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California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has been trolling Donald “TACO” Trump (shorthand for “Trump Always Chickens Out,” as Newsom has repeated) on social media, with the president’s signature ALL-CAPS tweets, for weeks. And not only are Democrats here for it, but the strategy also seems to be working. Newsom’s press office runs the account @GovPressOffice, which has, for all intents and purposes, turned that social media feed into a political parody, mocking Trump and his Republicans allies, and posting hot takes on their GOP initiatives around voting, redistricting, and Ukraine, just to name a fewall the while mimicking the president’s style of lavishly praising himself and insulting, often viciously, those who disagree with him. On Tuesday, the account mocked Fox News host Dana Perino’s meltdown over Newsom’s deliberate mimicry, and Newsom’s post garnered nearly 850,000 views in just a few hours. DANA "DING DONG" PERINO (NEVER HEARD OF HER UNTIL TODAY!) IS MELTING DOWN BECAUSE OF ME, GAVIN C. NEWSOM! FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICAS MOST FAVORITE GOVERNOR ("RATINGS KING") SAVING AMERICA WHILE TRUMP CANT EVEN CONQUER THE BIG STAIRS ON AIR FORCE ONE ANYMORE!!! TRUMP HAS— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 19, 2025 Newsom’s outspoken criticism of Trumpat a time when so few have publicly sparred with the presidentis being praised by Democrats, especially for his tough stances. One such stance is against redistricting, as Republicans are trying to redraw congressional districts in Texas and other states in a way that gerrymanders more seats in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. On social media, some supporters are joking that Newsom’s press team should get a Nobel Prize. One user wrote on X: “I love you for doing this. I honestly feel a sense of liberation! Finally, a Dem who will dish it out. THANK YOU!! Nobel Peace Prize for the Newsom Press Office!” TRUMP JUST FLED THE PODIUM WITH PUTIN NO QUESTIONS, NOTHING! TOTAL LOW ENERGY. THE MAN LOOKED LIKE HED JUST EATEN 3 BUCKETS OF KFC WITH VLAD. IS HE AFRAID THE PRESS WILL ASK ABOUT ME??? (AMERICAS FAVORITE GOVERNOR) AND THE FACT I "STOLE THE CAMERAS" THIS WEEK WITH THE MAPS?— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 15, 2025 Over on Bluesky, user @michaeljstern.bsky.social summed up the sentiment of many posts on the platform when he wrote: “Gavin Newsom is killing it.” Of course, there’s one group that isn’t into it: The trolling has many supporters of the MAGA movement up in arms, and they’ve also taken to social media to register their ire. However, Newsom’s strategy seems to be working, fueling a surge in popularity and questions about whether he’ll be running for president in 2028. (Newsom has not announced his candidacy.) The Governor Newsom Press Office account has gained more than 250,000 followers since August 1 as the parody posts have come out, per Newsom’s office via Politico. It now has 417,900 followers at the time of this writing, while Newsom’s personal X account has some 2.4 million followers. Gavin Newsom’s polling numbers are up Notably, a recent University of California, Irvine, poll found Newsoms approval ratings had improved among California residents, while Trumps were tanking. Californians disapprove of the president by more than a 2:1 ratio, whereas following his standoff with Trump, Newsom has seen positive favorability scores. “There is no mistaking that Newsoms battle with Trump has been good for his standing in the State, certainly among Democrats and also with Independents,” the report read. And that’s not all. An August poll from Echelon Insights found Newsom is also appealing to voters nationwide. According to that Echelon poll, reported by Newsweek, Newsom is currently in second place with 13% support among a list of potential Democratic candidates for president in 2028, behind former Vice President Kamala Harris but ahead of former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)all of whom have been vocal critics of the president’s second term. (The survey polled registered voters from August 14 to 18, with a margin of error of 3.6%.) That’s up from the results of an Emerson College survey from June that showed Newsom at 7% support in a 2028 Democratic primarywhich was up from just 3% in March. Another clue that Newsom’s strategy is working: Polymarket’s betting odds. The online betting website puts his chances of winning the 2028 presidential election at 18% at the time of this writing, up four points in the last four days (though he’s still lagging behind JD Vance’s 28% odds). Polymarket also now gives Newsom a 27% chance, at the time of this writing, of beating Ocasio-Cortez for the Democratic nomination, with a spread of 13 points. His chances are up seven points in the last two days.
