Category: Unpresidential

Trump Family Backs $12,000 UFC Coins at White House

President Trump and his sons Eric and Donald Jr., through the Trump Organization, partnered with UFC to sell commemorative coins ranging from $250 to $12,000 ahead of a UFC event scheduled for June 14 at the White House during Trump’s birthday celebration. The coins, branded “Freedom 250” and featuring Trump’s and UFC promoter Dana White’s likenesses, launch Tuesday and are marketed as commemorating both America’s 250th anniversary and what the marketing describes as a “defining patriotic moment” between Trump and the UFC.

Trump Coins, the vendor, claims the Trump Organization does not manufacture or directly sell the medallions despite the partnership, leaving the financial benefit to Trump’s organization unclear. The website asserts Trump “designed” the coins, though Trump has publicly backed the merchandise while his likeness is cleared for commercial use. The timing positions the coin sales days before the White House UFC event, which will air on a streaming platform operated by a Trump-aligned executive.

The merchandise rollout exemplifies Trump’s use of official government events and venues to benefit himself and his business interests. The UFC Octagon construction on the White House South Lawn for the June 14 event timed to Trump’s birthday demonstrates the overlapping commercial and governmental promotion that has become routine under his administration. A watchdog group lawsuit seeking to block the event remains under judicial review.

This scheme mirrors Trump’s pattern of leveraging his presidency for personal and family financial gain. Earlier in 2026, Trump awarded a $5 million no-bid contract to gild statues near the Lincoln Memorial, bypassing competitive bidding for a July 4 deadline, further demonstrating how he converts public resources and national celebrations into vehicles for self-promotion and enrichment.

The coin sales proceed as Trump’s unpopular military action in Iran has driven gas prices upward and eroded economic confidence among Americans facing financial strain. His promotion of high-priced merchandise bearing his image while economic conditions deteriorate underscores his indifference to constituents’ material circumstances.



(Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-organization-ufc-selling-freedom-250-coins_n_6a26db25e4b0626f4fe031e5?ncid_tag=fcbklnkushpmg00000013&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=us_politics&d_id=12028784&fbclid=IwdGRjcASVAWpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeHrD_hYJhv2SCWlEdkt9rJrGbH2llUjXajLTPNiEKqByXuf2aDfPjfHib3WU_aem_DUZAMzFk8FZV3-TD8lSSyg)

Trump Claims NYC Loves Him After Knicks Booing

President Donald Trump reposted a video on Truth Social early Tuesday morning claiming “NYC loves” him, hours after he was loudly booed at Madison Square Garden during the Knicks’ game against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The video, shared after 2 a.m., showed his motorcade passing 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan with mixed reactions from onlookers, some cheering and others booing as he headed to the arena.

During the game, Trump was loudly booed by the crowd as he appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem, with the boos at points drowning out Broadway performer Avery Wilson’s rendition. Basketball fans at watch parties around the city, including Bryant Park, also jeered at Trump, and additional boos continued on 34th Street as his motorcade departed after the Knicks’ 115-111 loss to the Spurs.

When asked by reporters outside Air Force One about the reception, Trump claimed he thought it was “amazing” and that he heard “mostly cheers,” despite video evidence and eyewitness accounts contradicting his characterization. Online observers noted the intensity of the booing, with social media users commenting that the crowd’s disapproval was louder than typical fan reactions.

Trump attended with family, friends, and White House staff, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgess, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and Knicks owner James Dolan. His attendance required heightened security measures at the arena, including heavy screening, bag restrictions, and restricted access that prevented typical watch parties outside the venue and reduced foot traffic at surrounding sports bars.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized Trump’s attendance, stating he should have declined to allow others to enjoy the event without disruption. Trump also faced online mockery after reports he appeared to fall asleep during the game.(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-knicks-boos-nba-finals-b2992425.html)

Trump Files 52 Denaturalization Cases, Double Biden’s Four-Year Total

The Trump administration has filed 52 civil complaints to denaturalize naturalized citizens since taking office in 2025, more than double the 24 complaints filed during President Biden’s entire four-year term. The Justice Department announced Monday that it is moving to strip 17 naturalized individuals of their citizenship after they were convicted of crimes including sex offenses and drug dealing, framing the action as enforcing a “zero-tolerance policy” for what officials describe as abuse of the naturalization process.

