I'm Thrilled That a Judge Ruled Against Trump's Insane Ballroom Plans

The above New Yorker cartoon was drawn a number of years ago (2008), but I am sharing it now because I want you to think about this scenario. We have to win in the midterms; anticipate how it will make you feel. VOTE.

Trump is seeming more and more desperate. It has not been a good few days for him, and the war is going very badly. We cannot trust anything he says in that regard, or, frankly, in any regard. He’s flailing.

Of all the things that are happening, I have to say this makes me very happy. A judge halted Trump’s ballroom construction. In a 35-page opinion, Judge Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote that Trump did not have the authority to act on his own, without consulting Congress, to make changes to the White House — changes that could endure for generations.

Trump is now arguing that the ballroom will have a drone-proof roof and bomb shelters, bulletproof glass, “air-handling systems,” “biodefense all over,” “secure telecommunications and communications all over,” a hospital and “major medical facilities.”

“We have all of these things,” Mr. Trump said. “So that’s called: I am allowed to continue building as necessary.”

That certainly won’t fly.

And he’s trying to take over mail-in voting, which the president has no authority to do. Yesterday, he promoted his false claims of widespread voting fraud, and signed an executive order of “questionable constitutionality seeking to create a national list of citizens that would determine voting eligibility and restrict mail ballots.” He does these executive orders and makes them very public so that many Americans think it’s law, and then don’t vote by mail. Even though they can. Executive orders do not make something lawful.

It continues to be a bad week for Trump. A federal judge ruled that the Trump had illegally demanded that groups seeking homelessness grants comply with its agenda on immigration, transgender rights and other unrelated issues. Ilegal.

Another of Trump’s executive orders was shot down yesteday: a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that much of Trump’s order stripping NPR and PBS of funds was unconstitutional.

A victory for the First Amendment!

As I type, Trump apparently is on his way to attend oral arguments at the Supreme Court as they discuss the Birthright Citizenship Case. If he does sit in, it will be an historic first; no president has ever done this before. Of course it is a publicity stunt. The court is most likely not going to rule as he wants them to, which is to end birthright citizenship.

Heather Cox Richardshon shared a social media post from Trump this morning, which he posted at 4am:

“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, to to the Strait, and just TAKE IT. You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil! President DJT”

This is madness. He also told aids he doesn’t care if the Strait of Hormuz (through which much of the world’s oil must pass through) opens, which is incredibly irresponsible. He started this war.

Even right wing radio talk show host Alex Jones said that Trump’s erratic behavior in handling this war is due to age: “Trump’s run off the edge of a cliff, and I don’t think he’s coming back from it,” Jones said. He urged MAGA to move on without Trump.

“We cut bait on Trump and we mobilize against the Democrats,” he said.

“Trump is just a minor figure.”

No Epstein File news today, which is just as Trump wants it. But I am sure many many people are working behind the scenes to expose more.

Thanks for being here, have a great Wednesday. The weather is spectacular here in New York. See you soon!