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• Common Cause blasts Texas, California congressional redistricting plans, saying “you can’t fight gerrymandering with more gerrymandering“;
• Deported Palestinian peace activist and filmmaker killed by Israeli settler in Occupied West Bank;
• Fresno activists hold “Unheard Echoes, Silencing Due Process” on immigration policies in central valley;
• Britain will recognize Palestinian State unless Israel addresses Gaza humanitarian crisis;
• EPA to repeal “endangerment finding” that underpins federal climate regulations

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• Democrats propose bills to make childcare affordable, in response to GOP funding cuts;
• Rep Tlaib, coalition call for removal of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as Palestinians killed seeking aid;
• Senators Sanders, Markey introduce bills to hike pay of teachers and school support staff;
• SF to pay $3 million, change policies after lawsuit over homeless encampment sweeps;
• Theologian criticizes right-wing Catholic policy agenda like Project 2025, opposition to gay marriage;
• July 24 is Earth Overshoot Day, when human consumption exceeds planet’s production – a sign that we are pushing well past nature’s limits

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• World Court rules countries that don’t act on climate crisis may be liable for violating human rights law;
• UN Security Council debates Gaza crisis amid questions over role of UN, humanitarian law;
• Civil disobedience at Wells Fargo offices in SF, NYC protest bank dropping DEI, climate goals;
• California AG asks judge to put LA juvenile detention facilities into receivership over poor conditions, abuse of power;
• Florida AG investigating restaurant that held LGBTQ pride event;
• UN says food deprivation, shattered health system leading to catastrophic birth outcomes for pregnant women and newborns

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Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

• Justice Department seeks to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts at Trump’s direction as controversy swirls.
• Gaza hospitals overwhelmed and under siege; Israel’s bombardments intensify as medical supplies dwindle.
• House narrowly approves Trump-backed rescission bill slashing foreign aid, public broadcasting.
• Republicans advance bill to push U.S. military spending above $1 trillion in fiscal 2026.
• Activists mark John Lewis Day of Action with rally for Black unity in Oakland.
• California presents $10 million state general fund check to California Indian Nations College to help with accreditation.
• San Francisco opens nation’s first publicly funded disability cultural center.
• Democratic Representative Licardo introduces bipartisan bill for ADUs.

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• Clock ticking for Trump bill clawing back funds for foreign aid and public media;
• House hearing on campus antisemitism targets UC Berkeley, Dem Ilhan Omar compares hearing to McCarthy witch-hunts;
• UN reports child nutrition in Gaza doubled under Israeli restrictions;
• UN says civilians in Ukraine coming under fire in record numbers as Russian strikes surge;
• Tariff-driven inflation begins to show in rising costs for furniture, clothing, large appliances

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A man hugs former Foreign Service employee Bob Gilchrist, of Washington, left, outside the State Department headquarters, Friday, July 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein).

• State Department fires more than 1,300 in sweeping Trump administration reorganization.
• Senate Democrats clash with Forest Service chief over Trump’s proposed firefighting budget cuts.
• House Democrats kick off campaign to hold Republicans accountable for Medicaid cuts in GOP budget bill.
• California leaders warn of severe fallout from federal workforce and program cuts.
• Los Angeles officials condemn ICE raids staged from historic Terminal Island site.
• Los Angeles mayor signs an executive directive to protect immigrant residents of the city.
• Federal immigration raid at Camarillo cannabis farm sparks protest, 200 arrests.

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• Judge orders pause for Trump executive order ending birthright citizenship;
• Secretary of State Rubio describes Trump disappointment with Russia over Ukraine;
• Palestinians describe indiscriminate killings at aid distribution sites after Israel kicked UN aid program out of Gaza;
• US sanctions top UN human rights official on Occupied Palestinian Territory, UN calls it “dangerous precedent”;
• Conspiracy theories about Epstein sex trafficking come back to haunt Trump administration;
• Mahmoud Khalil files $20 million lawsuit after release from immigration jail, will share any settlement with other targeted activists

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Trump’s Big Evil Bill is the blueprint of Project 2025 in action: a theocratic, authoritarian takeover of our democracy. This bill will expand presidential powers, weaken the lower courts, and crush humanitarian protections and put our already militized police state on Russian Olympian super steroids. Russell Vought, Trump’s OMB Director and the architect of Project 2025, made sure the money was there to turn July 4th into a funeral for the American Revolution by installing a mad king. 

