Who told him what? We call it 'disinformation' here, but in America, it's a 'show in the Oval Office' (Poor Zelenskyy and the South African president...) ... When South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived at the White House on Wednesday afternoon for talks with his counterpart, Donald Trump, he was hoping to repair the damaged relations between the two countries.
Instead, Trump was waiting for him with an edited video and a stack of printed newspaper articles, which he intended to use to prove that a violence against farmers was underway in South Africa.
The American president thus tried to convince the South African president of the veracity of an American far-right conspiracy theory about his own country. However, it turned out that the footage he used to try and prove it came from ** Congo. **
* Just a side note: isn't Elon Musk from South Africa, by any chance? *
Verifying the facts you spread isn't that difficult; you just need the will and shouldn't act like the world's ruler and savior.
*** Markets Dip Into the Red After Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' ***
Markets were slipping after the House of Representatives advanced President Donald Trump's tax bill.
Investors are worried that the Trump administration’s signature tax and spending bill could be bad news for the economy, particularly after Moody’s took away its triple-A rating on U.S. debt.
** Trump Dinner ** Yesterday, Virginia, May 22 (Reuters) - Buyers of President Donald Trump’s meme coin converged from around the globe on Thursday for an exclusive dinner at his private country club, overlooking the Potomac River, just outside the nation’s capital.
As guests filed into the event, and President Trump arrived by Marine One helicopter, more than a hundred protesters at the Trump National Golf Club crowded along the edge of the parking lot along the street. Signs included, “America is not for sale,” “stop crypto corruption," and “release the guest list."
Among those in attendance was China-born crypto entrepreneur and billionaire Justin Sun (allegedly "in the interest of the US" his prosecution for Tron/TRX fraud was stopped and he became a crypto advisor to the Trump family), who posted a video of himself, underscored by triumphant music, entering the ballroom and dressed in a tux. Sun won first place in the dinner contest with his $18.5 million wallet, and is also the largest publicly known investor and an adviser to World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto platform, which has made them hundreds of millions of dollars. ... Top-25 meme coin holders enjoyed private VIP reception with Trump.
* Trump doesn't care much about how much Americans pay. If he did, he wouldn't have imposed tariffs in the first place. *
Trump is only concerned with deflecting blame when his policies backfire.
However, most companies don't want to, and simply can't, do what Trump demands: tolerate lower profits indefinitely so that Trump can impose any costly tax he pleases without upsetting voters.
CEOs are quickly realizing this. They don't want their customers to think they're raising prices, but more importantly, they need to let shareholders know that profit margins are secure.
Publicly traded companies are legally obligated to optimize profitability. If they fail to do so, their shareholders have the power to remove the CEO and find someone who will perform better.
Privately owned companies face different rules, but very few of them exist to sacrifice profits for some politician.
Indirect phrasing is now necessary because Trump has threatened retaliation against companies that act logically and pass on the higher costs he imposes on them to the next customer in line.
After Walmart CEO Doug McMillon recently stated that "higher tariffs will lead to higher prices," Trump, with his usual bravado, went after Walmart.
The solution for all these companies is to raise prices without thoroughly explaining the reasons why.
* There are plenty of ways to do this without having to use the T-word... * ..... Source: Rick Newman / Yahoo Finance
Will Bitcoin reach the magic threshold of 110,000 dollars on May 22nd, and then even a beautiful 111,111? I think so! 🤔 What do you think? #BTCBreaksATH $BTC
According to current information, the joint dinner between Donald Trump and the 220 largest holders of the memecoin TRUMP will take place on May 22, 2025, at Trump's golf club in Virginia, near Washington D.C.
Additionally, the top 25 investors will receive a private reception and a White House tour.
The condition for participation was maintaining the highest average balance of $TRUMP tokens between April 23 and May 12, 2025.
** The developers of the TRUMP memecoin announced a "critical date" that marks the beginning of a new era for the token. Some sources mention the upcoming dinner in connection with altcoin price volatility before and after this event. **
The largest holder on the leaderboard, a wallet named 'SUN', held almost **$18 million** in time-weighted holdings. According to blockchain analysis, the wallet belongs to the Seychelles-based exchange HTX, where Chinese-American crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun also operates. He invested $75 million in the project and became its **advisor.**
Companies associated with the *Trump family* hold approximately 80% of the remaining $TRUMP token volume, and since the project's launch, they have *already earned over $320 million in fees*, including at least $1.35 million after the dinner announcement. The coin's total market capitalization reaches $2.74 billion.
