Pablo Picasso The rescue 1936
DOGE: How did the CEO of a private equity firm uncover millions of non-citizens with Social Security numbers in just days—while the SSA’s own Office of Inspector General, with years and a full bureaucracy behind it, never found a thing? pic.twitter.com/GpCcgBcwoi
— @amuse (@amuse) April 2, 2025
Crooke
Europe’s elites—France, Germany, Britain—are trapped in a dangerous delusion: preparing for war with Russia out of desperation, not necessity. They see their system collapsing, their power slipping, and the middle class sinking into poverty. The crisis is no longer confined to… pic.twitter.com/MaUiysdfIV
— 🅰pocalypsis 🅰pocalypseos 🇷🇺 🇨🇳 🅉 (@apocalypseos) April 1, 2025
Tesla
https://twitter.com/MAGAVoice/status/1907185675067367865
Karaganov
The problem is not Ukraine.
The problem is that European elites.
They have sued for, are driving their countries towards a big war.
What is happening in Europe is unbelievable.
It is worse than the period not only prior to 1914, the First World War, it is worse than the… pic.twitter.com/5JqYyQpzgu
— Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil (@ivan_8848) April 1, 2025
USAID
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 1, 2025
RFK
RFK Jr.: "The homes are all being built, bought, purchased by BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard, these giant hedge funds that are coming in that already own 88% of the S&P 500. They own all the business, and now they're coming in and trying to turn us into a feudal… pic.twitter.com/B9dn5p5VJi
— Camus (@newstart_2024) April 2, 2025
https://twitter.com/Holden_Culotta/status/1907090380811620641
Kyiv 2014
In February 2014, the editor of Foreign Affairs (Gideon Rose) bragged about how the US was taking Ukraine while Russia was distracted by the Olympics
– For all the talk about "choosing" the right side, only 20% of Ukrainians were then in favour of NATO membership pic.twitter.com/yWbDLXnNmj— Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) April 1, 2025
Unfettered
On the money. Israel isn't a functioning country. It won't survive this genocide… pic.twitter.com/mePxuXgRAz
— Kerry Burgess (@KerryBurgess) April 2, 2025
RFK SV40
Robert F Kennedy Jr: "The Polio vaccine contained a virus called Simian virus 40 [and] SV40 [is] one of the most carcinogenic materials that is known to man"
"In fact it is used by scientists around the world to induce tumours in rats [but it] was in that vaccine [and] 98… pic.twitter.com/h0k62CnfJv
— Humanspective (@Humanspective) April 1, 2025
Newt Gingrich Warns Of ‘Constitutional Crisis’ Due To Judges Blocking Trump Actions
Food for conversation. Lotsa. Go make the deal.
• Trump Rolls Out Sweeping New Tariffs (RT)
US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping new round of tariffs on Wednesday, as part of what he has branded his ‘Liberation Day’ plan, raising concerns about a potential global trade war. Washington is introducing customs duties on all countries based on the principle of reciprocity, Trump has announced, calling it a day of economic independence for the United States. The president confirmed that the 25% global tariffs on cars and trucks will take effect as scheduled on Thursday, while duties on imported automotive parts are set to take effect on May 3.
In his speech at the White House Rose Garden, Trump complained that “none of our companies are allowed to go into other countries.” “That’s why, effective at midnight, we will impose a 25% tariff on all foreign-made automobiles,” he declared.Trump claimed the reciprocal tariffs would usher in a “golden age” for the country, adding that “jobs and factories will come roaring back.” According to a chart presented by Trump during his speech, the new tariffs will range from 10% to 50%, depending on the country. Washington will impose a 20% tariff on the EU, 34% levies on China, and 24% duties on Japan, among others.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 2, 2025
Trump said Washington would implement “kind” reciprocal tariffs on all countries amounting to “approximately half” of what those nations charge the US. “We will supercharge our domestic industrial base” and “break down” trade barriers abroad, he vowed, noting that ultimately this would entail lower prices for consumers. “Our country and its taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years, but it is NOT going to happen anymore,” Trump concluded, adding “We are finally putting America first.”
Possible. Let’s see.
• Trump’s ‘Sledgehammer’ Approach May Cause Trade Wars –Analyst (RT)
US President Donald Trump’s tactics in both political and economic matters are very similar and are tantamount to using a sledgehammer for a problem that requires nuance, financial analyst Henry Johnston has told RT. On Wednesday, Trump announced a new round of sweeping tariffs on scores of trading partners, part of what he has branded his ‘Liberation Day’ plan. “I think there’s a very interesting parallel between Trump’s approach to the Ukraine conflict and what he is doing economically. And that is that he is attempting to address very deep-seated, longstanding problems with rapid unilateral and aggressive measures,” the analyst told RT.
“And in both cases, I think he’s going to encounter more of what we’re already seeing: his very primitive tactics are not getting to the root of the issue. The economic problems that he’s attempting to address are very deep-seated. They’ve been in play for half a century and they will not be addressed by a bludgeoning with tariffs.” In his speech, Trump presented a detailed chart highlighting the reciprocal tariffs he is applying to different nations. “We will charge them approximately half of what they are and have been charging us,” Trump said of his reciprocal tariff plan. “So, the tariffs will be not a full reciprocal,” he added.
According to Johnston, there’s a perception in the White House that other nations take advantage of the US because American goods are not as welcome elsewhere, whereas the US has kept a relatively open market. “The trade balance certainly speaks for itself, but I think what’s important to understand here is that the US was a willing participant in this system. By using the dollar as the reserve currency and encouraging other countries to build up surpluses of dollars and then reinvest those in the US, in US Treasuries, it essentially allowed the US to finance domestic consumption without creating inflation,” the analyst explained to RT.
