Kristi Noem's DHS propaganda campaign depends on costumes, ICE raids — and Corey Lewandowski

As millions gather on Saturday, Trump looks for a pretext to invoke the Insurrection Act

Imagine if Regina George grew up to cover up for a fascist

The president's ruthless consolidation of power is continuing unabated

From Zohran Mamdani’s Fox News debut to AOC and Bernie Sanders’ CNN town hall, the limelight is finally on the left

A cartoon by Pedro Molina. Related | Even Fox News says hell no to Hegseth's ridiculous demands

By Stephanie Armour for KFF While plowing a wheat field in rural Washington state in the 1990s, William Wallace spotted a gray plane overhead that he believed was releasing chemicals to make him sick. The rancher began to suspect that all white vapor trails from aircraft might be dangerous. He shared his concern with reporters, acknowledging it sounded a little like “The X Files,” a science fiction television show. Academics cite Wallace’s story as one of the catalysts behind a fringe concept that has spread among adherents to the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, movement and is gaining traction at the highest levels of the federal government. Its treatment as a serious issue underscores that under President Donald Trump, unscientific ideas have unusual power to take hold and shape public health policy. The concept posits that airplane vapor trails, or contrails, are really “chemtrails” containing toxic substances that poison people and the terrain. Another version alleges planes or devices are being deployed by the federal government, private companies, or researchers to trigger big weather changes, such as hurricanes, or to alter the Earth’s climate, emitting hazardous chemicals in the process. Several GOP lawmakers and leaders in the Trump administration remain convinced the concepts are legitimate, though scientists have sought to discredit such claims. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to investigate climate and weather control, and is expected to create a task force that will recommend possible federal action, according to a former agency official, an internal agency memo obtained by KFF Health News, and a consultant who helped with the memo. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears during a budget hearing before a House subcommittee at the U.S. Capitol on May 14. The plans, along with comments by top GOP lawmakers, show how rumors and conspiracy theories can gain an air of legitimacy due to social media and a political climate infused with falsehoods, some political scientists and researchers say. “When we have low access to information or low trust in our sources of information, a lot of times we turn to our peer groups, the groups we are members of and we define ourselves by,” said Timothy Tangherlini, a folklorist and professor of information at the University of California-Berkeley. He added that the government’s investigation of conspiracy theories “gives the impression of having some authoritative element.” HHS is expected to appoint a special government employee to investigate climate and weather control, according to Gray Delany, former head of the agency’s MAHA agenda, who said he drafted the memo. The agency has interviewed applicants to lead a “chemtrails” task force, said Jim Lee, a blogger focused on weather and climate who Delany said helped edit the memo, which Lee confirmed. “HHS does not comment on future or potential policy decisions and task forces,” agency spokesperson Emily Hilliard said in an email. The memo alleges that “aerosolized heavy metals such as Aluminum, Barium, and Strontium, as well as other materials such as sulfuric acid precursors, are sprayed into the atmosphere under the auspices of combatting global warming,” through a process of stratospheric aerosol injection, or SAI. “There are serious concerns SAI spraying is leading to increased heavy metal content in the atmosphere,” the memo states. The memo claims, without providing evidence, that the substances cause elevated heavy-metal content in the atmosphere, soil, and waterways, and that aluminum is a toxic product used in SAI linked to dementia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, asthma-like illnesses, and other chronic illnesses. The July 14 memo was addressed to White House health adviser Calley Means, who didn’t respond to a voicemail left by a reporter seeking comment. High-level federal government officials are presenting false claims as facts without evidence and referring to events that not only haven’t occurred but, in many cases, are physically impossible, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California. “That is a pretty shocking memo,” he said. “It doesn’t get more tinfoil hat. They really believe toxins are being sprayed.” Kennedy has previously promoted debunked chemtrail theories. In May, he was asked on “Dr. Phil Primetime” about chemicals being sprayed into the stratosphere to change the Earth’s climate. “It’s done, we think, by DARPA,” Kennedy said, referring to a Department of Defense agency that develops emerging technology for the military’s use. “And a lot of it now is coming out of the jet fuel. Those materials are put in jet fuel. I’m going to do everything in my power to stop it. We’re bringing on somebody who’s going to think only about that.” DARPA officials didn’t return a message seeking comment. Federal Messaging Deploying chemtrails to poison people is just one of many baseless conspiracy theories that have found traction among Trump administration health policy officials led by Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist before entering politics. He continues to promote a supposed link between vaccines and autism, as well as make statements connecting fluoride in drinking water to arthritis, bone fractures, thyroid disease, and cancer. The World Health Organization says fluoride is safe when used as recommended. Delany, who was ousted in August from HHS, said