UFC Archives - The Automatic Earth

25 years ago, 90% of Republicans were proud or extremely proud to be American. 87% of Democrats felt the same way.

25 years later, 92% of Republicans are proud to be Americans. Just 36% of Democrats feel the same way.

It's not an exaggeration to say the left hates America. pic.twitter.com/RHKCB3GGUp
— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) June 16, 2026

PRESIDENT TRUMP: "In 2024, almost 50% of inmates in German prisons were foreign migrants.. In Switzerland, it’s 72%.. When your prisons are filled with so-called asylum-seekers who repaid kindness with crime, it's time to END the failed Open Borders."

pic.twitter.com/2WIoAZw3ye
— FAN TRUMP ARMY (@TRUMP_ARMY_) June 16, 2026

The politicians who turned a blind eye to the Rape of Britain must go to prison pic.twitter.com/JFfHZSwiDc
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 16, 2026

Holy moly.

It will finish badly… https://t.co/d2YKeUh5Wr
— Brivael Le Pogam (@brivael) June 16, 2026

pic.twitter.com/U2CbkkvZwy
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 16, 2026

“If [the Iran deal] works out, I’m going to take the credit; if it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming [Vance].”

• Trump And Iran Sign MOU Deal Ahead Of Schedule (ZH)

Trump Signs Iran Deal Remotely Ahead Of Schedule. Confirming earlier speculation, Axios reports that the U.S. and Iran have remotely signed their memorandum of understanding to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz, and the agreement is now in effect. The signing – which took place electronically between Trump, Vance and Ghalibaf – reportedly took place at dinner in France alongside President Emmanuel Macron. The signing was supposed to happen in Switzerland on Friday, but a diplomat from a mediating country and a second source familiar told Axios earlier on Wednesday that there had been discussions about signing and implementing it earlier

The diplomatic source said the discussions around accelerating the timetable were intended to open the strait sooner than Friday, as both parties were in agreement on that issue. Another factor may have been the political pressure on the White House to release the text of the MOU, which it sitll hasn’t done officially. The source familiar with the discussions claimed it was Iran that demanded the text not be published until the formal signing, and denied the White House was responding to political pressure. The only “public release” so far consisted of a senior administration official reading the agreement to reporters in a briefing call on Wednesday, after days of confusion about what was in it.
Ahead of the signing, Iran’s foreign ministry said the sides had agreed that the MOU should be signed electronically by both presidents. For Iran, the signing represents a major victory as it now stands to receive billions in unfrozen (and other) funds from the US and Gulf sources. While it’s now just a formality, the meeting between the U.S. and Iranian delegations headed by Vice President Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf is still expected to take place as planned on Friday in Switzerland. They are expected to discuss the launching of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
The signing took place after this remarkable press conference earlier in the day in which Trump tried to justify conceding to Iran’s terms: As BBC’s Siavash Ardalan writes, Trump’s responses to the reporters’ questions to justify the agreement with Iran were bizarre and unprecedented in their own way: They asked him how he could allow $300 billion in investment in Iran. He said, “We’ve already inflicted $2 trillion in damage on Iran; $300 billion is nothing in comparison.” They asked why he’s giving Iran tens of billions of dollars. He said, “If we don’t return their own money to them, other countries will be afraid to put their money in our banks, and then the dollar’s position will weaken.”
They asked why the missile issue isn’t in the agreement. He said, “We’ve already destroyed 85% of their missiles anyway; the rest are buried underground, and besides, we sell air defense systems to the countries in the region so they won’t worry about Iran’s missiles.” They asked if he’s not worried that Iran will say, “We’re only producing nuclear energy for civilian purposes.” He said, “You can’t tell everyone else to produce electricity with nuclear power while only Iran can’t.” Finally, he said, “If we continue sanctioning Iran, 91 million Iranians will die of hunger—what’s the point of that, really?” Oh, and he joked that “If [the Iran deal] works out, I’m going to take the credit; if it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming [Vance].”

They should talk until about August 20. As the date approaches, Iran will say they need more time.

• Read The 14-Point US-Iran Draft Deal Set For Friday Signing (ZH)

With US and Iranian officials preparing to formally sign a memorandum of understanding in Switzerland on Friday, the conflict is entering the much-needed diplomatic phase to avert a potentially disastrous energy cliff. The MoU would open a 60-day negotiating window aimed at ending the war, restoring maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and hammering out the future of Iran’s nuclear program.

Bloomberg published the text of the 14-point draft MoU, offering the clearest look yet at the proposed trade: de-escalation and sanctions relief for Iran, in exchange for a ceasefire across all fronts, commitments on shipping access, and a broader nuclear deal to be finalized by the end of summer. But Iran’s Tasnim news agency cited an unnamed official earlier today, saying some of the MoU published by Bloomberg is inaccurate. The report did not specify the discrepancies. Bloomberg noted that some of the wording could be different between the English and Persian versions. Below is the text of the 14-point draft MoU:
The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, together with their allies in the current war, declare upon the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding an immediate and permanent end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and undertake that from now on they will not launch any hostile action against each other, and will refrain from the threat or use of force against each other. The final agreement will confirm the provisions of this Article and the remaining Articles
The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States undertake to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs
The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States undertake to negotiate and reach a final agreement within a maximum period of 60 days, extendable by mutual consent
Immediately upon the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, the United States Lift the naval blockade and prevent any interference or obstruction against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and restore traffic within a maximum of 30 days to its full capacity; the traffic of ships shall be proportional to the pre-war volume of traffic on the part of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States also undertakes to withdraw its forces from the surrounding areas within 30 days after the final agreement
Upon signing this Memorandum of Understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately take steps to ensure that the movement of merchant ships from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa is resumed within 30 days to the pre-war volume, taking into account the need for the removal of technical obstacles and the neutralization of mines by Iran.
The United States undertakes, together with its regional partners, to create a comprehensive plan agreed upon by both parties for the rehabilitation and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, While ensuring financing of at least $300 billion. The implementation mechanism of this plan, as part of the final agreement, will be formulated within 60 days.
The United States commits to ending, on a schedule to be agreed upon as part of the final agreement, all types of sanctions currently facing the Islamic Republic of Iran, including resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and all unilateral U.S. sanctions, both primary and secondary.
The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates that it will never produce nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States have agreed that the fate of enriched material and the fate of all other mutually agreed nuclear-related issues, including Iran’s nuclear needs, will be adequately addressed in a final agreement; the final agreement will confirm the provisions of this Article.
The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States agree that, pending a final agreement, they will maintain the status quo: Iran will maintain the status quo on its nuclear program, and the United States will not impose new sanctions on Iran or strengthen its forces in the region.
The United States undertakes that immediately after the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, and until the date of the lifting of sanctions, the United States Treasury Department will issue waivers for exports of Iranian crude oil, petrochemical products and their derivatives, and all related services, including banking, insurance, transportation, and the like.
The United States undertakes that, in light of the progress of negotiations towards a final agreement, frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be released and made fully available. These funds, whether held in the master account or transferred, will be used for any final beneficiary payment determined by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran and will be fully available for use. The United States undertakes to issue all necessary permits and licenses on this basis.
The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States agree that an implementation mechanism will be established to oversee the successful implementation of and future commitment to the Final Agreement.
Following the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, and upon receipt of assurances regarding the commencement of implementation of Articles 4, 5, 10, and 11 of this Memorandum of Understanding, and the continued implementation of these steps, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States will enter into negotiations for a Final Agreement solely with respect to the remaining Articles.
The final agreement will be approved through a binding resolution of the UN Security Council

