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Today in Politics, Bulletin 455. 9/8/26 Ron Filipkowski Sep 8 ∙ … Trump told several insane lies today during a ceremony for 9/11 first responders and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in DC. He’s tried to suggest for years that he was somehow involved in the rescue efforts when he played no role whatsoever, but today he added new lies to his previous ones in another delusional attempt to cast himself as a hero in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in NYC: "I just thank my people. I was building a big building in NY and I took the whole crew down there right after this happened and they had no hesitation. Everybody went down with me. We went down as a big group of people. We thought it was coming down on top of us.” Two fireman, big strong guys, they grabbed me under the arms - ‘got to get our of here!’ - and they literally lifted me up, and they started running with me.” On a deceased 9/11 rescuer: "The Man in the Red Bandana. Have you heard of him? He's become more famous than me. I don't like it. Very unhappy. But he's become much more famous than me." … Trump could have made the ceremony today about the many heroes who died attempting to rescue people and others who risked their lives and long term health. But instead, he created a fictitious event featuring himself, who did nothing, as the hero of 9/11. … A clip of Trump’s claim received this fact-check Community Note on X: “Trump was miles from Ground Zero on 9/11, speaking by phone from his office. He visited the area days later. His story of being lifted from the rubble by firefighters first appeared in 2021 and lacks corroborating evidence.” … CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale: “Trump was not in the vicinity of the World Trade Center when it was hit. He was in Trump Tower, miles away from the towers and nearby One Liberty Plaza, which is/was also known as the US Steel building.” “There was public concern in the days following the attack that One Liberty Plaza might collapse, but the authorities repeatedly said it was structurally sound, and there's not currently any public evidence Trump went into it amid these collapse worries, much less that he was rushed out by firefighters.” “He has repeatedly claimed for years he was at Ground Zero with a large crew of his workers helping with the recovery in the days after 9/11, but people who were definitively on site have said they never saw him or a Trump-organized crew on site and that it wouldn't make sense for them to have had access; there are pictures and videos of Trump in the neighborhood in the following days, in a clean suit, but not on the actual site.” “An extra-odd aside from Trump was that One Liberty Plaza, the building from which he was supposedly whisked away by firemen - he said it ‘still creaks’ today. It reopened in October 2001, less than two months after the attacks 25 years ago, with no structural damage.” … The only documented thing Trump did on 9/11 was jump on TV to do an interview far away from the site where he bragged that he now owned the tallest building in Manhattan after the towers came down. I post a clip of it every year on 9/11. This is what he said: “40 Wall Street actually was the second tallest building in downtown Manhattan - before they built the World Trade Center it was the tallest. Now it’s the tallest.” … DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin continued his daily battle with the English language on Fox: “To be honest with you, 9/11 isn’t a day that I just love to celebrate. Because some people do celebrate success that American has. For me, it puts a bad taste in my mouth and I think it does to a lot of other people. Back then when I was wanting to get in the fight, Trump today, he’s put me in the fight.” “I was doing construction at the time. I actually tried to join the military 3 times after that, and uh, because of some previous injuries they never would accept me, which is crazy.” … Another claim that I’m highly skeptical of. Mullin has repeatedly made wild claims about whether he was involved in Iraq or Afghanistan. He testified in his confirmation hearing that he knows “what war smells and tastes like.” He also claimed to have gone on overseas “special assignments.” There is no documentation he ever got anywhere near a combat zone. … Now he claims he tried to join the military after 9/11 but he couldn’t get in for medical reasons. But he was 24, had a wrestling background, fought in MMA competitions, and was working construction. … USA Today: “Trump has a solution for his party’s midterm woes as Republicans struggle to match Democrats’ election enthusiasm and face major headwinds to keep control of Congress ‒ more Trump. Enter ‘Trumpapalooza,’ the party’s first-ever midterm convention and the