Now Let’s See If Trump Vetoes It

All those House Republican frauds who voted for the exact same discharge petition they refused to sign for months hoping it would never come to the floor are now trying to act like they always supported it.

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 19, 2025

I’m now convinced Trump changed his mind on the files because his narcissistic ego couldn’t accept the reality that he wasn’t the boss/sole proprietor of the country. He had to get in front of the parade and claim he was leading it all along.  He was going to lose (he couldn’t even turn Boebert), so he took control of the vote by telling the GOP to do what they were going to do, and vote to release.

Which they were happy to do, because the issue was nuclear level toxic. Because Trump made it that way, by campaigning on the release. Until Bondi told him what was in the files (I don’t think he had considered that for a second). More of that Trump feral cunning.

So now he could veto. Right back in the fire. Or he could let the files out. Stay in the frying pan. The less the files reveal, though (through redactions, deletions, elision, etc.), the worse it is for Trump. He promised the crowd their pound of flesh, and they will have it. Whatever isn’t there (even if it never was), will just prompt new new conspiracy theories. Trump’s political rise was based on them (birtherism); it is inevitable that conspiracy theories consume him. 

After all, he never knew what he was doing. And while the Congressional GOP may close their eyes to it, Trump is a lame duck now. The Democrats are going to introduce a bill to control donations for White House renovations.

The bill aims to impose restrictions on donors seeking to influence the administration in power and would require transparency. It would prohibit the president from soliciting donations, ban the display of donor names, bar donors from remaining anonymous and institute a two-year "cooling-off period" in which donors would be prohibited from lobbying the government.

The bill, called "Stop Ballroom Bribery Act," would also prevent donations from businesses or individuals with business before the government — including those facing federal litigation or enforcement actions.

I like the optics of the GOP voting against it. Especially since the optics of tearing down the East Wing have been so bad. 

I expect we’ll see more bills like this throughout the next year.

ABC’S @marykbruce: “Why wait for Congress? Why not just release the files?”

TRUMP: “It’s not the question, it’s your attitude. I think you’re a terrible reporter.”

(TRANSLATION: She’s asking the right questions and he can’t handle it) pic.twitter.com/V0MAUngGj9

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) November 18, 2025

(Because the truth challenges his control. And because what he really wants, is for this to go away. Like a little kid afraid of the dark, he’s hiding under the covers, shouting at the monsters to go away.)