This Memorial Day, Trump Kills Liberty This Memorial Day, Trump and his enablers desecrate the meaning of honor as they gut the rule of law, dismantle judicial power, and pave the way for full-blown authoritarianism in America. Michael Cohen and MeidasTouch Network May 26 Guest post by Michael Cohen There was a time when Memorial Day meant something in this country. A time when we paused, if only briefly, to honor the men and women who gave their lives not just for the flag, but for the ideals stitched into its fabric: liberty, justice, the rule of law. I remember standing in cemeteries as a kid, watching old vets salute with trembling hands, tears pooling in the corners of their eyes as taps rang out over the graves of the fallen. Those moments were sacred. They were real. Fast-forward to 2025, and we’re living in a goddamn parody. This Memorial Day, the so-called Commander-in-Chief—President Trump—the same draft-dodging egomaniac who once called fallen soldiers “suckers” and “losers,” stood with his bloated chest puffed out, pretending to understand what honor means. Spoiler alert: he doesn’t. He never has. And what’s worse, he’s now surrounded by a cabal of yes-men and ideological extremists who are hell-bent on dismantling the very system those fallen heroes died to protect. Let’s start with the rule of law—what Trump and his lackeys treat like toilet paper. Since slithering back into power, Trump has shown us all that he doesn't give a flying fuck about the Constitution, checks and balances, or the judiciary’s role in keeping executive power in line. The man thinks Article II means he can do “whatever I want as president.” That’s not leadership; that’s dictatorship lite, and JD Vance, his ventriloquist dummy turned Vice President, is working overtime to make that delusion a reality. Vance recently suggested that the courts shouldn’t even have the authority to check Trump. Read that again. The man who’s a heartbeat away from the presidency—God help us—openly questions whether the judiciary should be allowed to stop the President from breaking the law. And in case you think this is just empty rhetoric, let me remind you that Vance also called Chief Justice John Roberts—no one’s idea of a liberal firebrand—“profoundly wrong” for asserting that the courts play a vital role in checking executive overreach. What we’re witnessing isn’t just another scandal; it’s a judicial coup. Trump and his cronies are actively trying to neutralize the courts—delegitimizing judges, ignoring rulings, and turning public sentiment against the very idea of legal accountability. These guys are turning every courtroom into a battlefield in their war on democracy. And you better believe they’re asking themselves one question: Are we willing to defy court orders to stay in power? Let me answer that for you: Yes. Yes, and yes… they are. They’ve already made it clear. When judges issue rulings that go against Trump—on immigration, executive privilege, gag orders, you name it—he lashes out like a toddler denied a toy. Only, this toddler commands the U.S. military and has a legion of fanatic followers who believe the Constitution is whatever Donald Trump says it is. This isn’t just about rhetoric anymore. It’s about the transformation of our entire system of government. Through executive orders, gutting agencies, and weaponizing the DOJ against political enemies, Trump is building an imperial presidency with no leash, no law, and no consequences. The judiciary? Just another speed bump on the road to authoritarianism, if they have their way. Think I’m being dramatic? Then you haven’t been paying attention. They’re not hiding it anymore. They're rewriting the rules while waving the flag in your face, daring you to say something, counting on your silence, your cynicism, your fatigue. So here we are on Memorial Day, a holiday meant to honor sacrifice, and the most corrupt, lawless president in our history stands at a podium pretending he gives a damn about anyone but himself. It’s not just offensive; it’s obscene. Trump doesn’t understand honor. He doesn’t understand service. And he damn sure doesn’t understand sacrifice. He only understands loyalty—to him. Not to country, not to Constitution, not to anything resembling democratic norms. And as he and his goons like Vance continue to hollow out the institutions we once thought were unbreakable, the message to the American people is clear: Obey, or be crushed. To every Gold Star family, every veteran, every active-duty service member who took an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic: you’re watching, in real time, those enemies gather power right here at home. And they’re wearing red MAGA hats, holding executive pens, and stacking courts with ideological hacks who think Trump is the law. So no, I won’t stand by and pretend this Memorial Day means what it used to. Not while the guy who called war heroes “losers” is torching everything they died for. You want to honor the fallen? Stand up. Speak out. Defend the rule of law before there’s nothing left to defend. Because once Trump finishes his war on the courts, the Constitution won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on. And all those flags we fly today? They’ll just be decorations for a funeral procession marking the death of American democracy. Have a reflective Memorial Day, America. Now, it’s time to wake the hell up. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT “MEMORIAL DAY” PERSONAL NOTE: FOR ALL WHO PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR OUR DEMOCRACY: ARE YOU WITH ME? If you’re reading this, it means you care. You care about truth. About justice. About saving our democracy from the grip of grifters, liars, and power-hungry con men. But let’s be real: I can’t carry this weight on my own. I’m asking—no, urging—you, my loyal Substack readers, to help grow this platform into a force they can’t ignore. We’re not building a newsletter; we’re building a movement. One loud enough, sharp enough, and relentless enough to push back against the lies and hold the corrupt to account. Now more than ever, independent journalism needs you. Your support keeps this alive—not corporate sponsors, not shady billionaires with agendas. You. Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump Discharged Felon And yes, as a personal thank you, the first 240 Founding Members will receive a rare, signed, numbered Substack edition of my New York Times bestseller, Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the U.S. Department of Justice Against His Critics. A collector’s item—and a statement. But this is bigger than a book. It’s about standing up while others stay silent. It’s about building a community that calls out the bullshit and fights like hell for what’s right. So here’s what you can do: Become a supporter. Share this Substack with family and friends. Bring your people into the fight. Do your part. Stand up. Speak out. The time is now—and together, we will be heard. Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. A guest post by Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump and Discharged Felon