Based on the text above, the first take of the MoU appears to be front-loaded economic relief for Tehran in exchange for a ceasefire, a nuclear freeze, and commitments to negotiate hard topics, such as the nuclear program, at a later date.
Who Stands To Benefit:
Tehran benefits most directly because it gets economic oxygen, oil waivers, frozen funds, sanctions relief language, and reduced US military pressure in the region. Hezbollah and Iran-aligned actors also benefit if “all fronts, including Lebanon” locks in a ceasefire that constrains Israeli operations. And, of course, the global economy because global shippers benefit if Hormuz reopens and war risk premiums in crude oil collapse. The Gulf states benefit if the conflict ends because energy exports through the Strait of Hormuz will resume. A report on Tuesday said that QatarEnergy was planning to ramp up LNG production in the coming months.
Where is Leverage Lost:
The US loses some coercive leverage once the Hormuz blockade ends, oil waivers are granted, and asset-release mechanisms begin. Israel loses freedom of action if the agreement binds the Lebanon front and limits further strikes. Sanctions and hawks lose leverage because the draft moves quickly toward broad sanctions dismantlement. The urgency behind the MoU and locking in peace talks for 60 days, with a formal signing event at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland on Friday, stems mainly from the world being headed for an energy cliff, as SPRs globally were being drained to offset the loss of Gulf production with the Hormuz chokepoint shuttered. Brent crude futures edged down overnight, trading around $79 a barrel on Wednesday morning.
One of the biggest uncertainties remains the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump stated that the critical waterway will reopen permanently and be toll-free, but the MoU suggests the toll-free arrangement may only last through the 60-day negotiation period. Another major uncertainty is Tehran’s compliance.

Zelensky represents a bunch of deeply corrupt neo-nazis. Trump knows this. For Europeans and US Democrats, Ukraine is a money whitewash vehicle. What is it for Trump?

• Trump Shifting Focus Back To Ukraine: Where Do Peace Talks Stand? (RT)

Where do the talks stand?
After Washington resumed direct contacts with Moscow following years of diplomatic freeze under Joe Biden, Russia, Ukraine and the US held three rounds of talks aimed at reaching a settlement. The negotiations yielded several tangible results, including major prisoner exchanges, the repatriation of fallen soldiers, and the exchange of peace memorandums. However, they failed to secure a peace deal, with key disagreements persisting, particularly over Moscow’s demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donbass.A fourth round of talks, expected in March, was postponed after Washington shifted its focus to the Iran war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has since described the process as being in a “situational pause” pending renewed US engagement.
What settlements have been proposed?
Following the Alaska summit, where Moscow and Washington stressed the need for a lasting settlement rather than the ceasefire sought by Kiev and its European backers, Trump unveiled a 28-point peace roadmap. According to leaked drafts, it called for Ukraine to abandon its NATO ambitions, drop territorial claims, and cap its military at 600,000 personnel. Moscow welcomed the proposal as a potential basis for peace. However, under pressure from the EU and UK, several key provisions were later removed or revised.
The updated 20-point plan reportedly included demilitarized zones, Western security guarantees for Kiev, an 800,000-strong peacetime Ukrainian military, a reconstruction fund for Ukraine, and a path toward EU membership. Russia confirmed receiving the revised proposal but declined to discuss its contents, accusing the Europeans of reshaping the framework and undermining peace efforts.
What are the next steps?
On Tuesday, Trump discussed Ukraine with Zelensky and other leaders during a closed-door G7 session and later held a separate meeting with the Ukrainian leader. While details were not disclosed, Zelensky said afterward that it was important to “coordinate positions.” Meanwhile, Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to resume contacts with Moscow after shifting their focus to the Iran war. Putin aide Yury Ushakov said preparations are under way following Sunday’s call between the Russian and US presidents. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said no dates have been set and that the issue will likely be revisited after Washington signs its memorandum with Tehran.
Europeans split
European countries remain divided between those favoring engagement with Moscow and those seeking to maintain pressure on Russia. Hungary and Slovakia have urged direct dialogue with Moscow and criticized policies they say prolong the conflict. Those seeking to maintain pressure, which includes Poland, the Baltic states and much of the EU leadership, argues that political, economic and military pressure must continue. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that stance on Monday, calling support for Ukraine a top G7 priority.
France and Germany occupy a middle ground, backing continued aid to Kiev while acknowledging that any lasting settlement will require negotiations with Russia. That approach was tested last week when French, British, and German envoys met Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin in Moscow. According to Russia, however, they merely repeated calls for a ceasefire and security guarantees for Ukraine, prompting Moscow to argue that the countries arming Kiev cannot act as neutral mediators.
Trump’s position
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly claimed he could end the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours through direct diplomacy, though he later acknowledged that a settlement would be harder to achieve. Since returning to office, he has criticized both Moscow and Kiev at various times, accusing each side of hindering peace efforts, while consistently arguing that the conflict should be resolved through negotiations rather than prolonged fighting.

🚨 BREAKING : Trump is asking where all the money in Ukraine has gone, and he estimates that they've poured in about 350 billion dollars. 🇺🇸🗣👉 🇺🇦

Trump knows that this money is being diverted and that this entire conflict is just a massive money laundering operation.💥🔥 pic.twitter.com/qQvc7R6Yi7
— THE Q STORM (@e3z9b_qI1ytkw) June 16, 2026

After speaking with Putin and Zelensky on Sunday, Trump described both conversations as “very good” and said both leaders were “very open” to peace. According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, he also told Putin he was prepared to “influence” Kiev and its European backers toward a settlement. Speaking at the G7, Trump said he would “look” at what could be done regarding Ukraine, while suggesting the conflict was of limited importance to the US, adding that “it has no impact on us other than we sell weapons.”
Zelensky’s demands
Amid mounting battlefield pressure, Zelensky has insisted on securing a temporary ceasefire and continued Western support, while maintaining that Ukraine will not formally recognize Moscow’s sovereignty over territories that joined Russia through referendums. He has also opposed any settlement negotiated directly between Moscow and Washington without Kiev’s participation, insisting that Ukraine’s European backers be included in the process.

“No FISA Without SAVE Act:”

• Trump Calls Out ‘Dumocrat’ Double-Cross,” Keeps Pulte As Acting DNI (ZH)

Just two years after Donald Trump urged Congress to kill Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act while on the campaign trail, he’s now livid that Democrats won’t help Republicans pass it. Trump took to Truth Social early Wednesday morning with a lengthy post accusing ‘Dumocrats’ of breaking a bipartisan deal on FISA reauthorization – and announced a series of moves that throw a wrench into Senate plans for both intelligence leadership and surveillance powers.