president’s clearest attempt yet to inject himself squarely at the center of the election and position himself as the party’s savior.” … “Never mind that Trump’s low approval rating has been an anchor weighing on the GOP, with the potential to drag down midterm candidates. The president and his advisers have suggested he’s the only one who can bring the MAGA faithful to the polls in large enough numbers to avoid a midterm catastrophe for Republicans.” … “The convention risks tying Republican candidates more tightly to Trump at a time when some in the party believe they need distance from the president amid polls showing voters disapprove of his performance on everything from tariffs to the Iran war and inflation.” … Longtime GOP strategist Charlie Black: “One of the problems that the party is having right now is the president’s approval rating is not good. So the more candidates can get the voters to focus on them and the issues that they’re promoting, and less on the president, the better in most states and most districts.” … “The midterm showcase is also facing grumbling from some Republicans who say it is a distraction from meeting with voters. Several GOP candidates in close House and Senate races remain noncommittal about attending the convention, while some have made clear they won’t be there ‒ including Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who is running in one of the most pivotal races to decide control of the Senate.” … Daily Beast: “The Republican Party is scrambling to give away free tickets to Trump’s midterm convention, in a frantic bid to pack the arena as countless GOP lawmakers and candidates stay away. Organizers have been pulling all stops to fill seats, including using a public lottery with the promise of VIP treatment; urging GOP operatives to give away passes to the 2-day event; and blasting out unsolicited text messages screaming ‘FREE TICKETS’ with links to the convention’s page.” … “The frenzied giveaway comes as party members express limited enthusiasm for their first-ever midterm convention. But the $25,000 cost of attending for candidates has irritated some Republicans, while candidates in competitive races have been reluctant to spend precious days campaigning at an event centered on the president, whose approval ratings have now hit record lows.” … “Meanwhile, the RNC is simultaneously trying to turn the gathering into a massive fundraising grab, with Trump donors being asked for $250,000 to attend a roundtable with him—and another $88,600 for a photo. A similar event with JD Vance costs $75,000, with photos going for $35,000.” … Trump posted this afternoon: “The Republican National Convention, tomorrow night in Dallas, is really “HOT!” The American Airlines Center is totally sold out! Everybody wants to be there, but we’re really asking only those Candidates that are in tight Races, a little up, a little down, or even, to speak. We want to save the “stage” for them. We don’t need people who are up 45 points, and have been in office for 30 years, as much as we love them all! Anyway, I’ll be speaking tomorrow night, and “closing it out” on Thursday! … Politico: “Trump will be at the center of this week’s GOP midterm convention. Many of his fellow Republicans are hoping he doesn’t make it all about him. Trump’s approval ratings are at record lows for his time in office, and many swing-district GOP lawmakers are torn between running from an unpopular president and alienating his base of committed supporters.” … “There is little evidence Trump is content to let rank-and-file Republicans run away from him. The first pair of national midterm ads funded by his cash-rich political operation put Trump at the very center. One ad begins with UFC president Dana White extolling Trump as ‘the toughest, most resilient person that I’ve ever met.’” … “As GOP lawmakers begged Trump to get serious about tackling the high cost of living, the president has instead openly scoffed at ‘affordability’ as an issue concocted by Democrats. He refused for months to help pass a major legislative package designed to help lower housing costs, and his trade wars and ongoing conflict with Iran have contributed to persistent inflation. A recent import deal designed to address rising beef prices came at the cost of upsetting American cattlemen.” … NYT: “It was Easter weekend in 2007 when a police car pulled up to Joe Vasquez’s home in rural Kansas. A doctor had filed a lawsuit against him and his wife over an unpaid $4,561 bill from her emergency hysterectomy three years earlier. They had missed a court date, and the doctor’s lawyers asked the court to issue an arrest warrant.” … “The police took the couple into custody as their grandchildren prepared for an egg hunt. They spent two days in jail before their son could borrow the money to post bond. ‘We had no money to