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Trump Tyranny Tracker | Day 623: Oct. 8, 2026
The badges of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are seen as they patrol the halls of an immigration court in New York in May. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images/File
Welcome to today’s Trump Tyranny Tracker…
DOJ targeting a key January 6 witness, ICE investigating millions of voter records, and a Russian oil deal involving investors connected to Trump’s inner circle are among today’s top stories.
Today at a Glance
ICE reviewed close to 100 million voter records as part of Trump’s BS “election fraud” investigation.
The Justice Department is investigating former January 6 witness Cassidy Hutchinson.
A Russian oil deal involves investors connected to Jared Kushner and Trump’s other cronies.
What We Need to Pay Attention To
ICE reviewed tens of millions of voter records looking for noncitizen voters, records show
What Happened: Internal DHS documents show ICE investigators obtained two datasets containing approximately 99 million voter records and other records for a nationwide investigation into Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread election fraud. Investigators also targeted voter registration nonprofits and considered undercover operations, despite no credible evidence of widespread noncitizen voting. The documents also reference plans to use Palantir software.
Why It Matters: Trump is using ICE to pursue his election fraud lies. With the midterms approaching, immigration agents are accessing millions of voter records and investigating voter registration groups, expanding federal law enforcement’s involvement in elections.
Source: CNN
Corruption News
Photo shows top Trump aide’s daughter with pro-Russia politician in Bosnia
What Happened: Katie Wiles, daughter of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, was photographed with pro-Russian politician Željko Budimir, interior minister of the pro-Russian Republika Srpska, during her visit to Bosnia. Wiles works for a lobbying firm representing Republika Srpska. Two senior Trump political advisers also traveled to Bosnia to help Milorad Dodik’s party in local elections.
Why It Matters: Trump’s inner circle has extensive ties to Russia and its proxies. The connections to Dodik’s circle are another example of how deeply these relationships extend into Trump’s family, advisers, and cronies.
Source: CBS News
US consumer watchdog examiners adopt lighter touch amid pressure and threats, sources say
What Happened: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau examiners are conducting less rigorous reviews under pressure from Trump-appointed officials and threats to their jobs. More than half of examinations this spring received expedited reviews, and the agency selected about 70 companies for inspection this year, roughly half its usual number.
Why It Matters: Trump officials are weakening the agency responsible for protecting Americans from financial abuse. Banks and other financial companies face fewer inspections and less scrutiny, leaving consumers more vulnerable to predatory lending, hidden fees, and other abuses.
Source: Reuters
Power Consolidation
Elon Musk’s America PAC Is Quietly Funding November’s Most Consequential Elections
What Happened: Elon Musk’s America PAC is spending millions in closely contested Senate races ahead of the midterms. The PAC is spending nearly $3 attacking Democratic candidates for every $1 it spends supporting Republicans.
Why It Matters: Musk is pouring money into Senate races to help Republicans gain control of Congress. His spending is another example of how billionaires use their wealth to influence elections.
Source: WIRED
Weaponization of Institutions
DOJ grand jury investigating former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson
What Happened: The Justice Department is investigating Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide who testified against Trump during the January 6 investigation. Prosecutors have presented evidence to a federal grand jury and are investigating allegations that she lied to Congress, along with possible civil rights charges. The case is being handled by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division under Trump ally Harmeet Dhillon.
Why It Matters: The Justice Department is investigating a key witness who testified about his actions during the January 6 insurrection. The investigation puts other witnesses on notice that testifying against Trump can lead to federal harassment.
Source: The Washington Post
Homeland Security targets Democratic campaign after ICE arrest in Pennsylvania
What Happened: DHS issued a press release attacking Democratic congressional candidate Janelle Stelson after ICE arrested a Nigerian man in Pennsylvania, claiming he worked for her campaign. Stelson’s campaign denied any connection, and campaign finance records showed no payments to him. The watchdog group CREW filed a complaint alleging a violation of the Hatch Act.
Source: Associated Press
Why FBI Officials Are Worried About the Midterms
What Happened: More than 40 sources described growing concerns inside the FBI over Kash Patel’s focus on Trump’s 2020 election lies and investigations targeting his political opponents. Agents have sought legal guidance about possible election-related orders. This comes as the FBI has pulled back its normal election preparation.
Source: The Atlantic
Pentagon barred Qatar base access to hide Iran war damage, US senator claims
What Happened: The Pentagon recently denied Sen. Chris Murphy access to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Murphy accused Pentagon officials of hiding the extent of the damage by Iran and the war’s costs. The Defense Department cited existing restrictions on travel to the region.
Why It Matters: Congress has a duty to oversee military operations and spending. Blocking a senator from inspecting a U.S. base damaged during Trump’s war with Iran prevents lawmakers from independently assessing the damage and holding Trump and the Pentagon accountable.
Source: Military Times
Trump approved Ohio disaster aid ahead of rally
What Happened: Trump approved millions in disaster aid for Ohio one day before campaigning for Republican Sen. Jon Husted, with 15 other disaster requests still pending. At the rally, Trump credited Republican senators for securing the funding and suggested he would not help Ohio’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
Why It Matters: Trump is treating federal disaster assistance as a political reward. During the first 14 months of his term, he approved 89% of disaster requests from Republican-led states, compared with just 23% from states led by Democratic governors and senators.
Source: Politico
Media Suppression & Authoritarian Tactics
Supreme Court, for Now, Sides With Trump Administration in TV Ad Fight
What Happened: Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily blocked a lower court order requiring the FCC to finish reviewing rules that would extend discounted television advertising rates to political parties and joint fundraising committees. Trump officials sought Supreme Court intervention after Democratic candidates challenged the changes ahead of the midterms.
Why It Matters: The proposed changes would allow wealthy political committees to buy more television advertising at discounted rates, giving parties with larger fundraising operations an advantage in the final weeks before the midterms.
Source: New York Times
Human & Civil Rights Abuses
Mamdani Says Child Was in Car When ICE Shot Man in New York
What Happened: An ICE agent shot and wounded a man during an immigration operation in New York City. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said agents surrounded the vehicle and fired multiple rounds while a five-year-old child was inside. The child was unharmed, and Mamdani called on Trump to end ICE operations in the city.
Why It Matters: ICE agents opened fire on a vehicle with a young child inside, putting the child’s life in danger. The shooting adds to growing scrutiny of ICE agents’ use of deadly force during immigration operations.
Source: Bloomberg
Pentagon Says Fort Hood Shooter Execution Will Be Livestreamed
What Happened: The Pentagon plans to livestream the December 3 firing-squad execution of Nidal Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009. Trump approved the execution on October 2 at the recommendation of Hegseth, who said he wanted the public to watch.
Why It Matters: Trump and Hegseth are turning a military execution into a public spectacle, broadcasting state-sanctioned killing the same way terrorist organizations and brutal regimes do. Not to mention this will be a recruitment video for terrorists. This goes against everything America stands for.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Trump Administration Plans to Have Its Own Lawyers Represent Migrant Kids
What Happened: Trump officials plan to assign government lawyers to represent unaccompanied migrant children in immigration court, where other government lawyers are seeking their deportation. Trump previously canceled a contract with independent legal organizations after they refused to hand over confidential information about the children.
Source: Mother Jones
Judge Accuses ICE of Falsifying Documents to Cover Up Illegal Arrests
What Happened: Trump-appointed federal Judge Gary Brown ruled that ICE agents illegally arrested and detained a man in New York City, then falsified official documents to justify their actions. The judge found that agents fabricated an administrative warrant and gave testimony bearing “all the hallmarks of coordinated fabrication.”
Why It Matters: ICE agents illegally arrested someone, falsified government records, and gave false testimony to justify their actions. Federal agents continue to break the law and then try to cover it up, even in court.
Source: The Washington Sun
Government Disruption
How the Trump Administration Is Eroding Airline Passengers’ Rights
What Happened: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has rolled back or proposed weakening airline passenger protections covering hidden fees, ticket prices, flight disruptions, and disability accommodations. His department has also dropped investigations into major airlines and has not issued a single fine against an airline since he took office.
Why It Matters: Trump officials are stripping away passenger protections and letting airlines operate with less oversight. Americans will deal with more hidden fees, fewer options for compensation, and less protection when airlines mistreat them.
Source: New York Times
Trump administration paving way for temporary sale of some unapproved peptides
What Happened: Trump officials are developing a plan to temporarily allow compounding pharmacies to sell certain previously restricted peptides. RFK Jr. supports the move despite warnings from FDA scientists and medical experts that many of these products have not been adequately tested for safety or effectiveness.
Source: The Washington Post
Imperial & Geopolitical Watch
Pentagon Draws Up New Iran Strike Plans as Trump Hesitates
What Happened: The Pentagon has developed plans for a three-day bombing campaign targeting Iran’s missile and drone arsenals, energy facilities, and military headquarters. Three U.S. aircraft carriers are heading to the region. Trump has rejected five previous proposals for major strikes and said that he would not attack Iran before the midterms.
Source: New York Times
EU drops sponsorship of disinformation conference at Trump officials’ request
What Happened: The State Department pressured European governments to withdraw support from a disinformation conference in Lithuania after organizers scheduled a panel examining the United States as a potential source of foreign information manipulation. Lithuania, Canada, and the EU’s diplomatic service withdrew their sponsorship.
Why It Matters: Trump is pressuring American allies to shut down scrutiny of U.S. disinformation and influence operations. His interference also damages cooperation with European countries working to expose Russian propaganda and foreign interference.
Source: The Guardian
Rubio Says US Unapologetic About Power in Warning to Europe
What Happened: Marco Rubio told European allies during a speech in Greece that the United States would pursue national power “unapologetically.” He warned of Western decline and criticized European countries for weakening their militaries and surrendering sovereignty to international institutions.
Source: Bloomberg
Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
In Trump’s Russian Oil Deal, Middle East Funds Are the Biggest Owners
What Happened: A proposed multibillion-dollar deal to acquire Russian oil giant Lukoil’s sanctioned international assets would give majority ownership to Middle Eastern investors, including business partners of Jared Kushner and investors connected to U.S. negotiators. Trump donor Todd Boehly is leading the investor group, while the U.S. government would receive a roughly 15% stake.
Source: New York Times
Economic News
U.S. Budget Deficit Jumps to Nearly $2 Trillion
What Happened: The federal budget deficit reached $1.993 trillion in fiscal year 2026, up 12% from 2025 and the highest since 2021, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Federal spending increased 6% to $7.4 trillion, while revenue rose just 3% to $5.4 trillion.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Inflation on many everyday items was entirely due to tariffs, NY Fed says
What Happened: New York Federal Reserve researchers found that Trump’s tariffs increased prices across 67 categories of consumer goods by 2.9 percentage points as of February 2026. Without the tariffs, prices for those goods would have fallen by nearly 1%.
Source: CNBC
Resistance
Check out 50501 for local and nationwide events…
Source: 50501
By the Numbers
99 million — Voter and other records obtained by ICE investigators for Trump’s nationwide BS election fraud investigation.
$1.993 trillion — The federal budget deficit in fiscal year 2026, up 12% from the previous year.
2.9 percentage points — The increase in prices across 67 categories of consumer goods attributed to Trump’s tariffs.