“I think it’s not entirely in good faith to claim that the US is being abused, even where US goods don’t have the same access to other markets, because the system itself has been very beneficial to the United States.” The plan has drawn swift backlash from US trading partners. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the EU has “a strong plan” in response. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday, as cited by CCTV, that Beijing would “counterattack” if the US continues to engage in “blackmail.”
“And I think there’ll certainly be a lot of scrambling among American trade partners to respond to this,” Johnston told RT. “I think the European Union will see this as a hostile move, without question, I think it will be fairly painful for the EU. We could be seeing trade wars among allies.” Since returning to office in January, Trump has imposed a series of tariffs targeting a wide range of imports – from sweeping duties on Chinese goods to non-compliant products from the EU, Canada, and Mexico, and also steel, aluminum, and most recently, foreign cars and critical auto parts. Trump has particularly singled out the EU for what he calls unfair trade practices, including high tariffs on American goods and restrictive regulatory barriers that disadvantage US companies.
They can’t wait.
• “This ‘Scoop’ Is Garbage’: White House Spox Denies Musk Is Stepping Back (ZH)
Shares of Tesla rose on Wednesday following an anonymously sourced Politico report (keeping in mind Musk just yanked millions in government ‘subscriptions’ from them) that President Trump has told his inner circle that Musk would be stepping back from his advisory role in the coming weeks. Musk, who Politico describes as “governing partner, ubiquitous cheerleader and Washington hatchet man” (totally not salty), claims that Trump “remains pleased with Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency initiative but both men have decided in recent days that it will soon be time for Musk to return to his businesses and take on a supporting role.”
Then Politico gets extra nasty – writing that “Musk’s looming retreat comes as some Trump administration insiders and many outside allies have become frustrated with his unpredictability and increasingly view the billionaire as a political liability, a dynamic that was thrown into stark relief Tuesday when a conservative judge Musk vocally supported lost his bid for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat by 10 points.” One anonymous official allegedly told Politico that Musk is likely to retain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional face around the White House, while another said that anyone who thinks Musk is going to disappear entirely from Trump’s orbit is “fooling themselves.” [..] shares of Musk-owned Tesla rose more than 5% on the report.
This “scoop” is garbage.
Elon Musk and President Trump have both *publicly* stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete. https://t.co/Brppff6SKi
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) April 2, 2025
***
Aaand here’s the denial. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt has called Politico’s scoop “garbage,” adding “lon Musk and President Trump have both *publicly* stated that Elon will depart from public service as a special government employee when his incredible work at DOGE is complete.” Though we would note that ‘stepping back’ (Politico) does not equal ‘departing’ (WH).
“The U.S. Intelligence community, in its annual Global Threat Assessment, refuted Netanyahu’s oft-repeated claim about Iran building a nuclear weapon stating, “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.”
• Trump: “Very Bad Things are Going to Happen.” (Dennis Kucinich)
In my article, “The High Price of War with Iran: $10 Gas and the Collapse of the U.S. Economy,” I reminded readers of how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been behind the push for America to destroy Iraq, Libya, Syria and now Iran. I reviewed the severe economic consequences for the U.S. if it attacks Iran. Today, I cite the human health and atmospheric effects of a U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear research facilities. The resulting nuclear fallout would bring a catastrophe unprecedented in human history. Last week, President Trump said “very bad things are going to happen” to Iran, if that nation’s leaders do not sign a new nuclear deal. The President is right. He can make very bad things can happen to Iran.
But Iran is not the only country to which “bad things” are going to happen if Iran’s nuclear research infrastructure is destroyed by the U.S., as is revealed by a careful study of the spread of radiation created by the promised bombings. America has been Netanyahu’s pawn for decades. Will the wealth, lives and security of our nation be sacrificed yet further to an agenda which brings only debt to our nation and death to innocents abroad? The return of Donald Trump to the White House for a second term has enabled Netanyahu’s right-wing party to accelerate the pulverization of Gaza, expand settlements and to repel the Houthis pro-Gaza attacks on Red Sea shipping. Netanyahu viewed Trump’s first election in 2016 as a new opportunity to topple Iran’s leadership. Trump, in partnership with Netanyahu, withdrew the U.S. from a multi-lateral agreement which limited Iran’s nuclear development in exchange for sanctions relief.
An attack by B-2 bombers on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure would destroy the targeted sites, and unleash radioactivity endangering the lives of tens of millions in Iran and hundreds of millions beyond. Due to radioactive drift, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, eastern Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan also would be severely impacted. In practical terms, given proximity to Iran, and the direction of the wind, high levels of radiation-induced illness, some fatal, and sharp increases in cancer and birth defects would occur. Radiation would contaminate and ruin food supplies, agricultural land, farm animals, and water resources hundreds and even thousands of miles from Iran.
The eastern regions of Turkey, northwestern India, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan would be exposed to moderate contamination. Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Egypt’s Sinai could be affected, depending on the wind. Israel has long fanned existential fears by conjuring the threat of a nuclear attack by Iran, while being indemnified by the U.S. for its self-styled “defensive” aggression in Gaza, where at least 50,000 Gazans have been killed and over a million Palestinians driven from their homes. While the widely publicized intent of President Trump to bomb Iran imperils Iran and neighboring countries, it also makes Israel vulnerable to a massive counterstrike from Iran and puts in the bullseye all U.S. troops in the region within 2,500 miles of Iran.
”The Trump administration is standing up for free, fair, and honest elections and asking this basic question is essential to our Constitutional Republic.”
• DNC, Schumer Sue Trump Over Order Targeting Illegal Immigrant Voting (ET)
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and two top U.S. lawmakers on March 31 sued President Donald Trump over a recent executive order that aims to enforce the law against illegal immigrant voting and election dates. “The Executive Order seeks to impose radical changes on how Americans register to vote, cast a ballot, and participate in our democracy—all of which threaten to disenfranchise lawful voters and none of which is legal,” says the lawsuit, filed by Democratic Party attorney Marc Elias in federal court in Washington. Trump’s March 25 order has multiple sections. Several deal with laws that bar foreigners from registering to vote or from voting in federal elections. Trump directed the independent Election Assistance Commission to require proof of U.S. citizenship in its mail voter registration form, ordered U.S. officials to work with the Department of Government Efficiency to review voter rolls to identify noncitizens who are already registered, and told the U.S. attorney general to prosecute individuals who have illegally registered or voted.
