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Debt Rattle July 13 2025

Jul 132025
 
 July 13, 2025  Posted by at 9:21 am Finance Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,  49 Responses »


Paul Gauguin Road in Tahiti 1891

 

• Trump To Impose 30% Tariffs On Mexico, European Union (ZH)
• Tariff Windfall Drives Surprise $27 Billion US Budget Surplus in June (ET)
• US Lawmakers Move To Curb Trump’s Control Over Ukraine Aid (RT)
• Trump Sees Zelensky As ‘Primary Obstacle’ To Ukraine Peace – FT (RT)
• Trump Denies Coverup In Jeffrey Epstein Case (RT)
• Nvidia CEO Makes Pit Stop At White House Before China Trip (ZH)
• Why John Brennan Belongs in Prison (Harsanyi)
• The Democratic Party Civil War Just Escalated Big Time (Margolis)
• How Do You Solve a Problem Like Mamdani? Democrats Don’t Know (Caldwell)
• Americans Fighting For Ukraine Should Lose Citizenship – Tucker Carlson (RT)
• Tucker Carlson Reveals Who He Thinks Funded Jeffrey Epstein’s Crimes (VF)
• Ukraine To Receive German-funded Long-range Weapons This Month (RT)
• Baltic Sea Will Remain Common Despite NATO Fantasies – Russian Ambassador (Sp.)
• France Is Sweating Its Brains Out Thanks To The EU’s Climate Madness (Marsden)

 

 

Benz

Lacalle

Gaetz

Kirk

Miller

Scott

 

 

 

 

Has anyone seen a counterproposal from Europe? A dialogue even? Doesn’t that silence make them guilty by association?

• Trump To Impose 30% Tariffs On Mexico, European Union (ZH)

President Trump on Saturday morning fired off two trade warning letters via Truth Social, threatening to impose 30% tariffs on all Mexican and European imports starting August 1. The warning to Mexico hinges on action to curb the flow of fentanyl and dismantle drug cartels, while the threat to Europe demands an end to long-standing trade imbalances driven by EU tariffs and non-tariff barriers. This caps off a week of letters sent to America’s top trade partners, with tariff threats used as a negotiation tool by the Trump administration to seal deals.

“Despite our strong relationship, you will recall, the United States imposed Tariffs on Mexico to deal with our Nation’s Fentanyl crisis, which is caused, in part, by Mexico’s failure to stop the Cartels, who are made up of the most despicable people who ever walked the Earth, from pouring these drugs into our country,” Trump said in the letter addressed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. He continued, “Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough. Mexico still has not stopped the Cartels who are trying to turn all of North America into a Narco-Trafficking Playground.”

Here are the key points in the letter:
• 30% tariff will apply to all Mexican imports unless action is taken.
• Tariff waivers will be granted for companies that build or manufacture in the U.S.
• If Mexico raises tariffs in retaliation, the U.S. will match them on top of the 30%.
• Adjust tariffs if Mexico successfully confronts the cartels and halts fentanyl trafficking

The second letter by Trump was addressed to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in which he informed Brussels that he would impose a 30% tariff on all EU products starting August 1, unless long-standing trade imbalances—driven by EU tariffs and non-tariff barriers—are addressed. “The European Union, despite having one of our largest Trade Deficits with you. Nevertheless, we have decided to move forward, but only with more balanced and fair TRADE,” the president said.

He emphasized:
• The U.S. market is open and fair, but EU practices have created an unsustainable trade deficit.
• The 30% tariff applies separately from any sectoral tariffs and will be higher for goods transshipped to avoid it.
• No tariffs will be applied if EU companies manufacture within the U.S.
• The EU must allow full market access to the U.S. or face higher tariffs.
• Retaliatory EU tariffs will be met with additional levies.

Trump warned that this trade deficit with the EU is a “major threat to our Economy and, indeed, our National Security!”

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The tariffs story is almost everywhere presented in a negative light. There’s a flipside.

• Tariff Windfall Drives Surprise $27 Billion US Budget Surplus in June (ET)

New data from the Treasury Department show that surging tariff revenues in June helped the U.S. government post an unexpected budget surplus of $27 billion, offering a rare fiscal bright spot amid persistently high federal deficits and suggesting that President Donald Trump’s tariff policies are becoming a significant source of government revenue. After running a $316 billion deficit in May, the government recorded a surplus of just over $27 billion last month, according to data released on July 11 by the Treasury Department. The tariff windfall helped narrow the fiscal year-to-date deficit to $1.34 trillion—a slight 1 percent improvement from the same period last year. By contrast, June 2024 saw a $71 billion deficit. A key driver of the improved balance was a record-breaking surge in customs duties.

