Trump's makeup scandal continues as Democrats take a stand

Democrats block ICE funding, Trump deports people to wrong countries and Thomas Massie's suicide post hits a nerve

Hey Raw America family! Welcome back to our morning roundup, where we cut through the noise to bring you what’s happening. Today’s stories: the government shuts down over ICE violence, a president’s decline raises urgent questions about fitness for office, and tens of millions wasted on deportation that’s basically human trafficking. But we’ve also got a bright spot — lawmakers from opposite parties finding common ground in the fight for transparency.

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DHS Shutdown: Democrats Take a Stand After Minneapolis Killings

The Department of Homeland Security hit a partial shutdown this week after Senate Democrats refused new funding without real immigration enforcement reforms. The breaking point? The fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis last month — a tragedy that crystallized Democratic demands for accountability in how ICE and Border Patrol operate.

Thursday’s Senate vote fell almost entirely along party lines, 52-47, failing to hit the 60-vote threshold needed for the DHS appropriations bill. Only Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman broke ranks. Democrats also blocked a temporary funding extension.

Here’s the ironic part: the immigration operations that caused this mess will keep running anyway. ICE and CBP are considered “essential services” with plenty of funding from Trump’s “big beautiful bill” passed last summer. Instead, TSA workers, Secret Service, and FEMA will take the hit.

TSA staff, including airport security and baggage handlers, are working without pay this weekend to keep travel moving. Many FEMA workers face furloughs, seriously crippling the agency’s ability to coordinate with state and local partners. Officials warn this could hurt disaster response capabilities just when climate-related emergencies are hitting harder.

Democrats are pushing for reforms. While Republicans agreed to body cameras for agents, they’re fighting other proposals, including requirements that agents get judicial warrants before entering private property. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of choosing “chaos” and said they need to “negotiate in good faith, produce legislation that actually reins in ICE and stops the violence.”

Before the vote, border czar Tom Homan announced they’re winding down “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota and returning agent numbers to normal levels. Homan recently took over from Greg Bovino, the senior border patrol official running things when federal agents killed Good and Pretti.

A weekend resolution looks unlikely since several senators jetted off to Munich for a security conference. Both chambers have a 10-day recess coming up for President’s Day, making an extended shutdown pretty likely. This is already the second partial government shutdown this month.

Trump’s Makeup Can’t Hide the Decline

For two straight days, Trump has appeared with heavy foundation covering severe bruising on his right hand. Photographers caught the telltale sheen as the 79-year-old spoke to military members at Fort Bragg on Friday.

The day before, his makeup was clearly visible as he struggled to keep his eyes open during an eight-minute speech. At Fort Bragg, Trump went through his usual routine — attacking enemies, bragging about accomplishments, then gushing over Melania, calling the 55-year-old first lady a “movie star.”

The White House claims his chronic bruising comes from “frequent handshaking” and high aspirin use. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt keeps repeating that “President Trump meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history.”

But that excuse completely crumbled when his “good” left hand showed up bruised in Davos last month. Their explanation? He hit it on a table. “I clipped them on a table, so I put a little, what do they call it, the cream on it,” Trump said.

The president, now the oldest man to assume the presidency, has increasingly turned to makeup to cover bruising. “They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?” he told the Wall Street Journal. “I have makeup that’s, you know, easy to put on, takes about 10 seconds.”

The foundation shade doesn’t even match his skin tone. Last year, the White House revealed Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in older people that causes leg swelling.

Trump’s declining health has been extensively documented: frequent napping during Cabinet meetings, mental slip-ups, slurred speech, and visible cankles. This week he raised fresh concerns about his mental state while stumbling through a speech at an event where he received a made-up “Undisputed Champion of Coal” prize.

“I’m proud to officially name the undispuut...” Trump said Wednesday evening, before muttering something unintelligible for several seconds. The next day, he appeared to fall asleep while standing up during a news conference. A White House spokesperson insisted Trump was “the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history.”

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$40 Million Deportation Disaster

The Trump administration has blown over $40 million deporting people to the wrong countries, with most migrants eventually returning home anyway. A new Senate report calls it a “hugely expensive deterrent” that’s basically human trafficking.

More than $32 million went to five countries to accept roughly 300 deportees: Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, Palau, and Equatorial Guinea. These payments come with minimal oversight to some pretty corrupt governments. Equatorial Guinea ranks 172nd out of 182 countries in a global corruption tracker.

About 80% of deportees have returned to their actual home countries or are heading back now. We’re literally paying tens of millions to temporarily relocate people who end up where they started.

Rare Bipartisan Moment: Democrat Defends GOP Rebel After Alarming Post

In a rare show of cross-party solidarity, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) publicly defended Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) after the Kentucky Republican posted an alarming message Friday declaring, “I am not suicidal.”

Massie’s startling social media post came after heated clashes with conservative media figures over House voting procedures. He’d been criticizing “the swamp” and accusing conservative commentators like Laura Ingraham of misleading the public about a procedural vote on the SAVE Act.

“Can you, the people, ‘vote your way out of this?’ Honestly, not if you get your news from these folks,” Massie wrote, claiming even Congress members get deceived by conservative media.

Then came the post that stunned everyone: “I am not suicidal. I eat healthy food. The brakes on my car and truck are in good shape. I practice good trigger discipline and never point a gun at anyone, including myself. There are no deep pools of water on my farm and I’m a pretty good swimmer.”

That’s when Khanna stepped in with support that crossed party lines. The two have been working together to pressure the Justice Department to release unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files, creating an unlikely alliance.

“I am not worried for my physical safety, honestly,” Khanna replied to Massie. “The truth is more nuanced. Big money tries to destroy a person’s career & reputation.”

Khanna argued that lawmakers who challenge power face professional threats, not physical ones. “In Washington, you rise by keeping your head down and not making enemies. Massie & I are unafraid to challenge power.”

It’s a weird moment in today’s hyper-partisan climate — a progressive Democrat and libertarian Republican finding common ground in their willingness to ruffle feathers and demand transparency. Both have been pushing hard for Epstein document releases, making powerful people very uncomfortable.

Massie’s post drew stunned reactions across social media, with supporters and critics alike questioning why a sitting member of Congress would feel the need to make such a statement. The fact that it prompted bipartisan defense says something about how dangerous it can be to challenge entrenched power in Washington.

That’s your roundup for today, Raw America family. Stay strong, stay informed, and keep fighting. If you enjoyed what you read today, consider joining the fight!

Until tomorrow, Raw America