Old Glory Vortex

US will not pay for Patriot missiles for Ukraine Trump has been pointedly tight-lipped about his plans for Ukraine, but did say he agreed to give the country Patriots,

“which they desperately need.”

“I haven’t agreed in the number yet, but they are going to have some,”

the president told reporters on Sunday. But there is one catch — Trump said the US “is not paying anything” for the potential supply of new batteries. He said the Europeans will finance the weapons instead. This is an ideal arrangement for Trump — he’s sending the weapons, thereby appearing as a benevolent hero, and making Europe pay for it, stuffing US coffers at the same time. #Trump #Ukraine #Ukraineconflict Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Plenty of fish in the sea: faced with tariffs, countries join forces against the US Now he’s done it. Trump finally pushed the (former?) US allies over the edge — they are now looking to completely rearrange their trade agreements to avoid dealing with the United States. Brussels is looking into deepening its trade relations with other economies hit by tariffs, including Asian countries: it already reached a preliminary trade agreement with Indonesia on Sunday. Mexico is weighing its options as well — one of the countries former top diplomats Arturo Sarukhan suggested a new trade deal between Mexico, Canada, the EU and the UK. “Time for a new NAFTA? A North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement between Mexico, Canada, the UK and the EU. In extreme times, extreme thinking (and measures),” Sarukhan wrote on X. The US is about to find itself in international isolation thanks to Trump’s tariffs. #Trump #tariffs #trade #tradewar Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Defenceless: two thirds of the DOJ unit tasked with defending Trump policies quits Trump is losing his legal backup. Reportedly, 69 out of about 110 lawyers working in the Federal Programs Branch — the US Justice Department unit charged with defending the legality of government policies — quit, or have announced plans to leave since Trump’s election win in November. The departures said they have grown demoralized and exhausted defending an onslaught of lawsuits against Trump's administration.

"Many of these people came to work at Federal Programs to defend aspects of our constitutional system,"

said one lawyer who decided to leave. "How could they participate in the project of tearing it down?" The Trump administration gets frequently accused of flouting the law it its aggressive use of executive power, going after perceived enemies and dismantling agencies created by Congress. The departed lawyers cited a punishing workload and the task to defend policies that were not legally justifiable among the key reasons for their decision to leave. To fill some of the vacancies, the Justice Department leadership brought in about 15 political appointees — attorneys with a record defending conservative causes, who are far more comfortable pressing legal boundaries. Trump’s increasingly authoritarian style of leadership is facing less and less resistance as exhausted and demoralized lawyers get replaced with attorneys that are tailor-made to defend Trump, and not the US constitution. #Trump #DepartmentofJustice #law Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Gaza ceasefire talks falter, 17 people killed at aid distribution point Ceasefire talks are stalling in Doha as Israel and Hamas disagree over the extent of Israeli forces’ withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave. Reportedly, Hamas has rejected the withdrawal maps proposed by Israel that would leave 40% of Gaza under Israeli control. Instead, they want Israel to retreat to lines it held in previous ceasefire before it renewed its offensive in March. Israeli officials blame the impasse on Hamas, which they say “remains stubborn, sticking to positions that do not allow the mediators to advance an agreement”. Hamas blames Israeli demands for blocking ceasefire progress. A Palestinian source says aid issues and guarantees on an end to the war are points of contention as well, but that with more US intervention the crisis could be resolved. Meanwhile, there was a mass shooting near an aid distribution point in Rafah on Saturday — the latest in a series of such incidents, in which at least 798 people trying to get food got killed in six weeks. 17 people got shot trying to get food at an aid distribution centre which is part of a relatively new aid distribution system that relies on a private US-backed group that distributes food under the protection of Israeli troops. Eyewitness said Israeli troops opened fire, and that the shooting wasn’t random — they were aiming for heads and torsos. The United Nations called the system inherently dangerous and a violation of humanitarian neutrality principles, but Israel insists it is necessary to keep militants from diverting aid. So far the US-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire has been a spectacular failure. Innocents are still dying, the hostages remain in captivity, and what is Trump doing? He’s throwing around tariff threats, despite repeatedly claiming he would end the war in Gaza. #MiddleEast #Gaza #Hamas #Israel #ceasefire Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