According to Trump, Republicans played themselves – after agreeing with Democrats to accelerate the removal of Acting DNI William Pulte (by fast-tracking Jay Clayton’s confirmation) in exchange for Democratic support on renewing FISA Section 702 surveillance powers. Now, however Democrats are threatening to vote against FISA anyway.
“The Republicans wound up having fulfilled their commitment, but Dumocrats broke the Deal.” As a result, Trump said he is canceling today’s Senate hearing for Jay Clayton as permanent DNI. He will not move Clayton out of his current role as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York until Jamie McDonald (a Sullivan & Cromwell partner and Trump’s former personal lawyer, recently nominated to replace him at SDNY) is confirmed – including clearing the “blue slip” process.

In the meantime, Bill Pulte will remain as Acting Director of National Intelligence – who Trump picked to replace Tulsi Gabbard after she said in May she was leaving the administration in June to spend time with her husband following his cancer diagnosis. Pulte has been a controversial pick over his lack of intelligence experience – which led to Trump nominating U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton to be the next DNI. nTrump explicitly linked his approval of FISA renewal to passage of the SAVE America Act – his priority legislation requiring photo ID, proof of citizenship for voter registration, and strict limits on mail-in ballots.

“Therefore, to add a slight bit of intrigue but, for the Good of the Nation, and the People of our Country, I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it. Not complicated, actually, the Republicans fell into a trap.” The SAVE America Act – which requires Americans to show proof of citizenship to register to vote and a valid ID to cast a ballot, has stalled in the Senate after the House passed the legislation in February.

What amazed me was the scale.

“.. the aim of the attack [..] was to create chaos and overthrow the U.S. government.

• 5 Arrested in Plot to Attack UFC Event at White House (ET)

Five men have been arrested for allegedly plotting to attack the mixed martial arts event that was held at the White House on June 14. The charges include conspiracy to murder. The men were planning to set off explosives at the event and force people there to flee a certain way, according to court documents. Snipers would be positioned to take out high-level targets, including President Donald Trump, according to the charging papers. One of the men, Tycen Proper, 19, told law enforcement that the attack would “jumpstart” a revolution in the United States, according to the FBI. Proper’s mother called the police on June 10. Officers arrived and learned that Proper had met people online and had been planning “recons” and “missions” with them, according to prosecutors.

He had also spent $3,000 on guns, ammunition, ballistic plates, and other items, and planned to leave during the upcoming weekend to meet with the people, his father said. Proper was admitted to a local hospital because of “homicidal ideations,” the FBI said. Proper later spoke to investigators and shared with them images and messages from accounts he was using, including accounts on TikTok and Signal. Proper said that the group with which he was involved believed the United States was headed in the wrong direction, and needed to be “torn down so that it could be rebuilt,” according to the FBI. He said the plan was for people to leave their homes on June 12 or 13 and meet in Fredericksburg, Virginia. They would stage a demonstration near the White House.

Wow, this is crazy! https://t.co/YRmricD21V
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 16, 2026

During the demonstration, the group would fly drones laden with explosive devices and set them off in a specific area, forcing the crowd to evacuate in view of waiting snipers, who would shoot people as they fled. Targets included Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va). Through the information Proper provided, law enforcement identified four other men involved with the attack plan, according to officials. One of the men, Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, discussed the targets during the attack. “As many and as deadly as we can get,” he allegedly wrote. Another man, Daniel Eskridge, 32, wrote that the plan required five teams of three people each, and that the teams would each consist of a sniper, a drone operator, and a look-out.
The other two men allegedly involved in the plot are Bryan Omar Roa, 24, and Michael Alan Thomas, 32. Roa told the FBI during an interview that he had planned to protest at the UFC event but “his vehicle malfunctioned and he had to return home.” His relatives told law enforcement that he had planned to go to Washington and appeared ready to carry out an act of violence, and he discussed how a person could hypothetically use drones armed with explosives to bomb buildings near the White House, according to charging documents. Thomas told the FBI that he was a planner and adviser for the group, the FBI said. Thomas allegedly said the aim of the attack, and subsequent planned attacks, was to create chaos and overthrow the U.S. government.
“This is still an active, ongoing investigation,” U.S. Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday. “There are still suspects at large, and we’re going to work it until everyone’s been identified.” Quinn also said that the event on Sunday was “never at risk. Period.” A public defender appointed to represent Alvarez declined to comment. Lawyers representing Proper and Eskridge did not respond to requests for comment by time of publication. It was not clear whether Roa and Thomas had retained legal counsel.
FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement that “thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold.” He added, “I want to thank our great agents and partners, this work remains ongoing and we will continue to update the public as permitted.”

It is sad to look at the potential Democrat candidates.

• How Deep Are the Newsoms In It? THIS Deep. (Stephen Green)

It seems impossible — or just too revolting — to keep up with the financial hanky-panky of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner (gag) Jennifer Siebel Newsom. But thanks to a couple of investigative reporters with stronger stomachs than I have, let’s see if I can’t put everything you need to know into one easily digestible column. I love it when other people do my dirty work for me, so let’s get started. “Today, my wife & I joined Donald Trump’s hit list,” Newsom practically boasted on Monday. “He has directed his Department of Justice to investigate us. They have not found a crime — they are simply trying to find one.”

