USA at 249
The United States celebrated its 249th birthday this week - a worthy time for reflection on American values.
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On this Independence Day, it’s good to reflect on our self-governance journey and celebrate the freedoms we have. It’s also a time to renew our understanding that these freedoms don’t exist on their own; we can’t take them for granted, and we should fight for them when they are being eroded.
I do think now is one of those times.
The OBBBA
Congress passed and the President signed into law H.R. 1 (“One Big Beautiful Bill Act” - yes, this is the official name of the bill…). [1]
Image from G. Elliott Morris, Strength In Numbers [2]
This bill is immensely and historically unpopular. Data journalist G. Elliot Morris analyzed the popularity of major legislation since 1990, and this bill is among the three most unpopular bills in the last 35 years, and all three of the most unpopular are during Trump’s administrations:
#1 – the 2017 Republican attempt to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act
#2 – this 2025 “OBBBA” bill that makes poor American poorer, rich Americans richer, permanently extending the tax cuts for the rich, and increase police presence throughout America
#3 – the 2017 GOP tax bill that created the tax cuts for the rich in the first place
The Center for American Progress highlighted some of the most unpopular provisions in the OBBBA: [3]
The OBBBA includes a provision that would effectively defund Planned Parenthood clinics for one year.
While President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised not to cut Medicare benefits, the OBBBA blocks implementation of an existing regulation that makes it easier for eligible low-income Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) that lower Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket costs. MSPs make health care accessible for Medicare enrollees, who often live on very limited incomes and few assets…. As a result, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the earlier House-passed bill (with similar provisions also in the Senate-passed bill) would cause 1.3 million Medicare enrollees eligible for these programs to lose or forgo their Medicaid coverage and, therefore, be unable to access the assistance.
The OBBBA reverses bipartisan SNAP paperwork-requirement exemptions for vulnerable groups of Americans, including veterans; people experiencing homelessness; and youth aging out of foster care that were passed into law in 2023.
The OBBBA eliminates existing student loan repayment plans and offers future student loan borrowers only two options for repayment plans: a standard plan and the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP).
The OBBBA appropriates $100 million in funding [described as an unaccountable slush fund] for the White House Office of Management and Budget, led by director and Project 2025 co-author Russell Vought, “for the purposes of finding budget and accounting efficiencies in the executive branch.”
The OBBBA provides nearly $30 billion to immensely expand enforcement and deportation operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), tripling its 2024 annual budget.
In order to secure a key vote from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and pass muster with the Senate parliamentarian, the OBBBA was altered to temporarily exempt states with the highest error rates from a provision that would shift the costs of SNAP benefits from the federal government to state governments.
The OBBBA’s “qualified small business stock exclusion” allows wealthy venture capitalists to claim $10 million in income tax-free for investing in certain startup companies. The Treasury reports that over 75 percent of the benefits of this provision flow to millionaires.
The OBBBA includes a federal 100 percent tax credit for individuals who donate to private school voucher funds. The legislation creates a permanent uncapped program that could cost the federal government nearly $51 billion annually. Comparatively, the federal government provides just $14 billion for funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and $18 billion for Title I funding for high-poverty schools.
There are also highly touted tax changes, such as no taxes on tips, overtime, or Social Security benefits, but these are really small deductions that tax filers can claim on the returns, each of which are limited and will go away in a few years. [4]
After the bill’s passage, an email went out from the Social Security Administration, linking to a blog post applauding the bill’s passage. [5] However, from CNN reporting, the messaging drew strong, negative reactions: [6]
The Social Security Administration this week sent out an email to many Americans celebrating the passage of President Donald Trump’s domestic policy bill, and touting the measure’s tax relief for seniors, in a move that analysts said strayed from the agency’s typically apolitical nature.
The email — which was also sent to people not yet eligible for Social Security benefits — linked to a blog post on the agency’s website noting that nearly 90% of Social Security beneficiaries will no longer pay federal income taxes on their benefits.
Although Trump campaigned last year on eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits, congressional Republicans were not able to fulfill that promise in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” because of the rules surrounding reconciliation, the process Senate Republicans used to approve the package without Democratic support.
Instead, the legislation will provide senior citizens with a $6,000 boost to their standard deduction from 2025 through 2028.
