Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 6m

Trump to Argentinians yesterday while bailing out their economy (and their president) with $20 billion: "We love them. We'll be there for them.”
Trump to American soybean farmers yesterday as Argentina grabs their market in China: (…)
My USA Today column:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

US soybean crisis is a 'man-made disaster caused by' Trump. And farmers know it. | Opinion

On Oct. 10, Trump escalated trade tensions with China. By Oct. 12, he was posting that 'it will all be fine.' But that doesn't help America's farmers.

www.usatoday.com

Reposted by Chris Brennan

USA TODAY Opinion @usatodayopinion.usatoday.com · 13h

"Trump has always valued a slapdash scramble on the fly more than a long-term, cohesive plan," writes columnist @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social. bit.ly/3Ww2F79

A headline card with an image of Donald Trump shaking hands with Argentinian president Javier Milei. Text featured reads: "Opinion by Chris Brennan: Farmers struggle under Trump’s tariffs. But he has a plan ... to save Argentina."

1

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 23h

The official Trump administration message is that Qatar will have an air force base built in Idaho. Except, not really. And blame for that mix-up goes to the media... for accurately reporting what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. My USA Today column:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

MAGA balked at Team Trump's Qatari air force base. So now it's a 'fake story.' | Opinion

Team Trump hates being accurately quoted, especially when something they say inflames the MAGA influencers who usually spread his inverted reality.

www.usatoday.com

3 5 13

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 3d

Joe Biden, on Jan. 6, 2021, was a former vice president who defeated Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election but was still two weeks away from being sworn into office. Trump, as outgoing president on Jan. 6, 2021, had control of the FBI. Timelines get hazy as people age,

1 4 12

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 4d

America is about to spend a weekend watching furious social media posts from a politician who didn't get a peace prize he campaigned for while also trying to use his country's military against his country's citizens because they don't agree with his authoritarian agenda.

1 2 28

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 4d

If some rank-and-file Republicans in Congress seem nervous about their leaders refusing to negotiate with Democrats to reopen our federal government, anxiety about a looming increase in ACA health insurance costs could be the cause. My USA Today column:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

Democrats have upper hand in shutdown because Republican voters like Obamacare | Opinion

77% of the 24.3 million Americans enrolled in Obamacare live in states that Trump won in last year's presidential election.

www.usatoday.com

2 3

Reposted by Chris Brennan

Philip Bump @pbump.com · 5d

120 260 1.5K

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 5d

A senator asked Attorney General Pam Bondi if the Epstein files contain photos of Donald Trump with "half naked young women." Instead of answering, she spewed insults, showing us all how much Trump fears those files. My USA Today newsletter explores:
www.usatoday.com/story/nlette...

5

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 6d

That was one of the weirdest baseball games I’ve ever watched. But a @Phillies win is a @Phillies win. Glad the top of the lineup woke up. Now go get the game four win. #RedOctober

1

Reposted by Chris Brennan

USA TODAY Opinion @usatodayopinion.usatoday.com · 6d

"Trump abused his power to push a perceived opponent into a very public and massively expensive predicament. Every dollar Comey spends on legal fees will feel like a triumph for Trump," writes columnist @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social. bit.ly/3Wro1Td

A headline card featuring a photo of former FBI Director James Comey testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Text added to the image reads: "OPINION By Chris Brennan: DOJ's weak Comey indictment will unravel. Unfortunately, Trump has already won."

1

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 6d

American farmers, struggling due to Donald Trump's chaotic tariff policies, are in the middle of soybean harvest. And Trump has a plan – to rescue Argentina – even as that country exacerbates the economic harm for American farmers. My USA Today column:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

Farmers struggle under Trump's tariffs. But he has a plan ... to save Argentina. | Opinion

American farmers are an afterthought for Trump in his tariff war, which doesn't seem to be based on much thought at all.

www.usatoday.com

6

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 6d

We're going to see this sort of unhinged rhetoric ramp up more and more as we approach next year's midterms. That's what really frightens Donald Trump.

1 11 53

Reposted by Chris Brennan

USA TODAY Opinion @usatodayopinion.usatoday.com · 7d

"President Donald Trump's gleeful embrace of the government shutdown that he caused is wreaking havoc with the cover story his Republican allies in Congress are spreading in their desperation to blame Democrats," writes columnist @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social. bit.ly/3J2IY3P

A headline card with an image of Donald Trump in front of the U.S. Capitol building. Text featured reads: "Opinion by Chris Brennan: Project 2025 is Trump’s government shutdown playbook. It always was.: Trump wants to weaponize the shutdown to fire more federal workers, a key goal of Project 2025. But he’s playing with a trifecta of political pitfalls."