89% vs. 23% — Disaster assistance requests approved by Trump from Republican-led states versus Democratic-led states during the first 14 months of his term.
15% — Approximate stake the U.S. would receive under the proposed deal involving Lukoil’s sanctioned international assets.
What to Watch Next
ICE Is Investigating Voter Records Ahead of the Midterms — How far will Trump expand federal immigration enforcement in elections?
Trump’s Justice Department Is Investigating a January 6 Witness — Will other witnesses who testified against Trump face federal investigations?
A Russian Oil Deal Awaits Treasury Approval — Will Trump lift sanctions to approve a transaction involving investors connected to his family and political allies?
The Pentagon Is Preparing New Strikes Against Iran — Will Trump authorize another major bombing campaign after the midterms?
Key Takeaways
Election Interference — ICE is investigating millions of voter records, the FBI is pursuing Trump’s election fraud lies, and the Justice Department is investigating a key January 6 witness.
Mass Corruption — A proposed Russian oil deal involves investors connected to Trump’s inner circle, while his political allies have ties to pro-Russian politicians abroad.
Civil Rights and Oversight — ICE agents are accused of falsifying records and violating constitutional rights, while Trump officials are cutting consumer protections and denying migrant children independent legal representation.
Rising Costs — The federal deficit has reached nearly $2 trillion, and Trump’s tariffs are driving up prices for consumers.
War and Alliances — The Pentagon is planning another major bombing campaign against Iran, while Trump officials are pressuring European allies over efforts to investigate disinformation.
Call to Action
Document Everything: Document purges, corruption, and power grabs. Share credible information with journalists, watchdogs, and legal experts. Silence enables authoritarianism—see something, say something.
Defend Press Freedom: Support independent journalism by subscribing to and sharing reporting that challenges Trump’s power grab.
Contact Lawmakers: Demand accountability for Trump’s unchecked power and war on oversight.
Mobilize for Action: Organize or join legal efforts and resistance movements to protect democracy and human and civil rights.
Support Whistleblowers: Encourage legal defense funds for government workers facing retaliation for exposing corruption.
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Preorder My New Book…
Putin’s Pawns takes you on a journey from the earliest days of the Cold War and Soviet KGB active measures through Russia’s attacks on Western elections, the rise of the far right, Trump and Russia, the genocidal war against Ukraine, influence operations across Europe, and the shadow war unfolding today.
It is the story of how Moscow spent decades learning to exploit the weaknesses of democracies and how those tactics brought us to this moment.
Preorder now
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Thanks for reading the Trump Tyranny Tracker. Stay tuned for more updates.
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New in SpyWeek: Kash Heads to Kremlin Amid Trump ‘Deal’ with Putin, Attack on Zelenskyy, NATO Alarms Over Russian Aggression
Among FBI Director Kash Patel’s many extracurricular pleasures, he plays hockey in a DC-area beer league. His security team tags along. (João Fazenda for The New Yorker)
Strange Trip: Both present and former FBI and DOJ officials are troubled over FBI Director Kash Patel’s reported plans this week to visit Russia as a likely guest of the FSB, Moscow’s murderous domestic repression and foreign assassinations service— especially now with President Trump making nice with Vladimir Putin and urging regime change in Ukraine. After a recent ”quiet campaign” by senior FBI officials to dissuade Patel went unanswered, they reached out to the ranking Democrats on the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees, Jim Himes (CT) and Jamie Raskin (MD), who sent a letter to Patel asking him “to reconsider” and “call off this trip,” Sarah Fitzpatrick reported in The Atlantic, He hasn’t responded. (Maybe he was too busy playing beer-league hockey.) “Christopher O’Leary, a former senior executive in the FBI’s counterterrorism division [said] he and others found the timing of the trip bizarre, especially given the pressure that FBI leadership is putting on agents to substantiate election conspiracy theories at home that Russian intelligence services continuously amplify,” Fitzpatrick added. “If there was real concern about interference in our elections,” O’Leary said, “then the FBI director should be in the United States leading the effort around the clock,” not going to Moscow. SpyTalk’s Dolia Estévez reported Friday on a suspected Russian intelligence service plot to use Mexican hitmen to take out Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent exile based in Washington, D.C.
KGB Dump: Some 20 Finnish lawmakers suspect it’s Russian agents who’ve been breaking into their homes and leaving their legendary calling cards: a dump in their toilets. CIA officers in Russia have long found such fecal gifts awaiting them at home. Kash’s security team can expect the same.
Former German Spy Chief Arrested: A former head of the BND, Germany’s foreign intelligence service, who played a key role in the George W. Bush administration’s mistaken case for WMD in Iraq, has been arrested and charged with “treasonous espionage,” along with a former aide who’s been arrested for “aiding and abetting” the scheme. August Hanning, 80, led the BND 1998 to 2005 under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, followed by a term as state secretary in the Interior Ministry in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet until 2009, after which, according to Der Spiegel, he built up a roster of controversial clients, including Russian businessmen and bankers, and allegedly “prepared an analysis for the Azerbaijani intelligence service.” His former chief of staff (identified only as Manfred D. following German privacy rules) stayed on at the BND and was paid to supply him with a stream of classified information over a 12-year period until 2022, German prosecutors said. In 2002, according to reports, ”Hanning played a big role in the Curveball affair, the unnamed source for moveable WMD labs in Iraq, which Colin Powell mentioned in his speech to the UN making the case for war. It turned out to be false.” In his 2007 memoir, At the Center of the Storm, then-CIA Director George Tenet bitterly described how he was played by Hanning and his own aides. More schuhes to drop on this one.
Rush to Judgment: The CIA and Justice Department have settled on a plea deal to avoid a public trial of former senior CIA exec David Rush, who, beyond his admitted grand larceny, reportedly confessed that in late 2025 he had disclosed “certain descriptive information of a U.S. government clandestine human source” that could “endanger the safety and life of the human source and the U.S. government officers working with the source,” as well as jeopardize America’s “ability to recruit human sources, who rely on the U.S. government’s assurance of absolute secrecy,” as NBC put it.
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Judicial Notice (10.11.26): Audition
Outside the New York headquarters of Sullivan & Cromwell, at 125 Broad Street in Lower Manhattan (photo by David Lat).
This week’s Judicial Notice is sponsored by
Chambers-ranked and Harvard-educated, Jeff is the trusted closer for high-stakes disputes. His battle-tested system of managed communications empowers clients to make clear, strong decisions in a calm, informed environment. It makes the right resolution obvious. If settlement seems impossible, call him.
Greetings from Florida, where our family is spending a long weekend. Harlan has Monday and Tuesday off from school for a brief fall break, so we decided to celebrate his recent ninth birthday by bringing him and his little brother Chase down to Orlando. We’re hanging out with friends and checking out two of the area’s famed theme parks: Universal Epic Universe, which we visited yesterday, and Magic Kingdom, which we’re hitting tomorrow (recommendations welcome).
Speaking of recs, what’s my weekly wisdom for this edition of Judicial Notice? I’ll go with something controversial: if you’re a Wordle devotee, try out “CLASP” as your starter word. I’ve cycled through a number of them over the years, including “SLATE” and “AUDIO,” but “CLASP” is my current favorite.
I’m sure someone can explain why some other word is statistically superior. But my understanding is that once you reach a certain level of starter-word “reasonableness,” the differences are negligible, so there’s room for discretion and personal preference. I like “CLASP” because (1) it’s a “real” word, as opposed to a “word you’d use only in Wordle” word (like “SALET” or “TARES”), and (2) it’s viscerally appealing, unlike words such as “moist” or “crevice” (or, God forbid, “moist crevice”). “CLASP” makes me think of embraces and jewelry—what’s not to like?
Now, on to the news—which was, for the first time in weeks if not months, manageable to cover. But I’m still doing a Judicial Notice post and a separate supplement (for reasons related to our schedule while on this mini-vacation).
Lawyer of the Week: Mathew Rosengart.
In my podcast interview of Mathew Rosengart of Greenberg Traurig, one of the nation’s most in-demand litigators, we discussed how he decides which clients and cases to take on. He said he tries to find matters that “move the law”—cases that matter not just to the parties, but also to society at large.
Over his four decades of practicing law, Rosengart has handled many such matters—including his work helping to free Britney Spears from an onerous conservatorship five years ago this fall. And it looks like—oops!—he did it again.
Let’s begin with some background (via The New York Times). From 2018 to 2019, the Grammy-winning singer FKA twigs dated the actor Shia LaBeouf. The relationship ended badly, and in 2020, FKA twigs (born Tahliah Debrett Barnett) sued LaBeouf, alleging sexual battery and assault. That lawsuit was resolved in 2025—through a settlement that included a nondisclosure agreement.
In October 2025, Barnett told The Hollywood Reporter that even though her relationship with LaBeouf was in the rearview mirror, “I wouldn’t say I feel safe. I feel really passionate about being involved with organizations such as Sistah Space and No More, to help survivors in any way that I can.” Last December, LaBeouf brought an arbitration complaint against Barnett, alleging that these comments violated the NDA.
In March, represented by Rosengart, Barnett sued LaBeouf. She sought to invalidate the NDA for violating California’s STAND Act, a 2018 law generally banning confidentiality provisions in settlements of sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination cases. That statute was passed as part of a broader campaign for similar federal and state laws, as described in a Times guest essay by Gretchen Carlson—who famously sued then-Fox News CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment and later co-founded Lift Our Voices, a nonprofit focused on ending the use of NDAs and forced-arbitration agreements in cases involving workplace harassment.
Last Tuesday, Rosengart announced that Barnett was dropping her lawsuit against LaBeouf—after getting exactly the relief she sought from the start, namely, the ability to speak freely about their relationship. According to Rosengart, the resolution of the case “represents an important victory for the principle that women who speak out about sexual abuse should not be silenced by NDAs that contravene California law,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Congratulations to Rosengart on securing yet another successful outcome for a client—as well as his recent recognition as one of Forbes Magazine’s Top 250 Lawyers and one of The Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers (for the fifth time).
Judge of the Week: Judge James Ho.
In Pittsburgh Logistics Systems, Incorporated v. Glen Rose Transportation Management, a unanimous panel of the Fifth Circuit affirmed a judgment against PLS in a trade-secrets case, in a per curiam opinion that runs only a shade over three pages. But Judge James Ho filed a concurrence—and when Judge Ho writes separately, you know he won’t be boring (whether you agree with him or not).
A corporate representative of Glen Rose, the defendant in the case, sent a series of ex parte emails to Magistrate Judge Derek Gilliland (W.D. Tex.), complaining that the judge was moving too slowly in his handling of the case. One email said, “I have many friends who are… Texas congressmen, U.S. representatives, and one close U.S. Senator,” and went on to state that the email’s author was “consider[ing] asking my Texas friends to write to you and ask why I have to continue waiting.” As explained by Judge Ho, this email “was sent at a time when it was publicly known and reported by the media that [Judge Gilliland] was actively being considered and promoted in certain circles for appointment to the district court.”
