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Trump: US in «armed conflict»

After a series of strikes on boats suspected of carrying drugs for cartels bound for the United States, the Pentagon informed Congress that the Trump administration now considers the country to be in an «armed conflict» with drug cartels.

President Trump has determined that the US is in an “armed conflict” with the drug cartels his administration has designated as terrorist organizations, according to a notice the Pentagon provided to Congress on Wednesday obtained by CNN. https://cnn.it/4olFcBR

CNN (@cnn.com) 2025-10-02T20:30:12.955777974Z

According to CNN, the revelation came in a memo delivered this week, which stated that cartel smugglers should be treated as «unlawful combatants» and therefore legitimate military targets under U.S. law.

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«The President determined these cartels are non-state armed groups, designated them as terrorist organizations, and determined that their actions constitute an armed attack against the United States.»

An armed attack against the United States

According to CNN, Pentagon general counsel Earl Matthews and senior defense officials told lawmakers that the legal rationale for the strikes rested on the idea that «The cartels involved have grown more armed, well organized, and violent… now transnational and conducting ongoing attacks throughout the Western Hemisphere as organized cartels.» Adding that: «The President determined these cartels are non-state armed groups, designated them as terrorist organizations, and determined that their actions constitute an armed attack against the United States.»

«IF YOU TRANSPORT DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE WILL HUNT YOU DOWN!»

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At least four attacks against cartels in international waters

The first strike occurred on September 2, 2025, when U.S. forces destroyed a vessel in international waters in the southern Caribbean. Donald Trump claimed the ship was operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by his administration. He said eleven people aboard were killed and defended the action by insisting the vessel was carrying drugs. Trump himself announced the operation on Truth Social, releasing a declassified video of the attack and describing it as a direct strike against «narcoterrorists».

CapturePentagon

A second strike followed weeks later, again in international waters, targeting another boat allegedly carrying narcotics from Venezuela to the United States. The administration said three people were killed. Trump described the passengers as «violent drug cartels» and justified the attack as essential to U.S. national security. He released another declassified video on Truth Social, accompanied by a warning: «IF YOU TRANSPORT DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE WILL HUNT YOU DOWN!» Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed that line, declaring the government knew «exactly» who was on board and what they represented, though no evidence was made public.

A third strike confirmed by the Trump administration took place in mid-September 2025, again in international waters in the Caribbean. According to U.S. officials, the operation targeted a vessel suspected of transporting drugs from Venezuela to the United States and resulted in three deaths.

On October 3, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated in a post on X that a strike had been carried out in international waters near the coast of Venezuela against a vessel allegedly transporting illegal drugs, resulting in four deaths: «Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed in the strike, and no U.S. forces were harmed in the operation. The strike was conducted in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela while the vessel was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics — headed to America to poison our people,» Hegseth wrote on X.

BREAKING: The United States killed four people in a strike against a vessel allegedly carrying illegal drugs, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Oct. 3, at least the fourth such attack in recent weeks.

USA TODAY (@usatoday.com) 2025-10-03T17:20:56Z

Hegseth concluded his message with a stark warning: «These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!»

The strikes sparked immediate backlash. Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro denounced the attacks as an «aggression» against his country, rejecting U.S. claims and labeling the operations a «military, political, and judicial aggression».

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Trump administration overstepped its constitutional authority

Legal experts in Washington criticized Trump for bypassing Congress, arguing that the executive branch had overstepped its constitutional authority. International observers also warned that the use of force is only permitted under international law in cases of imminent threat or with UN approval, conditions they said were not met.

With the Pentagon memo now public, critics argue that the administration has effectively escalated to a declared war against cartels, without congressional authorization, without presenting evidence to the public, and without international legitimacy.

Breaking News: President Trump told Congress in a confidential notice that he had decided that the U.S. was in an “armed conflict” with certain drug cartels.

The New York Times (@nytimes.com) 2025-10-02T16:55:18.135415Z
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Trump warns of «hell like no one has ever seen before»

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, posted a blistering message on Truth Social calling on Hamas one last time to accept the peace deal.

