The Trump Show Comes to the Oval: GovBrief #310

Welcome to the Trump Show, where the rest of us are bit players.

After the Indiana House agreed to a gerrymandered congressional map, he published a list of nine state senators who “need encouragement” even though there have already been bomb threats and swatting.

His Justice Department told prison rape auditors to stop enforcing protections for trans and intersex inmates in juvenile facilities, state prisons, and immigration detention. The law still exists. They just won’t check if anyone’s following it.

His Defense Secretary excused 22 boat attacks that killed 87 people by saying Trump can use military force whenever he sees fit.

The star changed into a tuxedo for a Saturday afternoon matinée. The Kennedy Center honorees clustered behind him at the Resolute Desk. A new season of The Apprentice, filmed on location in the Oval Office.

At the Trump Show, he decides who gets raped, who gets killed, and who gets threatened. Tomorrow night, he takes the Kennedy Center stage as emcee. He told reporters he expects record ratings.

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Today's Quote

I just want to thank you all, I want to congratulate you all, and I want to thank the media — they’ve treated this with such great respect. We very much appreciate it. Now we’re going to go to the State Department with Secretary of State Rubio and have a special event, something which. was never done before, but we’ve never had a president hosting the awards before. This is a first. I’m sure they’ll give me great reviews, right? You know? They’ll say, “He was horrible, he was terrible. It was a horrible situation —” No, I think we’ll do fine. I’ve watched some of the people that host. Jimmy Kimmel was horrible. Some of these people — if I can’t beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don’t think I should be president.

Donald Trump speaking in the Oval Office on December 6, 2025, while dressed in a tuxedo and presenting Kennedy Center Honors medals.