Latest news with #Hitler-style
The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
'No Kings' protests against Trump show liberals' silliness
But a lot of people do enjoy them, and they can be a good way of bringing communities, large and small, together. Parades have dominated the headlines of late because President Donald Trump is holding one to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. The spectacle, which will feature tanks and soldiers, among other displays of our country's military might, will take place June 14 in our nation's capital. The date also happens to be Trump's 79th birthday. In a video previewing the parade, he invited Americans to attend the "unforgettable celebration," calling it - in Trump fashion - "one like you've never seen before." "For two and a half centuries, the men and women of America's Army have dominated our enemies and protected our freedom at home," the president said. "This parade salutes our soldiers' remarkable strength and unbeatable spirit. You won't want to miss it. Just don't miss this one. It's going to be good." Opinion: Hey, Democrats, LA riots make Americans like me glad Trump is president That all sounds quite patriotic to me, and it's in line with Trump's longstanding desire to properly mark the country's 250th birthday in 2026. In his first term, Trump fashioned the 1776 Commission to help prepare the celebration and remind Americans what the Founding Fathers envisioned when creating our republic. Democrats shout 'dictator' and plan ridiculous protests Democrats, however, are freaking out (what's new, right?). Sen. Adam Schiff of California, pompous progressive extraordinaire, called the planned event a "dictator-style military parade," putting Trump on par with global bad guys like Russia's Vladimir Putin, North Korea's late Kim Jong Il and China's Xi Jinping. For years, the left has tried to paint Trump as a Hitler-style strongman whose authoritarian instincts threaten democracy itself. Clearly, that argument has failed. Yet, they persist. Opinion: Can you be legally punished for misgendering someone? Colorado says yes. Liberals love nothing more than a rowdy protest, so that's what many are planning for the same day to show their outrage at the president. "No Kings Day" is one of the most prominent anti-parade "movements," with at least 1,800 events planned nationwide. It has received financial support from the likes of Walmart heiress Christy Walton and a host of progressive groups. "People from all walks of life support No Kings because our country was founded on the idea that presidents answer to the people - not to authoritarian overreach or violence," said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, a No Kings partner organization. That is rich coming from Weingarten, who helped orchestrate the devastating and needless school shutdowns during COVID-19 that harmed millions of children. The "No Kings" name is also ironic, considering Trump first got the idea to hold a big parade in 2017 when he attended France's Bastille Day celebration. The holiday marks a pivotal point in the French Revolution that overturned the monarchy and ushered in the country's democracy. Not to be outdone with the silliness, the Women's March (remember the pink "pussyhat" marchers from 2017?) is trying to revive itself by hosting circus-themed "Kick Out the Clowns" protests, purportedly more than 300 events countrywide. Activists will wear clown costumes to show their outrage at the Trump administration's "clown-show fascism." They have a "goal" of setting the record for the most circuses in one day. "We need to kick out the clowns, and end the greatest shitshow on earth," the Women's March website proclaims. I wish I were kidding ... but I'm not. Clowns aside, should we be worried about a military parade? Back briefly to Trump's parade. Should we be worried? Is it a symbol of the president's devious machinations? It's helpful to consider what's happened in the past. While military-style parades aren't common in the United States, they aren't unprecedented, either. USA TODAY has referred to them as "retro." Opinion: Democrats waste $20 million to learn why they lost men. Here's my free advice. "I see it like most things in American politics today," David Dulio, distinguished professor of political science at Michigan's Oakland University, told me via email. "Many observers would like to reduce this to something simple when, in fact, it's complex. Are military parades in the U.S. common? No. But are they unprecedented? Also no." The most recent such parade was in 1991, under President George H.W. Bush to commemorate the end of the Persian Gulf War. The inaugurations of former Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy also featured parades with military elements. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. The fact the Army's anniversary falls on Trump's birthday is leading to a lot of Democrats' consternation. It's true that our reality TV president has a flair for the dramatic. And it's obvious he holds himself in high esteem. It's also possible that Trump loves the country, too. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@ or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump hosts patriotic parade as Democrats plan silly protests against ‘kings.'
