government 4 - The Latremie Post

‘Republicans should be embarrassed’: Ex-Trump official rips GOP for losing shutdown fight

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer criticized Senate Republicans after Democrats blocked a bill that would have guaranteed pay for military and federal workers during the ongoing government shutdown.

“Senate Republicans should be embarrassed by how bad they’re messaging this,” Spicer, who served as President Trump’s first press secretary, said Friday on his podcast, in remarks highlighted by The Daily Beast.

“They should have been out on the steps last night with military members and Border Patrol,” he added.

The measure, known as the Shutdown Fairness Act of 2025, was introduced by Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) but fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance, with a final tally of 54-45.

The bill aimed to ensure continued pay for “excepted” federal employees, including active-duty troops, TSA agents, park rangers, air traffic controllers, and Border Patrol officers.

Spicer accused Republicans of failing to defend their position forcefully, calling their actions “literally the lamest response” he had ever seen. “The idea that they voted and bolted is an embarrassment to the Republican Party,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) dismissed the bill as a “ruse,” arguing it would give Trump budget director Russell Vought undue authority.
https://www.rawstory.com/sean-spicer-2674232081/

Venezuela dice prepararse para el despliegue de Estados Unidos que se acerca a sus costas

El ministro de Defensa de Venezuela, Vladimir Padrino López, advirtió este viernes que su país continúa preparándose ante lo que calificó como una “amenaza militar” que se acerca “cada día más” a sus costas. Esta declaración hace referencia al reciente despliegue de fuerzas navales de Estados Unidos en el mar Caribe.

Padrino aseguró que las tropas venezolanas se mantienen “inquebrantables, decididas y muy definidas a seguir defendiendo cada centímetro del territorio nacional”. Además, sostuvo que Venezuela enfrenta “la peor amenaza en más de 100 años” y señaló al Pentágono por el envío hacia la zona del portaaviones USS Gerald Ford, el más grande de la flota estadounidense.

“Nos estamos preparando todos los días. Estamos enfrentando una amenaza militar del despliegue aeronaval de los Estados Unidos, cada día acercándose más a las costas venezolanas”, expresó el ministro.

Asimismo, añadió que la Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana (FANB) y las instituciones del Estado, todas controladas por Nicolás Maduro, se mantienen enfocadas en “la defensa de la nación”, a la que consideró “realmente amenazada” por lo que describió como “un despliegue inédito de medios aeronavales de una de las potencias más grandes del mundo”.

Padrino también acusó a Washington de realizar ejecuciones extrajudiciales en el Caribe y el Pacífico, aludiendo a operaciones estadounidenses contra presuntas embarcaciones vinculadas al narcotráfico. Sin embargo, no presentó pruebas de esas afirmaciones.

Por su parte, el Pentágono confirmó el viernes el envío del USS Gerald Ford y su grupo de ataque al área de responsabilidad del Comando Sur de Estados Unidos. Según el portavoz del Departamento de Defensa, Sean Parnell, la medida responde a una orden del secretario de Defensa, Pete Hegseth, para “reforzar la capacidad de detectar, monitorear y desmantelar actores y actividades ilícitas que comprometen la seguridad y prosperidad del territorio estadounidense”.

En un comunicado, el Pentágono precisó que el despliegue forma parte de una estrategia para “desmantelar las organizaciones criminales transnacionales” y ampliar las operaciones antinarcóticos en el Caribe.

El grupo naval se une a un contingente ya presente en la región, que incluye tres buques de asalto y transporte anfibio, aviones de combate F-35B, aeronaves de patrulla P-8 y drones MQ-9 que operan desde una base en Puerto Rico.

Durante las últimas semanas, la administración del presidente Donald Trump ha intensificado sus operaciones marítimas en el Caribe y el Pacífico. Ha afirmado haber destruido varias embarcaciones y neutralizado a personas presuntamente vinculadas al narcotráfico cerca de las costas de Venezuela y Colombia. Estas acciones, según los gobiernos de ambos países, constituyen ejecuciones extrajudiciales.

