Jul 292025
 


Edvard Munch Ashes 1894

 

Von der Leyen Defends US Trade Deal (RT)
US Trade Deal Will Fuel EU’s ‘Deindustrialization’ – Lavrov (RT)
EU-US Tariff Deal A ‘Positive’ Development – Italy’s Meloni (RT)
US-EU Trade Deal A ‘Fiasco’ – Le Pen (RT)
Medvedev: Trump ‘Steamrolled, Humiliated’ Europe With One-Sided Deal (ZH)
Medvedev Tells Trump ‘Russia Isn’t Israel Or Iran’ (RT)
Trump Reduces Russia-Ukraine ‘Deadline’ To 10-12 Days (RT)
Russia Alone Against Entire West For First Time In History – Lavrov (RT)
I Love The Russian People – Trump (RT)
Trump Drops a Truth Bomb About the Epstein Files (Margolis)
Jailhouse Blues (James Howard Kunstler)
Trump Welcomes British PM Keir Starmer to Turnberry, Scotland (CTH)
Who Funds the WHO? (Fleetwood)
Six Months In, Here’s What Sets Trump 2.0 Apart (Charlie Kirk)
‘Godfather of AI’ Warns Governments To Collaborate Before It’s Too Late (RT)
Doug Casey on Global Disintegration (IM)

 

 

 

 

poll
https://twitter.com/VigilantFox/status/1949609289951113683

windmills

Doug

maher
https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1949814680135835806

https://twitter.com/TRobinsonNewEra/status/1949812791164146145

werner

Ghislaine – do read the whole post

 

 

 

 

Ursula was not elected, but appointed. Her no. 1 priority is not pleasing the voters, it is keeping her job. Still, Trump was undoubtedly not happy that she gave him the whole deal and then some, before he could even lay on his art. Where’s the funn in that?

Von der Leyen Defends US Trade Deal (RT)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has attempted to shrug off widespread criticism over the EU’s new trade agreement with the US. The controversial deal subjects most of the bloc’s exports to a 15% tariff while exempting American goods from retaliatory duties. The EU-US agreement was finalized on Sunday during a meeting with US President Donald Trump at one of his Scottish golf-resort hotels. ”15% is not to be underestimated, but it is the best we could get,” von der Leyen said, when asked by reporters whether the agreement offered relief to European carmakers. The compromise averts a looming 30% tariff Trump had threatened to impose on August 1. However, it falls far short of the EU’s original offer of zero tariffs on both imports and exports.

Trump has long accused the EU of exploiting regulatory barriers such as VAT distortions, and legal challenges in trade with the US. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the threat of tariffs was intended to “light a fire under the EU.” After negotiations stalled earlier this year, Trump escalated his demands, imposing a 25% tariff on cars, 50% on steel and aluminum, and threatening a 30% blanket tariff unless a deal was reached by August. The EU’s deal with the US has triggered a political backlash across the bloc. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou called it a “dark day” and an act of “submission.” Hungary’s Viktor Orban reportedly quipped that “Donald Trump ate Ursula von der Leyen for breakfast.” Numerous business associations have decried a “capitulation.”

According to Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, “Trump wiped the floor with Europe.” Still, the deal found support in Berlin and Rome. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described it as a necessary compromise to prevent a trade war and provide predictability for export-reliant economies. Before Trump’s return to office in January, the average US tariff on EU imports was roughly 1.5% while the bloc’s average imposed tariff was 1.35%, according to Brussels-based think tank Bruegel. Since then, a series of sweeping duties have been introduced.

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You get the feeling the warmongers in US and EU are trying to raze the entire continent in order to make it a war theater.

US Trade Deal Will Fuel EU’s ‘Deindustrialization’ – Lavrov (RT)

The new US-EU trade agreement threatens to accelerate “deindustrialization” in Europe by redirecting investment to the US and increasing the bloc’s dependency on American energy exports, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. On Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump finalized a controversial deal that allowed the EU and US to avert a full-scale trade war. Under the deal, the US has reduced its proposed 30% tariffs to a flat 15% on most European exports. The EU has committed to purchasing $750 billion worth of US energy, primarily liquefied natural gas and nuclear fuel, and agreed to invest around $600 billion into US industries. The bloc has also undertaken to increase imports of US-made weapons.

Speaking at the ‘Territory of Meanings’ forum on Monday, Lavrov described the arrangement as “clearly leading to further deindustrialization of Europe and capital flight.” He added that rising energy prices and investment outflows will strike a “very hard blow” to European industrial and agricultural sectors. According to Lavrov, von der Leyen was apparently “boasting” about the EU’s willingness to carry additional costs. “People like Ursula von der Leyen literally take pride in this path: yes, we will be forced to spend more money, yes, we will probably have fewer resources to address social problems, but we are obliged to defeat Russia.” He stressed that the trade deal is “obviously damaging for the Old Continent – it doesn’t even need to be analyzed.”

Lavrov’s stance was echoed by several EU politicians and the business community. Marine Le Pen, a key figure in France’s right-wing National Rally party, denounced the agreement as a “political, economic, and moral fiasco” detrimental to the EU’s sovereignty. French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou concurred, calling it a “dark day” for the EU. German business leaders also voiced alarm. Wolfgang Niedermark, a member of the executive board of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), said the EU had sent a “fatal signal” by accepting high tariffs. “Even a tariff rate of 15% will have immense negative effects on the export-oriented German industry,” he warned.

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“There is a winner – US President Trump – and a loser, or rather two: The EU and Giorgia Meloni.”

EU-US Tariff Deal A ‘Positive’ Development – Italy’s Meloni (RT)

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of the closest European allies of US President Donald Trump, has welcomed the EU’s trade deal with Washington despite criticism of the terms at home. After months of talks, the EU has reached a trade agreement with the US that sets a baseline 15% tariff on most exports, including cars, while steel and aluminum remain at 50%. The deal was reached at a meeting between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday. Both called it a “powerful” and “stabilizing” breakthrough. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Meloni called the agreement a positive development.

“I think it’s positive that there’s an agreement,” Meloni, who had previously criticized Trump’s tariff drive and pledged to pursue a zero-for-zero deal, said. Italy is one of Europe’s top exporters to the US, with a trade surplus exceeding €40 billion ($46 billion). Opposition leaders, however, slammed Meloni for failing to secure better terms. Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte wrote: “There is a winner – US President Trump – and a loser, or rather two: The EU and Giorgia Meloni.” He warned the tariffs could cost Italy €23 billion in exports and threaten 100,000 jobs.

Democratic MEP Stefano Bonaccini echoed the criticism, saying, “15% tariffs are better than 30% but worse than zero,” and warned of “tens of billions” in losses. Former Labor Minister Andrea Orlando called the deal a “rip-off,” saying Meloni’s friendship with Trump failed, while slamming von der Leyen as “either incompetent or acting in bad faith.” Meloni defended the deal, saying it helped avert a “head-on clash” with the US. She argued that the 15% tariff is “sustainable” as it will not add to previous tariffs, but will bring “stability.” Economists at the Kiel Institute warned of a drop in production and job losses across the EU, with Germany expected to take the biggest hit. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) called the deal an “inadequate compromise,” with the “only positive aspect” being the prevention of further escalation.

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“The least that could be done is to acknowledge this stinging failure rather than asking the French, who will be its first victims, to rejoice in it.”

US-EU Trade Deal A ‘Fiasco’ – Le Pen (RT)

The new EU-US trade agreement is an economic and political “fiasco” that undermines the bloc’s sovereignty, veteran right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen has said. The agreement, finalized by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump on Sunday, averted a full-blown trade war between Washington and Brussels. Under its terms, the EU will commit to increased imports of US energy and military equipment, while the US reduces its proposed 30% tariffs to a flat 15% on most European exports. Le Pen, a key member of France’s National Rally party, the largest opposition group in the National Assembly, condemned the deal, calling it “a political, economic and moral fiasco” for the EU.

”Politically, because the European Union, with 27 member states, obtained worse conditions than the United Kingdom,” she said, referring to the fact that the UK agreed to 10% tariffs – which was widely regarded as a bad deal. Le Pen also accused Brussels of accepting unequal terms on exporting American gas and weapons that she claimed no patriotic French government would have agreed to. “This is an outright surrender for French industry and for our energy and military sovereignty.” She added that the deal sacrifices the interests of French farmers to benefit Germany’s automotive industry, pointing to “clauses forcing us to further open the single market to American agricultural products in exchange for reduced taxes on German automobile exports.”

“This globalization that denies and shatters sovereignty has been outdated for many years… The least that could be done is to acknowledge this stinging failure rather than asking the French, who will be its first victims, to rejoice in it.” Le Pen’s criticism was echoed by former Belgian Prime Minister and MEP Guy Verhofstadt, who called the agreement “scandalous” and “a disaster,” which failed to secure any concessions from the American side. Trump described the agreement as “probably the biggest deal ever reached in any capacity, trade or beyond trade.” Von der Leyen said the deal brings “certainty in uncertain times,” adding that a 15% rate “is the best we could get.”

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“This isn’t diplomacy. It’s surrender dressed in a suit.”

Medvedev: Trump ‘Steamrolled, Humiliated’ Europe With One-Sided Deal (ZH)

Following high-stakes talks in Scotland between President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the two sides reached a landmark deal which sets a 15% US tariff on all European Union goods. This new rate is significantly lower than the 30% import tax Trump had previously threatened, with the EU also committing to opening its markets to certain American exports with zero tariffs. Von der Leyen subsequently said, “I want to thank President Trump personally for his personal commitment and leadership to achieve this breakthrough. He is a tough negotiator, but he is also a dealmaker.” The Kremlin has reacted, with former Russian President and current deputy chairman of the country’s security council Dmitry Medvedev in essence mocking the EU for signing a deal he says benefits only the United States, and which leaves Europe behind, looking like a “humiliated” junior partner. He also deemed the deal ‘anti-Russian’.

He highlighted that Brussels agreed to terms that involve significant trade concessions, expanded defense obligations, and energy agreements heavily favoring American exporters. Did anyone think it would be anything different with Trump in the room negotiating it? Trump managed to “crush” Europe without firing a single shot, Medvedev said: “This isn’t diplomacy. It’s surrender dressed in a suit.” The heavily slanted terms of the deal meant Trump had “wiped the floor with Europe,” Medvedev stated further in the Monday social media post. “One can only feel sorry for ordinary Europeans,” Medvedev wrote, nothing that EU leaders are only motivated by their blinding anti-Russian sentiment, given Brussels’ intention to terminate all purchases of Russian oil and gas – which is part of the deal.

Below is the list offered by Medvedev on what the ‘deal’ with the European Union actually represents:
1) totally humiliating for the Europeans as it only serves the United States by leaving the European market unprotected and zeroing out tariffs on US goods;
2) creates huge additional costs for industries and agriculture in many EU countries stemming from the need to pay for expensive US energy; and…
3) diverts a massive investment flow from Europe to the US, Medvedev specified.

But ultimately, Medvedev wrote, “the deal is clearly aimed against Russia, as it bans Russian oil and gas purchases. However, while for Trump, it is largely about business, for the mad old wench Europe, it is part of its neo-Nazi ideas, which is harmful to the well-being of its own citizens.” This has been a constant talking point from Moscow going back years. Ursula, blink repeatedly if Trump just shafted you! Make ‘back door’ gesture if know US gas far dearer than Russian!— RT (@RT_com) July 28, 2025. The Russian Security Council deputy chairman has long been probably the single most outspoken official in the Kremlin, but it’s widely believed he plays ‘bad cop’ to Putin’s ‘good cop’ – in the sense that he often issues the more hawkish or even mocking point of view on any given geopolitical or economic issue. Or rather, he states the quiet part out loud, from Moscow’s viewpoint.

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“..every new ultimatum constitutes a threat and a step toward hostilities between Russia and the US. “Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe [Biden] road!”

Medvedev Tells Trump ‘Russia Isn’t Israel Or Iran’ (RT)

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has told US President Donald Trump that Russia is neither Israel nor Iran, and that every one of his threats is another step towards a potential conflict. The US president on Monday issued a more extreme ultimatum to Russia, demanding that Moscow reach a ceasefire with Kiev within “10 or 12 days.” Earlier this month, Trump threatened sweeping secondary sanctions against Russia’s trade partners unless a deal was reached by autumn. Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said that Trump was “playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10…” In a post on X on Monday, he suggested Trump should remember two things: first, that “Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran,” and, second, that every new ultimatum constitutes a threat and a step toward hostilities between Russia and the US. “Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe [Biden] road!” he wrote.

During his election campaign last year, Trump repeatedly criticized his predecessor Joe Biden’s handling of the Ukraine conflict, warning that US policy under the former administration had brought the world to the brink of “World War III.” While Trump has re-engaged Russia diplomatically and pushed for Kiev to enter direct peace talks with Moscow, he has increasingly expressed impatience with the pace of negotiations. Earlier this month, after issuing his initial ultimatum, the president resumed US military aid to Ukraine through NATO.

Russia has long condemned the US-led military bloc’s arms supplies to Ukraine, arguing they make Kiev’s Western sponsors party to the conflict, which Moscow sees as a proxy war. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that although Russia is essentially fighting a war against the entire West on its own, it will not back down from its key security demand in the conflict. “No dragging Ukraine into NATO, no NATO expansion at all,” the top diplomat said on Monday. “It has already expanded right up to our borders.”

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Trump doessn’t want war, he wants to talk to Russia, and to trade with it. He’ll have to find a way amid the bellicose voices.

Trump Reduces Russia-Ukraine ‘Deadline’ To 10-12 Days (RT)

US President Donald Trump has sharply reduced the time frame he set for Russia and Ukraine to agree on a ceasefire, warning that Moscow now has just 10 to 12 days to reach a deal or face sweeping new sanctions. “I’m going to set a new deadline… about 10 or 12 days from today. There’s no reason to wait. I wanted to be generous, but we’re just not seeing any progress,” Trump told reporters on Monday in Scotland. He was sitting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The US president had originally given the two sides 50 days to negotiate an end to the conflict, threatening to impose 100% tariffs on Russian imports and secondary sanctions on countries and companies that continue to trade with Russia. That initial deadline was due to expire in early September.

Trump said he was “very disappointed” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and claimed he had come close to brokering a ceasefire on five separate occasions. “I’ve spoken to President Putin a lot – I’ve gotten along with him very well,” he added. The ultimatum, first issued on July 14, also included a warning that the US would resume arms deliveries to Ukraine, funded in part by NATO members, if no truce was achieved within the time frame. Moscow has responded by reaffirming its willingness to negotiate but said any talks must take into account the realities on the ground and the root causes of the conflict. Russian officials have dismissed Trump’s sanctions threats as counterproductive. “These signals serve only to prolong the war,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier this month, urging Washington to pressure Kiev instead.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has stated that even new sanctions would not alter Russia’s course, insisting the country will “continue to move along our independent, sovereign, and sustained path.” Meanwhile, direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev resumed in Istanbul in May, following a nearly three-year freeze. The latest round of talks took place last week, with modest progress on humanitarian issues, including agreements on the exchange of prisoners of war and civilians. However, no breakthrough on a ceasefire was achieved. Trump had previously not ruled out imposing sanctions before his deadline, saying last week that action could come “at any time.”

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“In World War I and World War II, we had allies. Now we have no allies on the battlefield. So we must rely on ourselves and not allow any weakness,”

Russia Alone Against Entire West For First Time In History – Lavrov (RT)

Russia is fighting the West alone for the first time in history and must rely solely on its own strength, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. Speaking at the ‘Territory of Meanings’ forum on Monday, Lavrov highlighted the unprecedented geopolitical landscape Russia found itself in following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, which led to a heated stand-off with the West. ”The main task is to defeat the enemy. For the first time in history, Russia is fighting alone against the entire West. In World War I and World War II, we had allies. Now we have no allies on the battlefield. So we must rely on ourselves and not allow any weakness,” he said.

Lavrov stressed that Russia will not back down from its core security demands which led to the Ukraine conflict. “We insist on what is our legitimate demand… no dragging Ukraine into NATO, no NATO expansion at all. It has already expanded right up to our borders, contrary to all promises and documents that were adopted,” he said, adding that a settlement of the conflict should also recognize the new territorial reality on the ground.

Lavrov also likened the West’s behavior to that of childhood bullies. “When you’re a kid messing around with other boys in the yard, sometimes a big kid, three or four years older, shows up and starts chasing the little ones,” he said. “That’s roughly what the West is doing to everyone else right now.” Moscow has stated on a number of occasions that NATO expansion and Ukraine’s aspirations to join the US-led military bloc were among the key reasons for the conflict. It has also warned that Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine only serve to prolong the hostilities without changing the outcome, while making NATO a direct party to the conflict.

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But, like anyone else, they don’t love a bully.

I Love The Russian People – Trump (RT)

US President Donald Trump has expressed his “love” for Russians and called them a “great people.” At the same time, he threatened Moscow with more sanctions and set a new deadline for settling the Ukraine conflict. Trump maintained he had “always gotten along with [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin” during a Q&A session with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Turnberry, Scotland on Monday. He praised Russia as a “rich” nation that could be “thriving like practically no other country” and spoke about the massive trade potential between Russia and the US. “I don’t want to do that to Russia, I love the Russian people,” he said when asked about potential new sanctions against Moscow.

