Latest news with #Lunatics
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
White House Releases Yet Another AI-Generated Image Of Trump — This Time As A Jacked Sith Lord
The White House seems to be continuing its affinity for artificial intelligence-generated imagery depicting Donald Trump in bizarre and deifying themes, from a falsified photo of him as a would-be pope to now a hunk-ified Sith lord from Star Wars (none of these words are in the Bible). 'Happy May the 4th to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting so hard to to bring Sith Lords, Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, & well known MS-13 Gang Members, back into our Galaxy. You're not the Rebellion—you're the Empire. May the 4th be with you,' the official account captioned the photo — featuring Trump wielding a lightsaber in front of dual eagles and American flags — on X. More from Deadline New York Catholic Bishops Denounce Trump's AI Image As Pope: "Do Not Mock Us" 'Saturday Night Live' Opens With Donald Trump Signing Executive Orders, Including The "Belichick Law": "Old Men Can Now Date Far Younger Women" Warren Buffett Announces He's Stepping Down As Berkshire Hathaway CEO Naturally, the photo generated a flurry of mixed responses, with some commenters pointing to the irony of the usage of a red lightsaber, a weapon in the original Star Wars franchise that signifies a villain is wielding it. Fans of the George Lucas-created universe also noted that he based the fascist and dictatorial Sith Empire on Nazi Germany — both its aesthetics and ideology. Others in the comments maintained that the saber was actually orange (wielding color wheels to make their points), and more modern Star Wars entries see the benevolent Jedi using such sabers. Still others pointed to red being a prominent GOP color, while some urged outspoken Trump hater Mark Hamill (the one and only Luke Skywalker) to comment on the matter. Since the image is posted to the official White House social media account, it will likely be archived as an official record of the Trump 2.0 administration, as was done with Joe Biden's platforms. Many online chagrined the 'embarrassing' and 'cringe' online behavior by the professional WH account, exacerbated by widely decried posts that adopted mocking tones regarding the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia and treatment of prisoners at the maximum security prison CECOT in El Salvador. AI usage is a hallmark of the Trump 2.0 era, with the White House previously under fire for its Studio Ghibli-stylized image of an ICE officer detaining an immigrant in tears — something many theorized would deeply upset venerated co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, who is firmly anti-AI, having described the technology as 'grotesque' and 'an insult to life itself.' With the proliferation of gen-AI, ethical concerns toward its application have re-entered the spotlight, including issues of water and energy consumption/waste and artist alarm over creative autonomy and exploitation. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery Brad Pitt's Apple 'F1' Movie: Everything We Know So Far Everything We Know About 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 So Far
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
As FBI arrests judge in Wisconsin, AG Pam Bondi directs new threats at the judiciary
The Republican offensive against the courts and judges in recent months has been as subtle as a sledgehammer. The Washington Post recently summarized, for example, that the White House has pushed forward with 'delegitimizing' the independent judiciary, and there's overwhelming evidence to bolster the point. Donald Trump, for example, wrote last month, 'Radical Left Judges could very well lead to the destruction of our Country! These people are Lunatics, who do not care, even a little bit, about the repercussions from their very dangerous and incorrect Decisions and Rulings. ... The danger is unparalleled!' Around the same time, the president — who recently wrote that American courts are 'broken,' 'rigged' and guilty of 'corruption' — also used his platform to amplify an item from a right-wing blog that read in part, 'When judges exceed their constitutional authority by obstructing or overturning executive actions without legitimate constitutional grounds, they not only overstep their role but may also commit acts tantamount to treason and sedition.' He has plenty of company. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has targeted a specific federal judge. White House advisor Stephen Miller condemned 'Marxist' judges, who 'must be stopped.' With the president's blessing, Elon Musk and congressional Republicans have targeted a variety of judges with impeachment measures. But the Trump administration hadn't gone so far as to actually arrest a sitting judge — until now. NBC News reported: The FBI arrested a county judge in Milwaukee on Friday, alleging that she obstructed the detention of an undocumented immigrant who was wanted by federal authorities on an administrative immigration warrant by escorting the man and his defense attorney though a non-public jury door. The arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan marks a significant escalation of the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, in line with its rhetoric about going after local and state authorities on immigration-related matters. Dugan faces charges of obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the United States, as well as a charge of concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest. After the local jurist was arrested by the FBI, she made an appearance before a federal magistrate judge and was released on bond. Shortly after Dugan was taken into custody, Kash Patel, Trump's highly controversial FBI director, published a tweet that effectively spiked the football. 'We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest,' he wrote in a missive that was deleted a short time later. 'Thankfully our agents chased down the perp on foot and he's been in custody since, but the Judge's obstruction created increased danger to the public.' Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin didn't quite see it that way. 'In the United States, we have a system of checks and balances and separations of power for damn good reasons,' the senator said in a statement. 'The president's administration arresting a sitting judge is a gravely serious and drastic move, and it threatens to breach those very separations of power. Make no mistake, we do not have kings in this country, and we are a democracy governed by laws that everyone must abide by. By relentlessly attacking the judicial system, flouting court orders, and arresting a sitting judge, this president is putting those basic Democratic values that Wisconsinites hold dear on the line. 'While details of this exact case remain minimal, this action fits into the deeply concerning pattern of this president's lawless behavior and undermining courts and Congress's checks on his power.' I was also struck by Attorney General Pam Bondi — who's already gone too far in targeting judges by name — who went to Fox News in the wake of Dugan's arrest. '[Judges] are deranged, is all I can think of,' Bondi said during her 18th appearance on Fox this year. 'I think some of these judges think that they are beyond and above the law, and they are not. And we're sending a very strong message today: If you are harboring a fugitive, we don't care who you are. ... We will come after you and we will prosecute you. We will find you.' To be indifferent to the authoritarian threat from this administration is to fail to pay close enough attention to unfolding events. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Somehow Manages to Make Easter All About Himself
In the spirit of Easter, Donald Trump spent Sunday ranting on Truth Social, attacking judges, the left, and former President Joe Biden. His first Easter address began normally enough, wishing Americans a 'very happy Easter' and a day 'full of Peace and Joy for all who celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.' But within minutes, the president flipped the script and went on a furious rampage against his favorite targets. 'Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country,' he wrote. 'Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our nation to continue, an attack so violent it will never be forgotten!' Trump continued, on par with his attack on the courts that's reached new heights in recent weeks. Right on cue, Trump's message then turned into a frantic blitz against the left, blaming Biden and the Democrats for allowing 'millions of CRIMINALS' to enter the country in the 'single most calamitous act ever perpetrated on America.' 'He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing.… But to him … and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!' Trump concluded. The official White House account shared the message on X, along with a graphic of Trump standing beside a person in an Easter bunny costume, seemingly addressing the country. The graphic reads, 'Happy Easter to All, Even the Radical left Lunatics …'—a sobering comparison to last year's Easter Sunday, which the White House declared Transgender Day of Visibility.
Forbes
09-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Can President Trump Really Revive U.S. Coal?
It is no secret that Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden did everything in their power to end America's coal industry while they were in office. The 'Clean Power Plan' formally invoked by the Obama EPA in 2015 set off an unprecedented wave of coal plant retirements which continued through the first Donald Trump presidency and into the Biden Administration (see chart below). Altogether, about 40% of the existing U.S. coal fleet in 2010 had been retired by the end of 2024, with more retirements projected in the coming five years. The power source which had provided about 50% of U.S. power generation in 2000 fell to just 15% in 2024. To environmental activists, the systematic deconstruction of America's coal industry was a beautiful thing, a way to meet emissions goals set under the Paris Climate Accords. But officials in this second Trump administration, including the President himself, see it as a waste of an enormously valuable resource given that U.S. coal reserves far exceed those of any other nation on earth. Despite having not seeing much success in reversing this trend during his first term in office, President Trump seems determined to produce real results this time around. Indeed, the reinvigoration of the domestic coal industry has been a topic on the minds of both Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright in recent weeks. In a March 17 post on Truth Social, Trump wrote about the topic, saying, '[a]fter years of being held captive by Environmental Extremists, Lunatics, Radicals, and Thugs, allowing other countries, in particular China, to gain tremendous Economic advantage over us by opening up hundreds of all Coal Fire Power Plants, I am authorizing my Administration to immediately begin producing energy with BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN COAL.' Obviously, there is a great deal of disagreement in today's society with the President's assessment of coal power being either beautiful or clean, but the point is clear: The Trump administration plans to take full advantage of America's unmatched wealth in coal resources. As new power demands from the rapid expansion of datacenters, AI growth, and the anticipated expansion of U.S. manufacturing stemming from the Trump tariffs and other economic policies accelerates, the need for a big expansion in reliable and affordable baseload capacity becomes increasingly urgent. This need is amplified by the rising realization that the power needs of AI datacenters, which must remain online more than 99% of the time, cannot be met by wind and solar combined with stationary batteries. In an interview on Feb. 15, Sec. Wright took a softer tone, saying, "Coal has been essential to the United States' energy system for over 100 years. It's been the largest source of global electricity for nearly 100 years, and it will be for decades to come, so we need