Seb Gorka, MAGA exile

It looks like Sebastian Gorka has been booted from the MAGA movement. The self-proclaimed “dragon of Budapest” first raised eyebrows a few weeks ago when he needled Human Events editor Jack Posobiec for suggesting the FBI had planted pipe bombs at the RNC and DNC on January 6. Posobiec had pointed out that the recovered bombs looked awfully similar to those used in FBI training. 

“Right Jack. Because are soooooo many different types of plumber’s end caps out there,” Gorka snarked. On his show he then made a point of rehashing Posobiec’s absurd Pizzagate allegations.

Now, Gorka has really kicked the hornet’s nest by not-so-subtly accusing journalist Tucker Carlson of being an “agent of the Kremlin” for choosing to interview Russian president Vladimir Putin. As Tucker and Trump fans flooded his mentions, Gorka doubled down on his criticism and, as Posobiec put it, went into “full meltdown mode.” 

“No wonder Trump kicked Gorka out of the White House,” Posobiec said. 

Things only got worse for the host of America First when Trump surrogates started pointing out that Gorka had recently claimed to know who Trump’s VP pick was going to be. To them, it was one of many examples of Gorka pretending to be closer to the former president than reality. 

The good news is that Cockburn is pretty sure Gorka still has his ostentatious Mustang — that is, if the “ART WAR” car hasn’t been impounded yet for his poor parking skills. Perhaps it’s time to put the top down and jet across the border before Gorka gets run over by the Trump Train. Then maybe he can work remotely for the Bulwark?

Donald Trump: ‘Forgive the trans beer that I own stock in’

Bud Light is thirsty for your forgiveness. After enlisting man-of-the-people comedian Shane Gillis as a brand partner, former president Donald Trump reiterated his support for the brew in the run-up to the Super Bowl — continuing his longtime backing for the trans-friendly beverage. 

While “the Bud Light ad was a mistake of epic proportions,” the teetotaler former president posted on Truth Social, “Anheuser-Busch is a Great American Brand that perhaps deserves a Second Chance? What do you think?” 

Trump’s support for Bud Light is probably good for his bottom line, given that he owns up to $5 million of stock in its parent company — which soared about 3 percent the day after he offered the company a “Second Chance.” Cockburn previously reported that Trump properties around the world continued to offer Bud Light products even as the culture wars raged the hardest. 

Last year, Donald Trump Jr. told listeners of his podcast that he “looked into the political giving and lobbying history of Anheuser-Busch, and guess what? They actually support Republicans.” 

Outside of the former first family, other prominent members of the Trump orbit came out to back Bud Light following last year’s controversial tie-in with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. “I think it is time to move forward — I am saying we should focus on big picture,” Caitlyn Jenner said of the beer after the former president’s post. Other members of the MAGAsphere immediately flip-flopped on the boycott once the Donald whistled. “Picking up a case of bud light after work,” tweeted anon account @_johnnymaga. “Following Trump’s statement today, I’ve decided to make a large investment in Anheuser-Busch. Bud light is back baby.” 

The beer giant has yet to directly apologize for the Mulvaney debacle. 

Anecdotally, Cockburn has witnessed a notable uptick in Republican consumption of Bud Light at DC open bars in recent months, evidence that the firepower behind the boycott may be fading anyway…

Is Mike Gallagher cruising for a Bruese-ing?

A very much expected consequence of this week’s failed House vote to impeach DHS secretary Alejandro Mayorkas: primary threats to Republicans who didn’t back the vote from more “MAGA” characters. Mike Gallagher, the young Wisconsin congressman best known for chairing a select committee on China, did not vote to give Mayorkas the boot. Gallagher felt doing so would “set a dangerous new precedent that would be used against future Republican administrations,” he argued in a Wall Street Journal piece, where he also pointed out that “incompetence doesn’t rise to the level of high crimes or misdemeanors.” Sound logic, you may think — but not good enough for the purists. 

Enter Alex Bruesewitz, Twitter/X pugilist and founder of right-wing comms firm XStrategies, a Trump stripling who has long been linked with a run for office. Bruesewitz was thought to be contemplating a run for Gallagher’s seat if the congressman had opted to run for the Senate — but Ron Johnson decided to go for a third term. Gallagher’s vote has given Bruesewitz another chance to prove his quality. 

“I am NOT CONFIRMING a run at this time. I have NOT made a decision on this yet. But I will be taking a STRONG LOOK,” Bruesewitz tweeted Thursday. He then said this morning that he’s “humbled by all of the calls and texts I have received from members of Congress and grassroots patriots across the country and all throughout Wisconsin encouraging me to run for Congress.” 

If you know Bruesewitz’s name, it’s probably from seeing his brutal attacks on Ron DeSantis and his supporters before and during the Florida governor’s ill-fated run for the presidency. He claimed DeSantis was wearing boots to make him seem taller, accused his press secretary Christina Pushaw of smoking weed and having a facelift and branded former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis a “D-list reject goon,” among other things. 

At the time, a DeSantisland retort of choice was to bring up Bruesewitz’s ex-girlfriend, Camryn Kinsey, who was hired to the Trump White House as a twenty-year-old to serve as “external-relations director” to Johnny McEntee in the Presidential Personnel Office. Fans of “Meatball Ron” delighted in pointing out how Kinsey was now dating a Navy guy who looks not unlike the Florida governor. Do you see the resemblance?

Iconic Vogue cover features all queens and no princesses

Edward Enninful’s last cover of the UK edition of Vogue was posted on social media yesterday — and it might make unhappy viewing for a certain pushy princess. It shows forty women, branded “Vogue icons,” with Oprah Winfrey dead center. It features legendary models Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington; singing sensations Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus and Victoria Beckham; star actresses Anya Taylor-Joy, Salma Hayek and Jodie Comer. 

Cockburn looked the cover, so flush with female talent, and thought,  “wow, who isn’t on it?” Then he realized: Meghan Markle, who effectively ragequit royalty for the chance to be featured in such company. Perhaps there was a scheduling conflict? Or maybe Markle is finally getting the privacy she kept telling the press she so desired…