It’s never a dull moment in Trump land – from thickening the plot on tariffs and not ruling out staying in office beyond his legal time limit – to randomly deporting people to El Salvador by mistake and admitting they can’t get them back.
Trump is considering ways to serve a third term as president
Happy Liberation Eve to all who celebrate. Tomorrow we’ll learn which version of trashing the global economy Donald Trump will be enforcing on the world.
Across the world, financial chiefs are experiencing what I believe is known in Washington DC as “squeaky bum time” – waiting to find out whether the whole world will be subject to 20% import rates on anything they export to the US, or just some of them.
Or, as seems increasingly likely, whether Trump hasn’t really decided, and set a deadline as a sort of threat to the world, without coming up with a plan for his bluff being called.
Anyway, here’s more on that, a man complaining about Trump for 15 hours, and another man who was sent to a gulag by mistake.
1. Trump keeps trying to thicken the plot on tariffs
Clearly Trump doesn’t think he mere threat of global tariffs is enough to keep the world on the edge of its seat.
So he decided to inject a little artificial mystery to thicken the plot.
Asked whether his tariffs will be universal, or will be targeted country by country, he said:” we’ll find out in 2 days time…”
DUN DUN DURRRRRRR
2. He’s still talking about running for a third time
Since November, I’ve been telling people that there’s no way Donald Trump leaves the White House voluntarily while he has breath in his body.
They’re now starting to believe me.
I’d be amazed if he even bothers running for a third term.
But that’s an option he’s still talking about, openly, despite being manifestly unconstitutional.
Asked if he thought the Democrats might run Barack Obama against him, Trump replied: “I’d love that. People are asking me to run. They do say there’s a way you can do it.”
(The way you can do it is by passing an amendment to the constitution, and if you get that deep in the weeds, a coup is probably going to look like an easier solution.)
3. Yes, that is Kid Rock wearing a stunt bike rider’s jumpsuit and a silly hat
Kid Rock, the world’s worst musician (official) was in the White House to watch the president sign an Executive Order cracking down on ticket touts. Joe Rogan, the world’s stupidest podcaster was also there for some reason, but had the uncharacteristic good sense to stay out of the photos.
4. Had to be reminded why he was in the room
After taking a raft of unrelated questions, and dismissing the media – with aides shouting loudly for them to leave the Oval Office – someone pointed out Trump hadn’t actually signed the Executive Order he’d invited them all there for.
It’s terrible when you walk into a room and forget why you’re there, but it’s all a part of getting old.
5. Admitted they deported a man to a gulag in El Salvador by accident and now can’t get him back
In court documents filed yesterday, the Trump administration admitted to mistakenly deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran father of a 5-year-old disabled child.
Abrego Garcia, who is married to a US citizen has no criminal record in the US, the Atlantic Reported.
And after fleeing gang threats in El Salvador to the US in 2011, aged 16, he was granted protected legal status known as “withholding of removal” from a judge who found he would be targeted if deported back.
He was arrested by ICE officers and detained. A few days later he was apparently moved up a list of “alternates” to take a seat on one of two planeloads alleged gang members bound for El Salvador – despite a US district judge telling the White House to stop the flights.
His wife spotted him on photographs issued by the Salvadoran government at the brutal CECOT “mega prison” in El Salvador.
Government lawyers admitted in documents: “Through administrative error, Abrego Garcia was removed from the United States to El Salvador. This was an oversight.”
And they claimed the Maryland district court has no power to bring him back.
Oopsie.
6. A senator talked literally all night in Congress to protest against Trump’s agenda
Cory Booker, who many have (over the years) touted as a potential Presidential candidate, promised yesterday he’d speak on the Senate floor for as long as he was physically able to, criticising a raft
He stood up at 6.30pm Washington time last night.
At the time of writing it’s 10.22am Washington time, and he’s still on his feet, talking.
It’s all very Mr Smith Goes to Washington meets I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue.
He’s starting to pace a bit to keep his legs alive, and another Senator has just asked him to yield for a question in order to give him a break. But he’s still going. Have a watch.