He expressed his disappointment over the slow pace of the peace process between Moscow and Kiev and accused Russia of striking Ukrainian cities. Trump said he was “not interested in talking anymore” as his numerous “respectful and nice conversations” with Putin led to nothing. Trump’s words came as he set a new deadline for a Ukraine peace deal, which he said should be reached in “10 or 12 days” from Monday. Otherwise, Washington would impose new sanctions on Moscow. The previous deadline was expected to expire in early September. The new sanctions would include secondary restrictions and tariffs on countries and entities doing business with Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly stated throughout the conflict that it is open for dialogue and could start negotiations without any preconditions as long as the situation on the ground is taken into account and the root causes of the conflict are addressed. Earlier this month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Ukraine conflict was a “difficult” one to resolve and cannot be settled “instantly.” Russia also warned that Trump’s new sanctions threats serve primarily “as signals to continue the war” for Kiev and called on Washington to exert pressure on Ukraine instead. Russia and Ukraine renewed direct talks in Istanbul in May and have since held three rounds of negotiations but have not reached an agreement on a ceasefire yet.

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“I was running against somebody that ran the files. If they had something, they would have released it.”

Trump Drops a Truth Bomb About the Epstein Files (Margolis)

President Donald Trump dropped a truth bomb on Monday that Democrats desperately trying to weaponize the Jeffrey Epstein files won’t like: Nothing is incriminating about him in those records. And his explanation isn’t just compelling; it’s rock solid. Trump argued that if such evidence were real, the Biden administration would have already made it public. Speaking candidly during a visit to Turnberry, Scotland, Trump called out the handling of these files under the previous administration as a manufactured “hoax” designed to manipulate political outcomes, particularly the 2024 election. When a reporter pressed Trump on whether he’d been briefed on his alleged inclusion in the Epstein files, he didn’t hold back. He slammed former FBI Director James Comey, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Joe Biden himself as “the worst scum on Earth” responsible for running the files.

“Those files were run for four years by those people,” he emphasized. “If they had anything, I assume they would’ve released it. Those files were run by these people; they were run by my enemy. If there was anything in there, they would’ve used them for the election.” Trump made clear that the files were handled by partisan operatives out to get him. “Those files were run by the worst scum on earth. They were run by Comey. They were run by Garland. They were run by Biden, and all of the people that actually ran the government, including the autopen,” he said. “If they had anything, I assume they would have released it.” Pointing to the 2024 election as proof, Trump noted, “I was running against somebody that ran the files. If they had something, they would have released it.”

The Biden administration has already weaponized the federal government to go after Trump. If there were anything incriminating about Trump in the Epstein files, the Biden campaign would’ve dropped that info during the campaign to destroy his chances. Trump went on to warn about the potential for manipulated evidence, drawing a parallel to the now-debunked Steele dossier: “They can easily put something in the files that’s a phony—like, as an example, Christopher Steele… wrote a… dossier. We call it the fake news dossier. And the whole thing was a fake.” Trump blasted the DOJ and other officials who controlled the Epstein records, calling them “bad, sick people,” and questioned why, if damaging material existed, no one used it earlier.

“Why didn’t they use it when I was killing Joe? And then he gave out because he was 25 points down.” Trump’s logic here is bulletproof. The Biden administration stooped to unprecedented levels to take him down: unleashing the FBI, pushing bogus indictments, and even raiding his home. If it had even a shred of real evidence from the Epstein files tying Trump to any wrongdoing, it would have plastered that information across every headline in America before voters cast a single ballot. The fact that nothing has emerged, despite full control of the files by his political enemies, isn’t just telling; it’s definitive.

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“Tulsi Gabbard didn’t assume the role of Director of National Intelligence to play ceremonial dress-up.” —Toresays.com on “X”

Jailhouse Blues (James Howard Kunstler)

You must suspect there’s some game afoot in this Epstein business. Only days ago, it was “fuggeddabowdit . . . nuthin’ there . . . get over it.” But then, only days later, the second-in-command at DOJ, Todd Blanche, formerly the president’s personal lawyer, was down in Tallahassee deposing Jeffrey Epstein’s second-in-command, Ghislaine Maxwell. (Note: a deposition is testimony outside of court, recorded under oath.) The Deputy Attorney General deposed her for two days, Friday and Saturday, a total of nine hours. You can do a lot of talking in nine hours. And were you shocked to learn — as has been broadly reported — that through all these years of EpsteinEpsteinEpstein, Ms. Maxwell has never been interviewed by any state or federal law enforcement official or government lawyer? How was that possible?

By the way, no government official has interviewed billionaire Les Wexner, Epstein’s chief benefactor, over all these years, either? How is that possible? (Follow the money, as they say.) Meanwhile, down in Florida, as reported by Brian O’Shea of The Daily Clout, it turns out that the federal district judge, Robin Rosenberg, who just ruled against Mr. Trump’s request to unseal the 2005 — 2007 Florida Epstein grand jury transcripts, is married to one Michael McCauliffe, former Palm Beach County State’s Attorney (equivalent of district attorney, DA), who helped negotiate the special 2008 “sweetheart” plea deal that allowed Epstein significant freedoms, such as frequent travel, including to his Little St. James Island, despite being under house arrest. Are you going, “Hmmmmmm. . . ? Any conflict of interest in that ruling? (Note: Current US AG Pam Bondi did not become Florida AG until 2011.)

So, it appears that there will now be two sets of “Epstein files” to sort out: 1) the DOJ’s file curated under AG Merrick Garland, and 2) whatever follows from never-before asked questions put to Ghislaine Maxwell in late July 2025. One thing you might infer: if the Merrick Garland files contained any defamatory “kompromat” about Donald Trump, wouldn’t it have been used during the election of 2024? Mr. Garland went along with every other ploy used to defame and convict Mr. Trump under color of law. But not that? Ergo, fuggeddabowdit.

Where the Epstein business goes now is anybody’s guess, but you have to doubt that it will go nowhere. Ms. Maxwell’s attorney, David O. Markus, stated to reporters that she “answered every single question asked of her” over the two days, emphasizing that she responded “honestly, truthfully, and to the best of her ability” without invoking any privileges or declining to answer. There is chatter on the Internet that Ms. Maxwell’s testimony affords an opportunity for the FBI / DOJ to open an entirely fresh Epstein investigation, untainted by whatever Merrick Garland was sitting on.

Okay, I reckon that’s enough for you to chew on about EpsteinEpsteinEpstein for today. Let’s turn to the other giant stinking dead carp wafting its miasma over Washington DC: RussiaRussiaRussia. CIA chief John Ratcliffe promised on Sunday to disclose the so-called “annex” files to John Durham’s special counsel report. Mr. Ratcliffe implied that the material is rather serious. He also emphasized that the statute of limitations will not apply in any forthcoming RussiaGate cases because the matter represents an ongoing (until even now) conspiracy. Mr. Ratcliffe, you may recall, before getting elected to Congress, was a US Attorney for the eastern district of Texas (as Chief of Anti-Terrorism and National Security), so he knows quite a bit about prosecuting federal cases.

Dunno about you, but I would like to know a little bit more about Christopher Wray’s activities regarding both Epstein and RussiaGate during his long tenure, seven years and five months (2017 – 2025) as FBI Director. In previous testimony before various committees of Congress, Mr. Wray, uniformly invoked “ongoing investigations” as the reason for not answering any germane questions about, well, anything and everything. Does he not deserve a session or two of interrogation with Kash Patel’s FBI agents, or depositions under oath with lawyers from the DOJ now, without the shield of protecting investigations of an agency he no longer runs? He has a lot to answer for, including the J-6 business and associated pipe-bomb matter — both of which might be construed as part of an ongoing conspiracy against a sitting president (and three-time candidate).

Is all this some “conspiracy theory”? No, an actual conspiracy as spelled out in the federal statutes: Conspiracy under Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, Conspiracy to defraud the United States. . . 18 U.S. Code § 241, Conspiracy against rights. . . and 18 U.S. Code § 242, Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law. Add to that: perjury under oath, obstruction of justice, lying to the FBI. It’s a pretty rich menu. Someone, maybe more than a few someones, will be going to jail.

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Welcoming a British PM in his own country.

Trump Welcomes British PM Keir Starmer to Turnberry, Scotland (CTH)

Earlier this morning President Donald Trump welcomed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Turnberry, Scotland where the two leaders will hold bilateral discussions on trade and foreign affairs. The video is prompted to 16:20. The bagpipes stop eventually in the video at 19:30. President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer take questions from the assembled press pool. President Trump calls out the British government for rampant illegal immigration, as Starmer tries to say his govt is deporting illegal migrants back to their home country. Questions centered heavily around the Israeli conflict with Hamas in Gaza. The plight of the Palestinians is a key focus point for the British people; an outcome of the mass Islamic migration that has taken place for the past two-decades in Great Britain. The population of Islamists in the U.K now drives the political priorities.

Toward the end of the video 28:00, President Trump notes the Russia/Ukraine conflict has led to a “disappointment in Vladimir Putin,” and a possibility that President Trump will reduce the 50-day deadline he gave to Russia. The majority of politicians within Great Britain want to expand the conflict with Russia as much as possible and bring the full NATO contingent into the war against Russia. President Trump has been reluctant to support expanded war as requested by the British, French and German group who formed a “coalition of the willing.” In addition to London being the Jihad capital of the region, Great Britain is also the home of the Fabian Socialists.

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Big Pharma does. Just ask: cui bono?

Who Funds the WHO? (Fleetwood)

A new BMJ Global Health study has confirmed that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) private fundraising arm—the WHO Foundation—has received tens of millions of dollars from pharmaceutical giants, Big Tech companies, and anonymous sources, with nearly half the funding now untraceable. The study findings come after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the United States will reject the WHO’s sweeping emergency powers treaty, warning that the same unelected body now seeking “global medical surveillance of every human being.” The BMJ Global Health study, published Wednesday, reads: “From its launch until the end of 2023, the foundation disclosed total donation receipts of US$82 783 930 overall, of which US$39 757 326 (48.0%) was from anonymous donations over US$100 000. In total, US$51 554 203 (62.3%) in anonymous donations were reported.”

The top-named donor was the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, long considered one of WHO’s most influential funders: “Donations varied by sector, with the largest named donations coming from the private philanthropic sector, including the Gates foundation and other family foundations, followed by social media companies, medical device companies and the banking/finance and pharmaceutical sectors.” Secretary Kennedy recently cut off U.S. funding to Bill Gates’ vaccine syndicate Gavi, citing peer-reviewed evidence that the DTP shot it promotes “may kill more children from other causes than it saves,” and condemning the alliance for treating vaccine safety as a PR problem instead of a public health priority. Moreover, a Gates Foundation–funded trial injected South African children with live tuberculosis-causing bacteria, infecting 260 kids and causing serious harm—all while excluding early post-vaccine infections from analysis and following a prior Gates-funded gain-of-function experiment that engineered TB to grow unchecked.

The WHO Foundation (WHOF), launched in 2020 to accept donations from entities the WHO cannot receive money from directly, now also counts Meta (Facebook), TikTok, Maybelline, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Novo Nordisk among its known funders: “This included the announcement of a US$50 million commitment from the WHOF via contributions from Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novo Nordisk, TikTok, Maybelline and a range of other partners.” A majority of funds aren’t even going to WHO programs—they’re going to the WHO Foundation’s own operational costs: “The largest overall category, by amount donated, was ‘WHO Foundation Operational Support’, which received just under US$40 million over the entire reporting period, representing a majority (approximately 56%) of all funding received by the Foundation to date.”

Even more concerning is the Foundation’s sharp drop in transparency, with its public reporting now rated as poor as controversial “dark money” think tanks. “In the first year of its operation… the WHOF would be rated ‘B’ for transparency… However, in the next two reporting periods, the WHOF would be assessed a ‘D’ for transparency…” “Nearly 80% of funds donated in January–December 2023 were from anonymous sources and in amounts of over US$100 000.” “Results show low and declining levels of transparency over time, potentially raising concerns about the level of outside influence and role of commercial interests in setting WHO priorities.” Though the Foundation claims to avoid tobacco and firearms money, the same is not true for fossil fuel, alcohol, sugar, or vaping interests:

“The current version of the WHOF gift policy sets out specific donor exclusions, yet only for tobacco and firearms manufacturers, while fossil fuel companies, alcohol producers, sugar sweetened beverage manufacturers and vaping companies, for example, are not mentioned in any form.” The Foundation even publicly advertises insider access to WHO: “Through its unparalleled access to WHO, the Foundation advances health equity by connecting and collaborating with visionary corporate partners to co-create solutions that have the highest impact.”The authors of the BMJ Global Health study—affiliated with the U.K.’s London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and University of Edinburgh—warn:

“This analysis of WHOF donor disclosures indicates levels of donor transparency akin to oft-criticised free market think tanks, with attendant risks for both undue influence and/or reputational damage for the WHOF, and by extension the WHO.” In the end, the WHO’s private fundraising arm isn’t just taking cash from Big Pharma and Big Tech—it’s running on a flood of untraceable money, shielding its true backers behind a wall of anonymity while claiming “unparalleled access” to global health power. How can the WHO claim neutrality when it’s bankrolled by pharmaceutical giants, Big Tech firms under scrutiny for censorship, and tens of millions in dark money from anonymous sources?

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“..this administration really is committed to systematically throwing out the suffocating groupthink and stagnation that have ruled in D.C. for decades.

Six Months In, Here’s What Sets Trump 2.0 Apart (Charlie Kirk)

On Sunday, the second Trump administration turned six months old. President Trump’s first four years in the White House were already a big success, which is why I fought so hard to bring him back for a second go-round. Yet I think Trump’s second has already surpassed it in just one-eighth the time. Completely and instantly securing the U.S.-Mexico border after the four-year Biden invasion is one of the most important and impressive accomplishments in American presidential history. TV news said the president’s tough trade talk would crash the economy in days; instead the stock market hit record highs this very week and blue-collar wages are rising faster than they have in 60 years.

Under any other recent president, I am convinced the June Iran crisis would have ballooned into a full regime-change war, with far more money spent and many American lives lost. But under President Trump’s measured hand, America managed to strike a crippling blow to Iran’s nuclear program while suffering zero casualties and even bringing a ceasefire between Iran and Israel as part of the bargain. Yet when I think about the events of the past six months, it’s not the big wins I think about the most, but actually the small ones. They’re the triumphs that don’t necessarily grab the largest headlines that show this administration really is committed to systematically throwing out the suffocating groupthink and stagnation that have ruled in D.C. for decades.

Over and over, this administration is doing things that past Republicans could and should have done, yet inexplicably never did. For instance, all the way back in 1981, the outgoing Carter administration engineered a court ruling that abolished the federal government’s hugely successful hiring aptitude test on the grounds that it was (you already knew this was coming) racist. Presidents Reagan, Bush 41, or Bush 43 could have fought to undo that and restore merit-based hiring. Yet they never did, and over 45 years our government went rotten as DEI replaced merit. Now, this administration is finally acting to bring back merit in government. Imagine that! From Harvard to Hennepin County, this administration has begun toppling the race and sex-based discrimination that had taken root all over America in flagrant defiance of both our Constitution and historic American values.

It is purging DEI commissars from federal agencies, imposing uniform standards on the military, and sending out warnings to the private sector as well. This isn’t superficial – it’s the destruction in detail of a rotten, anti-American ideology. It would have been easy for Donald Trump to make a few speeches and sign a couple symbolic orders about “protecting women’s sports” – past Republican administrations would have settled for exactly that. But this administration has genuinely done the work to protect American children from the transgender mania, one of the great evils of our time.

Across America, health care providers are ending their involvement in child mutilation and similar treatments because of the dramatic increase in regulatory hostility from this administration. Children’s National Hospital in D.C., Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Stanford Medicine, and more have all stopped providing surgeries or puberty blockers to minors in the face of this administration. Where it matters most, the Trump administration has stepped up to save children from predators calling themselves “doctors.” For my entire life, Republicans loved to make a show of complaining about America sending billions in aid to foreign countries. But they never stopped it – until Trump, who actually delivered by cutting USAID down to size and keeping more of America’s money in America. The same goes for defunding NPR, PBS, and Planned Parenthood: long years of talk, until the Trump administration fought to make it actually happen.

It was obvious for almost 20 years that the TSA’s policy requiring passengers to remove their shoes before boarding a flight was a pointless bit of security theater, yet Presidents Bush, Obama, and Biden all kept the policy around anyway. This administration finally got rid of it. While the Biden administration treated the cryptocurrency industry as a borderline criminal enterprise, Trump signed the GENIUS Act, which positions America to be at the lead of this innovative industry. The administration hasn’t just said the right things. It has done the right things, in detail, to make sure its promises are delivered at the micro level. The administration even made showerheads great again. And it’s that commitment to the small things and common sense that will pay dividends over the next three and a half years. Because an administration that cares about the details of governing will make all of America great, too.

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“..AI is likely to increasingly seek more control in order to achieve its assigned tasks..”