Well, let’s see what Fox Business anchor Liz MacDonald and my old friend and Red State colleague Jen Van Laar have to say about that. MacDonald said Tuesday that the DOJ probe “is about California Democrats’ modern-day machine politics,” which she described as a “feedback loop of Sacramento-corporate lobbyists-governor/wife nonprofit-behested nonprofit donations-lucrative state contracts-Sacramento.” Don’t bother writing all this down — there won’t be a quiz at the end of today’s column. You’re welcome.
“The modern Sacramento machine trades corporate compliance and nonprofit funding/donations for policy access and state business,” MacDonald added, and then explained how that grift (allegedly!) worked for the Newsoms: According to IRS Form 990 disclosures, her nonprofit frequently buys from Siebel Newsom’s for-profit film company—Girls Club Entertainment LLC—writer, producer and director services and the licensing and production rights for her documentaries. Then it sells the docs to the state and public schools.
IRS records show that her nonprofit has paid her Girls Club Entertainment LLC roughly $1.64 million for these production and licensing rights since 2012, which includes a steady annual contracting fee of $150,000 since 2018. TL;DR: Siebel Newsom produced unwatchable propaganda videos for children, for which Democrat-dominated schools then paid her handsomely. Or as MacDonald summed it up, “Over the past decade, Siebel Newsom has collected over $3.7 million in combined personal salary and LLC payouts funded by the nonprofit.”
Then there are behested payments, which MacDonald explained are “a unique mechanism in California politics where an elected official asks a corporation, labor union, or wealthy individual to donate money to a specific charity, nonprofit, or government program.” Unlike campaign donations, there are no caps. As governor, Newsom requested a record $226 million in behested payments in one year. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars went to the California Partners Project,” MacDonald wrote, “a nonprofit founded by his wife.” “Many of the biggest donors were corporate giants (like health insurers and utility companies) actively bidding for lucrative state contracts or fighting state regulations.”
One hand washes the other with filthy lucre, if you’ll allow me to mix metaphors. Which brings us to Jen Van Laar, and her hip-deep-in-the-muck wade through the Newsoms’ finances, going back years. Way back in 2021, Jen asked, “Somebody Paid $3.7 Million Cash for CA Gov Newsom’s Estate – But Who?” But couldn’t come up with any satisfactory answers. That’s because the Newsoms alternately claimed that “the Newsoms’ cash was used to purchase the home but was done through an LLC managed by his first cousin,” or that “Newsoms obtained a loan… to purchase the home because the sale happened so quickly that they didn’t have time to obtain a mortgage.”
Then, California’s First Couple played similar LLC games, buying a second home for $9.1 million in ritzy Marin County. “Based on my examination of 15+ yrs of Newsom’s financial disclosures, tax returns, and real estate transactions,” Jenn explained in March, “they absolutely did not have $9.1M in cash.” Clearly, somebody did. The shenanigans were so egregious that — no matter what TDS nonsense Newsom’s social media team posts on X — the DOJ investigation began under the Biden administration. As I quipped on Instapundit this week, maybe Newsom needs to take a break from social media and lawyer up.
Then there are the real-world effects, the fallout from personal corruption and statewide, one-party rule. On Tuesday, Victor Davis Hanson wondered if California is “reaching critical mass,” thanks to one-party rule creating a “neo-feudal society” that is “hardly democratic.” The most egregious example was the fate of 2014’s Proposition 1, a $7.12 billion water bond “designed to solve the state’s chronic water storage deficit.” Even though Prop 1 is an actual constitutional amendment, including “$2.7 billion specifically designated for new reservoirs,” an alliance of bureaucracies, elected officials, and green activists still managed to block any new reservoir construction.
“Adding insult to injury,” Hanson continued, “Governor Gavin Newsom instead used $250 million from the Proposition 1 fund to blow up four dams on the Klamath River.” Californians voted for more water infrastructure. Newsom’s party blocked them, and Newsom himself had four dams destroyed that had “once provided storage, electrical generation, recreation, and flood control.” Tell me again about Muh Democracy™. All of which is my long-winded way of concluding that, as corrupt as the Newsoms appear to be, they are merely a symptom of the progressive disease killing our once-greatest state.

As long as she’s around, how can you take that party even a little bit serious?

• Kamala’s Anti-Trump Meltdown in Austria a Masterclass in Projection (Margolis)

Kamala Harris took the stage at the Austrian World Summit on Tuesday and delivered the most shameless masterclass in projection I have ever seen. The moderator, Elex Michaelson, asked Harris about the news that California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) is now under investigation by the Department of Justice.

It was a loaded question, of course, and, as you might expect, she responded with a classic Kamala word salad. “So I am not surprised that he may be using the Department of Justice to go after a political enemy in the current governor of California,” she said, “and this is why I do believe this, upon many other examples of what is, essentially — you’re gonna ask me questions about the current president, I’m gonna be candid — what is essentially the most callous, corrupt, and incompetent presidential administration America’s ever experienced, and for that reason, I have no question or doubt that we will win the midterms, and it will be a result of people of every background and political association who will contribute to that outcome.”
She claimed that President Donald Trump told everyone he’d weaponize the DOJ against his enemies, and now he’s doing it. It’s an absolute joke that anyone connected with the Biden-Harris administration would even attempt to play that card, because they didn’t just talk about using government power against political opponents. They did it, repeatedly, and boy, did they do it with gusto.
They jailed nonviolent January 6th protesters and denied them due process. They prosecuted pro-life demonstrators for praying outside abortion clinics. The Biden-Harris DOJ targeted Catholic churches. The FBI labeled parents who showed up at school board meetings as domestic terrorists for the crime of caring about their kids’ education. And, of course, the Biden-Harris administration literally sent the FBI to raid the home of President Trump in a blatant scheme to put him in prison so he couldn’t return to the White House.
Sorry, but Kamala Harris has no business accusing the Trump administration of weaponizing the Department of Justice, especially while citing the Newsom case, which, as PJ Media previously reported, actually began under the Biden-Harris administration.
While I’m here, we might as well address Kamala’s accusations of incompetence, too. This is the vice president who watched Afghanistan collapse into the hands of the Taliban, abandoned American allies to their fate, and presided over a withdrawal that got 13 U.S. troops killed. That’s before we even get to the border crisis her administration refused to control, the unchecked inflation that gutted American paychecks the administration claimed would be transitory, the bungled response to the East Palestine train derailment, the confused handling of the Chinese spy balloon, the disastrous and ultimately abandoned Gaza pier project, the sluggish response to the Maui wildfires, and the failure to deter Russia from invading Ukraine in the first place. And that’s just a few examples off the top of my head.
And don’t get me started on corruption. Between the Biden Crime Family and the whole cover-up of Joe Biden’s cognitive decline, the last thing Kamala should want is for anyone to go there — not that Michaelson would call her out on any of those things.
So when Kamala stands on a stage in Austria and calls the Trump administration the most callous, corrupt, and incompetent in American history, conservatives can be forgiven for laughing. She’s not describing Trump. She’s describing the administration she was a part of for four years.

“.. maqluba (a deal, flipping the rice) or muqlaba (no deal, flipping the peace)..”

• Ease In Our Time (Every)

Yesterday saw the BOJ hike rates to 1%, the highest level since 1995, and the RBA hold at 4.35%, with some chatter of the next move being down, not up, despite inflation running way above 2%. Today it’s the turn of new Fed Chair Warsh who, like the other central banks, has to deal with a geopolitical backdrop which may or may not allow for any monetary policy easing.

There, the text of the 14-point US-Iran MoU has been leaked ahead of its Swiss signing ceremony on Friday: ironically, it says “Ease in our time.” It allows Iran to immediately sell oil again, including the waiver of all banking and transport sanctions (though US legislation may prove an obstacle re: IRGC terror designation). It also includes the private sector $300bn investment fund for Iran, which Reuters claims has already been half committed.
What does this imply? It’s either a giant TACO that markets look past the full implications of to embrace; or a can-kick until the midterms (after which what?); or the Middle Eastern dish maqluba –not muqlaba (‘confrontation’)– layers of rice, veggies, and meat prepared one way up, then flipped when served. In other words, a behind-the-scenes-and-rhetoric normalisation from Iran. Ultimately, the proof of that dish is in the eating, and there are still many points to choke on.
NBC reports Iran has continued to fire multiple drones toward ships in Hormuz since the MoU was agreed, with the US shooting them down. The US Navy underlines the Strait still holds “substantial” risk. Insurers therefore remain wary, and as noted yesterday, maritime traffic is more likely to flood out than back in ahead.
Iran is demanding an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, which Israel states it will not and just struck Hezbollah again, with Iran now threatening to respond if Israel continues. Trump yesterday suggested Syria, with a history of looking at Lebanon as its own, should take care of Hezbollah (which the Lebanese government wants to disarm, but is unable to), not Israel. Given Syrian president Al-Sharaa’s Al Qaeda background and links to Turkey, with its history of looking at Syria as part of the Ottoman Empire, this does not seem the panacea some might hope for.
The MoU text is vague on uranium: it “will be adequately addressed in a final agreement.” Again, is it maqluba (a deal, flipping the rice) or muqlaba (no deal, flipping the peace)? China is warning the next phase of US-Iran talks will be “more difficult,” which is very clear.
The US is also weighing boosting ties with the Palestinian Authority as it seeks to advance its Gaza Board of Peace and an expanded Abraham Accords, while Israeli PM Netanyahu is said to be dropping election campaign posters showing him alongside Trump, as his opponents are all as hawkish as him re: Hezbollah and Iran, if not on the Palestinian issue.
In short, there are so many layers of rice, veggies, and meat here that’s not clear if anyone can flip the dish without spilling the food: and that’s just the Middle East, which is a current pivot point within a larger global negotiation.