Trump hosts patriotic parade as Democrats plan silly protests against 'kings.' | Opinion The left has tried for years to paint Donald Trump as a Hitler-style strongman whose authoritarian instincts threaten democracy itself. Clearly, that argument has failed. Yet, they persist. Show Caption Hide Caption Army Golden Knights parachute team practices for military parade The Army's Golden Knights parachute team has been preparing for months to perform at the 250th anniversary military parade. I've never liked parades. Even growing up, they struck me as boring and kind of corny. How many fire trucks and floats does one need to see rolling down the street at a snail's pace? But a lot of people do enjoy them, and they can be a good way of bringing communities, large and small, together. Parades have dominated the headlines of late because President Donald Trump is holding one to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. The spectacle, which will feature tanks and soldiers, among other displays of our country's military might, will take place June 14 in our nation's capital. The date also happens to be Trump's 79th birthday. In a video previewing the parade, he invited Americans to attend the 'unforgettable celebration," calling it – in Trump fashion – 'one like you've never seen before.' 'For two and a half centuries, the men and women of America's Army have dominated our enemies and protected our freedom at home,' the president said. 'This parade salutes our soldiers' remarkable strength and unbeatable spirit. You won't want to miss it. Just don't miss this one. It's going to be good.' Opinion: Hey, Democrats, LA riots make Americans like me glad Trump is president That all sounds quite patriotic to me, and it's in line with Trump's longstanding desire to properly mark the country's 250th birthday in 2026. In his first term, Trump fashioned the 1776 Commission to help prepare the celebration and remind Americans what the Founding Fathers envisioned when creating our republic. Democrats shout 'dictator' and plan ridiculous protests Democrats, however, are freaking out (what's new, right?). Sen. Adam Schiff of California, pompous progressive extraordinaire, called the planned event a 'dictator-style military parade,' putting Trump on par with global bad guys like Russia's Vladimir Putin, North Korea's late Kim Jong Il and China's Xi Jinping. For years, the left has tried to paint Trump as a Hitler-style strongman whose authoritarian instincts threaten democracy itself. Clearly, that argument has failed. Yet, they persist. Opinion: Can you be legally punished for misgendering someone? Colorado says yes. Liberals love nothing more than a rowdy protest, so that's what many are planning for the same day to show their outrage at the president. 'No Kings Day' is one of the most prominent anti-parade 'movements,' with at least 1,800 events planned nationwide. It has received financial support from the likes of Walmart heiress Christy Walton and a host of progressive groups. 'People from all walks of life support No Kings because our country was founded on the idea that presidents answer to the people – not to authoritarian overreach or violence,' said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, a No Kings partner organization. That is rich coming from Weingarten, who helped orchestrate the devastating and needless school shutdowns during COVID-19 that harmed millions of children. The 'No Kings' name is also ironic, considering Trump first got the idea to hold a big parade in 2017 when he attended France's Bastille Day celebration. The holiday marks a pivotal point in the French Revolution that overturned the monarchy and ushered in the country's democracy. Not to be outdone with the silliness, the Women's March (remember the pink 'pussyhat' marchers from 2017?) is trying to revive itself by hosting circus-themed 'Kick Out the Clowns' protests, purportedly more than 300 events countrywide. Activists will wear clown costumes to show their outrage at the Trump administration's 'clown-show fascism.' They have a 'goal' of setting the record for the most circuses in one day. 'We need to kick out the clowns, and end the greatest shitshow on earth,' the Women's March website proclaims. I wish I were kidding … but I'm not. Clowns aside, should we be worried about a military parade? Back briefly to Trump's parade. Should we be worried? Is it a symbol of the president's devious machinations? It's helpful to consider what's happened in the past. While military-style parades aren't common in the United States, they aren't unprecedented, either. USA TODAY has referred to them as 'retro.' Opinion: Democrats waste $20 million to learn why they lost men. Here's my free advice. 'I see it like most things in American politics today,' David Dulio, distinguished professor of political science at Michigan's Oakland University, told me via email. 