‘Godfather of AI’ Warns Governments To Collaborate Before It’s Too Late (RT)

Artificial intelligence pioneer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Geoffrey Hinton has urged governments worldwide to collaborate in training AI systems not to harm humanity, warning that the rapidly advancing technology will soon likely surpass human intelligence. Speaking at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Saturday, Hinton said that despite divergent national interests, no country wants AI to dominate humanity. He noted that international cooperation is unlikely on offensive AI use – such as “cyberattacks, lethal autonomous weapons or fake videos for manipulating public opinion.” However, nations could form a “network of institutions” to guide the development of a highly intelligent AI “that doesn’t want to get rid of people,” Hinton added.

He compared this proposed cooperation to Soviet-US collaboration on nuclear non-proliferation during the Cold War. Hinton, often referred to as the “Godfather of AI,” likened AI development to “raising a tiger cub” that could become dangerous once it matures. “There’s only two options if you have a tiger cub as a pet. Figure out if you can train it so it never wants to kill you, or get rid of it,” the scientist said. He explained that AI is likely to increasingly seek more control in order to achieve its assigned tasks as it grows more intelligent, and simply “turning it off” when it outpaces humanity will not be an option. “We will be like three-year-olds and they will be like adults,” Hinton said.

Speaking to the press later in the day, he noted that it should be relatively easy for “rational” nations to cooperate on the subject, but said it may be “difficult” for the US under “its current administration.” On Wednesday, the White House announced its “action plan” to achieve “global dominance” in AI through investments, subsidies, and the removal of legal restrictions on the technology’s development. Beijing has announced its intention to establish an organization to coordinate international cooperation on AI. “We should strengthen coordination to form a global AI governance framework,” Chinese Premier Li Qiang said at the WAIC on Saturday.

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“Although I never thought of him in such an overt role. I’d only credited the fact that he was a homosexual rental boy in Chicago’s bathhouses.”

Doug Casey on Global Disintegration (IM)

Matt Smith: All right, good morning, Doug. I think the biggest thing in the news is that Obama is a traitor. I mean, we know this officially now. Although a lot of this information had been uncovered in years past—about RussiaGate and all of that—the connections weren’t as clear as they are now, based on Tulsi’s release of information and what she’s told Trump. So much so that Trump felt quite confident recently, in an open forum at a press conference, to just outright call him a traitor. He said, “I’d like to say let’s give it time and just see, but we know he was a traitor.”

Doug Casey: I can’t wait to find out. Although I never thought of him in such an overt role. I’d only credited the fact that he was a homosexual rental boy in Chicago’s bathhouses. Too bad that’s been pretty well swept under the rug.

Matt Smith: I was always fixated on the citizenship or birth certificate thing personally. But you know, bathhouses, birth certificate, Columbia University—no one knew him when he went there. There are a lot of weird things in his past.

Doug Casey: That’s true. There are a lot of indications that he’s a genuine Manchurian Candidate. They don’t just come out of nowhere. But anybody can be elected president—or installed as president today. We almost had Kamala Harris, a total nothing-nobody who can’t even string together words into a coherent sentence.

Matt Smith: And we had Biden, who was unfit—incapable mentally.

Doug Casey: Yes, and they almost ran him instead of Kamala. This is all crazy. I guess the question is: Are they going to be able to prove that Obama was conducting a coup in the US? I’m not surprised, because coups occur—different types—all the time in all kinds of countries around the world. So why not the US? Although the US used to be unique in that it was formed to defend the average citizen against the government, that’s ancient history. That’s what the Bill of Rights is all about, which is unique, actually. But it’s a dead letter at this point. Another question is: Will Trump pursue this thing right to the end? Can they mount evidence? Can they find a fair venue to try Obama? And even if they find that he’s criminally liable for treason, will they prosecute him right to the end? Major scandal. Much bigger than Benedict Arnold.

Matt Smith: Yeah, and it’s weird to make these declarations without—you’d assume there would be cases. Like, the declaration wouldn’t be made before there are actually cases filed.

Doug Casey: I agree. And Tulsi Gabbard impresses me as a very levelheaded person who wouldn’t just fly off the handle. Of course, she’s a hardcore leftist who believes in all kinds of standard leftist things, but they don’t have a lot to do with her current position running the so-called intelligence community. It’s funny they call it a “community.” That sounds so benign and beneficial. Everybody likes communities. Our intelligence community is full of hardcore killers and sociopaths. I can’t wait to see how this plays out. It serves as a good distraction from the Epstein mess, that’s for sure.

Matt Smith: You’ve got to wonder—do they take this approach and really be aggressive? Because they can. Obviously, there’s a conspiracy there, which means all kinds of people could be swept up by this easily, and arrests could be made. I mean, one of the most aggressive charges they used against the J6 people was conspiracy to overthrow the government, or something like that. Some major thing, and they went after them super hard—morning raids and everything. If they really believe this, they could go after Comey, Clapper, Gina Haspel, and a whole bunch of people right away without even touching the president. Of course, J6 was just little people. That was just the peasants. You can round them up. But it’s hunting big game when you go after these major-league criminals.

Doug Casey: I hope they don’t go after Hillary too hard and heavy. God forbid that Tulsi commits suicide or has an accident. She could be added to a list of—how many here? Forty-five or fifty other possible Arkancides, as they say.

Matt Smith: So what’s your best guess on whether or not this will be something that serves as political theater that motivates the base for the next couple of years—appointing a special counsel, for instance, to investigate it—or will this actually turn into something real?

Doug Casey: I think it’s a coin flip. But it’s possible that this will make the big time. I mean, look at Watergate. Watergate was a big nothing. It was just a break-in for political reasons.

Matt Smith: One could say that was a coup.

Doug Casey: You could say that. And in that coup, it wasn’t the coup itself that was the problem. It was the cover-up that was.

Matt Smith: Well, what I mean is I think a lot of people used it against him and told Nixon—like all the Republicans in the Senate told him, “You don’t have the votes. You’ve got to get out of here,” you know, and he just walked away.

Doug Casey: There is a difference between what’s going on now and what happened in the Nixon days. Of course, nobody liked Nixon. I certainly don’t. He was a creepy guy and a disaster for the country. But the Democrats are really out-and-out communists at this point. I know that sounds inflammatory to say, but when it comes to their philosophical beliefs—yes, they’re all Marxists, ultra-hardcore leftists, socialists, statists, and what-have-you. And we’re on the ragged edge, I still think, of a civil war in the US because the Red and Blue people hate each other. It’s not just a bunch of leftist students like in the ’60s. Nasty attitudes are widely inseminated throughout US society. Yeah, we could have a civil war. And if you do prosecute these horrible people, it’s hard to say what their supporters will do. These things can take on a life of their own.

Read more …

 

 

 

 

zinc


bros

glyphosate

heart

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Apr 302025
 


Piet Mondriaan Self portrait 1918

 

Trump Says Ukraine ‘Will Be Crushed Very Shortly’ Without Peace Deal (ZH)
‘Real de-Nazification’ Would Include All Europe – Medvedev (RT)
Western Europe Waging ‘Quiet War’ Against Trump – Medvedev (RT)
West ‘Delirious With Nuclear Apocalypse Scenarios’ – Patrushev (RT)
Russia Focused on Bringing Peace to Ukraine – Kremlin (Sp.)
Zelensky: Putin’s Victory Day Truce Proposal An ‘Attempt At Manipulation’ (ZH)
Lavrov Outlines Why Kiev Is Pushing For Indefinite Ceasefire (RT)
Ukraine One Of The World’s Most Corrupt Countries – Trump Adviser Waltz (RT)
Ukraine Could Lose Land To Get More Western Weapons – Finnish President (RT)
Lutnick Rolls Out Auto Tariff Relief As US Pushes To Reshore Supply Chains (ZH)
Thanks, Amazon — Tariff Transparency Might Backfire Bigly (Green)
What the MSM Doesn’t Want You to Know About Trump’s Approval Ratings (Margolis)
Trump’s First 100 Days Have Exposed the Left (Bossie)
TDS on Steroids: Canada Elects a Prime Minister to Spite Trump (Spencer)
Covering Up Ukrainian Nazis Is Nothing New For Canada (Proud)
America’s Golden Dome May Be Powerless vs Russia’s Doomsday Missile (Kornev)
Oliver Stone Warns Russia and US Were Close To World War III (RT)
EU Engaging In ‘Perversion Of History’ – Oliver Stone (RT)
Trump Allies: Mossad Agents And Warmongers Try To Derail Iran Talks (MEE)
Elon Musk’s Lawyer Thinks He Is Allowed to Continue Running DOGE (DS)

 

 

 

 

Rand

CAF

Vote Red

 

 

Pelosi act

Zakharova
https://twitter.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1916962219386179619

 

 

Russia has officially declared its conditions for ending the war, according to MFA Lavrov in an interview with a Brazilian newspaper:

1. Demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine;
2. Ukraine must not join NATO;
3. International recognition of the annexation of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia;
4. Lifting of sanctions against Russia and the return of frozen assets;
5. Rejection by Russia of the U.S. proposal to transfer control over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to Washington and Ukraine;
6. Cancellation of language laws in Ukraine, especially those that “restrict” the use of the “Russian language, culture, and church”.

 

 

 

 

“I think I’m saving that nation. I think I’m doing a great service to Ukraine. I believe that..”

Trump Says Ukraine ‘Will Be Crushed Very Shortly’ Without Peace Deal (ZH)

US President Donald Trump in a recent interview with conservative show host Glenn Beck expressed doubt whether the White House can actually achieve a comprehensive peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. Trump has made Ukraine peace the top foreign policy priority of the early part of his administration, and on the campaign trail and within his first hundred days expressed continual confidence that the US can successfully mediate, but this confidence appears to be fading with each passing week. In the interview he noted his belief – not for the first time – that Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to making a deal on Ukraine, and is actually easier to deal with than Zelensky. “When Zelenskyy was in the Oval Office. I was talking about getting it done, and he starts screaming, ‘but we need security’, meaning security, after the fact, I said, ‘security’? I don’t even know if we can get this deal done,” Trump told Beck.

That’s when he expressed rare doubt, saying he’s not sure “if we can get this deal done.” Referencing Zelensky, Trump continued: “He’s asking for more, just more and more and more. And he doesn’t have the cards. He doesn’t have the cards, so hopefully he’s going to get it done,” Trump said. And in reference to Putin, Trump explained, “I think he had the idea of going all the way through” if Trump were not in the Oval Office. “I think he’s [Putin] willing to make a deal. And I would say thus far, he’s been easier to deal with than Zelensky,” Trump added. Another interesting section of the interview came as follows: Glenn Beck: Yeah, is he the problem? Is Putin the problem? Or is Europe the problem? DT: So, look: Russia is a very big military force, and Ukraine isn’t. Without Ukraine — and I’m the one that supplied the Javelins [anti-tank missiles] to them, so, you know, I did a lot for them, because the tanks got stuck in the mud, and then they got Javelined, right? And they always say, “Trump gave the Javelins,” and it was, in that case, “Obama gave sheets.” He gave sheets! They said nothing.

But Biden gave money like nobody’s ever seen — $350 billion! He gave military equipment, gave storage. We had massive storage bins full of ammunition — buildings as long as the eye could see. And in a separate ‘100-day’ interview published in The Atlantic on Monday, Trump said that without a peace deal Ukraine will soon be crushed: “U.S. President Donald Trump has said he believes Ukraine will be “crushed very shortly,” as it is up against Russia’s “big war machine” that it cannot defeat. “I think I’m saving that nation. I think I’m doing a great service to Ukraine. I believe that,” he said in an interview with The Atlantic published April 28. Trump admin officials have called this week “very critical” for determining whether lasting peace in Ukraine can be forged: Rubio said that the coming week will be “very critical” for the White House as it makes a “determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in.”

“There are reasons to be optimistic, but there are reasons to be realistic,” Rubio said, adding: “We’re close, but we’re not close enough.” “Throughout this process, it’s about determining, do both sides really want peace and how close are they or how far apart they are after 90 days of effort here … that’s what we’re trying to determine this week,” Rubio said of negotiations. Will the US stop arming Ukraine if no peace deal is reached? Will more sanctions simply be piled onto Moscow? Or perhaps Washington will simply step aside and let Europe lead the way in fueling the proxy war. Already NATO is said to be making plans to fill the sizeable gap of US leadership in the Western military alliance, anticipating the a US drawdown of support.

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” Ukrainian statehood may survive the current clash, Medvedev said, noting that he personally is skeptical based on what he views as its lack of utility to Western nations.”

‘Real de-Nazification’ Would Include All Europe – Medvedev (RT)

The rebirth of Nazism cannot be allowed in any nation, and Europe may need an international de-Nazification effort, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said. The senior official, currently serving as deputy chair of the Russian Security Council, addressed the threat of Nazi ideology during a public lecture in Moscow on Tuesday, in which he outlined Moscow’s foreign policy priorities. He characterized the destruction of the “Kiev neo-Nazi regime” as a necessary outcome of the Ukraine conflict, before arguing for broader “decisive action by multiple states.”

”All measures need to be taken to ensure that such regimes never arise in any other nation. The price is too high,” Medvedev emphasized. A real de-Nazification is required. Nazism needs to be rooted out not only in Ukraine, but in all of Europe. Medvedev stressed the distinction between the current Ukrainian government, whom he branded “bloody freaks” and the Ukrainian state, stating that its future was uncertain. Officials in Kiev are “cutthroats who are sending peaceful citizens of their own nation to the slaughter without a second thought,” and are not thus qualified to govern Ukraine, Medvedev stated.

He stressed that “a regime founded on neo-Nazi ideology… has no right to exist.” Ukrainian statehood may survive the current clash, Medvedev said, noting that he personally is skeptical based on what he views as its lack of utility to Western nations. If the country persists, it must not be allowed to join any military bloc hostile towards Russia, he stressed. Russia’s victory in the conflict, which Medvedev considers inevitable, will serve “as the first step towards a sustainable peace in Europe and the creation” of a fairer multipolar world.

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“.. in the US, other forces have taken the reins. These are conservative, more traditionalist forces that want to calm the situation and, in a certain sense, achieve reconciliation with Russia..”

Western Europe Waging ‘Quiet War’ Against Trump – Medvedev (RT)

Western European leaders are waging a “quiet war” against US President Donald Trump, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has claimed.Washington’s current tariffs standoff and disagreements on NATO spending with the EU and UK is not only an economic but also an ideological conflict, Medvedev, who currently serves as the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said on Tuesday. “I have no doubt that [Western] Europe will be put in its place [by the US], but at the same time the Europeans will continue their quiet war against Trump. They will try to wage a war against him on all possible fronts, observing the rules of decency on the outside. What will come of it – we will see,” he stated.

The tensions between Washington on one side and the EU and UK on the other are explained by the fact that “in [Western] Europe, neo-globalist forces are still in power, trying to pursue the previous course, including the course against our country… But in the US, other forces have taken the reins. These are conservative, more traditionalist forces that want to calm the situation and, in a certain sense, achieve reconciliation with Russia,” the former president said at the ‘Knowledge. First’ educational event in Moscow.

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“..described the world as teetering on the brink, facing either a “new bloodbath” reminiscent of World War II or the emergence of “a fair world order where every nation enjoys sovereignty and security.”

West ‘Delirious With Nuclear Apocalypse Scenarios’ – Patrushev (RT)

European NATO members are risking nuclear war by escalating military tensions with Russia, according to Nikolay Patrushev, national security adviser to President Vladimir Putin. Patrushev accused Western powers of “deploying their military machine against Russia and becoming delirious with nuclear apocalypse scenarios.” The destabilization is originating from Brussels, Berlin, Paris and London, the senior official told TASS in an interview published on Tuesday. ”For a second consecutive year, NATO is conducting exercises at our borders at a scale unseen in decades,” Patrushev said. “They are training for conducting a broad offensive from Vilnius to Odessa, seizing [the Russian exclave] Kaliningrad Region, imposing a naval blockade in the Baltic and the Black Seas, and executing preventive strikes on the staging locations of Russian nuclear deterrence forces.”

Patrushev, who formerly served as secretary of Russia’s Security Council, described the world as teetering on the brink, facing either a “new bloodbath” reminiscent of World War II or the emergence of “a fair world order where every nation enjoys sovereignty and security.” He attributed the actions of Western politicians to their refusal to accept the decline of a system centered around their nations. The EU intends to borrow hundreds of billions of euros to fund a substantial militarization of its member states, justifying the move with claims of impending Russian aggression within the coming years. Moscow has denied having any aggressive intentions towards the US-led military bloc, and has accused it of encroaching on Russian borders in violation of promises made to the USSR. Russian officials view the Ukraine conflict as a NATO proxy war aimed at undermining their nation’s development.

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“Macron said that Western pressure on Russia to make a ceasefire deal with Ukraine will increase in the coming eight to 10 days. “It seems that in France, they do not bother to listen to the statements of President Putin..”

Russia Focused on Bringing Peace to Ukraine – Kremlin (Sp.)

