Trump Grift, ICE Crackdowns, Spy Lists, And America 250 Chaos
Today’s Resistance Kitty political news update is serving corruption with a flag pin, surveillance with a smile, and democracy stress testing itself in public. From Trump crypto cash to ICE protest prosecutions, from America 250 donor drama to intelligence agency alarm bells, the pattern is not subtle. The grift is loud. The repression is organized. And the patriotic branding is doing a lot of unpaid emotional labor.
Key Developments
- PunchUp reports that a scandal hit DHS doctor came under scrutiny for lavish travel and office spending questions, because apparently belt tightening is for staffers, not the people holding the belt.
- NYTimes reports that Trump officials pushed intelligence agencies for a master list of foreign espionage targets, which is the kind of national security idea that sounds like it was brainstormed in a leak investigation.
- SaltyPolitics argues that federal investigators never fully chased the Trump Russia trail, which is very convenient if you believe powerful men deserve velvet ropes around their scandals.
- Dworkin highlights resistance wins against Trump era power grabs, because sometimes the regime trips over its own paperwork and democracy gets a tiny sip of water.
- PopularInfo reports that Trump made a massive meme coin windfall while SaveAmerica frames the wider crypto haul as the point of the grift, because apparently public office now comes with a blockchain gift shop.
- Nation reports that Prairieland defendants received extreme prison sentences after a protest outside a Texas ICE detention center, because the government seems very comfortable turning dissent into a cage match.
- Brave says its billboard campaign is calling out Trump administration policies tied to rising costs, because nothing says freedom like sweating through summer while your electric bill files for emotional damages.
- Downballot reports that Kansas voters will decide whether to change how state Supreme Court justices are selected, because when voters protect abortion rights, some Republicans apparently start shopping for new referees.
- MacFarlane reports that congressional Democrats allege Trump allies misled donors and hijacked America 250 planning, because even the nation’s birthday party apparently needed an ethics monitor.
- Swamp identifies the MAGA insiders behind Trump’s state fair flop, which is fitting because nothing says historic celebration like empty booths, weird branding, and patriotic clown shoes.
- DERSpiegel warns that America’s 250 year democracy story is under strain while 50501 frames protest as patriotic duty, because refusing a king was literally the original group project.
- Truscott argues that Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s birthright citizenship reasoning was constitutional gymnastics in a robe, because originalism gets very bendy when Trump needs a favor.
- Nightfire warns that modern car ownership now comes with subscriptions, tracking, remote tools, and data harvesting, because apparently buying the car was only the first payment on corporate surveillance.
- Sunny recaps active duty Air Force Major Jason Watson’s arrest after calling for impeachment on the Capitol steps, because defending the Constitution is only celebrated when it stays safely in a speech.
- EyesOnICE maps the funding and influence network behind anti immigration politics, because the cruelty machine does not run on vibes alone.
Featured Resisters and Resources
- Political oversight tracker created by House Oversight Committee Democrats to document and publicly catalog alleged misconduct by U.S. immigration enforcement agencies — including ICE and CBP — under the Trump administration, based on media reporting and litigation. It’s designed to push for accountability, highlight patterns of force or questionable deportation tactics, and serve Congress, journalists, and activists monitoring civil rights and due process issues.
- FreeLattice is an open source artificial intelligence platform designed to give users greater privacy, flexibility, and control over their AI experience. Built around a local first philosophy, it allows individuals to work with AI models on their own devices while reducing dependence on centralized cloud services. This approach makes it especially valuable for journalists, researchers, investigators, developers, educators, and anyone handling sensitive information.
What We Are Watching Today
- Nothing related to the government becuase they left and went on vacation.
- I am eagerly awaiting news about Blanche’s contempt hearing when he does not turn over the Epstein files unredacted.
Today’s Call to Action
1. Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guide
2. Sign these Petitions and Send These Pre Written Letters
- Tell Chris Wright: Stop Downplaying Extreme Heat Deaths
- Defend the constitution. Protect birthright citizenship.
- Sign the petition if you agree: Network news organizations like ABC and NBC must never change their coverage in order to please Trump.
- Sign the petition: Congress must reject the SAVE America Act, which would greatly restrict mail-in voting nationwide.
- Sign the petition: Congress must oppose Republicans’ deficit-busting, $1,000,000,000,000+ military budget.
- Sign if you agree: Congress must reject Mike Johnson’s plan to “fix” Social Security.
- Sign the petition denouncing the Trump administration for implementing a new rule that could kick millions of Americans off Medicaid.
- Add your name if you agree: Congress should investigate insider trading on the Iran war, because we all know that the Trump administration won’t do it.
- Sign the petition to Congress if you agree: Help lower energy costs by stopping Donald Trump’s war against affordable, renewable electricity generation.
3. Verify your voter registration status and help at least one other person check theirs
4. Save contact information for local legal aid and voting support organizations
5. Attend an Event
- Join Indivisible National’s What’s the Plan with Leah and Ezra for a weekly virtual strategy session covering the latest political developments and actions you can take.
- Sign up for Ground Truth Volunteer Orientation to learn how to participate in voter outreach, phone banking, canvassing, and other virtual organizing opportunities from home.
- Attend Hope in Action Protecting Democracy in 2026 to connect with organizers, hear from advocates, and learn practical ways to strengthen democratic engagement in your community.
6. Contact Your Lawmakers Directly
- Demand your Members of Congress stand up for trans folks by organizing a district office visit. Here are some tips from Families United for Trans Rights (FUTR) to help plan your meeting.
- Protect Government Transparency: “Hello, I’m a constituent asking you to support transparency and strong oversight. Please oppose efforts that reduce public access to government records and ensure agencies comply with lawful requests for information.”
- Defend Independent Inspectors and Watchdogs: “I’m calling to ask you to protect independent inspectors general and government watchdogs. Strong oversight helps prevent waste, corruption, and abuse regardless of which party is in power.”
- Support Human Trafficking Prevention and Survivor Resources: “Please prioritize funding for human trafficking investigations, survivor services, and the prosecution of traffickers. Survivors deserve resources, accountability, and long term support.”
Let’s Roll!
Today’s political news update shows the same old Resistance Kitty lesson in fresh packaging. Follow the money, follow the power, and watch who gets punished when they resist. Whether the story is crypto grift, ICE crackdowns, intelligence agency pressure, judicial power plays, or America 250 being turned into a MAGA carnival, the theme is simple. Democracy does not collapse politely. It gets branded, monetized, surveilled, and sold back to the public with fireworks.
