Category: Unpresidential

Germany Warns Trump Against Election Interference Via $3M Grants

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz directly warned the Trump administration against interfering in German state elections scheduled for September, following the U.S. State Department’s announcement of a grants scheme offering up to $3 million to European charities, think tanks, and individuals. The funding targets organizations addressing “national sovereignty, migration, censorship, and lawfare challenges in line with shared political philosophy,” language former State Department officials describe as deliberately vague to obscure support for far-right groups across Europe.

Merz stated unequivocally that Germany does not interfere in American elections and expects reciprocal non-interference from the U.S. government and affiliated institutions in German affairs. He emphasized that German law prohibits foreign financing of political parties, directly confronting the Trump administration’s apparent strategy to circumvent restrictions on foreign aid by using ambiguous eligibility language that allows “individuals” and undefined “governmental institution[s]” to apply for grants without transparent criteria.

Former State Department officials characterize the initiative as a months-long effort to redirect U.S. government resources toward advancing far-right European movements and potentially political parties in violation of U.S. foreign assistance laws. One official stated bluntly: “There seems to be an effort by the state department to put the thumb on the scale of elections in Europe, giving an unfair advantage to rightwing parties with resources that they would ordinarily not get.” The scheme follows a broader pattern of Trump administration hostility toward European liberal democracies, including attacks by Vice President JD Vance on migration, abortion, and online safety policies across traditional Western allies.

State Department official Sarah B Rogers has become the public face of this intervention, pledging $500,000 to “promote digital freedom” in Ireland and appearing regularly at far-right and socially conservative conferences including the Prosperity Institute in Britain. The grants are administered by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, an agency originally established during the Cold War under President Jimmy Carter to challenge authoritarian regimes but now weaponized under Trump to support the authoritarian movements it was designed to oppose.

Potential beneficiaries include Britain’s Free Speech Union, organizations that lost funding under Viktor Orbán’s governance in Hungary, and similar conservative groups across Europe. The Trump administration’s systematic effort to finance and amplify far-right European parties and movements directly contradicts U.S. commitments to democratic integrity and election sovereignty in allied nations.



(Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/15/germany-warns-against-election-interference-as-us-offers-funding-to-maga-aligned-causes-in-europe?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=fb_us&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwZnRzaATEziRwZG9mA2ZkaWQWUKm9nwMm-lJaDs1Z0NquaZJDJn5am2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR56qMrmUrWeU2ybDVY27M6uQijxjU9TF-zMzwdrB15NVoNGWSVd4V2N227zTw_aem_yFzQbvvmDsE-9iJXLoH_pA#Echobox=1784142197)

Trump Suggests Images of Iran School Bombing Were AI

President Donald Trump suggested during a Fox News interview Tuesday that images documenting a U.S. airstrike on an Iranian school may have been artificially generated, deflecting from mounting evidence that American missiles killed at least 150 people, including approximately 120 children. When confronted with photographic evidence showing fragments consistent with U.S. Tomahawk missiles at the strike site, Trump dismissed the documentation as potentially “AI generated” without providing any basis for the claim.

Trump declined to commit to releasing the findings of his administration’s ongoing investigation into the bombing, telling Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst that “I don’t think anybody’s going to ever be able to say what happened there.” When pressed on whether he would eventually disclose the results, Trump offered only a noncommittal “I guess so” and suggested his “military people” might have undisclosed reasons to withhold findings.

Internal administration sources previously told The New York Times that officials believed the school was struck by U.S. missiles, contradicting the initial public claim that Iran was responsible. Trump has explicitly rejected negotiations to end the Iran conflict, stating he does not want to pursue diplomatic solutions while simultaneously obscuring accountability for civilian casualties.

Trump’s dismissal of physical evidence as fabricated and his refusal to guarantee transparency on a catastrophic attack killing over 100 children demonstrates his systematic obstruction of accountability for actions taken under his authority. His administration has escalated military actions against Iran, including reimposing a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while simultaneously suppressing documentation of civilian harm resulting from those operations.



(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-suggests-images-of-iran-school-bombing-were-ai-generated-doesnt-commit-to-releasing-results-of-investigation/)neously suppressing documentation of civilian harm resulting from those operations.

