Another big rat jumps Trump ship

 

Alex Jones speaks to the media after arriving at the federal courthouse in Houston, Texas, for a hearing in front of a bankruptcy judge in June 2024.

 

Alex Jones calls to dump Trump over busted brain and body : 

"This is not funny, this is not good, but he’s gone and that’s it."

by Oliver Willis

Daily Kos Staff

Wednesday, April 01, 2026 at 2:00:12p MDT

 

REPUBLISHED BY:

Blue Country Gazette Blog

Rim Country Gazette Blog

 

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones told the viewers of his Tuesday broadcast that it is time to drop President Donald Trump as a leader of the conservative movement, citing failing health and mental decline.

Jones said recent images showing Trump’s swollen ankles were evidence of “heart failure” and that “he does look sick.”

“He does babble and sound like the brain’s not doing too hot,” Jones added. “We just cut bait on Trump, and we just mobilize against the Democrats.”

After over a decade of hailing Trump as a conquering hero for the right and at times arguing that Trump has been God’s instrument on Earth, Jones said he has been a “minor figure” in a purported conservative awakening that has occurred.

He added, “We need to be sad about Trump. This is not funny, this is not good, but he’s gone and that’s it.”

Jones also argued that Trump was under “evil control” and urged his viewers to pray for him.

Redness is visible on President Donald Trump's neck while he speaks with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House on Feb. 27.

The (apparent) radical change of heart on Trump by Jones comes as the decision to attack Iran has continued to spiral out of control. Gas prices have skyrocketed, adding to global economic instability still reeling from Trump’s tariff policies. Jones has had to reconcile his position as a loud Trump cheerleader with his previous advocacy against military interventions.

For months, there has been visual evidence of numerous physical ailments from Trump, including markings on his neck and hands. There have also been multiple reports of considerable mental deterioration by Trump, with signs of cognitive decline and other serious slippages. Jones’ decision to suddenly notice these ailments—just as the Iran situation continues to worsen—raises serious questions about how authentic the conspiracy theorist’s concerns are.

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Related | WTF is wrong with Trump's neck?

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In Trump, Jones saw someone who shared his conspiratorial worldview achieve a level of prominence and influence never before seen. For instance, both men were prominent promoters of the racist birther conspiracy theory that alleged former President Barack Obama was born in Kenya and therefore ineligible for the presidency. Trump’s failures in office have significantly undermined the faith Jones has placed in him for years.

In addition to Trump’s collapse, Jones is experiencing a series of major career failings.

Just last month, during an apparently drunk appearance on fellow right-wing podcaster Tim Pool’s program, Jones said that his conspiracy website Infowars would be shutting down soon. Jones is facing millions in legal fees he has to pay out to the families and survivors of the Sandy Hook school shooting after he defamed them on his program.

Jones also lost key collaborator Owen Shroyer in a major dust-up last year, saw the Trump Department of Justice pull back on efforts to investigate Jones’ enemies, and he had to contend with Trump continuing to play cover for accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Conservatives seeking out right-wing pundits peddling outrage have begun to shift to younger and openly antisemitic figures like podcaster Nick Fuentes over figures like Jones, who has been in broadcasting for decades.

Jones could always pivot back to supporting Trump, because he has rarely held a consistent position on a host of topics. But his decision to call for a leadership change is a clear indicator of cracks in the core coalition that has been behind Trump for so long.

As Threats Rise, the Gulf Turns to Ukraine’s War-Tested Expertise

 

Leading the way: Ukraine has turned its experience into expertise. (photo: Reuters)

 

Zelensky’s Gulf tour suggests a shift from dependency to leverage, as Ukraine markets the defence capabilities that it has learned through war. 

 

Inzamam Rashid / Monocle31 March 26

 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s swing through Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar this past weekend was billed as diplomacy. It was, more importantly, a sales trip and a rather deft one at that. 

In Jeddah, Abu Dhabi and Doha, Zelensky was not simply asking for sympathy, cash or a few more polite communiques. He was offering something rarer in 2026: a war-tested security product that these wealthy states suddenly need. 

Saudi Arabia signed a defence-co-operation arrangement with Kyiv; the UAE agreed a security and defence deal; and Qatar went further, signing a 10-year intergovernmental defence partnership that includes coproduction facilities and technological partnerships.

