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‘Meltdown’: Trump Fumes When Confronted With ‘Always Chickens Out’ Claim

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President Donald Trump’s tariff policy has been highly criticized, especially for his seemingly arbitrary, up and down, in-effect and paused actions, which have led the stock markets to rise and fall—providing little stability or reassurance to manufacturers and investors alike.

“Traders are loading up and dumping stocks based on Trump’s erratic approach to announcing tariffs and then retreating on them,” The New York Times reported on Wednesday.

McGill University Associate Professor Robert Rutledge, an astrophysicist, on Tuesday posted a screenshot from a New York Times article titled, “Stocks Rally on the ‘TACO Trade’,” which explained the phenomenon.

During Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony of Trump’s interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., former Fox host Jeanine Pirro, a reporter confronted the president with remarks from analysts who have dubbed his tactics “TACO,” or, “Trump Always Chickens Out.”

READ MORE: University Research OK Only if ‘In Sync’ With Trump Goals: Top Administration Officials

“Mr. President,” a reporter said (video below), “Wall Street analysts have coined a new term called the ‘Taco Trade.’ They’re saying Trump always chickens out on your tariff threats, and that’s why markets are higher this week. What’s your response to that?”

After some back-and-forth, the President admitted, “I’ve never heard that,” before growing defensive.

“You mean because I reduced China from 145%, that I set down to 100% and then down to another number, and I said, ‘You have to open up your whole country.’ And because, I gave the European Union a 50% tax tariff, and they called up, and they said, ‘Please, let’s meet right now. Please, let’s meet right now.'”

Trump claimed that “after I did what I did, they said, ‘We’ll meet anytime you want.'” And we have an end date of July 9th. You call that chickening out?”

He then lashed out at his predecessor, President Joe Biden, for not imposing high tariffs.

“Because we have $14 trillion now invested, committed to investing, when Biden didn’t have practically anything, Trump claimed, although there are few actual, finalized agreements.

“Biden, this country was dying,” Trump continued. “You know, we have the hottest country anywhere in the world. I went to Saudi Arabia. The king told me. He said, ‘You got the hottest—We have the hottest country in the world right now.'”

READ MORE: Why Does Congress ‘Even Exist?’: GOP Representative Blasted at ‘Hostile’ Town Hall

“Six months ago, this country was stone cold dead,” Trump alleged. “We had a dead country.”

“We had a country people didn’t think it was gonna survive, and you ask a nasty question like that?” he said, attacking the reporter. “It’s called ‘negotiation.’  You set a number. And if you go down, you know set a number at

After explaining his China policy, he again attacked, telling the reporter, “don’t ever say what you said. That’s a nasty question.”

“For me, that’s the nastiest question.”

Economist Justin Wolfers on Tuesday explained some of the ramifications of “TACO.”

“Those truck drivers … won’t have goods to truck across the country, they also won’t be stopping a gas stations to buy a sandwich. And then the sandwich demand falls off and on and on it goes. But I think it’s actually the effects are far deeper than that,” Wolfers explained.

“There’s an asset here that really matters called ‘American credibility.’ There was a time when the President opened his mouth when you had to pay attention, because you thought it meant something, that it was a shift in policy that other countries could rely on and respond to. That’s no longer the case.”

After specifically mentioning TACO, Wolfers continued with more examples. He noted, for example, “there’s a factory that could be built, except that one of the most important imports we get from the European Union is precision machinery. And that either just went up 50% or went up 10%, but no one can be sure.”

Critics blasted the President for his Oval Office remarks.

Democratic strategist Keith Edwards mocked Trump, saying that he “just learned Wall Street is calling his tariffs ‘TACO trade’ (‘Trump Always Chickens Out’) — and you have to watch his meltdown.”

The political action committee Really American called it “an insane moment,” noting that Trump had “a complete meltdown.”

“What’s hilarious about this whole thing is there has to be people in the admin who know about this stuff and everyone is afraid to tell him bad news,” noted Democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko. ” So we get to see him lose his s— for the first time live on tv.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: Paratroopers May Deliver Gift to Trump at Army’s 250th Birthday Parade

 

Image via Reuters

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‘Not Today Hegseth’: Dem Slams Defense Secretary as ‘Unfit to Lead’ in Fiery Exchange

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June 12, 2025

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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faced sharp criticism during Thursday’s House Armed Services Committee hearing after he declined to clearly state that Pentagon service members and civilian employees are not required to be supporters of President Donald Trump.