MAGA vs. Magna Cum Laude Trump’s latest tantrum targets Harvard, foreign students, and the very foundation of due process. Because nothing says “patriotism” like weaponizing the government against the Constitution. Michael Cohen and MeidasTouch Network May 24 Photo by Manu Ros on Unsplash As we enter Memorial Day weekend—a time to reflect, to honor, to remember the brave men and women who laid down their lives in defense of the U.S. Constitution—it seems fitting, if not tragically ironic, that President Trump is once again pissing all over it. Let’s talk about what just happened: a federal judge—thank God there are still a few of them left who haven’t drunk the MAGA Kool-Aid—blocked the Trump administration from removing foreign students from Harvard. No crime. No national security threat. No due process. Just good old-fashioned Trump-style retaliation. A policy born from spite, rooted in paranoia, executed with the finesse of a drunk rhinoceros. The official reason for targeting these students? That’s still a mystery. The real reason? Trump hates being outclassed. Harvard represents everything he despises: intellect, merit, globalism, excellence, facts. You know, the stuff he’s allergic to. He couldn’t get into the school, couldn’t buy respect from it, and certainly couldn’t bribe his way into Harvard, so instead, he lashes out like the petty, insecure tyrant he is. If he can’t be part of the club, he’ll burn the damn clubhouse down. And because one act of lunacy is never enough, {DOG KILLER] Kristi Noem—the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and full-time Trump sycophant—jumped on a microphone to issue a threat so bone-chilling it sounds like it came from the set of The Handmaid’s Tale: other universities, you better get in line, or you’re next. Let me get this straight: universities are now being warned to bend the knee to the Trump regime or face academic purges? Are we in America, or Hungary, or Gilead? Let’s connect some dots. This isn’t just about Harvard or international students. It’s about power. Control. Obedience. Trump doesn’t want immigration reform; he wants submission. He doesn’t want legal oversight; he wants impunity. And if you think I’m exaggerating, remember this: back in 2020, Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein ruled that my imprisonment by the Trump administration was retaliatory. His exact words? “It was retaliatory.” The government tried to silence me because I wrote a book that told the truth and was additionally enjoined “from any future retaliation against me for exercising my First Amendment rights.” A president used the Justice Department to muzzle his former lawyer and friend. That’s not a democracy; that’s a dictatorship. And guess what? They’d do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, as I have warned, they are doing it again—only now the target isn’t just one man. It’s an entire institution. Harvard is just the warm-up. If this administration can rip students out of their universities for no reason, imagine what it can do to you. What Trump is trying to build is a system with no checks, no balances, and no redress. That’s why his allies are trying to gut habeas corpus—the bedrock of legal freedom. Without it, there’s no court review, no fair hearing, no chance to challenge your detention. If Trump has his way, there will be no Constitution; there will be only Trump. Let me ask you something: is this what our brave and heroic service members fought for? Did they storm Normandy and fight in Kandahar so some reality TV star could turn the country into a banana republic? Did they give their lives so the president could treat higher education like a political hit list? I think not. The attack on Harvard is just the latest move in a long and dangerous chess game. It’s not about students. It’s about sending a message. The same message I got when I was thrown into solitary: fall in line or get crushed. That’s the only tune Trump knows. Loyalty to him over the law. Over justice. Over country. And don’t let the MAGA echo chamber fool you into thinking this is about “protecting American jobs” or “national security.” Please. This is the same guy who employed undocumented workers at his golf clubs and tried to sell nuclear secrets to foreign adversaries. If there’s one thing Trump doesn’t give a shit about, it’s national security. What he does care about is optics. Headlines. Revenge. Here’s the good news: the courts still work—at least some of them. This judge’s ruling is a flicker of light in a sea of darkness. It tells us that even in this age of MAGA madness, the law can still matter. But that flicker won’t last if we stop paying attention. So this Memorial Day, don’t just barbecue. Don’t just post a flag emoji and call it patriotism. Reflect. Think. Ask yourself: what kind of country are we becoming when we treat students, domestic and foreign, like criminals and universities like enemy territory? What are we really memorializing if we let one man destroy everything those fallen heroes gave their lives to protect? Stay loud. Stay vigilant. And for God’s sake, don’t stay silent. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PERSONAL NOTE: ARE YOU WITH ME? I CAN’T DO THIS ALONE! If you’re reading this, it means you care. You care about truth. About justice. About saving our democracy from the grip of grifters, liars, and power-hungry con men. But let’s be real: I can’t carry this weight on my own. I’m asking—no, urging—you, my loyal Substack readers, to help grow this platform into a force they can’t ignore. We’re not building a newsletter; we’re building a movement. One loud enough, sharp enough, and relentless enough to push back against the lies and hold the corrupt to account. Now more than ever, independent journalism needs you. Your support keeps this alive—not corporate sponsors, not shady billionaires with agendas. You. Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump Discharged Felon And yes, as a personal thank you, the first 240 Founding Members will receive a rare, signed, numbered Substack edition of my New York Times bestseller, Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the U.S. Department of Justice Against His Critics. A collector’s item—and a statement. But this is bigger than a book. It’s about standing up while others stay silent. It’s about building a community that calls out the bullshit and fights like hell for what’s right. So here’s what you can do: Become a supporter. Share this Substack with family and friends. Bring your people into the fight. Do your part. Stand up. Speak out. The time is now—and together, we will be heard. Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. A guest post by Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump and Discharged Felon

