All Hail Emperor Donnie

Posted: June 13, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The “Claw” and “Octagon” on the South White House lawn in preparation for a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) event on Sunday 14 June. (Bloomberg/via Getty Images)

This is where we are in Trump’s America. While a war of choice continues with Iran, and the president for the 39th time — according to multiple media sources that track such things — promises that a “deal” to stop the war will happen in a day or two, the nation is subjected to a spectacle on the White House lawn. A cage fight. Ostensibly this is in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but do not be fooled. This is a money making project staged in front of the People’s House that Trump thinks he owns. It is happening tomorrow because it is Trump’s 80th birthday Flag Day. What a coincidence!

First, let’s get our nomenclature correct. This is part of the Freedom 250 celebration — the one commemorating the anniversary, right? Wrong. Freedom 250 is the “official” Trump public-private organization putting together events surrounding the 250th anniversary. (Trump has trademarked the “Trump 250” logo because of course if there is money to be made, he wants in.) The actual, bipartisan, official celebration is America 250 which is a congressionally chartered, non-profit foundation created in 2016 to plan for the semiquincentennial. Unfortunately, under the current administration, about 103 million taxpayer dollars have been diverted to support Freedom 250 from the original 126 million allocated to support America 250. In other words, about 80 percent of the money intended for celebrations commemorating our founding was diverted to Trump’s pet projects honoring him. This includes a campaign-style rally on the national mall for his MAGA supporters on 24 June after the slate of singers scheduled to perform backed out after they realized that the event was for Freedom 250 rather than the bipartisan America 250.

Trump thinks that the celebration of our nation’s founding is really all about him. A great branding opportunity for his burgeoning autocracy. Corporate and individual donations have been collected for Freedom 250. To name a few, they include Amazon, Boeing, Palantir, Deloitte, Lockheed Martin, and United Airlines. Oh yeah. They also coincidentally have large contracts with the U.S. government. Additionally, for donations of a million or more, individuals can buy “VIP” access to Trump, federal buildings and exclusive events. For the UFC fight, special access tickets are going between 1 and 1.5 million dollars. Plastered around the White House lawn and the Lincoln Memorial (where the official weigh-ins were held today because I am sure that President Lincoln was a great UFC fan) are signs for Crypto.com (Trump is a partner), Bud Lite (America!) Polymarket, Monster Energy, a nicotine pouch brand, a blockchain company, a grill manufacturer, a personal-injury law firm and more. All to honor the Founding Fathers, or something. Of course the taxpayers are on the hook for supporting the massive logistics needed to pull off the event including security, law enforcement, first responders, traffic control and all the other requirements to support what has officially been designated as a Special Event Assessment Rating 1 (SEAR-1). This is the same level of security as the Super Bowl and is only exceeded by a Presidential Inauguration. This requires extensive intelligence coordination, security screening and multi-agency planning. All at taxpayer expense. But at least attendees will get a good look at the hole in the ground that used to be the East Wing.

But wait, there’s more! Trump owns stock in UFC’s parent company TKO which he purchased just before the event was announced. The “free” event for the American people has exclusive licensing from Paramount, which is broadcasting the entire thing. All real Americans can watch it on pay-per-view for the low, low price of $8.99 (the price to stream Paramount + for one month because this is not traditional pay-per-view) or for $27.49 to watch it on the big screen in an AMC theater. Public land for private profit — the new definition of public-private partnership?

I will not be watching but I am curious to hear how the entire extravaganza unfolds under the forecasted heat, humidity and thunder storms. Nothing says safety like a 600 ton steel monument reaching 92 feet into the sky with lightning in the air. And the bugs. That stage will be a beacon for all of the flies, mosquitos, no-see-ums and other denizens of the night from miles around. A veritable insect smorgasbord.

It is unclear to me whether Trump and his billionaire “bros” somehow think that they are in ancient Rome and in need of spectacles to keep the masses happy or if they prefer to liken themselves to some 20th century European leaders that used national exhibitions to underline their grip on power. Or is this the advent of a new business model where Trump and his billionaire friends profit off of taxpayer dollars? Note that according to the good government group Public Citizen, fourteen known contributors to Trump’s ballroom won over 50 billion dollars in government contracts over the last six months. Sixteen of the donors faced federal enforcement initiatives that have been dropped or suspended by this administration. This is taking corruption to an entirely new level.

