Tuesday News: “Hell’s already broken loose” in Gaza; Trump “threatens rule of law”; “Most Corrupt Start in History”; “Trump’s Slash-and-Burn Second Term”; “Constitutional crisis looms”; “The power of mass protests, strikes, stoppages, and boycotts”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, February 11. This morning, Robert Hubbell argues, ” Defenders of the rule of law are on a judicial winning streak. At the same time, it appears unclear whether Trump and Musk are complying with existing orders compelling them to cease their unlawful behavior…I believe those around Trump understand the consequences of “crossing the Rubicon” of disregarding court orders. But if it does get that far, I feel pretty good about the prospects of the American people in a political tug of war with Trump and Musk.” And Hubbell strongly recommends, “The power of mass protests, strikes, stoppages, and boycotts will be particularly potent in America. The US is the largest economy in the world because its markets are stable, its political climate is (relatively) corruption-free, and the rule of law is enforced.” So keep that in mind as you read the following, mostly disturbing, news…

• The Second Trump Administration Takes Aim at the Climate (“More than thirty actions and executive orders either boost fossil-fuel production or cripple programs that might reduce fossil-fuel use”)
• Two new studies suggest Paris climate goal is dead. One scientist is going even further
• Microsoft Study Finds AI Makes Human Cognition “Atrophied and Unprepared”
• Ukraine ‘may be Russian someday,’ Trump says ahead of Vance-Zelensky meeting (Insanity.)
• China’s Xi Is Building an Economic Fortress Against U.S. Pressure
• As USAID retreats, China pounces
• Trump says he may withhold aid to Jordan, Egypt if they don’t take in Palestinians (That aid is appropriated by CONGRESS!)
• Trump Issues Cease-Fire Ultimatum After Hamas Postpones Release of Israeli Hostages (Another weak, vague, non-descriptive headline by the NY Times. In fact, what Trump said was “Israel can override it, but from myself, Saturday at 12 o’clock, and if they’re not, they’re not here, all hell is going to break out.” That should be the HEADLINE!)
• Hamas brushes off Trump and insists all parties must be committed to ceasefire
• Israel pledges ‘relentless action’ to return hostages as Hamas rejects Trump’s ‘threats’
• Hostage Accounts Raise Alarm About How Long Those Left in Gaza Can Survive (“Recently released captives said they were kept underground for more than a year, were unable to stand or move and faced severe hunger.” Hamas is evil incarnate.)
• Despite New Threats, Gaza Truce May Survive. But Its Longterm Future Is Bleak.
• Hamas’ threat to delay the next release of Israeli hostages raises fears for Gaza ceasefire
• Trump warns ‘all hell is going to break out’ if Gaza hostages are not returned by Hamas (Good headline by AP)
• Trump will host Jordan’s King Abdullah II as he escalates pressure on his Gaza resettlement plan
• Trump faces showdown with Jordan over Gaza plan
• Canada vows swift retaliation to ‘unjustified’ Trump tariffs
• Trump announces fresh round of tariffs on steel and aluminum
• Trump’s Rage at Canada Just Got Worse—and Putin Is Quietly Celebrating (“As Trump’s threats toward Canada grow more worrisome, an expert in international relations explains why the Trump-Musk duo is doing exactly what Vladimir Putin has long hoped for—on multiple fronts.”)
• Canada’s Liberal party was left for dead, but Trump might have just given it a second chance
• Donald Trump’s Slash-and-Burn Second Term (“DOGE’s war on “waste” looks suspiciously like a war on science.”)
• Trump and Musk Only Know How to Do Two Things With Their Power (“Trump and Musk can’t imagine a government that actually does positive things for citizens. So they either weaponize it or destroy it.”)
• With firings and lax enforcement, Trump moving to dismantle government’s public integrity guardrails (Whoa, an actual CLEAR headline from AP??? Miracle!)
• Trump’s following his campaign promises, but they’re threatening the rule of law (“In his rush to wield vast power, the new commander in chief is gambling with global stability”)
• Analysis: As Trump team overhauls government, a constitutional crisis looms
• Trump’s Actions Have Created a Constitutional Crisis, Scholars Say (Great, although note how the NY Times hides behind the “scholars say” formulation instead of just saying this itself?)
• The Courts Blocked Trump’s Federal Funding Freeze. Agencies Are Withholding Money Anyway.
• The federal judge in Rhode Island said the Trump administration had failed to comply with his order unfreezing billions of dollars in federal grants. (Time for contempt of court – and arrests if the orders aren’t complied with.)
• Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Cuts to Medical Research Funding
• Elon Musk built his wealth from taxpayer-funded research — now he’s trying to destroy future science
• Judge extends freeze on Trump’s unprecedented plan to get millions of federal workers to resign
• Don’t expect the courts to save us from Donald Trump (“Courts are inherently reactive institutions. Trump always gets the first move.”)
• Outrage after JD Vance claims judges are not allowed to check executive power (Whatever Vance used to be, at this point he’s a fascist.)
• JD Vance’s latest pronouncement evokes a constitutional crisis (“As a lawyer, JD Vance should know better about judicial review” Vance should be disbarred immediately.)