But here’s the truth hiding in the despair: the more pain this bill causes, the more people it radicalizes. Just as past generations rose up during times of injustice, many Americans, especially those who embraced Trump’s con, like those manosphere-brain rotted Gen Z men, will be forced to wake up. They’ll see the betrayal. They’ll feel it. And some will finally fight back.

The far-right had a 40-year plan. We need ours. One model: The Gay Revolution by historian Lillian Faderman. It's the story of how love, courage, and relentless organizing by small groups of determined people, many forced to become activists because of state cruelty like the kind we’re now seeing, and won against impossible odds. The Gay Revolution is our roadmap of hope, and it pays tribute to the countless men and women, many who risked everything, many whose names we may never know, to cast out the darkness with love and defiance. 

Go to the Gaslit Nation’s Action Guide and choose action. Choose empathy. Choose to be the liberation this moment demands.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

• NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First. 

• Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. 

• Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon. 

• Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon. 

• Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon. 

• Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon. 

• Have you taken Gaslit Nation’s HyperNormalization Survey Yet?

• Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

The song featured in this episode is First They Came for Queers by Mr. Madam Adam. Find more of their music here: https://music.apple.com/us/album/first-they-came-for-queers/1690696748?i=1690696753

How to Protect Your Community from ICE: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ice-watch-programs-immigrants-how-to-start

How Trump’s bill will supercharge mass deportations by funneling $170bn to Ice https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/02/immigration-trump-big-beautiful-bill

Donald Trump’s weapons freeze on Ukraine could bring catastrophe https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/07/02/ukraine-russia-war-trump-weapons-freeze-missiles/

Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Who Threatened Police Joins Justice Dept. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/us/politics/justice-department-rioter-weaponization.html

House taking key vote on Trump's "big, beautiful bill," after GOP holdouts threaten final passage https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-vote-big-beautiful-bill-rules-committee/

This content originally appeared on Gaslit Nation and was authored by Andrea Chalupa.

• Trump’s Big Bill to be signed Friday after marathon vote and marathon speech by Dem leader Hakeem Jeffries;
• Democratic and labor leaders say Big Budget Bill will hurt workers and destroy the middle class;
• SF sues Trump over EPA termination of Environment Climate Justice grants;
• Advocates fear state cannabis tax proposals could unravel and hurt programs for children
• MALDEF planning million dollar lawsuit over US citizen arrested for filming ICE raid

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Current CO₂ readings at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, as of June 15, 2025: 430.07 ppm, which is the highest daily average on record. Excessive atmospheric CO₂ is the primary source of extreme heat. One needs to go back millions of years to find higher levels. In 2016, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) a global body of climate scientists stated: “CO2 at 430 ppm would push the world beyond its target for avoiding dangerous climate change.” We are there!

No business or government on Earth is impacted by climate change more so than the insurance industry. It’s the biggest canary in the coal mine. Swiss Re Ltd (founded 1863) is one of the world’s largest reinsurers. The company’s 2025 SONAR Report essentially puts the world on notice that global warming has become one of the world’s biggest killers.

Swiss Re says “extreme heat,” is the designated killer, to wit: “Extreme heat events can have a large impact on human health. Recent data show that around 480, 000 deaths per year can be attributed to extreme heat events.” (“Extreme Heat More Deadly Than Floods, Earthquakes and Hurricanes Combined, Finds Swiss Re’s SONAR Report,” Swiss Re Group, Media, Press Release, June 12, 2025)

According to Jérôme Haegeli, Swiss Re Group Chief Economist: “Extreme heat used to be considered the ‘invisible peril’ because the impacts are not as obvious as other natural perils… With a clear trend to longer, hotter heatwaves, it is important we shine a light on the true cost to human life, our economy, infrastructure, agriculture and healthcare system,” Ibid.