'Many observers would like to reduce this to something simple when, in fact, it's complex. Are military parades in the U.S. common? No. But are they unprecedented? Also no.' The most recent such parade was in 1991, under President George H.W. Bush to commemorate the end of the Persian Gulf War. The inaugurations of former Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy also featured parades with military elements. The fact the Army's anniversary falls on Trump's birthday is leading to a lot of Democrats' consternation. It's true that our reality TV president has a flair for the dramatic. And it's obvious he holds himself in high esteem. It's also possible that Trump loves the country, too. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@ or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques
The Star
02-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
South Korea presidential hopefuls make final pre-election pitch to voters
Supporters of Kim Moon Soo, presidential candidate with the People Power Party, perform during his election campaign rally in Seoul, South Korea, late Monday, June 2, 2025. -- AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon SEOUL (Reuters): South Korea's leading presidential hopefuls crisscrossed the country on the final day of campaigning on Monday before converging on Seoul, vowing to revive an ailing economy and put months of turmoil over a failed martial law attempt behind them. Tuesday's election was triggered by the ouster of Yoon Suk Yeol after he briefly imposed martial law in December, stunning South Koreans who had come to believe the days of using the military to intervene in the democratic process were long past. Liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung vowed to mend the social division that deepened in the aftermath of Yoon's martial law, but said his opponent and Yoon's People Power Party must be held accountable, branding them "insurrection sympathisers". "We are at a historic inflection point of whether we go on as a democratic republic or become a country of dictators," Lee told a campaign rally in the battleground capital. Later he said his top priority as president if elected would be urgent steps to address the economy, adding he would first turn his attention to the cost of living for middle- and low-income families and the struggles of small business owners. After sweeping through key swing vote regions and the stronghold of his main conservative opponent, Kim Moon-soo, Lee focused on the capital region - home to the highest concentration of the country's 44.39 million voters. Around 40,000 supporters gathered at Lee's final campaign rally near the National Assembly, where he and 189 other lawmakers voted to lift Yoon's martial law six months ago as their aides and citizens were stopping soldiers from entering the building, according to his party. Kim began the final day on the southern island of Jeju before crossing the country north, calling Lee a "dangerous man" who, if elected, would abuse the office of president and the parliament controlled by his Democratic Party under "Hitler-style" dictatorship. The conservative candidate once again apologised on Monday for Yoon's martial law and pledged to undertake political reform. "Martial law was wrong, and there were many other wrongdoings. I promise Korean politics will be different from the past," Kim said at his last rally near Seoul City Hall. The two leading candidates were scheduled to wrap up three weeks of official campaigning at midnight in Seoul, with polls set to open at 6 a.m. (2100 GMT on Monday) on Tuesday across the country. The winner, who will be certified on Wednesday, will have just a short few hours before taking office without the usual two-month transition as Yoon was removed by the Constitutional Court on April 4 for grave violation of his lawful duties. -- (Reporting by Jack Kim; additional reporting by Jihoon Lee; editing by Ed Davies, Saad Sayeed and Mark Heinrich) - Reuters
CNN
28-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
‘A great friend': Audio undercuts Trump US attorney nominee's disavowal of alleged Nazi sympathizer
Ed Martin, the Trump-appointed interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia and nominee to serve in the role permanently, says he now regrets praising a Capitol rioter who is an alleged Nazi sympathizer — claiming he was unaware of the man's extremist views at the time. 'I denounce everything about what that guy said, everything about the way he talked, and all as I've now seen it,' Martin told The Forward, a Jewish publication, last week after previously calling the rioter, Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, 'extraordinary.' 