The second half of 2025 is done, so it’s time to follow up on what I wrote at the end of the first half of the year. Having just had a good dump of the white stuff (sleet) all over my yard, I’ve decided to stay warm and dry indoors, make myself a big cup of coffee to sip on, and sort out what’s happened since June. Let’s take a look.
As with the previous edition of my not-a-newsletter newsletter, this one is somewhat preoccupied with what is happening in the Trump Administration, though less so. Like the man himself, we are all weary of his presidency, even though he’s been in office a year. (Though technically this is his fifth year as President.)
Other than trying to get a Nobel Peace Prize, he seems to be spending more time focused on his supposed strength: real estate. Of all the things that Trump has done, somehow the fact that he tore down the East Wing of the White House shocked me more than I thought it should. As some are saying, it is emblematic of his wrecking-ball presidency. Meanwhile, Trump plows past concerns over East Wing demolition — and envisions an even bigger ballroom than initially planned. The Guardian said the new ballroom is giving off ‘Dictator-for-life vibes’, although it will be some time before it’s completed, and his plans for the East Wing keep changing. In the meantime, he’s having a go at smaller renos, like the Lincoln Bedroom bathroom
When he’s not doing damage to the White House, he’s wrecking other parts of Washington, like the Kennedy Center. The Center has seen ticket sales plummeted since Trump takeover. The fact that he’s renamed it the Trump-Kennedy center won’t help matters.
Is he still engaging in extreme corruption? Yes. And not just for himself. The fact this is no longer considered “news” may account for why the media is focused more on other aspects of his Presidency, even though such corruption is a big deal.
As for the new year, could Trump’s tariffs be struck down by SCOTUS? I doubt it. Will he be able to stop the war in the Ukraine? Also doubtful. Will he be able to put the Epstein scandal behind him? Highly unlikely. Maybe he’ll stop using social media in a despicable manner the way he did during the No Kings marches? As if.
Though seemingly unstoppable, it appears 2026 will be full of obstacles for the man, based on the news and these charts examining his year in office. Big supporters like Elise Stefanik and Majorie Taylor Greene are bailing on him. GOP centrists are choosing things like the nuclear option in a fight with Speaker Mike Johnson over Obamacare. It also doesn’t help him that the Job Market is cooling (but not collapsing). More than any other problem he has to deal with though, the key one could simply be his health.
Musk
Like Trump, Elon Musk is someone who we can’t avoid thinking about, even if we want to. His bid for a pay package that could make him the first trillionaire helps to keep him in the news. He still acts like a Big Thinker, throwing out stale ideas like “micropayments”. Let’s not forget his last big idea, though: DOGE. Like the man who came up with it, DOGE was useless in its brief existence. In fact it seems that DOGE ‘doesn’t exist’ despite having months left on its charter. It’s legacy is that it failed to save any money; all it did was leave refugee children to go hungry.
Canada
Canada has also been opposing Trump. One way they’ve done it is by banning US liquor sales in provincial liquor stores. While the ban has been successful and harmful to some US companies, Canada is left to figuring out what to do with all the stockpiles of US booze.
Ontario also have been running ads in the US using Reagan to complain about the tariffs, leaving Trump angry. I’m not sure Americans ever got it enough, despite it being an effective ad. It didn’t help that the Reagan foundation did Trump a solid on tariffs – at the expense of Reagan’s ideals.
Finally/In other year end news:
- One of Trump’s flunkies tried to take out Jimmy Kimmel this year. Thankfully, it did not work. Not even host was so fortunate: Colbert’s own network, CBS, did him in. As for Jimmy Fallon? He plans to avoid politics on ‘The Tonight Show’. Nuff said.
- France decided they could put a former leader in jail (unlike the Americans). CNN has the story, here, Nicolas Sarkozy: Here’s what awaits ex-French president behind bars.
- Meanwhile Benjamin Netanyahu is free to travel, though forced to take unusual flight route over Europe amid threat of war crimes arrest. Here’s the latest on his trial at home.
- JK Rowling continues to act like a villain, this time towards Emma Watson.
- Slowly the air is coming out of the fame of Taylor Swift and now everyone is talking trash about her. That’s a big change since last year. Will she disappear? I doubt it.
- Michelle Obama also seems to want to stay in the public eye, this time with a coffee table book about The Look.
- Bill Gates recently threw in the towel on climate change.
- In stupid news, here’s something on Colin Jost, Pete Davidson and their Staten Island Ferry Fiasco.
- I don’t talk much about the pandemic anymore, but here’s an interesting story on how the pandemic changed a bird’s beak.
- I also don’t do much in terms of year end wrap ups, but these pictures from the Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 are good. As are the Most Scathing Book Reviews of 2025 from lithub.com.
- Last year Jake Paul defeated an old Mike Tyson in a much publicized boxing challenge. This year Anthony Joshua demolished Paul, break his jaw. Somehow this seems a good way to sign off for 2025.
The first quarter of the 21st century is over. Time to leap into the second quarter. Mind the gap.
Smart People I Know 