The SONAR 2025 Report claims extreme heat threatens industry as well as human life. For example, “the telecommunications industry faces significant risks from failing cooling systems in data centers or damage to terrestrial cables.”

Trump Administration re Extreme Heat

According to Time magazine: “What’s At Stake This Summer As Trump Targets Heat and Climate Experts,” June 16, 2025:  “Heat experts at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) were told in early April that their positions would be eliminated as part of the cuts made by the Trump Administration’s Department of Governmental Efficiency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) entire environmental health unit was cut, though some jobs were restored … What was lost there is just a giant value to communities, according to V. Kelly Turner, associate professor of urban planning at University of California, Los Angeles.”

Trump does not recognize climate change as a threat to humanity, dropping out of the Paris Agreement of 2015, cutting $4 billion in prior pledges, no longer submitting carbon-cutting plans to the UN, removing electric vehicle mandates, and destroying Biden administration climate change mitigation plans while over-emphasizing and directing national attention to burning fossil fuels. These are sure-fire ways to increase the global warming hazard, in turn, leading to more severe extreme heat, thus, putting Trump in opposition to Swiss Re’s warnings about the death count of “extreme heat.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center, the entire country will see above-normal temperatures—with the only difference being in severity. Across the contiguous United States, average temperatures have already risen about 60% more than the global average since 1970 (US EPA). In due course, the American South and Southeast will feel like the Persian Gulf countries of today, where it is currently too hot to safely work outside during the day for much of the summer.

On a global basis, America’s extraordinary push for fossil fuel emissions contributes to atmospheric CO₂ build up, thus impacting the world climate system by trapping more planetary heat. This direct relationship between increasing CO₂ emissions and increased global warming is established scientific fact. According to WMO (World Meteorological Organization) Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett: “We have just experienced the ten warmest years on record. Unfortunately, this WMO report provides no sign of respite over the coming years, and this means that there will be a growing negative impact on our economies, our daily lives, our ecosystems and our planet.”

Richard Betts, head of Climate Impacts Research at the UK Met Office and a professor at the University of Exeter, May 28, 2025, informed the Associated Press. “With the next five years forecast to be more than 1.5 degrees C warmer than preindustrial levels on average, this will put more people than ever at risk of severe heat waves, bringing more deaths and severe health impacts unless people can be better protected from the effects of heat. Also, we can expect more severe wildfires as the hotter atmosphere dries out the landscape.”

Swiss Re’s SONAR Report warns the world of existential dangers of climate change by focusing, in part, on deaths caused by extreme heat, but the report goes on to suggest a threat to the entire infrastructure of economies. Swiss Re endorses policies to limit climate change, which are diametrically opposite Trump policies, to wit: Swiss Re suggests a multi-pronged approach to climate change mitigation: (1) reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (2) investing in carbon removal technologies (3) increasing climate resilience through adaptation measures (4) emphasize the importance of the Paris-aligned carbon reduction path (5) complemented by carbon removal strategies, and (6) advocate for collaboration and knowledge sharing to accelerate action.

Trump’s policies don’t jive with any, not even one, of the six suggestions by one of the world’s oldest most prestigious insurance companies. If his administration is not listening to one of the world’s leading providers of insurance coverage that’s on the front line of climate change, then who?

It’s shameful that the US government fails to recognize the most rapidly developing threat to existence, especially in the face of alarms set off by the staid insurance industry, as premiums go sky-high with claims choking the biggest players. The economy can’t handle it; homeowners can’t handle it; businesses can’t handle it. Solution: Stop burning fossil fuels oil, gas, and coal.

This content originally appeared on Dissident Voice and was authored by Robert Hunziker.

• UN Security Council meetings on Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Iran wars bring calls for peace, angry accusations
• SF officials, Jewish Community Relations Council discuss anti-Semitic attacks, role of Jewish people in social justice movements
• Health advocates say republican budget bill would devastate health in CA and nationally
• UCFW workers in Long Beach authorize what could become largest grocery strike in modern US history
• June 20^th is World Refugee Day
• ICE arrests of migrants with no criminal record jump 807% since beginning of 2025

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“This report shows that Social Security is fully affordable, costing only about 6 percent of GDP at the end of the 21st century. It has a modest funding shortfall, which is still years away. There is no question Congress will act to avert the shortfall, as it always has in the past. The question is what Congress will do.