To denaturalize a citizen not born in the U.S., the Justice Department must file a court notice and prove the individual misled the government by failing to disclose prior crimes during citizenship proceedings. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that “criminal aliens” who exploit naturalization by breaking the law face consequences, characterizing gaining U.S. citizenship as a privilege that can be forfeited through dishonesty in immigration proceedings. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin declared the administration would “use every lawful avenue to denaturalize and remove aliens” who he claimed have “exploited our generosity and gamed our immigration system.”

The acceleration in denaturalization cases reflects a significant shift in enforcement priorities, with the Trump administration pursuing citizenship revocation at a pace substantially exceeding the previous administration. The cases involve individuals convicted of crimes ranging from sexual offenses to drug trafficking, each requiring separate court filings and proof of fraud in the naturalization process. The administration has extended its focus toward people who have already become legal citizens, targeting those deemed to have misrepresented their backgrounds.

Officials have repeatedly warned that naturalized citizens who commit crimes could face denaturalization proceedings, establishing the administration’s intent to use citizenship status as a consequential penalty alongside criminal conviction. The Justice Department’s stated rationale emphasizes protecting American citizens from what it characterizes as criminals who obtained citizenship through deception, though the dramatic increase in filings signals an expanded interpretation of what constitutes grounds for revocation. The timeline for individual cases remains dependent on particular courts handling the denaturalization notices.(Source: https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-moved-denaturalize-citizens-entire-biden-admin/story?id=133690815)

Trump Falls Asleep at NBA Finals

President Donald Trump fell asleep during game three of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, with social media users and political observers documenting the incident on video feeds from the private box where Trump watched alongside Knicks owner James Dolan. The Lincoln Project advocacy group characterized the visit as “the most expensive taxpayer funded nap,” while activist Amy Siskind pointed out Trump’s recent dismissal of fans unable to afford $8,000-per-seat tickets by telling them to watch on television instead.

Trump’s appearance at the arena generated immediate controversy before the alleged napping began. Extra security measures created hours of delays for entry, and the crowd booed Trump when he appeared on the jumbotron at the start of the game. The Finals organizers cancelled scheduled watch parties outside the Garden where New Yorkers had gathered to support the Knicks’ first Finals run in decades, disrupting fan gatherings across the city.

The incident adds to a documented pattern of Trump losing consciousness during public events, earning him the nickname “the Commander-in-Sleep” from Democratic critics. The White House has consistently denied these occurrences despite video evidence, maintaining its position that Trump remains engaged during official duties and public appearances.

Basketball observers connected Trump’s presence to the Knicks’ loss that night, breaking their 13-game playoff winning streak. Journalist Molly Knight noted the timing on social media, highlighting that the historic run ended immediately after Trump’s arrival and subsequent apparent sleep at the team’s first NBA Finals home game in over a century. New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded to the clip with a blunt directive to wake up.

Trump attended the game alongside family members including granddaughter Kai Trump, along with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, making the appearance an official presidential outing funded by taxpayers.(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-asleep-finals-knicks-madison-square-garden-b2992124.html)

Brendan Carr slams fired CBS journalist Scott Pelley’s remarks

FCC Chair Brendan Carr attacked Scott Pelley, the veteran CBS News correspondent fired on June 5, 2026, after the journalist told the New York Times he had not anticipated his termination. Carr, speaking on social platform X, declared that Pelley was “completely out of touch” and claimed his surprise at being fired demonstrated why “trust in media is so low,” asserting that such conduct would be unacceptable “at any run of the mill job.”

