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Debt Rattle July 5 2025

Jul 052025
 
 July 5, 2025  Posted by at 9:00 am Finance Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,  36 Responses »


Paul Gauguin Sheperd and sheperdess in a meadow 1888

 

• Putin-Trump Meeting Necessary – Kremlin (RT)
• Trump To Reinstate Sweeping Tariffs (RT)
• Trump Has Quiet Meeting with Saudi Defense Minister, MbS Younger Brother (CTH)
• Trump Eases Russia Sanctions – But EU Is Too Eager To Strangle Itself (Marsden)
• Trump Expects Hamas Answer In 24 Hours On ‘Final’ Peace Proposal (ZH)
• July 4, 2025 Finds Americans More Enslaved than Ever (Paul Craig Roberts)
• The Fourth of July (James Howard Kunstler)
• UK Gov’t Preparing For Civil War, Using Russian Invasion Threat As Cover (MN)
• Trump’s Golden Dome Plans Fuel Fourfold Jump in Patriot Missile Buying (Sp.)
• Trump Announces White House UFC Fight (RT)
• Kiev Can’t Turn Tide On Battlefield – Spy Chief (RT)
• Germany Looking To Secretly Buy US Arms For Ukraine – Bild (RT)
• Germany Plans Six-Month Military Service – Reuters (RT)
• Ethiopia Declares Completion Of Dam Debated With Egypt and Sudan (RT)

 

 

1,000 voices decry the “terrible” impact of the Big Beautiful Bill. Economist Daniel Lacalle has a very different opinion.

Tucker

As per James Woods.

Fourth

Ramallah

 

 

Hassett

 

 

 

 

“..both leaders have repeatedly stressed that such a meeting would require extensive preparations..”

Putin’s conditions are abundantly clear. They’ve grown over a decade. Paul Craig Roberts said it well this week: “What percentage of the Western population understands that the Kremlin was forced to intervene in the Russian provinces in Ukraine in order to prevent a Gaza-type destruction of Russian people?”

Trump must realize that if he wants to make a -peace- deal. I’m not sure he does.

• Putin-Trump Meeting Necessary – Kremlin (RT)

A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump is necessary but has to be well prepared, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Friday. His comments came after the two leaders held their sixth phone call the day before. According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, during their nearly one-hour long conversation, Trump and Putin discussed a wide range of issues, including the Ukraine conflict, the situation in the Middle East, and Russia-US cooperation. Asked to comment on plans to hold an in-person summit of the two presidents, Peskov stated that both sides acknowledge that such a meeting is “necessary” and that there is readiness on both sides to make it happen.

Peskov recalled, however, that both leaders have repeatedly stressed that such a meeting would require extensive preparations. The Kremlin had previously stated on multiple occasions that the timing of a Putin-Trump summit depends on Washington’s own initiative and has insisted that such a meeting would have to be “result-oriented.” Trump described Thursday’s phone call as “pretty long,” and stated that the two leaders talked about “a lot of things, including Iran.” However, the US president expressed frustration that he “didn’t make any progress” with Putin over the Ukraine conflict and the establishment of a ceasefire.

The Kremlin has since confirmed that the US president urged Putin to cease hostilities as soon as possible, while the latter reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to negotiate. According to Ushakov, Putin stressed that Russia intends to achieve the primary goals of its military operation, which is “the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs.” Russia “will not back down from these goals,” the presidential aide said.

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There will be some very unhappy faces.

• Trump To Reinstate Sweeping Tariffs (RT)

US President Donald Trump has said his administration will begin notifying trading partners of new tariffs on their exports, as he prepares to reinstate tariffs that were paused for trade talks, which are set to expire next week. Since returning to office in January, Trump has launched a tariff campaign aimed at protecting US manufacturers. The campaign culminated on April 2 with a set of measures on what he called ‘Liberation Day’, including a blanket 10% tariff on all imports and steeper rates for goods from China, Mexico, Canada, and the EU. Some of the tariffs were paused for 90 days to allow negotiations, which are now due to end on July 9. Speaking to reporters early Friday, Trump said “10 or 12” notification letters would be sent that day, with more to follow “over the next few days.”

“By the ninth they’ll be fully covered,” he said, referring to the deadline for countries to reach deals and avoid higher import tariffs. “They’ll range in value from maybe 60% or 70% tariffs to 10% and 20% tariffs.” Trump said smaller countries would be notified later, with tariffs taking effect from August 1. “It’s a lot of money for the country, but we’re giving them a bargain,” he added, without naming specific countries or sectors. Earlier this week, he ruled out extending talks. The US has so far reached agreements with the UK and Vietnam, and declared a truce with China after previous tariffs sparked a trade war that shook global markets. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday that Washington was close to a high-level framework deal with the EU that could avert 50% tariffs on the bloc’s exports next week.

Trump has long accused the EU of unfair trade practices, arguing that the bloc’s regulatory framework fuels the transatlantic trade imbalance. EU trade ministers have criticized the UK-US deal – which keeps a 10% baseline tariff on British exports while easing tariffs on steel and cars – and warned of possible retaliation unless the bloc secures better terms. Bessent said around 100 countries could face a minimum 10% rate, though further deals are likely. “I think we’re going to see a lot of action over the coming days,” he told Bloomberg. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned this week that the tariffs could disrupt global supply chains and drag growth down to 2.9% through 2026.

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He’s not sitting still much, is he? Interesting dynamics here.

• Trump Has Quiet Meeting with Saudi Defense Minister, MbS Younger Brother (CTH)

It was reported last night that President Trump held a quiet meeting with Saudi Arabia Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in the White House Thursday. This meeting is reported to cover discussions around de-escalation with Iran, the conflict in Gaza and what comes next. The meeting also comes on the heels of President Trump having a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and work throughout the middle-east region by President Trump Emissary Steve Witkoff and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. (Via Fox News) “Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman secretly met with President Donald Trump and other key officials in the White House on Thursday to discuss de-escalation efforts with Iran, multiple sources confirmed with Fox News. Khalid, also known as KBS, is the younger brother of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

[…] The talks were also reportedly about ending the war in Gaza and negotiating the release of the remaining hostages – whether dead or alive – and about working toward peace in the Middle East. (more) Previously it was reported by Israeli media that President Trump was working on a comprehensive solution to Gaza that would encompass peace in the middle-east by normalizing ties with Israel, isolating Iran and giving them fewer options for regional instability. Expanding the Abraham Accords provides the diplomatic vehicle for this approach.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House on Monday, July 7th. It is strongly rumored that Syria and Lebanon would soon join the Abraham Accords, with the possibility of Saudi Arabia joining thereafter. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is a key figure hoping to bring a new era to the middle east absent of conflict and focused on prosperity. According to Israel Hayom, there was a 4-way call (Trump, Netanyahu, Rubio, Dermer) after the Iran strikes. President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to “fundamental principles in general terms” including:

• “Gaza hostilities will conclude within two weeks.” • Four Arab nations (including Egypt and the UAE) will administer the Gaza Strip, replacing the murderous Hamas terrorist organization.” • “The remaining Hamas leadership will face exile to other countries (possibly Qatar and Turkey), while the hostages gain freedom.” • “Multiple nations globally will accept numerous Gaza inhabitants seeking emigration.” • “Abraham Accords expansion will bring Syria, Saudi Arabia, and additional Arab and Muslim countries to recognize Israel and establish official relationships.” • “Israel will declare its willingness for future Palestinian conflict resolution under the ‘two states’ concept, contingent upon the Palestinian Authority reforms.” • “The United States will acknowledge limited Israeli sovereignty implementation in Judea and Samaria.”

Saudi Arabia was previously on the cusp of signing up to the Abraham Accords, but retreated from the agreement when the Israeli-Hamas war erupted within Gaza. It would not be surprising to see them come back to that agreement with President Trump’s guidance and request. If we think about the status of Syria, we can clearly see how President Trump has enticed the new Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa to the peace table based on economic benefits (sanctions removed). In fact there are large billboards all over Tel Aviv thanking President Trump for his efforts in the embattled nation. It is rather remarkable. Put all that together, and yes there are significant indications well beyond the report by Israel Hayom that something rather remarkable is possible within the middle-east and specifically as they relate to Israel.

With Iran now effectively removed from their ability to antagonize the region, and with President Trump as the enforcer to stop their extremist tendencies, the path toward regional peace seems much more likely. This opens the door for a new era in mid-east politics. (VIA WSJ) – […] Ms. House compares MBS to the 17th-century Russian czar Peter the Great, and the comparison is apt. Both men are best understood as modernizing autocrats, driven to shake up traditional societies and so enable them to withstand the competition and stress of a rapidly changing geopolitical scene. Like Peter, who built St. Petersburg to serve as Russia’s bridge to the West, MBS hopes that his new city—known as Neom—will make Saudi Arabia a dominant force in technological innovation. And like Peter, who asserted political control over the Russian Orthodox church and personally shaved the beards of aristocrats resisting modernization, MBS has ruthlessly imposed his vision on both religious and tribal leaders skeptical of change.

[…] While earlier rulers took small steps to wean the economy from oil, MBS believes the time for half-measures has passed. Saudi Arabia, as MBS grasped years ago, cannot live by oil alone. But to lessen its dependence on oil, the social contract between Saudi citizens and their government has to change. New sources of revenue, like tourism, will have to supplement oil wealth. New industries, like data centers, will need to be welcomed into the kingdom, and new cities to house them will either have to grow from existing ones or, like Neom, be invented.(more) If you think about the geopolitics behind much of the global conflict you may identify the U.S, U.K and EU as the historic source of influential instability. In the big picture BRICS was created as an economic hedge against this troubling influence, an alternative alignment of partners.