There are two options for action: Bringing more money into Social Security, or reducing benefits. Any politician who doesn’t support increasing Social Security’s revenue is, by default, supporting benefit cuts.

In poll after poll, the American people are clear that they strongly support making the wealthy pay their fair share into Social Security, and overwhelmingly oppose benefit cuts. As divided as Americans are over many issues, we are united about Social Security.

Not only is requiring the wealthy to pay into Social Security on all their income popular, it is also excellent policy. Income inequality has cost Social Security more than $1.4 trillion since 1983. If the wealthy pay in on all of their income, including unearned investment income, we can easily afford to protect and expand Social Security’s modest benefits.

Democrats have introduced several bills that would do just that. In sharp contrast, Donald Trump and his Republican colleagues want to give even more tax breaks to billionaires.

Importantly, the question about whether to expand or cut Social Security is a question of values, not affordability. America is the wealthiest country in the history of the world, at the wealthiest moment in our history. That money can remain concentrated in the hands of billionaires, or it can go towards Social Security, enriching all of our lives.

There is an urgent crisis facing Social Security, but it’s not a shortfall years in the future. It is sabotage that’s happening right now. Despite Donald Trump’s promise to protect Social Security, Elon Musk’s DOGE is undermining it every day. DOGE has pushed out thousands of Social Security staffers, including nearly half of senior executives. This is an incalculable loss of institutional knowledge and expertise.

These cuts are completely misguided and unnecessary. Social Security is run very efficiently, with well under a penny of every dollar spent on administrative costs. Given that, substantially increasing or decreasing Social Security’s administrative budget has a negligible impact on the system’s finances.

Today’s report is a reminder that even as DOGE’s cuts to the Social Security Administration are wrecking Social Security’s customer service, they are doing nothing to improve its solvency.”

This content originally appeared on Common Dreams and was authored by Newswire Editor.

• June 18^th is “International Day for Countering Hate Speech”
• Defense Secretary Hegseth grilled by democratic senators over military in US cities
• SFMTA to cut 5 Muni bus lines Saturday, critics see risks for riders and SF climate goals
• Pentagon authorizes mobilization of 700 troops to aid ICE in Florida, Louisiana and Texas
• Democratic senators propose “Insurrection Act of 2025” to limit presidents’ use of troops domestically
• Supreme Court upholds Tennesee ban on gender-affirming care for children, 26 states have similar laws

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• Appeals court hears Trump vs Newsom challenge to National Guard in Los Angeles
• Union workers arrested while protesting SF budget cuts at Board of Supervisors meeting
• CA Senate committee takes up bill to ban toxic PFAS chemicals in firefighters’ equipment
• NYC democratic mayoral candidate arrested by at immigration court
• Prominent Spanish-language journalist turned over to ICE after arrest covering No Kings protests in Atlanta area
• 60 killed, 280 injured while seeking food aid at aid distribution sites in Gaza

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Israel on June 13 launched blistering attacks on Iran’s nuclear and military structures from warplanes and drones killing at least 78 people including generals, scientists and civilians. Iran retaliated with long-range missiles targeting Tel Aviv, wounding at least 34 people, according to Israel’s paramedic services.

X user @RoyalIntel_ shared the video in question on June 14 with the following caption: “UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL FROM IRAN”, seemingly stating that the clip depicts Iran’s strikes on Israel. At the time of writing this report, the post has received close to 1 Lakh views. (Archive)

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL FROM IRAN pic.twitter.com/SVsKJC6MZK

— Royal Intel (@RoyalIntel_) June 13, 2025

An Instagram user, @haitham_alwakeel, posted the same video on June 14, claiming that the visuals were from Israel’s Tel Aviv.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Haitham AlWakeel | هيثم الوكيل (@haitham_alwakeel)

Several other users shared the same video, claiming that it showed Iran’s attack on Israel. Below are a few instances.

