Let us be logical and honest about motives and pretense.
IF the Trump Administration had any serious intent to identify and reduce government spending waste or fraud, it could easily have begun by identifying a few specific instances of redundant services or programs with limited justification. By starting out with credible "efficiency" moves, it could have supported a belief in an honest effort to pare down government spending.
HOWEVER, firing federal employees responsible for securing the nation's nuclear arsenal, firing air traffic controllers, targeting FEMA, and gutting the CDC function of alerting the public to pandemics [on the heels of COVID], all suggest that the motivation of Trump's cutting barrage has nothing to do with reducing "inefficient" or non-essential services. When held up to scrutiny, both the basis for the allegations or waste and fraud have lacked substance, and the purported "savings" from the cuts have not materialized.
The sensationalist and reckless approach logically indicate that the effort is to create a distraction of public attention from other actions. And we are seeing evidence of corruption and self-dealing by Trump and his family that may have escaped public and media attention while focused upon outrage over the decimation of key government national security, health, and public safety functions. It is the strategy of a practiced "con man" to distract and deflect attention while stealing and grifting.
After 100 days of the distraction sideshow, which has included leaking very sensitive classified military operations information, deporting children who are citizens, and pardoning treasonous insurrection participants, the corruption is now being done in broad daylight. Trump is currently in the Middle East engaged in so-called "official" negotiations regarding tariffs, while his family members and oligarchy club members are securing lucrative deals for developments and trade with representatives of Qatar, UEA and Saudi Arabia. And the corruption is so brazen that Trump joked about and chastised a reporter for questioning his acceptance of a $400 million plane as a "gift" from the Qatar regime. Of course, the "gift" was opined as legally permissible by AG Bondi whose previous "job" was as a lobbyist and adviser to Qatar with a $115 K per month retainer. Even a few spineless GOP members were caught off guard and choked on the corruption and violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution.
The only thing "surprising" about the transactions is the lack of business acumen of the rulers of Qatar and Saudi Arabia. After all, Elon Musk "bought" Trump and a seat in the Oval Office for only about $270 million in campaign funding. So, paying a bribe to trump of $400 million seems a bit "wasteful and inefficient." He could have been bought and bribed for much less.
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