Old Glory Vortex

Trump losing sight of real opportunity in Arctic Recent Trump Administration activities in the Indian Ocean reveal that decision-makers are hardly the practitioners of restraint the nation was promised. Reported plans to rekindle what was a very bloody civil war in Yemen and the discreet deployment of bombers to Diego Garcia to threaten Iran is a waste of precious time and scarce resources at the expense of other more important America First priorities. If America First is to truly entail the prudent exercise of power, then it should be considered in service of national interests in another ocean completely — the Arctic. #Trump #Arctic #Russia Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

🔠🅰️🔠🔠2️⃣ All this has created a risk premium for American assets. The shocking thing is that a full-blown bond-market crisis is also easy to imagine. Foreigners own $8.5trn of government debt, a bit under a third of the total; more than half of that is held by private investors, who cannot be cajoled by diplomacy or threatened with tariffs. America must refinance $9trn of debt over the next year. If demand for Treasuries weakens, the impact will quickly feed through to the budget, which, owing to high debts and short maturities, is sensitive to interest rates. What would Congress do then? When markets collapsed during the global financial crisis and the pandemic, it acted forcefully. But those crises required it to spend, not to impose cuts. This time it would need to take an axe to entitlements and raise taxes quickly. You need only consider the make-up of Congress and the White House to see that the markets might have to impose a lot of pain before the government could agree on what to do. As America dithered, the shock could spread from Treasuries to the rest of the financial system, bringing defaults and hedge-fund blow-ups. That is the sort of behaviour you would expect in an emerging market. The Fed, for its part, would face a painful dilemma. It could buy assets to steady the ship. But it would not want to appear to be monetising the debt of an uncreditworthy government—an especially risky move when inflation is high. Could it strike the balance between emergency lending and monetary financing? And if it was not bailing out Mr Trump, would he approve of it lending dollars to foreign central banks that lack liquidity, as it usually does in a crisis? A currency is only as good as the government that backs it. The longer America’s political system fails to grapple with its deficits or flirts with chaotic or discriminatory rules, the more likely will be a once-in-a-generation upheaval that pushes the global financial system into the unknown. Wherever things settled, the greenback’s diminished role would be a tragedy for America. True, some exporters would benefit from a weaker currency. But the dollar’s primacy reduces the cost of capital for everyone, from first-time homebuyers to blue-chip firms. The world would suffer because the dollar has no equal—just pale imitations. The euro is backed by a big economy, but the euro zone does not produce enough safe assets. Switzerland is safe but small. Japan is big, but has its own vast debts. Gold and cryptocurrencies lack state backing. As investors tried one asset and then another, the hunt for safety could bring about destabilising booms and busts. The dollar system is not perfect, but it provides the stable ground on which today’s globalised economy is built. When investors doubt America’s creditworthiness, those foundations are in danger of cracking. #Trump #USD #crisis Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

