This is Trump world’s ongoing problem: they have to present themselves as populist heros, the outsiders who rode in on a patriotic wave and are now going to set all the corruption in government to rest. Elon Musk alone promised to ferret out $1 trillion in government waste — and so far he’s found an alleged $1 billion in waste. Ron Filipkowski points out that at the rate he’s going “it will take him a couple of hundred years,” to fulfill his promise. And by that time Trump will be close to 280 years old, what, could that be a problem?
So Kristi Neom had an enlightening conversation with Dana Bash this weekend and then things really went downhill for Noem. How can they go downhill for a puppy murderer? Good question, but if anybody can manage to do it, it is Noem. “Kristi Noem was asked on CNN why she wasn’t concerned about Musk’s DOGE Bros having access to everyone’s data. Dana Bash: “I remember a time when Republicans were very careful about the government having access to personal data.” Noem: “Well, we can’t trust the government anymore.” Bash: “You are the government.”
Republican is one thing, MAGA is something altogether different. This transcript is from an article, “Kristi Noem’s Brain Melts While She Tries To Defend Elon Musk.”
Noem gave America a dose of the sort of intellect that is now running government agencies on Sunday when she tried to defend Elon Musk.
Things quickly went downhill:
BASH: So, yes, they have access?
NOEM: I think it’s important. This is essentially an audit of the federal government, which is very powerful and needs to have happened.
That agency — and one of the things I have been very clear to the appropriators in the Senate and the House is, please give me the authority to reprogram funds. There’s funds that are going…
BASH: Right, but that’s different from him having access to personal data that is housed inside DHS.
NOEM: The president has authorized him to have access to that.
BASH: And you feel comfortable with that?
NOEM: Absolutely.
BASH: I remember a time when Republicans were very careful about and worried about the government, particularly unelected people, having access to personal data.
NOEM: Well, we can’t trust our government anymore. That’s our — yes, oh, absolutely.
Gee whiz, it’s hard to remember to update the talking points! Damn! A few short months ago the government was utterly corrupt and had to be replaced toute suite but now everything’s coming up roses.
What a bummer to actually be in front of a microphone. It’s so much easier to just be out there at the southern border on horseback, looking like you’re doing something official and important.
Noem is a weak link in a cabinet full of nothing but weak links. I still go with my initial prediction, which is that if anybody in the cabinet flames out spectacularly, it will be Pete Hegseth. And Noem needs to take a page from Hegseth’s book and make sure that the only press people she has around are people who are favorable to her. That’s step one. Here’s Pete showing us how.
The Pentagon just announced that it would double the number of news organizations removed from physical offices to make room for MAGA propaganda media outlets.
OUT: The New York Times, Politico, NPR, The Washington Post, CNN, NBC, The Hill, The War Zone
IN: Breitbart, The New… pic.twitter.com/pmTwb3iLg0
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 8, 2025
Strange list. It’s very odd that The War Zone is out. That’s a fascinating outlet. They write about planes, aircraft carriers, interesting technology. But I guess that’s all passe now. As to the people coming in, I wonder how Huffington Post got on this list along with the right-wing crazies? And the Washington Examiner has an admittedly right-wing editorial slant but they used to get the basic facts straight. Does Hegseth know that? Maybe he wanted to give credentials to the Moony paper, the Washington Times?
IN: Breitbart, The New York Post, The Washington Examiner, OAN, Newsmax, HuffPost, The Free Press, The Daily Caller
And where does Alex Jones fit in with all this? Enquiring minds want to know. Make careful note of this now: corruption in government has never been higher yet the press is getting progressively more shackled by the day.
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I’d I off act is running this administration. I think you have to flunk an I.Q. test to.get a job in it.
Gillian, I regret that I do not understand your first sentence. Who “is running this administration”? Can you write “I’d I off act” in some other way so that I understand it? Thank you.