### Otra “narcolancha” atacada en el Caribe

El secretario Hegseth informó este viernes que el Ejército estadounidense hundió otra lancha en el Caribe, supuestamente operada por la organización criminal conocida como Tren de Aragua. En este hecho murieron seis personas que, de acuerdo con Washington, eran “narcoterroristas”.

En respuesta, Nicolás Maduro anunció un nuevo ejercicio militar de 72 horas en las costas del país, con la participación de la FANB, milicianos y cuerpos policiales. Afirmó que la maniobra busca reforzar la defensa del territorio frente al “acoso y las provocaciones” de Estados Unidos, mientras que insiste en que el despliegue naval estadounidense constituye una amenaza directa a su soberanía.
https://eldiariony.com/2025/10/24/venezuela-dice-prepararse-para-el-despliegue-de-estados-unidos-que-se-acerca-a-sus-costas/

Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft & Meta are all donors to Trump’s White House ballroom project

Renovations have recently begun on the White House in Washington, D.C., as the building’s East Wing was demolished to make way for the construction of a new ballroom. This highly anticipated project marks a significant update to the historic residence.

The new ballroom is being funded through a combination of private donations, including contributions from former President Donald Trump and a group of prominent corporate donors. Notably, some of the biggest names in the technology industry are among the financial backers supporting this initiative.

The White House recently disclosed the full list of companies and individuals financially donating to the ballroom project, as reported by CNBC. The list features a diverse range of influential corporations and foundations, reflecting broad support from various sectors.

Among the corporate donors are:

– Apple
– Google
– Amazon
– Microsoft
– Meta Platforms
– Altria Group Inc.
– Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
– Caterpillar Inc.
– Coinbase
– Comcast Corporation
– Hard Rock International
– HP Inc.
– Lockheed Martin
– Micron Technology
– NextEra Energy Inc.
– Palantir Technologies Inc.
– Ripple
– Reynolds American
– T-Mobile
– Tether America
– Union Pacific Railroad

In addition, several prominent individuals and foundations have also contributed, including:

– Adelson Family Foundation
– Stefan E. Brodie
– Betty Wold Johnson Foundation
– Charles and Marissa Cascarilla
– Edward and Shari Glazer
– Harold Hamm
– Benjamin Leon Jr.
– The Lutnick Family
– The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Foundation
– Stephen A. Schwarzmann
– Konstantin Sokolov
– Kelly Loeffler and Jeff Sprecher
– Paolo Tiramani
– Cameron Winklevoss
– Tyler Winklevoss

This collaboration of corporate and private contributions underscores the significant interest and investment in the White House renovation project, particularly the new ballroom that promises to enhance the historic site’s functionality and appeal.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/146504/apple-google-amazon-microsoft-meta-trump-donation

Amid the Rubble of the East Wing, Lessons in How Trump Exercises Power

From the first day of his second term, President Trump has adopted an ends-justify-the-means approach to his presidency.

This strategy reflects a focus on achieving goals by any means necessary, often prioritizing results over traditional norms or processes. Such an approach has generated significant discussion and debate regarding its implications for governance and policy-making.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/us/politics/east-wing-trump-power.html

NFL seeks dismissal of Jon Gruden’s lawsuit after Nevada Supreme Court sends it back to state court

The Nevada Supreme Court returned Jon Gruden’s case to the state’s District Court on Thursday, while the NFL filed two motions seeking the prompt dismissal of the claims against it.

Gruden resigned as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021 after the publication of emails he sent years earlier that included racist, misogynistic, and homophobic language. A month later, he sued the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell, alleging a “malicious and orchestrated campaign” to destroy his career by leaking the emails.

In a motion filed Thursday and obtained by The Associated Press, NFL attorneys used aggressive language to counter Gruden’s allegations, stating:
“The Complaint—Jon Gruden’s attempt to wrongly blame the NFL and its Commissioner for the consequences of the racist, misogynistic, and homophobic emails Gruden authored and widely distributed—hinges solely on unsupported allegations that fail as a matter of law or fall far short of stating a claim, and should have been promptly dismissed when the NFL Parties first so moved.”

Previously, the Nevada Supreme Court denied the league’s earlier appeal of its August 11 ruling that Gruden could proceed with his lawsuit and was not required to go through the league’s arbitration process.