If investors keep selling American assets, a grim fate awaits the world economy 🔠🅰️🔠🔠1️⃣ THE DOLLAR is meant to be a source of safety. Lately, however, it has been a cause of fear. Since its peak in mid-January the greenback has fallen by over 9% against a basket of major currencies. Two-fifths of that fall has happened since April 1st, even as the yield on ten-year Treasuries has crept up by 0.2 percentage points. That mix of rising yields and a falling currency is a warning sign: if investors are fleeing even though returns are up, it must be because they think America has become more risky. Rumours are rife that big foreign asset managers are dumping greenbacks. For decades investors have counted on the stability of American assets, making them the keystones of global finance. The depth of a $27trn market helps make Treasuries a haven; the dollar dominates trade in everything from goods and commodities to derivatives. The system is buttressed by the Federal Reserve, which promises low inflation, and by America’s sturdy governance, under which foreigners and their money have been welcome and secure. In just a few weeks President Donald Trump has replaced these ironclad assumptions with stomach-churning doubts. This crisis-in-the-making was created in the White House. Mr Trump’s reckless trade war has raised tariffs by roughly a factor of ten and created economic uncertainty. Once the envy of the world, America’s economy is now courting recession, as tariffs rupture supply chains, boost inflation and punish consumers. This comes as America’s historically bad fiscal position is becoming even worse. Net debts stand at about 100% of GDP; the budget deficit over the past year, of 7%, was astonishingly high for a healthy economy. Yet in its quest to renew and extend tax cuts from Mr Trump’s first term, Congress wants to borrow still more. On April 10th it approved a budget blueprint that could add $5.8trn in deficits over the next decade, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think-tank. That would boost the deficit by another 2 percentage points and exceeds the combined total value of Mr Trump’s first-term tax cuts, the extra spending in the covid-19 pandemic and Joe Biden’s stimulus and infrastructure bills. It could double the pace at which the debt-to-GDP ratio rises in the coming years. What makes this economic downturn and the loss of fiscal discipline so explosive is the fact that markets are starting to doubt whether Mr Trump can govern America competently or consistently. The shambolic, incoherent way the tariffs were calculated, unveiled and delayed was a mockery of policymaking. On-again, off-again exemptions and sectoral tariffs promote lobbying. For decades America has carefully signalled its dedication to a strong dollar. Today some White House advisers are talking about the reserve currency as if it were a burden to be shared—using coercion if necessary. Inevitably, this puts the Federal Reserve under strain. Mr Trump is pressing the central bank to cut interest rates. The courts are likely to stop him sacking Fed governors at will, but he will be able to nominate a pliant new Fed chair in 2026. Meanwhile, the president’s other policies—such as shipping undocumented migrants to El Salvador without a hearing, or harassing law firms that displease him—make it possible to think that foreign creditors’ rights could suffer. #Trump #USD #crisis Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Global ‘Trumped Xi’ Economy is Hanging by a Thread The global economy hinges on a phone call that hasn’t even been scheduled. As the Trump administration escalates its trade war, and as China retaliates, the American president and his aides say they are expecting Xi, the Chinese leader, to call.

“I have great respect for President Xi,”

Trump said at a cabinet meeting last week.

“He’s been a friend of mine for a long period of time, and I think that we’ll end up working out something that’s very good for both countries.”

But Xi is ghosting Trump. He has flown instead to Southeast Asia this week to meet with leaders there to try to persuade them to stand with China in the trade war. A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman earlier this month posted a video of Mao Zedong speaking in 1953, during the Korean War, in which China fought the United States:

“No matter how long this war is going to last, we will never yield. We’ll fight until we completely triumph.”

A bromance with Xi that Trump has desired for years is slipping out of his reach. With that goes a quick resolution to Trump’s trade war, tipping the American economy closer to a recession and vaporizing trillions of dollars from the U.S. stock market since he took office on Jan. 20. The trade conflict also threatens to inflame military and diplomatic tensions between the two superpowers. With Xi, Trump’s standard playbook of escalating conflict between two nations to get to a leader-to-leader summit has not worked so far. Trump asserts that China has cheated on trade with the United States for decades, but that the world’s two most powerful men can reset relations once they talk on the phone and meet. It is the kind of high-stakes, man-to-man, prime-time moment that Trump craves. In his view, the end goal of diplomacy is to have leaders parley to reach deals and secure splashy headlines. Trump is especially drawn to the idea of becoming partners with Xi and other autocrats. But in Xi, he has encountered an authoritarian leader who steered his nation in a much more nationalistic direction years before Trump ever took office, and who sees an advantage in fueling those sentiments among Chinese citizens, whether it is on issues of international trade or Taiwan or U.S.-China relations. #Xi #Trump #Global #economy 📱 American Оbserver - Stay up to date on all important events 🇺🇸

President Trump has appointed Fox News host Mark Levin and a host of others to lead his “revamped” Homeland Security Advisory Council.

