Global Geneva: NuseReal: Trump watch

Trump & Co Watch April 2026

Trump reclassifies state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug in a historic shift — 23 April 2026 (LINK)

— Most US states now allow medical or recreational consumption of marijuana, though it remains illegal at the federal level.

US Senate Republicans clear go-it-alone path for ICE funding — 23 April 2026 (LINK)

US Senate Republicans approve budget measure, teeing up bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol — 23 April 2026 (LINK)

US: Virginia judge blocks redistricting referendum result that boosted Democrats' election hopes — 22 April 2026 (LINK)

Pete Hegseth fires U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan — 22 April 2026 (LINK)

Judge tosses Kash Patel's defamation suit against former MSNBC contributor Frank Figliuzzi — 22 April 2026 (LINK)

— "Yeah, well, reportedly, he's been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor of the Hoover building," Figliuzzi said on "Morning Joe" show last year. Figliuzzi's lawyers argued that "this comment was a sarcastic, hyperbolic remark that receives protection from defamation liability." "A person of reasonable intelligence and learning would not have taken his statement literally," the judge said.

US Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving Trump's Cabinet after abuse of power allegations, including having an affair with a subordinate and drinking alcohol on the job — 20 April 2026 (LINK)

NPR: Trump says he is sending a team of negotiators to Pakistan today for in-person talks to end the war. But Vice President Vance has not left yet. Iran has never confirmed that talks would take place — 20 April 2026 (LINK)

Two months after the Supreme Court ruled that most of Trump's tariffs were unconstitutional, the federal government has launched an online portal for business owners to request refunds. U.S. Customs has estimated it owes $166 billion in tariff refunds — (LINK)

US: Virginia approves redistricting, giving Democrats edge in midterms — 19 April 2026 (LINK)

— Democrats in Virginia currently hold six out of the state's 11 seats, and the updated map could allow them to hold up to 10.

White House 'discussing' FBI chief Patel's future after bombshell report that Patel exhibits excessive drinking and paranoid behaviour, causing alarm among agency officials — 18 April 2026 (LINK)

— Patel has vehemently denied the allegations, characterising the article as a "hit piece" and "fake news", and has threatened legal action against The Atlantic and reporter. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Patel's leadership, crediting him and President Trump for a significant drop in crime rates.

Motley Fool: A potential worst-case scenario is setting up for the stock market on May 15 — and there's no sweeping this under the rug: — 18 April 2026 (LINK)

— Friday, May 15, marks the final day of Jerome Powell's second term as Fed chair. President Donald Trump and Powell have feuded over interest rates over the last year. On Jan. 30, Trump officially nominated Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell. His voting record and vocal critiques of the central bank's actions raise red flags for Wall Street. Warsh's voting record and commentary show that he placed greater emphasis on one aspect of the Fed's dual mandate (stabilizing prices) than the other (maximizing employment).

US Congress extends controversial surveillance power under FISA for 10 days — 17 April 2026 (LINK)

Raw Story: Trump suffers major blow as 20 Republicans 'revolt' in chaotic late-night scramble: refusing to back a bill that would extend a controversial surveillance program, and despite the president's explicit call for GOP lawmakers to do so — 17 April 2026 (LINK)

indy 100: Trump, 79, called 'delusional' by Internauts after making bizarre claim about his age: "Of course, I’m not a senior" — 18 April 2026 (LINK)

Trump posts a picture of Jesus hugging him days after his AI-deity image drew widespread anger — 15 April 2026 (LINK)

— Trump posted the picture to his Truth Social social media platform Wednesday morning with the message: 'The Radical Left Lunatics might not like this, but I think it is quite nice!!! President DJT'

JD Vance defends Trump amid spat with Pope Leo: 'Stick to matters of morality' — 14 April 2026 (LINK)

President vs. Pope: Trump posts pic of self as Jesus, Pope says warmakers have "hands full of blood" — (LINK)

Trump claims the Jesus-like image he posted was meant to depict him as a doctor — (LINK)

Dow futures drop 500 points (1.1%) after Trump announces Strait of Hormuz blockade as talks fail — 13 April 2026 (LINK)

— "Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said in a post to his social media platform Truth Social . "The Blockade will begin shortly. Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade. Iran will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION."