Fact Check

After breaking down the video into several keyframes, we ran a reverse image search on a few of them. This led us to an Instagram post from January 2 by the page @inner.journey.diaries. The post, or a reel, shared by this page consisted of the same video clip, which is now viral as visuals from Israel. The caption of the post further mentions, “Average fireworks in Berlin”, indicating that the visuals are from Berlin, Germany.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Beyond The Inner Journey (@inner.journey.diaries)

Taking a cue from here, we ran a relevant keyword search and found several other posts from the first week of January which carried the viral clip and mentioned that the visuals were from Berlin.

Another Instagram page, @berlindeyiz.de, also posted the viral clip on January 1 and mentioned in the caption, “Here are some very unusual scenes from Berlin..  New Year’s celebrations are one of the most eagerly anticipated times in Berlin. However, with each passing year, these celebrations open the door to greater problems and cause serious damage in many areas. Buses, buildings, garbage containers, and many other things are affected by fireworks. We hope that the coming years will bring fewer problems.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Berlindeyiz (@berlindeyiz.de)

We also came across a report on the website etemadonline.com from January 3, which carried the viral video, and the headline said that a suspicious package exploded in front of one of the police stations in Berlin. The report further mentioned that the Berlin Police Department has issued a statement saying that two officers were injured as a result of an explosion that happened in front of one of the police stations.

We found a statement posted by Berlin police on their official X handle at 3:26 am IST on January 3. The statement in German could be translated as, “This evening, around 8:20 PM, a serious security incident occurred at the fence of our Police Precinct 12 in #Wittenau, during which a female and a male colleague were partially seriously injured while on a routine security patrol. According to initial investigations, an as-yet unidentified object detonated, causing the male officer to suffer serious injuries to his face and eye. His female colleague sustained acoustic trauma. Both are currently receiving medical treatment. Our #CriminalPolice are investigating, and the crime scene is currently being examined”.

Heute Abend gegen 20:20 Uhr kam es an der Umzäunung unseres Polizeiabschnitts 12 in #Wittenau zu einem schweren Sicherheitsvorfall, bei dem eine Kollegin und ein Kollege während eines routinemäßigen Sicherheitsgangs zum Teil schwer verletzt wurden.

Nach ersten Ermittlungen… pic.twitter.com/kDAxdO1SCA

— Polizei Berlin (@polizeiberlin) January 2, 2025

Further, we found several news reports which state that this time the New Year’s celebrations in Berlin went too far, the use of fireworks turned violent, injuring several.

We have reached out to the Berlin police via email requesting confirmation from them about the location of the viral video. This report will be updated if and when we receive a response.

To sum up, the claims connecting the viral clip with the present military escalation between Iran and Israel are false. According to multiple social media posts and some reports, the incident is from January 2025 in Berlin.

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Project 2025 is hollowing out government — and it’s just getting started 

As we approach the fifth month of Donald Trump’s second term, you might be asking: “What’s up with Project 2025?” According to GPAHE (Global Project Against Hate and Extremism), “Data compiled by the Project 2025 Tracker reveals a presidency operating with methodical precision, adhering to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 playbook. Of the 313 total objectives identified in Project 2025, 98 have been completed as of June 2025, representing a 42 percent completion rate in just five months of governance. This rapid-fire execution creates one of the most striking paradoxes of the early Trump presidency: a policy framework the candidate repeatedly disavowed during his campaign has become the most reliable predictor of his administration’s priorities.”

In short, despite the Trump administration denial that it is following the Heritage Foundation’s playbook, Project 2025 is aggressively strip mining government agencies, providing rebar for an authoritarian takeover of democracy.

Let’s review. Project 2025 is the 920-page blueprint for authoritarianism in the U.S., spearheaded by the powerful and extreme far-right Heritage Foundation. More than 100 far-right organizations were involved in crafting the document, which, according to GPAHE “is proving to be the source for Trump’s anti-democratic policies, despite his repeated disavowal of Project 2025 during his campaign.” In addition, “Dozens of members of the new administration have direct ties to the effort.”

