Caught on a Hot Mic and Cold Ethics
The Fumes in the Air
- The U.S. federal government has now been shut down since October 1, after Congress failed to pass the funding bills for fiscal year 2026.
- Roughly 900,000 federal workers have been furloughed, and another ~700,000 employees are working without pay (i.e. “essential” staff forced to keep going).
- Key services are already affected: Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are closed for the duration of the shutdown.
- More pain is coming: layoffs are hitting agencies like Education, CDC, EPA, HUD. Programs for vulnerable populations — students, seniors, housing, civil rights enforcement — are being slashed.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson warned the shutdown may become one of the longest in American history, as neither side seems ready to back down on their red line demands.
In the Spotlight: Hot Mic + Shutdown = Two Sides of the Same Spectacle
- The “hot mic” moment (Indonesian President asking to meet with Trump’s son, Trump replying “I’ll have Eric call”) is not just a weird whisper in diplomacy — it fits into a larger pattern.
- While one side (Trump & GOP leadership) is weaponizing a shutdown: using funding cuts, layoffs, and closures as leverage — they also drop showy moments to distract attention.
- The contrast is stark: Biden is quietly claiming credit for hostage releases, with little fanfare. Trump, by contrast, is making headlines for performing diplomacy like a family business, while dismantling government from the inside.
- The shutdown itself is a political weapon: freezing funds to “blue” states, threatening mass layoffs, and closing public services.
- All this gives the same message: control the narrative, stir crisis, and make people feel dependent on your mercy.
The Big Story
Oh look — Trump’s foreign policy is now a family business again. During the Gaza ceasefire summit in Egypt, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto was caught on a hot mic asking Trump if he could meet his son Eric. Trump purred back, “I’ll have Eric call… he’s such a good boy.”
Reuters and The Guardian both confirmed the recording exists — but no one’s quite sure whether the “meeting” was about diplomacy or dollars. Either way, it stinks of nepotism marinated in ego.
Meanwhile, Back in Reality…
President Biden has quietly secured the release of over 100 hostages detained abroad — far more than Trump managed during his entire term. No photo ops, no self-congratulatory parades, no “look at me, I saved the day” rallies.
If Biden’s doing the work while Trump’s whispering about “good boys” on open mics, we’re not watching diplomacy — we’re watching theater. The kind with cheap lighting and the same bad actor.
Featured Resister: Accountability Journalists
From Reuters to The Guardian to The Daily Beast, reporters are the ones clawing through the noise to keep us informed. Support independent outlets that still care about facts instead of fluff.
Featured Articles
- What Are We Becoming?
- “When Survival Becomes a Silent Prayer”
- Mock the Chaos: Calling Out the Bad Actors Undermining Democracy
- Previewing the New Jersey and Virginia Governor Races: Part One
- Peace Doesn’t Belong to Tyrants
- Here is how Trump could stay in power after 2029 even if he’s not President
- Are We the Nazis Now?
- Trump’s Shady New Deal Caught on Hot Mic! Off the Record LIVE
Featured Events
- October 18th No Kings National Rally
- Third Act Yes on 50 Phonebank with Bill McKibben
- R-Brigade Meet Up
Featured Petitions
- Congress Must Stop Trump’s Politically-Motivated Indictments
- Tell Media Outlets: Refuse to Comply with Pentagon Censorship
- ICE: Stop Disappearing Immigrants From Attorneys & Family
- Stop the Delays: Swear in Congresswoman Grijalva
Featured Easy Send Letters
- Stop Trump’s far-right crusade against his political opponents
- Tell Governors: Pass Universal Child Care and Tax Corporations to Pay for It
- Tell Congress: Pass the No Political Enemies Act
- Stand Up to the Crypto Billionaires
- Tell Congress: Protect Our Elections From 2020 Deniers Now
- Tell Congress: Reject a government funding bill that doesn’t address our health crisis or hold the Trump administration accountable.
- Tell Congress: Rein in the Insurrection Act and End Trump’s War on Cities
- American Civil War II
Today’s To-Do List
- Share verified sources about the “hot mic” leak — use Reuters or The Guardian, not partisan fluff.
- Ask out loud: Why are foreign leaders trying to schedule playdates with Trump’s kids?
- Write your reps — demand transparency rules to prevent family profiteering from political office.
- Support real journalism by donating or subscribing to fact-based outlets.
- Boycott Trump Organization properties and affiliated brands still cashing in on political influence.
- Sign All Above Petitions
- Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guide
Kitty’s Final Claw
While Biden’s freeing hostages quietly, Trump’s out here turning global summits into family reunions. The cameras may be rolling, but the truth isn’t in the spotlight — it’s hiding in the background, whispering into a hot mic. Stay loud, stay skeptical, and keep your claws sharp.
Sources
- Reuters – Indonesian president asks Trump for meeting with son Eric in ‘hot mic’ moment
- The Guardian – Indonesia’s president heard on hot mic asking Trump if he can meet son Eric
- The Daily Beast – World Leader Caught Asking Trump for a Family Favor on Hot Mic
- Newsweek – Biden Administration Has Freed Over 70 Wrongfully Detained Americans