'At the time, I didn't know it,' Martin said. But a CNN KFile review of Martin's podcast shows he repeatedly praised Hale-Cusanelli in interviews with him, including two where they openly discussed — and dismissed — allegations that Hale held pro-Nazi views, including an infamous photo of Hale posing with a Hitler-style mustache. Martin hosted Hale-Cusanelli at least five times on podcasts in 2024, including his show 'The Pro-America Report with Ed Martin.' The interviews were conducted well after Hale's Nazi sympathies had been widely reported in media coverage and documented in court records. In the January 2024 episode, Martin and Hale-Cusanelli discussed how media coverage before his trial portrayed him as a far-right extremist and 'the reincarnation of the Führer.' Martin described the coverage as 'character assassination' and a 'caricature' of Hale. In the July 2024 episode, Martin explicitly referenced the infamous Hitler-style mustache photo and framed it as an attempt to smear Hale and other Trump supporters as antisemitic. 'Again, you know, not your best moment,' Martin told Hale-Cusanelli on air in July 2024, referring to the photo. 'But not illegal.' Martin repeatedly referred to Hale-Cusanelli as 'a great friend' and 'an amazing guy,' and said they had grown close after his release from prison. Martin's disavowal of Hale-Cusanelli's comments comes as he faces a tough confirmation battle to become DC's top prosecutor as Democrats try to stall the process and force Republicans to hold a hearing on his nomination. A bipartisan group of senators have submitted over 500 questions for Martin to respond to, Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley said at a committee meeting earlier this month. Among his own questions, Grassley asked Martin about Hale-Cusanelli, a source familiar with the process told CNN. Martin's status as acting US attorney expires on May 20, according to federal law, setting up a tight timeline for him to get confirmed by the Senate. A spokesperson for Martin declined to comment to CNN beyond the public apology when asked if Martin had discussed his ties to Hale-Cusanelli with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The spokesperson also pointed to Martin telling The Forward that he was 'unaware of the full scope of his repulsive behavior,' which, Martin said, is 'clearly far more serious than a singular act that, by itself, might look like a mistake.' Hale-Cusanelli, an Army reservist who previously worked as a security contractor at a Naval base, was convicted of breaching the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and sentenced to four years in prison in 2022. An internal Navy investigation uncovered numerous incidents in which Hale-Cusanelli promoted racist and antisemitic views. Colleagues told investigators Hale-Cusanelli made daily disparaging comments about Jews and one recalled Hale-Cusanelli saying, 'Hitler should have finished the job.' At his trial, Hale-Cusanelli denied that he is a white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer. He said that his comments were 'ironic' and a form of 'self-deprecating humor' he used with friends. 'I'm half Jewish and half Puerto Rican,' Hale-Cusanelli testified, telling jurors that his comments were meant to be ironic. 'I know it's offensive. I know it bothers a lot of people. I know it's repugnant.' Hale-Cusanelli was released from prison in late 2023 and spent the next year on a media blitz tour to discuss his incarceration, including appearing on Martin's podcast. 'Tim Hale is an extraordinary guy. I've gotten to know him really well. I'd say we're friends over the last few years, and especially in the last month since he's been out of jail,' Martin said when hosting Hale-Cusanelli in July 2024. On that program, Martin made clear he was aware of the Nazi allegations levied against Hale-Cusanelli, twice-bringing it up. 'The leaking of the photo where, you know, you resemble, uh, Hitler - or whatever - goofing around, whatever that is, that was done in such a way that you had to live with it everywhere you turned,' he said. 'They used your phone and took a photo and leaked a photo to say, 'Ah, look. These people, these people, MAGA people are antisemitic,'' Martin said. 'And the photo was of you, I've heard you say it before, you know, you had like a mustache shaved in such a way that you looked vaguely like Hitler and making jokes about it.' The photo was recovered from Hale-Cusanelli's cell phone and included in the initial criminal complaint filed by the Justice Department when it indicted Hale-Cusanelli in March 2021 – not in a leak like Martin claimed. Martin then asked Hale-Cusanelli if he had ever attended a Nazi rally. 'No, I have not,' Hale-Cusanelli responded. 'I wouldn't know where to find one.' The episode was the second time that Martin and Hale-Cusanelli discussed the allegations of Nazi sympathies. In the January appearance, Martin lamented that Hale-Cusanelli was 'tried in the media' and that he was a victim of 'character assassination' before he was on trial. 