Week 9 - The Return
Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so you’ll remember.
Before we get into this week’s themes, I wanted to stop and take in the enormity and gravity of something that up until Trump was very ordinary: the peaceful transition of power. This week, Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the certification of an election she lost. There is no doubt that if the result of the election had been different, things would not have gone smoothly. Trump had told us out loud — telegraphing his intentions, as he often does — that he planned to challenge the election results as “rigged” if he had lost again.
Many of us thought after what transpired four years ago, when we all watched live as Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol at his behest, in an attempt to thwart our democracy, that that would be the end of Trump. Even his vice president, Mike Pence, for whom his supporters erected gallows, had spoken out against his former boss and his fitness to lead. But what we have seen since is the propagation of two realities of what occurred that day. The truth, and conspiracy theories and lies that have been promoted and repeated by Trump, conservative networks, and some of his loyal allies, again and again and again, until many Americans have come to hold them as their misguided version of the truth.
The truth is a precious thing. When I decided in November 2016 to write it all down in The Weekly List project, I recognized that one of the risks to our democracy was discerning what is true. History shows us authoritarians by nature look to warp and distort reality as a tool. By repeating the Big Lie continually after he left office, Trump has convinced the majority of Republicans that the election was stolen from him, and he is a victim. It’s a sad state of affairs, recognizing the use of propaganda, and that our journalism failed us in a way: there has been a lost in trust, and Americans have instead turned to their own trusted voices to tell them what is reality. When the truth and alternative realities become indistinguishable, our democracy is truly on shaky ground.
Add to it this week’s list, which shows us this problem of deciphering the truth will only become more arduous. One of the major publications that held Trump to account during the first regime was the Washington Post, which is owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos. The newspaper whose slogan reads “Democracy Dies in Darkness” is controlled by a man who is willing to do anything and everything to curry favor with Trump. Bezos seems intent on and content with letting the Postdie a slow death of an irrelevance. As well, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in a disturbing move to also gain favor with Trump and his regime, took dramatic steps with Meta’s social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, which will make the truth more difficult to discern. Do either of these men needs billions more in their pockets at the expense of the public interests? Apparently, they feel yes.
Kleptocracy is nothing new from the first Trump regime. We are well used to the Trump family benefiting off of our country’s interest to line their pockets, and those of their friends. Yet, as we approach this second regime, the blatant and irreverent obeyance in advance by rich men whose only wish is to seek favoritism and enrich themselves — all out in the light of public sight — is still shocking. How could they? Is the United States becoming a knock-off version of Russia’s oligarchy? Are we carving up industries for those who can win the favor of Trump and Elon Musk, in a new iteration and return to some version of the Gilded Age? Watch, and pay attention.
On Wednesday, following an attack on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans, Trump falsely claimed the suspect was an undocumented immigrant, repeating his campaign theme in a post on Truth Social: “the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country.”
On Thursday, despite the suspect being identified as a US citizen born in Texas and an Army veteran, Trump linked the attack to Biden, claiming his “Open Border’s Policy” allowed “Radical Islamic Terrorism, and other forms of violent crime.”
NYT reported that The Atlantic is poaching reporters in an exodus from Jeff Bezos’s Washington Post, and plans to beef up its political coverage of the incoming Trump regime. The Times has also hired WAPO staffers.
The Atlantic’s owner, billionaire investor Laurene Powell Jobs, one of the few women to own a major publication, said she saw an opportunity after the publication became profitable in 2024.
On Friday, WAPO cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned after Bezos nixed a cartoon of him and other billionaires genuflecting toward a statue of Trump. Telnaes, who joined The Post in 2008, said it was the first time one of her cartoons was rejected, calling it “dangerous for a free press.”
On Sunday, Amazon Prime Video, an entity owned by Bezos, announced it is licensing a documentary about Melania Trump’s life to be shown in theaters and streaming. Filming of the documentary started the month after the election.
On Tuesday, The Post laid off roughly 100 employees across its business division, as the newspaper continued to lose top journalists, and candidates pulled out of contention for the executive editor position.