Trump Administration Violates Law With Presidential Gold Coin

The Treasury Department released a new $1 gold coin bearing President Trump’s face, violating federal law prohibiting living presidents from appearing on U.S. coinage. Under 31 U.S. Code § 5112 and the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, no living current or former president may be depicted on coins until at least two years after their death. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the coin would begin production immediately and release this fall, claiming the administration could circumvent the law by invoking commemorative coin authority tied to America’s 250th anniversary.

The decision exemplifies Trump’s use of executive power to aggrandize himself while dismantling institutional guardrails. Former GOP Representative Thomas Massie criticized the move as narcissistic, warning that grifters would exploit the decision by selling counterfeit versions to uninformed consumers. The coin contradicts longstanding federal restrictions designed to preserve the integrity of U.S. currency and prevent the politicization of national symbols through executive unilateralism.

This action follows Trump’s pattern of weaponizing government institutions to advance personal interests and cement his legacy through forced commemoration. The Treasury’s willingness to ignore explicit statutory language demonstrates how Trump administration officials prioritize loyalty over constitutional duty, effectively rewriting law through administrative fiat to serve their leader’s vanity.



(Source: https://newrepublic.com/post/213098/treasury-1-dollar-gold-coin-trump-face?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SF_TNR&fbclid=IwdGRjcATEpwVwZG9mA2ZkaWQWUKl9Vj2-Dm6Li0pwYGa1AI1us1z_jmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6B3LcI4-HSHz0XrV4f4aHZcutmIMAMvEYvJU-shfGr88Smentu7B7KiPoZQQ_aem_RkOj662TInt1BPlVZUf_KQ)

FCC Officials Took Gifts From Paramount While It Had Business Before Them — ProPublica

FCC officials who voted on Paramount’s merger accepted luxury Kennedy Center gala tickets worth over $260,000 from the company they regulate, violating federal ethics rules that explicitly prohibit gifts from entities with pending business before the agency. FCC Chair Brendan Carr attended the December 2025 gala in a private $125,000 skybox with Paramount CEO David Ellison after the company sought FCC approval for its $110 billion merger with Skydance Media, while Commissioner Olivia Trusty received tickets worth $12,000 before casting a decisive vote approving the deal.

Ethics experts, including former Office of Government Ethics director Walter Shaub and former White House ethics lawyer Virginia Canter, said the commissioners violated federal law by accepting gifts from a regulated entity with business pending before them. Shaub stated that “there’s no way that any top federal regulator should ever accept a gift from a regulated company with interests their work will foreseeably affect,” and Canter called the conduct “shocking” and “disturbing.” The experts warned that Carr and Trusty compromised the agency’s impartiality and should have recused themselves from voting on the merger.

Seven of ten FCC commissioners who served since 2016 accepted Kennedy Center tickets from CBS or its parent company, totaling over $260,000 according to ProPublica’s analysis of ethics disclosures. Carr alone has accepted tickets at least seven times since 2017, totaling over $63,000. Federal ethics rules explicitly ban employees from accepting gifts from entities that do business with, are regulated by, or seek official action from their agency, yet the FCC claimed agency ethics officers approved the practice as consistent with law—a justification Shaub dismissed as equivalent to a “school child” excuse.

The timing of the gifts intensified the conflict. Paramount filed its Skydance merger paperwork in September 2024, and the December gala occurred as the company prepared its hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Hours after the gala ended, Paramount launched the hostile bid. Trump has systematically pressured the FCC to strip broadcast licenses, and Carr reopened a CBS investigation days after taking office, later requiring Paramount to eliminate diversity initiatives and appoint a bias ombudsperson to secure the merger’s approval.

Multiple ethics experts told ProPublica that the Justice Department should investigate potential violations of federal ethics rules and that the commissioners’ gift-taking could become central in legal challenges to the merger. California, New York and ten other Democratic states filed a lawsuit seeking to block the $110 billion consolidation under federal and state anti-monopoly laws, citing concerns about job elimination and industry independence from consolidated ownership.



