The Morning Sixpack - April 25, 2025

Trump giving insider info to stock traders, Crimea is now part of Russia, proof of citizenship for voting ruled illegal, and Trump talks turkey about China tariffs... or does he?

Fox Reporter Claims Trump White House Is Playing Wall Street Like a Fiddle on Trade Deals

A bombshell report by Fox Business’ Charles Gasparino reveals that the Trump administration is allegedly tipping off Wall Street insiders about trade negotiations—because who doesn't want to let the 1% in on the latest financial gossip?

Gasparino, citing "senior Wall Street execs with ties to the White House," claims that the Trump team has been giving bigwigs a heads-up about a potential deal with India, one that could set the stage for future agreements with Japan, South Korea, and Australia.

Of course, this isn’t exactly new territory. According to Gasparino, the timing and details of these deals remain sketchy at best. But what’s getting everyone’s attention isn’t the trade itself—it's the fact that Trump’s White House seems to be practically handing Wall Street executives their own version of the inside track.

And, naturally, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s press team is silent on the matter, which, when you think about it, is pretty much the official response to every shady move.

And then there's Gasparino’s own spicy rebuttal to Bloomberg’s Joe Weisenthal, who questioned the scoop’s real significance. Gasparino fired back, pointing out that the real headline here isn’t the deal with India—it’s the fact that the White House is giving financial moguls the heads-up. He also took a dig at "progressive MSM" for their supposed lack of outrage, suggesting that if the public had been clued in earlier about Biden’s mental state, maybe we’d have fewer crises today.

Source: Mediaite

Is it me or is everybody in Trump’s orbit some sort of vindictive asshole, including this “reporter” named Garparino? Why the dig on Biden? Because it’s easy.

Trump Suggests Crimea Will Stay With Russia, Blames Zelenskyy for Prolonging War in Ukraine

In a recent Time magazine interview, President Donald Trump declared that Crimea will "stay with Russia," a statement that could have serious implications for ongoing peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

Trump’s comments come amid increasing pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has steadfastly refused to recognize the peninsula as Russian despite its 2014 annexation.

According to Trump, "Zelenskyy understands that... it’s been with them for a long time," signaling his belief that Ukraine may have to make concessions to end the war.

While Trump seems eager to broker a peace deal, the situation remains volatile, with Russia’s ongoing military strikes causing devastating casualties. Trump’s frustration is palpable, especially as his efforts to facilitate talks between the warring nations continue to falter.

As he recently stated on Truth Social, "Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!" The U.S. president’s impatience is growing, even as Russia intensifies its attacks, causing even more civilian devastation.

With growing calls from European leaders and the U.S. administration itself for a resolution, Trump's comments may be a signal of his willingness to shift U.S. policy. Yet, Zelenskyy has repeatedly drawn a hard line, insisting that any peace deal must acknowledge Ukraine's territorial integrity, including Crimea.

Will Trump’s push for concessions put Ukraine in an untenable position?

Source: AP News

Yo, Ukraine is already in an untenable position. They’re in a war against Russia, who is murdering Ukrainians by the dozens every day.

Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Executive Order on Proof of Citizenship for Voting

In a major legal setback for President Trump, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. has blocked key parts of his executive order requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.

The ruling, issued by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, specifically struck down provisions that would have forced federal agencies to demand documentary proof of citizenship from voters and amend national voter registration forms accordingly. The judge argued that Congress, not the President, holds the power to regulate federal elections—a point that has triggered ongoing debates about executive overreach.

Trump’s efforts to introduce this order were quickly met with legal opposition, including lawsuits filed by multiple groups. While some provisions were upheld, Kollar-Kotelly’s decision marks a significant blow to the administration's push for tighter election integrity measures. The ruling emphasizes the ongoing constitutional tug-of-war over who controls election laws, with Kollar-Kotelly reaffirming that changes to voter registration must go through the proper legislative process.

As Trump faces multiple legal hurdles, the push for proof-of-citizenship legislation continues to gain traction in various states, though the path forward remains unclear. With 25 states considering similar measures, the future of election reform looks as contentious as ever.

