Slingshot News: ‘We Can’t Do That To Our Farmers’: Trump Walks Back His Reckless Mass Deportations During Bill Signing Event At The White House [Video]
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Slingshot News: ‘I Really Don’t Want Deals’: Trump Makes Freudian Slip, Admits He’s Not Negotiating With Other Countries At White House Luncheon [Video]
Donald Trump participated in a faith luncheon at the White House several weeks ago. During his remarks, Trump slipped up and admitted that he didn’t want to negotiate trade deals with their countries. Trump stated, “am I right when I say I really don’t want deals, I just want the paper to get sent?”
‘I Really Don’t Want Deals’: Trump Makes Freudian Slip, Admits He’s Not Negotiating With Other Countries At White House Luncheon
Donald Trump participated in a faith luncheon at the White House several weeks ago. During his remarks, Trump slipped up and admitted that he didn’t want to negotiate trade deals with ther countries. Trump stated, “am I right when I say I really don’t want deals, I just want the paper to get sent?”
Guardian: Tulsi Gabbard did not alert White House before revoking 37 security clearances
Exclusive: White House only realized afterwards that clearances at the CIA and in Congress had been rescinded
Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, did not inform the White House that her office was revoking the security clearances of 37 people – including top deputies to the CIA director, John Ratcliffe – before it happened last month, according to three people familiar with matter.
The move caused consternation because it resulted in the White House not having an opportunity to closely vet the list before it became public and there appeared to be no paper trail from the president directing the effort, the people said.
As a result, officials only realized after the fact that Gabbard had managed to pull the security clearances of career CIA officials, at least one of whom was a top adviser to Ratcliffe and had worked on some of the US’s most sensitive military operations, the people said.
The list also included two Democratic congressional staffers – Maher Bitar, the national security adviser to senator Adam Schiff, and Thomas West, an aide on the Senate foreign relations committee – prompting fears the administration would be thrust into a messy separation-of-powers issue.
Weeks later, several of Trump’s top advisers remain deeply frustrated with Gabbard and view the episode as a blunder that comes as Trump is skeptical of the intelligence community and has suggested dismantling the office of the director of national intelligence (ODNI).
It also appears to have deepened existing animosity between Gabbard, whose most important job as the director of national intelligence is delivering the president’s daily briefing and overseeing the intelligence agencies, and the CIA, whose officers actually produce the brief.
Trump advisers inside and outside of the administration have complained that Gabbard’s deputy chief of staff, Alexa Henning, did not explain to them how the list was compiled and the underlying evidence to warrant pulling the security clearances, the people said.
A senior intelligence official disputed this account and said Gabbard told Trump in the Oval Office that she had compiled names of officers who had worked on the intelligence assessments on Russia’s malign influence operations during the 2016 election who should be fired.
Trump replied to Gabbard that if those people had worked on the Russia intelligence assessments and they were still employed in the federal government, they should be removed, and Gabbard was merely executing the president’s agenda, the intelligence official said.
The intelligence official also claimed the list was emailed to the White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles; the White House counsel, David Warrington; communications chiefs Steven Cheung and Taylor Budowich; the national security council; and the chiefs of staff at every major intelligence agency.
“The CIA just wants to blame ODNI all the time,” the official said.
A White House spokesperson did not address whether there had been advance notice or when the emails were sent but said in a statement: “Director Gabbard is doing a phenomenal job and the White House has worked closely with her on implementing the President’s objectives.
“The entire administration is aligned on ensuring those who have weaponized their clearances to manipulate intelligence, leak classified intelligence without authorization, and many other egregious acts are held to account,” the spokesperson said.
Rescinding security clearances was supposed to be part of an effort to correct what Trump’s advisers view as flaws in intelligence assessments and to punish Trump’s political enemies for allegedly mischaracterizing intelligence about Russian malign influence operations during the 2016 election.
Gabbard said in the memo announcing the revocations last month that her actions were at Trump’s direction and claimed that the people targeted were involved in the “politicization or weaponization of intelligence” to advance partisan agendas, or had leaked classified information.
“Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right,” Gabbard wrote. “Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold.”
It was also in keeping with an executive order and followed the administration pulling security clearances for dozens of Trump’s political adversaries including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, as well as other figures from Trump’s first impeachment.
Gabbard is not expected to face significant ramifications over the episode, in large part because she has emerged relatively unscathed from other fraught moments, including when Trump in June publicly contradicted her assessment that Iran was far from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“I don’t care what she said,” Trump said in response to a question about Gabbard’s testimony that Iran had decided not to make a nuclear bomb, shortly after she was notably absent from a key meeting at Camp David on the matter. “I think they were very close to having it.”
Gabbard also drew Trump’s ire when she posted a video in June warning of nuclear annihilation. Trump harangued Gabbard, saying it would scare people and that she appeared more engaged in self-promotion in order to set herself up for higher office, a person familiar with the matter said.