(Source: https://www.propublica.org/article/paramount-mergers-fcc-kennedy-center-gala?fbclid=IwdGRleATEdV1wZG9mA2ZkaWQWUKl7HV6hSpBeYhKKEUCD5qTfb1VVhGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5j5tj7vuKcNF4EYkiA-zdtgiNLF39w-xW5ou0h_zK0uZfJ56eQA2uIrEgulg_aem_j4wlCLmUFGCAM_E3ngC6aw)state anti-monopoly laws, citing concerns about job elimination and industry independence from consolidated ownership.

Trump Flat-Out Says ‘I Don’t Want To Negotiate’ End To War

President Donald Trump explicitly rejected negotiations to end hostilities with Iran during a Fox News interview on Tuesday, stating “I don’t want to negotiate now.” This declaration came amid renewed U.S. military strikes on Iran, which U.S. officials claim violated a memorandum of understanding designed to pause fighting while both countries negotiated terms.

The conflict centers on control of the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has attacked and struck tankers transiting through Omani territorial waters. Iran asserts that Article 5 of the memorandum requires vessels to arrange safe passage through Iranian waters; the U.S. has resumed its blockade of Iranian ships in the Gulf of Oman in response. When Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst asked whether Trump was negotiating with the wrong Iranian leadership, Trump doubled down, saying “Three days ago, we had a deal” but refused further discussions.

Trump later threatened Iran with annihilation, stating the country should make a deal or “You’re not gonna have anybody left.” This escalation reflects the trajectory set in February when Trump launched the war in coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reportedly assured the president that military action could swiftly topple Iran’s government and that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open.

Trump’s refusal to pursue diplomatic resolution contradicts the framework of the existing memorandum and eliminates any immediate path to de-escalation. His explicit rejection of negotiation while simultaneously threatening annihilation demonstrates an intent to prosecute military conflict without diplomatic constraints.



(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/trump-flat-out-says-i-dont-want-to-negotiate-end-to-war/)rejection of negotiation while simultaneously threatening annihilation demonstrates an intent to prosecute military conflict without diplomatic constraints.

Trump Reignites Blockade Against Iran in Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump declared the United States the “Guardian of the Strait of Hormuz” on Monday, announcing a blockade targeting Iranian vessels and a 20% toll on all cargo transiting the waterway. Trump stated that while other nations retain passage rights, Iranian ships and their customers will be barred from entering or leaving, framing the seizure of control over this critical international shipping lane as a matter of “fairness” for American protection costs. The announcement followed retaliatory U.S. military strikes against Iran after Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces attacked a Cyprus-flagged container ship and falsely claimed to have closed the strait.

Trump told Fox News the U.S. will “keep” and “probably run” the strait, extracting substantial revenue from global commerce while positioning American forces as enforcers. He claimed the United States had negotiated “a done deal” with Iran before Iran violated a ceasefire agreement over the weekend, stating “we’re just going to hit them very hard and keep the strait, and probably run it.” Trump asserted that Iran has a pattern of breaking agreements, citing ten previous deals he said the regime had violated.

The unilateral seizure of control over an internationally recognized waterway through which approximately one-third of global seaborne oil passes represents Trump’s assertion of military dominance over a crucial global chokepoint. By imposing a 20% toll and explicitly blocking Iranian commerce, Trump transforms a shared international passage into a revenue-generating American territory, a move that contradicts international maritime law and conventions governing freedom of navigation. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed U.S. military strikes followed Iran’s attack on the merchant vessel, but Trump’s subsequent assertion of permanent control expands the conflict beyond defensive response.

Trump’s escalation abandons the pretense of negotiation in favor of direct territorial and economic control, structuring the international order around American military power and financial extraction. Trump previously claimed the strait was open following overnight military strikes, but his Monday declarations reveal intent to monopolize control and profit from global energy transit. The president’s rhetoric conflates security provision with commercial exploitation, justifying American toll collection on international commerce as compensation for military operations initiated at his direction.

This consolidation of control over a vital international waterway exemplifies Trump’s model of authoritarian resource extraction, in which the U.S. military apparatus becomes an instrument for enriching American leadership and subordinating global commerce to Trump’s financial interests. The blockade of Iranian vessels and imposition of cargo fees establish a de facto American empire over a region critical to global trade, enforced by military force and defended through nationalist framing that obscures the seizure of international territory.