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E-Commerce
If you have late summer or early fall travel plans, you’ll want to double check your checked bags. The TSA and the FAA just banned some popular hair care items from checked luggage. Cordless hair straighteners and curlers are no longer allowed in checked bags because they contain potentially hazardous materials. In order to bring them with you while you travel, the products must be in carry-on bags. There is also a one per person limit on such items. “Cordless hair straighteners that contain lithium metal or lithium ion batteries or are gas or butane fueled are only allowed in carry-on bags,” a notice on the TSA website states. “A safety cover must be securely fitted over the heating element. The device must be protected from accidental activation.” The restriction includes cordless curling irons or flatirons containing gas cartridges, butane-fueled curling irons or flat irons, and gas refills (spare cartridges) for curling irons or flat irons. Gas cartridges and butane are already not allowed in checked luggage. The TSA also enforces restrictions on E-cigarettes, vape pens, and most electronic smoking devices, which are banned from checked bags. The latest change is not the first to hit airports lately. In July, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it would end the “Shoes-Off” policy that passengers have grown used to during security checks. According to a press release, allowing travelers to keep their shoes on will increase hospitality while leading to lower wait times. DHS also recently announced that families traveling with kids will be able to move through the airport more quickly. We are implementing new measures that will streamline hospitality for families that travel, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said at the Nashville International Airport in July.Noem continued, There will be expanded areas that will give them the benefit of recognizing that they have children with them, and will help make sure that we have the ability to take care of them and their families as they go through this expedited process with their kiddos.In addition, a line called the “Honor Lane” for uniformed members of the military will show up in more locations. The lanes, which are available at 11 airports, will be expanded across the country, most notably, near military bases.
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E-Commerce
President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook to resign after a member of his administration accused Cook of committing mortgage fraud, the latest example of the Trump administration’s efforts to gain control over the central bank. Bill Pulte, director of the agency that oversees mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, urged the Justice Department to investigate Cook, who was appointed to the Fed’s governing board by former president Joe Biden in 2022. She was reappointed the following year to a term that lasts until 2038. Pulte, in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleged that Cook has claimed two homes as her principal residences — one in Michigan, the other in Georgia — to fraudulently obtain better mortgage lending terms. Pulte also charged in his letter that Cook has listed her condo in Atlanta, Georgia, for rent. Mortgages for homes used as principal residences typically carry lower interest rates than properties that are purchased to rent, Pulte’s letter said. The allegation represents another front in the Trump administrations attack on the Fed, which has yet to cut its key interest rate as Trump has demanded. If Cook were to step down, then the White House could nominate a replacement. And Trump has said he would only appoint people who would support lower rates. The more members of the Fed’s governing board that Trump can appoint, the more control he will be able to assert over the Fed, which has long been considered independent from day-to-day politics. Trump will be able to replace Chair Jerome Powell in May 2026, when Powell’s term expires. Yet 12 members of the Fed’s interest-rate setting committee have a vote on whether to raise or lower interest rates, so even replacing the Chair doesn’t guarantee that Fed policy will shift the way Trump wants. All seven members of the Fed’s governing board, however, are able to vote on rate decisions. The other five voters include the president of the Fed’s New York branch and a rotating group of four of the presidents of the Fed’s other 11 regional branches. Trump appointed two members of the Fed’s board in his first term, Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman. Both dissented July 30 from the central bank’s decision to keep its rate unchanged in favor of a rate cut. Another Fed governor, Adriana Kugler, stepped down unexpectedly Aug. 1, and Trump has appointed one of his economic advisers, Stephen Miran, to fill out the remainder of her term until January. If Trump is able to replace Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the Fed’s board, as well as Kugler and Powell, that would give him a clear majority on the board of governors. Powell, however, could stay on the board after finishing his term as chair next May. The Federal Reserve declined to comment on the accusation. Trump has for months demanded that the Federal Reserve reduce the short-term interest rate it controls, which currently stands at about 4.3%. He has also repeatedly insulted Powell, who has said that the Fed would like to see more evidence of how the economy evolves in response to Trump’s sweeping tariffs before making any moves. Powell has also said the duties threaten to raise inflation and slow growth. Trump says that a lower rate would reduce the government’s borrowing costs on $37 trillion in debt and boost the housing market by reducing mortgage rates. Yet mortgage borrowing costs do not always follow the Fed’s rate decisions. The Trump administration has made similar claims of mortgage fraud against Democrats that Trump has attacked, including California Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Christopher Rugaber, AP economics writer
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E-Commerce
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