Pelley’s firing followed his criticism of CBS News Editor-In-Chief Bari Weiss and Nick Bilton, the newly appointed “60 Minutes” executive producer, during a staff meeting, which he characterized as “contentious.” In his New York Times interview, Pelley said he entered a subsequent meeting with CBS News President Tom Cibrowski unprepared for dismissal. Cibrowski accused Pelley of “physically abusing” Bilton, a claim Pelley directly refuted, stating he “didn’t come within 10 feet of Nick Bilton” and had “never put my hands on anyone in anger.” When confronted with this alleged falsehood, Cibrowski reportedly retracted the accusation.

The firing is the latest in a series of personnel changes at “60 Minutes” since Weiss assumed leadership in October 2025 under new ownership by billionaire David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance. The company has signaled a shift toward serving a “more politically diverse viewership,” resulting in the removal of correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, along with executive producer Tanya Simon’s ouster and replacement by Bilton, a former New York Times technology columnist.

Carr’s statement functioned as a defense of the network’s institutional restructuring and a dismissal of Pelley’s accountability concerns, characterizing the veteran journalist’s bewilderment at his firing as evidence of journalist(Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5914770-brendan-carr-scott-pelley-60-minutes/?fbclid=IwdGRleASUQAhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeuSL0Cs4wCqbIX9EWfk851cFPqQr5WMnkng8F7B16OTTquAhGxDWCkJrmUX4_aem_LnBMYRKVkTLyTe5ehnZC2A)ic detachment rather than addressing substantive questions about the decision-making process itself.

Trump Demands Thune Fire Parliamentarian Blocking Funds

President Donald Trump attacked Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Truth Social Monday, demanding he fire Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough and accusing her of treating Republicans “horribly” while favoring Democrats. Trump’s post also targeted Senator Mitch McConnell, describing him as “very disloyal” to Thune and claiming McConnell allowed MacDonough to remain in her position to direct “trillions of dollars to the Democrats.” Trump has rarely attacked McConnell during his second term, making this public strike notable.

MacDonough blocked $1 billion in taxpayer funding for Trump’s ballroom project from a budget reconciliation bill, determining it violated the Byrd Rule prohibiting non-budgetary items from passing with a simple majority vote. Trump framed her ruling as evidence of bias, claiming she would have approved the proposal “easily” and that her continued tenure prevents passage of his “SAVE AMERICA ACT.” Trump previously demanded Thune fire MacDonough after she blocked the ballroom funds, threatening Republicans they would be “looking for a job much sooner than you thought possible” if they refused.

McConnell recently contradicted Trump by denouncing his anti-weaponization fund as “morally wrong,” directly criticizing acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for requesting a “slush fund to pay people who assault cops.” McConnell, who announced last year he would not seek reelection, has positioned himself as an occasional check on Trump’s most extreme demands, though he served as Senate leader while MacDonough worked under Democratic leadership and Trump has repeatedly pressured Republicans to remove her.

The demands to remove MacDonough represent Trump’s ongoing pressure on Republican leadership to eliminate institutional guardrails protecting the budget process. MacDonough, appointed during the Obama administration, has functioned as an independent arbiter applying the Byrd Rule to both parties’ proposals. Trump’s insistence that she be replaced with someone “favorable to his agenda” directly attacks the parliamentary independence designed to maintain legislative integrity.

Government watchdog reports show donors to Trump’s ballroom project secured over $50 billion in new or expanded federal contracts within six months, demonstrating the scale of personal enrichment at stake in removing budget constraints. Trump’s personal financial interest in the ballroom funding conflicts directly with his authority over federal spending, yet he demands loyalty from Senate Republicans to override parliamentary safeguards that prevent his self-dealing.(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-takes-a-swing-at-mitch-mcconnell-in-fiery-call-for-gop-to-fire-senate-parliamentarian/)

Trump’s Plan to Meet With AI Companies Was News to AI Companies – NOTUS — News of the United States

President Donald Trump announced Friday he had scheduled a meeting with major artificial intelligence companies to discuss the government acquiring equity stakes in their firms. The announcement blindsided the companies themselves, who learned of the purported meeting only through Trump’s comments to reporters on Air Force One, according to three sources familiar with private deliberations. As of Monday afternoon, the White House had provided no details about timing or location for the supposed meeting.

