Donald Trump has claimed in a Monday morning Truth Social post that scenes of angry constituents confronting their elected Republican representatives are due to “paid toublemakers.”
The president’s post echoes an unsubstantiated statement made by Speaker Mike Johnson on CNN last week, reacting to clips of furious voters turning on GOP lawmakers over cuts and layoffs made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Meanwhile, Trump has been accused of turning the White House into “an arm of the Kremlin” by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy in the wake of last week’s disastrous Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, which saw the Ukrainian president rebuked by the commander-in-chief and his deputy JD Vance for “gambling with World War Three” and failing to express gratitude for American aid.
European leaders meeting in London over the weekend rallied around Zelensky as protests erupted in Washington, D.C., and Vermont. The American position was brutally satirized on Saturday Night Live and at the Oscars.
Trump officials Mike Waltz and Tulsi Gabbard echoed the president’s attack on the Sunday political shows. Meanwhile, the Kremlin said the new administration’s foreign policy “largely aligns with our vision.”
Key Points
- Trump lashes out at at Zelensky in new Truth Social post saying he doesn't want peace
- Trump accuses constituents angry at GOP lawmakers of being 'paid troublemakers'
- Donald Trump has turned White House into ‘arm of the Kremlin’, says senator
- Trump rants about ‘rape gangs, drug lords and mental institutions’ after Zelensky debacle
- Trump promotes national cryptocurrency reserve
Full story: Trump claims Zelensky ‘doesn’t want peace’ after Ukrainian leader says end of war ‘far away’
17:40
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump on Monday has hit out again at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by accusing the wartime leader of having no interest in a settlement to his country’s years-long fight against Russian invading forces after Zelensky said he does not see the war ending for a long time.
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, D.C.
AOC calls Elon Musk a ‘leech’ on the public
17:25
,
Oliver O'Connell
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez branded Elon Musk a “leech on the public” in her latest jab at the tech billionaire-turned-senior adviser to the president.
Musk has been behind the Department of Government Efficiency sweeping staff cuts, reduced real estate footprint and slashed contracts as the Trump administration aims to eliminate “waste, fraud and abuse.” But the New York Democrat, along with some of her colleagues in Congress, have expressed concern about Musk’s unwieldy overhaul of the federal government.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Rubio calls British counterpart to assure him Trump administration committed to peace in Ukraine
17:18
,
AP
Monday’s call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy came after Britain hosted a leaders’ crisis summit over the weekend on Ukraine following a contentious White House meeting Friday between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The State Department said Rubio had “thanked Foreign Secretary Lammy for the UK’s role in encouraging Europe to provide for its own defense and push for peace in Ukraine.”
It also said Rubio “confirmed the United States is ready to negotiate to end the Ukraine-Russia conflict and will continue working with the UK towards peace in Ukraine.”
Special government employees come with a 130-day cap. But, no one knows when — or if — Musk will leave
17:07
,
Oliver O'Connell
With Elon Musk’s status as a “special government employee” comes a limit of 130 days in the executive branch — but now the White House suggests no such limit exists for the tech billionaire.
Musk has led the Department of Government Efficiency on a crash course through the federal government marked by slashed contracts and mass layoffs, which are sometimes followed by prompt re-hirings. The quick cuts have left the American public and members of Congress concerned about the roles of DOGE and Musk.
The time limit of the SpaceX founder’s status — “special government employee” — perhaps provided solace to some that his time in the federal government would be short. The work designation allows for someone to work in the executive branch for a maximum of 130 days during a 365-day period.
According to the White House, Musk isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Trump lashes out at at Zelensky in new Truth Social post
16:54
,
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has again lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and criticized the U.S.’s European allies.
Referencing a remark made by Zelensky that the end of the war with Russia is “very, very far away,” the president wrote:
This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer! It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. – Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 3, 2025
Watch: Trump-Zelensky spat is something nobody wants to see says UK PM
16:50
,
Oliver O'Connell
COMMENT: What really lies behind Trump’s fury with Zelensky – and what it means for Ukraine
16:40
,
Oliver O'Connell
Sam Kiley writes:
Puce with rage, he leaned over and wagged his finger as he told the leader of a nation under assault from Russia: “You’re playing cards, you’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.” But when Donald Trump got furious with Volodymyr Zelensky it wasn’t just business, it was personal.
As in all mafia tales, the relationship between the two leaders has been poisoned by business – specifically the business of Russia. But it would be dangerous to believe Trump’s support for Russia is just fuelled by his animus to Zelensky. It’s much worse than that.
Read on...
Kremlin says Trump foreign policy ‘largely aligns’ with their vision
16:20
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump’s confrontational Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signifies a shift in United States foreign policy to one that “largely aligns” with the Kremlin, according to a spokesman for the Russian government.
Ariana Baio reports.