Kennedy has expressed strong interest in chemtrails. “This is an issue that really matters to MAHA,” said Delany, referring to the informal movement associated with Kennedy that is composed of people who are skeptical of evidence-based medicine. The memo also alleges that “suspicious weather events have been occurring and have increased awareness of the issue to the public, some of which have been acknowledged to have been caused by geoengineering activities, such as the flooding in Dubai in 2024.” Geoengineering refers to intentional large-scale efforts to change the climate to counteract global warming. “It is unconscionable that anyone should be allowed to spray known neurotoxins and environmental toxins over our nation’s citizens, their land, food and water supplies,” Delany’s memo states. Scientists, meteorologists, and other branches of the federal government say these assertions are largely incorrect. Some points in the memo are accurate, including concerns that commercial aircraft contribute to acid rain. But critics say the memo builds on kernels of truth before veering into unscientific fringe theories. Efforts to control the weather are being made, largely by states and local governments seeking to combat droughts, but the results are modest and highly localized. It isn’t possible to manipulate large-scale weather events, scientists say. Severe flooding in the United Arab Emirates in 2024 couldn’t have been caused by weather manipulation because no technology could create that kind of rainfall event, Maarten Ambaum, a meteorologist at the University of Reading who studies Gulf region rainfall patterns, said in a statement on the floods. Similar debunked claims emerged this year after central Texas experienced devastating floods. The Government Accountability Office concluded in a 2024 report that questions remain as to the effectiveness of weather modification. Research into changing the climate has been conducted, including work by one private company that engaged in field tests. Still, federal agencies say no ongoing or large-scale projects are underway. Study of the concept remains in the research phase. The Environmental Protection Agency says there are no large-scale or government efforts to affect the Earth’s climate. “Solar geoengineering is not occurring via direct delivery by commercial aircraft and is not associated with aviation contrails,” the agency says on its website. Widespread Misinformation Misperceptions about weather, climate control, and airplane contrails extend beyond the Trump administration, scientists said. In September, a congressional House committee hearing titled “Playing God With the Weather — A Disastrous Forecast” involved two hours of debate on the once-fringe idea. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who chaired the hearing, has introduced legislation to ban weather and climate control, with a fine of up to $100,000 and up to five years in prison. Marjorie Taylor Greene outside the Capitol in May 2024. Some Democrats objected to the nature of the discussion. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) accused Greene of using “the platform of Congress to proffer anti-science theories, to platform climate denialism.” Frequently citing chemtrails, GOP lawmakers have introduced legislation in about two dozen states to ban weather modification or geoengineering. Florida passed a bill to establish an online portal so residents can report alleged violations. “The Free State of Florida means freedom from governments or private actors unilaterally applying chemicals or geoengineering to people or public spaces,” GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a press statement this spring. Meanwhile, the chemtrail conspiracy has permeated popular culture. The title track on singer Lana Del Ray’s seventh studio album is entitled “Chemtrails Over the Country Club.” Bill Maher dove into the chemtrail myth on his podcast “Club Random,” saying, “This is nuts. It’s just nuts.” And “Chemtrails,” a psychological thriller, wrapped filming in July. Social media has given wing to the chemtrails concept and other fringe ideas involving public health. They include an outlandish belief that Anthony Fauci, who advised both Trump and President Joe Biden on the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic, created the AIDS epidemic. There is no evidence of such a link, public health leaders say. Related | EPA chief clashes with MAGA over weather conspiracies Researchers say another false belief by those on the far right holds that people who received covid vaccines could shed the virus, causing infertility in the unvaccinated. There is no evidence of such a connection, scientists and researchers say. More severe weather events due to global warming may be driving some of the baseless theories, scientists say. And risks occur when such ideas take hold among the general population or policymakers, some public health leaders say. Climate researchers, including Swain, say they’ve received death threats. Lee, the blogger, said he disagrees with some of the more far-fetched beliefs and is aware of the harm they can cause. “There are people wanting to shoot down planes because they think they are chemtrails,” said Lee, adding that some believers are afraid to venture outside when plane vapor trails are visible overhead. Related | RFK Jr. fails to solve yet another MAGA conspiracy There is also no evidence that plane contrails cause health problems or are related to intentional efforts to control the climate, according to the EPA and other scientists. The memo and focus at HHS on climate and weather control are alarming because they perpetuate conspiracies, said David Keith, a professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago. “It’s unmoored to reality,” he said. “I expected there were documents like this, but seeing it in print is nevertheless shocking. Our government is being driven by nonsensical dreck from dark corners of social media.”