For reasons not germane here, the ex parte communications ultimately had no bearing on the disposition of the appeal. But they did give rise to the concurrence by Judge Ho, in which he wrote as follows:
[T]he message [of the correspondence]—intended or not—was an indictment on the judge’s honor. It was effectively an accusation—fair or unfair—that the judge might be willing to use his rulings to further his own personal career ambitions….
Any judge who abuses his office to promote his own interests—including the desire for future appointment—has violated the judicial oath and doesn’t belong in his current post, let alone whatever new post he seeks.
There are, to be sure, both honorable and dishonorable people on the bench—just as there are in every other segment of life. Just as there are no doubt those on the bench who have strong ambitions for future office, there are others who are happy to be public servants, but who would be just as happy earning their living by some other means.
For the outside observer, however, it can be difficult to discern which is which. And therein lies the quandary for the dutiful judge. How should a good judge respond when it’s suggested that his exercise of judicial authority might be tainted by his private, personal desire for elevation to another post?
What’s the significance of this discussion, coming from Judge Ho? As explained by Jacqueline Thomsen of Bloomberg Law, Ho is a first-term Trump appointee “who is often accused of auditioning for the Supreme Court.”
So one can see why Judge Ho might have felt this situation merited comment. Later in the concurrence, he wrote these words—a not-so-subtle response to critics who call him an “auditioner”:
No one has the power to look into another man’s heart and ascertain his actual motivations or ambitions. So the accusation of auditioning is indeed irrefutable. Certain actions may seem like auditioning to some, but to others, it’s simply doing the job as the judge best sees fit.
There’s no solution. So the good judge simply accepts that criticism is a fact of life—and that unrebuttable charges come with the job. The First Amendment guarantees the right of every citizen to criticize public officials—whether the criticism is fair or unfair….
Speaking of Judge Ho and the First Amendment, check out his dissent from the denial of rehearing en banc in Evans v. Garza, as well as the dissental of a fellow SCOTUS shortlister who has also been accused of auditioning, Judge Andrew Oldham. These dissentals could be viewed as ringing defenses of the First Amendment or still more auditioning—or maybe both. Per Law360, Evans concerns “the constitutionality of enforcing a Texas privacy law against a plaintiff who tweeted a photo of a trans woman in a bathroom”—the sort of culture-war, hot-button issue that lends itself to auditioning.
Back to Judge Ho’s concurrence in Pittsburgh Logistics Systems:
Public criticism is not for everyone. But if it’s too much to take, you can always resign. Federal judges receive life tenure—not a life sentence.
I like this language—and could see myself quoting it at some point in the future. But Ho critics would probably dismiss it as the Article III version of a Deep Thought by Jack Handey (for those of you old enough to get that reference).
For additional perspectives on Judge Ho’s latest musings, see this positive Volokh Conspiracy post by Josh Blackman, who’s quoted prominently in the Ho concurrence, and this critical Above the Law story by Joe Patrice, who accuses Judge Ho of “hijack[ing] an opinion to indirectly vent about how it bruises his delicate feelings when he’s accused of turning his judicial office into a relentless and desperate bid to remain MAGA Employee of the Month.”
Job of the Week: an opportunity for litigation associates in San Francisco.
Lateral Link is working with a high-end litigation boutique founded by former Biglaw attorneys that is seeking an associate to join its San Francisco team. The firm offers a rare combination of sophisticated trial work, strong mentorship, competitive compensation, and quality of life, with just 1,650 billable hours required for bonus eligibility. Associates handle both plaintiff- and defense-side matters, including business contingency cases, intellectual property, and employment disputes. Teams are staffed leanly, providing meaningful responsibility, hands-on training, and direct access to trial-tested partners from day one. There is no formal in-office requirement. Flexible start dates are available for candidates who prefer to join in 2027 after receiving their year-end bonuses. If interested, please contact Sean Hamrin at shamrin at laterallink dot com to learn more about this unique opportunity.
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Projection / discussion . Jeux vidéo et politique
Quand ?
Le 18 octobre à 16hOù ?
Librairie Le Monde libertaire - Publico 145 Rue Amelot 75011 Paris"Le jeu vidéo, une affaire d'hommes ?"
Documentaire de Nostalgeek (2023, 35 mn)« Je ne peux pas m'identifier au protagoniste de ce jeu car c'est une femme et je suis un homme. »
Est-ce que ce genre de déclaration ne cache pas, quelque part, des soucis un brin plus profonds ?
Le jeu vidéo - comme le cinéma, la B.D., la littérature... - peut servir de support à des idées politiques de tous bords. Ce court-métrage s'attaque plus spécifiquement au sexisme ; mais, de façon plus générale, existe-t-il des jeux luttant contre toutes les formes de discrimination, contre le capitalisme, l'État, la religion ? Des jeux vidéo anarchistes ?
Le sexisme dans le milieu du jeu vidéo
Les femmes travaillant dans l'industrie vidéoludique constatent une différence de salaire (25,3 % d'écart au bénéfice des hommes). Certains rejettent les designs de personnages féminins non hyper-sexualisés. Dans les studios de développement français, les femmes représentent 24 % des effectifs alors qu'elles n'en constituaient que 10,6 % il y a 10 ans. Depuis 2018, nous constatons toujours la même disparité selon les catégories de métier, avec une sous-représentation des femmes dans les métiers techniques (programmation, data). La question du harcèlement au bureau est également régulièrement soulevée. D'autres formes de sexisme évoquées sont le manque de volonté d'inclure des personnages féminins bien représentés dans les jeux vidéo.
Les jeux qui cherchent à mettre en avant des personnes non hommes peuvent entraîner un harcèlement de leurs scénaristes et développeurs : c'est le cas d'Amber Scott, scénariste du jeu Baldur's Gate : Siege of Dragonspear, harcelée en 2016. Elle a en effet inclus un personnage principal féminin et un personnage secondaire transgenre dans le jeu, en plus de se moquer du Gamergate* dans une réplique. En réponse à ces actions, elle est la cible d'une campagne de harcèlement et le jeu reçoit des retours négatifs en masse.
En juillet 2021, suite à son harcèlement par un manager, une employée du studio américain de jeux vidéo Activision Blizzard se suicide. Deux mille de ses collègues signent alors une pétition protestant contre ces méthodes de management, et organisent un mouvement de grève. De manière plus générale, c'est la « culture Bro », culture sexiste répandue dans les milieux de la tech, qui est mise en accusation.
Sur les 152 major games publiés en 2022, 61 % des personnages sont des hommes, 39 % des femmes, et 31,7 % des jeux vidéo mettent en scène des personnages exclusivement masculins. Dans les 50 R.P.G. les plus joués ces 30 dernières années, les hommes parlent en moyenne deux fois plus que les femmes.
67 % des Françaises jouent aux jeux vidéo. Elles ont 39 ans en moyenne et représentent 48 % des personnes qui jouent au moins une fois par semaine. Mais 40 % d'entre elles affirment avoir déjà dû se résoudre à cacher leur genre dans des parties en ligne. 46 % des gameuses jugent les contenus qu'elles voient en ligne trop sexistes ou misogynes, et elles sont aussi 40 % à avoir déjà vécu des situations de harcèlement en ligne.
Il n'y a sans doute pas plus de sexistes dans le jeu vidéo que dans le reste de la société : ce triste constat n'est que le reflet de l'état des lieux en général ; mais, comme dans la littérature ou le cinéma, changer le contenu ne devrait-il pas participer à changer les mentalités ?
* Le Gamergate est une série de polémiques née durant le mois d'août 2014 ayant évolué en campagne de harcèlement sexiste contre des femmes journalistes et développeuses.
À l'invitation du Groupe libertaire d'Ivry
Dimanche 18 octobre 2026 à partir de 16h
Entrée libre (accueil dès 15h)- Voir aussi librairie Publico
- Voir aussi Ivry anarchiste
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«Vous voyez d’autres candidats qui tiennent la mer?»: à Clermont, Jean-Luc Mélenchon fait encore le plein
Le candidat insoumis à l’élection présidentielle a réuni dimanche près de 10 000 personnes, venues de la campagne auvergnate comme des quartiers populaires de Clermont-Ferrand. Une manière de montrer que sa ligne, axée sur la défense des services publics, peut mobiliser largement dans le pays. -
à Bordeaux, « CGT collabo »
Retour sur certains événements qui ont marqués la journée de mobilisation de ce 6 octobre 2026 à Bordeaux.
Cela fait des semaines que les lycéen-nes impressionnent par leur détermination, leur courage, leurs tactiques. Iels ont surpris le corps éducatif, les flics ainsi que toutes les organisations de gauche. Ces dernières disent les soutenir mais tentent chaque jour de récupérer cette rage légitime et incandescente qui les anime. Leur manière de bloquer à tous les endroits de la ville, de défendre ces blocages à coup de mortier et d’être si fluide dans les déplacements urbains réinvente une conflictualité qui a permis de faire entendre enfin leurs voix ainsi que de redonner espoir à toute une partie de la population qui se fait écraser sans cesse par les politiques répressives du gouvernement et de sa police.
Les blocus ont été animés et tenus autant dans les lycées de banlieues que de centre ville. Rarement de telles jonctions ont été faites dans les moments de révolte. Cette jeunesse qui se soulève est inspirante et redonne espoir. Tous les jours, elle paie cher le prix de cette répression démesurée – yeux éborgnés, mains arrachées, arrestations massives etc – pourtant chaque matin la détermination reprend, chaque fois cherchant à s’adapter à la répression en face. Pour elle c’est un fait établi, la police est raciste. Défiant à outrance le pouvoir en place, on peut le dire, c’est une génération A.C.A.B.
Aujourd’hui les syndicats à la traîne ont appelé à des manifestations partout dans le pays en soutien à la mobilisation lycéenne. A Bordeaux, la CGT a enfin ouvert vendredi dernier la Bourse du travail, son temple vide et poussiéreux à l’AG lycéenne qui se faisait gazer. Quelques dizaines de lycéen-nes de peu de lycées ont pu se réunir à l’abri de la répression et ont demandé à la CGT de les protéger des violences policières. Ces inquiétudes sont parfaitement légitimes au vu du niveau de violence et de haine présent dans les rangs de la police. Or, la CGT a visiblement mal compris les enjeux puisque celle ci a passé sa manif à surveiller et suivre les lycéen-nes motivés, les bandes et les gens cagoulés. Et une fois que la manif plan-plan à enfin rejoint les quartiers bourgeois, une partie du cortège a voulu s’approcher du cour de l’intendance et ses boutiques de luxe où était déployé un dispositif policier. Des membres de la CGT sous la forme d’un service d’ordre pseudo-racisé, pseudo-queer etc ont fait barrage non pas pour empêcher des violences policières mais bien pour brimer des moyens d’action et d’expression de cette jeunesse légitimement débordante. Des embrouilles verbales ont fusé face à cette ligne de vieux militants qui faisaient face au cortège. Les gens leur reprochaient de faire le travail de la police, d’être paternalistes et infantilisants avec les jeunes ainsi que de ne favoriser que des stratégies éculées et perdantes. Les jeunes sur place ont répondu en scandant « Justice pour Nahel ! » et « CGT collabo ». Il semblait ensuite plus opportun de ne pas cristalliser ce moment de tension afin de poursuivre la manif malgré tout. Ce SO de pacotille était très à l’aise pour faire la leçon à ceux qui voulaient s’aventurer, n’ayant jamais ne serait-ce qu’un regard en direction de la police pour vérifier les mouvements des CRS derrière. Etre aussi à l’aise avec des flics dans le dos, c’est savoir qu’on a leur complaisance.