RT has a pro- as well as a counter article.

• Nigel Farage’s ‘White Britain’: A Long-Overdue Step (von Hoffmeister)

Nigel Farage’s recent Substack post lays bare the reality of Britain’s “two-tier” system, where native white Britons face systemic disadvantages in policing, housing, employment, and justice while ethnic minorities receive preferential treatment under the guise of “equality.”

This is not an aberration or a policy glitch. It is the predictable outcome of attempting to impose liberal democracy on a multiracial society. Different ethnic groups possess distinct collective interests rooted in both biology and culture. Where those interests diverge, genuine democracy, meaning rule by the people for the common good, becomes impossible. Only one outcome prevails: the slow disenfranchisement of the historical white majority.
Human beings are not blank slates. Evolution and genetic similarity theory demonstrate that people favor their own ethnic group. This is not “racism”; it is kin selection, an adaptive strategy honed over millennia. Studies of in-group preference, crime statistics, voting patterns, and nepotistic networks across the globe confirm it: most non-white groups operate tribally as a matter of course. Middle Eastern clans, African kinship networks, South Asian extended families, East Asian ethnic solidarity, and Latin American mestizo patronage systems all prioritize “our people” first. This is normal human behavior.
Whites are the glaring exception. Through Christianity’s universalism, Enlightenment individualism, and post-World War II indoctrination via education, media, and elite institutions, Europeans have been brainwashed into viewing themselves solely as atomized individuals. “Race doesn’t matter,” “we’re all the same,” and “diversity is our strength” are articles of faith, not empirical observations. Whites extended this universalism outward – abolishing slavery, spreading human rights, and building institutions based on merit and fair play – only to then have it weaponized against them. Other groups never adopted it; they simply exploited white openness. The result is asymmetric competition: cohesive ethnic blocs practice nepotism, bloc voting, and resource extraction, while whites compete as isolated individuals, handicapped by their own self-imposed scruples.
In a heterogeneous society, this cannot produce a fair democracy. Democracy assumes a shared conception of the public interest. When ethnic groups have irreconcilable preferences – on crime and policing, welfare redistribution, immigration, family structure, time horizons, and cultural dominance – majoritarianism becomes ethnic spoils. Non-White groups act for their tribe’s advantage. Whites, crippled by individualism, appeal to abstract principles that no one else honors. Nepotism always defeats naive individualism in the long run. Look at any Western city with significant demographic change: ethnic enclaves, parallel societies, demands for Sharia accommodations, affirmative action, and reparations. The social whole dissolves.
The West invented the highest expressions of universalism: rule of law applied equally, individual rights, and merit-based advancement. These are noble achievements responsible for unparalleled prosperity and innovation. Yet in a world of group differences, they function as unilateral disarmament. Non-whites import their tribal strategies into open societies while whites cling to universal rules that prevent collective self-defense. Elites, often insulated by wealth, celebrate this as ‘moral progress.’ The autochthonous population pays the price: suppressed wages, strained welfare systems, skyrocketing crime in ‘diverse’ areas, cultural displacement, and two-tier justice.
[..] Whites must rediscover their own ethnic consciousness, not out of supremacy but survival and reciprocity. Rejecting universalist suicide does not require hating others; it requires realism. Other groups pursue their interests unapologetically. Only when whites do the same can stable, high-trust arrangements emerge. Farage’s critique of a two-tier Britain is a starting point. The deeper truth is that without halting demographic replacement and rethinking governance along lines of peoplehood, democracy itself becomes a fiction masking tribal conquest.
This is the hard reality many conservative thinkers have warned about for decades. Pretending otherwise accelerates decline.

“The Reform UK leader’s manifesto attacks DEI and immigration, but beneath the outrage lies a thin program built on grievance and biology..”

• Nigel Farage’s ‘White Britain’ is a Fantasy (Graham Hryce)

Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has published a lengthy personal manifesto on his Substack this week. Farage is not noted for making detailed policy pronouncements, and his long-winded writeup provides an interesting insight into Reform’s policy agenda – revealing, as it does, both its intellectual and political shortcomings. Farage’s manifesto is titled “Britain is a two-tier state – against white people” and it was clearly triggered by the recent Henry Nowak and Stephen Ogilvie cases, in which white British citizens were brutally attacked (and in Nowak’s case, killed) by a Sikh and a Sudanese respectively, neither of whom were illegal immigrants. Farage sets out in detail the circumstances surrounding the Nowak case, and his strident criticisms of the police are entirely valid.

Farage’s central contention is that white people in Britain are treated much less fairly than other ethnic groups, and that the mainstream political parties – he calls them “the establishment parties” – are unwilling to acknowledge the fact that “anti-White racism is embedded into the heart of the state” – because they created this state of affairs and are ideologically committed to maintaining it. Farage sees the “ideology of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)” and the Equality Act, passed by Labour in 2010 and subsequently strengthened by the Conservatives, as being the main culprits here, and argues that “every section of the state… has been ideologically compromised” by these “toxic ideologies.” According to Farage, this has created a less harmonious and less fair Britain.
Farage claims that this “two-tier state” has created a “two-tier market” in employment, social housing, education, the military, policing, and healthcare – which discriminates against white people, especially the young. Ominously, according to Farage, the situation can only get worse in the future – because while “White Brits” are a sizable majority at present, they “will become a minority in this country before the end of the century.” Notwithstanding this bleak state of affairs, Farage nevertheless maintains that “there is reason for hope” because Reform “has the will and the ability to ensure that no young White person ever has to grow up feeling ashamed of who they are again.”
How precisely does Reform propose to bring about this miraculous social transformation? Farage sets out a number of specific policy proposals that Reform proposes to implement if the party wins government, including the following:
• abolish the Equality Act and prohibit national and local government bodies from implementing DEI policies;
• prevent foreign nationals from having access to welfare benefits;
• ensure that students receive a “balanced and patriotic education” and compel every school to “fly the Union flag” and prominently display a picture of the King;
• restore pride to Britain’s armed forces.
The flimsiness of these policies is obvious, and even if they were implemented, they would do little or nothing to alleviate the serious and longstanding problems that bedevil contemporary Britain – including a declining economy, the cost-of-living crisis, a ballooning public debt, and rising crime rates. Liberal commentators have long been critical of the Equality Act and illiberal ideologies like DEI – and Farage is correct to condemn them and point out how destructive they are of social cohesion. But, even here, Farage underestimates how difficult it will be to abolish them. Britain is still bound by the EU Human Rights Act and a raft of other EU laws, and the UK Supreme Court will fight tooth and nail to retain the status quo.

And the people pushing these laws know that very well.

