PopInfo Weekly: Kushner, Kash, and lots of cash
Last month, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation made a $2 million donation to Trump’s Super PAC. Mining a trove of internal Trump administration documents, Popular Information unravels how the donation appears to be an effort to protect the tribe’s casino business by influencing the Interior Department.
On Tuesday, Trump indicated that he was open to offering the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a financial bailout to offset the economic fallout caused by the war in Iran. The UAE has partnered extensively with the Trump Organization and has multiple business ties to the Trump family.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, has represented the U.S. in negotiations with Iran while engaged in a multi-billion-dollar business relationship with the Saudi government. Despite the brazen corruption, Kushner’s connection to the Saudis has received very little media attention. A Popular Information analysis of media coverage of Kushner’s diplomatic role from February 28 to April 19 found that 97% of the coverage from a variety of major media outlets did not mention Kushner’s financial conflict of interest.
Last week, The Atlantic published an article alleging that FBI Director Kash Patel has “alarmed colleagues” with a pattern of excessive drinking. Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic, calling the article “a sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece.” The complaint actually confirms several key aspects of The Atlantic’s reporting.
The best of the rest
An analysis of satellite data shows the scale of damage done by strikes on Iran. Major damage has been done to Tehran after over a month of military conflict. An analysis by Bloomberg of radar imagery of “land use within damage clusters in Tehran” found that at least 2,816 buildings have been hit since the start of the conflict on February 28. Of the 2,816 buildings, “around 32%... were linked to the military, 25% to industry, 21% to civilians, while 19% were commercial and 2% governmental.” (Bloomberg)
The CDC blocked publication of a report showing the efficacy of the covid vaccine. The Washington Post reported this week that a report showing “the efficacy of the covid-19 vaccine” was blocked from publication in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s scientific journal. The blocked report found that the covid-19 vaccine reduced hospitalizations and emergency room visits among healthy adults last winter. (Washington Post)
NYT uncovers the origins of the Supreme Court’s “shadow docket.” The Supreme Court’s shadow docket has been used to rapidly deliver major policy wins to the Trump administration with little explanation. This week, the New York Times published an investigation, including memos between the justices, that sheds light on how this practice originated in 2016. (The New York Times)
Sexual misconduct by state and federal lawmakers is widespread, according to a new report. The National Women’s Defense League found that 162 state-level officials have been accused of sexual misconduct since 2013, and 30 members of Congress have been accused since 2006. Authors of the report say this is likely a significant undercount. While two members of Congress resigned last week over sexual misconduct allegations, the report found that there is generally little accountability for lawmakers. Forty-five officials identified in the report are running for election in 2026. (The 19th)
Numerical Information
$1 billion+
The amount that Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of Truth Social, has lost since the company went public two years ago, according to the company’s most recent annual report. Trump is TMTG’s largest shareholder. This week, TMTG announced it was replacing its CEO, former congressman Devin Nunes, with interim CEO Kevin McGurn.
Over 5,600
The number of people who have been killed throughout the Middle East since the beginning of the war in Iran, according to NBC News.
$24 million
The value of a Pentagon contract awarded to Foundation Futures Industries earlier this month. Eric Trump, who became the company’s “chief strategy officer” in March, appeared on Fox News this week to brag about the deal.
Quotes of the week: “Different” math
“President Trump has a different way of calculating… If you have a $600 drug and you reduce it to $10, that’s a 600% reduction.” — RFK Jr.
“I’d say 500%, 600%, but we also say sometimes 50%, 60%, different kind of calculation… and people understand that better, but there are two ways of calculating it, but either way it doesn’t make any difference.” — Trump
Visual Information
President Trump poses with the University of Georgia women’s tennis team to celebrate their recent NCAA championship. Trump and a group of Georgia staffers and coaches stand in front of the women. The photo was posted to X by Margo Martin, a White House aide.
Wow! And that photo makes me sick!
This photo should be a wake up call for the NCAA, the University of Georgia and their women athletes and recruits. The Athletic Director is probably up in arms over the testosterone in women's sports.