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Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Trump's unusual iPhone lock screen photo goes viral
Donald Trump gets to see a picture of very important person each time he picks up his iPhone: himself. Trump has been getting raked online after a fresh photo revealed he continued to use a photograph of himself as the lock screen image on his device. The president was photographed holding the phone again on Friday, and close-ups showed he was still using an image of himself from July 2019. Trump wasn't concealing the screen. In fact, he brandished it as he got off Air Force One following a trip to Pittsburgh. Also visible was a text message from Roger Stone, a longtime informal Trump advisor who got a presidential pardon in his first term. The photo image dates to his first term, and shows Trump pointing straight ahead. Internet sleuths tracked down the image in 2020 after it was spotted in photos. Photographer Chip Somodevilla of Getty Images captured the image Trump continues to use when Trump was departing the White House en route to a fundraiser at his golf club in Bedminister, New Jersey – a location that continues to find itself on Trump's regular travel schedule. Trump critics seized on the decision online. 'Trump's lock screen was spotted on his phone last night—and it was a photo of himself. Is that not one of the most narcissistic, self-absorbed things you've ever seen??? Not his family, not his kids, but himself,' wrote X user Harry Sisson, whose bio describes him as a Democrat. 'Wtf…' he added. An image by Saul Loeb of AFP captured Trump's iPhone as he got off Air Force One. It revealed Trump continues to use a picture of himself as his lock screen. It also showed a text from longtime political operative Roger Stone Trump has five children and 11 grandkids. (His latest, Alexander, was born last month to daughter Tiffany and son-in-law Michael Boulos). It wasn't just critics that latched onto the image. Conservative influencer Benny Johnson posted simply: 'President Trump's lock screen' with a fire emoji. 'Based!' replied one user. 'Even his lock screen has aura,' wrote another. A photographer captured the image days before the White House revealed a new official presidential photo portrait. It showed Trump, looking straight ahead, with a closeup of his face over a dark background. It replaced an earlier official portrait that drew comparisons to his infamous mug shot. Trump's message from Stone wasn't too illuminating. It appeared to simply be a link to a story. 'Housing market chief Pulte sends blunt message on Fed interest rate cuts' with a link to Pulte is Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), who recently alleged that New York AG Letitia James falsified banking documents.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's ‘Golden Dome': What to Know
President Trump in front of a poster illustrating his proposed 'Golden Dome' in the Oval Office on May 20, 2025. Credit - Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images Donald Trump is moving forward with an ambitious and expensive national missile defense system, saying Tuesday that he aims to get it up and running before the end of his term. Alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Space Force Vice Chief of Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein, the President announced the so-called 'Golden Dome'—a defense system of missiles, satellites, and sensors named after his favorite color and akin to Israel's 'Iron Dome,' which the U.S. has in large part funded. Trump tasked Guetlein with spearheading the new project. If completed as planned, the 'Golden Dome' would mark the first time the U.S. puts weapons in space. Trump, who promised an Iron Dome for America on the campaign trail, is not the first President to propose such a defense system. Ronald Reagan proposed a space-centric Strategic Defense Initiative (nicknamed 'Star Wars') in 1983, though it never materialized due to financial, political, and technological constraints. 'Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they're launched from space,' Trump said. 'We will truly be completing the job that President Reagan started 40 years ago, forever ending the missile threat to the American homeland.' Here's what to know. While flanked by posters depicting a literal dome around the U.S., Trump provided few details for the exact structure of his proposed 'Golden Dome,' though it is clear that it is envisioned as a constellation of on-ground and space-based sensors and missile-interceptors. Hegseth said the system will protect the U.S. from 'cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, whether they're conventional or nuclear.' The system, according to an order outlining the President's expectations back in January, is expected to intercept missiles during any of four stages of an attack: before launch, early flight, midcourse flight, and descent towards a target. Reuters reported in April that SpaceX, the company helmed by Trump ally Elon Musk, in collaboration with software firm Palantir and drone manufacturer Anduril was among the frontrunners to be contracted to develop the 'Golden Dome.' Citing unnamed sources, the three firms reportedly met with top officials in the Trump Administration and the Pentagon in recent weeks to propose a plan to build and launch from 400 to over 1,000 satellites around the globe to detect and track missiles. The report added that more than 180 companies have expressed interest in developing and building the 'Golden Dome.' The Associated Press reported that the Pentagon, after Trump's January order, has studied options for the program, tiered by cost and scale based on how many satellites, sensors, and space-based interceptors would be purchased. The AP initially reported that the Trump Administration had chosen a mid-tier option. A 'Golden Dome' will likely require significantly more resources than Israel's Iron Dome—which the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated cost about $100 million per battery to produce and has 10 batteries—as the U.S. is more than 400 times larger than Israel, which is about the size of New Jersey. Trump, in his announcement, said the project would cost $175 billion over the next three years, with $25 billion earmarked in his tax spending megabill for the initial costs. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said earlier this month that the overall cost of a space-based interceptor system could depend on launch costs, which may vary in the future. The CBO estimated that the total cost of deploying and operating such a system, over 20 years, could range from $161 billion to $831 billion in 2025 dollars. The proposal has faced considerable opposition from lawmakers and analysts over various issues from costs to capacity. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D, Mass.) and Rep. Greg Casar (D, Texas) have led a group of 42 members of Congress urging an investigation into the project's awarding process, including Musk's reported involvement. In a May 13 congressional hearing, Sen. Angus King (I, Maine) also questioned defense officials about the Dome's capability to thwart attacks, asking if such a system 'could deny a substantial missile attack from Russia or China.' Even Republican Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana reportedly flagged that the cost of building such a system would be in the 'trillions.' Critics of the 'Golden Dome' have also raised concerns about spurring an arms race, pushing military adversaries like Russia and China to develop their arsenal to maintain credible deterrence. When asked about criticisms of the proposal, Trump simply said, 'Well, they're wrong. It's about as close to perfect as you can have in terms of real production.' Contact us at letters@
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
The Voet'Tsekkers fly while Afrikaans turns 100
Perhaps the most unforgivable part of the Great Trek 2025 edition of 49 Afrikaner refugees (five more than Charlize Theron's... Newly arrived South Africans during welcome statements by US officials in Dulles, Virginia on May 12, 2025. Picture: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images North America / Getty Images via AFP Perhaps the most unforgivable part of the Great Trek 2025 edition of 49 Afrikaner refugees (five more than Charlize Theron's 2022 census), clad in their down jackets and toting their bespoke luggage on a chartered flight to freedom in the US, was that the clamour last week overshadowed a far more important milestone. On Thursday, 8 May, it was 100 years since the great writer CJ Langenhoven introduced a Bill in parliament for Afrikaans to be recognised as one of the country's two official languages. It's still an official language to this day, albeit with 11 others. Afrikaans' trajectory from kombuistaal to an official language used to defend academic theses and highly complex legal arguments has been a benchmark for all indigenous tongues. The language has been robustly promoted and protected by white speakers throughout its history, but they only make up about 40% of the people who actually speak it as a first language. It's South Africa's third-most used language, spoken by almost 13% of the population and when you look at its representation in literature, film, culture and advertising, it's second only to English which, ironically, is the mother tongue of less than eight percent of the population, ranking sixth in the official language table. ALSO READ: Second chance for Amerikaner 'refugees' Afrikaans has been a success story by any metric, much like white Afrikaners themselves. In terms of their representation in the formal job market, ownership of businesses, directorships and, of course, agriculture, they have proven – as so many African nationalists have said over and over – how affirmative action can really benefit a group of people, so many of whom were unemployable, unskilled and poverty stricken when the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, which continued to weigh heavily upon the minds of their leaders well beyond the end of World War I – and definitely after 1948. In 1960, Harold MacMillan rattled white South Africans when he told them in no uncertain terms about the Wind of Change blowing through Africa. Three years before, MacMillan had shocked Britons when he told them they'd never had it so good. It's a truth that quietly resonates for all the Afrikaners who remain here, just as it does for all their other white compatriots who aren't leaving. That's why 187 years since Piet Retief left Makhanda for freedom, the 49 now have their own name from those they left behind; the Voet'Tsekkers. God bless Afrikaans. NOW READ: Afrikaner 'refugees' spot a ruse
Black America Web
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Black America Web
Trump Prioritizes White Afrikaners Over Black and Brown Migrants
Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty In the latest chapter of Donald Trump's ongoing saga of selective immigration policy, the United States is reportedly gearing up to welcome 54 white Afrikaner South Africans under the Trump administration's refugee program. This move, which has drawn the attention of civil rights advocates and immigration experts, reveals a glaring double standard in how the Trump administration approaches humanitarian relief. As Black and Brown immigrants — many of whom are fleeing violence, persecution, and poverty — face heightened barriers, Trump has fast-tracked white South Africans, citing 'unjust racial discrimination' against them in their native land. The irony is as thick as it is deliberate. The Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch colonizers who established a brutal system of apartheid in South Africa, are being welcomed into the United States with open arms. According to an exclusive report by NPR, the group will land at Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C., greeted by high-level officials from the Departments of State and Homeland Security. This level of state-sanctioned fanfare is a sharp contrast to how refugees from countries like Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Central America are treated; they are often detained in squalid conditions or turned away under dubious asylum restrictions. The speed of the Afrikaners' resettlement process is nothing short of a sham. Sources within the government have acknowledged that this group received 'P1' refugee status — a designation typically reserved for individual cases referred by designated entities due to extreme vulnerability. Yet, in a span of just a few months, these 54 white South Africans have managed to bypass the lengthy and grueling process that typically takes Black and Brown asylum seekers years. According