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In Zelensky Meeting, Trump Indicates He Is Not Ready To Give Ukraine Tomahawk Missiles

President Donald Trump suggested Friday that he is not ready to give Ukraine the United States Tomahawk missiles as he spoke publicly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

Zelensky came once again to Washington to speak with the president following Trump’s highly discussed call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Trump announced on Thursday that he and Putin will soon meet in Budapest, Hungary, to hammer out details on ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.

On Friday, he suggested that the meeting will only be between him and Putin, pointing to the “tremendous bad blood” between Putin and Zelensky.
“They have tremendous bad blood,” Trump said. “It really is what is holding up, I think, a settlement. I think we are going to get it done, and we have to make it long-lasting, as I said, in the Middle East, everlasting.”

“The Middle East is a much more complicated situation,” the president noted, referring to the peace deal he struck between Israel and Hamas. “You know, we had 59 countries involved, and every one of them agreed. And it’s, you know, it’s sort of amazing. Most people didn’t think that was doable. This is going to be something I really believe that’s going to get done. I had a very good talk yesterday with President Putin. I think he wants to get it done.” (Read more from “In Zelensky Meeting, Trump Indicates He Is Not Ready To Give Ukraine Tomahawk Missiles” HERE)

Trump Repatriates Two Suspected Narco-Terrorist Survivors After Taking Out Drug Submarine

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that two survivors from a military strike on a drug-carrying submarine will be sent to Ecuador and Colombia for prosecution.

The U.S. military destroyed the vessel Thursday as it traveled toward American waters on a known narcotrafficking route. Trump said on Truth Social that intelligence confirmed the submarine carried fentanyl and other illegal drugs.

“It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States,” Trump wrote. “U.S. Intelligence confirmed this vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics.”

Two of the four people aboard were killed in the strike. Trump called all four “known narcoterrorists.” No U.S. forces were injured.

The president claimed the submarine’s cargo could have killed at least 25,000 Americans if it reached shore. The surviving suspects will face detention and prosecution in their home countries. (Read more from “Trump Repatriates Two Suspected Narco-Terrorist Survivors After Taking Out Drug Submarine” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

‘They Watched and Didn’t Care’: Epstein Victim’s Memoir Reveals Jaw-Dropping New Details

The upcoming posthumous memoir of Virginia Giuffre, one of the most famous victims of billionaire financier and child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, was excerpted in The Guardian on Wednesday, going into detail about a number of twisted events that happened to her.

Giuffre, who [allegedly] passed away earlier this year from suicide, has implicated a number of prominent and well-connected people as part of Epstein’s crimes, one of them being Prince Andrew of the British Royal Family. . .

“Don’t be fooled by those in Epstein’s circle who say they didn’t know what he was doing,” wrote Giuffre. “Epstein not only didn’t hide what was happening, he took a certain glee in making people watch. And people did watch – scientists, fundraisers from the Ivy League and other heralded institutions, titans of industry. They watched and they didn’t care.”

All of this comes amid a spiraling controversy about the Trump administration’s refusal to release troves of case files on Epstein publicly, after promising they would. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is even accused of dragging his feet on swearing in a Democrat who won a special election to prevent passage of a bipartisan discharge petition to compel the administration to release the files. (Read more from “‘They Watched and Didn’t Care’: Epstein Victim’s Memoir Reveals Jaw-Dropping New Details” HERE)

POTUS Trial Balloon on Pot

We need to talk about an idea President Trump floated several weeks ago—a move to downgrade the classification of marijuana at the federal level. Right now, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, the same category as cocaine, where all use is prohibited. If this change happens, it would make marijuana far easier to promote and sell nationwide. But here’s the thing—this shift is completely out of step with Republican voters. Just last November, four out of five Republican-led states voted down major marijuana legalization efforts. In fact, more than 75 percent of Trump supporters themselves opposed those measures. That tells us someone is giving the President bad advice, becaust this isn’t a winning issue with his base.

This proposal would bring serious law enforcement concerns. Pot farms, both legal and illegal, have become magnets for illegal immigrants and dangerous working conditions. In one massive Homeland Security raid in California, 361 people were arrested—including criminals convicted of rape, burglary, DUIs, and hit-and-run offenses. Even more disturbing, 14 children were found working in these unsafe environments. And it’s not just crime. Under current federal tax law, businesses that deal in Schedule I substances can’t deduct normal expenses like advertising. If marijuana is downgraded, those restrictions vanish, greenlighting expansion of the pot industry and new aggressive promotions.