The NFL’s attorneys further argued in the motion:
“Gruden does not and cannot dispute that he wrote the emails that led to his resignation. He does not and cannot dispute that he freely sent those emails to multiple parties. He does not and cannot claim that the emails were misleadingly edited or altered in any way, let alone by the NFL Parties, or that the views espoused in them were not in fact expressed by him. Instead, Gruden has concocted a fictional story that attempts to paint himself as the victim of his own conduct.”

The motion to dismiss also invokes Nevada’s anti-SLAPP statute, which protects against lawsuits intended to silence those exercising their First Amendment rights. NFL attorneys emphasized:
“Gruden’s false claims are all premised on quintessential First Amendment activity: the NFL Parties’ alleged communication of unaltered emails authored by Gruden, a public figure, to the national media. And because those claims have no basis in law or fact, the complaint cannot survive under the anti-SLAPP statute.”

In 2022, the NFL appealed to Nevada’s high court after a judge in Las Vegas rejected league bids to dismiss Gruden’s claim outright or to order out-of-court talks through an arbitration process that could be overseen by Goodell. The high court, in a 5-2 ruling, stated that “the arbitration clause in the NFL Constitution is unconscionable and does not apply to Gruden as a former employee.”

Background on Jon Gruden: He was an on-air analyst for ESPN from 2011 to 2018, during the period when the controversial emails were sent. Gruden served as the Raiders’ coach when the team moved to Las Vegas from Oakland, California, in 2020.

He is seeking monetary damages, alleging that the selective disclosure and publication of the emails by The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times ruined his career and endorsement contracts.

Gruden’s coaching career includes two stints with the Raiders—first in Oakland from 1998 to 2001, and later in Las Vegas starting in 2018. He also led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven years, winning a Super Bowl title in 2003. After his coaching and broadcasting roles, he consulted for the New Orleans Saints in 2023.

Currently, Jon Gruden is a part-owner and consultant for the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football One league.
http://lasvegassun.com//news/2025/oct/23/nfl-seeks-dismissal-of-jon-grudens-lawsuit-after-n/

Republicans divided over Trump’s role in ending shutdown

Republican senators hope that President Trump can step in and help end the 22-day government shutdown by beginning talks with Democrats on enhanced health insurance premiums.

This move would give Democrats confidence about having a path to an eventual deal. Several Republican senators say it would be helpful if Trump were to become more involved in the negotiations to break the current impasse.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5568630-gop-seeks-trump-intervention/

What Trump Told Senate Republicans in Shutdown Strategy Huddle

Republican senators expressed relief after President Donald Trump urged them to remain steadfast in refusing to negotiate with Democrats until they vote to reopen the government, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) told The Daily Signal.

“The president encouraged us all to remain steadfast, and we cheered when he said that,” Daines said in a phone interview following Republicans’ Tuesday meeting with Trump. “We just need the Democrats to come to their senses and realize that they’ve got to start paying the troops, the FAA controllers, TSA agents, and others who depend on the federal government.”

When asked if Trump indicated that Republicans would need to cave to Democrats’ demands to pass the continuing resolution, Daines responded, “You don’t negotiate when they take the government hostage.”

“There is definitely room to negotiate and to continue to move forward on the appropriation bills,” he added, “but it’s not going to happen until after the shutdown is over.”

Senators spent about an hour with the president in the Oval Office following a Rose Garden lunch on Tuesday. In addition to discussing legislative matters, Trump signed MAGA hats and Bibles, Daines said.

Trump did not discuss the possibility of bypassing Senate filibuster rules— which require a 60-vote majority to reopen the government—commonly referred to as “nuking the filibuster,” according to Daines.

While Republicans did not talk about the potential need for the House to reconvene to pass a longer continuing resolution (CR)—since the current CR only funds the government through November 21—Daines said, “It’s generally agreed that the CR is going to have to be extended past Nov. 21.”

“That’s not enough time,” he explained. “I think there’s pretty solid agreement that it is going to have to be extended because the Democrats have burned virtually a month now in the shutdown from what originally was going to be a seven-week CR.”

