The Morning Sixpack - January 30, 2025
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Fact Check: Trump’s $50 Million Gaza Condom Claim Doesn’t Hold Up
During her first official White House briefing as Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt made a bold claim: Trump’s foreign aid freeze had stopped “$50 million taxpayer dollars” from funding condoms in Gaza. Trump later escalated the rhetoric, alleging that his administration had “identified and stopped $50 million being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas.” The assertion made global headlines, but there are at least five significant reasons to be highly skeptical.
You know, besides the fact that Trump is suffering from multiple mental disorders and congnitive decline.
First, the White House provided no evidence to support the claim, and when pressed by CNN, officials failed to substantiate it with documentation.
Furthermore, federal reports show that in the previous three years under Biden, USAID had spent zero dollars on condoms anywhere in the Middle East. The most it had spent on contraceptives in the region was a modest $46,000 for Jordan in 2023.
Even worldwide, USAID's total condom spending was far below the alleged figure, amounting to just over $8 million in 2023. Experts in foreign aid and global health dismissed the claim outright.
A former senior Biden official bluntly called it “imaginary,” while Jeremy Konyndyk, a former USAID official, described it as “total garbage. Either fully invented, or someone who doesn’t know how to read a spreadsheet.”
In my professional life, I can attest to the fact that nearly nobody in the corporate world (and I assume it’s worse in government) knows how to read a spreadsheet. Hell, they don’t even know how to use PowerPoint, which was made for toddlers.
Beyond the dubious condom claim, Trump’s aid freeze is having real consequences for humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
The International Medical Corps, a U.S.-based group operating two field hospitals in Gaza, stated unequivocally that “no US government funding was used to procure or distribute condoms.”
Instead, the funding freeze is halting life-saving medical care, including 30 surgeries and 20 childbirths per day. If the freeze continues, the organization warns, its services will collapse within weeks.
Meanwhile, the State Department has vaguely asserted that the halted funding “included” money for family planning, but at no point has it confirmed or even repeated Leavitt’s specific $50 million condom claim. Experts remain puzzled, with Matthew Kavanagh of Georgetown University concluding: “It seems clear to me there was no $50 million in condoms going to Gaza. That is, at best, a mischaracterization.”
Source: mydailygrind.news
Can we stop the bullshit and pussyfooting around the issue? Trump is a fucking LIAR. He only hires LIARS. Liars tell LIES. They’re all LIES.
Trump’s FBI Pick Kash Patel Faces Senate Grilling—But Can He Spell “Independence”?
Kash Patel, Trump’s handpicked nominee for FBI director, is about to face a Senate confirmation hearing that promises to be as cool as a Teslar self-driving car crash.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are bracing for a battle over whether Patel—a die-hard Trump loyalist—would turn the nation’s top law enforcement agency into the president’s personal revenge squad.
The hearing comes as Trump has been busy purging federal agencies of anyone who doesn’t pledge undying fealty, and Patel’s nomination is raising alarms that the FBI’s already precarious independence could soon be a distant memory.
These Trump picks should be 5-alarm fires. But they’re not. He’s succeeding, even when he’s failing.
Patel isn’t just a Trump fanboy; he’s been a key enabler of the former president’s war on the Justice Department.
He’s the guy who pushed debunked conspiracy theories about the FBI spying on Trump’s associates and has openly advocated going after the former president’s enemies—including Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Oh, and let’s not forget the minor detail that Patel once allegedly botched a classified clearance process so badly that it nearly wrecked a SEAL Team Six hostage rescue mission.
Seems like exactly the kind of steady, competent leadership the FBI needs, right?
If confirmed, Patel would take over an agency already under relentless political attack, and critics worry he’d turn it into Trump’s personal security force.
His nomination is basically Trump’s way of saying, "Let’s see if the FBI is still willing to investigate me after I put one of my most loyal foot soldiers in charge."
The big question now: Will enough senators actually prioritize law enforcement integrity, or will they rubber-stamp Trump’s latest power grab?
Source: theguardian.com
I think we already know the answer. In case you need help, look up Pete Hegseth’s confirmation.
Midair Collision Near Reagan National: American Airlines Jet and Black Hawk Helicopter Crash Amid FAA Staffing Concerns
A tragic midair collision occurred near Reagan National Airport yesterday, involving an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.
The accident resulted in both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River, with all 64 individuals on the jet and three soldiers on the helicopter feared dead. Emergency response teams have been actively recovering bodies and investigating the cause of this devastating incident.
This catastrophe has intensified scrutiny of recent federal actions affecting aviation safety.
Notably, the Trump administration implemented a temporary freeze on federal financial assistance, impacting various agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
This pause, initiated by a memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget, directed agencies to halt activities related to the obligation or disbursement of federal funds, potentially affecting FAA operations and oversight capabilities.
Critics argue that such administrative decisions may have unintended consequences on aviation safety.
The temporary funding freeze could disrupt essential services and oversight functions within the FAA, potentially compromising the agency's ability to effectively manage air traffic and enforce safety regulations.