On Thursday, Meta replaced its policy chief with Joel Kaplan, a Republican who appeared with Vice President J.D. Vance and Trump at the N.Y.S.E. in December. Kaplan attended the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh as a personal friend.
On Friday, Axios reported that Apple CEO Tim Cook donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration committee. Cook also met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in December for dinner, with Musk in attendance.
On Tuesday, Meta announced it is ending fact-checking and other restrictions on speech on its social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, in an apparent bid to win favor with Trump and his regime.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also said he would move the company’s trust and safety operations from California to Texas, similar to Musk, and would copy X’s format for community checking of facts. Meta’s fact-checking had been seen as effective in reducing falsehoods.
Meta’s new policy chief Kaplan credited Musk for the changes on “Fox & Friends,” saying, “I think Elon’s played an incredibly important role in moving the debate and getting people refocused on free expression.”
Digital rights groups condemned the change. Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, called it “a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world.” Nora Benavidez, senior counsel at advocacy group Free Press, said Zuckerberg is “saying yes to more lies, yes to more harassment, yes to more hate.”
On Tuesday, conservative organization The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression announced it would represent pollster Ann Selzer, at no charge, against Trump’s lawsuit, saying, “This is America. No one should be afraid to predict the outcome of an election.”
NYT reported that Trump has raised more than $200 million since Election Day for his inauguration, political operation, and eventual presidential library as donors and corporate interests try to curry favor.
Of the four finance chairs for Trump’s inauguration, lobbyist Jeff Miller and Reince Priebus, a former chief of staff for Trump, both represent companies that have much at stake with the incoming regime.
Executives at lobbying firms such as Chartwell Strategy Group have also bundled donations for Trump’s inauguration. The firm represents clients that could be impacted by Trump’s promised tariffs.
On Thursday, Reuters reported that given Musk’s rising influence, it is unclear what will happen to the array of US investigations into his businesses, including Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink.
Musk posted on his social media platform X, “Oh Gary, how could you do this to me?” in response to outgoing US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, after the agency issued a settlement demand, claiming it was “improperly motivated.”
Musk also used X to chastise European leaders, including the UK’s incoming Labour Party administration, whose Health Minister Andrew Gwynne told Musk to prioritize “issues on the other side of the Atlantic.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded, “Don’t feed the troll.”
Shortly after Musk’s posts about the UK, Trump also criticized the incoming administration on Truth Social, posting, “The UK is making a very big mistake. Open Up the North Sea. Get rid of Windmills!”
WSJ reported many of Trump’s cabinet picks and regulatory appointments who will shape technology policy have close ties to Musk and his companies, and have joined him in bashing the largest social media platforms.
On Thursday, Trump announced in an email to supporters that he would hold a “VICTORY RALLY” the day before his inauguration, adding, “the crowd needs to be HUGE!”
Trump also complained that US flags would be at half-staff on his inauguration day to commemorate former President Jimmy Carter’s death, posting, “The Democrats are all ‘giddy,’” because “they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves.”
On Thursday, after President Biden said he would award the Presidential Citizens Medal to former Reps. Liz Cheney for her work on the Jan. 6 House Select committee, House Speaker Mike Johnson said House Republicans would investigate the committee.
Johnson, whom Trump endorsed to continue as House Speaker, posted on X that the committee members “intentionally and repeatedly lied to the American people,” and falsely claimed the committee, “manipulated AND destroyed evidence” and “created a fake, phony narrative.”
On Friday, Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan upheld Trump’s felony conviction and said he would be sentenced on January 10, but signaled Trump would not get jail time. The ruling means Trump will be the first president to take office convicted of felony crimes.
On Monday, Trump sought to stay his criminal sentencing until “Trump’s immunity appeals are fully and finally resolved.” Merchan rejected the request for a delay.
On Tuesday, a New York appeals court denied Trump’s motion for an emergency halt to his sentencing, after his lawyer argued proceeding would be disruptive to his presidential transition.
In an emergency application late Tuesday, Trump asked the Supreme Court to halt his sentencing on Friday. Trump argued that he is entitled to full immunity from prosecution.
