Former President Donald Trump just suffered a significant legal setback. Just last week, a federal judge tossed his $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, the book publisher Penguin Random House, and two Times reporters. This lawsuit was the latest in Trump’s years-long campaign to punish negative media coverage by any means necessary. The court ruled against the plaintiff’s claim, which had an initial 40-page amended complaint. This ruling highlights the hurdles Trump will have to clear, should he decide to continue litigating against the big media companies.
His suit had claimed that the New York Times knowingly published false information that seriously damaged his reputation. The judge held that the claims lacked enough merit for the case to move forward. In response to this ruling, Trump expressed frustration, indicating that he intended to continue his efforts to challenge what he perceives as unfair treatment by the press.
In another deeply cynical political move, Trump has now included left-wing billionaire George Soros’s name to the list of enemies Trump plans to get revenge on. This move is part of Trump’s larger plan. He motivates his supporters by casting his opponents as threats to his nascent government and its backers. The former president’s comments on Soros demonstrate his intention to heat up the political rhetoric. His goal is to build momentum among his supporters looking ahead to the next big contests.
Against this backdrop of legal and political turmoil, Trump broke into the news cycle with comments indicating that he would be prepared to send US troops to Ukraine. He suggested using his authority to transfer Tomahawk missiles to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capability. This shocking move adds to our understanding of Trump’s complex and sometimes self-destructive foreign policy. To make his position even more complicated, he has already spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During a recent phone call, Trump consorted with the devil, I mean, Putin. He said on Twitter that they had jointly decided to convene a second summit in Budapest following what he described as a “very productive” discussion.
Trump’s ambitions aren’t just limited to foreign infrastructure endeavors. His ideas went public when he announced his plans for a monumental arch in Washington, D.C. This proposal should serve as the embodiment of that vision. Unfortunately, this visionary approach appeared just as considerable political hurdles appear on the immediate horizon. The U.S. Senate recently failed to reopen the government or vote on funding for the military during an ongoing federal shutdown, raising concerns about governance and fiscal responsibility.
As strains increase in both the country and the party, Trump has suggested that he’d be willing to escalate his authoritarian attitude toward dissent as well. He has sent federal soldiers to quell unrest in major U.S. cities. This decision has drawn significant ire from state transportation officials, business interests, and transportation policy advocacy groups. This perceived overreach of federal authority has sparked a tsunami of grassroots opposition. Organizers are expecting a bigger, angrier “No Kings” protest this Saturday—the third and decisively biggest—than either of the previous two demonstrations.
The final “No Kings” protest in June saw millions join in from over 2,000 different places. This massive mobilization is meant to rile up public displeasure with Trump and his administration’s agenda. Most of the fellows feel that the excesses of the Trump presidency have been more and more apparent, driving citizens to greater activism and engagement.
Ezra Levin, one of the protest organizers with Indivisible, highlighted the need for courage in the face of adversity while describing the scene ahead of the demonstration. He stated, “That doesn’t mean that everybody has the same threat level. It doesn’t mean that people should ignore what the threats are, but it does mean we’re going to need to see a lot of courage out there on Saturday.”
While the nation waits with bated breath for the protests, Trump’s still riding out one of the worst political storms in recent memory. The former president hasn’t given up on asserting his influence. He promises to hold purveyors of power accountable and relentlessly go after political foes he perceives to be enemies.
“I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power.” – Bolton