“Do you think political allegiance to Trump is a requirement for serving our nation, either in uniform or a civilian in the Department?” asked U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA).

“I’m incredibly proud as are millions of Americans—” the Secretary began to say.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,” interjected Congressman Carbajal. “Not today, Hegseth.”

READ MORE: ‘Changes Are Coming!’: Trump Appears Stunned to Learn Farms Rely on Undocumented Workers

“Yes or no,” he demanded.

“Congressman,” the Secretary replied, “you know what a silly question that is.”

“But silly enough. A very straightforward answer, yes or no,” the California Democrat insisted.

“We all support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” Hegseth declared.

“You know what? I’m not gonna waste my time anymore,” Carbajal announced. “You’re not worthy of my attention or my questions. You’re an embarrassment to this country, you’re unfit to lead, and there’s been bipartisan members of Congress that have called for your resignation.”

“You should just get the h— out and let somebody competently lead this department,” he continued.

Earlier, Congressman Carbajal chastised Hegseth for “refusing to take responsibility” for his actions.

READ MORE: ‘Mouthpiece for the Kremlin’: Rubio Scorched for ‘Russia Day’ Congratulations

“I didn’t think you were qualified before your confirmation, and you have done nothing to inspire confidence and your ability to lead competently,” Carbajal told Hegseth, who had been refusing to answer “yes” or “no” to several of his questions.

“You broke the law in sharing classified information,” he claimed, “and in doing so, endangered the lives of our service members that you are responsible for. Your inability to hold yourself accountable makes you incapable to lead, to lead,” he stressed. “This alone makes you unfit to be the Secretary of Defense.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘The Generals Stay Silent’: Experts Alarmed as Trump Politicizes Army at Fort?Bragg Rally

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‘Changes Are Coming!’: Trump Appears Stunned to Learn Farms Rely on Undocumented Workers

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June 12, 2025

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President Donald Trump acknowledged on Thursday that his aggressive and controversial immigration policies are stripping undocumented immigrants from the farming and agriculture workforce. Now, he declares, “Changes are coming!”

Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, reportedly at the direction of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, have been specifically targeting farms to detain and deport undocumented workers.

“The border is no longer the focus,” Reason reported Wednesday. “Now, the administration seemingly believes that the [immigration] crisis extends to nail salons, hardware stores, farms, and restaurants across the country, where undocumented immigrants who are peacefully exchanging labor for dollars are being targeted.”

The Trump administration “is ramping up immigration raids across the country, and farm workers are no longer being spared. Almost half of the more than 850,000 crop workers in the US are undocumented, the Department of Agriculture estimates,” according to Bloomberg News.

READ MORE: ‘Mouthpiece for the Kremlin’: Rubio Scorched for ‘Russia Day’ Congratulations

One raid at an Omaha, Nebraska, meat plant reportedly netted 70 detentions this week, and now the facility is operating with just one-third of its staff, Bloomberg reported.

President Trump may be hearing some of the many stories.

In a cryptic message on Thursday, he wrote: “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace. In many cases the Criminals allowed into our Country by the VERY Stupid Biden Open Borders Policy are applying for those jobs. This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!”

He did not provide any details.

Critics mocked Trump.

“The president of the United States is seemingly unaware that his administration recently ordered ICE to round up and deport immigrants who haven’t committed crimes … like those who work in tourism and agriculture,” observed MSNBC columnist Michael A. Cohen, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies.

“Breaking News,” snarked Spencer Hakimian, a hedge fund chief investment officer. “The guy that spent the first 70 years of his life in construction, hospitality, and entertainment, accidentally finds out that our entire labor force runs off of illegal immigration. Oops!”

READ MORE: ‘The Generals Stay Silent’: Experts Alarmed as Trump Politicizes Army at Fort?Bragg Rally

“Turns out,” California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote, “chasing hard working people through ranches and farms and snatching women and children off the streets is not good policy.”

But The New Republic’s Greg Sargent took a wider view.

“Trump just admitted that his mass deportations are bad for farmers and the economy, and crucially, also admitted that workers who are getting deported are ‘almost impossible to replace.’ That’s a massive repudiation of MAGA ideology,” Sargent wrote.