pay,’ said Vasquez. At the time, his wife was working at a manufacturing plant and he was on disability.” … “The doctor who sued the couple was Roger Marshall, now a senator from KS. Marshall, a Republican who is seeking re-election this fall, filed lawsuits against more than 700 patients with outstanding bills during his decades-long career as an obstetrician-gynecologist. Patients were arrested in 81 of those cases for missing court dates. In an additional 13 lawsuits, Marshall’s lawyers sought warrants but it is unclear whether an arrest occurred.” … “They also garnished patients’ paychecks and bank accounts. They routinely charged patients an 18% annual interest rate. The unpaid bills ranged from several thousand dollars to as little as $101.” … Kellie Clutts, who was sued by Marshall in 2015 over a $129 bill for a postpartum visit which resulted in her bank account being garnished: “I had every intention to pay, I was just struggling. I was recently divorced, trying to do everything on my own. I told them I could make partial payments, but it seemed like no matter what I said, they wanted the full amount at once.” … Marshall is running against Democrat Adam Hamilton. … Trump created more problems for Marshall and KS Republicans with this post: “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE US! Their products aren’t good enough! They even blocked Gulfstream Aerospace from doing business in Canada - Completely unjust and unfair! That Era is OVER! If they want our Market, they must build here, and stop treating America like a ‘piggybank.’ BUY AMERICAN. FLY ON AMERICAN AIRLINERS. ENJOY AMERICAN LIQUOR AND BEVERAGES. SAIL ON LAKE AMERICA. AMERICA FIRST!” … Canadian journalist Dean Blundell: “Canada certified the Gulfstreams in Feb. Bombardier doesn’t make airliners anymore, the Air Force and Army fly their jets, 3,000 Americans build them in Wichita and Alabama, and the last time he tried this in 2017 his own trade commission tossed it 4 to 0. Lake America isn’t real. Neither is this.” … Flavio Volpe, president of Automotive Parts Manufacturing Assn of Canada: “Every Global 7500 that Bombardier builds in Canada has 2 GE engines built in Indiana. Every Challenger that Bombardier builds in Canada has 2 Honeywell engines built in Arizona. Bombardier employs 3,000+ Americans and has 2,800 American suppliers. Not so smart.” … CNBC: “Bombardier pointed out its footprint in the US after Trump said the Canadian airplane manufacturer must build in America to access the local market. Bombardier in statement that its workers are based all over the US, with direct employment in more than 20 states and sites in 10 states.” … “The company also added that its aircraft are built with American-made components such as engines, avionics and many more key systems provided by American companies. It also has plans to grow its defense activities and its service network in the country, as well as inaugurate a new facility in Fort Wayne, IN later this year.” … Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS): “I’m going to fight to keep Bombardier’s over 1,200 Kansas jobs. I’ve already taken that concern inside the Oval Office. America buys more than half of what Bombardier sells. If that’s the market, more of those planes should be built here. Wichita has one of the nation’s top skilled manufacturing workforces and is a leader in aerospace manufacturing.” … KS Democratic Party Comms Director Hans Torgerson: “Wichita is the No. 1 metro in the country for aerospace manufacturing, and Trump just threatened to ban a Wichita-based company from selling in America. Ty Masterson (GOP nominee for governor) would rather stand by and watch 1,200 Kansans lose their jobs in his own backyard than cross his bosses in Washington.” … Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS): “The presence of Bombardier in Wichita supports a local workforce of more than a thousand employees, who contribute their talent and expertise to our nation’s defense and aerospace capabilities. I reached out to the Trump admin to make certain the President is aware of the significant contributions of Bombardier to KS and the importance of its presence in Wichita to many KS workers at Bombardier and in the Bombardier supply chain.” … Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS): “Wichita has long been at the forefront of global aerospace, and Bombardier’s impact locally plays a critical role in our region’s dominance. Beyond the talented men and women that work there, Bombardier supports an extensive American supply chain, boasts maintenance and repair capabilities across the US, and is trusted by our military for critical national security missions.” … “I will always advocate for policies that keep these manufacturing jobs in KS, expand opportunities for our workforce, and demonstrate why our state is