As investigations into the collision continue, questions are being raised about whether these policy changes contributed to the tragedy, highlighting the delicate balance between administrative decisions and public safety.
Source: CNBC
FAFO!
Meta Pays $25 Million to Settle Trump Lawsuit—And Buys Another Seat at the Table
Meta Platforms has agreed to shell out $25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump after the social media giant suspended his accounts in the wake of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Of that amount, a hefty $22 million is heading straight to Trump’s presidential library fund, while the rest covers legal fees and payouts to other plaintiffs.
Meta, of course, admitted no wrongdoing—but the timing and optics of the deal have raised eyebrows, especially given Mark Zuckerberg’s recent high-profile efforts to cozy up to the new administration.
“It looks like a bribe and a signal to every company that corruption is the name of the game,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren, summing up the skepticism.
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2021, had languished for years before suddenly gaining momentum last fall when Zuckerberg made a trip to Mar-a-Lago. That visit, followed by a full-day mediation session in January—during which Trump reportedly stepped out to be sentenced in his hush money case before returning in golf attire—was key to finalizing the deal.
The settlement also comes amid a broader trend of media and tech companies making nice with the Trump White House. ABC News recently paid $15 million to settle a defamation suit, and Paramount Global has reportedly been in talks over a separate legal dispute.
The implications of Meta’s payout go far beyond a lawsuit. With Trump openly musing that Zuckerberg “could go to prison” if he had meddled in the past November 2024 election, the deal looks less like a legal resolution and more like an insurance policy.
Meanwhile, Meta’s decision to end fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram is being widely interpreted as another peace offering. Whether this is smart corporate strategy or a blatant play for influence, one thing is clear: Big Tech is learning fast that in Trump’s America, it pays to play ball.
Source: wsj.com
Fed Freezes Rates, Inflation Stubborn—And Trump Wants a Say (Of Course)
The Federal Reserve hit the brakes on interest rate cuts Wednesday, holding them steady at 4.25% to 4.5% amid persistent inflation and an increasingly volatile economic landscape.
The move marks a significant shift from the three consecutive rate cuts last year, signaling that the battle against inflation isn’t over.
But while Fed Chair Jerome Powell carefully tiptoed around politics, the elephant in the room was clear: Trump is back, and his economic agenda—complete with tariffs, mass deportations, and public tantrums about interest rates—is already looming large over monetary policy.
Predictably, Trump wasted no time demanding that the Fed slash rates, despite the fact that his own policies are poised to fuel inflation.
Speaking virtually at the World Economic Forum, he insisted he would “demand” rate cuts—because nothing says economic stability like a president trying to strong-arm an independent central bank.
Powell, for his part, gave the equivalent of an eye-roll, declining to engage. “I’m not going to have any response or comment whatsoever on what the president said,” he stated flatly, adding that he has had no direct contact with Trump.
That sound you hear? The collective sigh of relief from the financial markets.
But here’s the kicker: While Trump is pushing for lower rates, his policies could actually keep them higher for longer.
Fed officials are already warning that his tariff-heavy trade agenda and aggressive immigration crackdowns will add fuel to the inflation fire. The Fed’s latest projections show fewer rate cuts in 2025 than previously expected, with inflation likely to stay elevated thanks to—you guessed it—Trump’s own economic playbook.
So, in classic Trump fashion, he’s demanding the exact opposite of what his own policies will likely produce. Expect more fireworks between the Fed and the White House as reality starts to set in.
Source: axios.com
Prediction: Powell will be fired very soon.
Tulsi Gabbard’s Spy Chief Nomination Faces Fierce Senate Scrutiny
Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s pick to lead U.S. intelligence agencies, is set for a contentious Senate confirmation hearing Thursday, where her past statements on Russia and her 2017 visit with Syrian dictator Bashar Assad will be front and center.
Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about her nomination, questioning whether she is the right person to oversee 18 intelligence agencies despite having no formal intelligence background. With the Senate’s thin Republican majority, her confirmation is anything but guaranteed.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman turned Trump ally, has drawn fire for echoing Russian propaganda justifying the invasion of Ukraine and criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as corrupt.
She’s been accused by GOP lawmakers of spreading Kremlin-backed disinformation (Remember, they are LIES.) and has even received praise from Russian state-controlled media.
Her 2017 meeting with Assad—who was recently ousted after a bloody civil war—only adds to the controversy. Critics argue she lent legitimacy to a dictator accused of war crimes, especially since she later expressed skepticism that Assad used chemical weapons. Again, more LIES.
Despite the criticism, Gabbard has gained support from key Republican senators, including Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (perhaps the dumbest US senator EVER).
"She’s passed five different background checks. I reviewed the latest one. It’s clean as a whistle," Cotton said on Fox News Sunday, pushing back against claims that she poses a national security risk. NOTE: I would pass 5 background checks. You would, too.
Even so, with Gabbard’s shifting positions on surveillance programs and her history of controversial statements, her hearing could be one of the most heated confirmations in recent memory.
Source: MDGN
The best part (only part) about Trump: Literally anybody can be POTUS or SecDef or Fed Chairman or … keep going. YOU CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BE!!!