…
Jeff Nesbit, former deputy commissioner for communications at the agency, also criticized the email in an X post: “Unbelievable. I was a deputy commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Appointed by President Biden. The agency has never issued such a blatant political statement. The fact that Trump and his minion running SSA has done this is unconscionable.”
Other outlets described the email as “lies and propaganda”: [7]
The email, containing a message from Trump-appointed Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano, claims Trump’s budget “ensures that nearly 90 percent of Social Security beneficiaries will no longer pay federal income taxes on their benefits.”
This, say critics, is not truth. It is also a dangerous omission.
“We rated that statement Mostly False,” said Politifact analyst Louis Jacobson. “The bill will provide a tax break for Americans ages 65 and over, but it won’t eliminate the Social Security tax entirely. Some 24 million Social Security beneficiaries will still be taxed on some of their checks from the program, according to Congress’ bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation’s staff director. Many of those are younger than 65 and thus ineligible for the new tax deduction.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office laid out the litany of program cuts that “decimates middle-class opportunities” from cutting “critical family support programs” to “defund[ing] public safety” and “raises costs and separates American families.” [8]
Starting in 2029, those making $30,000 a year or less would see a tax increase, while the top 0.1 percent would get a $309,000 tax cut, on average – an annual tax break that is more than three times what the typical American household earns in an entire year.
Oh, and the “no taxes on tips” program that Trump keeps raving about? Many workers will see little to no benefit. The program for tipped workers is temporary, expiring in 2028, meanwhile the tax cut for the ultra-wealthy is permanent. By 2029, those earning less than $30,000 a year will see their taxes increase, on average. These same families will also be harmed by cuts to health care and food assistance.
The Declaration at 249
So, how is America doing on its 249th birthday? What does ChatGPT say about that?
Well… Josh Pasek, Professor of Communications & Media and Political Science at the University of Michigan conducted what he described as a July 4 project. [9]
He used ChatGPT to map the 27 grievances from the Declaration of Independence and compared 2025 executive actions against them. These comparisons (in a 66-post thread) were rated on a zero-to-five “on fire” scale. 0-1 is minor, 2 is noticeable, 3 is substantial, 4 is 1776-level abuse, and 5 is worse than those at the time of the Revolution. [10]
Pasek says (thankfully) there are no 5-fire instances. However, 12 of the 27 are at 4-alarm, 1776 levels, and he does say that ChatGPT “also identifies 5 additional significant grievances that it thinks a modern Jefferson would cite.” [11]
He did note that “the events across these posts and levels of severity were all identified by ChatGPT's o3, I found related news articles and checked for the accuracy and relevance of the items it identified.” [12]
Of the new grievances:
“He hath erected Engines of secret Observation, collecting without Warrant the private Letters, Voices, and Motions of the People.”
Severity 🔥🔥🔥🔥 warrantless bulk surveillance of calls, messages, and location.
“He hath corrupted the Fountains of public Information”
Severity 🔥🔥🔥 state-boosted botnets, platform pressure, press blacklists.
“He hath proclaimed perpetual States of Emergency”
Severity 🔥🔥🔥🔥 emergencies never expire, powers multiply.
“He hath bartered away the common Inheritance of Air, Water, and Soil”
Severity 🔥🔥🔥 long-term climate harm authorized against expert warnings.
“He hath converted the public Treasury to his private Gain, directing Honours, Contracts, and Revenues to himself.”
Severity 🔥🔥🔥🔥 direct profiteering and pay-for-policy exposure.
An Insurrection Reminder
A reminder that supporters of President Trump incited the January 6 insurrection against the U.S. Constitution, spurred on and organized by militant paramilitary groups whose leaders were eventually found guilty of seditious conspiracy against the United States, based on how central they were to the Capitol attack. These were not peaceful protests of Americans expressing their rights of free speech; these were incitements of violence and an insurrection against the American people and its system of self-governance.
In 2020, the American people held free and fair elections, and supporters of Donald Trump engaged in a violent insurrection against the American Constitution in order to overturn that election.
We should not forget it, and we should not tolerate it.
