10 Apr, 2025 10:35

EU would ‘cut its own throat’ by pivoting to China – US Treasury secretary

Scott Bessent has warned the bloc against closer ties with Beijing at the expense of relations with Washington

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has claimed that the EU would be “cutting its own throat” if it seeks a closer alliance with China while loosening ties with Washington.

Bessent commented on Wednesday after=Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had called for a reassessment of the EU’s trade relationship with Beijing earlier in the day.Sanchez told reporters during a diplomatic trip to Asia that the EU could benefit from closer cooperation with China amid uncertainty surrounding US trade policies and President Donald Trump’s recent moves to hike tariffs for nearly all trade partners.

“Nobody wins with a trade war. Every country loses,” Sanchez warned.

Bessent defended Trump’s tariff moves and urged partners not to side with Beijing, claiming that its trade policies are ruinous to the global economy.

“The economic minister in Spain made some comments this morning, ‘Oh, well, maybe we should align ourselves more with China,’ – that would be cutting your own throat,” Bessent stated at a press briefing. “These Chinese exports that the US tariff wall is gonna keep out… theChinese business model… it never stops. They just keep producing and producing and dumping and dumping.”

Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for 75 countries, which he had earlier hit with duties ranging from 10% to 50% over what he called unfair trade imbalances, and lowered duties to a flat 10% rate on everyone except Beijing. Instead, he slapped China with a further hike to 125%, accusing Beijing of escalation after it raised tariffs on US goods to 84%.

“In terms of escalation, unfortunately, the biggest offender in the global trading system is China, and they’re the only country who’s escalated,”Bessent claimed.

The Treasury chief said many countries are now seeking negotiations with Washington following the tariff changes, noting upcoming talks with Japan and Vietnam. He also said he hopes to finalize new trade deals with US allies to create a united front against what he called China’s unbalanced trade structure.

China has vehemently opposed the tariffs and vowed to fight them. On Wednesday, the Chinese Finance Ministry called the latest US hikes a “mistake on top of a mistake” that “infringes on China’s legitimate rights and interests andseriously damages the rules-based multilateral trading system.”(that’s rich, China follows no rules!)

https://www.rt.com/news/615507-eu-cut-throat-pivot-china/

I hope Bessent has a LOT of security

10 Apr, 2025 09:30

Russia seeks removal of ‘toxic legacy’ in latest talks with US

Negotiations will revolve around restoring bilateral diplomatic ties, not the Ukraine conflict, officials have said

Diplomatic delegations from Russia and the US have convened in Istanbul, Türkiye, for closed-door talks.

The Russian delegation is led by Moscow’s newly appointed ambassador to Washington, Alexandr Darchiev, while US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter heads the US presence.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed that the sidesare focused on “eliminating numerous obstacles, including technical ones, that complicate diplomatic operations.”

According to Ambassador Darchiev, Moscow seeks theremoval of “the toxic legacy of the previous American administration.” In particular, he noted the need for a “serious conversation”about the return of diplomatic properties seized by the US – “a key condition” for returning to normalized bilateral relations.

Visa and financial restrictions, freedom of movement for diplomats, form what Darchiev describedas “a tight knot of problems.”

“Now the Russian and American delegations are working together to untangle it,” he said.

A short clip released by Russian media on Thursday showed a minibus arriving at the gates of the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul.

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told media ahead of the meeting that“these talks are solely focused on our embassy operations, not on normalizing a bilateral relationship overall, which can only happen, as we've noted, once there is peace between Russia and Ukraine.”

According to Bruce,the two parties do not intend to discuss any political or security issues, or the Ukraine conflict.

A source familiar with the matter told TASS that the meeting was expected to last several hours but would likely be shorter than the previous round held on February 27.

