How They Break Systems to Build Control

 🧩Policy in Pieces🧩

📌Congress Approves Trump’s $9 Billion Cut to Public Broadcasting and Foreign Aid

What Happened: The House of Representatives has given the final approval for Trump’s request to cut $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $8 billion for a variety of foreign aid programs, mainly to countries suffering from drought and disease. This marked the first successful presidential rescission approved by Congress in decades. Raising concerns about ceding congressional spending powers to the executive branch, House Republicans, even those vocally uncomfortable with the request, blindly followed Trump’s unprecedented request.

Why It Matters: These cuts strike at services that millions rely on for safety and survival. Public broadcasting supports the radio alerts that warn people about hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, especially in remote areas with no other way to get updates. Slashing this funding leaves communities vulnerable when it matters most. The foreign aid reductions go even further, stripping support from countries already battling drought, disease, and hunger. Pulling out now doesn’t just hurt them—it weakens global stability and damages long-standing alliances. What’s worse is how easily Congress gave up its authority. If they keep letting presidents make these calls unchecked, programs that save lives could disappear with no debate at all.  If lawmakers won’t push back now, future presidents could target whatever they want—education, healthcare, or even Social Security—under the guise of “waste.”

📌EPA Shutters its Scientific Research Arm, with Hundreds of Scientists Expected to be Impacted

What Happened: Guided by the Trump administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is closing its scientific division known as the Office of Research and Development (ORD). More than 1,500 scientists and researchers dedicated to safeguarding human health and ecosystems from environmental pollutants will be fired from their ORD positions. This closure will shift the negative health and economic consequences of pollution to local hospitals, families, and communities.

Why It Matters: This move isn’t just a bureaucratic reshuffle—it’s a warning sign for the future of science in Trump’s government. By dismantling the EPA’s research division, Trump is gutting one of the only agencies tasked with using evidence to protect public health. Without scientists tracking pollution and its effects, decisions will be made based on politics, not facts. Losing that infrastructure means lives will be lost long before it can ever be rebuilt. Local communities will pay the price as toxic exposure goes unchecked and the burden shifts to underfunded hospitals and families already stretched thin. If this is the model for how a second Trump term will treat science—cut it, silence it, and ignore the consequences—we’re looking at a government that no longer works to protect its people, only its power.

📌3 Democrat-led States Have Rolled Back Medicaid Access for People Lacking Permanent Legal Status

What Happened: The Democratic-led states of California, Illinois, and Minnesota have reversed their policy which opened health-insurance programs to low-income immigrants regardless of their legal status. These cuts were driven by state fiscal concerns and Trump’s budget which removed needed federal support. Without access to health-insurance programs, immigrants will fail to seek care because of financial stress and fear of being deported.

Why It Matters: Trump’s budget cuts aren’t just shifting federal priorities but are actively reshaping lives at the state level with real consequences. Stripping away federal support, he’s forcing even blue states to pull healthcare away from immigrants who already live on the margins. This move isn’t about tightening budgets—it’s a calculated strategy to pressure states into turning their backs on vulnerable communities. Immigrants aren’t political pawns. They are people in need of basic care. When Democrats cave under budget threats instead of defending the programs they championed, they send a message that some lives are easier to sacrifice. If this continues, it sets a dangerous precedent where the federal government can strong-arm states into abandoning their values and the people who count on them.

📌 Trump Withdraws U.S. From UNESCO Program

What Happened: The Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), echoing a move from his first term. Since UNESCO promotes international social causes and collaborative cultural programs, the administration felt it did not align with American policy goals. UNESCO will lose 8% of its budget and the global voice of the country when the withdrawal takes effect in 2026. This decision is consistent with Trump’s previous withdrawals from international bodies such as the WHO and the UNRWA.

Why It Matters: Pulling out of UNESCO reduces America’s global presence at a time when education, culture, and peacebuilding need strong leadership from influential nations. This isn’t a realignment of values—it’s the product of a closed-minded administration that treats international cooperation as a threat instead of a strength. From educational access in struggling regions to cultural preservation in conflict zones like Palestine, this decision undercuts initiatives that impact real lives. Losing American support means deeper funding gaps and a weaker response to rising global instability. If this becomes the new standard for foreign policy, the future won’t just be more divided—it will be less educated, less empathetic, and far more dangerous.

📌Trump Accuses Obama of 'Treason' in the Oval Office

What Happened: After posting an AI-generated fake video of Obama being arrested, Trump claimed Obama tried to rig the 2016 elections (providing no evidence) and accused him of treason. These comments come after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard submitted a criminal referral to the DOJ threatening the Obama administration. Critics on both sides of the aisle say the Trump administration is just trying to distract from the Epstein files and its other political controversies. 

Why It Matters: Trump’s use of an official account to share an AI-generated arrest video of Obama isn’t just disgraceful—a direct threat to the core values of our political system. Accusing a former president of treason without evidence while echoing threats from his own intelligence officials blurs the line between governance and authoritarianism. These actions feed conspiracy-driven thinking, erode public trust, and endanger the safety of past leaders. It’s a hallmark of dictatorship to target political opponents with fabricated charges, and Trump is signaling he has no interest in restraint. Using AI fakery as political ammunition on the world stage turns the presidency into a circus and the country into a global embarrassment. If this is how power gets wielded, accountability and truth won’t just be ignored—they’ll be rewritten.

📌 Calls to Strip Zohran Mamdani's Citizenship Spark Alarm About Trump Weaponizing Denaturalization

What Happened: Zohran Mamdani (the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor) obtained his U.S. citizenship in 2018, but Trump continues to spread false claims that he is an illegal immigrant. This rhetoric is coupled with calls from Republican congressmen to revoke Mamdani’s citizenship over rap lyrics he wrote years ago expressing support for Palestine. Trump has previously argued he could deport naturalized citizens, raising concerns political opponents like Mamdani may be targeted.

Why It Matters: This situation highlights a disturbing pattern of authoritarian behavior where constitutional protections are disregarded to silence political opponents. Targeting a naturalized citizen like Mamdani based on unproven accusations and artistic expression undermines the core values of due process and free speech. These attacks spread dangerous conspiracies from the Oval Office, eroding public trust in government institutions. The use of citizenship revocation as a political weapon threatens the safety and inclusion of immigrant communities across the country. If left unchecked, this approach breaks the constitutional boundaries designed to protect all Americans, setting a precedent that could destabilize democracy itself.

🎭 Meme of the Week

See you next week—stay informed, stay engaged, and don’t let the BS fool you.

✨Your movement bestie – Shae

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