He asserts that the group’s forces are surrounded and militarily trapped, and threatens to order decisive action that would result in the swift annihilation of their fighters.

BREAKING: Trump says Hamas must accept Gaza peace deal by Sunday, or "all HELL" breaks out.

Axios (@axios.com) 2025-10-03T14:47:47.802Z

On Truth Social, Trump pressed Hamas to agree to a peace deal, and warned that refusal would trigger severe consequences.

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«Most of the rest are surrounded and MILITARILY TRAPPED, just waiting for me to give the word, “GO,” for their lives to be quickly extinguished.»

In the post he described Hamas’s past actions and the October 7 attack, writing «Hamas has been a ruthless and violent threat, for many years, in the Middle East! They have killed (and made lives unbearably miserable), culminating with the October 7th MASSACRE, in Israel, babies, woman, children, old people, and many young men and women, boys and girls, getting ready to celebrate their future lives together.»

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He emphasised the scale of the retaliation already carried out, stating «As retribution for the October 7th attack on civilization, more than 25,000 Hamas “soldiers” have already been killed.», Trump continues in his post by asserting that most of the remaining fighters are encircled and awaiting his signal: «Most of the rest are surrounded and MILITARILY TRAPPED, just waiting for me to give the word, “GO,” for their lives to be quickly extinguished.»

«If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas.»

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Hamas must accept peace deal by Sunday

In his Truth Social post, Trump demanded the immediate release of hostages and imposed a firm deadline on Hamas to reach an agreement, setting Sunday evening at 6 p.m. Washington time as the cutoff.

«Fortunately for Hamas, however, they will be given one last chance!»

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The president presented the proposed peace deal backed by the U.S. and Israel as a sweeping diplomatic effort, highlighting that «Great, powerful, and very rich Nations of the Middle East, and the surrounding areas beyond, together with the United States of America, have agreed, with Israel signing on, to PEACE, after 3000 years, in the Middle East.»

Finally, Trump issued an ultimatum: «Fortunately for Hamas, however, they will be given one last chance!» and warned of dire consequences if they refuse: «If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas.»

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Trump concludes by calling on civilians to move to safer areas: «I am asking that all innocent Palestinians immediately leave this area of potentially great future death for safer parts of Gaza. Everyone will be well cared for by those that are waiting to help.»

President Trump said that if Hamas does not agree to the 20-point plan, as presented by Israel and the U.S., then "all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas."

NPR (@npr.org) 2025-10-03T16:37:20.142207Z
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Meta to target users’ private AI chats for profit

Meta announced that, before 2026, the company will begin reading and exploiting the AI conversations of its platform users to serve them more targeted advertising.

Meta will soon use what people tell its artificial intelligence chatbot to get even better at selling them things.The company said users’ chats and interactions with Meta AI will soon be used to target them with even more personalized ads. https://cnn.it/4nXks2K

CNN (@cnn.com) 2025-10-02T01:01:02.184697815Z

Starting next December, according to CNN, Meta plans to use its users’ private AI conversations to better target them with advertising.

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This marks a major shift in Meta’s monetization model: private conversations with AI will become a direct source of advertising insights, expanding the depth and precision of its ad-targeting strategy.

Instant targeting: Meta’s new ad strategy

The company will begin rolling out the system in December, but Meta says users will already start noticing unspecified changes right away. Until now, Meta has targeted ads based on what users post, click, and who they connect with, but its new AI chatbot ad strategy introduces a new layer: instant targeting.

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Through conversations with its chatbot, users may directly reveal what they plan to buy, the trip they are preparing for, or the problems they face that a product could solve, information that Meta can automatically capture and use in its instant targeting strategy through direct access to private chatbox conversations.

Meta announced that beginning on December 16, 2025, users’ interactions with its AI tools, both via text and voice, will be added to its advertising data to personalize content and ads across Facebook, Instagram, and other apps.

«People’s interactions simply are going to be another piece of the input that will inform the personalization of feeds and ads.»