The Treasury data released on Friday show that tariff collections soared to $27 billion in June alone, pushing total tariff revenues since October to $108 billion—the highest ever recorded for the first nine months of a fiscal year. June’s haul marked a significant jump from May’s prior record of $22 billion and was about 93 percent higher than the $56 billion collected during the same nine-month span of the previous year. So far in July, customs duties have added another $2.4 billion to federal coffers, according to daily Treasury figures. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has predicted even higher tariff revenues in the months ahead. Speaking at a July 8 White House Cabinet meeting, he said the United States is on track to collect $300 billion by the end of calendar year 2025, noting that the “major” tariffs imposed under the Trump administration did not start until the second quarter.

Since returning to the White House for a second term, Trump has imposed 10 percent universal tariffs on trading partners, along with reciprocal tariffs announced in April on a number of nations, depending on the trade barriers they have with the United States. Trump initially applied a 90-day pause to most of the reciprocal tariffs, and later signed an executive order that extended the reprieve to Aug. 1. In recent days, the president sent letters to several countries—including Japan, South Korea, and Thailand—informing them that reciprocal tariffs ranging from 25 to 40 percent will be imposed after Aug. 1 unless they agree to reduce trade barriers and negotiate bilateral deals. Trump has said the higher duties will substantially boost government revenue.

“The big money will start coming in on Aug. 1st. I think it was made clear today by the letters that were sent out yesterday and today,” he said during the Cabinet meeting. Bessent also cited a June 4 report from the Congressional Budget Office projecting that tariff revenues could total $2.8 trillion over the next decade—a figure he said the administration believes is understated. Trump said he won’t extend the Aug. 1 deadline for countries to start paying reciprocal tariffs, signaling a firm stance after earlier suggesting flexibility for nations offering trade concessions.

In one recent round of letters, Trump announced new tariffs as follows: 25 percent on Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, South Korea, and Tunisia; 30 percent on Bosnia and Herzegovina and South Africa; 32 percent on Indonesia; 35 percent on Bangladesh and Serbia; 36 percent on Cambodia and Thailand; and 40 percent on Burma (also known as Myanmar) and Laos. In each letter, Trump noted that the tariffs might be lowered if countries open their markets and reduce non-tariff barriers, emphasizing that persistent trade deficits pose “a major threat” to U.S. economic and national security. More recently, Trump sent another round of letters, noting that Algeria, Iraq, Libya, and Sri Lanka will each be charged a 30 percent tariff, Brunei and Moldova will face a 25 percent tariff, and the Philippines will face a 20 percent tariff. The president has also announced that Canada will face 35 percent tariffs starting on Aug. 1.

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War guarantee.

• US Lawmakers Move To Curb Trump’s Control Over Ukraine Aid (RT)

A bill authorizing more Ukraine aid and barring the Pentagon from unilaterally halting arms shipments has passed the Senate Armed Services Committee. The measures are part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual defense bill that outlines the Pentagon’s priorities and funding for the next fiscal year. The bill comes as tensions have risen between Congress and the White House over aid pauses earlier this year. In March, President Donald Trump temporarily halted all Ukraine assistance and intelligence sharing, while earlier this month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paused weapons deliveries, citing the need to review dwindling Pentagon stockpiles. Aid resumed earlier this week after Trump expressed frustration over delays in the peace process and said Ukraine needs weapons to “defend” itself.

Media reports later suggested Trump had not been informed of the latest suspension and struggled to explain whether he had approved it. The new NDAA draft was passed in a bipartisan vote this week. It “reaffirms” US support for Ukraine, extends aid through 2028, increases annual authorizations from $300 million to $500 million, and requires the Pentagon to continue intelligence support for Kiev, according to a summary released on Friday. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, however, said the bill also includes language blocking the Pentagon from halting aid or intelligence sharing without congressional approval. She noted that provisions listed in the bill “put guardrails” on the Trump administration “to make sure promised military assistance continues to flow to Ukraine.”

A separate version of the NDAA drafted by House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers extends aid through 2028 but keeps it capped at $300 million per year. It also prohibits the Trump administration from halting funds without written justification to Congress and requires Hegseth to report regularly on support to Ukraine. The House committee will vote on its version on Tuesday. The bill must pass committee votes before being submitted for a full congressional vote. Ukraine has received nearly $115 billion in military, financial, and humanitarian US aid since its conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022. The military component of this sum has come through congressional bills such as the NDAA and the Presidential Drawdown Authority, a fund capped by Congress that allows the president to send US weapons directly to Kiev.

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So get rid of him instead of giving him weapons.

• Trump Sees Zelensky As ‘Primary Obstacle’ To Ukraine Peace – FT (RT)

US President Donald Trump continues to regard Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky as the main hurdle to resolving the conflict, despite his recent criticism of Moscow, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing sources. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Trump said he was “unhappy” with Putin, claiming the Russian leader did not want to end the conflict. “We get a lot of bullsh*t thrown at us by Putin,” Trump said. The US president added that while Putin was “very nice all the time,” it turned out to be “meaningless” for ending the fighting. Later, he announced a “major statement” on Russia soon amid reported discussions in Washington over imposing a 500% tariff on countries that buy Russian energy and goods.