..... "Ah, so that's how money's made..." 🤨
So, I guess I won't be there tomorrow. Maybe next time 🤔
** Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act": Key Points and Impacts ** The "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" (also known as the "megabill") is extensive legislation aimed at fulfilling many of President Donald Trump's campaign promises, from taxes to border security. It's important to note that the bill's impacts are still only estimates, and the final legislative text has not yet been finalized. **Key Points and Their Characteristics:** Medicaid Coverage Loss: An estimated 8 million recipients could lose Medicaid health insurance coverage. Republicans are targeting able-bodied adults and undocumented immigrants, but other beneficiaries could also be impacted. The bill introduces new work requirements for able-bodied recipients aged 19-64 without dependents (at least 80 hours of work per month) and mandates re-determinations of eligibility every 6 months. It also removes undocumented immigrants from Medicaid eligibility (approximately 1.4 million people). SNAP Food Assistance Cuts: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) could be cut by roughly $230 billion over 10 years. This would narrow participation in the program, which currently serves approximately one in eight Americans monthly. The bill tightens eligibility requirements for adults aged 55-64 and children, and shifts some SNAP costs to states (at least 5% of benefit costs starting in 2028). Extension of 2017 Trump Tax Cuts: The bill extends the 2017 tax cuts, which have been criticized for adding trillions of dollars to the deficit. No Taxes on Tips and Overtime Pay: This fulfills Trump's campaign promises to exempt workers who receive tips from federal income taxes (for employees earning under $160,000 annually) and to eliminate taxes on overtime work. The tax break on tips would expire at the end of 2028. Border Wall Funding: Provides $50 billion to resume construction of Trump's wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The bill also includes $4 billion to hire an additional 3,000 Border Patrol agents and 5,000 new customs officers, as well as $2.1 billion for signing and retention bonuses. Furthermore, it allocates funds for 10,000 more Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and investigators. The bill also introduces a $1,000 fee for migrants seeking asylum. Increased Defense Spending: Commits approximately $150 billion in defense spending, specifically for shipbuilding and the "Golden Dome" missile defense system. Creation of MAGA Savings Accounts for Children: The bill would allow parents to open MAGA savings accounts for their children with a contribution limit of $5,000 annually. It includes a pilot program to start accounts with $1,000. Raising the SALT Cap: The current proposal raises the deduction limit for state and local taxes from federal income tax filings from $10,000 to $30,000 for joint filers earning less than $400,000 per year. Debt Limit Increase: Includes a $4 trillion increase to the statutory debt limit. $TRUMP #BILL
The trade truce between the US and China may be on fragile ground as both sides appear to be engaged in a war of words and neither side is completely confident that the other will keep their side of the bargain.
China's Commerce Ministry announced on Wednesday that it would take legal action against any organisation or individual that assists the US in advising people away from Using China's advanced semiconductors.
The US Commerce Department had warned that using Huawei chips anywhere in the world would violate US export controls before later removing the reference.
It was reported on Tuesday that Chinese shipments of Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and mobile devices to the US fell to their lowest since 2011 in April. The sharp drop highlights how US tariffs have severely disrupted trade between the world's two largest economies.
The busiest container hub in the US, the Port of Los Angeles, saw shipments drop by as much as 30% in early May as President Trump’s tariffs took a toll. Importers and retailers, especially those linked to China, were among the most affected. #trumptariff ..... Source: Yahoo Finance
During his address to Coindesk's Consensus 2025 conference in Toronto on May 15, Kevin O'Leary, chairman of O'Leary Ventures, a venture capital firm, had an unusual message.
O’Leary called for immediate regulation to remove the "wall" impeding institutional adoption of crypto. “I never thought I’d say this, but I want more regulation and I want it now,” O’Leary told attendees. ..... Source: Yahoo Finance
The U.S. Senate has moved forward with the GENIUS Act — a bill designed to regulate stablecoins.
The GENIUS Act is seen as a major step toward legitimizing and securing the $250 billion stablecoin market, currently dominated by players like Tether (USDT) and Circle (USDC).
Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Republican and vocal supporter of the bill, said she believes May 26 — Memorial Day — is a “fair target” for final passage. ..... Source: Yahoo Finance
American President Donald Trump on Monday morning accused artists and entertainment industry figures on his own social network Truth Social who supported his opponent Kamala Harris in last year's election of doing so because she paid them for it.
Buying public support in elections is illegal under US law. Trump provided no evidence for his claims.
Trump's latest post attacks the support his opponent in last year's election received from artists, alleging that she supposedly paid them for it, as Newsweek notes.
** Trump provided no evidence for this claim but presents it as a reason to prosecute Harris. **
..... Paranoid or is it pseudologia phantastica = shouldn't he give up and rather seek treatment than cause everything to collapse? 🤭🤔 He doesn't see his own mistakes, but always sees some in everyone who doesn't 100% agree with him, even if they are not true, and he hurts and humiliates people - does this really impress his voters?
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday, that tariff rates will go back to "reciprocal" levels if trade deals aren't made during the 90-day pause.
President Trump has put them on notice that if you do not negotiate in good faith, you will ratchet back up to your April 2 level.
Bessent also minimized the downgrade of US government debt by Moody's Ratings.