Lutnick: Canada and Mexico doing good job on border but Trump not satisfied with efforts on fentanyl
16:07
,
Oliver O'Connell
On CNN, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says “they’re doing a good job,” of Canada and Mexico on stopping illegal immigration, but President Donald Trump is still not satisfied with efforts to stem the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
Watch more of Lutnick’s interview here:
Commerce Secretary @howardlutnick: "These tariffs were set because the border was wide open. We wanted to close it, and we want our trading partners to close it... the most important trading partner to Mexico and Canada is America. They should be more respectful to us." pic.twitter.com/IIFyokk5om
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 3, 2025
A Trump megadonor leans into a tight swing-state Democratic primary
16:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
John Bowden writes:
Republican money is flowing in a Democratic primary election in Pittsburgh, even if conservative values aren’t.
MAGA Republicans would be hard-pressed to find something to love in the Pittsburgh mayoral race. With the state having awarded Donald Trump its electoral votes in 2024, Pittsburgh remains a stubbornly blue holdout, standing defiantly against the state’s reddening suburbs and rural districts. A Democrat is widely expected to win — one lone Trump supporter is battling an openly gay Republican for the GOP nomination, having already run and lost the race before.
So why is Pennsylvania’s richest man, who was one of the biggest by-dollar supporters of the GOP in the last election cycle, putting his money behind the primary opponent of Pittsburgh’s embattled Democratic mayor, Ed Gainey?
For starters, he’s always involved.
Read on...
TSMC expected to announce $100 billion investment in U.S.
15:42
,
Oliver O'Connell
The subject of today’s investment announcement is confirmed by The Wall Street Journal (and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt).
EXCLUSIVE: Trump, Chip Maker TSMC Expected to Announce $100 Billion Investment in U.S. https://t.co/hvkN5Kfhoj
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 3, 2025
Per the Journal:
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. intends to invest $100 billion in chip manufacturing plants in the U.S. over the next four years under a plan expected to be announced later Monday by President Trump, according to people familiar with the matter.
The investment would be used to build out cutting-edge chip-making facilities. Such an expansion would advance a long-pursued U.S. goal to regrow the domestic semiconductor industry after manufacturing fled largely to Asian countries in recent decades.
TSMC, the world’s largest contract chip-maker, set down roots in Arizona in 2020, when it said it would build a chip factory there for $12 billion. Its ambitions for the site have expanded rapidly since, with two more factories on the same site and a total investment of $65 billion. The company’s first factory began mass production late last year.
Trump investment announcement concerns Taiwan chipmaker U.S. plants, report says
15:38
,
Oliver O'Connell
CBS News reports that Donald Trump's scheduled 1:30 p.m. “investment announcement” today concerns Taiwan chipmaker TSMC's $100 billion investment in semiconductor manufacturing plants in the U.S.
Trump's 1:30 pm announcement today is on Taiwan chipmaker TSMC making a $100 billion investment in semiconductor manufacturing plants in the US, sources told CBS's @GillianMorley_ and me.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 3, 2025
Trump accuses constituents angry at GOP lawmakers of being 'paid troublemakers'
15:28
,
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump is echoing Speaker Mike Johnson’s accusation that angry constituents berating Republican lawmakers over Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts are “paid troublemakers.”
The president wrote on Truth Social this morning:
Paid “troublemakers” are attending Republican Town Hall Meetings. It is all part of the game for the Democrats, but just like our big LANDSLIDE ELECTION, it’s not going to work for them!
Last week, Speaker Johnson baselessly claimed that the furious scenes of people raging at GOP lawmakers in town halls over DOGE’s drastic cuts and layoffs were “paid protesters,” only to backtrack when CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins pressed him for evidence.
The party’s reaction to voters holding their elected officials accountable appears to be to tell them to not hold public events...
Honda to produce next Civic in Indiana — not Mexico — due to US tariffs.
15:20
,
Oliver O'Connell
Three people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Honda has decided to produce its next-generation Civic hybrid in the U.S. state of Indiana instead of Mexico to avoid potential tariffs on one of its top-selling car models.
The change highlights how manufacturers are rushing to adapt to President Donald Trump's proposed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada. While several automakers have voiced concerns about the levies, Honda's action marks the first definitive step taken by a major Japanese car manufacturer.
Japan's second-largest automaker initially planned to manufacture the next-generation Civic in Guanajuato, Mexico, as per the sources. Production was set to begin in November 2027, one told the agency.
It now plans to build the new Civic model in Indiana starting in May 2028. The company expects to produce around 210,000 cars annually.
One of the people said Honda would import from nations not affected by tariffs if Indiana's production falls short of demand.
Analysis: Why Vance could be much worse than Trump for Europe
15:00
,
Joe Sommerlad
The vice president is campaigning for the 2028 elections and he is no friend of Europe or the UK, our world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes.
