President Donald Trump’s Fourth of July celebration will feature $750,000 of donated fireworks from an Ohio retailer who has lobbied the White House against expanded tariffs on Chinese imports.
And last week, the same day the donation was announced, the company — Phantom Fireworks of Youngstown, Ohio — got what it wanted: Trump decided to hold off on his threatened $300 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods, which include fireworks.
“This is another example of how private companies attempt use their money to influence the government by stroking the president’s ego,” said Jordan Libowitz with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan watchdog group.
The cost of our great Salute to America tomorrow will be very little compared to what it is worth. We own the planes, we have the pilots, the airport is right next door (Andrews), all we need is the fuel. We own the tanks and all. Fireworks are donated by two of the greats. Nice!
Newsweek reports the owners of Phantom Fireworks, the largest consumer fireworks retailer in the country, are registered Democrats but voted in the 2016 Ohio Republican primary.
That said, they got their reprieve from tariffs, and are now donating to Trump’s ego rally.
This is not a Trump supporter (screen capture via iStockPhoto)
In an effort to boost Donald Trump’s standing with certain demographics (like women, Hispanics and younger voters), the Trump campaign has produced video endorsements now running on Facebook and Google.
One, for example, gives us “Tracey,” a young blond woman, walking down the beach, while a voiceover (which a viewer would assume is Tracey) says, “President Trump is doing a great job. I could not ask for a better president of the United States of American.”
But here’s the thing: “Tracey” is actually a stock video clip anyone can buy at iStockPhoto.com.
(click image to enlarge)
Anyone watching the campaign ad would assume “Tracey” is a real Trump supporter.
This is literally “fake news.”
There is a disclaimer on the campaign ad – “Actor portrayal. Actual testimonial” – but the disclaimer only shows for a brief period and is in a tiny font size.
There are additional videos featuring a young, bearded hipster and a Hispanic man.
The Trump campaign wants you to believe these stock footage models are MAGA supporters pic.twitter.com/SM916mGW3b
The Washington Postreports the National Park Service is moving almost $2.5 million, earmarked for improvements to parks across the country, to be used in accommodating Donald Trump’s July 4 campaign rally “Salute to America” event in Washington, D.C.
The diverted park fees represent just a fraction of the extra costs the government faces as a result of the event, which will include displays of military hardware, flyovers by an array of jets including Air Force One, the deployment of tanks on the Mall and an extended pyrotechnics show.
By comparison, according to former Park Service deputy director Denis P. Galvin, the entire Fourth of July celebration on the Mall typically costs the agency about $2 million.
Bolding is mine.
Trump tweeted today that the cost of his ‘ego rally’ will be “very little.”
The Donald says we already own the planes, pay the pilots and the airport is so close, the only real cost is the jet fuel.
The cost of our great Salute to America tomorrow will be very little compared to what it is worth. We own the planes, we have the pilots, the airport is right next door (Andrews), all we need is the fuel. We own the tanks and all. Fireworks are donated by two of the greats. Nice!
Democratic lawmakers have objected to Trump’s ‘take-over’ of the annual Independence Day celebration saying he’s turning the event into a campaign rally.
The Republican National Committee has confirmed that it has received, and is handing out, VIP tickets to their donors and political appointees.
The Democratic National Committee has not received any tickets or passes of any kind.
According to the Post, Trump still owes the District of Columbia $7 million for his January 2017 inauguration.
Deputy White House press secretary Judd Deere (images via Instagram)
Openly gay Judd Deere lives in Washington, D.C. He has a boyfriend, attended DC Pride, and currently serves in the Trump White House as Deputy Press Secretary.
Tasked with touting Donald Trump’s policies – including those that erode LGBTQ progress – Deere recently told Buzzfeed News he doesn’t care what the LGBTQ community thinks of him. He says his rise in the Trump administration is proof Trump isn’t homophobic.
