Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Edge-]

https://www.npr.org/2026/03/06/nx-s1...he-second-time

The Food and Drug Administration's embattled vaccine chief, Dr. Vinay Prasad, is once again leaving the agency — the second time in less than a year that he's departed after controversial decisions involving the review of vaccinations and specialty drugs for rare diseases.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced the news to FDA staff in an email late Friday, saying Prasad would depart at the end of April. Makary said Prasad would return to his academic job at the University of California, San Francisco.

In July, Prasad was briefly forced from his job after running afoul of biotech executives, patient groups and conservative allies of President Donald Trump. He was reinstated less than two weeks later with the backing of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Makary.

Prasad's latest ouster follows a string of high-profile controversies involving the FDA's review of vaccines, gene therapies and biotech drugs in which companies have criticized the agency for reversing itself, in some cases calling for new trials of products previously greenlighted by regulators.

In the last month, Prasad has come under fire from pharmaceutical executives, investors, members of Congress and other critics for multiple decisions at the agency.

First, Prasad initially refused to allow the FDA to review a highly anticipated flu vaccine from drugmaker Moderna made with mRNA technology. The rejection of the application, highly unusual for the FDA, prompted Moderna to go public with Prasad's decision and vow to formally challenge it.

A week after the rejection became public, the FDA reversed course and said it would accept the shot for review after all, pending an additional study from Moderna.

Then, in the past week, the FDA engaged in a highly unusual public fight with a small drug company developing an experimental treatment for Huntington's Disease, a fatal condition that affects about 40,000 people in the U.S.

The company, UniQure, said Monday that the FDA was demanding a new trial of its gene therapy that would involve performing a sham surgery on some of the patients in the trial. The company's gene therapy is injected directly into the brain during a surgical procedure.

Company executives said the request for a sham-controlled trial contradicted previous FDA guidance and raised ethical concerns for patients.

On Thursday, the FDA held a highly unusual press conference with reporters to criticize the company's therapy and defend the agency's request for an additional study.

A senior FDA official, who requested anonymity to speak with reporters, called the company's original study "stone cold negative."

"We have a failed product here," he added.

The FDA typically communicates in carefully-vetted written statements when speaking about scientific disagreements, especially those involving experimental drugs that are still under the agency's review.

Prasad's time as the FDA's top vaccine and biotech regulator has been marked by a series of similar disputes with the companies the agency regulates.

More than a half-dozen drugmakers studying therapies for rare or hard-to-treat diseases have received rejection letters or requests to run additional studies, adding years and potentially many millions of dollars to their development plans.

A longtime academic and critic of the FDA's standards for drug reviews, Prasad's approach to regulation since arriving at the FDA last May has confounded many FDA observers and critics.

On repeated occasions, Prasad joined Makary in announcing steps to make FDA drug reviews faster and easier for companies. But he also has imposed new warnings and study requirements for some biotech drugs and vaccines, particularly COVID shots that have long been a target for Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist before joining the Trump administration.

Another dipshit idiot evil fuckstick leaving, hopefully for good.

Reminder: These are all fundamentally bad people. Bad, incompetent dipshit idiot moron dickhead spiteful vile people.

[Endus]

Listen, we're 8 months away from the midterms. That's not the same as 4 years.

And though I get tired of repeating it, the truth remains that a 1-2% shift can/will drastically change the outcome of an election. It's not like the GoP has much of a safety margin in either chamber of Congress.

By "drastically", you mean "we might get 3 more seats for a majority either way in the Senate, and maybe as much as 20 or so in the House of Reps." That's not particularly "drastic".

And while it's true the USA balances on that knife's edge, the voters largely don't have long term memories or give a shit about other people, meaning they will either be blindly partisan or only remember the very most latest thing that's happened. A week after something like a bad housing report, something else has come up and nobody gives a shit about housing any more, even if they're struggling to find housing themselves.

The primary reason that Democrats lost in 2024 was because the "dumbfucks with zero fucking memory or critical thinking capacity" (aka "undecided voters") were punishing the ruling party for the perceived state of the economy.

You make that sound worse, but the "undecided voters" (I'm not contesting the dumbfuckery here) aren't "dumbfucks who vote the party status quo no matter what". Which isn't better, it's just a different flavor of dumbfuck.

And yes; both Dems and Repubs. The dumbfuckery is bipartisan, if the intentional cruelty is not.

Lest we forget Clinton's run where, despite the dumbfuck "gotta vote Clinton in the primaries because change for the better is scary" primary bullshit, her Presidential run fell apart because of "but her emails" where Clinton didn't even do anything wrong and future Presidents have done far worse without any criticism or penalty both before and since. It's dumbfuckery all the way down and the voters are largely mindless reactionaries over whatever single issue is in the zeitgeist at the moment, no matter where they sit.

[Glorious Leader]

*Pauses for a second, Eyes narrow at the reporter*

Who told you that?