However, two unnamed senior officials involved in defense and security talks with Washington told the FT that there was little indication the White House had actually adopted a more pro-Kiev stance. Ukraine’s backers, the report said, are “still assuming Trump was predisposed to seeing Putin as his main negotiating partner in any settlement and Zelensky as the primary obstacle to a workable peace deal.” One official pointed to “a little bit of overexcitement based on a shift in tone,” while cautioning that “we’re not seeing that translate into major actions.” The FT report echoes a New York Times article in June claiming that the US president is “exasperated” with both Putin and Zelensky, but “reserves special animosity” for the Ukrainian leader, viewing him as a “bad guy” pushing the world towards a global conflict.

In May, Trump openly criticized Zelensky, suggesting that “everything out of his mouth causes problems.” The fiercest public clash between the two came in February at the White House, when Trump accused Zelensky of ingratitude and “gambling with World War III.” Commenting on Trump’s remarks targeting Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is “calm about this,” adding that “we are committed to continuing our dialogue with Washington and our policy of repairing the significantly damaged bilateral relations.” Russia maintains it is open to a diplomatic settlement of the Ukraine conflict, but in a way that would address its “root causes” and its security concerns. Moscow insists on Ukraine’s neutrality, recognition of the “territorial reality on the ground,” as well as demilitarization and denazification.

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Simple denials won’t work. See Pandora’s box.

• Trump Denies Coverup In Jeffrey Epstein Case (RT)

US President Donald Trump has pushed back against claims of a coverup in the Jeffrey Epstein case, defending his administration’s handling of the release of files related to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender’s death in jail.nSome of Trump’s allies, including journalist Tucker Carlson and former adviser Steve Bannon, have criticized a report by the Department of Justice and the FBI, which found no evidence of a list of powerful individuals to whom Epstein trafficked underage girls. The report also found no signs of foul play in Epstein’s 2019 death at a Manhattan correctional facility, which was ruled a suicide. In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump claimed that the so-called Epstein Files were created by prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called ‘friends’ are playing right into their hands,” he wrote. “Why didn’t these Radical Left Lunatics release the Epstein Files? If there was ANYTHING in there that could have hurt the MAGA Movement, why didn’t they use it?” he added. Trump defended his Attorney General Pam Bondi and argued that federal agencies should instead focus on investigating Democrat-linked scandals and corruption, as well as the 2020 presidential election, which he continues to claim was rigged in favor of Joe Biden. “LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB – SHE’S GREAT!” Trump wrote. He previously said that the Epstein case has been used to distract from more pressing issues, including the deadly floods in Texas.

FBI Director Kash Patel also dismissed the allegations. “The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been,” he wrote on X. Critics have pointed to a minute-long gap in the surveillance footage outside Epstein’s cell on the night of his death, claiming the tape had been doctored. Bondi, however, denied that there was anything suspicious about the video. The debate surrounding the case has reportedly caused a rift within the government, with several news outlets claiming that FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is considering resignation.

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“Also on Thursday, Nvidia became the first company to close a trading day with a market cap over $4 trillion… ”

• Nvidia CEO Makes Pit Stop At White House Before China Trip (ZH)

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang met with President Trump at the White House on Thursday, just days before a trip to China. The meeting comes as Nvidia—now the world’s most valuable chipmaker (and world’s most valuable company)—remains largely shut out of China’s semiconductor market due to U.S. export restrictions. While the conversation wasn’t disclosed, Huang likely focused on the urgent need to restore Nvidia’s ability to sell advanced AI chips in the world’s second-largest economy. CNBC’s Megan Cassella reported Thursday afternoon that Huang met with Trump. No details about the meeting were released, but the president praised Nvidia in a Truth Social post: “NVIDIA IS UP 47% SINCE TRUMP TARIFFS. USA is taking in Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in Tariffs”… “COUNTRY IS NOW ‘BACK.'”

Also on Thursday, Nvidia became the first company to close a trading day with a market cap over $4 trillion… This was a symbolic milestone for capital markets and the current bull cycle. In a separate report, Bloomberg noted that Huang’s White House visit comes just days before he is scheduled to travel to Beijing, where he will meet with senior Chinese officials and attend the International Supply Chain Expo. Huang has been vocal in recent months about the combined impact of the Biden-Harris regime and the Trump-Vance administration’s export restrictions on advanced AI chips to China. In May, he told investors, “The $50 billion China market is effectively closed to U.S. industry.”