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No option to opt out

Users will start receiving notifications about the change in October, and Meta has confirmed there will be no option to opt out. The data from these AI conversations, what people say or ask, will be combined with existing signals such as posts, likes, and connections to power instant recommendations (including Reels) and more precisely targeted ads.

Meta also stated that it will not use sensitive data, such as political beliefs, health information, or religion, for ad targeting.

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«People’s interactions simply are going to be another piece of the input that will inform the personalization of feeds and ads.» explained Christy Harris, Meta’s privacy policy manager.

«When people have conversations with Meta AI about more sensitive topics such as their religious views, sexual orientation, political views, health, racial or ethnic origin, Meta will not use those topics to show them ads.»

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For now, the policy will apply only to Meta AI users, and regions such as the European Union, the United Kingdom, and South Korea are excluded due to local regulatory restrictions.

Meta plans to use data from your interactions with AI products to sell targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram.

TechCrunch (@techcrunch.com) 2025-10-01T13:11:04.941Z
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Trump Reshares Another QAnon Conspiracy

A bizarre post from U.S. president, lending credibility to a QAnon conspiracy theory, raised eyebrows before being deleted 12 hours later.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper has expressed his bewilderment after Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video promoting a conspiracy theory about the existence of futuristic all-healing technology.

The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) 2025-09-29T11:56:21.351631Z

A strange conspiracy theory

Over the weekend, Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video on Truth Social in which an AI version of himself appears to announce that every American would receive a “MedBed card” and that “MedBed hospitals” would be created, echoing a strange conspiracy theory tied to QAnon.

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The video is staged as a phony Fox News-style segment, featuring the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, herself AI-generated, appearing as a fake news anchor to announce the supposed launch of the “MedBed” program.

It then shifts to an AI-generated version of Donald Trump, delivering a fabricated address in which he declares that every American will receive a “MedBed card” and that “MedBed hospitals” will be created.

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In the video, the fake Trump declares that: “These facilities are safe, modern, and designed to restore every citizen to full health and strength.”

Hidden from the public

The “MedBed” conspiracy theory, widely circulated in QAnon circles, claims that hidden futuristic machines exist with the power to cure all illnesses, regenerate organs, and even reverse aging.

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Believers insist that these miraculous beds have been kept secret by shadowy elites and will be unveiled during a so-called “Great Awakening,” often tied to Donald Trump.

Supporters of the theory see MedBeds as evidence of advanced technology deliberately hidden from the public, with the potential to transform humanity.

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After roughly twelve hours online, the video was taken down from Trump’s Truth Social account. No explanation was provided for its removal, but the brief window was long enough for the clip to circulate widely, drawing media scrutiny and fueling debate. The deletion has only added to the controversy, with some observers interpreting it as a tacit acknowledgment of the video’s inaccuracy, while others see it as part of a broader pattern in which Trump shares inflammatory or misleading content, lets it dominate the conversation, and then quietly erases it once the damage is done.

Experts, however, emphasize that no such “MedBed” devices exist. Critics warn that Trump’s promotion of the narrative is especially dangerous, as some believers postpone or even reject real medical care while waiting for this fictional technology.

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Restrict healthcare access for millions

The bizarre MedBed video surfaced at a politically fraught moment. While Trump briefly amplified a QAnon-linked fantasy of miracle hospitals, his administration is simultaneously moving to slash funding for Medicaid and roll back key provisions of the Affordable Care Act in its latest budget plan, measures that could curtail real access to healthcare for millions.

The odd MedBed video arrives against a backdrop of escalating health controversies around Trump’s administration. In a recent White House briefing, Trump asserted that acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy could be linked to autism, claims widely rebuked by medical professionals who say no causal connection has been demonstrated.

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Between pushing a fabricated AI vision of universal healing and advancing scientifically dubious health claims, the contrast between fantasy and the real stakes of public medical policy couldn’t be sharper.

https://bsky.app/profile/people.com/post/3lzhdner3e22f
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YouTube pays Trump $24.5M

Trump has scored another legal victory, this time against YouTube, which agreed to pay $24.5 million.

YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump after he was suspended by social media platforms following the January 6, 2021, insurrection. https://cnn.it/4gJHiZs

CNN (@cnn.com) 2025-09-29T21:52:45.819658453Z

The lawsuit was filed by President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, insurrection, after YouTube, along with several other social media platforms, suspended his account.

«Trump fought for free speech and WON!»

According to CNN, YouTube, the latest media company to settle one of the many lawsuits Trump has brought against such platforms, declined to comment on the agreement, while Trump celebrated his victory on Truth Social.

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«YouTube SURRENDERS!» Trump wrote on his social platform, adding: «President Trump $24.5 MILLION for illegal ban!»

A «Victory» for Free Speech

Trump celebrated the settlement as a triumph for free speech, declaring «This MASSIVE victory proves Big Tech censorship has consequences» and «Trump fought for free speech and WON!», even as he faces accusations of having tried to silence late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, highlighting the contradictions at the center of his free speech crusade.

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Court documents reveal the details of the settlement between the two parties: YouTube will pay $22 million to the nonprofit «Trust for the National Mall», an organization «dedicated to restoring, preserving, and elevating the National Mall, to support the construction of the White House State Ballroom,» according to the filing.

According to CNN, The platform will also pay $2.5 million to settle with other plaintiffs, including the «American Conservative Union.»

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Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has scored a series of legal settlements against major media and tech companies, turning courtroom battles into political victories.

More than $90 million

Trump has pursued an aggressive legal strategy against media and tech companies in recent years, securing a series of high-profile settlements between 2024 and 2025.

In March 2024, Meta agreed to pay $25 million to resolve Trump’s claims stemming from his suspension on Facebook and Instagram after January 6. Two months later, in May 2024, X (formerly Twitter) reached a $10 million settlement over his removal from the platform.

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By August 2024, ABC / Disney agreed to pay $15 million and issue a clarification after anchor George Stephanopoulos incorrectly said Trump was found liable for rape. In January 2025, Paramount / CBS settled a lawsuit concerning a 60 Minutes interview edit for $16 million.

Most recently, in September 2025, YouTube settled for $24.5 million, directing the bulk of the payment to nonprofits tied to Trump’s political projects.

Together, these deals totaling more than $90 million, have fueled Trump’s narrative of victory over what he calls Big Tech and mainstream media censorship, even as critics highlight the political and ethical implications of such settlements.

Donald Trump gleefully trolled YouTube after it agreed to pay $24.5 million to end a longstanding lawsuit—with most of it earmarked for the president’s tacky White House ballroom project.

The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) 2025-09-30T11:39:46.790937Z
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Trump: prepare for «a war from within»

In an address before all of America’s senior military officials, at an emergency meeting convened by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump declared that the United States faces «a war from within.»

Breaking News: President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military should use U.S. cities as “training grounds” at an unusual meeting focused on culture wars. It was unclear why they needed to gather senior military leaders from overseas to tell them this face to face.

The New York Times (@nytimes.com) 2025-09-30T14:52:14.741097Z

The U.S. president stated that generals and admirals should be prepared to address domestic threats with the same urgency and discipline usually applied to foreign adversaries.

«This is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room.»

They don’t wear uniforms

At a rare military gathering in Quantico, Trump urged his top commanders to shift their focus away from foreign adversaries and toward domestic security.

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The president argued it would be «no different than a foreign enemy,» but emphasized the challenge, noting that the targets «don’t wear uniforms,» which makes the task «more difficult in many ways.»

«We are under invasion from within … no different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in many ways because they don’t wear uniforms,» Trump declared in his speech before the nation’s generals, who sat in unusual silence.

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Upon taking the stage, Trump even remarked on the atmosphere, saying: «I never walked into a room so silent before», a striking contrast for a president more accustomed to being greeted with chants and cheers from his fervent MAGA supporters.

«We should use some of the dangerous cities as training grounds.»

Very unsafe places

Trump went on to single out major U.S. cities, blaming Democratic leadership for turning them into what he described as dangerous places:

«The ones that are run by the radical left Democrats … what they’ve done to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, they’re very unsafe places.»

