Former Biden official announces exit from the Democratic Party
Former Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has declared herself an independent. CNN political analysts debate the implications of this surprising announcement as she is set to release a new book discussing her decision and more.
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Los Angeles Times
27 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Trump has a gift for identifying America's problems (and making them worse)
Every now and then, the torrent of news serves up a grim little reminder: Maybe Donald Trump wasn't entirely wrong in his cultural critiques. Not because he's a prophet — God forbid — but because America has gone so far off the rails that his perspective starts to make a certain amount of sense. That's the mood I've been in lately. And no, I'm not just talking about the recent spate of stories about Joe Biden's cognitive decline and what many see as a cover-up. Nor am I talking about reports that Dems are spending $20 million to try to learn how to (re)connect with alienated American men who feel ignored and see the Democratic Party as too weak. Those are just subplots. I'm talking about how President Trump — for all his bluster, baggage and baffling syntax — continues to speak to realities that polite society has decided are too ugly to discuss. Things like uncontrolled immigration, violent crime and foreign adversaries who laugh at perceived American weakness. Consider the following, if only as case studies on why Trump's dark little worldview continues to resonate. Exhibit A: Mohammed Sabry Soliman, the Egyptian national accused of lobbing Molotov cocktails during an antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colo., had overstayed his visa and filed for asylum. It's not a good look for our immigration policy — as though we're importing our own pogroms. Exhibit B: In Virginia, body-cam footage shows Jamal Wali — an Afghan who was an interpreter for U.S. forces — opening fire on police during a traffic stop and shouting that he should've joined the Taliban. Which raises the uncomfortable question: How thoroughly are we vetting the people we bring into this country? Exhibit C: Omer Shem Tov, a recently freed Israeli hostage, told CNN that his captors suddenly treated him better after Trump won the 2024 election. It wasn't because they liked Trump, but because they were scared of him. Which, oddly enough, may have been a side effect of Trump's posturing to look tough. Individually, these stories could be dismissed as one-offs. Together, they sketch a crude, uncomfortable truth: Trump's instincts — however vulgar — often land somewhere in the vicinity of prescient. For example, the recent wave of attacks on Jewish Americans comes as the Trump administration is citing campus antisemitism as justification for deportations and cuts to college funding. At the same time, Trump has blocked most refugees from entering America and recently pushed to end protections for Afghan interpreters and other wartime allies. While many of us decry the lack of compassion and inhumanity inherent in these policies, Trump's message is caveman-simple: Fear works. Even terrorists understand it. That's the whole point of 'peace through strength.' The bad guys get it. And, increasingly, so do voters. To the taste-making class, these concerns might not matter much. But out in the real world — you know, where people lock their doors and pay their taxes — they're not theoretical. They're Tuesday. Now, does this mean Trump's solutions are good? Legal? Morally defensible? No. He governs like a guy with a hammer who thinks everything is a nail. But, in the eyes of many Americans, at least he's swinging the damn thing. Meanwhile, Democrats look like they're waiting for permission to open their own toolbox. This is the terrain Trump thrives on. He projects dominance — or at least the illusion of it — while his opponents are giving HR-executive vibes. And here's the crazy part: Underneath the layers of narcissism, the carnival barking and the conspiracy-peddling, there are hints of greatness — a blueprint for serious leadership that addresses lingering, overlooked problems. Sadly, it's one that Trump himself will never follow. Imagine a version of him — stripped of the spite, grift and performative rage — who actually cared about governing. He'd fix the asylum system. Fund immigration judges to do proper vetting. Appoint competent people instead of family members and sycophants to run our intel and defense departments. Stop trying to undermine the rule of law. Speak in full sentences. He could weed out truly dangerous elements, scare the hell out of our global enemies and still earn the respect of our friends and allies. I could go on. But that's fantasy talk. Like trying to teach a bear ballet — you'll waste your time and probably get mauled. Because Trump doesn't want to govern. He wants to dominate. He wants spectacle. He wants the feud. The man's not interested in building — only demolishing. It's the difference between being a strongman, a showman and a statesman. Trump knows how to be the first two. He has no use for the latter. And that's the tragic comedy of it all. While liberals pretend the smoke isn't there, Trump sees the fire — and instead of reaching for a hose, he grabs a gas can. Meanwhile, voters who are exhausted, scared and angry keep thinking, 'Well, at least he noticed the fire.' Matt K. Lewis is the author of 'Filthy Rich Politicians' and 'Too Dumb to Fail.'
