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Trump is refusing to let reporters back in the White House despite a federal court order restoring their access. The federal government is using taxpayer dollars to air a propaganda ad glorifying Trump on Fox News and Newsmax. His administration is threatening criminal prosecution against Americans who criticize AI data centers. And nearly 170,000 pounds of meat have been recalled after being sent to stores and restaurants without inspection.
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It’s like paying the cover fee and watching the bouncer shut the door anyway.
Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order late Wednesday night that should have restored White House access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. Reporters from all three outlets were denied entry on Thursday morning, when the president accused them of writing stories that supposedly threatened national security.
In his decision, Kelly wrote that he was skeptical that the revocation of the press passes was actually motivated by national security. He pointed out that nothing indicated that national security was a factor, as Trump himself cited negative coverage.
Trump attacked Kelly on Truth Social before the ruling even came down, calling him “a great Judge, for them.” He vowed to appeal, arguing that reporters who diss the White House should not be allowed access.
Every major broadcaster in the White House press pool, including NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox News, suspended coverage of the president on Monday in protest of the ban. They have refused to resume until all three outlets are allowed back.
Even North Korea has the decency not to put “paid for by the government” at the bottom.
The White House this week released a 30-second ad featuring images of Trump with music from singers repeating the words “love me.” The ad boasted about tax cuts and warned of communism, sporting a label at the bottom that read “paid for by the US Government.”
The ad, which ran on conservative programming on Fox News and Newsmax, cost $14,000, according to media tracking firm AdImpact. No one has been able to figure out which part of the federal government paid for it.
Federal law explicitly forbids the use of government funds for propaganda or publicity. The Government Accountability Office has interpreted this for decades to mean that the executive branch can’t spend federal dollars on material whose purpose is self-promotion or partisan messaging.
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said on social media that the ad violates the Hatch Act, which prohibits most federal employees from using their authority or government resources for partisan activity. Max Flugrath, communications director at the voting rights group Fair Fight, called it the “weirdest way to violate the Hatch Act, ever.”
Apparently 71 percent of Americans are on the Chinese government’s payroll.
The Justice Department warned last week that anyone who advances the interests of a foreign power, including in the form of public demonstrations, must formally notify the government or risk arrest. Those who do not comply may face civil and criminal sanctions.
Two days before the warning, Trump posted on Truth Social that there is a conspiracy against AI and data centers and that the only ones who benefit from it are the Chinese. He called opponents of AI development “treasonists,” traitors, and revolutionaries for an evil cause.
Sen. Tom Cotton went even further in June, asking the DOJ to investigate whether foreign governments were organizing protests against data centers. He said the Chinese Communist Party was trying to manipulate public opinion, and called for AI opponents to be prosecuted under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
A March Gallup poll found that 71% of Americans are against AI data centers in their area, with nearly half of all respondents strongly against it. That includes 63% of Republicans.
Forge a passport and you go to prison. Forge a USDA stamp on 170,000 pounds of meat and it ends up in restaurants across the country.
Star Meat Delivery Inc. is recalling an estimated 167,639 pounds of raw pork, beef and goat products produced entirely outside federal inspection, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Sept. 22. The products were shipped out after being stamped with a false USDA establishment number.
The meat was shipped to a distributor in Georgia called A&D Foods, which then distributed it to retailers and restaurants across the country. The USDA has not named any specific stores or restaurants that received the recalled products.
No illnesses or injuries have been confirmed to date, but the USDA warned that meat produced without inspection could have undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria or other contaminants. It urged consumers to throw the products away or to return them.
2026 has been marked by steady food recalls. In the first quarter alone, USDA-regulated products posted the third-highest volume in more than two decades. CDC staffing is down 25 percent, and the number of scientists tracking food parasites dropped from 11 to 3.
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Democrats Sue to Block Armed Federal Agents from Polling Places During Midterms. Congressional Democrats on Wednesday night sued to block the Trump administration from sending armed federal agents to voting sites in the midterm elections. Joined by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the lawsuit seeks a court order to bar federal officers from the vicinity of open polling places, drop boxes and curbside voting locations from the beginning of early voting until the end of ballot curing. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said ICE agents could make arrests at polling places and FBI Director Kash Patel told a Senate panel under oath that the suggestion he would not send agents to the polls was “just another lie.”
** Sanders and Casar Introduce Bill to Ban Artificial Superintelligence.** On Wednesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act. The bill would permanently ban the development of artificial intelligence systems that exceed human capabilities and temporarily halt all advanced AI development until a new Cabinet-level Department of Artificial Intelligence is created and writes safety rules. Violations could result in up to 20 years in prison, the same penalty as unlawfully building nuclear weapons. The bill would also direct the State Department to pursue international agreements to ban superintelligent AI.
New York Sues Polymarket for Running an Unlicensed Gambling Operation. New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul announced Thursday that the state is suing the prediction market platform Polymarket for running an illegal gambling business. The lawsuit claims Polymarket did not get a license from the New York State Gaming Commission and accepted users as young as 18, when the legal age for mobile sports betting in New York is 21. The state is asking a court to order Polymarket to cease operations in New York, return all profits from its unlicensed operations, pay restitution to users and pay fines of three times its illegal earnings.
Mamdani Launches “Opera for All,” Bringing 70,000 Free Met Tickets to New Yorkers. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a long-term partnership with the Metropolitan Opera, which will provide 70,000 free tickets this season to New Yorkers who haven’t purchased a ticket themselves since 2019. The program will distribute 10,000 tickets each month during the 2026-27 season through a lottery, or about 10% of all available seats. Tickets will be available in all sections of the house, and distributed through public schools, NYCHA, CUNY, all three public library systems, and city social services. The Met has promised to continue the program in future seasons.
