Donald Trump is looking forward to his second state visit to the United Kingdom. Local police departments have announced that this visit will be heavily policed, including drone surveillance over all of Windsor. Their visit will occur from September 17 th – 19 th. It will include a ceremonial welcome, and a lavish state banquet courtesy of the new King Charles at Windsor Castle — underscoring a highpoint of tragicomedy in Trump’s continuing political saga.
Yet as the plans get underway, Trump is embroiled in controversy on all sides. Most recently, he blasted actor Tom Hanks in a venomous tirade, calling the popular American actor both “destructive” and “woke.” Just last month, the prolific actor and author surprised everyone by not showing up to a planned ceremony at West Point. Trump wasted no time seizing on this incident to attack what he perceives as the rising tide of liberal domination in American institutions.
A unanimous ruling from a federal appeals court holds that Trump’s Tweets in the case at issue were defamatory. That suit, filed by writer E. Jean Carroll, knocked his quasi-legal presidential immunity argument out of the park. The court already affirmed a previous jury award of $5 million in damages to Carroll for defamation and sexual assault. To combat that, Trump’s legal team cited a Supreme Court decision from the prior year. Specifically, they claimed that the president cannot be held liable for any actions taken in an official capacity, but the court rejected this claim.
“The jury’s duly rendered damages awards were reasonable in light of the extraordinary and egregious facts of this case,” – judges Denny Chin, Sarah AL Merriam, and Maria Araújo Kahn.
The three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit emphasized that Trump failed to present valid grounds for reconsideration of their earlier ruling. This loss further complicates Trump’s burgeoning legal woes. He is currently the target of a defamation lawsuit by News Corp, owner of the Wall Street Journal, about its reporting on his alleged misconduct.
Trump’s administration has been condemned for many cruel policies— child detention centers, refugee bans, regular deportations. In return, the former president incessantly blames cities for not doing enough to stop the scourge of illegal immigration. He threatens to open more drug-related arrests unless they knuckle under. Recently, U.S. immigration officers have intensified sweeps in Los Angeles following a Supreme Court ruling that lifted restrictions on racial profiling in enforcement actions.
In an unexpected twist, Trump publicly praised the alumni association of West Point for canceling the ceremony honoring Tom Hanks. This action highlights, yet again, Trump’s penchant for insisting on cultural clashes with high-profile players in Tinsel Town.
On social media, he expressed satisfaction with the decision, aligning himself with those who share his critical view of mainstream culture. His comments have alarmed transportation advocates on all sides, including Congressional Democrats.
“House Democrats fought to bring this sickening letter into the light while Trump and MAGA mouthpieces assured us it did not exist. Trump even sued the Wall Street Journal for reporting on it!” – Jamie Raskin.
Raskin’s comments refer to ongoing investigations into Trump’s past associations and actions, particularly regarding allegations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein. Robert Garcia, who led the inquiry into the oversight committee, announced that they had won a highly sought after ‘Birthday Book.’ This book purportedly includes such a note, one that Trump had once claimed did not exist.
“The oversight committee has secured the infamous ‘Birthday Book’ that contains a note from President Trump that he has said does not exist,” – Robert Garcia.
Garcia reiterated the importance of Americans knowing what Trump knew about Epstein’s trafficking while he was in office.
“It’s time for the president to tell us the truth about what he knew and release all the Epstein files.” – Robert Garcia.
Trump’s ex-White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has sued. He’s asking a conservative federal appeals court to order the Justice Department to justify its failure to defend his contempt of Congress conviction related to a January 6 committee subpoena.
As Trump prepares for his next state visit to the UK, his cavalcade of controversies continues. The long-term effect of these legal challenges on his standing at home and abroad is anyone’s guess. His critics counter that recent actions are part of a troubling pattern of behavior that erodes public trust and accountability.