Another prong takes aim at how some states in recent years have begun counting mailed ballots that arrive after Election Day, which the order says contravenes federal law. A third portion says the Election Assistance Commission shall stop providing federal funds to states that don’t comply with the laws on election dates and noncitizen voting and voter registration. The U.S. Constitution’s election clause says that states can set election dates, although Congress can alter them. “Outside of the Elections Clause, other provisions in the Constitution place certain requirements and limitations on the regulation of elections—but none allows the President to override the will of the States or Congress in this space,” the new suit states.
The legal challenge also says that the Election Assistance Commission is an independent agency over which the president, who appoints commissioners, has no control, and that federal law lets applicants who vote in federal elections attest to citizenship with a signature as opposed to requiring proof from documents such as a passport. In addition to the DNC, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat in the U.S. Senate, and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives, are plaintiffs in the suit.
The Democrats are asking the court to declare that the order violates the Constitution and federal law and block U.S. officials, such as the attorney general, from implementing it. “The Democrats continue to show their disdain for the Constitution and it continues to show in their insane objections to the President’s commonsense executive actions to require proof of U.S. citizenship in an effort to protect the integrity of American elections,“ Harrison Fields, a White House spokesman, told The Epoch Times in an email. ”The Trump administration is standing up for free, fair, and honest elections and asking this basic question is essential to our Constitutional Republic.”
Ahead of the 2016 election, Elias helped compile a dossier against Trump. He was named in a different order by Trump that directed officials to take action against lawyers who are violating laws and regulations. Earlier Monday, several organizations filed a separate suit in the same court over the election order, outlining similar arguments. “The president’s executive order is an unlawful action that threatens to uproot our tried-and-tested election systems and silence potentially millions of Americans,“ Danielle Lang, senior director of voting rights at the Campaign Legal Center, which is representing the groups, said in a statement. ”It is simply not within the president’s authority to set election rules by executive decree, especially when they would restrict access to voting in this way.”
“Once you get there, it’s going to be really hard to restart the war,”
• Ukraine Conflict ‘On Precipice Of Ceasefire’ – Trump Envoy (RT)
The conflict between Kiev and Moscow is close to a ceasefire, US President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, has said. He stressed that both sides would need to make concessions. Speaking to Fox Business on Wednesday, Kellogg said that Trump has been “frustrated” with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky. The diplomat, nevertheless, said that he remained optimistic that Trump’s team would negotiate an end to the conflict. “I really believe we are on the precipice of getting to a ceasefire,” he said. “Neither side is going to get everything they want.” “What we want to have is a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire. Once you get there, it’s going to be really hard to restart the war,” Kellogg said. “What we need is what I would call term sheets – this is what the Russians want, this is what the Ukrainians want – and bring them together.”
The Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that Kiev has been violating the US-brokered moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure on a daily basis. According to the MOD, Ukrainian troops have launched drone and missile attacks on fuel depots, gas facilities, and elements of Russia’s power grid. During his phone call with Trump on March 18, Putin said that in order for a comprehensive ceasefire to succeed, Ukraine must stop mobilization, while Western countries must stop providing military aid to Kiev. Moscow has stressed that any future settlement must address the “root causes” of the conflict, including the expansion of NATO eastward. Russia has demanded that Ukraine officially drop its plans to join the US-led alliance and renounce its claim to Crimea and four other regions that became part of Russia in 2022.
Just don’t.
• US Not Ready To Fight China – Trump’s Pick For Top General (RT)
The US military would be unprepared for a protracted war with China due to shortcomings in the defense industrial base, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff has said. In his written testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday – part of the confirmation process – retired Lieutenant General John Caine stressed that rivalry with China remains one of the most pressing issues facing the US. ”The threat posed by China to American interests in the Indo-Pacific is real and growing. The US needs to work with allies and partners to deter China’s aggression in this region,” he claimed. He warned, however, that the US is not currently in a position to respond to the perceived threat.
“Unfortunately, at this critical moment, the Joint Force is contending with an acquisition process and defense industrial base that are not optimized for protracted conflict. The US does not have the throughput, responsiveness, or agility needed to deter our adversaries,” Caine said. Identifying the Indo-Pacific as a key theater for the US, the general remarked that the Chinese military “has made significant military improvements to include adjusting its military structures, fielding modern indigenous systems,” adding that “numerically, China has the largest navy in the world.” He added, however, that Beijing “still has deficiencies in commander proficiency, long-distance logistics, urban warfare, and… modern warfare experience writ large.”
Caine also addressed the broader geopolitical landscape, arguing that while China, Russia, and North Korea are engaged in limited cooperation, “these countries are not acting as a bloc, nor are they trending toward a NATO-style alliance.” The US and China are at odds over a number of issues, with tensions especially high over the self-governed island of Taiwan. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has said that while Beijing would prefer “a peaceful reunification” with what it considers a breakaway province, it has not ruled out the use of force to accomplish this. Beijing has accused Washington of being “obsessed with suppressing China,” warning that this will only hurt the US.
China
China hasn't fought a war since 1979: and that was a one-month border conflict.
Amazing what a country can build and achieve when it's not draining its resources to constantly invade, bomb, and finance others' wars.
It also connected its whole country with high-speed rail. https://t.co/QckVhRrzO0
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 1, 2025
“..under the cloak of the most powerful imperialist country in an unsacred coalition against the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula”
• Unconquerable Yemen (Pepe Escobar)
SANA’A, Yemen – No wonder the Roman Empire called it Arabia Felix.
