Tuesday, October 14, 2025

 

Critical raw materials are a vital new currency; Europe’s e-waste is the vault


CRMs available in EU27+4 "urban mine" of e-waste may roughly double by 2050; Recycling, repairs reduce CRM demand and waste, insulate EU from supply security risks, create jobs, advance climate agenda



WEEE Forum

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~1 million tonnes of critical raw materials embedded annually in discarded e-products in EU, UK, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway – the weight of 100,000 loaded shipping containers, enough to circle the Earth 

image: 

Of the 10.7 Mt of WEEE generated in 2022, only 5.7 Mt (54%) were collected and appropriately treated in a compliant manner, i.e. in accordance with EU regulations, such as the WEEE Directive. These volumes were collected through retailers, municipal collection points, and commercial collection companies. Following treatment, approximately 0.4 Mt of critical raw materials were successfully recovered, including, among others, 162 kilotons (kt) of copper, 208 kt of aluminium, 12 kt of silicon, 1 kt of tungsten, and 2 t of palladium. Precious metals such as gold and silver, along with steel and other ferrous materials, were also recovered. However, despite compliant collection and treatment, 0.1 Mt of critical raw materials were not recovered, mostly rare earth elements e.g., neodymium, dysprosium, yttrium, and europium, which are vital materials found in magnets, fluorescent powders, and electronics. The remaining 46% of WEEE, about 5.0 Mt, is not compliantly collected or treated, increasing the chance of losing valuable materials and releasing hazardous substances into the environment. The largest quantity, 3.3 Mt, falls under other non compliant recovery, including WEEE mixed with metal and plastic waste, where only some materials, such as iron or steel, may be recovered, often at lower standards. Another 0.7 Mt is discarded with residual solid waste and sent to landfill or incineration. Approximately 0.4 Mt is exported for reuse. The remaining share is undocumented, likely either exported illegally or processed through informal or unregulated channels.

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Credit: WEEE Forum





BRUSSELS -- With European demand for critical raw materials growing alongside geopolitical tensions and supply risks, a major analysis offers fundamental new data on the rapidly expanding size and value of Europe’s “urban mine” of electronic waste.

Discarded phones, laptops, servers, cables, appliances and other e-products in the EU27+4 (EU, UK, Switzerland, Iceland, and Norway) annually now contain roughly 1 million tonnes of critical raw materials (CRMs), the report says, essential metals and minerals for powering green technologies, digital infrastructure, and modern defence.

The Critical Raw Materials Outlook for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment report prepared by the European Union-funded FutuRaM consortium for International E-Waste Day, underlines that electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is fundamental to Europe’s economy and daily life. 

The analysis offers comprehensive datasets across the EU tracing EEE from first sale through end-of-life treatment and recovery, and outlines how Europe can recover more of these essential materials by improving collection, design, and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

Most recent data at a glance (EU27+4 in 2022)

  • 10.7 million tonnes of WEEE generated — about 20 kg per person

  • 29 critical raw materials are present in e-waste

  • 1 million tonnes of critical raw materials embedded in that stream

  • 54% (5.7 million tonnes) managed compliantly in line with EU rules; 46% (5.0 million tonnes) outside compliant channels

From compliant treatment, approximately 400,000 tonnes of critical raw materials were recovered, including:

  • 162,000 tonnes copper

  • 207,000 tonnes aluminium

  • 12,000 tonnes silicon

  • 1,000 tonnes tungsten

  • 2 tonnes palladium

Even within compliant systems, around 100,000 tonnes of critical raw materials were lost, largely rare earth elements in magnets and fluorescent powders

Non-compliant routes led to major losses:

  • 3.3 million tonnes mixed with metal scrap (partial recovery at best)

  • 700,000 tonnes of e-waste landfilled or incinerated; 400,000 tonnes exported for reuse

  • The remainder undocumented

Outlook to 2050: More waste / more potential 

By 2050, the total volume of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the EU27+4 is projected to rise from 10.7 million tonnes in 2022 to between 12.5 and 19 million tonnes annually. The exact trajectory depends on which of three scenarios Europe follows: business-as-usual, recovery, or circularity.