Health issues are another big concern. Today’s marijuana is far more potent than it used to be. Emergency room visits are climbing, with cases of severe vomiting syndrome tied to high THC levels. Marijuana use has also been linked to memory problems, risky behavior like impaired driving, and addiction. In fact, the CDC estimates about 30% of users develop cannabis use disorder.

Even the environment takes a hit. Illegal pot growers often use toxic pesticides, dump chemicals into groundwater, and create terrible odors for nearby communities. Oddly enough, many environmental groups seem to look the other way. (Read more from “POTUS Trial Balloon on Pot” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

“She Might Love Israel More”: Trump’s Remark About Miriam Adelson Sparks Criticism

When President Donald Trump addressed the Israeli Knesset on Monday, much of the world’s attention was on his historic return to Israel — but it was one offhand comment that drew the most attention back home.

Gesturing toward billionaire Miriam Adelson, one of his most prominent financial backers, Trump joked, “I’m gonna get her in trouble with this one, but I actually asked her once, ‘So, Miriam, I know you love Israel. What do you love more? The United States or Israel?’ She refused to answer. That might mean Israel.”

The remark, which prompted laughter and applause in the chamber, underscored what many observers see as a contradiction in Trump’s political identity. For years, Trump’s “America First” message has defined his movement — yet here he was, highlighting the deep influence of a donor whose loyalties, by his own teasing admission, lie primarily with another country.

During his speech, Trump praised Miriam and her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, for their generosity and political support, reminiscing about their frequent visits to the White House. “Miriam and Sheldon would come into the office, they’d call me. I think they had more trips to the White House than anybody else I could think of,” Trump said. “Look at her sitting there so innocently! She got $60 billion in the bank … and she loves Israel.”

He went on to credit the Adelsons with inspiring some of his most consequential pro-Israel decisions during his first term — including recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.

But Trump’s nostalgic praise also raises uncomfortable questions about the role of billionaire donors in shaping U.S. foreign policy. How much influence should private citizens — especially those with dual citizenship — have in decisions that affect America’s diplomatic posture?

In 2018, Trump awarded Miriam Adelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation’s highest civilian honor — citing her contributions to medicine, philanthropy, and Jewish causes.

Sheldon Adelson once described his worldview bluntly: “All we care about is being good Zionists, being good citizens of Israel.”

Trump’s comments have reignited debate over his relationship with the Adelsons and the broader influence of money in U.S. foreign policy. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) was quick to respond on X (formerly Twitter):

“Trump asked dual citizen Miriam Adelson, a billionaire running nasty ads against me in Kentucky, ‘what do you love more, the United States or Israel?’ She refused to answer him. He says that might mean she loves Israel more. This isn’t AI, it’s real video…”

Trump’s joking acknowledgment of Miriam Adelson’s divided loyalties may have been meant in jest, but it exposed a deeper tension at the heart of his political brand. While he continues to promote an “America First” foreign policy, his own words highlighted the extent to which personal relationships and donor influence have shaped U.S. policy toward Israel — a contradiction not lost on his critics.

Peace Sells… Who’s Buying? Hamas Will Disarm or ‘We Will Disarm Them,’ Trump Snaps After Terrorists Vow They Won’t

President Trump said Tuesday that Hamas will disarm pursuant to his 20-point peace plan or “we will disarm them.”

“Well, they’re going to disarm because they said they were going to disarm, and if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them,” Trump told journalists while hosting Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House.

“I don’t have to explain that to you, but if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. They know I’m not playing games. OK?”

Trump also admitted the Gaza-based terrorist group “misrepresented” how many dead hostages’ bodies they had in their possession after just four were handed over on Monday.

“If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them, and it’ll happen quickly and perhaps violently, but they will disarm. You understand me,” Trump said ahead of a bilateral Cabinet Room lunch.

“I spoke to Hamas, and I said, ‘You’re going to disarm, right?’ ‘Yes, sir, we’re going to disarm.’ That’s what they told me. They will disarm or we will disarm them. Got it?” (Read more from “Peace Sells… Who’s Buying? Hamas Will Disarm or ‘We Will Disarm Them,’ Trump Snaps After Terrorists Vow They Won’t” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Kremlin Calls Time Magazine Editors ‘Freaks’ After Trump Blasts ‘Worst Cover Of All Time’

The Kremlin tore into Time Magazine on Tuesday after President Donald Trump ripped a new cover photo as “the Worst of All Time.”

Moscow’s broadside came within hours of Time unveiling its “His Triumph” cover praising Trump’s Middle East deal. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova used Telegram to sneer at the editors while amplifying Trump’s gripe about the picture.

