[guest post by Dana]

Let’s go!

Rig, rigged, rigging:

. . . Tennessee state lawmakers passed into law on Thursday a new congressional map that could allow Republicans to flip the state’s lone Democratic-held seat, notching the GOP another win in the mid-decade redistricting scramble.

Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the bill into law Thursday afternoon.

The new map breaks up the state’s current 9th Congressional District, which is primarily made up of Memphis, and the state’s only majority-Black district. The district is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen.

The legislature also passed bills on Thursday that will allow the state to legally redistrict outside of the normal once-a-decade cycle, as well as providing funding to help implement the new map in time for the 2026 elections.

This now splits the Tennessee’s only majority-Black district.

As a result, Republicans could possibly gain another House seat.

Second news item

An epidemiologist on the hantavirus situation:

A Swiss man linked to the ship has now tested positive after developing symptoms after disembarking. He received an exposure alert, sought care, and tested positive. This means there are 3 deaths and 5 suspected.

2/ It’s also been confirmed that this is Andes virus, a hantavirus found in the Americas. The working hypothesis is that someone got this from a rat on an excursion, then unknowingly brought it on the ship.

3/ This type of hantavirus can spread person-to-person under specific conditions: prolonged, close contact with an infected person. Past Andes outbreaks have involved very close contact settings—caring for a sick person, sleeping in the same bed, or prolonged indoor exposure during symptoms.

. . .

Bottom line: This is not Covid-19. This is a serious and very unique outbreak that doesn’t have a playbook. Things are moving quickly but this virus is acting like we expect it to. The W.H.O says this is still a low risk situation.

Q: Have you been briefed on the hantavirus?

TRUMP: Yes I have

Q: What have you learned?

TRUMP: Ahhh — it's very much we hope under control

Q: Should Americans be concerned it's going to spread?

TRUMP: I hope not. We'll do the best we can. pic.twitter.com/6Kjz1Tw33M

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 8, 2026

Third news item

If an unnecessary ballroom did not exist, there would be no need for security upgrades paid by taxpayers:

Senate Republicans want to fund Secret Service security upgrades related to President Donald Trump’s ballroom project as part of a nearly $72 billion package that would shovel cash to immigration enforcement agencies.

The proposal Senate Judiciary Republicans unveiled late Monday night — a piece of the forthcoming party-line bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol — would direct $1 billion to the Secret Service for “security adjustments and upgrades,” including at the White House. This is on top of the almost $3.3 billion the agency received already under the fiscal 2026 DHS funding bill signed into law Thursday.

Fourth news item

Virginia Supreme Court is a no-go:

The Virginia Supreme Court voided Democrats’ attempt to redraw the state’s US House map in an April referendum.

The court ruled that the process of creating the referendum violated the state Constitution.

The ruling is a damaging blow to national Democrats who hoped to gain as many as four US House seats in this fall’s fight for the midterms.

Then why even have the election in the first place? Why not do this before it happened?

Fifth news item

Poor little Vlad:

On May 9, Moscow will stage its annual Victory Day parade marking the end of World War II in Europe — but this year, the spectacle is notable not for its grandeur, but for what’s missing.

For the first time in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, no missiles, tanks, or armored vehicles are expected to appear in Saturday’s Red Square parade. Although the Kremlin offered no explanation for the dramatic scale-back, recent Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory have suggested that even Putin’s military showcase may no longer be beyond reach.

The recent reports by a consortium of international media alleged that the Russian president has become increasingly scared of a coup, including the use of a drone strike possibly framed as a Ukrainian attack.

In a conversation with the Kyiv Independent, experts said the Kremlin’s decision to scale back the parade was unprecedented, citing both Kyiv’s growing strike capabilities and Russia’s concern that its signature display of military strength would clash with the reality of a prolonged and costly war in Ukraine.

Sixth news item

Marco Rubio on Iran:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. is expecting a response from Iran today on a proposal to end the war.

Speaking to reporters at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Rubio said: “We should know something today. I mean, we’re expecting a response from them. We’ll see what the response entails.”

“The hope is it’s something that it can put us into a serious process of negotiation,” said Rubio, adding that the U.S. has seen reporting overnight that Iran is trying to establish some control of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

“That would actually be unacceptable,” he continued. “And the world has to start asking itself, what is it willing to do if Iran tries to normalize a control of an international waterway? I think that’s unacceptable, so, but we’re expecting a response from them today at some point. We have not received that yet.”