 

Oval Office Becomes Propaganda Theater

Trump’s Oval Office stunt with a racist propaganda video isn’t just reckless; it’s a flashing neon sign of a presidency driven by ignorance, grievance, and dangerously unqualified advisors.

Michael Cohen and MeidasTouch Network May 22

Guest article by Michael Cohen

I used to think I’d seen it all: the late-night rants, the Diet Coke-fueled tantrums, the off-the-cuff decisions that could start a war or tank a market. But nothing—and I mean nothing—quite encapsulates the deranged stupidity of President Trump’s foreign policy like what happened yesterday with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Picture this: You’re a head of state visiting the White House. You expect, at the very least, a little pageantry, a handshake, maybe a few vague pleasantries about trade or diplomacy. Instead, you’re treated to a propaganda video—not a briefing, not a fact-based presentation, but a full-blown right-wing fever dream, edited together like a low-budget horror flick, showing images of white South Africans supposedly being “slaughtered” by Black farmers in a fictitious race war.

This is what Donald Trump thinks passes for diplomacy. This is what happens when you elect a man who doesn’t read, doesn’t listen, and surrounds himself with people whose only qualifications are blind loyalty and zero experience.

Let me be blunt: the whole “white genocide in South Africa” narrative is a lie. A straight-up, dangerous, white supremacist talking point that’s been debunked by journalists, human rights organizations, and the South African government itself. But that didn’t stop Trump. Why would it? The man’s allergic to facts and has the moral compass of a broken lawn chair.

And here’s the kicker: he didn’t stumble upon this narrative by accident. No, it was spoon-fed to him by the likes of Tucker Carlson and whatever deranged Reddit thread Stephen Miller is probably lurking in. These aren’t policy experts. They’re arsonists playing with matches in a room full of gasoline. And Trump? He’s the guy who thinks the fire is a spotlight.

Instead of asking his State Department or intelligence briefers for an accurate assessment of land reform in South Africa—which, by the way, is a complex, post-apartheid issue involving centuries of dispossession and injustice—Trump decided to do what he always does: listen to the last person in the room. And if that person is a conspiracy-addled racist, well, so be it. Especially if it means denigrating South Africa, as Trump believes the entire country is nothing more than a shithole.

But let’s talk about what this really means, beyond the embarrassment, beyond the headline fodder. Because this isn’t just about one gaffe, one offensive video, one botched meeting. This is about how Trump, in his second go-around as Commander-in-Chief, continues to weaponize ignorance.

He’s not just uninformed; he’s proudly uninformed. He thinks intelligence briefings are boring, that reading is for losers, and that the State Department is part of the “deep state.” He trusts his gut over centuries of diplomatic tradition, over seasoned foreign policy experts, over literal reality. And his gut, let me tell you, is full of crap.

Now imagine what that looks like on the world stage. Imagine being a U.S. ally, wondering if your next state visit will be hijacked by a racist YouTube montage. Imagine being in the Situation Room, waiting for Trump to make a decision about North Korea, or Iran, or Ukraine—only to watch him pull out his phone and scroll through Truth Social for “intel.”

This is a man who not only doesn’t do his homework—he mocks those who do. He thinks knowledge is elitist, empathy is weakness, and that foreign policy is just a PR game he can win with enough bluster and bullshit.

And don’t get me started on the people advising him. Karoline Leavitt—his press secretary with less foreign policy experience than a barista at Starbucks. Stephen Miller—who couldn’t care less about diplomacy unless it involves deporting someone. Scott Bessent at Treasury, Linda McMahon at Education—it’s like the bad casting of a political reality show that somehow got renewed for another season.

These aren’t advisors. They’re enablers. And what they enable is the steady erosion of American credibility. Every time Trump peddles racist propaganda in a meeting with a world leader, he’s not just humiliating himself—he’s humiliating us. He’s turning the Oval Office into a far-right content farm, one propaganda clip at a time.

Let me leave you with this thought: the world is watching. They watched the first time around, and they watched in horror. Now, they’re watching again—but with the terrifying realization that this isn’t just a phase. This is what America, under Trump, has become: a country where the president learns foreign policy from fringe media and executes it with the finesse of a drunk elephant in a china shop.

And unless we wake up—unless we push back, speak out, and hold this administration accountable—we’re not just going to lose face on the global stage. We’re going to lose the very soul of American leadership.

I saw it up close. I helped build the mythology. And now I’m begging you to see the damage it continues to cause. This isn’t about party. It’s about sanity, stability, and survival. And sadly, we’re running out of time.

---

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PERSONAL NOTE:

ARE YOU WITH ME? I CAN’T DO THIS ALONE!

If you’re reading this, it means you care. You care about truth. About justice. About saving our democracy from the grip of grifters, liars, and power-hungry con men. But let’s be real: I can’t carry this weight on my own.

I’m asking—no, urging—you, my loyal Substack readers, to help grow this platform into a force they can’t ignore. We’re not building a newsletter; we’re building a movement. One loud enough, sharp enough, and relentless enough to push back against the lies and hold the corrupt to account.

Now more than ever, independent journalism needs you. Your support keeps this alive—not corporate sponsors, not shady billionaires with agendas. You.

Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump Discharged Felon

And yes—as a personal thank you, the first 240 Founding Members will receive a rare, signed, numbered Substack edition of my New York Times bestseller, Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the U.S. Department of Justice Against His Critics. A collector’s item—and a statement.

But this is bigger than a book. It’s about standing up while others stay silent. It’s about building a community that calls out the bullshit and fights like hell for what’s right.

So here’s what you can do:

1. Become a supporter.

2. Share this Substack with family and friends.

3. Bring your people into the fight.

Do your part. Stand up. Speak out. The time is now—and together, we will be heard.

Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

A guest post by Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump and Discharged Felon Subscribe to Michael

Watch now   Raw and Unfiltered : Rick Wilson A recording from Michael Cohen's live video Michael Cohen and Rick Wilson May 19 Thank you Ruth, Camilla Slater, Angie T, Jude Berman, David Godfrey, and many others for tuning into my live video with Rick Wilson! Join me for my next live video in the app. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PERSONAL NOTE: ARE YOU WITH ME? I CAN’T DO THIS ALONE! If you’re reading this, it means you care. You care about truth. About justice. About saving our democracy from the grip of grifters, liars, and power-hungry con men. But let’s be real; I can’t carry this weight on my own. I’m asking, no, urging you, my loyal Substack readers, to help grow this platform into a force they can’t ignore. We’re not building a newsletter; we’re building a movement. One loud enough, sharp enough, and relentless enough to push back against the lies and hold the corrupt to account. Now more than ever, independent journalism needs you. Your support keeps this alive; not corporate sponsors, not shady billionaires with agendas. You. And yes; as a personal thank you, the first 240 Founding Members will receive a rare, signed, numbered Substack edition of my New York Times bestseller, Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the U.S. Department of Justice Against His Critics. A collector’s item, and a statement.http:// But this is bigger than a book. It’s about standing up while others stay silent. It’s about building a community that calls out the bullshit and fights like hell for what’s right. So here’s what you can do: 1) Become a supporter. 2) Share this Substack with family and friends. 3) Bring your people into the fight. Do your part. Stand up. Speak out. The time is now; and together, we will be heard. A guest post by Rick Wilson Writer, ad maker, troublemaker, 5th generation Florida guy. Lincoln Project/Square co-founder. Podcasts: The Enemies List, The Lincoln Project Podcast. Beechcraft driver. I'd much rather be flying. (Myself, not like an animal in a tube.)