It’s such a boring cliche to say that when it comes to President Donald Trump, every accusation is a confession. But just because it’s a cliche doesn’t mean it isn’t depressingly, grindingly, predictably true.  That’s why it should come as no surprise that Trump is planning on using the Internal Revenue Service to criminally target left-leaning groups. In some ways, the only surprise is that it took him this long to get around to it.  The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a Trump ally, Gary Shapley, is set to replace Guy Ficco, the career head of the agency’s criminal investigative unit. Shapley is making a list, which always bodes well, right? This is a list of liberal donors and left-leaning groups that Trump wants to go after, and Shapley is the guy to do it.  Shapley’s main achievement at the IRS before this was ceaselessly investigating Hunter Biden and styling himself a “whistleblower” for doing it. So, pretty much the perfect guy to oversee Trump’s ridiculously illegal attacks on his political opposition.  George Soros, founder and chairman of the Open Society Foundations Of course, of course, of course, the Journal reports that billionaire George Soros and groups affiliated with him are on the list. Last month, The New York Times reported that a senior Department of Justice official had drafted plans for multiple U.S. attorney offices to criminally investigate Soros’ Open Society Foundations.  What for, you might ask? Well, arson and material support of terrorism, of course!  That’s patent nonsense, an absurd attempt to connect any random act at a protest Trump doesn’t like to some vast shadowy organized leftist criminal rebellion, but there’s no one stopping Trump from doing this, so why not expand to using the IRS as well, right? And to be perfectly clear: Shapley is being turned loose to do criminal, not civil, investigations here.  Recall how much conservatives howled over the fact that the IRS under former President Barack Obama had the goddamn gall to carefully review the applications of conservative groups for tax-exempt status? Even viewed through the most uncharitable lens, the Obama administration subjected those groups to heightened scrutiny in the application process at most—and even that is debatable.  They pretended that was weaponization, but this is what it really looks like. This was the inevitable next step after Trump’s designation of antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. Sure, there’s no such thing as a domestic terrorist organization designation, and there’s no such thing as antifa as a defined group, but that’s the whole point: the definition is so deliberately mushy that it allows him to say any left-leaning group is terrorism.  Related | As IRS allows churches to endorse candidates, Texas pastors may gain political power At the same time, when it comes to conservative churches, the IRS has been ordered to stand down and no longer enforce the Johnson Amendment, which had prohibited them from endorsing candidates. Those organizations now get to keep their tax-exempt status while preaching right-wing endorsements from the pulpit, but on the other side of the aisle, not so much. Meanwhile, some folks like Vice President JD Vance and Sen. Mitch McConnell are going to have to update their talking points. And Ohio GOP Rep. Warren Davidson? This is not the time to be calling for the IRS to be closed because “It’s an agency that can be weaponized. And I think those kinds of agencies should just go away.”  Guys, weaponization is good now! All my cool dudes love weaponization! What’s the point of seizing all the levers of power if you can’t use them to prosecute the opposition? Please revise your rants at your earliest convenience and let Shapley get to work.

President Donald Trump wants Americans to know that after months of embracing royal rhetoric and referring to himself as “king,” he doesn’t think of himself as one.  Trump’s revelation came on the eve of the nationwide “No Kings” protests during an interview with Fox Business conspiracy theorist Maria Bartiromo that aired on Friday morning. x x YouTube Video Bartiromo asked him if he believed that the planned “No Kings” rallies are connected to the Republican-initiated government shutdown. “The king—this is not a king. They’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump replied. As is often the case, Trump was lying. It isn’t protesters who have referred to Trump as a king. In fact, the entire protest movement is about the notion that America is not a monarchy and that Trump does not have unchecked royal powers as he has so often asserted. The No Kings website explains that “The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.” Trump triggered much of the “no kings” rhetoric against him when the White House posted “long live the king” alongside a Photoshopped image of Trump wearing a crown in February. Trump also posted “he who saves his country does not violate any law” that same month, making it clear that he sees himself above the rule of law—like an out-of-control monarch. More recently, Trump has declared himself America’s “chief law enforcement officer,” which is a falsehood asserted to justify prosecuting his political detractors. Last week he even bragged that “we took the freedom of speech away,” which is a constitutional right of every American. Republicans have been attacking and smearing the “No Kings” protest movement nonstop, even absurdly asserting that the protests are violent with a “hate America” message and consist of “antifa-paid protesters.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has even repeatedly claimed that the movement was somehow responsible for the Republican’s government shutdown: “‘No Kings’ means no paychecks. No paychecks and no government.” It was already clear that Republicans feared “No Kings.” Trump’s decision to crawl away from his own rhetoric before a single protester has shown up to this new round of events speaks volumes about his weak standing on the issue of executive overreach.

