Latest news with #SleepyJoe
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Donald Trump's Biggest, Dumbest Lie Is … Really Big and Really Dumb
Great news, my fellow Americans! Tariff revenue last month was way up. The government took in $17.4 billion from tariffs in April, nearly double the March haul of $9.6 billion. So far this year, the government has collected around $70 billion in tariff revenue. In 2024, with Sleepy Joe at the helm, it took in only about $77 billion for the whole year. Today, under the beautiful leadership of Pope Donald, we're on pace for $210 billion in revenues. Maybe more! Could Trump be right, then, that tariffs will pay for everything and one day replace the income tax? No. Not even close. Not even kinda-sorta-maybe-in-dreamland close. This is a very under-discussed aspect of this whole tariff debate. Commentary typically focuses on whether the tariffs will really reduce the trade deficit and bring manufacturing back to the United States. Far too little attention is paid to one of Donald Trump's chief claims, which he makes constantly: He fervently believes, or sure seems to, that the revenue from tariffs will be so great as to allow for the shutting down of the Internal Revenue Service and the end of income taxes. Permit me to arm you with the answers to three fundamental questions. How much does the federal government spend every year? How much revenue does the federal government take in every year? And how much revenue might Trump's tariffs generate once his plan is really up and running? Answers to the first two questions: In 2024, the government spent about $6.75 trillion. In the same year, federal government revenues totaled $4.9 trillion. Yes, that made for a hefty budget deficit of $1.8 trillion, give or take, and that is certainly on the very high side, but that isn't what we're here to discuss today. Now—let's break down that revenue figure into its constituent categories. The largest chunk of that $4.9 trillion, about $2.4 trillion—or essentially half—came from income taxes. Another $1.7 trillion came from payroll taxes. About $530 billion came from corporate taxes (which Trump wants to lower again, so don't expect that number to stay that high). Finally, $253 billion came from our old friend 'Other.' The largest piece of the 'Other' pie was excise taxes ($101 billion), which are taxes on things like airline tickets and so forth. 'Other' also included the aforementioned $77 billion in tariff revenue, also known as customs duties. In other words: To vaporize the IRS, Trump's tariffs would need to produce $2.4 trillion in revenue. So, how's that looking? It's looking insane is how it's looking. As noted, the government is on pace to generate something north of $200 billion in tariff revenue this year. But let's imagine that Trump's wildest dreams are met or even exceeded. Will customs duties produce anywhere near $2.4 trillion? No. They'll come about as close as Publisher came to winning the Kentucky Derby Saturday (he finished 14th, out of 19; my dream exacta of Journalism-Publisher went up in smoke around the first turn). Here's a good report from USA Today that covers all the bases. The Yale Budget Lab estimates that the tariffs will bring in, wouldn't you know it, exactly $2.4 trillion. But oops—that's over the next 10 years, not one, so it's not even going to cover the first year of this wild experiment. Other estimates are similar. Even Peter Navarro, Trump's tariffs adviser who made his small contribution to the 2024 deficit by forcing you and me to pay his housing tab for four months (in a federal prison in Miami, that is), estimates they'll only bring in $600 billion a year. And that's from the most passionate tariff evangelist in the country, in some ways even more ardent than Trump himself. So, doing the math, we find that $2.4 trillion (income tax revenue) minus $600 billion (the most optimistic projection of tariff revenue) would leave the country $1.8 trillion short of current revenues. Or, using the Yale Budget Lab number ($240 billion a year in tariff revenue), the country would be left $2.16 billion in the hole. So no: Tariff revenues won't 'make up for' income tax revenue. Not even anywhere near close. Yet Trump says this and says it and says it. There is, as you probably know, a running debate about Trump's lies: Does he actually believe X, or does he know X isn't true but just says it anyway? Usually, consensus tends toward the latter explanation. But on this one, one suspects that he's actually ill-informed enough to believe it. Somebody told him about how under William McKinley, tariffs paid for everything, and he liked the sound of that, without stopping to think that the federal government of the 1890s needed very little money because it did virtually nothing (federal spending today as a percentage of GDP hovers somewhere around 20 percent; in the 1890s, it was more like 2 percent). This brings us to a further wrinkle in this debate. Maybe Trump has no intention of replacing the whole $2.4 trillion. Maybe he and the Heritage Foundation and his Project 2025 operatives intend to shrink the government down to the size where a few hundred billion in revenue is plenty. That would involve laying off the majority of the federal workforce and ending most of what the federal government does. The public already disapproves of what Elon Musk and DOGE are up to. Trying to take the government back to what it was in the 1890s would be an act of political suicide. Some red-hot ideologues of the right may want to do this, but I sincerely doubt Trump does. He probably doesn't care that much, and he surely doesn't want to see his approval rating hit a number that's lower than the age of Bill Belichick's girlfriend. I get why people support Trump. If you're angry at the system, you'll vote for someone who is anti-system. If you're enraged about the border, well, he's your guy, and it is true that border crossings are down dramatically, although needless to say he and his people are doing some funny counting. And finally, let's not forget that millions of Americans are getting their 'news' from outlets that never utter a cross syllable about the man and regurgitate every word he says as Biblical truth, so of course they support him since there's nothing they've heard about to oppose. But really. If you believe his nonsense about tariffs and the IRS, you're drinking some Kool-Aid that even Ken Kesey wouldn't have served. Or put it this way: If Trump really does fancy himself pope, well, he's peddling a truckload of papal bull.