to be realistic about that.' Regardless of the tone, the overall theme is clear: This administration is focused on a reinvigoration of America's coal industry. On Tuesday, the President signed a series of executive orders containing administrative actions which he believes will jump start that process. The executive orders signed Tuesday by President Trump include a series of specific directives designed to stimulate more mining of coal, extend the life of existing coal-fired power plants, and study the feasibility of permitting the building of additional coal generation capacity in the future: These actions aim to designate coal as a "mineral" under Trump's prior executive order 14241 from March 2025. That order established a series of actions designed to stimulate domestic production and processing of minerals considered to be 'critical energy minerals' as defined by 30 U.S.C. 1606(a)(3), as well as uranium, copper, potash, gold, and any other element, compound or material as determined by the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) chaired by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Tuesday's actions specifically direct Sec. Wright to assess whether coal used in steel production qualifies as a "critical material" or "critical mineral." This step ties into Trump's efforts to reshore manufacturing, including heavy industries like steelmaking, to the U.S. in the coming years. Equally impactful is the directive ordering the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to assist agencies in adopting coal-related categorical exclusions under the National Energy Policy Act (NEPA). The environmental impact studies required by NEPA can delay projects related to any form of energy production for years as companies and regulators haggle over minute details and anti-development NGOs seize on any conflicts as fodder for time-consuming lawsuits. The administration argues that coal is essential for energy independence, job creation, and economic competitiveness. Trump claimed during the signing event that U.S. coal reserves are worth "trillions of dollars," far exceeding the value of gold in Fort Knox, and can lower energy costs while supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs. The orders also tie coal to national security, particularly in powering AI data centers, where rivals like China rely heavily on coal-based electricity. Interestingly the immediate market reaction was positive, with shares of coal producers like Peabody Energy and Core Natural Resources rising about 9% each after the announcement. But the feasibility and broader implications of this effort to expand the use of coal in U.S. society is certain to become the subject of intense debate, given market realities, environmental stakes, and a rapidly shifting energy landscape.
Fox News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
District judges' orders blocking Trump agenda face hearing in top Senate committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing to examine the influx of nationwide orders against the Trump administration by federal district judges. Last week, Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, revealed the details of the event, set one day after the House committee's hearing on the same subject. "Since the courts and the executive branch are on an unsustainable collision course, Congress must step in and provide clarity," he said in a statement last week. "Our hearings will explore legislative solutions to bring the balance of power back in check." The hearing, titled, "Rule by District Judges II: Exploring Legislative Solutions to the Bipartisan Problem of Universal Injunctions," will feature testimony from John N. Matthews Professor of Law at Notre Dame Samuel Bray, partner at Boies Schiller Flexner Jesse Panuccio, who was previously the acting associate attorney general at the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the chairman of the DOJ's Regulatory Reform Task Force and vice chairman of the DOJ's Task Force on Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud, as well as Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Federal Courts at Georgetown University Law Center Stephen I. Vladeck. After revealing details of the hearing, Grassley rolled out his own bill to tackle the issue. "These nationwide injunctions have become a favorite tool for those seeking to obstruct Mr. Trump's agenda," he wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. "More than two-thirds of all universal injunctions issued over the past 25 years were levied against the first Trump administration. In the past two months alone, judges have issued at least 15 universal injunctions against the administration—surpassing the 14 President Biden faced throughout his four-year term." Grassley's legislation would restrain the lower courts' ability to issue nationwide orders, and they would no longer be able to stop "legitimate executive action" by granting orders to entities or individuals who are not parties to the lawsuit. While similar bills have been introduced by Grassley's GOP colleagues in both the Senate and House, it is unclear whether the issue will get floor votes, as it would need to amass more than 60 votes in the upper chamber to beat the filibuster. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has not elaborated much on the issue and, when asked about it, he told reporters, "At the end of the day, there is a process, and there's an appeals process. And, you know, I suspect that's ultimately how it's going to be ended." President Donald Trump has made his frustration with nationwide injunctions clear, urging action on them publicly. "Unlawful Nationwide Injunctions by Radical Left Judges could very well lead to the destruction of our Country!" the president said in a recent Truth Social post. "These people are Lunatics, who do not care, even a little bit, about the repercussions from their very dangerous and incorrect Decisions and Rulings." "If Justice Roberts and the United States Supreme Court do not fix this toxic and unprecedented situation IMMEDIATELY, our Country is in very serious trouble!" he continued.