The new talks come after US President Donald Trump engaged in active diplomacy with Russia, including a concerted diplomatic attempt to settle the Ukraine conflict.As a result, Washington and Moscow have gradually moved to restore contacts that were virtually non-existent for approximately three years under the administration of former US President Joe Biden.

https://www.rt.com/news/615511-russia-talks-us-istanbul-restoring-relations/

In the Tucker and Jones video they discuss it’s imperative that the US and Russia must work together to defeat the Globalists, the goal of Bidan was the NWO destroying Russia, so that never could happened. They failed, but the strength and cooperation between our two nations must be one. EU’s plan has been for years, is to defeat Russia and cut it up in five parts, steal all the wealth, hence the Ukraine war continues. The EU does not understand Russian citizens and leadership, they will never stop defending their country. Plus Europe basically has no military, they could try to use NATO, but that will be nixed.

10 Apr, 2025 07:56

US ‘just lost a war with Russia’ – Tucker Carlson

America must recognize the limits of its power or face dire consequences, the conservative commentator has warned

American policymakers are too arrogant to acknowledge that they have “lost a war with Russia” over Ukraine, US journalist Tucker Carlson has said.

Russian officials perceive the Ukraine conflict as a NATO proxy war – a notion that some Western politicians, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, have openly agreed with.

In an interview with Alex Jones published on Wednesday,Carlson accused those perpetuating the hostilities of ignoring that Russia has emerged victorious.

”We just lost a war with Russia,” the former Fox News host declared. “The US was running that war – the US military, the Pentagon, State Department, CIA – running the war against Russia. It was not… was never about Ukraine.”

Carlson expressed concern that “nobody will say that out loud – that we’re overstating our power.”He likened the US to a divorced 60-year-old man attempting to woo a 25-year-old woman, oblivious to how absurd and humiliating he appears.

“That’s called hubris and that’s how empires get destroyed and populations vaporized,” Carlson warned.“Maybe we should readjust our expectations a little bit.”

Jones argued that many advocating for unconditional support of Kiev are “militarily ignorant,” mentioning actor Sean Penn’s dismissal of nuclear escalation risks with Russia. He emphasized that the scenario of major nuclear conflict is termed ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’ for a reason.

In response, Carlson referenced a Pentagon assessment indicating that at one point the risk of the Ukraine conflict escalating to nuclear war reached 50%, arguing that any policymaker comfortable with such odds belongs “in prison for the criminally insane.”

Senior Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have publicly asserted that Moscow will employ all tools at its disposal against what it perceives as an existential threat. Ukraine and its Western supporters have dismissed the Russian leader’s statements as “nuclear blackmail.”

https://www.rt.com/news/615514-carlson-us-loss-russia/

9 Apr, 2025 23:42

HomeWorld News

Trump threatens Iran with military force

The US president has said Israel would be the “leader” of a potential bombing campaign if talks with Tehran collapse

US President Donald Trump has said he has a deadline in mind for reaching a deal with Tehran over its nuclear program, stating that he would “absolutely” consider military action if negotiations fail.

The two countries are set to engage in talks in Oman on Saturday, initiated by Trump, to address concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The US president has claimed that the discussions will be direct, while Tehran insists they will remain indirect, saying Washington cannot be trusted.

Asked whether he expects “something definitive”to emerge from the meeting, Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that he views the Oman talks as the beginning of a process, while confirming that he has a specific deadline in mind.

“It’s a start. We have a little time, but we don’t have much time. Because we’re not going to let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “When you start talks, you know if they’re going along well or not.And I would say the conclusion would be when I think they’re not going along well.So that’s just a feeling.”

Earlier this week, Trump warned it would “be a very bad day for Iran” if the negotiations collapse. Asked by reporters whether this means he is willing to use force, the president made his position clear.

Oh, if necessary? Absolutely… With Iran, yeah, if it requires military, we’re going to have military… Israel will obviously be very much involved in that – they’ll be the leader of that.

During his first term, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – a multinational agreement aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

Since returning to office in January, he has reinstated his ‘maximum pressure’ policy, accusing Tehran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon and imposing new sanctions targeting Iran’s oil sector.

In early March, Trump revealed that he had sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proposing renewed negotiations. He warned that if Tehran rejected the offer, it could face military action “the likes of which it has never seen.”

