Catégorie oBox : OBOXMA
Trump describes the cases against those he has just pardoned as a «grave national injustice».
“Today love won,” was the statement made by Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, on Monday after the Supreme Court voted not to overturn its landmark precedent, making gay marriage a constitutional right.
Instead, they denied the appeal made by a former Kentucky county clerk, Kim Davis, and then sentenced her to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees.
Who is Kim Davis?
Kim Davis started refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples right after Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that gave gay couples the right to marry, in 2015. She was caught on camera that year refusing a gay couple a marriage license, and it went viral.
Davis claimed her Christian faith was the reason she was ‘unable’ to issue the licenses. After refusing multiple gay couple marriage licenses and being called out on social media, she began refusing all couples’ marriage licenses, along with 14 other counties in the south.
What ensued was two years of lawsuits. Six couples who were refused licences sued Davis and won; Davis appealed every decision against her.
In the end, Davis was jailed for five days, sent back to her desk, and forced to give licenses (albeit without her signature).
Davis stuck with consistent messaging throughout the process, stating.
“I never imagined a day like this would come, where I would be asked to violate a central teaching of Scripture and of Jesus Himself regarding marriage. To issue a marriage license which conflicts with God’s definition of marriage, with my name affixed to the certificate, would violate my conscience.”
Davis lost her re-election campaign in 2019. She has been battling in court since, racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, and appealing quite literally every Supreme Court decision that goes against her (she’s even appealing the decisions against her appeals! Appeal-ception!).
Supreme Court says no
The appeal that was denied in this case was sent after lower courts rejected Davis’ claim that the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment right to free exercise of religion protects her from liability in the case.
If the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of Davis, it would have set a precedent that would allow any judge to deny a gay couple a marriage license, as long as they cited religious reasons.
William Powell, an attorney representing the plaintiffs involved, said, « The Supreme Court’s denial of review confirms what we already knew: same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, and Kim Davis’s denial of marriage licenses in defiance of Obergefell plainly violated that right. »
‘Love won today’
After the Supreme Court’s shocking decision to overturn Roe v Wade in 2022, nothing was guaranteed in this case. Roe v Wade, of course, was the ruling that recognized a woman’s constitutional right to abortion and legalized the procedure nationwide.
The ruling to overturn Roe v Wade emboldened far-right Christian nationalist groups and sent hope through the MAGA crowd that they might be able to turn back the clock on human rights.
The Supreme Court is making a statement with this ruling: when it comes to cuts, human rights are not on the table.
Football fans at Northwest Stadium were treated to a surprise on Sunday: Donald Trump, President of the United States.
DJT was seen in a suite with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
Trump was shown on the video board in the second quarter and booed raucously as he valiantly tried to read the sheet in front of him. Trump was attempting to recite a military oath to swear in recruits.
Trouble reading
The Don recently bragged about ‘acing’ a dementia screener, made to assess whether basic cognitive function is still doable. He got another tough test at the Commanders game, when he was tasked with reading four sentences to the crowd.
The line Trump struggled with was a prompt for him to say his own name. What Trump was supposed to say was, “Please raise your right hand. I, Donald Trump, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Instead, Trump read out, “Please raise your right hand. I—and state your name—do solemnly swear, that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic,”
Yes, he said ‘state your name’ instead of saying his name. Of course, the president did have about 20,000 red-blooded, football-loving, true Americans booing the skin off him, so maybe he was nervous.
First since Jimmy
Trump was the first president to attend a regular-season NFL game since Jimmy Carter in 1978. Ironically enough, Trump’s approval ratings are nearly identical to Carter’s at 34%.
That number leaves them in a three-way tie for second-last in the presidential popularity rankings.
Trump also attended the Super Bowl in February, and it’s assumed he’ll do the same in 2026.
Donald Trump stadium?
Experts can’t help but draw parallels between the rarity of this meeting and the rumour surrounding the Commanders’ new stadium.
The new stadium was approved on Sept. 17, and will include a billion-dollar investment from Washington, and a $2.7 bn commitment from the Commander’s organization.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emailed ESPN with a statement:
« That would be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible. »
Since the stadium will be owned by the District of Columbia, not the Commanders, the team will not have proprietary naming rights.
A source confirmed that, « The team doesn’t have the authority. They can’t name the stadium … on their own. The city would be involved in that decision, and the Park Service would be involved. »
This means Trump could have some sway over the naming of the new stadium, much to the chagrin of football fans.
“They’re gonna build a beautiful stadium, that’s what I’m involved in. We’re getting all the approvals and everything else. And you have a wonderful owner, Josh and his group, and you’re going to see some very good things.”