Trump, fresh off a trip to the Middle East renewed his criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Saturday.
President Trump said Friday that the ** US will set tariff rates for its trading partners within the next few weeks. He said his administration cannot negotiate trade deals with all countries at once due to limited capacity. **
Source: Yahoo Finance ..... The administration doesn't have enough time to negotiate tariff agreements? So why did it propose them? Does it think that the states will pay these crazy tariffs because the US won't have time to reach an agreement and so Trump will "make up" some numbers for them?
** Is that what a businessman says? I don't understand - it's his stupid argument...*
To start with - I am truly not a conspiracy theorist! But: Why do I have the feeling lately that what is happening around us is a devastation of values and the planet, and merely an effort to enrich oneself at the expense of the rest of the world and secure a bright future somewhere else? A handful of powerful and rich people are starting to control the world - successfully influencing markets and further enriching themselves immeasurably from this, disrupting the economies and politics of the world's states, interfering with and undermining their sovereignty, attacking hybridly, supporting hateful parties and groups, and also subtly inciting conflicts while profiting - selling weapons and thereby (perhaps even intentionally and planned for so-called reverse engineering) revealing technologies where it was previously and for a long time forbidden. Ecology is now a forbidden topic - new oil fields will be drilled, coal will be mined again, and previously closed mines will be reopened under the guise of cheaper energy sources for AI data centers. Instead of using inexhaustible solar energy, we will also extract more natural gas. Plastic waste is increasing after the lifting of restrictions in the USA and withdrawal from climate agreements, etc. Moreover, they are thoughtlessly demanding that the rest of the world do the same, otherwise threatening tariffs and trade disruption, all from the perspective of size, strength, and power. Everything stated connects to this - an untamed desire for money and territory! Temporarily, this may lead to prosperity, but what about the future of subsequent generations? Our children... The visionaries ruling the world, it seems, have a different mindset = we will destroy this planet, extract what we can from it, make money from it, meanwhile prepare a place for our wonderful intelligent super children to live elsewhere, where it is still possible to breathe, build a better civilization from us successful ones, move away, and the remaining few billion people will either kill each other or perish from energy outages and diseases from pollution after non-ecological extraction of non-renewable resources and during the multiplying conflicts waged for the purpose of survival and from imperialist cravings. If only it weren't true, it was just Sci-Fi, I am wrong about everything and the handful of chosen ones truly care about the well-being of all of us... What do you think?
Why does Trump call it a hoax and not want to hear about it?
Does he live in his own world of the rich and powerful, and does other people and companies mean nothing to him?
Does only a wealthy handful of devoted supporters benefit from his style of government? ..... The move adds to compounding risks facing the US market as President Donald Trump’s sporadic tariff regime weighs on the economic outlook. Although the S&P 500 has recovered from the depths of last month’s rout, many Wall Street professionals remain skeptical of the advance as the toll of tariffs on business and consumer confidence threaten to show up in economic data in months ahead.
This is a warning sign. The markets is about to hit a ceiling after a much welcomed rally. A credit-rating downgrade by Moody’s may end up spurring some profit taking by money managers after a massive run for equities the past month.
It remains to be seen how this will affect equity markets in the coming weeks, but there may be caution following the strong stock gains recently.
This is not good for overall US markets. This is not like when S&P lowered the AAA rating back in 2011 which was a shocker and markets were already teetering then. The bond market is seeing rates late in the day move higher and rates moving higher, faster and sharper has been number one on the risk list for me.
U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tax bill failed to clear a key procedural hurdle on Friday, as hardline Republicans demanding deeper spending cuts blocked the measure in a rare political setback for the Republican president in Congress.
Moody’s downgrade of the United States’ credit rating should be a wake-up call to Trump and Congressional Republicans to end their reckless pursuit of their deficit-busting tax giveaway.
Today’s GOP simply does not care about deficits or our nation’s fiscal health. Republicans are hell-bent on a multi-trillion tax cut for the ultra-wealthy, leading to nothing but higher prices, more debt, and fewer jobs.
Trump urges Walmart to 'eat the tariffs' and wants Fed to cut rates 'sooner than later'.
President Donald Trump, fresh off a trip to the Middle East, renewed his criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Saturday and called on Walmart to "eat the tariffs" rather than raise prices.
"Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain. Walmart made BILLIONS OF DOLLARS last year, far more than expected. Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, 'EAT THE TARIFFS,' and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Walmart (WMT) on Thursday warned that rising costs from tariffs could soon lead to higher prices for shoppers. The company was the latest to skip giving second-quarter profit guidance due to Trump's tariffs disrupting global trade.
Also on Saturday, Trump said the Federal Reserve should cut rates "sooner, rather than later," and continued to express his frustration with Powell
"Too Late Powell, a man legendary for being Too Late, will probably blow it again - But who knows???" Trump added. .... Source: Yahoo Finance