Trump stated he would meet with “all of the companies” to discuss how “the American people can benefit from the success of AI” through government ownership of “pieces” of their businesses. However, leading AI firms including OpenAI, Anthropic, SpaceX, and Google declined to confirm any scheduled meeting or prior coordination with the administration. The companies’ surprise at Trump’s public announcement underscores his pattern of using press statements to announce policy positions without advance notification to affected parties.

The proposal to nationalize equity in major AI companies would constitute one of the most consequential federal interventions in the private sector in modern history, forcing firms to forfeit billions in company value and creating novel legal and regulatory complications. Trump has already moved to claim equity stakes across American corporations, including a 10% share of Intel, and has signaled intent to execute similar deals. The AI companies face pressure to comply, as they depend on federal government support for logistics and regulatory matters, making direct confrontation with Trump administratively costly.

Internal disagreement exists within the tech industry about the nationalization proposal. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pitched the idea to Trump in early 2025 and discussed it again with senior officials recently. However, Anthropic, now valued at $900 billion as the world’s most valuable AI company, had not yet engaged in such discussions as of last week. David Sacks, Trump’s former AI czar, publicly opposed the plan, warning that government ownership would accelerate “corporate-government fusion” and risk establishing “a CCP-style social credit system in the U.S.”

Trump’s unannounced equity nationalization scheme demonstrates his authoritarian approach to governing, using public pressure and coercive threats rather than legitimate negotiation. By announcing policy to the press before consulting affected companies, Trump forced firms into a position where resistance becomes publicly visible and administratively risky. The schem(Source: https://www.notus.org/technology/trump-blindsided-ai-companies-equity-meeting-plan)e consolidates Trump’s control over critical technology sectors essential to national defense and economic competition, embodying his drive toward state control of private enterprise.

Trump Exits NBC Interview When Pressed on Election Fraud Claims

President Donald Trump walked out of an NBC “Meet the Press” interview on June 7, 2026, after reporter Kristen Welker pressed him for evidence supporting his claims that the 2020 election was rigged and that January 6 Capitol rioters were ushered inside by the FBI. Trump provided no substantiation for either assertion, instead attacking Welker and the network as “crooked” before crushing his lapel microphone underfoot as he exited the Wisconsin farm taping.

The interview centered on Trump’s $1.776 billion “weaponization” fund, a settlement provision intended to compensate people Trump claims were victims of political persecution, including convicted rioters who assaulted police during the Capitol attack. Trump stated he would “pay them the kind of money that they deserve,” citing unsubstantiated claims of destroyed lives and suicides, though the fund was blocked in court last month and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced it was permanently halted.

When Welker repeatedly asked Trump for evidence of election fraud, he deflected by claiming California’s ongoing vote count in primary elections constituted cheating. Trump alleged that Democratic candidates’ vote totals surging after late-arriving ballots are counted represents wrongdoing, ignoring that California’s mail-ballot system legally accepts ballots postmarked by election day and arriving within a week. Pressed again for proof, Trump responded only that he would “look” and “listen to people,” offering no documentation.

The walkout followed Trump’s pattern of avoiding sustained questioning from female journalists. Trump has repeatedly made baseless fraud claims for years without presenting viable evidence in court, yet continues to advance them publicly. His previous attack on CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during an Oval Office press session demonstrated similar hostility when pressed on his abandoned “Anti-Weaponization fund” and allegations against the Biden administration.

The settlement establishing the weaponization fund also includes a provision permanently shielding Trump, his family members, and related business entities from tax audits and enforcement actions on returns filed before the agreement. The fund has drawn bipartisan opposition on Capitol Hill, with many Republicans opposing the White House on the measure.(Source: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2026/06/07/trump-election-fraud-doj-fund-weaponization-storms-out.html)

Trump Denies War Campaign Promises Despite 2024 Statements

President Donald Trump denied campaigning on ending wars during an NBC interview, contradicting his explicit 2024 campaign promises. Trump told NBC’s Kristen Welker that he “didn’t promise anything” and claimed he made a distinction between wars and “endless” conflicts, stating “I didn’t guarantee no war. Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?” His position directly contradicts his 2024 victory speech where he declared to supporters: “I’m not going to start a war, I’m going to stop wars.”