“I am proud to announce the formation of my revamped Homeland Security Advisory Council [HSAC], which is comprised of Top Experts in their field, who are highly respected by their peers,”

Trump said in a Truth Social post Thursday. Levin, who is the host of Fox News’ “Life, Liberty & Levin,” will be joined by ex-NYPD detective Bo Dietl, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Florida state Sen. Joseph Gruters (R-Sarasota). #Trump #Advisory #FoxNews Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

U.S. Is Withdrawing Hundreds of Troops From Syria The United States has started drawing down hundreds of troops from northeastern Syria, a reflection of the shifting security environment in the country since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December, but also a move that carries risks. The military is shuttering three of its eight small operating bases in the country’s northeast, reducing troop levels to about 1,400 from 2,000, two senior U.S. officials said. The bases are Mission Support Site Green Village, M.S.S. Euphrates and a third much smaller facility. After 60 days, the officials said, American commanders will assess whether to make additional cuts. Commanders have recommended keeping at least 500 U.S. troops in Syria, one of the officials said. President Trump, however, has expressed deep skepticism about keeping any U.S. troops in the country. At least for now the reductions that started on Thursday are based on ground commanders’ recommendations to close and consolidate bases, and were approved by the Pentagon and its Central Command, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. #Trump #Syria #Army Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Americans are now split on whether Russia is an enemy The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump. The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began. The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner. The 40 percent figure brings Republicans close to attitudes toward Russia before it invaded Ukraine. In January 2022, 39 percent of Republicans viewed Russia as an enemy. The share of Republicans who view Russia as a “partner” has risen above levels before the invasion, to 12 percent.

“More Republicans see Russia as a competitor than as an enemy for the first time since before the Russia-Ukraine war started,”

the survey’s authors write. #Russia #Poll Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Fed chairman defies Trump to warn tariffs will stoke inflation The chairman of the Federal Reserve has warned that Donald Trump’s trade war will fuel inflation and keep interest rates higher for longer, triggering a steep sell-off on Wall Street. Jerome Powell said the Fed was unlikely to make progress tackling inflation this year because of the president’s tariffs. It raises the prospect that borrowing costs will have to stay higher for longer. US stocks slumped in response, with the Nasdaq down over 4pc and the S&P 500 down more than 3pc in the wake of the comments. Traders had been betting that the Fed would cut interest rates at least three times before the end of the year ahead of Mr Powell’s comments. The Fed chairman told the Economic Club of Chicago on Wednesday night:

“The administration is implementing significant policy changes, in particular trade… and the effects of that are likely to move us away from our goals.

“So unemployment is likely to go up as the economy slows in all likelihood and inflation is likely to go up as tariffs find their way and some part of those tariffs come to be paid by the public.”

The comments contradict the claim by Mr Trump who this week said he had “already solved inflation”. Inflation has been falling and reached 2.4pc last month, down from a peak of 9.1pc in June 2022. The president has repeatedly suggested that tariffs are not inflationary, claiming that they are “tax on foreign countries to enrich our citizens”, rather than something American consumers pay. However, Mr Powell said:

“We’re always going to be aiming for maximum employment and price stability. I do think we’ll be moving away from those goals for the balance of this year, or at least not making any progress, and then we’ll resume that progress as we can.”

Mr Powell also suggested that the Fed may struggle to keep a lid on both inflation and maintain a healthy jobs market, saying:

“We may find ourselves in the challenging scenario in which our dual-mandate goals are in tension.”