“Only unhealthy people, people obsessed with malice and hatred — perhaps even freaks — could have chosen such a photo,” Zakharova wrote on her official Telegram channel.

Trump had set the stage in a pre-dawn Truth Social post, saying Time “wrote a relatively good story about me, but the picture may be the Worst of All Time,” complaining editors “disappeared” his hair and stuck “a floating crown, but an extremely small one” over his head. “Really weird!” he added.

(Read more from “Kremlin Calls Time Magazine Editors ‘Freaks’ After Trump Blasts ‘Worst Cover Of All Time’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

‘Orwellian:’ GOP Congressman Publicly Hits Back Against Stephen Miller

U.S. Rep Thomas Massie (R-KY) recently celebrated Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s decision to reject a deal from the Trump administration, leading to a public dispute with Stephen Miller.

Raw Story reported on the MIT’s initial statement saying it cannot support the Trump admin’s plan. That led Massie to reply with, “The surest way to screw up the world’s best technical school is to let feds tell them how to run it… Congrats to my alma mater for turning down a bribe to let the executive branch dictate what happens on its campus.” . . .

Trump adviser Stephen Miller chimed in on that post, writing, “MIT is a federally funded and financed institution. The US government asked MIT, as one of America’s largest recipients of taxpayer dollars, to certify that students and professors will be hired based on objective merit and not skin color.” . . .

Massie himself then responded to Miller.

“Undergrad tuition is privately funded at MIT with a few exceptions like Pell grants which apply to all colleges,” Massie wrote. “I trust MIT more than any party at the White House to know which 18 yr olds can solve differential equations. Also, Feds policing speech on campuses is Orwellian.”

(Read more from “‘Orwellian:’ GOP Congressman Publicly Hits Back Against Stephen Miller” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Naked Bike Riders Flood Portland For ‘Emergency’ Anti-Trump Protest

Hundreds of mostly naked demonstrators pedaled through Portland, Oregon, on Sunday to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

The “emergency” edition of the city’s World Naked Bike Ride — typically held in summer — was organized to oppose what participants called “the militarization of our city, the genocide in Palestine, and the injustices of our broken and systemically cruel immigration system,” the organization wrote in a statement.

The riders covered roughly six miles to the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, where they staged a silent “die-in,” lying in the street to dramatize their cause.

One 51-year-old rider, clad only in wool socks, a wig and a hat in roughly 50-degree weather, told the Associated Press the ride was a “quintessentially Portland way to protest.” (Read more from “Naked Bike Riders Flood Portland For ‘Emergency’ Anti-Trump Protest” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Former Obama Official Ben Rhodes Can’t Bring Himself To Give Trump Credit For Israel-Hamas Deal

Former Obama administration official Ben Rhodes brushed off the deal President Donald Trump brokered between Israel and the radical Islamic terrorist group Hamas as “just a cease-fire” Monday during a MSNBC appearance.

Hamas released the 20 surviving hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on multiple locations in southern Israel that killed over 1,200 people on Monday. Rhodes, the architect of then-President Barack Obama’s deal with Iran over its nuclear weapons program, was asked by MSNBC host Ana Cabrera if he thought Trump could see it through.

“I give Trump credit for essentially finally applying some leverage on the Israeli government, on Bibi Netanyahu in particular, in a way that, you know, frankly, we didn’t even see President Biden do when he was in office,” Rhodes claimed. “And I think simultaneously, Qatar and Turkey were applying a lot of leverage on Hamas. And then that got us into the ceasefire. That’s terrific. It’s great that the Israeli hostages are reunited with their families, that aid is getting to Gaza. I would not go as far as to say that this kind of validates a certain, you know, theory of diplomacy, because frankly, it’s just a ceasefire. The problem has not been solved.”

“It’s not really a peace deal in the sense that we still don’t know who’s going to govern Gaza. We still don’t know if Hamas is going to disarm,” Rhodes continued. “We’re at phase one, quite literally, of what would be a very long road to some kind of lasting peace. So, look, I think a transactional — and, you know, it’s interesting to reflect on that quote you put up, I mean, a transactional style of diplomacy, it can get you that kind of short-term win, right? You know, you take care of a piece of business, but it’s not necessarily designed for the kind of patient follow-through and painstaking work that is necessary to address something as deep as the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians.” (Read more from “Former Obama Official Ben Rhodes Can’t Bring Himself To Give Trump Credit For Israel-Hamas Deal” HERE)