Seventh news item

On Marco Rubio’s negative comments about negotiations with Ukraine and Russia:

Rubio declares that U.S. efforts to negotiate between Russia and Ukraine "has not led to a fruitful outcome for a variety of reasons" and have now "stagnated."

​Really? Maybe they stagnated because the strategy of pressuring the victim to surrender to an aggressor, who would… pic.twitter.com/86lwB2s7xF

— Kate from Kharkiv (@BohuslavskaKate) May 8, 2026

And from Kasparov:

So the US policy of taking Russia’s side and trying to force Ukraine to surrender to occupation and slaughter has stagnated thanks to the fierce resistance of Ukrainians and their allies in Europe. Good.

Have a restful weekend.

—Dana

[guest post by Dana]

But of course:

Palm Beach County commissioners approved a trademark deal with one of Donald Trump’s family companies to rename the county’s airport after the president in a 4-3 vote Tuesday, with one Democrat backing the plan.

The agreement gives Trump extra power over how his name is used in the airport rebranding, including giving him veto power over how his image and biographical information is used in marketing materials. It also requires airport stores to source airport-branded merchandise from retailers Trump’s companies choose.

I’m sure there are no concerns that Trump will be making big bucks off this deal, right?? That has been the concern of many. The question is: how much do you trust Trump’s promises:

The approved agreement resembles typical trademark agreements in many ways, according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben. But it also has some unusual elements that could leave the door open for the Trump family to benefit, even as the Trump Organization has promised not to profit from the taxpayer-funded changes.

agreement is non-exclusive, meaning the Trump family could still profit from selling airport-branded items offsite, according to Gerben, even though they’ve promised not to profit from sales at the airport. Trump’s company also gets to make a list of “approved retailers” from which airport stores have to buy their airport-branded merchandise.

Gee, which companies do you think will appear on the list of approved retailers? And again, how much do you trust a promise made by Trump?:

“Normally a license agreement says that the goods have to be of a certain quality. It doesn’t say that you have to purchase them from a retailer that we’re approving them from,” Gerben said.

Palm Beach County Attorney David Ottey told commissioners Tuesday that clause was included to protect “quality” and that the Trump family won’t benefit, but conceded that the county does not yet know who those approved retailers will be.

Two things: First, while other presidents have had airports named after them, they were named well after the individual was out of office. And the airports named after for president were not named by the individual or families. Rather they were named posthumously by local, state, or federal authorities. Moreover, the individuals’ personal businesses or brands were not involved. Second, if you are inclined to say, What’s the big deal?, I suggest that you insert Biden or Obama or Clinton’s name in place of Trump. Would you be fine with that?

—Dana

[guest post by Dana]

From President Zelensky:

Seven people are currently in hospitals after being injured in the Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia, while some others are still undergoing the necessary medical examinations. A total of 37 people have been affected. It was a guided aerial bomb attack that directly targeted the city’s civilian infrastructure. The Russians show no restraint in destroying human life.

This was an absolutely cynical terrorist strike, with no military justification whatsoever. Not a single day passes without such Russian attacks on our cities and villages. This one strike alone has already claimed 12 lives. In the evening, the Russian scumbags also launched attacks on Dnipro. As of now, four people were reported killed. My condolences to the families and loved ones.

It is essential that Russia is forced to end this war. We need silence from such strikes and all others like them every single day, not just for a few hours somewhere out there for “celebrations.” Life must be protected, and I am grateful to all our partners who have spoken in support of Ukraine and are helping us defend life.

Below is a maddening and heartbreaking observation from a Ukrainian caught in the middle of hell:

I am sitting down in my headphones translating footage of our boys taking down drones.
Hear the buzz there.
But I also feel like I hear a different buzz.
Taking the headphones off.
It’s buzzing IRL.
Shahed.
Close.
Fuck my life dude 🫩🚬

Fuck russia more however.
Nightmare of drone warfare.

I am sitting down in my headphones translating footage of our boys taking down drones.
Hear the buzz there.
But I also feel like I hear a different buzz.
Taking the headphones off.
It's buzzing IRL.
Shahed.
Close.
Fuck my life dude 🫩🚬

Fuck russia more however.
Nightmare of…

— Anastasiya Paraskevova (@UkrainianAna) May 6, 2026

Meanwhile, President Zelensky announced a ceasefire:

A “ceasefire regime” announced yesterday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky officially took effect as of 12:00 am Wednesday local time.

