Democracy Watch: Donald Trump declares himself king, super MAGA loyalist Kash Patel takes over the FBI, millions of dead people are not receiving social security checks and more

Socialite Life is a lively celebrity and pop culture website that offers a daily dose of divas, drag queens, hot male celebrities, models, and all the latest celebrity news. Given that our democracy is currently in turmoil, we feel compelled to keep everyone informed about the chaotic situation the Trump administration is creating in this country.

In Democracy Watch, we’ll share a roundup of the most alarming and mostly illegal activities that the Trump administration engages in a few times a week, along with some ridiculous things that Donald Trump and co-president Elon Musk are attempting to do.

We’ll also offer some useful resources to keep you informed about current events and guide you on how you can help prevent the United States from becoming the next Russia.

President Donald Trump declared himself “king” on Wednesday as he celebrated his administration’s bid to end federal approval of New York’s “congestion pricing” — an auto toll instituted last month to raise money for the region’s aging mass transit system. … Trump celebrated the potential end to congestion pricing and appeared to liken himself to royalty. [NBC News]

Super MAGA loyalist Kash Patel is confirmed as the director of the FBI. Oof. [Axios]

So, Elon Musk is not actually in charge of DOGE? [NPR]

SpaceX engineers were said to be simply touring the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday (Feb. 17, 2025). In fact, some were already being onboarded at the agency under a policy designed to increase “employment opportunities for people with disabilities.” [WIRED]

The Trump regime has given schools two weeks to eliminate DEI-based programs, or they risk receiving federal funding. [AP]

No, there are not millions of dead people receiving social security payments. [NYT – Gifted]

Amid multiple airline crashes, why the hell is the Trump regime firing hundreds of FAA workers? [NBC News]

You should be worried if you have a student loan because a judge just ruled that DOGE can access the Department of Education‘s databases while a lawsuit wanting to prevent them from having access plays out. [USA Today]

Is the Justice Department cutting breaks to people who seem loyal to Trump? [NPR]

Are you looking to travel to a national park this summer for a vacation? Since the Trump regime just fired thousands of US Parks and Forest Service workers, those parks might be closed. [CBS News]

A series of mistakes by DOGE shows just how arbitrary and destructive this slash-and-burn strategy can get. [WIRED]

Donald Trump fired and then tried to rehire hundreds of National Nuclear Security Administration staff members after realizing that they actually needed those employees to keep our nuclear weapons safe. [CNN]

Europe and Ukraine are totally on edge as Donald Trump rushes for a deal with Putin. [The Economist]

President Trump nominated Ed Martin — who defended Jan. 6 rioters and Elon Musk’s efforts with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — to serve as the permanent U.S. attorney for D.C. [The Hill]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said United States President Donald Trump is “surrounded by disinformation” after Trump falsely accused Ukraine of starting the war with Russia. [Politico]

At least eight ongoing lawsuits related to the so-called Department of Government Efficiency’s alleged access to sensitive data hinge on the Watergate-inspired Privacy Act of 1974. But it’s not airtight. [WIRED]

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