On Tuesday, in reaction to a court filing by Trump’s lawyers to preemptively block its release, special counsel Jack Smith said his team is finalizing a two-volume report on their investigations into Trump, and one volume could be released as soon as Friday.
On Tuesday, in a brief ruling, Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, temporarily blocked the DOJ from releasing a final report. Cannon had controversially dismissed the document case last summer.
On Wednesday, the DOJ said in a court filing it did not plan to release the portion of Smith’s report that has to do with the election interference case before Trump takes office, meaning the public may never see it.
On Sunday, the eve of the four-year anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection, U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger told The Post that pardoning people who “cross the line” of attacking officers would send a message that police do not matter.
On Monday, Jan. 6, Biden urged Americans in an op-ed not to forget the Jan 6. insurrection, saying democracy had been “literally put to the test,” and accused Trump and his supporters of trying “to rewrite — even erase — the history of that day.”
In an official statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland called Jan. 6 a “violent” and “unprecedented” attack on a “cornerstone of our system of government — the peaceful transfer of power.”
He added the DOJ “conducted one of the most complex, and most resource-intensive investigations” in its history, with “unrelenting integrity.” He also commended Capitol riot officers, who he said “were brutally assaulted while bravely defending the United States Capitol.”
Former U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell urged Trump not to pardon the insurrectionists in an op-ed, saying, “releasing those who assaulted us from blame would be a desecration of justice,” and would put officers who testified in future danger.
Gonell said, “I was one of the fortunate ones that day,” noting nine people had died, adding, “I required multiple surgeries, years of rehab and treatment for recurrences of the post-traumatic stress disorder,” and “I remain haunted by that day.”
Rep. Mike Collins falsely claimed on X this morning that “thousands of peaceful grandmothers” gathered Jan. 6, 2021 to hear Trump speak and then some “took photos, and explored the building before leaving.”
The lawyer for former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in rallying his group’s members to DC to stop the peaceful transition of power, asked Trump for a pardon.
ABC News reported an audio recording from an event over the past weekend at Mar-a-Lago revealed Trump continuing to falsely claim that the results “could have been sent back,” blaming former Vice President Mike Pence for doing his constitutional duty.
Pence, for his part, posted on X, noting, “the peaceful transfer of power is the hallmark of our democracy” and adding that it was “particularly admirable that Vice President Harris would preside over the certification of a presidential election that she lost.”
On Tuesday, Donald Trump Jr. arrived in Greenland to shoot a podcast, and told residents, “we’re going to treat you well.” Greenland’s government said Trump Jr.’s visit was taking place “as a private individual.”
On Tuesday, Trump held his second news conference at Mar-a-Lago since the election. Trump appeared to be angryand vented grievances, despite aides claims that he has been calmer and happier.
Trump gave a rambling open statement, full of false claims and misinformation. He attacked Jack Smith and Judge Merchan, whom he falsely claimed reports to President Biden. Trump also complained that Biden was still governing.
Trump said he would not rule out using military force to retake the Panama Canal and Greenland. Trump disparaged a Jimmy Carter-era treaty that returned all control of the canal zone to Panama, and threatened Denmark with tariffs if it did not turn over Greenland.
Trump mused about renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” and threatened to use economic force to make Canada the 51st state. He threatened “substantial tariffs” on both countries.
Trump introduced Hussain Sajwani, the founder and chairman of DAMAC Properties, a Dubai-based real estate firm that partnered to build Trump’s first golf course in the Middle East, and said DAMAC would invest billions in the US to build data centers.
Reuters reported another business partner of the Trump Organization in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s Dar Al Arkan, disclosed it plans to start building projects in the US for the first time.
On pardoning Jan. 6 insurrectionists, Trump said, “I’ll be making major pardons, yes.” He mentioned the “beautiful” Ashli Babbitt who was killed, but failed to mention fallen officers or the 140 who were injured.
After the news conference, Trump’s team sent out an email which quoted him saying that on Jan. 6 rioters went to the Capitol “with not one gun.” Trump’s statement is false — many were in fact armed.
Zucker-turd has always been a POS.
https://youtu.be/iX8GxLP1FHo?si=v3VTfyAxLN7eBCOD
Keep it coming.