Tulsi Gabbard did not alert White House before revoking 37 security clearances
Exclusive: White House only realized afterwards that clearances at the CIA and in Congress had been rescinded
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/20/tulsi-gabbard-white-house-security-clearances
Daily Mail: Trump savages Pam [“Bimbo #3”] Bondi as he leaks brutal text message listing her failings… and tells her: I want Lindsey
Finally! King Donald savages one of his favorite Bimbos! But given that Pam “Bimbo #3” Bondi is dumb as a rock, does she really have a clue?
President Donald Trump has launched an extraordinary attack on Attorney General Pam Bondi over her failure to take Deep State scalps.
The president appeared to leak a private message he had sent to Bondi accusing her of ‘all talk, no action’ and demanding successful prosecutions of his political enemies.
Trump listed off FBI Director James Comey, Sen. Adam Schiff of California, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, claiming ‘they’re all guilty as hell,’ in the message shared to his Truth Social platform.
The president told Bondi, ‘We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility.’
Much of his fury was directed at the outgoing US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, who declined to prosecute James for mortgage fraud over what he said was a lack of evidence.
Siebert also failed to prosecute Comey after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accused him of threatening Trump in a social media post.
Siebert resigned last week but Trump in his Truth Social post claimed that he’d been fired.
‘He even lied to the media and said he quit, and that we had no case. No, I fired him, and there is a GREAT CASE, and many lawyers, and legal pundits, say so,’ Trump wrote.
Trump floated a replacement for Siebert in the post, Lindsey Halligan, a member of the White House counsel, who has a track record of defending the president in court – including the classified documents case.
In a follow-up post made about a half hour later, Trump officially announced his intention to nominate Halligan to the US Attorney position in Virginia’s eastern district.
He described Siebert as a ‘Democrat Endorsed ‘Republican” and said Halligan will ‘be Fair, Smart, and will provide, desperately needed, JUSTICE FOR ALL!’
Trump also walked back his prior exasperated tone with Bondi, saying she is ‘doing a GREAT job.’
The earlier post, which appeared to be a deliberate leak of a private text message he had sent to Bondi, was an extraordinary public attack on the nation’s top prosecutor.
Trump’s frustration with the AG over her failed efforts to prosecute his political enemies comes as her position is already weakened by the Jeffrey Epstein debacle.
Bondi, a longtime Trump loyalist who defended him during his first impeachment trial and served as Florida AG from 2011 to 2019, was appointed with expectations she’d aggressively pursue revenge and ‘drain the swamp.’
Trump’s main targets, Comey, Schiff and James, ran what the president describes as ‘witch hunts’, orchestrated by the Deep State to ruin his credibility before the electorate.
Trump fired Comey as FBI chief in 2017 amid the FBI’s investigation into Russian election interference, which the president has repeatedly called a hoax.
Schiff, a vocal Trump critic and high-ranking Democrat Representative from California, led the 2019 impeachment inquiry into Trump over withholding aid from Ukraine.
Democratic New York AG James brought the 2022 civil fraud trial against the Trump Organization which resulted in a $454 million judgment. It is currently under appeal.
Trump’s backers argue these figures represent the unchecked partisanship of the liberal elite; while his critics claim that his demands for prosecutions are an authoritarian overreach which ignores the rule of law.
The president has set his sights on the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, a key federal prosecutorial hub where he is pushing for investigations into the trio.
To help Bondi fulfil this task, Trump now wants his trusted attorney Halligan in the role.
The glamorous lawyer has been representing Trump for years, most prominently serving as one of his attorneys in the case against him for retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
In August 2024, that case was dismissed by US District Judge Aileen Cannon, with her arguing that Special Prosecutor Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional.
Smith appealed the ruling to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which then formally dismissed the case in February 2025, marking its end.
More recently, Halligan was leading the charge in Trump’s review of historical exhibits at the Smithsonian.
In an August interview with Fox News, Halligan said slavery was an overemphasized topic at the museum in Washington, D.C.
‘The fact our country was involved in slavery is awful — no one thinks otherwise,’ she said.
‘But what I saw when I was going through the museum, personally, was an overemphasis on slavery, and I think there should be more of an overemphasis on how far we’ve come since slavery.’
‘There’s a lot of history to our country, both positive and negative, but we need to keep moving forward. We can’t just keep focusing on the negative — all that does is divide us,’ she added.
Halligan’s new promotion comes after Bondi reportedly tapped Mary ‘Maggie’ Cleary to be the acting US attorney in that office.
Cleary has served as an assistant US attorney in the Western District of Virginia and is perhaps most known for her attempts to beat back an allegation made by an anonymous individual that she was present during the January 6 Capitol Riot.
