Latest news with #PrinciplesFirstSummit
The Independent
26-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Elon Musk ‘doesn't give a s**t' that he's making Trump's job ‘1000 times harder,' warns Mark Cuban
Tech billionaire and DOGE king Elon Musk is on track to make Donald Trump's job dismantling the federal government ' 1,000 times harde r' — and Musk couldn't care less, Shark Tank entrepreneur Mark Cuban warned at a political conference 'Elon doesn't give a s**t,' Cuban added. 'He's like, I'll be rich no matter what.' The Dallas Mavericks owner attacked Musk during an interview on stage over the weekend in Washington, D.C. at the Principles First Summit of mostly conservative anti-Trumpers with independents and even left-of-center Democrats. Speakers included Trump critics like the president's former National Security Adviser John Bolton, attorney George Conway, and former police officers attacked by Trump supporters at the January 6 Capitol siege. An email sent Sunday to organizers threatened several speakers' lives and claimed that pipebombs had been planted on the site. No further information was provided on the pipebomb threat; no one was injured. Cuban, who went on the stump for Kamala Harris in the presidential election, insisted he's not a Republican or a Democrat, but 'leans right fiscally, a little bit left socially.' He praised Trump's astounding 'sales' skills in politics. And he mocked Democrats' sales challenges. He complained that Democrats right now couldn't sell $1 for 50 cents even after convening a committee to try to figure out how to do it — while Trump could sell a dollar for $2. The problem is that Trump stumbles on 'execution,' Cuban added. His salesmanship is 'what's made Donald Trump so successful,' said Cuban. 'He's able to put out messages, and people see in him what they want to see. But that doesn't mean he can execute,' Cuban added. 'He's still in the salesmanship phase, and that's where we are right now [and] ... people are wondering: 'Can you execute on this?'' Despite some cracks in his support, his backers are still reluctant to hit out — yet, said Cuban. 'It's like when 'you marry somebody that your family hates. For at least the first three to six months, even if you find bodies [buried] in the basement, you're not admitting to your family that you made a mistake.' But Trump and Musk's stumbles are a 'gift to the Democrats,' said Cuban. And Trump's problems are going to continue, not only because of Musk but because the president with a 'few exceptions' has not 'picked the best people' for his Cabinet and other positions, he added to laughter from the audience. Cuban suggested Democrats up their 'sales' game with intriguing bills. Even if they can't pass, proposed legislation can make power points, he noted. Cuban suggested, for example, that the Democrats could call for prosecution within a certain amount of time for any fraud uncovered by the Department of Government Efficiency. But if the DOGE accusations prove false, Musk and his staff would be liable for libel and slander. That way, Cuban added: 'Elon's gotta either put up or shut up.' White House communications director Steven Cheung derided the summit on his government X account as the 'Cuck Convention.' The word 'cuck,' a favorite of macho far-right militant groups like the Proud Boys, describes a man who watches his wife have sex with other men.
Chicago Tribune
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
The few Republicans who still oppose Trump, including former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, gather in search of a path to oppose him
WASHINGTON — Conservatives from across the country filled a ballroom a few blocks from the White House and lamented that the United States is abandoning the ideals that forged a great nation. Some attendees donned red hats with various inscriptions mocking President Donald Trump and his 'Make America Great Again' movement. It was the largest gathering to date of the 'Principles First Summit,' expanded upon Trump's second term to welcome independents and center-left Democrats under a shared pro-democracy, anti-authoritarian aim. 'This is not a time to bend the knee, to play along,' said Heath Mayo, the Yale-educated attorney who founded Principles First five years ago for self-identified politically homeless conservatives. 'This is a time for stiffening your spine, standing up and getting ready for a long fight.' Yet three days of conversations and recriminations still left 1,200 attendees without a clear roadmap to loosen Trump's grip on the conservative movement and America's national identity. There was not even consensus on whether to fight within Republican spheres at all, migrate to the Democratic Party or find a different path altogether. 'It makes you feel better to know that you're not alone and that you're not crazy,' said Jeff Oppenheim, a retired U.S. Army colonel from Austin, Texas. 'The question is how to translate that into action in a political system that's very difficult to influence, because it's structured in a way that two parties have complete control.' Mark Cuban, the entrepreneur and 'Shark Tank' co-host who was one of then-Vice President Kamala Harris' most prominent surrogates last fall, got a rousing ovation when he took the stage but vowed that he would not run for the White House. He dismissed the Democratic Party, profanely, as unable to sell its own message. 'I'm not here to throw him under the bus,' Cuban said of Trump, praising the Republican president's ability as a marketer who convinced voters he could help them. Democrats, Cuban said, make their critiques of Trump moot because they 'can't sell worth s—.' Trump's allies mocked the gathering in advance as full of 'RINOs,' or Republicans in name only. White House communications director Steven Cheung called it 'the Cuck Convention' on his government account. The word 'cuck,' which describes a man who likes to watch his wife have sex with other men, was frequently used during the campaign to insult and emasculate rivals. Trump has far greater control of the Republican Party in his second term, with allies across Congress and the loyalty of most of the party's base. But his few remaining rivals within the party argue there are still ways to break his hold. Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a frequent Trump target who was among the people to receive a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden, pointed to Republicans' narrow 218-215 majority in the House and said lawmakers are privately nervous as recent town halls show voter anger over billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his sweeping moves to fire federal workers, shut down agencies and limit federal services. Kinzinger urged critics to ratchet up pressure in public settings because critical town hall audiences, he argued, offer the most 'uncomfortable' moments of a politician's job. 'Right now, Republican members of Congress fear one person: Donald Trump. They don't fear you,' Kinzinger said. 'When they start fearing you, that's when they start having a different calculus.' Julie Spilsbury, a councilmember from Mesa, Arizona, wants to maintain her place in Republican ranks. Like more than two dozen attendees and speakers interviewed by The Associated Press, Spilsbury cast her 2024 ballot for Harris for president. But she also publicly endorsed the Democratic nominee, saying it was a matter of 'character and integrity.' She now faces an ongoing recall effort by Trump backers in Mesa. 'If you're looking for something you can do, send me $10' for her retention campaign, Spilsbury told fellow conference attendees. When Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor who ran in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a centrist Democrat, offered carefully measured assessments of Trump's opening weeks, they got mixed or muted responses. Especially tepid was the reaction when Hutchinson said he believes Trump when the president says he will respect court decisions in the many early challenges to his executive actions. But roars rang out for the police officers who tried to protect the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and their unyielding assessments of Trump and his pardon of 1,500 supporters who breached the seat of Congress, including many who violently attacked law enforcement. 'We need to hold on to the outrage and hold on to the anger and set aside the fear,' insisted Michael Fanone, a former Washington officer who was attacked by rioters. Asked whether he would accept an invitation to talk to Trump, Fanone said the president is incapable of being convinced he is wrong and dismissed him with a profanity. Fanone and his fellow officers later were accosted in an upstairs lobby by Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, freshly freed from prison by Trump's pardon. The following day, Principles First leaders received an emailed bomb threat specifically mentioning Fanone, his mother's address and other potential targets. The summit space was evacuated as Washington police and Secret Service agents swept the area and found no bomb, allowing the conference to conclude Sunday evening. Organizers blamed the threat on Tarrio, who denied the claim in a post on his social media. Maria Stephan, a progressive at her first Principles First gathering, called the evacuation 'emboldening' given the weekend's themes. Yet Rich Logis of Broward County, Florida, offered caution as a former MAGA acolyte whose red hat now reads: 'I LEFT MAGA.' Another wave of converts, Logis argued, is coming if Trump continues to impose tariffs, cut public services and impose policies that hurt Americans broadly. 'Everyone has to find their own breaking point,' Logis said. 'Our job is to be there talking to people as they find it.'
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The few Republicans who still oppose Trump gather in search of a path to oppose him
WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservatives from across the country filled a ballroom a few blocks from the White House and lamented that the United States is abandoning the ideals that forged a great nation. Some attendees donned red hats with various inscriptions mocking President Donald Trump and his 'Make America Great Again' movement. It was the largest gathering to date of the 'Principles First Summit,' expanded upon Trump's second term to welcome independents and center-left Democrats under a shared pro-democracy, anti-authoritarian aim. 'This is not a time to bend the knee, to play along,' said Heath Mayo, the Yale-educated attorney who founded Principles First five years ago for self-identified politically homeless conservatives. 'This is a time for stiffening your spine, standing up and getting ready for a long fight.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Yet three days of conversations and recriminations still left 1,200 attendees without a clear roadmap to loosen Trump's grip on the conservative movement and America's national identity. There was not even consensus on whether to fight within Republican spheres at all, migrate to the Democratic Party or find a different path altogether. 'It makes you feel better to know that you're not alone and that you're not crazy,' said Jeff Oppenheim, a retired U.S. Army colonel from Austin, Texas. 'The question is how to translate that into action in a political system that's very difficult to influence, because it's structured in a way that two parties have complete control.' Mark Cuban, the entrepreneur and 'Shark Tank' co-host who was one of then-Vice President Kamala Harris' most prominent surrogates last fall, got a rousing ovation when he took the stage but vowed that he would not run for the White House. He dismissed the Democratic Party, profanely, as unable to sell its own message. 