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CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Analysis: The Mount Rushmore of things people want to name after Trump
Sadly for President Donald Trump's most ardent fans, there's probably no room left on Mount Rushmore. There's also a law on the books since 1866 that forbids placing the likeness of a living person on US currency. But those obstacles have not stopped members of Congress from introducing legislation to honor their leader larger-than-life in stone and on legal tender. There are proposals to place Trump on the $100 bill, perhaps replacing Benjamin Franklin, or on an as-yet unprinted $250 bill. None of these ideas seem likely to become law, but they are emblematic of a trend of similar efforts to flatter the president. Another idea formalized in an official legislative proposal would withhold funds from the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority, WMATA, until it is renamed 'WMAGA.' DC's Metrorail commuter train, better known as the Metro, would be renamed the 'Trump Train.' Sometimes, just saying MAGA doesn't go far enough. While nobody should expect to get on the Trump Train near the White House any time soon, there's a real possibility every new baby could get a Trump Account. An early draft of the megabill on Capitol Hill riffed on Democratic proposals to give each American baby some seed money at birth. At first, the plan was to call this money 'MAGA Accounts.' The name was changed to 'Trump Accounts' in the version that passed the House. We'll see if the idea makes it through the Senate. The president will also receive a big birthday bash at taxpayer expense. There will be a spectacular display of US military might to honor the US Army's 250th birthday and Flag Day, which happen to coincide with Trump's birthday on June 14. 'I view it for Flag Day, not necessarily my birthday,' Trump told NBC News in a recent interview. 'Somebody put it together.' Another proposal in Congress would make Trump's birthday (and Flag Day) a national holiday. There may also be a fighter jet whose name nods at Trump's presidency. 'It'll be known as the F-47. The generals picked a title. And it's a beautiful number. F-47,' Trump said during an appearance in the Oval Office announcing the new contract for Boeing to build a sixth-generation fighter. Trump, in his second term, is the 47th president. And before you ask, no, the F-14 Tomcat did not memorialize 14th US President Franklin Pierce any more than the F-16 Fighting Falcon memorialized Abraham Lincoln. There is at least a conversation in conservative media outlets about placing Trump on Mount Rushmore, the South Dakota rock face that honors George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Lincoln. 'A lot of people wonder: Will we ever see President Trump's face on Mount Rushmore? What do you think?' Trump's daughter-in-law, the Fox News host and former RNC official Lara Trump, asked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. 'Well, they certainly have room for it there,' Burgum said, despite evidence to the contrary. The National Park Service has worked with an engineering firm in past decades to explore the structural integrity of the rock face, and there is no more carvable space, a spokesperson told the Argus Leader in 2020. And the monument is a completed work of art by the sculptor Gutzon Borglum. During Trump's first term, then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem gave him a $1,100 bust of Mount Rushmore featuring his face, knowing he'd appreciate the gesture. She's now his homeland security secretary. Trump's eponymous company is pursuing golf, hotel and residential projects in far-flung locations – the Middle East, Indonesia and India. And the company that runs his social media platform bears his initials as its stock ticker. One place that features the faces of living people on its currency is the United Kingdom, which honors its king in that way. But Trump already does have a currency of sorts – a memecoin, which has made a few people a lot of money, including Trump. He celebrated its top investors in a controversial 'personal time' event at his Trump-branded golf course earlier this month. Another proposal on Capitol Hill would rename Dulles Airport for Trump, which would give the DC region its second airport named for a Republican. It was President Bill Clinton who signed the bipartisan legislation giving Ronald Reagan's name to Washington National Airport in 1998. The move was controversial, but ultimately bipartisan. From CNN's report at the time: The Reagan Legacy Project of the Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative group, launched the airport campaign last year as part of a wider effort to put his name on buildings and his face on Mount Rushmore… Some Democrats offered to name practically anything else for Reagan except that airport, suggesting the Pentagon or Dulles International Airport. Others suggested Reagan had been honored enough with a new office building and a new Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, both of which carry his name. It can take a long, coordinated campaign to get something like an airport named for someone. Reagan was still alive at the time, but suffering from Alzheimer's, and a full 10 years out of office. Will there still be energy to name things for Trump 10 years from now?