It’s 3 pm in Al-Sabeen square in the Haddah neighborhood of Sana’a on Friday, March 28, Al Quds Day, at Ramadan, only two days before Eid al-Fikr, and the crowd of over one million Yemenis stretches to the horizon, gently surrounded by naked hills in the distance and with the grand Al-Saleh mosque framing the foreground. The foreign pilgrim climbs to a small stage and after all his pilgrimages across the world and the lands of Islam, he knows that in one fleeting minute he must essentially thank the crowd – and this nation – for being so noble, so upright, so fearless, bearers of so much moral clarity and purpose. They should know that the whole Global Majority instinctively gets it – and stands with them. This is not so much about support for Palestine, which they have been showcasing in this same vast square for 17 months, non-stop – as shown all over global social media – but most of all about the inner strength of Arabia Felix. Free Palestine rhymes – and echoes – in eternity with Freedom of Yemen. They can be heroes not just for one day – as Bowie the Western Chameleon immortalized it: they are heroes for posterity.
One week immersed in deep Yemen is untranslatable in mere words. I was privileged to be part of a small group – from East to West – that actually broke the blockade on Yemen, as our gracious hosts never ceased to remind us. We were primarily guests in a wide-ranging conference on Palestine titled, most appropriately, “You Are Not Alone”. What strikes us like lightning, right away, is the unbounded Yemeni generosity and their naturally aristocratic-cum-debonair allure. They are the epitome of chic not only sartorially but spiritually. Nearly every night last week I was trying to convey this magic across several podcasts. As much as the conversations with towering academics, diplomats and top members of the High Political Council, the real delight in Yemen is the famous – Xi Jinping-style – “people to people’s exchanges”, particularly at night time in the mesmerizing souks of Saada in the northwest and the Old City in Sana’a.
This is the true soul of Arabia, its secrets perfuming the air like the incense a Purifier dressed in white spreads around the al-Kabir mosque in the Old City, blind men crouching at the entrance chewing qat and absorbed in meditation. This magic is what Allah himself characterizes in the Holy Book in several verses and chapters – a generosity only bestowed to Yemenis. Amidst a cornucopia of meetings and cups of the best coffee on the planet, a convoy of decoy SUVs slicing the raw landscape from Sana’a to Saada, non-stop pledges of solidary with Palestine and instances of cowardly CENTCOM bombing – from several civilian, residential buildings to an in-progress cancer hospital in Saada – soon it becomes clear that Yemen is fighting yet another lethal chapter, now against the Trump 2.0-led CENTCOM, of what is a 10-year war, initiated in March 26, 2015.
That was the first war in History, as defined by the masterful Undeterred: Yemen In The Face of Decisive Storm, by Prof. Dr. Abdulaziz Saleh bin Habtoor – which I had the honor to meet in Sana’a – “in which all the rich Arab countries” (with the exception of Oman) stood “under the cloak of the most powerful imperialist country in an unsacred coalition against the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula”. A trademark “coalition” of willing vassals, led by Saudi Arabia and for a stretch also the UAE, with the U.S. under the Obama-Biden racket “leading from behind” and providing the weapons alongside the British, not only bombed Yemen indiscriminately but also imposed a devastating blockade of air, land and sea, preventing the arrival of medicine, fuel and food, and generating at least 2.4 million displaced people and a cholera epidemic.
It’s hardly an accident that the upstart, tawdry, bling bling Wahhabis of Saudi Arabia hate Yemen with a vengeance. War on Yemen, virtually for decades, as Prof. bin Habtoor noted in our meeting, has been the Enterprise Weapon of Choice for a family scam set up by the British Empire in the 1920s to extract the wealth of Arabia Obviously no one across the – now fractured – collective West remembers that Yemen later became “Crown Prince” MbS’s war. The existence of his regime – now a darling of Trump 2.0 – was leveraged from the start on winning this war, until MbS was forced to realize he could never make it: only in 2017 the war was costing him more than $300 billion. He had to accept an armistice.
No “victory”: not against these unconquerable heroes. The memory-impaired, fractured collective West also has no recollection that Britannia Rules the Waves was forced to surrender its self-imagined global dominatrix role to the Americans after it could not subdue extremely fierce resistance in – where else – South Yemen in the 1960s. That opened the way to Saudi-led dementia – even as the pattern remained the same: Yemenis simply won’t surrender their homeland’s fabulous natural wealth to subsidize the Empire of Chaos, Lies and Plunder’s chronic need for liquidity, collateral for new cash manipulations, and most of all the commodities that lie under Yemen’s rich soil.
IOU
• Who Pays For Whom In The European Union (SCF)
Only nine out of twenty-seven EU member states are net contributors to the EU budget. This infographic shows how many euros on average an inhabitant of individual EU countries “pays” to, or “receives” from, the EU budget. This is quite a vague metric but still it is more informative than absolute figures on individual countries’ contributions and subsidies. Luxembourg and Belgium are two special cases as most of the subsidies they receive are used to cover the administrative costs of EU institutions based there.
Threats against the judge.
• France Launches New Probe Linked To Le Pen trial – AFP (RT)
French prosecutors have launched an investigation into threats against the judge who presided over a case in which right-wing presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen was sentenced to prison and barred from running for office, AFP has reported, citing sources. On Monday, Le Pen, the former leader of the conservative National Rally party (RN), was sentenced to four years in prison – two of them suspended and two more to be served under electronic monitoring, a hefty fine, and a five-year ban on holding public office. The court found her guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds by allegedly diverting them from official duties to party activities in France. The verdict prevents her from running in the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen has denied wrongdoing and said she would appeal.
