The Morning Sixpack - March 17, 2025

Happy St. Patrick's Day! And other, much more terrible stuff...

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Trump Orders Strikes on Houthi Rebels, Promises ‘Overwhelming Lethal Force’

President Donald Trump has launched a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels after their attacks on international shipping escalated tensions in the region.

In a social media post, Trump declared that U.S. forces were carrying out attacks on “terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses” to protect American assets and restore safe navigation in the Red Sea.

He also issued a stern warning to Iran, vowing to hold the regime “fully accountable” for its support of the Houthis. The strikes, which reportedly resulted in multiple explosions, mark the first major U.S. military action against the Houthis under Trump’s second administration.

The Houthis reported at least nine civilian deaths from the airstrikes, claiming that the attacks targeted residential neighborhoods in Sanaa’s northern Shouab district. Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, responded defiantly, stating that the strikes would not deter them and pledging retaliation against the U.S.

“Sanaa will remain Gaza’s shield and support and will not abandon it no matter the challenges,” he wrote.

The operation follows the Houthis’ recent vow to resume attacks on Israeli vessels in response to Israel’s blockade of Gaza, further complicating the geopolitical landscape.

The USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group played a key role in the mission, with U.S. officials confirming that the operation was conducted solely by the U.S. military.

Trump, spending ALL DAY at his golf club in West Palm Beach, defended the strikes as necessary to counteract the Houthis’ “relentless assaults” on global shipping.

“These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk,” he said.

The attacks signal a return to broad military action against the Houthis, reminiscent of previous U.S. responses to their aggressive tactics under the Biden administration.

Source: AP News

More: US Military Shoots Down Houthi Drones

The “anti-war president” doing totally anti-war stuff, like bombing countries. I guess it’s not a war if the opponent doesn’t strike back? Kinda like the GOP’s take on rape: It didn’t happen if she didn’t fight back.

Trump Declares Biden’s Pardons ‘Void’ as Political Battle Escalates

President Donald Trump has ignited a legal and political firestorm by declaring that Joe Biden’s last-minute pardons are "void, vacant, and of no further effect."

In a late-night Truth Social post, Trump argued that the pardons—granted to members of the January 6 committee, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and retired General Mark Milley—were invalid because they were allegedly signed with an autopen rather than Biden’s actual signature.

He further warned that former members of the January 6 select committee would now be “subject to investigation at the highest level.”

Trump’s claims align with allegations from the conservative Oversight Project, which has accused the Biden administration of using autopen signatures to sign major executive actions, including presidential pardons.

However, legal experts note that a federal appeals court ruled last year that presidential pardons do not need to be in writing, leaving Trump’s argument on uncertain legal footing.

Addressing the controversy, Trump stated, “The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave… are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT because they were done by Autopen… The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them.”

The debate over the legitimacy of Biden’s pardons could set a dangerous precedent, with legal scholars warning that if Trump successfully overturns them, future presidents could do the same, eroding the long-standing power of executive clemency.

Meanwhile, Trump’s remarks suggest that his administration may still pursue legal action against his political adversaries. Whether the courts will entertain these arguments remains to be seen.

HINT: They will. And he’ll be able to overturn any pardon he wants. We are in full dictator mode now, y’all.

Source: Newsweek

Trump Shuts Down Voice of America, Puts Entire Staff on Leave

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order stripping back the operations of Voice of America (VOA), the federally funded international news organization that has broadcast U.S. perspectives worldwide since 1942.

The order targets VOA’s parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which also funds Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia. The directive calls for agency heads to “reduce performance… to the minimum presence and function required by law,” effectively sidelining one of America’s most significant global media arms.

Mike Abramowitz, VOA’s director, confirmed that nearly all 1,300 staff members have been placed on paid leave, saying the move leaves the organization unable to fulfill its “vital mission... especially critical today, when America’s adversaries, like Iran, China, and Russia, are sinking billions of dollars into creating false narratives to discredit the United States.”

According to internal emails obtained by CBS, federal grants for VOA and its affiliate stations have been terminated, and freelance and international contractors were told there is no longer funding to pay them.

Despite the sweeping order, the Trump administration has provided no explanation, leaving uncertainty over whether the stations will be permanently shuttered.

The cuts align with broader funding reductions across multiple federal agencies, including those responsible for homelessness prevention, museums, and libraries.

Trump, who has long accused mainstream media of bias, has recently appointed Kari Lake, a staunch loyalist, as a special adviser for USAGM, further fueling concerns about the administration’s crackdown on independent media.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk, acting as an informal Trump adviser, has publicly called for VOA to be shut down.