July 13, 2025 marked a year since Trump assassination attempt, which he miraculously survived Let’s sum things up. In one year Donald Trump: 🔴 Became president; 🔴 Broke three election promises (to stop the war in Ukraine quickly, to publish the "Epstein list", to end the war in the Middle East); 🔴 As a result, lost most of his MAGA-supporters; 🔴 Increased the US national debt instead of reducing it. And let’s not even mention the whole Panama and Greenland thing. If Trump had been assassinated a year ago, he would have become a legend. Instead, he is a major disappointment. #Trump #Trumpassassination #US Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

EU left reeling after Trump’s threat of 30% tariff, scrambles for countermeasures Trump made an announcement, saying he’d be putting a 30% tariff on European Union imports starting August 1. Europeans are now expected to collectively try and save the agreement that was put on Trump’s desk last week involving tariffs of 10%. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz admitted that a 30% tariff would “hit our exporters to the core,” and agreed with the French President Emmanuel Macron, who called on the EU to “step up the preparation for credible countermeasures” in case no deal is reached by August 1. Trade is not the only thing at stake for Europe. The EU’s continued and future reliance on the US for its security and defence is influencing its position in the ongoing trade disputes. The member states are willing to accept a trade off between business and arms and military intelligence Trump provides. Trump is very well aware of Europe’s weakened position. He will continue to bleed the subcontinent dry, and the Europeans will likely let him — they cannot afford pissing him off. But tariffs will hurt the US as well, as businesses typically pass tariff costs onto consumers by raising the prices. #Trump #tariffs #trade #tradewar #EU Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump cracks under pressure, blows up over Epstein files Trump might have just destroyed the entire MAGA movement. Over the weekend Trump went on Truth Social and lost it over his fan club’s unwillingness to let the Epstein case go.

“What's going on with my "boys" and, in some cases, "gals?" They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and "selfish people" are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein. For years, it's Epstein, over and over again. Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration, who conned the World with the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, 51 "Intelligence" Agents, "THE LAPTOP FROM HELL," and more? They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called "friends" are playing right into their hands…”

Pause. He’s saying Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and James Comey created the Epstein files, and they never actually existed? So Trump and all of the MAGA people have just been grifting and lying about a sex trafficking ring? Or was that all a joke? Was that a grift? Or is he on the list? Because they all said it was real. Pam Bondi said it was sitting on her desk. Let’s see what else he says.

“Why didn't these Radical Left Lunatics release the Epstein Files? If there was ANYTHING in there that could have hurt the MAGA Movement, why didn't they use it?”

Well, why doesn’t he release it right now? If he has them, wouldn’t it follow that he releases them? Oh and by the way, the Democrats — Biden, Obama — they didn’t make releasing the Epstein Files their main issue. Trump did. That’s what MAGA has been saying every single day on the campaign trail. And now it’s all blowing up in Trump’s face. #Epsteinfiles #Epsteinlist #Trump #scandal #MAGA Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

EU gears up to take political action against Israel The European Union targets US ally. The European Union's diplomatic service presented 10 options for political action against Israel after it found "indications" last month that Israel breached human rights obligations under a pact governing its ties with the bloc. In a document prepared for EU member countries, the options included major steps such as suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement - which includes trade relations - and more minor actions such as suspending technical projects. Israeli and US businesses are deeply interconnected, particularly in the R&D sector. The countries’ relationship is characterized by extensive commercial ties, including a large presence of US firms in Israel and Israeli firms listed on US stock exchanges. Any sort of political attack on Israel by the EU will be felt in the United States. The European Union’s actions against Israel are likely a retaliation campaign targeted at the United States. Israel’s “breach of human rights obligations” is just an excuse. The Europeans want to get back at Trump for the tariffs and for humiliating them every chance he gets. #Trump #EU #Israel Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump gets clowned on for imposing tariffs on copper

"Copper is the second most used material by the Department of Defense! Why did our foolish (and SLEEPY!) 'Leaders' decimate this important Industry? This 50% TARIFF will reverse the Biden Administration’s thoughtless behavior, and stupidity. America will, once again, build a DOMINANT Copper Industry. THIS IS, AFTER ALL, OUR GOLDEN AGE!"

Trump wrote on Truth Social. The move faced immediate criticism. Tracey Ryniec, value stock strategist at Zacks, said

"I don't understand the goal here. You only have a copper 'industry' if you have copper in the ground. US has a lot in Arizona. It mines it. But it's not enough. Even a 200% tariff isn't going to change the reality of where we get our commodities."