“I’m completely open about who I am,” Deere told Buzzfeed. “These individuals that I work with in this building don’t treat me any differently because I’m gay.”
But, there is a caveat to that statement as Deere admits he doesn’t “walk into the White House every day and say, ‘I’m Judd Deere; I’m gay.’”
Adding that the president “doesn’t treat me any different” because he’s gay, Deere cops to not knowing if Trump even knows he identifies as gay.
Like former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Deere is originally from Arkansas.
He previously worked for the state’s Attorney General which fought against listing both same-sex parents on a child’s birth certificate. Striking down Fayetteville’s LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinance was also on the menu during his time there.
“I focused on hiring the very best people, and that’s why I hired Judd,” wrote Sanders, in an email to Buzzfeed. “I am proud to have him on our team to help on LGBT issues as well as the many others in his portfolio.”
(image via Instagram/JuddPDeere)
Speaking of ‘helping on LGBT issues,’ Deere says he has no problem with the Trump administration’s policies regarding the community.
His position is that none of the controversial, news-making policies are really discriminatory.
On whether a baker can turn away a same-sex couple looking for a wedding cake?
“Yeah, that’s fine,” says Deere. “I’ll just go find another cake shop that will.”
Trump’s ban on transgender military service members, Deere says trans soldiers “erode military readiness,” and adds that the ban was “developed through extensive studies within the military by senior military officials.”
Not true – Trump’s own generals have publicly shared they were surprised by the July 2017 tweets announcing the ban.
When it comes to allowing healthcare providers to deny treatment to LGBTQ people based on ‘sincerely held religious beliefs,’ Deere (towing the administration line) says Trump is protecting ‘conscience rights.’
Buzzfeed’s Dominic Holden asked Deere what Trump has done for LGBTQ Americans, and Deere points to the president’s promise to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, as well as launching a “global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality.”
Across the board, though, Deere maintains that any notion the Trump administration is anti-LGBTQ is “just a smear campaign.”
And when it comes to how he himself might be perceived after agreeing to the Buzzfeedinterview, the deputy press secretary is unfazed.
“I don’t go into a dark depression because somebody hates the person I work for, or wants to get upset at me because they think I’m crazy for working here, because it just doesn’t matter to me,” said Deere.
During a sit-down with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump told the viewing audience that the issue of “filth” in major U.S. cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City “started two years ago.”
The topic came up with Carlson mentioned traveling abroad to cities like Tokyo and Osaka, where graffiti and homeless people going to the bathroom in the streets aren’t issues abundantly seen. Carlson asked why American cities seem to have this problem.
According to Trump, “it’s a phenomenon that started two years ago” and he described it as “disgraceful.”
But Trump’s issue with the “filth” and the homeless weren’t borne out of concern for those living on the streets.
His first thought was that police officers are “getting sick just walking the beat.”
Trump did reference the homeless, however, when he hypothesized that “perhaps they like living that way.”
Seriously???
The Trumpster also expressed dismay that people working in office building have to “walk through a scene that nobody would have believed possible.”
Somehow, this is all the fault of ‘the Liberal establishment.’
Trump explained that when he first arrived in Washington D.C. two years ago, he saw a similar problem and shares, “I ended it very quickly.”
At no time does the president ever express any humanitarian concern for those living in the streets.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump
In a moment that clearly thrilled North Korea’s President Kim Jong-un, Donald Trump stepped across the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea for a photo opp that elevated the ruthless dictator in world standing.
Greeted by a beaming Mr. Kim, the president stepped across a low concrete border marker at 3:46 p.m. local time and walked 20 paces to the base of a building on the North Korean side for an unprecedented, camera-friendly demonstration of friendship intended to revitalize stalled talks.
“It is good to see you again,” an exuberant Mr. Kim told the president through an interpreter. “I never expected to meet you in this place.”
“Big moment, big moment,” Mr. Trump told him.
