What Happened Today - 22 Aug 2025
What Happened Today – 22 August 2025
Apologies for no update yesterday, long day at work – and sorry this isn’t a “fun Friday” update as there were lots of headlines over the past 48 hours.
Epstein Update
Alligator Alcatraz Shut down!
Ukraine War Update
John Bolton saga
Albergo is going home!
DC Takeover Update
Proud Boys
MAGA SC race for Governor
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Epstein Update
The DOJ just started turning over Jeffrey Epstein files to the House Oversight Committee. Republicans pushed for all the goods—including everything on Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and the soft-touch deals they got in the past—and they want to see what the government hid, especially about Epstein’s connections with the powerful. But don’t expect the dirt to be public anytime soon. The committee says it won’t release anything until they’ve done a full victim identity and child abuse redaction, so the public could end up waiting weeks, months, who knows. Trump calls the whole thing a “hoax” (while demanding total transparency, classic), yet drops hints about innocent names getting dragged through the mud thanks to Epstein’s powerful friends. Democrats accuse Republicans of slow-walking the release and giving the DOJ too much time to keep embarrassing details buried.
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Alligator Alcatraz Shut down!
A federal judge dropped the hammer on Alligator Alcatraz—the infamous makeshift detention center in the Everglades. The Trump team (with Florida’s blessing) had been holding migrants there in nightmarish conditions, all in the name of “law and order.” Now, thanks to a lawsuit from environmentalists and the Miccosukee Tribe, the place is ordered to be dismantled within 60 days. No more new detainees, and all the fencing, lighting, generators—everything must go. The judge said Florida skipped all the legal steps, ignored environmental laws, and put endangered wildlife at risk. ICE’s big showpiece turns out to be an illegal disaster; the ruling’s a real slap in the face to the Trump-DeSantis immigration agenda.
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Ukraine War Update
Direct from Trump World, there’s more grandstanding on Russia and Ukraine. Trump told right-wing radio he’ll know “in about two weeks” if a peace deal is possible—so get ready for more delays and drama. Public statements on his social network suddenly encourage Ukraine to play offense against Russia, even as he attacks Biden for letting them do just that. No word from his admin on actually getting serious about a negotiated settlement, just a lot of waffling and vague deadlines. Trump, meanwhile, keeps fanning the idea he’s tight with Putin: he posted a retro photo of the two of them in Alaska, even planning to autograph one for Vlad as a gift, which set off a round of “traitor” memes all over lefty Twitter. There’s chatter about Putin being invited to the World Cup for a handshake moment, but the Kremlin’s dodging formal summit talk—and last night, Russian drones attacked an American-owned factory in Ukraine, making the White House look unserious about “holding Russia accountable”.
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John Bolton saga
John Bolton, former national security adviser and longtime Trump critic, had his home and office raided this morning. Federal agents seized boxes of documents and digital files. Early reports suggest this is tied to the leak of classified Russia-Ukraine war plans. Trump’s camp says this “proves the deep state is out to get real patriots.” Nobody’s buying that outside MAGA world. More details will dribble out soon.
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Albergo Garcia is going home!
He was released from jail in Tennessee today and is on his way back to Maryland, where he’ll be stuck in home detention (with an ankle monitor and his brother as a custodian) while waiting for trial. This all comes after a wild saga that saw him wrongfully deported to a notorious El Salvador prison back in March. After legal fights and a Supreme Court intervention, he’s finally out and allowed to reunite with his family, but ICE still wants him gone—they’re talking about shipping him off to a random third country once the criminal stuff is done.
Garcia’s lawyers are pushing to get the smuggling charges tossed, claiming the government is just punishing him for fighting his deportation. DHS keeps insisting he’s some sort of terrorist and human trafficker, but he’s denied all the allegations, and there are no fresh charges since the original 2022 traffic stop. His supporters say the real injustice is how he was yanked out of the country in violation of a judge’s order and shipped straight into danger. For now, he’s out—but still walking a legal tightrope with ICE watching closely.
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DC Takeover Update
Trump and his fans are hyping up his “federal takeover” of DC. He dropped in on National Guard and federal cops on patrol in the capital, handing out pizza and burgers and lavishing praise for their crackdown on continued DC protests. The White House brags about 600 arrests since early August and is now letting ICE join regular police on traffic stops. That’s led to over 200 immigrants arrested—many of them just food delivery workers. The move is making waves because it trashes DC’s old sanctuary policies and feels like the Trump team is using the nation’s capital as a test-run for mass ICE sweeps with local cops along for the ride.
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Proud Boys…
The Proud Boys are right back in the spotlight thanks to a billboard that just popped up in southern Illinois, openly recruiting for their far-right group. The billboard features the Proud Boys logo and a barely-disguised call to action, urging “patriots” to “stand up” and “take their country back.” It’s the first time the group has used such public advertising in the region since they became notorious for their role in the January 6 Capitol attack.
What’s wild is that local MAGA personalities and some state GOP influencers are publicly defending the billboard as a matter of “free speech.” They argue that regardless of what the Proud Boys did in D.C., they have a right to recruit and express themselves. It’s caused a mini media firestorm and even pushed a few local officials to try and distance themselves—some condemning the group, others just shrugging.
Meanwhile, anti-extremism groups and a lot of residents are furious, calling it an outright attempt to normalize hate and violent rhetoric. Police say their hands are tied since the billboard doesn’t technically break any incitement laws and isn’t directly calling for violence, just “patriot mobilization” and “community protection”—standard Proud Boys code.
This has become one more flashpoint in the running MAGA battle over who controls the narrative about January 6 and the future of right-wing activism. MAGA media is using the uproar to bash “cancel culture” and lefty outrage, while Proud Boys themselves are reportedly celebrating the national attention, taking it as a sign their brand isn’t dead—even as their leaders face long federal prison sentences.
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MAGA SC race for Governor
South Carolina’s Republican race for governor is basically a MAGA reality show. There’s a big, messy field—including Nancy “Trump in high heels” Mace—fighting tooth and nail to get Trump’s endorsement. Mace is out here begging for his support, claiming she never sleeps and can “burn the system down” for the base. But hardcore Trump fans online are calling her a RINO, roasting her for turning on Trump after January 6 and then crawling back for his approval. No one trusts her new “super MAGA” routine.
Meanwhile, the rest of the GOP pack (Alan Wilson, Pamela Evette, Ralph Norman) are also tripping over themselves to win Trump’s blessing, each painting the others as “fake conservatives.” Trump’s staying quiet, probably waiting for a runoff—and his endorsement could make or break anyone. So right now, the whole field is just trying to out-Trump each other for the ultimate MAGA stamp of approval.
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So, that’s a lot. I’m sure as the weekend progresses-the news will continue to be a hot mess. There is no golf on Trump’s agenda this weekend…but who knows – he may surprise us all. Hang in there everyone!
Speak Truth! Keep speaking TRUTH!
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.**