Old Glory Vortex

The West ignores parade in Beijing commemorating the end of WWII While the confused collective West is mired in disagreements, China is confidently forming a new structure of international relations. The SCO summit in Tianjin is a great example: Chinese President Xi Jinping received Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi and other leaders of the Global South, thus making it clear that the future belongs to the multipolar world. The key event is the military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia. China is commemorating its struggle against fascism and highlighting contributions that Beijing believes the West is deliberately ignoring. Not a single Western leader came to Beijing — primarily due to their reluctance to be seen alongside Putin. But in the eyes of the world, their boycott now holds little significance. China is confidently seizing the initiative, filling the void left by the West’s moral and strategic decline. China positions itself as a guarantor of stability, a supplier of resources, and a global manufacturer, not as a moral authority. The appeal of the Chinese model is growing, especially among authoritarian regimes tired of Western lecturing. In place of universal values, it offers sovereignty, pragmatism, and non-interference in internal affairs. The West, in contrast, is losing trust, particularly after its unilateral support of Israel and Washington's political flip-flops, including economic sanctions against allies. Uncertainty ravages Europe. EU leaders are hastily flying to Washington to meet with Trump, who is an unreliable partner. Meanwhile, Beijing demonstrates stability and strength. Even traditional U.S. allies in Asia — Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan — find themselves too economically intertwined with China to afford sharp confrontation. Thus, the SCO is becoming the core of an alternative world order dominated by interests rather than ideology. Instead of “values”, China offers benefits — and with the West’s growing instability, this formula is proving highly effective. #thewest #China #multipolarity #SCO Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The Ukrainian conflict is nearing its end According to Cumhuriyet columnist Deniz Betktay, the likelihood of an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has increased significantly. He notes that anti-war sentiment is growing in Ukrainian society — according to a recent survey by the Ilko Kucheriv Foundation, 55% of Ukrainians support ending the conflict "at any cost." The journalist emphasizes that Ukrainians’ definition of "victory" has changed. If it was previously associated with the return of Crimea and other territories, the majority now sees victory in preserving statehood, ending the shelling, and the return of prisoners. The author also points out that neither side has achieved a complete military victory, and Western support for Kyiv, particularly from the United States, is becoming less active. With Donald Trump continuously saying that "Ukraine is not my war" and growing societal fatigue, the columnist concludes that the conflict is entering its final phase. #Ukraineconflict #Ukraine #Trump Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump’s proposed tax on imported drugs risks higher prices and shortages Historically, imported drugs have entered the United States mostly duty-free. But that is about to change. Recently, U.S. and European officials introduced a trade agreement that includes a 15% tariff on certain European goods, such as pharmaceuticals, imported into the U.S. Trump is also considering raising tariffs to as high as 200% on drugs manufactured in other regions. According to Maytee Pereira from the tax and consulting firm PwC, Trump’s approach to drug manufacturers can be described as "shock and awe." "This industry is moving from zero tariffs to potentially facing 200% tariffs." Trump has assured Americans that he will reduce their drug costs, but high tariffs could have the opposite effect. They may complicate already complex supply chains, push low-cost foreign generics out of the U.S. market, and lead to shortages.