Russia is focused on bringing the Ukrainian conflict towards a peaceful settlement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. “We are still focused on ongoing efforts to move the process towards a peaceful settlement,” Peskov told reporters. Ukraine has not reacted to the proposal of Russian President Vladimir Putin for a three-day truce to coincide with Victory Day celebrations, Peskov added. On Monday, the Kremlin said that Putin had declared a ceasefire from midnight on May 8 until midnight on May 11 during the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. “President Putin showed a gesture of goodwill and announced yesterday that a temporary truce would be declared to celebrate the victory. We have not heard any reaction from the Kiev regime so far either. It is still very difficult to understand whether the Kiev regime is going to join or not,” Peskov told reporters, adding that a lack of response is a manipulation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal to stop the conflict for 30 days is impossible without resolving all the nuances, the spokesman said. “We have seen, but if we talk about such a long-term cessation, then the nuances that President Putin spoke about in the Kremlin are important. This is also important, but it is difficult to reach such a long-term truce without answering these questions. President Putin spoke about this, we need to remember these words every time,” Peskov said, adding that entering into peace talks is a primary interest. Moscow expects that Putin’s initiative on the truce will receive an assessment in Europe and Kiev, Peskov added. It cannot be ruled out that Putin will award North Korean soldiers who excelled in the operation to clear the Kursk region from Ukrainian soldiers, Peskov said on Tuesday.

On Saturday, Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov announced that the Kursk region was fully liberated, as the last of the settlements had been cleared of Ukrainian military presence. North Korea has officially announced sending troops to Russia under the Russian-North Korean Strategic Partnership Treaty. “I am not aware of these plans yet, but this cannot be ruled out, of course,” Peskov replied to a question from reporters about whether Putin would reward the North Korean soldiers. The question of the possibility of the continued participation of North Korean fighters in combat operations should be addressed to the Russian Defense Ministry, the spokesman added.

It seems like France does not bother to listen to Putin’s statements, Peskov also said, commenting on the words of French President Emmanuel Macron about pressure on Russia. On Monday, Macron said that Western pressure on Russia to make a ceasefire deal with Ukraine will increase in the coming eight to 10 days. “It seems that in France, they do not bother to listen to the statements of President Putin, to our regret. It was President Putin who repeated many times that Russia is ready to begin the negotiation process without any preconditions. We have not heard a response from the Kiev regime yet,” Peskov told reporters. Macron’s statement confirms that Europe still prefers to focus on continuing the war, which is regrettable, the official added.

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Yeah, honoring your dead really stinks.

Zelensky: Putin’s Victory Day Truce Proposal An ‘Attempt At Manipulation’ (ZH)

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has blasted President Putin’s unilaterally declared three-day ceasefire set for May 8-10, which correspondents with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, as an “attempt at manipulation.” “Now there’s a new attempt at manipulation: for some reason, everyone has to wait until May 8,” Zelensky said in his daily address Monday evening. This will mark the 80th anniversary for Moscow’s World War 2 commemorations, a major national civic holiday. Ukraine has instead offered an immediate truce with Russia for “at least 30 days.” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha previously questioned, “If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately. Why wait until May 8?”

Moscow has rejected any premature longer term truce ahead of lasting settlement and territorial concessions from the Ukrainian side, fearing that it would just be used to regroup and rearm along the front lines. Russia has further rejected this new call for a 30-day truce instead of the three day ceasefire. “It’s difficult to agree to such a long-term truce without answers to the questions raised by Putin,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “We haven’t heard the Kyiv regime’s reaction, and it’s unclear whether they plan to join the truce,” Peskov said. “Nevertheless, we hope the Russian president’s peace initiative will be appreciated,” he added. “The first step is to start the negotiation process — everything else is secondary.” Kiev did appear to observe the prior Easter truce, though each side accused the other of some violations.

But it set a precedent which Moscow is hoping to follow on with in pushing the V-Day ceasefire; however, skeptics have said this is really to ensure no disruptions happen at national public commemoration events (such as inbound drones in the Moscow region). Trump admin officials have called this week “critical” for determining whether lasting peace in Ukraine can be forged: Rubio said that the coming week will be “very critical” for the White House as it makes a “determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in.” “There are reasons to be optimistic, but there are reasons to be realistic,” Rubio said, adding: “We’re close, but we’re not close enough.”

“Throughout this process, it’s about determining, do both sides really want peace and how close are they or how far apart they are after 90 days of effort here … that’s what we’re trying to determine this week,” Rubio said of negotiations. But it’s unclear what this ultimatum of sorts (given to both sides?) really means. Will the US stop arming Ukraine if no peace deal is reached? Will more sanctions simply be piled onto Moscow? Trump is increasingly frustrated with leaders of both Russia and Ukraine: White House.

https://twitter.com/maria_drutska/status/1916847354486853678

President Trump has warned the Russians that his patience will soon run thin, amid accusations from hawks that Moscow is simply stalling for the sake of battlefield gains. Putin this month declared the full liberation of Kursk region, leaving Zelensky with no cards to play at all. Trump himself has acknowledged that Zelensky has no real leverage at this point.

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“Kiev is demanding an unconditional ceasefire because its forces are being routed on the battlefield..”

Lavrov Outlines Why Kiev Is Pushing For Indefinite Ceasefire (RT)

Kiev is demanding an unconditional ceasefire because its forces are being routed on the battlefield, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Kiev a 72-hour truce from May 8 to 10 to coincide with this year’s Victory Day anniversary. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky criticized the offer as an attempt at “manipulation” and called for an immediate and unconditional full ceasefire instead. Speaking at a press conference on following a BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brazil on Tuesday, Lavrov noted a sharp departure in Kiev’s intransigence. “Against the backdrop of what is happening on the ground, on the line of combat contact, where the Ukrainian regime is increasingly retreating again and again,” he said.

“They reversed their position 180 degrees and began to demand an immediate truce without preconditions,” the top diplomat added. Whereas a month or two ago, “Kiev spouted dire warnings that they would not accept any truce,” Lavrov said. European “radicals” were inciting Ukraine to continue the conflict, pumping it full of weapons and insisting that talks could only begin when Ukrainian authorities could negotiate from a position of power, “when Russia is weakened,” the top diplomat said.

Western Europe seems to be interested in continuing the conflict in Ukraine, as well as undermining any US peace efforts to end it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week. Moscow has repeatedly criticized European arms supplies to Kiev, and condemned its plans to deploy troops in Ukraine as escalatory. Russia has insisted that it has always been ready for peace talks, provided they are aimed at a permanent solution that addresses the core causes of the conflict. Any temporary ceasefire would instead be used by Kiev’s Western backers as a chance to rearm Ukraine, Moscow has said.

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I thought we forgot that.

Ukraine One Of The World’s Most Corrupt Countries – Trump Adviser Waltz (RT)

US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz has called for proper oversight of the financial assistance Washington provides to Kiev. In a Monday interview with Fox News, the top state official called Ukraine one of the most corrupt nations in the world. The US Congress has authorized roughly $175 billion for Ukraine since 2022, although a significant portion of that funding has gone to American industries and government activities related to the conflict. Waltz’s comment comes days after US President Donald Trump held a face-to-face conversation with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican. “I will say Ukraine was one of, and is one of, the most corrupt countries in the world,” Waltz said, highlighting that Washington has to “always guard the taxpayer dollars.”

The official also rebuked the administration of Trump’s predecessor for its failure to provide proper oversight of the way Kiev was spending the financial aid provided by the White House at the time. “We have to keep a hard eye on that, […] but secondly we have to find opportunities to end the war,” he said. Waltz, who had previously said that Washington must be reimbursed by Kiev for the “investments” it has made in the conflict, also accused the Ukrainian leader of intractability. He recalled the shouting match which took place at the White House earlier this year. “Rather than trying to correct the President of the US and the Vice President in the Oval Office when he was invited there for the first meeting, he could have sat side by side with the president, signing a minerals deal that bound our economies,” the adviser said.

Washington and Kiev have been discussing a deal for weeks that would grant the US access to Ukraine’s deposits of rare-earth minerals. The Trump administration insists that the agreement should be used to compensate the US for past aid to Ukraine. Kiev, however, has maintained that the assistance was provided unconditionally. According to Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy, as of October 2024, the US had provided Ukraine with approximately $92 billion in financial and military assistance. Meanwhile, the US-based Council on Foreign Relations estimated that Washington’s financial assistance to Kiev amounted to $195 billion as of April 2024, with $128 billion worth of the aid having gone straight to the government of Ukraine. Pentagon Inspector General Robert Storch reported last November that “corruption continues to complicate Ukraine’s efforts to achieve its EU and NATO aspirations,” particularly due to multiple scandals in the Defense Ministry.

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For Russia, Finland is a former Nazi-collaborator.

Ukraine Could Lose Land To Get More Western Weapons – Finnish President (RT)

Finnish President Alexander Stubb has argued that Ukraine has to make certain concessions to Russia in order to ensure its survival and continue receiving Western military support. Moscow has dismissed any resolution of the conflict that allows Ukraine to remain a threat. On Sunday, Stubb shared his thoughts with The New York Times on how to align US President Donald Trump more closely with the positions held by Kiev and Washington’s European NATO allies, as the White House seeks to mediate a compromise in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. He drew a historical parallel between Ukraine and Finland, which participated in Nazi Germany’s 1941 invasion of the USSR to reclaim territory it had lost in the Winter War earlier.

As a result of being on the losing side, Finland faced military restrictions and observed neutrality during the Cold War. It formally joined NATO only in 2023, after years of military cooperation with the US-led alliance. Stubb reflected on the essence of statehood, comprising land, sovereignty, and independence. He noted that Finland lost two of these three elements in the 1940s, adding, “If we get at least two out of the three for Ukraine, I think it’s great.” Earlier this month, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky publicly rejected American proposals reported in the media. Subsequently, Kiev and its European backers crafted a counteroffer for Trump’s consideration.

Stubb suggested that the two plans should be “repackaged” into a viable proposal through “a little bit of creative writing.” If a ceasefire with Russia is achieved, Ukraine could be armed “to the teeth” by European NATO members, with a “backstop from the US,” he asserted. The current objective is to “maximize the pressure” on Russian President Vladimir Putin, Stubb added. Russia perceives the Ukraine conflict as a NATO proxy war led by a Western-backed “neo-Nazi regime” in Kiev. Moscow has repeatedly criticized the EU’s continued flow of armaments to Ukraine, arguing that Western European nations appear more interested in prolonging the fighting rather than resolving the conflict diplomatically.

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He’s not failing and he’s not walking back. When you start, you have to go big. And then move on down. You can’t go up after you’ve started low.

Lutnick Rolls Out Auto Tariff Relief As US Pushes To Reshore Supply Chains (ZH)

On Tuesday morning, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick provided clarity on the highly anticipated auto tariff relief, confirming it will apply to all U.S.-built vehicles. Lutnick said tariffs will apply to those produced by foreign automakers with plants in the US. He added that the relief would be phased in over three years, giving manufacturers time to shift their supply chains back to the U.S.

* * *
Global stocks were steady overnight, with U.S. equity futures marginally higher, as sentiment improved following reports that President Trump plans to ease tariffs on foreign auto parts used in U.S.-made vehicles. The news comes as Trump marks his first 100 days in office, ahead of a rally in Michigan scheduled for this evening. The Wall Street Journal, citing multiple sources familiar with the plans, reported that the proposed tariff rollback would offer major relief to automakers producing vehicles within the U.S. borders. These companies have been battered by the trade war due to their deeply entrenched supply chains spanning Asia and Europe. Sources added more color to what the tariff reprieve looks like:

“• The decision will mean that automakers paying Trump’s automotive tariffs won’t also be charged for other duties, such as those on steel and aluminum, according to people familiar with the policy.
• The move would be retroactive, the people said, meaning that automakers could be reimbursed for such tariffs already paid. The 25% tariff on finished foreign-made cars went into effect early this month.
• The administration will also modify its tariffs on foreign auto parts—slated to be 25% and effective May 3—allowing automakers to be reimbursed for those tariffs up to an amount equal to 3.75% of the value of a U.S.-made car for one year. The reimbursement would fall to 2.5% of the car’s value in a second year, and then be phased out altogether.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told WSJ in a statement about Trump’s move to ease the pain for automakers:
• President Trump is building an important partnership with both the domestic automakers and our great American workers.
• This deal will be a major victory for the president’s trade policy by rewarding companies who are already manufacturing domestically, while providing a runway to manufacturers who have expressed their commitment in investing in America and expanding domestic manufacturing.

In a separate statement to Bloomberg, Lutnick said: • This deal is a major victory for the president’s trade policy by rewarding companies who manufacture domestically while providing runway to manufacturers who have expressed their commitment to invest in America and expand their domestic manufacturing.

Trump’s trade war is an urgent move to shift critical supply chains out of China, either by relocating them to a friendlier shore or reshoring them. Ford CEO Jim Farley commented on the WSJ report: “Ford welcomes and appreciates these decisions by President Trump, which will help mitigate the impact of tariffs on automakers, suppliers and consumers. We will continue to work closely with the administration in support of the president’s vision for a healthy and growing auto industry in America. Ford sees policies that encourage exports and ensure affordable supply chains to promote more domestic growth as essential.

This news comes ahead of Trump’s trip to Michigan to celebrate the first 100 days of his second term in office. The president will speak at Macomb Community College in Warren, about 20 miles north of Detroit, around 6:00 p.m. local time. Ahead of Trump’s first 100 days, crazed Michigan Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar filed articles of impeachment against the president, stating: “I have introduced articles of impeachment against President Trump. When Trump ignores the Constitution, Congress, and the courts, he is not ‘fighting for America.’ He is tearing it down and endangering our democracy.” Trump’s pivot on auto tariffs represents the latest development in his ever-changing trade strategy to friend-shore or re-shore critical supply chains.

Bessent
https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1917200702448771394

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“Goods made in Communist China — possibly by slave labor — will show a 145% tariff, making them easy to identify. “Thank you, no.” Taiwan and a 10% tariff? “Maybe, maybe not.” U.S.-made and with zero tariff? “Man, I wish they’d bring back that One Click button!”

Thanks, Amazon — Tariff Transparency Might Backfire Bigly (Green)

The White House on Tuesday called it “a hostile and political act by Amazon,” but it might just wind up being the biggest self-own since Bud Light decided to go all-in on Dylan Mulvaney. Speaking with reporters today in the White House briefing room, Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt said to reporters, “I will not speak to the president’s relationships with Jeff Bezos, but I will tell you that this is certainly a hostile and political act by Amazon.” Leavitt accused Amazon of being a “China-aligned company,” in what I would call one of her rare missteps since taking on PressSec duties earlier this year. The White House would have been better advised to follow Napoleon’s advice to his generals at the Battle of Austerlitz, when the opposing Austrian and Russian forces began falling into his trap: “Gentlemen, let us wait a little; when your enemy is executing a false movement, never interrupt him.”

Today would have been a good day for the White House to watch quietly — and say nothing. And what is Amazon’s false movement? Amazon said today that the company plans to break out tariffs as part of the prices displayed on its website. Call it truth in labeling for foreign-made goods, although neither the administration nor Amazon seems to see it that way. “Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” Leavitt asked. But we all know the answer to that one. Or maybe the White House is playing Br’er Rabbit and begging Amazon to please not throw it into that tariff patch — who knows? So instead of questions we don’t know the answers to, let’s look at the Streisand Effect Amazon is about to create.

Twenty years ago, Barbra Streisand — a talented singer and actress, but not terribly bright about the internet — sued a photographer who took an aerial photo of her Malibu mansion, and the website hosting it, for a whopping $50 million. She cited an invasion of her privacy. Not only did she lose, but the little-seen photo became a global phenomenon. Before the lawsuit, the photo (that had been taken for an environmental study) had been downloaded six times. Two of those times by Streisand’s legal team. When the lawsuit became public, the pic was downloaded over 400,000 times almost immediately. Streisand made famous the very thing she wanted hidden. If Amazon thinks displaying tariffs will hurt Trump politically, NewsMax’s Rob Schmitt has a different idea:


Indeed.

Not only that, but displaying the import tax — that’s what a tariff is — will achieve something I’ve been demanding for years that Amazon would do: be upfront about where their goods come from. Goods made in Communist China — possibly by slave labor — will show a 145% tariff, making them easy to identify. “Thank you, no.” Taiwan and a 10% tariff? “Maybe, maybe not.” U.S.-made and with zero tariff? “Man, I wish they’d bring back that One Click button!” Let’s take things a bit further, shall we? I’d like to see everyone from Amazon to my corner sports bar break out all the taxes on everything from cheeseburgers to one-ton hydraulic lifts. How much money does the government at every level skim from the sale of everything we buy? They show us the state and local sales tax, soon maybe they’ll show us the tariff — why not show us all the tax costs imposed for our own good? Let’s go just one step further. Maybe each receipt should include a “regulatory impact fee” broken out of the total price. A small-government man can dream, can’t he?

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“..Rasmussen’s polling tightened from Trump +5 down to about Trump +2. That’s where they stuck, but “everybody else just kept going.”

