Category: Forever Presidency

Trump primes supporters for a third term and beyond.

Trump, 80, Wants to Run for President Again | The New Republic

At a Pennsylvania rally on June 23, 2026, President Donald Trump publicly floated running for a third presidential term, stating “Maybe we should run again” and “I’d like to do it,” despite the Constitution explicitly prohibiting more than two terms. Trump has repeatedly referenced third-term ambitions, previously stating he is “not joking” about the prospect, and has discussed the scenario with his lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who is writing a book exploring that outcome. The Trump Organization capitalizes on this messaging by selling “Trump 2028” hats for $55, up from $50 the previous year.

Trump’s claims about his military achievements and Iran’s capabilities directly contradict statements he made days earlier. At the same Pennsylvania rally, Trump declared that the U.S. had left Iran with “no Navy, no Air Force, no antiaircraft, no missile capability, no nuclear program,” and claimed Americans could “fly over Tehran just at will.” However, Iran maintains active naval units controlling the Strait of Hormuz, retains its nuclear energy program and development capacity, operates aging aircraft, and possesses substantial ballistic missile capabilities, according to New York Times reporting from May 2026. Trump himself acknowledged Iran’s missile arsenal at the G7 summit the previous week, stating other nations have missiles and questioning why he should disarm Iran while allowing Saudi Arabia to retain its arsenal.

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, facing federal fraud and bribery charges in Brooklyn under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, met privately with Donald Trump Jr. in November 2024 in Ahmedabad, India. Seven months later, in May 2025, the Department of Justice abruptly dropped all charges against Adani, with prosecutors citing prosecutorial discretion in a brief filing. Trump Jr.’s spokesperson denied the meeting had “zero to do” with the DOJ’s decision, though the substance of their discussion remains undisclosed. The dismissal triggered an immediate market surge in Adani’s companies, temporarily elevating him to Asia’s wealthiest person.

Federal law enforcement deployed AI-powered surveillance towers at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in response to Trump’s unsubstantiated vandalism claims. Trump has alleged that vandals inflicted a progressively enlarging gash on the pool’s floor, expanding his claims from 250 feet on Saturday to 300 feet by Monday to 350 feet by Tuesday, yet has refused to provide photographs or evidence despite claiming the Interior Department possesses video documentation. CBS News inspectors found no evidence of any such damage, and Trump has directed over $16 million in renovations to the pool, which deteriorated again within days, now requiring additional drainage and repairs at unknown cost to taxpayers.

Trump has ordered the arrest of six individuals accused of vandalizing the pool, deploying sophisticated surveillance infrastructure including AI-powered audio alerts, strobes, and spotlights that automatically detect and deter alleged threats. The escalation at the memorial follows Trump’s contentious history with the landmark, including blaming vandalism and ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl for pool deterioration and self-congratulating the renovation project while concealing structural failures underlying its rapid decline.



(Source: https://newrepublic.com/post/212242/trump-80-third-term-president-pennsylvania-lehigh-valley?utm_campaign=SF_TNR&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRleASpSJxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeQasl5O59yGmesAb4GJZyNREQYGh2KBJBS2Rgp-wAMsFgdw_cmcIWqqCwul4_aem_Q1yHw0AWtEyNN97VXNycRA)elf-congratulating the renovation project while concealing structural failures underlying its rapid decline.

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 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/)

DOJ argues Trump could ‘bulldoze’ Statue of Liberty during White House ballroom hearing – ABC News

The Justice Department defended the Trump administration’s White House ballroom project before a federal appeals court on Friday, arguing that the judiciary cannot block the construction and that no court could stop the president from demolishing any historic site, including the Statue of Liberty. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that the project, which has already demolished the White House East Wing and installed over 3 million pounds of steel rebar, cannot be enjoined because moving fast enough prevents plaintiffs from establishing legal standing to challenge government action. When Judge Patricia Millett posed a hypothetical about the Statue of Liberty, Roth acknowledged the same logic applied: if the administration moved quickly enough to demolish it, the injury would become “non-redressable” and no lawsuit could proceed.