Justin Trudeau to bring up Trump’s threat to annex Canada in meeting with King Charles
14:40
,
Joe Sommerlad
The Canadian PM will meet with the British monarch today and will reportedly raise his unease over the American’s repeated threats about taking over his country, as well he might.
Here’s more.
Watch: Starmer says he trusts Trump as U.S. president wants peace in Ukraine
14:20
,
Joe Sommerlad
The British PM went down well at the White House on Thursday last week, only to see a key ally get on rather less well a day later.
Notorious vaccine skeptic RFK Jr finally urges people to get measles jab after deadly outbreak
14:00
,
Joe Sommerlad
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has urged the public to get the measles jab after a deadly outbreak in Texas, having initially downplayed the rapid spread of the infectious disease.
Writing in a Fox News op-ed Sunday, RFK Jr championed the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, touting its efficacy against the deadly virus.
Here’s James Liddell with more.
Tim Walz weighing presidential run in 2028
13:40
,
Joe Sommerlad
The Minnesota governor, 60, who served as Kamala Harris’s running mate last year, has told The New Yorker that defeat has not deterred him from running for the White House under his own steam in three years.
“Look, I never had an ambition to be president or vice president,” he said.
“I was honored to be asked. If I feel like I can serve, I will.
“And if nationally, people are, like, ‘Dude, we tried you, and look how that worked out,’ I’m good with that.”
Madeline Sherratt reports.
Should Donald Trump’s state visit with King Charles go ahead?
13:20
,
Joe Sommerlad
Plans for the U.S. president’s state visit have sparked division in the wake of his Oval Office clash with Volodymyr Zelensky.
While Lib Dem leader Ed Davey sees it as an opportunity to secure stronger American commitments on Ukraine, SNP leader John Swinney argues that Britain should not reward a president who has undermined a key ally.
Have your say below.
Truth Social: Trump says he is ‘the only president who gave none of Ukraine's land to Putin's Russia’
13:00
,
Joe Sommerlad
I’m sure Barack Obama and Joe Biden would hotly dispute that they “gave” Russia Ukrainian territory in 2014 and 2022 but there’s certainly an argument that more should have been done to punish Putin’s overseas aggressions in annexing the Crimea and Donbas regions.
The only President who gave none of Ukraine's land to Putin's Russia is President Donald J. Trump. Remember that when the weak and ineffective Democrat's criticize, and the Fake News gladly puts out anything they say!
— Trump Posts on (@trump_repost) March 3, 2025
Trump has also been promising to “tell it like it is” in tomorrow night’s State of the Union address. Uh oh.
TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE BIG. I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS!
— Trump Posts on (@trump_repost) March 3, 2025
Attorney General Pam Bondi insists more Jeffrey Epstein files are being released – despite disastrous ‘phase 1’
12:50
,
Joe Sommerlad
Bondi has again insisted that America will get “the full” Jeffrey Epstein files after the highly-anticipated “first phase” contained no major new allegations about the convicted sex offender nor his associates.
The nation’s top law enforcement officer publicly released about 200 pages of files Thursday, including a series of flight logs from Esptein’s private jet, a partly-redacted “contacts list,” and a fully blacked-out list of “masseuses.”
Later that day, the U.S. Department of Justice accused the FBI of withholding “thousands of pages” of Epstein documents, as Bondi wrote a letter to the bureau’s newly-confirmed director Kash Patel demanding that all material related to the disgraced financier be turned over to her office by Friday morning.
On Saturday, Bondi told Fox News host Mark Levin that Americans will “get the full Epstein files” thanks to Donald Trump being the “most transparent president.”
James Liddell has the latest.
Democrat rebukes Republican ‘wusses’ for failing to stand up to Musk
12:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
Elon’s use of Air Force One to ferry his family around is the latest aspect of his role within the administration to provoke disquiet.
BREAKING: This is beyond outrageous. Elon Musk, his cranky mother Maye, and one of his young kids were chauffeured in Air Force One and Marine One—straight to the White House, where they’re apparently staying.
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) March 3, 2025
WTF is going on? It goes without saying, this is not normal. pic.twitter.com/uEjjAvoYCs
Meanwhile, Jasmine Crockett of Texas has lashed out at Republicans for failing to question any of this.
Crockett; When we wanted to subpoena Elon, Republicans shut it down
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 3, 2025
Witt: Are they afraid to go up against Trump and Musk?
Crockett: I don’t know if they’re afraid, I just think they’re wusses pic.twitter.com/nQ70bXwhCN
But… Nicole Malliotakis of New York did at least admit to CNN’s Manu Raju over the weekend: “This idea that they’re going to just fire people via Twitter. Elon Musk, that to me seems rash.
“It seems not appropriate.”
Her Georgia colleague Rick McCormick told the same reporter that Musk should be “a bit more compassionate in the way we message this.