However, the Trump team cancelled a planned rule by former President Joe Biden called the “AI diffusion rule,” promising fewer restrictions later this year on which countries could receive Nvidia’s advanced AI chips. “The world is right now hungry, anxious to engage AI,” Huang said, adding, “Let us get the American AI out in front of everybody right now.”

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“No, I’m not under the impression Brennan will end up in prison, where he likely belongs, or even see an indictment…”

• Why John Brennan Belongs in Prison (Harsanyi)

Former CIA Director John Brennan is one of the most contemptible and shady people in public life. Few people have abused their position, power, and access with such impunity and hubris. So, it was a pleasure to read a Fox News report that the FBI has launched a criminal investigation into Brennan, along with former FBI Director James Comey, for possible wrongdoing related to the Trump campaign-Russia collusion probe, including making false statements to Congress. No, I’m not under the impression Brennan will end up in prison, where he likely belongs, or even see an indictment. The statute of limitations has largely sunset. And even if they hadn’t, the notion there will be any reckoning is remote.

My modest hope is that perhaps a better accounting of his corruption for the historical record will destroy Brennan’s reputation forever, which shouldn’t be a heavy lift. Last week, CIA Director John Ratcliffe released a report on the origins of the Intelligence Community Assessment that concluded Russia had interfered in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump. It was more or less as one might have expected. One of the things we learned, however, was that Brennan claimed in 2017 testimony before Congress that the Steele dossier, an oppo doc paid for by Hillary Clinton and Democrats, wasn’t “in any way” used as a basis for the Intelligence Community Assessment. In a 2023 House interview, Brennan claimed the “CIA was very much opposed to having any reference or inclusion of the Steele Dossier in the Intelligence Community Assessment.”

The problem is that newly declassified CIA emails allegedly show Brennan not only repeatedly pressing for insertion of the Steele dossier’s claims but doing it over the objections of others. In one 2016 email, Brennan allegedly disregarded warnings from his deputy that the dossier would undermine “the credibility of the entire paper.” When two CIA mission center leaders responsible for Russia challenged him about integrating a poorly constructed partisan document into the Intelligence Community Assessment, Brennan overruled them, insisting: “My bottom line is that I believe that the information warrants inclusion in the report.” Now, there is always a chance that Ratcliffe’s report is skewed to make Brennan’s emails look more incriminating than they were. We’ll have to see. We already know that Brennan has for years lied about having insider knowledge of an unprecedented seditious criminal conspiracy against the United States.

When Robert Mueller’s investigation was unable to pull together a single indictment related to “collusion,” Brennan shrugged it off by saying that he may have “received bad information.”He hadn’t. “Trump is scared of me because I know too much about Russia’s election meddling,” Brennan would tell the press. When special counsel John Durham released his report on the origins of the FBI’s investigation of the “collusion” investigation, we learned that Brennan, despite spinning unhinged conspiratorial rants nightly on cable television, knew there was nothing there. Indeed, Durham reports that Brennan had admitted to investigators that there had been “no conspiracy.” Yet, as Durham points out, only days later, the former CIA director was on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” contending the opposite, using his former position to suggest there was still much to be divulged.

To understand what little regard Brennan had for truth or position, recall a 2020 email uncovered by the House Judiciary Committee. In it, former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell, who was working with the Biden campaign to concoct “a talking point” to “push back on Trump” during the final presidential debates, asked Brennan to sign on to the infamous “disinformation” letter that claimed Hunter Biden’s laptop was a Russian plant. “Ok, Michael, add my name to the list. Good initiative. Thanks for asking me to sign on,” Brennan replied. That’s all it took for the former director of the CIA to sign his name onto a letter that would be the ostensive reason for a major story implicating a presidential candidate with corruption to be censored by virtually every legacy media outlet and major social media platform. One hopes his legacy will now be irreparably tarnished.

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“..the Democratic Socialists of America..” Doesn’t sound American to me.

“..The Democratic civil war is no longer a distant threat. It’s here, it’s ugly, and it’s escalating.”

• The Democratic Party Civil War Just Escalated Big Time (Margolis)

The Democratic Party’s internal fractures are no longer simmering beneath the surface—they’re erupting into open warfare. The latest salvo comes from within the party’s own ranks, as the far-left wing grows increasingly emboldened to challenge the establishment’s authority. What we’re witnessing is not just a disagreement over policy or tactics, but a full-blown civil war for the soul of the Democratic Party. Democratic Socialist allies of Zohran Mamdani are reportedly laying the groundwork for primary challenges against several incumbent congressional Democrats in New York City—potentially even targeting House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Following Zohran Mamdani’s primary win last month, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) declared that “this movement is bigger than one person, election, city, or organization.”