The New York Times conducted deep investigations [13][14] where they “combed through dozens of court records that included thousands of their text messages that show how Proud Boy leaders crafted a chain of command specifically for January 6. [Their] investigation traces how an organized and violent group with a history of supporting Donald Trump came to his aide as he desperately tried to cling to power.” [14]
The original New York Times video investigation can be found here. [13]
The Times investigation on the role of the Proud Boys can be found here. [14]
Arresting the Opposition
One part of the authoritarian playbook that is (surprisingly) not part of the original Declaration grievances is arresting, indicting, or threatening the arrest or indictment of political opposition. Here is a listing of the actual arrests, indictments, or threats of public officials just this year:
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan [15]
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka [16]
New Jersey Congresswoman Rep. LaMonica McIver [17]
California U.S. Senator Alex Padilla [18]
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers [19][20]
California Governor Gavin Newsom [21][22]
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass [23]
New York State Assemblyman and Democratic nominee for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani [24][25]
New York City Comptroller and candidate for New York City Mayor Brad Lander [26]
Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas [27]
And this doesn’t count Trump’s previous calls for indictment and arrest over the previous two years: [28]
Former Special Counsel Jack Smith [29]
Former President Joe Biden [30][31][32]
New York City District Attorney Alvin Bragg [33]
New York Attorney General Letitia James [34]
New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron [35]
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis [36]
Former President Barack Obama [37]
And troubling still, this isn’t the only avenue being taken to suppress opposition. The Trump administration is “maximally pursu[ing] denaturalization proceedings” that revoke citizenship from naturalized American citizens. The Department of Justice sent a memo to all Civil Division employees about the division’s priorities, which includes “prioritizing denaturalization.” [38]
Case Western Reserve law professor Cassandra Burke Robertson and Hofstra law professor Irina D. Manta recently warned of this dangerous shift in priorities against American citizens (and worth reading their piece in full here): [39]
As the apparent next step in the Trump administration’s mass deportation regime, this rarely used but potentially far-reaching government power is getting newfound attention. As legal scholars who study denaturalization, we believe the new Justice Department policy could significantly expand the circumstances under which naturalized Americans might lose their citizenship in ways that raise serious constitutional questions.
Denaturalization is the government’s power to revoke people’s U.S. citizenship after they’ve been naturalized. Unlike deportation, which removes noncitizens from the country, denaturalization strips away the citizenship itself, returning people to their previous immigration statuses and potentially making them deportable.
…
Civil denaturalization cases provide no right to an attorney, meaning defendants without resources often face the government without representation. There are no jury trials, with judges making citizenship determinations alone. The burden of proof is “clear and convincing evidence” rather than the criminal standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Additionally, there is no statute of limitations, allowing the government to build cases on decades-old evidence that may be incomplete or unreliable.
…
More fundamentally, we argue that aggressive denaturalization policies conflict with constitutional principles of citizenship. The framers envisioned citizens as sovereign, serving as the source of government power rather than its subjects. Allowing the government to strip citizenship from naturalized Americans for decades-old conduct creates exactly the kind of arbitrary governmental authority the Constitution was designed to prevent.
Also concerning - it’s not clear the level of evidence the administration will use to trigger such proceedings. From the Department of Justice memo, the Civil Division “shall prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence” and the first category listed includes: [40]
Cases against individuals who pose a potential danger to national security, including those with a nexus to terrorism, espionage, or the unlawful export from the United States of sensitive goods, technology, or information raising national security concerns. [emphasis added]
With only focusing on a “potential” danger to national security, a lower burden of proof, and fewer constitutional guarantees, this combination seems to put the bar very low for taking aggressive action against anyone the administration chooses to pursue.
And this isn’t a hypothetical threat: [41]
Last week, Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi that called for a federal investigation to determine whether New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani — a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Uganda — should be subject to denaturalization proceedings based on eight-year-old rap lyrics that Ogles claims could constitute material support for terrorism. At a news conference Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the allegations, “if true, were something that should be investigated.”
Coupling this with the Day 1 executive order about taking away citizenship from those born in the United States [42] – even though citizenship is guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment – the administration seems to be scouring for reasons to strip citizenship from Americans.
Our own rights are at risk if we don’t protect the rights of everyone. We may think it doesn’t affect us, but if the government can arrest U.S. citizens for whatever reason they may find (when the driving rationale is dissent or political opposition), we won’t know when we find ourselves on the other side of that line.
This sets the culture for our decision making, and it’s a cultural slide we need to fight. I worry we are in the middle of a political civil war [43] - blue states vs red states - seemingly two different countries with two differing views of what is happening in America.