Source: New York Post

My very smart readers: Why is proof of citizenship such a hot-button issue for “both sides?”

Trump’s Immigration Approval Drops as Legal Tactics Backfire

President Donald Trump’s immigration policies are beginning to lose steam, as his approval ratings on the issue have nosedived. According to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, 53% of Americans now disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration, a stark reversal from February, when his approval was still holding steady.

Despite his administration’s aggressive crackdown, including deporting migrants to El Salvador without due process and targeting international students, more and more voters are turning against his hardline approach.

The poll reveals a significant drop in support from all corners of the political spectrum. While 90% of Democrats and 56% of independents now disapprove of his immigration handling, even 11% of Republicans have joined the disapproval ranks.

This shift comes as the Trump administration battles court orders, including one involving the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego García, a case that has divided public opinion.

The general sentiment? People are starting to think Trump’s handling of immigration is less about security and more about playing fast and loose with the law. It’s all about the vengeance, folks.

Perhaps most telling, however, is how Trump's high-handed tactics are creating a major backlash among moderates and Democrats alike, who are increasingly calling out his disregard for due process. As one Nebraska voter put it, "Not following the due process laws... is not a way to fix the problem."

Looks like Trump's immigration strategy might be his next big policy flop.

Source: Washington Post

The stupidity, arrogance, and incompetence are still alarming to this day. Just when you think Trump can’t get any dumber, he’s right there showing you how wrong you are.

Trump Claims "200 Deals" on Tariffs—But Still Won’t Name the Countries

President Donald Trump’s latest interview is a doozy: in a Time magazine cover story, he boldly claims that he’s already struck "200 deals" on tariffs. Yes, 200—because why stop at the world’s total number of countries when you can casually exceed it?

Despite the lack of specifics on the nations involved or any evidence of actual agreements, Trump confidently declared, “100%” when asked to confirm the claim. And if you’re wondering how quickly all this will wrap up, don’t worry—Trump assures us that negotiations will be “finished” in 3-4 weeks. Sure, let’s go with that timeline.

Of course, when asked about his supposed talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump couldn’t resist a bit of drama.

“He’s called. And I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf,” Trump said, though he was careful not to offer any details on the conversations.

Meanwhile, Chinese officials—who apparently missed the memo on how deals are made—have outright denied the existence of any ongoing negotiations. "Fake news," said China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

It’s not all about tariffs, though. Trump also touched on other topics, including the ongoing debacle with the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego García. Unsurprisingly, he seems unbothered by the legal chaos, leaving it to his lawyers to sort out. His answer to everything, it seems, is “It’s up to them.” Could this interview have been more vague? Probably not, but at least Trump is certain about those 200 deals—if only we knew what they actually were.

Source: ABC News

Keep reading, friends.

Not So Fast… China Calls His Bluff on Tariffs

In a rather bold (and somewhat baffling) move, President Trump has claimed he’s already sealed “200 deals” on tariffs, even though, well, no one knows exactly what those deals are or which countries have agreed to them.

In an interview with Time magazine, Trump went on to suggest that he’s been in “active talks” with Chinese President Xi Jinping about tariffs.

But don’t hold your breath—China’s foreign ministry quickly shot down that claim, dismissing it as "confusion" and “fake news.”

So, which is it—has Trump been on the phone with Xi, or was this just an optimistic spin to calm the jittery markets?

Neither. Trump needs to save face, so he lies about everything.

Despite the public back-and-forth, Trump insisted in a separate conversation that he’s spoken with Xi "numerous times," although he couldn’t be bothered to confirm if any of those calls took place after imposing his latest tariff hikes.

Meanwhile, in true Trump fashion, he confidently proclaimed that all these mysterious trade deals would be wrapped up in the next 3-4 weeks.

While Trump claims progress, China’s response suggests the reality may be less “we’re talking” and more “we’re waiting for you to stop talking.”

With businesses already reeling from the ongoing trade war, these conflicting messages are doing little to ease tensions.

Source: New York Times