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Moscow has accused Berlin of pursuing “re-nazification” and gearing up for war against Russia through its militarization drive Read Full Article at RT.com

A Russian war correspondent has been killed in a Ukrainian drone attack, his employer has said Read Full Article at RT.com

US President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton has been charged with mishandling classified documents Read Full Article at RT.com

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed the Ukraine conflict during their phone call on Thursday Read Full Article at RT.com

The IMF has urged nations not to impose “unhealthy” tariffs following Donald Trump’s new round of trade measures Read Full Article at RT.com

President Donald Trump held a press conference Thursday, where he boasted that his deal-making skills have helped him end an imaginary eight wars. “I know about deals,” Trump said when asked about an upcoming meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “I don't think any president’s ever ended a war, frankly. One war. I did eight of them.”  x x YouTube Video He didn’t, and he hasn’t. But that didn’t stop Trump from launching into a baseless attack on his predecessors.  “Did Bush ever end—do you think Biden ended a war? Biden started wars because he was stupid. But do you think Biden ended any wars? No, I don't think,” he said. Of course, Trump is wrong. President Joe Biden ended the war in Afghanistan, a conflict started by Republican President George W. Bush in 2001.  And Biden isn’t the only president who has ended a war. Richard Nixon ended the Vietnam War, Dwight D. Eisenhower ended the Korean War, Harry Truman ended World War II, Woodrow Wilson ended World War I, James Polk ended the Mexican-American War, and a guy named Abraham Lincoln ended a series of American wars. Then again, that’s nothing compared to Trump’s eight!

John Bolton—once President Donald Trump’s national security adviser and now one of his fiercest critics—has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Maryland, according to CNN. Bolton, who’s expected to turn himself in as early as Friday, is just the latest in a string of criminal cases involving figures who’ve crossed paths with Trump and landed in his political crosshairs. The FBI raided Bolton’s home and Washington-based office two months ago, seizing several folders labeled “confidential” and documents that reportedly referenced weapons of mass destruction, according to Politico.  John Bolton It’s still unclear whether the charges prosecutors are pursuing stem directly from what agents found. CNN also reports that Bolton allegedly shared highly classified information with his wife and daughter over email. Bolton, a former U.N. ambassador and longtime foreign policy hawk, has been one of Trump’s most outspoken detractors since leaving the administration. He called Trump unfit for office in his tell-all memoir and routinely blasted his handling of global affairs—making him a favorite target of the president’s wrath. Trump didn’t wait long to respond to the raid, calling Bolton a “sleazebag” and comparing the search to his own Mar-a-Lago ordeal. “It’s not a good feeling,” Trump told reporters. But his animosity toward Bolton isn’t new. Back in 2020, Trump told Fox News, “I believe that he’s a criminal, and I believe, frankly, he should go to jail” for allegedly mishandling classified information. Bolton’s legal team has rejected those claims. Attorney Abbe Lowell has said that Bolton committed no wrongdoing and that the seized materials were “ordinary records” for a former official to have. The timing of this case is hard to ignore, as it comes just weeks after the Justice Department brought charges against two other high-profile Trump foes: former FBI Director James Comey, who once ran the investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who went after the Trump Organization in a civil fraud case. Both have denied any wrongdoing, and critics argue that the wave of indictments points to a broader campaign of retribution. Former FBI Director James Comey According to ABC News, Bolton’s case is being run out of the U.S. attorney’s office in Maryland—unlike the Comey and James cases, which a Trump-appointed prosecutor is leading in Virginia. Reuters has also reported that some career prosecutors initially resisted moving forward, saying that more investigation was needed, but senior DOJ officials ultimately pressed ahead. The political stakes are obvious. Trump built his comeback campaign around punishing his perceived enemies, often leaning on the DOJ to act. Earlier this year, he even removed a federal prosecutor who he thought wasn’t acting fast enough against his opponents. Bolton, meanwhile, has already paid a price for speaking out. In January, Trump stripped him of his security clearance and Secret Service protection—a move widely seen as retaliation. The indictment is almost guaranteed to spark a fierce fight over whether the DOJ is upholding the law or caving to political pressure.  And for Bolton, it marks yet another collision course with the president he once served—a reminder of just how personal Trump’s pursuit of his critics has become.

