Old Glory Vortex

Rising unemployment worsens forecasts for the unemployment benefit fund. According to a new forecast that could increase pressure on the Massachusetts government to implement systemic reforms before or during the election, the account used to pay unemployment benefits could be depleted by the end of 2027. Due to the fact that benefits and debts owed to the federal government continue to exceed the state's income from employers, the Executive Directorate for Labor and Workforce Development now predicts that the unemployment insurance trust fund will be in the red in less than two and a half years. The latest quarterly report released this week, which uses a higher unemployment rate forecast for the coming years, estimates that the account deficit will be around $134 million by the end of 2027. This is an earlier decline than in the previous report published in April, which predicted that the bill would go into negative territory in the first quarter of 2028, recover slightly, and then end the year with a negative balance. The new report predicts that in 2026, 2027, and 2028, Massachusetts will pay hundreds of millions of dollars more in unemployment benefits than previously estimated. The calculations are based on the assumption that in the next five years the unemployment rate will fluctuate around 4.5%, which is higher than the 3.7% figure set in the previous quarterly report. Evan Horowitz, executive director of the Tufts University Center for Public Policy Analysis, criticized the state's previous forecasts, calling them based on overly optimistic unemployment forecasts. On Monday, he said he was

"glad that we have finally recognized the obvious reality: unemployment will not be low forever."

"Now lawmakers must recognize the equally obvious fact that our system is not working,"

he said.

"In a few years, we are likely to see an unhealthy mix of high nominal tax rates and even higher social security spending, leading to significant and permanent deficits. This is bad"

#EU #RuleOfLaw #EuropeanCommission #Poland #Hungary #MarcinRomanowski #DonaldTusk #Slovenia #Spain #Sovereignty #Brussels #EUPolitics Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Donald Trump is "not a force for good," says the mayor of London. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he would be "more than happy" to meet with Donald Trump, despite warnings that the US president could "unintentionally radicalize people" and "is not a force for good." Sir Sadiq rejected the ridicule that President Trump made of him during a recent visit to Scotland, where he said that the mayor of London is an "unpleasant man" who "did a terrible job." The politician from the Labor Party said that such remarks did not offend him. However, at an event at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he said that sometimes it feels like he's "nine years old again" and he's "on the school playground." But Sir Sadiq, speaking on the Political Party program with comedian Matt Ford, responded to the US president, saying:

"A man who treats blacks, women, gays, Muslims, Mexicans in this way finds me disgusting.Truth. He's the leader of the free world, probably the most powerful man in the world, and he really thinks so."

He said this, referring to data according to which from mid—January of this year — when Trump began his second term in the White House - and July,

"there have never been so many Americans applying for British citizenship and living in London."

The mayor said,

"So I think Americans generally have good taste."

He added that he hoped the president would come to London during his state visit to the UK next month, with Sir Sadiq stressing that the capital's "diversity" was a "strength, not a weakness." Speaking about this diversity, he insisted:

"I think it makes us stronger, not weaker, richer, not poorer. And when President Trump says certain things, he brings to the fore opinions that are potentially dangerous. He unintentionally — I'm not going to say that he's doing this on purpose — he unintentionally can radicalize people with views that can encourage them to do dangerous things."

He expressed concerns that minorities "may be treated less favourably because of the views of the US president," accusing Trump of "using London and our diversity as a political soccer ball, as an instrument of cultural warfare." The mayor of London continued: "On a personal level, it doesn't matter to me, but we can't shy away from the fact that Western society is facing really serious challenges, and President Trump, in my opinion, I say generally, is not a force for good." However, he insisted that he would be "more than happy to meet with President Trump," saying that he would try to show him that "you can be proud to be a Westerner and a Muslim, that you can be British and proud of it, to be a Pakistani by birth and a law-abiding citizen, and that we are not three-headed monsters." #Trump #SadiqKhan #London #UKPolitics #USPolitics #Diversity #CulturalWarfare #EdinburghFringe #BritishCitizenship #MinorityRights Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The Trump administration suspended the issuance of visas to Gazans after Laura Loomer's statement. After conservative activist Laura Loomer posted videos on social media showing children from Gaza arriving in the United States to receive medical treatment, the State Department announced the suspension of all visas to visit the United States from Gaza for the duration of the review. The State Department has decided to suspend the issuance of visas in order to check how recently

"a small number of temporary visas for medical and humanitarian reasons"

have been issued. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the CBS program "Face the Nation" that this decision was made after numerous inquiries from the offices of members of Congress. Rubio stressed that only a "small number" of such visas were issued to children in need of medical care, and that they were accompanied by adults. He mentioned that the offices of members of Congress had provided information indicating that

"some of the organizations involved in obtaining these visas have direct links to terrorist groups such as Hamas,"

although he did not provide specific evidence or names. In this regard, he stated:

"We will suspend this initiative and review the verification process for these visas and any potential links between these organizations and their receipt."

