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Trump Brags About El Salvador Prison Abuse

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Ted Rall

The Trump administration has sparked outrage by releasing photos showcasing alleged Venezuelan gang members, deported from the US, enduring harsh conditions in El Salvador’s maximum-security CECOT prison. Unlike the Abu Ghraib scandal under George W. Bush, where leaked images exposed prisoner abuse in Iraq, Trump officials openly shared these images, framing them as proof of tough immigration policies. The photos show detainees in shackles, heads shaved, packed into crowded cells, echoing the brutality of Abu Ghraib. Human Rights Watch reports 350 deaths in Salvadoran prisons since 2022, citing torture and neglect. The administration claims the detainees, linked to Tren de Aragua, threaten US security, but evidence remains thin, fueling comparisons to past war on terror abuses.

First They Came for the Grad Students

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Ted Rall

A society that jails peaceful students for protesting or writing essays signals a chilling collapse of freedom. Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian Columbia University graduate, was arrested by ICE in March 2025 for leading pro-Palestinian protests, despite holding a green card. Transferred to a Louisiana detention center, he faces deportation for vague “foreign policy risks,” sparking outrage over free speech suppression. Similarly, Yunseo Chung, another Columbia student, had her green card revoked and was detained for participating in anti-war demonstrations, highlighting a pattern of targeting activists. At UCLA, Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown, faced detention after DHS accused him of Hamas ties for his protest involvement, with no clear evidence. These cases reveal a democracy fraying, where dissent invites punishment. Will silence become complicity?

Harvard Defies Trump! $2B Showdown Erupts!

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Ted Rall

Harvard University dropped a bombshell, becoming the first major institution to defy Donald Trump! The former president demanded Harvard ditch diversity programs, ban protest masks, and enforce merit-only hiring, threatening to yank billions in funding. He also pushed for viewpoint audits to curb what he calls leftist bias, aiming to reshape the Ivy League icon. Harvard said no way, refusing to bend to what they call unlawful overreach. This move risks over $2 billion in frozen grants, sparking a showdown that could inspire others to resist. Will Harvard gamble big and win, or will Trump pressure crush the academic giant? The battle for control is heating up fast!

ChatGPT Caught Silencing Critics

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Ted Rall

Has Big Tech gone full Orwell? Cartoonist Ted Rall says he’s been digitally ‘unpersoned’ by ChatGPT, seemingly for the crime of criticizing OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. Go ahead, ask ChatGPT about Ted Rall—you’ll get nothing but silence. Suspicious, Rall dug deeper and uncovered a disturbing pattern: OpenAI appears to be systematically erasing critics from its AI’s responses, a move straight out of 1984’s playbook. This isn’t just about one cartoonist—it’s a glaring red flag for free speech. If a powerful company like OpenAI can quietly suppress dissent in its AI systems, what’s stopping Big Tech from controlling the narrative everywhere? Rall’s discovery raises tough questions: Can we trust tech giants to protect open discourse, or are they building a future where criticism vanishes into a digital void? As AI shapes our world, this chilling censorship tactic suggests we’re on a slippery slope—unless we demand answers now.

Trump’s Sneaky Social Security Plot Exposed

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Ted Rall

Is the Trump Administration secretly waging war on senior citizens? A suspicious new trend suggests they’re passive-aggressively piling on extra hurdles to snag Social Security benefits—bureaucratic hoops and red tape that’d make even the sprightliest grandma groan. Why the sudden change? Maybe it’s a cunning ploy by the president, a self-proclaimed beacon of physical fitness, now teamed up with health nut RFK Jr. Could this be their bizarre masterplan to Make Elderly Codgers Limber Again (MECLA)? Forget bingo and rocking chairs—Trump might want seniors doing jumping jacks to prove they’re worthy of their checks!

Trump’s Deportation Plan: Fascist or Vacation Hack?

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Ted Rall

As inflation soars, dream getaways to top tourist spots like Paris or Hawaii can set you back thousands—flights, hotels, and food adding up fast. But here’s the unexpected twist: deportations might just be your ticket to an exotic escape! Imagine skipping the hefty price tag and jetting off to El Salvador—for free! Sure, it’s a one-way trip, and you might not be sipping cocktails by choice, but with pristine beaches, vibrant culture, and no round-trip costs, could this be the ultimate budget travel loophole?

Fear of ICE Grips Migrants, Activists, and Citizens

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Ted Rall

Fear of ICE arrests is spreading across the United States, reaching beyond migrants and political activists to include everyday citizens. This growing anxiety stems from intensified immigration enforcement, with frequent raids and deportations unsettling communities. The emotional toll is palpable—individuals live with constant uncertainty, while society grapples with the broader implications. Many people wonder whether it’s safe to leave the U.S. on vacation. We are a nation at a crossroads, wrestling with issues of identity, rights, and government overreach.

Trump’s Tariffs Make the Case for Communism

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Ted Rall

Trump’s 2024 election win partly relied on complaints over inflation, like skyrocketing egg prices. However, his tariff-focused strategy to protect American businesses may raise costs further by limiting foreign competition. This will lead to even higher prices for staples—eggs, bread, meat—undermining his anti-inflation stance. This convoluted approach bolsters arguments for socialism or communism, where essentials are subsidized or free, ensuring affordability. While tariffs appeal to nationalist voters, they risk alienating those demanding lower grocery bills. Can tariffs curb inflation, or do they invite radical economic alternatives?

Hard Times at the FSB

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Ted Rall

In a stunning revelation, Michael Waltz, a key U.S. national security figure, was caught using Gmail for sensitive government communications. Reports detail how Waltz and his staff discussed military positions and weapons systems via personal accounts, exposing exploitable data like schedules to potential foreign interception. This lapse follows his earlier blunder of leaking military plans via Signal. If top defense and intelligence officials handle secrets so recklessly, it raises a darkly ironic question: how will FSB agents justify their espionage roles? With U.S. officials practically handing over insights into operations and patterns, the Russian agency might find its job redundant—America’s own security missteps could be doing the work for them.

Texas Abortion Arrests

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Ted Rall

In Texas, midwife Maria Margarita Rojas and assistant Jose Ley face felony charges for allegedly providing abortions, the first arrests under the state’s near-total ban since Roe was overturned in 2022 . Attorney General Ken Paxton boasts of jailing healthcare workers—Rojas held on a $500,000 bond—while ignoring the absurdity: punishing those trained to heal, not harm. Over 50,000 abortions occurred safely in Texas in 2020; now, caregivers risk decades in prison. It’s not justice—it’s dystopian control.
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