Hindustan Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump labelled an 'embarrassment' for dozing off during Pope's funeral
Pictures of US President Donald Trump apparently sleeping during Pope Francis' funeral went viral on social media on Saturday, sparking a wave of online criticism. Trump, aged 78, attended the funeral alongside his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The three were seated in the front row of the funeral at the Vatican in Rome. (Also read: Barron Trump uses Xbox instead of phone to chat with friends at college? Report claims) As the ceremony unfolded, several images surfaced on social media, showing Trump with his eyes closed, leading many to suggest that he was dozing off during the service. According to Fortune, Trump did not follow the dress code of wearing black for the funeral and instead wore a blue suit. The photos quickly circulated online, with users expressing their disdain. Many labelled it an "embarrassment to the United States." One user on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted, "Trump sleeping at the Pope's funeral. An embarrassment, as always." Another comment drew comparisons to President Joe Biden, saying, "I don't ever want to hear another word about 'Sleepy Joe' — not after this circus. 🤡 There are photos of Trump texting, laughing, taking phone calls, and sleeping at the Pope's funeral." The images sparked mockery online, with some users sarcastically commenting about Trump's behaviour. "Trump showed respect for the Pope by texting, sleeping, and not following the dress code. He represents MAGA so well! Haha," one user wrote. (Also read: Donald Trump's 'tone deaf' post about Pope Francis' funeral angers internet: 'He thinks he is going to Coachella') The controversy continued to grow as the internet reacted to the unfolding images. Some remarked on the contrast between the gravitas of the ceremony and Trump's actions, while others focused on his attire, claiming he did not follow the expected dress code. Take a look here at the fews posts shared on X: Trump and Melania were seated between Estonia's President Alar Karis and Spain's King Felipe VI. Other heads of state, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, were seated further back. The seating arrangement followed an alphabetical order by country in French, a tradition at such high-profile events. Earlier in the day, Trump posted images of himself standing in front of Pope Francis' coffin, paying his respects. It was also revealed that Trump had a one-on-one meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, marking the two leaders' first encounter since their heated confrontation at the White House in February.
Mint
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Donald Trump sleeping at Pope Francis' funeral? Viral photos spark outrage, Internet says 'embarrassment to US'
US President Donald Trump was allegedly caught sleeping at Pope Francis' funeral in the Vatican on Saturday, April 26. Several photos from the funeral ceremony are doing rounds on social media and have sparked discussions online. This comes after the 78-year-old decided to reportedly not follow the dress code of wearing black for the funeral. The US President Trump appeared in a blue suit, his trademark American flag lapel pin and a light blue tie at the somber service in St Peter's Square. Pictures of Donald Trump reportedly dozing at Pope Francis' funeral went viral, with the internet calling it an "embarrassment to the United States." Donald Trump was not the only one violating strict Vatican procedure, others who broke the tradition were Prince William and former US President Joe Biden. Moreover, Donald Trump chose to sit in the front row with first lady and First Lady Melania Trump for the Argentine pontiff's funeral in Rome. Italian national newspaper Il Messaggero detailed Vatican's protocol for Pope Francis' funeral which stated, 'For men, dark suit with a long black tie and a button of the same color on the left lapel of the jacket, where only Vatican honors can be placed. For women, a black dress, preferably long, of the same color as gloves and veil on the head, with the only allowed ornament being a string of pearls.' The outfits of all three deviated from the Vatican's customary dress code, which requires male guests attending papal funerals to wear a formal black suit, black tie, and a black lapel pin. Prince William was spotted wearing dark blue suit with black tie at the ceremony where he was filling in for King Charles III, who was recently hospitalised after recovery from cancer. Joe Biden donned a blue tie at the funeral. Social media was abuzz after the funeral started and claimed that Trump appeared to be dozing off while others criticised him for disobeying protocols. A user wrote, 'I don't ever want to hear another word about 'Sleepy Joe' — not after this circus. There are photos of Trump texting, laughing, taking phone calls, and sleeping at the Pope's funeral,' Another user stated, 'Trump sleeping at the Pope's funeral. An embarrassment, as always." A third user commented, 'Trump showed respect for the Pope by texting, sleeping and not following the dress code. He represents MAGA so well! Haha.' A fourth user remarked, 'You don't understand the protocols. Trump isn't Catholic. Prince William is in a blue suit too." First Published: 27 Apr 2025, 06:56 AM IST