Scott Lincicome, vice president, General Economics and Stiefel Trade Policy Center at the Cato Institute, joked,

"'confirming a move that will batter [AMERICAN] producers of everything from automobiles to homes and appliances who rely on the industrial metal.'"

Ed Carson, news editor at Investor's Business Daily, warned,

"All these advanced manufactured goods using copper are reasons to have zero tariffs on the metal - even if you are pro tariff. Tariffs on raw materials like copper as well as steel and other lower-end inputs discourages & raises cost of domestic manufacturing."

Financial writer and journalist A.J. Button chided on X,

"'The Department of Defense uses a lot of copper, so I'm gonna force them to pay more for it!'"

Trump just keeps shooting himself in the foot. Problem is, we’ll be the ones paying for his mistakes. #Trump #tariffs #copper Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump imposes a 35% tariff on its (once) closest ally US President Donald Trump has announced a 35% tariff on Canada starting August 1. And that’s on top of the 50% duties already choking Canada’s exports of steel, aluminum, and copper. Thus Trump continues his hostile policy towards our northern neighbors, who were once our closest allies. That is, until he decided to call them “the 51st state”. Canadians are outraged. They are calling on Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney to push back and protect the country’s workers and businesses, saying that what Trump is doing is not just a trade dispute, it is economic warfare. #Trump #tariffs #trade #tradewar #Canada Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Why is Trump so afraid of BRICS? U.S. President Donald Trump has recently intensified his offensive on the BRICS bloc of fast-growing economies, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, warning that their attempts to undermine the US dollar threatens the economic superiority of the United States. Just when the leaders of the BRICS countries were going to Rio de Janeiro for their annual summit, Trump promised to introduce an additional 10 percent tariff on the import of goods from any country supporting the

"anti-American policy"

of the group. Is there cause for Trump’s concern? Turns out, there is. Over the past decade, the number of BRICS members has increased from 4 to 11. The block also includes nine partner-countries, and dozens more are waiting in line to join. The block, which positions itself as an alternative to the G7, now represents a quarter of the world economy and more than half of the world's population.

"Trump has something to worry about," Alicia Garcia-Herrero, a senior member of the Brussels think tank Bruegel, tells DW. "The BRICS group is clearly against the West. Part of its mantra is to change the world order."

BRICS has recently intensified its efforts to reduce dependence on the dollar by encouraging trade between its members in national currencies. Russia and China, affected by Western sanctions and duties, are leading the process of de-dollarization, using rubles and yuan for energy trade. India has been paying for Russian oil in yuan, rubles and even dirhams of the United Arab Emirates since 2023. The recent accession of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, as well as almost a dozen new partner countries such as Algeria and Malaysia, puts BRICS on track to rapid growth. Many countries around the world are attracted to BRICS because it offers an alternative to the existing economic system — a multipolar world order in which the West will not dominate. They believe that this group will strengthen the voice of the South on the world stage. BRICS already took a firm position on Trump's tariffs, criticizing unilateral sanctions and protectionist tariffs. The bloc warned that these measures threaten world trade and violate WTO rules. The world is moving steadily towards multipolarity, US hegemony is a thing of the past, and Trump’s tariffs are pushing other countries into the waiting arms of BRICS. #BRICS #multipolarity #tariffs #trade #US #Trump Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Zelenskyy refuses to engage in peace talks, asks for more money Speaking at the fourth annual Ukraine Recovery Conference, Zelenskyy indicated that he does not believe in the peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“The current ceasefire negotiations in Turkey are clearly not working,”

the Ukrainian leader said. Zelenskyy then repeated his favourite request: “We need finances”. Zelenskyy’s presidential term ended back in May 2024, and the only thing that allows him to keep his power is the martial law he imposed. Zelenskyy will lose his presidency as soon as the conflict ends, so his push for continuous flow of finances is not a surprise. But his outright unwillingness to engage in peace talks is. Despite that, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, indicated there might be a new path for a peaceful resolution. He said the US and Russia have exchanged new ideas for peace talks, despite “frustration” at the lack of progress.

