This Week in Democracy – Week 61: Trump Shushes Woman Reporter, Goes on Another Racist Rant, and Threatens Media Licenses
Zeteo's weekly round-up, documenting the growth of authoritarianism in Trump's second term.
Threats. Tirades. And tantrums. King Trump’s America on repeat.
As thousands die and oil prices soar in the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran, Donald Trump and his cronies at home are busy berating and threatening the free press, going on racist rants, and joking about…Pearl Harbor?!
Needless to say, Trump and his allies are still undermining the Constitution, hurting democracy, and harming free societies in the US and worldwide. Here’s ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 61’:
Saturday, March 14 – Brendan Carr’s Newest Threat
After Trump complained about Iran war coverage, FCC chair Brendan Carr warned broadcasters that they could have their licenses revoked, baselessly accusing them of “running hoaxes and news distortions.”
Broadcasters “have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up,” he said in a tweet.
In response, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called Carr’s threat “straight out of the authoritarian playbook.”
Sunday, March 15 – Trump Tries to Shush Woman Reporter
Trump shushed ABC News’s Mariam Khan during a gaggle on Air Force One and called her a “very obnoxious person” after she asked why his administration was sending thousands of marines and sailors to the Middle East.
Earlier in the gaggle, he called ABC News “one of the worst, most fake, most corrupt … news organizations on the planet,” and said he wouldn’t take any more questions from the network after she asked about whether it was “appropriate” to include a photo of the president attending a dignified transfer in a recent fundraising email by his Never Surrender PAC.
Monday, March 16 – Another Racist Tirade Against Ilhan Omar
In the Oval Office, Trump went on his latest racist tirade against Somalia, calling the country “maybe a fourth-world nation” where they “shoot people all over the place” and accused Somalis of coming to the US to “steal” billions of dollars.
He also continued to peddle ridiculous claims about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a US citizen, being in the country illegally and encouraged his new White House anti-fraud task force to look into Omar, whom he baselessly called a “ringleader.”
Tuesday, March 17 – Bondi Subpoenaed Over Epstein Files
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena for Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the Justice Department’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, as well as the DOJ’s compliance (or lack thereof) with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Later, Democrats on the committee walked out of a private briefing with Bondi about the Epstein files after she refused to commit to a deposition in accordance with the subpoena.
Wednesday, March 18 – The FBI Is Buying Your Location Data
During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, FBI Director Kash Patel admitted under oath that his agency is buying Americans’ location data.
His comments drew ire from even Republican lawmakers, with Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) calling the practice “a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment” and pushing for the passage of the Government Surveillance Reform Act “to close the data broker loophole that allows intelligence agencies to buy Americans’ private data.”
Thursday, March 19 – DHS Wrongfully Deported Over 100 Asylum Seekers
During a court hearing, a US Citizenship and Immigration Services asylum officer revealed that the Trump administration has wrongfully deported more than 100 asylum seekers, violating a court-ordered settlement agreement prohibiting their removals.
Friday, March 20 – Prosectors Investigate Colombian President Gustavo Petro
The New York Times reported that two US attorney’s offices are conducting criminal investigations into Colombian President Gustavo Petro, led by prosecutors focused on international narcotics trafficking.
The investigations have been probing whether Petro and drug traffickers had any meetings, as well as whether his presidential campaign sought donations from traffickers. The Times says there is no indication that the White House was involved in launching either of the investigations. Trump has attacked Petro in the past, calling him a “sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.”
Don’t forget, it was less than four months ago, that Trump pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted on drug trafficking charges.
Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:
Deeply depressing.
Join No Kings March 28th.
The title "This week in Democracy" is obsolete, quite a while already.