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and has denounced the US sanctions as illegal and unjustified. Iranian officials have said the country is prepared to respond to any aggression and has reportedly placed the military on high alert.

Speaking at a National Nuclear Technology Day ceremony on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi would deliver Khamenei’s instructions during the Oman talks.

“As the Supreme Leader has stated, the Islamic Republic is ready for engagement…but this engagement must be indirect, dignified, and accompanied by clear guarantees, because we still do not trust the other side,” a press release from the president’s office reads.

(PDJT talks in code a lot. Trump seems to saying, he knows Israel is itching to bomb Tehran, he is warning them if there’s no deal, Israel will do it, not at Trump’s instructions. PS: Trump had an agreement with them in 2020, then Bidan stole the election and poured a $100 billion into Tehran’s coffers.)

https://www.rt.com/news/615497-trump-iran-military-action/

9 Apr, 2025 15:36

Germany freezes major refugee program – media

Berlin has halted admitting immigration applicants who claim they need protection, amid government coalition talks, DPA has reported

Germany has temporarily suspended its participation in a UN refugee resettlement program, the DPA news agency has reported, citing the country’s Interior Ministry. Under the scheme, theUnited Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) asks host countries to take in asylum seekerswho are deemed in particular need of protection.

The results of the snap general election in Februarysuggest that anti-immigration sentiments in Germany appear to have grown, following a series of violent incidents perpetrated by foreign nationals in recent months. The center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), which both advocate tougher migration policies, emerged as the most popular parties.

In an article on Tuesday, the DPA reported that Berlin had attributed its decision to freeze new refugee admissions to ongoing coalition government negotiations between the CDU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD). According to the media outlet,exceptions will be made for asylum seekers whose proceedings are already well advanced.

The two political parties have reportedly agreed to terminate existing voluntary refugee admission programsand not to commit to new programs.

Germany has pledged to the UNHCR and the European Commission to host 13,100 asylum seekers in 2024 and 2025, DPA reported, adding that 5,061 of those individuals have already arrived in the country.

Early last month, Der Spiegel, citing a study by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), alleged that Germany, which has for years been the top destination for asylum seekers in the EU, witnessed a considerable drop in new applications in 2024. The apparent downwardtrend coincided with the German government’s decision to expand border controls with EU neighbors, including Poland, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

Ukrainians comprised nearly 20% of applicants rejected by German authorities, according to a RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) report in February, citing the federal government.

According to government statistics released in September 2024, the total number of refugees living in Germany stood atnearly 3,5 millionin June of that year.

(They should have done it years ago, they have polluted their nation with every kind of migrant that hates Germany, but lives there free of responsibility and restrictions, just like France. Macron should be tried for treason to his country and citizens. Fuck the UN.)

https://www.rt.com/news/615461-media-germany-suspends-refugee-program/

8 Apr, 2025 23:29

US delivers Panama Canal ultimatum to China

The Pentagon chief has announced a series of “bold steps” to “secure” the crucial waterway

The US has vowed to “take back” the Panama Canal from Chinese influence and has launched a series of military deployments and joint exercises with Panama to reinforce that commitment, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The Pentagon chief attended the inauguration of a new US-financed dock at the Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base on Tuesday, touting the facility as a symbol of the “shared commitment to the canal’s security,” following US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to “reclaim” the key waterway.

“China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal. And China will not weaponize this canal,” Hegseth said in his speech. “Together we will take back the Panama Canal from China’s influence. And we will do this along with other capable, like-minded allies and partners. This is what peace through strength looks like.”

Earlier this year, the US president refused to rule out the use of military force to take control of the canal, stating that all options are on the table to protect “national security” interests. Last month, Trump reportedly directed the Pentagon to “provide credible military options to ensure fair and unfettered US military and commercial access.”

Hegseth confirmed that multiple US Navy vessels, Coast Guard assets, and aircraft have since been deployed in and around Panama as part of “bold first steps to revive our defense and security ties between our countries.”

As we speak, US-based military units are involved in joint exercises, planning, and other forms of cooperation with our Panamanian partners on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the canal.

