Stay focused on the unfolding coup!

February 3, 2025

Over the weekend, Trump concluded that imposing the stupidest tariffs in history would distract the American press from reporting on an ongoing coup to overthrow constitutional order in the US.

Trump's plan worked.

He jingled some car keys and used a green laser to distract the short-attention-span journalists and lap-dog media owners from saying the most important and urgent thing out loud: The US Constitution is under assault and needs help from Congress, from the courts, and from the American people.

I will discuss the potentially ruinous tariffs below, but they are an afterthought if we hand over control of $3 trillion in tax revenue to a clueless billionaire and a handful of twenty-something software engineers who have hijacked the US Treasury.

Musk and his street gang of Silicon Valley engineers have found a way to circumvent Congress, the president, and the executive branch by stealing the nation’s checkbook—and the media appears not to give a damn. In close second place in the “What? Me worry?” Olympics are our representatives in Congress.

Trust me, I am gravely concerned about the stability of financial markets on Monday as the world wakes up to a global trade war. But only Donald Trump could think that tanking the world economy is a good cover for a coup against the US Constitution.

Candidly, I feel like I am caught in the Hitchcock’s movie “Gaslight,” in which those of us raising the alarm about Musk’s putsch are viewed as suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome. It is not enough for the media to report on the various and sundry ways that Trump and Musk are undermining constitutional order. Those disparate elements are part of an overarching plan laid out in Project 2025 to overthrow the “administrative state.” The first step in that plan necessarily involves circumventing and suspending the Constitution—which is happening at a breakneck speed.

What is most appalling is that Musk is brazenly publicizing his overthrow of the Constitution in real time on Twitter and the media still cannot rouse themselves to exhibit a modicum of concern about the threat of a coup, let alone outrage.

Here is the most important development: Over the weekend, Musk posted on Twitter that his DOGE team was “rapidly shutting down payments to federal contractors.” See Bloomberg, Musk Says DOGE Is Halting Treasury Payments to US Contractors.

Musk included screenshots of information that appeared to be taken from the US Treasury payments system. The payments were to a Lutheran charity with a federal contract for the resettlement of refugees admitted in accordance with US law. (The payments were posted by Michael Flynn on Twitter, and retweeted by Musk.)

Musk wrote on Twitter that “The corruption and waste are being rooted out in real-time,” saying that DOGE is “rapidly shutting down” payments to a Lutheran charity. (See Bloomberg article, above.)

To be clear, Musk has no authority to decide that congressionally appropriated funds constitute “corruption and waste.” If corruption and waste exist, there is an entire federal system designed to identify, stop, and punish those involved. But simply unilaterally declaring that appropriations will be canceled on the whim of one person who is not involved in the appropriations process is the very definition of a coup.

The fact that Musk retweeted information that appeared to be from the US Treasury payments system is deeply troubling. If that information was obtained by illegally downloading protected information from government servers, multiple felonies were committed as part of a conspiracy against the United States.

Worse, the seizure of the US payments system by rogue actors will likely lead to a downgrading of the US credit rating.

If the US cannot be trusted to pay debts of the US that were validly incurred pursuant to congressional appropriation, no outside contractor should do business with the US.

The Lutheran charity in question has incurred debts—payroll, purchases of goods, rent—all pursuant to a federal contract to resettle refugees. Musk has decided resettlement services are “fraudulent” or “wasteful” and claims to be “rapidly shutting down payments” to contractors like the Lutheran charity.

I have drifted into too much detail, so let me reiterate the most important point: Neither Musk nor Trump have the authority to override congressional appropriations. Doing so violates Article I of the Constitution and the Impoundment Act of 1974. These events do not suggest a good faith dispute over the interpretation or application of the Constitution. They are a premeditated, deliberate attempt to overthrow the Constitution.

Another egregious example occurred over the weekend. USAID is a congressionally created agency within the executive branch that distributes foreign aid for humanitarian purposes across the globe. The funds distributed by USAID are appropriated by Congress by duly enacted law.

Musk and Trump appeared to have effectuated a hostile takeover and dissolution of USAID. Over the weekend, the Musk street gang of engineers tried to gain access to USAID computers. The managers at USAID refused on the grounds that the Musk Street gang members were not authorized to access the systems. In short order, those USAID managers were put on leave—and Musk gained access to the USAID computers. Shortly thereafter, the USAID website went dark. Check it out for yourself: www.usaid.gov.

See generally, ABC News, Turmoil inside USAID: DOGE reps take over offices, senior officials placed on leave.

Shortly after Musk engineered the beer-hall putsch against USAID, he posted on Twitter:

"USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die.”

If USAID is shuttered, it will not only be the agency that dies. As noted in the NYTimes,

In famine-stricken Sudan, soup kitchens that feed hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in a war zone have shut down.

In Thailand, war refugees with life-threatening diseases have been turned away by hospitals and carted off on makeshift stretchers.

In Ukraine, residents on the frontline of the war with Russia may be going without firewood in the middle of winter.

Some of the world’s most vulnerable populations are already feeling President Trump’s sudden cutoff of billions of dollars in American aid that helps fend off starvation, treats diseases and provides shelter for the displaced.

Like congressional appropriations, neither Musk nor Trump have the authority to unilaterally shut down USAID or impound its funding. See Just Security, Can the President Dissolve USAID by Executive Order? Spoiler alert: The answer is “No.”

Providing US humanitarian aid is justified because it is morally right. But it also serves US strategic purposes by building alliances across the globe. If the US ceases humanitarian aid in Africa, China will fill the void in one way or another, including military aid and economic investment. Trump and Musk are burning bridges that connect the US to the world.

The point is that the unfolding coup is concentrating the wealth and influence of the US in two ignorant narcissists who care about only themselves. That is a recipe for disaster.