to the American Immigration Council, most refugees wait 18 to 24 months to be processed, yet these Afrikaners were cleared for entry in record time. Why such preferential treatment? Trump's executive order, signed in February, claimed that Afrikaners were victims of 'unjust racial discrimination' in South Africa — a narrative popular among far-right circles that portrays white South Africans as the oppressed minority. This narrative is not only misleading but fundamentally dishonest. According to Time Magazine, white South Africans still hold 10 times the wealth of their Black counterparts. The unemployment rate for Black South Africans is a staggering 46.1%, compared to just 9.2% for white citizens. Yet Trump, along with his billionaire ally and former illegal immigrant Elon Musk, has repeatedly propagated the idea that white South Africans are being systematically oppressed. Contrast this narrative with the reality facing Black and Brown immigrants in America under Trump's reign. Haitian immigrants have been forcibly deported despite dire conditions in their homeland. Central American migrants fleeing gang violence are treated like criminals, confined to overcrowded detention centers, and deported with little regard for due process. And for students who dare to challenge Trump's policies or even simply hold a different political view, deportation has become a looming threat. The Department of Homeland Security has been weaponized against immigrant activists, with some facing deportation orders for daring to speak out. Trump's favoritism towards white South Africans also highlights his administration's broader strategy of maintaining a white supremacist narrative. His administration has relentlessly targeted Black and Brown communities, both domestically and internationally. From the family separation crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border to the Muslim travel ban, the pattern is clear: If you are Black or Brown, your humanity is negotiable. If you are white and sympathetic to Trump's vision, you are a victim in need of protection. The Department of State has refused to comment on the expedited process for the Afrikaners, but internal documents reveal a clear preference. The Afrikaners are being placed in states like Alabama, North Carolina, Idaho, and Minnesota — regions that have historically leaned toward conservative policies, along with a few overwhelmingly Democratic states, including California and Minnesota. Some of the refugees have family ties in the U.S., while others are being resettled with the assistance of local organizations. They will receive government benefits and a pathway to citizenship, privileges often denied to asylum seekers of color. The glaring hypocrisy of this policy is hard to ignore. As the Trump administration grants white South Africans VIP treatment, Black and Brown immigrants, many of whom have risked their lives to escape violence and poverty, are subjected to grueling interviews, indefinite detention, and mass deportations. This is not an immigration policy; it's racial favoritism, dressed up in the language of humanitarian relief. The arrival of the Afrikaners on American soil is a symbol of everything wrong with Trump's immigration agenda. It is a stark reminder that for this administration, the value of a human life is measured not by need, but by skin color. And as long as Trump's policies continue to prioritize whiteness, America's claim to being a beacon of hope for the world's oppressed remains a cruel joke. SEE ALSO: Trump's Firing of Carla Hayden is Another Attack on Knowledge and History Op-Ed: Trump Wants To Make Hollywood Great Again. Tariffs Won't Help. SEE ALSO Trump Prioritizes White Afrikaners Over Black and Brown Migrants was originally published on
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A big Federal Reserve meeting kicks off today. Here's what to expect
Photo: Chip Somodevilla (Getty Images) The Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting kicks off Tuesday morning, and its outcome could have a huge effect on the U.S. economy for the foreseeable future. A lot has happened since Fed officials held their last policy meeting in mid-March. Two weeks later, President Donald Trump announced his 'Liberation Day' tariffs that sent markets into turmoil. When the Federal Open Market Committee convenes in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday and Wednesday, its members will discuss what actions to take — or not take — to give the economy the best chance of success in both the short- and long-term. The Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates where they are: The CME Group's (CME) FedWatch tool calculates the odds of a rate cut at just 3.2%, though that number is up slightly from 1.8% last week. Bond traders are betting that an interest rate cut will come in July. The Fed is in a difficult position. Hard economic data, like inflation and jobs numbers, show that the economy is in decent shape. But soft data, like consumer and CEO sentiment, has plunged in recent weeks, with Americans anticipating further inflation and fearing job losses. That's why the central bank is facing what the Wall Street Journal refers to as a lose-lose scenario: deciding between addressing inflation by keeping rates where they are, or combating weak growth by cutting rates. High interest rates affect everything from personal loans to credit cards to mortgage rates, which in 2023 hit their highest levels this century. But taking action to shield the economy against a slowdown by cutting rates could have the undesired effect of adding to inflation pressures resulting from tariffs and shortages. One economist last month predicted that store shelves would be empty and major retailers would go bankrupt by summer as the true effects of tariffs finally reach U.S. shores. And an automotive report in April revealed that America's supply of cars available for sale is already declining. Diminishing supplies of goods could hasten inflation and the potential onset of a recession. The Fed will consider all these factors as it decides what to do next. The policy decisions that result from the central bank's meeting will be announced at a press conference Wednesday, May 7 at 2 p.m. Eastern. This week's session is the third of eight regularly scheduled meetings that the FOMC will hold in 2025. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
