Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a one-two punch to FBI Director Kash Patel, who appeared at a budget hearing without bringing a budget.

“It was due last week, by law,” Senator Murray explained during Thursday’s hearing.

“I understand,” Director Patel replied.

“And your answer is I should just understand you’re not gonna follow the law?” Murray asked.

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“My answer is that I am following the law, and I’m working with my interagency partners to do this and get you the budget that you are required to have,” Patel responded.

“And you have no timeline?” Murray asked.

“No,” Patel replied.

“Hmm,” said Murray. “Well, we also need a full budget request, not a single paragraph full of wild talking points that we saw with the skinny budget proposal. We’re now having a budget hearing, without a budget request. So, Director Patel, where is the FY2026 budget request for the FBI?”

“It’s, uh, being worked on, ma’am,” was Patel’s response.

“Have you reviewed it? Have you approved it?” Murray asked.

The back and forth continued, with Patel ultimately declaring, “I’m doing the best I can. I can’t make up answers, I’m gonna commit to you to work on getting you the information you need.”

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“Well, that, that is insufficient and deeply disturbing,” Murray responded.

But the six-term Democratic Senator did not stop there.

Taking to social media, Murray blasted Patel again.

“Kash Patel, the conspiracy theorist that Republicans made FBI Director, came to a Senate hearing on the budget—with NO budget, NO timeline, and NO clue,” Senator Murray wrote atop video of her exchange with the FBI Director. “It’s downright incompetent, and it’s making America less safe. We need serious leadership at the FBI.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

MURRAY: It was due last week. By law.

PATEL: I understand.

MURRAY: You’re not gonna follow the law? … And you have no timeline?

PATEL: No

MURRAY: Hmm. We’re not having a budget hearing without a budget request. So where is it? pic.twitter.com/wS0lxG09EG

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 8, 2025

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Economic and political experts are panning President Donald Trump’s tariff “deal” with the UK, saying it doesn’t live up to his hype.

The President teased out the announcement Wednesday, at first not mentioning the alleged deal was with the UK.

“Big News Conference tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M., The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!!”

At 5:42 AM, building up the excitement, he dropped this post: “This should be a very big and exciting day for the United States of America and the United Kingdom. Press Conference at The Oval Office, 10A.M. Thank you!”

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Except the United Kingdom did not appear to agree.

“Until as recently as this week, British officials remained skeptical that a deal would be signed off imminently, and some were taken by surprise by Trump’s announcement,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “Some trade observers expected more of an outline than a fully hashed-out deal.”

Critics were quick to dismiss the President’s deal as lacking in substance.

“Trump’s so called ‘trade deal’ with UK is just like his ‘great’ healthcare plan: It’s the CONCEPT of a plan,” declared SiriusXM host Dean Obeidallah. “LITERALLY. Per reporting if you read past the headlines There is no deal – just a framework to start talks. But Trump knows the sheep of corporate media will cover this as a deal. It’s not.”

The Journal also noted that “U.K. officials said the pact won’t be a comprehensive trade agreement and will instead focus on reducing tariffs in specific sectors. They said some details remain yet to be finalized, which could mean further talks in the future.”

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Bloomberg UK’s political editor Alex Wickham framed it this way: “UK providing a polite reality check to Trump’s posts about a ‘full and comprehensive’ deal UK-US deal will set out general terms of agreement: UK official Will set framework for further negotiations: UK official Focused on specific sectors, not traditional FTA: UK official.”

And doubling down, WSJ added that the “expected pact will be a far cry from the comprehensive trade deal Downing Street previously sought to negotiate with the U.S. after Britain quit the European Union a few years ago.”

Calling it “a photo op, with little macroeconomic significance,” Professor of Economics and Public Policy Justin Wolfers offered this explanation:

“Trump’s “big” trade deal is with the UK:
– It’s a framework not a deal
– They’re our 11th largest trading partner
– They’re only 3% of US trade (97% to go)
– They *already* charge average tariffs of only 1% (limited upside)”

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden commented, “About 2 percent of our imports come from Great Britain. So put me down as kind of skeptical that there is much there, there.”

Hedge fund founder and chief investment officer Spencer Hakimian observed: “So after 4 weeks of negotiating with our closest ally, whom we run a *trade surplus* with, all we were able to accomplish was a continuation of the 10% tariff rate with them? How are we going to possibly negotiate anything substantive with China, Europe, Mexico, Vietnam, Taiwan, etc.? The gimmick president doing gimmicky things. And meanwhile our economy will pay the price for his desire to see himself on TV.”

Brendan Duke, a self-described “Tax/budget nerd” for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) noted: “The Liberation Day reciprocal tariff on UK imports was 10% and it’s now going to be 10%. Art of the Deal folks.”