'I'm not here to throw him under the bus,' Cuban said of Trump, praising the Republican president's ability as a marketer who convinced voters he could help them. Democrats, Cuban said, make their critiques of Trump moot because they 'can't sell worth s—.' Trump's allies mocked the gathering in advance as full of 'RINOs,' or Republicans in name only. White House communications director Steven Cheung called it 'the Cuck Convention' on his government account. The word 'cuck,' which describes a man who likes to watch his wife have sex with other men, was frequently used during the campaign to insult and emasculate rivals. Trump has far greater control of the Republican Party in his second term, with allies across Congress and the loyalty of most of the party's base. But his few remaining rivals within the party argue there are still ways to break his hold. Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a frequent Trump target who was among the people to receive a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden, pointed to Republicans' narrow 218-215 majority in the House and said lawmakers are privately nervous as recent town halls show voter anger over billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his sweeping moves to fire federal workers, shut down agencies and limit federal services. Kinzinger urged critics to ratchet up pressure in public settings because critical town hall audiences, he argued, offer the most 'uncomfortable' moments of a politician's job. 'Right now, Republican members of Congress fear one person: Donald Trump. They don't fear you,' Kinzinger said. 'When they start fearing you, that's when they start having a different calculus.' Julie Spilsbury, a councilmember from Mesa, Arizona, wants to maintain her place in Republican ranks. Like more than two dozen attendees and speakers interviewed by The Associated Press, Spilsbury cast her 2024 ballot for Harris for president. But she also publicly endorsed the Democratic nominee, saying it was a matter of 'character and integrity.' She now faces an ongoing recall effort by Trump backers in Mesa. 'If you're looking for something you can do, send me $10' for her retention campaign, Spilsbury told fellow conference attendees. When Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor who ran in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a centrist Democrat, offered carefully measured assessments of Trump's opening weeks, they got mixed or muted responses. Especially tepid was the reaction when Hutchinson said he believes Trump when the president says he will respect court decisions in the many early challenges to his executive actions. But roars rang out for the police officers who tried to protect the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and their unyielding assessments of Trump and his pardon of 1,500 supporters who breached the seat of Congress, including many who violently attacked law enforcement. 'We need to hold on to the outrage and hold on to the anger and set aside the fear,' insisted Michael Fanone, a former Washington officer who was attacked by rioters. Asked whether he would accept an invitation to talk to Trump, Fanone said the president is incapable of being convinced he is wrong and dismissed him with a profanity. Fanone and his fellow officers later were accosted in an upstairs lobby by Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, freshly freed from prison by Trump's pardon. The following day, Principles First leaders received an emailed bomb threat specifically mentioning Fanone, his mother's address and other potential targets. The summit space was evacuated as Washington police and Secret Service agents swept the area and found no bomb, allowing the conference to conclude Sunday evening. Organizers blamed the threat on Tarrio, who denied the claim in a post on his social media. Maria Stephan, a progressive at her first Principles First gathering, called the evacuation 'emboldening' given the weekend's themes. Yet Rich Logis of Broward County, Florida, offered caution as a former MAGA acolyte whose red hat now reads: 'I LEFT MAGA.' Another wave of converts, Logis argued, is coming if Trump continues to impose tariffs, cut public services and impose policies that hurt Americans broadly. 'Everyone has to find their own breaking point,' Logis said. 'Our job is to be there talking to people as they find it.'
Associated Press
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
The few Republicans who still oppose Trump gather in search of a path to oppose him
WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservatives from across the country filled a ballroom a few blocks from the White House and lamented that the United States is abandoning the ideals that forged a great nation. Some attendees donned red hats with various inscriptions mocking President Donald Trump and his 'Make America Great Again' movement. It was the largest gathering to date of the 'Principles First Summit,' expanded upon Trump's second term to welcome independents and center-left Democrats under a shared pro-democracy, anti-authoritarian aim. 'This is not a time to bend the knee, to play along,' said Heath Mayo, the Yale-educated attorney who founded Principles First five years ago for self-identified politically homeless conservatives. 'This is a time for stiffening your spine, standing up and getting ready for a long fight.' Yet three days of conversations and recriminations still left 1,200 attendees without a clear roadmap to loosen Trump's grip on the conservative movement and America's national identity. There was not even consensus on whether to fight within Republican spheres at all, migrate to the Democratic Party or find a different path altogether. 'It makes you feel better to know that you're not alone and that you're not crazy,' said Jeff Oppenheim, a retired U.S. Army colonel from Austin, Texas. 'The question is how to translate that into action in a political system that's very difficult to influence, because it's structured in a way that two parties have complete control.' Mark Cuban, the entrepreneur and 'Shark Tank' co-host who was one of then-Vice President Kamala Harris' most prominent surrogates last fall, got a rousing ovation when he took the stage but vowed that he would not run for the White House. He dismissed the Democratic Party, profanely, as unable to sell its own message. 