Judge Millett rebuked what she termed the administration’s “move fast and break things” approach, questioning whether speed alone could foreclose judicial review. Roth affirmed that doctrine explicitly, stating that rapid action rendering harm impossible to undo eliminates standing. The panel also heard arguments about national security, with Roth framing the ballroom as essential protection for the president against modern threats like drones, though this claim contradicts the statutes the administration initially cited, which authorize only maintenance and upkeep of the White House, not demolition and reconstruction.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation brought the lawsuit to block construction, citing its congressional charter to protect historic sites. Judge Millett appeared skeptical of the government’s position that the organization lacked standing, noting that Alison Hoagland, a National Trust board member involved in the case, had a legitimate interest in preserving the architectural integrity of the White House complex. Trump attacked Hoagland directly overnight in response to her courtroom testimony about the harm the ballroom would cause to historic design principles.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon had halted construction in late March, finding Trump exceeded his authority in authorizing the ballroom. However, the appeals panel administratively stayed Leon’s order on April 17, allowing work to continue while the court considered the case. During oral arguments, Judges Bradley Garcia and Neomi Rao questioned whether the statutes cited by the administration actually granted the president power to demolish and replace structures, with Garcia noting the relevant law permits only maintenance, not improvements or reconstruction.

The case hinges on whether Trump possesses unilateral authority to modify the White House complex without congressional approval and whether courts retain power to review such decisions. The administration’s theory that rapid execution of government(Source: https://abcnews.com/amp/US/appeals-court-hear-arguments-trumps-ballroom-plans-continue/story?id=133589066) projects eliminates judicial oversight entirely represents an unprecedented assertion of executive immunity from legal challenge, one the appellate panel appeared divided on accepting.

Donors won $50B in contracts after giving to Trump ballroom project, report says – The Washington Post

More than half of the identified donors to President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project secured new or expanded federal contracts totaling over $50 billion within six months, according to a government watchdog report released Thursday. The pattern demonstrates Trump’s systematic use of federal procurement to reward financial backers, directly linking private donations to government spending decisions that benefit the donors themselves.

Trump’s ballroom project, housed in the White House East Wing, has become a vehicle for channeling taxpayer money to his political allies. The $50 billion in contracts awarded to ballroom donors represents a direct return on investment for those who funded the construction, establishing a quid pro quo arrangement between private contributions and federal contracts that contradicts basic principles of competitive procurement.

The watchdog group’s findings document how Trump weaponizes federal contracting authority to consolidate loyalty and enrich his network. This contracting pattern follows Trump’s demand that Senate Majority Leader John Thune fire Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough after she blocked $1 billion in taxpayer funding for the ballroom project from a budget reconciliation bill, indicating Trump’s willingness to attack institutional independence when it impedes his financial interests.

Trump has repeatedly misrepresented the ballroom project’s cost and scope. While Trump claimed the $400 million project would be completed ahead of schedule and under budget, Senate Republicans simultaneously requested $1 billion in additional taxpayer security funding tied to the construction, exposing the gap between Trump’s public statements and the actual financial burden on taxpayers.

The $50 billion in contracts awarded to ballroom donors exemplifies how Trump transforms the executive branch into a personal enrichment apparatus. By funneling federal money to those who fund his projects, Trump corrupts the procurement process, ensures absolute loyalty through financial dependency, and establishes the institutional mechanisms necessary for perpetuating his control beyond a single term.(Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/06/04/donors-won-50b-contracts-after-giving-trump-ballroom-project-report-says/)

White House proposes NDAs for federal workers to crack down on leaks to journalists | Trump administration | The Guardian

The Trump administration's Office of Personnel Management released a draft nondisclosure agreement on Tuesday requiring federal employees to sign NDAs designed to prevent them from sharing information with journalists. The proposed agreement allows the government to pursue civil and criminal penalties against employees who disclose information deemed confidential, and grants the administration rights to all royalties employees receive from such disclosures. Former government employees would need written permission from an authorized agency official to speak to journalists about confidential information after leaving their positions.

This proposal is part of Trump's broader campaign to control the flow of information from federal agencies. Since taking office, Trump has attacked news outlets as "fake news," filed lawsuits against media organizations, banned the Associated Press from the White House press pool, and restricted reporter access at the Pentagon. The administration also enacted a September media policy requiring Pentagon reporters to sign pledges to report only officially released information.

Federal employee unions directly oppose the NDA proposal. Steve Lenkart, executive director of the National Federation of Federal Employees, stated the move is part of an effort to weaken unions that function as internal accountability mechanisms and to silence dissent within government. Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, characterized the proposal as an attempt to purge career civil servants and replace them with political loyalists unwilling to report waste, fraud, and abuse. Both union leaders emphasized that federal employees retain constitutional rights and protected whistleblower protections under existing federal law, including the ability to report misconduct to Congress and inspectors general.