All of this matters because the Gulf is no longer insulated by distance, balance sheets or American hardware. Iranian attacks and the disruption around the Strait of Hormuz have made the region feel more vulnerable than it has in many years, while global oil markets have again been reminded that geography, not confidence, sets the terms. 

In Abu Dhabi, Zelensky and the UAE’s president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, discussed Iranian strikes, the Strait of Hormuz blockade and the effects on the oil market. In Doha, Zelensky and the Qatari leadership explicitly framed their talks around protecting life and preventing the regional war from expanding. Zelensky’s wager is that Ukraine can now market itself not just as a front-line democracy worth defending but also as a security donor in its own right. That is a notable shift.

Zelensky’s own formulation is blunt. “As a result of the war we are going through,” he wrote, “and because our enemy is extensively using the Iranian ‘Shahed’ drone technology, we have developed our own system.” He added that Ukraine is now sharing what it has built with countries in the Middle East and that “we have shifted the geopolitical landscape”. That might sound grandiose but it’s broadly true.

The real story is not that Zelensky has discovered what the Gulf can do for Ukraine. It is that the Gulf has discovered Ukraine in a new register. Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Doha are accustomed to buying finished systems from Washington, Paris and London. Ukraine is pitching something different: battlefield know-how, fast adaptation, cheaper interception and production partnerships. 

Qatar’s agreement is the clearest sign of where this is heading. Coproduction is not diplomatic theatre – it is industrial policy. It suggests that at least some Gulf capitals have concluded that in an era of drones, missiles and uncertain supply chains, sovereignty depends as much on manufacturing lines and software integration as on flashy procurement announcements.

There is, admittedly, a moral queasiness to all this. Zelensky is effectively arbitraging one war into leverage for another. He is doing so while the Middle East is already under attack and while Ukraine still depends on outside support to survive Russia’s invasion. Yet it would be naive to pretend that there is a better option. The West is distracted, arsenals are stretched and Kyiv needs cash, investment and air-defence depth. If Europe has been slow and the US erratic, then Zelensky is right to look for buyers and benefactors.

Still, charm offensives can curdle into overreach. Ukraine’s greatest asset is its credibility, earned at a terrible cost. If Kyiv begins to sound too pleased with its new role as a merchant of wartime expertise, it risks blurring the line between resilience and commodification. 

Zelensky should be careful here. The pitch works best when it is sober: Ukraine understands the Shahed threat because it has lived under it and it can help others to prepare.

Even so, the Gulf tour looks like one of Zelensky’s most intelligent diplomatic gambits. He arrived not as a supplicant but as the head of a country that has turned necessity into exportable expertise. And in an age when wars bleed into markets, infrastructure and logistics, this is a practical form of statecraft. Kyiv is still fighting for survival. But in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, Zelensky has shown that survival, if managed properly, can itself become a business model.

Ukraine to the rescue!

No Kings rally in St. Paul draws 100,000, speakers praise Minnesota's ICE resistance

The crowd gathered for the No Kings rally at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul.No Kings/YouTube

(No Kings/YouTube)

 

 Over 8 million gather at over 3,000 events around the world to protest Trump's fascist "reign" and war mongering

Dustin Nelson

Sat, March 28, 2026 at 5:05 PM MDT

 

Saturday's No Kings rally in St. Paul, the flagship event for nationwide protests, drew a massive crowd to the State Capitol in opposition to the policies of President Donald Trump.

Organizers say that more than 3,000 No Kings protests took place across the country, with solidarity rallies taking place on every continent except Antarctica.

The day's events began with a trio of marches through St. Paul, all ending at the State Capitol, where around 100,000 protestors gathered, the Minnesota State Patrol tells Bring Me The News.

Streamed live online and on news networks, the rally featured appearances from prominent liberal voices, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Bruce Springsteen, Jane Fonda, Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Joan Baez, Tom Morello, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, and many others.

While the national network of protests targeted President Trump, the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge was in the foreground in St. Paul.

Before the main rally began at 2 p.m., "The Daily Show" co-creator and Minnesota native Lizz Winstead emceed the gathering, introducing a series of speakers and local musicians.

"We are the flagship rally of No Kings Day, simply because we showed the world how to do it, y'all," Winstead said, opening the day's event. "Why did they think they could mess with Minnesotans?"

