What Happened today - 12 May 2025

Day 113 of the hostage situation....

What Happened Today – 12 May 2025

Today’s Topics
Gold Plane Update
Proposal to remove protection of Habitat’s
Tariff Update
Trump’s “Fat Friend” and Drug Prices
Don’t get distracted!
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Gold Plane Update
Trump has officially accepted a $400 million luxury Boeing 747-8 jet from the Qatari royal family to serve as Air Force One, with plans for the plane to later be transferred to his presidential library after his term ends. Let’s just pause and take in the absurdity: while Americans are watching their 401(k)s shrink, interest rates stay sky-high, and the stock market whiplash from one tariff headline to the next, Trump is out here taking a “gift” from Qatar that would be the most extravagant foreign donation ever accepted by a U.S. president.

How’s that for priorities? People’s retirement accounts have been hammered by Trump’s trade wars and tariff chaos, with the S&P 500 erasing all post-election gains and investor fear at its highest since his inauguration. Interest rates remain painfully elevated, making mortgages and credit cards more expensive for everyone. But instead of focusing on stabilizing the economy or helping working families, Trump is celebrating a “wonderful gesture” from Qatar-a country with a long record of funding groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and a government that’s no friend to U.S. interests.

Even some of Trump’s most loyal MAGA voices, like Laura Loomer, are outraged. Loomer called this move “a stain on the administration,” blasting Trump for accepting a $400 million “gift from jihadists in suits.” She points out that Qatar funds the same Iranian proxies that have killed U.S. service members and worked with Mexican cartels to get jihadists across our border. “We are watching an Islamic takeover of our country in real time,” she wrote, and she’s not alone-other conservative voices are echoing her concerns.

And let’s not forget Pam Bondi, Trump’s Attorney General, who previously lobbied for Qatar at $115,000 a month and is now the one who signed off on the legal memo making this jet “gift” possible. So while Americans are told to “hang tough” as their retirement shrinks and inflation bites, Trump and his circle are cozying up to foreign interests and raking in luxury perks.

Trump disrupts the markets, upends our retirement savings, and then accepts a $400 million jet from Qatar-while his own allies call foul. If you’re wondering whose interests are being served, you’re not alone. This isn’t “America First”-it’s self-interest on full display, and it’s a slap in the face to every American worried about their future.
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Proposal to remove protection of Habitat’s
Big change alert: The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is proposing to remove the rule that says “harming” endangered species includes destroying their habitat. That means if this goes through, companies could tear up forests or wetlands where endangered animals live, as long as they don’t directly hurt the animals themselves. This could make it a lot harder to protect wildlife and might push some species closer to extinction. Public comments are open until May 19, 2025-so if you care about wildlife, now’s the time to speak up!
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Tariff Update
The U.S. and China just hit pause on their crazy tariff war for 90 days-and the stock market exploded. The Dow shot up over 1,000 points, S&P 500 jumped 3%, and the Nasdaq soared more than 4%. Wall Street’s basically throwing a party because, for once, it looks like we might avoid a total trade meltdown (at least for now).
But let’s not kid ourselves. Every time Trump announces some new tariff stunt, the market goes wild-and people are already speculating that he and his crew are playing the market for their own gain. Remember when he posted “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!” right before stocks took off after his last tariff flip-flop? Lawmakers have been calling for investigations into whether there’s insider trading or market manipulation going on, and honestly, who can blame them?
So yeah, your 401(k) might finally catch a break today, but let’s not forget who’s really winning here. These wild swings might just be another way for the folks in charge to cash in, while the rest of us are left riding the rollercoaster. Stay sharp.
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Trump’s “Fat Friend” and Drug Prices
Did anyone else catch Trump’s wild rant about his “fat, successful, rich friend”-you know, the “top guy, highly neurotic” one? He went off on this tangent at his press conference, telling a story about this mystery friend who’s apparently loaded, super smart, and (Trump’s words) “seriously overweight.” The guy’s on the so-called “fat shot” weight loss drug, and Trump just *had* to point out, “It’s not working!” (Because of course he did.)

Trump says this friend called him from London, freaking out because his prescription for the same weight loss drug costs just $88 over there, but in New York he pays $1,300 for the exact same thing, made in the same factory. Trump used this whole bizarre story to bash Big Pharma and claim he’s going to force drug companies to lower prices here in the U.S., especially for Medicare and Medicaid.

He rambled about grilling pharma execs for answers, but (shocker) nobody could explain why Americans get gouged for the same meds. Classic Trump-off-script, roasting his own buddy, and using it to pitch his latest executive order on drug prices.

And as for who this “fat, rich, neurotic, top guy” actually is?
Nobody knows for sure. Trump never drops a name, and the internet’s already speculating. Could be a Wall Street type, some hedge fund billionaire, or maybe just a character he made up to make his point. With Trump, who even knows anymore?