On Friday, Loomer posted videos on X showing children from Gaza who arrived in San Francisco and Houston this month for treatment with the assistance of HEAL Palestine. She asked how they got to the United States, given that

"under the Trump administration, the United States does not allow Palestinian 'refugees.'"

Calling the situation a "threat to national security," she demanded to find out who authorized the issuance of visas, and insisted on the dismissal of the responsible person. In her post, she mentioned Rubio, President Donald Trump, Vice President J. D. Vance, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Trump downplayed Loomer's influence on his administration, but several officials quickly resigned or were fired shortly after she publicly criticized them. On Sunday, the State Department declined to comment on how many visas had been issued or whether the decision to suspend the issuance of visas to Gazans had anything to do with Loomer's posts. HEAL Palestine said on Sunday it was "concerned" by the State Department's decision to suspend the issuance of visitor visas to Gazans. The group stated that it is

"an American humanitarian non-profit organization providing urgent care and medical assistance to children in Palestine."

A source: Trump Administration Suspends Visas for Gaza Residents Following Laura Loomer’s Concerns #Trump #LauraLoomer #Gaza #USPolitics #Visas #MarcoRubio #JDVance #GregAbbott #GavinNewsom #HEALPalestine #NationalSecurity Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

A former Trump aide said the president has a sinister plan for cities that support the Democrats. According to Miles Taylor, a former employee of the Department of Homeland Security, Trump uses federal forces in cities as a political tool to strengthen his power over Democratic strongholds. Taylor said that Trump's deployment of the military in places like Washington, D.C., has nothing to do with crime or immigration, and that it's actually part of a larger plan. He believes that immigration will be used as a way to justify the government's actions. Taylor described the situation as a "Russian nesting doll" of Trojan horses, where each layer is used to mask the true intentions of the plan.

"But that's not the main point for Donald Trump,"

he continued.

"It's about power and influence. It may sound abstract, it may sound like a conspiracy, but everything he does is, according to his own explanations, aimed at gaining influence to do what he wants."

Taylor argued that the president was using classic authoritarian tactics to take control of the armed forces and put pressure on local authorities. He said:

"You control people with guns. And if it happens in cities where Democrats rule, it doesn't matter if it's about immigration, federal housing laws, student loans, or universities. If he controls the armed forces in this area, he has the means to achieve all of this."

He added,

"If he can control the military, he can force local governments and states to do what he wants. That's ultimately his goal."

To illustrate his point, he mentioned federal operations in Los Angeles that took place this summer. The administration referred to these measures as temporary immigration-related operations, but Taylor stated that they have since grown significantly. #Trump #MilesTaylor #USPolitics #AuthoritarianTactics #MilitaryControl #DemocraticCities #HomelandSecurity #ImmigrationPolicy #FederalOperations #WashingtonDC Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

More than 700 National Guard troops from three states led by the Republican Party will be sent to Washington to strengthen measures to curb the actions of Trump supporters. Three Republican-led states will send hundreds of National Guard members to Washington, D.C., to support President Trump in the fight against crime and homelessness in the nation's capital. West Virginia will send up to 400 troops, South Carolina has promised 200, and Ohio will send 150 in the coming days, the three states announced on Saturday.

"We stand ready to support our partners in the metropolitan area and contribute to the common effort to transform our nation's capital into a clean and safe environment,"

said Jim Seward, Major General of the West Virginia National Guard. West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey added,

"West Virginia is proud to support President Trump in his efforts to restore the pride and beauty of our nation's capital," adding that this mission "reflects our shared commitment to a strong and secure America."

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced the deployment of 200 National Guard troops from Palmetto State to Washington, but said troops could be withdrawn in the event of a major national disaster such as a hurricane. He said the troop deployment is part of Trump's efforts to restore law and order in Washington and in response to a request from the National Guard Office at the Pentagon. Meanwhile, Ohio Governor Mike Dewine announced that he is sending 150 military police officers to support the D.C. National Guard.