“We encourage all people inspired by the Zohran campaign to join their local DSA or YDSA chapter and get involved so we can continue to fight alongside Zohran and DSA elected officials across the country to create the future we all deserve,” the group said in a statement. Now that message appears to be turning into action. DSA leaders are reportedly weighing primary challenges against several prominent House Democrats representing New York City—including Jeffries, as well as Reps. Ritchie Torres, Jerry Nadler, Dan Goldman, and Yvette Clarke. Jeffries, who two years ago succeeded longtime House Democratic leader and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has been criticized by some of New York City’s far-left leaders as a moderate and establishment Democrat.

“His leadership has left a vacuum that organizations like DSA are filling. I think that is more important right now,” New York City’s Democratic Socialists of America chapter co-chair Gustavo Gordillo told CNN. Democratic socialist state Sen. Jabari Brisport, whose district includes some of the same areas of Brooklyn as Jeffries House district, argued in a statement to Fox News that the longtime congressman is “rapidly growing out of touch with an insurgent and growing progressive base within his own district that he should pay more attention to.” Top Hakeem Jeffries adviser Andre Richardson is sounding the alarm over rumblings of a left-wing primary challenge, lashing out at the Democratic Socialists circling Jeffries’ seat. “Our response will be forceful and unrelenting. We will teach them and all of their incumbents a painful lesson on June 23, 2026.”

Jeffries, for his part, feigned ignorance about the whole thing. “I have no idea what these people are talking about,” he told CNN, before pivoting to the usual script about “pushing back against extremism”—as if the radicals threatening to take his job aren’t in his own party. Despite praising Zohran Mamdani’s far-left campaign and defending him from Trump’s criticism, Jeffries, along with Gov. Kathy Hochul and Sen. Chuck Schumer, has stopped short of endorsing the DSA-backed Democratic nominee for mayor. That’s probably not a coincidence. What’s truly astonishing is the Democratic leadership’s inability—or unwillingness—to confront this rebellion head-on. Instead of standing up to the radicals, too many establishment figures are cowering in fear, hoping the storm will pass.

But appeasement only emboldens the insurgents. Every time a figure like Mamdani gets away with slandering party leaders, the fringe left grows stronger and more brazen. If the Democratic Party continues down this path, the results will be catastrophic for them… which make is so enjoyable to watch. A party consumed by internal warfare cannot hope to govern, let alone offer a compelling alternative to the opposition. The radicals may think they’re winning, but in reality, they’re burning down the very house they claim to want to lead. The Democratic civil war is no longer a distant threat. It’s here, it’s ugly, and it’s escalating. The question now is whether any adults are left in the room to stop the madness before it’s too late.

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In one extreme blue pocket, they manage to get an extreme candidate elected. And then draw the conclusion they should do that all over the country.

• How Do You Solve a Problem Like Mamdani? Democrats Don’t Know (Caldwell)

The meteoric rise of New York City Democrat mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani poses a major question for Washington Democrats—is his brand of Palestinian activism, economic interventionism, and pro-LGBTQ+ rhetoric the future of their party? The 33-year-old state assemblyman’s trouncing of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the city’s party primary has brought to light a host of controversial positions: supporting taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries on his campaign website, proposing government-run grocery stores, and refusing to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” among other things. Asked how he views a candidate who does not condemn phrases which many consider genocidal, Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, chose a live-and-let-live approach.

“There’s no candidate in this party that I agree 100% of the time with,” he replied. “To be honest with you, there’s things that I don’t agree with Mamdani that he said. But at the end of the day, I always believe … that you win through addition, you win by bringing people into your coalition. We have conservative Democrats, we have centrist Democrats, we have labor progressives like me, and we have this new Democrat, which is the leftist.” But what works in New York City might not work in the swing districts and swing states that decide who has power in Washington. But Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who has consistently supported Israel, said of Mamdani, “Everything that I’ve read on him, I don’t really agree with virtually any of it politically. So that’s just where I’m at as a Democrat. I mean, he’s not even a Democrat, honestly.”

Fetterman, much like swing-state Democrat Sens. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, has generally chosen moderated rhetoric over doubling down on progressive rhetoric since Republican President Donald Trump’s victory in November. Slotkin, asked shortly after Mamdani’s mayoral primary victory how she interpreted the development, chose to focus on Mamdani’s cost-of-living proposals, while shying away from commenting on his more controversial platform planks.“People, just like in November, are still really focused on costs and the economy, and their own kitchen table math, and they’re looking for a new generation of leadership,” Slotkin said, adding, “It reinforces that you may disagree on some key issues, but understanding that people are concerned about their family budget, that is a unifying thing for a coalition.”