The amount of critical raw materials (CRMs) embedded in this stream is expected to grow from about 1.0 million tonnes in 2022 to between 1.2 and 1.9 million tonnes per year by 2050. In other words, even if overall e-waste stabilises under a circular economy pathway, the concentration of valuable materials in products like photovoltaic panels, EV chargers, and servers will continue to increase.

Depending on policy choices, collection rates, and recycling efficiency, Europe could recover between 0.9 and 1.5 million tonnes of CRMs annually by 2050. Under business-as-usual, recovery levels remain modest, leaving much of this resource untapped. In the recovery scenario, investment in infrastructure and processing technologies pushes yields higher, while the circularity scenario achieves similar recovery volumes despite generating less e-waste overall – proof that smarter design, repair, and reuse strategies can balance reduced waste with strong material returns.

The circularity pathway offers a double dividend: it keeps annual WEEE volumes close to today’s 10.7 million tonnes while still enabling recovery of over 1 million tonnes of CRMs each year. That stability reduces environmental pressure, cuts the risk of hazardous leakage, and ensures Europe has a resilient source of metals like copper, aluminium, and palladium. It also highlights the importance of focusing not only on how much e-waste is generated, but on how effectively Europe designs products for disassembly, collects them at end-of-life, and processes them through advanced recycling.

Category trends to 2050

  • Large equipment, such as washing machines and dishwashers: from 4.0 million tonnes to as much as 7.5 million tonnes

  • Small equipment: from 3.2 million tonnes to as much as 4.5 million tonnes

  • Temperature exchange equipment: from 1.8 million tonnes to as much as 3.3 million tonnes

  • Small IT: from 800,000 tonnes to as much as 1 million tonnes

  • Screens and monitors: expected to decline overall, from 800,000 tonnes to a figure between 700,000 and 400,000 tonnes

  • Photovoltaic panels: from 150,000 tonnes (2022) to as much as 2.2 million tonnes (2050), reflecting Europe’s transition to solar energy

  • Lamps remain stable at around 100,000 tonnes

Where the materials are

Knowing which products and components contain which critical raw materials is the first step to getting them back.

CRMs appear throughout common devices: copper in cables and boards, aluminium in casings and frames, and platinum group metals in circuit boards and displays. 

Small but high-value amounts of palladium, neodymium, dysprosium, tantalum, gallium, and other rare earths used in such everyday products as laptops, touch screens, hairdryers, power drills, game controllers and medical devices. Several videos detailing these uses are here: https://bit.ly/4p8O4vs

How Europe improves recovery

  • Collect more, lose less. The largest sink is at the collection stage. Expanding convenient take-back, retailer returns, and municipal points increases compliant flows.

  • Design for dismantling. Standardised fasteners, accessible modules, and clear material identification help extract magnets, boards, cables, compressors, and displays where critical materials concentrate.

  • Target the right components. Prioritise product parts rich in critical materials — for example, hard drives and motors for rare earth magnets, circuit boards for platinum group metals, and cabling for copper.

  • Scale recycling capacity in Europe. Investments in advanced mechanical, hydrometallurgical, and pyrometallurgical processes increase yields and reduce losses.

  • Align incentives. Policy tools such as eco-design requirements, repairability and durability provisions, and economic instruments can make recovery the rational choice across the value chain.

Says Jessika Roswall, the EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy: “Europe depends on third countries for more than 90% of its critical raw materials, yet we only recycle some of them as little as 1%. We need a real change in mindset in how Europe collects, dismantles, and processes this fast-growing e-waste mountain into a new source of wealth.  Trade disruptions, from export bans to wars, expose Europe’s vulnerability.  Recycling is both an environmental imperative and a geopolitical strategy.”.” 

“It is hard to imagine modern civilisation without critical raw materials,” adds Pascal Leroy, Director General of the Brussels-based Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Forum, the organisation behind International E-Waste Day.  “Without them, we cannot build the batteries, turbines, chips, and cables that underpin Europe’s green and digital future. By mining our e-waste instead of the planet, Europeans have a powerful opportunity to build our own circular supply chains, reduce exposure to global shocks, and secure the building blocks of our future.”