Among the US military assets currently operating in Panama are the guided missile cruisers USS Chosin and USS Normandy, as well as the USCGC Kimball, a high-endurance US Coast Guard cutter. Additionally, US Marine Corps and Navy aircraft are taking part in bilateral drills aimed at enhancing air and maritime coordination.

Hegseth reiterated Washington’s warning of “ongoing threats” posed by China’s control of surrounding infrastructure and accused Beijing of using economic leverage for intelligence-gathering. “China-based companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the canal area. That gives China the potential to conduct surveillance activities across Panama,” he claimed.

Panamanian officials previously rejected Trump’s assertions and threats, while the Panama Canal Authority maintains that the canal is operated solely by Panamanians, with no evidence supporting claims of Chinese control. President Jose Raul Mulino has stated that the canal is part of Panama’s “inalienable patrimony” and stressed that the country maintains full control over its operations.

However, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally delivered Trump’s ultimatum to Panama in February,Mulino made a concession to Washington by refusing to renew the country’s 2017 agreements with China under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.

https://www.rt.com/news/615418-panama-canal-china-hegseth/

China is getting slapped down in every area they have infiltrated to destroy America. China being stopped in their destruction, has made them mad, they supposedly speak nicely, but they are all threats. Trump has known the showdown that was coming for close to 40+ years.

Komrade von der Leyen Orders Pause on EU Retaliation Tariffs Pending Engagement with Trump Administration

April 10, 2025 | Sundance

Komrade Ursula von der Leyen represents the European Commission command and control authority, regardless of whether the individual members within the containment zone agree with the HQ in Brussels.

Komisar von der Leyen informs the union members that she has decided to pause the retaliation tariffs against the USA, based on the 90-day pause announced by President Trump.However, in actuality there’s not much difference even within the pause as the German/EU autos are still tariffed (25%) and the steel and Aluminum tariffs’ (25%) still apply.

The only gain from yesterday’s modification in the global tariff regime for the EU was a switch from 20% EU tariff to a baseline 10% tariff during the pause.

The total EU relief is 10% for 90-days;but that was enough for Komrade Ursula to mount her high-horse and claim magnanimity status.

According to von der Leyen, “if negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in.”[SOURCE]

“I welcome President Trump’s announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs. It’s an important step towards stabilizing the global economy.

Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function.

Tariffs are taxes that only hurt businesses and consumers. That’s why I’ve consistently advocated for a zero-for-zero tariff agreement between the European Union and the United States.

The European Union remains committed to constructive negotiations with the United States, with the goal of achieving frictionless and mutually beneficial trade.

At the same time, Europe continues to focus on diversifying its trade partnerships, engaging with countries that account for 87% of global trade and share our commitment to a free and open exchange of goods, services, and ideas.

Finally, we are stepping up our work to lift barriers in our own single market. This crisis has made one thing clear: in times of uncertainty, the single market is our anchor of stability and resilience.

My team and I will continue to work day and night to protect European consumers, workers and businesses. Together, Europeans will emerge stronger from this crisis.

We took note of the announcement by President Trump.

We want to give negotiations a chance.

While finalising the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our Member States, we will put them on hold for 90 days.

If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in.

Preparatory work on further countermeasures continues.

As I have said before, all options remain on the table.” (source)

Before President Trump’s announcement on Wednesday, EU member countries voted to approve retaliatory tariffs on $23 billion in goods in response to the 25% tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.Those steel and aluminum tariffs are still in place, but the EU cancelled their retaliation.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/04/10/komrade-von-der-leyen-orders-pause-on-eu-retaliation-tariffs-pending-engagement-with-trump-administration/

Dustin Grage

@GrageDustin

🚨 Tim Walz was heckled and booed by military veterans in Minnesota today over his stolen valor.

(Walz should have left after his failure)

8:36 PM · Apr 9, 2025

·443.3KViews

https://x.com/GrageDustin/status/1910129730772181461

Collin Rugg

@CollinRugg

NEW: CNN’s Anderson Cooper gets corrected after misgendering a civil rights attorney at a town hall event with Bernie Sanders.