What the MSM Doesn’t Want You to Know About Trump’s Approval Ratings (Margolis)

The liberal media keeps pushing its narrative about Donald Trump’s unpopularity, but the numbers tell a different story. Trump’s base is more passionate and committed than Obama’s ever was, and we’ve got the data to prove it. Mark Mitchell from Rasmussen Reports dropped a truth bomb on X today, sharing a chart that liberals won’t want you to see. The data shows Trump’s Approval Index — the difference between those who strongly approve and strongly disapprove — consistently beating Barack Obama’s numbers. Let that sink in.

https://twitter.com/honestpollster/status/1916906998978826618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1916906998978826618%7Ctwgr%5E58d728472f60ad6b7d952cfabab460b9f7660039%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpjmedia.com%2Fmatt-margolis%2F2025%2F04%2F28%2Fheres-what-the-msm-doesnt-want-you-to-know-about-trumps-approval-ratings-n4939313

I should point out that Rasmussen was one of the most accurate pollsters of the 2024 presidential election. Naturally, the mainstream media won’t tell you about this. It’s too busy manufacturing crises and pushing its anti-Trump agenda. But here’s what it doesn’t want you to understand: while Obama’s supporters were lukewarm at best, Trump’s base remains fiercely loyal despite years of relentless attacks from the left. Speaking with Benny Johnson on “The Benny Show,” Mitchell said the current situation feels eerily similar to the 2024 campaign. “It feels like August and September,” Mitchell explained. “It feels exactly what happened. It’s like, ‘Oh, we got a new entrant into the race, Kamala Harris. Let’s see how the polling’s gonna do,’ and my numbers had tightened a little bit.” Mitchell explained that Rasmussen’s polling tightened from Trump +5 down to about Trump +2. That’s where they stuck, but “everybody else just kept going.”

“And so that’s exactly what’s happening here,” he added. Mitchell pointed out that his internal polling has shown Trump’s approval fluctuating within a reasonable range. “We had Trump underwater at five points. We had him above water last week. It’s gonna fluctuate, and I think around, you know, plus or minus two,” he said, noting that others in the polling industry had been reporting similar numbers until a sudden, sharp shift. “They were with me two or three months ago saying that Donald Trump came in in the low to mid-50s,” Mitchell said. “And this is exactly what they’re doing. My numbers stopped and theirs are gonna keep on going left.” Mitchell accused legacy polling firms and the mainstream media of working together to paint a misleading picture. “The mainstream media on top of that is gonna be this information gatekeeping layer,” he said, citing Quinnipiac’s poll from a month ago showing Trump at negative 12 points — a number that was heavily promoted in the media despite being completely ridiculous.

“Well, their numbers haven’t moved, and so now it’s, um, they’re gonna use Reuters. They’re gonna use ABC Washington, you know, negative 13, negative 12, negative 14,” Mitchell added. “Those are all new. They all dropped over the weekend.” He even joked that the pollsters might be congratulating each other behind the scenes. “I wonder if they’re, like, slapping each other on the butts and saying, ‘Good game,’ after this coordinated, like, dump of polling,” he said. “I think that’s probably what it is.” Mitchell pointed to Google search trends as further evidence that something suspicious is going on. Using data going back to 2004, Mitchell observed there wasn’t nearly as much interest in the approval ratings of George W. Bush, Obama, or Joe Biden as there is currently with Trump.

“I think what happened is, like, there was this binary gut check decision where everybody in America was like, ‘Oh, like, Joe Biden sucks.’ So they don’t really need to, like, Google it anymore,” he said. He argued that media outlets, after Biden’s disastrous handling of Afghanistan, simply “gave up” on trying to prop up his approval numbers. Even when Biden was sworn in, Mitchell said, there was never the same organic interest in his approval that Trump generated. “It really no point were people more interested in Biden approval than they were in Trump approval during Trump one,” he said. “And so all of a sudden, Trump gets into office. All of a sudden, all the levers of power are threatened again, and everybody’s searching for Trump approval. And it’s because they’re seeing scummy headlines and they’re trying to, like, check the mainstream media information that’s getting pushed down their throats.”

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“When only four Democrats in the House of Representatives out of 212 vote in favor of a simple bill making sure that only U.S. citizens can vote in our elections, there might just be an existential crisis brewing on the Left..”

Trump’s First 100 Days Have Exposed the Left (Bossie)

The first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term in the White House are historic in many ways: From restoring American exceptionalism and strong leadership in the Oval Office to securing the border in record time to deconstructing the administrative state with the Department of Government Efficiency, there’s no issue too large, complex, or politically unpleasant for Trump, the ultimate steel-spined change agent, to tackle head-on. In addition to consequential policy wins like banning men from participating in women’s sports, ending destructive DEI programs in government, slashing wasteful grants to foreign nations, and supercharging military recruitment, by simply taking the oath of office and declaring a return to the basics, Trump has positioned the GOP as the party of common sense, focused on delivering hope, growth, opportunity, and security for all.

For tens of millions of patriotic Americans from all backgrounds, the return of American prestige, normalcy, and unparalleled transparency after four years of Joe Biden-caused disasters is cause for optimism. Simultaneously, Trump Derangement Syndrome has caused rudderless Democrats to double down on the failures of the previous administration and take up the mantle of unpopular socialist policies and radicalism. For example, as Trump has moved to swiftly seal our southern border and deport criminal illegal immigrants, something he was elected by 77 million voters to do, the Left has decided to defend open borders and go to bat for individuals who should have never been in our country in the first place. Radical Democrats would rather continue the reckless Biden-era policy of dishing out billions upon billions in taxpayer dollars for illegals rather than spend our national treasure on the betterment of American citizens.

That’s the opposite of common sense. But Democrats’ stampede to the outer limits of left-wing craziness doesn’t stop with just supporting illegal immigration and everything that comes along with it—such as crime and the strain it causes in health care, education, and other government services. Trump-deranged socialists have also decided to essentially advocate for continued waste, fraud, and abuse in our horribly bloated government and ignore the unsustainable $36 trillion national debt crisis. For the first time ever, Trump empowered Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency to conduct an “audit with teeth” of the federal government that the vast majority of the American people support. In doing so, DOGE is finding waste on a massive scale, modernizing systems, and making government more responsive to the American people.

Instead of working with Trump and Republicans in Congress on this reasonable effort, Democrats have decided to mercilessly attack Musk and DOGE in an attempt to thwart their effort to implement long-overdue reforms. Name any popular Trump-backed reform, and Democrats are sure to oppose it—because apparently their race to the bottom can’t come soon enough. Extend the Trump tax cuts so Americans can keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets? Democrats are opposed. Put America first by negotiating fair trade deals to level the playing field and help working-class families? Democrats seem to like it when the United States is getting ripped off and jobs are shipped overseas instead. Reform our broken public education system with local control and school choice? Sadly, Democrats have chosen to get behind low test scores, failing schools, and critical race theory.

What’s unfolded in Trump’s first 100 days has truly been remarkable, due not only to the speed of his own accomplishments, but also the speed in which the Democratic Party is unraveling before our eyes. When only four Democrats in the House of Representatives out of 212 vote in favor of a simple bill making sure that only U.S. citizens can vote in our elections, there might just be an existential crisis brewing on the Left. In addition to Democrats’ incredibly irresponsible and unpopular policy decisions, there’s also an enormous leadership vacuum on the Left. When socialism-loving leftists such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., rise to the top of the Left’s conversation regarding its future leadership team, there should be cause for concern.

Look no further than the retirements of Democrat stalwarts such as Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Gary Peters of Michigan, and Tina Smith of Minnesota and Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois. These career politicians aren’t retiring because things are looking up for Democrats. They’re exiting stage left because they see rocky electoral terrain on the horizon due to the radicalized positions of their decomposing party. Trump was elected to take on tough challenges and solve problems. And after only 100 days in office, it’s obvious that our president is doing it the only way he knows how—full-speed ahead. The American people deserve a better future, and Trump is delivering.

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“Because of media-stoked rage at Donald Trump, Canadian voters have chosen the path of national suicide. Hey, congratulations, eh?”

By the by, Poilievre blew a massive lead in the polls in no time flat. How did he do that?

TDS on Steroids: Canada Elects a Prime Minister to Spite Trump (Spencer)

You think American leftists have Trump Derangement Syndrome? They’ve got nothing on Canadians, who just chose to remain on the path of national decline and self-destruction that they’ve been on for the last ten years, just to spite Donald Trump. In order to demonstrate their nationalism, Canada just chose a socialist internationalist as prime minister. Yes, it’s that crazy, and worse. The Liberal Party’s Mark Carney, who succeeded the disastrous eternal boy Justin Trudeau as Canada’s prime minister on March 14, was elected in his own right in Canada’s Monday election. It was an outcome that would have seemed inconceivable as recently as December, when the Conservative Party held a comfortable lead in the polls.

A Conservative victory seemed so certain that numerous pundits were talking about not if, but when Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre became prime minister. After ten years of Trudeau’s far-left misrule, a Conservative victory seemed inevitable. Then, however, came the Nov. 29, 2024, meeting at Mar-a-Lago between Trump and Trudeau. Trump told Trudeau that “Canada has failed the U.S. border by allowing large amounts of drugs and people across the border, including illegal immigrants from over 70 different countries,” and warned him that “if Canada cannot fix the border issues and trade deficit, he will levy a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods on day one when he returns to office.”

In response, Trudeau complained that Trump couldn’t impose such a tariff “because it would kill the Canadian economy completely.” Trump responded by asking Trudeau, “So your country can’t survive unless it’s ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion?” Driving his point home, Trump “suggested to Trudeau that Canada become the 51st state, which caused the prime minister and others to laugh nervously.” After that, Trump delighted in calling the Canadian prime minister “Governor Trudeau” and repeated his declaration several times that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state. This led to a frenzy of outrage in Canada. After Trudeau finally departed from the scene, both Carney and Poilievre denounced Trump for his trolling and stood up stoutly for Canada’s wounded national pride.

Paradoxically, however, because Poilievre is a Conservative whose program lines up more closely with Trump’s on most issues than does that of the Liberals, Carney was able to take better advantage of the anti-Trump outrage and erase the Conservative lead in the polls. And so Canadians have struck back against Trump by giving the Liberals a majority and ensuring that Carney will remain prime minister. Yet Poilievre is the actual Canadian nationalist, while Carney is yet another World Economic Forum-linked socialist internationalist who will continue the hollowing-out of Canada that Justin Trudeau pursued with almost as much vigor as he brought to Taylor Swift concerts. Trump even repudiated Poilievre and said he would prefer to work with Carney, whereupon Canadians, to spite Trump, voted for the Liberals and ensured that Trump would get to work with Carney. Got it?

After that, Trump delighted in calling the Canadian prime minister “Governor Trudeau” and repeated his declaration several times that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state. This led to a frenzy of outrage in Canada. After Trudeau finally departed from the scene, both Carney and Poilievre denounced Trump for his trolling and stood up stoutly for Canada’s wounded national pride. Paradoxically, however, because Poilievre is a Conservative whose program lines up more closely with Trump’s on most issues than does that of the Liberals, Carney was able to take better advantage of the anti-Trump outrage and erase the Conservative lead in the polls. And so Canadians have struck back against Trump by giving the Liberals a majority and ensuring that Carney will remain prime minister.

Yet Poilievre is the actual Canadian nationalist, while Carney is yet another World Economic Forum-linked socialist internationalist who will continue the hollowing-out of Canada that Justin Trudeau pursued with almost as much vigor as he brought to Taylor Swift concerts. Trump even repudiated Poilievre and said he would prefer to work with Carney, whereupon Canadians, to spite Trump, voted for the Liberals and ensured that Trump would get to work with Carney. Got it? Carney crowed, “The Americans want to break us so they can own us. Those aren’t just words. That’s what’s at risk.” Sure it is. And so now the Chinese will own you. Bravo. Canada’s election on Monday is the most vivid object lesson of all, at least up to now, of the dangers of Trump Derangement Syndrome. Because of media-stoked rage at Donald Trump, Canadian voters have chosen the path of national suicide. Hey, congratulations, eh?

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“Canada progressively relaxed its immigration policy between 1950 and 1962, steadily removing restrictions against the entry of German nazis and non-German members of German military units..”

Covering Up Ukrainian Nazis Is Nothing New For Canada (Proud)

A number of topics remain taboo in discussing the war in Ukraine. Busification, Zelensky’s democratic mandate, Ukraine’s casualty numbers and anything suggesting that Ukraine cannot win are all off limits. Likewise the problem of alleged neo-Nazis in Ukraine. One of the most embarrassing episodes since the Ukraine war started in 2022, was when Yaroslav Hunka, was given two standing ovations in the Canadian House of Commons public gallery by MPs during the visit of President Zelensky in 2023. Hunka has been accused by Russia of genocide, because of his alleged involvement in the Huta Pieniacka massacre of February 28 1944 in which more than 500 ethnic Poles were murdered in a village, in what is now western Ukraine. Hunka was a member of the SS Galicia Division, a mostly Ukrainian unit of the Waffen SS, which Commissions in Germany and Poland later found guilty of war crimes.

This was shocking because it opened the lid on a topic of conversation that has been largely silenced by the western mainstream media since the beginning of the war: Ukraine’s contemporary challenge of far-right ultranationalism. But the Hunka case also illustrates how western authorities airbrushed discussion of nazis in Ukraine after World War II too. On 13 July 1948 the British Commonwealth Relations Office, what is now part of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, sent a telegram to Commonwealth governments, proposing an end to Nazi war crimes trials in the British zone of Germany. “Punishment of war crimes is more a matter of discouraging future generations than of meting out retribution to every guilty individual… it is now necessary to dispose of the past as soon as possible.”

After the conclusion of the Nuremberg War Trials in 1946 the western world faced a new enemy in the Soviet Union. Limited security resources in cash-strapped Albion and its colonies were re-deployed to uncover suspected Soviet agents and Communists, rather than to identify and track down lower-order Nazi war criminals. Around this time, many Ukrainians fled the Soviet Union to settle in Canada. In the thirty-year period after the start of Operation Barbarossa, the Ukrainian population in Canada almost doubled, from 300,000 to almost 600,000 people. While most of them, I am sure, would not have been Nazi collaborators, some, undoubtedly, were. They were joined by lesser numbers of Latvians, Hungarians, Slovaks and others.

Within that exodus would have been so-called “lesser” war criminals; persons who had organised the transportation of Jews, Slavs, gypsies and homosexuals to death camps, acted as informers, committed murders, or become involved in war crimes as other ranks and non-commissioned officers in death squads. They were the lower echelon collaborators, acting as the instruments of the genocide initiated by the Nazis. Yet, following the British instruction, Canada progressively relaxed its immigration policy between 1950 and 1962, steadily removing restrictions against the entry of German nazis and non-German members of German military units like the SS Galicia Division. However, in 1984 the Simon Wiesenthal Center wrote a letter to the Canadian government claiming to have obtained evidence that the ‘Angel of Death’ Josef Mengele had applied for a landed immigrant visa to Canada in 1962. Though this proved to be incorrect, it caused such outrage among Canada’s Jewish community that a Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals in Canada was established in 1985.

Known as the Deschênes Commission, it uncovered a list of 774 persons who had allegedly entered Canada and who required further investigation. Of that list, only 28 underwent serious investigation and trial. Michael Pawlowski, accused of murdering 410 Jews and 80 non-Jewish Poles in Belarus in 1942, was acquitted as judges blocked the prosecution from gathering evidence in the Soviet Union. Stephen Reistetter of Slovakia was not tried for allegations that he kidnapped 3000 Jews to have them sent to Nazi death camps while serving in the Hlinka party, a far right clerical-fascist movement with Nazi leanings. His case fell apart because a witness died. Erich Tobias, was accused of involvement in the execution of Latvian Jews but died before his case went to court. By 1995, with no convictions for war crimes having been secured, the Canadian Justice Department cut the size of its war crimes unit from 24 to 11 people. In the absence of criminal prosecutions, the Canadian Government tried civil proceedings to revoke citizenship from alleged war criminals.

[..] I don’t think that Ukraine today is a Nazi society and, even at its high watermark, the Svoboda party only garnered 10% of the national vote. But ultranationalism is a major problem, particularly in the west of Ukraine, in that area known as Galicia during World War II. And the refusal of western governments to acknowledge the issue of ultranationalism in Ukraine or speak out means that we are turning a blind eye once more to activity that we would never tolerate in our own countries.

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I thought this was about the hypersonic weapons- which no dome would stop. But they have something new again: nuclear-powered, unlimited-range cruise missiles.

America’s Golden Dome May Be Powerless vs Russia’s Doomsday Missile (Kornev)

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump launched the ambitious “Golden Dome” initiative – a sweeping plan to build a national missile defense system capable of shielding America from modern threats: ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, and advanced cruise missiles. Designed as a next-generation shield, the Golden Dome aspires to close gaps in the nation’s defenses and guarantee security against a broad range of airborne dangers. But even the most sophisticated defense can face a threat it wasn’t designed to stop. As Washington doubles down on its plans for a new shield, Russia is preparing a weapon unlike anything currently in existence – a nuclear-powered cruise missile with unlimited range. And it’s a threat the Golden Dome may struggle to counter.