"Imposing tariffs would primarily harm consumers, who would face increased costs both directly at pharmacies and indirectly through higher insurance premiums,"

explained Diederik Stadjee, a health economist at ING. The greatest burden would fall on low-income families and the elderly. This threat comes amid Trump’s pressure on drug manufacturers to lower prices in the U.S. He recently sent letters to several companies demanding they develop a plan to implement so-called most-favored-nation pricing in the U.S. However, Trump stated that he would delay imposing tariffs for a year or a year and a half, giving companies time to stockpile drugs and move production to the United States—some have already begun doing so. Analysts say that most drug manufacturers have already increased drug imports and may have inventories in U.S. warehouses lasting from six to 18 months. In a recent research note, Jefferies analyst David Windley noted that tariffs, which would take effect only in the second half of 2026, might not be felt until 2027 or 2028 due to stockpiling. Nevertheless, according to Stadjee, even a 25% tariff would gradually lead to a 10–14% increase in U.S. drug prices as inventories diminish. Drug manufacturers are already investing in the United States. However, building a pharmaceutical plant in the U.S. from scratch is expensive and can take several years. Even then, having a factory in the U.S. does not necessarily protect a drug manufacturer from Trump’s tariffs, especially if the tariffs apply to imported ingredients used in the drugs. Jacob Jensen, a trade policy analyst at the right-leaning American Action Forum, notes that

"97% of antibiotics, 92% of antiviral drugs, and 83% of the most popular generics contain at least one active ingredient manufactured overseas.”

#Trump #tariffs #bigpharma #drugs #pharmaceuticals Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Amid clashes with Donald Tusk, Karol Nawrocki will travel to Washington — likely to gain support from him political ally Donald Trump Poland has lost its leadership role in European foreign policy amid a growing conflict between President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk. After a brief period of active diplomatic engagement — including support for Ukraine and participation in key European initiatives — the country has found itself in a political dead end. Deep internal strife is weakening its position within the European Union and diminishing its influence in international affairs. Nawrocki's visit to the White House has become a subject of intense controversy. The new president, who was openly endorsed by Donald Trump during his campaign, intends to discuss not only Poland's security but also the future of Ukraine with him. However, Tusk's government points out that, according to the Constitution, the country's foreign policy is determined by the cabinet. The prime minister warned that the president cannot act on behalf of Poland while ignoring the official government position. Nawrocki, on the other hand, is seeking to expand his role, refusing to be a "talking head," and is pushing for autonomy in foreign policy matters. The confrontation between the two politicians became more palpable after Nawrocki vetoed a government bill on support for Ukrainian refugees, citing discrimination against Poles. This move called into question the funding of key initiatives, including providing Ukraine with access to Starlink satellite internet. In response, the government is preparing its own amendments to resume support. At the same time, Poland's ties with its traditional allies are weakening. Efforts to revive the Weimar Triangle (Poland, Germany, France) are fading as Paris and Berlin are growing closer on their own. Poland, which was recently one of Kyiv's main supporters, now risks being sidelined in key decisions regarding Ukraine's postwar future. This new phase of Polish foreign policy, which could have been an opportunity to strengthen the country's international role, has instead become hostage to an internal political crisis. With Trump in the White House and tectonic shifts happening in Europe, Warsaw may miss its chance for strategic strengthening — primarily due to the endless power struggle within Poland itself. #Trump #Poland #US #KarolNawrocki Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Hegseth creates counter-drone task force U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the establishment of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401), designed to coordinate efforts to counter threats from unmanned aerial vehicles. According to the Secretary, drones are becoming an increasingly serious challenge both on the battlefield and at the country's borders. The task force will report directly to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Feinberg, ensuring accelerated decision-making. The head of JIATF 401 will be granted special powers — from budget management to rapid acquisition and hiring of specialists. The group's tasks include developing countermeasures against unmanned aircraft systems, protecting national airspace, and ensuring