“Now we’re just four weeks away from the 21st, so we’re going to have to extend it.”

Daines expects five or six “common sense” Democrats “that are tired of this game being played and the harm it’s creating” to eventually vote to reopen the government. However, he is unsure when such a vote will happen.

“When you think about when the Democrats first shut this down on Oct. 1, there was some talk that it would only last a few days. Well, that was wrong,” he said. “I’m just not seeing a lot of interest in the Democrats in solving this problem at the moment.”

George Caldwell contributed to this report.
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/10/21/what-trump-told-senate-republicans-in-shutdown-strategy-huddle/

This is What Most Scares Americans

Are you worried about issues like government corruption?

You’re not alone. A recent survey reveals that many people share your concerns.

Understanding these worries can help us address the challenges facing our communities and work towards greater transparency and accountability.
https://gizmodo.com/this-is-what-most-scares-americans-2000674902

Trump tells Zelenskyy he’s reluctant to sell Ukraine Tomahawk missiles after warning Russia he might

**Trump Signals Hesitation on Selling Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine Amid White House Talks**

*Washington, D.C.* — President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, October 17, 2025, for talks that signaled a shift in U.S. policy regarding the potential sale of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

At the start of their meeting, Zelenskyy proposed a deal in which Ukraine would provide the United States with its advanced drones in exchange for Tomahawk cruise missiles—weaponry Ukrainian officials say is crucial to compelling Russian President Vladimir Putin to seriously engage in peace negotiations.

However, President Trump expressed hesitation about selling the missiles, citing national security concerns. “I have an obligation also to make sure that we’re completely stocked up as a country, because you never know what’s going to happen in war and peace,” Trump said. He added, “We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks. We’d much rather have the war be over to be honest.”

Following the meeting, Trump called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia. In a Truth Social post, he stated, “Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!”

Zelenskyy echoed the call for a ceasefire and negotiations but carefully refrained from fully embracing an immediate end to the war. “The president is right we have to stop where we are, and then to speak,” Zelenskyy told reporters.

The two leaders, along with Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and other aides, held a discussion that extended over two hours during a lunch in the White House Cabinet Room—far longer than initially planned.

Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on securing last week’s ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, noting that Trump now has significant momentum to help end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “President Trump now has a big chance to finish this war,” Zelenskyy said.

Recent days saw a fluctuating stance from Trump regarding the provision of Tomahawk missiles. While he initially appeared open to supplying Ukraine with the missiles, following his Thursday phone call with Putin, Trump started downplaying the likelihood of their delivery.

During the call, Putin warned that supplying Kyiv with Tomahawks “won’t change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries,” according to Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser.

The Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers), would enable Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory targeting military sites, energy infrastructure, and other key assets. Ukrainian officials see the missiles as a critical lever to pressure Putin toward peace talks.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha commented that discussions about the Tomahawks have already had a positive effect by pushing Russia toward negotiations. “The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace,” Sybiha said on the social media platform X.

This latest White House meeting marks the fourth face-to-face encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy since the former Republican president returned to office in January, and their second meeting in less than a month.

Following his call with Putin, Trump announced plans to meet the Russian president soon in Budapest, Hungary, to further discuss ways to end the war. The two leaders also agreed that their senior aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, would convene next week at an unspecified location.

When asked whether Zelenskyy would participate in the proposed Hungary talks, Trump responded that it was “to be determined,” suggesting that a separate, “double meeting” involving both leaders might be the most feasible path to productive negotiations.

“These two leaders do not like each other, and we want to make it comfortable for everybody,” Trump said.

Prior to his recent calls, Trump showed growing frustration with Putin. Last month, he shifted his stance by stating he believes Ukraine could reclaim all its territory lost to Russia—a significant change from his earlier position urging Kyiv to make concessions for peace.

Since launching his 2024 campaign, Trump has promised to end the war swiftly. His peace initiative appeared to gain traction following summits with Putin in Alaska and subsequent meetings with Zelenskyy and European allies in Washington last August. At the time, Trump was confident he was paving the way for direct talks between the two leaders.