(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-dubs-usa-guardian-of-the-hormuz-strait-and-relaunches-blockade-against-iran/)financial interests. The blockade of Iranian vessels and imposition of cargo fees establish a de facto American empire over a region critical to global trade, enforced by military force and defended through nationalist framing that obscures the seizure of international territory.

Trump White House Report Attacks Smithsonian History Museum

Trump administration officials released a 162-page White House report on July 4 titled “Saving America’s Story” accusing the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History of “thinly veiled anti-Americanism” and “extreme political activism.” The report alleged the museum presents America as “a fundamentally oppressive nation” since Columbus and has been captured by ideological activists, demands that contradict the institution’s scholarly mission and documented historical record.

Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, directly rejected the White House characterization in a memo to staff, stating the report “is not a fair characterization of the work and totality of the National Museum of American History.” The Organization of American Historians, the nation’s largest group of U.S. history scholars, similarly condemned the report as executive branch overreach designed to force the Smithsonian to reshape its historical narratives to serve the administration’s political agenda.

This attack continues Trump’s broader assault on American cultural institutions. Trump issued an executive order targeting the Smithsonian with threats of federal funding cuts, demanding the elimination of exhibitions addressing racial themes under the banner of removing “divisive, race-based ideology.” His administration has dismantled slavery exhibits, restored Confederate statues, and removed references to Trump’s two impeachments and the January 6 Capitol insurrection from the National Portrait Gallery’s presidential portrait caption.

The Smithsonian, a 180-year-old institution with independent decision-making authority, receives most of its annual budget from Congress. Trump’s threat of funding cuts represents financial coercion designed to force institutional compliance with his reframing of American history, effectively weaponizing the federal government’s fiscal power to suppress historically accurate scholarship and suppress critical examination of America’s past.

Bunch confirmed the institution is reviewing the report but has not capitulated to its demands, maintaining the museum’s commitment to evidence-based historical presentation. The White House report and Trump’s escalating pressure on the Smithsonian exemplify his systematic effort to rewrite American history by suppressing documentation of slavery, racial injustice, and his own abuses of power.



(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/smithsonian-lonnie-bunch-white-house-antiamericanism-b3011746.html?fbclid=IwdGRjcATB0XJwZG9mA2ZkaWQWUKcWlLlueT6yqdAz9CmO8le_CVm22WV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6F5p7mqDiBrH0yzymcruco_x2Nr78eafk7-Hx6GLViZ39GmiRC_xFlNOfgsA_aem_E7tLzyd1YREWljnSzqkRTw)

Trump Claims Strait of Hormuz Open After Iran War

President Trump claimed during a Sunday NBC News appearance that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, contradicting Iran’s assertion that it had closed the waterway. When host Kristen Welker pressed Trump on the conflicting statements following overnight U.S. military strikes on Iranian targets, Trump stated the strait was open but refused further discussion, citing a desire to honor the memory of late Senator Lindsey Graham.

Trump’s account of recent events with Iran contradicts the pattern of escalation documented by U.S. Central Command. Trump asserted that Iran had agreed to a ceasefire deal the previous day before launching a drone attack on a commercial vessel within an hour, describing Iranian officials as “sick people.” According to CENTCOM, the United States completed a third round of strikes against Iran on July 11, targeting approximately 140 Iranian military positions with precision munitions launched from fighter aircraft, drones, and naval vessels.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed Saturday that U.S. military strikes followed Iran’s attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship, which resulted in a missing crew member and significant vessel damage. The escalation marks a third military engagement between the two nations in one week, with Trump ordering strikes after Iran violated a ceasefire agreement.

Trump’s dismissal of substantive discussion about the military conflict and the Strait of Hormuz underscores his pattern of deploying military force while avoiding detailed accountability for the consequences. His refusal to engage with Welker’s direct questions about the strategic waterway’s status and his response strategy reflects his authoritarian approach to governance, where military decisions operate outside meaningful public scrutiny or democratic oversight.



(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-claims-the-strait-of-hormuz-is-open-in-testy-retort-to-nbcs-welker/)

Trump Rushed Kennedy Center Renovations for FIFA Ceremony

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse disclosed whistleblower allegations that the Kennedy Center accelerated renovations with disregard for federal contracting standards to prepare for Trump’s December 2025 FIFA “peace prize” ceremony. Multiple former project managers documented rushed work, including an $8 million no-bid flooring contract awarded to a firm lacking concert-hall experience, corner-cutting that left steel columns rusting and a reflecting pool already deteriorating, and the demolition of a brand-new bathroom floor because Trump objected to its color.