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Was Donald Trump sleeping at Pope Francis' funeral? Viral photos spark debate
Several photos appearing to show US President Donald Trump sleeping during Pope Francis' funeral in Rome went viral on social media on Saturday, fuelling online debate and criticism. Trump, 78, was seated in the front row alongside First Lady Melania Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the ceremony. Soon after proceedings began, social media users circulated images suggesting Trump had dozed off, showing him with his eyes closed. "Trump sleeping at the Pope's funeral. An embarrassment, as always," one user posted on X. Another commented, "I don't ever want to hear another word about 'Sleepy Joe' — not after this circus. 🤡 There are photos of Trump texting, laughing, taking phone calls, and sleeping at the Pope's funeral," attaching a compilation of images. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo "Trump showed respect for the Pope by texting, sleeping and not following the dress code. He represents MAGA so well! Haha," another user tweeted. Seating arrangements placed Trump and Melania between Estonia's President Alar Karis and Spain's King Felipe VI, while other world leaders, such as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, were seated further back. The Vatican had organised guests largely by country names listed alphabetically in French. Despite the viral criticism, Trump also shared moments from the funeral on his Truth Social platform, posting images of himself standing solemnly before Pope Francis' coffin. Earlier that day, Trump held a one-on-one meeting with Zelenskyy — their first encounter since a tense exchange at the White House in February. Commenting on the situation in Ukraine, Trump posted, "There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days." He added, "It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?' Too many people are dying!!!" Meanwhile, in response to the viral Trump images, several X users began sharing old compilations of former President Joe Biden appearing to fall asleep at various public events.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jon Stewart Says Donald Trump Has 1 ‘Genius' Skill, And He Just Failed Miserably At It
You could say a snowflake-acrat thinks a certain dumb-publican has lost a little of his sparkle. On Monday night's episode of 'The Daily Show,' Jon Stewart showed concern for Donald Trump after the president debuted his nickname for a new and nefarious political party brewing in the United States. In a Truth Social post published Tuesday, Trump responded to mounting criticism surrounding his completely unhinged tariffs by telling all his haters that they're just 'weak and stupid.' 'The United States has a chance to do something that should have been done DECADES AGO,' Trump wrote. 'Don't be Weak! Don't be Stupid! Don't be a PANICAN (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). Be Strong, Courageous, and Patient, and GREATNESS will be the result!' Over on 'The Daily Show,' Stewart expressed disappointment in a wordsmith like Trump coming up with a dud of a nickname like 'Panican.' 'Panican?' Stewart asked, stunned. 'The genius who gave us classics like 'Sleepy Joe' and 'Crooked Hillary' just shit out, 'you're a Panican?'' He later added, jokingly: 'Did the overseas factory you had been sourcing your nicknames from get shut down during the tariff war?' Stewart felt so let down by Trump that he even decided to throw out a few suggestions for Trump to mull over. 'How about Hysterocrats? Repussicans? How about Cryontologists?' he asked. Stewart went on to point out how Trump's response to the financial crisis offline is further proof of his apathy. 'In case you didn't get the point that he doesn't give a fuck, he spent the weekend showing, not telling,' Stewart said. '[Trump] played not a round of golf this weekend, [but] a tournament of golf. A three-day tournament.' Stewart was by no means the only person who felt 'panican' lacked the president's usual panache. Social media users also mocked the nickname over on X, formerly Twitter, with one user saying: 'He knows he's fucked—you can tell because the best insult he could come up with is 'panican' (??).' Ultimately, much like 'fetch' in 'Mean Girls,' X users felt that 'panican' is not going to happen — even if Republicans try to push it as hard as Gretchen Wieners. One X user predicted, 'Get ready for every insufferable MAGA pundit to try and make 'PANICAN' a thing.' Jon Stewart Destroys Conservatives With A Page Out Of Trump's Book Jimmy Kimmel Has A 'Million Dollar' Reaction To Trump Skipping Return Of Dead U.S. Soldiers Stephen Colbert Spots The Bleakest 'Silver Lining' In Trump Tariffs Fallout Jon Stewart Exposes Trump's Favorite Defense With 1 Scathing Question