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Analysis: The Mount Rushmore of things people want to name after Trump
Sadly for President Donald Trump's most ardent fans, there's probably no room left on Mount Rushmore. There's also a law on the books since 1866 that forbids placing the likeness of a living person on US currency. But those obstacles have not stopped members of Congress from introducing legislation to honor their leader larger-than-life in stone and on legal tender. There are proposals to place Trump on the $100 bill, perhaps replacing Benjamin Franklin, or on an as-yet unprinted $250 bill. None of these ideas seem likely to become law, but they are emblematic of a trend of similar efforts to flatter the president. Another idea formalized in an official legislative proposal would withhold funds from the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority, WMATA, until it is renamed 'WMAGA.' DC's Metrorail commuter train, better known as the Metro, would be renamed the 'Trump Train.' Sometimes, just saying MAGA doesn't go far enough. While nobody should expect to get on the Trump Train near the White House any time soon, there's a real possibility every new baby could get a Trump Account. An early draft of the megabill on Capitol Hill riffed on Democratic proposals to give each American baby some seed money at birth. At first, the plan was to call this money 'MAGA Accounts.' The name was changed to 'Trump Accounts' in the version that passed the House. We'll see if the idea makes it through the Senate. The president will also receive a big birthday bash at taxpayer expense. There will be a spectacular display of US military might to honor the US Army's 250th birthday and Flag Day, which happen to coincide with Trump's birthday on June 14. 'I view it for Flag Day, not necessarily my birthday,' Trump told NBC News in a recent interview. 'Somebody put it together.' Another proposal in Congress would make Trump's birthday (and Flag Day) a national holiday. There may also be a fighter jet whose name nods at Trump's presidency. 'It'll be known as the F-47. The generals picked a title. And it's a beautiful number. F-47,' Trump said during an appearance in the Oval Office announcing the new contract for Boeing to build a sixth-generation fighter. Trump, in his second term, is the 47th president. And before you ask, no, the F-14 Tomcat did not memorialize 14th US President Franklin Pierce any more than the F-16 Fighting Falcon memorialized Abraham Lincoln. There is at least a conversation in conservative media outlets about placing Trump on Mount Rushmore, the South Dakota rock face that honors George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Lincoln. 'A lot of people wonder: Will we ever see President Trump's face on Mount Rushmore? What do you think?' Trump's daughter-in-law, the Fox News host and former RNC official Lara Trump, asked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. 'Well, they certainly have room for it there,' Burgum said, despite evidence to the contrary. The National Park Service has worked with an engineering firm in past decades to explore the structural integrity of the rock face, and there is no more carvable space, a spokesperson told the Argus Leader in 2020. And the monument is a completed work of art by the sculptor Gutzon Borglum. During Trump's first term, then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem gave him a $1,100 bust of Mount Rushmore featuring his face, knowing he'd appreciate the gesture. She's now his homeland security secretary. Trump's eponymous company is pursuing golf, hotel and residential projects in far-flung locations – the Middle East, Indonesia and India. And the company that runs his social media platform bears his initials as its stock ticker. One place that features the faces of living people on its currency is the United Kingdom, which honors its king in that way. But Trump already does have a currency of sorts – a memecoin, which has made a few people a lot of money, including Trump. He celebrated its top investors in a controversial 'personal time' event at his Trump-branded golf course earlier this month. Another proposal on Capitol Hill would rename Dulles Airport for Trump, which would give the DC region its second airport named for a Republican. It was President Bill Clinton who signed the bipartisan legislation giving Ronald Reagan's name to Washington National Airport in 1998. The move was controversial, but ultimately bipartisan. From CNN's report at the time: The Reagan Legacy Project of the Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative group, launched the airport campaign last year as part of a wider effort to put his name on buildings and his face on Mount Rushmore… Some Democrats offered to name practically anything else for Reagan except that airport, suggesting the Pentagon or Dulles International Airport. Others suggested Reagan had been honored enough with a new office building and a new Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, both of which carry his name. It can take a long, coordinated campaign to get something like an airport named for someone. Reagan was still alive at the time, but suffering from Alzheimer's, and a full 10 years out of office. Will there still be energy to name things for Trump 10 years from now?