Business Insider
33 minutes ago
- Business Insider
World Bank restores funding to Uganda despite controversial anti-gay law
The World Bank has restored funding to Uganda nearly two years after suspending new financing in response to the country's Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA). The World Bank has resumed funding to Uganda after a two-year suspension instigated by the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA). The Bank justified resumption through effective mitigation measures within ongoing Ugandan projects to limit potential adverse impacts. While Uganda's AHA remains unchanged, the decision signals shifting geopolitical dynamics by international financial institutions. The World bank in 2023, suspended funding to Uganda after the country's parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), saying the law contradicted its values. The legislation sparked international condemnation for imposing severe penalties on LGBTQ+ individuals, including life imprisonment and, in some cases, the death penalty. According to Reuters, the World Bank said it had developed a working relationship with Ugandan authorities to implement strong measures aimed at mitigating potential harm resulting from the law. " We have now determined the mitigation measures rolled out over the last several months in all ongoing projects in Uganda to be satisfactory," " Consequently, the Bank has prepared three new projects in sectors with significant development needs – social protection, education, and forced displacement/refugees, which have been approved by the Board." said a Bank spokesperson, who requested anonymity. The decision to resume funding signals a shift in the Bank's engagement strategy with Uganda and raises broader questions about how global institutions navigate the tension between promoting human rights and maintaining development partnerships. While there has been no indication of changes to Uganda's legal position on LGBTQ+ rights, the World Bank's renewed support may reflect wider geopolitical and economic considerations in the region. How the world reacted to Uganda's Anti-Gay Law Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), signed into law in May 2023, imposed sweeping criminal penalties for same-sex relationships, including life imprisonment and, in cases of so-called 'aggravated homosexuality,' the death penalty. The law drew swift and widespread condemnation from Western governments, human rights organizations, and international institutions, and was widely regarded as one of the harshest anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the world. Beyond the World Bank's suspension of funding, several Western governments issued strong rebukes and implemented measures affecting Uganda's international standing. The United States led the diplomatic response, with the Biden administration describing the law as 'a tragic violation of universal human rights.' In turn, Washington imposed travel restrictions on Ugandan officials believed to be involved in the legislation and initiated a review of its financial assistance to the country. The European Union also condemned the law, emphasizing its incompatibility with international human rights norms and warning that it would reassess its relationship with Uganda. Similarly, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called the legislation 'shocking' and 'discriminatory,' urging its immediate repeal. Outside of official government action, Western-based human rights organizations, NGOs, and civil society groups amplified the global outcry. Advocacy campaigns were launched to pressure the Ugandan government, while some multinational corporations voiced concern about the law's potential impact on employees and business operations in the country. Despite this international backlash, Ugandan officials have welcomed the recent restoration of World Bank funding, portraying it as an endorsement of the country's sovereignty and development agenda.
USA Today
36 minutes ago
- USA Today
Who would want to have babies under a Trump administration? Not me.
Who would want to have babies under a Trump administration? Not me. | Opinion The Trump administration does not care about what is medically necessary to save someone's life. They care about controlling women. Why would anybody want to have a child under that way of thinking? Show Caption Hide Caption Trump rescinds Biden-era emergency abortion care guidance The Trump administration rescinded guidance clarifying that hospitals in abortion-ban states must treat pregnant patients during medical emergencies. unbranded - Newsworthy Despite declarations that something needs to be done about the declining birth rate in the United States, neither President Donald Trump nor the Republican Party has the desire to protect pregnant people. If they did, the Trump administration wouldn't have made its latest move to restrict abortion nationwide. On Tuesday, June 3, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rescinded a Biden-era policy that directed hospitals to provide emergency abortions if it was needed to stabilize a pregnant patient. The guidance and communications on it apparently 'do not reflect the policy of this Administration.' I, like many people who support abortion rights, know what this will lead to. It means more pregnant people will die. Does that reflect the policy of the administration? Having a baby in America is dangerous. Republicans aren't helping. The Biden policy was implemented in 2022, following the fall of Roe v. Wade, and argued that hospitals receiving Medicare funding had to comply with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). The former administration argued that this included providing emergency abortions when they were needed to stabilize a patient, even in states that had severe abortion restrictions. Opinion: A brain dead pregnant Georgia woman is a horror story. It's Republicans' fault. This wasn't entirely a surprise. In 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that Texas could ban virtually all abortions in the state, including abortions that would have occurred under the old EMTALA guidelines. Still, it's terrifying to see this crucial policy eliminated. It's already dangerous to be pregnant in the United States. Our maternal mortality rate is much higher than in other wealthy countries. Same with our infant mortality rate. This will only exacerbate these tragedies. In states with abortion bans, the risks are even greater. A study from the Gender Equity Policy Institute found that people living in states with abortion bans were twice as likely to die during or shortly after childbirth. This is also backed by anecdotal evidence, including the 2022 deaths of two women in Georgia after the state passed a six-week ban. A different study found that infant mortality rates increased in states with severe restrictions on abortion, including an increase in deaths due to congenital anomalies. The Trump administration does not care about what is medically necessary to save someone's life. They don't care about whether the children supposedly saved by rescinding this policy will grow up without their mother. They care about their perceived moral superiority. They care about controlling women. Why would anybody want to have a child under that Republican way of thinking? Opinion: We're worrying about the wrong thing. Low birth rate isn't the crisis: Child care is. None of this is surprising from Republicans. It's just sad. I want to say I'm surprised that the Trump administration would allow women in need of emergency care to die. Yet this is clearly aligned with the Republican stance on abortion, just like it's aligned with the actions that the party has taken to make it harder for women to access necessary care. Whether you like it or not, abortion is a necessary part of health care. It saves lives. Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, laid it out plainly. 'Women have died because they couldn't get the lifesaving abortion care they needed,' she said in a statement. 'The Trump administration is willing to let pregnant people die, and that is exactly what we can expect." Again, this is the administration that wants young women like me to have children and improve the country's birth rate. This is an administration that claims to care about women and children. I know I wouldn't want to have a child while Trump continues to make it unsafe to be pregnant and give birth. I hate that this is the reality. Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter, @sara__pequeno