Russia is on the verge of deploying an entirely new class of cruise missile that could fundamentally alter air defense paradigms: nuclear-powered, unlimited-range cruise missiles. Chief among them is the Burevestnik. It’s only logical that US missile defense planners are thinking ahead to such unconventional threats. Open-source intelligence researchers like MT_Anderson have recently shared satellite imagery revealing suspected construction of Burevestnik launch facilities near Vologda. If verified, this would mark the next phase in the deployment of a weapon capable of shaking the foundations of global strategic stability.

https://twitter.com/MT_Anderson/status/1909366999169585390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1909366999169585390%7Ctwgr%5Ed14bc72f398e855236da588e8350cfc07dade286%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rt.com%2Frussia%2F616492-golden-dome-vs-burevestnik%2F

Russia first revealed the Burevestnik missile during President Vladimir Putin’s address to the Federal Assembly on March 1, 2018. Dubbed SSC-X-9 “Skyfall” in the West, the missile has been cloaked in secrecy ever since. The commonly used designation “9M730 Burevestnik” is actually a misnomer, as the 9M730 label originally referred to a version of the Iskander-M missile system – but that’s a minor detail in the larger picture. Reports suggest that Burevestnik testing has been ongoing for years at sites like Novaya Zemlya, the Nenoksa naval testing range near Severodvinsk, and the Kapustin Yar missile complex – the latter featuring specialized infrastructure operated by Rosatom. As recently as two years ago, it seemed Russia was still far from completing development. Now, however, signs point to a major shift: operational launch sites are reportedly under construction.

Visually, the Burevestnik resembles a traditional cruise missile, with folding wings for compact launch storage. It launches from a ground platform using a solid-fuel booster, then switches to an air-breathing nuclear-powered jet engine once it reaches cruising speed. In theory, this engine heats incoming air via a compact nuclear reactor, allowing the missile to stay airborne for weeks or even months without refueling. Sources estimate the missile’s operational range at 22,000km, though in practice it may be virtually unlimited. Such a missile could patrol potential conflict zones indefinitely, awaiting launch commands. Upon receiving orders, it could maneuver toward targets from unpredictable vectors, making interception extraordinarily difficult. Effectively, the Burevestnik is designed to serve as a “doomsday weapon” – a guaranteed retaliatory strike platform in the event of nuclear war.

A nuclear-powered cruise missile would be capable of striking anywhere on the globe from any direction. It could exploit satellite communications to update flight paths, evade interception, and even receive new target information mid-flight. Naturally, preventing accidents is critical, but it’s likely that specialized recovery systems – possibly involving parachutes – have been developed. The ability to safely operate a nuclear-powered engine stems from technological breakthroughs achieved in the 1990s and 2000s, when Russian scientists successfully built compact nuclear reactors. These advancements paved the way not only for the Burevestnik, but also for other projects like the Poseidon underwater drone. Notably, the US and the Soviet Union both explored nuclear-powered aircraft concepts during the Cold War. Despite extensive research on platforms like the B-36 and Tu-95, both nations ultimately abandoned the projects due to insurmountable engineering challenges, astronomical costs, and radiation safety concerns.

Today, with more advanced reactor technology, Russia seems poised to achieve what Cold War engineers only dreamed of: a practical, nuclear-powered, unlimited-range missile. Can the Burevestnik be considered operational? Full details remain classified, but tests in 2020–2021 at Kapustin Yar and Nenoksa strongly suggest significant progress. The completion of permanent launch sites points to an impending deployment phase. According to some reports, Russia could begin fielding Burevestnik missiles as early as 2025-26 – potentially in large numbers. Thanks to their nearly limitless range, these missiles could patrol vast areas, including the Arctic, Siberia, or the Pacific Ocean, remaining invisible to conventional defense systems. A major challenge for America’s Golden Dome initiative will be detecting and tracking such missiles – no easy task. It would likely require unprecedented coordination with the US Navy and the full use of space-based tracking systems.

Ultimately, defeating a weapon like the Burevestnik would demand a fully integrated space-based missile defense component. Satellite tracking, rapid identification of launch zones, and intercept capabilities far beyond current systems would be necessary. Even advanced naval assets like Aegis-equipped ships would face a monumental challenge. For now, there is no simple solution. And while Washington scrambles to prepare, Moscow holds a major advantage – especially when considering additional next-generation weapons like the Poseidon nuclear drone. In this high-stakes race, Russia may have already moved the strategic chessboard – and set up a checkmate that America’s Golden Dome might not be able to prevent.

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”Even at the height of the Cold War, we didn’t treat Russia like this..”

Oliver Stone Warns Russia and US Were Close To World War III (RT)

There was a point in the last three years of the Ukraine conflict where Russia and the US have teetered on the edge of a nuclear war, acclaimed filmmaker Oliver Stone has said. Speaking to Russian students at the ‘Knowledge.First’ event in Moscow on Tuesday, spoke out against the US role in the Ukraine conflict, as well as its coverage in Western media. The Hollywood legend suggested that over the past three years, Moscow and Washington have relived the Cold War spike in tensions that previously culminated in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and said he hoped a corresponding wind down would follow. The US and the Soviet Union almost came to a nuclear clash at the height of the Cold War, after the USSR retaliated by placing nuclear weapons in Cuba, following Washington’s deployment of nukes in Turkey.

”I want to emphasize to you students how very close we came to World War III because of this awful leadership,” he said. ”We bring a great waste of our resources and height of this futility was a war which [former US President Joe] Biden recently dedicated to weakening Russia,” Stone said. “It is a retrograde war.” Western media coverage of the conflict and Russia has shocked him during the past three years, the director admitted. ”Even at the height of the Cold War, we didn’t treat Russia like this,” he said. Whereas now, the media has trained people in the West to equate Russia with President Vladimir Putin, Stone added. This is a tragic substitution of hatred for intelligence.

“The propaganda state in the West is an incredible empire. Far further and stronger than I ever imagined. You are unable to see the inside of the matrix,” he said. Straight out of the works of George Orwell. While the anti-war filmmaker has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, he has criticized Biden and the US “neoconservative movement” for the Ukraine conflict. Stone produced the 2016 ‘Ukraine on Fire’ documentary showing the role Washington played in the 2014 Maidan coup that overthrew Kiev’s democratically-elected president Viktor Yanukovich.

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“Russia and the United States are a great partnership, as is China, by the way, and I think we could have a world that is much safer… if we all get together and realize that it’s a multilateral world.”

EU Engaging In ‘Perversion Of History’ – Oliver Stone (RT)

Attempts by EU elites to diminish the significance of the USSR’s contribution to the victory over Nazism are a “perversion of history,” Oscar-winning American movie director Oliver Stone has told RT ahead of World War II Victory Day celebrations in Russia. The bloc’s “elitist leadership” has distorted the message that World War II provides to humanity, the filmmaker has said. “I’m shocked by it, by [what] is happening,” he stated, calling it “a shame” and “a disgrace that we forgot or pretend to [have forgotten]” about the sacrifices the Soviet Union made during the war. Stone also said he did not believe people in Europe “buy this at all.” “I think the people don’t agree with the government,” Stone maintained, going on to say that “the futility of this campaign against Russia by the EU” is obvious to “anybody, who reads history [books] and is intelligent.”

The director of ‘Platoon’ and ‘JFK’ expressed his doubts that “fascism is popular” nowadays and stated instead that European elites had lost their way because of their “worship of the EU.” “We are not back to the times of Hitler, but what is happening is a loss of perspective and we need to get back to a sense of reason,” Stone told RT as he called on Western leaders to “listen to the Russians” instead of antagonizing them. He also expressed his hope that the US and Russia would manage to mend their relationship, opening the way to a better future for humanity. “Russia and the United States are a great partnership, as is China, by the way, and I think we could have a world that is much safer… if we all get together and realize that it’s a multilateral world.” US President Donald Trump’s administration has been engaged in efforts to restore bilateral ties with Russia and resolve the Ukraine conflict.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that America now has a “better” understanding of the Russian position on the crisis. Moscow’s key conditions for ending the conflict are Ukraine’s neutrality, demilitarization, and recognition of the new territorial reality on the ground. Last week, Trump also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was easier to deal with than Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky. Russian officials maintain they have always been ready to engage in peace talks, provided the discussions aim for a permanent solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict. Moscow has rejected any temporary agreement, explaining that it could be used by Kiev and its backers to rearm the Ukrainian military.

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For now, the peace voices are winning.

Trump Allies: Mossad Agents And Warmongers Try To Derail Iran Talks (MEE)

“Mossad agents” and “warmongers” are pushing the US into a conflict with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Those lines aren’t coming from state-run news agencies in Tehran, but some of US President Donald Trump’s closest media allies and supporters. Last week, conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson featured a senior Department of Defense official who he claimed was ousted because he was seen as an obstacle to the US bombing Iran. Dan Caldwell, a top advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was removed from the Pentagon earlier this month on charges that he allegedly leaked classified information about Hegseth’s use of a Signal chat, according to several media outlets. Not so by Carlson’s telling, who has unparalleled access to Trump.

“You did make maybe one career mistake by giving on-the-record interviews describing your foreign policy views…that are out of the mainstream among warmongers in Washington,” Carlson said to Caldwell, adding, “Then I read all of a sudden that you are a traitor.” On Sunday, another conservative podcaster, Clayton Morris, a former Fox News anchor, said pro-Israel voices were “working overtime” to destroy the “anti-war team” that Trump has assembled at the Pentagon. “We’ve learned here at Redacted that former Israeli Mossad agents are working overtime on social media and behind the scenes trying to discredit Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth,” Morris said, referring to his show. He didn’t name the so-called former agents.

Trump’s administration is divided between more traditional Republicans like US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisor Mike Waltz, and “America First” isolationists like White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Some of Trump’s most vocal defenders in the media, who exercise unprecedented influence in communicating his worldview, are media figures like Carlson and former advisor Steve Bannon. The firing of Caldwell and two other senior Pentagon officials appears to have energized America First anti-interventionists. Their slamming of the pro-Israel voices and former Mossad agents is unprecedented within the Republican Party. It reflects just how far Trump has taken the party from its traditionally hawkish worldview.

Pro-Trump media personalities have singled out Merav Ceren, who was nominated to head Iran and Israel at the White House National Security Council, for criticism. Ceren was born in Haifa, Israel, and worked in the Israeli Ministry of Defense. On his show, Morris, who co-hosted a Fox morning news show with Hegseth, said that, “Neo-con Mike Waltz has now hired basically a dual citizen and former IDF official to work under him.” The coverage reflects a growing trend in the US to view Israel with skepticism, which has intensified since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel, which sparked the Israeli invasion of Gaza and a simmering Middle East war. According to a Pew Poll published in April, 53 percent of Americans now express an unfavorable opinion of Israel, up from 42 percent in March 2022. The shift in negative sentiment has been notable among young Republicans under 50, who are more likely to tune into podcasts like Morris’s Redacted and Carlson’s show.

The criticism comes as Trump tries to square his muscular foreign policy instincts with his pledge to refrain from starting new Middle East wars. On Iran, Trump’s closest envoys have been left contradicting themselves. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy who has emerged as his go-to global troubleshooter, suggested earlier this month that Washington would allow Iran to enrich uranium at low levels. After backlash from pro-Israel voices, he flipped, saying that Tehran “must stop and eliminate” its nuclear enrichment program fully. This week, Secretary Rubio said the US could re-enter a deal that sees Iran keep a civilian nuclear programme – so long as it halts enrichment, and instead ships it in from abroad. American and Iranian technical teams met in Oman on Saturday for their third round of talks. Trump told reporters on Monday that the talks are going “very well” and that “a deal is going to be made there”. “We’ll have something without having to start dropping bombs all over the place,” he said.

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A law firm for the right.

Elon Musk’s Lawyer Thinks He Is Allowed to Continue Running DOGE (DS)

After Elon Musk’s 130-day term as a special government employee ends on May 30, the billionaire entrepreneur’s attorney says he expects Musk to continue to play a “critical role” in the Trump administration. “Obviously, Elon’s played a critical role leading up to the 2024 election, just even preparing for the transition of this administration,” lawyer Chris Gober told The Daily Signal. “My expectation is he will continue to play a critical role moving forward.” Gober is a partner and CEO of Lex Politica, the law firm that represents Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and other key figures involved in the legal and political process of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency. Gober sat down with The Daily Signal for his first interview since revamping Lex Politica.

Musk has the legal authority to remain at DOGE after his term as a special government employee ends on May 30, said Nicole Kelly, Lex Politica senior counsel. “The question is not whether Elon Musk will stay at DOGE, but whether he has the legal authority to do so after May 30,” Kelly told The Daily Signal. “The answer is yes. But regardless of whether he stays involved or not, I believe his relentless drive to reform the federal government will endure, inspiring current and future administration employees to carry forward DOGE’s mission with unwavering dedication.” Musk has said he would spend “a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the president would like me to do so, as long as it is useful.” Despite criticism from the Left, DOGE is constitutional because President Donald Trump has the authority to appoint staff to implement his agenda, said Lex Politica partner and political law co-chair Steve Roberts.

“Creating temporary entities and positions is a common practice for presidents,” Roberts told The Daily Signal. “President Trump’s historic win last November created a mandate, and DOGE was created in response to the American voters wanting to cut the regulatory state. The constant media attacks just show how successful of an ongoing effort it is.” The media have failed to report on the waste being exposed by DOGE because it doesn’t fit the narrative that the majority of Americans support creating efficiency, Gober said. “It is what the people want. It’s what the people are going to get,” he said. “And I think that even long after, even if Elon leaves, I think what you’re going to see is what we’ve changed—the spirit of our desire to create and a more efficient government to go detect the waste and actually just make some changes in Washington.”

Musk’s involvement with DOGE was critical to “set the tone,” Gober said. Stories have circulated about Musk sleeping on the floor of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. “He leads by example, so long after he’s gone, I think that’s the tone that will continue to persist,” Gober said. “I think it’s absolutely critical we have that kind of urgency within our own federal government of the people working there. That is important that he did that, and I think it will prove important long after he is gone.” The left-wing media don’t recognize Musk’s desire “to fundamentally change the country and how important that is to him.” “I know there’s a lot of people who want to be detractors,” Gober said. “I want to challenge them because they don’t agree with what he’s doing. But I think the one thing you just have to recognize is the patriotism that he exhibits. And I think it’s something to be admired whether you agree with him or not, that he is doing this for the right reason, and that is the care of this country.”

Trump has changed politics, and the movement he created won’t end in 2028, Gober said. “There’s going to be effects of how we do business and how politics is run, and with that law firms, corporate America, all the industries, they need to also catch up to that and evolve,” he said. Lex Politica, which represents conservative political action committees, members of Congress, governors, and state attorneys general across the country, is a law firm “built for the moment,” according to Gober. He said traditional big law firms are becoming obsolete due to their efforts to silence conservative movements and voices. “They can hide behind conflicts in order to keep from offending the sensitivities of their own lawyers or their clients,” Gober said. “And I think that’s what we’re looking to build, is a law firm that’s unapologetic about who we represent, about what we do, and the victories we bring home for our clients.”

From thinking through the legal and strategic considerations of DOGE, to ensuring lobbying and legal compliance for campaigns, Lex Politica lawyers have been the go-to legal counsel on prominent issues, Roberts said. “While some firms dance around politics, we’re stepping in with a firm that says what it believes and can act in the best strategic and legal interests of our clients,” he said. “We’re here for clients who want to go on offense when needed, not just play defense.” As the Trump administration on Tuesday celebrates 100 days in office, the Lex Politica team is eager to continue serving its clients as they join the administration’s efforts to ensure America continues to thrive, said Jessica Furst Johnson, Lex Politica partner and political law co-chair. “Politicians are making bold moves to align with the current state of our country,” Johnson told The Daily Signal. “Lex Politica is equipped to walk alongside our clients and help them win, providing counsel to some of the most influential figures on matters big and small.”

Read more …

 

 

 

 

Slide

 

 

SPR

 

 

Robots

 

 

AI

 

 

RFK Elon
https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1917087700986781825

 

 

Dim sun
https://twitter.com/VigilantFox/status/1917031741979586959

 

 

Theo
https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/1917248422614008118

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Jan 172025
 
 January 17, 2025  Posted by at 10:57 am Finance Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,  94 Responses »


Jean-François Millet The Gleaners 1857

 

Netanyahu’s Office Confirms Gaza Deal Signed by Israel, Hamas, US, Qatar (Sp.)
Trump Played Key Role In Gaza Ceasefire Deal – Times of Israel (RT)
Hamas Denies Netanyahu’s Claims On Violating Hostage Deal (RT)
UK To Sign ‘100 Year Partnership’ With Ukraine (RT)
UK and France Secretly Discussing Troops For Ukraine – Telegraph (RT)
UK Promises To ‘Explore Options’ For Military Bases In Ukraine (RT)
Denmark’s Repeated Threats Over Greenland’s Independence Bid (Sp.)
Moscow Slams West For ‘Fantastic Hypocrisy’ (RT)
In Farewell Address, Biden Brags (ZH)
Pam Bondi’s Confirmation Hearing for Attorney General (ET)
Trump Team Planning Roadmap To Ease Russia Sanctions – Bloomberg
Far Left UK Government Proposes BANNING “Controversial” Conversations (MN)
Sen. Ramaswamy? Vivek Emerges As Dark Horse Successor To Vance (JTN)
Pete Hegseth Confirmation Vote Expected After Inauguration (JTN)
Trump Names Three Legendary Actors As ‘Special Envoys’ To Hollywood (RT)
The British Attack On The Skripals Didn’t Kill Them (Helmer)

 

 

 

 

Popok

Granddaughters
https://twitter.com/i/status/1879738402633101535

Yilongma
https://twitter.com/i/status/1879592734580953158

Leavitt

Sachs

Joe 2016

Bessent
https://twitter.com/i/status/1879934087064088636

1871

 

 

 

 

Let’s see you break it.