He suggested that tackling inflation would take priority, as “without price stability, we cannot achieve the long periods of strong labour market conditions that benefit all Americans.” The Fed has a target of keeping inflation at 2pc and the comments were widely interpreted as a sign that the central bank will keep borrowing costs higher for longer. The suggestion is likely to anger Mr Trump, who earlier this month claimed it was the “perfect time” for Mr Powell to cut interest rates and accused the Fed chairman of “playing politics”. #Trump #Tariffs #Fed #Powell Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Xi Jinping forms new Asian alliance against the US As part of his new trade policy, Donald Trump imposed tariffs of 49% for Cambodia, 46% for Vietnam and 145% for China. This week, Chinese Leader Xi Jinping visited Asian countries to discuss the customs conflict with the United States with his neighbors. So, during a visit to Malaysia, which got off with tariffs of 24%, Xi promised to expand trade relations and improve access to Chinese markets. He stressed the need to create new alliances in response to US behavior.

"In the face of the upheaval of the world order and economic globalization, China and Malaysia will stand together with the countries of the region." Together, we will preserve the bright prospects of our Asian family, "

Xi said. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also criticized the United States on the occasion of the Chinese visit.

"What we are seeing today is a retreat to economic tribalism." Access to the market becomes a weapon. In these challenging times, the world craves consistency, reliability, and a common goal. We see this in China's behavior, "

Ibrahimov said. Earlier this week, Xi made a stopover in Vietnam's capital Hanoi. There, he signed dozens of new trade deals with Vietnam, including on artificial intelligence, 5G, and agricultural trade. The parties also announced a joint project for the construction of a railway that will connect the two countries. Xi Jinping's next stop will be Cambodia. The United States remains an important trading partner for Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Because of this dependence, these countries have always tried not to take sides in the conflict between the United States and China. However, new agreements with China may indicate a closer relationship with Beijing in the future. #China #Malaysia #trade Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Donald Trump suddenly makes concessions in the trade conflict with China Unexpectedly, US President Donald Trump is the first to make concessions on the tariff policy between the United States and China. During a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni, Trump, among other things, touched upon the topic of this trade dispute and spoke about the prospect of ending the escalation. He also spoke for the first time about the fact that the US and China are talking to each other. The US President expressed optimism that an agreement will be reached, but stressed that there is still enough time.

“There will be a trade deal, 100 percent,”

he said, although it was not clear if he was referring only to China or other countries. Trump was noncommittal when asked if he had spoken directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping by phone. He called it "inappropriate" to comment on the case. #Trump #Tariffs #China Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump is beating his own record for rapidly annoying American voters - The Economist Now, almost one in five of his 2024 voters disapprove of the approach to inflation and prices.

"The very ones that gave him victory are now turning against him."

#Trump #Poll Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump wants to remove the Fed Chair President Trump renewed his attack on Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell Thursday for not cutting interest rates, even as Trump's own trade war makes rate cuts more difficult. In a social media post, Trump complained that Powell is "always TOO LATE AND WRONG," and he insisted the Fed chairman's "termination cannot come fast enough!" The president was evidently frustrated that the European Central Bank was preparing to lower interest rates for the seventh time, while the Federal Reserve is in a holding pattern. Of course, European leaders have not imposed triple-digit tariffs which threaten to rekindle inflation. Trump's post came a day after Powell warned that the tariffs from the Trump administration are likely to cause both higher prices and slower economic growth.

"Tariffs are highly likely to generate at least a temporary rise in inflation,"

Powell told the Economic Club of Chicago, noting that Trump's import taxes were higher than most forecasters had expected.

"The inflationary effects could also be more persistent."

As a result, Powell said, the central bank is "well positioned to wait for greater clarity" before considering any reduction in interest rates. Powell intends to serve out his term In his social media post, Trump called Powell's report a "complete mess," arguing "Oil prices are down, groceries (even eggs!) are down, and the USA is getting RICH ON TARIFFS." While oil prices have fallen in response to fears of a global economic slowdown, grocery prices actually rose last month, according to the latest inflation report from the Labor Department. Egg prices jumped nearly 6% between February and March, thanks to the lingering effects of bird flu. #Trump #Fed #Powell Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

