Observing the first two weeks of the Trump administration has been an exhausting and dispiriting experience. His cabinet appointees in virtually every case are people lacking in qualifications beyond their unswerving loyalty to this president.
Many of them harbor oddly marginal, even extremist ideas, as if Trump considers that in and of itself a virtue. Yet they’re apparently all going to be confirmed by a compliant Republican-controlled Senate. (RFK Jr. is considered a “coin toss.”)
As they make their public appearances, these incoming officials repeat many of the same political platitudes that got Trump elected. They loudly denounce “illegal” immigrants, DEI hires, transgender people and of course the Democrats, asserting they are to blame for just about every problem facing the American people at large. Collectively, they resemble a mob of mindless zombies staggering toward the situation room.
On Thursday, Trump reminded them who’s boss by taking center stage at a press briefing on the tragic airplane crash in Washington, D.C., only to voice his preposterous claim that DEI hiring practices at the FCC played a role in the tragedy. Asked by a reporter what evidence he had that diversity was the cause, Trump replied “I have common sense.”
Above all else, the man has the unique ability to plant politically useful images in his followers’ minds. And he never misses an opportunity to further undermine their trust in the very government institutions he is bent on neutralizing in his drive for absolute power.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, we can almost guarantee that when the NTSB issues its report on the causes of the crash, the diversity hiring initiatives at FCC will not make the list.
It seems far more likely that the military helicopter involved in the collision was conducting its training mission far too close to the commercial air lanes, and there are reports the air traffic control tower was understaffed at the time of the crash. Usually a combination of things must go wrong to precipitate a disaster like this one.
But by the time the NTSB concludes its investigation, the false image created by Trump of “intellectually challenged” air traffic controllers will have been so thoroughly metabolized by the MAGA base that it will have joined the many other bits and pieces of disinformation he uses to frighten them into submission and lock-step fealty.
Then perhaps, school children in places like Oklahoma and Arkansas will be starting off their days not only with mandatory prayers but with that new national anthem: “My Trumpy, ‘Tis of Thee, Sweet God of Liberty, of Thee I Sing.”
HEADLINES:
Canada and Mexico face 25% tariffs on Saturday, Trump says (BBC)
Airport control tower was understaffed before collision. (WP)
Donald Trump Is Just Watching This Crisis Unfold (Atlantic)
Without evidence, Trump blames predecessors, diversity programs for fatal air collision (WP)
Trump takes aim, without evidence, at diversity policies over midair collision (Reuters)
Air Traffic Control and the DEI Debate (TNR)
With Sweeping Executive Orders, Trump Tests Local Control of Schools (NYT)
Trump signed a broad executive order further targeting trans students, with LGBTQ+ advocates saying the order threatens teachers who openly support their trans students. The order further calls to restore a committee meant to promote "patriotic education" around early American history. [HuffPost]
Defying Legal Limits, Trump Firings Set Up Tests That Could Expand His Power (NYT)
Tulsi Gabbard refuses to call Edward Snowden a "traitor" (Axios)
Tesla’s profits slide over 70 percent in the fourth quarter (Verge)
Chaotic crowds complicate third Israel-Hamas exchange (Al Jazeera)
US military deportation flight likely cost more than first class (Reuters)
US foreign aid freeze is upending global aid and the work of contractors (CNN)
Denmark Orders Ships for Greenland After Trump Demands (Bloomberg)
Trump’s tariffs loom and even his supporters in Texas are nervous (Texas Tribune)
Headed for technofascism’: the rightwing roots of Silicon Valley (Guardian)
Trump’s move to end birthright citizenship is an attempt to undo the Civil War (MSNBC)
The Trump executive orders and actions that are having immediate impacts (WP)
RFK Jr. stumbles over basics of Medicare, Medicaid during Senate confirmation hearings (CNBC)
USDA inspector general escorted out of her office after defying White House (Reuters)
The civil service was once politicized. Then a president was assassinated. (WP)
Trump threatens to cancel student visas of pro-Palestinian protesters (SFC)
Inside Amazon's plan to cut managers: More direct reports, fewer senior hires, and pay cuts (Business Insider)
The current news is overwhelming and disorienting. But there are concrete steps we can take right now to fight for what's right — Noah Michelson has updated his mega-list. [HuffPost]
Marianne Faithfull, singer-songwriter and 1960s pop star, dies at 78 (WP)
Apple’s Flagging AI Hopes Get Revival From DeepSeek’s Emergence (Bloomberg)
U.S. Copyright Office says AI generated content can be copyrighted — if a human contributes to or edits it (Venture Beat)
The Knives Are Coming Out for DeepSeek AI (Gizmodo)
Why DeepSeek could mark a turning point for Silicon Valley on AI (CNN)
The real meaning of the DeepSeek drama (The Economist)
China’s DeepSeek AI prowess is a wake-up call for Big Energy (WP)
Disturbing New Study Finds American 5th-Graders Only Absorbing Targeted Advertisements At 1st-Grade Level (The Onion)
TODAY’s ARCHIVAL VIDEO:
Marianne Faithfull - Come And Stay With Me (R.I.P.) We’ve lost another 60s icon.
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