the premier location to invest and grow in aerospace. I am committed to fighting to keep and grow all manufacturing operations right here in KS. Today’s North American aerospace supply chain is deeply integrated.” … Former Canadian Interior Minister James Moore: “Trump’s approach to this is not philosophic. It’s not economic. It’s not practical. It’s not commercial. It’s personal. He’s going after specific companies because he specifically has an aggression about that specific company on behalf of a friend. And this is a president who we know is steeped in, frankly, corruption, who’s steeped in nepotism, who’s steeped in trying to do favors for friends in an extraordinarily destructive way.” I hope everyone had a chance to read my article on the 75 Most Corrupt Things Trump Did in 2026 this weekend. It blew up and went viral on social media, which is what I hoped right before the midterms. So far, over 460,000 people read it. I know it’s a tough slog to get through, but I thought it was critically important to put them all together in one big article that people can reference. You can find it here. Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Reminder there is no Bulletin tomorrow because I do my weekly podcast Uncovered on Wed, where we do a deep dive into the top stories of the week and bring you original takes on them you don’t hear elsewhere. Over 325,000 people watched last week’s episode just on YouTube. We had a great time going off the grid in western Maine in the Rangeley area for the weekend. We hiked to 7 different waterfalls, did the Piazza Rock section of the Appalachian Trail, kayaked on the Cupsuptic River, and did a long scenic drive along the Magalloway River which winds back and forth across the Maine/NH border. This is Smalls Falls. … The House Republican Freedom Caucus chair is now in danger of losing his seat after a major court decision on redistricting. Washington Examiner: “Gov. Wes Moore and Maryland Democrats are inching closer to ousting the state’s lone House Republican after notching a win at the state Supreme Court to keep a redistricting question on the ballot for the Nov elections.” … Rep. Andy Harris: “I’ll be contacting the former governor. I would hope that he would take a leading position to try to defeat this referendum, because it will take some outside influences to overcome the bias that the Democrat-controlled state Supreme Court put in that wording.” … “Running out of options to protect his congressional seat from being redrawn to favor Democrats in 2028, Harris says it’s time for Moore’s predecessor to lend a lifeline. The 8-term lawmaker plans to call upon Larry Hogan to get more involved.” … “Gov. Moore, who’s made remaking the MD maps a pillar of his reelection campaign, is a possible 2028 WH candidate. Moore lauded the court decision on what he describes as an endeavor to protect democracy from Trump, who’s urged GOP-led states to conduct mid-cycle redistricting in the party’s favor.” … AP: “Canada struck back at Trump on Tuesday with tariffs on about $20 billion worth of US goods, in response to the latest round of tariffs on Canada. The outcome could resonate far beyond Canada, showing other governments whether a smaller US ally can withstand Trump’s economic pressure.” … Canadian PM Mark Carney says US demands could hollow out key Canadian industries and limit the country’s independence, while Trump’s threats to Canadian sovereignty have rallied the public behind him. The tariffs hit hundreds of American products, including steel, aluminum, cheese, appliances, clothing, cosmetics and farm equipment, at rates of 15%, 25% or 50%.” … Canadian historian Robert Bothwell: “Carney and Canada have become symbolic of resistance to him. And what he’ll want to do is make an example of Carney and Canada and theoretically terrify everybody else while in fact showing them that they need to remove themselves even further from the US.” … Detroit News: “Canada’s retaliatory tariffs poised to hit Michigan manufacturing. Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on US goods could constrain about $1.5 billion worth of Michigan exports.” … Axios: “The war in Iran has now cost US consumers $100 billion in higher energy prices, and the bill is rising another $1 million about every two minutes. Energy inflation shows up across the entire economy, and the recent surge in diesel prices in particular threatens to have a dramatic impact on freight and travel in the weeks and months to come.” … “The Iran War Energy Cost Tracker from Brown’s Watson School says higher gasoline and diesel prices have cost the average US household more than $760 since the war began Feb. 28. Most of that is gas, though the diesel burden is rising faster of late. On Friday, diesel hit an all-time record high, and it’s continued to rise every day since. It’s at $5.90 a gallon, up about 60% from a year ago.” … CNBC: “A late-summer surge in gas prices means drivers paid more at the pump than they ever have on Labor Day. The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas was $4.15 on Monday, a record high for the holiday. The price has never been above $4 per gallon on Labor Day. The previous record was $3.82, reached on Sept. 3, 2012.” … Yahoo Finance: “Oil prices climbed to a 6-week high Monday, with Brent crude approaching $100 a barrel as renewed fighting between the US and Iran and a reported attack on Saudi Aramco facilities intensified fears of further disruptions to global energy supplies.” … “Brent crude futures rose 1.3% to $97.52 a barrel after briefly reaching $97.93, its highest level since July 23, US West Texas Intermediate crude also gained 1.3% to $92.68 a barrel after briefly topping $93.” … MarketWatch: “Oil prices climbed in volatile trading after reports of Saudi Aramco infrastructure being hit by Houthi rebels in Saudi Arabia, close to the Yemen border. Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery was struck by the country’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Monday.” … But Trump posted again that everything will be better than ever soon: “Oil prices will drop precipitously, like everything else is dropping (but more!), when we WIN the war with Iran. Three Dollars a gallon, but ultimately, below Two Dollars a gallon. It will all happen quickly.” … He promised during the campaign that gas would be under $2 a gallon within 6 months of him taking office. … Axios: “Plenty of Americans feel like they’re forking over a fortune for groceries—only to get hit with a recall notice that forces them to throw that expensive food out. While grocery prices are driven by complex trade and energy costs, the safety net meant to keep them safe to eat is fraying, creating a dual crisis of affordability and safety.” … Lauren Borsheim with Food and Water Watch: “It can be really, really scary out there. The Trump admin has really just dismantled many of the fundamental protections we need to keep our food supply safe. We have people that are really afraid that the US is not doing a good job regulating our food supply. It’s definitely a concern out there that as people are spending more money on their food, they are also fearful that that same food is going to cause them to get sick.” … WSJ: “When Corey Lewandowski was at DHS, he approached senior Qatari officials with a proposal. Hire me on the side, the longtime Trump aide who was effectively the shadow secretary at the dept last year, told them. He said he could help the tiny, wealthy Gulf state with any issues that fell under the dept’s purview, such as visas.” … “After Palantir negotiated a $2.7 billion DHS agreement, the contract sat unsigned while Lewandowski repeatedly sought a private one-on-one meeting with CEO Alex Karp. Karp and other Palantir officials were so uncomfortable with the circumstances that the meeting was canceled. The agreement was ultimately reduced to $1 billion.” … But he isn’t worried about being prosecuted: “Lewandowski has told people close to him he expects the president would pardon him in the event of a criminal case.” … WaPo: “Veterans and Democrats are escalating efforts to prevent construction on Trump’s planned arch as the anticipated start of site work approaches, arguing the project is illegal and would diminish the experience of visiting nearby Arlington National Cemetery.” … “VoteVets, a political organization aligned with Democratic veterans launched a new messaging campaign to mobilize more veterans against the planned 250-foot-tall arch. In a video, speakers call attention to the Trump admin’s stated plan to spend 20 hours per day building the arch over several years, which they note could conflict with military burials. The arch also would feature an observation deck for tourists to gaze at the city - and look out at the cemetery.” … Karen Meredith, a Gold Star mother whose son is buried at Arlington: “We don’t need tourists overlooking funerals. I’m just appalled.” … “Trump has spoken for nearly a year about his plans to build a triumphal arch, vowing that it will be the largest triumphal arch in the world - about 86 feet taller than France’s famed Arc de Triomphe. The admin plans to erect it on federal parkland in Memorial Circle, a traffic roundabout near Arlington National Cemetery and just inside the city’s boundaries.” … USA Today: “For the first time in more than 3 decades, a Texas Democrat is heading into November within striking distance of the governor’s mansion - and this one would make history if she wins. Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa would flip the state’s top office blue for the first time since 1990 and become the first Latina governor in Texas history.” … “Hinojosa, a 5-term Austin lawmaker, is polling within the margin of error against Gov. Greg Abbott - a 3-term incumbent who has never won reelection by fewer than 11 points. A Texas Pulse poll released Aug. 7 put the race at 46% to 45%, with Hinosija trailing.” … Reuters: Iceland summoned the US ambassador after Trump posted a map on Truth Social which showed the American flag covering the country, as well as Greenland, Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean, suggesting that it was all going to become part of the US after a hostile takeover. … Iceland’s foreign minister, Thorgerdur Gunnarsdottir is demanding an explanation from bumpkin Ambassador Billy Long, the former auctioneer and Missouri congressman who was fired by Trump as IRS Commissioner after he bumbled his way through his confirmation hearing. … Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA): “Trump’s $100,000 fee for H-1B visas was a total failure that cost the government $28 million after applications collapsed 87%. A court shut it down because it was unlawful. So what is Trump’s reaction? Double down and make the fee $200,000 or more. And make a wildly unrealistic projection it will bring in $8.8B of revenue. Absolute madness.” … NBC: “Trump’s endorsement will be put to the test once again Tuesday in NH’s primaries, where liberal Democrats are also looking to cap an ascendant primary season with additional victories. Granite State voters are among the last in the country to choose nominees for Nov’s elections, and Tuesday’s contests will set the matchup in one of this year’s most competitive Senate races.” … “Trump is hoping his preferred candidate, former state Sen. John Sununu, prevails in the primary. On the Democratic side, Rep. Chris Pappas is looking to fend off a democratic socialist opponent for his party’s Senate nomination. Pappas, who has won in a battleground seat since 2018, is considered the front-runner for his party’s nomination.” … “But Pappas is facing a challenge from the left from Karishma Manzur, a scientist and a member of DSA who supports progressive policies like ‘Medicare for All.’ Manzur has sharply criticized Pappas over support and funding for Israel, saying he is ‘enabling genocide.’” … “The GOP primary includes multiple candidates, but the race is largely between Sununu and another former senator, Scott Brown, who held a MA seat for 3 years, previously ran for the NH Senate in 2014 and served as Trump’s ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during the president’s first term. But the president backed Sununu, who also has support from John Thune.” … Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Dr. Oz on CNBC: "If we can get the average American to feel so healthy, so vital, so with it, that they want to work one extra year, just one extra year, that's worth $1 trillion to our GDP every year." … Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked about Trump’s Venezuelan oil theft: “These fields are going to be productive and generate royalties and revenues for the Venezuelan people, eventually through a democratically elected government.” … Long after Trump and Rubio are out of office, maybe. This will never happen while these people are in power. The only thing Trump/Rubio have to offer the people of Venezuela is perpetuation of the Maduro regime and pillaged oil.” … Sen. John Fetterman went from a +70 approval rating with PA Democrats in 2024 to -50 now, as astonishing and unprecedented 120 point swing. … Forbes: Trump insists that the 30 golf carts full of Secret Service agents protecting him at his golf courses while he plays eat his hot dogs whether they want them or not, then bills the government for them. A former club employee: “He has this weird, very odd pride about how good the hot dogs are. The chef has to be out there. And he’s like, ‘Chef, get everyone a hot dog - all these guys.’” … The staff has at times prepared as many as 50 hot dogs for the detail. Trump also insists that every hot dog have a huge amount of mustard and relish on them when they are handed out. A former employee at Trump National near DC said the club created an account that allowed Trump to hand out the hot dogs while ultimately charging the Secret Service for them. … “There, in one all-beef transaction, is the Trump presidency in miniature. Trump owns the club. Trump controls the chef. Trump doles out the hot dogs. Trump watches everyone eat them. Then Trump’s business sends the government the bill.” … Forbes calculated that Trump has visited one of his golf properties on 165 of about 600 days since returning to office, spending more than 1,400 hours at them with 30 golf carts full of Secret Service agents. That’s a lot of hot dogs. Invite your friends and earn rewards If you enjoy Meidas+, share it with your friends and earn rewards when they subscribe.