A Little History
Marking the Semiquincentennial of American Independence 250 years ago
Image of the Olive Branch Petition, July 5, 1775 [46][47]
July 5, 1775 – The Olive Branch Petition: [44][45][46][47]
The Olive Branch Petition was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 5, 1775, to be sent to the King as a last attempt to prevent formal war from being declared. The Petition emphasized their loyalty to the British crown and emphasized their rights as British citizens.
From the History.com overview of this event: [45]
…The Olive Branch Petition, written by John Dickinson, appeals directly to King George III and expresses hope for reconciliation between the colonies and Great Britain. Dickinson, who hoped desperately to avoid a final break with Britain, phrased colonial opposition to British policy as follows: “Your Majesty’s Ministers, persevering in their measures, and proceeding to open hostilities for enforcing them, have compelled us to arm in our own defence, and have engaged us in a controversy so peculiarly abhorrent to the affections of your still faithful Colonists, that when we consider whom we must oppose in this contest, and if it continues, what may be the consequences, our own particular misfortunes are accounted by us only as parts of our distress.”
By phrasing their discontent this way, Congress attempted to notify the king that American colonists were unhappy with ministerial policy, not his own. They concluded their plea with a final statement of fidelity to the crown: “That your Majesty may enjoy long and prosperous reign, and that your descendants may govern your Dominions with honour to themselves and happiness to their subjects, is our sincere prayer.”
From the book overview on Amazon: [48]
The shocking first-draft history of the Trump regime, and its clear authoritarian impulses, based on the viral Internet phenom “The Weekly List.”
In the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump's election as president, Amy Siskind, a former Wall Street executive and the founder of The New Agenda, began compiling a list of actions taken by the Trump regime that pose a threat to our democratic norms. Under the headline: “Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so you'll remember” Siskind's “Weekly List” began as a project she shared with friends, but it soon went viral and now has more than half a million viewers every week.
Compiled in one volume for the first time, The List is a first draft history and a comprehensive accounting of Donald Trump's first year. Beginning with Trump's acceptance of white supremacists the week after the election and concluding a year to the day later, we watch as Trump and his regime chips away at the rights and protections of marginalized communities, of women, of us all, via Twitter storms, unchecked executive action, and shifting rules and standards. The List chronicles not only the scandals that made headlines but just as important, the myriad smaller but still consequential unprecedented acts that otherwise fall through cracks. It is this granular detail that makes The List such a powerful and important book.
Just a small sample of entries from Week 34 since Trump’s 2016 election victory (July 2-7, 2017): [49]
The New York Times reported that the Trump [administration] discussed using the pending merge between Time Warner and AT&T as leverage over CNN.
Trump media ally the Daily Caller reported that the White House doesn’t support the merger if Jeff Zucker still heads CNN.
Rachel Maddow reported that The Rachel Maddow Show was sent a forged NSA document. Maddow speculated that this was an attempt to trick her show into reporting a false story, hence weakening her credibility and dulling that storyline.
On July 4, NPR tweeted the Declaration of Independence and was attacked by Trump supporters who called it “propaganda” and “spam.”
A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found that the majority (54 percent) of Americans believe Trump personally did something illegal or unethical with Russia.
While his predecessors Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama celebrated July 4 by visiting troops, Trump spent the day on a Trump-branded golf course. Senators John McCain, Elizabeth Warren, and Lindsay Graham visited troops in Afghanistan.
One of the Department of Justice’s top corporate crime watchdogs, Hui Chen, resigned, saying the Trump [administration] has been engaging in conduct that she would never tolerate in corporations, “creating a cognitive dissonance that I could not overcome.”
Walter Shaub, director of the Office of Government Ethics, resigned in frustration, six months before his term ended, saying “It’s clear that there isn’t more I could accomplish.” Shaub and OGE have twenty-four items in the [The List] up to this point.
GIF Game
Happy Independence Day!