Pope Leo says he does not fear Trump, citing Gospel as he pushes back in feud over Iran war — 13 April 2026 (LINK)

— History's first U.S.-born pope stressed that he was not making a direct attack against Trump or anyone else with his general appeal for peace and criticisms of the "delusion of omnipotence" that is fueling the Iran wars and other conflicts around the world.

Iranian authorities remain defiant, urge supporters to stay in streets: says US delegation 'failed to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation' — 12 April 2026 (LINK)

Trump: We got almost everything we wanted in talks, except on Iran's nukes; 'I predict they come back and give us everything' — 12 April 2026 (LINK)

Trump blasts Pope Leo for criticism of U.S. foreign policy — 12 April 2026 (LINK)

— CNBC: The president said in a Truth Social post he does not "want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I'm doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do." He "was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican." Trump said Leo is "Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested," referring to a recent meeting between the pope and President Barack Obama's former political aide. Leo, the first U.S.-born pope who hails from Chicago, has condemned Trump's war effort with Iran.

Motley Fool: SpaceX could be the ultimate meme stock. Investors should avoid this unprecedented IPO — 12 April 2026 (LINK)

Trump-linked World Liberty Financial's WLFI crash wipes $427M overnight: Dolomite's USD1 pool utilization climbed above 90%, limiting withdrawals for depositors and increasing concerns about potential bad debt if positions unwind — 10 April 2026 (LINK)

Pentagon Official profited 4,800% on Musk's xAI stock, Guardian reports — (LINK) ground.news: 9 media reports — 9 April 2026 (LINK)

First lady Melania Trump lauds the first conviction under the Take It Down Act against nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfakes, thanking federal prosecutors for "protecting Americans from cybercrimes in this new digital age" — 7 April 2026 (LINK)

Trump-backed Republican Clay Fuller wins election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene — 7 April 2026 (LINK)

Figures show ICE arrested more than 800 people after tips from US airport security agency — 7 April 2026 (LINK)

Trump tells Artemis II crew he saved Nasa despite trying to slash agency's budget — 6 April 2026 (LINK)

'Unhinged madman': US politicians react to Trump's expletive-laden threat to Iran — 5 April 2026 (LINK)

— Marjorie Taylor Greene and Bernie Sanders among those responding with alarm to Trump writing 'open the fuckin' strait, you crazy bastards'

— The US president wrote on his Truth Social platform: "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP."

US Army staff sergeant's wife detained by ICE when he began training for deployment — 5 April 2026 (LINK)

Politico: Trump weighs more Cabinet changes after Bondi ouster — 4 April 2026 (LINK)

— U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration and disappointment with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer.

Trump told Bondi on way to SCOTUS hearing: "I think it's time." She asked Trump to keep her in post until the summer. He refused — 3 April 2026 (LINK)

White House seeks massive increase in defence spending to $1.5 trillion, more than 40% compared to last year, and looks to slash housing, social services and health care — 3 April 2026 (LINK)

— CNN: Of the $445 billion that the administration wants to add to the defense budget, the White House is proposing that $350 billion of it be passed as part of forthcoming legislation that Republicans are planning to pass using a maneuver that requires only a majority vote in the Senate — and therefore would not need Democratic support.

— The budget proposal, by contrast, seeks to slash nondefense spending by 10% — a $73 billion cut that would primarily affect housing, social services, health care and other domestic programs that the administration has derided as "woke" — a word that is mentioned 34 times in the 92-page document. Trump's budget proposes cutting the Environmental Protection Agency's funding in half, eliminating a wide array of environmental programmes.