Wow, what a bigot.

Cooper: I want to introduce Grace Thomas. She's a local civil rights attorney. She's a Democrat.

Thomas: It's They/Them pronouns, actually. Thank you.

Lmao.

https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1910156467921187202

Why is any network giving Bernie Sanders any time?

Townhall.com

@townhallcom

@ScottJenningsKY is a rockstar.

10:12 AM · Apr 9, 2025

·

58.9K

Views

https://x.com/townhallcom/status/1909972776011595811

0:44

Jason Cohen 🇺🇸

@JasonJournoDC

🚨NEW: Geraldo Rivera heaps praise on Trump over "BRILLIANT" tariff moves🚨

"I believe that he ambushed China … I just think he wants the best possible deal he can get the United States of America. God bless him for that. That's why people really dig the guy. That's why he's hard to beat. That charisma is unbelievable. I could sing his praises forever … He suckered China in."

@DailyCaller

April 9, 2025

https://x.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1910101249514430936

4:13

Interesting, is he saying a third term for Trump?

Ray Dalio

@RayDalio

This is a great time for all involved to reconsider their approaches!There are better and worse ways of handling our problems with unsustainable debt and imbalances, and President Trump's decision to step back from a worse way and negotiate how to deal with these imbalances is a much better way. I hope and expect that he will do the same with the Chinese, which I believe includes negotiating a deal that appreciates the RMB against the dollar, achieved by the Chinese selling dollar assets while also easing their fiscal and monetary policies to stimulate their demand. This would be a win-win. The Chinese should then restructure and monetize their excessive local government debts to get their debt overhang behind them. One way or another, there will have to be major changes to the debt/monetary orders to deal with the debt, trade, and capital imbalances problem.The next Trump administrationmove should be to deal with the deficit well by cutting the deficit to 3pct of GDP, which I described how I'd do without disruption in How Countries Go Broke: the Big Cycle, which you can read here: https://lnkd.in/eHMfZ4Ex.

This is also a great time for investors who were shocked and terrified by what happened (and what might happen)to reconsider their approaches to structuring their portfolios so they don't have such intolerable risks. I can guarantee that another worse case of the market moves that terrified them will come along eventually.

While I can't squeeze in an explanation of how to structure a portfolio here,I can direct those who are interested to the Dalio Market Principles coursethat the Singapore government-founded Wealth Management Institute created to help educate investors: https://wmi.edu.sg/dmp-online.

I'm also working on my next book, Investment and Economic Principles, which I will share parts of online as I write it.

11:02 PM · Apr 9, 2025

·509.7K

Views

https://x.com/RayDalio/status/1910166431053815819

Trump War Room

@TrumpWarRoom

It is official White House policy to IGNORE reporters' emails with pronouns in the signature👏

“I don’t respond to people who use pronouns in their signatures as it shows they ignore scientific realities and therefore ignore facts.” - @PressSec

Karoline Leavitt

9:00 AM · Apr 9, 2025

·260.8K Views

Her nickname should be “Fearless”

https://x.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1909954689656832006

Biden admin held private talks with Beijing on Chinese spy balloon ahead of notifying public, officials say

Readouts of the meetings indicate thatBlinken was worried balloon's publicity could undercut relations with China

By Diana Stancy Fox News

Published April 9, 2025 7:00am EDT

EXCLUSIVE: Biden administration State Department officials held private talks with Beijing counterparts about the Chinese spy balloon that intercepted U.S. airspace in 2023, and discussed the implications the balloon's publicity would have on the relationship between the U.S. and China, according to Trump administration officials.

U.S. officials identified the spy balloon infiltrating U.S. airspace on Jan. 28, 2023, and an Air Force fighter jet shot down the Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina Feb. 4, 2023, two days after the Pentagon issued a statement on the matter.

Biden officials held discussions with Beijing Feb. 1, 2023, about the balloon, and discussed the impact disclosing the balloon to the public could have on the relationship with China, internal State Department documents show, two Trump administration officials told Fox News Digital.