From Winstead's opening remarks through the end of the day, the Trump administration's ICE surge was a persistent theme.

"When the wannabe dictator in the White House sent his untrained, aggressive thugs to do damage to Minnesota, it was you, Minnesota, who stood up for your neighbors, who stood up for decency, who stood up for kindness," Gov. Walz said, before introducing Springsteen.

"And at this moment, that we are still in, when democracy itself seems to be at risk, it was Minnesota who said, not on our watch."

That continued as Springsteen sang "Streets of Minneapolis," his anti-ICE anthem that addresses the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both of whom were shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis.

Later in the day, Fonda read a long statement from the wife of Renee Good, which can be seen in its entirety in Bring Me The News' live coverage of the event.

However, the broader political picture that guided the nationwide protest was not absent in St. Paul.

Sen. Sanders outlined a "darker vision" of America that he alleges is guiding President Trump's policies.

“It is a vision which says that we must give up our democracy, that we are too stupid and inept to govern ourselves, and that we must put more and more power into the hands of one man,” Sanders said. “It is a vision that says we should accept an economy in which a handful of oligarchs have unbelievable wealth while the vast majority of people struggle to put food on the table."

No Kings/Youtube

(No Kings/Youtube)

He went on to argue against the Trump administration's war in Iran, calling for it to end and laying out his legislative plan to oppose the war.

“In the last election, Donald Trump pointed out, correctly, the huge amounts of money that had been wasted in wars that should have been spent rebuilding America," Sanders said. "He campaigned as a peace candidate, and he promised no more forever wars. He lied.”

However, the event wasn't entirely marked by discussion of Operation Metro Surge, war, and a troubled economy.

Many speakers and performers took the opportunity to cast the large gathering as a celebration of solidarity. That was most clear in musical performances, such as when Baez collaborated with the Twin Cities-based Singing Resistance and Brass Solidarity to sing "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round."

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison echoed that hopeful note. "In 2026, inspiration lives in Minnesota," he said, appearing alongside Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.

While hundreds of thousands marched throughout the country, President Trump largely remained quiet on Saturday.

He refrained from posting to his Truth Social platform until 4:45 p.m. CT, when he promoted a Fox News interview on the "importance of hitting Iran, HARD!!!" He then began posting frequently on a variety of topics, including TrumpRX, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and ending the Senate filibuster.

Before the rally began, state GOP chair Alex Plechash issued a statement that called the protest "pure political theater — a distraction from a failed DFL record. When you have nothing to show, you turn to fear, slogans, and spectacle.”

His statement accused the DFL of "importing East Coast liberals," while decrying “higher property taxes, higher tab fees, and new taxes on everyday life.” In his statement, Plechash did not mention ICE, Operation Metro Surge, or projections that the protest would draw 100,000.

This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Mar 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