Notes and Sources
[1] “H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” 119th Congress (20225-2026), https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1
[2] G. Elliott Morris, “One Big Unpopular Bill,” Strength In Numbers, July 4, 2025, https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/one-big-unpopular-bill
[3] Colin Seeberger, Andrea Ducas, Natasha Murphy, Kierra B. Jones, Andrés Argüello, Lily Roberts, Kyle Ross, Michael Sozan, Silva Mathema, Sara Partridge, Paige Shoemaker DeMio, and Corey Husak, Center for American Progress, “10 Egregious Things You May Not Know About the One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” July 3, 2025, https://www.americanprogress.org/article/10-egregious-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act/
[4] Christie R. Galinski, “Business Tax Updates in the One Big Beautiful Bill,” the National Law Review, July 3, 2025, https://natlawreview.com/article/business-tax-updates-one-big-beautiful-bill
[5] “Social Security Applauds Passage of Legislation Providing Historic Tax Relief for Seniors,” July 3, 2025, https://blog.ssa.gov/social-security-applauds-passage-of-legislation-providing-historic-tax-relief-for-seniors/
[6] Shania Shelton and Tami Luhby, “Social Security Administration praises Trump’s agenda bill in widely sent out statement,” CNN, July 4, 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/04/politics/social-security-administration-trump-bill-email
[7] Adam Lynch, 'Lies and propaganda': Social Security beneficiaries slam agency’s pro-Trump email,” Alternet, July 4, 2025, https://www.alternet.org/seniors-social-security-trump-budget/#
[8] Governor Gavin Newsom, “Here’s how President Trump’s tax cuts for the ultra-rich will hurt YOU,” July 2, 2025, https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/07/02/heres-how-president-trumps-tax-cuts-for-the-ultra-rich-will-hurt-you/
[9] Josh Pasek [@joshpasek.com], Bluesky, July 4, 2025, https://bsky.app/profile/joshpasek.com/post/3lt5fzazqj22y
[10] Josh Pasek [@joshpasek.com], Bluesky, July 4, 2025, https://bsky.app/profile/joshpasek.com/post/3lt5fzazwek2y
[11] Ibid.
[12] Josh Pasek [@joshpasek.com], Bluesky, July 4, 2025, https://bsky.app/profile/joshpasek.com/post/3lt5g33l4qv2y
[13] Dmitriy Khavin, Haley Willis, Evan Hill, Natalie Reneau, Drew Jordan, Cora Engelbrecht, Christiaan Triebert, Stella Cooper, Malachy Browne, and David Botti, “Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the U.S. Capitol,” New York Times, June 30, 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000007606996/capitol-riot-trump-supporters.html
[14] Natalie Reneau, Stella Cooper, Alan Feuer, and Aaron Byrd, “How the Proud Boys Breached the Capitol on Jan. 6: Rile Up the Normies,” New York Times, June 17, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000008392796/rile-up-the-normies-how-proud-boys-breached-the-capitol.html
[15] Luke Barr, Alexander Mallin, and Ivan Pereira, “'No one is above the law': AG Bondi blasts judges accused of helping undocumented immigrants evade arrest,” ABC News, April 25, 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-hannah-dugan-arrested-fbi-allegedly-helping-undocumented/story?id=121161497
[16] “Newark mayor released after arrest at immigration facility protest, says, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong’,” CNN, May 9, 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/09/us/new-jersey-mayor-arrested-at-ice-detention-center
[17] “Rep. LaMonica McIver indicted on federal charges after incident at New Jersey ICE detention facility,” CNN, June 10, 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/10/politics/lamonica-mciver-indicted-ice-detention-center
[18] Shawn Hubler, Jennifer Medina, and Jill Cowan, “Calif. Senator Forcibly Removed and Handcuffed After Interrupting Noem,” New York Times, June 12, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/12/us/politics/senator-alex-padilla-handcuffed.html
[19] Governor Tony Evers, “WATCH: Gov. Evers Releases Message to Wisconsinites Regarding Apparent Trump Administration Arrest Threats,” May 2, 2025, https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/3deb322
[20] “Wisconsin governor says calls for his arrest are “chilling”,” WBAY2 TV, May 2, 2025, https://www.wbay.com/2025/05/02/wisconsin-governor-says-calls-his-arrest-are-chilling/
[21] Jacob Soboroff and Doha Madani, “Trump's border czar threatens arrest for immigration interference, warns Newsom and Bass not to 'cross that line',” NBC News, June 8, 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tom-homan-trump-border-czar-los-angeles-rcna211701
[22] Jacob Soboroff, Nnamdi Egwuonwu, Yamiche Alcindor, and Sarah Dean, “'Arrest me': California's governor unfazed by threats of arrest from Trump administration official,” NBC News, June 8, 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/californias-governor-unfazed-threats-arrest-trump-administratio-rcna211752
