

Federal prosecutors have initiated a criminal investigation into the Federal Reserve’s $2.5 billion headquarters renovation in Washington, DC, according to CNN Business reporting on January 11, 2026. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated in a Sunday evening video that the investigation constitutes “pretext” stemming from the administration’s ongoing pressure regarding interest rate policy, characterizing it as part of broader “threats and ongoing pressure” directed at the Fed’s independence.

Powell directly attributed the investigation to the Federal Reserve’s decision to set interest rates based on economic conditions rather than presidential preferences. “The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President,” Powell said, emphasizing that the investigation threatens the Fed’s ability to conduct monetary policy free from political intimidation.

Trump has previously threatened to sue Powell over the renovation project, claiming mismanagement and cost overruns. Trump allies including Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought have publicly attacked the project’s management, though the Federal Reserve maintains the upgrades were necessary for critical infrastructure improvements, including asbestos removal and electrical system replacements.

The investigation arrives as Trump escalates his campaign to reshape Federal Reserve leadership, having already targeted Fed Governor Lisa Cook with removal efforts while preparing to announce Powell’s successor ahead of his May term expiration. The Justice Department declined substantive comment but stated through spokesperson Chad Gilmartin that the attorney general prioritizes investigating “any abuse of tax payer dollars.”

(Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/11/business/federal-prosecutors-criminal-investigation-federal-reserve-chair-jerome-powell)

Donald Trump Orders Army Chiefs to Draw Up Plan to Invade NATO Ally Greenland

President Trump has directed the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to prepare an invasion plan for Greenland, according to sources cited by the Mail on Sunday. Political adviser Stephen Miller and other administration hawks have accelerated this effort following the operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, viewing the window of opportunity as closing before mid-term elections later in 2026.

Senior military officials, including the joint chiefs of staff, are resisting the directive on grounds that an invasion would be illegal and lack Congressional support. Military sources describe Trump’s demands as unrealistic, with one comparing the situation to “dealing with a five-year-old.” The generals have attempted deflection by proposing alternative military operations, such as intercepting Russian “ghost” ships or launching strikes on Iran.

British diplomats have war-gamed scenarios involving Trump using force or political coercion to sever Greenland’s ties to Denmark, including a “worst-case scenario” described as leading to “the destruction of NATO from the inside.” Diplomatic cables indicate that Trump could advance from escalatory demands to a “compromise scenario” in which Denmark grants full military access to Greenland and denies it to Russia and China, with a NATO summit in July identified as potential timing for such a deal.

Trump previously declared he would acquire Greenland “easy way” or “hard way” regardless of local consent or Danish sovereignty. The administration has also discussed direct cash payments to Greenland’s 57,000 residents, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person, as a strategy to encourage secession from Denmark.

Diplomatic sources suspect that dismantling NATO may be Trump’s actual objective, with one cable stating: “If Trump wants to end NATO, this might be the most convenient way to do it.” European officials fear Trump will act before the summer mid-term window closes, making early 2026 the likely timeframe for escalatory moves. The UK’s alignment with European allies or breakaway support for Trump’s approach will be critical to the outcome.

(Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15452323/Donald-Trump-orders-army-chiefs-plan-invade-Greenland-President.html)

Smithsonian scrubs negative info about Trump from caption of presidential portrait: report – Raw Story

The Smithsonian Institution removed references to Trump’s two impeachments and the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection from his official presidential portrait caption at the National Portrait Gallery, according to The Washington Post. A Trump official had previously complained about the caption, which documented his impeachments on charges of abuse of power and incitement of insurrection, as well as his Senate acquittal in both trials. The institution also replaced the portrait photograph itself with a new image showing Trump with his fists on the Resolute Desk, removing the prior photo by Washington Post photojournalist Matt McClain.

The revised caption now contains only Trump’s years in office, making it substantially shorter than the previous text and leaving a visible outline of the old placard on the wall beneath it. This alteration contradicts the Smithsonian’s treatment of other former presidents’ portraits, which continue to include significant events from their administrations. Former President Bill Clinton’s portrait caption, for example, still mentions his impeachment, demonstrating the selective erasure applied only to Trump’s historical record.

The action reflects ongoing Trump administration efforts to systematically dismantle the Smithsonian’s historical narratives through pressure and institutional control. The removal of documented facts about impeachment proceedings and the Capitol attack from the official record demonstrates direct censorship of American history within a federal institution.

This revision represents a factual omission that rewrites the historical record available to the public visiting the National Portrait Gallery. By removing impeachment documentation from Trump’s portrait while preserving it for Clinton, the Smithsonian has created an inconsistent standard that privileges Trump’s image over historical accuracy and transparency about presidential conduct.

(Source: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-portrait-2674872324/)

Trump orders ‘my representatives’ to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds in effort to lower housing costs | CNN Business

President Trump announced on January 8, 2026, that he ordered “my representatives” to purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds to lower housing costs and mortgage rates. Trump claimed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-owned mortgage entities he did not sell during his first term, are now worth “an absolute fortune” and possess sufficient cash reserves to fund the directive.

