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Fact-Checking Trump On Crime

Fact-Checking Trump On Crime

The Oniona day ago
President Donald Trump has claimed that crime is 'out of control' in the nation's capital and beyond. The Onion assesses the veracity of the president's claims.
Claim: D.C. has endured a record amount of robberies.
Partially true: Some places in Georgetown sell a cup of coffee for $9.
Claim: Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles are crime-ridden cesspools.
False: These cities are safe, vibrant cesspools.
Claim: The National Guard is being deployed to crack down on crime.
False: The National Guard is being deployed to give Stephen Miller an erection.
Claim: Just last week, a high-ranking politician was shot in the head at a D.C. theater.
False: Trump is mixing up last week with April 14, 1865.
Claim: Violent foreigners traveled to D.C. to savagely beat Americans.
False: The UFC fight on the White House South Lawn isn't until next year.
Claim: Basically anything.
False: 'False' continues to be a very safe assumption to make.
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Laura Loomer and the limits of posting everything
Laura Loomer and the limits of posting everything

The Verge

time11 minutes ago

  • The Verge

Laura Loomer and the limits of posting everything

For all the power she wields with the White House's affairs, Laura Loomer does not have the traditional tools that her rivals in the MAGA influencer industrial complex have — the highest follower count, the most political power, the most internet platforms, etc. But the fact remains that she's the influencer responsible for getting Donald Trump to fire over a dozen members of his administration (and counting) for the hazily-defined crime of being disloyal to MAGA. This is something that none of her peers, individually, have been able to do. But to understand how she operates, look no further than Loomer's latest attempted power play, which, as always, involves a fair amount of self-humiliation (and some disgusting slander). Earlier this week, she leaked a private deposition that she'd given in a lawsuit wherein she explained, in her own words, why she's published some of the most outre takes and allegations against her 'enemies' on social media. The deposition was given as part of her defamation suit against HBO host Bill Maher, who claimed on a February 2025 show that Loomer was having a sexual affair with president Donald Trump. But you might have missed that context, since the social media chatter and headlines gravitated toward the sections of the deposition where Loomer was grilled about her most audacious posts: she claimed, among other things, that Sen. Lindsay Graham was secretly gay, that former Vice President Kamala Harris was a 'DEI skank', and her bitter MAGA rival Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) divorced her husband because of the 'Arby's in her pants' and was a 'political prostitute [who was] sucking McCarthy's dick all day.' Unsurprisingly, Loomer defended herself and her statements, both in the deposition ('I'm saying she literally—it's so ridiculous. I'm saying she literally put Arby's in her pants') and in public, after the deposition was reported on by Will Sommer at The Bulwark. 'I was asked about Lindsey during my deposition so I had to tell the truth. I was under oath,' Loomer tweeted — along with a screenshot of the section where she explained why she believed Graham was gay. HBO's lawyers immediately argued that Loomer was violating several laws by making the private deposition public, and the document was immediately re-sealed. Loomer, on the other hand, claimed that she was simply trying to showcase that her testimony 'went so well that the leftist law firm [representing HBO] wanted to SEAL my deposition.' Whether it went well is somewhat debatable, given the potential legal implications for Loomer violating a court order, as well as the incontrovertibility of Loomer saying some absolutely wild things in a legal deposition, and defending described the stunt as another example of 'Loomering,' the term that she uses to describe her internet bullying campaigns. At first glance, it's a tactic honed from her time working as a secret-camera sting operator at Project Veritas, which famously recorded members of the media and academics saying things that could be spun as anti-conservative and amoral. Loomer's stepped up her game, however, putting herself in front of the camera (and eventually the public eye) to make her fact that she constantly embarrasses herself only enhances the efficacy of 'Loomering': first, shame and embarrassment does not matter in the long term, so long as people are paying attention online. (She said as much the next day: 'I wake up everyday to another hit piece. It's because I am effective and it threatens a lot of people.') Second: the internet is forever, and even if a judge orders a deposition to be resealed, gawkers will save copies, screenshot the juicy bits, and publish them for posterity. Loomer might have been recorded reading her own tweets out loud and forced to explain the gross bits, but she has also gotten several White House administration officials it remains to be seen whether her influence extends beyond Trump's daily capriciousness, Loomer's unnerving gift for being an internet bully remains effective as long as she has allies in the administration, who leak her the insider info she publicly uses to humiliate others. (As she said to HBO's lawyers, her friends in the White House told her that Graham was gay.) And as long as the storm she creates can grab Trump's attention, he will most likely keep picking up her from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Tina Nguyen Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Policy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Politics Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Social Media Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech

Trump-Putin Meeting: No Peace Deal On Ukraine As Trump Says Leaders Made Headway
Trump-Putin Meeting: No Peace Deal On Ukraine As Trump Says Leaders Made Headway

Forbes

time11 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Trump-Putin Meeting: No Peace Deal On Ukraine As Trump Says Leaders Made Headway

President Donald Trump joined Russian President Vladimir Putin for a joint press conference in Anchorage, Alaska, Friday evening, telling reporters there was no peace deal made regarding Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the tarmac after they arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images 'There's no deal until there's a deal,' Trump said in his opening remarks, noting he and Putin made 'headway' and 'great progress' in discussions about Ukraine. The U.S. president said he would call NATO leaders to inform them about his meeting with Putin, though Trump did not provide any specifics on what he and the Russian president gained progress on. Trump and Putin did not take questions from the press following their statements. Putin said Russian concerns in Ukraine need to be addressed before peace can be achieved. Trump and Putin began their joint press conference at 6:54 p.m. EDT, with Putin providing opening remarks and calling the U.S. and Russia neighbors before saying an in-person meeting was 'long overdue.' Trump and Putin shook hands on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage around 3:10 p.m. EDT after both exited their planes, before getting into Trump's limousine en route to the meeting location. Trump landed in Anchorage moments before Putin on Friday ahead of the meeting, which included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One there was 'nothing set in stone' regarding his expectations from the meeting, but said Russia and the U.S. 'are not doing business until we get the war settled,' adding that he wants 'to see a cease-fire rapidly' but is uncertain about the timing: 'I'm not going to be happy if it's not today,' he said. Trump wrote 'HIGH STAKES!!!' on Truth Social shortly before taking off for Alaska. In a subsequent Truth Social post a short time later, Trump said he spoke to Putin ally, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Friday morning to thank him for releasing 16 political prisoners in July and that the meeting with Putin was also discussed. The White House tempered expectations of Friday's sit-down, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referring to it as a 'listening exercise' at Putin's request, describing 'the goal of this meeting for the president . . . to walk away with a better understanding of how we can end this war.' Trump told Fox News Thursday he was optimistic Putin is 'going to make a deal' and that he will 'know very quickly' whether the Russian leader wants to cooperate, though Trump also acknowledged this week he doesn't believe he can convince Putin to fully stop the violence, telling reporters, 'I guess the answer to that is no, because I've had this conversation' when asked if he believes he can convince Putin to stop bombing civilians. Putin, meanwhile, said Thursday the U.S. was 'making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday on X, 'there is no sign that the Russians are preparing to end the war,' but he believes coordination between the U.S. and Ukraine's partners in Europe 'can definitely compel Russia to make peace.' Zelenskyy also told reporters this week Ukrainian officials 'hope that the central topic of the meeting will be a ceasefire. An immediate ceasefire,' following a call between Trump and European leaders in which Trump's meeting with Putin was discussed. Zelenskyy has also rejected Trump's proposal for a potential swapping of Ukrainian territories. Trump told reporters Friday aboard Air Force one territorial swaps would 'be discussed, but I've got to let Ukraine make that decision.' Surprising Fact Trump and Putin last met in 2019 at the G20 summit in Japan, their sixth meeting during Trump's first term. What To Watch For Russia will face 'economically severe' consequences if Putin doesn't make progress toward a ceasefire. Trump also said Wednesday following the call with European leaders he hopes to broker 'a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy' following Friday's sit-down. Trump has become increasingly critical of Putin as the Russian leader has resisted Trump's attempts to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump, who in 2019 after their sit down in Japan, said he and Putin had a 'very, very good relationship,' called Putin's niceties 'bulls–t' in July. Trump's desire to negotiate a ceasefire is widely believed to be tied to his public bid for a Nobel Peace Prize. Further Reading Kremlin Says Trump And Putin Will Meet One-On-One Before Delegation Talks (Forbes) Trump Says He Made No Progress On Ukraine-Russia War In Call With Putin (Forbes) Trump Says Ukraine And Russia Will Negotiate Ceasefire Directly After Putin Call (Forbes)

Trump–Putin Summit Ends With Hopes of Deal but No Cease-Fire
Trump–Putin Summit Ends With Hopes of Deal but No Cease-Fire

Epoch Times

time12 minutes ago

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Trump–Putin Summit Ends With Hopes of Deal but No Cease-Fire

ANCHORAGE, Alaska—U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded their high-stakes summit in Alaska on Friday, announcing progress but no immediate cease-fire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Following about three hours of direct talks, the two leaders spoke briefly at a joint press conference. Both leaders said the meeting was productive, but shared few specifics about the possible deal to end the 3 ½-year conflict in Ukraine.

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