After about a minute on officially hostile territory, Mr. Trump escorted Mr. Kim back over the line into South Korea, where the two briefly addressed a scrum of journalists before slipping inside the building known as Freedom House for a private conversation along with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea. Mr. Trump said he would invite Mr. Kim to visit him at the White House.
President Trump accomplished something President Obama never did: Legitimize a murderous dictator by visiting him on his home turf. pic.twitter.com/9XND7gWqLI— Jonathan Capehart (@CapehartJ) June 30, 2019
While you were sleeping…
trump crossed the DMZ into North Korea and shook hands with Kim Jong-Un, professing his love at first sight for the murderous dictator.
New WH Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham got into a scuffle with the North Koreans to move members of the WH press pool into position to cover Trump and Kim, I’m told. Grisham was a bit bruised. Source called it “an all out brawl.”
Enjoying the attention of press and camera crews at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, Donald Trump was asked if he was going to warn Russian President Putin against meddling in U.S. elections.
“Yes, of course I will,” replied Trump.
Turning to Putin with a smirk, Trump said, “Don’t meddle in the election, President.” He also gestured to the Russian delegation repeating, “Don’t meddle in the election.”
They all thought it to be quite hilarious.
All U.S. intelligence agencies have agreed that Russian forces worked to influence the 2016 presidential election which delivered a surprise win to Trump.
Trump also joked with the Russian leader about what he calls ‘fake news,’ telling Putin, “Fake news is a great term, isn’t it? You don’t have this problem in Russia, but we do.”
“We also have,” replied Putin. “It’s the same.”
Smirking Trump jokes to Putin: don’t meddle in US election.
Speaking at the Carter Center’s retreat in Leesburg, Virginia, on Friday, former President Jimmy Carter told the crowd he believes a full investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election would reveal that Donald Trump did not indeed win the presidency.
“There’s no doubt that the Russians did interfere in the election,” said Carter. “And I think the interference, although not yet quantified, if fully investigated would show that Trump didn’t actually win the election in 2016. He lost the election and he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf.”
When the moderator inquired if he believes Trump is an illegitimate president, Carter replied, “Based on what I just said, which I can’t retract.”
Jimmy Carter: “[Trump] lost the election and he was put in office because the Russians interfered on his behalf.”
“So do you believe president Trump is an illegitimate president?”
Donald Trump called into Fox Business News to chat with Maria Bartiromo, but things quickly devolved into just one long rant.
Vox reporter Aaron Rupar posted several clips of the “interview” where Trump goes off about his usual irritations including China, Europe and his own Federal Reserve chairman, he went on and on about the Mueller investigation as well.
He even made up a new, false accusation that Special Counsel Robert Mueller committed a fake crime.
The best part of the whole episode is the look on Bartiromo’s face.
Trump is yelling into the phone about how Mueller “terminated the emails … he terminated them. They’re gone. And that’s illegal. That’s a crime.”
Bartiromo pretends to know what he’s talking about and tries to ask a question. Trump just keeps ranting over her. pic.twitter.com/yBK676eGmn
obviously the president is seeking to reassure the markets by demonstrating his mental stability https://t.co/0dhf76ZrBp— George Conway (@gtconway3d) June 26, 2019
The look on Maria Bartiromo's face after her phone interview with Trump finally wraps up says it all pic.twitter.com/xNLbjM3FpV— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 26, 2019
• Instagram: Handsome guy + handsome dachshund pup = HotDudesWithDogs
• Politico: Federal prosecutors have accused Rep. Duncan Hunter of improperly using campaign funds to pursue numerous romantic affairs with congressional aides and lobbyists
• The Hill: Donald Trump says he couldn’t have raped writer E. Jean Carroll because “she’s not my type.”
• Reuters: A member of an armed group known for stopping migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border has been arrested after authorities charged him with impersonating a U.S. Border Patrol agent
• AP: Illinois is the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana
• Emerson Polling: Latest polling shows five Democrats would beat Trump in hypothetical match-ups:
