FACT CHECK: Is Ford Moving Four of Its Factories Back to the US As a Result of Trump Tariffs?

 

by Rod Williams, April 4, 2025- The image to the right has shown up on my Facebook page a lot recently. As you can see, it claims that Ford is moving four factories back to the US, along with 25,000 high paying jobs apparently due to Trump Tariffs.

There is no basis in fact to this claim. Check Your Facts says the claim is false. They go on to say:

The claim is false and originally stems from a March 26 post shared by “America’s Last Line of Defense,” which is a satirical Facebook page. The Facebook page describes itself as “the flagship of the ALLOD network of trollery and propaganda for cash” before reiterating “nothing on this page is real.”

Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find a press release on Ford’s website or a statement shared on its verified social media accounts repeating the claim. Trump also does not appear to have publicly commented on the claim via his personal or government X accounts, his TRUTH Social account, or his verified social media accounts. (RELATED: Viral X Image Does Not Show Authentic Truth Social Post From Trump About ‘Ending Tariffs’)

In addition, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. If Ford had truly decided to move four of its factories back to the U.S. as the Threads post claims, multiple media outlets would’ve covered it, yet none have.

Actually, the opposite is true. On March 31, Snopes debunked the claim, tracing its origin to the same satirical Facebook page.

I know this will not influence the diehard super MAGA crowd. If Trump told them, it was midnight in the noon of the day, they would find a way to believe him. Faith can be hard to shake. Remember all the people who drank the Jim Jones Kool-Aid. What we are seeing with the Trump phenomena is not much different. However, not everyone who voted for Trump parked their brain at the door and we need to continue to counter falsehood with the truth. 

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Homeland Security’s list of ‘sanctuary cities’ pulled down after sheriffs object

By: Ariana Figueroa, Tennessee Lookout, June 2, 2025 - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security over the weekend took down a public list of cities and jurisdictions that the Trump administration labeled as “sanctuary” cities, after a sharp rebuke from a group representing 3,000 sheriffs and local law enforcement. 

On Saturday, National Sheriffs’ Association President Sheriff Kieran Donahue slammed the list as an “unnecessary erosion of unity and collaboration with law enforcement.”

“As we have previously stated, the list is being constantly reviewed and can be changed at any time and will be updated regularly,” according to a DHS spokesperson. “Designation of a sanctuary jurisdiction is based on the evaluation of numerous factors, including self-identification as a Sanctuary Jurisdiction, noncompliance with Federal law enforcement in enforcing immigration laws, restrictions on information sharing, and legal protections for illegal aliens.” ... 

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Fox News Sunday did not acknowledge that the list was taken down, but said some localities had “pushed back.”

“They think because they don’t have one law or another on the books that they don’t qualify, but they do qualify,” Noem said. “They are giving sanctuary to criminals.”

... The creation of the list stems from Donald Trump’s executive order in April that required DHS to produce a list of cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration officials in enforcement matters, in order to strip federal funding from those local governments.

Those jurisdictions are often dubbed “sanctuary cities,” but immigration enforcement still occurs in the city — there’s just no coordination between the local government and the federal government.

The jurisdictions are often a target for the Trump administration and Republicans, who support the President Donald Trump campaign promise of mass deportations of people without permanent legal status.

... Local officials were puzzled by the list. One law enforcement association in North Dakota questioned why several counties — Billings, Golden Valley, Grant, Morton, Ramsey, Sioux, and Slope — were listed as sanctuary jurisdictions because those areas cooperate with federal immigration officials.

In a statement, the North Dakota Sheriff’s and Deputies Association said the “methodology and criteria used to compile this list is unknown,” and there has been no communication from DHS “on how to rectify this finding.”

Local advocacy groups also noted the problems with the DHS list.

According to the Internet Archive website Wayback Machine, the states, as well as the District of Columbia, that were on the list included Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington state and Wisconsin. (read more)

Rod's Comment: I think I have figured it out. The sanctuary city list is simply Trump's "shit list."  It is all dependent on Trump's mood. There are no criteria for being on the list or not on the list. If Trump wakes up in a good mood, he may take you off the list; a foul mood and you may go on the list. This is the way authoritarians rule; all of the rules are subject to the mood of the dear leader. The dear leader knows best and we just must trust his judgement and don't question his wisdom. There is no appeal to rationality; the best one can do is try to flatter the dear leader and hope he gets in a better mood. 

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Suprise, Suprise. Trump administration races to fix a big mistake: DOGE fired too many people

 

Trump administration scrambles to rehire fired federal employees - The Washington Post

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Out-of -State Leftist Organizations Working to Influence Metro Council

by Davis Hunt, The Pamphleteer, June, 5, 2025- ... Two organizations had an outsized presence at Tuesday’s council meeting: the SEIU, a public sector labor union, and the Southern Movement Committee, a “local” nonprofit whose stated mission is to organize “for racial justice and human rights.”

Similar to the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition and Stand Up Nashville, whose funding sources we previously reviewed, the Southern Movement Committee receives much of its funding from large, out-of-state NGOs.

In 2022, SMC raised a flat $400,000, $125,000 of which came from the CCP-linked Chinese Progressive Association. In addition to the lavish grant from the CPA for “black organizing innovations,” the so-called local nonprofit received $60,000 from Borealis Philanthropy in Minneapolis, $100,000 from New Profit Inc in Boston, and $50,000 from the New Venture Fund in Washington D.C. among others.

In total, for the year 2022, 86 percent of the group’s funding came from large, out-of-state NGOs.

In 2023, they raised $572,000. Borealis Philanthropy upped its grant to $200,000, and the Public Welfare Foundation out of D.C. chipped in $132,000 among others.

In total for 2023, 69 percent of the group’s funding came from large, out-of-state NGOs.

What makes SMC different from TIRRC and Stand Up is that they came to the meeting on Tuesday with a specific ask: $10 million for expenditures related to restorative justice, which they call the “Varsity Spending Plan.”

NewsChannel 5 produced a glowing profile of the group after Tuesday’s meeting. "We want to see those that program and that restorative justice, conflict resolution increase throughout Nashville," Erica Perry, executive director of the Southern Movement Committee, told the station.

Last year, the council granted SMC’s request for $1 million to create the Office of Youth Safety. The office is tasked with “taking a proactive, evidence-based, people-informed approach to youth safety and well-being.” In the mayor’s statement on the creation of the new office, he explicitly thanked the Southern Movement Committee and councilmember Delishia Porterfield, among others.

Over the past four years, we’ve witnessed the rapid growth of supposedly local nonprofits that receive lavish funding from groups like the Bay Area-based Tides Foundation, the D.C.-based New Venture Fund, and most interestingly, the CCP-linked Chinese Progressive Association. Who do these groups represent? What do they want for the city? 

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More than 58,000 Tennessee businesses received franchise tax breaks

 By Kim Jarrett, The Center Square, Jun 2, 2025 - More than 58,000 businesses received a new corporate franchise tax break, according to a list from the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

The information released Saturday by the department does not say how much of a break each business received. The department's list also shows 15,868 received a tax break of more than $10,000; 33,376 businesses received between $751 to $10,000; and 9,240 businesses received $750 or less.

The General Assembly passed a corporate franchise tax cut in 2024 that was initially estimated to cost the state $1.6 billion. The list does not give a total amount for the tax breaks issued. 

April corporate tax collections were $153.2 million below estimates, a 13.2% drop, according to figures released by the department earlier this month, due in part to the cut.

"Corporate tax payments were notably lower this year due to tax policy changes that reduced taxpayers' franchise tax liabilities," said Gina L. Long, director of communications for the department, in an email to The Center Square. "Additionally, many corporate taxpayers are utilizing carryforward tax credits from prior years, and several large, nonrecurring payments were included in last year's collections."

House Majority Leader William Lamberth sponsored the bill signed by Gov. Bill Lee in May 2024. 

“It’s simply a policy debate on whether or not we should cut the franchise taxes going forward, making us more competitive to other states to be able to attract businesses and retain businesses,” Lamberth said when presenting it to the House.

Nashville Sen. Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville, and other Democrats called the tax break a "billion dollar refund scheme."

"Now, we’re staring down the largest budget deficit of the year – a direct result of these reckless tax breaks. Corporate tax collections have cratered, and Tennessee families are still paying sky-high grocery taxes, while our schools, roads and healthcare remain among the worst-funded in the nation," Campbell said. "This is the real cost of trickle-down economics: corporate handouts while working families get left behind.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, said families will "pay the price" for Lee and Republicans' "fiscal recklessness."

“Our budget has doubled since Republicans took control in 2011, yet are roads are in worse shape, our public schools are still underfunded, access to health care and child care has decreased, and costs of living have only gone up," Clemmons said.

The list will remain on the Department of Revenue's website until June 30.

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Court rules Metro Nashville Council must reduce its size

By Kim Jarrett, The Center Square, June 4, 2025 - A ruling by the Tennessee Court of Appeals could force the Metro Nashville Council to reduce its size from 40 to 20 members.

Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill in 2023 that limited metropolitan councils to 20 members. The Metro Nashville Council challenged the law, saying the Home Rule Amendment of the Tennessee Constitution gives Nashville voters the decision on its size.

A chancery court sided with Metro Nashville in 2024 and ruled the law was unconstitutional. The state appealed the ruling and the decision was handed down Tuesday.

"To the contrary, there is ample authority for the proposition that when the Legislature acts through general legislation, the Legislature retains power over a county, despite the county’s home rule status, and this is true even with respect to functions that are governmental or political in nature," Judges J. Steven Stafford wrote in the majority opinion shared by Judge Carma Dennis McGee.

Judge Kenny Armstrong dissented.

Vice Mayor Angie Henderson said the Metro Council will discuss its next steps with the Department of Law.

"The Home Rule Amendment of the Tennessee Constitution, in part, stands for the proposition that the size of the Metro Council is a decision for the voters of Metro Nashville," Henderson said in a statement. "The General Assembly’s 2023 Small Government Efficiency Act was advanced purportedly to address the 'efficiency & effectiveness;' of Nashville’s legislative branch. For the last 60 years, this 40-member Council has capably and effectively served the interests of our constituents, who today number some 715,000."

If the ruling stands, the law would take effect in 2027.

Rod's Comment: For those who may not know the background, there has been tension between Metro Nashville and the State for some time. Much of it is the old urban-rural divide and some of it stems from the fact that Davidson County is an overwhelmingly Democratic stronghold in an overwhelmingly Republican state. This divide, however, has not kept the State and Metro from working closely together to promote economic development. 

In August of 2022, the divide became much worse when the Nashville Metro Council voted against pursuing bringing the 2024 Republican National Convention to Nashville. The State very much wanted Tennessee to host the convention. To get a major party's conventions is about like getting the Olympics or the Superbowl for your city; it is a really big deal. It is an economic boost and puts the city in the spotlight on the national stage. Nashville was a contender and would have likely won the competition for hosting the convention should Nashville have pursued it. 

The reason members of the Council offered for not wanted to host the convention was security concerns, fear that there might be rioting in the streets. It is hard to know how much of that was a legitimate concern and how much of it was simply a way to show their obvious disdain for Donald Trump. In retaliation for Nashville's decision to not pursue hosting the convention, the state tried to punish Nashville in several ways, such as taking over the Metro Sports Authority, the Metro Airport Authority and reducing the size of the Metro Council, and few other measures.  

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Elon Musk Calls Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ Spending Bill a ‘Disgusting Abomination’

by Rod Williams, June 3, 2025- I keep waiting for Trump world to splinter. Several cracks are starting to appear. It almost seemed inevitable that fissures would develop. After all, many of those in Trump world were long-time conservatives before they jumped on the Trump bandwagon. Many still believe in things like free trade, an originalist approach to the constitution, due process, smaller government, a strong national defense, America's leadership role in the world, and the rule of law. 

When Trump does things like attack the Federalist Society and disavow the advice that led to an originalist majority on the Supreme Court, some conservatives must be disappointed. When Trump abandons 75 years of conservative orthodoxy supporting freer trade among nations, surely some are uncomfortable. Seemingly siding with Russia in its aggression toward Ukraine and appearing ready to abandon NATO has got to give long-standing defense hawks pause. Now, it seems like the bromance between Elon Musk and Donald Trump may be on rocky ground. Will this give a backbone to some budget hawks? 

Musk's taking a chain saw approach to government was an absolute failure. Many of his cuts were reinstated by the courts. He wanted to treat government like a private business that he owns and that just doesn't work. The constitution says the Congress has the power of the purse. A president cannot just refuse to spend money appropriated by Congress and the president cannot abolish departments created by Congress.

I favor cutting the size of the federal government, but the Musk approach was not the way to go about it. Considerable savings were realized during the Reagan years with the Grace Commission and under President Clinton, with Newt Gingrich as speaker of the house, major welfare reform and savings were realized. These efforts were not as dramatic as the Musk approach, but they led to real government savings. These two efforts were careful thoughtful approaches and did not happen within mere weeks. During these government reforms, no one went home on a Friday, got an email over the weekend telling them their services were no longer needed and were locked out of their office on Monday. 

Not only was the Musk approach cruel and chaotic, on several occasions people who had been rapidly fired had to be reinstated when it was discovered that their jobs were crucial to things like nuclear safety. Elon Musk's DOGE has saved little money. By his own accounting, DOGE only saved about a quarter of what Musk thought it would save and the Courts or the next Congress may whittle that down. In any event, Musk tired, a foolish approach for sure, but he thought he could cut government. Now Congress is on the verge of passing a bill that increases government spending and increases the deficit. Trump is twisting arms to get the Big Beautiful Bill passed; Elong Musk has called the bill a "disgusting abomination." Could Musk's outspoken criticism of the bill give budget hawks a backbone?

I do not see how this difference of opinion between Musk and Trump can be papered over. I suspect, most Trumpinistas will still blindly follow Trump no matter where he leads them. However, enough little cracks and the dam may break. 

For more on this, see the following:

 Elon Musk Calls Trump's 'Big, Beautiful' Spending Bill a 'Disgusting Abomination'

By Brittany Bernstein, National Review, June 3, 2025- ... “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,” he said in a post on X.

“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,” he added.

Musk’s comments on Tuesday represent an even harsher reaction to the bill than his previous criticisms. Last month, he said he was “disappointed” by the House passage of the bill because it undermines the work he has done as the head of DOGE.

“The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday. “It doesn’t change the president’s opinion.” ... 

While the bill aims to cut $1.5 trillion in government spending, it also increases the debt limit by $4 trillion. The U.S. government is more than $36 trillion in debt.

... some lawmakers agreed with Musk’s criticism on Tuesday.

“The Senate must make this bill better,” Senator Mike Lee (R., Utah) replied to Musk’s post.

“He’s right,” Representative Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) said of Musk. Massie was one of two Republicans to oppose the bill in the House.

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Metro Councilmember David Benton under fire for Rep. Ogles press conference, responds to calls for resignation

by Rod Williams, June 2, 2025- I have been very critical of the Trump administration's handling of illegal immigration for its cruelty, but primarily for the denial of due process. If an illegal immigrant can be picked up off the street and disappeared into a foreign prison without conviction of a crime, then it could happen to a citizen. We should all be concerned about denial of due process. The right to due process is a right of all persons in America.

As regards the ICE raid in Nashville, I have been critical and you can read my post, Reflections on the Recent ICE Raids in Nashville for my views. I also think that designating Nashville a sanctuary city is concerning, when apparently all it takes to be classified as a sanctuary city is to have a difference of opinion of immigration enforcement than that of the Trump administration. I have addressed that issue in my post, Homeland Security identifies Nashville as sanctuary city.

Despite my views expressed above, my sympathies are with David Benton in this effort to remove him from office. If I were one of his constituents and one of these people circulating a petition to recall him came to my door asking me to sign the recall petition, I would not do it. If they should be successful in getting a recall referendum on the ballot, I would vote against it.

David Benton has done nothing so outrageous as to be removed from office. Just as the designation of Nashville as a sanctuary city and the threat of a Congressional investigation of Mayor O'Connell is simply bullying due to a difference of opinion, so is the effort to recall David Benton. We should tolerate a considerable amount of difference of opinion in American politics. Removal from office should be reserved for serious offences and really outrageous behavior.  In any event, the recall effort will almost assuredly fail. It is very difficult to remove a council member from office.

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U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Wins GOP Nashville Straw Poll

Davidson County Republican Party Press Release, May 31, 2025 — The Davidson County Republican Party congratulates U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn on winning the straw poll conducted at Centennial Park for our annual Summer Picnic.

The 2025 GOP Nashville Summer Picnic had more than 600 attendees, with 541 votes cast. The results were as follows: 

• U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn: 345 votes (63.7%) 
• U.S. Congressman John Rose: 195 votes (36.0%) 
• U.S. Congressman Tim Burchett: 1 vote 

These results reflect the preferences of GOP Nashville members and attendees, providing valuable insight into the sentiments of local Republican voters as the 2026 gubernatorial race approaches.

"We are grateful to all who participated in our straw poll," said Jason Weakley, Chairman of the Davidson County Republican Party. "The strong turnout and engagement demonstrate the enthusiasm and commitment of our community to the values and leadership that will guide Tennessee's future."

The GOP Nashville board would like to thank all the elected officials who were in attendance or spoke including U.S. Congressman Andy Ogles, TN Senators Mark Pody and Jack Johnson, and TN House Representatives Scott Cepicky and Johnny Garrett.

For more information about the Davidson County Republican Party and upcoming events, please visit https://www.gopnashville.org

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Nashville Mayor O'Connell under federal probe following actions during ICE crackdown

by Karen Aguilar, Fox 17, June 1 — A federal investigation is underway into Nashville's mayor for his actions during ICE's crackdown in the Mid-State.

Mayor Freddie O'Connell is accused of putting federal agents at risk with his directive to report ICE communications and using taxpayer money to help illegal immigrants. ... Mayor O'Connell said that is not true and will turn over any information needed. ... Congressman Andy Ogles has been the leading voice to get the investigation going. "Enough is enough, and we're going to hold you (Mayor O'Connell) accountable," said Congressman Ogles. 

The fact-finding mission is looking into several issues. The allegation is that he is helping illegal immigrants with taxpayer money through the Belonging Fund. The fund was created at the start of the ICE-THP crackdown earlier this month.

Mayor O'Connell wanted to clarify things. "There is no public funding that is a part of the Belonging Fund," he said. ....

The probe also looks into the Mayor's Office posting the names of federal immigration officials. The Mayor's Office initially told us it was for transparency, then said it was a mistake, which led to the names being removed.

"It was never the intent of the executive order for those names to be posted," he said. "We're working on new safeguards and procedures to avoid it happening again."

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