No Kings Day is TOMORROW! - Saturday, March 28

Indivisible Team <info@indivisible.org>

We the People don't do kings -- not in 1776, and not now. Let's be loud about it. Tomorrow is No Kings Day! A day of mass, record-breaking protest, across the country and around the world -- millions of us taking a stand against wannabe-king Trump’s assaults on our rights and our communities, and demanding an end to the illegal wars and foreign interventions that have already caused so much grief and suffering for innocent civilians around the globe. In June, the first No Kings brought five million of us into the streets; the second, in October, saw seven million -- and tomorrow we have more protests planned in more towns and cities than ever before. But just how big No Kings 3 will be depends a lot on you. Simply put: We need world-historic numbers tomorrow. We're at a frightening inflection point, brought about by an assemblage of the incompetent and corrupt, doing all they can to establish a fascist regime that elevates Trump and lines their pockets. To defend our democracy, protect our neighbors, and make it crystal clear that Americans will never do kings, we need to be louder than ever. You'll find everything you need to help make No Kings 3 an inescapable roar of nonviolent defiance, below. Find a No Kings event There are more than 3,250 events planned for No Kings 3! Find one near you here -- then spread the word to folks who might not be convinced yet. We're far more likely to listen to people we know than anyone else. Let your people know! BUT: A lot of folks who want to be there simply can't -- and that's ok! Nobody can be everywhere, always. If you can't attend a No Kings event in person, you can livestream the flagship event in the Twin Cities starting, at 3pm ET/noon PT. What to wear and bring No matter how you dress or nonviolently express yourself, you're always welcome at No Kings. Inflatable animals, religious attire, work uniform, tuxedo -- just show up as you, and join the fight! That said! Some outfits are more suitable for marching than others (so… maybe not the tuxedo?), and there are things to do and bring that'll help the day run smoothly, with an emphasis on joy, safety, and a loud, unified voice. Check the weather! And dress comfortably and accordingly. Many of you will be on your feet and outdoors for hours, so don’t forget to wear comfy, sturdy shoes and bring sunscreen, an umbrella, a poncho -- you know what you need on a late March day. Just make sure you wear/bring it! (Snacks and water, too.) Signs and flags welcome! Draw on your own creative impulses or download a free No Kings sign. An American flag speaks to the patriotism of protest, and unicorns, frogs, and dinosaurs (etc!) are a reminder that joy is an essential part of resistance. Let's be loud, colorful, and unmissable! Know your rights (KYR). It's always a good idea to review our Constitutional right to peacefully protest ahead of any protest we attend. You can watch an ACLU KYR training here and/or read this No Kings KYR resource (also available in Spanish). Plan ahead: How are you getting there, how are you getting home? Make a note of where you parked/got off public transportation, take a minute to note what No Kings safety marshals and volunteers are wearing, where they're stationed, and how to exit and return to your event, should you need to. Who are you going with? It's a good idea to set up a group text for communicating with your group, but be sure to also agree on a meeting point, just in case you get separated and cell service is overloaded. Haven't talked about No Kings with three other people yet? No time like the present! Here are some resources to help out: bare-bones info about the movement; searchable map of events; social media toolkit; talking about No Kings video; and even more on the website. Be undeniable. Protests, big or small, are never the point; they're a point on the road. A tactic, not the goal. The more attention they draw, the more powerful the message -- to those in power, of course, but also to a whole lot of folks who've never engaged in activism before. Protests tell people they're not alone, and help them find their own courage. Ultimately, protest is one of the most significant ways we grow the movement. And then we keep working, in a myriad of ways, until we win. So it's essential that No Kings 3 grab a lot of attention! One way to amplify tomorrow's events will be to make sure No Kings is inescapable on social media. If you’re comfortable doing so, please post and reshare photos from your event with the hashtag #NoKings. Always be mindful of others and ask before posting close-ups of other protestors' faces. Our commitment to nonviolence A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to No Kings events. Please refer to the No Kings Know Your Rights Guide (also available in Spanish), our de-escalation pocket guide, and the additional resources on Nokings.org for important information to maintain a safe, joyful protest. Tomorrow, we'll stand for democracy and each other, for justice, honesty, and compassion, with millions and millions of others standing for those same things, right alongside us.  We the People don't do kings -- not in 1776, and not now. Let's be loud about it.  See you soon! Indivisible Team P.S. Join us on Tuesday at 8pm ET / 5pm PT for the No Kings post-protest call! We’ll join friends and partners nationwide to celebrate our impact and discuss specific, actionable plans to funnel the momentum of our day of action into ongoing political organizing work in communities across the country.

BE WARY: ICE is locking up legal white people too

 

Tania Warner and daughter, Ayla. (photo: Warner Family)

Canadian Woman Held With Daughter by ICE Warns All Immigrants to ‘Lie Low.’

Tania Warner says she has documents showing she is in the US legally, but immigration agents were not swayed.

Olivia Bowden / Guardian UK 

25 March 26 

A Canadian woman who has been imprisoned with her seven-year-old daughter by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has cautioned other immigrants that they are at risk of detention, even if they follow the correct legal process – and warned them to keep out of sight for as long as Donald Trump is president.

“Don’t go anywhere near a checkpoint, and if your papers are in processing, just lay low. Trump meant what he said – he is trying to get rid of everyone, whether they are good or bad,” said Tania Warner, 47, who is currently held with her autistic daughter, Ayla, at the Dilley immigration processing center in south Texas.

“The people in here are not criminals … They’ve had their dignity and their freedom stripped from them because they have their papers processing,” she told the Guardian. “You shouldn’t be putting children, families in jail. It’s unjust.”