The conviction prompted outrage from supporters, with many expressing anger online. According to French media, Judge Benedicte de Perthuis, who presided over her case in Paris, received “a large number of messages containing clearly expressed personal threats.” The judge was placed under police protection shortly after the ruling, with patrols reportedly stationed outside her home. AFP reported on Tuesday that the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into the threats, citing a source close to the case. The probe has been handed over to the Brigade for Repression of Crimes Against the Person, a special French police unit responsible for handling serious crimes. This is the second investigation concerning threats tied to Le Pen’s trial. An earlier case opened in January was over death threats posted to the far-right website Riposte Laique.
The posts, which have since been deleted, targeted Judge de Perthuis and prosecutors Louise Neyton and Nicolas Barret. Le Pen, a critic of NATO’s presence in Europe and EU sanctions on Russia, has run for president three times, finishing second in 2017 and 2022. Her party currently holds the most seats in the National Assembly, while her approval rating tops that of her nearest potential rival in the presidential race – former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe – by over ten points, according to a recent Ifop poll. She claims her conviction was politically motivated and has pledged to fight it. The Paris Court of Appeal said on Tuesday that it expects to rule on Le Pen’s case by summer 2026, which could allow her to run in 2027 if the verdict is overturned.
“The one against @MLP_officiel is a declaration of war by Brussels, at a time when the warlike impulses of von der Leyen and Macron are frightening”
• Le Pen’s 2027 Presidential Bid Derailed By von der Leyen and Macron (Jay)
It’s been called Marine Le Pen’s ‘Trump’ moment but the court case which has condemned the far-right leader, excluding her from running for President in the republic’s next elections in 2027, might turn out to be the EU’s greatest existential error in its entire history. Nothing compares to it when we calibrate it against other anti-democratic stunts like getting France and Ireland to hold referendums for the second time as the first time round didn’t get the desired result, or even more recently cancelling Romania’s presidential elections when it transpired that an anti-establishment candidate was going to win at the ballot. The Le Pen stunt is almost certainly going to backfire and produce an outcome which was not at all what was intended for both by the elite in Paris and top officials in Brussels.
Le Pen is going to gain even more supporters bringing the political establishment to its knees when the Trumpian momentum in the U.S. which led to the Donald winning convincingly repeats itself in France. The case against her is a farce on many levels, but largely because of the hypocrisy of the EU. The European Parliament is a concentrated mass of corrupt MEPs who operate outside of the rules and in many cases abuse the expense system. However, the over ruling anti-fraud authority in Brussels called OLAF historically has a habit of investigating only far-right MEPs for expense irregularities but spectacularly fails to extend its probe into those who represent the establishment. Le Pen’s father fell victim to the same stunt and so history is repeating itself.
The ruling almost certainly ends her bid to replace Emmanuel Macron as France’s president at the 2027 election where she may well have been the victor given how close she came in the past presidential elections. According to report, the judge said Le Pen was “at the heart” of a scheme to embezzle EU funds to pay party staff. She’s likely to appeal the sentence, meaning the four-year jail term and fine will be put on hold, but the ban has been put into place immediately and it obviously raises a number of questions as to whether there is time for her to win an appeal and run for president. However, she may simply profit from the decision to promote herself even further politically, leading probably to civil strife in France.
The ruling is a massive own goal for Europe’s ruling elite as it will certainly boost Le Pen’s popularity even further which will present the establishment with more problems to resolve if they are to block her taking the political demographic. Almost immediately after the sentence was announced, a number of populist leaders in Europe saw through it and gave her their full support, notably Hungary and Italy. Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Deputy PM, has said the decision was a “declaration of war by Brussels” and “those who fear the judgement of the voters often find reassurance in the judgement of the courts”. “In Paris, they condemned Marine Le Pen and would like to exclude her from political life. A bad film that we are also seeing in other countries such as Romania” he added.
And the deputy Italian PM didn’t pull any punches against those who he believed were behind the ruse both in Paris and in Brussels. “The one against @MLP_officiel is a declaration of war by Brussels, at a time when the warlike impulses of von der Leyen and Macron are frightening”. Brussels once again shoots itself in the foot and advances as a totalitarian superpower determined to stay in power even at the expense of destroying itself and EU member states economy. Le Pen was angry on the day of the hearing and stormed out of court before the judge finished reading out the sentence but will be happier to see the reaction of French people when they trump the ruling.
“Re-armament Ursula, a plan costing almost a thousand billion euros, will be Europe’s economic grave.”
• Von der Leyen Is Afraid Of The European Parliament (Pacini)
A snake-like gaze about to kill and a flawless perm. This is Ursula, the most hated woman in Europe, who knows all the devil’s tricks. The obsession of the month is that Russia is supposedly ready to invade Europe, therefore we must rearm, as already announced with ReArm Europe, to launch a pre-emptive attack. All this will take a few years, but the Russians will be patient and fair, waiting to have worthy opponents. A report by the German secret service (sic!) claims that the Russian Federation is preparing a large-scale invasion for 2030 and the Lithuanian secret service answers that the conflict in Ukraine must be prolonged to keep Russia busy. After the meeting in London on Ukraine, the war industry sector has seen a sharp rise. On the Milan Stock Exchange, the shares of Leonardo, an Italian company specializing in defense, aerospace and security, rose by 15%, reaching a new record of 45.50 euros.
In Germany, Rheinmetall – the largest German defense group – saw an increase of 18%, while in London the British giant BAE Systems, Europe’s largest arms manufacturer, gained 14%. The agreement among European leaders to strengthen military spending and defense capabilities has boosted war industry stocks on the continent. As of December 31, 2024, Leonardo had recorded a 16.2% increase in revenues, reaching 17.8 billion euros, with expansion in almost all its areas of activity. In short, European industrialists in the strategic sector are very interested in war. But there’s more. As Prof. Alessandro Volpi brilliantly observed, behind the maneuver are ETFs, financial products that replicate an index and are, to a large extent, created by large funds. Volpi writes that “In recent months, ETFs that have as their object indices directly linked to the arms industry have been having great success.
