The riffing. The off the cuff ideas. The dangerous theories. The relentless lies. The madness. None of this is new. If you've forgotten how common this stuff was during the first Trump administration, you may want to jar your memory with an injection of disinfectants a heavy dose of UV light exposure. What's different this time around is that any resistance to these often outlandish ideas within the administration has not only disappeared, it's been replaced by often enthusiastic support. One good example of this bad new reality is Trump's plan to develop Gaza. Tom Friedman in the NYC (Gift Article): What’s Most Frightening About Trump’s Gaza Ravings. "I can say with confidence that Trump’s proposal is the single most idiotic and dangerous Middle East “peace” initiative ever put out by an American president. Still, I’m not sure what is more frightening: Trump’s Gaza proposal, which seems to change by the day, or the speed with which his aides and cabinet members — almost none of whom were even briefed on it in advance — nodded their approval to the idea like a collection of bobblehead dolls."

+ At times, the nodding represents such a shocking turnabout that all you can do is shrug. Consider the case of Emil Bove. "He has been leading an effort to identify everyone who worked on Jan. 6 cases and remedy what Trump called 'a grave national injustice' by rooting out “those who acted with corrupt or partisan intent” when they investigated Trump and Capitol rioters." Before he started this effort, he "oversaw efforts to find and arrest Capitol rioters in the New York area." Trump’s feared DOJ enforcer has a secret: He, too, investigated Jan. 6.

+ Even with all the news and the all the nodding, it's critical that we don't nod off and ignore what's happening. Timothy Snyder with a rough one that relates to this story and one below. Crossing a line. "I am one American in a train at night in a foreign country at war, heading in the direction of the front, going to a city that is attacked by Russia. But I know that I won’t be crossing any lines ... As I close my tablet and go to sleep, I am safer than every single one of you reading this in the United States, and indeed safer than I would be in the United States. My train will stop in five hours. But America will keep hurtling."

2

Wake-Up Call

During a 90-minute call, Trump says he spoke with Putin about ending war in Ukraine. "President Trump spoke in favor of an early end to hostilities and a peaceful solution to the problem. President Putin, for his part, mentioned the need to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement can be achieved through peaceful negotiations." (I'm pretty sure the root cause of the conflict is that Putin invaded a free country.) What does this mean for Ukraine? We'll see. But Defense Sec Pete Hegseth is already telegraphing a softening of support. Hegseth rules out NATO membership for Ukraine and says Europe must be responsible for country’s security. "Hegseth also said that a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders, before Russia invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine, 'is an unrealistic objective.'"

3

To Hack and To Hold

You've been hacked. And your identity is being stolen. Not you, specifically. But you, the country. "In the span of just weeks, the U.S. government has experienced what may be the most consequential security breach in its history—not through a sophisticated cyberattack or an act of foreign espionage, but through official orders by a billionaire with a poorly defined government role. And the implications for national security are profound." FP: DOGE Is Hacking America.

+ "A DOGE operative, called a 'DOGE Team Lead,' will be assigned to every agency, department, etc., of the federal government. That team lead, who will presumably report to Elon Musk since Musk is the head of DOGE, will be in charge of all hiring and firing decisions at their particular department." Not Hyperbole Anymore: Musk Is In Charge of the US Government.

+ Wired: Former Palantir and Elon Musk Associates Are Taking Over Key Government IT Roles.

+ And it sure doesn't look like Trump minds the Musk takeover. He sat in the Oval Office for thirty minutes while the unelected Musk was holding forth in the Oval Office. Surreal.

4

Pull My Finger, Immediately

Following Kanye West's week of describing himself as Hitler and selling swastika-emblazoned T-shirts, it probably came as a relief to many to see a group of Jewish celebrities protesting the move while "wearing a t-shirt that shows the name 'Kanye' along with an image of a middle finger that has the Star of David in the center." But the viral video wasn't real. It was a deepfake. It's one more example of how dangerous this technology can be. At first glance, the fake video was more believable than Kanye's real acts. Scarlett Johansson calls for deepfake ban after AI video goes viral. "It is terrifying that the U.S. government is paralyzed when it comes to passing legislation that protects all of its citizens against the imminent dangers of A.I." (The U.S. government was paralyzed when it comes to limiting this stuff. The current administration is probably in favor of it.)

5

Extra, Extra

Economists on Egg Shells: "The January data underscored the uneven nature of the central bank’s battle against high prices. Inflation has subsided drastically since cresting just above 9 percent in 2022, but progress in recent months has been much more sporadic." Inflation Rises Unexpectedly, Complicating Picture for the Fed. Meanwhile, egg prices hit a record high after the biggest jump in almost a decade. (DOGE should really look into this...)

+ Dry Run: A small clinical trial has confirmed what people already seemed to know. Ozempic shown to reduce drinking in first trial in alcohol-use disorder. (I wonder if it can treat a news addiction...)

+ Tulsi No Evil: This is upsetting, but at this point these confirmations are such a given that they barely amount to news. Senate votes to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence.

+ Engulfed in Names: NYT (Gift Article): White House Bars Reporter From Event Over A.P.’s Use of ‘Gulf of Mexico.' (What's news here is that the AP didn't immediately fold.)

+ Lord of the Rings: Who says there was no Super Bowl three-peat? Eagles offensive lineman Darian Kinnard was on the Chiefs team for the past two years. So he just won his third Super Bowl ring in a row.

+ Getting Hygge Wih It: "Have you ever looked at a map and thought, ‘You know what Denmark needs? More sunshine, palm trees, and roller skates.’ Well, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality." In response to Trump's threat to buy Greenland, Thousands of Danes sign petition to buy California from U.S.

6

Bottom of the News

"The company announced that it has released a wedding package for guests who want to get married Las Vegas-style — complete with an Elvis Presley impersonator, Vegas showgirls and, of course, tacos." Taco Bell Launches Las Vegas-Themed Wedding Package. What a nice way to say, "Te quiero..."