Cet épisode ne fut pas le seul, ils ont aussi passé une bonne partie du parcours à mettre la pression sur celleux qui déplaçaient ou allumaient des feux de poubelles ou montaient sur les arrêts de bus, n’hésitant pas à invectiver les gens avec des menaces et des propos lunaires.
De cette journée il faudra retenir la pacification imposée par les syndicats et la tentative de réappropriation d’un mouvement qui n’est pas le leur. Ceux-ci ont aussi manqué de créativité pour trouver des espaces de lutte ou de réflexions comme aurait pu l’être l’occupation ou le blocage d’un lieu ou toute autre initiative qui aurait donné corps et sens pour l’ensemble des personnes qui souhaitaient être ensemble dans la rue aujourd’hui.
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« Tout s’est bien passé, veuillez évacuer les lieux »… Un témoignage (de plus) de la brutalité policière …
Salut,
Dans le contexte agité mais bienvenu, celui du mouvement d’émancipation des jeunes, des lycéens et des étudiants, quelques graves incidents ont eu lieu à la fac du Mirail le week-end dernier. Je veux vous donner mon témoignage pour que tout le monde comprenne de quoi sont capables les flics et pourquoi nous sommes toutes et tous concernées par ce qui se passe par la violence policière.
J’étais bien présent à la fac du Mirail (Toulouse), ce vendredi, quand les flics sont rentrés dans l’amphi du _Gai Savoir. _Nous étions alors en pleine conférence-débat, avec les collectifs _Stop Micro_ de Grenoble et _Écran Total Occitanie_.
Les flics sont rentrés dans l’amphi très excités et menaçants. Ils nous criaient dessus en nous ordonnant de partir. Ce que nous avons fait. Mais précisément, au moment de sortir, nous avons été bloquées par un autre groupe de flics, au bas d’un escalier de secours. Tout aussi énervés, ceux-là ne voulaient pas nous laisser partir. Nous étions donc coincées, d’un côté par des flics super excités qui nous ordonnaient de partir, et de l’autre par leurs clones qui nous interdisaient de partir…
Prises au piège, nassées, dans le fond d’un couloir et en haut d’un escalier de secours, avec des flics super excités qui nous pressaient, montaient de plus en plus dans les tours en nous hurlant dessus. Mais toutes et tous nous gardions notre calme, en espérant pouvoir rapidement sortir de cette souricière, et nous mettre à distance de ces nervis qui devenaient de plus en plus furieux. Mais nous étions bel et bien coincées.
Malheureusement, ce qui devait arriver arriva. Dans un état de surexcitation totale, les flics finirent très rapidement par perdre tout espèce de contrôle et s’en prirent alors aux premiers qui leur tombaient sur la main, de manière complètement dingue . Malgré ça, nous nous gardions toujours notre calme ! Même celles et ceux qui étaient ciblées. Ce qui ne les empêcha pas de continuer à nous malmener et finalement de nous frapper.Voilà comment ils ont opéré sur mon voisin direct, qui restait pourtant très tranquille avec ses bras en l’air :un flic l’a pris et l’a bousculé vers un de ces collègues, qui lui a hurlé dessus :– Hé ! Mais pourquoi tu m’agresses toi !! Celui-ci l’a alors rejeté à son tour sur un troisième collègue en bleu qui lui a dit un truc du genre :– « Hé ! Mais qu’est-ce tu me fais-là toi !! et Bang ! Et de le rejeter brutalement vers un quatrième collègue, et ainsi de suite, alors que le gars gardait toujours ses bras en l’air.
Cette technique était simple à comprendre, les flics faisaient tout pour créer un incident. Ils voulaient que le gars se rebelle ou entre en panique. Ils auraient ainsi pu ultérieurement justifier leur intervention violente, en prétendant avoir voulu neutraliser un gars violent.Et puis ça a continué, jusqu’à qu’il le fracasse sur un mur, la bouche en sang. Alors, un de ces tarés est arrivé par derrière et lui a filé des coups de décharges électriques, à répétition partout dans son dos et dans les aines de ses deux jambes, alors que le gars était plaqué au mur maintenu de toute part, avec ses bras en l’air, et qu’il continuait de se faire frapper et de recevoir des coups de poing dans les reins et des béquilles dans les jambes. Puis, ils l’ont fauché, jeté parterre, pendant que l’autre malade continuait de lui envoyer des décharges électriques dans son dos, en lui hurlant dessus, « NE RÉSISTE PAS ! ».
- Mais le pire, c’est que le gars ne résistait pas !! Entre deux décharges électriques, il criait : « Mais je ne résiste pas !! Je ne résiste pas !! Arrêtez !! »
Ils voulaient que le gars perde pied, se débatte, qu’il entre en panique. Le gars était un costaud ! Et pourtant, il s’est laissé faire du début à la fin. Les flics lui ont finalement passé les menottes, mais l’autre taré sur sa lancé a continué de lui filer des coups de décharges électriques dans le dos et ses jambes. Complètement cinglés !Et puis, à notre grande surprise, et comme s’ils avaient eu leur dose, les flics ont soudainement arrêté le massacre. Ils se sont littéralement arrêté, la curie s’est arrêtée, juste comme ça !?! Hop ! Ils ont viré complet, comme si une lueur de clairvoyance les avait soudainement traversée.
Puis, Ils ont commencé à dire des trucs de ouf. Par exemple, ils se sont adressé à un de nos compagnons, le plus ancien d’entre nous qui marchait avec une béquille – ce qui ne les avait nullement empêché le jeter à terre : – « Mais quand même, entre adultes, c’est lamentable d’en arriver là, non ? »
Hallucinant !!! Ces types viennent de nous fracasser, et juste après nous avoir laminés, y’a comme un déclic chez eux, ils viennent d’un seul coup d’un seul nous parler « en adulte », nous faire la morale, en nous disant des trucs du genre qu’on a pas été sages, ou je ne sais pas quelle autres conneries. Ces types sont de dangereux psychopathes. Et dans la foulée, ils libèrent le bas de l’escalier, nous libèrent toutes et tous, même le pauvre gars qui s’est fait menotté et tabassé. Et alors que nous prenions soin d’une de nos camarades qui avait été prise d’une crise d’angoisse, un de ces malades s’est même fendu d’un message au mégaphone : « Tout s’est bien passé, veuillez évacuer les lieux »…Nous étions majoritairement toutes et tous de bons petits « européens », bien propres sur nous ; qu’est-ce qu’il doivent morfler dans les cités …
Solidairement,
R
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Appel de la 1ère assemblée générale lycéenne nationale
Le 10 octobre, 200 lycéen.nes de 71 établissements et 32 villes se sont rassemblés à Paris pour une première Assemblée générale lycéenne nationale.
Le gouvernement a tout fait pour écraser notre mouvement par la répression, particulièrement dans les quartiers populaires, sans succès.
Face à la violence de l’État qui arrache des mains et crève des yeux, les dégradations des lycéens qui se défendent sont légitimes, nous en sommes solidaires et nous ne nous laisserons pas diviser ni récupérer.
C’est pour cela que l’on exige la libération de toustes les lycéen.nes interpellé.es!
En effet, notre mouvement continue et se renforce, avec d’immenses manifestations mardi 6 et jeudi 8 octobre partout en France et dans les outre-mers.
Le mouvement s’exporte même à l’étranger, comme en Belgique, en Allemagne ou encore en Italie. Après la répression, le gouvernement tente de négocier avec des pseudo-temps de démocratie interne par lycées.
On ne tombera pas dans le piège!
On refuse les représentants auto-proclamés et les discussions lycée par lycée. Si l’on cherche à être entendus, c’est à l’échelle nationale ; nous attendon sun changement global de notre société et nous continuerons le mouvement tant que nous n’aurons pas obtenu satisfaction.
C’est pourquoi l’on appelle à manifester dans toutes les villes le mardi 13 et jeudi 15 octobre avec des cortèges interlycéens.
On appelle aussi à la jonction de tous les secteurs qui se mobilisent (monde du travail, étudiants, lycéens).
Alors notre mouvement doit s’intensifier, en participant massivement au17 octobre qui pourrait marquer un tounant clé dans notre combat !
Mais pour que notre mouvement continue, ilf aut s’organiser par la base, avec des assemblées générales par lycée, par villes et en se coordonnant au niveau national, sans se contenter de la direction de l’intersyndicale qui tente de contenir l’incendie que les lycéens ont allumé.
On appelle aussi à une nouvelle coordination lycéenne nationale à Paris, dimanche 18 octobre avec des lycéens élus dans un maximum d’établissements et de villes.
Continuons le combat!
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Trump and Rubio weigh firing Kimberly Guilfoyle after reports of improper conduct
Senior official says president and US secretary of state are ‘extremely pissed off’ by conduct of US envoy to Greece
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, are considering firing US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after a series of reports alleging she has engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens.
A senior US official said Sunday that Trump and Rubio are “extremely pissed off” by Guilfoyle’s reported conduct and would likely decide on what action to take this week after Monday’s federal holiday.
Continue reading... -
Raphaël Glucksmann, candidat par défaut du camp social-démocrate pour 2027
Au terme d’une campagne aux airs de chemin de croix, le leader de Place publique a remporté dès le premier tour la primaire sociale-démocrate, avec plus de 66% des voix. Mais entre les doutes sur sa «présidentiabilité», une stratégie d’alliances illisible et l’épreuve du rassemblement, le plus dur reste à venir. -
Trump Tyranny Tracker | Day 622: Oct. 7, 2026
A message sent by Kimberly Guilfoyle to Eric Deters.
Welcome to today’s Trump Tyranny Tracker…
An FBI whistleblower alleging White House pressure to investigate protesters, Kimberly Guilfoyle facing allegations of influence peddling, and Trump’s Iran war driving fuel prices higher are among today’s top stories.
Today at a Glance
Trump ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle accused of seeking personal payments in exchange for access to federal officials.
FBI whistleblower alleges White House pressured agents to investigate anti-ICE protesters
Trump considers new strikes against Iran before the midterms as his war drives fuel prices higher.
What We Need to Pay Attention To
FBI whistleblower says White House pushed unconstitutional probe of protesters
What Happened: Former FBI supervisor Jill Fields alleges that the White House pressured the FBI to investigate Los Angeles protesters who warned residents about immigration raids and explained their legal rights, despite agents finding no basis for an investigation. Fields also alleges that agents were pulled from cartel investigations for operations intended to “make a show for the president.”
Why It Matters: The FBI is supposed to uphold the Constitution, not serve as a tool for Trump to target political dissent. These allegations describe another serious abuse of federal law enforcement power.
Source: NBC News
Corruption
‘Honey Please’: Kimberly Guilfoyle Pushed Donor to Wire $100,000 to Her Amex Account
What Happened: According to messages reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle asked former congressional candidate Eric Deters to pay $100,000 toward her American Express bill. She was helping him reach senior IRS and Justice Department officials about his legal and tax problems, and he had promised her up to $1 million if she succeeded.