A cartoon by Mike Luckovich. Related | Trump's minions waste millions of tax dollars on ads kissing his butt

A daily roundup of the best stories and cartoons by Daily Kos staff and contributors to keep you in the know. What the heil? Swastika found in House Republican's office. Weird how this kind of thing keeps happening to the GOP. Total coincidence! Trump plans to open door to more terror attacks in blue states But, you know, he’s ending crime, etc., etc. John Fetterman faces party plot to kick him to the curb Trump’s favorite Democrat might soon be on his way out. The GOP's Nazi problem has the House speaker flustered Being the party of Nazis is hard work, okay? Trump team claims national parks are 'thriving' amid GOP shutdown If by “thriving” you mean “more dangerous than ever.” Cartoon: Won't be needing these Miranda rights, schmiranda rights. Trump and Musk made up—so now some rich schmuck might land his dream job Nothing says “American values” like billionaires helping billionaires. Trump's bajillion-dollar fantasy We’d love to know who taught this man math. Australia, how dare you besmirch right-wing crackpot Candace Owens Well, that’s one country that has standards … Click here to see more cartoons.

The latest lucky ducks to learn they’ll be illegally paid during the GOP’s government shutdown are those terrorizing immigrants. Hey there, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents, come on down! HuffPost obtained an internal Department of Homeland Security memo showing that despite the federal funding lapse, the White House has ordered the agency to pay officers at ICE, Border Patrol, and Customs and Border Protection.  The memo appears to be light on details like “Where is this money coming from?” and “What is the legal justification for this?” Nonetheless, DHS is ensuring them “full and timely payments” for the entirety of the shutdown. In fact, just so the most fascistic federal employees don’t miss a cent, they’ve been promised the money (and back pay) no later than Oct. 22.  If you want any better symbol of how only President Donald Trump’s favorite employees are getting paid, the DHS staff required to cut checks will not be paid for their efforts until after the shutdown ends, according to one HuffPost source.  Well, maybe they get paid. The administration is plotting a way to ignore the law that requires furloughed federal workers to be paid when a shutdown ends. In other words, all those DHS payroll folks might get the privilege of working pro bono during the shutdown.  But who cares about them, right? America’s masked fascists at ICE and CBP will now join military troops, including the Coast Guard, in getting paid during the shutdown.  Is this illegal?  A protester is arrested by police and federal officers outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon, on Oct. 6. Folks, it is so illegal, and it is all just vibes. Trump has ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to coordinate with the Office of Management and Budget to “use for the purpose of pay and allowances any funds appropriated by the Congress that remain available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026 to accomplish the scheduled disbursement of military pay and allowances.” So, the president is directing the defense secretary to use whatever funds he feels like to pay the troops, regardless of the fact that Congress may have appropriated those funds for other things—and, of course, regardless of the fact there is a government shutdown and funding has lapsed.  The New York Times headline writers are not meeting the moment at all, reporting this as Trump “expanding his authority” to spend federal money without Congress. This is not a thing. The president doesn’t have this authority. There’s nothing for him to expand. This is just sheer lawlessness where Trump is singlehandedly deciding how all tax dollars are spent. It’s from the same playbook as his idea of taking the revenue he got from singlehandedly imposing illegal tariffs, and illegally shuffling it over to farmers, who are being hurt by … his illegal tariffs. Gotta keep them voting Republican!  It’s the same impulse behind DHS demanding that airports show Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s little propaganda video, in which she attacks Democrats for the GOP’s shutdown. The administration wants to tie shutdown pain to Democrats while saving its favored groups from any pain at all.   In another new and ominous development, Trump is claiming a “very wealthy” person offered to pick up the tab and pay troops during the shutdown.  Arguably, this is worse than Trump decreeing he can ignore congressional appropriations and the funding lapse, and use money however he wants. Linking the payment of the military to the purported largesse of some unnamed donor is some end-of-empire shit. The military should not be beholden to the whims of a random billionaire—but it’s something Trump is now discussing, even if he’s saying it won’t happen.  All of these are moves to consolidate the loyalty of the military and other favored groups under Trump. He, Trump, is the one who stood up for them, who made sure they got paid, all while the Democrats kept the government shut down. He, Trump, kept money in their pockets and food on their table and a roof over their family’s heads while the Democrats kept the government shut down.  What wouldn’t you do for a guy like that?

J.M. Smucker Company alleges Trader Joe’s product is a «copycat» of its popular Uncrustables treats