Remember that government-funded Trump ad we showed you last week?
Well, it’s gotten a LOT bigger.
What started with roughly $14,000 in estimated spending has now grown to more than $1.7 million across three Trump ads.
One of them is nearly identical to an ad Trump’s campaign ran in 2024.
The biggest change? “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”
Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner) joins Xander and Maritsa to talk about the legal questions surrounding the ads, including who could be held accountable if they crossed the line.
We also have new whistleblower documents from the Kennedy Center, where leadership had millions in federal funding to fix the very problems it is now using to justify shutting the building down.
Trump’s deals aren’t looking much better.
His own ambassador says Trump offered to sell American weapons to Xi Jinping, while hundreds of millions of dollars in Venezuelan gold is sitting unsold because buyers can’t certify it isn’t tied to organized crime.
Art of the Deal, baby.
The Trump administration also canceled $810 million Congress had already approved, hitting programs for refugees, migrant students. and other services.
Chicago educator and School Board candidate Hilario Dominguez joins us to talk about how cuts like these make their way into communities like Chicago and who ends up paying the price. (Hint: it’s not the billionaires.)
Plus, in Who’s Joining the DEFIANCE, one of Trump’s most dedicated “Front Row Joes” has officially left the building.
THIS WEEK ON THE ANT HILL
TUES, SEPT 29 — TRIVIA TUESDAY — Test your knowledge of defiance throughout history, and we’ll give a shoutout to everyone who gets all five right AND a $15 discount on any swag in our swag store!
WEDS, SEPT 30 — MY DEFIANCE MISSION — On Mission Wednesdays, we highlight the defiance actions Members are taking in their own communities. Tell us your story here. Every action counts!
THURS, OCT 1 — SHOW US YOUR ANT-ITUDE! — We wanna see your DEFIANCE swag, your original artwork, your unique ways of shouting out your defiance to the world in creative ways. Send your pics to our editor here.
THURS, OCT 1 — DEFIANCE BOOK CLUB — Our current selection is: 1984 by George Orwell. We’ll be discussing chapters 3 & 4 in our Members-only chatroom @ 2:30 pm ET. It’s never too late to join the party! Visit your library or favorite bookstore to pick up a copy.
FRI, OCT 2 — 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.
