Amanda Carpenter

Kudos to all members of the WSJ team who resisted legal threats from the president to do journalism about the president.

If I am understanding correctly this is DOGE's version of "gov't efficiency"

Blast an unbaked email, create mass confusion, make managers dream up their interpretation of the guidance, and then days later say, "Nevermind."

Then another email kicks off the whole process again.

Gov't efficiency!

The Maxwell interview is to the Epstein Files what the Barr Memo was to the Mueller investigation.

I feel like a lot of ppl are missing the big picture here with ICE in airports. (1/3)

The President is freely moving federal law enforcement officers—who have shown a willingness to engage in violent behavior with no meaningful accountability—around the country to solve his political problems.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com

Trump on airports: "We put ICE in charge"

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Matt Gaetz, James O’Keefe, and Laura Loomer have replaced the Pentagon press corps.

I am not kidding. Look at the thread below.

One of the military’s most critical lines of accountability is now a closed-circuit conspiracy carousel.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com

moments after Matt Gaetz asks a question at the Pentagon press briefing, Laura Loomer gets her turn

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It shouldn't be too much to ask that the next FBI Director be able to pass an FBI background check.

Fundraising and profiting off people who attacked the peaceful transfer of power should be disqualifying. As the very lowest of low baselines.

www.nytimes.com/2024/11/30/u...

Dear Democrats: If the Republicans want a vote from you, make them beg you for it.

Beg. Until then, do nothing.

Have a price and make it very high. Explain your offer well before the vote to the public.

Not this. You gave it for nada.

If someone tells you this charade was to celebrate the military show them this photo.

Who and what do you see at the center.

This propaganda shot cost millions of dollars to produce. Every element is intentional.

Amanda Carpenter @amandacarpenter.bsky.social

PBS News Hour: U.S. citizens detained by immigration agents describe how they were treated.

Watch the segment here www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMgC...

I'm clipping transcripts of the citizens speaking in this thread 1/3

It’s not illegal to criticize the president.

This isn’t your signal to criticize him less, it’s to criticize him more for statements like this.

He can’t single all of us out.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com

Trump at the DOJ: "I believe that CNN and MSNDC, who literally write 97.6% bad about me, are political arms of the Democrat Party. And in my opinion, they are really corrupt and they are illegal. What they do is illegal."

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Trump is now deploying the Marines to Florida to aid ICE operations. The US military should not be operating on US soil like this.
abcnews.go.com/Politics/200...

200 Marines among those being sent to Florida to help ICE

The Trump Administration is sending 200 Marines to Florida to aid federal immigration enforcement officers.

The author of this article refused to sign an NDA, giving up severance and healthcare benefits to tell this story.

If you didn't read it already, read it.

Because he refused, we may be able to stop the Kennedy Center from being sold for parts and turned into a gaudy MAGA fundraising warehouse.

Jack Hutton 🇺🇸 @jackhutton.bsky.social

An important read. [The Atlantic-gift article]: What I Saw Inside the Kennedy Center I spent 10 months working at the institution because I thought I could help protect it. What I observed there is far worse than the public knows.By Josef Palermo www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

What I Saw Inside the Kennedy Center

I spent 10 months working at the institution because I thought I could help protect it. What I observed there is far worse than the public knows.

Bad news: The Kennedy tarp is still up.

Good news: It doubles as an incredible projector screen for showing films of Trump and Epstein.

Don’t let them tell you he’s joking.

He’s putting armed troops in the streets.

Not a joke. Not a drill.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com

Trump: "The line is that I'm a dictator, but I stop crime. So a lot of people say, 'You know, if that's the case, I'd rather have a dictator.'"

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What the Trump Admin is telling you.

-Don't record ICE
-Don't carry a gun around ICE
-Don't ask ICE for a warrant.

So that takes out the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments.

Here the WSJ states plainly Trump’s retribution presidency is “worse than we imagined.”

No one had to imagine anything. He said he would do this. All you had to do was listen.

Richard Tofel @dicktofel.bsky.social

At some point the WSJ editorial page just needs to admit they were wrong to support Trump’s re-election www.wsj.com/opinion/john...

Opinion | Trump’s Vendetta Campaign Targets John Bolton

This FBI raid makes clearer that second-term success for the President includes retribution.

Liz Cheney responds to Trump latest. Bravo.

Enrique Tarrio showed up at Principles First yesterday to harass Michael Fanone, Harry Dunn, and Aquilino Gonell.
Today, Principles First had to evacuate due to a credible bomb threat.

But, the real news is that they quickly regrouped and continued. The show goes on.

Way to go friends.

I do hope the business community takes note of the fact that while Trump is wrecking their supply chain with tariffs, he thinks he’s free import a foreign jet for free.

Buy American? Lolz

He’s grounding Air Force One for his Qatari air palace.

It’s all revolting autocratic corruption.

We are in a difficult moment and it’s imperative we that are not distracted by shiny objects—hello Gulf of America!—and focus on the things that will really matter long term.

Stick w me for a little thread pls.

Trump is arming the National Guard and taking them away from their jobs and families to pick up trash around Lafayette Square, the National Mall, and the Tidal Basin.
www.fox5dc.com/news/nationa...

National Guard members activated for DC federal takeover seen picking-up trash

A full busload of National Guard members were seen Tuesday morning picking up trash around Lafayette Park, just outside of the White House.

DC didn't vote for Trump.

Not in 2016. Not in 2020. Not in 2024.

You can disagree with how DC is run. But there is no emergency that requires the deployment of red state troops to police this very blue city.

Trump has no right to overrun Bowser and take it over.

And, also, this hat is ridiculous

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com

Trump: "Mayor Bowser better get her act straight or she won't be mayor very long because we'll take it over with the federal government and run it like it's supposed to be run ... it was a crime-invested rat hole."

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“I thought we were supposed to be in a new era of meritocracy. Not the indiscriminate firing of people,” said one Republican congressional aide granted anonymity to speak candidly.

www.politico.com/news/2025/02...

The private GOP panic over the slash-and-burn DOGE firings

White House aides are inundated with congressional calls as Republicans fret.

I feel awful for our expert civil servants who faithfully served our country only to be fired by unqualified, uncaring, irresponsible men who couldn't even make it one year doing government work.

Looking at you Elon and Bongino.