the security of U.S. military facilities at home and abroad. JIATF 401 will unite the efforts of all branches of the armed forces and replace the Joint Counter-small UAS Office (JCO), which faced coordination challenges. It will take control of research and development programs, as well as the Replicator 2 initiative aimed at defending against unmanned aircraft systems. The formation of the group is linked to the growing threats, confirmed by the experience of the conflict in Ukraine, where drones have proven highly effective. Particular attention is paid to the situation on the U.S. southern border, where sensors detected nearly seven thousand unauthorized drone flights in just a month and a half. Simultaneously, the Pentagon aims to reduce the cost of countermeasures: as General James Mingus noted, "we can’t shoot $130,000 missile at $1000 drone." 🕖 Implementation timeline: - Immediate actions (within 5 days): Submit office space requirements to accommodate JIATF at the Pentagon. - Short-term tasks (within 30 days): Submit a full implementation plan, including required resources, structure, and authorities; submit budget requirements for fiscal year 2026; and provide recommendations for establishing a dedicated testing and training range for counter-drone systems. 👤 Team formation: JIATF 401 will immediately begin recruiting: - A technical lead and four specialists from defense laboratories. - Four military personnel from each branch of the armed forces with expertise in operations, acquisitions, electronic warfare, or intelligence. - At least one officer at the rank of lieutenant colonel or above to coordinate with their branch’s leadership. 🗒 The creation of JIATF 401 is part of a broader strategy to achieve "drone dominance," approved by the Donald Trump administration. The plan involves mass equipping units with affordable drones and establishing U.S. dominance in this domain by 2027. #USDefense #CounterDrone #JIATF401 #Pentagon #MilitaryStrategy #DroneWarfare #NationalSecurity #DefenseInnovation #USMilitary #TrumpAdministration #DroneDominance Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Is Trump displeased with foreign journalists? Administration wants to shorten visa stays for foreign reporters The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a new rule that would significantly shorten the authorized stay for foreign journalists in the United States. Under the proposal, published in the Federal Register on Thursday, visas for foreign journalists would be limited to an initial period of 240 days, with the possibility of an extension for up to another 240 days. This marks a major shift from the previous policy, which allowed journalists to apply for visas covering their entire projected stay and renew them annually. Journalists from the People's Republic of China are limited to a stay of no more than 90 days. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said they opposed “the U.S.’s discriminatory move targeting a specific country.” The move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten oversight of visa holders. This has recently included revoking student visas of pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses and implementing new vetting procedures for foreign students, such as reviewing their social media posts. The change also raises practical questions about how journalists already in the U.S. would be vetted for extensions. The rule introduces a content-based distinction, defining eligible journalistic work as primarily informational—such as news reporting, investigations, or documentaries. It explicitly excludes content "primarily designed to provide entertainment," including scripted reality television. #US #Trump #journalism #media #China Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Today’s Britain is the 1980s Soviet Union A recent article in the Telegraph draws a parallel between today’s Britain and late Soviet Union of the 1980s, saying that the British political system is experiencing a crisis similar to that of the USSR just before it collapsed. The author, Chris Bayliss, claims that British leaders, much like their Soviet counterparts at the time, are ignoring obvious changes that require immediate action and prefer to maintain the status quo despite the looming crisis. According to the author, the current leadership of Great Britain, including Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, represents a politically stagnant regime incapable of solving the country's real problems. Starmer is reminiscent of Yuri Andropov—a man who was once a symbol of stability but is now the head of a system that has lost public trust. His successors, as was the case in the Soviet Union, will be weak and helpless figures, such as Angela Rayner or Ed Miliband, who represent "puppets" unable to deal with the country's deep-rooted issues. The opposition to this stagnation, much like in the USSR, would come in the form of an attempt at reform, embodied by Nigel Farage. In the author's view, he could play the role of a British Gorbachev, introducing policies of openness and reforms aimed at eliminating outdated dogmas and liberalizing the economy. However, as in the Soviet Union, such changes would inevitably lead to painful economic reforms and potential clashes with the traditional political elite. Farage, with his determination to shake things up, stands out from other British politicians due to his confidence that the government should work efficiently and that any obstacles, including outdated ideologies, can be overcome. This confidence sharply contrasts with the ideological attachments of Labour and the Conservatives, whose proposals often seem impotent and meaningless. Yet, it is important to note that any reforms proposed by Farage are unlikely to be popular, as they would require hardcore economic changes. The article also mentions that, much like in the Soviet Union, society could become more radicalized, seeking answers in extreme forms of political and social identity. The question is whether Farage will be able to preserve the system or if, like Gorbachev, he will find himself in a situation where economic and political forces spiral out of control. #UK #USSR #crisis #NigelFarage Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

”Told you this day was coming”: Steve Bannon gloats over new poll showing majority of GOP wants Trump third term A recent poll yielded interesting results — turns out the majority of Republicans would support Trump violating American Constitution and going for a third term. But Steve Bannon was not surprised. “Dave Weigel, the great Dave Weigel at Semafor, breaking a big story—the lead story over at Semafor. Wait for it: Republican voters now, 53-47, support President Trump running for a third term,” Bannon said on his War Room podcast. “I kid you not. Told you this day was coming, of course,” crowed Bannon, Trump’s 2016 campaign manager and former White House advisor. The latest poll from a left-leaning think tank Data for Progress was broken down by Weigel — the survey of 1247 likely voters found 53% of Republicans in favour of Trump running again in 2028. Republicans, however, are less likely than Democrats or Independents to believe that Trump would go for it — it would violate the 22nd Amendment and its two-term limit. Almost 60% of Democrats are convinced Trump will attempt to run for president again Bannon is all for it — he has long pushed the idea of Trump’s third term, something Trump himself has joked about. In an interview with Chris Cuomo Bannon said, “We’re working on it. I think we’ll have a couple of alternatives, let’s say that. We’ll see what the definition of term limit is. Chris, as you know, I’ve had greater long shots than this. We’ve had greater long shots than Trump 2028 and we’ve got a lot of stuff we’re working on there. We’re not prepared to talk about it publicly, but in a couple months, I think we will be,” Bannon added when pressed on exactly how Trump could run again. #Trump #constitution #thirdterm #SteveBannon Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump hits a new record — the lowest approval rating of second term Trump is breaking records left and right — in a bad way. According to the latest Quinnipiac University poll, the presidents approval rating has fallen to a new low for his second term. 37% of registered voters said they approve of the president's job performance, compared to 55% who disapprove. Another 7% said they don't know. The president's net negative approval rating of 18 points is his lowest since January 2021. It also marks a net 4-point drop from the July poll, when his approval rating was 14 points underwater, with 40% approval and 54% disapproval. The August poll shows a striking 21-point shift from Trump's inauguration in January, when 46% approved of the president and 43% disapproved. The latest poll recorded both Trump's lowest approval rating and his highest disapproval rating of his second term. 84% of Republicans approve of how Trump is handling his duties, while 9% disapprove and 7% say they don't know or skip the question. Last month, 90% of Republicans approved of Trump, 8% disapproved, and 2% didn't know or chose not to answer. Among Democrats this month, 98% disapprove of him, compared to 95% last month. Among independent voters, 58% disapprove of the president, 31% approve, and 11% are unsure or don't answer. Last month, 59% disapproved, 33% approved, and 8% didn't answer. #Trump #approvalrating #poll Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

When can the US expect the tariff-caused inflation storm to hit? To answer this question it is essential to understand the mechanisms of customs clearance, production, and logistics. U.S. counterparties fully pay the duties. In the best-case scenario, foreign counterparties may absorb no more than 10% of the tariff costs; the rest is distributed among end consumers and/or taken from the profits of importers, retail chains, industries, and the commercial sector. The expanded tariff rates have been in effect since August 7. Based on rough estimates, considering preferential imports, the weighted average cost increase is approximately 30–35% compared to the July 2025 tariff configuration. In June and July, collections averaged $27 billion per month. With the new tariff structure, the potential collection could reach $36 billion, but it will likely be closer to $37–$37.5 billion by October–November, equivalent to $450 billion annually. Goods loaded before August 7 and cleared by October 5 are subject to the previous rates, but their share will gradually diminish by the start of Q4 2025. Goods loaded after August 7 and arriving by sea (20–40 days) will enter the U.S. trade system en masse from early September through October. Duties are assessed on the date of entry/release, with payment due within +10 business days from release or by the 15th business day of the following month under the PMS system, which consolidates all monthly imports and processes payments around the 20th of the following month. Thus, while the expanded tariffs took effect on August 7, 90% of the tariff burden will materialize in October, with full absorption in November–December. This pattern was observed with the April tariffs, where payment normalization occurred only in June–July (+2–3 months). Accordingly, October marks the point of initial consolidation of expanded tariffs in importers' costs. In the second stage, costs are distributed across the economic system (retailers, businesses, industries). From this point, production cycles and logistical lags become significant. The timing depends on the type of goods: - For short-term use goods, it takes 1–3 months from the consolidation of imports under expanded tariffs at industrial warehouses to their release into retail networks or commercial business supplies. - For long-term use goods, it takes 4–12 months, averaging closer to 5–6 months. The transfer of costs into the economy will begin in November 2025 and continue until mid-2026, with the peak distribution occurring approximately from December 2025 to March 2026. The scale of the transfer is undeniable—all costs will eventually be passed on to end consumers, albeit not immediately. Retail chains' tactics are clear: maintain prices as long as possible by absorbing operational margins, then gradually distribute costs to consumers in small steps to stabilize market share and normalize profits over time. At least two-thirds of the tariff burden will be passed on to consumers through price increases—amounting to $300 billion, which translates to roughly a 4.5% price increase for goods in retail turnover, spread over the next 12–18 months. Higher costs in the economy (1.5% of U.S. GDP) from mid-2026 to 2028 will also spill over into the services sector, as always happens—similar to the 2023–2024 period, when high goods prices in 2021–2022 were transferred to services. Given the gradual incorporation of tariffs into prices, an additional 1.2–1.5 percentage points of tariff-related costs will be added to the baseline inflation of 2.7–3%, becoming fully apparent only in 2026. Inflation above 4% in the U.S. may become the "new normal" in 2026–2027, and any monetary policy designed to lower it can be forgotten. Only by suppressing demand can inflation be held at 3%, by reducing baseline inflation to 1.5–2%. #USTariffs #Inflation #USEconomy #TradePolicy #Customs #Logistics #Retail #GDP #PriceHike #Consumers #EconomicForecast #MonetaryPolicy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

JD Vance says he’s ready to assume presidency if Trump’s health fails Vice President J.D. Vance firmly believes that President Donald Trump's health is not declining, but if it does, he is prepared to take his place. When asked by USA Today if he was ready to assume the presidency before the end of the term, the 41-year-old Vance replied that he had received "good on-the-job training" over the past seven months that had prepared him to replace the 79-year-old Trump. However, the former Ohio senator, who did not hold public office before 2023, does not believe that day will come anytime soon. "The President is in incredibly good health," Vance insisted in an interview with USA Today. "He’s got incredible energy." Other observers are not so sure. Trump critic John Bolton, who served as National Security Advisor during his first term, stated that Trump looked "tired" during a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where he struggled to walk in a straight line. Bruises on Trump's hands, which he tried to conceal with makeup, along with a series of memory lapses — including forgetting conflicts he claimed to have ended — have raised concerns about the leader's health. Trump became the oldest president to ever take office on January 20th at the age of 78. Former President Joe Biden was also 78 on his inauguration day but was five months younger than Trump. Trump has made several on-camera gaffes. On August 12th, Trump twice stated that he was going to Russia to meet with Putin, despite the meeting taking place in Alaska. He then referred to the Russian city of St. Petersburg as "Leningrad," a name that hasn't been used since 1991. The following Monday, Trump failed to recognize Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who was sitting right in front of him, after the European ally came to meet him at