The draft NDA explicitly states it would not apply to lawful disclosures of fraud, abuse, and misconduct to internal government watchdogs and Congress, as prohibited by federal law. However, legal experts and union leadership argue that agreements designed to suppress lawful disclosures lack legitimate governmental purpose and are constitutionally suspect. Federal employees do not surrender First Amendment rights upon accepting government employment, according to union statements.

The OPM spokesperson McLaurine Pinover justified the proposal as addressing concerns that unauthorized disclosures disrupt agency operations, but the timing aligns with Trump's pattern of attacking press freedom and independent government institutions. Trump has previously attempted to silence government insiders through litigation, using legal threats against former officials who published accounts of his conduct, illustrating the administration's longstanding hostility toward public disclosure of government activities.

(Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/26/federal-workers-ndas?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=fb_us&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRjcASC05NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe5Rmh4RqgHIrUPmZ6FJZ2vQkc06d102xkDcnGTwBel7cXhDDcM71T8WPqHAo_aem_F2rmbphOg6PMqplupHvCBw#Echobox=1779812330)

Trump Sells ‘Four More Years’ Merchandise, Promotes Extended Presidency

President Donald Trump promoted merchandise bearing the slogan "Four more years" at a rally in Rockland County, New York on Friday, declaring the merchandise "drives the radical left lunatics crazy." Trump used the event to repeat claims about economic performance, including stock market figures, and to attack Democratic positions on taxes, immigration, and transgender athletes in sports.

During his remarks, Trump made explicit references to serving multiple presidential terms, stating "we're a three-term president" and "my first term of numerous terms," language consistent with his prior promotion of a third presidential term despite the constitutional ban imposed by the 22nd Amendment. The crowd responded with repeated chants of "Four more years" to his statements about extended tenure.

Trump attributed tax deductions to Republican legislation, claiming New Yorkers saved between $10,000 and $40,000 annually and that over one million New Yorkers claimed the deduction that year. He stated the deduction averaged $22,000 per filer and characterized Democratic opposition to these tax cuts as uniform.

Trump continued attacking Democrats on border policy, wall construction, and regulations on transgender participation in women's sports. He recounted an anecdote about a male athlete competing in women's weightlifting to illustrate what he described as the "ridiculous" nature of transgender sports participation policies.

The rally merchandise and Trump's repeated invocations of extended presidential terms align with prior Trump Organization efforts to secure trademark rights on property bearing his name, extending his commercial exploitation of the presidency to political merchandise and branding infrastructure.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-crows-about-his-4-more-years-merch-drives-radical-left-lunatics-crazy/)

Trump Posts AI Video of Colbert in Dumpster After Show Ends

President Trump shared an AI-generated video on Truth Social depicting him throwing former late-night host Stephen Colbert into a dumpster and dancing to "YMCA," posted after Colbert's final "Late Show" episode aired Thursday. The White House account also distributed the video on X with the caption "Bye-bye," amplifying Trump's mockery of the comedian across federal platforms.

Trump celebrated Colbert's departure by attacking him personally, writing that the host was "like a dead person" with "no talent, no ratings, no life" and stating that "any person off of the street" would be better. Trump declared Colbert's exit the "beginning of the end" for other late-night hosts critical of Trump, stating "Others, of even less talent, to soon follow. May they all Rest in Peace!"

The cancellation of Colbert's 11-year run on CBS occurred after Trump championed Trump's campaign to target late-night hosts using regulatory power and publicly pressured media executives. Paramount, CBS's parent company owned by Trump allies Larry and David Ellison, cited financial reasons for the cancellation, but critics identified it as capitulation to Trump administration pressure following Paramount-Skydance merger approvals under Trump's control.

Trump has systematically weaponized his platform and regulatory authority against late-night comedians critical of his administration. His use of AI-generated violence to mock Colbert extends a documented pattern of attacking late-night hosts through Truth Social posts and direct calls for their removal, including demands that networks fire specific personalities.

In his final episode, Colbert avoided political commentary and featured celebrity appearances and a performance with Paul McCartney, who referenced democracy and freedom as enduring American values during the sign-off.

(Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5892405-trump-shares-ai-video-colbert/amp/)

Trump Targets Late-Night Hosts Using FCC Regulatory Power

President Donald Trump declared victory over Stephen Colbert's departure from CBS, stating on Truth Social that the late-night host's firing marked the "Beginning of the End" for late-night television and predicting others would follow. Trump has systematically pressured the Federal Communications Commission to strip broadcast licenses, directly called on Disney to fire ABC host Jimmy Kimmel, and demanded NBC terminate Seth Meyers, making clear his intent to eliminate critical voices from television.

CBS cancelled Colbert's top-rated show last year citing financial reasons, but the timing exposed the administration's pattern of regulatory retaliation. The cancellation occurred days after Paramount settled a $16 million lawsuit Trump filed against CBS over editing of a "60 Minutes" interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, and immediately preceded FCC approval of Paramount's $8 billion Skydance merger, leading critics to identify the decision as quid pro quo silencing of political satire in violation of First Amendment protections.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has weaponized his regulatory authority against networks that air criticism of Trump. Carr ordered an unusual early license review of ABC's eight television stations after Trump cited a Kimmel joke as grounds for his dismissal, and in September 2025 pressured broadcasters to remove Kimmel entirely after comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. When Trump demanded Meyers' firing in November, Carr reposted the demand on X, demonstrating direct coordination between the executive branch and the FCC to suppress dissent.

Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez documented the administration's systematic assault on free speech, stating that Trump cannot tolerate critics and is deploying "every regulatory lever" to target content he dislikes, from late-night comedy to political programs. Trump has publicly attacked multiple late-night hosts as "deranged" and "untalented" while simultaneously using state power to force them from the air, treating television criticism as a threat requiring government elimination rather than democratic discourse.

Colbert responded by naming the threat directly, stating that "Donald Trump's administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV, because all Trump does is watch TV." The coordinated campaign against late-night hosts represents authoritarian suppression of political speech through regulatory capture and merger leverage, dismantling constitutional protections for satire and criticism that have defined American media since the 1950s.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-says-more-night-talk-154303498.html?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=6a10cd35c6ff4c00012b7467&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQKNjYyODU2ODM3OQABHu9KHF8av5yRtOq_NNxcMcNficKGS5jg4DreLVWYgXOWETNQ-oTh8Bt-tMTj_aem_SzS3k30dy53tiPTZv2_Zcw&guccounter=1)

Trump Demands Thune Fire Parliamentarian Blocking Ballroom Funds

President Donald Trump demanded that Senate Majority Leader John Thune fire Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough after she blocked $1 billion in taxpayer funding for Trump’s ballroom project from a budget reconciliation bill. MacDonough determined that the ballroom funding violated the Byrd Rule, which prohibits non-budgetary items from passing with a simple majority vote. Trump called Thune to pressure him into removing MacDonough, but Thune refused, stating he would not fire her and noting that both sides of contentious reconciliation debates routinely criticize the parliamentarian.

Trump’s ballroom project has destroyed significant portions of the White House, including the entire East Wing, contradicting his initial assurances that construction would not interfere with existing structures. Initial claims that private donors would fund the project proved murky, and the endeavor has violated ethics standards regarding conflicts of interest. After an attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Trump and Republicans pivoted to demanding $1 billion in taxpayer funding for the ballroom’s “modernization” and security upgrades as part of a Secret Service budget.

The Senate Parliamentarian is a nonpartisan official tasked with interpreting and applying Senate rules. MacDonough’s Saturday ruling followed standard parliamentary procedure and reflects the institution’s established constraints on reconciliation bills. Republicans indicated they would revise the provision to comply with the Byrd Rule, a standard procedural response when proposals fail initial review.

This is not the first time Trump has pressured Thune to remove MacDonough. Trump has a documented pattern of threatening institutional measures when he does not get his way. Last year, when MacDonough stripped Medicaid provisions from a tax bill during reconciliation, Trump allies demanded her removal. Thune rejected that demand as well, maintaining that he would not overrule or fire MacDonough for doing her constitutional job.

The White House declined to confirm whether Trump made the call to Thune, offering only a statement that it does not comment on private conversations. Thune’s refusal to cave to presidential pressure demonstrates that Senate leadership remains bound by institutional constraints, though Trump’s attempt to weaponize the parliamentary process for personal projects demonstrates his contempt for constitutional limits on executive power.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-is-reportedly-trying-to-badger-senate-leader-into-firing-official-who-nixed-ballroom-funding/)

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