Donald Trump promised his new White House ballroom would be paid for by him and a few friends. Well, the donor list is finally out, and his friends have been very generous with the hopes of staying anonymous.
Trump, however, is nowhere to be found on the list.
And with the price tag now hovering around $600 million, taxpayers could end up footing half the bill. So much for that promise.
The donor list reads like a quid pro quo fun bag: pardons, government contracts, and investigations quietly snuffed out. Former U.S. Pardon Attorney Liz Oyer (@lizoyer) joins us to discuss the connection.
And the DOJ has been busy elsewhere, threatening California with a lawsuit over supposedly ineligible voters. Its evidence arrived on a thumb drive with the password written on a sticky note. With the midterms just weeks away, that’s quite a way to handle election security.
There’s also a new twist in those suspicious Iran oil trades. Career analysts flagged them for investigation, only to be ordered by a senior adviser to retract their referral. The agency says its investigation is continuing.
Finally, its time for Who’s Joining the DEFIANCE. Streamer Sneako has turned against Trump after backing him in 2024. Given his past behavior, we’re welcoming him to the DEFIANCE on a strictly probationary basis. We’ll be keeping an eye on him.
THIS WEEK ON THE ANT HILL
FRI, OCT 16 — DOGS OF THE DEFIANCE — That’s right…even our furry friends are sticking it to the man. Do you have a dog (or a cat or a horse or a rabbit or a ferret…) that would sooner lift their leg on Trump than play fetch? Send us a pic, and they might be featured in a future issue! Because fighting authoritarianism is hard work, a little fun is important too. :)
GROW THE DEFIANCE
DEFIANCE Members are absolutely crushing it, spreading the word about our club for the courageous to their friends. There is strength in numbers, and that’s exactly what defiance requires. Here’s how you can help build our numbers—and get a shoutout on the Daily with Miles and Xander:
Use the buttons provided to share your personal referral link on X, Facebook, or email. Or, copy the link (circled in the example below) to share it via text or other social platforms.