Slotkin, who narrowly won her Michigan Senate seat in November by just over 19,000 votes out of more than 5.57 million cast, or 48.6% to 48.3%, emphasized economic issues throughout her campaign and warned as early as September 2024 that the Democrats’ presidential candidate, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, was “underwater in our polling.” For now at least, Democrats in Washington appear to not know what to do with Mamdani. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has still not endorsed Mamdani, despite his primary win. When asked, he consistently chooses to mention Mamdani’s proposals to address the high cost of living in New York City. Jeffries has applied a bit of pushback against Mamdani’s rhetoric on the Israel-Hamas war, though, particularly his repeated refusals to condemn “globalize the intifada.”

“‘Globalizing the intifada,’ by the way of example, is not an acceptable phrase, and he’s going to have to clarify his position on that,” Jeffries said after Mamdani’s victory. “With respect to the Jewish communities that I represent, I think our nominee is going to have to convince folks that he is prepared to aggressively address the rise in antisemitism in the city of New York.” It remains to be seen how Mamdani’s rise as a national face of the Democratic Party will affect Democrats’ chances outside of their dark-blue urban centers of support. Democrats are seeking Senate seat pickups in 2026, for example, in states such as Maine and North Carolina—far removed from New York. Vice President JD Vance has accused Mamdani of creating a coalition of “downwardly mobile, college-educated people” and carved-out ethnic blocs by pandering to shared hatreds.

“That’s an interesting coalition. Maybe it works in the New York Democratic primary. I don’t think it works in the United States at large,” the vice president said in a July 5 speech in San Diego. Rural America and moderate voters appear to be the target for Democrats going into the midterms. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is now running ads against GOP incumbents such as Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin and Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, accusing them of attacking rural hospitals with the recently passed Republican budget reconciliation bill’s restructuring of Medicaid. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is also trying to appeal to moderate voters ahead of a difficult 2026 reelection campaign. As Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” was considered, he joined just three other Democrat senators to vote for an amendment to the bill that would have discouraged states from issuing Medicaid payments to illegal immigrants. That’s a far cry from Mamdani who has openly called for “standing up for our sanctuary city policies” in New York City.

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Any foreign countrry. Including Israel.

• Americans Fighting For Ukraine Should Lose Citizenship – Tucker Carlson (RT)

Americans who fight for other countries, including Ukraine and Israel, should be stripped of their US citizenship, journalist Tucker Carlson has argued. Speaking at a conservative conference in Tampa, Florida called Turning Point USA on Friday, Carlson was asked whether he believes US nationals can pledge allegiance to two countries at once. The former Fox News categorically denied the notion of double loyalty. “I think anybody… who serves in a foreign military should lose his citizenship immediately. There are a lot of Americans who’ve served in the IDF, they should lose their citizenship. There’s a lot of Americans who’ve served in Ukraine and they should lose their citizenship. You can’t fight for another country and remain an American. Period.”

He added that common sense dictates that “no man can serve two masters.” “You can only really pledge your loyalty to one person or one country,” he added. Under US law, there are no automatic penalties for serving in a foreign military. The US has never signed the 1989 UN Mercenary Convention, which aims to ban the recruitment, use, financing, and training of mercenaries. However, since the late 19th century, the US government has been prohibited from employing organizations that offer “quasi-military armed forces for hire,” meaning it cannot use the services of private military contractors such as Blackwater. Carlson’s remarks come after CNN reported in January that more than 20 US citizens had been reported missing in action in Ukraine.

In late 2024, Russian officials reported that around 6,500 out of 15,000 foreign mercenaries who had arrived in Ukraine had been killed. In recent months, several US citizens have been convicted in absentia in Russia for what are described as mercenary activity and “terrorist acts” in Russia’s Kursk Region, where a now-defeated Ukrainian incursion was launched last year. In May, Aleksandr Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, said that a total of 902 individuals had been charged with engaging in mercenary activity. Courts have delivered guilty verdicts against 97 mercenaries from 26 countries. Moscow has repeatedly warned that it treats foreign mercenaries fighting for Ukraine as legitimate targets.

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“..it’s extremely obvious to anyone who watches that this guy had direct connections to a foreign government. Now, no one’s allowed to say that that foreign government is ISRAEL ..”

• Tucker Carlson Reveals Who He Thinks Funded Jeffrey Epstein’s Crimes (VF)

Just this Friday night, Tucker Carlson named who he believes really FUNDED Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. What he said is guaranteed to make many in Washington furious. And there’s no taking it back now. On Tuesday, Tucker Carlson delivered two theories on why Pam Bondi won’t release the Epstein Files. Theory #1 was “Trump is involved.” But Carlson thought this explanation was not very likely. Then came Theory #2, which was that Carlson believed “intel services are at the very center of this story—US and Israeli—and they’re being protected.” “I think that seems like the most plausible explanation,” Carlson said. “And we have every right to ask on whose behalf was he working? How does a guy go from being a math teacher at the Dalton School in the late 70s with no college degree to having multiple airplanes, a private island, and the largest residential house in Manhattan? Where did all the money come from?” Carlson asked.