Cleary, a deeply conservative Republican, was briefly placed on administrative leave but was cleared after a brief internal investigation, Politico reported.
If Halligan is to become the permanent US attorney, she will have to be confirmed by the Senate.
Since the Republicans have a 53-seat majority in the Senate, it is likely she will ascend to the position.
Independent: Trump said he ate ‘whatever the hell they served us’ at Windsor banquet during UK state visit: Latest
Donald Trump’s visit to the UK finished without controversy despite a number of issues – including the recent sacking of US ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson – threatening to sour proceedings
Donald Trump has said he ate “whatever they hell they served us” during a banquet staged in his honour at Windsor Castle.
Trump said being with the “wonderful” King was the best part of his historic state visit to the UK, as he heaped praise on the royal family following his departure.
The US leader said he saw more paintings “than any human being has ever saw” and when asked what he ate at the Windsor Castle banquet staged in his honour, he said: “Whatever the hell they served us.”
Guests at the lavish event – attended by “the biggest people in the world” according to Mr Trump – were treated to Hampshire watercress panna cotta with parmesan shortbread and quail egg salad, followed by organic Norfolk chicken ballotine wrapped in courgettes, with a thyme and savoury infused jus.
Mr Trump, who is known to have a sweet tooth, is likely to have enjoyed the dessert – a bombe glacee cardinal, which is a vanilla ice cream bombe with Kentish raspberry sorbet interior with lightly poached Victoria plums.
Much more — hour-by-hour account — at the links below:
GO Banking Rates: Trump Said He Would End Inflation on Day 1 of His Presidency — See Where We Stand Now
On the campaign trail, then-candidate Donald Trump repeatedly promised to “end inflation on Day One” of his presidency.
“Starting on Day One of my new administration, we will end inflation, and we will make America affordable again,” the president said in at an October campaign rally in Saginaw, Michigan, per RollCall.
How well has the president kept that promise?
Inflation Since January
Over the eight months from January through August, the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate averaged 2.65%, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That remains higher than the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%, but not egregiously so.
The problem for Trump — and all Americans — is the change in trend direction, not the average.
Inflation had been trending downward when Trump entered the White House in January. It dropped from 3.0% in January to 2.3% in April, and Trump has claimed many times that he has in fact defeated inflation. As recently as Sept. 8, he told WABC, “We have no inflation. Prices are down on just about everything.”
But inflation has been rebounding since April, rising from 2.3% to 2.9% in August. What changed?
Tariffs Trickling Down to Consumers
Through June, companies only passed on 22% of the heightened cost of imported goods to consumers, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis shared with Bloomberg.
Yet the bank warned that if the current tariff policies continue, that number will rise to 67%.
Sure enough, the latest CPI report found that grocery prices jumped 0.6% in August, the largest leap in three years. Apparel and audiovisual prices rose 0.5%, while car parts increased 0.6%. Coffee costs 20% more than it did a year ago.
Overall prices rose 0.4% in August, the largest monthly gain since December.
Ironically, President Trump may have actually been able to deliver on his campaign promise to curb inflation quickly, if it weren’t for sweeping tariffs. All Americans can do today is speculate on that point however, as inflation reaccelerates.
In a nutshell: Trend is upwards; total inflation was 0.4% (annualized rate 4.8%) in August.
Not good!!!
Axios: Trump to Harvard: Hand over race data or face enforcement
The Trump administration warned Harvard on Friday that it would “face further enforcement action” if it refuses to turn over more information about the university’s use of race in admissions.
Why it matters: The warning continues the administration’s push to exert broad control over America’s higher-learning institutions as Trump seeks to eradicate what he calls “anti-white racism,” a reinterpretation at odds with the nation’s history.
What they’re saying: “No one – not even Harvard – is above the law,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a press release.
- “We will not allow any institution to disregard its obligation to uphold students’ civil rights.”
- “The Trump Administration will continue to use all legal tools available to restore accountability and transparency to our nation’s institutions.”
Yes, but: The Education Department hasn’t said what “further enforcement action” would mean, leaving the scope of potential consequences vague.
- The Education Department and Harvard did not respond to Axios’ request for comment.
Catch up quick: The Supreme Court ruled that colleges cannot consider an applicant’s race in the admissions process in 2023, effectively banning affirmative action.
- Trump also signed a memo in August requiring federally funded higher-education institutions to submit applicant data.
Zoom in: The administration launched its admissions investigation in May. Since then, it has routinely singled-out Harvard.
- The White House temporarily froze billions in federal funds.
- It restricted the school’s international student population.
- The administration also accused the school of antisemitism and discrimination.
Zoom out: Trump officials seek to eliminate the diversity, equity and inclusion policies intended to level the playing field for minorities in systems that once favored white people.