Why It Matters: The allegations point to more blatant corruption, with a Trump-appointed ambassador allegedly seeking personal payments in exchange for access to senior officials.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Trump proposes Camp David-style presidential retreat at his private Florida golf club
What Happened: Trump proposed turning his privately owned West Palm Beach golf club into a presidential retreat similar to Camp David, where presidents would host official meetings and foreign leaders. The proposal has been submitted to local officials.
Why It Matters: Trump continues to use the presidency to grift and benefit his businesses. Now he wants to make his own golf club an official presidential retreat, bringing more government business to a property he owns.
Source: Associated Press
Inside the Albanian Village Fighting a Jared Kushner-Backed Luxury Resort
What Happened: Villagers in Zvernec, Albania, are protesting Jared Kushner’s plans to build a luxury resort with hotels, casinos, and a water park on land they have used for farming and access to the coast for years. Security guards were also filmed assaulting a resident during an argument over fencing that blocked access to the property.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Power Consolidation
Trump sows doubt about mail-in voting while encouraging it, as midterms approach
What Happened: Trump again lied that mail-in voting is plagued by widespread fraud while at the same time encouraging Republicans to vote by mail. Meanwhile, despite all the lies and conspiracies Trump has voted by mail twice in Florida elections this year.
Why It Matters: Trump is attacking the legitimacy of mail ballots weeks before the midterms while encouraging his own supporters to use them. His contradictory messaging gives him grounds to question mail ballots if election results do not go his way.
Source: ABC News
USPS Hires Security Service With History of Human Rights Abuse
What Happened: The Postal Service hired private security company Prosegur to deploy nearly 1,000 armed guards at more than 50 facilities ahead of the midterms. The company has faced allegations of human rights abuses abroad, and the postal police union warns that its guards will operate under private rather than federal supervision.
Why It Matters: Armed private guards will be stationed at facilities handling election mail without direct federal supervision. The arrangement creates accountability problems at a time when Trump is repeatedly attacking mail-in voting.
Source: The New Republic
Trump doles out billions to voters ahead of midterm elections
What Happened: Trump is distributing $2.35 billion in payments ahead of the November midterms, including $90 checks to 20.8 million Medicare recipients and $500 payments to 950,000 Obamacare enrollees. Reuters found that 71% of eligible Obamacare recipients live in states with competitive Senate or gubernatorial elections.
Source: Reuters
Congress’ Watchdog Finds Trump Illegally Withheld More Than $1 Billion in Federal Funds
What Happened: The Government Accountability Office found that Trump officials illegally withheld more than $1 billion in funding approved by Congress for Environmental Protection Agency and Health and Human Services programs in 2025. The findings follow earlier GAO rulings that Trump violated federal spending laws.
Why It Matters: Trump is withholding taxpayer money that Congress legally approved, violating federal spending laws and bypassing Congress’s constitutional authority over government funding.
Source: The Washington Sun
Weaponization of Institutions
DOJ Is Recruiting Prosecutors to Monitor Polling Places
What Happened: The Justice Department is recruiting criminal prosecutors as part of its plan to send 1,000 federal monitors to polling places during the midterms. DOJ has traditionally used civil attorneys and other staff for election monitoring, but criminal prosecutors have already participated in at least one primary this year.
Why It Matters: Sending criminal prosecutors to polling places introduces the threat of prosecution into an election monitoring program meant to protect voting rights. Former DOJ officials warn that their presence risks intimidating voters and election workers.
Source: The Washington Sun
Trump Officials Ramp Up Investigations Into Voter Registration Groups
What Happened: Internal DHS documents show Trump officials investigated more than 150 nonprofit organizations suspected of registering noncitizens to vote, despite no credible evidence of widespread noncitizen voting. Officials also considered using undercover agents to investigate and disrupt the groups.
Why It Matters: Trump is directing federal investigative resources toward organizations that register voters, threatening to intimidate civic groups and discourage participation weeks before the midterms.
Source: New York Times
US proposes to boost transit funding to areas with higher marriage, birth rates
What Happened: Trump’s Transportation Department proposed increasing federal transit grants by 10% for communities with above-average marriage and birth rates, changing how funding is allocated to 40 major rail and bus projects. Projects in Washington, Boston, Silicon Valley, and Austin face potential cuts.
Source: Reuters
Media Suppression & Authoritarian Tactics
Election deniers stoke Trump-driven ballot security fears before midterms
What Happened: Trump allies and election deniers are spreading lies that voting systems are compromised weeks before the midterms. Trump met at the White House with Tina Peters, who was convicted over a breach of Colorado voting equipment, while former Trump official Ed Martin warned that if Congress fails to pass Trump’s election legislation, “the president’s going to have to do what he’s going to do.”
Why It Matters: Trump and his allies are escalating lies of election fraud ahead of the midterms and pushing for greater presidential control over elections. They are also threatening executive action to change voting rules without Congress.
Source: The Guardian
DNC sues administration over taxpayer-funded pro-Trump TV ads
What Happened: The Democratic National Committee sued Trump officials over taxpayer-funded television ads promoting Trump, alleging violations of federal spending and anti-propaganda laws. After bipartisan criticism, Trump claimed he and his super PAC, MAGA Inc., would pay for future ads but did not say whether taxpayers would be reimbursed for those already aired.
Source: NBC News
Human & Civil Rights Abuses
Immigration agents thrust National Guard into huge raid with zero warning, document shows
What Happened: An internal Army report found that federally controlled National Guard troops were drawn into a major Southern California immigration raid with little warning or planning. The report suggests soldiers helped detain and transport people, potentially violating restrictions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement. U.S. Northern Command denies troops performed those duties.
Why It Matters: Trump is using military personnel in domestic immigration operations that are supposed to be handled by civilian law enforcement. The reported involvement in detentions puts longstanding legal limits on the military’s domestic role at issue.
Source: MS NOW
Government Disruption
Weeks before Election Day, the nation’s campaign finance regulator can’t enforce the law
What Happened: The Federal Election Commission has been unable to investigate campaign finance violations, issue fines, or enforce election laws since May 2025 because it lacks the four commissioners needed for a quorum. Its backlog has doubled to 307 cases, with no enforcement cases resolved or new civil penalties approved during that period.
Source: CBS News
As Trump focuses the FBI on immigration, counterintelligence is falling behind
What Happened: FBI counterintelligence squads in many field offices are operating with only 50% to 60% of positions filled, while some offices have cut their counterintelligence squads in half. Agents and analysts have been reassigned to immigration and violent crime operations prioritized by Trump and FBI leadership.
Why It Matters: Trump is diverting FBI resources away from tracking Russian, Chinese, and other foreign intelligence operations. The cuts leave fewer agents protecting U.S. secrets, technology, and national security from foreign espionage.
Source: NPR
Facing stonewalling from Russia, Trump admin struggles to plan for potential plague fallout
What Happened: U.S. officials say Russia has failed to provide clear information about the death of a worker at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute, leaving American officials unable to determine whether the incident poses a broader public-health threat. The State Department has requested answers from Moscow.
Source: CNN
Imperial & Geopolitical Watch
Trump Is Considering a Plan to Strike Iran Before the Midterms
What Happened: The White House asked the Pentagon to develop options for new strikes against Iran before the midterms. According to The Atlantic, officials are weighing the strikes partly in connection with Trump’s desire to show progress in the war and lower gas prices before the election. No final decision has been made.
Source: The Atlantic
Trump’s Retreat: From the Gulf to Britain, American Forces Pull Back
What Happened: The U.S. withdrew 12 B-1 bombers from Britain’s RAF Fairford base following intelligence warnings of a possible Iranian-backed drone attack. The Iran war has also forced American forces to abandon or restrict operations at bases across the Middle East, complicating military logistics and increasing costs.
Why It Matters: Trump’s war against Iran is forcing American military withdrawals and disrupting operations across multiple regions. The retreats are exposing vulnerabilities in U.S. defenses and limiting America’s ability to project military power.
Source: New York Times
“They hit us bad.” Newly obtained footage, witness accounts detail Iran attack — and U.S. retreat — at major post in Kuwait
What Happened: Newly obtained footage and military accounts show Iranian missiles, drones, and reportedly fighter jets repeatedly attacked Camp Buehring, a major U.S. military base in Kuwait. American soldiers ran critically low on ammunition, lacked adequate protection against mass casualties, and ultimately abandoned the base, relocating into the Kuwaiti desert.
Source: CBS News
UK Sees Trump’s Bomber Jets Move Boosting Iran and Russia
What Happened: Current and former British officials warned that Trump’s withdrawal of U.S. B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford following a suspected Iranian-linked attack plot risks encouraging Russia and Iran to conduct further sabotage through criminal proxies.
Why It Matters: British officials fear the withdrawal demonstrates that relatively inexpensive sabotage threats can disrupt Western military deployments, encouraging Russia and Iran to expand similar operations against NATO.
Source: Bloomberg
Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
Unmasking RussiaMasked Men at Latvia’s Border as Moscow Builds a “Nazi” Narrative Around the BalticsMonday was another one of those days when individual events may not seem particularly unusual, but putting several things together paints a much more concerning picture. According to Latvian authorities, a group of armed, masked men appeared on the Belarusian side of the border and attempted to force around 20 migrants into Latvia, threatening Latvian soldiers who stopped them from crossing. The men stayed on the Belarusian side, but several hours later, masked individuals crossed into Latvia, damaged an electrical distribution panel, stole two surveillance cameras, and fled back into Belarus before Latvian border guards arrived. Latvia has dealt with migrant pressure from Belarus for years, but armed masked men threatening Latvian soldiers and then crossing the border and damaging infrastructure is definitely an escalation…Read more4 days ago · 204 likes · 17 comments · Olga Lautman
Economic News
High diesel prices may put ‘another squeeze’ on the consumer, economist says
What Happened: Average U.S. diesel prices reached $6.32 a gallon, up 68% since the start of Trump’s war against Iran, while gasoline prices have risen 47%. The war has disrupted Middle Eastern oil supplies and refining capacity, driving up transportation and production costs.
Why It Matters: Diesel powers the transportation of food and goods and is widely used in farming and manufacturing. Higher fuel costs are driving up prices across the economy, putting additional pressure on Americans already struggling with everyday expenses.
Source: CNBC
Inflation fears on the rise as one-year outlook in Fed survey hits highest level since May 2023
What Happened: The New York Federal Reserve’s latest survey found that Americans expect inflation to reach 3.9% over the next year, the highest reading since May 2023. Expected household spending growth also rose to 5.5% as rising energy costs put additional pressure on household budgets.
Source: CNBC
Resistance
Check out 50501 for local and nationwide events…
Source: 50501
‘We Have to Punch Back’: Top Nevada Official Prepares For Possible Election Havoc From Trump
What Happened: Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar has prepared lawsuits that can be filed immediately if federal agents attempt to seize ballots or interfere with polling places during the midterms. Aguilar says Nevada has received seven election-related DOJ subpoenas this year and that he is personally under federal investigation.