Historically, the Federal Reserve has been the primary purchaser of mortgage-backed securities, with large-scale purchases during the pandemic contributing to historically low mortgage rates. When entities purchase mortgage bonds, interest rates on mortgages typically decline, though the mechanism is indirect—the Fed does not directly control mortgage loan rates, and other factors influence pricing. Trump’s framing of the action as executive authority ignores that such major financial operations typically require congressional approval.

Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac operations, stated his agency would implement the initiative, writing “We are on it, Mr. President!” immediately after Trump’s announcement. Trump provided no details regarding the identity of his representatives, implementation timeline, or execution methodology, creating uncertainty about feasibility and legal authority for the purchase directive.

The housing market faces structural challenges independent of Trump’s mortgage bond purchases. America has a shortage of approximately 4 million homes according to Goldman Sachs Research, and current inventory and sales remain near their lowest levels since the 2010 financial crisis, indicating supply constraints rather than interest rate problems as the primary affordability driver.

Trump has previously considered privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac through initial public offerings during both his first term and recently, with reports indicating Trump uses government entities and appropriations to fund priorities while claiming alternative funding sources. His use of possessive language—”my representatives,” “my military,” “my generals”—demonstrates his treatment of government institutions as personal assets rather than independent entities accountable to law and constitutional process.

(Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/08/business/mortgage-bonds-trump-purchase-rates?Date=20260108&Profile=CNN+Politics&utm_content=1767910276&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwdGRleAPOXvFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeoJRnKbPnWzIqjBVI2QXlOSMrn84-JBArpue4hMNxT0KIRv_148M8S6HTD8Y_aem_9IAlfe8jwKHuyECCp-wLrg)

‘His dementia is acting up’: Internet skewers Trump for bizarre new ‘elections’ claim – Raw Story

During a Fox News interview Thursday night, Trump claimed Venezuela “wouldn’t know how to have an election,” despite the country conducting elections as recently as last year. When asked by Sean Hannity whether Venezuela would hold free and fair elections, Trump pivoted to stating his administration would control Venezuelan oil infrastructure and “make a lot of money” from the operation.

Social media users and political observers immediately flagged the statement as disconnected from reality. Veteran Frank C stated Trump’s remark indicated cognitive decline, while activist Matthew J Shochat pointed out that Venezuela held an election last year and that Trump’s preferred replacement leader was involved in that election’s irregularities. Former foreign correspondent Roland Ley characterized Trump’s position as “US colonization” rather than liberation.

Political analyst WarMonitor summarized Trump’s stated priorities as replacing one dictatorship with another, with Trump personally running the country. Former Navy wife Rebecca Clester directly challenged Trump’s claim, asking what “closet” he had been living in and highlighting that his explicit focus remains extracting Venezuelan oil rather than establishing democratic governance.

The remarks underscore Trump’s stated intention to personally control Venezuelan oil revenues following the U.S. invasion of Venezuela. Trump has publicly outlined plans to sell 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil at market rates under his personal oversight, while also proposing that U.S. taxpayers reimburse oil companies for Venezuelan infrastructure reconstruction.

Trump’s election claim contradicts documented Venezuelan electoral processes and reflects his administration’s framing of military intervention as resource extraction rather than democratic restoration.

(Source: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-venezuela-2674863947/)

Trump dials Collins with ‘profanity-laced rant’ over Venezuela war powers vote

President Trump conducted a profanity-laden phone call with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) on Thursday after she voted with Democrats on a war powers resolution blocking military action against Venezuela. According to two Senate GOP sources, Trump verbally attacked Collins during the call, which passed 52-47, stating the resolution undermined his authority as commander-in-chief. The call came unexpectedly, as Trump and Collins do not communicate regularly.

Following the vote, Trump posted on Truth Social that Collins and four other Senate Republicans who supported the resolution—Josh Hawley, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Todd Young—”should never be elected to office again.” Trump claimed the vote “greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security” and strips him of powers necessary to defend the country. Senate Majority Leader John Thune characterized Trump as “fired up” before the vote and described the social media posts as a “short-term, immediate reaction.”

Collins responded to Trump’s public condemnation by telling reporters his reaction indicates he would prefer to see her replaced by a Democratic opponent in November’s election. The Maine senator, widely viewed as the most vulnerable Republican incumbent seeking reelection, did not engage further with Trump’s attacks but suggested his preference for her loss by referencing potential challengers including Democratic Governor Janet Mills.

This episode demonstrates Trump’s willingness to weaponize both direct intimidation and public statements against members of his own party who exercise independent judgment on national security matters. The incident reflects a pattern of Trump attacking opponents through name-calling and intimidation when they oppose his directives, extending that approach to Senate Republicans who deviate from his preferred policy positions.

(Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5682106-trump-collins-call-venezuela-vote/)

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