However, Putin has yet to express willingness to meet Zelenskyy, and Russia has intensified its military assault on Ukraine in recent weeks.

When asked if he felt Putin may be stringing him along, Trump acknowledged the possibility but expressed confidence in handling the Russian leader. “I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out pretty well,” he said. “I think I’m pretty good at this stuff.”

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**About the Photographs**

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks as President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles listen before a lunch in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington. —AP Photo/Alex Brandon

President Donald Trump greets Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday in Washington. —AP Photo/Alex Brandon

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**Spotlight**

Misty Copeland, the first Black female principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, continues to break barriers through her nonprofit work, which makes dance more accessible to children of color.
https://www.phillytrib.com/trump-tells-zelenskyy-hes-reluctant-to-sell-ukraine-tomahawk-missiles-after-warning-russia-he-might/article_59770354-d409-44f6-9f2d-3124bd867d58.html

Republicans Rush to End Shutdown, but Democrats Aren’t Playing Ball – Liberty Nation News

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) made Democrats an offer he thought they couldn’t refuse on Thursday, October 16, to end the government shutdown. But as it turns out, they could – and did – refuse it.

In another bill, Republicans offered payment for troops and other federal workers, but Democrats said it was full of “poison pills.” Now Thune says the White House seems willing to roll back some of the steps it took during the shutdown, so long as Democrats agree to reopen the government. But will they?

### An Obamacare Shutdown

Read any left-wing news outlet, and it will tell you the shutdown is all about Obamacare. If Republicans and President Donald Trump would just agree to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year, then Democrats would agree to pass funding to reopen the government.

Is it true? Maybe – but there have been other demands as well, so perhaps not. Still, Sen. Thune decided to dangle that carrot Thursday morning, saying that once the shutdown is over, he’ll call a vote on a bill to extend the ACA subsidies. He just needs another five to side with the GOP and those already backing the stopgap funding bill to keep the government running through November 21.

How’s that for an offer Democrats can’t refuse? Not a very good one, apparently.

“I trust no Republican’s word as long as Donald Trump is saying he refuses to extend health care tax subsidies,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told reporters. “As much as I respect Leader Thune, he can’t vouch for the House or the White House.”

And, as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) stands his ground on not passing a new resolution and as the president sticks to his position on the issue, that seems to be a sticking point for many Democrats.

“When the shutdown was just starting, we requested that,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) told MSNBC on Thursday. “That’s been almost three weeks ago, and they wouldn’t do it, wouldn’t do it, wouldn’t do it. And now he has moved but everybody else has moved, too.”

So much for that carrot.

### White House Flexibility, Senate Stiffness

Sen. Thune also vaguely suggested on Thursday that the president might be willing to roll back some of his administration’s actions during the shutdown. When asked what, specifically, he thought the president might be willing to walk back, Thune admitted he didn’t know – but he did say some furloughed or unpaid federal workers could get their jobs back.

In the House, however, some Democrats now demand the administration undo the entire mass firing as a condition to ending the shutdown – an ask that will almost certainly be rejected as simply too much.

Also too much, apparently, was the GOP bill, already passed by the House, to keep the military funded through the shutdown. As Sen. Blumenthal put it, “I will vote yes on a military appropriations bill to pay our men and women in uniform, but if it has all of the House poison pills, no.”

The House-approved bill would fund the military through the shutdown, but it also ends assistance to Ukraine, reduces vaccine requirements, and limits service members’ access to abortions. To the left, those are poison pills, one and all – and the vote failed 50-44 on Thursday, with three Democrats joining most (but not all) Republicans on the “aye” side.

### The Impasse and Its Consequences

As the shutdown wears on, Republicans seem more inclined to offer – or, at least, dangle as bait – concessions to the left. But Democrats seem to be sticking to that all-or-nothing position.

And as America waits to see who wins this nationwide game of congressional chicken, the list of consequences grows.

Should the shutdown extend into November, for example, the US Department of Agriculture has announced it will cease funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), long known as Food Stamps to many.

How long until one side buckles – and what price will Americans have to pay for it?
https://www.libertynation.com/republicans-rush-to-end-shutdown-but-democrats-arent-playing-ball/