There were some bright spots — in a grotesque kind of way — this week. The 14 million dollar rework of the Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln and Washington monuments reopened and immediately hosted an algae bloom of large proportions. Trump blamed it on Biden. Finally, this morning, Trump’s name came down off the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It was done behind a tarp and in the cover of darkness because that is what most of Trump’s dealings entail.

With all of these shenanigans, I can only think of what all of that money could buy for kids who are hungry or for healthcare for those that need it.

The Grifter-In-Chief: A Sampling

Posted: May 10, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The official poster unveiled in the Oval Office on 11 April 2026 announcing the UFC Freedom 250, an upcoming mixed martial arts event from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). It is scheduled to take place on June 14, 2026, (Trump’s birthday) on the South Lawn of the White House in “honor” of our country’s 250th celebration of the Declaration of Independence. There will be 5,000 seats on the White House grounds of which most will allegedly go to members of the military. There will also be “High Roller VIP” tickets for the grounds that can be had for a bribe of 1.5 million dollars. The plans include space for 80,000 more spectators to watch the fights on big screens on the Ellipse. Nothing says “America!” like a cage fight in the eight sided fenced enclosure known as the Octagon.

True to his reputation as the Grifter-in-Chief, Trump is putting his name on sesquicentennial celebrations and commemorative souvenirs meant to celebrate our nation’s historic celebration. However, it only goes along with all of the other attempts he made or is working on to leave his brand on much of the federal government. If you consider yourself an Emperor, then you deserve to have great monuments built in your honor. It doesn’t matter if you have what some might describe as grotesque taste — certainly tacky comes up short — because you are the knower of all things. For those that may have not been keeping track, here in no particular order, are some of the things Trump has “branded” without our consent, and usually using taxpayer dollars.

  • Passports. The State Department will begin issuing passports with Trump’s face filling the inside page and sporting his signature in gold. Alas, it will only be available to those renewing their passports in person in Washington D.C.
  • National Park Passes. George Washington now shares his image with a picture of Trump on The National Park Service’s annual America the Beautiful park pass. The Park Service had to amend its rules to prohibit the many pass holders from “defacing” the cards by putting wildlife pictures, smiley faces or other types of additions to cover Trump’s face.
  • Commemorative Coins. A 24-karat coin featuring Trump was approved by the Department of the Treasury and will celebrate our 250th birthday. I suppose it is because he was so instrumental in the founding of our country.
  • U.S. Currency. Trump’s signature will appear on paper currency, as announced by the Department of the Treasury to honor the “historic achievements” he has made. It will be the first time in American history that a sitting president’s name appears on actual money. There are also plans for a Trump one dollar coin to be minted with his face on it.
  • Giant Portraits. There are multi-story sized banners on multiple U.S. federal buildings featuring Trump including the Department of Labor, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice.
  • Renamed Buildings. Trump added his name to the Kennedy Center (his comes first, of course) and put his name (first) on the Institute of Peace. The Palm Beach International Airport is renamed for Trump, with his companies having exclusive control over many aspects of the commercial enterprises there, copyrighted use of his initials, and exclusive merchandising rights for airport items sold outside the terminal.
  • Immigration. Trump Gold Cards, Trump Corporate Gold Cards and Trump Platinum Cards are available to wealthy individuals and organizations that allows them privileges in the U.S. not available to other immigrants if they pay a bribe large fee to attain them.
  • Trump Class Battleships. This spring Trump announced a new class of ships for the U.S. Navy that will be named for Trump. The cost for one ship is estimated at 17 billion dollars. Rumors indicate that the recently fired Secretary of the Navy was let go because the program was moving too slowly for Trump’s liking. (I seriously doubt this particular ship will ever be built.)
  • Prescription Drugs. TrumpRx is a new website meant to help lower the cost of prescription drugs. Drugs are not directly sold on the website but rather directly from the supplier. Insurance cannot be used to buy them.
  • Investment Accounts. Beginning on 4 July, 2026 newborns can receive one thousand dollars from the U.S. Treasury to invest. The investments are known as Trump Accounts and parents can match the deposit up to five thousand dollars per year. The newborn must be a U.S. citizen and the program ends on 31 December, 2028. Some experts worry this is the beginning of privatizing Social Security.
  • East Potomac Golf Course. The busiest and most affordable public golf course in the District of Columbia is being taken over by Trump to make it “a world class course.” What this means to the average citizen is still unclear. It is the most popular course in the District for the public. The National Links Trust — a non-profit — signed a fifty year lease to run the park in 2020. Trump cancelled it. Currently, 37,000 cubic yards of toxic waste from the destruction of the East Wing is being dumped on the grounds in piles that golfers must navigate around.
  • The Garden of Heroes. Trump intends to take over significant areas of public parks along the District waterfront to build his park that will contain 250 statues of great Americans. This will mean taking over areas traditionally used by families and communities for recreation, picnics and other normal uses for a park such as pickup soccer games.
  • The Arc de Trump. The proposed 250 foot high triumphal arch would be built at the end of the Memorial Bridge and block the view between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. It was to be completed in time for the 250th celebration but construction is now uncertain.
  • Lincoln Monument Reflecting Pool. Trump issued a no-bid contract to his golf course “pool guys” to refurbish the reflecting pool between the Washington and Lincoln Memorials. He says it cost about two million dollars but numerous reports indicate it may be as high as 6.9 million dollars. He had it painted “American Flag Blue” so that now it looks like a giant swimming pool. Oh. Yeah. He drove his motorcade through the pool. Not to it. Not around it. Through it. To “inspect.” His limousine — the Beast — alone weighs 8-10 tons. He had a full motorcade. One wonders what all that weight did to the joints between slabs that were just repaired.
  • Air Force One. The Qatari luxury 747 given to Trump — apparently not to the U.S. — to use as his new Air Force One has been upgraded to meet security standards at a cost of 400 million dollars. Trump plans to keep it after he leaves the presidency.