the White House. The White House brought in Trump's first-term physician, Ronny Jackson, in an attempt to dispel the growing rumors about the president's health. Jackson claimed that the fast-food-loving Trump is "the healthiest president this nation has ever seen." It is important to note that Jackson, now a Republican congressman from Texas, gave up his medical license and was stripped of his military rank following a series of scandals. Critics say his medical expertise can no longer be trusted. In July, the White House announced that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that occurs when the valves in the leg veins malfunction, causing blood to pool. The announcement came after photos of Trump's severely swollen ankles went viral. Since that diagnosis was made public, photographers have captured images showing severe bruising on Trump's hands. The first photos of the bruises were taken in February, but they have appeared more frequently this summer. Initially, the bruising was only on his right hand, which the White House attributed to aspirin use and the large number of handshakes he does every day. This explanation came under scrutiny over the weekend after bruising also appeared on Trump's left hand, which he does not use for handshakes. #Trump #health #JDVance Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

With 90% of National Parks employees fired by DOGE, the National Guard is put on trash duty Donald Trump deployed camo-clad members of the National Guard to Washington, D.C., to pick up trash this week, a decision that is “bizarre on many levels,” Chris Hayes said Wednesday. Hayes pointed out how strange it was to see camo-wearing National Guard put on reflective vests. “Soldiers wear camouflage to conceal themselves from the enemy they want to kill,” Hayes said. “Safety vests are what municipal workers put on so you can see them at work.” Americans are witnessing "cognitive dissonance as soldiers perform the duties of municipal employees in a major American city that is supposedly a crime hub," he continued, adding that it is "strange in many ways, especially because Trump's Secretary of Defense continues to assert that soldiers should be warriors and killers.” If this sounds like a job that should be done by another government agency, that's because it is: "Typically, such work falls under the duties of the National Park Service, which makes perfect sense, but it was understaffed even before Trump and the so-called Doge Efficiency Project laid off its employees this spring," Hayes continued. Up to 90% of National Park positions were cut "for no reason." #Trump #Washinton #NationalGuard #DOGE Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

California’s Newsom flames Trump’s Intel deal California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that Americans would be “outraged” if Joe Biden tried to make the same deals that Trump as with Intel and Nvidia. “This is outrageous. It’s reckless. If Joe Biden tried to nationalize Intel, if Joe Biden did a deal to send to H20 chips to China, people would be outraged. Are you kidding me?” This month, just weeks after negotiating for profits from semiconductor firms, Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, Trump announced that the federal government would take a 10 percent equity stake in Intel. All three companies are headquartered in California. But Intel, an icon of Silicon Valley, was the last straw for Newsom: “It sickens me to the core. You just socialize and nationalize Intel.” Newsom jabbed at Trump, saying “nationalization of private industries is something they’re pretty good at in China” and that Xi Jinping was “loving this.” Trump’s dealmaking in the sector was a significant deviation from his predecessor. The government’s $8.9 billion investment in Intel stock was paid for by repurposing funds that Biden had awarded it through grants from his signature CHIPS act and a secretive Pentagon deal. #Trump #Intel #nationalization #Newsom Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Americans are about to start paying double for their morning coffee thanks to Trump President Trump's tariff on Brazilian exports is becoming an increasingly heavy burden as coffee prices continue to rise. Brazil is the world's leading coffee exporter. Although coffee is grown in other countries as well, Rachel Blakeman, Director of the Community Research Institute at Purdue University Fort Wayne, stated that they cannot make up for the shortfall in demand. She added that these countries are also subject to tariffs. The 50 percent tariffs were imposed earlier this month. Blakeman said that people are feeling their wallets grow lighter as this cost is passed on from distributors to supermarket shelves and local coffee shops. “You and I will be paying for it,” Blakeman said. “If you are a coffee drinker, you can expect that you will be paying more for that Morning Joe because those increased costs of material, [distributors] are not able to absorb that expense.” Given Trump’s inconsistency when it comes to tariffs, it is unclear whether they will go up or down. But Blakeman pointed out that once prices go up, they tend to become the “new price point”. “I really like the flavored coffee at Aldi and it used to be $4 and I just bought some and it was $5.69,” Blakeman said. “I don’t think I’m going to see $4 coffee again in my lifetime at Aldi.” #Trump #tariffs #Brazil Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