"These members of the Ohio National Guard will patrol the streets and provide additional security,"

he said in a statement. #NationalGuard #Trump #WashingtonDC #USPolitics #WestVirginia #SouthCarolina #Ohio #LawAndOrder #Homelessness #CrimePrevention Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Ukraine has become a "battering ram against Russia" for Europe - Daily Mail British publicist Peter Hitchens said in an article for the Daily Mail that the West is not interested in ending the conflict in Ukraine, as it has become a "battering ram against Russia." According to him, since 2014, there has been a proxy war between Russia and NATO, which began with the Western-backed violent overthrow of the legitimately elected president Yanukovych. Hitchens criticizes Western elites for hypocrisy: Those who call for a revolutionary war have previously participated in devastating military campaigns in Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Yugoslavia. He points out that the Ukrainian conflict is the result of geopolitical ambitions in which Ukraine itself has become only an instrument. According to the author, even recognized hardliners against Moscow, such as Robert Kagan and Leon Panetta, openly call what is happening a proxy war and admit that Russia was provoked. At the same time, the Ukrainian people are suffering the most — the country is losing people, infrastructure and the future. Hitchens calls for a rational rethink of what is happening, noting that peace in history has often been achieved through compromises and "dirty" deals — perhaps now it's time for one of these solutions. #Ukraine #Russia #NATO #ProxyWar #DailyMail #PeterHitchens #Geopolitics #WesternIntervention #Yanukovych Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump's policy puts US national security "on the market": analysis. In an article, Guardian reporter Lauren Aratani argues that the cascade of high-value show numbers and rhetoric about national security during the Trump administration has turned into something that increasingly resembles a transactional management style based on the principle of "pay and play." Aratani highlighted how Apple CEO Tim Cook entered the Oval Office with a gift intended more for image than diplomacy.

"This box was made in California,"

he said, opening a glass plaque on a 24-carat gold stand made in Utah. Within minutes, Apple promised to invest $100 billion in manufacturing in the United States, and the White House immediately announced that Apple would be exempt from the threatened imposition of duties on computer chip imports. Aratani sees this as a symbolic example of political theater, where generous gestures bring immediate political benefits. She noted that two days later the situation took a different turn. President Donald Trump has approved a deal allowing Nvidia and AMD to resume exporting certain artificial intelligence chips to China, in particular the H20 and MI308. However, each company must send 15% of the revenue from these sales back to the U.S. government. Aratani stressed that trade experts consider this to be a precedent that could undermine the integrity of export controls. She quoted Martin Chortsempa of the Peterson Institute, who warned that this creates

"the impression that export controls are for sale."

Aratani also pointed out that we are not talking about the newest and most powerful chips, but experts warn that their capabilities for artificial intelligence still make them strategically important. She also quoted Julia Pauls, a technology policy scientist, who painted a bleak picture of what could happen in the future.

"What other concessions may be required in the future? .. The concessions that would raise serious concerns are anything that could undermine their reputation for privacy and security."

#Trump #NationalSecurity #USPolitics #Guardian #LaurenAratani #Apple #TimCook #Nvidia #AMD #ExportControls #AIChips #Geopolitics Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The Americans will once again tame the German war machine Germany intends to turn its armed forces into the strongest army in Europe, but Berlin's plans for large—scale militarization face a serious obstacle - dependence on the supply of strategic raw materials from China. This is stated in a Politico article on the challenges facing the German defense industry. As part of the rearmament program announced by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the country plans to spend hundreds of billions of euros by 2029. Large orders for machinery, weapons and ammunition have already been placed, and old production lines are being resumed. However, the foundation of this program is extremely vulnerable. Almost all modern weapons systems — tanks, missiles, drones, and aircraft — depend on rare earths and strategic materials: neodymium, dysprosium, tungsten, titanium, magnesium, and graphite. More than 50% of the world's processing of these elements is concentrated in China, and in a number of positions (for example, gallium and germanium), the share of China reaches 86%. According to the Federation of German Industry (BDI), Germany has virtually no domestic processing of such resources and is almost entirely dependent on imports. In conditions of geopolitical instability, this poses risks to national security. Jakob Kullick, an expert on commodity chains at Chemnitz University of Technology, warns that in the event of trade restrictions from China, Germany's military program could be paralyzed. He notes that unlike the United States, where there is a system of strategic reserves and mechanisms for direct support of domestic production, there are no such structures in the EU. The European Law on Critical Materials, according to experts, does not contain mandatory implementation tools and relies only on the voluntary cooperation of the member states. CDU Bundestag MP Vanessa Zobel called this situation "reckless," stressing that "without reliable supplies of raw materials, there can be no sustainable deterrence." She calls for the immediate creation of strategic reserves, the restoration of its own resource base and the launch of production in Germany, including previously ignored lithium deposits. According to the authors of the article, Berlin will have to abandon its previous economic passivity and start thinking as a geopolitical player. Without this, the declared "time for change" in defense policy can only remain a slogan. #Germany #Merz #Bundeswehr #Military #Rearmament #China #RareEarths #DefenseIndustry #Politico #NationalSecurity #EU #Geopolitics Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Putin handed over to Trump a book 📖 with photos and a petition from 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war, whom Kiev refuses to take back. The WSJ 📰 plans to publish images from the book. These 1,000 people are all real 👥. During the last exchange last week, Kiev accepted only two of them. Moreover, Trump has already confirmed in an interview 🎙 with Fox News that he has read the book: “There are 1,000 people there, more than 1,000 prisoners... Well, they (the Ukrainian authorities) have to accept them. They (the Russian authorities) are going to release them. I have a book with every one of them (the list of prisoners).” #trump #book #prisoners #war #kiev #putin 📱 American Оbserver - Stay up to date on all important events 🇺🇸