Success stories: copper and aluminium

The report highlights copper and aluminium as CRMs successfully being recycled at scale and show what is possible when recycling systems are robust. 

Other materials, notably palladium and rare earths in magnets, are recovered at far smaller rates, underscoring the need for better design for dismantling, targeted collection, and advanced processing technologies.

Recovering silicon, silver, and rare metals from photovoltaic panels, the fastest-growing e-waste category, will be vital to Europe’s solar rollout, the report says.

Meanwhile, EV chargers, batteries, and motors depend heavily on copper, rare earth magnets, and aluminium.

And servers and data centres, packed with aluminium casings, copper wiring, and palladium-rich circuit boards, represent a growing urban mine.

“Europe’s e-waste is not trash, it’s a multi-billion-euro resource waiting to be unlocked,” said Kees Baldé, Senior Scientific Specialist at UNITAR SCYCLE, scientific coordinator of the FutuRaM Project, and a lead researcher behind the Global e-Waste Monitor.  “Every kilogram we recover and any device we repair strengthens our economy, reduces our dependency, and creates new jobs, and getting the facts right is crucial for decision making, policy development to improve resource management.”

Turning e-waste into a resource creates economic value across Europe, he adds:

  • New recycling facilities: investment in advanced separation, hydrometallurgy, and urban mining plants.

  • Job creation: thousands of positions in collection, logistics, repair, disassembly, and high-tech recycling.

  • Value retention: instead of exporting waste or losing metals to landfill, Europe keeps billions of euros worth of materials in circulation.

With CRMs like palladium valued at $25,000 to 30,000 per kg, even small improvements in recovery could yield hundreds of millions in value.

Beyond recycling, the circular economy scenario shows how Europe can keep waste volumes stable while recovering more materials, Dr. Baldé says. By extending product lifespans, making devices easier to repair, and designing components for dismantling, Europe could hold e-waste steady at around today’s 10.7 million tonnes yet still recover over 1 million tonnes of critical raw materials annually by 2050. 

“This approach not only reduces environmental pressure but also strengthens supply security and creates repair and reuse jobs. It underlines that the biggest gains come not only from better end-of-life treatment, but from smarter choices made at the design and use stages of a product’s life.”

Policy momentum

The findings feed directly into Europe’s evolving policy framework:

  • Critical Raw Materials Act (2024): sets benchmarks for extraction, processing, and recycling of strategic materials, aiming for 25% of annual demand to be met from recycling by 2030.

  • Circular Economy Act (consultation launched Aug 2025): will address the lack of sufficient demand and supply of secondary raw materials and the fragmentation of the EU single market.

  • WEEE Directive revision (expected 2026): likely to tighten collection and reporting rules, boosting demand of secondary raw materials and traceability.

  • FutuRaM Urban Mine Platform: an open database on CRM availability, to be used by policymakers, recyclers, and industry (to be launched in November 2025)

“This report shows that urban mining is no longer a concept, it’s a business opportunity,” says Giulia Iattoni from UNITAR, the lead author of the report and member of FutuRaM consortium.  “New recycling facilities are opening across Europe, and demand from manufacturers is guaranteed. The challenge now is to scale collection and processing systems to make this potential a reality.”.”

Concludes Magdalena Charytanowicz of the WEEE Forum and IEWD coordinator: “International E-Waste Day is a reminder that circularity starts at home. Every phone tucked in a drawer, every broken appliance stored in a garage, and every cable tossed in the trash represents lost value and a missed chance to keep critical raw materials in circulation.”

“By choosing to repair, reuse, or return old electronics through proper collection systems, consumers play a direct role in securing Europe’s supply of essential materials, reducing environmental damage from mining, and helping to create new green jobs. The success of circular economy policies depends not only on the legislation, but also on the everyday decisions of citizens,” she says.

By the numbers

Europe’s E-Waste, Critical Raw Materials, and the Race for Supply Security

  • 10.7 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022; ~20 kg per person.

  • 29 critical raw materials present in e-waste; ~1.0 million tonnes embedded.

  • 54% of WEEE compliantly managed in 2022; 46% outside compliant channels.