They push “safety for kids” only to get -legal- access to -grown-up- you.

• A Social Media Ban for Minors Requires Data From Everyone (ET)

In debating a social media ban for minors, it appears we face a choice between two perceived harms. One is the reported damage that social media is doing to the mental health of children and adolescents. The other is the normalization of mass age verification systems—most likely involving biometrics—that would apply to everyone, not just minors. This carries real risks of privacy invasion, data breaches, and future mission creep.

There is little dispute that many Western countries have experienced a rise in youth mental health problems beginning around 2010–2012 (when Smartphones and social media exploded). Anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide rates among adolescents, particularly girls, have increased dramatically since this period. There is disagreement, however, not over whether these spikes exist, but whether they can be attributed specifically to social media. The lingering effects of the pandemic and lockdowns, and family breakdown are just some of the other factors that could be in play.
Data debates aside, most Canadians with common sense and personal experience using social media for prolonged periods of time would admit that doing so is harmful for their mental health, no matter their age. So, what should we do? Whatever steps we take, resorting to broad government-mandated bans and mass surveillance should not be one of them.
Australia offers the clearest real-world test of such a policy. Since its under-16 social media ban took effect on Dec. 10, 2025, platforms operating in the country, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick, have been required to take “reasonable steps” to prevent users under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. Platforms guilty of breaching this new law can reach up to AU$49.5 million.
Australia’s legislation “specifically prohibits platforms from compelling Australians to provide a government-issued ID or use an Australian Government accredited digital ID service to prove their age.” To comply with the law, platforms have implemented widespread use of behavioural analysis, device signals, and facial age estimation scans. By mid-December 2025, platforms had already removed access to approximately 4.7 million suspected under-16 accounts.
But large numbers of teenagers quickly found workarounds. Surveys conducted in early 2026 show that more than 60 percent of under-16s who had accounts before the ban continue to access at least one restricted platform. Common methods include using borrowed phones or parents’ ID, fake age declarations, VPNs, and printed mesh masks to fool facial recognition. Without robust age verification systems, therefore, a meaningful ban doesn’t exist. It might initially remove under 16s, but millions of ineligible minors will find a way to return to these platforms, as has taken place in Australia.
This begs an important question: What is the point of an age verification system that is only half effective? This would create a new set of problems including the loss of privacy rights for everyone, without actually solving the underlying problem the legalization is reportedly designed to fix.= Canada is aware of this conundrum. What would Canada do, then, to both kick minors off the platforms and keep them off the platforms? There is no reason to think that parental oversight or enforcement will be any different here than across the Pacific.
One possibility is social media users must submit verification of identity every time they log in to the platform. The most obvious way to do this would be a government-mediated login system. This would essentially grant government an immense amount of metadata about who logs in to what, how often, etc.
Another possibility would be for social media platforms themselves to monitors users’ data, either by periodically scanning faces and matching it to submitted photo ID, or by evaluating user behaviour (i.e., what content is being accessed and predicting the age of users). This would give an immense amount of data to social media companies that, if retained, could lead to significant privacy violations. Imagine a camera monitoring you every time you use Instagram or Facebook. Think about the fact that biometric technology can already be used to predict age based on wrinkles, skin texture and elasticity, facial proportions, eye shape, hairline, and bone structure. Researchers have even found statistical correlations between typing speed, error patterns, touch pressure, and age.
In this latter possibility, Canadians would be handing highly sensitive biometric data (faces, fingerprints, typing style, etc.) to foreign corporations that are subject to foreign laws (U.S. CLOUD Act, Chinese national intelligence law, etc.). These companies can be compelled by their own governments to hand over your personal and identifiable data. This type of data is also permanent. If it gets hacked, leaked, or demanded by a foreign government, you cannot change it like a password.
Finally, a mandatory social media ban for minors under 16 would significantly restrict their ability to access information about the world. Freedom of expression under the Charter section 2(b) includes not only the right to speak, but also the right to receive information. Canadian courts have recognized this in several cases. Social media platforms have become one of the primary ways many young people receive news, public debates, educational content, and diverse viewpoints.
One doesn’t have to be an absolutist to value freedom and privacy, but the fact of the matter is we have not tried alternative strategies that would minimally impair this fundamental freedom of privacy for everyone, and freedom of speech for minors. Yes, facial recognition is already used voluntarily on some platforms (such as dating apps). And a driver’s licence is often required from gambling sites to ensure compliance with the law. But there is a profound difference between choosing to use one of these sites and being required by law to submit biometric data to participate in modern public discourse. The scale is also vastly different.
We should pursue less invasive strategies instead of choosing between an ineffective ban or a robust and draconian one. Aggressive cultural campaigns against early smartphone use, phone-free schools until at least Grade 9 or 10, and better parental control tools have all shown meaningful results for youth mental health in multiple studies. Stronger platform liability for addictive design specifically aimed at children could also be pursued. At the end of the day, parents are responsible for their children’s social media use with or without a law that requires everyone share their digital data. In other words, even if a robust law existed, parents would still be responsible to ensure their children avoid workarounds.
The instinct to protect children is good, but we cannot protect them by quietly dismantling the privacy and freedom of the entire society. The cure must not be worse than the disease.

5 eyes.

• Canada is Next Up (CTH)

It is not coincidental that we have seen Australia, New Zealand, the U.K, and now Canada trigger online ‘age verification’ laws; simultaneous with a political push inside the USA to maintain FISA (702) legislation. Separating the USA for a moment. The intelligence services of Australia, New Zealand, U.K and Canada make up four of the intelligence services 5-eyes. In essence, the British Commonwealth is the IC commonality. [Yes, there is some validity to the Lyndon LaRouche perspective (Promethean Action PAC)] Additionally, I would also posit a reminder of the international assembly who structured the originating financial sanctions against Russia; again, a commonality.

Focusing on the most recent political creation in Canada, there are three bills currently being rushed through the Canadian House of Parliament, C-34: keep kids safe on social media; C-36: stronger privacy rules, and C-22: modern tools for police. Not surprisingly, it is difficult to find non-govt-approved information about this legislative construct online. Canadian media must remain compliant with approved government narratives in order to maintain their business model. However, putting together some various information found on non-controlled information sources, it is possible to begin discussion of the situation. The two issues that merge with the greatest impact are Bill C-22: The Surveillance Bill, and Bill C-34: The Children’s Safety Bill.