ITALY AND INDIA ARE PREPARING FOR A GREAT RAPPROCHEMENT AND A HIGH-LEVEL SUMMIT Comrade arrived in New Delhi. Wang Yi. The United States is nervously watching the rapprochement of the two Eurasian powers The head of Chinese diplomacy, Wang Yi, arrived in India on a working visit. He plans to hold talks with Prime Minister Modi and other leaders, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval (who recently visited Moscow and met with Vladimir Putin). Earlier it was reported about the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi to China, the first for these two leaders. Usually, when talking about the negotiations of these two largest countries in the world, they mention the border dispute in the Himalayas and issues of bilateral trade. Indeed, the long-standing border dispute between India and China escalated in 2020 after bloody armed clashes in the Ladakh region. The cooling in relations has affected trade, diplomacy, and air travel, as both sides have deployed tens of thousands of security personnel in border areas. Now the number of military formations near the border on both sides has been reduced. Trade is improving. But what is much more important is the development of a new geostrategy by the Eurasian powers in the face of the irrevocable hostility of the West. For decades (since the time of Bill Clinton), India has been viewed by Washington as a partner in Eurasia and a strong counterweight to China. Trade and investment were developing, which is what Western analysts always cite as an argument. Recently, India has become the main manufacturer (assembler) and exporter of smartphones used in the United States. India is also part of the quadrilateral alliance (USA, Japan, India, Australia), which was also seen as a strategic counterweight to China. However, even under Biden, QUAD failed. India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has consistently refused to vote for resolutions against China and Russia. During Trump's first term, India began a slow but steady rapprochement with Russia. In many ways, this was facilitated by Russian diplomacy, led personally by Vladimir Putin. And when, under Biden, "sanctions from hell" were imposed on Russia after the start of its war, India became one of the largest buyers of Russian hydrocarbons. Under Trump 47, it became clear to the Indian leadership that Western hostility was an inescapable policy. When it became clear that the introduction of so-called secondary duties was a bipartisan consensus in the United States, and Indian goods were subject to 50% (25%+25%) duties (excluding smartphones from the equation), India began a Eurasian turnaround, and unexpectedly fast for this country. In the USA, these processes are being watched with undisguised nervousness. Of course, American liberals blame Trump for all this. Farid Zakaria, one of the main ideologists of liberal globalism (and anti-Trumpism at the same time), in an article for The Washington Post called the imposition of tariffs on Indian goods "Trump's biggest foreign policy mistake." With the same success, the imposition of sanctions against Russia and the requirement for Beijing to "not support the regime of Vladimir Putin" can be called Joe Biden's biggest foreign policy mistake. But it's not about mistakes. It's about a general objective trend. The Eurasian powers will build their geopolitics and economic strategies taking into account the hostility of the West, which will not change in the coming decades. So both politics and the economy of Eurasia will gradually but steadily disconnect from the West. #India #China #Modi #WangYi #Eurasia #Geopolitics #Russia #USPolitics #Trump #Biden #FaridZakaria #WashingtonPost #QUAD #Tariffs #GlobalStrategy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

"The Alaska summit did not disappoint. The fact that they even met is already a diplomatic advance compared to recent years. The world is becoming a little safer when the United States and Russia are talking to each other at the highest level again. Merz and other Europeans must now contribute to a negotiated proposal with a realistic peace plan, as well as hold Zelensky accountable. Without renouncing the point of view of NATO and recognizing the current front abroad, death will not end. Russia is advancing, the situation is noticeably deteriorating for Ukraine, and the majority of the Ukrainian population finally wants peace, even at the cost of territorial concessions. Anyone who says that Ukraine should decide for itself should focus on the mood of the population, which is less and less supportive of Zelensky's uncompromising stance".