Source: TIME
By the Numbers
$2.35 billion — Payments Trump is distributing to Americans ahead of the midterms
$100,000 — Amount Kimberly Guilfoyle allegedly asked a former congressional candidate to pay toward her American Express bill while helping him contact senior federal officials.
1,000 — Federal election monitors the Justice Department plans to deploy to polling places
150+ — Voter registration organizations investigated by Trump officials
307 — Campaign finance enforcement cases backlogged at the Federal Election Commission
$1 billion+ — Congressionally approved federal funding that the Government Accountability Office found Trump officials illegally withheld.
50–60% — Staffing levels in many FBI counterintelligence squads as agents are reassigned to other priorities.
$6.32 — Average price of a gallon of diesel, up 68% since Trump’s Iran war began.
47% — Increase in gasoline prices since Trump’s Iran war began.
3.9% — Inflation Americans expect over the next year, the highest reading since May 2023.
12 — U.S. B-1 bombers withdrawn from Britain following intelligence warnings of a possible Iranian-backed drone attack.
What to Watch Next
DHS has investigated more than 150 voter registration groups — Will officials expand these investigations or deploy undercover agents against voter registration organizations?
The Justice Department plans to send 1,000 federal monitors to polling places — How will states respond if federal agents interfere with voting or ballot handling?
GAO found Trump illegally withheld more than $1 billion in federal funding — Will Congress take action to defend its constitutional authority over spending?
Kimberly Guilfoyle faces allegations of pay-to-play — Will Congress investigate, and what other instances of influence peddling might an investigation uncover?
Key Takeaways
National Security — American troops have had to leave bases during Trump’s war with Iran, with some running dangerously low on ammunition. Meanwhile, the FBI is taking agents away from counterintelligence work to focus on immigration enforcement.
Personal Profiteering — Kimberly Guilfoyle allegedly sought money in exchange for access to federal officials, Trump wants to conduct presidential business at his private golf club, and Jared Kushner is pursuing foreign business deals while working on U.S. foreign policy.
Foreign Threats — British officials warn that withdrawing U.S. bombers gives Russia and Iran an incentive to carry out more sabotage, while Moscow is withholding information about a possible plague incident.
Rising Costs — Diesel prices have risen 68% and gasoline prices 47%. Americans expect to spend more over the next year as prices continue to rise.
Military Overreach — An Army report suggests National Guard troops helped detain and transport immigrants during a California raid, despite legal restrictions on using the military for domestic law enforcement.
Call to Action
Document Everything: Document purges, corruption, and power grabs. Share credible information with journalists, watchdogs, and legal experts. Silence enables authoritarianism—see something, say something.
Defend Press Freedom: Support independent journalism by subscribing to and sharing reporting that challenges Trump’s power grab.
Contact Lawmakers: Demand accountability for Trump’s unchecked power and war on oversight.
Mobilize for Action: Organize or join legal efforts and resistance movements to protect democracy and human and civil rights.
Support Whistleblowers: Encourage legal defense funds for government workers facing retaliation for exposing corruption.
Follow my work on YouTube → Subscribe to Unmasking Russia
https://youtube.com/@unmaskingrussia
Preorder My New Book…
Putin’s Pawns takes you on a journey from the earliest days of the Cold War and Soviet KGB active measures through Russia’s attacks on Western elections, the rise of the far right, Trump and Russia, the genocidal war against Ukraine, influence operations across Europe, and the shadow war unfolding today.
It is the story of how Moscow spent decades learning to exploit the weaknesses of democracies and how those tactics brought us to this moment.
Preorder now
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250796547/putinspawns/
Thanks for reading the Trump Tyranny Tracker. Stay tuned for more updates.
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[Nantes] AG étudiante « organisons la suite du mouvement »
La mobilisation est loin d’etre terminé !
Retrouvons nous en assemblée générale demain, lundi 12 octobre à 12h devant le pôle étudiant.
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Our Wins Of The Week
This week, we saw many top-tier Senate candidates take to the debate stage. And it did not go well for Republicans.
Abdul El-Sayed faced off against Mike Rogers and ripped him for being the “champion of big pharma.”
And hoo boy.
Troy Jackson absolutely owned Senator Susan Collins during their debates this week, whether it was this moment…
Or when he repeatedly called her out for voting for Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination.
And the way Jon Ossoff wiped the floor with Mike Collins…
Yaassss.
👏 👏 👏
Meanwhile, Ken Paxton won’t even agree to debate James Talarico.
But now Trump is urging him to 😂
Just a reminder that our Tuesday and Thursday content is free for all readers.If you missed this week’s pieces, please check out Unprecedented Corruption—and How We End It and Trump Has Resorted to Bribing Voters Ahead of the Midterms. But Will It Work? -
Abdul El-Sayed: Democrats must ‘win by massive numbers’ to fend off Trump election denial
Democratic Senate candidate’s remarks come as Trump has long baselessly claimed his 2020 election loss was stolen
Democrats must “win by massive numbers” during November’s federal midterm elections because Donald Trump and his Republican allies are bound to try to sow doubt about the integrity of the results, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan said on Sunday.
El-Sayed’s comments on NBC’s Meet the Press came with the Democrats favored to win control of the House of Representatives during the 3 November midterms – and polls show that the party could also win Senate seats in states that traditionally elect Republicans and gain a majority there, too.
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Mobilisons-nous avec la jeunesse, le 13 octobre !
La CNT-SO appelle à la grève et à la mobilisation, dans tous les secteurs, le 13 octobre, aux côtés de la jeunesse. Lycéen·nes, étudiant·es, travailleur·euses, ensemble : contre l’austérité, pour les services publics,… -
The Guardian view on the US, Russia and the international criminal court: Trump’s assault on the rule of law intensifies | Editorial
A fuel deal with Vladimir Putin, and sanctions against the legal institution, ram home the president’s belief that might is right
On Friday, Donald Trump drove home his belief that might is right and the rule of law is an obstacle rather than an essential foundation stone of international order. First came the escalated assault on the international criminal court (ICC), sanctioning the body itself. Then he announced a deal with Russia to buy diesel.
The US has long chafed at the notion of being bound by the rule of law that it espoused publicly. That hypocrisy now appears as a lesser vice. The president has declared that “my own morality” is all that constrains him. His brazen flouting of the law, embrace of dictators and rhetorical attacks all undermine global standards.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
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Trump announces partial ceasefire in Ukraine war as Zelenskyy says deal is ‘news to me’
Ukrainian president earlier rejected US call for Kyiv to stop bombing oil refineries, saying Moscow must first end attacks on energy infrastructure
Donald Trump has announced an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, apparently without consulting Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said the deal to stop long-range attacks was “news to me”.
In a social media post, the US president claimed the two sides had reached an agreement. “Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” he wrote on Truth Social.
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Trump’s deal with Putin will have little impact on US diesel prices, experts say
Analysts say fuel will take weeks to ship and quantity is too small to affect prices, while full deal is unlikely to be met given damage to Russian refineries
Donald Trump’s deal with Vladimir Putin to temporarily lift sanctions on US imports of Russian diesel will have little “meaningful” effect on motorists and businesses in the US and overseas, energy and foreign policy analysts have predicted.
The US president infuriated Volodymyr Zelenskyy when he announced the deal on Friday, writing on Truth Social that the agreement with his Russia counterpart to supply millions of tonnes of diesel was essential to reduce fuel prices in the US, which have soared after his decision to go to war against Iran.
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Kash Patel Colluded with Russian Spies to Frame Jim Comey, and He Probably Will Again
Sarah Fitzpatrick has a story describing that Kash Patel refuses to tell anyone at the FBI why he’s hopping on a plane to fly to Russia this week.Current and former FBI officials familiar with the matter told me there was a quiet campaign to urge senior leadership to cancel the trip. When that and other efforts to pass apprehensions up the chain went unanswered, some shared their worries with Congress. Now a pair of senior House Democrats are taking the unusual step of asking the FBI director to scrap the visit, which is reportedly set to begin next week: “In the interest of national security, we ask you to reconsider. Call off this trip,” they wrote in a letter that I obtained. The letter is signed by Representative Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Representative Jim Himes, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. Patel has not replied to the letter and the FBI has not publicly confirmed his travel plans. Neither the FBI nor the White House responded to my multiple requests for comment.
The story notes that Kash has, with Trump, spent a decade trying to dismiss Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
But it doesn’t mention that Kash has used his position in the Deep State — first as babysitter for John Ratcliffe, then as FBI Director — to collude with Russian spies to frame Donald Trump’s adversaries, first Hillary Clinton and then more recently Jim Comey.
As Chuck Grassley exposed last year, documents shared with the FBI in 2016 discussed framing Hillary Clinton, based on her criticism of Donald Trump’s coziness with Russia. Kash appears to have discovered the documents when undermining the Russian investigation in 2017; right wingers on HPSCI got a look at them in 2018; and then Kash had John Ratcliffe declassify them in 2020 to create a basis for the John Durham investigation.
But the documents Kash was attempting to use to claim that Hillary tried to frame Trump (which is not what they said anyway) were fabrications. They were fabricated starting on July 26, 2016, to distract from growing discoveries tying Guccifer 2.0 to Russia.
Even though Durham showed they were fabrications (he called them “composites”), Kash kept using those Russian fabrications to try to frame Trump’s adversaries. Jim Comey’s confused answer about the fabrications was one of the things Trump charged Comey for last year. And there’s no way Todd Blanche could charge the Grand Conspiracy without relying on Comey’s confused answer, either.
Last year, after Charlie Savage laid out what I also did — that Kash and John Durham had been chasing Russian fabrications for years — Kash panicked, and endorsed Sean Davis’ propaganda about these reports in an attempt to cling to his use of Russian fabrications.
That’s a problem. For the same reasons I laid out in this video about the misleading way Chuck Grassley declassified the document, it means that when Kash gets on a plane to visit Russian spies this week, they already have his nuts in a vice, because they know — and have proof — that he has been relying on Russian fabrications to frame people.
The entire logic of the Durham Report holds that it is a crime to knowingly rely on Russian disinformation — or false claims at all — to try to frame someone.
That is the crime the FBI Director continues to commit.
And Putin’s spies have proof that is what Kash is doing.
Links
John Ratcliffe and Kash Patel — and Durham Himself — Committed the Crime John Durham Was Hunting
How Chuck Grassley’s Politicized Redactions Gave Putin Leverage over Trump
The SVR Fabrication Necessitates Reconceiving the 2016 Russian Influence Operation
Did the Comey Dismissal Render Kash Patel’s Grand Conspiracy “Just Someone Else’s Fantasy”?
The post Kash Patel Colluded with Russian Spies to Frame Jim Comey, and He Probably Will Again appeared first on emptywheel.
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17 OCTOBRE : JAUNES ET JEUNES, MÊME COMBAT !