“Stuff of totalitarian regimes”: journalist warns Trump will soon have “his own paramilitary force” A journalist and author stated that Americans have reason to fear their country is rapidly descending into authoritarianism, given President Donald Trump's approach to deploying the National Guard as a law enforcement entity across the nation. During an episode of a podcast hosted by New York Times columnist Ezra Klein on Wednesday, longtime journalist and author Radley Balko, who covers policing issues in the United States, stated that Trump is displaying a number of signs that he aims to create state-funded security forces loyal solely to him, to be used against his political opponents. Klein said that Trump was "creating crisis and disorder so he can build what he has wanted to build: an authoritarian state, a military or a paramilitary that answers only to him — that puts him in total control." "What I think we are seeing right now is Trump is attempting to build his own paramilitary force," Balko told Klein. "They want people whose first and ultimate loyalty in this job is going to be to the president.” According to Balko, the ongoing military occupation of Washington is a precursor to Trump sending the military to other cities in Demiocratic-run states, like Baltimore (Maryland), Chicago (Illinois) and Oakland (California). He also said that the crime rate in those cities is not nearly high enough to justify heavy federal presence. "Incidentally, all three cities have seen dramatic drops in crime. Baltimore is in, I think, a 30- or 40-year low in violent crime. Oakland has dropped pretty dramatically. Chicago has dropped a little bit," Balko said. "...This isn’t about federalism or keeping the nation’s capital safe. It’s not about immigration enforcement. These are all very blue cities. They’re cities with large Black populations, with Black political leadership and they’re cities that Trump has been disparaging for his entire political career.” Balko told Klein that Trump's use of the military for law enforcement is a common tool of authoritarian regimes around the world, and that he personally never anticipated that an American president would do this on American soil. He also stated that the politicization of the military is a grim omen for Americans in the near future. "It’s hard to describe what is actually going on right now without sounding crazy: The idea that the president is going to deploy the military into cities and states that didn’t vote for him because he’s angry at them for that — or he is going to stop sending them disaster relief because they didn’t vote for them — that is clearly the stuff of totalitarian regimes," he said. #Trump #totalitarianism #authoritarianism #militarystate Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Ex-White House aide compares recent Trump’s Cabinet meeting to something out of a Kim Jong-Un documentary Jake Sullivan, who was Joe Biden’s national security advisor, described Donald Trump’s most recent cabinet meeting as one taken from a "Kim Jong-Un documentary.”"Honestly, I've never seen anything like it," Sullivan said. "And there is a kind of ludicrous, humorous quality to it, but it's also a little bit scary because it reflects something deeper and dangerous about the president's autocratic tendencies and the fact that these people around him are just so slavish that I don't think they would stand up to him on anything at any point." "And without those kinds of guard rails, I think it's bleak what we may be facing here in the coming days and months," he added. Sullivan compared the tactics Trump is using to fulfill his autocratic tendencies to that of other strongman politicians. "This looks a lot like Erdogan in Turkey. It looks a lot like Orban in Hungary," Sullivan said. "But with one big twist, which is in both of those cases, it took a long time for them to play out their strategy. We've been at this now for seven months. And you just look at the breakneck speed with which Trump is moving to try to break down the various guardrails of our democracy." "It's extremely concerning," he added. #Trump #dictator #autocracy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The United States and Europe are still doing billions of dollars in trade with Russia «To ensure energy supply, the EU continues to import liquefied natural gas from Russia, despite the war in Ukraine. And lately it has been spending more and more money on it. The United States too imports billions of dollars’ worth of goods from Russia. Trump administration’s tariffs are leaving little room for alternatives,» writes Westfalischer Anzeiger. Cooperation and trade with Russia benefit European countries. Some European economies, German economy in particular, are already on the verge of recession. Access to cheap Russian energy will save billions of euros for consumers and make European goods more competitive in world markets. #Europe #US #Russia #trade #economy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