[23] Erkki Forster, “Trump Border Czar Threatens to Arrest Newsom and LA Mayor,” The Daily Beast, June 8, 2025, https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-border-czar-tom-homan-rips-newsom-and-la-mayor-amid-crackdown/
[24] Jared Gans, “Mamdani slams Trump arrest threat: ‘If you speak up, they will come for you’,” The Hill, July 1, 2025, https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5380189-mamdani-slams-trump-arrest-threat-if-you-speak-up-they-will-come-for-you/
[25] Bart Jansen and Eduardo Cuevas, “Donald Trump threatens to arrest NYC mayoral Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani,” USA Today, July 1, 2025, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/07/01/trump-threatens-arrest-zohran-mamdani/84438433007/
[26] Alice Speri, “New York mayoral candidate arrested by Ice: ‘Trump is looking to stoke conflict, weaponize fear’,” The Guardian, June 19, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/19/new-york-mayoral-candidate-brad-lander-interview
[27] Meredith Kile, “Trump Threatens to Arrest 2 Political Opponents in Same Press Conference, Hours After Entertaining Elon Musk Deportation,” People, July 1, 2025, https://people.com/trump-threatens-arrest-2-political-opponents-in-same-press-conference-11764784
[28] Rebecca Jacobs, “Trump has threatened dozens of times to use the government to target political enemies,” Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, May 22, 2024, https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/trump-has-threatened-dozens-of-times-to-use-the-government-to-target-political-enemies/
[29] Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump], TruthSocial, January 12, 2023, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/109677461139498199
[30] Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump], TruthSocial, June 9, 2023, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/110514921982710631
[31] Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump], TruthSocial, June 16, 2023, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/110555065295789588
[32] Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump], TruthSocial, April 12, 2023, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/110188720514907315
[33] Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump], TruthSocial, March 21, 2023, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/110063631164377999
[34] Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump], TruthSocial, March 21, 2023, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/110063631164377999
[35] Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump], TruthSocial, November 13, 2023, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/111406895173363371
[36] Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump], TruthSocial, August 17, 2023, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/110906865023795361
[37] Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump], TruthSocial, March 8, 2024, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112083423128720259
[38] Memorandum to All Civil Division Employees from Brett A. Shumante, Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, June 11, 2025, https://www.justice.gov/civil/media/1404046/dl
[39] Cassandra Burke Robertson and Irina D. Manta, “Trump’s DOJ is prioritizing denaturalization — the Constitution has something to say about that,” MSNBC, July 1, 2025, https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-doj-denaturalization-zohran-mamdani-andy-ogles-constitution-rcna216056
[40] Memo to DOJ Civil Division Employees from Shumante.
[41] Robertson and Manta, “Trump’s DOJ is prioritizing denaturalization”
[42] Donald J. Trump, Executive Order 14160, “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” January 20, 2025, Code of Federal Regulations, 90 FR 8449, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/29/2025-02007/protecting-the-meaning-and-value-of-american-citizenship
[43] Mic Farris, “Battles in an Uncivil War,” June 7, 2025, https://www.micfarris.com/articles/battles-in-an-uncivil-war
[44] “Olive Branch Petition,” American Battlefield Trust, retrieved July 5, 2025, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/olive-branch-petition
[45] “Congress adopts Olive Branch Petition,” History.com, November 13, 2009, retrieved July 5, 2025, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-5/congress-adopts-olive-branch-petition
[46] Mark Boonshoft, “The Olive Branch and the Declaration of Independence,” New York Public Library, June 30, 2015, retrieved July 5, 2025, https://www.nypl.org/blog/2015/06/30/olive-branch-petition
[47] Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library. "Petition to George III, King of Great Britain, 1775" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1775. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/af2242e0-7f2b-0132-7d52-58d385a7b928
[48] Amy Siskind, The List, Bloomsbury Publishing, New York, 2018, https://www.amazon.com/List-Week-Week-Reckoning-Trumps/dp/1635572711
[49] Ibid.
Decisions with Mic Farris
Seek Truth. Honor Differences.