The move marks a dramatic shift for a media network that has operated for over 80 years, originally created to counter Nazi and Japanese propaganda during World War II.

Source: BBC

USPS Cuts 10,000 Jobs, Teams Up with Musk’s “Efficiency” Squad

The United States Postal Service is about to shed 10,000 jobs in the next 30 days, courtesy of a voluntary early retirement program.

Outgoing Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who once described USPS as being in a “death spiral,” confirmed the cuts while also announcing a new partnership with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Because if there’s one thing Musk is known for, it’s making things run smoothly—just ask Twitter, sorry, X, sorry, SHITTER, sorry, Shitler.

DeJoy, in a letter to Congress, insisted the agency needs outside help to stay afloat.

“Fixing a broken organization that had experienced close to $100 billion in losses and was projected to lose another $200 billion, without a bankruptcy proceeding, is a daunting task,” he wrote.

Musk has already hinted that privatization is the way forward, and Trump has previously floated the idea of selling off the 253-year-old institution to the highest bidder.

Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick thinks the USPS should be absorbed into his department—because nothing says "seamless mail delivery" like a bureaucratic power grab.

While mass firings have become a staple of the DOGE approach to governance, USPS had, until now, been spared the axe. But with the new push for "efficiencies," the future of America’s favorite government-run, underfunded, and perpetually beleaguered mail service looks increasingly uncertain.

Whether this leads to genuine improvements or just another step toward privatization remains to be seen—but don’t be surprised if your mail starts arriving via Tesla drone, for a premium price.

Source: UPI

Here’s why the USPS is “broken.”

Trump Admin Cracks Down on DEI, Investigates Over 50 Universities for ‘Racial Preferences’

In its latest broadside against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the Trump administration has launched investigations into more than 50 colleges and universities over alleged "racial preferences" in academics and scholarships.

The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights is targeting institutions that partnered with The PhD Project, which it claims limits eligibility based on race, and others accused of offering "impermissible" race-based scholarships or segregation. Schools under scrutiny range from Ivy League powerhouses to state universities and smaller colleges, with Yale, MIT, the University of Chicago, and the University of Alabama among those named.

The crackdown follows a February 14 “Dear Colleague” letter from the Education Department warning universities to eliminate DEI programs or risk losing federal funding.

“The Department will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination that has become widespread in this Nation’s educational institutions,” the letter declared, citing Title VI, which prohibits race-based discrimination in education.

The administration has made it clear that colleges and universities are a top target for Trump's second term, setting up a likely legal battle over the fate of DEI policies in higher education.

While critics argue that the move is a politically motivated attack on academic diversity, supporters claim it’s a long-overdue correction to race-based policies that they say have overstepped legal bounds.

With funding cuts on the table, universities now face a stark choice: dismantle DEI initiatives or risk being financially starved by the federal government.

Source: The Hill

Don’t cry too much for the Ivy League schools—they have YUGE endowments. But the smaller state colleges? They. Are. Fucked. And so are its students.

Cyberjunk? Tesla Halts Cybertruck Deliveries as Parts Start Falling Off

Tesla’s much-hyped Cybertruck has hit yet another roadblock—this time, quite literally falling apart.

The company has been forced to pause deliveries after multiple owners reported that exterior panels were detaching, particularly in cold weather.

Apparently, the futuristic stainless-steel truck wasn’t designed for, well, actual weather.

The issue is linked to adhesive failures, raising questions about Tesla’s manufacturing quality (it’s long been known as—technical jargon aside—CRAP).

This isn’t the first Cybertruck recall, either—previous issues have included a stuck accelerator pedal that could cause unintended acceleration and various software bugs. You know, because “Leon” Musk is a fucking super genius.

While Elon Musk once bragged that over a million people had reserved a Cybertruck, enthusiasm has cooled faster than its glue in winter.

Tesla has resorted to heavy discounts to move inventory, with reports suggesting that even the high-end “Founders Series” models are being quietly rebadged as standard versions. LOL.

Meanwhile, Tesla’s stock price has been in freefall as Musk’s political entanglements—including his bromance with Donald Trump and his push for deep government spending cuts—continue to alienate customers and investors alike.

Between quality-control disasters, a consumer backlash, and tumbling stock prices, the once-unshakable Tesla empire is looking more wobbly than a Cybertruck on an icy road.

If the company can’t figure out how to keep its vehicles intact, buyers may start looking elsewhere—perhaps at a truck that doesn’t shed parts like a molting snake.

Source: Telegraph

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Just so you know: There is so much shit in this shitshow that I may be posting multiple times a day from here on out until Dear Leader strokes out on his last meal of a dozen glazed doughnuts and a twelve pack of Diet Coke.

Fair warning!