What we’re watching: The letter gives Harvard 20 days to hand over admissions data.
Trump to Harvard: Hand over race data or face enforcement
Harvard could face “enforcement action” over race data.
https://www.axios.com/2025/09/19/trump-harvard-race-admissions-data
CBS News: Trump administration to add $100,000 fee for H-1B visas
The Trump administration is adding $100,000 to the existing fee for H-1B visa applications, taking aim at a program that is used to attract highly skilled workers to the U.S.
President Trump signed an executive order late Friday adding the new visa application fee and barring H-1B workers from entering the U.S. unless they had made the $100,000 payment.
“We’re going to be able to keep people in our country that are going to be very productive people, and in many cases these companies are going to pay a lot of money for that, and they’re very happy about it,” Mr. Trump said.
The additional charge would impact employers including technology giants such as Amazon, IBM, Microsoft and Google, which have relied on the program to hire foreign workers.
The plan was reported earlier by Bloomberg News.
H-1B visas are already expensive, with the cost ranging from about $1,700 to $4,500, depending on whether the visa is expedited. The fees are typically considered a business expense for the employer.
The new fee comes amid a debate over the H-1B visa, which some critics say enables companies to hire foreign applicants at lower salaries than American workers. Some employers also award H-1Bs for entry-level roles rather than for senior positions with greater skill requirements, detractors of the program say.
Tech companies have been among the primary beneficiaries of the visa program. Amazon received the most H1-B visas of any business in 2024, Department of Labor data shows. This year, the online retailer remains the leading recipient of the visas, with more than 10,000 awarded, followed by Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Apple and Google.
“This will ensure that the people they’re bringing in are actually very highly skilled and that they’re not replaceable by American workers. So it’ll protect American workers, but ensure that companies have a pathway to hire truly extraordinary people and bring them to the United States,” a White House aide said.
Still, Stuart Anderson, executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, a nonpartisan research group, said the plan could backfire if it incentivizes U.S. companies to shift jobs overseas, especially in specialized areas like research and development.
“The second impact will further decrease the number of international students who have an interest in coming to study in the U.S. If there’s no opportunity work in the U.S., it’s much less likely they’ll enroll in U.S. programs,” Anderson told CBS News.
Last year, the most popular type of job for H-1B visas was software developer. To receive an H-1B visa, which is awarded by lottery, an applicant needs to have at least a bachelor’s degree in their field and have been offered a temporary job by a U.S. company.
President Trump plans to order the Labor Secretary to start a new rule-making process that would update wage levels for the program, Bloomberg reported. Currently, U.S. companies must offer the prevailing wage or the actual wage of similarly qualified workers, whichever is higher, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The program is capped at 65,000 new visas each year, although an additional 20,000 can be issued for employees with a master’s degree or higher, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The cap and higher-degree exemption quota is already filled for fiscal year 2026, according to the USCIS.
The H-1B program is already the most restrictive visa program in the U.S., with about 20% of applications resulting in approved workers, according to a March study from the nonpartisan National Foundation for American Policy.
Slingshot News: ‘They Don’t Have Crime’: Trump Gets Duped By His Own Delusions, Believes Crime Only Exists In America During Press Conference [Video]
During a press conference at the White House last month announcing his police takeover of Washington, D.C., Donald Trump foolishly claimed that other countries don’t have crime. “You know, a lot of nations, they don’t have anything like that… they got some police. But they’re rough police, and they do their job. They don’t have crime,” Trump ignorantly remarked.
‘They Don’t Have Crime’: Trump Gets Duped By His Own Delusions, Believes Crime Only Exists In America During Press Conference
During a press conference at the White House last month announcing his police takeover of Washington, D.C., Donald Trump foolishly claimed that other countries don’t have crime. “You know, a lot of nations, they don’t have anything like that… they got some police. But they’re rough police, and they do their job. They don’t have crime,” Trump ignorantly remarked.
Slingshot News: ‘I Haven’t Heard’: Trump Weasels His Way Out Of Accountability When Pressed On The Russia-Ukraine War During Signing Event [Video]
President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order for the 2028 Olympics Task Force last month at the White House. During his gaggle with the press, Trump dismissed a reporter’s concerns that Ukraine is allegedly conscripting elderly to fight in the war against Russia, claiming he doesn’t know about it. As usual, Trump was also quick to blame the war on former President Joe Biden.
‘I Haven’t Heard’: Trump Weasels His Way Out Of Accountability When Pressed On The Russia-Ukraine War During Signing Event
President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order for the 2028 Olympics Task Force last month at the White House. During his gaggle with the press, Trump dismissed a reporter’s concerns that Ukraine is allegedly conscripting elderly to fight in the war against Russia, claiming he doesn’t know about it. As usual, Trump was also quick to blame the war on former President Joe Biden.