Trump Administration's Use of CIA and Artist Protests Against Kennedy Center Renaming

Tom Homan's Security Clearance and Background Checks

• ⚠️ Tom Homan received security clearance despite ongoing investigations and warnings, a process that mirrors concerns raised about Jared Kushner and Brett Kavanaugh.
• 🔍 The FBI's background check process is described as merely gathering information for the client (in this case, Donald Trump), who then decides whether to act on it.
• 🎯 This system allowed Trump to bypass potential disqualifiers, suggesting that criminal activity might even be a qualification for his administration.

CIA Strike in Venezuela and Political Maneuvering

• 🚀 The CIA is reported to be responsible for a strike on a facility in Venezuela, which is seen as an end-run around Congress.
• 📌 Mike Ellis, installed as CIA General Counsel by Trump, penned a memo legalizing such strikes, mirroring actions by the DOJ regarding boat strikes.
• ⛽ This action is strongly linked to oil interests in Venezuela, with claims of drug trafficking being dismissed as a pretext.
• 🔗 Connections are drawn between Mike Ellis, John Eisenberg (now heading DOJ's National Security Division and involved in redacting Epstein files), and past actions to hide communications between Trump and Zelensky.

Artist Protests at the Kennedy Center

• ✊ Artists are canceling performances at the Kennedy Center in protest of its renaming, with Christy Lee and jazz singers leading the charge.
• 🎭 The renaming is seen as political by the artists, who are refusing to perform in a venue associated with policies detrimental to the LGBTQ community and the arts.
• 💰 Trump's history of stripping arts funding, including calls to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, is highlighted as hypocritical.
• 🗣️ Rick Grenell's defense of the renaming is criticized as disingenuous, particularly given Trump's actions against arts and public media funding.

Personal Intentions for the New Year

• ✨ Both hosts express intentions to apologize less and cultivate intrinsic kindness in the new year.
• 🧘‍♀️ Other intentions include spending more time with friends and family, meditating, and reading for pleasure.
• ✍️ One host plans to use a five-minute journal for daily gratitude and goal setting, aiming to overcome the paralysis of large writing tasks.
• 🚀 The overarching hope is for 2026 to be a year of significant personal change and positive developments.