Zelensky’s announcement Monday followed the one issued by Russia on the same day, in which Moscow said it would observe a ceasefire with Ukraine on May 8 and 9 to mark “Victory Day.”

The Ukrainian leader took a swipe at that declaration in his statement, which came just over an hour later, saying that Kiev values human life “far more” than “any anniversary ‘celebration.'”

P.S. Putin is allegedly hanging hiding out in his bunker:

Russia’s president is increasingly running his war from underground, the Financial Times and CNN report, based on European intelligence. The Federal Protective Service has sharply tightened security around Vladimir Putin amid rising fears of a coup or assassination attempt, particularly by drone, according to a new intelligence report. Putin and his family have reportedly stopped using some residences near Moscow, with the president spending weeks at a time in bunkers, while state media relies more on prerecorded footage. The ramped-up protections extend to his inner circle: staff reportedly face bans on public transport and internet-enabled devices in Putin’s vicinity, and new surveillance has been installed in their homes.

. . .As he devotes most of his time to battlefield minutiae and less to domestic issues, public frustration is rising, his approval rating has hit its lowest level since 2022, and even loyal influencers are publicly pressing him on issues like censorship and economic strain.

—Dana

[guest post by Dana]

A very short time ago, the White House announced that ‘Project Freedom’ would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow commerce to proceed. Skeptics doubted any such thing would happen if the plan was enacted. Well, never know as today we learned that the plan was paused before it even had a chance to begin:

Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed. President DONALD J. TRUMP

This:

With Operation Freedom now being put on “pause” after the Trump Administration spent the entire day talking about it, one thing has become increasingly clear:

Iran KNOWS how politically untenable it now is for Trump to resume military operations, and they’re now increasingly leveraging this.

With more and more information coming out that yesterday was not the “first time” an American vessel has been fired on during the ceasefire, Iran is becoming more and more emboldened.

Targeting a U.S. vessel? Not serious enough for a response.

Launching missiles at the UAE? That’s just a small oopsies.

With the U.S. blockade proving to be one of the most strategically disastrous moves we could have made, it is clear that the economic warfare campaign is not succeeding, we do not have the political will to turn back to kinetic strikes (at least not without MORE severe actions from Iran), so… what DO we have now?

Unless Trump is able to pull a rabbit out of his hat, the United States has lost this war. Iran did not win, the United States lost, and that difference will go down in history.

It’s too bad nobody in the administration has a clue about what’s going on. FFS, let’s don’t pretend otherwise.

—Dana

[guest post by Dana]

Let’s go!

First news item

Plummeting numbers:

President Donald Trump’s approval rating reached a record-low in two polls this week as gas prices continued to skyrocket amid the Iran war, hitting a four-year high on Thursday.

Trump’s approval rating hit a new record low in Reuters/Ipsos polling, sinking to 34%, down two points from the groups’ mid-April poll (the survey of 1,629 U.S. adults was conducted April 24-27 and has a margin of error of 2.9).

Approval of Trump’s handling of cost-of-living declined two points from the previous poll, to 22%, as gas prices have spiked since the start of the Iran war at the end of February, reaching a four-year high on Thursday at $4.30 a gallon.

Second news item

Data centers and a common cause:

Lyon Township voted for Donald J. Trump in 2024, but party loyalties hardly seemed to matter. In an era when Americans are divided on everything — even the cars they drive and the TV shows they watch — data centers seem to have bridged the partisan divide.

Early evidence suggests that Americans — once agnostic — are now souring on them. Last month, Maine became the first state to pass a moratorium on data centers — only to have the governor, a Democrat, to veto it — and similar measures have been introduced in at least 13 other states and dozens of municipalitie.

Virginia, a recent poll found the public had turned sharply against data centers. The same is true in Wisconsin, said Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette University Law School Poll, which found that around 70 percent of people now say the costs outweigh the benefits.

Even more interesting, he said, the state’s deep partisan divide seems to have vanished when it comes to data centers.

Side note: If you want to see if your town is quietly planning for a data center, look on your city council board meeting agenda. The report notes that often innocuous, non-revealing name are used to hide the fact that a data center is on the agenda:

Projects are given obscure names, like “Project Cannoli,” and “Project Cherry Blossom.”