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The president then warned his audience that restoring order in these cities would fall to the military, declaring: «And we’re going to straighten them out one by one. And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room.»

Trump added that the armed forces should be directly involved in tackling unrest at home, saying: «We should use some of the dangerous cities as training grounds» for the military.

«If you don’t like what I’m saying, you can leave the room. But, there goes your rank and there goes your future.»

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The president then revealed that he had issued orders to create quick-reaction forces tasked with helping to quell civil disturbances, directing the National Guard to form standing units capable of rapid deployment across the country.

A Stern Warning on Dissent

During his address to America’s top military leaders, President Trump struck a combative tone while outlining his vision of the armed forces playing a greater role in domestic security. After declaring that the country faced «a war from within» and urging generals and admirals to treat internal threats like foreign enemies, Trump warned the assembled officers about dissent.

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«If you don’t like what I’m saying, you can leave the room. But, there goes your rank and there goes your future,» he said, according to People

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Ariana Grande Sparks MAGA Backlash by Challenging Trump Fans

Singer Ariana Grande sparked backlash all the way to the White House with an Instagram post questioning MAGA voters after 250 days of Trump’s presidency.

White House fumes at Ariana Grande after she asks MAGA if their lives are better under Trump

The Independent (@the-independent.com) 2025-09-30T14:34:39.677Z

In an Instagram story over the weekend, pop star Ariana Grande reposted a message directed at Trump supporters, beginning with: «I want to check with Trump voters. I have one genuine question.»

«It’s been 250 days […] has your life gotten better?»

Trump’s first 250 days back in office

In the text reshared by the Wicked star, the message expressed her views on Trump and his administration since his return to the White House:

«It’s been 250 days, now that immigrants have been violently torn from their families and communities have been destroyed, now that trans people have been blamed for virtually everything and live in fear, now that free speech is on the brink of collapse for us all…»

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This statement reflects many of the flashpoints of Trump’s first 250 days back in office, from mass deportation raids to escalating battles over free speech on college campuses and in the media, while the transgender community has been singled out and broadly blamed by the right and the Trump administration for the actions of a few.

«Has the widespread suffering of others paid off for you in the way he promised it would, or are you still waiting?»

Grande’s message goes on:

«Has your life gotten better? Have your groceries gotten cheaper? Have your health insurance premiums gone down? Has your work/life balance improved? Can you take a vacation yet? Are you happier?»

Despite campaign promises, grocery prices remain high, with inflation easing only slightly while everyday costs for families continue to bite. Health insurance premiums have not meaningfully decreased, and critics argue that Trump’s efforts to roll back parts of the Affordable Care Act risk pushing costs higher for vulnerable Americans. Labor advocates also note that stagnant wages and weakened worker protections make work–life balance harder to achieve.

Meanwhile, polls show many households still unable to afford vacations or discretionary spending.

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Grande’s post resonate as a cultural reflection of the growing skepticism about whether Trump’s policies have improved the daily lives of ordinary Americans.

The message shared by Grande concludes with:

«Has the widespread suffering of others paid off for you in the way he promised it would, or are you still waiting?»

A fierce backlash from Trump supporters

Ariana Grande’s post quickly drew fierce backlash from Trump supporters online, many of whom attacked her personally with body-shaming and derogatory comments rather than addressing the substance of her message.

«Save your tears, Ariana»

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The controversy eventually reached the White House, where spokesperson Kush Desai fired back at Grande with a jab of his own, telling reporters:

«Save your tears, Ariana … President Trump’s actions ended Biden-era inflation and are bringing in trillions in new investments.»

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Trump Shares Fake AI Video Promoting QAnon Conspiracy

A bizarre post from the former U.S. president, lending credibility to a QAnon conspiracy theory, raised eyebrows before being deleted 12 hours later.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper has expressed his bewilderment after Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video promoting a conspiracy theory about the existence of futuristic all-healing technology.

