2018 - Page 43 of 64

Suspicious Timing: China Loans Trump-Related Project $500 Mil Days after Trump Orders Sanctions Lifted on Chinese Telecom Giant

May 15, 2018May 15, 2018 Jon Ponder

Rep. Eric Swalwell accuses President Trump of trying to save Chinese company ZTE in order to benefit himself and his companies: "It does seem like the simplest explanation is the correct one — it's money" https://t.co/7PEl5DxyrH pic.twitter.com/SvnOVQh1QQ

— New Day (@NewDay) May 15, 2018

According to a report in the National Review, just 72 hours after Donald Trump ordered his government to reverse sanctions on Chinese telecom giant ZTE, the Chinese government announced it would lend half a billion dollars to a Trump-related project in Indonesia.

The Chinese government is extending a $500 million loan to a state-owned construction company to build an Indonesian theme park that will feature a Trump-branded golf course and hotels…

While the $500 million loan will not be directly allocated to any of the Trump-branded features, Beijing’s contribution of half the project’s total operating budget ensures the success of the broader theme-park venture.

Over the weekend, Trump tweeted out the news that he had ordered the Commerce Department to lift severe sanctions on ZTE because, he said, “Too many jobs in China lost.”

Just last month the Trump administration had accused ZTE of espionage and of doing business with Iran and North Korea.

Trump’s reversal even shocked a Republican.

[…]

New York Daily News: ‘Daddy’s Little Ghoul’

May 15, 2018May 15, 2018 Jon Ponder

Steve Schmidt: “There is blood on Trump’s hands.”

[…]

Trump Has Drained GOP Voters of Morality

May 14, 2018 Buck Banks

60%

A new Public Policy Polling survey finds 60% of voters think it’s immoral if President Trump had an extramarital affair with Stormy Daniels, as compared to 21% who say it’s not immoral. However, Trump voters are pretty divided on the question: Only 41% think it’s immoral if he had an affair with Daniels to 33% who say it’s not and 26% who are not sure.

Leaking Leakers Leak Leaks

May 14, 2018 Buck Banks

“The leaks come in all shapes and sizes: small leaks, real-time leaks, weaponized leaks, historical leaks. Sensitive Oval Office conversations have leaked, and so have talks in cabinet meetings and the Situation Room. You name it, they leak it. … This White House leaks so much that meetings called to bemoan leaks begin with acknowledgement the bemoaning will be leaked, which is promptly leaked…by several leakers in a smallish room.”

— Jonathan Swan

Gas Prices Rising

May 14, 2018 Buck Banks

20 cents

CBS News: “You may have noticed, gas prices are on the rise and hitting levels not seen in more than three years. Gas prices nationwide are up a nickel in just the last week. That’s 20 cents in the last month, according to AAA.”

Leaking Leakers Who Leak

May 14, 2018 Buck Banks

Now that sympathy for John McCain has peaked,
Sarah Sanders has hit a new level of pique.
She’s fed up with the blabbers
And the feckless backstabbers,
After the meeting about the leaked leak was leaked.

No GOPers Step Forward in Defense of McCain

May 14, 2018 Buck Banks

“Why have no Republican U.S. Senators stepped forward and expressed their absolute f**king outrage about these attacks on American hero John McCain by a White House staffer? It is despicable and the cowardice is nauseating.”

— GOP strategist Steve Schmidt, on Twitter.

That’s No Reason to Vote for Haspel

May 14, 2018 Buck Banks

“Nobody wants a weenie in that job.”

— Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), quoted by the New York Times, on why he supports CIA Director nominee Gina Haspel.

Joe Biden Doesn’t Like What the Trump White House Sniped About John McCain

May 11, 2018May 12, 2018 Trish

But we doubt this is the lowest they will go.

It’s Convention Apprehension

May 11, 2018 Buck Banks

They say desperation is the mother of invention,
And the GOP is starting to feel some frustration.
As they scour the country,
They keep coming up empty —
No one wants to host the 2020 Republican national convention.

Year: 2018

Suspicious Timing: China Loans Trump-Related Project $500 Mil Days after Trump Orders Sanctions Lifted on Chinese Telecom Giant

New York Daily News: ‘Daddy’s Little Ghoul’

Trump Has Drained GOP Voters of Morality

60%

Leaking Leakers Leak Leaks

— Jonathan Swan

Gas Prices Rising

20 cents

CBS News: “You may have noticed, gas prices are on the rise and hitting levels not seen in more than three years. Gas prices nationwide are up a nickel in just the last week. That’s 20 cents in the last month, according to AAA.”

Leaking Leakers Who Leak

No GOPers Step Forward in Defense of McCain

“Why have no Republican U.S. Senators stepped forward and expressed their absolute f**king outrage about these attacks on American hero John McCain by a White House staffer? It is despicable and the cowardice is nauseating.”

— GOP strategist Steve Schmidt, on Twitter.

That’s No Reason to Vote for Haspel

“Nobody wants a weenie in that job.”

— Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), quoted by the New York Times, on why he supports CIA Director nominee Gina Haspel.

Joe Biden Doesn’t Like What the Trump White House Sniped About John McCain

It’s Convention Apprehension

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“The man is afraid of the voice of the people and that the people understand and know what he’s doing. He’s trying to stifle the ability of journalists to let the people of America know what’s really going on with their government.”

— “Kamala Harris called President Donald Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House ‘absolutely abhorrent,’” The Wrap reports.

“Not one of them is trained in technical skills. Not one research PhD, as opposed to China, where half the cabinet is science and technology PhDs. We’re led by grifters and fools.”

— Columbia professor Jeffrey Sachs, on X, on President Trump’s 35-person cabinet.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far… The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”

— Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), breaking with President Trump in a direct-to-camera video.

Numerati

1,000

10%

“The unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House has changed the congressional districts for one-tenth of Americans and significantly altered the makeup of at least one-fifth of districts, according to a new study,” the Associated Press reports.

71%

A new Fox News Poll finds 71% of voters think the Trump administration lacks a clear strategy for ending the Iran War, including 95% of Democrats, 83% of independents, and 43% of Republicans. Sixty percent say U.S. military action against Iran was the wrong decision, while just 37% say it was right.

$9.5 billion

“The Trump administration last year spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimate by a congressional watchdog,” CNN reports.

470

Reuters has documented at least 470 targets of retribution under Trump’s leadership – from federal employees and prosecutors to universities and media outlets. The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.