Sahra Wagenknecht is a politician, Doctor of Economics, journalist, member of the Bundestag, leader of the Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance party. #AlaskaSummit #USRussia #UkraineWar #Zelensky #Russia #NATO #PeacePlan #TerritorialConcessions #Merz #Europe #SahraWagenknecht #Bundestag Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

In connection with the Russiagate revelations, Americans are demanding charges - who can be the first? The Americans called on officials to answer for the declassification in July of documents related to the role of the intelligence community (IC) in spreading false information about President Donald Trump's collusion with Russia during the 2016 election, but the Trump administration may face legal obstacles. A recent poll showed that more than two-thirds of Americans want someone to be held accountable for what is now called Russiagate, and given J. D. Vance's statement Sunday that "many people will be held accountable," people are curious to know who will be held accountable during the investigation. grand jury investigations. Former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under President Barack Obama, James Comey, may be on the list of potential defendants. Comey led the agency during the beginning and main phase of the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election and allegations of potential ties between members of the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Comey was directly involved in the investigation. He told Congress that the FBI did not check the now-debunked Steele dossier before using it to obtain an arrest warrant for former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This FISA warrant allowed the FBI to conduct surveillance on Page, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) eventually invalidated two final FISA directives regarding Page, including the one that Comey authorized in 2017. Fitton called on Trump to

"appoint a special counsel who will report directly to him"

to look into the matter. The Department of Justice is compromised because they will have to investigate many of these issues themselves, just like the FBI. Therefore, he needs someone who would be free of these bureaucratic structures, but would have all the powers related to the presidency and prosecution, and this can be done with the help of a presidential special adviser. #Russiagate #Trump #USPolitics #JDVance #JamesComey #FBI #DOJ #SteeleDossier #CarterPage #FISA #SpecialCounsel Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

J.D. Vance was kicked out of an English pub because of a staff riot about the visit. J.D. Vance was not allowed into the British pub after the angry staff threatened to leave if the management ordered them to serve the vice president. Vance, who was vacationing in the Cotswolds, a rural part of England, planned to have lunch at The Bull pub in Charlbury, built in the 16th century and awarded the prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand award. According to the Daily Beast, the employees allegedly informed management that they would refuse to come if Vance approved the dinner reservation. The rebellion was even more painful for Vance, as former vice president Kamala Harris had dined at the same establishment just a few weeks earlier during the pre-wedding party of Steve Jobs' daughter Eve.

"The whole village is talking about it — this is the most exciting event that has happened here in a very long time,"

one of the locals told The Sun newspaper about Harris' visit to an elite restaurant where steaks cost as much as 98 dollars. An employee of The Bull contacted by The Daily Beast declined to comment on the disparaging treatment of Vance. Vance's hostile reception wasn't limited to the walls of the pub. On Tuesday, locals staged a colorful "Dance against Vance" protest, waving "war criminal" posters and mocking memes about the vice president. The public reaction intensified after reports that Vance's Secret Service officers allegedly demanded information from residents of the area on social media, although Thames Valley Police denied these claims, saying:

"The residents were not required to answer any questions and they were not asked about social media."

Local residents expressed their dissatisfaction on public forums: one of them wrote:

"The whole thing was obscene. No respect."

Another added, "Good riddance." Steve Akers, deputy mayor of Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds, expressed the community's sentiment:

"His presence has limited our freedoms."