We must keep hammering our representatives in Congress to rise to the moment. Their muted, business-as-usual approach to date is unacceptable. If you are looking for immediate steps to take, follow Jessica Craven on Chop Wood Carry Water, and become involved in Indivisible, Swing Left, and other grassroots movements. Or support Democracy Forward, Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), the Brennan Center for Justice, Lawyers Defending American Democracy, Common Cause, the ACLU, and other justice organizations.

And to the leaders of grassroots organizations and members of Congress: The American people are primed to take action. Do not let the moment pass. Rally us, direct us, support us, and lead us. We will follow.

Oh, and in case members of Congress are wondering, now is the absolute worst time to ask us to “Please chip in $5.00 so I can fight for democracy.” Stop trying to fundraise off a crisis. Take care of the crisis and worry about the fundraising later.

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Trump ignites tariff war

Trump imposed 25% tariffs on most goods from Mexico and Canada, and a 10% tariff on China. To the surprise of no one, Canada, Mexico, and China retaliated with similar tariffs. The Wall Street Editorial Board penned an editorial entitled, The Dumbest Trade War in History.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave moving remarks that highlighted the risks to the American economy. Trudeau said,

From the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of the Korean Peninsula, from the fields of Flanders to the streets of Kandahar, we have fought and died alongside you during your darkest hours.

This is a choice that yes, will harm Canadians, but beyond that, it will have real consequences for you, the American people. As I have consistently said, tariffs against Canada will put your jobs at risk, potentially shutting down American auto assembly plants and other manufacturing facilities. They will raise costs for you, including food at the grocery stores and gas at the pump. They will impede your access to an affordable supply of vital goods crucial for U.S. security . . .

As I write Sunday evening, the world’s futures markets are tumbling as investors realize that, “Yes, Trump really is stupid enough to start a trade war.” See MarketWatch, Dow futures tumble, oil surges after Trump tariffs end ‘self-delusion in markets’.

Per Market Watch,

U.S. stock-index futures opened sharply lower and oil prices jumped Sunday night and investors braced for volatility across financial markets after President Donald Trump over the weekend announced heavy tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China.

Analysts said the sweeping tariffs, including levies of 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico, 10% on energy products from Canada and an additional 10% tariff on China, would rattle investors who had previously appeared to hold out hope that Trump was using the threat of steep levies as a bargaining chip or would take a slower, gradual approach.

Trump acknowledged on Sunday that the tariffs would likely cause Americans to “feel some pain.” See AP, Trump says Americans could feel 'some pain' from tariffs as he threatens more import taxes.

The outright admission by Trump that his policies will “increase the price of eggs” flatly contradicts his campaign promises to end inflation and reduce prices. Here is what Trump said in his first interview after winning in 2024:

I won on the border, and I won on groceries. When you buy apples, when you buy bacon, when you buy eggs, they would double and triple the price over a short period of time, and I won an election based on that. We're going to bring those prices way down.

Trump's tariffs are likely to hit the price of groceries immediately and directly—because major produce farmers have relocated from the US to Mexico and Canada because Trump's immigration policies resulted in labor shortages in the US. As noted in the WSJ editorial, above,

Tariffs will also cause mayhem in the cross-border trade in farm goods. In fiscal 2024, Mexican food exports made up about 23% of total U.S. agricultural imports while Canada supplied some 20%. Many top U.S. growers have moved to Mexico because limits on legal immigration have made it hard to find workers in the U.S. Mexico now supplies 90% of avocados sold in the U.S.

Sadly, Trump plans to make a bad situation worse. He is now threatening tariffs against the UK and the EU. See The Guardian, Trump says EU tariffs will ‘definitely happen’ as Mexico, Canada and China retaliate.

It seems inevitable that Trump's tariffs will increase prices and decrease the retirement savings of tens of millions of Americans. We must make that point clearly and forcefully without throwing it in the faces of Trump supporters, who will suffer along with the rest of America. We will need their votes in 2026 and 2028. Being right is no consolation for our collective suffering. We are in this together.

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Concluding Thoughts

There are many other important stories that deserve comment, but the ongoing coup and market-destabilizing sanctions are enough for now. Indeed, part of Trump's strategy is to flood the zone with so many outrageous stories that we become weary and look away. Let’s stay focused on the most important story—the ongoing, slow-rolling, inside-the-building effort to overthrow the Constitution.

I have followed the news very closely since November 2016 to write this daily missive. In all that time, there has been nothing like the last two weeks. It harkens back to 2017 when we first began to realize how bad it would be under Trump, when every morning began with a pit in the stomach as we asked, “Oh god, what has he tweeted now?”

But this time around, it is not just tweets—it is cuts to programs that are a lifeline to millions of Americans, it is denying the existence and dignity of LGBTQ+ Americans, it is denying women access to healthcare, it is about endangering the health and safety of millions of Americans.

So, if you are suffering from a renewed sense of dread, take strength from the fact that we survived the first time around. And take heart from the fact that tens of millions of Americans are battle-tested, dedicated defenders of democracy. Things feel worse at the moment because we are still finding our bearings in the first weeks of the new administration. But we will find our bearings—and when we do, watch out!

We will organize ourselves and bring the full force of the majority of Americans to bear on Musk and Trump. And when we do, there is nothing that can stop us—not even roving street gangs of software engineers who are not old enough to have witnessed the American people at their finest.

Musk and Trump have made the grave mistake of underestimating the American people. That is a mistake that most adversaries of American democracy make only once.

Talk to you tomorrow!

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Daily Dose of Perspective

Scattered clouds in Los Angeles prevented an astronomy session this evening. Here is a photo of the Eagle Nebula that I took last summer. Enjoy!