Vance, Elon criticize judge for blocking DOGE from Treasury Department

Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk criticized a federal judge’s decision to block DOGE officials from accessing the Treasury Department’s payment system, calling it an overreach of judicial power. The ruling temporarily halts political appointees’ access to financial data, intensifying tensions between the White House and the judiciary.

Key Details:

U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer issued an order barring DOGE officials without security clearances from accessing Treasury payment systems through at least next Friday.
Vance called the ruling “illegal,” arguing that judges cannot interfere with executive power, while Musk called for Engelmayer’s impeachment.
The lawsuit, filed by 19 Democratic state attorneys general, is one of many legal challenges to the Trump administration’s government overhaul efforts.

Diving Deeper:

Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk are pushing back against a federal judge’s decision to block the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the Treasury Department’s payment system, calling the ruling a violation of executive authority.

The temporary injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, an Obama appointee, restricts DOGE officials—including political appointees and special government employees—from accessing the Treasury’s payment infrastructure unless they have proper background checks and security clearances. The judge cited concerns that the administration had overstepped legal boundaries in granting access to sensitive financial data.

Vance, in a social media post Sunday, accused the judge of unlawfully interfering in executive matters. “Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,” he said. Musk followed with more pointed remarks, calling for Engelmayer’s impeachment and arguing that the ruling was politically motivated.

The lawsuit, brought by 19 Democratic state attorneys general, is part of a broader legal effort to block President Trump’s aggressive attempts to cut federal spending and restructure government operations. So far, multiple courts have placed temporary holds on various White House initiatives, including a buyout program for federal employees and a workforce reduction at USAID.

Critics of Vance and Musk’s response argue that the administration should follow legal protocols rather than attacking the judiciary. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg dismissed their criticisms, saying, “In America, decisions about what is legal and illegal are made by courts of law. Not by the Vice President.” Former Rep. Liz Cheney also weighed in, stating that the administration’s recourse is through the appeals process, not by undermining the courts.

Musk has defended DOGE’s role at the Treasury Department, stating that the changes his team proposed were necessary to improve financial oversight and ensure accurate reporting of government spending. He claimed that Treasury and DOGE “jointly agreed” on new reporting requirements and emphasized that longtime career government employees were implementing them.

The legal battle is still in its early stages, with a hearing scheduled for Friday to determine whether the judge’s temporary order should be extended. Meanwhile, Trump signaled that DOGE would soon shift focus to the Education Department and military spending, setting the stage for further clashes with the judiciary.

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Business

The CBC is a government-funded giant no one watches

Published on June 17, 2025

Todayville

This article supplied by Troy Media.

By Kris Sims

The CBC is draining taxpayer money while Canadians tune out. It’s time to stop funding a media giant that’s become a political pawn

The CBC is a taxpayer-funded failure, and it’s time to pull the plug. Yet during the election campaign, Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to pump another $150 million into the broadcaster, even as the CBC was covering his campaign. That’s a blatant conflict of interest, and it underlines why government-funded journalism must end.

The CBC even reported on that announcement, running a headline calling itself “underfunded.” Think about that. Imagine being a CBC employee asking Carney questions at a campaign news conference, while knowing that if he wins, your employer gets a bigger cheque. Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pledged to defund the CBC. The broadcaster is literally covering a story that determines its future funding—and pretending there’s no conflict.

This kind of entanglement isn’t journalism. It’s political theatre. When reporters’ paycheques depend on who wins the election, public trust is shattered.

And the rot goes even deeper. In the Throne Speech, the Carney government vowed to “protect the institutions that bring these cultures and this identity to the world, like CBC/RadioCanada.” Before the election, a federal report recommended nearly doubling the CBC’s annual funding. Former heritage minister Pascale St-Onge said Canada should match the G7 average of $62 per person per year—a move that would balloon the CBC’s budget to $2.5 billion annually. That would nearly double the CBC’s current public funding, which already exceeds $1.2 billion per year.

To put that in perspective, $2.5 billion could cover the annual grocery bill for more than 150,000 Canadian families. But Ottawa wants to shovel more cash at an organization most Canadians don’t even watch.

St-Onge also proposed expanding the CBC’s mandate to “fight disinformation,” suggesting it should play a formal role in “helping the Canadian population understand fact-based information.” The federal government says this is about countering false or misleading information online—so-called “disinformation.” But the Carney platform took it further, pledging to “fully equip” the CBC to combat disinformation so Canadians “have a news source
they know they can trust.”

That raises troubling questions. Will the CBC become an official state fact-checker? Who decides what qualifies as “disinformation”? This isn’t about journalism anymore—it’s about control.

Meanwhile, accountability is nonexistent. Despite years of public backlash over lavish executive compensation, the CBC hasn’t cleaned up its act. Former CEO Catherine Tait earned nearly half a million dollars annually. Her successor, Marie Philippe Bouchard, will rake in up to $562,700. Bonuses were scrapped after criticism—but base salaries were quietly hiked instead. Canadians struggling with inflation and rising costs are footing the bill for bloated executive pay at a broadcaster few of them even watch.

The CBC’s flagship English-language prime-time news show draws just 1.8 per cent of available viewers. That means more than 98 per cent of TV-viewing Canadians are tuning out. The public isn’t buying what the CBC is selling—but they’re being forced to pay for it anyway.

Government-funded journalism is a conflict of interest by design. The CBC is expensive, unpopular, and unaccountable. It doesn’t need more money. It needs to stand on its own—or not at all.

Kris Sims is the Alberta Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Troy Media empowers Canadian community news outlets by providing independent, insightful analysis and commentary. Our mission is to support local media in helping Canadians stay informed and engaged by delivering reliable content that strengthens community connections and deepens understanding across the country.

Business

Trump family announces Trump Mobile: Made in America, for America

Published on June 17, 2025

Todayville

MxM News

Quick Hit:

On the 10-year anniversary of Donald Trump’s iconic campaign launch, the Trump family announced the debut of Trump Mobile, a new wireless company offering American-built smartphones, 5G coverage, and a values-driven alternative to Big Tech carriers.

Key Details:

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump introduced Trump Mobile’s flagship service Monday, calling it a “transformational” alternative aimed at “our nation’s hardest-working people.”
The “47 Plan,” priced at $47.45/month, offers unlimited talk, text, and data, free international calls to U.S. military families, telehealth, roadside assistance, and no credit checks.
Trump Mobile’s customer support is fully U.S.-based and live 24/7—“not automated,” the company says—while a new American-made “T1 Phone” is slated for release in August.

Diving Deeper:

Marking ten years since President Donald Trump descended the golden escalator to launch his first campaign, the Trump Organization on Monday announced its boldest private sector move yet: Trump Mobile.

Flanked by company executives, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump unveiled the new cellular service, touting it as a patriotic, people-first alternative to legacy providers. “We’re building on the movement to put America first,” Trump Jr. said in a statement. “We will deliver the highest levels of quality and service.”

The cornerstone of Trump Mobile is the 47 Plan. Offered for $47.45/month, the plan includes unlimited data, full 5G coverage across all three major carriers, and a suite of benefits tailored to middle-class families, truckers, veterans, and anyone tired of paying premiums to companies that don’t share their values.

Among the key perks: 24/7 American-based customer service (with “real people,” not bots), comprehensive device protection, roadside assistance through Drive America, and telehealth services including mental health support and prescription delivery. Most notably, the plan includes free international calling to over 100 countries—an effort the Trump family says honors U.S. military families stationed abroad.

“We’re especially proud to offer free long-distance calling to our military members and their families,” said Eric Trump. “Those serving overseas should always be able to stay connected to the people they love back home.”

Unlike traditional providers, Trump Mobile advertises no contracts and no credit checks, appealing to a demographic long underserved by mainstream telecom giants. “Hard-working Americans deserve a wireless service that’s affordable, reflects their values, and delivers reliable quality they can count on,” Eric Trump added.

The company is also preparing to launch the T1 Phone in August—a sleek, gold smartphone “engineered for performance” and “proudly designed and built in the United States.” With that, the Trump Organization is not just entering the mobile market—it’s staking a claim as a direct competitor to Apple and Samsung.