With U.S. President Donald J Trump challenging and changing the objectives of the ‘western alliance’, and indeed fracturing the western trade markets and the underlying economics therein, a new picture begins to emerge. A strategic USA political and economic realignment based on peace, growth and independent stability, can unite America, Russia, Saudi Arabia and many emerging economies. However, the old financial guards within the UK, EU, Japan, Canada, Australia will likely fight this geopolitical shakeup. All of that said, the ‘old guards’ biggest weapon to fight back against a global economic and peace realignment would be their control over the western-developed intelligence networks. Is that the dynamic we have been seeing? When contrast against visible recent events, that is a very interesting question to ponder.

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“We were just fine running on Russian oil and gas until you snatched it away like a juice box from a toddler. Now you’re scolding us for not pulling new energy out of thin air? Fine. We’re going nuclear. With Russia.”

• Trump Eases Russia Sanctions – But EU Is Too Eager To Strangle Itself (Marsden)

Looks like Washington is about to steal the EU’s lunch. Again. The Trump administration just lifted sanctions on a Russian-led nuclear project in Hungary, specifically one run by Moscow’s atomic energy titan, Rosatom. “The administration of President Trump has lifted this sanction. This made it possible to guarantee the safety of Hungary’s energy supply in the long term. Finally, there is a kind of presidential administration in the United States which respects the reality of the map, takes it into account,” said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. “We are not a country with a large number of oil and natural gas factories surrounded by dry land. Thus, our sustainable, cheap and safe electricity supply can only be provided by nuclear energy.”

Translation: “Listen up, you overcaffeinated Brussels bureaucrats running this group project from hell. We were just fine running on Russian oil and gas until you snatched it away like a juice box from a toddler. Now you’re scolding us for not pulling new energy out of thin air? Fine. We’re going nuclear. With Russia.” Enter Paks 2, Hungary’s next-gen nuclear project, pronounced “Paksh” as in “Paksh me another reactor, Vladimir.” This Rosatom-led deal was frozen under Biden-era sanctions. Now with Trump back, Hungary’s firing it up again. Hungary’s original Paks plant already supplies half the country’s electricity. Paks 2 will boost that to 70% by the 2030s and replace 3.5 billion cubic meters of gas annually – or enough to power Brussels’ virtue-signaling and moral-outrage generators for a week. It would also slash Hungary’s carbon emissions by 17 million tons, which theoretically should earn Budapest a climate gold star from Brussels.

But a few weeks back, Hungary smelled another bad idea brewing in Brussels. This time, it was sanctions on nuclear fuel. Because when you’re already dealing with a self-imposed gas crisis, the next logical step is obviously to kneecap your nuclear options, too. “If the European Commission and Brussels banned Central European countries, including Hungary, from purchasing fuel from Russia, this would have tragic consequences not only for Hungary, but for the entire European energy market,” Szijjarto warned back in May of the nuclear fuel side-eye. Meanwhile, in Brussels, EU leaders have been busy crafting their 18th round of Russia sanctions. That’s right – 18. The sanctions now have more sequels than the Fast & Furious movie franchise. At this rate, someone should build a sanctions-themed roller coaster and amusement park. Then it could just stay closed under the pretext that it’s too expensive to power.

And while EU politicians perform their best moral-grandstanding monologues on the world stage, European companies are sneaking around backstage making nuclear deals with Russia anyway. Leading the pack is France’s Framatome, which is co-partnering with Rosatom on the very same Paks 2 project. Framatome’s role has actually expanded thanks to Germany kneecapping itself, as has become routine. The Greens in the previous coalition government blocked Siemens Energy’s involvement. Just what German industry needed – another self-inflicted wound. And Framatome isn’t just supplying the process control systems for Rosatom. The two have also signed a broader deal to produce nuclear fuel – in Germany. Don’t mess this up, Berlin! Spoiler alert: Odds are pretty good that it probably will.

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Or what? You’re going to kill the children?

• Trump Expects Hamas Answer In 24 Hours On ‘Final’ Peace Proposal (ZH)

President Donald Trump announced Friday that it would likely become clear within 24 hours whether Hamas would accept what he described as a “final proposal” for a ceasefire with Israel in Gaza. He also mentioned in the fresh statement that he had discussions with Saudi Arabia about broadening the Abraham Accords, in reference to the normalization agreements between Israel and certain Gulf nations established during his first term in office. On Tuesday Trump said that Israel had agreed to the terms required for a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which both sides would aim to work toward ending the lengthy war which has been raging in the wake of the Oct.7, 2023 terror attacks. A Hamas official on Thursday told the BBC that the Palestinian militant group is now “ready and serious” to reach a deal if it ended the war.

That was in reaction to President Trump having said that Israel has agreed to the “necessary conditions” to finalize the proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. Trump said the US would “work with all parties to end the War” – in a post on Truth Social. However, no details have been given on this particular ceasefire plan. Israel has not confirmed it agreed to any specific conditions as of yet. “I hope… that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better – IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” Trump wrote. But what will the consequences be if Hamas refuses – more bombing of the Gaza Strip? Some details revealed in Israeli media have been presented as follows: According to an unsourced Channel 12 report Thursday, Trump has offered a direct guarantee to Hamas that if it agrees to the so-called Witkoff framework — which includes the release of 10 living hostages in two phases and 18 bodies in three phases over the course of a 60-day ceasefire — the US will ensure efforts continue to reach a lasting end to the conflict.

Israel is also believed to be under heavy US pressure to clinch a ceasefire deal ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington for talks with Trump next week. The prime minister is set to visit the White House on Monday. Trump also said Friday that Gazans have “been through hell” and that “I want the people of Gaza to be safe.” But he didn’t directly answer when a reporter asked if the US is still considering taking any security responsibility over the Gaza Strip as part of the proposed truce plan. The plan that the Trump administration floated in February included the permanent relocation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and turning the land into a Mediterranean resort destination. No Arab or neighboring nation has stepped forward to say they would accept more Palestinian refugees. Almost all regional states have historically absorbed at least tens or hundreds of thousands. American security contractors are currently present in the Gaza Strip, controversially as part of a US and Israeli-backed humanitarian aid distribution program.

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“Who will liberate us from Israel?”

• July 4, 2025 Finds Americans More Enslaved than Ever (Paul Craig Roberts)

Today we will be treated to fireworks and speeches celebrating our liberation from the British in the latter part of the 18th century. It is a false celebration, because many of our cherished freedoms described in the Constitution have been taken away, and in place of the British we have a new master–Israel–a master whose grip tightens on us by the year. In the 21st century we have destroyed a number of countries for Israel, financed and provided the weapons and diplomatic over for Israel’s genocide of Palestine, and celebrated Israel’s indicted mass murderer leader with standing ovations in the US Congress. President Trump speaks of the mass murderer as if he is the greatest person on earth. The US might yet be forced by Israel into war with Iran.

Red states such as Florida and Texas have passed laws against US citizens speaking or acting disapprovingly of Israel. No such laws exist protecting US gentiles from politically incorrect words and protests. US universities have lost to the Israel Lobby the ability to govern themselves. The Israel Lobby was able to reach inside a Catholic university and block the tenure of Norman Finkelstein, himself a Jew, and to reach inside the University of Illinois to cancel the tenure granted to Steven Salaita.

Presidents of Ivy League universities were hauled before the US Congress and upbraided for not preventing students from protesting Israel’s genocide of the Palestinians. Some were forced to resign. A rule was imposed on the universities that students who protest Israel must be suspended or expelled. If they are foreign students, they are picked up and deported. Christian Zionists worship Israel, not Christ, and are indoctrinated with the conviction that God’s purpose for America is to serve as Israel’s protector. The British never had such control over their American colony. Far from being a free and independent people, Americans are the two-bit punk puppet of their Israeli master. Who will liberate us from Israel?

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“I can negotiate with a man who wants to make money. I can’t negotiate with a communist who wants to kill me.” — Josh Lippincott on “X”

• The Fourth of July (James Howard Kunstler)

O, Norman Rockwell, where are you when we really need you? Forgive us, Emma Lazarus, our second thoughts about those huddled masses yearning to breathe free. . . the wretched refuse of your teeming shore(s). That was then and this is now. O, beautiful for spacious skies (but, why so many contrails criss-crossing overhead from the New York Island to the gulf stream waters?). O, land of tattooed grandmas, hostages of the tiny screens, the sexually confounded, the illiterate and innumerate, the lawless and the feckless, brainwashed youth marinated in Marx, the deranged, befuddled, the bought-off, the bug-eyed and bewildered, the lame, the halt, the addicts, grifters, hustlers, porn-stars, drugstore cowboys, alpha dogs, beta boys, shrieking Karens, and sundry victims of future-shock — wither, this hallowed experiment in nationhood?

Wouldn’t you like to know? In the meantime, husk that corn and flip them burgers! Turn them wieners! Mash your guacamole, pop another frostie, pass the Jack, lock-and-load, and mind those hovering drones! It is the 249th birthday of what remains of our country! Respect and thanks, ye ancestors! At least, there is Mr. Trump in command now, not Norman Bates’s mother (or whatever decrepitating thing pretended to rule from the White House those previous four years of anarchy and agony). Daddy’s in da house — finally! — and things are being put in order against all odds. Yeah, you’re gonna clean up your damn room, or else! For many, this is a yuge relief. The rest of you, with your “No Kings” fake revolution, your Antifa monkey business, your mean girl psychodramas, your trans psychosis, your childless despair, your occult Gramscian schemes of destruction — please report back to the margins, where you belong.

The struggle to get normal again is epic and harsh. And, of course, many will deny that there ever was such a state of being, of minding your business in the purest sense of the phrase, acting like responsible, self-respecting, autonomous adults. In the immortal words of Aimee Mann, better wise-up. Childhood ends; something else begins. Take yourself seriously for a change, but keep your heart light, ready for the jokes that travail always presents. After all, nothing is funnier than unhappiness.

To get back to normal, to shed the burden of absurdities we’ve been heaped with, requires an accounting. You know this. Matter of fact, the absence of such an accounting has been bugging you no end. A whole lot of pain and suffering was inflicted across this land in recent years and barely a soul has had to do any ‘splainin’. It rankles badly. When, if ever, will these vicious, seditionist goons who turned the nation inside-out and upside-down be compelled to sit at the defendant’s table in a court of law?

I have a theory. The right dawgs, you well-know, have been in position for months. They understand the conspiracy hatched ten years ago through-and-through. Mr. Patel, remember, ran Chairman Devon Nunes investigation of the nascent RussiaRussiaRussia hoax in 2017 as senior counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and helped draft the “Nunes Letter,” much abused by the perfidious news media, that laid out the plot by Brennan, Clapper, Comey, Obama & Company to smother Donald Trump’s newborn presidency in its crib.

Through some alchemy of mass political psychosis, that conspiracy has rolled on for a whole decade, one malice-driven prank after another. It continues to this day, an evermore rearguard action conducted by Deep state rogues and their public mouthpiece, Norm Eisen of Lawfare, Inc. Dan Bongino, now at Mr. Patel’s right-hand, chronicled that long march of treason in several books while he conducted daily podcast discourses on the workings of it all. “Remember the names,” he always said. Danny Boombatz remembers the names.

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“Low trust, highly fractured, and highly politically factionalised which is leading us increasingly inevitably into civil conflict.”

• UK Gov’t Preparing For Civil War, Using Russian Invasion Threat As Cover (MN)

A prominent academic in London has warned that the UK government is actively preparing for the break out of a civil war, but is using the “logically absurd” cover of a Russian invasion to put contingencies in place. Pointing to remarks made in the 2025 National Security Strategy paper last month, Professor David Betz of King’s College London has suggested that the British government is using the phantom threat of a foreign attack in order to harden critical national infrastructure against sabotage. “For the first time in many years, we have to actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat,” the Whitehall paper noted, adding that “critical national infrastructure – including undersea cables, energy pipelines, transportation and logistics hubs” are a major target.

During a discussion with Professor Lewis Halsey, Professor Betz, a modern war expert recently stated “there is growing apprehension about the security of Britain, the security of its infrastructure specifically, and about the potential for active conflict at home in a very direct manner, effecting people in a very direct manner.” “But that’s not external in origin, that’s internal, and that has to do with the way our society is now configured, it is highly fractured,” Betz continued, adding “Low trust, highly fractured, and highly politically factionalised which is leading us increasingly inevitably into civil conflict.” Betz further outlined how the Russian threat is being amplified as a cover story. “The fact of the matter is there is a great distance between us and Russia… we are not militarily threatened in a direct way on the ground by any obvious external enemy, even Russia,” Betz outlined.

“Which isn’t to say there aren’t things which Russia could do to attack the UK should they wish to, but one of those is not occupying the village green with Russian soldiers, that simply, frankly, is a rather bizarre assertion,” he contended. “What they’re concerned about is domestic conflict, and they perfectly understand this, but that’s completely politically toxic for them to say so publicly, hence the convenience of saying ‘we need to develop… a citizen’s militia for the protection of critical infrastructure’,” Betz further noted.

“To say that we’re doing this against the potential of Russian attack, which is frankly a logically absurd proposition, but it is convenient as a pretext,” he emphasised. Betz also recently posited that many European countries are on the verge of civil war and may already be past the point of no return. He says his research shows there is a statistically significant chance of a civil war breaking out within five years in a major European country, with a distinct possibility that the conflict could spill over to neighbouring Nations.

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“.. the average unit cost for these interceptors is around $3.871 million.”

• Trump’s Golden Dome Plans Fuel Fourfold Jump in Patriot Missile Buying (Sp.)

The US Army plans to dramatically boost its procurement of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors target by four times, from 3,376 to 13,773 missiles, as US President Donald Trump pushes forward ambitious Golden Dome for America initiative amid suspension of military aid to Ukraine. The MSE missile, a critical component of Trump’s defense concept, is a “hit-to-kill” interceptor missile designed to destroy incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft through direct impact. According to the US Army’s budget report, the average unit cost for these interceptors is around $3.871 million.

“The Army Requirements Oversight Council Memorandum (AROCM) approved a PAC-3 MSE AAO/APO increase from 3,376 to 13,773 on 16 April 2025,” a Sputnik correspondent’s analysis of the Pentagon’s FY 2026 budget report revealed. This significant leap in the Army’s acquisition objective for these critical interceptors appears to be a direct consequence of the strategic emphasis placed on missile defense by the Golden Dome initiative, indicating a concerted effort to rapidly build up the necessary arsenal. According to the US Army’s budget report, its Fiscal Year 2026 request for PAC-3 MSE missiles totals over $1.31 billion. This amount comprises $945.9 million in discretionary funds and an additional $366 million in mandatory (reconciliation) funds, which specifically procure 96 extra MSE missiles for FY 2026.

The $945.9 million in discretionary funding for FY 2026 includes $549.57 million earmarked for 130 base procurement MSE Missiles. An additional $396.335 million, supporting the procurement of 103 missiles, comes from Overseas Operations Cost (OOC) funding specifically for Operation Atlantic Resolve (OAR), a US government initiative providing military assistance to Ukraine. On Monday, US media reported that the Pentagon paused deliveries of certain air defense missiles and precision munitions to Ukraine over concerns that the US’s own stock was running critically low. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly confirmed the halt in supplies to NBC News, stating that the decision prioritized US interests.

Trump formally unveiled his ambitious “Golden Dome” missile defense concept on May 20, envisioning an “impenetrable shield” over the US against advanced missile threats. This expansive program is set for a major legislative boost, with Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which allocates $25 billion for integrated air and missile defense, expected to be signed into law this week.

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Strangely, but fitting.

• Trump Announces White House UFC Fight (RT)

US President Donald Trump has announced plans to host a UFC title fight at the White House as part of next year’s America250 celebrations. He added that up to 25,000 people could attend. Speaking at a rally in Iowa on Thursday, Trump outlined a number of activities planned for the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, saying it will be “a birthday party the likes of which you have never seen before.” The celebrations will include both professional and amateur events at national parks, battlefields, and historic sites, as well as a sports tournament called the Patriot Games featuring high school athletes from all 50 states.

Trump surprised the audience by saying: “We’re going to have a UFC fight – think of this – on the grounds of the White House.” He added that there is “a lot of land there” and that the event would be “a championship fight, full fight, like 20,000 to 25,000 people,” with UFC CEO Dana White organizing the event. Details about the exact location on the White House grounds and the timeline for the UFC event have yet to be disclosed. The announcement has already drawn attention for its unconventional nature and has sparked debate among critics and supporters. Many Trump fans have praised the idea on social media, calling it bold and uniquely American.

One user on X called it “one for the history books.” Another said the fight will make the US Semiquincentennial “legendary.” Several users have said the proposed fight is “nothing new,” noting that former US President Theodore Roosevelt set up a dojo in the White House to practice martial arts and even held a jiu-jitsu demonstration in the East Room. Others responded with ridicule. “This is straight out of Idiocracy,” one critic wrote, referring to the 2006 dystopian comedy film that depicts a future America overwhelmed by anti-intellectualism and spectacle. Another user suggested that the White House might next host “midget wrestling in the East Room.”

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“..the principle that “wherever the foot of the Russian soldier steps is ours..”

• Kiev Can’t Turn Tide On Battlefield – Spy Chief (RT)

Kiev lacks the ability to push Russian forces back, Kirill Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency HUR, has acknowledged, asserting that only negotiations can meaningfully alter the course of the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently remarked that military logic often requires occupying territories while not formally claiming them. He added that historically Russia operated on the principle that “wherever the foot of the Russian soldier steps is ours,” in the sense of defending national interests. Asked to respond to Putin’s comments in an interview this week, Budanov said the Russian president was militarily accurate.

“Wherever they reach will be under their control. Do you think there is anyone who does not realize that? I hope everyone does,” Budanov said, while still urging Ukrainians to comply with conscription and fulfill their duty by fighting Russia. He said he did not anticipate major changes on the battlefield, where Russian forces continue to make incremental advances. Significant developments, he added, would likely not occur “at least until peace talks are concluded.” Since the 2014 Western-backed uprising in Kiev, five Ukrainian regions have voted to secede and join Russia, four of them after the escalation in 2022. Moscow has cited Kiev’s use of military force in Donbass and its sabotage of a negotiated roadmap for reintegrating the Donbass regions as key triggers for the ongoing hostilities.

Vladimir Zelensky rejected a proposed peace deal in 2022 that would have curtailed Ukraine’s NATO aspirations. Instead, he opted to pursue a military solution backed by Western arms donors. Zelensky has maintained that only the full restoration of all territories claimed by Kiev would be acceptable to his government. Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine resumed earlier this year in Istanbul under pressure from the US. The administration of President Donald Trump has indicated that Kiev will need to agree to some form of territorial compromise to reach a resolution. Zelensky has conceded that Ukraine cannot achieve a military victory and is urging the West to intensify sanctions on Moscow in hopes of forcing it to yield diplomatically.

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Secretely? Why?

• Germany Looking To Secretly Buy US Arms For Ukraine – Bild (RT)

Germany wants to agree a “secret deal” with the US to buy two Patriot air defense systems in order to hand them over to Ukraine, Bild has reported, citing government sources.vSeveral US media outlets claimed earlier this week that Washington had paused deliveries of various critical munitions to Kiev, including Patriot and Hellfire missiles, GMLRS rockets, and thousands of 155mm artillery shells. The White House later confirmed that supplies of some weapons have been halted, saying the “decision was made to put America’s interests first.”vThe freeze in deliveries is “causing alarm” in Berlin, Bild reported on Thursday. According to the newspaper, the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz fears that the policy shift could also result in Washington rejecting a request to sell Germany two Patriot systems and interceptors.

According to Bild’s sources, Berlin quietly approached US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the matter two weeks ago after being asked to do so by Ukraine, which previously failed to acquire the systems on its own. The German authorities are now waiting for a response from Hegseth, they added.vBild described the lack of air defenses as an “urgent problem” for Ukraine, and that it currently has only four Patriot systems left in service and insufficient missiles for them. If Kiev runs out of interceptors, Russian airstrikes are likely to become even more “dangerous,” it added.vOn Friday, German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius acknowledged that “intensive discussions” are taking place between Berlin and Washington regarding the possibility of providing air defense systems and munitions for them to Ukraine.

However, he noted that there are “different ways” to address Kiev’s needs in the area. Politico reported on Wednesday that the Kiev authorities were “blindsided” by the halt in American military aid supplies, and have asked Washington “to let Europe purchase US weapons for Ukraine.” Several European countries are reviewing potential purchases on behalf of Ukraine, according to the outlet.vKremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that the US paused deliveries of key munitions to Ukraine because they “simply cannot produce missiles in the necessary quantities,” noting that many supplies were likely redirected to Israel amid its conflict with Iran last month.

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Desperately blaming Russia for their very own collapse. The British do it, Germany does it…

• Germany Plans Six-Month Military Service – Reuters (RT)

Germany is planning to introduce a voluntary six-month military service in order to double the number of reservists, Reuters has reported, citing informed sources. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Berlin has been trying to boost its armed forces, citing a “threat” posed by Russia. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed as “nonsense” claims it intends to attack NATO countries, saying that the Western politicians are deliberately scaring their populations to justify increased military spending. Earlier this year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowed to make the Bundeswehr the “strongest army” on the continent, with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius eyeing a “drastic increase” to Germany’s military budget of up to €90 billion ($102 billion) by 2028.

The German government expects that attracting volunteers would allow the country to increase the number of reservists from around 100,000 to 200,000, Reuters reported in an article on Friday. Berlin could consider returning to conscription, abolished in Germany since 2011, if the scheme fails to deliver, according to the sources. During six-month service, volunteers would learn “simple tasks” such as guard duty while being offered the chance to eventually obtain tank or truck driver’s licenses, it added. Berlin hopes that some of the volunteers would go on to have a career in the military, the sources said.

According to Reuters, Pistorius wants to have the legislation passed by the end of August so that the first volunteers to start their training in May next year. The defense minister said in June that the Bundeswehr would be required to increase the number of its active duty troops from around 180,000 to 260,000 to meet its NATO targets. The statement was made ahead of the recent NATO summit, during which the bloc’s members agreed to boost their defense spending to 5% GDP by 2035. Russian officials have condemned the militarization drive in Germany and other Western European nations, urging them to support US-led peace initiatives for the Ukraine conflict, instead of gearing up for war with Moscow.

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Wars have started over much less.

• Ethiopia Declares Completion Of Dam Debated With Egypt and Sudan (RT)

Ethiopia has announced the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a multibillion-dollar hydropower project on the Blue Nile that has been the focus of a decade-long dispute with Egypt and Sudan. The dam will be formally inaugurated in September, the Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement. Under construction since 2011, the GERD is designed to generate up to 5.15 gigawatts of electricity, making it the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa. While Ethiopia presents the project as a transformative energy source for the region, Egypt and Sudan have repeatedly raised concerns over its impact on downstream water flows.

In a message shared on X, the Ethiopian government described the GERD as “a symbol of regional cooperation and mutual benefit,” insisting that the project “is not a threat, but a shared opportunity.” Officials in Addis Ababa argue that the dam’s power generation will benefit not just Ethiopia but neighboring states as well. The dam is built on the Blue Nile – the Nile’s main tributary. The Nile provides about 97% of Egypt’s freshwater supply, according to various sources. Both Cairo and Khartoum fear that upstream water retention could severely affect agriculture and water security in their countries.

In September, the Egyptian government filed a complaint with the UN Security Council, accusing Ethiopia of violating international law and threatening regional stability with its alleged unilateral actions regarding the GERD project. The move came after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the fifth phase of filling the dam. Amid ongoing disagreement over water rights, Ethiopia has pushed forward with a regional water governance framework. In October, Prime Minister Abiy confirmed the implementation of the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), a treaty designed to establish a permanent Nile River Basin Commission (NRBC) among upstream nations. The treaty has been signed by upstream countries including Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Burundi, with South Sudan joining in 2012.

While the treaty moved closer to activation after South Sudan’s parliament ratified it in July, Egypt and Sudan have rejected the accord. Both governments called it an “incomplete” document that is not “representative of the Nile Basin as a whole.” Egypt has warned that even a modest reduction of just 2% in its Nile water supply could lead to the loss of around 200,000 acres of farmland, posing a serious threat to national food security. Sudan has voiced similar fears, citing the river’s vital role in its agriculture sector.

Read more …

 

 

 

 

Jefferson

Covid

Flynn+

Parking
https://twitter.com/HowThingsWork_/status/1940901653550715254

 

 

Support the Automatic Earth in wartime with Paypal, Bitcoin and Patreon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debt Rattle Fourth of July 2025

Jul 042025
 
 July 4, 2025  Posted by at 9:39 am Finance Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,  38 Responses »


Salvador Dali Figure at a window 1925

 

• House Republicans Pass Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ (ZH)
• US Halts All Military Shipments To Ukraine – The Economist (RT)
• US Still ‘Giving Weapons’ To Kiev – Trump (RT)
• Ukraine Wants EU Backers To Purchase US Weapons On Its Behalf – Politico (RT)
• Trump Should ‘Knock The F**K Out’ of EU Disinfo Law – Mike Benz (RT)
• Washington Builds Its Color Revolution Arsenal Against Putin (PCR)
• Moscow Responds To NATO Chief’s ‘Jesus’ Comment About Lavrov (RT)
• Hamas Says Ready For ‘Complete End To The War’ – AP (RT)
• Bombshell CIA Report Exposes How Obama’s Team Framed Trump (Margolis)
• Democrat Civil War Intensifies As Obamaworld Opposes Mamdani (ZH)
• Ukrainian Membership Of EU Would Destroy Bloc’s Economy – Orban (RT)
• MI6 Fueled Ukraine Proxy War And Fabricated Intel On Iran – Klarenberg (RT)
• The West Never Understood Iran – Now It’s Too Late (Ibragimov)
• Iran Suspends Cooperation With UN Nuclear Watchdog (RT)
• British PM Starmer Could Be On Way Out – Sky News (RT)
• The Biden Administration Basically Trafficked Migrant Children (Margolis)
• The Last Time Gold Moved Like This Was 1929 (Reagan)

 

 

https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1940759514900525562

3rd

Taibbi

90%

NO

 

 

 

 

Happy 4th ‘Murica!

• House Republicans Pass Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ (ZH)

Update (1430ET): The republican response to Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries’ record-breaking address was brief and to the point, as Rep Jason Smith retorted: “I come from the Show-Me State, and what we just heard can be defined in one word. A bunch of hogwash is what we’ve heard for eight hours on that side of the building.” House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke next, noting that “we have a big job to finish.” “With one big beautiful bill we are going to make this country stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before.” And then came the vote… and (218-214) Republican House members passed the bill with all Democrats voting ‘nay’… The bill will now go President Trump’s desk for to signed tomorrow [5 pm].

Happy 4th ‘Murica!

* * *
Overnight, most of the Republican holdouts on the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ relented, flipping their support to advance the legislation to a final vote on the House floor after several deals were cut with President Trump. Earlier in the morning, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) kept the procedural vote open for almost six hours – which once passed would kick off debate before final passage. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), however, decided to throw a massive tantrum that’s been going on for more than five hours in what’s known as the “magic minute,” a privilege for party leaders in the chamber that allows them to speak for as long as they want. According to Fox News, Jeffries was seen arriving with multiple binders – one of which he read from for around three hours. If the rest of the binders also contain portions of his speech, we could be waiting for a while.

[..] Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) was a one-man rollercoaster for the GOP leadership. Massie railed against the bill all week. He initially voted for the rule. But then at 11:30 p.m., Massie entered a mostly empty House chamber and switched his vote from yes to no.

