Lemon LIVE at 5 | Donald Trump Just Keeps Losing!

A federal judge, Casey Cooper, ruled that the Trump-appointed board illegally placed Donald Trump's name on the Kennedy Center building and associated materials. The Kennedy Center's general counsel issued a memo ordering immediate removal of his name from all physical and digital surfaces by June 12th. This reversal is seen as a highly visible loss for Trump, reversing a controversial act where his name was placed above 'John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts'.

Kennedy Center's general counsel sent a memo to all staff ordering them to immediately remove Donald Trump's name from that building, facade, signs, letterhead, and email signatures by June 12th. U.S. District Judge Casey Cooper ruled the name placement illegal, stating only Congress can change the name established in 1964.

A federal judge temporarily blocked a $1.776 billion fund created to compensate January 6th insurrectionists with taxpayer money. This fund was widely criticized, even by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who called it 'utterly stupid and morally wrong.' The blocking of this fund represents a significant legal defeat for Trump's agenda.

On Friday, May 29th, a federal judge temporarily blocked the $1.776 billion fund created to pay January 6th insurrectionists with tax money. Mitch McConnell called it 'utterly stupid and morally wrong'.

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled two-to-one against the transgender military ban for currently enlisted service members. The court's 107-page finding stated that the ban was 'motivated by animus' and that the president had declared transgender people categorically unfit for service explicitly because of who they are, not based on military readiness assessments or data.

Earlier this week, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled two to one against Pete Hegseth's transgender military ban for currently enlisted service members. The court wrote a 107-page finding that the ban was motivated by animus.

Both chambers of Congress passed war powers resolutions, challenging Trump's unilateral decision to start a war in Iran 98 days prior without congressional approval. The House passed its resolution 215 to 208, with four Republicans crossing the aisle. While Trump is expected to veto it, the bipartisan opposition signals significant damage to his authority on foreign policy.

Both chambers of Congress passed war powers resolutions. The Senate had already passed one weeks ago. The House passed theirs Wednesday, 215 to 208. Four Republicans crossed over. This is the first time since Trump started his war 98 days ago without congressional approval.

Trump's administration displayed internal chaos as his acting Attorney General, Todd Blanche, testified under oath that the January 6th fund was 'dead, gone, over,' while Trump publicly stated on a podcast that it was 'not dead.' Meanwhile, an IRS memo permanently shielding Trump from tax audits remains in place, suggesting Trump used the January 6th convictions to secure personal protections while leaving his supporters with nothing.

Tuesday, Ty Blance sat before the House Appropriations Subcommittee... He said, 'We are not moving forward with the fund, period.' Trump went on the New York Post podcast Pod Force One on Wednesday and said the fund was not dead. The IRS memo permanently shielding Trump from tax audits stays. Blanche confirmed that it was that way under oath.

Beyond the legal battle over his name, the Kennedy Center has experienced a significant financial downturn since Trump's board took over. Subscriptions are down by 36%, resulting in a $1.6 million loss by June 2024, with subscription sales dropping from $4.4 million to $2.6 million. This decline is attributed to artists canceling and shows being pulled.

Kennedy Center subscriptions are down now by some 36% since Trump took over, down $1.6 million by June 2024. Subscription sales had generated $4.4 million, this year it's generated $2.6 million.

Trump's 'gift to America' to restore the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool saw its estimated cost quadruple from $13.1 million to $76 million. The project, awarded to a Virginia firm that previously worked on Trump's golf clubs, is funded by national park entry fees, diverting money from parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite. Lemon criticizes the design change from a 'reflecting pool' (black bottom for reflection) to a 'swimming pool' (blue bottom).

The original cost was supposed to be like $13.1 million, the original estimate, and then it's going to be higher than that. The cost since has quadrupled to $76 million. The money is coming from national park entry fees. He chose a Virginia firm that had previously worked on his golf clubs.

The proposed White House ballroom, initially estimated at $200 million and intended to be privately funded, saw its cost escalate to $1 billion. Lemon likens this to a 'garage mahal,' where the garage is larger than the house, criticizing Trump's taste and business acumen. Senate Republicans ultimately stripped the funding for this project.

200 million-dollar ballroom that was going to be privately funded. That became 400 million dollars, as I said, and then that became 100. Then that became 1 billion dollars. The Senate Republicans just stripped the funding from this. That is gone.

The Iran war, initiated by Trump 98 days ago without congressional approval, has resulted in 13 American deaths and over 520 wounded. The Strait of Hormuz has been closed for three months, disrupting global energy markets, raising gas prices above $4, and strangling the world economy. Despite Trump's promises of a quick resolution, no deal has been signed, and Iran reports 'frequent and contradictory positions from the US side.'

98 days in and 13 Americans are dead, sadly. More than 520 people have been wounded. The Strait of Hormuz closed for 3 months. Global energy markets are disrupted now. Gas above $4. Iran's economy strangled. The deal that was supposedly largely negotiated... still not signed.

Trump's approval rating has fallen to 37%, a historically low number for a president who just won re-election. This decline is attributed to his base eroding, with people who voted for him now expressing concerns about the cost of living crisis (61% view Iran war as a mistake, 46% hold him responsible for economic pain). Unfulfilled promises, such as the $2,000 'tariff dividend checks,' further contribute to the discontent.

37% approval is not just a bad number, it's a historically bad number at this stage of a second term for a president who just won re-election. 61% say that the Iran war was a mistake. 46% hold him fully responsible. Mostly responsible for the cost of living crisis. The Supreme Court struck down the tariffs that were supposed to pay for them in February. And the likelihood of a $2,000 tariff dividend check is effectively zero.

Despite Trump's past rhetoric about 'black jobs,' the current black unemployment rate under his administration is 7.3%, significantly higher than the national average of 4.3% and the lowest recorded black unemployment rate of 4.8% under President Joe Biden. This disparity highlights a failure to deliver on economic promises for the Black community.

Under President Joe Biden, the black unemployment rate was 4.8%, the lowest in US recorded history. Under Trump right now, it is 7.3%. The national average is 4.3%.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Daniel Grimes discuss the prevalence of sex scandals in D.C. Omar attributes it to members having 'a lot of time on their hands' due to insufficient legislating, loneliness from families living in districts, and 'bad people' in positions of power. AOC adds that a 'culture' of abuse of power exists and highlights institutional failures that make it risky for staffers to come forward.

Ilhan Omar: 'maybe the people just have a lot of time on their hands because we're not busy enough legislating.' She also mentions 'a level of loneliness' and 'bad people'. AOC: 'there's a culture here in Washington... the failures of this institution and the abuse of power that exists.'