“It’s an enormous admission, both that his deportation policies are terrible *and* that he knows they’re awful politics for him,” he added.

“Every prominent Democrat in the country should jump on this immediately,” Sargent urged. “Enough b——- cowering on this issue. Get on this! Trump just handed you a massive weapon. Use it!”

READ MORE: Pride Month Purge: Pentagon Chief Defends Renaming USNS Harvey Milk and Trans Ban

 

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‘Mouthpiece for the Kremlin’: Rubio Scorched for ‘Russia Day’ Congratulations

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June 12, 2025

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is being sharply criticized for his message to the Russian people, congratulating them on “Russia Day.” While it is common for the Department of State to issue such proclamations to various nations, they are typically issued with a purpose—to inform, and to advance American interests, including democracy. Secretary Rubio appears to have chosen a different approach than his predecessors, ignoring the war crimes Russia stands accused of committing.

“On behalf of the American people, I want to congratulate the Russian people on Russia Day,” Rubio’s short statement begins.

“The United States remains committed to supporting the Russian people as they continue to build on their aspirations for a brighter future. We also take this opportunity to reaffirm the United States’ desire for constructive engagement with the Russian Federation to bring about a durable peace between Russia and Ukraine. It is our hope that peace will foster more mutually beneficial relations between our countries.”

By contrast, for example, during the Biden era, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made very clear in his 2022 message to the people of the Russian Federation what their President and government were actually doing.

READ MORE: ‘The Generals Stay Silent’: Experts Alarmed as Trump Politicizes Army at Fort?Bragg Rally

“Russian citizens, like people everywhere, deserve to live their lives free of repression and to be able to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms without fear of retribution,” Secretary Blinken wrote. “This includes being able to voice their opinions and peacefully participate in civil and political activities in their own country.”

Blinken accused the Kremlin of having “intensified its crackdown against civil society and independent media,” while lamenting that “many Russian citizens are behind bars for the ‘crime’ of speaking truth to power,” which he described as “internal repression.”

He also told them that the “Kremlin is waging an unprovoked and unjustified war against a sovereign, neighboring state. Russia’s government is attempting to keep its citizens in the dark about the atrocities it is committing against the people of Ukraine.”

“The Kremlin’s war, he continued, “has left Russia isolated internationally, and it is robbing Russian citizens of the possibility of building a better future in harmony with their neighbors.  This isolation is not inevitable, but results from the decisions of Russia’s leaders.”

The Atlantic Council, an American think tank, in February wrote: Russia stands accused of committing a vast array of crimes in Ukraine. Russians have allegedly engaged in the systematic targeting of Ukrainian civilians with the bombardment of civilian homes, infrastructure, churches, and schools. Alleged Russian crimes also include rape, torture, mass trafficking of adults and children, forcible disappearances, and the execution of surrendering Ukrainian soldiers.”

READ MORE: Pride Month Purge: Pentagon Chief Defends Renaming USNS Harvey Milk and Trans Ban

Critics blasted Secretary Rubio.

Calling the Secretary “just another mouthpiece for the Kremlin,” Professor of Economics Roman Sheremeta wrote that the “greeting from Marco Rubio on ‘russia day’ — a country waging a genocidal war against Ukraine — is an insult to the millions of Ukrainians who suffer daily from russian aggression.”

“Let’s be clear,” Professor Sheremeta continued, “this isn’t about ‘supporting the russian people.’ It’s about legitimizing a regime that kills, deports, tortures, and bombs civilians every day. A regime that is still committing genocide.”

Daily Beast columnist Julia Davis, a Russia expert, wrote that “Rubio’s State Department sending congratulations on Russia National Day and pining for better relations” was “an unusual way of condemning Russia’s invasion.”

Former Ukraine government official Olena Tregub is the co-founder of an anti-corruption non-governmental organization.

“A few months ago,” she wrote, “I got an email from Secretary of State Marco Rubio: our work was suspended – not in the U.S. national interest. Today, another email: congratulations to Russia on its National Day. As a Ukrainian, I got the message loud and clear.”

Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, asked: “Can you imagine the U.S. Secretary of State in 1943 congratulating Nazi Germany and wishing them a bright future?”

READ MORE: ‘In This House We Don’t Interrupt’: Democrats Smack Down Treasury Secretary

 

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