Bill C-22 requires that all information transmission providers, every telecom and internet company, retain metadata on all Canadian users for up to one year. This is electronic metadata which we all know encompasses a lot more than just content. Signal app, NordVPN, Windscribe, DuckDuckGo, Apple, and Meta have all formally opposed it. Signal app has threatened to leave Canada entirely rather than comply. This is a government mandated metadata storage library on all electronic communication and activity by Canadian users. Then there’s Bill C-34: The Children’s Safety Bill, as noted by Lucy Hargreaves, a bill that ‘Applies to Everyone’, not just kids.
“The government’s social media ban for under-16s is genuinely popular, with 75% of Canadians supporting it in polling. The problem is what it requires in practice. To stop anyone under 16 from creating an account, platforms need to know how old everyone is. There is no way to identify who is under 16 without identifying everyone who isn’t. This means every Canadian adult would need to submit government ID or a face scan to a third-party verification company before posting a photo, using cloud storage, or playing an online game. The bill also creates a new Digital Safety Commission with sweeping powers to set the rules, decide which platforms must comply, and approve or deny exemptions — with almost no criteria written into the law itself.”
“Australia introduced the same social media ban in December 2025. Six months later, the eSafety Commissioner told Parliament she was “not really keen” on it from the start and called it a “blunt force approach” drafted too quickly. 70% of young Australians reported the ban had little effect on their social media use. It didn’t reduce cyberbullying. What it did produce was a surge in VPN use… pushing young people to darker, less-monitored platforms.
The UK implemented age verification under its Online Safety Act in mid-2025. Within one month, VPN downloads hit over two million — the highest ever recorded — and monthly downloads stayed above one million for a year as users raced to bypass the requirement. The EU considered its own version of mandatory message scanning (dubbed “Chat Control”) and its own Parliament voted it down in March 2026, with the EU’s legal service concluding that indiscriminate scanning of private communications is incompatible with fundamental rights.
The government’s core justification for C-22 is that Canada is the “only Five Eyes country” without a lawful access framework. But the United States has no federal mandatory metadata retention law. The EU’s highest court has struck down blanket retention twice as incompatible with human rights. When the Public Safety Minister claimed Canada’s provisions would be “in line with U.S. counterparts,” he was forced to walk back the statement within hours.”
Think about what all the critics (correctly) point out as the bigger issue behind the “age id” social media stuff. What is the unspoken goal of Australia, New Zealand, the U.K and Canada? Ultimately control. Govt online surveillance, correct? Some form of legal, legislated, govt authorized data surveillance that permits law enforcement to have actionable mechanisms, right? If that is indeed the goal, then in the USA we overlay FISA (702). NZ, AU, UK and CA get digital IDs. The USA gets 702. It’s the same basic premise; the same govt motive; the same underpinning reasoning. Just different and nuanced approaches.

One more admirer. Part of this story is that the US economy erupted since 2008, while Europe just about stood still. Today, the US looks like paradise to Europeans (no, not the food).

• The World Is Re-Discovering America In the World Cup — and Loving It (Moran)

About 250 years ago, America cast a spell on Europe and the rest of the world. That magic compelled 15-18 million people to uproot themselves and escape war, poverty, crop failures, and political instability to start all over again in the new nation between 1800 and 1900. More than 15 million immigrants arrived in the first 15 years of the 20th century, mostly from Eastern Europe and Russia. Funny how America’s critics gloss over that astonishing fact. Whenever they bother to mention it, they point to the industrial revolution, which created an insatiable demand for labor, as capitalism “enslaved” these unsuspecting workers.

Still, people kept coming. As bad as the left believes America is, people of all races, all religions, and from every nation ignored the portrayal of the United States as a racist, sexist country of white supremacists and came anyway. This is something America’s most vicious critics can’t get around. The people of the world voted with their feet, and while many of us may not like it, the promise America holds for a better life is irresistible. For the next month, more than 1.7 million foreigners will come to America to watch a soccer tournament. It hardly matters why they’re coming. They come with their preconceived notions about the U.S being a horrible place. Their own governments tell them so. American leftists amplify that message.
But once these soccer fans get here, an amazing transformation happens to many of them. They fall in love with the U.S. Perhaps they have relatives who left the old country to come here and have heard about America all their lives. Whatever their preconceptions about the U.S., nothing prepared them for how completely different it is from what they’ve been told or what they imagined. PJ Media editor Chris Queen wrote about this phenomenon last week, chronicling a German tourist’s travels through the South. Many other visitors in the U.S. for soccer find themselves delighted with what they’ve found.
New York Post: “Bright red fire trucks. Walmart’s cathedral of abundance. The miracle of free refills.” These are just a few of the American wonders World Cup tourists are encountering during their travels through the heartland — and they can’t seem to get enough of them. Visitors from all over the world are documenting their journeys across the United States on social media, much to the delight of every American who doesn’t think patriotism is a dirty word.“A place like this could ONLY exist in America and I LOVE it,” posted Sean from Scotland as he toured a Texas Buc-ees in abject astonishment.
“The vibes are insane!” exclaimed Freddy from Germany while road-tripping through Louisiana to New Orleans. Elsa from Sweden is demanding of X, “Why did no one tell me ranch sauce is like crack?” It seems that Gen X and Y had no idea of the “real” America. “One thing I love about the European World Cup tourists right now is that they’re not just being dropped off in the middle of Los Angeles or New York City or some overhyped metropolitan hub that most Americans like myself don’t even like,” X user @realmikolson observed. “They’re being dropped right in the middle of the heart of middle America.”
Fox News: “Olson said international tourists driving nine hours across Texas and experiencing Auburn University fraternity houses are witnessing “overwhelming American kindness.” “A lot of the locals in these areas have no idea who these people are or why they’re even there,” he said, adding that there’s been very little World Cup news or marketing, particularly in small towns.
Nevertheless, he’s heard of instances of restaurant owners driving World Cup fans to games because they can’t find an Uber. A deli owner gave British tourists free lunch “just because they came all this way,” he said. Some Alabama firefighters reportedly gave foreign visitors a tour of their fire department and free merchandise. Of course, there are many Americans who wish the foreigners would just go home and leave us alone. But there are enough Americans still imbued with small-town values and principles that make coming to America an incredibly rich and rewarding experience.

Blocking GPS would have a paralyzing effect.

• Russia’s New Warning Shot From Space (Martin Armstrong)

For years, politicians have been obsessed with tanks, artillery, missiles, and troop counts while the real battlefield has quietly moved into space. The latest reports suggesting that Russian satellites may be capable of disrupting GPS signals on a continental scale should be sending shockwaves through military circles. If these findings prove accurate, then we are looking at a capability that extends far beyond simply making a driver’s navigation system malfunction. GPS is embedded in aviation, shipping, banking, telecommunications, emergency services, power grids, financial transactions, military operations, and virtually every aspect of modern infrastructure.

