Politics, pop culture and entertainment news of interest to the LGBTQ community
Music legend Aretha Franklin (screen capture)Some news items you might have missed:
• AP News: A Michigan jury has decided that a handwritten document found stuffed in couch cushions at Aretha Franklin’s home after her 2018 death is her valid will. Continue reading “Jury: Doc Found In Aretha’s Couch Is Valid Will + More News”
Stormy Daniels (screen capture)Some news items you might have missed:
• Huffington Post: In a new interview, porn star Stormy Daniels called Donald Trump’s indictment “vindication.” “I am fully aware of the insanity of it being a porn star. But it’s also poetic; this pussy grabbed back,” she said. Continue reading “News: Stormy Daniels On Trump Indictment + ‘Survivor’ Breakout Star + More”
Dr. Scott Liptzin (via Instagram)Some news items you might have missed:
• VICE: Photos and videos of Dr. Scott Liptzin (above), a licensed physiotherapist in New York (straight, married father of three), were stolen from his Instagram account and used by scammers in catfishing schemes as erotic masseurs. The scammers promised “body-to-body” naked sessions that would consist of erotic sexual encounters. Continue reading “Hunky Doctor’s Stolen Pics, Ketchup + More News”
Karine Jean-Pierre (photo via White House – public domain)Some news stories you might have missed:
• The Advocate: Karine Jean-Pierre held her first briefing as White House press secretary on Monday. Jean-Pierre, a lesbian and longtime political activist, is the first out member of the LGBTQ+ community to be White House press secretary. She is also the first Black person in the job. Continue reading “News Round-Up: May 16, 2022”
(image via Depositphotos)Russian President Vladimir Putin has made clear in failed negotiations with leaders in Ukraine he did not want Ukraine to join NATO. According to reports, he didn’t want the military alliance that includes the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and more, to get closer to Russian borders.
But now, it seems Putin is going to get exactly what he didn’t want. Continue reading “Finland Announces Plan To Join NATO, Sweden Expected To Follow”
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| Donald Trump holds press event as he departs NATO summit |
Although he has not held a proper press conference in over a year on American soil, as Donald Trump departed the NATO summit in Brussels, he took questions from reporters for over half an hour.
Along the way he reiterated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not an enemy, dismissed concerns of protests during his visit to Britain, and claimed the other NATO allies had agreed to up their defense spending thanks to his requests to do so.
At one point, a journalist asked, “We understand your message, but some people ask themselves, will you be tweeting differently once you board the Air Force One?”
Trump responded, “No, that’s other people that do that I don’t. I’m very consistent. I am a very stable genius.”
In front of the whole world. Jesus.
Watch below.
Donald Trump is asked whether he’ll be saying one thing at NATO and tweeting another after he departs.The president says he won’t, adding: “I’m a very stable genius.” https://t.co/nFDJtEndRK pic.twitter.com/hh2KDHAMJY
— Bloomberg (@business) July 12, 2018
‘Everybody in the room thanked me. They thanked me a lot. I have made Nato stronger. I’m a very stable genius’. The narcissism of the US President at the Nato summit— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) July 12, 2018
Hahahahahaha Hahahahahaha Hahahahahaha!He really REALLY did say “I’m a very stable genius” at the NATO summit.
Poor America. Too embarrassing. https://t.co/tPPsdlqCUv
— Fionna O’Leary #FBPE #BrexitBetraysBritain (@fascinatorfun) July 12, 2018
It was all on display folks. Trump insanity. “Very stable Genius” is so laughable. He causes a problem, changes his mind and says “I alone fixed it”. Like with families on the border. I expect to see him wheel out his dead Mom like in Psycho “I alone can keep his mommy with him”.— ernest lamonica (@ErnestLamonica) July 12, 2018
People Magazine reports that Gauthier Destenay, the First Gentleman of Luxembourg, joined the female partners of world leaders for dinner at the current conference of NATO leaders in Belgium.
The gathering took place at the Royal Castle in Brussels.
Prime Minister Bettel, 44, and Belgian architect Destenay entered a civil partnership in 2010 and married in 2015 after Luxembourg’s legislators approved gay marriage. Bettel became the first openly gay Prime Minister of Luxembourg in December 2013, after an election campaign in which his sexuality was not a secret nor an issue.
Bettel is the world’s only gay head of government since Iceland’s former Prime Minister Johanna Sigurðardóttir, a lesbian, and Belgium’s Elio Di Rupo finished their mandates in 2013 and 2015 respectively.
This is great. Luxembourg’s First Husband lines up with the First Ladies at a NATO conference.🏳️🌈
Via @Channel4News pic.twitter.com/lZbLeAmS5u— Greg Hogben (@MyDaughtersArmy) May 26, 2017
Speaking to fellow heads of state in front of NATO’s new headquarters, President Trump called out those countries who he feels do not contribute their fair share.
From CNN:
“Twenty-three of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying and what they are supposed to be paying for their defense,” Trump said, delivering these remarks as heads of state of the other NATO countries looked on. “This is not fair to the people and taxpayers of the United States,” Trump said.
“2% is the bare minimum for confronting today’s very real and very vicious threats,” Trump said. “If NATO countries made their full and complete contributions, then NATO would be even stronger than it is today, especially from the threat of terrorism.”
Nato members must “contribute their fair share” to fight terror, immigration & threats from Russia – President Trump https://t.co/Q8qmAhhkn7 pic.twitter.com/iPWMCEmQ79— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) May 25, 2017
You can see the reaction of some of those countries’ leaders below. They look quite enchanted, no?
And then there was this winning moment when Trump pushed Montenegro Prime Minister Dusko Markovic aside so that he could stand in front of the group.
I guess this is what Trump means by “America first.”
Watch below.
Speaking to the Washington Post editorial board today, Donald Trump suggested that the United States’ reduce our involvement in NATO:
“Ukraine is a country that affects us far less than it affects other countries in NATO, and yet we’re doing all of the lifting,” Trump said. “They’re not doing anything. And I say: ‘Why is it that Germany’s not dealing with NATO on Ukraine? Why is it that other countries that are in the vicinity of Ukraine, why aren’t they dealing? Why are we always the one that’s leading, potentially the third world war with Russia.’ “
Trump declared U.S. involvement in NATO may need to be significantly diminished in the coming years, breaking with nearly seven decades of consensus in Washington. “We certainly can’t afford to do this anymore,” Trump said, adding later, “NATO is costing us a fortune, and yes, we’re protecting Europe with NATO, but we’re spending a lot of money.”
Delivering the keynote speech to NATO and European leaders at the Palais Des Beaux-Arts in Brussels yesterday, President Obama pointedly denounced Russia’s campaign against its LGBT citizens.
CNN reports:
“We believe in human dignity – that every person is created equal, no matter who you are, or what you look like, or who you love, or where you come from,” he said.
Later, Obama reiterated criticism of Russian intolerance spawned by a law passed before the Sochi Olympics that outlawed promoting gay rights to children. Western ideals and values of openness and tolerance would endure long past repression, he argued.
“Instead of targeting our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, we can use our laws to protect their rights,” he said. “Instead of defining ourselves in opposition to others, we can affirm the aspirations that we hold in common. That’s what will make America strong. That’s what will make Europe strong. That’s what makes us who we are.”
You can watch his full remarks below: