Trump meddles in NYC mayor's race as tech CEOs capitulate

The David Pakman Show - August 8, 2025

Already a website member? Watch the show commercial-free here | Want to become a member? Sign up here

Donald Trump has proposed a new “highly accurate” census that would exclude undocumented immigrants, a sharp departure from the U.S. census practice since 1790. The 14th Amendment mandates counting all persons for congressional apportionment, not just citizens. This approach could suppress census participation in Hispanic and immigrant communities, leading to undercounts, loss of congressional seats in some states, and reduced federal funding.

A minor online backlash to an American Eagle ad featuring actress Sydney Sweeney was amplified by right-wing influencers and conservative media, overshadowing more significant stories like revelations from the Jeffrey Epstein files. Analysts see this as part of a broader conservative media strategy to manufacture cultural outrage as a way to divert attention from damaging political news.

Another controversy involves Trump’s “autopen scandal,” where he claimed pardons signed by President Biden using an autopen were invalid. Legal experts called the claim baseless, noting prior bipartisan use of mechanical signatures. The investigation, led by Rep. James Comer, is a partisan attempt to distract from more serious issues, including the unreleased Epstein documents and Trump’s low approval ratings.

Trump has also challenged the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accusing it of inflating job numbers and pushing for allies to politicize the agency. Meanwhile, Trump nominated his loyalist Stephen Moore to the Federal Reserve Board, signaling a push to politicize an institution critical to economic stability by advocating for rate cuts despite inflation risks.

Despite rhetoric supporting working people, Trump’s administration stripped federal workers, including many at the Department of Veterans Affairs, of union protections and proposed large job cuts, undermining public service functions. Additionally, Trump’s transactional relationships with CEOs have led to controversial decisions benefiting personal allies at potential cost to national interests.

Finally, the New York City mayoral race grows more volatile as former Governor Andrew Cuomo is running as an independent after losing in the Democratic primary. Reports suggest Trump may intervene to block Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, whose progressive platform contrasts sharply with Cuomo’s divisive tactics and unclear policy proposals.

On today’s bonus show:

More on the Signalgate scandal involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Trump’s White House redesigned the Rose Garden to make it look more like Mar-a-Lago. And Trump threatens to federalize Washington, D.C., supposedly over crime rates.

Already a website member? Watch the bonus show here | Want to become a member? Sign up here