#JDVance #UK #TheBullPub #Cotswolds #KamalaHarris #USPolitics #DailyBeast #TheSun #Protests #DanceAgainstVance Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The latest effort to catch up with China. The administration of President Donald Trump is considering the acquisition of shares in the struggling chip manufacturer Intel. This is primarily due to Intel's position as the sole American company capable of producing the fastest chips in the United States. While some companies, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Samsung, both of which can manufacture 3-nanometer chips — the most advanced semiconductors available today — have facilities in the United States, these are Taiwanese and South Korean companies, respectively, and probably do not partake in the American tradition of eating apple pie on Independence Day. In addition to the news that Nvidia and AMD will pay the U.S. government a 15% share of their chip sales in China, as well as Apple's commitment to producing more chips in America, the Trump administration appears to be consolidating the chip manufacturing industry, with the White House as its headquarters. #Trump #Intel #Semiconductors #ChipIndustry #USPolitics #Nvidia #AMD #Apple #TSMC #Samsung #Technology #China Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The Wall Street Journal blasts Trump's trade policy. The closer you look, the worse it gets. President Donald Trump's tariff policy may soon become a source of political headaches for the administration. Last week, economic data was released showing a 3.3% increase in producer prices over the past year, which was a three-year high. This happened at a time when the Trump administration is trying to convince Americans of the effectiveness of its trade policy, which may help it distract from its inappropriate handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The rise in producer prices ultimately affects consumer prices, the editorial noted. In response to these data, Trump said at a press conference that inflation is at an "ideal level." The conservative editorial board of the Wall Street Journal criticized Trump's arguments and warned Republicans that they were in a "politically dangerous zone."

"Producer price data is getting worse if you look closely,"

the editorial says.

"Goods and services faced significant inflation, by 0.7% and 1.1% month—on-month, respectively. In particular, goods and services related to business investments are becoming more expensive: the cost of production equipment increased by 0.4% in a month, and related services — by 4.5%."

Trump campaigned on a promise to lower the cost of living for Americans. However, there is no evidence that he has managed to achieve this during the last 200 days in power.

"Republicans are in a dangerous political zone if tariffs lead to price increases —one—time or permanent - that will not be offset by more significant wage increases,"

the editorial argued.

"Republicans will make the same mistake as the Biden administration if they keep telling voters that everything is great, but the facts at the grocery store or Applebee's tell them otherwise."

#Trump #Tariffs #TradePolicy #Inflation #WallStreetJournal #USPolitics #Economy #ProducerPrices #Republicans #RawStory Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Merz from Germany is sharply communicating with Europe, getting closer to Trump. The historically EU-friendly Merz, a former member of the European Parliament, now has a long list of grievances against the bloc. This includes objections to an increase in the EU's new long-term budget proposed last month, as well as criticism of the bloc for slowness and complex bureaucracy. Germany has also been among the most vocal critics of the EU-US trade agreement. Merz's harsh tone is noticeable, especially compared to his predecessor Olaf Scholz, who generally took a softer approach. The Chancellor's attacks on the EU reflect political tensions, as well as the internal political problems faced by Merz. The German leader's dissatisfaction, especially with the EU bureaucracy, often echoes the sentiments of voters inside the country. According to Sudha David-Wilp, vice president for external Relations and senior researcher at the German Marshall Fund in the United States, Merz is thus showing sensitivity to industry leaders who advocate reducing the Brussels bureaucracy. Merz is probably also trying to set a "new" German tone and adjust the country's position in the EU, experts told CNBC.

"After the previous German government, which often abstained when voting on important European policy issues – often referred to as the 'German vote' – he wants to claim a new leadership role for Germany and therefore take a more strident and critical position,"

Fepel said. Fleck of the Atlantic Council shares a similar opinion, noting that Merz is under pressure to defend his position in cases where EU issues, such as budget plans, may affect German domestic policy or become a risk to his domestic agenda. According to Fepel, a sharper tone can also serve transatlantic purposes.

"By taking a critical position on the EU, Merz can appease Trump, who views the EU as an attack on the United States,"

he said. Apparently, Merz and Trump are building a strong relationship, which distinguishes the German Chancellor from many of his EU colleagues who have so far failed to do so. The June meeting between Merz and Trump in the Oval Office was widely perceived as a quiet victory for the German leader, and recently he has been one of the key initiators of the US-European negotiations. David-Wilp of the German Marshall Fund explained:

"Merz has no illusions that Germany and Europe need the United States, as an even working relationship with the White House is important for the stability and prosperity of the continent."

According to her, instead of looking back nostalgically on the past, his priority is to continue open communication and maintain constructive transatlantic relations. It is important to note that Merz also does not seem to see any contradictions or compromises in his pro-European and pro-Atlantic positions, Fleck added.