https://twitter.com/goddeketal/status/1943857723658940431

Then came the big claim. “And no one has ever gotten to the bottom of that because no one has ever tried. And moreover, it’s extremely obvious to anyone who watches that this guy had direct connections to a foreign government. Now, no one’s allowed to say that that foreign government is ISRAEL because we have been somehow cowed into thinking that that’s naughty,” Carlson said. “There is nothing wrong with saying that,” Carlson continued. “There is nothing hateful about saying that. There’s nothing anti-Semitic about saying. There’s nothing even anti-Israel about saying that.” Someone who agrees with Carlson’s assessment is CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou. On Wednesday, he told the story of the recruitment of a copy machine repairman who earned his CIA operational officer a big promotion.

At first, Kiriakou laughed at the notion of a copy machine repairman being useful, but then he realized the brilliance of the plan when he learned that the repairman secretly sent every document from a prime minister’s office straight to the CIA. How did he do it? By planting a tiny device on the copy machine. This flow of information was pure leverage for the CIA: “You know what they’re thinking. You know their next move. You know who their enemies are and who their allies are. Maybe it’s their position on trade negotiations. Maybe the prime minister has a health problem you need to plan for. You never know what might come through,” Kiriakou explained. “That ONE critical nugget is all it takes.”

That, he says, is EXACTLY what Epstein was to Israeli intelligence: someone with access (like the copy machine repairman) who quietly delivered leverage on the world’s elite. Back to Carlson. He addressed the claims that he’s taking money from the Qatari government head-on. What was his reaction to this claim? He literally laughed out loud. “Maybe I was taking tons of money from some bad country. One of the bad countries you’re not allowed to talk about or like—Qatar!” Carlson said before bursting into laughter. “That’s the most hilarious [claim]. Qatar is kind of controlling our conversation. Qatar. Evil Qatar,” he mocked.

An audience member asked if Carlson was laughing, and he confirmed, “I am laughing.” “I’ve actually been to Qatar. It’s awesome. Never taken a dollar from the Qataris or the Qataris or whatever they’re called. Great country. But even if I was, like, on the payroll of Qatar, which I guess I’m like—I can’t now. But even if I was [taking money], it still wouldn’t make the question any less relevant. Why is this [war with Iran] a good idea?” Carlson asked. “And their refusal to answer that question lets you know right away that you are not dealing with a person of good faith. You’re dealing with a propagandist who is trying to control you.” What’s your take on Carlson’s claim about Israeli intelligence? Is he exposing an uncomfortable truth, or is he chasing attention and controversy?

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“..Dmitry Peskov accused Germany of “competing with France in primacy for stoking the war..”

• Ukraine To Receive German-funded Long-range Weapons This Month (RT)

Ukraine will receive its first batch of long-range missiles financed by Germany by the end of July, a top German general has said, acknowledging that Kiev’s battlefield situation is deteriorating. In an interview with ZDF, Major General Christian Freuding, who oversees the coordination of Berlin’s military support for Kiev, said Germany is “ready to make these weapons systems available.” Ukraine will receive the weapons “by the end of this month,” Freuding stated, adding that they will arrive “in high three-digit numbers.” He did not specify which missiles will be delivered or what their range is. ”We need weapons systems that can reach deep into Russian territory and attack depots, command facilities, airfields, and aircraft,” Freuding said.

He went on to say the deliveries stem from a contract between Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and its domestic weapons industry, backed by German funding secured in late May. Freuding stressed that Germany is not providing Kiev with long-range Taurus missiles with a range of 500km. Despite Ukraine’s pleas, Berlin has been reluctant to approve deliveries, arguing that doing so could escalate the hostilities and draw Germany into the conflict. He acknowledged that Ukraine is facing mounting battlefield challenges, noting that Russia is making “small but steady” gains, forcing Ukrainian units to retreat to deeper defensive lines. In the air, the situation has “worsened in recent weeks,” he said, citing a single night when Kiev came under an attack involving more than 700 drones and dozens of missiles.

The Russian Defense Ministry has said it only attacks military-related facilities and never targets civilians. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed support in late May for developing Ukraine’s own long-range weapons. He said that while Kiev will receive German financial backing to procure these systems, it will not face restrictions on how it uses them. Russia has warned against Western military aid to Ukraine, saying it will only prolong the conflict without changing the outcome. Responding to Merz’s announcement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Germany of “competing with France in primacy for stoking the war,” warning that these moves hinder peace efforts. He added that supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine would bring an “inevitable escalation.”

Read more …

Will anyone open fire?

• Baltic Sea Will Remain Common Despite NATO Fantasies – Russian Ambassador (Sp.)