According to researchers, dozens of GPS interference events detected across Europe since 2019 may have originated from Russia’s EKS satellite constellation. These satellites were originally designed as part of Russia’s missile early-warning system, but testing suggests they may also possess the ability to transmit powerful signals capable of disrupting GPS reception across vast regions. The significance is not whether a disruption lasts a few seconds or a few minutes. The significance is proving the concept works. Once a nation demonstrates it can interfere with navigation systems from orbit, the entire strategic equation changes.
What many fail to appreciate is how dependent modern warfare has become on satellite navigation. Precision-guided weapons rely on GPS. Drones rely on GPS. Aircraft, ships, logistics networks, battlefield communications, and intelligence systems all depend on accurate positioning data. Remove that capability and armies suddenly find themselves operating under conditions that resemble an entirely different century. During the Ukraine conflict, both sides have aggressively pursued electronic warfare, jamming systems, and signal disruption technologies. What appears to be emerging now is the possibility of extending those capabilities far beyond localized battlefields and into continental-scale operations.
Financial markets depend on precise timing synchronization. Cellular networks require timing signals to coordinate traffic. Shipping companies use satellite navigation to move trillions of dollars worth of goods annually. Airlines depend on navigation systems to safely manage thousands of flights every day. Even modern agriculture relies heavily on GPS-guided equipment. The public views GPS as a convenience. Governments and corporations know it has become a critical piece of economic infrastructure.
This development also highlights something I have warned about repeatedly. The next major conflict will not resemble the wars of the twentieth century. Future wars will target infrastructure before populations even realize an attack has occurred. A cyberattack can disable communications. A satellite disruption can interfere with transportation networks. Financial systems can be disrupted electronically. Power grids can be targeted remotely. The battlefield increasingly consists of networks, satellites, data centers, and communications systems rather than simply soldiers crossing borders.
The timing is noteworthy. We are entering the most dangerous phase of the geopolitical cycle. The 2026 Panic Cycle year has already begun exposing vulnerabilities across the global system. Relations between Russia and NATO remain strained. The United States and China are engaged in a rapidly escalating technological competition. Military spending is rising globally. Governments everywhere are preparing for contingencies that most citizens never consider. Space is no longer a peaceful frontier. It has become a strategic domain where the major powers are competing for dominance.
What should concern policymakers is not merely that Russia may possess this capability. The real question is how many nations are developing similar systems. The United States, China, Russia, and other powers have invested heavily in electronic warfare, anti-satellite technology, cyberwarfare, and space-based military assets. Every major power understands that controlling information, communications, and navigation systems may prove more decisive than controlling territory itself.

BREAKING: SpaceX has overtaken Microsoft and Amazon to become the fourth biggest company in the world. pic.twitter.com/dNs4Dxjran
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) June 16, 2026

BREAKING: The US DOJ just declared Elon Musk's AI data center a national security asset and blocked an environmental lawsuit against it.

The NAACP filed a lawsuit against xAI in April 2026 under the Clean Air Act, alleging the company is operating dozens of gas turbines without… pic.twitter.com/Y7LyzrF7qm
— Bull Theory (@BullTheoryio) June 16, 2026

ELON MUSK ON AI:

“AI IS LIKE A GENIUS CHILD.

YOU WANT IT TO GROW UP WITH A LOVE OF TRUTH AND A LOVE OF HUMANITY.”

“I DO WORRY ABOUT AI, BECAUSE WE ARE CREATING AN INTELLIGENCE THAT COULD ULTIMATELY BE FAR MORE INTELLIGENT THAN ANY HUMAN — AND EVEN MORE INTELLIGENT THAN THE SUM… pic.twitter.com/UKSIE4XDRt
— Vivek Sen (@Vivek4real_) June 16, 2026

Elon Musk on why he slept on the floor of the Tesla factory for 3 years.
In Poland, they don't get this.

“I lived in the Fremont factory and the one in Nevada for three years straight. That was my primary residence. I'm not joking. Seriously. I slept on the couch, and at one… https://t.co/W1kf9zbORC pic.twitter.com/IXAY18nWan
— Manisha Mishra (@manishamishra24) June 16, 2026

This censorship law is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The real goal is to enable the UK government to track everyone. https://t.co/aZKpGDdPmX
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2026

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Debt Rattle July 5 2025

Jul 052025

July 5, 2025 Posted by Raúl Ilargi Meijer at 9:00 am Finance Tagged with: Big Beautiful Bill, Civil War, Egypt, enslaved, Ethiopia, Fourth, Golden Dome, Hamas, MBS, Nile dam, tariffs, UFC 36 Responses »

Paul Gauguin Sheperd and sheperdess in a meadow 1888

• Putin-Trump Meeting Necessary – Kremlin (RT)

• Trump To Reinstate Sweeping Tariffs (RT)

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

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

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

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

• The Fourth of July (James Howard Kunstler)

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

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

• Trump Announces White House UFC Fight (RT)

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

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

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

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

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

https://twitter.com/dlacalle_IA/status/1941033377328779781

Our Founding Fathers can best be described by two words:

COURAGE &
ACCOUNTABILITY

They all stood for something greater than self and their example lives as a testimony for many more future generations.

Happy Independence Day and God bless America and all those who fought to… pic.twitter.com/X58doLh8qr

— General Mike Flynn (@GenFlynn) July 4, 2025

Tucker

Now this is an interesting point. Tucker Carlson says “They’re not really globalists”

“They're not really globalists are they? Because they're not doing this to China and Africa and the Middle East. They're not saying those nations need to invite a lot of people from different… pic.twitter.com/oZHes0vEkX

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) July 3, 2025

How did we wind up at war with Iran? Scott Horton explains.

(0:00) The History of Why Iran Is Such a Global Focal Point
(11:16) The Jimmy Carter Doctrine
(22:29) The Brutality of the Iraq/Iran War
(29:40) The First Iraq War Was a Massive Mistake
(41:32) Bill Clinton’s Fatal… pic.twitter.com/WnZ3zXBmcF

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) July 3, 2025

As per James Woods.

One of the most pleasant surprises among so many of this phenomenal administration is Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This guy is the gold standard. What a great choice he has been in one of the greatest Cabinets in modern history. pic.twitter.com/2yOF2USAa2

— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) July 4, 2025

Fourth

Reminder that if you are fully vaccinated and up to date on boosters, you are allowed to celebrate the Fourth of July.

Those vaccinated are even permitted to have a backyard barbecue, so long as the number of guests is five or less.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. pic.twitter.com/LgGewZ5hJH

— MAZE (@mazemoore) July 3, 2025

Ramallah

Israeli has set fire to Taybeh — a 10,000-year-old village in Ramallah, Palestine.

A place where Jesus once walked.

Home to the world’s oldest living Christian community.

And not a peep from Western mainstream media. pic.twitter.com/NVEzWbsh44

— sarah (@sahouraxo) July 3, 2025

Hassett

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

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

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

• Putin-Trump Meeting Necessary – Kremlin (RT)

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

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

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

There will be some very unhappy faces.

• Trump To Reinstate Sweeping Tariffs (RT)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Who will liberate us from Israel?”

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

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

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

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

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

• The Fourth of July (James Howard Kunstler)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strangely, but fitting.

• Trump Announces White House UFC Fight (RT)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Secretely? Why?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wars have started over much less.

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

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

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

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

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

Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson's handwritten draft of the Declaration of Independence (with revisions by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin), 1776. pic.twitter.com/NcXdeDRTJS

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 4, 2025

Covid

A bombshell analysis published by the Canadian research group Correlation reveals that the 2020 mortality surge across Europe and the U.S. didn’t follow the pattern of a viral outbreak.

Instead, the evidence points to something far more chilling: the mass mistreatment of… pic.twitter.com/f12BQRmi0Q

— Camus (@newstart_2024) July 5, 2025

Flynn+

GEN. FLYNN CALLS OUT OBAMA & EVERYONE INVOLVED IN RUSSIA HOAX TO BE CHARGED WITH TREASON. America is at a crucial point in it's history as Gen. Flynn stresses the importance of getting Trump to organize and execute an immediate plan to start arresting these traitors for treason.… pic.twitter.com/PF33i3pcXv

— The SCIF (@TheIntelSCIF) July 4, 2025

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

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