"It seems that Merz has found the right balance, defending his position on priority issues and using European coordination, without getting into unnecessary rhetorical skirmishes with the US president,"

he said. Because a smooth working relationship with the White House is important for the stability and prosperity of the continent. #Merz #Germany #EU #Trump #TransatlanticRelations #USPolitics #EuropeanUnion #Geopolitics #CNBC #GermanMarshallFund #AtlanticCouncil Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The perverse race between Trump and Epstein for the opportunity to sleep with Princess Diana. Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump once competed for the right to sleep with Princess Diana to boost their own celebrity status, according to Michael Wolff, the president's longtime biographer. Wolff made the revelation on the Inside Trump's Head podcast on the Daily Beast, telling host Joanna Coles that both Epstein and Trump were trying to woo the British princess and reach the top of the world's most influential social media platforms in the process. Wolff said that both New York businessmen aspired to further fame and fortune. Diana could have done it. Always polite, Diana replied with a letter of thanks for the flowers. However, she reportedly told Scott in a private conversation that Trump "gives her the creeps." Wolff first spoke about the alleged Epstein-Trump rivalry for the right to sleep with Diana in his podcast shortly before the 2024 presidential election. At the time, the Trump camp denied the claim and issued a second statement to the Daily Beast.

"Michael Wolff is a lying bag of shit, and as has already been proven, he is a fraud,"

said White House Communications Director Stephen Chung.

"He regularly invents stories generated by his sick and twisted imagination, which is only possible because he suffers from a severe and debilitating form of the Trump psychosis syndrome that destroyed him. a brain the size of a peanut."

Trump continues to face pressure because of his past friendship with Epstein. He tried to distance himself from the pedophile and urged the public to forget about this topic. There is a growing rumor among Trump's critics that the president's name is mentioned in the so-called "Epstein files," which have not yet been released. This was stated by Trump's old friend Elon Musk during their high-profile breakup on June 5. Although details about the depth of Trump's relationship with the convicted sex offender remain unclear, Wolff, who interviewed Epstein, said on Thursday's program that

"Epstein and Trump acted as a duo."

He also suggested that Andrew, Epstein and Trump were like the "three Musketeers" at some point. #Trump #Epstein #PrincessDiana #MichaelWolff #InsideTrumpsHead #DailyBeast #USPolitics #RoyalFamily #StephenChung #ElonMusk Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