The pair moved from British Columbia to Kingsville, Texas, in 2021 when Warner married Edward Warner, who is a US citizen.

The family was driving home from a baby shower in Raymondville, Texas, on 14 March when they were stopped at a border patrol checkpoint in Sarita. Tania Warner and her daughter were taken in by ICE agents to be fingerprinted, and neither returned.

Warner’s husband told the Vancouver Sun last week that ICE officials said “she overstayed her visa,” though he provided the paper with a copy of a US “employment authorization” card issued to his wife last year, and it had an expiry date of 8 June 2030.

They were originally held at Rio Grande Valley central processing center in McAllen, Texas, but were moved early on Friday to Dilley – which was originally opened under Barack Obama but later shuttered during the administration of Joe Biden. It reopened in early 2025 to hold detained families and has been heavily criticized for inhumane conditions.

Tania Warner described the treatment of her and her daughter as “horrific” from the start. After being held for about five and a half hours at the checkpoint, they were sent to the first facility, where “every single person … was handcuffed – including children”, the mother said.

There, they slept on the floor on 2in mats and the lights were on 24 hours a day. Agents would not let Warner call a lawyer and constantly pressured her to sign documents agreeing to “self-deport”.

“They’re abusive, and their tactics are to threaten you and to be so inhospitable that you deport yourself,” Warner said. She and her family say she has made it clear they have all the correct documents to live and work in the US, but that has been ignored.

“My life is here with my husband. I love him. I don’t want to leave. But at the same time, I’ve gotten a really ugly taste in my mouth for the United States,” she said.

Throughout the ordeal, Ayla has put on a brave face, befriending other children who also “just want to go home”, said Warner. But she has also developed a persistent full-body rash, for which she has been given Benadryl.

“I think she’s internalizing a lot,” she said.

Conditions at Dilly are marginally better, Warner said – inmates have access to windows and can sometimes go outdoors – but they have no privacy and are watched round the clock by guards.

The family’s lawyer is working to get the pair released on payment of a $15,000 bond.

Amelia Boultbee, a member of the legislative assembly of British Columbia, where Tania Warner is originally from, said she is urgently lobbying Canada’s federal government to help get Warner and her daughter released.

“We’re exploring diplomatic and legal avenues to have these Canadians released from detention, and I’m hoping that we take a strong stand against these illegal and unethical detentions by ICE,” she said.

But the course of action for Canadian authorities is unclear as there are few precedents of cases of Canadian families held in US detention, Boultbee said.

“There isn’t a clear template to follow, diplomatically or legally. So we’re exploring the best way … to advocate for this family and get them out of detention,” she said.

Global Affairs Canada, the federal ministry that handles consular services and diplomatic relations, said on Thursday it was “aware of multiple cases of Canadians currently or previously in immigration-related detention in the US”.

“Consular officials advocate for Canadian citizens abroad and raise concerns about justified and serious complaints of ill-treatment or discrimination with the local authorities but cannot exempt Canadians from local legal processes,” a spokesperson said. “Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed.”

Approached for comment on 20 March, ICE asked for more information about the Warner’s case. The Guardian provided that information, but four days later ICE had still not replied.

If it's not the color of your skin, could it be the color of your beliefs?

No Kings is around the corner!

 

More protests March 28 than any day in American history.  Join us.

 