On se retrouve sur les ronds points de Chambéry pour passer du temps ensemble ! -
La stratégie russe derrière le pilonnage de Kyiv
Les attaques de plus en plus spectaculaires sur sa capitale ne sont pas une «réponse» aux frappes de l’Ukraine contre le pétrole russe, mais le fruit d’une stratégie au long cours de Moscou, décuplée par des capacités techniques et industrielles nouvelles. -
Pétrole: Donald Trump sacrifie l’Ukraine pour un plat de lentilles
À la veille des élections de mi-mandat, Washington signe avec Moscou un accord sur le gazole et fait de l’Ukraine le bouc émissaire de la crise née de sa guerre contre l’Iran. Peine perdue: les livraisons russes prévues d’ici à décembre couvrent à peine trois jours de consommation états-unienne. -
Après quatre ans d’agression russe, la tentation de laisser tomber l’Ukraine persiste à gauche
En France, en Italie ou en Allemagne, des voix continuent d’invoquer les risques d’escalade ou la nécessité de la diplomatie pour limiter voire stopper le soutien à Kyiv. À l’heure où Trump agit en collusion avec Poutine autant qu’avec Nétanyahou, un tel abandon serait irresponsable. -
Zelenskyy signals surprise at Trump claim of Russia-Ukraine ‘energy ceasefire’ but would back it if Moscow does – as it happened
Ukraine’s president reportedly says Kyiv would accept a deal if Moscow does after US president posts announcement with no detail on social media
The president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has expressed her “full support for President Zelenskyy” amid calls for a ceasefire.
In a telephone call with the Ukrainian leader, von der Leyen posted on X that she “fully supported the call of President Zelenskyy for a ceasefire that would protect global food supplies and energy infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia.
“Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it’s important for Russia to support it as well. We are awaiting details from the American side. From our Ukrainian side, there is always FULL support for de-escalation steps, protection of lives, and the necessary decisions to end the war and ensure lasting peace.”
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SAMEDI 17 OCTOBRE : JAUNES ET JEUNES, MÊME COMBAT !
On se retrouve sur les ronds points de Chambéry pour passer du temps ensemble ! -
Pete Songi on Donald Trump’s plan to buy diesel from Russia – cartoon
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« Ils ont détruit notre avenir » : un agriculteur palestinien contraint de raser sa ferme
Pendant plus de 40 ans, Fayez et Muna Taneed ont cultivé leurs terres près de Tulkarem, en Palestine occupée. Après des décennies de confiscations, de pollution industrielle et d’attaques militaires, un ordre de démolition israélien les a contraints à… -
Evidence Is Evidence: The Questions Scott Bessent Couldn’t Answer
My favorite sentence in Scott Bessent’s effort to dodge Elizabeth Warren’s oversight via public trolling states that the Treasury market’s liquidity and performance compared to US peers is evidence.The U.S. Treasury market’s liquidity and performance versus global peers is evidence.
It doesn’t say what it is evidence of.
Senator Warren wrote the letter, “to ask how the Treasury Department (Treasury) plans to address the harm to families and risks to the financial system from skyrocketing interest rates, which are driven in part by President Trump’s failed economic agenda and your market misadventures.” Her letter laid out the following:
- 10-year Treasury yields are the highest they’ve been since 2002 (sourced to WSJ)
- Those surging yields harm consumers, especially through higher mortgage rates (sourced to NBC, NYT, Mortgage News Daily, National Association of Realtors)
- That surge is self-inflicted, and comes on top of efforts by the Fed to rein in inflation, which is driven by the Iran War
- Trump’s policies are driving up National Debt (citing US Bureau of Economic Analysis)
- Trump’s policies, including both the Big Ugly Bill and the Iran War, are driving up the deficit (citing reports on the financial impact and effects of the law and the AP)
- A long paragraph on what Warren calls Bessent’s “chaotic interventions in the market, apparently in hopes of stemming the damage” citing this CNN story to claim Bessent’s intervention is failing:
Rather than advise the President to lower costs, you have chosen to launch unprecedented and chaotic interventions in the market, apparently in hopes of stemming the damage. On August 19, 2026, the Treasury Department announced its plan to double the size of its buyback operations, in which it issues short-term Treasury bills to buy back longer dated bonds.15 There were reports that the Treasury reportedly was even considering tapping its cash on hand, maintained in the Treasury General Account at the Federal Reserve, to further increase the buybacks.16 Since then, Treasury has gone through with three rounds of these buybacks: $5.2 billion on September 10, $4.1 billion on September 24, and $6 billion on October 1.17 While you asserted that the goal of these purchases was to make it easier for investors to buy and sell Treasuries, others—including your former boss —see your move as an attempt to reduce the high interest rates on longer term Treasury debt. Unfortunately, your intervention is failing.18 Indeed, bond yields rose on the days of the first two buybacks, and while they dipped on the day of the third, they climbed again the following day and remain high.19 Buybacks are not designed to lower rates, and they are financed by issuing new debt, which only adds to the pressure pushing rates higher.20 Further, the administration’s casting about for various measures to reassure the markets is undermining the longstanding strategy that Treasury issuance—and buybacks—should be “regular and predictable” to keep financing costs lower over time.21
- Another paragraph describing the financial struggles of Americans citing (among other things) this NYT story
She asked the following questions:
- Is the Treasury planning to draw down the Treasury General Account to expand buybacks further? If so, on what timeline? What risks does that pose to Treasury’s cash position and to market liquidity?
- What analysis has the Treasury done—including through the Bureau of Tax Analysis, Office of Economic Policy, and Office of the Secretary—on how higher yields are affecting mortgage payments, car loans, and credit card costs for American families? Provide copies of that analysis.
- How is the Treasury ensuring lenders don’t overcharge consumers at a time when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been gutted? What specific steps is the Treasury taking, beyond buybacks, to bring long-term yields down?
- Will you recommend that the President end the war in Iran and pursue other policies to reduce inflation and lower costs for families? If not, what is your plan to lower costs for families?
Rather than answer any of those four questions — what he’s doing with his buybacks, whether Treasury has tracked how higher yields are affecting consumers, whether Treasury is protecting consumers against being cheated, and whether he has counseled Trump to end the war that is spiking prices — Bessent did the following:
- Told her she should take an introductory economics course
- Accused her of blaming the Fed in 2022 when inflation spiked under Biden
- Rather than answering her question about his plans on the buybacks, instead claimed that evidence is evidence
‘The “interventions” you describe as “unprecedented” have been underway since May 2024. The buyback program has been well received by market participants in bolstering Treasury liquidity, which reduces market volatility, increases the convenience yield of Treasury securities and ensures the best value for the taxpayer. The continued enhancements optimize Treasury market liquidity in primary and secondary markets. The U.S. Treasury market’s liquidity and performance versus global peers is evidence. [my emphasis]
- Responded to her comments about the services that the Big Ugly Bill stripped from Americans by boasting that “the average refund this filing season was over $3,400,” though some of that was because people overpaid last year and it is an average that includes especially large refunds from changes to SALT
- Complained about these comments in this paywallwed Punchbowl article, which was itself a response to this WSJ profile laying out Bessent’s bullying and his failure to meet his own goals
To summarize, Warren asked if he’s doing anything to help American consumers and whether he knows what he’s doing with risky market interventions, and he responded by blaming Joe Biden and then rather than responding to criticisms in the WSJ and Punchbowl (which, incidentally, show that his interventions have not been well-received), accused her of being stupid.
It did serve Bessent’s apparent purpose, however, of going viral among a bunch of people who apparently haven’t read what it says — or perhaps have only read Bessent’s Native American slur.
Accused of being a bully whose management makes the US less safe, Scott Bessent decided to waggle his dick around and dodge any question about his performance.
Which only raises more questions about whether he could manage an increasingly likely financial crisis.
The post Evidence Is Evidence: The Questions Scott Bessent Couldn’t Answer appeared first on emptywheel.
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Trump urges John Fetterman to switch parties: ‘I’d love to see him as a Republican’
Comments were among the most direct overtures by Trump to woo Democratic senator into his Republican party
Donald Trump on Saturday openly encouraged Democratic US senator John Fetterman to switch parties and become a Republican just weeks before the federal midterm elections could reshape control of Congress.
“I’d love to see him as a Republican,” the presidents told reporters at Joint Base Andrews as he returned to Washington DC from a rally in Tennessee. “He does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.”
Guardian staff contributed reporting
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Houthi attack on Riyadh airport forces swift rethink of Trump’s new strategy
US president’s plan to park the wars in Iran and Yemen, while blaming Ukraine for diesel prices, looks unsustainable
The reckless missile attack on King Khalid international airport in Riyadh on Saturday did not just export the death and misery inside Yemen to Saudi Arabia, it also left Donald Trump forced to reconsider his diplomatic and political strategy designed to take him into the midterm elections next month.
The US president’s plan had only been unveiled on Friday. He said it was the result of “a world problem” – spiralling diesel prices – which he blamed on Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attacks on Russian oil refineries. He was going to keep the political temperature down on his war of choice in Iran and its spillover in Yemen until after the midterms.
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Bruxelles s’enflamme
Le 9 octobre, la capitale belge s'est enflammée à son tour avec une manifestation qui a réuni des milliers de personnes à Bruxelles.
L’article Bruxelles s’enflamme est apparu en premier sur Contre Attaque.
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//Brasero//Lutter pour une autre rentrée
C'est Brasero rentrée et dans l'agenda,
ce qui brise le cœur et attise la rage
le mouvement des lycéen.ne.s
leurs révoltes, leurs convergence et leurs divergences,
leurs situations bien différentes et leurs communs
mais surtout l'arrêt...
leurs arrêts dans les geôles,
le silence dans les classes
et le bruit dehors.
Ce soir vous entendrez des sons de camarades envoyés depuis les points de blocage des lycées à Toulouse, merci à elleux.Musiques
Voir en ligne : le lien pour écouter et télécharger (clic droit enregistrer sous) l'émission
THEA "La vie est belle"
SOLI "Ma mission"
MEDINE "L'amour" -
US maternity wards face wave of closures as Medicaid cuts kick in
Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ spending cuts will be fully felt next year, but hospitals are already feeling the squeeze
Maternity wards across the United States are facing a wave of closures as cuts to federal Medicaid funding take effect, experts have warned.
According to analysis by the non-profit Protect Our Care, 52 maternity wards have closed since the HR1 bill was announced in July 2025, with a further eight having announced their upcoming closure.
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Trump Calls On Ukraine to Stop Hitting Russian Refineries—and Replace Zelensky
President Trump called on Ukraine to replace Volodymyr Zelensky as its leader and piled pressure on Kyiv to stop airstrikes against Russian oil refineries, a day after the U.S. leader announced a deal to boost Moscow's diesel exports. "I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president," Trump told reporters on Saturday, blaming Zelensky for Russia's continuing war on the country—and Kyiv's airstrikes for high diesel prices in the U.S. and worldwide. "He better damn well stop," Trump said. -
U.S. official: Trump cut deal with Putin after Zelensky ignored his requests
President Trump decided to make a diesel fuel deal with Russia after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ignored half a dozen U.S. requests to stop attacking Russian oil refineries, a U.S. official with direct knowledge told Axios. Why it matters: Trump's deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin sparked a new crisis with Ukraine and threatens to derail a new push by the Trump administration for a deal to end the war. -
Putin and Trump hold 'successful' talks: Key details
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump held a 90-minute phone conversation on Friday, discussing the Ukraine conflict, a major agreement on Russian diesel supplies, the crisis surrounding Iran, and prospects for broader cooperation between Moscow and Washington. -
Inde: face à la mobilisation de la jeunesse, la violence passe un cap dans Delhi cadenassée
Sympathisants du «parti des cafards», opposition et syndicats ont convergé le 10 octobre vers la capitale, dénonçant des fraudes électorales. Les forces de sécurité les ont violemment repoussés, donnant un peu de temps au gouvernement, dans l’impasse face à la fronde de la «Gen Z» qui monte depuis le mois de juin. -
Did Trump get one thing right about Greenland?