He’s using his “fat friend” story to make a point about how broken our drug pricing is-but as usual, it’s all wrapped up in Trump’s signature weirdness.
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Don’t get distracted!
As the media ramps up the circus with gold planes, birthday parades, and other ridiculous Trojan Horses, don’t lose sight of the issues that actually impact us all. Here’s what’s really going down, and why you need to stay focused:

Kilmar Abrego Garcia – El Salvador Deportation Scandal
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a longtime Maryland resident with zero criminal record, was wrongfully deported to El Salvador back in March-even though a court order specifically barred his removal due to the risk of persecution. The Trump administration’s excuse? A so-called “confidential informant” tying him to MS-13, but his family and lawyers say that’s a total fabrication. Now, Garcia is stuck in a notorious Salvadoran mega-prison, and even after both a federal judge and the Supreme Court ordered the government to bring him back, the administration is flat-out refusing, saying he “will never live in the US again.” They’re even hiding details behind “state secrets.” The next court response on Garcia’s case is due May 16. If the government can ignore court orders and stash people in foreign prisons, what’s next for due process in this country?

Epstein Files – Investigation Done, Still Withheld
The Epstein investigation is finished, but the files are still being held back by the FBI. Attorney General Pam Bondi says the files aren’t missing-they’re just “reviewing tens of thousands” of videos and documents involving Epstein and minors. When pressed about the delay this weekend, Bondi claimed it’s because “there are kids involved,” and they’re still reviewing for victim protection. But let’s be real: if the investigation is over, why are they still sitting on the files? Is it because Trump’s name is in them, like so many suspect? Bondi dropped a few redacted docs, but the real bombshells are still locked away. No timeline, no transparency.

Israel/Gaza & U.S. Involvement
The U.S. is now negotiating directly with Hamas for the release of hostages and a possible ceasefire. Trump’s heading to the region but is skipping Israel-a huge shift in U.S. policy. This is a make-or-break moment for both foreign policy and the fate of civilians in Gaza.

Gold Card Visa Sales – Who’s Buying, When, and Why the Silence?
The Trump administration claims it already “sold” 1,000 Gold Card visas at $5 million each-that’s $5 billion in a single day. These are being snapped up by global elites for permanent U.S. residency, with no job creation requirement. The program was only announced in late February, and the application system isn’t even live yet, so these “sales” might just be handshake deals, not actual visas. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says it’s all about giving the ultra-rich a “safe haven,” and Elon Musk is building the app for it. The kicker? There’s almost zero mainstream coverage on who’s buying, when the money moved, or what strings are attached. Meanwhile, they’re talking about selling up to a million of these-potentially raising trillions-while the public stays in the dark.

Elon Musk & DOGE Investigations
Since Trump got back in office, over 40 federal probes into Musk’s companies (Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and more) have either stalled or been dropped. Musk is now a government advisor on “efficiency,” and accountability is basically out the window.

Government Civilian Job Losses
More than 260,000 federal workers have lost their jobs this year alone, with projections hitting 300,000 by year’s end. This is the biggest slash in government jobs since the 1950s, and it’s hitting communities hard.

VA Cuts
Billions in VA contract cuts are on temporary pause after massive backlash, but critical health services for vets-like cancer care and toxic exposure assessments-are still at risk. The administration claims no benefits will be cut, but the threat is very real.

Budget & Medicare/Medicaid
Congress is pushing for massive cuts to Medicaid-up to $880 billion over 10 years. States may have to slash coverage or raise taxes. Medicare’s future is also on the chopping block as the national debt balloons.

Habeas corpus
This is the basic right that keeps the government from locking you up without a fair hearing-is under serious threat right now, and barely anyone’s talking about it.

Trump’s team, led by Stephen Miller, is openly floating the idea of suspending habeas corpus. They’re claiming the Constitution lets them do it during “rebellion or invasion,” and they’re trying to use the so-called “invasion” at the border as an excuse. Translation: they want the power to detain people-immigrants, students, even citizens-without giving them a day in court. That’s not just about migrants; that’s about anyone the government decides to target.

Let’s be crystal clear: Habeas corpus is what stands between you and indefinite detention. Without it, the government could throw you in a cell and toss the key-no judge, no trial, no recourse. Only Congress can suspend it, and only in a real rebellion or invasion. That’s not what’s happening now, no matter how they spin it. Courts are already pushing back, ordering releases in high-profile cases where people were held without due process. The Supreme Court just ruled: even under the Alien Enemies Act, you still get a chance to challenge your detention.

This isn’t some legal technicality-it’s the foundation of your rights. If they get away with this, due process is gone. The executive branch would have unchecked power to detain anyone, for any reason, with zero accountability.

Don’t let the noise and distractions bury what really matters. These are the stories shaping our rights, our wallets, and our future. Stay sharp, stay loud, and don’t let them off the hook.

Speak Truth!

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Go Cause Good Trouble, with Your Elbows Up!

**These are facts that I researched and verified – AI helped put together some sentence structure, but the words and tone are mine. These are my views based upon facts, research and thoughtful consideration using logic. I own the copyright to any images used. I’m comfortable to stand alone to uphold truth. Feel free to check me, but do not attack me. I am only causing good trouble.**