“It matters to people. And I want to make sure that we don’t come across as insensitive. We care about people. That’s why we’re making the cuts.”
Just 4% of Americans support Russia in war with Ukraine
12:10
,
Joe Sommerlad
The poll, conducted by CBS News and YouGov, found that a slim majority (52 percent) backed Ukraine, though a surprising 44 percent said they supported “neither” side.
Trump rants about ‘rape gangs, drug lords and mental institutions’ after Zelensky debacle
11:50
,
Joe Sommerlad
Here’s James Liddell with more on the president’s fear-mongering pivot away from Ukraine, which was contradicted by own claims that border crossings are, in fact, down.
Conan O’Brien jokes about ‘standing up to powerful Russian’ at Oscars
11:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
The host praised Sean Baker’s Best Picture-winning film about an American sex worker who falls in love with an oligarch’s son with the following remark:
Conan: You know, Anora is having a good night. That's great news. Two wins already. I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian. pic.twitter.com/UBeKpSigk8
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 3, 2025
Watch: Saturday Night Live mocks Oval Office showdown as Mike Myers sends up Musk
11:10
,
Joe Sommerlad
Trump has been mysteriously quiet about James Austin Johnson’s impersonation of him on SNL but is unlikely to have a sense of humor about it – and Musk is equally likely to be incensed by Myers’ riff on his wannabe edgelord persona.
Vance told to ‘go ski in Russia’ as protesters invade his family trip to the slopes
10:50
,
Joe Sommerlad
The vice president also attracted his share of flack over the weekend, with crowds lining Route 100 near the Sugarbush ski resort in Waitsfield, Vermont, to make their feelings known about his behavior in the Oval Office on Friday.
There were some fairly eye-catching signs on display too.
I think this was my favorite photo from Vermont this weekend. pic.twitter.com/WPOqNqDwAH
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) March 2, 2025
Watch: Ukraine protesters rally outside White House after Trump-Zelensky feud
10:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
Hundreds of supporters gathered on Saturday to show solidarity and express their support for the Ukraine president.
Trump promotes national cryptocurrency reserve
10:10
,
Joe Sommerlad
Also on Truth Social, the president yesterday pledged to make the U.S. “the Crypto Capital of the World” by starting a national coin reserve to “elevate this critical industry.”
A U.S. Crypto Reserve will elevate this critical industry after years of corrupt attacks by the Biden Administration, which is why my Executive Order on Digital Assets directed the Presidential Working Group to move forward on a Crypto Strategic Reserve that includes XRP, SOL,…
— Trump Posts on (@trump_repost) March 2, 2025
This coming Friday, the White House is hosting a summit on the sector to bring together CEOs, coin founders and investors, completing an about-turn from Trump on an industry he once rubbished as a “scam.”
Truth Social: Trump says Americans should not worry about Putin, rebukes ex-adviser McMaster and cheers border crossing win
09:50
,
Joe Sommerlad
In his latest posts to his social media platform, the president has said citizens should be more concerned about “migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our country” than about the Russian leader, an attempt to pivot the conversation back towards immigration.
We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country - So that we don't end up like Europe!
— Trump Posts on (@trump_repost) March 3, 2025
He also attacked his former national security adviser HR McMaster for saying in a TV interview that Putin “couldn’t be happier” with recent developments, labelling McMaster, whom he originally hired, “a weak and totally ineffective loser.”
H.R. MCMASTER IS A WEAK AND TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE LOSER!
— Trump Posts on (@trump_repost) March 3, 2025
Trump also cheered a 25-year fall in illegal border crossings via Mexico, suggesting that his hardline rhetoric is so far succeeding in deterring people from attempting to enter the United States without permission.
ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS LAST MONTH WERE THE LOWEST EVER RECORDED. THANK YOU!!!
— Trump Posts on (@trump_repost) March 2, 2025
That first post was the president’s first comments on Ukraine since Friday’s diplomatic debacle, other than to post a screenshot capturing the thoughts of one Michael McCune, who turns out to be an Arizona wedding DJ.
Here’s more on that from Rhian Lubin.
Donald Trump has turned White House into ‘arm of the Kremlin’, says senator
09:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
Donald Trump has been accused of turning the White House into “an arm of the Kremlin” by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy in the wake of last week’s disastrous Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, which saw the Ukrainian president rebuked by the president and his deputy JD Vance for “gambling with World War Three” and failing to express gratitude for American aid.
Murphy called the clash – which caused Zelensky to leave early without signing a lucrative rare earth minerals deal – “absolutely shameful” and accused Trump of seeking to “transition America into a kleptocratic oligarchy” as the reverberations from the incident continue to be felt around the world.
Chris Murphy: "It is absolutely shameful what's happening right now. The White House has become an arm of the Kremlin ... it appears as if America is trying to align itself with dictators, that Donald Trump wants us to have our closest relationships with despots all