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Image via Reuters

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has specifically directed State Department officials to pressure countries challenged by President Donald Trump’s global tariff war to approve deals with Starlink, the satellite internet company led by top Trump donor Elon Musk, according to an exclusive Washington Post report.

“As the government of Lesotho negotiates a trade deal with the United States, it hopes that licensing Starlink demonstrates goodwill and intent to welcome U.S. businesses,” an internal State Department memo obtained by the Post states.

Lesotho is one of more than a half-dozen nations that have approved or are in the process of approving deals with Starlink in efforts to fend off President Trump’s tariffs. There are two distribution deals in India, and “at least partial accommodations with Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Vietnam,” likely among others.

One State Department cable signed by Secretary Rubio was an “action request” that cited Starlink “by name” and argued that “U.S. government advocacy is essential to maintain and extend their global ‘first-mover’ advantage.”

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The documents that the Post obtained “do not show that the Trump team has explicitly demanded favors for Starlink in exchange for lower tariffs.” But the direct pressure campaign comes “at a moment when the White House is calling for wide-ranging talks on trade.”

One of the people briefed by officials in India told the Post, “It’s not likely to be an explicit element of the trade negotiations with the U.S., but the Indian side sees this as an important lubricant that facilitates a deal.”

The U.S. Department of State did not appear to deny efforts to support and promote Starlink.

“Starlink is an American-made product that has been game-changing in helping remote areas around the world gain internet connectivity,” the State Dept. said in a statement. “Any patriotic American should want to see an American company’s success on the global stage, especially over compromised Chinese competitors.”

Growing adoption of Musk’s Starlink had not previously gone unnoticed.

Last week, in a letter to President Trump, Democratic lawmakers called for an investigation into Elon Musk’s Starlink deals, accusing the billionaire of “the possibility of self-dealing” while in government, NBC News reported. “13 senators led by Mark Warner, D-Va., wrote that Starlink seemed to make sudden breakthroughs this year in at least five countries that previously resisted giving the company footholds there.”

The lawmakers alleged that “Musk is reportedly taking advantage of his government role to coerce concessions from foreign governments for his own benefit, including unfettered market access as well as contracts with his companies, in exchange for favorable treatment by the U.S. government.”

And last month, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow (video below), citing a Wall Street Journal report, noted that “Vietnam has been trying to fend off harsh treatment under Trump’s tariffs by number one, buying American jets. Number two, allowing the Starlink Internet service that’s owned by Donald Trump’s top campaign donor, Elon Musk, to operate inside their country.”

“And number three, here’s the kicker: Vietnam also ‘decided to accelerate the approvals for a $1.5 billion Trump resort in Vietnam.'”

Meanwhile, critics are speaking out over the State Department’s reported role.

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“More evidence of President Trump’s soft corruption,” claimed the X account for Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats. “Trump is using his power to enrich himself and his friends — allowing Elon Musk to use the State Department as a salesforce for Starlink globally.”

The X account for House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats added, “And there it is. Trump is telling Americans to pay more and buy less because of his reckless tariffs, @SecRubio is apparently leveraging them to make Elon Musk richer. This looks like one big grift for Trump and his MAGA billionaire backers.”

The Atlantic’s David Frum remarked: “The second Trump administration is the most corrupt presidency in American history, more corrupt than the next runner-up: the first Trump administration.”

“This is a huge new scandal,” alleged U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX). “Trump and Musk are using tariffs as leverage to get other countries to buy from Musk’s companies. Working families pay $4,000+ more a year so Musk gets new deals. They get richer. Everyone else gets screwed.”

“Everything is a shake down,” charged former prosecutor, public defender, and Democratic Media consultant David Doak.

“This is what a corrupt oligarchy looks like,” wrote Melanie D’Arrigo, VP of legislation for the NY National Organization for Women.

Public Citizen, the progressive consumer advocacy group and think tank, wrote that “Trump is using official trade policy to promote Musk’s satellite business Starlink. This is a glaring conflict of interest. Government policy should be designed to benefit the American people, not abused for personal tech bro profiteering.”

“Corruption pure and simple!” exclaimed Michael Nelson, a self-described tech policy wonk.

“Clearly the best way for countries to evade tariffs is by licensing Starlink and paying for it in Trump meme coins,” snarked The Bulwark’s Sam Stein.

Jonathan Cohn, the policy director for the nonprofit Progressive Mass called it “shameless mob-boss corruption.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

ICYMI — Maddow on the WSJ saying Vietnam is looking to let in Musk’s Internet company Starlink and Greenlight a $1.5 Billion Trump resort to get favorable tariff treatment.

Almost like this was always the point. The Golden Age of Corruption. pic.twitter.com/PpdqPPijXc

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) April 20, 2025

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Image via Reuters