  • 0.4 million tonnes recovered from compliant treatment in 2022, including Cu 162 kt, Al 207 kt, Si 12 kt, W 1 kt, Pd 2 t.

  • 2050 projection ranges (reflecting the business as usual, recovery and circularity scenarios): 12.5–19 Mt WEEE, 1.2–1.9 Mt embedded CRMs, 0.9–1.5 Mt recovered CRMs.

* * * * *

Videos

On-the-street interviews asking people about Critical Raw Materials: https://bit.ly/48iZvef

Small but high-value amounts of palladium, neodymium, dysprosium, tantalum, gallium, and other rare earths used in such everyday products as laptops, touch screens, hairdryers, power drills, game controllers and medical devices. Several videos detailing these uses are here: https://bit.ly/4p8O4vs

* * * * *

The report is available to the public post-embargo at www.weee-forum.org

* * * * *

FutuRaM consortium

The report 2050 Critical Raw Materials Outlook for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment was prepared by the FutuRaM consortium for International E-Waste Day 2025.
FutuRaM (Future Availability of Secondary Raw Materials) is an EU-funded Horizon Europe project that develops the knowledge base for secondary raw materials across multiple waste streams.

International e-Waste Day (#ewasteday) 

Last year, over 160 organisations from 47 countries supported the 7th International E-Waste Day observance. This year, the WEEE Forum invited all organisations involved in effective and responsible e-waste management to plan awareness-raising activities for 14 October. These range from social media, TV and radio campaigns to city or school e-waste collections or even artistic performances.  

www.internationalewasteday.com 

WEEE Forum 

The WEEE Forum is a Brussels-based non-for-profit association representing 50 sector-mandated producer responsibility organisations (PROs) worldwide. Through its members’ collective knowledge of the technical, business and operational aspects of collection, logistics, de-pollution, processing, preparing for reuse, and reporting of e-waste, the WEEE Forum is at the forefront of making extended producer responsibility an effective waste management policy. Its mission is to be the world’s foremost e-waste competence centre, excelling in the implementation of the circularity principle. 

Member PROs are based in Europe, Africa, and the Americas: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Georgia, France, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands,  Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Since their founding, the WEEE Forum’s producer responsibility organisations have collected, de-polluted and recycled or sent for preparation for re-use 45 million tonnes of WEEE. More than 3.6 million tonnes of this was collected in 2024.

www.weee-forum.org

Correspondence: pascal.leroy@weee-forum.org 

* * * * *

WEEE Forum member contacts (for national e-waste insights):

* * * * *

EU27+4 in 2022, compliant treatment recovered approximately 400,000 tonnes of critical raw materials, including 162,000 tonnes of copper. If used as household electrical wiring, that much copper could wrap around the Earth 400 times.

Credit

Magdalena Charytanowicz, WEEE Forum


Small but high-value amounts of palladium, neodymium, dysprosium, tantalum, gallium, and other rare earths used in such everyday products as laptops, touch screens, hairdryers, power drills, game controllers and medical devices. Several videos detailing these uses are here: https://bit.ly/4p8O4vs

Credit

WEEE Forum


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Netherlands invokes rare emergency law to take charge of Chinese chipmaker

By Una Hajdari
14/10/2025 -  EURONEWS

The Dutch government has taken temporary control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia under emergency legislation, citing risks to national and European security and marking one of the most forceful state interventions in Europe’s tech sector to date.

The Dutch government has taken control of Chinese-owned semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia, based in the Netherlands, deploying a rarely used emergency statute to head off what it called risks to Dutch and European economic security stemming from “serious governance shortcomings.”

"The decision aims to prevent a situation in which the goods produced by Nexperia (finished and semi-finished products) would become unavailable in an emergency," Dutch officials said in a statement.

The company’s headquarters are located in Nijmegen, with additional subsidiaries in various countries around the world.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs said late Sunday it had invoked the Goods Availability Act (Wet beschikbaarheid goederen), enabling the state to block or reverse corporate decisions at the firm while allowing day-to-day production to continue.

Officials said the step — described as “highly exceptional” — was intended to ensure continuity of supplies from Nexperia in a crisis and to safeguard critical know-how on European soil.