-Donald Trump
Colorless commentator
Trump didn’t just stay in his press box on Sunday. He also appeared on FOX News’ broadcast near the end of the game, even getting to call an important moment late in the fourth quarter.
“Let’s see what happens. Not bad,” was his response to the three-yard drive from Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
The appearance on the FOX broadcast has garnered mass disapproval on social media. Donald Trump has invoked the other side of the “keep politics out of sports” crowd. Multiple posts on social media specifically attack the fact that Donald Trump is underqualified to be a sports broadcaster.
This means either some of the MAGA crowd believe being president is easier than doing play-by-play, or that Donald Trump is no longer capable of doing anything. Can both be true?
Donald Trump is facing backlash after an awkward reaction to a medical emergency involving one of his guests in the Oval Office, with critics mocking his strange and seemingly distant behavior as the incident unfolded.
A photo from the scene quickly went viral on social media.
Behind his desk
In the now-viral photo, Trump stands awkwardly at his Oval Office desk, facing the press with a stiff, almost detached posture, while in the background several people who were present in the room are seen trying to give medical attention to a man who had collapsed moments earlier, lifting his legs into the air.
Trump’s bizarre reaction to the medical emergency is captured in other photos, showing him still standing behind his desk, watching from a distance as the man lies on the floor.
The man who collapsed was identified in reports as a guest of Eli Lilly and a GLP-1 patient invited to the Oval Office event on weight-loss drugs. Early accounts suggest he briefly fainted, likely due to low blood pressure, and later recovered.
Lack of concern
Only after the image spread widely on social media did many users begin drawing parallels between Trump’s apparent indifference in that moment and what they see as his broader lack of concern for citizens facing financial hardship, from soaring prices to cuts in SNAP benefits, all while the federal government had been shut down for more than a month.
Trump was not the only person present during the medical emergency to face sharp criticism on social media, as Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. was also called out for walking out of the Oval Office instead of assisting the man in distress, with his reaction captured on video and widely shared online.
Allies of Trump and RFK Jr. argued that both men simply stepped back to let professionals handle the emergency, accusing critics of weaponizing a frightening moment for political gain.
As the BBC faces a major scandal over a misleading edit of a Donald Trump speech from January 6, 2021, two top executives – Director Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness – have resigned amid mounting accusations of bias and lack of impartiality.
«The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught “doctoring” my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th.»
A (PERFECT!) speech
Trump has seized on the controversy on Truth Social to accuse the British, a key US ally, of damaging democracy, calling it «What a terrible thing for Democracy!» and is now threatening to sue the BBC for 1 billion dollars over the edited segment, according to several media outlets including The Washington Post and Fox News.
In his Truth Social post, Trump claimed that senior leadership at the broadcaster was being pushed out, writing that «The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught “doctoring” my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th.»
«On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!».
A terrible thing for Democracy
In the same message, Trump also thanked a British newspaper for its coverage of the controversy, writing «Thank you to The Telegraph for exposing these Corrupt “Journalists.”».
Trump continued his attack on the network and its staff, writing «These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election.»
Trump ends his message by broadening his accusations to a key US ally as a whole, writing «On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!».
«The BBC has caused President Trump to suffer overwhelming financial and reputational harm» and warning that «if the BBC does not comply with the above by November 14, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST, President Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived»
Completely misleading
The accusations against the BBC centre on a Panorama documentary that spliced together separate parts of Donald Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech, allegedly creating the impression that he was directly urging supporters to storm the Capitol. The row was ignited by a detailed exposé in The Telegraph, based on a leaked 19-page internal memo written by former BBC adviser Michael Prescott.
That dossier claims the programme «Trump: A Second Chance?» was «completely misleading», accusing editors of “doctoring” Trump’s remarks by stitching together lines spoken nearly an hour apart and then overlaying them with footage of the Capitol march that was filmed earlier, thereby changing the meaning of his words.
«It feels like a coup.»
One Billion Dollars in damages
According to Fox News, Trump and his legal team have also sent a formal letter to the BBC, claiming that «The BBC has caused President Trump to suffer overwhelming financial and reputational harm» and warning that «if the BBC does not comply with the above by November 14, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST, President Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived».
The letter adds that this could include «filing legal action for no less than $1,000,000,000 (One Billion Dollars) in damages.»
Turness, according to The Guardian, defended the corporation as she announced her resignation over the scandal, rejecting Trump’s claim that its journalists are corrupt and insisting that «Our journalists aren’t corrupt. Our journalists are hardworking people who strive for impartiality. And I will stand by their journalism,» adding that while mistakes happen, «There is no institutional bias.»