DHS threatens to revoke Harvard’s eligibility to host foreign students The Trump administration has significantly dialed up its pressure on Harvard University, not only freezing $2 billion in federal funding but now threatening its eligibility to host international students after school leaders refused to make key policy changes the White House also is demanding of other elite US colleges. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sent Harvard “a scathing letter demanding detailed records on Harvard’s foreign student visa holders’ illegal and violent activities by April 30, 2025, or face immediate loss of Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification,” her agency said Wednesday in a news release that refers to antisemitism but does not detail specific incidents. It accuses Harvard of creating a “hostile learning environment” for Jewish students. “It is a privilege to have foreign students attend Harvard University, not a guarantee,” reads the letter, which a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson gave CNN after some of its details first were reported by the student-run Harvard Crimson. #Harvard #Education #students Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Elon Musk's SpaceX and two partners have emerged as frontrunners to win a crucial part of President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defense shield, six people familiar with the matter said. Musk's rocket and satellite company is partnering with software maker Palantir (PLTR.O), opens new tab and drone builder Anduril on a bid to build key parts of Golden Dome, the sources said, which has drawn significant interest from the technology sector's burgeoning base of defense startups. In his January 27 executive order, Trump cited a missile attack as "the most catastrophic threat facing the United States." All three companies were founded by entrepreneurs who have been major political supporters of Trump. Musk has donated more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect Trump, and now serves as a special adviser to the president working to cut government spending through his Department of Government Efficiency. Despite the Pentagon's positive signals to the SpaceX group, some sources stressed the decision process for Trump's Golden Dome is in its early stages. Its ultimate structure and who is selected to work on it could change dramatically in the coming months.

The three companies met with top officials in the Trump administration and the Pentagon in recent weeks to pitch their plan, which would build and launch 400 to more than 1,000 satellites circling the globe to sense missiles and track their movement,

sources said. A separate fleet of 200 attack satellites armed with missiles or lasers would then bring enemy missiles down, three of the sources said. The SpaceX group is not expected to be involved in the weaponization of satellites, these sources said. One of the sources familiar with the talks described them as "a departure from the usual acquisition process. There's an attitude that the national security and defense community has to be sensitive and deferential to Elon Musk because of his role in the government." SpaceX and Musk have declined to comment on whether Musk is involved in any of the discussions or negotiations involving federal contracts with his businesses. | #Trump #Musk #GoldenDome Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The 25 U.S. cities where a $100,000 salary still isn't enough to get by Reaching the six-figure salary threshold may be considered a financial victory for many Americans, but in a many big U.S. cities the once aspirational milestone just doesn't cut it anymore. In one out of four large metro areas in the United States, a family of three with a household income of $100,000 will still struggle to get by, a LendingTree analysis reveals. That's a stark realization for many Americans, who continue to face rising household expenses on everything from a dozen eggs to a bag of coffee. The average median household income in then U.S. was $80,610 in 2023, according to the most recent estimate from the Census Bureau.

"For generations of Americans, $100,000 has long been a magic number. It has been seen as a level of yearly earnings that says: You've made it. You're successful,"

according to the report.

"However, that has changed dramatically in many of the nation's biggest metros. In 25 of the 100 largest metros in this country, a six-figure household income isn't enough to handle the basics."