You couldnt write this shit.man.

[Breccia]

And that was half a year ago. Things have only gotten worse since.

I would love to hear from the people who, today, say Trump has made them better. The only answers even slightly rational are "egg prices" and "I am a billionaire who just passed tariffs on to my customers, but I get the refund."

[Kaleredar]

I would love to hear from the people who, today, say Trump has made them better. The only answers even slightly rational are "egg prices" and "I am a billionaire who just passed tariffs on to my customers, but I get the refund."

I think it’s probably a broad spectrum hopium in that they’ve utterly locked themselves into a “dear leader is infallible” mentality.

“The economy must be doing better. Why? Because Trump is president, and things only get better when he’s president.”

[Breccia]

I think it’s probably a broad spectrum hopium in that they’ve utterly locked themselves into a “dear leader is infallible” mentality.

“The economy must be doing better. Why? Because Trump is president, and things only get better when he’s president.”

Like I said, I do not consider that answer even "slightly" rational. But you're right, I would expect those answers.

Speaking of "I would expect" Trump showed up at the site where the slain US servicemen's remains were returned to their families, normally a solemn and tactful ceremony.

Trump kept his hat on the entire time.

"Whoa whoa whoa! I saw it on FOX News and Trump wasn't wearing a hat at all!"

Fox News apologizes for showing old video of a hatless Donald Trump at a dignified transfer ceremony

Yeah. They "accidentally" showed the wrong video. I didn't find this news story, it was passed along by someone the Communications Department who doesn't know how "Reply All" works, and yes, that's ironic too. This was not an easy mistake to make. This was a calculated choice. FOX News is lying.

Like anyone slightly rational would expect.

*ding*

[Paranoid Android]

tRump and Kegsbreath: "We will continue this war for weeks and whatever it takes for regime change"

Oil prices highest since 2022

Donald Trump to CBS News on the war in Iran:

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much.”

Do you believe that it’s done?

Congrats! You all get to label him TACO one more time. Yeah he didn't last not even a day when oil markets went crazy.

[gondrin]

*Pauses for a second, Eyes narrow at the reporter*

Who told you that?

You couldnt write this shit.man.

This isn't directed to you specifically, just all the muppets that keep reiterating this nonsense.

And, once again, he can declare as many national emergencies as he wants. Elections on all levels are held by the States themselves. The Federal Government, outside of the Congress, has nothing to do with them. If a State wants to go along with it, they can. If a State wants to not go along with it, they can go tell him to go fuck off. The State can even arrest and bring charges against ANY federal agent that comes within a certain distance from any polling place because it is illegal for them to do so.

The relevant federal statues:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/593
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/592

Does this mean he won't try? Most likely not. Just that anyone following his orders can still be outright arrested unlike normal procedures if a federal officer is doing their job they are mostly immune from State prosecution. They would not have the Supremacy Clause to fall back on.

[Paranoid Android]

I just posted in Stock Market thread but post here for domestic gas prices.

FeelsBad if you filled up your gas yesterday and today, perhaps this week for this moron manipulating Crude Oil and gas stations for reflecting this. I'm sure the Hogggz will once announce tRump's triumph win on gas prices.

[Xath]

*Pauses for a second, Eyes narrow at the reporter*

Who told you that?

You couldnt write this shit.man.

Yup not that didn't happen but who told you that. My one hope is even lifelong Republicans would likely not be okay with elections being canceled they aren't all MAGAts just a bunch of them are. Side note that picture of a rash floating around is a close up zoom of the area he was "shot" in. Crazy how well a 79 year old can heal not even any cartilage impact.

[Glorious Leader]

This isn't directed to you specifically, just all the muppets that keep reiterating this nonsense.

And, once again, he can declare as many national emergencies as he wants. Elections on all levels are held by the States themselves. The Federal Government, outside of the Congress, has nothing to do with them. If a State wants to go along with it, they can. If a State wants to not go along with it, they can go tell him to go fuck off. The State can even arrest and bring charges against ANY federal agent that comes within a certain distance from any polling place because it is illegal for them to do so.

The relevant federal statues:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/593
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/592

Does this mean he won't try? Most likely not. Just that anyone following his orders can still be outright arrested unlike normal procedures if a federal officer is doing their job they are mostly immune from State prosecution. They would not have the Supremacy Clause to fall back on.

The issue is he absolutely will try, which will be challenged by the states in the courts and giving his people enough time to do real harm to the election. Remember voting machines are now owned by his cronies.

[btlcryct]

The issue is he absolutely will try, which will be challenged by the states in the courts and giving his people enough time to do real harm to the election. Remember voting machines are now owned by his cronies.