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'American hero' or 'failure': Elon Musk's DOGE departure divides Capitol Hill
Emotions are running high on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill as Elon Musk makes his way for the exit. Musk is stepping back from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which President Donald Trump appointed the tech billionaire to run for the first 130 days of his new administration. He's been a polarizing figure in Washington, and that has extended to his announcement earlier this week that he's returning to the private sector. Republicans cheered Musk's work, while Democrats celebrated the end of it. "Exposing reckless, wasteful government spending isn't about one individual — it's about a lasting overhaul of Crazy Town," House DOGE Caucus Chair Aaron Bean, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. "That's why we're working closely with the White House to ensure recession packages reflect DOGE's critical findings." Scoop: House Gop Memo Highlights Republican Wins In Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' And the White House has begun that work already, preparing a $9.4 billion package of spending cuts that's expected to hit Congress on Tuesday. But Bean's comments imply Republicans are going to seek more. Read On The Fox News App It was a sentiment that appeared to be shared by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who said that Musk "did a lot of what he came to do." "A lot of the savings that he identified are things hopefully that we'll be able to incorporate into bills that Congress passes. The work that he did was really important. It's long overdue," Thune said. Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said she was "honored" to work with Musk but signaled he should not be needed for lawmakers to cut government waste. "It has been wonderful having a willing partner in my decade-long work to make Washington squeal, but I was DOGE before DOGE was cool, and I'm not slowing down," Ernst told Fox News Digital in a statement. Other Republicans were more lavish in their praise, like Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., who hailed Musk as an "American hero." "I'm absolutely sad to see him go," Haridopolos told Fox News Digital. "He has given up a lot of time and wealth in order to bring the fiscal house of the United States in order, and he has done a great service to our country by bringing a heck of a lot more transparency of how we're spending money." And Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., compared the billionaire to the nation's revered first leaders. "He's kind of half Benjamin Franklin and half Thomas Jefferson. He had the inventiveness of Benjamin Franklin and the vision of a Thomas Jefferson, and I just remember all of our founding fathers were patriots, and they left their regular jobs. They gave up everything to come help found this country. And that's what Elon's [done]," Marshall told Fox News Digital. On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., pointed out that as much as Republicans lauded Musk, he also dealt a blow to the House GOP earlier this week by criticizing their "big, beautiful" tax and spending bill. "They brought Musk to DC to fight the deficit, and he left DC calling out how the reconciliation bill will blow the biggest hole in the deficit ever — adding more than $3 trillion in debt," Suozzi told Fox News Digital. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told Fox News Digital he believed DOGE's efforts were misplaced in the end. Mike Johnson, Donald Trump Get 'Big, 'Beautiful' Win As Budget Passes House "Initially, I said we should work with Musk to find common ground where there is real waste — like defense contractors, Medicare Advantage overpayments, and prescription drugs. It is sad that DOGE faced opposition in focusing on those issues, and that agencies like USAID and NIH are being dismantled," Khanna said. Others on the left unleashed on Musk directly. Democrats have held up the Tesla CEO as a boogeyman since he began campaigning for Trump, using him as a living example of the wealthy, out-of-touch people they believed the Republican White House was benefitting. "Elon came to Washington thinking he could run the government like one of his companies—firing people left and right, gutting essential services, and tearing this s--- up from the ground up," Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, wrote on X, calling for an investigation into Musk's work. House Progressive Caucus Chairman Greg Casar, D-Texas, meanwhile, took credit for Musk leaving despite his fixed tenure. "Musk's exit is an enormous victory for Democrats and working people. This is a sign of how powerful the anti-corruption, anti-billionaire movement in American politics can