The mechanism is simple: the large fund – for example BlackRock – creates an ETF that is linked to an index created by the same fund and, now, the big trend is to create indexes with the stocks of the main arms manufacturers, from American to European ones, which are expected to benefit from the Von der Leyen mega Plan against any invasion”. It is no coincidence that this type of ETF is increasingly attracting the savings of Europeans, who are offered them by their managers after they have been purchased by large funds. The climate of war made the financing of rearmament “indispensable” and, to meet this need, financial instruments were created to channel collective savings, transforming everyone, more or less consciously, into financiers of the arms race. It should also be emphasized that these armaments are not exclusively destined for Europe: the main customers of the large European war industries are in fact located outside the continent, including Arab countries, Israel and other nations far from the borders of the Union.
So, European rearmament favors finance more than the European Union itself, considering that of the 457 billion euros already spent annually by the EU and the UK, more than half is used for the purchase of armaments produced in the United States. A significant detail: the Meloni government has proposed tax incentives for companies that decide to convert back to arms production. In practice, rearmament will not only burden the public accounts through increased interest on the debt, but also taxpayers, who will have to cover the costs of a further favor to Stellantis. On the other hand, with Europe under pressure, it seems almost inevitable that the Italians will have to make sacrifices to keep Elkann from getting upset and to prevent the big beneficiaries of the economic bubble from suffering too many losses. Re-armament Ursula, a plan costing almost a thousand billion euros, will be Europe’s economic grave.
There is money for everything, except for what is really needed.
The European plan “ReArm Europe”, presented by the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen and widely supported by the Member States, is based on a strongly militaristic vision. The initiative is based on the assumption that Europe is about to face a sort of Third World War against Russia and its allies, without being able to count on the support of the United States. This perspective seems more like a political fantasy that lacks concrete evidence. However, the rearmament strategy requires a narrative centered on defense against a possible Russian invasion, especially after the suspension of American aid to Ukraine. This implies a radical change, according to which Europeans should allocate most of their public spending and private capital to war production.
Peace demonstrations are quickly reinterpreted within a logic in which arming oneself becomes an obligation, almost a moral duty, considered as the only effective deterrent against war. This is a disastrous historical model, which has always led to devastating conflicts. Russia is described as an absolute enemy, with whom there can be no dealings until its final defeat. Consequently, any space for mediation or dialogue is eliminated, replaced by warmongering rhetoric that demonizes the adversary. This pragmatic attitude of the so-called “armed pacifists” ignores the fact that peace is built first and foremost by eliminating the “spirit of war” from international relations.
The deal.
• Trump White House Bets on Outbidding Denmark for Greenland (Sp.)
Denmark has vocally rejected Donald Trump’s claims to its autonomous territory, but the US President remains determined to take control of the island. Behind-the-scenes planning suggests US President Donald Trump’s Greenland dream isn’t just talk – it’s creeping into actual government policy, The Washington Post reported. The Trump administration is feverishly number-crunching to figure out the price tag for controlling the autonomous territory of Denmark, insiders told the outlet. The White House is:
• Calculating the cost of running the island, along with providing government services for its 58,000 residents.
• Trying to figure out the potential windfall from its natural resources.As for how to obtain Greenland, one option under analysis is to offer a sweeter deal to the government of Greenland than Denmark, which currently pumps about $600 million a year into the island. “The point is, ‘We’ll pay you more than Denmark does,’” one official reportedly said. Donald Trump has said repeatedly that the United States will “get” Greenland. “100 percent,” he told NBC News on Saturday. When asked whether a takeover might involve force, he quipped that there is a “good possibility that we could do it without military force” but that “I don’t take anything off the table.”
‘..isn’t ruling out’ okaying the Iranian proposal of having Oman serve as mediator for indirect negotiations..”
• US ‘Seriously Considering’ Iran’s Indirect Nuclear Talks Idea (Sp.)
President Trump threatened to bomb Iran in a manner “the likes of which they have never seen before” over the weekend, with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warning Monday that any aggression would be met with a “heavy blow in return.” The Trump administration considers direct talks like those proposed by the president in his letter to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to have ‘a higher chance of success’, but ‘isn’t ruling out’ okaying the Iranian proposal of having Oman serve as mediator for indirect negotiations, US officials informed on the deliberations said. “After the exchange of letters we are now exploring next steps in order to begin conversations and trust building with the Iranians,” an official told Axios.
“How could someone with such a limited grasp of reality possibly lead the UN for an entire year?”
• Zakharova Skewers Baerbock’s ‘Nightmare’ Bid for UNGA Chair (Sp.)
The German government plans to nominate Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock as its candidate for the chair of the UN General Assembly during the 2025-26 session, media reports indicated earlier.
Just envisioning Annalena Baerbock as chair of the UN General Assembly drew a snap response from Maria Zakharova.“How could someone with such a limited grasp of reality possibly lead the UN for an entire year? The number of diplomatic disasters she’s provoked – thanks to her own ignorance of history, diplomacy, and well, facts – would be enough to make any sane person cringe,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman. Amid reports that the German government plans to nominate Baerbock for the job it’s worth recalling that people labelled her the “world’s dumbest foreign minister” for her absurd claims, unprofessionalism expressed in harsh and meaningless statements, and constant mistakes.
“After I left [Putin’s] office, I said publicly that I expected very difficult times… Nobody believed me..”
• World Leaders Secretly Talking To Putin – Vucic (RT)
Several global leaders have secretly maintained contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite the Western campaign to isolate Moscow, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has claimed. In an interview with talk show host Mario Nawfal on Tuesday, Vucic said that he had not personally met his Russian counterpart since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. “When we agreed upon the fact that it was not done in adherence with international public law, I didn’t see Putin for three years,” he noted. However, many leaders maintained behind-the-scenes communication, Vucic alleged. “I know at least two big leaders that were speaking secretly to him – because, of course, I still have my friends in the Kremlin and in some other countries as well.”