'l'll be the first one to admit, to admit that I haven't always been a great person throughout my life,' replied Hale-Cusanelli. 'I have a very dark sense of humor. And frankly, a wannabe actor, a comedian. And so, you know, I kind of dug my own grave to some extent when it comes to, you know, saying horrible things to get a few chuckles out of five people.' 'And ultimately they were able to portray me as a far-right extremist, they were able to portray me as basically the reincarnation of the Fuhrer. Unfortunately, that's – part of that is my fault. But, you know, at the end of the day, being a jerk is not a crime.' Martin's ties to Hale-Cusanelli have come under scrutiny as his nomination is considered by the Senate. A previous review by CNN's KFile found that Martin failed to report in his Senate paperwork nearly 200 media appearances he made over the past few years, many of which were on far-right programs and Russian-state media. The Washington Post reported that Martin failed to disclose more than 150 appearances on Russian state TV. The paperwork is reviewed by staffers and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to evaluate nominees. While it is common for nominees from either party to amend their paperwork, and Martin himself acknowledged that there 'may be other materials I have been unable to identify, find or remember,' Martin's initial disclosures failed to capture the vast majority of his media appearances over the years. 'I regret the errors and apologize for any inconvenience,' Martin wrote in one disclosure update he filed earlier in April. Congressional Democrats have sought probes into Martin's prosecutorial conduct and have raised concerns about Martin's missing disclosures. They even requested a confirmation hearing for Martin – a rare step taken for US Attorney nominations. But a spokesperson for Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley told CNN that the senator does not intend to hold hearings on Martin's nomination.
CNN
28-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
‘A great friend': Audio undercuts Trump US attorney nominee's disavowal of alleged Nazi sympathizer
Ed Martin, the Trump-appointed interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia and nominee to serve in the role permanently, says he now regrets praising a Capitol rioter who is an alleged Nazi sympathizer — claiming he was unaware of the man's extremist views at the time. 'I denounce everything about what that guy said, everything about the way he talked, and all as I've now seen it,' Martin told The Forward, a Jewish publication, last week after previously calling the rioter, Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, 'extraordinary.' 'At the time, I didn't know it,' Martin said. But a CNN KFile review of Martin's podcast shows he repeatedly praised Hale-Cusanelli in interviews with him, including two where they openly discussed — and dismissed — allegations that Hale held pro-Nazi views, including an infamous photo of Hale posing with a Hitler-style mustache. Martin hosted Hale-Cusanelli at least five times on podcasts in 2024, including his show 'The Pro-America Report with Ed Martin.' The interviews were conducted well after Hale's Nazi sympathies had been widely reported in media coverage and documented in court records. In the January 2024 episode, Martin and Hale-Cusanelli discussed how media coverage before his trial portrayed him as a far-right extremist and 'the reincarnation of the Führer.' Martin described the coverage as 'character assassination' and a 'caricature' of Hale. In the July 2024 episode, Martin explicitly referenced the infamous Hitler-style mustache photo and framed it as an attempt to smear Hale and other Trump supporters as antisemitic. 'Again, you know, not your best moment,' Martin told Hale-Cusanelli on air in July 2024, referring to the photo. 'But not illegal.' Martin repeatedly referred to Hale-Cusanelli as 'a great friend' and 'an amazing guy,' and said they had grown close after his release from prison. Martin's disavowal of Hale-Cusanelli's comments comes as he faces a tough confirmation battle to become DC's top prosecutor as Democrats try to stall the process and force Republicans to hold a hearing on his nomination. A bipartisan group of senators have submitted over 500 questions for Martin to respond to, Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley said at a committee meeting earlier this month. Among his own questions, Grassley asked Martin about Hale-Cusanelli, a source familiar with the process told CNN. Martin's status as acting US attorney expires on May 20, according to federal law, setting up a tight timeline for him to get confirmed by the Senate. A spokesperson for Martin declined to comment to CNN beyond the public apology when asked if Martin had discussed his ties to Hale-Cusanelli