Democracy Watch: How Big Balls came to join the Elon Musk revolution, Kash Patel on double duty, the Nazi salute lives on at CPAC, 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.

How Big Balls came to join the Elon Musk revolution. [Intelligencer]

Elon Musk wants to “fix” community notes since they seemingly always expose his lies. [Engadget]

The Department of Homeland Security has budgeted up to $200 million to run anti-immigrant ads in the United States and overseas that repeatedly thank President Donald Trump for leading an immigration crackdown. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Friday night that these ads were Trump’s idea, and during the administration’s transition to power, the president asked her to star in ads thanking him “for closing the border.” [Rolling Stone]

DOGE staffer 19-year-old Edward “Big Balls” Coristine is the grandson of Valery Martynov, a former KGB spy. [Jacob Silverman]

Federal employees began receiving an email on Saturday from the Office of Personnel Management with the subject line “What did you do last week” that demanded they detail what they “accomplished” last week. The emails were sent just after Musk posted a vague threat on X claiming that all federal employees would receive an email “requesting to understand what they got done last week.” “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation,” he wrote, without providing further details. [ABC News]

It looks like Kash Patel, the (gulp) FBI Director, has an issue with Elon Musk’s directive.

When you find yourself thinking Kash Patel may be the sane one, there’s cause for serious concern. Happy Sunday!

— Jessica Tarlov (@jessicatarlov.bsky.social) 2025-02-23T15:31:53.903Z

If Kash Patel isn’t busy enough, he’s also reportedly being named the acting head of the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives). The agency is one that MAGA is looking to eliminate as they feel it infringes on their Second Amendment rights. [NBC News]

The Trump administration abruptly dismissed the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior officers on Friday night, as the Pentagon moves to bring the military’s leadership in line with its “America First” agenda. [Washington Post – Gifted]

I like how he realizes, as he’s saying it, that he definitely should not be saying that part out loud.

— Jason Karsh (@jkarsh.bsky.social) 2025-02-23T17:13:19.312Z

The National Institutes of Health has stopped considering new grant applications, delaying decisions about how to spend millions of dollars on research into diseases ranging from heart disease and cancer to Alzheimer’s and allergies. [NPR]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that he was “ready” to resign as leader if it meant it brought peace to his country, suggesting he could swap it for NATO membership. Asked at a press conference if he was ready to quit if it ensures peace for Ukraine, Zelensky said: “If [it guarantees] peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to resign, I am ready. I can exchange it for NATO.” [CNN]

Of course he shouldn’t do it. But man, is this guy the real deal, or what? A true leader. Someone who puts country over self. The very definition of patriot. He embodies everything our current leadership is not and couldn’t be.

— Mike (@mike-teevee-1971.bsky.social) 2025-02-23T17:11:05.507Z

The Nazi Salute Was Celebrated at CPAC

Following Elon Musk, the world's richest man, two speakers at CPAC, Steve Bannon, who was pardoned by Donald Trump, and Mexican actor Eduardo Verástegui, have now given Nazi salutes. This is a major scandal + should push us all to mobilize, protest, and call out #CPAC for what it is: a Nazi rally.

— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-02-22T08:34:51.801Z

How You Can Help Save Democracy

Join an Indivisible group in your area. The organization strives for an inclusive democracy where everyone has a voice and challenges and replaces right-wing political agendas. Through grassroots organizing, lobbying, media campaigns, and advocacy strategies, activists pressure elected officials to support progressive values.

Check out the new Indivisible Guide: “INDIVISIBLE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DEMOCRACY ON THE BRINK” — Strategies, Tactics, & Tips For How Everyday Americans Can Fight Back Together Wherever We Live