TOP STORY

DOGE is taking over Social Security

This is not a drill.

In just a few hours, the U.S. Senate will almost certainly confirm Trump’s pick to run the Social Security Administration, Frank Bisignano, a multi-millionaire and self-described “DOGE guy.”

WHY THIS IS BAD: In March, Bisignano admitted flat out on CNBC, "I am fundamentally a DOGE person.”

• Musk and his fake “Department of Government Efficiency” have been fighting to get access to Social Security’s vast trove of personal data on millions of Americans—potentially to fuel Musk’s AI ambitions.

Bisignano has been a willing fighter in that battle.

• The Washington Post reported in late March that Bisignano got a DOGE lackey installed as the Social Security Administration’s chief information officer (basically overseeing all tech, a very powerful position) — and then lied about it at his confirmation hearing. 

IT GETS WORSE: Bisignano’s reputation as a ruthless oligarch may be why Trump and Musk want him at Social Security in the first place.

• In the corporate world, Bisignano is known as Mr. Slash-and-Burn—he’s notorious for inflicting mass layoffs.

BIG PICTURE: Trump’s efforts to cut Social Security benefits—and lower taxes on the billionaire class—is hamstrung by legislation that protects benefits from presidential meddling. A real cut in benefits would take an act of Congress.

• To get around that, Trump and Musk have launched their own slash-and-burn campaign at Social Security, hoping to cripple the infrastructure that administers those benefits.

They could then use the chaos at a hallowed-out Social Security Administration to argue for privatizing the whole program—the standard Republican playbook of cutting programs and then crying that government doesn’t work.

GO DEEPER: The short and long term problems of Social Security explained simply—and what you can do to protect yourself.

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MAKING NEWS

Critics torch Trump’s “asinine” plan to re-open Alcatraz

Trump’s desire to reopen Alcatraz has been mercilessly mocked online—as such a refurbishment would cost millions of dollars (so much for efficiency). The crumbling fortress was already rapidly deteriorating when it was closed in 1969—a big reason for its closure. Let’s call this what it is: a distraction from a master media manipulator. Full story from Huffington Post.

Trump’s $1,000 for “voluntary deportation” will harm undocumented immigrants

Immigrants rights experts are warning that Trump’s latest plan to offer money to those who will self deport is nothing more than a trap. The administration claims it will make it easier to come back legally—but critics say that’s an outright lie. And could you imagine how MAGA media would explode had Biden offered to give migrants taxpayers’ money? Full story from Common Dreams.

Dad allegedly runs down deputy after son shot and killed by cops

After trigger-happy cops in Cincinnati shot and killed Ryan Hinton, a Black 18 year old, during a pursuit Thursday morning, officials say his father intentionally killed a different cop as retribution Friday evening. They say 38-year-old Rodney Hinton Jr., intentionally sped up his car and ran down a sheriff’s deputy directing traffic. Full story from CNN.

Democratic states sue Trump over HHS cuts, wind energy projects

Don’t discount a very important bulwark against Trump’s authoritarianism: the power of the states. On Tuesday, news broke that 20 states attorneys general are suing Trump over cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services. Seventeen states have also joined together to sue Trump for blocking wind energy projects. As Trump pushes his pro-corporate fascist agenda on Americans, we need every line of defense actively working to defend our democracy—and at least Democratic-run states are stepping up.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION: In an interview with NBC, Trump named-dropped two potential successors, J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio. We asked—who do you think is more of a danger to our democracy?

Macort voted for Vance and really hit the nail on the head: “He is as crazy as Trump and so much smarter.”

AB said, “Once upon a time Rubio was a man with at least some morals and a back bone. I like to think somewhere in there, he knows he is deeply shaming his family and his roots. I think JD Vance is vile and would do anything to be part of the boys club.”

Others disagreed. J said, “Vance is definitely a problem but I think he could be easily backed into a corner and forced to follow the Constitution. Marco Rubio seems to work behind the scenes, making deals with our enemies.”

TODAY’S QUESTION: Given all the uncertainty, have you thought about leaving the country? Tell us why or why not after you vote!

IN DEPTH

Israel’s final solution for Gaza—and how we can stop it

On Monday, the Israeli government approved plans to seize and occupy the entire Gaza Strip for an indefinite period of time—a terrifying escalation of violence that may be the final step in its genocide against the indigenous people.

• As Americans, we have more power than most to stop Israel—because this genocide is being bankrolled with our tax dollars.

By pressuring our elected officials and the companies profiting from this war, we can help bring it to an end.

WHAT’S GOING ON: According to Axios, Israel is threatening to flatten what’s left of the territory and expel the native population if Israeli hostages aren’t released before Trump’s trip to the Middle East next week.

• Israel has refrained from such a move so far due to public pressure from its own citizens, the international community, and the U.S.

Palestinians fear that it will amount to a second Nakba—Israel’s mass expulsion of indigenous Palestinians from the newly established colonial state of Israel in 1948.

WHAT WE CAN DO: Speak out. Call your representatives and demand an immediate end to U.S. military aid to Israel. Join protests. Support organizations providing aid and documenting human rights abuses. Boycott businesses like Microsoft and Chevron who are pro-actively supporting this genocide.

This genocide is being carried out with our dollars and in our name. That means we have a responsibility—and a real chance—to help stop it.

• Call Congress using 5 Calls or CallMyRep.co

• Find a protest near you at Jewish Voice for Peace or Within Our Lifetime

• Donate to frontline humanitarian groups like Medical Aid for Palestinians and Palestine Children’s Relief Fund

• Divest using guides from the BDS Movement

Silence is complicity. But collective action can end this.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

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If you like our reporting, please consider supporting our work by becoming a paid subscriber to NOTICE News+. We’re committed to keeping the vast majority of our journalism free, but we can only do that with your financial support.

By becoming a paying member, you’ll get our Sunday Deep Dives, access to a troll-free online community, and the satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting one of the few truly independent, anti-fascist news organizations telling the full truth about Trump.

UNDER THE RADAR

Stories the algorithm may have kept out of your feed.

• Mehdi Hasan: Donald Trump is mentally unfit for office. Here’s the evidence

• Trump hosted the leader of a hate group (who’s a convicted seditionist) at his country club and his words were sickening

• Jasmine Crockett flags the exact thing “consistently wrong” in Trump's second term

• Apparently JD Vance has nothing better to do than attack Ilhan Omar with old clips (where she’s basically right)

• Facebook reportedly tracked when teen girls deleted selfies—to sell them beauty ads

• Student loan collections restart this week—here’s what borrowers need to know

• Mark Hamill just roasted Trump with a galactic-level burn

• Jon Stewart has a new formula for understanding Trump’s “nonsense”

• Pope Francis’ made a remarkable last gift to the children of Gaza

• The U.S. just gave a key pandemic role to the hydroxychloroquine guy