May is Critical to the Trump Agenda, Biden’s Decline – “The Sunday Political Brunch” May 18, 2025
Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER™
May is Critical to the Trump Agenda, Biden’s Decline – “The Sunday Political Brunch” May 18, 2025
It’s been another action-packed week in politics, with President Donald Trump making headlines here at home and overseas. There are fewer than 18 months to go until the 2026 midterm elections, which brings much activity to the White House and the federal courts. We have a lot to “brunch” on this week:
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“Trump Jet Set?” – There was a lot of clamor about the nation of Qatar announcing it would donate a Boeing 747 jet valued at $400 million to the United States Department of Defense. It would then be retrofitted as the new Air Force One, and at the end of the Trump term, it would be donated to his presidential museum. Critics call it a bribe for continued U.S. military protection for Qatar. There are legal and ethical questions, but I’ll leave that debate to others. My big concern is security. The plane could be filled with tiny bugs, spying devices, and even hidden explosives. It’s a security nightmare, in my opinion. Could the Secret Service and the Pentagon adequately vet this plane? This could be a Trojan Horse, so I think we should pass!
“Tariff Economic Impact” – Now that the U.S. and China have come to a tentative tariff deal, assessments of its economic impact continue. It’s hard to evaluate in the short term, and I think we need a longer view. But when the U.S.-China deal was announced Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average shot up 1,169 points. Tuesday, the markets dropped a bit on news that the annualized rate for inflation was 2.3 percent, which is still a politically safe rate for the party in power. Egg prices are down, but beef producers are signaling a possible spike in prices this summer, because of a 10 percent tariff on imports from most other nations. Late in the week, Wal-Mart hinted it may have to raise prices due to tariffs, but there was no firm commitment. We need more time to see a trend.
“Hidin’ Biden’s Health?” – On Tuesday, May 20th, the book about former President Joe Biden’s health deterioration will be released, but already are excerpts out. The book is co-authored by CNN anchor Jake Tapper. There have been serious criticisms about why the mainstream media did relatively few stories about Biden’s health while he was in office. His disastrous debate with Donald Trump eventually led Biden to drop out of the race. Various sources say White House leaders discussed putting Biden in a wheelchair had he been elected to a second term. Press critics and viewers wonder why some of these issues were not more prominently raised and vetted during the 2020 campaign, and earlier in the 2024 race.
Listen to some of the audio:
“Press Mess” – In 2020, longtime journalist Brit Hume said of Biden on Fox, "I don’t think there’s any doubt Biden’s senile.” Hume, who is the same age as Biden, added, "Elderly people experiencing memory loss and other problems associated with age, can go for periods, for hours at a time, and be just fine." Hume also discussed his own memory lapses and mental acuity. But I have checked Hume’s background and don’t see any medical education or training. I found it odd at the time, that Hume was making an ad hoc dementia diagnosis on TV. He did it more than once. What the press should have done back then was to bring in independent doctors and other medical experts to assess Biden’s condition. Reporters should not simply opine. Jake Tapper puts the blame squarely on Biden’s team, saying, “Bottom line is: The White House was lying not only to the press, not only to the public, but they were lying to members of their own Cabinet.” Tapper added, “They were lying to White House staffers.”
“Is Birthright Citizenship, a Right?” – The U.S. Supreme Court showdown so many have waited for came this past week. President Trump signed an executive order to ban “birthright citizenship” as it is enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. A federal district court judge in Oregon ruled the executive order “unconstitutional,” but there are important nuances. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the lower court ruled the administration was violating “not only precedent, but the plain meaning of the Constitution,” which plainly states if you’re born on U.S. property, you’re a citizen. U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer argued, the 14th Amendment was only meant as a post-slavery doctrine saying, “Respectfully, I think what we have are lower courts making snap judgments on the merits that ignore the fundamental principle of the 14th Amendment, that it was about giving citizenship to the children of slaves, not to the children of illegal immigrants who really were not even a very discreet class at the time.” I’m predicting this 5-4 against Trump, though I had earlier forecast 9-0.
“NIOSH Ruling” – Washington, DC lives in the world of acronyms. FBI, CIA, and NASA are among the most prominent. And this year, we added a new one with DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, which is slashing departments all over the place. One of the agencies it cut deeply is known as NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, where approximately 400 jobs were lost in West Virginia alone. Among other items, NIOSH is involved in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment for coal miners who suffer from black lung disease. This week, a federal judge said the jobs must be restored, because NIOSH was mandated and funded by Congress, and black lung is a legal disability, protected by federal statute. It was ironic as Trump has always touted himself as a backer of “beautiful, clean coal.” I tell this story because I wonder how many other federal programs will have their jobs and funding restored based on the same logic as the judge in the case. Congress is supposed to have a say in many budgetary matters.
“Big, Beautiful Bill” – President Trump calls it a “big, beautiful bill,” but it may be in trouble. The president wants the all-in-one spending bill, including the extension of his 2017 tax cuts. It may get through the House, but even key Republican Senators say it’s in danger in the upper chamber. Sen. Ron Johnson (R) Wisconsin said, “The ‘big, beautiful bill,’ I think that’s the Titanic!” Johnson, like many senators in both parties, worries it doesn’t do enough to reduce federal government spending to pre-COVID levels. On his diplomatic trip to the Middle East, Trump said Congress was “on the verge of passing the largest tax cut and regulation cut in American history.” He added, “If we get that, that will be like a rocket ship for our country.”
While the bill includes what Trump calls a “substantial” pay raise for the military, that still may not be enough to get it across the finish line.
“Georgia, Not on My Mind” – Last week, I reported that Gov. Brian Kemp (R) Georgia was taking a pass at the 2026 U.S. Senate race in his state. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) Georgia is considered by many to be the most vulnerable incumbent next year, in a normally reliable red state. But now, another prominent Republican is passing on this race. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R) Georgia a highly controversial and outspoken supporter of President Trump, says she is likely to seek a fourth term in the U.S. House next year. While Republicans control the Senate 53 to 47, Greene says the GOP often compromises with Democrats, saying, “Even with a few good Republicans in the Senate, nothing changes.” Some are also urging Greene to run for Governor of Georgia next year, but the race for U.S. Senate is clearly off the table.
“Democrats Feud” – Quite honestly, the internal strife among Republicans is minute, compared to the minority party. The DNC, the Democratic National Committee, is working to remove David Hogg, as one of its vice-chairs. Hogg has been an outspoken intra-party critic who has promised to raise $20 million to back primary challengers against incumbent Democrats he has described as “asleep at the wheel.” Hogg said, “The DNC has pledged to remove me, and this vote has provided an avenue to fast-track that effort.” Party Chair Ken Martin is behind the attempt to oust Hogg. Martin wants Hogg to sign a neutrality pledge or step down, saying, “Party officers have one job: to be fair stewards of a process that invites every Democrat to the table — regardless of personal views or allegiances.” This whole mess promises to get uglier.