Netanyahu’s Office Confirms Gaza Deal Signed by Israel, Hamas, US, Qatar (Sp.)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has confirmed that Israel, Palestinian movement Hamas, the United States and Qatar have signed a deal on a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post newspaper reported on Friday, citing the office. The prime minister gave instructions to convene the security cabinet and then hold a government meeting to approve the deal, the report added.On Thursday, media reported, citing an Israeli official, that the Israeli security cabinet will meet to vote on the ceasefire deal on Friday, while the Israeli government is expected to vote on the agreement on Saturday.

Israel and Hamas, with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, agreed on January 15 to a 42-day ceasefire and declared their intention to finally end the hostilities that have claimed the lives of 46,000 Palestinians and about 1,500 Israelis over 15 months, spreading to Lebanon and Yemen and provoking an exchange of missile strikes between Israel and Iran. The first stage provides for a partial exchange of prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli troops to the Gaza borders and humanitarian aid. The second and third stages are yet to be agreed upon. Under the deal, the guarantors of the agreement — Qatar, Egypt and the United States — will establish a coordination center in Cairo.

Alon Piskas

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“..Trump’s envoy pick managed to achieve more “in a single sit-down” than President Joe Biden’s administration had in a year.”

Trump Played Key Role In Gaza Ceasefire Deal – Times of Israel (RT)

US President-elect Donald Trump’s team has played a deciding role in mediating a ceasefire deal between Israel and the Gaza-based militant group Hamas, the Times of Israel reported on Wednesday, citing two Arab officials. Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has reportedly managed to convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to the truce’s terms in just one meeting. On Wednesday, Trump announced that West Jerusalem and Hamas had reached an agreement securing the release of the remaining hostages. According to multiple media reports, the deal struck in Qatar involves a 42-day truce and an exchange of prisoners, including all Israelis taken captive in the October 7, 2023 Hamas incursion. Witkoff has been in Qatar’s capital, Doha, for the past week and has taken an active part in the hostage release talks, according to the Times of Israel.

Last Saturday, he also flew to Israel for a meeting with Netanyahu. It was during that meeting that he reportedly swayed the Israeli prime minister to accept the key provisions of the deal, two Arab sources told the news outlet. Two days after the meeting, both sides told the mediators they have accepted the draft deal in principle, the sources added. Neither Witkoff, nor the Israeli prime minister’s office responded to the Times of Israel’s request for comment. The paper also stated that Trump’s envoy pick managed to achieve more “in a single sit-down” than President Joe Biden’s administration had in a year. After the deal’s announcement, both Trump and Biden claimed credit for it. The president-elect called it an “epic ceasefire agreement that could only have happened” because of his election victory in November.

Biden called it a result of “dogged and painstaking American diplomacy” as well as pressure exerted on Hamas and the weakening of Iran. The outgoing president nonetheless credited the role played by his successor, saying that “for the past few days, we have been speaking as one team.” Trump’s team responded on X by claiming that Biden could not have gotten the deal done without the intervention of Trump and Witkoff. The US State Department also recognized Trump’s role in the development. “The involvement of President-elect Trump’s team has been absolutely critical in getting this deal over the line,” its spokesman, Matthew Miller, told journalists.

On Thursday, Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of “reneging” on key points of the deal, claiming the Palestinian group had created “a last-minute crisis that is preventing an agreement.” The militants denied the accusations, saying they were “committed” to the deal. West Jerusalem intensified its airstrikes across Gaza shortly after the announcement of the truce deal. At least 32 people were killed in “heavy Israeli bombardment” on Wednesday evening, according to Reuters. On Thursday, the IDF accused Hamas of firing a rocket into the Jewish state, adding that the incident had caused no casualties.

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Two more days before it’s active.

Hamas Denies Netanyahu’s Claims On Violating Hostage Deal (RT)

Palestinian armed group Hamas has rejected claims by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it is creating a last-minute “crisis” in finalizing the deal to release the hostages held in Gaza. On Wednesday, US President-elect Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had struck an agreement securing the release of the remaining hostages. According to multiple media outlets, the agreement approved in Qatar involves a 42-day truce and an exchange of prisoners, including all Israelis taken captive in the October 7, 2023 Hamas incursion into the country. “Hamas is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators,” Izzat al-Risheq, a senior member of the group’s political bureau, said in a post on Telegram on Thursday.

The statement came shortly after Netanyahu’s office accused the Palestinian group of “reneging on the understandings” reached as part of the hostage deal and “creating a last-minute crisis that is preventing an agreement.” “The Israeli cabinet will not convene [to approve the deal] until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement,” it stressed. Israel intensified its airstrikes across Gaza shortly after the ceasefire and hostage release deal was announced, Reuters reported, citing the civil emergency service and residents in the enclave. The attacks came as people in Gaza took to the streets to celebrate the truce, which is expected to start on Sunday. At least 32 people were killed in “heavy Israeli bombardment,” especially of Gaza City, late on Wednesday, the agency said.

The strikes continued early on Thursday, with homes being destroyed in Rafah in southern Gaza, Nuseirat in central Gaza, and in northern Gaza, it added. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) blamed Hamas for firing a rocket into Israel on Thursday, with the incident causing no casualties. Israel began its military operation in Gaza 15 months ago in response to the cross-border raid by Hamas, in which around 1,200 people died and 250 others were taken prisoner. At least 94 of them still remain in captivity. Nearly 47,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 104,000 wounded in Israeli attacks in the enclave, according to the latest data from Gaza’s health ministry.

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The Brits still have a sense of humor.

UK To Sign ‘100 Year Partnership’ With Ukraine (RT)

The UK and Ukraine will sign a 100-year partnership agreement during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first trip to Kiev since taking office, London has said. The British government announced the planned deal on Thursday, shortly before Starmer arrived in the Ukrainian capital on a surprise visit. The agreement that the prime minister and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky are expected to sign will formalize “the unbreakable bonds” between the two countries, further expanding bilateral ties in defense and other areas, the government statement read. The treaty would “deter ongoing Russian aggression” against Ukraine and commit London and Kiev to increase defense cooperation, including on maritime security in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Sea of Azov, it stated.

Moscow has control of the whole Sea of Azov coastline after the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, and Kherson and Zaporozhye regions officially became part of Russia following referendums in the fall of 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials have since then described it as Russia’s “inland sea.” As part of the deal, a UK-built Grain Verification Scheme will be launched in order to track down on what London called “stolen grain,” referring to the crops produced in Russia’s new territories. “We are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level,” Starmer claimed before his trip. The UK has been one of Ukraine’s prime backers since the escalation between Moscow and Kiev in February 2022. It has committed 12.8 billion pounds ($16 billion) in military and civilian aid to Kiev and trained 50,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil.

However, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that officials close to Zelensky have privately expressed disappointment in Starmer for months over what they described as his cautious approach to Ukraine. According to the agency, the Ukrainian leadership has also questioned why it took the British prime minister, who assumed office more than six months ago, so long to visit Kiev. Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously said that Britain’s continued support for Ukraine is a sign that the UK government “clearly does not seek to resolve the conflict [between Moscow and Kiev]. They are doing everything possible to make it drag on, thus prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people.”

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There are still some warmongers left.

UK and France Secretly Discussing Troops For Ukraine – Telegraph (RT)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed sending soldiers into Ukraine as a peacekeeping force, the Telegraph has claimed citing anonymous sources. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky first mentioned the idea last week, and said he would discuss it with Starmer when he visits Kiev. According to the British outlet, however, Starmer is not fully on board yet. “There are challenges over what we could support, what would we want to support, and the broader question about the threat that those troops may be under and whether that is escalatory,” the Telegraph quoted a Whitehall source as saying on Wednesday evening. Spokespeople for 10 Downing Street and the Elysee Palace did not deny that Starmer and Macron discussed the peacekeeper possibility last week at the Chequers estate in the UK, but gave no details about the conversation.

Starmer was in Kiev on Thursday, promising a “100-year partnership” pact with Ukraine. One of the rumored plans US President-elect Donald Trump might propose after taking office next Monday involves Western troops deployed as peacekeepers along the demilitarized zone between Russia and Ukraine, supposedly running along the current line of conflict. No US forces would be involved, only “European” soldiers not acting under NATO command, according to media reports that have been impossible to verify. Macron reportedly brought up the idea of “European” peacekeepers with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk last month, but Warsaw said it was “not planning any such actions.” Earlier this week, Zelensky wrote on social media that he had discussed with “key allies” the “practical steps” for the implementation of the peacekeeper idea.

“We are getting slightly ahead of ourselves. We are not there yet,” one British official told the Telegraph. Putting boots on the ground in Ukraine has been endorsed by former PM Boris Johnson, former Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt, and two ex-defense ministers, Grant Shapps and Gavin Williamson. The UK has given 12.8 billion pounds ($16 billion) in military and civilian aid to Kiev since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated in February 2022, and reportedly trained 50,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil. The British government’s continued support for Kiev means London “clearly does not seek to resolve the conflict,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said recently, accusing the UK of “doing everything possible to make it drag on, thus prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people.”

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Russia will love this part…

UK Promises To ‘Explore Options’ For Military Bases In Ukraine (RT)

London has revealed details of a long-term partnership agreement with Kiev, which includes broad plans for military infrastructure development and defense cooperation over the next century. The document suggests the potential establishment of military bases in Ukraine, with an emphasis on aligning these initiatives with NATO standards for maximum effectiveness.The 15-page declaration, signed on January 16, 2025, lays out a framework for cooperation between the United Kingdom and Ukraine across various sectors, with a primary focus on military collaboration. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky formalized the deal during a ceremony in Kiev on Thursday. “The Participants will explore options for deploying and maintaining defence infrastructure in Ukraine, including military bases, logistics depots, reserve military equipment storage facilities and war reserve stockpiles,” the document states.

The agreement also emphasizes maritime cooperation, particularly in the Black Sea region. The UK has pledged to enhance Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO in the maritime sphere through joint naval operations, port visits, and the development of Ukrainian naval bases. “We will work together to ensure NATO learns the lessons from Ukraine’s experience in the Black Sea to inform its development of future maritime capabilities. We will promote the development of naval bases on the territory of Ukraine,” the document reads. Another section highlights plans to “deepen cooperation on long-range strike capabilities,” integrated air and missile defense, and the stockpiling of complex weapons to bolster “deterrence.” Additionally, London has committed to providing Ukraine with annual military assistance of no less than £3 billion until at least 2031, and “for as long as needed to support Ukraine.”

While the agreement lacks detailed, binding commitments beyond promises to expand, intensify, and facilitate collaboration across multiple sectors, Zelensky hinted at potential “secret” components within the pact. The UK has been one of Ukraine’s prime backers since the escalation of conflict between Moscow and Kiev in February 2022. It has committed 12.8 billion pounds ($16 billion) in military and civilian aid to Ukraine and reportedly trained 50,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil. Russia has sharply criticized London’s continued support of Kiev as a sign that the UK government “clearly does not seek to resolve the conflict.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously said “they are doing everything possible to make it drag on, thus prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people.”

Meanwhile, reports suggest that US President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office next Monday, may propose deploying Western troops as peacekeepers along a demilitarized zone between Russia and Ukraine. The rumored plan reportedly excludes US forces, relying instead on “European” soldiers acting outside NATO’s command structure. London remains cautious about the idea of sending British troops to Ukraine as part of any peacekeeping force, even though Starmer is said to have discussed the matter with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to The Telegraph.

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“Almost No One in Greenland Wants to Join the US.” I don’t believe that for a second. They’re tired of Demark.

Denmark’s Repeated Threats Over Greenland’s Independence Bid (Sp.)

For years, Denmark has been threatening Greenland every time the issue of independence is raised, the leader of the island’s largest opposition party, Naleraq, and former Greenlandic Foreign Minister Pele Broberg told RIA Novosti. “Every time we talk about independence, they [the Danes] threaten us. They say, ‘If you do this, you will never come to Denmark again; you will have no education, etc.’ We always hear threats when we talk about independence,” Broberg said. For example. He added that when his party ran for parliament seats in 2018 and he mentioned the plan to gain independence, the Danish prime minister addressed national media, saying that it was unrealistic. “Even to this day, Danish politicians say, ‘No, no, we will never do anything like that [give Greenland independence].'”

They don’t even seem to respect the self-government law as far as independence is concerned. But we have a problem in that there are political parties that are publicly in favor of independence without any plans but don’t really want it,” the official noted. In addition, Naleraq has a very clear plan to leave the Kingdom of Denmark, which is that if the party wins the 2025 parliamentary elections, it will submit an application for an independence referendum on the same day, Broberg added. “It may take two days, it may take two months, it may take two years. The plans we have developed are based on how we left the EU in the 80s. We voted in 1982, and we left in 1985. Brexit also took three years, and that is why we keep saying that the discussion is about a three-year period. The most important thing for us is to start the process itself,” the ex-minister said.

Washington has no chance to bribe the Greenlandic government to annex the island, the former minister added. “No,” Broberg said in response to a corresponding question. US President-elect Donald Trump, who is due to assume office on January 20, has called it an “absolute necessity” for the United States to own Greenland. Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute Egede, responded by saying that the island was not for sale. Greenland was a colony of Denmark until 1953. It remains part of the kingdom, but in 2009 it received autonomy with the ability to self-govern and make independent choices in domestic policy.

Almost No One in Greenland Wants to Join the US. Only 0.0001% of people in Greenland want to become part of the United States, while 75% support the idea of independence from Denmark, Pele Broberg pointed out. US President-elect Donald Trump, who is due to assume office on January 20, has called it an “absolute necessity” for the United States to own Greenland. Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute Egede, responded by saying that the island was not for sale. On January 7, Donald Trump Jr., the son of the president-elect, visited Greenland. Following the visit, Trump confirmed in a post on Truth Social that his son and members of his team visited the nation, adding that “the reception was great.” The president-elect posted a video in which people wearing baseball caps that read “Make America Great Again” responded in the affirmative when asked if they wanted Trump to buy Greenland.

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Still diverting attention away from Nordstream?

Moscow Slams West For ‘Fantastic Hypocrisy’ (RT)

The West is spinning incidents in the Baltic Sea as purported evidence of a Russian threat, while putting a smoke screen on real attacks that undermine European energy security, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. The EU and NATO have alleged that Moscow was behind multiple cases of power and communication cables being damaged in recent months. Western officials have argued that they justify bolstering NATO regional presence and imposing sanctions against the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ – ships allegedly involved in Russian oil exports in defiance of unilateral restrictions issued by Western nations. Western claims that Moscow is waging a sabotage campaign in the Baltic Sea fit a wider pattern of baseless accusations against Russia, Zakharova said. She told a regular media briefing: “Accusations directed against our nation are being habitually voiced before the circumstances of what had happened are established. We have seen this many times.”

She accused the West of “fantastic hypocrisy,” pointing to what she described as the “non-investigation” of the September 2022 attack on the Nord Stream pipelines. The energy links built under the Baltic Sea were intended to deliver Russian natural gas directly to Germany, before being blown up in what Moscow calls a “terrorist attack.” The US benefited the most from the incident and was likely behind it directly or through a proxy, Russian officials have claimed. In early 2022, US President Joe Biden declared that “there will be no Nord Stream,” if Russia used military force against Ukraine.

Zakharova criticized Brussels for swiftly demanding action against Russia over the cable incidents after showing no such reaction to the Nord Stream sabotage. “It seems that since Biden said that he would destroy this project, the EU believes that what happened was all proper,” she said. She also condemned the EU for reacting meekly to Kiev’s drone attack on a Russian compressor station last week. The facility pumps natural gas under the Black Sea to Türkiye and multiple consumers in Southern Europe. Attacks like that are seemingly being “condoned by the part of the EU, which has been acting against the interests of their own people for many years,” she stated. Such people would rather stoke fear in Europe over the “myth” of supposedly dangerous Russian ships than address genuine security threats, she added.

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Please go away.

In Farewell Address, Biden Brags (ZH)

Five days before leaving office, President Joe Biden delivered a live primetime farewell address to the nation, highlighting his accomplishments and warning of emerging threats, including oligarchs and a “tech-industrial complex.” His speech, delivered from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening, not only marked the end of his presidency but also the conclusion of his five-decade political career. “After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands, a nation where the strengths of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure,” Biden said before ending his speech. “Now, it’s your turn to stand guard.” As Emel Akan reports for The Epoch Times, Biden’s political career, which spanned decades and included serving as a senator from Delaware and as vice president under President Barack Obama, will come to an end on Jan. 20 when he hands the reins to Republican President-elect Donald Trump.