Threatening an ally is a terrible idea, but there’s no denying the Arctic’s increasing strategic importance
One of Donald Trump’s more diabolical talents is his ability to land on the right things in the wrong way. Since his first term, Trump has been obsessed with the Arctic – Greenland in particular – something that has puzzled and enraged many, particularly in Europe. He first brought up the idea of buying the icy landmass from Denmark in 2019. Right after re-election, he began ramping up his rhetoric about acquiring it “one way or another”, threatening the Nato alliance and the foundations of post-second world war security.
Trump got his way – thankfully without military force – in September, when the US and Denmark signed an agreement that allowed for many more US troops on the island, albeit without the sort of takeover that the president enjoys “joking” about. “The United States will FOREVER have the complete ability to do what is necessary in Greenland,” Trump wrote on social media. “We will work with the people of Greenland in its development and construction.”
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«L’esprit critique» cinéma: retour sur la série «Camarades»
Le podcast culturel de «Mediapart» revient sur la série «Camarades» diffusée par Arte et la société du spectacle états-unienne à travers deux longs métrages, «Digger», d’Alejandro González Iñárritu, et «Primetime», de Lance Oppenheim. -
Les lycéens s’organisent pour faire tenir leur «mouvement historique»
Réunis samedi 10 octobre pour une première assemblée générale nationale à Paris, des élèves venus de toute la France ont fait le point sur leur mobilisation. Leur mot d’ordre: la faire durer et soutenir davantage les lycées des quartiers populaires, plus exposés aux violences policières. -
À la ZAD et à Nantes ce 10 octobre : plus de 2000 personnes mobilisées contre le projet de centre de rétention
"Des semis contre le CRA" : nouvelle journée d'action contre le projet de Centre de rétention administrative de Nantes
L’article À la ZAD et à Nantes ce 10 octobre : plus de 2000 personnes mobilisées contre le projet de centre de rétention est apparu en premier sur Contre Attaque.
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Condamnations unanimes après l’attaque de l’aéroport de Riyad
Au lendemain de l’attaque ayant visé samedi l’aéroport de la capitale saoudienne, qui a fait 12 morts et 309 blessés selon les autorités, les condamnations se multiplient, du secrétaire général de l’ONU à la présidente de la Commission européenne. -
Histoires de vies, histoires de luttes - Conférences gesticulées du 15/10 au 17/10 à la MJC Jean Macé
Jeudi 15 octobre
18h30 – Flop gun : Du combat militaire aux luttes militantes (par Fanny)
Et si nos vies étaient beaucoup plus orientées par l'armée que nous ne le pensons ?
À partir d'expériences de vie, cette conférence s'intéresse à la manière dont les valeurs militaires irriguent notre société, notre économie et notre rapport au vivant.
20h30 – Et si être nullipare n'était pas si nul ?
Analyse de la fabrication d'un désir d'enfant et de ses échappatoires. (par Jane Sautière. Nullipare)De quoi est constitué mon désir d'enfant : d'où vient-il ? Quels besoins cache-t-il ?
Et si avoir ou ne pas avoir d'enfants n'était pas qu'une question individuelle ? Quels sont les enjeux sociaux et politiques qui régissent les désirs d'enfant ?
D'une éducation genrée qui prédispose à des rôles au stigmate de la vieille fille à chat, je cherche des voix d'émancipation à la sacro-sainte institution de la famille hétéronormée.
Je voudrais interroger l'ahurissant mystère de ne pas avoir d'enfant comme on interroge l'ahurissant mystère d'en avoir.
Vendredi 16 octobre
18h30 – Les histoires d'une jeune femme indocile
De la méritocratie à l'éducation populaire et aux joyeuses expérimentations collectives (par Françoise)Éduquée et attirée par la douce voix de la méritocratie ,à 18 ans, j'ai bifurqué vers l'éducation populaire et plongé au cœur de joyeuses aventures collectives .
Aujourd'hui, je souhaite partager ce que j'ai compris de mes apprentissages dans ces espaces de coopération et donner l'envie et l'élan de s'engager dans des expérimentations collectives … Une nécessité pour rendre un autre monde possible !
20h30 – Femmes en agriculture : le sexisme est dans le pré… le féminisme aussi ! (par Sandrine)
À partir de son expérience de paysanne engagée, Sandrine essaye de comprendre pourquoi les femmes sont systématiquement la variable d'ajustement dans les fermes. Pourquoi elles ne sont que 25% des chef-fes d'exploitation alors qu'elles sont 50% dans les filières d'enseignement agricole ? C'est quoi, être une femme dans l'agriculture en France en 2026 ? Tentative de plaidoyer pour un féminisme paysan…
Samedi 17 octobre
14h30 - De rivières en abysses, le vertige d'une prise de conscience
Le voyage d'une femme vers l'éducation à l'environnement, son lien avec la santé, ses paradoxes et sa dimension politico-économique ! (par Céline)Voir un jour la mort, découvrir les perturbateurs endocriniens, passer la sidération, traverser l'angoisse, s'engager pour changer, s'interroger encore, politiser le.s colibri.s ; lutter pour construire ensemble un futur désirable !
18h30 - Consultation gratuite : la carte qu'on retourne jamais
Conférence gesticulée sur l'exploitation associative, le racisme et les silences féministes autour des violences (par Angelica E.)Dans « Consultation gratuite : la carte qu'on retourne jamais », Angélica raconte comment une journée ordinaire — enfin, presque : sa voiture explose après qu'elle s'est garée sur une place de deal — vient faire remonter à la surface tout ce qu'elle taisait depuis longtemps. Ce jour-là, elle se rend à une réunion de bilan où elle découvre l'ampleur du laisser-aller de son équipe, se fait couper la parole par une collègue qui parle à sa place de son propre travail, et rentre chez elle en réalisant les dégâts sur sa voiture. C'est la goutte de trop : elle craque, s'effondre, et sera arrêtée un an et demi pour épuisement professionnel avant de quitter définitivement l'association. À travers cette histoire, Angélica ne se contente pas de raconter un burn-out : elle met en lumière un système associatif qui, derrière ses discours féministes et solidaires, épuise et précarise les femmes qui le font vivre. Elle parle aussi, sans détour, du racisme et des silences féministes qui entourent les violences — et prend le risque de critiquer les féministes de l'intérieur.
16h30 - Journal d'une fille de malade mental, sur la proche aidance et la parentification (par Carole)
Au travers de ma relation avec mon père, malade, je viens vous éclairer sur la proche aidance et la parentification, dénoncer les effets que ça a sur les enfants notamment, d'autant plus dans une société où dominent les personnes valides, et les adultes…
20h30 - Urgence, à la recherche du soin perdu (par Florie)
À travers mon expérience d'infirmière et de cadre infirmier, je dénonce les mécanismes qui ont amené à une dégradation du soin, et cela malgré les grandes lois du début des années 2000, et tente de trouver une nouvelle définition du « prendre soin », de la dépendance et de la vulnérabilité. -
PSG-Le Mans : une nouvelle banderole contre la répression de la jeunesse au Parc des Princes
Après les supporters lensois, ce sont les ultras parisiens qui ont profité de la rencontre PSG-Le Mans pour délivrer un message.
L’article PSG-Le Mans : une nouvelle banderole contre la répression de la jeunesse au Parc des Princes est apparu en premier sur Contre Attaque.
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Qui sont ces «étudiants» de l’UNI qu’on voit partout ?
Saluts nazis, antisémitisme et violences, les étudiants de l'UNI sont pourtant présentés avec bienveillance dans les médias
L’article Qui sont ces «étudiants» de l’UNI qu’on voit partout ? est apparu en premier sur Contre Attaque.
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« Les usines se battent contre des usines » : c’est quoi ArsenalOS, le logiciel d’Anduril qui doit piloter la production d’armes américaines
Anduril a annoncé ce mardi 6 octobre un chantier naval à 6,6 milliards de dollars (environ 5,9 milliards d’euros) pour l’US Navy. Il reposera sur ArsenalOS, un logiciel qui doit piloter toute la production de l’entreprise.
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Rapport de l'ONU sur Gaza : les médias occidentaux, relais de la propagande israélienne
Des journalistes palestiniens tués, puis présentés comme des « terroristes » ou des « agents du Hamas » par l’armée israélienne, un récit repris par les grands médias occidentaux : dans un rapport de 32 pages intitulé « la vérité sous les décombres », la… -
La «démocratie lycéenne» ne convainc ni les élèves ni les chefs d’établissement
Face à la mobilisation de la jeunesse, le gouvernement mise sur une consultation en ligne et un moment de débat dans les lycées. Une stratégie compromise par le peu de considération traditionnellement accordée aux instances chargées d’assurer le «dialogue» entre lycéens et institutions. -
Fixated on AI, the world has forgotten what is staring it in the face: nuclear annihilation | Simon Tisdall
This is no scoffing matter. The accelerating proliferation of advanced nuclear weapons is bringing ‘end times’ closer by the day
Humankind has fearfully and sometimes joyfully anticipated the end of the world ever since it began. The Bible’s Book of Revelation speaks of “end times”, a period of tribulation, war, famine, plague, floods and environmental catastrophe that may seem a less absurd prospect today than perhaps it once did. Islam, too, posits a fateful day of judgment or day of reckoning. Christian evangelicals believe that, in the final rapture, a chosen few – the righteous or the “elect” – will be saved while sinners burn. It’s a minority view. Matthew’s gospel predicts most people will defy, ignore or ridicule warnings of imminent Armageddon. Peter, another of Jesus’s disciples, agreed: “In the last days, scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.” Yet such worldly scepticism does not mean a universal cataclysm is less likely. It may make it more probable.
Donald Trump’s blanket denials of the dangers ostensibly posed by artificial intelligence, whose uncontrolled development is seen by some as the latest harbinger of apocalypse, could be interpreted as fulfilling Peter’s prophecy. This US president, the nearest thing the world has to a one-man doomsday machine, is a great one for scoffing and evil desires. In Robert Harris’s 2019 novel, The Second Sleep, a worried scientist lists half a dozen ways the world might end. They include devastating climate change, pandemic disease, a giant asteroid collision with Earth, or some other overwhelming calamity. Few heed the fictional scientist’s fears. In the event, what destroys him and almost everybody else is a disturbingly plausible cyber crash – a global digital and internet meltdown.
Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator
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«La répression des “rouges” aux États-Unis est un phénomène continu»
Avec sa bande dessinée «Les Dissidents», Derf Backderf décrit la répression brutale, en 1917, de dessinateurs de presse opposés à l’entrée en guerre des États-Unis. Deux historiennes expliquent à «Mediapart» en quoi ce détour historique est riche d’enseignements.