Trump’s Second Term: Lies, Greed, and the Real Cost to America

Episode Highlights

1.     Trump’s presidency continues to be shaped by personal ego, lies, and a refusal to accept responsibility—creating a dangerous pattern of behavior that harms both democracy and the American people.

2.      In a blatant abuse of power, Trump’s Middle East trips serve private business interests—especially for himself, Elon Musk, and billionaire allies—while facilitating insider trading through tariff manipulation.

3.     Trump’s tariff war with China has failed, backfiring on American consumers and businesses, while giving China, Canada, and Mexico the upper hand in trade negotiations.

4.     The Trump administration’s proposed tax cuts for billionaires—funded by devastating Medicaid cuts—would add trillions to the national debt and strip health coverage from millions of vulnerable Americans.

5.     Trump’s racist immigration policy favors white South African refugees while excluding vetted refugees of color, exposing a disturbing alignment with far-right and white nationalist agendas.

6.     Democrats staged a fierce 26-hour resistance to Trump’s Medicaid-cutting legislation, warning the nation of its catastrophic human cost—and showcasing real leadership in defense of American values.

7.     With the U.S. credit rating downgraded by all major agencies, Trump’s reckless economic agenda now threatens the country’s fiscal stability, global standing, and the everyday financial lives of Americans.

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Resources for Podcast 133:

• Amber Phillips from The Washington Post, “The 5-Minute Fix” on Friday, May 16, 2025, 2:51 PM.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/newsletters/the-5-minute-fix/

• “White House bans U.S. agencies from all work on G-20 in South Africa” in The Washington Post by Jeff Stein and John Hudson, May 14, 2025, 11:04 Am EDT.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/05/14/white-house-g20-boycott-talks/

• “U.S. Downgraded by Moody’s as Trump Pushes Costly Tax Cuts,” The New York Times,  May 16, 2025, 5:36 PM ET, by Tony Romm and Andrew Duehren.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/business/us-credit-downgrade-moodys.html

• The Washington Post on May 19, 2025, by Jeff Stein, Natalie Allison and David J. Lynch, “White House eased China tariffs after warning of harm to ‘Trump’s people.’”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/05/14/trump-tariffs-china-trade/

• “26 Hours and 33 failed amendments votes: This is Democrats’ masterclass in resistance,” The Washington Post, May 15, 2025, by Karen Tumulty.
• Forbes newsletter [e-mail], Thursday, May 15, 2025, 6:46 AM, “Middle East Deal Spree.” (Write to obtain access to their newsletter.)
• The New York Times’s article, As