Belligerent Brie-fing: Feb 3, 2025

Politicians call it a 'constitutional crisis', but if the coup fits...

This is a sneak peak of the Belligerent Brie-fing, which will be available to paid subscribers only in the future: the format is headlines only, for the broad picture and scope of rapid changes, and infused throughout with vulgarity, commentary and honest reactions to the news as I consume it. Please enjoy :)

It's 6:31am in Phoenix. I got the notebook out early because I really think this will be an insane day for history.

Global markets are expected to take a HIT. We'll see.

• Elon Musk says he and Trump are shutting down USAID

→ More than tariffs, I worry *THIS* will crash the markets

• Canadians cancel trips, ban American booze after Trump tariffs

YOU GO CANADA :)

• Musk says DOGE is halting Treasury payments to US contractors

*Continued Arguments on the Merits of the Unitary Executive Theory, which started in the Reagan era.*

I was listening to the Advisory Opinions podcast with Sarah Isgur and David French… Sarah had her old professor on the show, but I can’t remember his name; anywho, he confirmed that the people working for Trump (in particular, the ones writing policy) believe in this theory and are openly looking for challenges to their actions so they can take it to the Supreme Court, because they believe they have a fair chance of a favorable ruling. Not sure if I find that certifiably insane or incredibly brilliant… I guess time and the court will tell.

• 8:35am - Markets Tumble as Trump Tariffs Loom

→ 1.8% down so far on S&P 600

12:40pm → LAWD

• Trump orders creation of US sovereign wealth fund, says it could buy TikTok

→ You know what's crazy about this? It low-key sounds like it *could* be beneficial, you know? Publicly-owned social media is desperately needed... like, I said myself that this country would be so much better if we had a means of communication that wasn’t affected by corporate interest, right? BUT NOT THIS PRESIDENT… This is not the guy doing something for the benefit of the people. IF he actually makes something to help the people, it will also be a means to control them.

• Rubio announces he's acting director of USAID as Musk and Trump work to dismantle the agency

…dafuq?

• Vance defends Trump's DEI comments after DC plane crash: Trump 'wasn't blaming anybody'

→ BULLSH*T... blatant fucking gaslighting. What other reason could he possibly have to bring it up in the first place then?

• Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in US for talks with Trump

→ Great, let's see what fresh hell they have planned for the Palestinians next

2:18pm

Work is done for the day, and the news is moving fast so I'm glad I can focus; I'm just scrolling through Blue Sky:

• Big corporation in Canada fighting back by cancelling contracts with Musk's starlink

→ low-key Canada is kinda badass & I'm lovin it

• Multiple earthquakes in Santorini... such a dream destination. I hope everyone’s okay.

• New York fights back against Doctors being sued for mailing abortion pills to Louisiana

→ LA charged an NY doc & NY said "nah F you bruh lol"

• It's getting heated in Germany as well, with a far right party of their own. One thing they learned after Hitler was to simply never work with the AFD (new far-right party), because working with them at all lends credence to the idea that their position has validity at all. I really wonder what would have happened if we had treated Trump like that instead of the media treating him as a spectacle.

• Tariffs are on hold for 1 month after Steinbaum (Mexico) called Trump - how I pray we get to hear a transcript someday

• Brian Schatz, Senator D-Hawaii, is placing a blanket hold on all Trump state department nominees

Insane quote: "This is self-inflicted chaos of epic proportions that will have dangerous consequences all around the world."

• Trump yanks US funding for UNRWA & removes America from the UN Human Rights Council

→ THE SCREAM I SCRUMPT INSIDE MY HEAD

• US prosecutor warns of legal risk for anyone hindering Elon Musk

Kinda feels extra gross because Elon sure as hell looks like he’s staging a coup right now, but I guess we’re all supposed to, what… trust the process? Lol

• 3:07pm - Trump to pause Canada tariffs at least 30 days

• US Hospitals suspend healthcare for trans youth after Trump order

→ It would be hard enough to forgive if he actually thought he was helping; knowing he gives not a single fuck & it's just politically convenient... I'm stunned at the lack of humanity

Guardian: Donald Trump's Power Grab is a coup veiled by chaos

→ It's hard to write all of the headlines, but the US genuinely looks insane to the rest of the world.. And it’s almost a dissociative feeling to see your own country plunging into an autocratic state.

Democratic lawmakers join protest outside closed USAID office

• Not entirely sure what the benefit of this is, but I guess it’s nice to see the Dems out and about. I understand logically that there’s only so much they can do as the opposition party, but they really should be a whole lot louder.

EPA warns ~1,000 staff they would be fired 'immediately'

As Trump Attacks Diversity, a racist undercurrent surfaces

→ I'm honestly surprised NYT was brave enough to say it… but, yeah, it’s racist AF

New York AG Leticia James tells hospitals to continue trans care after Trump's executive order

• Have we had an era of US history like this before? States fighting with their national government; states fighting with other states; billionaire takes over the gov… nevermind.

4:07pm - TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT REALITIES

It feels important in our very fucked up media ecosystem to write down the Fox News headlines to illustrate just how differently the most popular news channel is presenting this situation:

• Trade war win: Canada blinks, PM Trump delays tariffs on northern neighbors for at least 30 days

• FBI "agents" group tells Congress to take urgent action as Trump digs into agency

• Not Too Peachy: Stacey Abrams' former group sees layoffs after record-breaking ethics fine

→ Openly holding a black woman to way higher standard, check… meanwhile Trump is doing some pump and dump lookin foreign funneling bullshit with his crypto coin and one of the leading stories on the Fox News website is a story about a group Stacey Abrams left in 2017? Cool.

• Don't get Too Cozy: How Trump's Team is dismantling Biden's 11th hour behind-the-door move

• Exclusive: That's Rich: Report alleges that Dept. of Ed. doled out over $800m to universities for DEI

• Blood in the Waters: Mr Wonderful exposes the 'dirty little secret' liberals don't want you to know

• It’s actually amazing these people call themselves a ‘news organization’

• Former costco boss makes 'woke' admission - but the narrative doesn't fit the script

Aaaaand Breitbart:

• Canada Caves - Trudeau Submits to Trump, Announces 30-day pause on tariffs

→ Appointment of 'Fentanyl czar'

• Art of the Deal: Trump already won the trade war with Mexico for USA

• Dems Lose 7 Over DOGE: Attack Musk over Reviewing Payment System

Steve Bannon's commentary is enlightening:

"President Trump's philosophy is that this is a premium market, and to get through the golden door, you have to pay a premium price."

"Tom Homan is reporting, I think, a 93% drop in folks coming across the border - we're almost sealed... President Trump is playing hardball - the hardest ball you can play - which is really to put up a moat or to put a toll to get into this lucrative market in the United States."

OK but everyone has long acknowledged that consumers bear the cost so how is this NOT a new tax on citizens?!?!

We’re heading into new territory, folks… I know you know that.

I don’t even know what to say. It’s been a long week, and it’s only Monday; monitor your news consumption, drink lots of water, LITERALLY go touch grass.

This is NOT going to get easier for a while yet.