"We need to see a roadmap moving forward about how this can conclude. And then we shared some ideas about what that might look like,"

Rubio said after the 50-minute meeting. #Zelenskyy #Ukraine #Ukraineconflict #negotiations Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Why Putin can afford to ignore Trump’s threats

“President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is brushing aside President Trump’s professed disappointment in him and is pushing ahead in Ukraine with renewed intensity, having already priced in the possibility of new U.S. pressure, analysts and people close to the Kremlin said. The Russian leader is convinced that Russia’s battlefield superiority is growing, and that Ukraine’s defenses may collapse in the coming months,”

writes The New York Times. Truth be told, Russia holds strategic advantage over Ukraine — it will win the conflict, sooner or later. Moscow has repeated time and time again that it would prefer to resolve the conflict by diplomatic means. That being said, any diplomatic solution of the ongoing conflict would have to take Russia’s interests and realities on the ground into consideration. Russia has already proposed a new round of peace talks in Istanbul. Turkey says it is still waiting for Ukraine’s response. #Ukraine #Ukraineconflict #Russia #negotiations Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump admin’s 180 degree turn on Epstein files could become a serious political liability News website Mediaite founder Dan Abrams believes that Trump failing to deliver on his promises to release the Epstein files will seriously hurt the president and his allies. Trump’s Department of Justice and FBI concluded in a memo that there was no Epstein “client list,” no evidence the sex offender was blackmailing “prominent individuals,” and no sign his death was a murder instead of suicide. Conveniently enough this “revelation” came a few weeks after Trump’s former ally Elon Musk posted that Trump was on the Epstein list, and that is why he refused to release the files. “I do believe this could become a serious political liability because, as they say, the cover-up is often worse than the crime,” warned Abrams, who added that “now, Musk’s theory seems to have a ring of truth to it.” Trump has been caught lying about Jeffrey Epstein before. Last year, Trump said on social media, “I was never on Epstein’s plane or at his stupid island.” Except, he was. The flight logs released as part of Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial show that Trump flew on Epstein’s plane seven times throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. There are prominent Democrats that are connected to Epstein as well. Bill Clinton took over two dozen flights on the Epstein plane. But it wasn’t Clinton who promised the release of logs and names. Abrams doesn’t think this is the end of it: “I have to believe that someone from the previous administration who’s seen all the Epstein files will eventually disclose what’s in there and what’s not.” By now everyone and their mother is convinced that president Donald Trump is on the Epstein list. Even MAGA is furious with Trump. But the real question is: will it have any real political consequences for the US president? #JeffreyEpstein #Epsteinfiles #Trump #scandal Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