In Lyon Township, the proposal is called “Project Flex.”

Third news item

Ka-ching, ka-ching: Trump family cashes in again:

The U.S. Air Force will buy interceptor drones from a company that is partly owned by President Donald Trump’s two eldest sons, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are part owners of Powerus, a company based in West Palm Beach, Florida. The government will purchase an undisclosed number of drone interceptors after a demonstration in Arizona, Powerus president and co-founder Brett Velicovich said.

Remember, we’ve been repeatedly reassured by the powers-that-be that deals between the Trumps and the government do not reek of corruption. . .

Fourth news item

Haha, Putin’s forced to scale back Victory Day parade:

This, remember, is meant to honour the sacrifice of some 26 million Russians during what they call the Great Patriotic War, known elsewhere as the Second World War. To cut it back so dramatically – reportedly due to an inability to defend Moscow from Ukrainian attack – is not just embarrassing; it is strategically revealing. For Vladimir Putin, it raises uncomfortable questions.

This is, in part, because when Putin reintroduced military hardware to the parade in 2008, he framed it as a clear signal of strength: a warning to adversaries that Russia could defend itself. He was explicit: this was not sabre-rattling, but proof of growing capability. That claim now rings hollow.

The two main problems for Russia:

First, the war in Ukraine is not going Russia’s way. Russian forces are losing ground, and are suffering casualties at an unsustainable rate. Replacements, poorly trained and reportedly including ethnic-Russian conscripts who are not supposed to be sent beyond Russia’s borders, are being fed into the fight with little effect beyond inflating losses. This reality is no longer contained; knowledge of it is filtering back into Russia and fuelling discontent.

Second, Ukraine has shifted the battlespace. This is no longer a conflict confined to the front lines. Ukrainian strikes are reaching deep into Russian territory at ranges up to 932 miles, targeting critical infrastructure. There are credible reports of significant damage to Russia’s oil production and key air defence assets. Moscow appears unable to stop these attacks, and the economic consequences are beginning to bite.

Thus Russia is forced to scale back back its parade:

Against that backdrop, the reduced parade becomes more than symbolism; it is an admission of decline.

Fifth news item

I’m sure everything is just fine:

Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, have quietly expanded the family’s business footprint into the high-stakes world of critical minerals. According to the Financial Times, the duo has acquired a position in a US-backed mining venture that recently secured major financial support from agencies under Trump’s administration.

The deal, according to FT, is linked to a tungsten mining project that has secured up to $1.6 billion in financial support from US agencies. This move comes at a time when the US government is trying to cut its dependence on China for critical minerals.

. . .

The story begins with a construction company called Skyline Builders. According to FT, in August last year, the two Trump sons quietly invested in Skyline through a special investment vehicle connected to Dominari Securities. The exact size of their investment was not made public.

A few weeks later, on September 22, Kazakhstan’s president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told Donald Trump that a major tungsten mining project would likely go to a US-backed group called Cove Kaz Capital. This project had attracted competition from companies in China and Russia.

Just days after those reports surfaced, on October 28, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump increased their stake in Skyline. They took part in a funding round that raised nearly $24 million. Then, on October 31, Skyline made another big move.

Company filings, reviewed by Financial Times, show it agreed to pay $20 million for a 20% stake in a business described as having “significant critical minerals assets in Asia.” That company was Kaz Resources, linked to Cove Capital, the same group behind the Kazakhstan mining project.

November 6, Cove Capital and Kazakhstan’s National Mining Company announced plans to develop “the largest known undeveloped tungsten resource in the world.”

Later, Cove Kaz Capital and Kaz Resources officially merged with Skyline. The combined company now plans to list on the Nasdaq under the name Kaz Resources. Interestingly, the official announcement of the merger did not mention either Trump’s sons.

Have a great weekend.

Dana

[guest post by Dana]

Well, at least it’s out in the open and the message is inarguably loud and clear:

The ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis—and then called her a “fucking bitch” moments before she died in her car—has been transferred to a different state to continue his work with the agency, as the FBI continues to supress an investigation into him.

PunchUp, The Daily Beast’s new Substack, reported that Jonathan Ross, who was only placed on three days of administrative leave for shooting Good in the arm, head, and chest, is back in both an administrative and investigative capacity, facing virtually no consequences for killing an innocent woman in broad daylight.

