Summary
Overview
This episode examines what Anthony and Katty call Donald Trump's 'communist' tendencies, focusing on government-funded propaganda ads, increased state control over private companies, and the controversial ICE enforcement surge. The hosts argue that Trump's actions increasingly mirror authoritarian state tactics, from using taxpayer money for self-promoting political ads to taking equity stakes in private companies. They also detail how ICE arrests have reached record levels while being kept out of headlines, creating fear in communities nationwide and potentially damaging Republican prospects in the upcoming midterm elections.
Trump's State-Funded Propaganda Campaign
The episode opens with a controversial taxpayer-funded ad playing nationwide that promotes Trump while attacking 'globalists, communists, Marxists and fascists.' The White House claims this isn't political, but constitutional lawyers argue it violates the Hatch Act. This represents an unprecedented use of government resources for what amounts to political messaging, drawing comparisons to authoritarian state media tactics.
- State-funded, Trump-promoting ad played nationwide over the weekend, paid for by taxpayers
- Constitutional lawyer Norm Eisen says the ad flagrantly violates the law, specifically the Hatch Act
- Government employees who created and paid for the ad likely violated the Hatch Act, even if the president is exempt
- The ad is disrespectful to the 50% of Americans who didn't vote for Trump, funded by their tax dollars
" We will drive out the globalists. We will cast out the communists, Marxists and fascists. We will throw off the sick political class that hates our country. We will rout the fake news media. And we will liberate America from these villains once and for all. "
" I mean, has Trump become a communist? I mean, because it's feeling more like the communist states of America by the minute. "
The Xi Jinping Summit and Weapons Offer
Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping revealed disturbing parallels in their approaches to power. Ambassador David Perdue disclosed on Fox News that Trump offered to sell American weapons to China, despite a weapons embargo dating to 1989. Meanwhile, Trump has blocked $14 billion in arms sales to democratic ally Taiwan. The contrast highlights Trump's willingness to court authoritarian favor while abandoning democratic partners.
- Ambassador David Perdue revealed on Fox News that Trump offered to sell American weapons to China
- There has been a strict weapons embargo on China since the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown
- Trump has blocked a $14 billion weapons package to democratic Taiwan for months
- Trump showed Xi Biden memorabilia in the White House, with Xi appearing to laugh at America
" He's an apparatchik. He wants to be the hemispheric ruler and he'll let Xi have Asia and he'll let Putin have your Asia or at least that side of Asia and Europe. But he wants to be the hemispheric ruler. "
" It turns out you just needed a sales call from Donald Trump to get our weapons technology. "
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