U.S. payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, more than expected; unemployment at 4.3% — 3 April 2026 (LINK)

— CNBC: Though the unemployment rate posted a decline, the move largely came from a decline of 396,000 in the labour force. The share of working-age Americans in the labor force fell to 61.9%, its lowest since November 2021. With inflation well above the Fed's target and energy prices surging as the Iran war continues, markets expect little movement from the central bank this year.

US: Judge stands by his decision to quash Department of Justice subpoenas targeting Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell — 3 April 2026 (LINK)

Elon Musk insists banks working on SpaceX IPO must buy Grok subscriptions — 3 April 2026 (LINK)

Trump removes US Attorney General Pam Bondi: will be replaced by her former deputy, Todd Blanche — 2 April 2026 (LINK)

— Bondi said she would be "working tirelessly" to transfer her work to Blanche, adding that the job had "been the honour" of a lifetime. She added that in her new private sector position — which she did not identify — she would "continue fighting for President Trump and this administration" Trump praised her in a post on Truth Social and said she would be "transitioning" to a role in the private sector. As recently as Thursday morning, Trump was defending Bondi, saying: "She is a wonderful person and she is doing a good job." But hours later, Trump confirmed her departure on Truth Social, saying that her new private sector role would be "announced at a date in the near future".

US Defence Secretary Hegseth tells US Army chief to step down immediately without giving a reason for the departure — 2 April 2026 (LINK)

— He has held the post, which typically runs for four years, since August 2023 under the Biden administration. CBS quoted a source as saying Hegseth wanted someone who would implement his and President Donald Trump's vision for the Army.

Politico: Pam Bondi fails Trump's loyalty test — 2 April 2026 (LINK)

US trade deficit jumped by almost 5% in February, another zigzag in the year since Trump's 'Liberation Day' — 2 April 2026 (LINK)

— The US trade deficit remains roughly the same today as it was on April 2, 2025, when Trump delivered his "Liberation Day" address and signed an executive order that name-checked the trade deficit in its title. The increase in February's deficit was a result of import increases, which jumped by 4.3% to $372.1 billion. That outpaced gains in exports, which increased by a smaller 4.2% to $314.8 billion. Thursday's data also included a country-by-country breakdown and showed continued multibillion-dollar trade deficits with many nations, including Mexico ($16.8 billion), Vietnam ($16.5 billion), China ($13.1 billion), and others.

Colorado court throws out election denier Tina Peters' 9-year sentence for tampering with election equipment, finding that the lower court violated her First Amendment right to free speech related to her allegations of election fraud. The state appeals court is asking the trial court to resentence Peters — 2 April 2026 (LINK)

ICE arrest Palestinian advocate Salah Sarsour, the president of Islamic Society of Milwaukee, reportedly detained by 10 agents while driving on March 30 — 2 April 2026 (LINK)

Trump's primetime speech on Iran war: Key takeaways: US president says Washington is 'getting very close' to achieving goals as he promises to bomb Iran into 'Stone Ages'. — 1 April 2026 (LINK)

Trump says he's considering leaving NATO as Starmer says UK will host talks on Strait of Hormuz — 1 April 2026 (LINK)

Heather Cox Richardson: President Donald J. Trump attended oral arguments at the United States Supreme Court on birthright citizenship: for the first time in U.S. history, a sitting president attended such arguments at the United States Supreme Court — 1 April 2026 (LINK)

— The case argued before the court grew out of Trump's executive order of January 20, 2025, the day he took the oath of office a second time. Fulfilling a campaign promise, the order declared that, contrary to the Fourteenth Amendment, individuals born in the United States are not citizens if their parents do not have legal permanent status.

Trump drops blatantly false outburst after storming out of Supreme Court hearing: "We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow 'Birthright' Citizenship!" — 1 April 2026 (LINK)

— rawstory: Despite Trump's claim, birthright citizenship exists in dozens of countries, including the United States' neighbors Canada and Mexico. In the United States, birthright citizenship was enshrined as a right in 1868 through the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

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