3 4

Reposted by Chris Brennan

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 8d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

840 7.6K 16K

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 10d

Donald Trump’s gleeful embrace of the unpopular government shutdown — and of the disliked Project 2025 — is wreaking havoc with the cover story his Republican allies in Congress are spreading in their desperation to blame Democrats. My USA Today column:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

Project 2025 is Trump's government shutdown playbook. It always was. | Opinion

Anyone who follows Trump's public statements can't really claim to be surprised that he lied last year about having no knowledge of Project 2025.

www.usatoday.com

1 2

Reposted by Chris Brennan

Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 10d

Weaponized gratitude is a key tool in the abuser's toolkit. The goal is to convince the victim that they owe the abuser so much, they should feel guilty for wanting to complain.

Tweet from the VP:
Joy Reid has had such a good life in this country. It's been
overwhelmingly kind and gracious to her. She is far wealthier than most.
Yet she oozes with contempt.
My honest, non-trolling advice to Joy Reid is that you'd be a much
happier person if you showed a little gratitude

1.1K 3.4K 13K

Reposted by Chris Brennan

KFF @kff.org · 11d

As debates continue about ACA enhanced premium tax credits, KFF polling finds most Marketplace enrollees remain unaware of the looming hikes if they expire.

Many could be “in for a shock” during open enrollment, says KFF’s @drewaltman.bsky.social. View the findings: https://on.kff.org/4nACyIk

Quote from Drew Altman, KFF President and CEO: "There is a hot debate in Washington about the looming ACA premium hikes, but our poll shows that most people in the marketplaces don’t know about them yet and are in for a shock when they learn about them in November."

2 11 19

Reposted by Chris Brennan

USA TODAY Opinion @usatodayopinion.usatoday.com · 11d

"The lesson here: Never underestimate Trump's willingness to keep playing a losing hand to protect himself, even if it leads to ruination for others," writes columnist @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social. bit.ly/3VKxvJ4

A photo of Donald Trump walking next to Mike Johnson. Text added to the image reads: "Opinion by Chris Brennan: No wonder Trump is nonchalant about the shutdown. It delays the Epstein files’ release."

1 2

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 12d

Democrats offered negotiation. Republicans offered disinformation. That's why our government shut down. The MAGA cover story strips Americans of health care while lying about Democrats giving health care to undocumented immigrants. My USA Today newsletter:
www.usatoday.com/story/nlette...

2 17 49

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 13d

Donald Trump's Republican shutdown doesn't just close our federal government. It also delays an inevitable vote in the U.S. House on releasing the Epstein files. Convenient coincidence for Trump? Or is that his real motive? My USA Today column:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

No wonder Trump is nonchalant about shutdown. It delays Epstein files' release. | Opinion

Trump doesn't want transparency, despite promising while running for president last year to release the Epstein files.

www.usatoday.com

2 1 4

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 14d

How can Donald Trump make a deal to avoid a shutdown when he offers to meet, then cancels, then agrees again to meet when he is blamed for the cancellation, then meets briefly but doesn't negotiate and instead just demands surrender? My USA Today column:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

Democrats want to prevent a shutdown. Republicans want to blame them for one. | Opinion

The 'right thing' here would be for Trump and the Republicans to stop spouting complaints and start negotiating a way to keep the government open.

www.usatoday.com

3

Reposted by Chris Brennan

USA TODAY Opinion @usatodayopinion.usatoday.com · 15d

"That's the threat: Publish something the Pentagon doesn't want published and a journalist may get kicked out of the Pentagon," writes columnist @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social. bit.ly/42evWqn

A photo of Pete Hegseth. Text added to the image reads: "Opinion by Chris Brennan: Hegseth calls mysterious meeting on heels of limiting press access. Coincidence?"

1 1

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 17d

Donald Trump’s corrupt criminal case against James Comey will collapse in court. But Trump already won what he wanted, abusing his power (and your tax dollars) to push an opponent into a very public and massively expensive predicament. My USA Today column:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

DOJ's weak Comey indictment will unravel. Unfortunately, Trump has already won. | Opinion

President Trump has spent years using America's legal system to silence and coerce competitors and critics. Now he's spending your money to do it.

www.usatoday.com

3

Reposted by Chris Brennan

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 18d

NEW: There are enormous holes and oddities in the Justice Department's hastily assembled case against Jim Comey

We breakdown why this case may struggle out of the gate — and thanks to Trump's constant commentary — may never reach a jury.

w/ @joshgerstein
www.politico.com/news/2025/09...

30 260 1.2K

Chris Brennan @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social · 19d

Pete Hegseth trying to restrict what journalists can report about the U.S. military, and then pretending to be a victim of the reporting on those attempted restrictions, is a page right out of Donald Trump's political playbook. My USA Today column:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

Hegseth calls mysterious meeting on heels of limiting press access. Coincidence? | Opinion

President Trump has benefited from news coverage of the Pentagon. Why is his administration now trying to limit it?

www.usatoday.com

1 2