Trump launched his 2024 campaign with foreign policy centered on blaming the Biden administration for the Ukraine-Russia war and Gaza assault, arguing passive U.S. leadership allowed those conflicts to spiral. He repeatedly claimed Ukraine’s invasion would not have occurred under his presidency, stating in September 2022: “The Ukrainian conflict should never have happened, and would not have happened if I were President.” Trump also spent much of 2025 openly campaigning for the Nobel Peace Prize while cultivating an image as a global peacemaker, a positioning he has largely abandoned.

Trump initiated military conflict with Iran in late February 2025, now over three months old with no end in sight despite White House claims of imminent peace deals. He compared the Iran war to his January military strike on Venezuela, claiming U.S. forces “destroyed the capability of Iran in a matter of days” and “took over Venezuela in a matter of minutes.” On Meet the Press, Trump threatened direct military seizure of Iran’s nuclear materials if negotiations failed, stating he would “take them out militarily very harshly” if no agreement materialized.

The Iran war has created substantial domestic economic damage. The Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping waterway off Iran’s coast, has remained closed since the conflict began, causing widespread disruptions to global shipping traffic and U.S. agricultural and energy sectors. Gas prices shot up more than one dollar per gallon after the war began in late February, while fertilizer and other goods remain elevated as the Strait stays closed, directly harming farmers and other industries Trump claimed to defend.

Trump stormed out of his Meet the Press interview after clashing with Welker over his false claims about the 2020 election. He also faced criticism over his administration’s lack of economic relief messaging for farmers and industries suffering disruption from the war, while U.S. naval forces have proven unable to forcibly reopen the Strait of Hormuz for months, raising questions about whether the administration was unprepared when the conflict began.(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-iran-war-endless-campaign-b2991437.html)

Trump Admits Inventing Black Jobless Record Low Claim

President Donald Trump claimed at a Wisconsin event on June 5, 2026, that Black unemployment had reached record lows, then immediately acknowledged he did not know where the statistic originated. Federal data contradicts the claim: the Black unemployment rate stood at 6.6% in May 2026, higher than the 6.2% rate Trump inherited upon taking office in January 2025 and far above the actual record low of 4.8% set under President Joe Biden in April 2023. The claim represents another instance of Trump deploying fabricated statistics to misrepresent economic conditions.

Trump stated, “African American unemployment is now doing better than it’s ever done. And I don’t know where that stat came from, but I’ll take it.” The 6.6% May rate exceeded every monthly rate from March 2022 through December 2024 under Biden and remained above the 5.3% low set during Trump’s first term in 2019. Even the month-to-month improvement Trump referenced, a 0.7-percentage-point decline from April to May 2026, was not unprecedented; a 0.9-point decline occurred under Biden from March to April 2024.

Trump made multiple other false economic claims at the Wisconsin event without questioning their accuracy. He repeated the claim that “$18 trillion” is being invested in the country, a figure the White House’s own website contradicted by citing “$10.6 trillion” for “major investment announcements.” Trump asserted that “25 million” migrants entered the country under Biden; federal records documented under 11 million “encounters” during the Biden administration, with an estimated 2.2 million additional “gotaways” who evaded detection, making the figure nowhere near Trump’s number.

Trump also repeated the false claim that “the Biden administration had the worst inflation in the history of our country.” Peak Biden-era inflation reached 9.1% in June 2022, representing the highest rate in 40 to 41 years, not in U.S. history. The actual all-time high was 23.7% in 1920, and President Jimmy Carter’s peak inflation was 14.8% in 1980. Inflation had declined to 3% by January 2025, when Trump took office.

The White House did not respond to CNN’s requests for explanation of Trump’s Black unemployment claim sent Friday evening and Saturday morning. Trump’s pattern of advancing unverified or demonstrably false economic statistics while sometimes publicly questioning their origin reflects his consistent use of fabricated data to misrepresent his economic record and that of his predecessor.(Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/06/politics/fact-check-trump-black-unemployment)

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