Project 2025’s playbook turns back the clock on civil rights and deprives people of their hard-won constitutional rights, while “pushing for the erosion of environmental and education protections. It also advocates for a frightening centralization of power in the executive branch, something Trump is keen to achieve.” [Full analysis of Project 2025]

So what is up with Project 2025?  

In a June 1 interview with Russell Vought, the Office of Management and Budget director, CNN’s Dana Bash asked him about DOGE, presidential power potentially overruling Congress, and the “woke” administrative state, among other topics. Vought was smoothly responding until the conversation turned to Project 2025, when things got a little frosty.

According to GPAHE, “Bash asked him about the unmistakable convergence between Trump’s governing agenda” and Project 2025 — “a document for which Vought himself had served as a key architect and co-author — and his denial came swiftly and absolutely.”

“‘No, of course not,’ Vought declared when asked whether his current work represented an enactment of Project 2025. ‘The only people that are delusional about whether the president is the architect, the visionary, the originator of his own agenda that he was very public about throughout the campaign … are his adversaries.’”

Here are excerpts from GPAHE’s reporting on Project 2025:

The chronological record tells the story that Vought seemed determined to obscure during his CNN appearance. Within hours of his January 20 inauguration, Trump had executed 25 distinct Project 2025 recommendations, ranging from deploying active-duty military personnel to the southern border to eliminating diversity offices across federal agencies. The systematic nature of implementation becomes particularly apparent when examining agency-specific progress rates.

The personnel enacting these policies also tell the story. A report by DeSmog reveals that 70 percent of Trump’s cabinet maintains direct ties to Project 2025 organizations — more than 50 high-level officials bound to the very groups that authored or co-sponsored Project 2025, the blueprint they are now executing. Vice President JD Vance connects to five Project 2025 entities, Secretary of State Marco Rubio to four, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins to three. This represents the Heritage Foundation’s ultimate victory: the architects have become the executors.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has achieved 100 percent completion of its single objective: to reduce regulations on cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, all six of Project 2025’s objectives regarding USAID have been completed. The White House itself has completed 88 percent of its 13 objectives, while the Department of State has finished 75 percent of its 10 Project 2025 objectives.

Environmental policy offers the most vivid illustration of this systematic execution. Project 2025 called for eliminating “the use of the social cost of carbon” in federal decision-making — Trump’s January 20 executive orders accomplished precisely that objective. Project 2025 recommended immediate withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — both withdrawals were announced within hours of the inauguration. When Project 2025 suggested abolishing the Office of Domestic Climate Policy, Trump dissolved it before the inaugural celebrations had concluded. The Environmental Protection Agency has proven exceptionally responsive to Project 2025’s policies.

In May, the agency repealed energy efficiency standards for appliances, with Trump signing four Congressional Review Act resolutions to roll back energy efficiency rules while the Energy Department simultaneously rolled back 47 efficiency regulations. Earlier, the EPA had fired 388 probationary employees and terminated grant agreements worth $20 billion.

Project 2025 has been methodically checking off the boxes of its agenda. ICE, under “border Czar” Tom Homan is cranking up its activities; private prison corporations and companies providing infrastructure for ICE are profiting handsomely; and, the Department of Homeland Security eliminated its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, while also dissolving the Office of Immigration Detention Ombudsman and the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman. Media companies and individual journalists are under attack.

GPAHE noted that when Bash When Bash “pressed Vought about pending Project 2025 recommendations — ‘eliminating the Fed, privatizing Fannie and Freddy, banning medication abortion’ — his response carried the careful ambiguity of calculated evasion. ‘What’s on the agenda is what the president has put on the agenda, most of which he ran on,’ he replied, neither confirming nor denying while maintaining the fiction of presidential originality. Vought’s Sunday CNN performance was pure political theater designed to obscure systematic policy execution of a document designed to foment authoritarianism and Christian nationalist policies.”

The Trump administration and its allies have been working at breakneck speed to implement Project 2025. The administration’s work is serving as a rallying cry for Trump’s White supremacist allies, who see the Project’s successes as a much-welcomed blueprint for authoritarianism and an attractive recruiting tool.

This content originally appeared on Dissident Voice and was authored by Bill Berkowitz.

This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.

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