Ezra Levin and the Indivisible Team <info@indivisible.org> It’s time for No Kings Spring. The only way out of the Trump mess is by recruiting a lot more people to do a lot more organizing in a lot of more communities. There’s no bigger or better opportunity to make progress against the fascists in the month of March than No Kings 3.  No Kings 3 will be historic because we will make it historic. Less than one week out, I can now confirm that there will be more No Kings protests on March 28 than on any previous day in American history.  But, as with Hands Off last April, No Kings last June, and No Kings 2 last October, I know this isn’t done until it’s done. We need this to be an enormous, historic rebuke to Trump’s regime. But whether it’s successful depends on far more than just me or Indivisible -- it depends on the leadership, courage, and commitment of millions of people around the globe.  This is a grassroots-driven event, which means it will succeed or fail because of what we all do to organize, recruit, and prepare. There are no corporate sponsors, there’s no massive advertising campaign, and despite what the right-wing wackjobs obsess about, nobody’s sending big checks to protestors. It’s up to us -- all of us.  The good news is we’re not alone. Momentum is building -- you can hear it. Last weekend, Leah and I went down to Selma for the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee's commemoration of the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the fight for a real, multiracial democracy. We were there because Indivisible received the Freedom Flame award, and we wanted to experience the history of that pivotal moment in Civil Rights History first-hand. I’d recommend anyone and everyone go next year. You’ll learn from and be inspired by the leaders who paved the road for our democracy with blood, sweat, and tears.  You’ll also find lots of friends. We were humbled when Faya Ora Rose Touré, the civil rights legend who cofounded the Jubilee, came up to us and shared a song she'd written for No Kings. You can see the lyrics here. All of us can organize. I love that No Kings is becoming so well-known that talented people all over the world are creating art in support of the movement. Nils Lofgren -- guitarist for the E Street band with Bruce Springsteen -- sent us his new song: No Kings, No Hate, No Fear.  Neither he nor Springsteen had planned to write new protest music or even go on tour this spring, but after the crackdown in the Twin Cities, they decided they had to do a No Kings protest tour, kicking off in Minneapolis after the flagship No Kings protest there on March 28.  But you don’t have to be a world famous artist to help make No King 3 into something historic. I’m not talking about money -- I’m talking about effort. With twelve days left to go, here are the three things I’d recommend: Register your local No Kings events! If your No Kings protest isn’t yet on the map, you’ve got until Wednesday, March 25 at 11:59pm PT to register it. Rule of thumb: if you go to the map and can’t find a protest within 30 minutes of where you live, start planning your own!  Train up. If you’re looking for training on safety, de-escalation, marketing, digital, or constitutional rights, we’ve got you covered. If your Indivisible group needs support, reach out to your organizer to walk you through the esources we provide. Ultimately this is up to you and your group, but you’re not alone and we can help! Recruit. Yes you should post to social media, but don’t just rely on the largely regime-friendly tech platforms to spread the word. At your favorite coffee shop, on Nextdoor, or among friends -- invite folks to join you. Find three people who didn't attend No Kings last year. Have a conversation about the moment we’re in, and ask them to come with you on March 28. This is old-school and more time consuming than just posting online -- but nothing is more effective at actually building the movement. As Faya Rose put it, without democracy, we cannot be free. That’s why we march, that’s why we sing: No kings, no kings. Your weekly to-dos Tell Congress: Stop Trump's War! Since Trump launched his war on Iran, as of this writing, thirteen US servicemembers, more than 1,400 Iranians, and hundreds of civilians across the region have been killed. Tell your Members of Congress to use every lever they have to end it: conduct oversight; force more votes on War Powers Resolutions; restrict funding; and oppose the war publicly. Call your senators and tell them to press Trump's nominee for DHS secretary, MAGA loyalist Markwayne Mullin, for real answers during his confirmation hearings. Kristi Noem is out at DHS, but Trump's nominee to replace her is at least as dedicated to sending ICE and Border Patrol to terrorize our cities. Markwayne Mullin's Senate confirmation hearings begin on Wednesday. Tell your senators to hold Mullin's feet to the fire and when his confirmation vote comes around, to vote NO. Tell Congress: Our right to vote is non-negotiable! The Senate votes this week on the "SAVE America" Act, a bill that could disenfranchise millions of Americans through burdensome voting requirements that would disproportionately impact married people who’ve changed their names, trans Americans, students, and voters of color. Tell your senators to vote NO! Email Your Members of Congress: Americans reject ICE's plan to warehouse people. DHS is buying up warehouses to retrofit into concentration camps -- but several grassroots campaigns to halt such sales have been successful! Members of Congress must do all they can to block the warehousing of human beings. Sign the open letter from alumni across the country calling on college presidents to keep their campuses free from ICE terror. Students, faculty, and staff at our institutions of higher education deserve safe environments in which to learn, teach, and work, without any threat of ICE violence. Calling all Courage Collectives members (and potential future members): Join our infosession on leveraging No Kings to advance noncooperation work! (Wed, 7pm ET/ 4pm PT). Autocrats need the support of society's most influential sectors – business, academia, civil service, etc -- to succeed. But when courageous people within those sectors join forces and refuse to cooperate, the "pillars" that prop the regime up start cracking. Join the call to learn more! P.S. No Kings (March 28) is almost here -- have you made your plans? In the face of the regime's illegal war, threats to voting rights, ongoing ICE terror, and bottomless corruption, we need this No Kings Day to be the biggest single-day protest in American history. Planning a national event that big, loud, and inescapable requires enormous resources, though, and we need your help! If you can, please pitch in to make No Kings 3 the day of world-historic protest this moment demands. Countdown to No Kings! No Kings 3 is just around the corner! If you haven't already found a protest near you, take a look at our map (2,800 events and climbing!) -- and if you don't find something right away, keep checking. New events are being added by the hour. (Or! If you don't find a protest within about 30 minutes of your home, consider hosting one yourself!).  But don't stop there! We've gathered and are hosting a number of helpful resources for anyone planning to be in the streets on March 28: Spread the word on your social media accounts, across your social circles, wherever you can, ask at least three friends to attend, wherever they may be across the country. Attend the No Kings Kick Off call (Thurs, 8pm ET/5pm PT). We'll be talking with movement leaders about the strategic and moral imperatives behind this national day of action. Attend a training - Whether you're a host, a long-time activist, or protesting for the first time, we're hosting a bunch of training calls to help folks gear up for March 28 -- from how to have conversations about No Kings that move people to join the movement, to an ACLU-led training about our Constitutional right to protest peacefully and best practices for making protests safe and successful (in both English and Spanish). Find all that information and more, right here