Not to mention, even if they can't stop the vote, they'll try and claim because it's a 'national emergency' that they can't swear anyone who won in. Just like they did with Adelita Grijalva. Or at least with any Democrats who win. They'll say no way a Democrat could've won anywhere, because everyone knows only Republicans can win now. I mean, how can it not always be a Republican, given the super job the ones already in office are doing. So anywhere a Democrat wins has to be fake and therefore not to be sworn in.

[Draco-Onis]

Two men charged with terror offences after homemade bomb thrown outside NYC mayor's home

In an earlier update, over the weekend, Tisch told reporters the protest outside the mayor's residence was organised by Jake Lang, a far-right influencer and pardoned 6 January rioter. That group was outnumbered by the counter-protest, which had over 100 participants.

As the two groups clashed, video from the scene confirmed by the BBC's media partner, CBS News, showed Balat throwing the first "ignited device", which extinguished itself after striking a barrier.

Balat then retrieved a second device from Kayumi, lit it, and started running before later dropping it, Tisch said. In the updates provided on Monday, Mamdani said both devices had been thrown.

The devices were reportedly made from glass bottles filled with explosive material and surrounded by fragmentation, or nuts and bolts, with a firework-type fuse.

"The FBI and NYPD confirmed the suspicious items to be improvised explosive devices (IEDs)", the FBI wrote on X.

"Additionally, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) will be conducting interviews, reviewing videos, collecting evidence, and chasing down all leads."

[Tech614]

Not to mention, even if they can't stop the vote, they'll try and claim because it's a 'national emergency' that they can't swear anyone who won in. Just like they did with Adelita Grijalva. Or at least with any Democrats who win. They'll say no way a Democrat could've won anywhere, because everyone knows only Republicans can win now. I mean, how can it not always be a Republican, given the super job the ones already in office are doing. So anywhere a Democrat wins has to be fake and therefore not to be sworn in.

You guys keep saying this like it can happen all nonchalantly and isn't a declaration of civil war. There is a big fucking difference between dumbfuck cancelling congress to not swear in a single member and refusing to seat a newly elected government.

The voting machine conspiracy is also pure blue anon type shit I'm not humoring, most of it comes from people that don't even understand how voting machines work in the first place.

[btlcryct]

You guys keep saying this like it can happen all nonchalantly and isn't a declaration of civil war. There is a big fucking difference between dumbfuck cancelling congress to not swear in a single member and refusing to seat a newly elected government.

The voting machine conspiracy is also pure blue anon type shit I'm not humoring, most of it comes from people that don't even understand how voting machines work in the first place.

All I'm saying is we need to be prepared for everything. Because if you don't think they're not going to try and pull something, I don't know what to say. They know they're screwed if Democrats take over Congress.

[PhaelixWW]

All I'm saying is we need to be prepared for everything. Because if you don't think they're not going to try and pull something, I don't know what to say. They know they're screwed if Democrats take over Congress.

It's just that some of the suggestions are beyond inane.

There's a certain point at which the proposed fake justifications are just so untenable that it would be far easier to just outright seize authoritarian control.

That was what I meant when I said that past that point a civil war is ultimately inevitable. Even an infant like Trump isn't going to speedrun that path.

[Paranoid Android]

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.”

“Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them”

https://bsky.app/profile/paleofuture.../3mgo4qj67rc2i

Screenshot tRump full Truth Social in Link.

See when you start a war it should never stop commerce.

This moron crying he can inflict as much suffering on Iran, but don't Iran dare make gas prices go up! The ultimate war crime of course.

[btlcryct]

It's just that some of the suggestions are beyond inane.

There's a certain point at which the proposed fake justifications are just so untenable that it would be far easier to just outright seize authoritarian control.

That was what I meant when I said that past that point a civil war is ultimately inevitable. Even an infant like Trump isn't going to speedrun that path.

I don't know if I'd be too sure about that. I'm not saying he will trigger a civil war (or something equally awful), but I also wouldn't rule it out 100%. Someone is the most dangerous when they feel they're backed into a corner. I mean, I think there's a fair weight to the idea of Iran happening because he wanted a distraction from the Epstein files. So I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibilities of him/the administration doing something if they feel a successful impeachment is inevitable.

Edited to add: Just to crystal clear, I do not want a civil war or anything of the sorts. I'm just saying he's shown he's not predictable.

[PhaelixWW]

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.”

“Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them”

https://bsky.app/profile/paleofuture.../3mgo4qj67rc2i

"The beatings will continue until morale more oil improves."

[DarkTZeratul]

Not to mention, even if they can't stop the vote, they'll try and claim because it's a 'national emergency' that they can't swear anyone who won in. Just like they did with Adelita Grijalva.

The difference is that unlike a mid-session special election, per the Constitution the newly-elected representatives automatically begin their terms at noon on January 3rd, and unlike in the Senate everyone's term starts and ends at the same time. There is also no Speaker of the House who can choose not to swear someone in, because the first order of business for the new House of Representatives is to select one and that Speaker's first order of business is to swear in all members of the House en masse.