'I'm not here to throw him under the bus,' Cuban said of Trump, praising the Republican president's ability as a marketer who convinced voters he could help them. Democrats, Cuban said, make their critiques of Trump moot because they 'can't sell worth s—.' Trump's allies mocked the gathering in advance as full of 'RINOs,' or Republicans in name only. White House communications director Steven Cheung called it 'the Cuck Convention' on his government account. The word 'cuck,' which describes a man who likes to watch his wife have sex with other men, was frequently used during the campaign to insult and emasculate rivals. Trump has far greater control of the Republican Party in his second term, with allies across Congress and the loyalty of most of the party's base. But his few remaining rivals within the party argue there are still ways to break his hold. Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a frequent Trump target who was among the people to receive a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden, pointed to Republicans' narrow 218-215 majority in the House and said lawmakers are privately nervous as recent town halls show voter anger over billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his sweeping moves to fire federal workers, shut down agencies and limit federal services. Kinzinger urged critics to ratchet up pressure in public settings because critical town hall audiences, he argued, offer the most 'uncomfortable' moments of a politician's job. 'Right now, Republican members of Congress fear one person: Donald Trump. They don't fear you,' Kinzinger said. 'When they start fearing you, that's when they start having a different calculus.' Julie Spilsbury, a councilmember from Mesa, Arizona, wants to maintain her place in Republican ranks. Like more than two dozen attendees and speakers interviewed by The Associated Press, Spilsbury cast her 2024 ballot for Harris for president. But she also publicly endorsed the Democratic nominee, saying it was a matter of 'character and integrity.' She now faces an ongoing recall effort by Trump backers in Mesa. 'If you're looking for something you can do, send me $10' for her retention campaign, Spilsbury told fellow conference attendees. When Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor who ran in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a centrist Democrat, offered carefully measured assessments of Trump's opening weeks, they got mixed or muted responses. Especially tepid was the reaction when Hutchinson said he believes Trump when the president says he will respect court decisions in the many early challenges to his executive actions. But roars rang out for the police officers who tried to protect the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and their unyielding assessments of Trump and his pardon of 1,500 supporters who breached the seat of Congress, including many who violently attacked law enforcement. 'We need to hold on to the outrage and hold on to the anger and set aside the fear,' insisted Michael Fanone, a former Washington officer who was attacked by rioters. Asked whether he would accept an invitation to talk to Trump, Fanone said the president is incapable of being convinced he is wrong and dismissed him with a profanity. Fanone and his fellow officers later were accosted in an upstairs lobby by Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, freshly freed from prison by Trump's pardon. The following day, Principles First leaders received an emailed bomb threat specifically mentioning Fanone, his mother's address and other potential targets. The summit space was evacuated as Washington police and Secret Service agents swept the area and found no bomb, allowing the conference to conclude Sunday evening. Organizers blamed the threat on Tarrio, who denied the claim in a post on his social media. Maria Stephan, a progressive at her first Principles First gathering, called the evacuation 'emboldening' given the weekend's themes. Yet Rich Logis of Broward County, Florida, offered caution as a former MAGA acolyte whose red hat now reads: 'I LEFT MAGA.' Another wave of converts, Logis argued, is coming if Trump continues to impose tariffs, cut public services and impose policies that hurt Americans broadly. 'Everyone has to find their own breaking point,' Logis said. 'Our job is to be there talking to people as they find it.'
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-Trump conference in D.C. evacuated due to bomb threat
A Republican-led conference opposing Donald Trump was forced to evacuate Sunday due to a bomb threat at the Washington, D.C., hotel hosting the event. Attendees at the Principles First Summit were forced out of the JW Marriott hotel after receiving the threat from someone claiming to be former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio. 'Hotel security, private security and [D.C. police] have made the decision to evacuate [the] Summit floor so that the area can be secured,' organizers wrote on social media. 'We intend to reconvene and continue with the Summit once the area has been secured.' Tarrio said on social media he had nothing to do with the threat. He claimed, 'I would never do this.' According to conference organizers, Tarrio was involved in a minor altercation at the hotel on Saturday. He filmed himself exchanging words with former Capitol Police officers, who were attending the Principles First event. The bomb threat, a copy of which was obtained by former CNN reporter Jim Acosta, read: 'To honor the J6 hostages recently released by Emperor Trump, I've constructed four pipe bombs' — and claimed to have placed two in the Marriott to affect the Principles First conference. The letter claimed the other two bombs were at the homes of former D.C. police officer Michael Fanone — who clashed with Tarrio on Saturday — and former Trump security advisor John Bolton. No bombs were found, and the conference resumed. Tarrio was pardoned by Trump after he was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. 'There's nothing you can do to intimidate me,' ex-Rep. Adam Kinzinger said on stage when the conference resumed. 'You're not going to win.'