“In the past four years, our democracy has held strong, and every day, I’ve kept my commitment to be president for all Americans through one of the toughest periods in our nation’s history,” Biden said. Ahead of Biden’s farewell speech, the White House released a fact sheet outlining his administration’s record, highlighting a long list of actions, starting with the efforts to combat the pandemic. “Millions of Americans now have the dignity of work. Millions of entrepreneurs and companies creating new businesses and industries, hiring American workers, using American products,” Biden said. “Together, we’ve launched a new era of American possibilities.” Biden is leaving office with his approval rating at the lowest point of his term, according to a recent CNN poll. Only 36 percent of U.S. adults say they approve of how Biden handled the presidency, with particularly low marks on issues like immigration, foreign affairs, and the economy.

Biden stated that although a positive impact of his policies and spending priorities may not be felt right away, he believes they will produce lasting benefits in the years ahead. “You know, it will take time to feel the full impact of all we’ve done together but the seeds are planted. And they‘ll grow and they’ll bloom for decades to come,” he said. In his nearly 17-minute speech, Biden did not mention his successor by name but wished success to the incoming administration. “I’m so proud of how much we’ve accomplished together for the American people. And I wish the incoming administration success because I want America to succeed,” Biden said. Presidential farewell addresses are a longstanding tradition in American politics, offering presidents a final chance to reflect on their time in office, list their accomplishments, and provide parting advice to the nation.

As Ronald Reagan famously remarked in his 1989 farewell address, “There is a great tradition of warnings in Presidential farewells.” This tradition is a key feature of farewell addresses, where outgoing leaders look to the future and warn of potential dangers facing the nation. Biden’s farewell address followed the same pattern. “I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern,” Biden said. “Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.” Biden referred to Dwight Eisenhower’s iconic 1961 farewell address where he warned the nation about the dangers of the “military-industrial complex.” “The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist,” Eisenhower said during his speech.

“Six decades later, I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country,” Biden said. “Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Errors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking.”Biden recently expressed disapproval of Meta’s decision to do away with its current social media fact-checking program, calling it “really shameful.” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg justified the decision last week in a video statement by saying that fact-checking has become “too politically biased,” resulting in censorship and a loss of trust. He also warned of dangers of AI, saying that it’s crucial for people to govern this new technology. “As the land of liberty, America, not China, must lead the world in the development of AI,” Biden said.

Biden also hinted in his speech at charges his Department of Justice made against Trump. “We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president, is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office,” Biden said. This marked the president’s fifth and final address from the Oval Office since taking office. The president last spoke from behind the Resolute Desk on July 24, when he addressed the nation to explain his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Farewell addresses are a key opportunity for presidents to shape the narrative of their time in office, according to Tom McArdle, former White House speechwriter for President George W. Bush. “Presidents use farewell addresses primarily to try to write history before the historians do, and they rarely succeed,” he told The Epoch Times.

Their efforts often fail because the true measure of a presidency is shaped more by actions than words, McArdle said. It’s inevitably Biden’s performance that will define his legacy, he said. The president’s farewell speech comes on the heels of a breakthrough in the Middle East, as Israel and Hamas reached a deal for a hostage and prisoner swap, along with a six-week ceasefire, set to take effect on Jan. 19.Before he began his farewell speech, Biden took credit for his work in brokering the deal in the Middle East. “After eight months of non-stop negotiation by my administration, a cease-fire and hostage deal has been reached by Israel and Hamas,” Biden said. “This plan was developed and negotiated by my team, and it will be largely implemented by the incoming administration.”

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She was impressive.

Pam Bondi’s Confirmation Hearing for Attorney General (ET)

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi fielded questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 15 as part of her confirmation process to serve as the next attorney general of the United States. During the hearing, both sides of the aisle focused on concerns about the weaponization of the Department of Justice (DOJ), which Bondi pledged not to engage in. Democrats tended to focus on Bondi’s ties with President-elect Donald Trump and her willingness to maintain the DOJ’s independence from the White House. She also encountered questions about illegal immigration, national security, and FISA warrants. While the Senate is expected to confirm Bondi, Sam Dorman, via The Epoch Times, lays out some of the main topics addressed during the hearing:

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi fielded questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 15 as part of her confirmation process to serve as the next attorney general of the United States. During the hearing, both sides of the aisle focused on concerns about the weaponization of the Department of Justice (DOJ), which Bondi pledged not to engage in. Democrats tended to focus on Bondi’s ties with President-elect Donald Trump and her willingness to maintain the DOJ’s independence from the White House. She also encountered questions about illegal immigration, national security, and FISA warrants. While the Senate is expected to confirm Bondi, here are some of the main topics addressed during the hearing:

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They don’t work anyway.

Trump Team Planning Roadmap To Ease Russia Sanctions – Bloomberg

Advisers to US President-elect Donald Trump are developing a sanctions strategy to push Russia-Ukraine peace talks which could involve easing restrictions on Moscow, Bloomberg claimed on Thursday. Last week, incumbent US President Joe Biden unveiled a “sweeping” new round of sanctions on Moscow, targeting two major Russian petroleum producers, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, associated entities, as well as 183 vessels involved in transporting Russian crude oil. These new measures have already caused world oil prices to surge; Brent futures have gained almost $5 per barrel since they were announced. Citing people familiar with Trump’s plans, Bloomberg has claimed that the future president’s team is currently considering two main approaches to future US sanctions.

In the first scenario, if Washington sees that the Ukraine conflict could soon be resolved, limited sanctions relief may be granted to Russian oil companies as a gesture of good faith. The other option, however, is to take a more aggressive stance by intensifying restrictions in a bid to put more pressure on Moscow and increase US leverage in negotiations. According to the outlet, the easing of sanctions against Moscow could include raising the ceiling on Russian oil prices above the current limit of $60 per barrel. Meanwhile, tougher restrictions could involve strengthening secondary sanctions or measures against ships that allegedly transport oil from Russia. Bloomberg’s sources noted that these plans are still in their early stages and depend on how Trump himself chooses to proceed.

Moscow has vehemently condemned Biden’s last round of sanctions, calling them “illegal,” with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warning that they could destabilize global energy markets. Responding to Washington’s move, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also suggested that the outgoing president’s legacy would be defined by the “mess” he leaves behind. Meanwhile, Trump has said that a meeting between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently being set up. with Moscow also expressing an openness to negotiations with the future US leader.

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Careful what you say anywhere.

Far Left UK Government Proposes BANNING “Controversial” Conversations (MN)

The leftist Labour government in Britain has proposed radical reforms to the rights of workers that could include classing ‘sensitive’ topics of conversation in the workplace such as religion, women’s rights, or transgenderism as ‘harassment’. The proposed legislation would force employers to prevent workers from being subjected to such subjects by third parties, such as customers. If they are found to have failed to do so, they could face lawsuits under the legislation. Watchdog The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has warned that if it comes into the force next year, the proposed law could significantly impact freedom of expression and even be applied to “overheard conversations” such as those between two or more people in a pub.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1879129951988838575

The EHRC has noted that applying the harassment law in cases involving a “philosophical belief” could lead to problems owing to the fact that many employers do not understand such topics are protected by equality law. “The legal definition of what amounts to philosophical belief is complex and not well understood by employers. It is arguable that these difficulties may lead to disproportionate restriction of the right to freedom of expression,” the watchdog warned. A spokesman for the British Beer and Pub Association said in comments to The Times “Any legalisation must be carefully drafted to make sure it does not have unintended consequences, such as pub workers expected to decide whether private conversations between customers constitute a violation of law.”

Sir Tim Martin, founder and chairman of the pub chain Wetherspoons urged that the proposal “sounds like Big Brother thought control which would be a bureaucratic nightmare to enforce.”Martin added, “All beliefs which challenge the status quo are contentious. Newton’s law of gravity and Einstein’s theory of relativity were contentious at one point. Or Alexander Fleming creating the biggest-ever advance in medicine from mould.” “Humanity has progressed through these challenges and their subsequent debate,” he further emphasised, adding that “The cancellation of ideas is, in effect, a new religious commandment by those who think they’re not religious.” Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK remarked “Every pub is a parliament. It is where we discuss the world. If that is restricted they might as well all close.”

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“Trump himself had privately urged him to accept the post. Should he do so, he may not be able to work with Musk at DOGE.”

Sen. Ramaswamy? Vivek Emerges As Dark Horse Successor To Vance (JTN)

Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy disappeared from social media in recent weeks, amid reports that he could fill Vice President-elect JD Vance’s Senate seat. The reports come as something of a reversal as he previously removed himself from consideration for the post after Trump put him in charge of a planned new department. Originally named the co-chair of President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Ramaswamy was set to prioritize sweeping cuts to government spending alongside co-chair Elon Musk. The pair spoke boldly about finding $2 trillion in waste to help the country balance the budget and drastically reduce the size of the federal government. But Ramaswamy fell off the grid in the wake of a contentious and public debate between incoming Trump administration figures over the H-1B visa program.

Ramaswamy’s defense of the program and comments about the way Americans raised their children drew intense backlash from the MAGA wing of the Republican Party and led to pronouncements that he had killed his political future. But mounting reports suggest that he may find a viable escape route through the upper chamber and that Trump himself had privately urged him to accept the post. Should he do so, he may not be able to work with Musk at DOGE. Politico reported this week that Ramaswamy had met with Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, to discuss the prospect of him replacing Vance. The Ohio-based Republican is one of the state’s most high-profile politicians not currently in office and has attracted speculation over a possible gubernatorial run as well.

Ramaswamy gained traction in the Republican primary, however, primarily as an advocate for reforming American foreign policy in favor of a more reserved approach. During that contest, he regularly traded barbs with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and railed against the party’s neoconservative wing. He also developed a reputation as conservative firebrand on an array of domestic issues. DeWine, for his part, is widely regarded as a moderate and establishment Republican, making Ramaswamy an unexpected choice to succeed Vance. But the prospect of a Ramaswamy gubernatorial campaign evidently has the governor mulling a Senate appointment, to clear the way for Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, to take over DeWine’s post. “DeWine isn’t incentivized to pick Ramaswamy for Senate, but Vivek is also the one roadblock to Husted,” one source told Politico.

Trump has not discussed the matter publicly but has reportedly encouraged Ramaswamy behind closed doors to accept the position, largely due to a consensus among Musk, the president-elect, and Ramaswamy himself that DOGE will need a stalwart advocate in the Senate. Ramaswamy would also fill a void left by Vance as a stalwart voice against hawkish interventionism amid the largely neoconservative upper chamber GOP. While an appointment from the governor would not put Ramaswamy before the state’s electorate for two years, his arrival in the Senate may not be well-received by some members of the chamber or Trump’s base. The tech mogul’s campaign saw him spar repeatedly with the establishment GOP, going so far as to use his opening remarks in a primary debate to call on then-RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to step down.

Should he emulate Vance on foreign policy, moreover, he is likely to become a thorn in the side of hawkish leadership like his predecessor. His comments on the H-1B debate, moreover, are likely to make him less than palatable to some immigration hawks and MAGA stalwarts. Ramaswamy weighed in weeks ago in support of the visa program, contending that employers needed to look abroad for qualified manpower due to an American culture that he said valued “mediocrity over excellence.”

“Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long (at least since the 90s and likely longer),” Ramaswamy said. “A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers.” Ramaswamy’s initial X post was widely shared online and attracted tens of thousands of comments, largely negative, and accusing him of solely looking to defend the importation of cheap labor. Trump himself spoke in defense of the H-1B visa, calling it a “great program,” but his own remarks have not quelled the anger of his base over Ramaswamy’s comments.

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He did well.

Pete Hegseth Confirmation Vote Expected After Inauguration (JTN)

Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker on Thursday said the final vote to confirm Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth will likely take place in the days following President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The senate committee held its hearing on Hegseth on Tuesday, where he clashed with Democrats, and denied allegations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and financial mismanagement. But Republicans appeared to rally around the conservative, including Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, who endorsed the nominee following the hearing. Wicker did not specify what day the vote would take place, but said it could be as late as next Thursday if Senate Democrats do not allow the chamber to speed up the confirmation process.

“I expect our Democratic friends will delay it to the extent to which they are free to do under the rules. Wednesday, Thursday perhaps,” Wicker told reporters, per Politico. “This is not something that needs to drag out. He’s got the votes.” Senate Democrats have not stated whether they intend to delay the vote, which would leave the Pentagon without a confirmed leader, but the committee’s ranking member Jack Reed said the chamber needs more information before voting. “We’ve made it clear we feel that there’s more information that should be provided, and not just for our benefit, but for our Republican colleagues too,” he said.

If the confirmation is delayed, it is not clear who would fill in for Hegseth after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin leaves office. But the move is not unprecedented, as President Joe Biden had to wait two days after his inauguration for the Senate to confirm Austin in 2021. The potential delay also comes after Republicans insisted that Trump’s national security team should be confirmed as quickly as possible, citing recent national security concerns, including a terror attack in New Orleans.

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The industry’s imploding through woke and DEI. Maybe not a bad idea to try and save it.

Trump Names Three Legendary Actors As ‘Special Envoys’ To Hollywood (RT)

US President-elect Donald Trump has named movie icons Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as his “special ambassadors” to Hollywood, a position apparently invented by the incoming president on Thursday. ”It is my honor to announce Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone, to be Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday. “They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!” he continued, adding that the three men will serve as his “eyes and ears” inside the film industry.

It is unclear what the position, which has never existed before, will entail. However, all three actors are outspoken supporters of Trump, making them rarities in a Democrat-dominated industry. Voight was a vocal supporter of Trump during the latter’s first term in office, and received a National Medal of Arts from then-President Trump in 2019. Gibson came out in support of Trump before November’s election, describing his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, as someone with “the IQ of a fence post.” Stallone spoke at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate after the election, praising the Republican as “a really mythical character” and “the second George Washington.”

Hollywood has been mired in a downturn since the Covid-19 pandemic, with competition from foreign countries and streaming services chipping away at profits and forcing multiple studios – including Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount, and NBCUniversal – to announce layoffs over the last year. The number of US productions during the second quarter of 2024 was down 40% on the same period in 2022, and fell another 5% in the third quarter of last year, according to figures from ProdPro and Film LA. The US box office take fell to $8.7 billion last year, a 3.3% drop in 2023 and a 23.5% drop from 2019, according to Variety.

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“Weapon, crime scene, victim, killer, motive – all have been faked.”

The British Attack On The Skripals Didn’t Kill Them (Helmer)

The war to destroy Russia has been an evil in which the British, Americans, Germans and French have combined for more than a century now. In the present stage on the Ukrainian battlefield, every weapon and force fielded by the Anglo-Americans and their allies has been defeated; the Ukraine itself, territorially and politically, has been destroyed. No serious Russian believes this war will be over when the incoming US president claims the personal credit for negotiating end-of-war terms short of the US side’s capitulation. About men like him and negotiations like his, it was the Irishman Edmund Burke who in his 1770 essay “Thoughts on the Present Discontents” issued this warning: “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”*

In the present war against Russia, the bad men have combined across the Atlantic and the Pacific. Against them on the information war front, there are very few good men – not one in the mainstream media, almost none in the alternative media. The power of state repression is only half the reason. The other half is the competition for money. In competing for internet media subscribers, even those tempted to be good will be motivated not to associate, to compete against each other instead, and thereby “fall, one by one in the contemptible struggle.” In propaganda war, the bad men must convince their paymasters more than their audience that they are winning. Reaching this point today has required a series of confidence-building, warmaking preparations – the putsch in Kiev of February 2014; the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine in July 2014; and the Novichok attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, England, in March 2018.

The official narrative of Novichok, the Russian chemical warfare weapon allegedly used against the Skripals, has just reached its climax in London. A state-sponsored report will be published in a few weeks’ time. It will conclude that President Vladimir Putin had the means, opportunity and motive to kill the Skripals, and is guilty of attempted murder on English soil. But the forensic evidence which has slipped into the public record from the British intelligence and security services, the chemical warfighters at Porton Down, and the Whitehall staffs advising the prime minister proves the narrative and the indictment are false. Weapon, crime scene, victim, killer, motive – all have been faked. By the Anglo-American and Canadian law standards of reasonable doubt and balance of probabilities, the prosecution of the case against Russia should have collapsed. Except, of course, that in the present state of war, this hasn’t happened.

The new book, Long Live Novichok! The British poison which fooled the worldis the lone voice to explain for the time being at least; it is also the only platform to defend Sergei and Yulia Skripal as political prisoners of the British for the past seven years. Because they didn’t die after they had been sprayed with a British poison, they have been kept in hospital under forced sedation and tracheostomy; then held under guard, in isolation, incommunicado. Their telephone calls to family in Russia, made in a hurry and in secret, stopped five years ago. For the first time the book documents the British presentation in public of the poison weapon itself, revealing the clue of the colour of Novichok. This is the evidence that the murder weapon wasn’t Russian, it wasn’t Novichok at all. In today’s podcast from Canada, Chris Cook and I discuss the reasons for the failure of Novichok to kill anyone, and its success at brainwashing everyone, or almost everyone.

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Jeremy Kuzmarov, John Helmer January 15, 2025 by Chris Cook

Jeremy Kuzmarov and counting down to The Donald’s return; John Helmer and spitting out the red, white, and blue Skripal pills in the second half.

Read on Substack

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MAHA

 

 

Freeman


Nap time
https://twitter.com/i/status/1879642213476389367

Stray

Pastor

 

 

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