An internal State Department readout of the talks between Blinken and a top Chinese diplomat said Blinken stated that if the presence of the balloon were revealed publicly, it could have "profound implications for our relationship" with China, particularly amid efforts to stabilize the bilateral relationship with Beijing, two Trump administration officials familiar with the documents told Fox News Digital.

The readout said that the incident could also have complicated Blinken’s travel plans to China in early February 2023, if not quickly resolved. Blinken ultimately postponed the trip until June 2023.

A former Biden administration official told Fox News Digital that the State Department summoned senior Chinese diplomat Zhu Haiquan Feb. 1, 2023, so that the U.S. could notify China to remove the balloon, and issue a warning that the U.S. could take action to eliminate the balloon.

"Former Secretary Blinken advocated strongly to tell the American people about China’s rogue balloon, which is exactly what happened," a spokesperson for the former secretary of state said in a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital. "He has a long history of being tough on China while actually delivering results."

Likewise, another senior State Department official also held private talks on Feb. 1, 2023, with Chinese counterparts. A readout from that discussion says that the official claimed the longer it took to mitigate the issue would only increase the likelihood that news of the balloon would become public, posing greater challenges managing the situation, the Trump administration officials said.

Ultimately, the Pentagon issued a statement Feb. 2, 2023, claiming that the U.S. government had detected a "high-altitude surveillance balloon."

While then-White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden received a briefing on the balloon on Jan. 31, 2023, she did not provide details regarding why his administration didn’t issue a statement on the matter until Feb. 2, 2023.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, then a U.S. senator from Florida, repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for how it handled disclosing information to the public about the balloon — and how long it took the administration to shoot it down.

Biden’s failure to address the situation sooner was the "beginning of dereliction of duty," Rubio said during an appearance on CNN with Jake Tapper.

"Why didn’t the president go on television?" Rubio told Tapper. "He has the ability to convene the country in cameras and basically explain what we’re dealing with here."

On Feb. 4, 2023, an Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet from Virginia's Langley Air Force Base shot down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina with an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile.

At the time, the Pentagon said that while the balloon was not a military or physical threat, its presence in U.S. airspace did violate U.S. sovereignty. The Pentagon also shut down China’s initial claims that the balloon was a weather balloon blown off course and labeled such statements false.

"This was a PRC surveillance balloon," a senior defense official told reporters at the time. "This surveillance balloon purposely traversed the United States and Canada, and we are confident it was seeking to monitor sensitive military sites."

The Pentagon also said after shooting down the balloon that similar balloons from China transited continental U.S. airspace in at least three instances during Trump’s first administration. ..

Blinken is now a speaker with CAA Speakers, which represents high-profile celebrities. (So that’s how Bidan and Harris got that gig!)

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-held-private-talks-beijing-chinese-spy-balloon-ahead-notifying-public-officials-say

Gabbard creates task force to probe intelligence community

04/08/25 09:07 PM ET

Administration

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced Tuesday that she was creating a task force toinvestigate the intelligence community to increase “transparency and accountability.”

The Director’s Initiatives Group (DIG) has plans to execute President Trump’s executive order “aimed at rebuilding trust” in the intelligence community, according to a statement from Gabbard.

The group will be “investigating weaponization, rooting out deep-seated politicization, exposing unauthorized disclosures of classified intelligence, and declassifying information that serves a public interest.”

The group will target “wasteful spending” in addition to “streamlining outdated processes, reviewing documents for declassification, and leading ongoing efforts to root out abuses of power and politicization,” Gabbard said.

So far, the task force is “well underway” reviewing documents for potential declassification on various topics including the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation, Anomalous Health Incidents, the Biden administration’s “domestic surveillance” and censorship against Americans.