First American pope wants no part of Trump's U.S.

 

As Trump watches fireworks and flyovers, Pope will be "greeting strangers at the door."

Story by Adam Lynch

 

Alternet

Pope Leo XIV has officially dissed Catholic JD Vance’s formal invitation to the upcoming July 4th 250th festivities in the United States. Instead, the Pope, formerly of Chicago, will be celebrating that day “on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa — a migrant gateway in the Mediterranean,” reports Christopher Hale, who chronicles the Vatican’s doings with his “Letters from Leo” reports.

Back in May 2025, JD Vance personally invited Pope Leo to take part in the anniversary celebrations. Many assumed Trump and Vance would welcome the first American pope with open arms during this historic jubilee. But Pope Leo never accepted the offer, reports Hale, adding that the rejection came days after the Vatican also rejected an invitation to President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace.”

Worse, the Vatican quietly confirmed the pope has no plans to visit the United States at all in 2026.

“Instead, on the very day of America’s 250th, [the pope] will kneel on a rocky outcrop closer to Tunisia than to Washington, bearing witness to those dying in desperate search of freedom,” said Hale. “The contrast could not be sharper. President Trump envisions F-35 flyovers and fireworks in the capital’s sky; Pope Leo will stand under the same sun on Lampedusa, greeting strangers at the door.”

“Trump wraps himself in the trappings of national glory, while Leo embraces what he calls the ‘moral obligation’ to welcome the migrant and refugee. Their clashing itineraries speak volumes about their clashing values,” Hale said.

This is not the first rebuke Pope Leo has dished to Trump. On June 14, 2025 Trump ordered a military parade for his own birthday, despite taking multiple deferments to avoid military service in his youth. That same day, Pope Leo XIV upstaged the president by appearing by video in Chicago and delivering an “uplifting message of unity and hope to 30,000 hometown faithful attending a Mass in honor of his election.”

But Hale reports Pope Leo XIV’s refusal to take part in President Trump’s 250th pageant or his Board of Peace “is not a snub for snub’s sake. It is a conscious moral stance.”

“The 70-year-old pontiff has made clear that true greatness is measured by our treatment of the least among us, not the size of our parades,” reports Hale. “He has repeatedly condemned what he calls the ‘inhuman’ persecution of immigrant families, aligning the Church firmly against the mass deportations and border cruelty of the Trump era.”

Leo recently opined that political leaders can’t rightfully claim to defend life while demeaning the lives of migrants. And in turning down Trump’s Gaza board, Hale said Leo made clear that peace built on billion-dollar buy-ins and exclusion of the weak is “not peace at all.”

“Trump may still bask in fireworks on the National Mall this July 4. But the true Independence Day message,” said Hale, “won’t be delivered from a marble podium in Washington — it will rise from a humble Mass on Lampedusa’s rocky soil.”

Where have all our values gone?