According to The Guardian, some BBC staff believe the scandal is being driven less by genuine concerns over impartiality than by a coordinated campaign from the corporation’s political enemies, with sources inside the News department saying «It feels like a coup» and calling it «the result of a campaign by political enemies of the BBC.»
Kim Kardashian once again caused a sensation at the London premiere of the All’s Fair series, revealing a bold and resolutely glamorous look. Her colleagues were even more elegant. And let’s not forget the efflorescent decor, which stole the show on the purple carpet. Here are a few looks from the event.
Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows and Sidney Powell, all close former political allies or lawyers of Donald Trump, are among scores of people pardoned by the president over the weekend for their roles in an alleged plot to steal the 2020 election.
The president’s intent
In a statement posted on X, US pardon attorney Ed Martin announced that the Trump administration had granted pardons to 77 people said to have taken part in a scheme to install fake Republican electors in several battleground states, which would have falsely declared Trump the winner of the 2020 election instead of Joe Biden.
In a post on X, US pardon attorney Ed Martin celebrated the move, writing «Breaking: President Trump pardoned the 2020 Alternative Electors.» He went on to thank Trump, the White House and several senior legal advisers for allowing him to help carry out the president’s intent, saying it would «let their healing begin».
«Let their healing begin.»
-US pardon attorney Ed Martin
Ed Martin also attached to his post a copy of a document titled «A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump», setting out a list of 77 people to whom Trump granted a «full, complete, and unconditional pardon» for conduct linked to efforts to create and promote alternative slates of presidential electors and to expose alleged voting fraud and vulnerabilities in the 2020 election.
Among those pardoned are Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s former personal lawyer, accused of pushing false fraud claims and backing the fake electors plan; Mark Meadows, Trump’s final White House chief of staff, accused of helping pressure officials and support efforts to keep Trump in power after 2020; and Sidney Powell, a pro-Trump lawyer tied to conspiracy theories about voting machines and efforts to overturn results in key states.
John Eastman and Kenneth Chesebro, conservative lawyers close to Trump, were accused of designing the legal strategy behind the fake electors. Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark was accused of drafting a false DOJ letter to urge states to appoint alternate Trump electors. Jenna Ellis, another Trump campaign lawyer, was accused of spreading false claims of massive fraud to support that broader effort.
«This proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation.»
The process of national reconciliation
These are only a few examples of the alleged offenses committed by those pardoned by Trump, who are all accused of having played an active role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election result in his favor.
In the written proclamation, Trump describes the cases against those he has just pardoned as a «grave national injustice» and presents the pardons as a step that continues the process of national reconciliation:
«This proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation.»
Donald Trump has declared victory in a new self-proclaimed war — this time against what he calls the «Climate Change Hoax.»
In a post on Truth Social, the president took a victory lap, saying he’s «won the war on the Climate Change Hoax» and citing Bill Gates’ recent comments as proof that he was right all along.
In a memo published on his blog ahead of the COP30 climate summit, Bill Gates wrote: «Climate change is a serious problem, but it will not be the end of civilization.»
A total victory
Trump began his post on Truth Social, declaring: «I (WE!) just won the War on the Climate Change Hoax.»
«Bill Gates has finally admitted that he was completely WRONG on the issue,» he continued, seizing on Gates’ recent comments about renewable energy as proof that his longtime skepticism toward climate science had been justified.
As Trump praised himself for what he saw as a total victory, he closed in trademark fashion: «It took courage to do so, and for that we are all grateful. MAGA!!!»
In an interview with Axios, Bill Gates called Trump’s claim that he’d admitted being completely wrong on climate change «a gigantic misreading of the memo.»
The true measures of progress
Bill Gates did not deny the reality of climate change but argued that current efforts place too much emphasis on temperature and emissions targets.
Gates said that innovation and human welfare should be the true measures of progress: «Temperature is not the best way to measure our progress on climate… Health and prosperity are the best defense against climate change.»
The billionaire emphasised that while climate change will hit poorer countries hardest, the biggest threats remain «poverty and disease, just as they always have been.»
«I (WE!) just won the War on the Climate Change Hoax.»
-Donald Trump
Gates urged leaders to refocus strategy: invest in innovation and adaptation rather than solely chasing emission-targets.
Disappointment and anger
On social media, disappointment and anger erupted over Bill Gates’s shift in tone on climate change, with some users accusing him of joining the same circle as other billionaires who align with Donald Trump in pursuit of power and profit — without any regulation on their business.
Discovered on July 1, 2025, this comet does not follow a classical orbit around the Sun, but a so-called hyperbolic trajectory, suggesting that it could originate from beyond our solar system.