In determining the metro areas where a $100,000 salary wouldn't stretch far enough, LendingTree considered eight different spending categories a typical family of three might face — such as two-bedroom apartment and infant daycare — and then subtracted the total cost from the $8,333 in monthly income the family would be earning on a salary of $100,000. That left a slew of large metro areas, from Los Angeles to New York, with negative monthly income estimates. In 25 of the 100 largest U.S. cities LendingTree looked at for its report, researchers found that monthly expenditures – which ranged from food to childcare and health insurance costs – outweighed net monthly income. The analysis didn't factor in debt payments. #salary #prices #inflation Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Draw Massive Crowd To Rally In Red State Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) appeared convinced their brand of progressive politics is resonating in traditionally Republican states as they spoke at a filled-to-capacity arena in Idaho. For weeks, the Vermont senator has been drawing large crowds to his nationwide Fighting Oligarchy tour, with the New York congresswoman often featuring as a guest speaker. While it might be expected that the duo could sell out venues in their Democratic heartlands, both indicated they believe it’s notable that they’ve also been drawing huge crowds in red states. On Monday night, the crowd at Nampa’s Ford Idaho Center was at full capacity of 12,500, the Idaho Capital Sun reported, as Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez attacked the economic damage caused by the Trump administration and championed universal healthcare. The night before, they spoke to a crowd of 20,000 to the south in Salt Lake City, Utah. In any case, attracting thousands of people to a Monday night political rally in a non-election year is no mean feat. But President Donald Trump won Idaho by 36.5 percentage points in 2024, and no Democratic presidential candidate has taken the state since President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, underlining the scale of the fight in the Gem State. And yet, despite the record suggesting Idahoans wouldn’t be very interested in what Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are selling, both were in a bullish mood.

“Alexandria, they told us this was a conservative state,”

Sanders said after being introduced by his touring partner to huge cheers from the crowd.

“They got it wrong.”

#Sanders #OcasioCortez #rally Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

President Donald Trump is maintaining a slightly positive approval rating, according to the latest polling, though his numbers have continued to slide as consumers come to grips with the reality of lingering inflation colliding with the president’s massive tariff rollout. According to a poll of 2,286 registered voters released Monday by Harvard’s Center for American Political Studies, The Harris Poll, and HarrisX, at least 48% of voters still think Trump’s doing a good job. That’s compared to 46% who disapprove of the president’s work, and 6% who reported they “don’t know” how to feel.

“Trump’s approval is still above water but has dipped four points,”

pollsters wrote, noting

“Trump’s highest approval is on his handling of immigration and reducing (government) costs, while his lowest is on tariffs and inflation.”

While just over half of polled voters approve of Trump’s take on immigration — 51% — and precisely half approve of his work at “reducing the cost of the government,” the pollsters didn’t find majorities in favor of any other policy they asked about. Under half — 49% — approved of Trump attempts at “returning America to its values,” while just 43% approved of his handling of the economy, and only 41% agreed with the job he’s done on inflation or his tariff policies. The poll also found voters are most concerned about “price increases/inflation” or “economy and jobs,” with about two in three saying they’re “the most important issues facing the country today.” Immigration was down by three points from last month, at third among voters’ top concerns, at 26%, while healthcare landed at fourth, with 21% of those polled listing it as top of mind. Pollsters found that “inflation remains the top issue for voters across party lines.” The president’s immigration policies found strong support, while voters were split on his tariff policies. Three out of four voters said they are in favor of “deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have committed crimes,” and seven out of 10 would approve of “closing the border with added security and policies that discourage illegal crossings.” By contrast, just half approved of Trump “placing tariffs on goods from China, Mexico and Canada to encourage U.S. manufacturing.” A plurality of polled voters, or 43%, think that Trump is “doing worse than expected” overall, while just 27% think he’s “doing better” than expected. For 29% of those polled, Trump is performing to expectations. A majority of voters, or 52%, think Trump is doing a better job than was done by former President Joe Biden. #Trump #Poll Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