While Vucic did not name the leaders who supposedly spoke with Putin behind the scenes, he stressed that it was not Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, or Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, all of whom have not concealed their communication with the Russian president. Vucic said that he would meet with Putin on May 9 during his visit to Moscow to attend the Victory Day parade marking the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II. The Serbian leader also reminisced about his last meeting with Putin in late 2021, mere weeks before hostilities erupted between Moscow and Kiev. “After I left [Putin’s] office, I said publicly that I expected very difficult times… Nobody believed me,” Vucic said. He explained that while the Russian leader usually speaks at length about events in the post-Soviet republics, this time the topic was exhausted in 45 seconds. “I knew he had made a decision,” Vucic said.
Nehammer held in-person talks with Putin over the Ukraine conflict in April 2022, later saying it was “not a friendly visit.” Orban came to Russia in July 2024 to further what he referred to as a “peace mission.” Meanwhile, the Putin-Fico talks in December focused on Ukraine’s refusal to extend the gas transit agreement with Russia. The issue had been a major concern for Slovakia, which is highly dependent on Russian energy. US President Donald Trump has also engaged with Putin in an effort to settle the Ukraine conflict. In addition, despite wide-ranging sanctions, Russia has continued to host major diplomatic and economic events, including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in July and the BRICS Forum in Kazan in October.
“One agent asked if another had “admonished” the colleague who nearly revealed the laptop’s authenticity to Big Tech companies. “yes but he wont [sic] shut up..”
• Unearthed FBI Chat Logs Reveal ‘Gag Order’ On Biden Laptop Exposé (HUSA)
Internal FBI chat logs revealed that the bureau imposed a “gag order” on agents regarding the New York Post bombshell story on the Hunter Biden laptop. Along with showing Hunter’s depravity, the laptop revealed Joe Biden’s involvement in his son’s foreign business dealings. The chat logs, published Tuesday by the House Judiciary Committee on X, show that the gag order extended to an FBI analyst who attempted to alert social media companies that the laptop was authentic—before these companies moved to censor the story’s spread.
https://twitter.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/1907098412652052870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1907098412652052870%7Ctwgr%5E3918bd76bfed706d44e012991e69f272741cbba0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zerohedge.com%2Fpolitical%2Funearthed-fbi-chat-logs-reveal-gag-order-biden-laptop-expose
On Oct. 14, 2020, the New York Post released its first story on the laptop’s content. That same day, FBI officials instructed agents, “please do not discuss Biden matter.” Earlier chats show a group of agents—including Laura Dehmlow, Bradley Benavides and James Dennehy—debating the Post’s story. “You guys are tracking the coverage of the laptop right?” Dehmlow wrote. Both Benavides and Dennehy replied affirmatively. Later, agents whose names remain sealed sent messages stating, “right answer – nobody on call is is [sic] authorized to comment upon NY Post story” and “nobody [is] authorized to comment.” One agent asked if another had “admonished” the colleague who nearly revealed the laptop’s authenticity to Big Tech companies. “yes but he wont [sic] shut up,” one response read.
Hours later, agents reiterated that they were forbidden from commenting on the laptop story, with messages like “official response no commen [sic] and “we cannot comment.” A previous transcribed interview with Dehmlow revealed that during a Zoom meeting with Big Tech, an FBI agent was interrupted before he could confirm the laptop was real and already in the bureau’s possession. The FBI had verified the laptop in 2019 by cross-referencing its serial number with Hunter’s iCloud storage, FBI special agent Erika Jensen stated during Hunter’s criminal trial in 2024. Despite this verification, the bureau remained silent while social media companies debated whether the Post’s story was tied to a Russian disinformation campaign.
https://twitter.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/1907098420164043062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1907098420164043062%7Ctwgr%5E3918bd76bfed706d44e012991e69f272741cbba0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zerohedge.com%2Fpolitical%2Funearthed-fbi-chat-logs-reveal-gag-order-biden-laptop-expose
Notably, the FBI had warned them weeks earlier of an imminent “hack-and-leak” story about the 2020 election, leading many to mistakenly equate that warning with the laptop exposé. The laptop revealed that while Hunter failed to pay millions in taxes, he also consumed drugs, paid for prostitutes and launched what Republicans call an “influence-peddling scheme” aimed at selling access—or at least the appearance of access—to Joe Biden in exchange for payments. According to the laptop, 10% of these payments were earmarked for the “Big Guy,” a term confirmed by former Biden ally Devon Archer to refer to Joe Biden. Biden went on to win the 2020 election, and before leaving office in 2025, he issued sweeping pardons to his siblings and Hunter, covering offenses committed between 2014 and 2025.
“NGO” and “money-laundering” are almost synonymous.”
• Elon Musk Calls For Arrest Of ‘Fake NGO’ Leaders (NYP)
Elon Musk on Tuesday called for the arrest of leaders of “fake” organizations that receive federal funds — saying they represent a politically connected “uniparty” that’s engaged in “money laundering” of taxpayer resources. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief’s call for legal action comes as he spearheads efforts to trim annual federal spending by $1 trillion to halve the deficit. “With respect to the non-governmental organizations, these sort of fake NGOs, I think there needs to be a number of arrests,” Musk said in an interview on Fox News’ “The Five.” “These are fake charities [run by] mostly Democrats … there’s sometimes a little bit of Republican in there, because they sometimes throw the Republicans a bone to say, ‘Hey, be quiet about this.’ So that’s where you start getting the uniparty thing going on,” Musk said.