be," Casar said in a statement. "Musk did not choose to leave because Elon Musk likes to follow the rules. Musk will leave because the American people built enough political pressure that he had no choice." And Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, wrote on X, "Musk failed others and served himself." "But there's an irony in his failure: in his quest to destroy government, he reminded us why it matters. To look out for hungry kids, to keep planes safe, to deliver Social Security checks, and to do the quiet work to serve the common good," Booker said. When reached for comment on this story, White House spokesman Harrison Fields told Fox News Digital, "DOGE is integral to the federal government's operations, and its mission, as established by the President's executive order, will continue under the direction of agency and department heads in the Trump administration. DOGE has delivered remarkable results at an unprecedented pace, and its work is far from complete." Fox News Digital also reached out to Tesla for comment from Musk. Trump, for his part, heaped praise on Musk at a joint press conference on Friday. "Elon's service to America has been without comparison in modern history. He's already running one of the most innovative car companies in the world, if you look at his factories and compare them with some of the old factories we have, and it's a big difference. And the most successful space company, I guess in history, you would have to say. The largest free speech platform on the internet," Trump said. "Yet, Elon, willingly, with all of the success, he willingly accepted the outrageous abuse and slander and lies and attacks because he does love our country."Original article source: 'American hero' or 'failure': Elon Musk's DOGE departure divides Capitol Hill
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Texas staying on daylight saving time? There's only one way for law to take effect
There has been debate for years among Texans and state legislators about whether the Lone Star State should adopt daylight saving time permanently. House Bill 1393, also known as "Texas Time," could bring an end to that discussion. Will Texans have more sunlight year-round? Here's what to know about the bill. The idea dates back to World War I, although some credit Benjamin Franklin for daylight saving time due to a satirical letter he wrote in 1784 stating: "Every morning, as soon as the sun rises, let all the bells in every church be set ringing: and if that is not sufficient, let cannon be fired in every street to wake the sluggards effectually." To maximize resources for the war, Germany and Austria implemented the first daylight saving time in 1916. The U.S. did the same in 1918. It's an outdated idea, some argue. House Bill 1393, referred to as the 'Texas Time" bill, aims to eliminate biannual clock changes and keep Texas on daylight saving time year-round. The bill has successfully passed through the Texas legislature and is now awaiting Governor Greg Abbott's signature. The bill, however, can't take effect unless Congress changes federal law to allow states to adopt daylight saving time permanently. Supporters argue that maintaining a consistent time year-round would reduce confusion, improve safety, and enhance productivity. Opponents of permanent daylight saving time cite health and safety concerns, often arguing that maintaining standard time year-round would be the better choice. Under the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966, states may not currently adopt permanent daylight saving time, but they can opt out of time changes by sticking with standard time year-round. That's how states like Arizona and Hawaii can keep from changing their clocks twice a year. Texas joins 18 other states that have passed similar permanent daylight saving time measures, and there's interest at the federal level in allowing the change. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Is Texas staying on daylight saving time permanently? It's complicated
Wall Street Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
A Good Republic Is Hard to Keep
Upon exiting the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked, 'Well, doctor, what have we got?' His answer, 'A republic, if you can keep it,' is a challenge to this day. On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob incited by President Donald Trump smashed its way into the U.S. Capitol and threatened to hang Vice President Mike Pence should he not halt certification of an election no credible evidence has ever suggested the president didn't lose. Before the vice president fulfilled his constitutional duty, when he was subject to the president's blandishments to rig the results, a young Marine said to Mr. Pence, 'You took the same oath I did. Anything else is bulls—.'