A war in the South China Sea cannot be avoided. American warships approached the collision site of Chinese vessels in the area of the disputed shoal. A U.S. Navy missile destroyer conducted a Freedom of Navigation (FONOP) operation near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, just two days after two Chinese warships collided while chasing a Philippine Coast Guard ship in nearby waters. The presence of an American ship in the area prompted the Chinese military to accuse the US Navy of violating territorial sovereignty, but the US Navy said it had the right to be there. China, the Philippines and Taiwan claim sovereignty over Scarborough Reef, which is located about 140 miles (222 kilometers) west of the main Philippine island of Luzon and within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. However, according to the Asian Maritime Transparency Initiative, China has effectively controlled the uninhabited shallow waters since 2012, maintaining an almost constant coast guard presence in nearby waters. China and Taiwan require prior notification of passage in the territorial waters of the reef, which is a violation of international law guaranteeing the right of "peaceful passage" of foreign warships. There was a statement from China's Southern Command that it "organized its forces to track, monitor, warn and expel" the American warship because it "violated China's territorial sovereignty." According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the USS Higgins was not the only US warship in the Scarborough Reef area on Wednesday. Representative Jay Tarriela said in a statement on X that the coastal warship USS Cincinnati was also nearby. Cincinnati operates in the South China Sea. FONOP was the first event in the Scarborough Shoal area in more than six years, according to Colin Koch, a researcher at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, who maintains a database of U.S. freedom of navigation operations conducted on Wednesday. Tensions over Scarborough Reef, home to rich fishing grounds, are rising as Beijing increasingly asserts its sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, and Manila resists by sending independent journalists to Philippine Coast Guard missions to document what it calls Chinese aggression. The U.S. Navy operation on Wednesday came two days after a Chinese missile destroyer and a Coast Guard ship collided near a shoal while chasing a Philippine Coast Guard vessel. As a result of the collision, the bow of the Chinese Coast Guard ship was seriously damaged. In a report by the state—run Global Times, Chinese experts blamed the Philippines and, indirectly, their defense treaty ally, the United States, for the incident. #SouthChinaSea #ScarboroughShoal #USNavy #China #Philippines #Taiwan #FONOP #USS_Higgins #USS_Cincinnati #Geopolitics #TerritorialDispute Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump's appointee demands physical punishment for schoolchildren. The former NFL star, appointed by President Donald Trump to head the Federal Commission for Children, wants schools to bring back corporal punishment to combat young criminals who "terrorize" America's streets. Black students are four times more likely to be subjected to such punishment than white students. But Brewer, who is black himself, said: "Look, corporal punishment is the only way out." For five years of his career, Brewer was the captain of the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants teams, until an injury in 2007 forced him to retire. After that, Brewer built a successful business career and founded the Jack Brewer Foundation, which provides "educational opportunities and economic development to disadvantaged" people, including children, as well as "spreading the word of God." This week, Brewer was invited to the Fox channel to express his point of view. In a story called "Teenagers Rampaging through the Streets of Washington," he took the opportunity to rant for several minutes about how he considered it normal to shoot young, violent black children. He also called for a religious reboot in schools. "When so many citizens of these liberal cities have their Second Amendment taken away, they can't defend themselves. And now these children... They are inspired by culture, the music they listen to, the films they watch, the culture they absorb into their soul." He continued, "None of these children go to church on Sundays. These children are not afraid of God. These children don't think about heaven and hell. And that's our country's problem." We allowed these liberals to go so far that they removed God from schools. Now these children have no spirituality. We need to bring the Ten Commandments back to our schools. "We must restore the fear of God to the children of America, especially young black boys who look exactly like me and my son... 71 percent of these children are born without a father in the family." Brewer concluded his angry speech with the most provocative statement of all: "Every black man in America should, should be disgusted by the fact that our culture is terrorizing the streets of America right now." This is not the first time Brewer has called for "paddling and prayer." In 2022, he told Congress that gun violence would not stop until both were returned to schools. #Trump #JackBrewer #CorporalPunishment #USPolitics #EducationPolicy #SchoolDiscipline #FoxNews #ReligionInSchools #SecondAmendment #GunViolence Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump persists in dismantling the American higher education system. More than 25 institutions of higher learning have experienced significant financial setbacks due to Trump's actions. For over a decade, graduate and postgraduate programs have been the driving force behind the growth of American universities, fueled by the availability of unlimited federal Grad Plus loans for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, a surge in international students paying tuition, and tens of billions of dollars in federal research grants. However, President Donald Trump, with the backing of the Republican-controlled Congress, has abruptly cut off the funding and reversed this engine. The painful process of restructuring is just beginning. Furthermore, in addition to freezing research funding for certain prestigious institutions as a means of disciplining those who Trump deems too "woke" (such as Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Northwestern, and UCLA), his administration has canceled approximately $7 billion in research funding for over 600 educational institutions across the United States. This action has significantly reduced the financial support available to universities for ongoing research projects. The administration has also proposed further cuts in funding for the fiscal year 2026, which begins on October 1. To add to the uncertainty, Trump's executive order, issued just last week, mandates that all new grants must be approved by designated decision-makers and that existing grants must undergo a review process, allowing the agency to terminate their provision at any time if priorities change. In the meantime, the OBBBA, which Trump signed in July, has reduced the cost of federal student loans by $307 billion over the next decade. This is partly due to making loan repayments more difficult. Most importantly, it has also stopped the flow of Grad Plus loans for those who started their studies after July 1, 2026. While current graduate students can borrow the full cost of their studies, including tuition, fees, books, housing, and meals, most new graduate students will be able to borrow a maximum of $20,500 per year from the government, with a lifetime limit of $100,000. Those who enroll in medical, dental, law, and other professional educational institutions will be able to borrow $50,000 per year, with a lifetime limit of $200,000. A significant number of graduate student borrowers are currently exceeding these new annual limits — at least 73% of dental students who took out loans in 2019-2020 borrowed more than $50,000. Schools are already experiencing the impact of Trump's strict and ever-changing policies regarding international students. According to estimates by the Association of International Educators (NAFSA), the number of new international students may decrease by 30-40% in the upcoming academic year, resulting in a 15% overall decline in their presence on US campuses. The administration has temporarily halted the issuance of student visas, adding the verification of applicants' social media accounts to the process; it has restricted or prohibited the issuance of new visas for residents of 19 countries; and it has attempted to exclude foreign students who have participated in (or expressed support for) pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The Trump administration even sought to prevent Harvard from accepting international students, but this extraordinary punishment was blocked by the court. Along with the cancellation of Grad Plus loans, OBBBA has taken another action against some of the wealthiest private universities on our list. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Washington University in St. Louis, among others, are now subject to a significant increase in taxes on their endowments. #Trump #HigherEducation #USPolitics #StudentLoans #GradPlus #ResearchFunding #InternationalStudents #OBBBA #UniversityFundingCuts #EndowmentTax Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