The Baltic Sea will remain a common space for all regional states, no matter what NATO countries “fantasize” about, Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin said in an interview with Sputnik. “Whatever the alliance’s countries fantasize about, the Baltic Sea was, remains and will be a common space for all states in the region without exception,” Barbin said. He said the course chosen by Denmark and NATO countries to militarize the Baltic Sea region has no future. The ambassador said the increase in military activity does not delay, but increases the risk of a conflict, especially in the absence of direct dialogue and mutual trust between Russia and NATO.

Read more …

Overwhelming idea: You’re guilty so you don’t deserve A/C.

“Like the outdated idea that every woman should anchor her existence around a husband and kids, the anti-A/C dogma should stop where logic and personal freedom begin..”

• France Is Sweating Its Brains Out Thanks To The EU’s Climate Madness (Marsden)

Paris was melting last week, flirting with 40°C and zero chill. Apparently, the moment was ripe for an epiphany. I was in an Uber, as one does when public transport becomes a slow cooker. I always enjoy chatting with the driver – usually Algerian or Moroccan. We got to talking about our lives and what led us to France. At one point he looked at me and said, “No husband, no kids, and you have air conditioning! You’re totally cheating at life!” “Cheating,” huh? Interesting word choice. So opting out of the standard life script is breaking the rules? But whose rules? The ones written by the establishment – whichever power structure has successfully colonized your brain.

I was fortunate to have been raised by parents who believed in free thought, not groupthink, and who told me that you should be able to do anything you want with your life as long as you’re not harming others. Which is a long way of saying that if I want to crank the A/C during a heatwave in my own home, it’s nobody’s business. Especially not that of some guy in the front seat of a Peugeot who thinks that I’ve short-circuited the Matrix. But the fact that he grouped air conditioning with not having kids or a man says a lot. It’s not just cultural expectations, but also the deep programming of state-sanctioned virtue that has come to dominate cultural norms. And in France, one of the strangest markers of virtue is rejecting modern cooling technology.

The week was so blisteringly hot that the French government anticipated shutting down 1,350 schools so kids could sweat it out at home instead of in class. Even the local public swimming pool had to close – the one place that usually offers relief – because the deck hit 50°C and the water was bathtub temperature. Instead, the French spent the day playing what I call the “Blinds and Windows Game.” Open everything in the morning. Close it all when the heat starts. Pull the blinds down just right so the sun hits the metal outside instead of the window glass. I opted out. I’ve got better things to do than play around with my window coverings. So I turned on the air conditioning.

My neighbors were not fans. I’ve had a mob of French residents of my building bang on my door demanding that I turn it off. Why? Because they spotted the portable A/C exhaust tubes poking out my window. Having ignored them, I later received a formal letter with instructions on when I was allowed to use it. According to them, that would only be when they collectively decide that the temperature justifies it – and only during certain hours. “For the well being of everyone,” they wrote, before launching into a sermon about how A/C is bad for the environment and ruins it for everyone else.

Give me a break. This is a country powered by decarbonized nuclear energy, so the climate change excuse doesn’t work here. But even without that, they invent new reasons: It causes “thermal shock.” It gives you neck spasms. It’s “unnatural air.” It’ll make you sick… Like the outdated idea that every woman should anchor her existence around a husband and kids, the anti-A/C dogma should stop where logic and personal freedom begin. No, gyms shouldn’t be set to 26°C in the summer because some guy wants to do five squats and scroll on his phone without feeling “chilly” during a heatwave. You shouldn’t be sweating through your clothes at the movies. And hospitals and nursing homes shouldn’t feel like a slow death in a convection oven.

But the moment far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen suggested a “grand plan for air conditioning” a few days ago, the narrative defenders of the establishment status quo promptly lost it. “Air conditioning saves lives. Letting people die in hospitals, or letting children or vulnerable people suffer because there is no air conditioning, is completely absurd,” Le Pen said in the National Assembly. The opposition Ecologists’ national secretary Marine Tondelier shot back that “air conditioning won’t suffice.” Guess they’re still hoping to lower the Earth’s thermostat manually. Since they’re clearly failing, despite all the lifestyle sacrifices they’ve extracted from us, maybe we could at least normalize cooling the rooms we actually live in.

Apparently not. France’s Ecological Transition Minister, Agnès Pannier-Runacher of Macron’s Renaissance party, said that it was okay to “air condition vulnerable people” but “not everywhere.” Because “global warming.” Oh, please. Go yell at your German Green pals from the last coalition government, that had to fire up coal plants that dump filth into Europe’s air, all because their sacred renewables can’t carry the load.

Read more …

 

 

 

 

Autism

Parrots

Leopard

Emanuel
https://twitter.com/DrClownPhD/status/1943792667160457554

 

 

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.

Read more …

“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.

Read more …

”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.”

Read more …

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.

Read more …

“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.

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“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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