The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) 2025-09-29T11:56:21.351631Z

A strange conspiracy theory

Over the weekend, Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video on Truth Social in which an AI version of himself appears to announce that every American would receive a «MedBed card» and that «MedBed hospitals» would be created, echoing a strange conspiracy theory tied to QAnon.

«These facilities are safe, modern, and designed to restore every citizen to full health and strength.»

Getty Images

The video is staged as a phony Fox News–style segment, featuring the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, herself AI-generated, appearing as a fake news anchor to announce the supposed launch of the «MedBed» program.

It then shifts to an AI-generated version of Donald Trump, delivering a fabricated address in which he declares that every American will receive a «MedBed card» and that «MedBed hospitals» will be created.

Getty Images

In the video, the fake Trump declares that: «These facilities are safe, modern, and designed to restore every citizen to full health and strength.»

Hidden from the public

The «MedBed» conspiracy theory, widely circulated in QAnon circles, claims that hidden futuristic machines exist with the power to cure all illnesses, regenerate organs, and even reverse aging.

Getty Images

Believers insist that these miraculous beds have been kept secret by shadowy elites and will be unveiled during a so-called «Great Awakening,» often tied to Donald Trump.

Supporters of the theory see MedBeds as evidence of advanced technology deliberately hidden from the public, with the potential to transform humanity.

Getty Images

After roughly twelve hours online, the video was taken down from Trump’s Truth Social account. No explanation was provided for its removal, but the brief window was long enough for the clip to circulate widely, drawing media scrutiny and fueling debate. The deletion has only added to the controversy, with some observers interpreting it as a tacit acknowledgment of the video’s inaccuracy, while others see it as part of a broader pattern in which Trump shares inflammatory or misleading content, lets it dominate the conversation, and then quietly erases it once the damage is done.

Experts, however, emphasize that no such «MedBed» devices exist. Critics warn that Trump’s promotion of the narrative is especially dangerous, as some believers postpone or even reject real medical care while waiting for this fictional technology.

Getty Images

Restrict healthcare access for millions

The bizarre MedBed video surfaced at a politically fraught moment. While Trump briefly amplified a QAnon-linked fantasy of miracle hospitals, his administration is simultaneously moving to slash funding for Medicaid and roll back key provisions of the Affordable Care Act in its latest budget plan, measures that could curtail real access to healthcare for millions.

The odd MedBed video arrives against a backdrop of escalating health controversies around Trump’s administration. In a recent White House briefing, Trump asserted that acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy could be linked to autism, claims widely rebuked by medical professionals who say no causal connection has been demonstrated.

Getty Images

Between pushing a fabricated AI vision of universal healing and advancing scientifically dubious health claims, the contrast between fantasy and the real stakes of public medical policy couldn’t be sharper.

🔗: peoplem.ag/4mnlZOtThe Trump administration said "horrible, horrible" autism is caused by Tylenol use while pregnant in a controversial announcement that sparked concern within the scientific community. | 📷: Getty

People Magazine (@people.com) 2025-09-22T21:21:21.860Z
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Electronic Arts Bought Out in Deal Involving Saudis and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners

Electronic Arts (EA), the video game giant behind Battlefield, The Sims, and Madden NFL, is going private in a record $55 billion buyout.

Video game maker Electronic Arts is going private in a $55 billion deal that’s funded by Saudi Arabia and a Jared Kusher-backed investment firm https://cnn.it/4nrinwb

CNN (@cnn.com) 2025-09-29T17:30:10.404315115Z

The buyout was led by a consortium including private equity firm Silver Lake Partners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Affinity Partners, the investment company founded by Jared Kushner, the husband of Ivanka Trump.

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«By taking EA private, we’ll have greater freedom to invest, innovate, and deliver the kind of groundbreaking experiences players expect from us.»

More than 30 years

The video game industry remains one of the fastest-growing segments in entertainment, a market so attractive that investors are scrambling to get a stake in it.

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Together, the group carried out the biggest leveraged buyout the video game industry has ever seen, according to CNN, a deal funded mostly with borrowed money. It will take EA private after more than 30 years on the stock market, ending public trading of its shares and putting the company fully under the control of its new investors.