The group is also in the process of revoking security clearances for individuals who “no longer have an active role in national security,” including former President Biden, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“President Trump promised the American people maximum transparency and accountability. We are committed to executing the President’s vision and focusing the Intelligence Community on its core mission,” Gabbard’s statement said.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5239377-gabbard-creates-task-force-to-probe-intelligence-community/amp/

Donald Trump Makes Big Change at ATF as Patel Exits Agency

Cam Edwards 4/9/25

When Donald Trump named FBI Director Kash Patel as Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the presumption was that Patel was taking on those additional job duties on a temporary basis. Still, I don't think many folks were expecting Patel to step away from doing double duty after just a couple of months on the job.

That's exactly what's happened, however, with Trump naming Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll as the ATF's new Acting Director, effective today.

If Patel's absence from ATF HQ and his workload at the FBI were the primary reasons for his departure, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to appoint someone else who already has a full-time gig in the administration as the new (and temporary) head of the agency, which makes me wonder how long Driscoll himself will stick around… and who Trump might name (if anyone) as his choice for a permanent ATF Director.

It's also unclear whether other personnel moves may be in the making. On Tuesday's Bearing Arms' Cam & Co, retired deputy assistant director Pete Forcelli said he expects that Assistant ATF Director Marvin Richardson, who's been handling much of the day-to-day duties of the director, will also soon be replaced. Richardson appears to still have a job, at least for now, and albeit with a new boss.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation was quick to praise Driscoll's appointment in a press release issued shortly after the news broke.

“President Trump’s decision to appoint Acting Director Driscoll is indicative of his resolve to bring reform to the ATF and protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and the industry that makes it possible to exercise those rights,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “NSSF is deeply appreciative of FBI Director Kash Patel’s service to lead the ATF as Acting Director for nearly two months in his interim role and the recognition, along with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, that the ATF was weaponized by the previous administration to carry out a radical gun control agenda. The firearm industry is confident that President Trump’s appointment of Acting Director Driscoll to lead the ATF will return the bureau to its proper role as a law enforcement agency laser focused on combatting violent crime and illegal firearms trafficking, and to act as a non-partisan regulator of the firearm industry.”

NSSF is confident Acting Director Driscoll will view members of the firearm industry, including licensed retailers, as ATF’s partners on the front lines of keeping firearms out of the wrong hands, combatting illegal firearms trafficking and preventing violent crime involving the misuse of firearms.

Driscoll is an Army veteran and Yale Law School grad who previously interned with former Ninth Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski, who was one of the most libertarian members of the liberal-dominated appellate court. Driscoll doesn't really have a record on Second Amendment issues, and the White House hasn't yet offered a rationale for naming him Acting Director or how long they expect him to remain in the position, but I don't expect him to turn into the second coming of Steve Dettelbach or David Chipman now that he's in charge of the agency.

What this means for the ATF in the long or even medium term remains to be seen, but let's hope that the NSSF is right that with Driscoll at the helm, the agency will be focused on going after violent crimeand illegal gun trafficking instead of trying to turn lawful gun owners into criminals.

Cam Edwards has covered the 2nd Amendment for 20 years as a broadcast and online journalist, as well as serving on the board of directors for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He lives outside of Farmville, Virginia with his family, three dogs, two barn cats, a flock of chickens, and an undisclosed number of firearms for their protection.

https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2025/04/09/donald-trump-makes-big-change-at-atf-n1228262

Sage Steele

@sagesteele

Meghan McCain got a personal message from Trump after Christmas — a gesture she called a peace offering. Tulsi Gabbard told her he nearly died… and it changed him.

The full story is even crazier— available now on Youtube.

11:57 AM · Apr 9, 2025

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785.2K

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https://x.com/sagesteele/status/1909999228455182790

BREAKING: Accused Trump assassin facing new charges

Fox News' Danamarie McNicholl reports the latest on the new charges Ryan Routh faces from Miami, Florida.

4:11

https://youtu.be/jgkfB0ARJQw

Peter Doocy: This could have been a huge crisis

Global markets soared after President Donald Trump paused some tariffs on various U.S. trading partners. Fox News' Peter Doocy reports the latest from the White House

6:05

https://youtu.be/ZRPS65ahUCI