The Kennedy Center rewrote its own contracting rules retrospectively to justify the no-bid awards, according to whistleblower disclosures submitted through the Government Accountability Project. Trump’s preferred contractor cut corners on repainting the center’s columns, leaving taxpayers responsible for repairs. Whitehouse characterized the work as driven by Trump’s aesthetic preferences rather than the building’s actual maintenance needs, describing the facility’s transformation into a personal renovation project rather than stewardship of a national memorial.

The center received $257 million from Congress for repairs and restoration, yet whistleblowers documented that rushed cosmetic work prioritized televised events in December over legitimate building preservation. The reflecting pool revamp is already rusting and peeling and will require complete reconstruction. Representative Rick Larsen, the senior Democrat on the House infrastructure committee, called the allegations serious and expressed concern that approved federal funds were diverted to temporary cosmetic fixes instead of durable, necessary repairs.

The Kennedy Center claimed in a statement that it operates with rigorous financial oversight and that whistleblower assertions about bypassed contracting standards were incorrect, emphasizing commitment to responsible stewardship. The White House responded by blaming previous Democratic leadership for allowing the center to deteriorate and credited Trump with providing “bold leadership and proper resources” to restore the facility, a characterization contradicted by whistleblower documentation of hastily executed, substandard work prioritizing Trump’s personal preferences over institutional integrity.

Whitehouse requested documents and answers from the Kennedy Center’s executive director by July 23. The allegations expose how Trump’s administration subordinated federal procurement standards and institutional accountability to serve the President’s demand for a visually impressive venue for his December events, similar to prior no-bid contracts for gilding statues and court battles over Trump’s name on the Kennedy Center.



(Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/11/trump-kennedy-center-renovations-whistleblowers?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=fb_us&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRjcATAevNwZG9mA2ZkaWQWUKYiNODhW95UC_hl8jPYLSjXsM3cHGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7aC5SJbx88IIvHH-f68kmhFbzdYEeAYiviNm5AHVOQSiBU-7k98aGx-Vgz1w_aem_2d5c2v98ms2nkNujtGXHcA#Echobox=1783794823)

Trump Strikes Back At Iran After Strait of Hormuz Is Closed

Trump ordered U.S. military strikes against Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after Revolutionary Guard forces fired on a Cyprus-flagged container ship and declared the strategic waterway closed. U.S. Central Command confirmed the strikes targeted air surveillance radars, missile and drone storage facilities, launch sites, and ground-to-air missile systems, marking the third round of American military action against Iran this week. The attack on the merchant vessel left one civilian crew member missing and caused significant damage, according to CENTCOM.

Iran’s state media claimed the IRGC fired “warning shots” at a vessel traveling an unapproved route, escalating tensions after Trump had threatened to occupy Iran entirely if Tehran did not reopen the strait. The blockade directly threatens global trade and fuel prices, with CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton warning the latest Iranian action could trigger further increases in gasoline costs and disrupt international commerce. Trump has previously threatened Iran with total occupation over the strait closure.

U.S. officials told CNN that diplomatic negotiations cannot resume until the strait is secured, even as mediators attempt to return both nations to the negotiating table. Leighton cited Trump’s past interest in seizing Kharg Island, a major Iranian oil hub, as potential military leverage, though he cautioned such ground operations could trigger broader escalation and economic damage Trump wants to avoid. A senior Iranian lawmaker warned that “not a single American soldier will return alive” if the United States attempted an invasion of the island.

The cycle of attacks underscores Trump’s pattern of military confrontation with Iran, following his earlier threats to annihilate Iran over ceasefire violations and his demands that gas retailers cut prices amid the conflict-driven energy crisis. Trump authorized the strikes directly, positioning himself as commander-in-chief while claiming to avoid economic damage from further escalation. The standoff demonstrates how Trump’s aggressive foreign policy and military orders are directly driving consequences for American consumers and global stability.



(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-strikes-back-at-iran-after-irgc-declares-strait-of-hormuz-is-closed-again/)

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