Socialite Life is a lively celebrity and pop culture website that offers a daily dose of divas, drag queens, hot male celebrities, models, and all the latest celebrity news. Given that our democracy is currently in turmoil, we feel compelled to keep everyone informed about the chaotic situation the Trump administration is creating in this country.
In Democracy Watch, we’ll share a roundup of the most alarming and mostly illegal activities that the Trump administration engages in a few times a week, along with some ridiculous things that Donald Trump and co-president Elon Musk are attempting to do.
We’ll also offer some useful resources to keep you informed about current events and guide you on how you can help prevent the United States from becoming the next Russia. In the meantime, make sure to follow Socialite Life on Bluesky: @socialitelife.bsky.social.
President Trump’s new pick for U.S. surgeon general could have a bumpy road to confirmation as she faces pushback on multiple fronts, not least from figures within the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, movement. Dr. Casey Means has gained prominence in the wellness scene over the past year, with the publication of her book Good Energy and appearances on high-profile podcasts. But her medical license is currently inactive, according to public records from Oregon, which could become an issue in her confirmation. In announcing that Means would replace his initial choice, Trump said she had “impeccable ‘MAHA’ credentials.” Her brother, Calley Means, is also an adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. [NPR]
Libya’s rival governments both denied on Wednesday that they had agreed to receive deported immigrants from the United States, saying this would violate the North African nation’s sovereignty. U.S. officials said on Tuesday that the Trump administration was planning to transfer migrants on a U.S. military plane to Libya, which has been divided for years between two hostile administrations. They said the flight could leave as soon as Wednesday. The denials were issued by both the internationally recognized government in the capital, Tripoli, which controls western Libya, and by the authorities in eastern Libya, under the control of the warlord Khalifa Hifter. [The New York Times – Gifted]
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Fox News host Jeanine Pirro would be appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “I am pleased to announce that Judge Jeanine Pirro will be appointed interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia,” he wrote in a Truth Social post. At this rate, Fox News won’t have any on-air talent left. [Mediaite]
The most corrupt presidency in American history. [The Atlantic – Gifted]
Senior presidential adviser Kari Lake appears to have resolved any doubts about what she wants to do with the Voice of America. Lake seeks to look and sound a lot like the far-right One America News Network: on Tuesday night, she announced that she had struck a deal to serve up the pro-Trump outlet’s news reports for Voice of America’s foreign audiences, at no taxpayer cost. “I can ensure our outlets have reliable and credible options as they work to craft their reporting and news programs,” Lake wrote on social media posts on Elon Musk’s X and on Truth Social. “And every day I look for ways to save American taxpayers money. Bringing in OAN as a video/news source does both.” OAN President Charles Herring did not immediately reply to NPR’s message seeking confirmation, but he did retweet Lake’s post. [NPR]
Where is Melania? [The New York Times – Gifted]
A $2 billion crypto deal involving President Trump’s family and a foreign government is threatening to derail bipartisan stablecoin legislation that Congress has been working on for months. Democrats see the potential for gob-smacking corruption in Trump’s lucrative crypto projects, which they consider to be the clearest conflicts of interest in a sea of new business ventures launched by the president and his inner circle. The Trump family’s crypto dealings could now jeopardize legislation that the crypto industry has aggressively lobbied for as a way to gain legitimacy and legal clarity in the U.S. [Axios]
Thanks to Joe Rogan and Elon Musk the “R-word” is making a comeback. [NBC News]
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a 409-page report called “Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices.” Meant to be an evidence-based look at gender-affirming care for trans kids, the report reads less like a scientific review and more like a policy hit job against transgender youth. There are many issues with the report, from cherry-picked data to advice that contradicts what nearly every major medical association has agreed constitutes best practices for treating trans youth. Among those many issues, all of which are alarming, is one that’s particularly egregious to me: The report repackages conversion therapy in a new outfit, calling it “exploratory therapy” and daring to suggest it be a new “intervention.” [Teen Vogue]
Kash Patel‘s new way of leading the FBI: Fewer morning intel briefings, more pro sports events. Supporters of the new director say he is bringing needed change. Some current and former FBI and DOJ officials worry he is not taking the job seriously enough. It is most likely the latter. [NBC News]
Stephen Miller, President Trump’s top policy adviser, said Friday the White House is exploring the option of suspending habeas corpus, the constitutional provision that protects from unlawful detainment. The move marks another escalation in the Trump administration’s fight again the judicial branch as it tries to ramp up deportations of undocumented immigrants. “The Constitution is clear,” Miller told reporters outside the White House. “The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion. So, to say that’s an option we’re actively looking at … a lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.” The Constitution allows for habeas corpus to be suspended “when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.” That is not happening. [Axios]
The Democratic members of an independent agency dedicated to protecting Americans from dangerous products and issuing recalls and safety warnings were fired by President Trump via an overnight email. It’s the latest instance of Trump seeking to replace high-ranking officials at independent federal agencies — efforts that have drawn legal challenges. The firings at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) come as consumer protection groups and lawmakers warn that Trump may be attempting to dismantle the entire agency. [NPR]
The Trump regime has reportedly fired Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter, who leads the US Copyright Office, following the office’s choice to release a pre-publication version of its opinion on the fair use status of AI training data that’s made up of copyrighted information. Representative Joe Morelle, the ranking Democrat of the Committee on House Administration, called her firing an “unprecedented power grab with no legal basis,” linking the firing directly to her report, which he says amounted to her refusing “to rubber-stamp Elon Musk’s efforts to mine troves of copyrighted works to train AI models.” [The Verge]
How You Can Help Save Democracy
Join an Indivisible group in your area. The organization strives for an inclusive democracy where everyone has a voice and challenges and replaces right-wing political agendas. Through grassroots organizing, lobbying, media campaigns, and advocacy strategies, activists pressure elected officials to support progressive values.
Check out the new Indivisible Guide: “INDIVISIBLE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DEMOCRACY ON THE BRINK” — Strategies, Tactics, & Tips For How Everyday Americans Can Fight Back Together Wherever We Live
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