For Taco Tuesday I wrote a long post which, buried w/in it, includes a description of 2 acute psychological dilemmas Trump is facing.
1) To win v Iran, Trump has to fight Putin
2) To make a deal, Trump has to admit Obama is smarter than him
Neither is tenable.
emptywheel.net/2026/04/21/t...
Important that we had like a month of cable news beard pulling about this fellow
Ford’s move into the Middle East comes after it set a record on Wednesday with 296 days on deployment. That broke the post-Vietnam War carrier deployment record of 295 days held by USS Abraham Lincoln. Ford departed its homeport in Norfolk, Va., in late June for a routine deployment to Europe. Since then, the carrier has operated in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Red seas. It likely will go into a record-breaking 11th month of operations, the Navy’s top official has said. This is at least the second time Ford has been on duty in the Middle East during its current deployment. In early March, Ford entered the Red Sea, continuing its role in Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran. On March 12, a fire broke out in the ship’s main laundry areas, causing damage to multiple compartments and displacing some 600 personnel. Three sailors suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.
Btw, the USS Ford set a record for longest post-Vietnam (which Trump could have won) deployment last week. I'm sure that has nothing to do with its toilet problem or laundry fire.
These sailors have been away from home since June.
www.stripes.com/branches/nav...
Let’s not forget Zinke made a bundle for himself and his wealthy cronies as a member in Trump’s first Cabinet. So his concern for American people is restricted to elite Epstein Class of billionaires.
👇
Projection
This is amazing.
SMITH: You're also trying to dress up the friendly skies, telling people not to wear sweatpants to the airport
DUFFY: Yeah. Look at what Sandra Smith wears and that's what you should wear to the airport
ROBERTS: We also look forward to what the FAA has to say about the near-collision in Nashville
The solution for this is to send Zack Greinke after him.
RUIZ: Bloomberg reports that Trump & the WH have benched you because you're making the president look bad
RFK Jr: That's not true
RUIZ: I think the reporting is correct. You're making the president look bad. You talked publicly about snorting cocaine off a toilet bowl seat. Your words, not mine.
That’s three down, one Cory Mills to go!!
Yet again, the thought: how is this not embarrassing to him, to his followers, to everyone? How is this revelation alone not enough to end his career, to make him a universal figure of mockery? How can anyone support, or respect, or fear someone so viscerally *pathetic*?
listen to this response from John Thune and note how *even MAGA Republicans* are no longer pretending Trump isn't personally directing harassment investigations against his political foes
TUR: It appears the president is more desperate in this moment. Do you agree?
LAWLER: Well, let's look back. Obama engaged in a 7-month conflict in Libya--
TUR: We don't need to go back to Obama. Let's stick w/ Trump
LAWLER: Excuse me, excuse me. Yes we do.
TUR: How does that make this war okay?
If not for Trump, what's the emoluments clause for? What's impeachment for? What's the 25th Amendment for? What's section 3 of the 14th Amendment for? What are checks and balances for?
The baddies are cherrypicking the Constitution the same way they do the bible: for their own benefit.
Former Capitol Police officer Shauni Kerkhoff doesn't say how much she wants from the Blaze for accusing her of being the J5 pipe bomber, but it's going to be a big number.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
While DC journos all rush to WHCD, @philinvestigates.com just keeps reporting on the far right in TN.
Be like Phil!
Ossoff: "You were talking earlier about Jared Kushner. The guy leading our diplomacy in the Middle East is bringing in billions from Middle Eastern princes and sheiks and going around the region asking for billions more while he conducts nuclear diplomacy on behalf of the country. It's obscene."
Stop privatizing space.
An impressionable American president willing to collude; overwhelming American-Israeli military and technological superiority; a weakened Iran under economic strain and diminished geopolitical stature.
But, not for the first time in his strategic assessments, Netanyahu got it wrong. trib.al/iWS0UyP
This is something I've been hoping Dems do for some time. Hold the Senate GOP accountable for every incompetent the confirmed, and the destruction of American lives that resulted, but also for the oversight not exercised, especially over Iran.
Trump's rollback is not one general Americans wanted, but Big Alcohol groups lobbied hard for. 👉️ bit.ly/4mJfkQv
Did not miss any of these (tho admit the Whiskey Pete thing didn't make it far beyond FT), but strongly applaud this kind of summarizing.
It's REALLY hard to keep up with all the corruption. Really hard.
After the companies agreed to these shakedowns—sorry, settlements—the fund created to receive donations was dissolved last September. Since then, Senate Democrats have been asking: What happened to the money?
trib.al/8k75083
This.... 🔥
Jeffries: "Republicans have spent tens of million trying to convince the people of Virginia that President Obama and Gov. Spanberger are urging a 'no' vote. That's a stone cold lie. The 'no' vote position is Donald Trump's position, as is being evidenced tonight. He's been trying to hide it."
Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ) has now been absent from Congress for weeks due to an unspecified medical issue, and there's no explanation forthcoming from his office.
Kentucky’s largest drug rehab center touts a Christian message and a selfless commitment to helping others.
But internally, the organization prioritized money over the well-being of its clients and staff, interviews show.
With @kentucky.com
Her husband also was banned from the building for sexually harassing female employees. Caught on video
BREAKING: Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has RESIGNED.
Her exit follows a tenure rocked by multiple scandals—including an investigation into an alleged affair with a security staffer and accusations of drinking on the job.
Keith Sonderling will serve as Acting Labor Secretary.