News keeps getting worse for Kamala Harris in new poll Former Vice President Kamala Harris may have some competition if she wants to make a bid for the 2028 presidential election. A new poll from Echelon Insights found that Harris’s lead in a hypothetical 2028 Democratic presidential primary race has narrowed since the poll was last taken in March. The poll found that 28% of Democrats would vote for Harris in a hypothetical primary contest, which is down from the 33% who said they would vote for her in March. The poll did find that support for New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) jumped up in April after he delivered a speech on the Senate floor for more than 25 hours to protest President Donald Trump. Booker followed Harris’s lead with 11% of support among Democrats in the new poll, which is up by 9 percentage points since the March poll. In a head-to-head matchup, the poll showed Harris leading Booker, with 54% supporting Harris and 34% backing Booker. #Poll #Harris #Democrats Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Voters No Longer Blame Economy on Biden A growing number of Americans are blaming President Donald Trump, rather than former President Joe Biden, for the state of the economy, according to two recent polls. Trump emphasized his economic plan on the campaign trail, pledging to bring down inflation faced by Americans after the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020. However, economists warn that his plans, including tariffs, could lead to higher prices for U.S. consumers, and his efforts at implementing the policy caused stocks to drop. The economy remains a top issue for most voters, and Trump's handling of it will be on Americans' minds heading into the 2026 midterms, as well as a handful of off-year gubernatorial races later this year. Democrats are hoping that growing dissatisfaction with his economic plans can carry them to victory in key races. A new CBS News/YouGov poll showed that Americans are increasingly critical of Trump's handling of the economy, and that more people are blaming him than a month earlier. It surveyed 2,410 U.S. adults from April 8 to 11. When asked whose policies are more responsible for the state of the economy, 54 percent said they believe Trump's policies are more to blame. Only 21 percent said they believe Biden's policies are to blame. Twenty percent said both of their policies are equally to blame, while 5 percent said neither are to blame for the state of the economy. This compares to a March CBS News poll, when 38 percent of respondents said they blamed Biden for inflation, while only 34 percent blamed Trump. A poll from YouGov and The Economist also showed that more Americans are blaming Trump for the economy. Their latest poll, conducted among 1,741 adults from April 5 to 8, showed that 50 percent of Americans blame Trump for the economy, compared to 32 percent who blame Biden. Six percent said neither, while 13 percent were unsure. That marks a slight shift from two surveys from the pollster in March. A March 16-18 Economist poll, among 1,618 adults, showed 48 percent blamed Trump, while 32 percent blamed Biden. A March 9-11 poll of 1,699 adults showed that 44 percent blamed Trump, while 34 percent blamed Biden. On April 2, Trump rolled out tariffs on dozens of countries across the globe during his "Liberation Day" celebration, but the following week he put a 90-day pause on most tariffs, with the exception of China, a major global manufacturing hub. The trade war has seen 145 percent tariffs imposed on Chinese imports, threatening to increase the prices of the cheap goods brought into the U.S. from manufacturers based there. There are, however, some items that will be exempt from the tariffs. Stock markets initially plunged following the tariff announcement, with the Dow Jones Industry Average falling 9 percent from April 2 to 4. It has rebounded a bit since then but still remains 4 percent lower than before the tariffs were announced. Others, however, believe the tariffs will benefit Americans. Kara Deniz, assistant director of communications for the Teamsters, a key labor union, previously told Newsweek that the tariffs will bring back good, union manufacturing jobs. #Trump #Biden #Poll Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump will destroy a world economy Judging by the results, the United States should be the last country that wants to re-order the world economy. We’ve thrived in recent decades, while other advanced democracies have fallen behind. If we’ve gotten “ripped off” as President Trump and supporters of the trade war like to say, the supposed thieves have gained little and the purported victim has continued to march ahead. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t seek to change unfair trade practices, and to gain more independence from Chinese supply chains. Yet it’s foolish to disrupt willy-nilly a system that has us at the apex, and getting stronger rather than weaker. We’ve been outpacing the rest of the advanced world since the early 1990s. As the Economist magazine noted in a cover story last year,

“In 1990 America accounted for about two-fifths of the overall GDP of the G7 group of advanced countries; today it is up to about half.”

We roughly doubled the gap in our per-person output over Europe and Japan across those decades. Since 2020, we grew three times as fast as the G7. Overall, whereas we were 21% of global GDP in 2012, now we are 26% — right about where we were in 1980. #Trump #economy #Trade Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