“But it is overwhelmingly to Democrats, and they give these billions of dollars to NGOs run by Democrats that then go through a whole network of additional NGOs — it’s a giant money laundering scheme. Really at this point, I think the word NGO and money laundering are almost synonymous.” The term “uniparty” is commonly used by President Trump’s supporters to describe politicians of both major parties who hold similar opinions on government operations, spending and foreign policy — generally in opposition to Trump’s populist agenda. Musk does not have the power to order criminal investigations, but his immense influence could elevate the idea among Trump’s appointees at the Justice Department and in US attorneys’ offices. “The wheels of justice turn slowly, but surely,” Musk said. “I have a maniacal sense of urgency.”
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO and owner of X, who is leading DOGE as an unpaid government employee, did not mention any specific NGO or allegedly corrupt operator. Republicans recently have highlighted a $2 billion environmental grant awarded last year by the Biden administration to a consortium of organizations linked to former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who advised on the effort to win the funds. Abrams maintains she did not personally benefit financially, including because the money has not been disbursed and she has left her job at one of the partnering organizations.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin tweeted last week that “[t]he DOJ/FBI are investigating” that award. Musk also said on “The Five” that he believes authorities will arrest a person “hopefully this week” for allegedly stealing 400,000 Social Security numbers. He gave the interview to urge Wisconsin voters to turn out to vote in a state judicial election Tuesday that he says could dictate the fate of the House of Representatives following the midterm elections next year. If Democratic judges redraw congressional districts there and deliver a win for the party, “the House will then immediately take action to stop the president’s agenda,” he said. “There will be non-stop hearings and subpoenas.”
“..what do Democrats like Fahy now stand for when everything they are is now defined by those they hate?”
• Democrats Attack Musk and Everything that They Once Believed in (Turley)
In this “Age of Rage, it is common for people to become the very thing that they despise in others, jettisoning their most cherished values to strike out at those they hate. Since the election, Democrats have shown that very self-destructive quality of rage in adopting anti-immigrant, anti-free speech, anti-labor, and even anti-environmental positions to get at Donald Trump or his supporters. It consumes every part of a person. It is addictive, and it is contagious. What these rage addicts will not admit, however, is that they like it; they need it. This time, they are targeting Elon Musk, whose dealerships, charging stations, and customers have been hit by political violence from the left. While other billionaires from George Soros to Mark Zuckerberg have spent big on elections for the left, Musk is somehow uniquely evil because he gives money to Republicans and supports the Trump Administration.
This scorched Earth campaign was evident this week in New York, where democratic legislators are again moving to weaponize state laws for political purposes — just like they did with Trump. New York state Sen. Pat Fahy (D-Albany) is pledging to bar Musk from direct sales in the state. Notably, Fahy has been a longtime advocate of electric vehicles. The move will make it more difficult not just for Musk but other EV dealers to survive, but climate change policies be damned. Fahy and her colleagues want to get at Musk in any way they can. Fahy explained, “No matter what we do, we’ve got to take this from Elon Musk. He’s part of an effort to go backwards.”
The move is not unique:
* The left decries political violence like January 6th but is largely silent as Teslas are set on fire and Cybertrucks are covered with graffiti. It promote boycotts and rallies with a wink at the vandals. As the violence increases around the country, the left has held protests featuring signs like “Burn a Tesla, Save Democracy.”
* Democrats have made the defense of immigration a core issue and have objected even to the use of the term “illegal” or “unlawful” to refer to those crossing the Southern border. Yet, they have attacked Musk due to his status as a naturalized citizen. He is denounced as a “foreigner” “meddling” in our government. Some questioned Musk’s loyalty because he is a naturalized American.
* Those who insist that they believe in free speech are supporting censorship and opposing Musk for restoring free speech protections on X.
* In California, labor advocates oppose expanded operations from SpaceX that would benefit workers in the state. California Coastal Commissioner Gretchen Newsom tried to block increased SpaceX launches despite their benefit for both the California economy and national security. Because he “aggressively injected himself into the presidential race,” it does not mater that this would cost money and labor opportunities. Retaliation for “hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods” was more important.Still, the greatest hypocrisy may be found in the Democrats’ willingness to abandon environmental priorities for political revenge. It is a contest of virtue-signaling. Fighting for Mother Earth is fine on most days, but nothing compares to destroying Elon Musk. Lawmakers and advocates are also pressuring pension funds to divest from Tesla while trying to force Tesla showrooms to close — at the cost of New York jobs. Tesla is an American company making and selling cars in this country. It sells more electric vehicles in the US and New York than any other manufacturer. Yet it must now be destroyed because, unlike a Soros or a Zuckerberg, Musk’s political views are not acceptable to the left. Tesla was allowed to operate five locations to directly sell to consumers under a 2014 deal because it was viewed as good for New York jobs, the New York economy, and, most importantly, the environment.
None of that matters now. Fahy explained, “The bottom line is, Tesla has lost their right to promote these when they’re part of an administration that wants to go backwards. Elon Musk was handed a privilege here.” It also does not matter that companies like Rivian and Lucid (and their employees) will be caught in the crossfire. Nothing matters but revenge. Many Democrats seem to have lost a capacity for shame. They are disgusted only by the refusal of others to yield to their demands, not the use of any means to achieve political ends. The question is, what do Democrats like Fahy now stand for when everything they are is now defined by those they hate?
Probably nothing
It's probably nothing, right guys? pic.twitter.com/w9yNSa4kzW
— Forgotten History (@4biddntruth) March 31, 2025
Happer
https://twitter.com/freedom_rsrch/status/1907415754976178577
https://twitter.com/freedom_rsrch/status/1906730657474101531
Play
This sheep learned to calculate its strength to play without hurting the child.❤️ pic.twitter.com/v4jxg7zn0Y
— The Figen (@TheFigen_) April 1, 2025
Girls
https://twitter.com/TheFigen_/status/1907195411833516248
Coops
https://twitter.com/Farm_With_Art/status/1907394250716705135
iVM
Remember the ivermectin man? pic.twitter.com/InKlx0HpRT
— illuminatibot (@iluminatibot) April 1, 2025
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