Now for the pink elephant sucking all of the oxygen out of the room — Trump’s desecration of the People’s House which he thinks he owns. His “maximalist” style of decorating means gold trim all over the inside and outside of the White House. Everywhere. It was not enough to destroy the Rose Garden (the area is now called the “Rose Garden Club”) and making it look like a patio at most nice motels. He has put up gold graphics to name rooms and the doors are now decorated with medallions depicting his face. The dignified Oval Office looks like a gussied up New Orleans brothel (with no intent to insult New Orleans or brothels). He has placed life sized statues around the White House grounds, perhaps a preview of his Garden of Heroes. He created a “Presidential Walk of Fame” with biographies that praise his favorite presidents and denigrates and defames those he does not like.

Of course we need to talk about the ballroom designated to take the place of the already demolished East Wing. Originally it would cost 200 million dollars all paid for by “donors.” Then it went to 400 million dollars with no taxpayer money needed. Now Congress is preparing a bill that will allocate one BILLION dollars for the ballroom. Possibly in addition to the previously mentioned 400 million. They try to justify it based on national security claiming it will be a secure space for all presidents into the future to use without concern. One might ask why, if Trump is that worried about his safety that he has to have a fort separating himself from the public, does he go outside to play golf at one of his resorts nearly every weekend? (At taxpayer expense.) This may be the biggest boondoggle in the history of these United States. It is clearly meant to be monument to himself that will make future generations think that he was one great man. His actual legacy is in danger so he must create his own. At our expense. One billion dollars. But no money for starving kids, healthcare, helping the needy or making sure our schools are the best.

If you need any further proof of what he thinks of himself, take a look at this.

The 22 foot tall statue of Trump at his golf course in Florida. He claims via Truth Social that it is “The Real Deal — GOLD — At Doral In Miami” when in fact it is bronze with a gold coating. Last week a group of evangelical pastors blessed it and dedicated it. There is another such statue at Mar-A-Lago. (Photo: Adam Schupak/Golfweek)

Can I get an Amen?