with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The spokesperson also pointed to Martin telling The Forward that he was 'unaware of the full scope of his repulsive behavior,' which, Martin said, is 'clearly far more serious than a singular act that, by itself, might look like a mistake.' Hale-Cusanelli, an Army reservist who previously worked as a security contractor at a Naval base, was convicted of breaching the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and sentenced to four years in prison in 2022. An internal Navy investigation uncovered numerous incidents in which Hale-Cusanelli promoted racist and antisemitic views. Colleagues told investigators Hale-Cusanelli made daily disparaging comments about Jews and one recalled Hale-Cusanelli saying, 'Hitler should have finished the job.' At his trial, Hale-Cusanelli denied that he is a white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer. He said that his comments were 'ironic' and a form of 'self-deprecating humor' he used with friends. 'I'm half Jewish and half Puerto Rican,' Hale-Cusanelli testified, telling jurors that his comments were meant to be ironic. 'I know it's offensive. I know it bothers a lot of people. I know it's repugnant.' Hale-Cusanelli was released from prison in late 2023 and spent the next year on a media blitz tour to discuss his incarceration, including appearing on Martin's podcast. 'Tim Hale is an extraordinary guy. I've gotten to know him really well. I'd say we're friends over the last few years, and especially in the last month since he's been out of jail,' Martin said when hosting Hale-Cusanelli in July 2024. On that program, Martin made clear he was aware of the Nazi allegations levied against Hale-Cusanelli, twice-bringing it up. 'The leaking of the photo where, you know, you resemble, uh, Hitler - or whatever - goofing around, whatever that is, that was done in such a way that you had to live with it everywhere you turned,' he said. 'They used your phone and took a photo and leaked a photo to say, 'Ah, look. These people, these people, MAGA people are antisemitic,'' Martin said. 'And the photo was of you, I've heard you say it before, you know, you had like a mustache shaved in such a way that you looked vaguely like Hitler and making jokes about it.' The photo was recovered from Hale-Cusanelli's cell phone and included in the initial criminal complaint filed by the Justice Department when it indicted Hale-Cusanelli in March 2021 – not in a leak like Martin claimed. Martin then asked Hale-Cusanelli if he had ever attended a Nazi rally. 'No, I have not,' Hale-Cusanelli responded. 'I wouldn't know where to find one.' The episode was the second time that Martin and Hale-Cusanelli discussed the allegations of Nazi sympathies. In the January appearance, Martin lamented that Hale-Cusanelli was 'tried in the media' and that he was a victim of 'character assassination' before he was on trial. 'l'll be the first one to admit, to admit that I haven't always been a great person throughout my life,' replied Hale-Cusanelli. 'I have a very dark sense of humor. And frankly, a wannabe actor, a comedian. And so, you know, I kind of dug my own grave to some extent when it comes to, you know, saying horrible things to get a few chuckles out of five people.' 'And ultimately they were able to portray me as a far-right extremist, they were able to portray me as basically the reincarnation of the Fuhrer. Unfortunately, that's – part of that is my fault. But, you know, at the end of the day, being a jerk is not a crime.' Martin's ties to Hale-Cusanelli have come under scrutiny as his nomination is considered by the Senate. A previous review by CNN's KFile found that Martin failed to report in his Senate paperwork nearly 200 media appearances he made over the past few years, many of which were on far-right programs and Russian-state media. The Washington Post reported that Martin failed to disclose more than 150 appearances on Russian state TV. The paperwork is reviewed by staffers and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to evaluate nominees. While it is common for nominees from either party to amend their paperwork, and Martin himself acknowledged that there 'may be other materials I have been unable to identify, find or remember,' Martin's initial disclosures failed to capture the vast majority of his media appearances over the years. 'I regret the errors and apologize for any inconvenience,' Martin wrote in one disclosure update he filed earlier in April. Congressional Democrats have sought probes into Martin's prosecutorial conduct and have raised concerns about Martin's missing disclosures. They even requested a confirmation hearing for Martin – a rare step taken for US Attorney nominations. But a spokesperson for Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley told CNN that the senator does not intend to hold hearings on Martin's nomination.