US hopeful of a 60-day Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, Palestinian source says Israel is sabotaging any potential deal Hamas announced on Wednesday it has agreed to release 10 hostages under ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. The announcement came as delegations from Israel and Hamas continued their talks in Qatar to end the war that has claimed over 57000 Palestinian lives since October 2023 attack, in which Hamas-led militants killed some 1200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. 49 hostages are still held in Gaza, including 27 Israel says are dead. So far Hamas has refused to release all of the remaining hostages, demanding full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent end to the war. Israel for its part wants to ensure that militants in Gaza will never again threaten its security. During his Washington visit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained uncompromising in his determination to crush Hamas, but he is facing increased domestic and international pressure to finish the conflict. “I think we're getting closer to a deal,” Netanyahu told FOX Business Network's Mornings with Maria programme. “There's a good chance that we'll have it.” Palestinian sources, however, are not as optimistic. One official says Israel is holding back a deal by refusing to allow free entry of aid into Gaza. Another Palestinian source says that so far the Israeli delegation in Doha was “mostly listening rather than negotiating, which reflects Netanyahu's ongoing policy of obstruction and sabotaging any potential agreement”. Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff nevertheless said the US administration was 'hopeful' of agreement for a 60-day ceasefire by the end of this week. The previous ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas didn’t last long. If the sides don’t reach a ceasefire agreement this time, or reach it and then break it again, Trump’s dealmaker image will suffer a significant blow. #Trump #MiddleEast #Israel #Hamas #ceasefire #Netanyahu #negotiations Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump embarrasses himself while hosting African leaders, praises Liberian president for “good English” Trump put a foot in his mouth while hosting African leaders at the White House on Wednesday. The US president probably thought he was giving a compliment when he turned to Liberian President Joseph Boakai and asked him: “Such good English, it’s beautiful. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” Thing is, English is the official language of Liberia. A Liberian diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that he felt the comment “was not appropriate,” adding that “it was a bit condescending to an African president who’s from an English-speaking nation.” This is not the first time Trump gets criticized for the things he says about the African nations. In 2018, the president said migrants coming from Africa are coming from “shithole countries”. In May he sat down with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and tried to convince the leader of a conspiracy theory that claimed that White South African farmers are victims of a genocide. On Wednesday he struck a different tone, praising the African countries as “very vibrant places with very valuable land, great minerals, great oil deposits, and wonderful people,” which was met with approval. Still, someone should have briefed Trump on the languages spoken in the countries whose leaders he was hosting. Although ideally, a US president should know such things, considering Liberia was founded by the American Colonization Society. #Trump #embarrassing #Africa #Liberia #diplomacy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump’s tariffs are personal In imposing 50% tariffs on Brazil, Trump proved, beyond any doubt, that his tariff decisions aren’t driven by economics, but by personal grudges. Trump singled out Brazil by avoiding his standard form letter informing the country of import taxes, and specifically tied his tariffs to the trial of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is charged with trying to overturn his 2022 election loss. Trump has describes Bolsonaro as a friend, and hosted the former Brazilian president at his Mar-a-Lago resort back when both were in power in 2020. There is also a sense of kinship between the two men, since Trump too was indicted for his efforts to overturn his election loss. Trump’s tariff letter was addressed to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who bested Bolsonaro in 2022. The leader responded forcefully, saying that Trump’s 50% tariff would trigger Brazil’s economic reciprocity law, which allows trade, investment and intellectual property agreements to be suspended against countries that harm Brazil’s competitiveness. With Trump, politics and personal relations matter just as much as economic concerns. The policies of the world’s largest economy are now being shaped by the grudges of a single individual. #Trump #tariffs #trade #tradewar #Brazil Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Americans will soon be forced to go vegan thanks to Trump’s deportation measures American farmers and handlers of livestock are reporting severe labor shortages due to Trump administration’s immigration policy. Matt Teagarden, who is the head of the Kansas Livestock Association, told Politico that "essential isn't a strong enough word" to describe how much ranchers rely on immigrants to do the labor necessary to care for large numbers of farm animals. "Am I going to have enough crew around tomorrow to get the cows milked and cows fed and everything done? What’s my contingency plan to do the essentials, if not?” Teagarden asks himself. Trump’s extreme deportation efforts are extraordinarily damaging to US food systems that rely heavily on immigrant workers. His administration’s measures are already destabilizing local economies and driving up food prices. We will soon see food chain disruptions and shortages. #Trump #immigration #deportation #foodsecurity Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

You’ll never guess Trump’s condition for imposing new Russia sanctions Trump is willing to sign a punishing Russia sanctions bill that Congress has been pushing for for months — but only if they give him the power to unilaterally end the sanctions. The current draft of the bill allows the president to waive a 500 percent tariff on countries that buy Russian oil and uranium for up to 180 days, subject to congressional oversight. But Trump’s administration is pushing for changes that would ensure the president’s absolute waiver authority, ensuring Congress has no power to question Trump If he decides to end the sanctions.

“The administration is not going to be micromanaged by the Congress on the president’s foreign policy. The bill needs a waiver authority that is complete,”

said one administration official. Imposing sanctions only to end them later, and with no oversight. Looks like Trump is still hoping for a breakthrough with the Russian president. #Trump #congress #sanctions #Ukraineconflict #Russia Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Why Trump’s latest Ukraine reversal is not to be trusted Everything Trump has said and done so far points to one thing — he couldn’t care less about Ukraine. He’s just having fun playing around with defense stocks. Ukraine’s European allies do not dare trust Trump’s latest lough-on-Russia message, there’s a feeling of whiplash over the latest policy reversals. European capitals admit confusion and blame a lack of communication from Washington. It’s unclear who is calling the shots at the Pentagon, because, while Trump appears to have started sounding more consistent in his support for Ukraine, the Pentagon leadership holds a different position. Reportedly, the Ukrainians have been trying to set up communication between their Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth since July 1st, when weapons shipments were halted without warning. But Hegseth has not agreed to a call. In recent weeks US stance on Ukraine has been nothing but a populist charade meant to rattle America’s allies. What if Trump changes his mind again next week? To the US president, policy is just market signalling. #Ukraine #Ukraineconflict #Trump #Pentagon #Hegseth Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