So there you have it. The message to ICE agents: If an individual is on the opposite side of the administration’s policies, recklessly killing them at point-blank range, even when not posing an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to an officer (because all the officer had to do was step aside), will result in a little tap on the wrist. The message to the rest of us? Unless you are planted on the Trump side of the political aisle, sorry, but your life isn’t really worth a plugged nickel.

Of course, Jonathan Ross could eventually be brought to justice, but certainly not within the next two years. . .

This was a murder. I feel contempt for those defending this shooting.

—Dana

[guest post by Dana]

King Charles III addressed a joint meeting of Congress, specifically noting the need for the U.S. to fully support Ukraine in its defense against an invasive Russia:

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, when NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time, and the United Nations Security Council was united in the face of terror, we answered the call together – as our people have done so for more than a century, shoulder to shoulder, through two World Wars, the Cold War, Afghanistan and moments that have defined our shared security.

Today, Mr. Speaker, that same, unyielding resolve is needed for the defence of Ukraine and her most courageous people – in order to secure a truly just and lasting peace.

President Zelensky responded to HM Charles’ admonition:

I thank His Majesty King Charles III @RoyalFamily, the United Kingdom, and all valiant American hearts for this clarion call for unity in support of Ukraine across the Atlantic. This is exactly what is needed to bring dignified and lasting peace to Ukraine and all of Europe. The people of Ukraine deeply appreciate all the support provided by the United Kingdom and the United States. Thank you.

We all know that the president does not consider support for Ukraine a priority. He has made that very clear. Nor does he recognize Russia for the terrorist state that it is. Rather Trump continues his obsequious behavior toward Putin, while dishonestly blaming President Zelensky for starting the war. On top of that, we are now learning that another U.S. ambassador to Ukraine is leaving her post due to disagreements with Trump:

The acting US ambassador to Ukraine will depart Kyiv in the coming weeks, according to people familiar with the matter, leaving a crucial diplomatic post vacant while Russia prepares for a summer offensive and peace talks stall.

Julie Davis, who has served as temporary chargé d’affaires at the US embassy in Kyiv since May last year, had grown frustrated with her role amid differences with President Donald Trump over his dwindling support for Ukraine, said three people familiar with her decision.

Davis is not the first ambassador to Ukraine to step down over disagreements with Trump:

Her looming departure will follow that of her predecessor, Bridget Brink, who resigned for similar reasons in April last year.

The US embassy in Kyiv has had trouble retaining ambassadors during both of Trump’s terms. In 2019, Trump recalled Marie Yovanovitch, then ambassador in Ukraine, deeming her “disloyal” and “bad news”. She was a crucial witness in congressional hearings as part of Trump’s first impeachment later that year.

When Brink, a proponent of military assistance for Ukraine, quit last year, she said she had opposed the pressure that the Trump White House was piling on Kyiv while letting Moscow off the hook.

The last straw for Davis’s predecessor was Trump’s verbal attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in February 2025. After that clash, Trump paused military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv for several weeks.

Unsurprisingly, a State Dept. official disagrees with the framing of Davis’s departure.

Meanwhile, everyone seems to understand why it’s vital that the U.S. provide Ukraine with a robust and unwavering support. Everyone except the President of the United States, that is. To wit: the Trump administration is sitting on $400 million in approved aid for Ukraine.

—Dana

[guest post by Dana]

I guess there’s nothing else going on that needs the administration’s attention:

Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Tuesday over a photo of seashells that officials said threatened President Donald Trump, marking the administration’s second attempt to prosecute one of his largest political opponents, three sources first told CNN.

The indictment was brought in the Eastern District of North Carolina. An arrest warrant was issued for Comey by a court clerk.

Comey faces charges of making a threat against the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, according to court documents.

The charges come with a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

This:

I will offer an analysis of the true threat and First Amendment issues but I want to see an indictment first because this strains belief. Absolutely buffoonish if true. Pro se litigant stuff. . .

8647 is by no stretch of the imagination a “true threat” outside of First Amendment protection.

This indictment, however, is a threat — a threat that the Trump Administration will bring frivolous indictments to attack enemies, including for rhetoric and criticism.

Q: How will you prove intent when Comey said he didn't associate '86' with doing harm and he took it down promptly, saying it was political speech?

BLANCHE: How do you prove intent in any case? With witnesses, documents, with the defendants himself, and that's how we'll do it in… pic.twitter.com/qrpe4lnDHN

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 28, 2026

It’s all so insane.

