Please Stop Him

Trump-wise, some okay news and bad news

A lot going on today, some hopeful, some horrible. This is our world now.

A judge ordered thousands of probationary workers that Trump laid off to be reinstated. His order stemmed from a lawsuit brought by employee unions who challenged the legality of the mass firings.

Judge Alsup concluded that the government’s actions were a “gimmick” designed to expeditiously carry out mass firings. “It is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that’s a lie,” he said.

“It was a sham in order to try to avoid statutory requirements,” he added. BUt he made it clear that other firings that were an effort in “reduction of workforce” were legal.

Here is a chart of Trump’s tariffs. The markets continue to fall hard.

Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick warned countries to not impose harsh tariffs in retaliation. He said, “If you make him unhappy, he responds unhappy,” he said of Trump. He threatened 200% tariffs on European wine if the EU didn’t pull back their threats on American whiskey and other products.

Democratic attorneys are suing Trump over the gutting of the Department of Education.

Judge orders Trump and Musk to turn over information about what they are doing, which has been “shrouded in secrecy.”

“The judge, Tanya S. Chutkan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said on Wednesday that the plaintiffs in the case — a coalition of 14 Democratic state attorneys general challenging Mr. Musk’s authority — had demonstrated a clear need to shed light on the inner workings of Mr. Musk’s team. It was the first time a judge has ordered Mr. Musk’s division be subject to discovery.”

Trump administration lawyers have asked the Supreme Court to lift the pause by three lower courts that had issued nationwide pauses on his order to end birthright citizenship. “Three federal courts, in Massachusetts, Maryland and Washington State, had issued directives temporarily pausing the order, which was signed by Mr. Trump on his first day in office and declared that the government would no longer consider the U.S.-born children of undocumented people as citizens.” Of all the things happening, this one really bothers me (I know, it’s hard to choose which is most terrifying). It goes against what I believe our country is all about, acceptance. And I do not see any good reason as to why he’s doing this, other than just spite. And racism.

Johns Hopkins has laid off 2,000 employees after the government slashed $800 million of its budget.

Someone please stop him.

Thanks for being here, see you tomorrow.