The company, a major supplier of power and signal chips used in autos and consumer electronics, is owned by China’s Wingtech through its Yucheng Holding vehicle.

Financial markets reacted swiftly. Wingtech shares fell roughly 10% in Shanghai trading on Monday after the intervention was announced.

The company said its control rights at Nexperia had been “temporarily restricted,” but that it retained the economic benefits of ownership, and signalled it would pursue legal avenues.

The Dutch authorities did not publish detailed allegations, but cited acute governance concerns and the risk that essential technology and capabilities could be lost to Europe.

While the ministry emphasised manufacturing could proceed, the measures give the state sweeping powers over strategic decisions, including the right to override internal decisions, for a defined period.

The move underscores a broader European shift toward using national security tools to control ownership and decision making in sensitive tech supply chains.

The action is the latest flashpoint in Western efforts to shield semiconductor ecosystems amid intensifying US–EU export controls and investment screening targeting China. In 2022, the UK ordered Nexperia to divest the Newport Wafer Fab over security concerns, and in 2024, the US expanded export restrictions affecting Wingtech and affiliates.

Nexperia, spun out of Philips and acquired by Wingtech in 2018, is a key European supplier of legacy chips that are indispensable for vehicles and industrial equipment.

The Goods Availability Act, on which the Netherlands has now relied, is a seldom-invoked law allowing the state to secure access to critical goods and production in emergencies or when vital capabilities are at risk.

Sunday’s statement marks one of its most prominent applications in a high-tech sector.

The government said affected parties can challenge the measures in court. For now, the intervention places Nexperia under tight Dutch oversight while officials assess whether permanent remedies are needed.
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Monday, October 13, 2025

'Make himself richer': Jared Kushner said to have 'played' Trump to grease his own pockets

David McAfee
October 11, 2025 
RAW STORY


Jared Kushner and Donald Trump (Photo: White House)


Donald Trump's son-in-law just "played the president," according to a controversial writer.

Michael Wolff, a journalist who has written four books about Trump, claimed on a recent episode of the podcast "Inside Trump's Head" that Jared Kushner may have recently "played" the president in connection with their efforts to secure a Middle Eastern peace deal.

In a piece called "How Jared Played Trump to Grease Own Pocket: Wolff," The Daily Beast quotes the writer in asserting "Kushner’s business connections and Trump manipulation may have cleared the way for a Gaza peace deal."


The outlet further notes, "Donald Trump’s (so-far) successful plan to end the conflict in Gaza was orchestrated by Jared Kushner in a bid to make himself richer, according to Trump biographer Michael Wolff. Speaking on the Inside Trump’s Head podcast, Wolff outlined how Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, played Qatar and the president in order to further his own business interests."

The article quotes Wolff as saying Kushner "craves influence in the Middle East. He craves business opportunities in the Middle East. He craves further, deeper relationships with the powerful people in the Middle East, all of which is helped by peace. So peace becomes a byproduct of business."

The Beast continues:


"Wolff believes Kushner, along with real estate developer and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, pressed their business connections with Middle Eastern royal families to broker the Israel and Hamas deal. On Friday, The New York Times reported on the extent of the pair’s involvement, which earned bipartisan praise."

“The Qataris basically say... we will come down hard on Hamas,” added Wolff. “And remember, Israel attacked the Hamas negotiators, essentially the top Hamas leadership in Qatar. So they were completely freaked out about this. And I think they realized, this is not in our interest."

Wolff himself has also been the source of some controversy. High-profile people like Tony Blair and Sean Hannity have denied quotes published by Wolff in his books.


Read the full article here (subscription required).

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'Hurting farmers': Trump admin just made an 'unusual acknowledgement' about its policies

David McAfee
October 11, 2025  
RAW STORY


A farmer stands in a field (Shutterstock).


Donald Trump's administration just made an "unusual acknowledgement" about its immigration policies, according to a new report Saturday.

In a weekend article called "Trump administration says immigration enforcement threatens higher food prices," the Washington Post reported, "In an unusual acknowledgement, the Labor Department said that tougher immigration enforcement is hurting farmers and the food supply."