• EU vows tough countermeasures to US tariffs
• Asked If Vance Is His Successor, Trump Says ‘No!’ (That must make Glenn Youngkin VERY happy!)
• Thune and Johnson vow to take DOGE spending cuts to the next level
• The big bet behind Chuck Schumer’s shutdown warning
• Democrats step up talk about using shutdown as leverage against Trump
• Senate Advances Gabbard, Signaling Quick Confirmation (Insanity. If she’s confirmed, what foreign country would EVER share intelligence with us again???)
• Trump ousts director of Office of Government Ethics (Trump’s administration has zero ethics, actually negative ethics…)
• Trump signs order pausing enforcement of foreign bribery ban (Wild corruption, illegality, criming…)
• The Door Is Wide Open for Foreign Cash to Infiltrate Trump 2.0
• Trump Green-Lights Bribery and Corruption With New Executive Order
• Trump’s Targets (“He promised revenge. Here’s who’s first on his list—and how they’re fighting back.”)
• As the Trump administration effectively shuts down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Fox News is near silent
• Congress should think twice about Kash Patel to lead the FBI (Maybe the WaPo should have loudly and repeatedly endorsed Kamala Harris while there was still time to head this off? Just spitballin’…)
• As Trump grabs power, GOP lawmakers sit on their hands
• Scoop: Trump planning to pardon Rod Blagojevich (More appalling lawlessness, corruption by Trump…)
• Trump pardons disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
• Exclusive | Elon Musk-Led Group Makes $97.4 Billion Bid for Control of OpenAI
• Tesla Is Elon Musk’s Soft Underbelly
• Elon vs. Sam: Top tech titans feud in bitter battle for AI’s future
• 19-year-old Musk surrogate has State Department email address
• The GOP Says They Love Elon. Privately, They’re Expressing Concerns.
• Scoop: FBI finds secret JFK assassination records after Trump order
• Justice officials tell prosecutors to drop charges against N.Y. Mayor Eric Adams (Total lawlessness by the MAGA Republicans. So much for “law and order!”)
• Push to Drop Adams Charges Reveals a Justice Dept. Under Trump’s Sway (Very weak headline by the NY Times.)
• DOJ Tells New York Prosecutors To Drop Corruption Charges Against Mayor Eric Adams (“Adams has been charged with bribery, fraud and and the solicitation of illegal foreign campaign donations.”)
• Trump Names Loyalist Interim Leader of Kennedy Center as He Strengthens His Grip
• Trump names loyalist Ric Grenell interim boss of Kennedy Center
• Trump signs order to bring back plastic straws claiming paper ones ‘explode’ (Trump is a combination of moronic and insane. Oh, and evil too…)
• FEMA says it’s halting payments for migrant housing in New York after Musk blasts money for hotels
• Mace Takes to House Floor With Charges of Rape and Sexual Predation (“The South Carolina Republican used her floor privileges to lodge shocking accusations against her former fiancé and three other men.”)
• Video: Ahead of Key Vote, Sen. Mark Warner Speaks on the Senate Floor to Oppose Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence (“A vote in favor of her confirmation is an endorsement of President Trump’s lawless efforts to hollow out our national security workforce”)
• Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08)’s Deputy Chief of Staff Aaron Fritschner Warns: “complacency, acceptance, and cowardice are powerful forces aiding those attacking our Constitution” (“We have to start calling this what it is.”)
• Virginia House, Senate and Governor’s 2025 budgets compared
• Commentary: The battle for reproductive rights in Virginia isn’t over
• Video: DPVA Chairwoman Susan Swecker Announces Her Decision to Step Down; Successor to Be Selected on March 22
• DPVA Chair Susan Swecker is stepping down
• Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Susan Swecker to step down (First article in the Virginia section on the WaPo website in 5 days. What a newspaper, huh? LOL)
• Controversial license plate reader bill survives Virginia Senate committee… for now
• Mark Rozell: For Youngkin, embracing Trump has consequences (More blather by Mark Rozell about how savvy Youngkin was politically in 2021, how he supposedly “kept Trump and his baggage at arm’s length,” blah blah blah…yuck.)
• Efforts to reform Virginia’s campaign finance laws have died again this year (Serious journalism wouldn’t just use the passive voice, in this case that the campaign finance reform effort “died,” but would explain how and why it was actively killed!)
• In Virginia, Democratic Lawmakers Clash With Youngkin Over RGGI Membership, Flood Relief (“The Democrats want back into the regional carbon market, while the governor favors using the last of the RGGI funding for a permanent disaster relief fund.”)
• VHSL reverses transgender athlete participation policy to align with Trump’s executive order
• Virginia Tech, other state research colleges brace for major cuts to federal grants
• South Hampton Roads mayors form regional coalition against collective bargaining
• Euthanasia rates decrease at Danville’s animal shelter, as opposing sides launch initiatives
• Editorial: Newport News misses grant but will continue to seek coal dust solution
• CWG Live updates: Snow arrives today, with difficult travel by tonight (“Snow develops between midday and late afternoon, and could accumulate 3 to 6 inches by early Wednesday, with higher amounts in southern areas.”)