However, Massie – who Trump has personally targeted for defeat in 2026 – switched again back to yes when all the hardliners flipped. The GOP leadership hopes that Massie will vote for final passage later this morning. And he has made clear that he would like Trump to stop attacking him. -Punchbowl “He did a masterful job of laying out how we could improve it, how he could use his chief executive office, use things to make the bill better,” Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina told CNBC. This comes after multiple Republicans were seen in the West Wing on Wednesday to cut deals as Trump pressed them into voting yes on the bill. Norman said he would be a ‘nay’ on the Senate-passed version of the bill, only to flip and support it after his meeting with Trump – who promised to use his office to stringently enforce energy tax credit phase-outs.

[..] In response to the GOP’s advancing the bill, Trump said on Truth Social that it was a “great night.” “What a great night it was. One of the most consequential Bills ever,” he wrote, adding “The USA is the ‘HOTTEST’ Country in the World, by far!!!” The core of the BBB permanently extends and expands the 2017 Trump tax cuts, introducing new deductions for tip income and overtime pay, while providing significant tax relief for Social Security recipients. It reinstates full and immediate expensing for business equipment and R&D, delivers new construction write-offs for manufacturers, and boosts incentives for domestic semiconductor production. High-income Americans and owners of pass-through entities also stand to benefit from expanded deductions, and the bill raises the state and local tax deduction cap for upper-middle-class households. But these tax changes are offset by historic spending cuts—chiefly, nearly $1 trillion in reductions to Medicaid and SNAP.

The legislation also scales back Affordable Care Act subsidies and imposes stricter eligibility checks, drawing ire from hospitals and health advocates. Meanwhile, clean energy and EV sectors face deep setbacks as tax credits are repealed and renewable subsidies curtailed.

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“No money for Ukraine was included in the “big beautiful” budget bill promoted by President Donald Trump, the article pointed out..”

• US Halts All Military Shipments To Ukraine – The Economist (RT)

The US has suspended all military equipment and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine, including all types of shells and spare parts, The Economist has reported, citing Ukrainian officials. Washington had earlier confirmed a decision to halt certain key arms shipments, citing low stocks.The decision reportedly followed an internal review of American weapons reserves ordered by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to Politico and NBC News. The initial reports suggeste d that the decision would stop the supply of Patriot missile interceptors, Stinger and AIM air-to-air missiles, hundreds of Hellfire and GMLRS systems, and thousands of 155mm artillery shells. According to The Economist, the suspension of military aid was actually total. “Ukrainian officials say that, in fact, all shipments of American weapons, including shells and spare parts, have been halted,” the outlet said on Wednesday, adding that the US officials have denied that.

Washington’s envoy to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, told Fox News on Wednesday that the decision to halt certain aid was made as part of the “America first” policy, aimed at ensuring Washington’s own “strategic defense capabilities.” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that “we can’t give weapons to everybody all around the world. We have to look out for America and defending our homeland and our troops around the world.” Neither official provided details about exactly which shipments were suspended. The move could be part of a bigger plan to end US support for Kiev altogether, The Economist suggested. No money for Ukraine was included in the “big beautiful” budget bill promoted by President Donald Trump, the article pointed out. Funding allocated to support Kiev within the regular Pentagon budget “would be cut further under the budget request for fiscal year 2026,” the outlet said, citing officials.

US support for Ukraine has come mostly in two forms: Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allowed Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, to send weapons to the country out of the Pentagon’s stocks, and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), under which Washington ordered arms from manufacturers. Trump has made no use of PDA since coming to office in January. The weapons orders made by the previous administration under the USAI would continue US shipments to Ukraine until late 2028, according to The Economist. The magazine asserts that these supplies could now be “interrupted.”

Read more …

Trump and Putin had a phone call yesterday with “no result”.

• US Still ‘Giving Weapons’ To Kiev – Trump (RT)

President Donald Trump has denied media speculation that the United States has suspended all military equipment and ammunition deliveries to Kiev, insisting that lethal aid is still being sent while Washington ensures it retains enough stockpiles to defend itself and its allies. Several reports earlier this week indicated that the US had paused deliveries of various critical munitions to Ukraine, including Patriot and Hellfire missiles, GMLRS rockets, and thousands of 155mm artillery shells. The Economist even suggested that Washington could be gradually winding down its military support for Kiev altogether. Trump rejected claims of a complete halt of military aid to Kiev, echoing previous statements by the Pentagon and the White House that a decision had been made to prioritize US national interests.

“We’re giving weapons, but we’ve given so many weapons,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One on Thursday. “You know, Biden emptied out our whole country giving them weapons. And we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves.” “But we are giving weapons, and we’re working with them and trying to help them,” Trump added, without providing specifics about the exact weapons withheld and still being supplied. Trump has been critical of providing aid to Ukraine without reciprocal benefits, and his administration has not approved any new assistance packages since he took office. According to Germany’s Kiel Institute, the US has sent nearly $115 billion in military and financial aid to Kiev since the conflict escalated in 2022, although Trump has claimed the actual total runs into “hundreds of billions.”

Washington recently signed an agreement granting the US priority access to Ukraine’s mineral resources – an effort the White House said would help recoup some of the taxpayer money spent under Biden. News of the aid suspension drew sharp reactions in Kiev, with Ukrainian officials summoning US Chargé d’Affaires John Ginkel to lecture him about “the critical importance of continuing the deliveries of previously allocated defense packages.” Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezuglaya even declared that “the US is no longer our ally,” even though the two countries never signed any deals to that effect. Russia has repeatedly condemned Western arms shipments to Ukraine, arguing they prolong the conflict and risk broader escalation.

Kremlin officials have also accused Western backers of encouraging their proxies in Kiev to fight to the last Ukrainian in the empty hope of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia. “The fewer the missiles that arrive in Ukraine from abroad, the closer the end of the special military operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday. He noted, however, that the freeze may be temporary and caused by too many US weapons being redirected to support Israel in the stand-off with Iran. President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Moscow remains open to peace talks during a phone call with Trump on Thursday, but stated that Russia will not back down until the “well-known root causes” of the Ukraine conflict are eliminated, according to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov.

Read more …

And they will.

• Ukraine Wants EU Backers To Purchase US Weapons On Its Behalf – Politico (RT)

Ukraine wants its EU backers to purchase American-made weapons on its behalf in order to offset the suspension of key US arms deliveries to Kiev, Politico reported on Wednesday. US media outlets reported earlier this week that supplies of Patriot missile interceptors – touted as important in repelling Russian strikes – as well as GMLRS rockets, Hellfire missiles, and thousands of 155mm artillery shells have been put on hold. NBC noted that some US cargo had already reached Europe but was being withheld from transfer to Ukrainian forces. nUS officials later confirmed the development, portraying it as part of the “America first” policy and stating that the country must maintain its weapons stockpiles to ensure “our own success on the battlefield.”

The freeze “blindsided top Ukrainian officials” and has prompted Kiev to ask Washington “to let Europe purchase US weapons for Ukraine,” several Politico sources claimed. “We don’t have a choice,” an unnamed Ukrainian official added. Several European countries are reportedly reviewing potential purchases. However, the weapons transfers would still require US approval, one person told Politico, indicating that Ukraine’s attempts to keep weapons flowing could become mired in additional negotiations. Part of the push involves overcoming export restrictions that Washington typically imposes on foreign use of its arms.

Under the administration of former US President Joe Biden, even British deliveries of Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine were initially delayed because the systems contained American components, Politico noted. A Ukrainian official told the outlet that similar hurdles could be addressed during the talks, although it remains unclear whether the US would sign off on deliveries. The administration of US President Donald Trump appears to be warming up to the idea of direct military sales to Kiev, according to the magazine. Politico in particular cited a recent meeting between Trump and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Netherlands, with one person briefed on the talks claiming that Trump seemed “compassionate” and “understanding,” although no specific commitments were detailed.

The US weapons freeze has caused frustration in Kiev, with Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezuglaya proclaiming that the country “is no longer our ally.” The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also summoned US chargé d’affaires John Ginkel to underscore “the critical importance” of deliveries and warn against any “delay or procrastination.” Russia has consistently denounced Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, insisting they will only drag out the conflict without changing its eventual outcome.

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”Trump must “act urgently, top priority, to apply massive diplomatic, trade, aid and security muscle, every tool in the hardball diplomacy toolkit – up to and including our participation in NATO..”

• Trump Should ‘Knock The F**K Out’ of EU Disinfo Law – Mike Benz (RT)

US President Donald Trump must urgently threaten to “knock… the f out” of a new EU law on disinformation that requires online platforms and search engines to restrict content deemed ‘fake news’ by the bloc, former State Department official Mike Benz has said. The formerly voluntary Code of Conduct on Disinformation, which was integrated into the Digital Services Act (DSA) by Brussels earlier this year, became mandatory as of July 1. Under the law, major online platforms and search engines, mostly owned by US tech firms, are obliged to follow EU content rules or face penalties.

Benz, who worked on cybersecurity and internet policy at the State Department during Trump’s first term, took to X on Wednesday to warn that the likes of YouTube, X, Facebook, and Google would “now get whipped by huge EU fines.” The Code of Conduct on Disinformation, which he described as a “Global Censorship Law,” had been the “secret weapon” of Brussels for a long time, but is now “fully unleashed,” the head of the self-described pro-free speech website Foundation For Freedom Online said.

Trump must “act urgently, top priority, to apply massive diplomatic, trade, aid and security muscle, every tool in the hardball diplomacy toolkit – up to and including our participation in NATO – to knock this law the f out,” he insisted. The disinformation code came into effect amid trade talks between Washington and Brussels, with Trump threatening to impose 50% tariffs on all imports from the EU if no deal is reached by the July 9 deadline. The European Commission’s tech chief, Henna Virkkunen, said on Monday that content moderation and digital competition are “not part of trade negotiations from our side” because they are “based on our European values.”

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Paul Craig Roberts: “By the time Russia, China, and Iran face up to the situation, it will be too late for anything but nukes.”

• Washington Builds Its Color Revolution Arsenal Against Putin (PCR)

In Serbia large street protests are underway demanding the end of President Vucic’s government. Rightly or wrongly, I cannot say, Vucic is regarded as a friend of Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “we cannot rule out the possibility that well-known tactics employed for carrying out color revolutions are now being used in Serbia.” Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said, with his characteristic weakness, “We hope Western countries, which often exploit domestic affairs in other states to advance their interests, will refrain from color revolutions this time.”Washington is at work causing friction between the Russian Federation and former Central Asian provinces of the Soviet Union. In Azerbaijan. Ten or more Russian journalists have been arrested on false charges, and Azerbaijan has refused Russia’s consular access to its jailed citizens. This has all the hallmarks of an orchestrated confrontation.

I forecast this, but, of course, Putin-the-Unready was unready, as always. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: “We have requested that employees of the embassy’s consular department be allowed to visit the Russian citizens. But access has so far not been granted.” She demanded that “those who want to spoil bilateral relations cease attempts to further escalate the situation.These steps cause serious damage to interstate relations.” This is how the Kremlin closes its eyes to the new aggression that Washington is unleashing against Russia. Having failed to demonstrate resolution and military prowess, Russia now faces two more color revolutions while Russia is still mired down in Ukraine.

Putin’s humanity in turning a blind eye to provocations speaks well of him. The downside is that he makes the Kremlin seem irresolute and unwilling to confront the fact that the Zionist American doctrine of US hegemony is a dagger aimed at Russia’s heart. It is simply unbelievable that at this stage Putin will do anything, accept any humiliation, to avoid winning the conflict in Ukraine. Putin is at the point of begging for negotiations that end the conflict, so fearful he is of settling the conflict by winning it. It is Russian, Chinese, Iranian weakness when confronted with US and Israel aggression that is committing the world to destruction in nuclear war. Sooner or later Russia, China, and Iran will no longer be able to deny the reality that faces them. By the time Russia, China, and Iran face up to the situation, it will be too late for anything but nukes.

Read more …

Insulting the world’s no.1 diplomat is not a sign of strength.

• Moscow Responds To NATO Chief’s ‘Jesus’ Comment About Lavrov (RT)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte mentioning Jesus Christ when talking about Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov means that Moscow’s top diplomat is doing good job, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said. She was referring to a brief interview Rutte gave Fox News on Wednesday. The NATO chief sought to diminish the role of the Russian foreign minister by claiming that he “has been foreign minister of Russia … since the birth of Jesus Christ. And since then, nothing… useful came out of his month.” “Not for nothing has Sergey Lavrov been working for so many years since he has made the NATO Secretary General remember Jesus Christ,” Zakharova quipped in response in a Telegram statement.

A veteran diplomat, Lavrov has headed the Russian Foreign Ministry for more than 20 years, since 2004. Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, has been in the NATO top job for less than a year, but already found himself at the center of controversy at the bloc’s summit last week. Some European officials were unhappy with the level of flattery he used to win over US President Donald Trump during the meeting, according to Politico. “People are so embarrassed,” one official told the outlet, adding that “the sucking up was pretty over the top.” Rutte called Trump “daddy” during the summit and sent him a gushing message praising the US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites ahead of the summit. The US president was quick to post the NATO chief’s message online. The White House also shared a clip on social media showing Trump’s participation in the summit and accompanied by Usher’s song ‘Daddy’s home’.

Read more …

See it to believe it.

• Hamas Says Ready For ‘Complete End To The War’ – AP (RT)

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has expressed readiness for a deal with Israel to end the war in Gaza, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Wednesday. Hamas official Taher al-Nunu was quoted as saying the group was “ready to accept any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war.” However, it reportedly stopped short of endorsing a 60-day ceasefire plan proposed by Washington. The statement came after US President Donald Trump warned Hamas that rejecting the American-backed proposal would worsen its position. Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday that Israel “has agreed” to the terms needed to finalize the 60-day truce, during which all sides would work to bring the war to an end.

An Israeli official told AP the plan includes a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a surge in humanitarian aid, and mediated talks aimed at ending the conflict. However, Israel is not formally committing to a full cessation of hostilities as part of the current proposal, the official said. Hamas, in a brief statement on Wednesday, reportedly confirmed it had received the proposal from mediators and was working to “bridge gaps” in order to return to the negotiating table. A Hamas delegation is expected to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo, a source told the outlet. The militant group has said it is willing to release the remaining 50 hostages – fewer than half of whom are believed to be alive – in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and a permanent end to the war. Israel has rejected those terms.

“There will be no Hamas,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech on Wednesday. He has insisted the group must surrender, disarm, and leave Gaza, conditions Hamas refuses to accept. The war, now in its 22nd month, has devastated Gaza. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, the death toll in the enclave surpassed 57,000 by Wednesday, as Israeli strikes intensified amid ceasefire talks. The conflict began with a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and took 250 hostage.

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“We’ve seen the evidence. We know who was responsible. It’s time for real consequences.”

• Bombshell CIA Report Exposes How Obama’s Team Framed Trump (Margolis)

The new CIA assessment released this week is nothing short of a bombshell—a long-overdue confirmation of what conservative media has been saying for years: The Obama administration, with the eager help of its top intelligence brass, orchestrated an unprecedented operation to cripple Donald Trump’s presidency before it even began. This isn’t some fevered speculation or partisan rumor. The CIA’s own review lays out, in damning detail, how former CIA Director John Brennan, former DNI James Clapper, and former FBI Director James Comey took “unusual” and direct control over the infamous Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) that became the cornerstone of the Russia collusion hoax. Let’s be clear about what this means. These men didn’t just oversee the process—they commandeered it, sidelining career intelligence professionals and shutting out 13 of the 17 intelligence agencies from the assessment.

Brennan handpicked the analysts, ensuring only the most compliant voices had a say. The National Intelligence Council, the body normally responsible for such crucial reports, was shoved aside. Why? Because the outcome was predetermined: manufacture a narrative that Trump was a Russian asset, no matter how flimsy the evidence. The review identified “multiple procedural anomalies” that undermined the credibility of the ICA, including “a highly compressed production timeline, stringent compartmentation, and excessive involvement of agency heads.” It also questioned the exclusion of key intelligence agencies and said media leaks may have influenced analysts to conform to a false narrative of Trump-Russia collusion. “The rushed timeline to publish both classified and unclassified versions before the presidential transition raised questions about a potential political motive behind the White House tasking and timeline.”

The review found that Brennan directed the compilation of the ICA, and that his, Comey’s and Clapper’s “direct engagement in the ICA’s development was highly unusual in both scope and intensity” and ”risked stifling analytic debate.” According to the story, John Brennan handpicked a small group of CIA analysts to produce the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russian interference, deliberately excluding 13 of the 17 intelligence agencies at the time. He bypassed the National Intelligence Council and insisted on including the discredited Steele dossier, despite objections from its authors and top CIA Russia experts, to promote the false narrative that Russia helped Trump win the 2016 election. John Ratcliffe, the former Director of National Intelligence, put it bluntly: “This was Obama, Comey, Clapper and Brennan deciding ‘We’re going to screw Trump.’” They manufactured the collusion narrative, stamped it with the authority of the intelligence community, and then classified the details to keep the public in the dark. It was, in essence, a soft coup—a direct assault on the will of the American people, carried out by those sworn to uphold the Constitution.

The consequences were disastrous. Trump’s presidency was hobbled from day one, forced to operate under a cloud of suspicion that was deliberately manufactured by his political opponents. To this day, the lie that Trump colluded with Russia lingers on, poisoning our politics and giving Democrats a convenient excuse for their 2016 defeat. And why? Because Barack Obama ordered his lackeys to come up with a bogus pretense to undermine Trump. Republicans, and indeed every American who cares about the rule of law, shouldn’t settle for bureaucratic hand-wringing and empty promises of reform. We’ve seen the evidence. We know who was responsible. It’s time for real consequences. The American people deserve nothing less.

Read more …

“We’re like a solar system with no sun … We don’t act as a team, and when we don’t work as a team, we turn our guns on each other..”

• Democrat Civil War Intensifies As Obamaworld Opposes Mamdani (ZH)

The Democrat Party is grappling with internal divisions following Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York City’s Democrat mayoral primary election this week. Mamdani, a 33-year-old New York State Assembly member, decisively defeated disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo with 56% to 44% in the final ranked-choice voting results. Two prominent Obama-era officials, former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and former Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag, have publicly opposed Mamdani’s candidacy, warning that his progressive economic policies could harm New York City. In a CNBC interview on Wednesday, Lew expressed deep concern about Mamdani’s platform. “The policies that he outlines are not policies that would be good for New York,” Lew said. “I worry deeply, having spent most of my life in New York, about a city I call home.”

He further cautioned against populist-driven policies from both political extremes, stating, “I see a similarity between policies solutions to the left and the right that satisfy populist sentiment, don’t always go through the filter of ‘do they work? I don’t think they work. I think that’s a problem,” Lew added. Orszag, now Chairman and CEO of Lazard, shared similar apprehensions in a separate CNBC interview last week, describing Mamdani’s victory as indicative of troubling trends within the Democratic Party. “Let me step back and just say that I am saddened to say that I think the Democratic Party is becoming increasingly antisemitic and anti-capitalism,” Orszag said. “And the thing about it is turning … towards socialism and turning away from your moral principles through antisemitism never works. So there is a fundamental concern that I have and I think many people have about the direction of the Democratic Party along those two dimensions.”

Orszag pointed to specific examples, noting, “The Democratic candidate for mayor has embraced the ‘global intifada’ idea.” He also criticized the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for distributing fundraising emails from a senior operative who suggested Jewish donors are primarily motivated by tax cuts. “I am hopeful that the Democratic Party will change course and, again, history shows that neither being anti-capitalism nor being antisemitic is the pathway to any sort of good outcome,” Orszag added. Mamdani’s win is just one example of growing tensions within the Democrat Party. Similar concerns about the party’s direction have surfaced elsewhere. In June, David Hogg, the 25-year-old Parkland shooting survivor and gun control activist, resigned as vice chair of the Democrat National Committee (DNC) amid internal turmoil.

Hogg faced backlash for his controversial plan to intervene in primary races against incumbent Democrats, which many viewed as divisive and a breach of DNC neutrality. After the DNC called for a new election for his position citing procedural issues, Hogg chose not to run again. In his departure, he sharply criticized the party, calling its leadership a “government of old people” fixated on “attention and reputation” rather than addressing critical issues like the economy. Meanwhile, Randi Weingarten – longtime head of the 1.8 million-member American Federation of Teachers have also quit the DNC. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) has also voiced frustration with the party’s lack of cohesion during a speech at the Center for American Progress on Thursday. “We’re like a solar system with no sun … We don’t act as a team, and when we don’t work as a team, we turn our guns on each other, and it’s so, so, so, fruitless,” she said.

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On day 1.

• Ukrainian Membership Of EU Would Destroy Bloc’s Economy – Orban (RT)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has warned that Ukrainian membership of the EU would destroy both the bloc’s and his country’s economy. Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in 2022, but Orban has argued that allowing the country to join the bloc would draw all members into a direct conflict with Russia. The stance has increasingly put Kiev at odds with Budapest. “Ukrainians are increasingly attacking Hungary because we stopped Ukraine’s EU accession in Brussels,” Orban wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday. Hungary could not support Ukraine’s bid for “fundamental and strategic reasons,” he explained. “We do not want war and we do not want the European [EU], including the Hungarian, economy to be destroyed,” he said.

Last week, Orban said he vetoed an EU Foreign Affairs Council statement on Ukraine, effectively blocking Kiev’s accession talks, arguing that the decision was backed by popular sentiment in Hungary. More than two million Hungarians, or an overwhelming 95% of voters in an unofficial Voks 2025 referendum, voiced opposition to Ukraine’s EU bid. The vote has worsened already elevated tensions with Kiev, the Magyar Nemzet newspaper wrote on Wednesday. Hungarian-Ukrainian relations have been on the downturn in recent months, rocked by Kiev’s decision to block the transit of Russian gas into Hungary, as well as a spy scandal. An EU and NATO member, Hungary has long opposed both bloc’s policies on supplying Kiev with weapons, and called for a diplomatic solution to the hostilities.

Ukrainian accession into NATO “would mean war with Russia, and World War 3 the very next day,” Orban said last week.Moscow has strongly opposed Ukraine’s ambition to join NATO, but had taken a more neutral stance on Ukraine’s EU bid. However, recently Russia has pointed out that militarization efforts are turning the EU into more of a military than an economic bloc. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the EU has undergone a “radical transformation” and become an “aggressive military-political bloc.” In its current state, the EU is effectively “an appendage of NATO,” the top diplomat said last week.

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“The British have long shown a greater “willingness” than others to engage in “escalatory and incendiary actions..”

• MI6 Fueled Ukraine Proxy War And Fabricated Intel On Iran – Klarenberg (RT)

The UK Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6, has played a central role in spreading false intelligence and engaging in provocative actions aimed at escalating global conflicts, British whistleblower and investigative journalist for The Grayzone, Kit Klarenberg, has told RT. Speaking to host Rick Sanchez on Thursday, Klarenberg said MI6 was at the forefront of efforts to push the West deeper into the Ukraine conflict. “I have since the very start of the Ukraine proxy war been reporting on how Britain is leading this effort,” he said, adding that many see MI6 as merely a tool of the CIA, but “no, they go into business for themselves all the time.”

Klarenberg pointed to the 2022 bombing of the Kerch Bridge, which connects Crimea with mainland Russia, claiming it was orchestrated by British operative and NATO adviser Chris Donnelly as part of an effort to pull Washington further into the conflict. ”We have leads… conversations with senior British military officials in which he’s talking about how the [former US President Joe] Biden administration’s reluctance to get fully involved in the proxy war needs to be countered at all costs,” Klarenberg said.

“As a vassal of the US – who is completely dependent on Washington’s wealth and muscle to maintain their international relevance – well, what wouldn’t you do to keep them invested in conflicts you yourself have fomented?” Asked about recent sabotage acts on Russian soil, such as railroads and airbases, and whether MI6 could be “capable of doing that kind of thing,” Klarenberg replied, “Absolutely.” He said “The British were quite clearly behind” Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russia’s strategic bombers last month, with the purpose “to escalate [the conflict] even further.” Turning to Iran, Klarenberg said MI6 also produced fabricated claims about Tehran’s nuclear program. He cited the CV of longtime operative Nicholas Langman, who allegedly infiltrated the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to help coordinate Western sanctions between 2010 and 2020.

“His purpose very much seems to have been to generate false intelligence in the manner of Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction capability,” he said. Langman also reportedly worked to align US and Middle Eastern intelligence agencies behind claims that Tehran was developing nuclear weapons. Asked why Israel’s Mossad could not be behind the campaign, Klarenberg said MI6 is known “for going a lot further than other intelligence agencies are willing to…” and stated that it operates with virtually “no oversight.” The British have long shown a greater “willingness” than others to engage in “escalatory and incendiary actions,” he said, noting that MI6 had been described by Cold War operatives as “the meanest.”

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“Iran’s long memory, its 3,000-year-old identity, and deep-rooted patriotism have created a kind of collective immunity to outside pressure.”

• The West Never Understood Iran – Now It’s Too Late (Ibragimov)

The “twelve-day war” between Iran and Israel marked a turning point – not just for Iran, but for the entire region. America’s involvement in the conflict shattered any remaining hopes for de-escalation through diplomacy. For Tehran, foreign policy is now split into a “before” and “after.” And in this new “after,” there’s no trust left – especially in Donald Trump. Before the war, some Iranian politicians and analysts still held out hope for a gradual thaw with the West. That hope evaporated when Washington showed it could swing between gestures of peace and military threats within days. Even the more moderate voices in Tehran now see Trump as unreliable, though they haven’t ruled out talks with the West altogether in the long run.

Trump’s recent statements about easing sanctions in exchange for “peaceful dialogue” are widely seen in Iran as hollow. In late June, the mixed signals from Washington only deepened mistrust. On June 26, Fox News reported that the US was backing a $30 billion aid plan for Iran’s civilian nuclear program – excluding uranium enrichment. But the next day, Trump dismissed the report as a “myth” and hinted at more strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Then, on June 29, he reversed course again, saying sanctions might be lifted if Iran displayed “peaceful behavior.” This pattern is familiar. On June 12, Trump urged Israel not to attack Iran. Days later, he backed Israeli strikes.

Tehran sees these shifts not as diplomacy, but as manipulation. In response, Iran’s leadership is trying to present a united front. But deep divisions remain – especially around the nuclear issue. Still, the focus now is on strengthening internal resilience: shoring up the economy, modernizing the military, and preparing for what many believe is an inevitable next round of confrontation. Crucially, the Iranian public has not panicked. Western analysts misjudged the national mood. Iran’s long memory, its 3,000-year-old identity, and deep-rooted patriotism have created a kind of collective immunity to outside pressure. The Islamic Republic isn’t just a regime – it’s seen by many as a vessel for preserving national sovereignty.

What truly shocked Iran’s leadership during the recent war was the open threat against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. For Tehran, that wasn’t just rhetoric – it was a real warning. Many believe a future attempt on his life is only a matter of time. That threat has accelerated Tehran’s push to mobilize. Iran now sees a short window to build up defenses, invest in the economy, and prepare for tougher times. Washington keeps urging Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, but US officials know full well: Iran has the resources, infrastructure, and scientific expertise to revive its program quickly – and likely will. The conflict with Israel left scars too deep for quick reconciliation. The US joining the military phase of the war made matters worse. Any Western claims that Iran might still make concessions now sound out of touch with the mood in Tehran.

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And now you lose all oversight..

• Iran Suspends Cooperation With UN Nuclear Watchdog (RT)

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has formally ordered the suspension of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), acting on a parliamentary decision passed in the aftermath of Israeli and US attacks on nuclear facilities. The legislation, passed by lawmakers and approved by Iran’s Guardian Council on June 25, instructs all government institutions to cut ties with the UN nuclear watchdog. Pezeshkian’s office said on Wednesday that he had issued directives to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the Foreign Ministry, and the Supreme National Security Council to carry out the mandate. Israel claimed its actions were a necessary preemptive measure to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon – a goal Tehran has consistently denied.

The US assisted in defending Israel from retaliatory strikes and later joined the offensive, with President Donald Trump declaring that the Iranian nuclear program had been “obliterated” by US military action. On the eve of Israeli strikes, the IAEA’s board of governors declared Iran non-compliant with a key safeguard agreement. The decision was based on a report in late May by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, who cited remarks by former Iranian officials claiming the country had the capacity to build nuclear weapons. The same report also noted there were “no credible indications of an ongoing, undeclared structured nuclear program.” The Iranian Foreign Ministry accused Grossi of “obscuring the truth in [an] absolutely biased report that was instrumentalized” by Western nations to justify the resolution condemning Tehran.

Israel has claimed for decades that Iran is on a path toward acquiring nuclear arms, although the Islamic Republic maintains that such weapons violate Islamic principles. The IAEA is responsible for verifying the peaceful use of nuclear technology among states under the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which Iran has signed. Israel, which has never signed the NPT and does not officially acknowledge its nuclear arsenal, is estimated by experts to possess around 80 nuclear warheads. Under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed to strict limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal effectively collapsed after the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018 during Trump’s first presidency. Trump opted instead for a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. Russia, which voted against the IAEA resolution, condemned the US and Israeli strikes, saying they had undermined the NPT and damaged the credibility of the IAEA.

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They have no-one else or better. Time for Farage?!

• British PM Starmer Could Be On Way Out – Sky News (RT)

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer could be ousted by next May if his Labour Party continues to perform poorly, Sky News has reported. Labour lost ground to Reform UK in local elections in May, after the ruling party experienced a plunge in public support. The prime minister could lose his position if Labour performs badly in the next vote across Wales, Scotland and London, Sky News reported on Thursday, citing two senior Labour MPs. “I am hearing from ministers in government that Starmer might have to go in months,” the outlet’s deputy political editor Sam Coates said, describing “unhappiness and despair” in the Labour Party.

A day earlier, a controversial welfare bill proposed by the government passed in a watered-down form, after a number of Labour MPs rebelled against proposed cuts to social benefits. This latest U-turn undermined the prime minister’s authority after a series of similar flip-flops in June, the BBC wrote on Wednesday. Last month, Starmer bowed to pressure and ordered a national inquiry into the police handling of the massive Pakistani grooming gangs sex abuse scandal. Just months before, his administration had insisted the prior seven-year investigation into decades of systematic rape of young, vulnerable girls in the UK had been sufficient.

Labour had been under mounting public pressure to backtrack on the issue, after the simmering scandal was thrust back into the spotlight early this year by tech mogul Elon Musk. Starmer’s public approval has taken a nose dive, with 73% of UK adults unsatisfied with his performance, the Independent wrote on Thursday, citing an Ipsos survey concluded in June. Less than a fifth of respondents were satisfied with his tenure, the poll suggests. According to Ipsos, this is the lowest score ever recorded by the polling company for a prime minister’s first year performance.

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“After dismantling the Trump-era safeguards — rigorous sponsor screening, biometric checks, and actual accountability — the Biden team prioritized getting kids out of government custody as fast as possible, no matter who was waiting on the other side..”

• The Biden Administration Basically Trafficked Migrant Children (Margolis)

If you want to understand the full scope of the Biden administration’s border catastrophe, look no further than the horrifying reality that unfolded for thousands of migrant children. Under Joe Biden, the federal government didn’t just lose track of unaccompanied minors; it actively handed them over to criminals, abusers, and traffickers, putting these kids directly in harm’s way. Under Biden, the Department of Homeland Security placed unaccompanied migrant children with so-called “sponsors” who were barely vetted, if at all. These weren’t just distant relatives or family friends. In many cases, these sponsors had rap sheets a mile long — charges ranging from aggravated assault and drug trafficking to prostitution and even attempted murder.

Agents found numerous instances where sponsors had previously been charged with serious crimes such as “hit-and-run, aggravated assault, larceny, counterfeiting, drug trafficking, prostitution and even attempted murder,” according to the release. In some of the most extreme cases, girls were found to be “pregnant with children fathered by their alleged sponsors,” with some minor being forced into labor, the release stated. Some sponsors also had images of child sex abuse material. “In February 2025, the Department of Homeland Security and its federal and state partners launched a national child welfare initiative to locate and verify these at-risk kids’ safety,” ICE explained in a statement.

This wasn’t an isolated bureaucratic blunder. It was a systemic failure, fueled by an administration obsessed with speed over safety. After dismantling the Trump-era safeguards — rigorous sponsor screening, biometric checks, and actual accountability — the Biden team prioritized getting kids out of government custody as fast as possible, no matter who was waiting on the other side. The numbers are staggering: during Biden’s term, Customs and Border Protection encountered nearly half a million unaccompanied minors at the border. Many of these children were released into the country with little more than a cursory background check for their so-called sponsors, if that. In short, the Biden administration was practically sex trafficking migrant children as a matter of policy. Maybe they didn’t know they were, but they purposely put them in dangerous situations.

“Children’s safety and security is nonnegotiable. The previous administration’s failure to implement meaningful safeguards has allowed vulnerable kids to fall into the hands of criminals,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson Laszlo Baksay said in a prepared statement. “Our special agents are working tirelessly to locate these alien children, ensure their protection, and hold accountable those who have abused the system.” Now, with President Donald Trump back in office, we’re seeing a return to sanity: border encounters are at historic lows, and there’s a renewed focus on protecting children, not exploiting them. It’s a stark reminder of what happens when leadership fails and ideology trumps responsibility. The Biden administration’s legacy on this issue is not just a scandal; it’s a national disgrace.

What the Biden administration allowed to happen to these children is unforgivable. Joe Biden and his handlers chose chaos over control, optics over outcomes, and abandoned their duty to protect the most vulnerable to justify their open borders agenda. The result? Thousands of kids were thrown into the arms of predators, traffickers, and abusers, with the federal government playing matchmaker. President Trump is cleaning up a disaster he didn’t create. Again. We shouldn’t forget how we got here — and we damn sure shouldn’t let the people responsible off the hook. Biden’s border policies didn’t just fail; they victimized children. And for that, we should hold every single official who pushed this agenda accountable.

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Dollar, BTC, gold. Take your pick.

• The Last Time Gold Moved Like This Was 1929 (Reagan)

Speaking on the Money Sense podcast, Alasdair Macleod chimed in on why he believes we are in an environment similar to 1929, or the start of the Great Depression. In recent times, we have seen things compared often to infamous economic downturns, like the inflation and recession of the 1970s. We have also seen invocations of the Great Depression when the lockdowns happened, and gold accordingly leapt in massive bounds back then. But these days, the price of gold is nearly doubled since the start of the lockdowns, so there might very well be something to MacLeod’s idea. Rather than buying into the narrative that reopenings prevented a 1929-style economic environment, Macleod thinks we are merely in the opening acts of a new global economic depression.

Macleod calls it the U.S. debt trap, mentioning how gold might have already overtaken U.S. dollars in terms of central bank reserves. As I’ve mentioned frequently since 2022, appetite for long-term U.S. government debt is hitting historical lows. Very few entities are willing to wager that the U.S. dollar, in 20-30 years, will still be a desirable asset. The economy isn’t growing anymore (and there are questions of whether it can), and an annual budget deficit of 6%+ means stagnation is a serious concern. Somewhat touching upon our own idea of a disassociation between gold and armed conflict, Macleod says that U.S. dollar and debt are actually the preferred safe haven during such times. This, in turn, makes the U.S. economy even more vulnerable if or when the threat of that military conflict subsides, as investors then start moving out of U.S. assets.

Looking back on it now, Macleod believes that the narrative of China dedollarizing to boost the yuan was just a way of making the dollar look better in comparison. We are seeing that unfold month after month, as a recent report detailed how 32% of central banks are expected to buy gold just in the short-term. As both the report and Macleod note, the situation is so bad that central banks are even taking on other currencies as reserves, so long as it means less exposure to the dollar. Besides being under-owned, Macleod’s analysis of COMEX open interest suggests that gold might still be underbought, making the climb to $3,500 all the more remarkable. This is the first time since 1977 that U.S. assets have all broadly fallen in conjunction while gold has gone up, but, as said, 1929 might be a closer comparison.

Central banks are buying gold because they have a vision of the future, and this vision doesn’t appear to involve the currencies they print having any real money. Macleod is also one of the many analysts convinced that China’s gold heap exceeds 30,000 tons, and he also says that silver is not to be overlooked here. He says that informed accusations of silver price suppression go back more than two decades, with JPMorgan being consistently listed as a key culprit. The idea, he notes, is to artificially deflate silver’s spot price to sell massive amounts of the physical variety. But to whom? China is again pointed to, with Macleod saying that China’s silver reserves might be even more stupefying than their gold stockpile.

He reminds us that the Shanghai Gold Exchange is wholly owned by the PBoC and appears to exist primarily as an instrument for the state to acquire more bullion while suppressing reports of purchases. Although he says gold might be starting its summer doldrums, it’s interesting to note that it’s double the price of its summer doldrums from two years back. Not much has changed in terms of fundamentals since then, so we have to ask what investors can expect over the next two years. And, if we are indeed in a not-so-hidden 1929-style environment, what can gold investors in turn expect over the coming decade?

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Per diem
https://twitter.com/atensnut/status/1940476393231352192

Purple

Trees

Nanchang

Fennec

97%

 

 

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