April 21, 2026 - Pensito

— White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, on Fox News.

With hundreds of ships and 20,000 sailors the Persian Gulf is jammed,
And with the U.S. Navy on the prowl, blockade runners could get rammed.
Now shipowners are getting anonymous emails,
Saying a little crypto will allow them to sail,
But alas, those poor, desperate shipowners are just getting scammed.

Tariff Refunding Begins

April 21, 2026 Buck Banks

$166 billion

The federal government yesterday began refunding more than $166B from global tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court in February, with interest accruing at roughly $22M per day, reports CBS News.

$71 Billion Needed to Rebuild Gaza

April 21, 2026 Buck Banks

$71 billion

Bloomberg: “Gaza needs an estimated $71.4 billion over the next decade to recover from two years of war that devastated most of the Palestinian territory, a new study by the European Union, United Nations and World Bank shows.”

Trump Holds $550 Million Ahead of Midterms

April 21, 2026 Buck Banks

$550 million

“President Donald Trump’s super political action committee raised $35.6 million in March, bolstering his war chest to $550 million as he tries to defy history by hanging onto congressional Republican majorities in an increasingly difficult midterm election environment,” Bloomberg reports.

Day: April 21, 2026

Maybe Because He’s a Liar?

“I’m not sure why after ten years of covering this president, the American media still cannot understand, when President Trump says he’s gonna do something, he’s going to do it.”

— White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, on Fox News.

Worst President Ever

— Thomas Edsall

Fake Hormuz Dues

Tariff Refunding Begins

$166 billion

The federal government yesterday began refunding more than $166B from global tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court in February, with interest accruing at roughly $22M per day, reports CBS News.

$71 Billion Needed to Rebuild Gaza

$71 billion

Bloomberg: “Gaza needs an estimated $71.4 billion over the next decade to recover from two years of war that devastated most of the Palestinian territory, a new study by the European Union, United Nations and World Bank shows.”

Trump Holds $550 Million Ahead of Midterms

$550 million

“President Donald Trump’s super political action committee raised $35.6 million in March, bolstering his war chest to $550 million as he tries to defy history by hanging onto congressional Republican majorities in an increasingly difficult midterm election environment,” Bloomberg reports.

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.