"The Trump administration said that its immigration crackdown is hurting farmers and risking higher food prices for Americans by cutting off agriculture’s labor supply," according to the Post. "The Labor Department warned in an obscure document filed with the Federal Register last week that 'the near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens' is threatening 'the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S. consumers.'"

“Unless the Department acts immediately to provide a source of stable and lawful labor, this threat will grow,” the official document reportedly states. “The Department concludes that qualified and eligible U.S. workers will not make themselves available in sufficient numbers."

According to the report, "The American Prospect first reported on the Labor Department’s comments that immigration policies are endangering the food supply and that American workers are unwilling to take agricultural jobs."

"The Labor Department’s comments appear to be the first time that the Trump administration has publicly acknowledged that its hallmark immigration policy — sealing the border and deporting undocumented immigrants — threatens labor shortages and higher food prices," according to the outlet's reporting. "However, economists have been sounding the alarm since Trump campaigned on the issue during last year’s presidential election."

Read the full piece here.
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'Oops': Trump health official admits half of 'sweeping' layoffs at CDC were a mistake

David McAfee
October 11, 2025 
RAW ST0RY


FILE PHOTO: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump attend a campaign event sponsored by conservative group Turning Point USA, in Duluth, Georgia, U.S., October 23, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

Donald Trump's administration is walking back about half of a reported 1,000 health agency cuts.

MSNBC senior reporter Brandy Zadrozny was on air on Saturday when she broke the news, saying she had received a call from an official from HHS "literally five minutes" prior to going on. The cuts were previously reported.

After explaining the wide-ranging cuts, she said, "However literally just five minutes ago, I got a call from an HHS official that said, oops, we didn't actually mean to do that."

"So about 50% of those people are just any moment now about to get notices that say, y'all can come back, actually," the journalist said on Saturday. "They're going to be rehired, literally."

The reversal was confirmed by Washington Post reporter Lena Sun, who said on social media, "BREAKING: Some of the layoffs at CDC are being REVERSED."



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‘Chaotic’: ‘Mass exodus’ raising alarms as federal retirements hit historic highs


Nicole Charky-Chami
October 13, 2025 
RAW STORY


Visiting school groups walk up to the U.S. Capitol after indoor tours were canceled on the thirteenth day of the U.S. government shutdown in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 13, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

A "mass exodus" of federal retirements is hitting historic highs and raising alarms for the "chaotic" strain it's putting on the U.S. government.

The Office of Personnel Management says it is currently processing about 35,000 federal retirements, The Washington Post reports Monday. It's an 18% increase from 2024.

This historic wave has come as resignations, buyouts and early retirements climb, and amid the Trump administration's mass layoffs.

Inside the agency, staffing changes have also created more chaos.

“No strategic direction, no strategic plan, statutorily required duties gone by the wayside, no backups for things people did when they left … budget questions that can’t be answered, big holes in institutional knowledge, no ability to backfill priority positions,” an employee told The Post.

OPM Director Scott Kupor told The Post he thinks that the agency will get through the backlog of retirements and that it will bring in other workers from different agencies to assist.

“I’m excited about the work we’re doing, but the reality is, as you know, is there is a big volume that’s coming in a short period of time, and so we’re going to have to do everything we can to make sure that we continue to invest in those efforts that are going to significantly improve the efficiency of the process,” Kupor said.

The government shutdown is also prolonging the processes for these retirements.

"It will be a huge burden," one OPM employee told The Post.
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'Pain in my life': Sean Duffy whines that unpaid air traffic workers are calling in sick

ONLY THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS CAN END THE SHUT DOWN!

David Edwards
October 13, 2025 
RAW STORY


Sean Duffy (Fox Business Network/screen grab)

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy insisted that millions of demonstrators who take part in the peaceful No Kings protests are "part of antifa," which has been designated as a domestic terrorist organization by President Donald Trump.

Duffy made the remarks on Monday while complaining about air traffic controllers who call in sick during the government shutdown.

"Why do they want to create pain in my life? What, for political power?" the Trump official told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo. "I think Americans are upset about that."

"But again, the No King's protest, Maria, really frustrating," he continued. "I mean, this is part of antifa, paid protesters. It begs the question, who's funding it?"

