Happy Wednesday, Democrats. Welcome back to our #TrumpCheck series, the LACDP's weekly newsletter that holds the Trump administration accountable for its lies, deception, self-serving actions, and crimes.
The news cycle seems to be moving faster and faster these days, with the United States seemingly entering and then exiting a war in the same week. Donald Trump seems to have a new perspective on happenings in the Middle East from minute-to-minute, according to his Truth Social account.
For someone who constantly critiqued Former President Biden's handling of foreign conflicts all over the globe, Trump seems to be mangling the United States' soft power across the planet, including at this week's NATO summit. In light of the mess he is making with American foreign affairs, we are here today to debunk the lies that he and his cronies are spreading now about national security.
- When speaking about concerns about Iranian counter-attacks on American soil, Vice President JD Vance said that “We’re doing everything that we can to keep our people safe." A White House statement confirmed that the "United States stands ready to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats or attacks."
FACT: The allocation of resources to counterterrorism efforts directly rebuts this claim. Not only did Trump fire the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command in April, but thousands of F.B.I. officials typically tasked with cybersecurity or counterintelligence assignments have been reassigned to assist I.C.E. with immigration enforcement and raids. 2,000 Justice Department agents have also been reassigned to work with I.C.E, abandoning other law enforcement duties with the U.S. Marshals Service, the DEA, and the Bureau of ATF.
- In a joint press conference with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte, (who, bizarrely enough, referred to Trump as 'Daddy') Trump declared his belief that the Iranian nuclear program has been set back 'decades' by the bombings on nuclear development sites over the last few days. Of rebuilding the Iranian nuclear program, he said, "I don't think they are ever going to do it again."
FACT: Sources close to the findings of an early report from the Pentagon cite that the development of nuclear weapons could be set back by "only a few months." As reported by BBC, it is the intelligence that requires "a level of extremely high specialist scientific knowledge" that has not been destroyed, despite Israeli attempts to assassinate scientists with knowledge of the construction steps.
- When asked about how American's should feel about the state of national security, in light of conflicts in the Middle East, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said "Trust in President Trump. President Trump has incredible instincts, and President Trump kept America and the world safe in his first term."
FACT: Donald Trump's 'incredible instincts' have led him to appoint a 22-year-old former gardener and grocery clerk to run a division of the Department of Homeland Security. Thomas Fugate, who finished college last year, is now tasked with preventing hate-fueled attacks, school shootings, and other forms of targeted violence for The Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships.
“Like putting the intern in charge,” said a counterterrorism researcher close to the CP3 program.
Really, Donald? 'Incredible instincts' at work.
The attacks from Trump and his administration may seem like they are coming from all directions, but it is the strength of our communities that will carry us through.
However you show up in your neighborhood this week, donating to a mutual aid fund for detainees, reporting an ICE sighting, circulating 'Know Your Rights' information, planning your sign for the July 17th 'No Kings' protest, or simply checking in on your neighbors, it takes all of us to fight Trump's authoritarian attack on our home.
The first step in fighting back against the Trump administration is setting the record straight; correcting misinformation is a job for us all. If you had this email forwarded, you can sign up for the #TrumpCheck newsletter here.
Stay safe, stay strong, and keep up the good fight, Democrats.
We'll be back at defending the truth next week. Until then, stay tuned to our social media channels, linked below, for updates on the LACDP's fight against Trump.
In Solidarity,
Team LACDP
