Our President Is A Dictator 4.14.25 Ally Sammarco Apr 15 Happy Monday and welcome back to Common Sense, your source for news and analysis on the circus that is American politics and entertainment. Trump wants to be just like his new Central American BFF who won’t return wrongly accused MD man and who trampled all over human rights… Politico reports, “Move over Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban. Donald Trump’s latest strongman bromance is with ‘President B.’ Though Trump has long admired foreign authoritarians, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s repressive regime is in some ways the beta test for Trump 2.0. Bukele calls himself the ‘world’s coolest dictator.’ Trump said he would be a dictator on Day 1. And Trump has floated or deployed many of the same tactics Bukele used to consolidate power: removing judges, intimidating political adversaries, bypassing due process and evading term limits.” Meanwhile, Politico also reports, “El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said in the Oval Office on Monday he would not return Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a Maryland man illegally deported to El Salvador — to the United States, as Trump administration officials vehemently argued they were in no position to force the decision.” Trump’s European BFF Orban’s party pretty much bans being gay in public… ABC News reports, “Hungary’s parliament on Monday passed an amendment to the constitution that allows the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities, a decision that legal scholars and critics call another step toward authoritarianism by the populist government. The amendment, which required a two-thirds vote, passed along party lines with 140 votes for and 21 against. It was proposed by the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition led by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Ahead of the vote — the final step for the amendment — opposition politicians and other protesters attempted to blockade the entrance to a parliament parking garage. Police physically removed demonstrators, who had used zip ties to bind themselves together.” Common Sense with Ally Sammarco is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Harvard becomes first higher ed institution to formally reject Trump Administration’s anti-free speech demands, will lose more than $2 billion… NBC News reports, “The federal government on Monday night said it was freezing more than $2 billion in grants to Harvard University after the school said it would not accept Trump administration demands that included auditing viewpoints of the student body. The administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced the cuts in a statement that called out "the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges.’ It said that $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million ‘in multi-year contract value’ would be frozen to the Ivy League university. Earlier Monday Harvard rejected the administration's demands. ‘The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,’ the university's X account said in a statement posted Monday. ‘Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government.’” Losing $2B but not surrendering your values as an institution? That’s solid, also, I’m sure alumni donations will POUR in after Harvard took this stance. JD Vance just lost Ohio in 2028… CBS News reports, “Vice President JD Vance dropped Ohio State University's national football championship trophy during a celebration at the White House on Monday. Vance — an Ohio State alumnus — tried to lift up the trophy, but it appeared to separate from its base as the vice president bobbled it in his hands. With the Marine Corps Band's rendition of Queen's "We Are The Champions" still blaring in the background, Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson, who was standing next to Vance, swiftly recovered the fumble. Vance later shrugged off the near-turnover, posting on X, "I didn't want anyone after Ohio State to get the trophy so I decided to break it." WOW if this VP thing doesn’t work out (hint: It’s not), maybe he can try stand-up comedy! Oof. Today’s Furry Friend Sometimes it just takes time for a furry friend to open up to us humans. Furry friends can’t tell us their backgrounds or their anxieties – so just be patient and kind! https://youtube.com/shorts/KRkt5o83zNw?si=2rO2UNHvixLL7wG3 Today’s Buzz The Hollywood Reporter doles out unofficial awards to answer the question, “Who Won Coachella?” The Hollywood Reporter writes, “With the first weekend of the festival now in the history books, clear winners have emerged among the dozens of acts who performed, including history-making headliners and small-font breakthroughs.” THR’s winners include: Best Overall Set: Lady Gaga Best Non-Main Stage Set: Gustavo Dudamel Best Surprise: Lorde, Billie Eilish and Troye Sivan With Charli XCX Best Country Moment: Post Malone Best Genre: Rock Best Breakouts: Lola Young and Kneecap Best Band Member to Perform Solo: Blackpink’s Lisa Best Food: Outstanding In The Field Best New Attraction: Red Bull Mirage Thanks for reading – and check back in tomorrow evening for the next edition of Common Sense.