EA’s leadership team, including CEO Andrew Wilson, will remain in place to steer the company through the transition. In a statement, Wilson said: «By taking EA private, we’ll have greater freedom to invest, innovate, and deliver the kind of groundbreaking experiences players expect from us.»

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A pioneer in the video game industry

Founded in 1982 by Trip Hawkins, Electronic Arts (EA) quickly established itself as a pioneer in the video game industry.

The company gained early recognition with computer games like Pinball Construction Set before rising to global prominence with sports titles under its EA Sports label, especially Madden NFL (launched in 1988). In the 2000s, EA expanded its portfolio with blockbuster franchises including The Sims, Battlefield, FIFA, and Need for Speed, solidifying its dominance in both console and PC markets.

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Over four decades, EA has grown into one of the world’s largest publishers, shaping modern gaming culture worldwide.

Electronic Arts, maker of video games like “Madden NFL,” “Battlefield,” and “The Sims,” is being acquired for $52.5 billion in what could become the largest-ever buyout funded by private-equity firms.

NBC News (@nbcnews.com) 2025-09-29T14:59:10Z
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Trump Slaps Tariffs Up to 100% on Furniture, Trucks, Pharmaceuticals

In a series of posts on Truth Social, the U.S. president announced that starting October 1 he will impose a new round of tariffs on a variety of products, going up to «100%», citing a national security threat.

Since returning to office, President Trump has waged a global trade war without parallel in modern history. On Thursday he announced a slew of steep tariffs on pharmaceuticals, semi trucks, kitchen cabinets and furniture.Here's where things stand for the world.

The New York Times (@nytimes.com) 2025-09-26T12:10:04.942323Z

Trump Imposes 25% Tariff on Foreign Heavy Trucks

In his first announcement on Truth Social, President Trump declared that beginning October 1, 2025, the United States will impose a 25% tariff on all «Heavy (Big!) Trucks» manufactured abroad.

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Trump said the measure is designed to shield American truck makers from what he described as «unfair outside competition.» He specifically cited leading U.S. manufacturers such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, and Mack Trucks as beneficiaries of the new policy.

Emphasizing the importance of the trucking industry, Trump argued that protecting domestic truckers is vital not only for economic reasons but also for national security. «We need our Truckers to be financially healthy and strong, for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!» he wrote.

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«We must protect, for National Security and other reasons, our Manufacturing process.»

Trump Targets Furniture Imports With Tariffs Up to 50%

In his second announcement on Truth Social, President Trump revealed that beginning October 1, 2025, the United States will impose steep tariffs on a range of imported home products. Kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and related goods will face a 50% tariff, while upholstered furniture will be subject to a 30% tariff.

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Trump justified the move by denouncing what he described as a large-scale «FLOODING» of such products into the U.S. market from abroad. Calling the practice «very unfair,» he argued that the tariffs are necessary to safeguard American manufacturers and linked the issue to national security.

«We must protect, for National Security and other reasons, our Manufacturing process,» Trump wrote.

Trump Announces 100% Tariff on Imported Pharmaceuticals Without U.S. Production

In his third announcement on Truth Social, President Trump declared that beginning October 1, 2025, the United States will impose a 100% tariff on all branded or patented pharmaceutical products imported into the country, unless the company is actively building a manufacturing plant in America.

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The statement specified that the term «IS BUILDING» will be defined as «breaking ground» or «under construction.» Companies that have already started construction will therefore be exempt from the tariff.

Trump presented the measure as a necessary step to strengthen domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign sources for critical medicines.

Reactions to Trump’s Tariff Announcements

Trump’s new tariffs sparked swift backlash across industries: trucking groups warned the 25% duty on heavy trucks will raise costs (Truck News), and furniture retailers said the 50% and 30% tariffs will hit consumers (Furniture Today).

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The 100% tariff on pharmaceuticals drew the sharpest criticism, with hospitals warning of shortages (Washington Post) and European officials citing trade deals (Reuters), even as Roche and Novartis pointed to U.S. investments (AP News).