"But yeah, Democrats want to wait for a big rally of a No King's protest."

Duffy speculated that No Kings protesters or Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) could be behind the government shutdown.

"Chuck Schumer's not running the show," he said. "The No King's protesters or organizers are running the show. Is AOC threatening in a primary against Chuck Schumer? Is she running the show?"

"Chuck Schumer is blowing in the breeze," he added. "He has no power, no authority, because he's given it up to his primary opponent, potentially in AOC, or to the No King's protest organizers. And it's shameful."

In September, Trump signed an executive order designating antifa, an informal movement, as a domestic terrorist organization.





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Trump's rambling Israel 'victory lap' shows he has no idea what's to come: expert

Tom Boggioni
October 13, 2025
RAW STORY


JERUSALEM - OCTOBER 13: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, on October 13, 2025 in Jerusalem. Chip Somodevilla/Pool via REUTERS

Moments after Donald Trump finished a more than hour-long speech before the Knesset in Jerusalem, MSNBC host Jonathan Lemire called it “rambling” — and the former president of the Council on Foreign Relations cast doubt on the president's Gaza peace plan.

Appearing on “Morning Joe,” Richard Haas claimed that declaring victory is one thing, but seeing it through and getting it to stick is unlikely.

Speaking with Lemire, Haas soberly ticked off what was not said as Trump soaked up the adoration from most of the Knesset members — with a few exceptions.

"The president is talking so much about how all this is behind us and I look at the Middle East and I look at Hamas still in the streets — I think disarming Hamas is going to be an impossibility,” he predicted. “I see Israel continuing its settlement programs and so forth.”

“I think the chance of this ceasefire breaking down are real,“ the former diplomat warned. “There's such a sense that peace is at hand and what has been accomplished, and what was missing from this was a sense of the difficulty to come and the clear commitment of the United States. “

“At one point he even talked about his principal negotiator, Steve Witkoff, returning to focus on Russia and Ukraine,” he pointed out. “I’m not against the focus on Russia and Ukraine. But that didn't signal a real sense of just what has to be done here.”


“So again, this is more of a victory lap speech for the president,” he remarked. “And again, a clear political, if you will, endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu. But I don't think there was a lot here that showed that he and his administration are aware already of what needs to be done.”


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Two authors are warning that the right has a secret "master plan" to help billionaires buy elections.

RAW STORY
October 13, 2025 


In a Rolling Stone commentary piece published Monday and adapted by David Sirota and Jared Jacang Maher's upcoming book "Master Plan: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America," the authors describe how two lawsuits heading to the Supreme Court could eliminate "the last restrictions on campaign donations and obstructing law enforcement’s efforts to halt bribery."

One of those lawsuits is led by Vice President JD Vance, "aiming to reverse a 2001 Supreme Court ruling and eliminate restrictions on political parties’ coordinated spending with candidates."

The high court's Citizens United decision set the "precedent that empowers oligarchs to buy elections," which conservative groups hope to expand, even though many Americans would argue that money can corrupt the political process, the authors argue.

"If those rules are killed off, party committees could become pass-through conduits for big donors to circumvent donation limits and deliver much larger payments in support of lawmakers who can reward them with government favors," the authors write.

"As we recount in our new book 'Master Plan,' the Citizens United case was the culmination of conservatives’ 50-year master plan to deregulate the campaign finance system and legalize corruption. What started as an incendiary memo from soon-to-be Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell became one ruling equating money with constitutionally protected speech and another extending personhood rights to corporations," the authors write.

This "master plan," according to the authors, would further make it "increasingly impossible to prosecute public corruption cases."

"In essence, they’re asking justices to believe a bank CEO’s donation to a political party coordinating with a lawmaker’s campaign can in no way influence how that lawmaker drafts banking legislation," according to the authors.

The authors also argue there are still a few ways for "this nightmare to be stopped," and that's by making anti-corruption a focus in politics.

"Yes, in buying elections, packing the courts, and eliciting precedents legalizing corruption, the master planners have created the democracy crisis, pushing America one step closer to the kleptocratic death spiral of history’s collapsing empires," the authors write.
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