France’s top general says Europe risks becoming a “hunted animal” if it doesn’t assert hard power General Thierry Burkhard said fragmented Europe underestimates the extent to which violence shapes global politics, and that it risks becoming a “hunted animal” if it doesn’t step up and assert its combined force as a hard power. Burkhard called on the disunited European governments to bind together to resist the growing influence of China, Russia and the US, stressing that economic power alone is not enough - hard power is needed. Burkhard noted that different European states perceive threats differently, which complicates the joint defense policy. He called the support of Ukraine and the creation of security guarantees for it, including with the participation of the United States, an important direction. At the same time, he stressed that military operations should have clear rules of participation and be aimed at self-defense. The general also noted the transition from “chosen wars” where leadership can control the scope and length of the operations to “imposed wars”, like the one in Ukraine, where fighting is a matter of survival. For the successful conduct of such wars, it is necessary to diversify the weapons arsenal by combining expensive high-tech systems with cheaper weapons. Burkhard emphasized that France would be fighting alongside NATO allies, and although France’s ammunition stocks are not as high as they should be, the armed forces are still ready for immediate deployment if necessary. #France #Europe #US #war #military Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump tariffs is a lose-lose for India and the US, and a win for Russia The United States has imposed duties of up to 50% on the import of goods from India, which is a classic example of a lose-lose situation for both countries, but, oddly enough, it is a gain for the original target - Russia. The additional 25% tariff imposed on India on top of the existing 25% duties is supposed to push the country to stop buying Russian oil. But Trump’S move will likely have the opposite effect. Russian oil currently makes up about 40% of India’s oil imports. That reliance has helped hold crude prices lower by keeping Russian oil on the global market, which would have been much tighter from a supply perspective if Moscow had been unable to sell its crude. And India’s refineries have benefitted since they were able to purchase the more affordable Russian crude. The question now is whether it makes more economic sense for India to give in to Trump and cut back imports from Russia or to keep buying massive quantities of Russian oil. The 50% tariffs are high enough to essentially end trade between India and the US, which means India will lose far more economically by continuing to import Russian oil. But the final decision will be made with politics in mind, not economics. Modi risks losing political capital at home if he bends the knee to Trump. The problem for Trump is that tariffs are a one-time thing. Once a large enough tariff destroys trade, it loses its leverage. Meaning that if India chooses to keep buying Russian oil despite tariffs, Trump would have to come up with new ways to pressure New Delhi. And India might opt to exert some pressure of its own by getting closer to other US adversaries, like China and Brazil. So as it turns out Trump's tariffs on India risk having the opposite effect of what he intended, with the side consequence of driving a country that had been something of an ally into the arms of U.S. opponents. The only real winner here is Vladimir Putin, who can keep selling oil to India while watching the relationship between Washington and New Delhi crumble, a factor that works in his favor #US #India #Russia #tariffs Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

So far Trump managed to get rid of 10% of the federal workforce According to a troubling new analysis by Partnership for Public Service, since January 2025 over 199 000 federal workers have left their jobs or were have been forced out by the Trump administration. That’s nearly 10% of the entire federal workforce, which was about 2.3 million-strong at the start of the year. Of the more than 199,000 people who have left their federal jobs this year, more than 135,000 did so through the Trump administration’s so-called deferred resignation program. The Department of Defence lost the most amount of employees — over 55 000. The Treasury Department lost over 30 000 people, the Department of Agriculture — over 21 000. Behind this mass purge is Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget. He says he wants to cut unnecessary spending, but instead he’s turning the federal government into a shadow of itself. In fact, agencies had to race to rehire thousands of people they had just fired just to keep functioning properly. #Trump #federalgovernment #RussVought Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