Comey responds:

Comey: Well, they're back. This time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago. And this won't be the end of it.

But nothing has changed with me. I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid. And I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So let's… pic.twitter.com/3nE2sQweNy

— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) April 28, 2026

Ken White has published a smart write-up of the indictment. Here’s a taste:

On April 28, 2026, the United States Department of Justice indicted former FBI Director James Comey over a mildly sassy arrangement of seashells. The charge is preposterous and no competent or honest prosecutor would bring it. It represents a betrayal of the professional and ethical obligations of every U.S. Department of Justice attorney involved, and reflects the complete collapse of the Department’s credibility and independence in favor of a cultish and cretinous devotion to Donald Trump.

. . .

No minimally rationally [sic] person could possibly conclude, seeing James Comey’s beachside dad joke, that he was expressing a sincere intent to harm the President. Nobody could look at it and conclude that Comey intended to convey that message. In evaluating whether a threat is “true,” the trier of fact must consider the context. Here the context is seashells. The context is the former Director of the FBI, a lifetime member of law enforcement, who is a well-known critic of the President and a target of the President’s wrath, using a campy mechanism to express opposition to the President, using slang for “ditch” or “eject” or “get rid of.” No rational person could see that and say “the former director of the FBI is saying he’s going to kill the President”!”

Read the whole thing.

—Dana

[guest post by Dana]

Let’s go!

First news item

Heh:

During a Thursday event announcing a deal with drugmaker Regeneron to lower the cost of its pharmaceutical products, Trump defended his past claims that prices on prescription medications had been cut by well over 100% — something that is mathematically impossible without manufacturers dropping prices to zero and then presumably paying consumers to use their product.

Trump acknowledged having boasted that his efforts to lower drug prices had reduced what consumers pay by “500%, 600%.” But he added, “We also sometimes say 50%, 60%” and called it a “different kind of calculation” that could go up to “70, 80 and 90%.”

“People understand that better,” Trump said. “But they’re two ways of calculating” and “either way, it doesn’t make any difference.”

There could indeed be two ways of calculating such things — but the difference is very important. One is correct. The other is nonmathematical.

Second news item

Trump’s son’s company awarded $24 million dollar Pentagon contract:

Eric Trump, the son of President Donald Trump and chief strategic officer of Foundation Industries, landed a $24 million Pentagon contract for its battlefield robotics project. . .

Users on social media were quick to show outrage over the comments, with some wondering if the company was the most qualified for a Pentagon deal, had it not been for Eric’s involvement.

Conflict of interest? Trading in on the Trump name? Awarding the president’s son the contract? Oh, not at all problematic. I mean have you heard Congress utter a peep about it?? Anyway, it’s not nearly as problematic to Republicans as when then-President Biden’s son Hunter sold two of his original artworks to a Democratic donor and Hollywood lawyer. Remember? Republicans insisted on an investigation into his art sales as a result.

Third news item

Taxpayer bailout in the works:

President Trump said Thursday that he was weighing a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines with the intent of reselling the struggling budget carrier after oil prices drop.

The president confirmed his continued interest in offering Spirit a financial lifeline after a lawyer told a U.S. Bankruptcy Court that the airline was in advanced talks with the U.S. government on a financing deal that would allow Spirit to emerge from Chapter 11 protection.

“They have some good aircraft and good assets, and when the prices of oil goes down, we’ll sell it for a profit,” Mr. Trump said, speaking at an unrelated Oval Office event. “I’d love to be able to save those jobs. I’d love to be able to save an airline.”

“And we’re looking, if we could get it for the right price, I’d do it to save the jobs,” the president said.

Fourth news item

From Trump:

I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation. Additionally, our mine “sweepers” are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP

Have a great weekend.

—Dana

[guest post by Dana]

Voters side with Democrats in Virginia:

The new map would give Democrats the chance to flip four seats currently held by Republicans. Its adoption could put Democrats slightly ahead in the national mid-decade gerrymandering wars — a result few thought possible when President Donald Trump picked the fight by pushing Texas Republicans to redraw their map last summer.

This:

This is going to rank as another massive exercise in self-harm by MAGA. Dems now probably up net 5 nationally on the redistricting started by Trump in Texas. Lesson: a huge risk to start a gerrymander war in a year when you’re the underdog.

—Dana