'Complete surrender': Trump trashed over latest deal with China

09/16/25 3:53 PM

U.S. law limits media ownership by non-U.S. citizens, which has caused complications for the Chinese app TikTok's operations in the U.S. Now President Donald Trump is being accused of rolling over for the Chinese government in an effort to solve the company's problems.The tech company Oracle, which is owned by a close ally of President Donald Trump, will play a key role in a reported deal between Trump and China, CBS News reported Tuesday. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison's son, David Ellison, runs the company Skydance Media, which recently purchased Paramount Global, which runs networks like CBS and Comedy Central, where shows have been critical of Trump.Rush Doshi, assistant professor at Georgetown and director of CFR China Strategy Initiative, noted on X, "The TikTok deal is looking like a complete surrender by the admin. And it may even be illegal. If true, the US will let Beijing determine what appears on the news feeds of 180 million US TikTok users. Not quite America first. Even advisors to the deal are renouncing it!"He pointed to a Financial Times report Tuesday in which parent company ByteDance said the U.S. TikTok will use part of the Chinese algorithm, but it will be trained using data from Americans. Doshi noted the comment from an Asia-based investor who said, “Beijing’s bottom line is a licensing deal. Beijing wants to be seen as exporting Chinese technology to the U.S. and the world.” “It’s the ultimate Taco trade,” commented a U.S. advisor close to the deal, referencing to the mocking acronym “Trump always chickens out.""After all this, China keeps the algorithm," the U.S. advisor said. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed to reporters that U.S. investors might control the new U.S. app, but it will preserve some "Chinese characteristics," Reuters reported. Read the full report here.

'Godawful mess' in US has foreign businessmen second-guessing working with Trump: NBC

09/10/25 3:37 PM

Donald Trump’s desire to deport immigrants from the U.S. by force is running headlong into his drive to increase foreign investments in the U.S. in the hope that it will improve his dismal job numbers.Asked about an immigration raid on a Hyundai facility in Georgia by agents working for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem that led to a round-up of 475 employees, many of them South Koreans sent to help with the set-up, NBC’s Christine Romans said foreign investors are becoming nervous."So talk about the concerns you've heard from South Korean business leaders,“ she was asked on MSNBC.“Well, it's the collision of two Trump administration policies, right?’ she began. “Aggressive immigration enforcement and then using these trade deals to to get countries to invest more in the United States. Now, are you more likely in South Korea or elsewhere to invest more in the United States? If the 200 people that you've sent over to build the factory, literally, to train the American workers around it.”“They just said they're the top investor,” MSNBC host Joe Scarborough prompted his guest.”That's right, that's right and this is what part of the trade policy is to get more countries to send their companies here to build in the United States,” Romans replied. “At the same time, you have this very messy public image that is being broadcast here.”“It's just these things are at cross purposes,” she elaborated. “What you hear from business leaders, overseas business leaders ,is that the us immigration system is a godawful mess, and that they need better visa pathways for skilled workers to get here. What you hear from MAGA, of course, and from many traditional Republicans as well, is that skilled worker visas take away American jobs, so it's not an easy sell on that end. It's a big mess and this is front and center here.”You can watch below or at the link. - YouTube youtu.be

'Here we go!' Trump issues 11-word statement on Russia's drone attack in Poland

09/10/25 3:30 PM

President Donald Trump issued a brief statement about the suddenly tense standoff between Poland and Russia.Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned the NATO member's parliament that Russia had crossed a line by sending drones into its airspace during an early Wednesday attack against Ukraine, saying "this situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II," and the U.S. president briefly commented on social media."What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones?" Trump posted on Truth Social at 11:09a.m. EST. "Here we go!"European leaders condemned the incident as an escalation by the Kremlin, which has continued its attacks on Ukraine despite Trump's efforts to push Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into peace talks.Polish military officials called the incursion “act of aggression" and said all of the drones were shot down with help from NATO allies, and Tusk said he has activated Article 4 of NATO’s treaty, which allows member nations to demand consultations with their allies.That's only the eighth time since NATO was established in 1949 that Article 4, which does not trigger a military reaction, has been invoked by a member.

'Hoax!' Karoline Leavitt insists Epstein doodle ‘proves’ Trump didn’t send it

09/08/25 8:42 PM

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt argued without evidence that The Wall Street Journal had proven President Donald Trump did not send a birthday letter to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, even though the publication released a copy of the note.On Monday, the Journal reported that House Democrats had obtained a copy of the letter from Epstein's estate. The note included a doodle of a woman and mentioned a "wonderful secret.""The latest piece published by the Wall Street Journal PROVES this entire 'Birthday Card' story is false," Leavitt claimed later on X. "As I have said all along, it's very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.""President Trump's legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation," she added, referring to a lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal.Leavitt also complained that reporter Joe Palazzolo had not given her enough time to respond before publishing the story."This is FAKE NEWS to perpetuate the Democrat Epstein Hoax!" she exclaimed.Supporters of the president have insisted that the signature on the note to Epstein does not match Trump's.

'It's unacceptable': 'Infuriated' Trump lashed out at ally in private phone call

09/11/25 12:26 PM

The White House is reportedly “infuriated” following the surprise Israeli strike Tuesday on American-ally Qatar, an operation that the United States was given little advanced notice of and has put a key international alliance in jeopardy.According to Israeli officials, the strike on Doha, the capital of Qatar, was intended to eliminate Hamas leadership, specifically those actively involved in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations. The strike was immediately condemned by Trump, who said he was “very unhappy” with what he called an “unfortunate incident.”But behind the scenes, Trump was reportedly “infuriated,” and had a heated phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to insiders familiar with the matter who spoke with Axios in a report published Thursday.“It's unacceptable,” Trump told Netanyahu during a phone call Tuesday, according to “two sources with knowledge,” speaking with Axios. “I demand that you do not repeat it.”The strike has also jeopardized the United States’ relationship with Qatar, which for decades has remained a key ally in the Middle East, having even been designated a major non-NATO ally by the United States.A “source with direct knowledge” told Axios that Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani told Steve Witkoff, the United States’ special envoy to the Middle East, that the country would reevaluate its security partnership with the United States, and “maybe find some other partners.”Netanyahu’s response to Trump during their phone call Tuesday is unclear, but in the days since, he has defended the strikes as necessary to protect Israel’s security and to bring “terrorists to justice,” while also proclaiming that Israel would “continue to strike” as necessary.According to Axios, Trump was not notified of the impending attack until “missiles were in the air.” According to Axios, Al-Thani told the White House that it considered the attack a “betrayal” by the United States, and that Qatar was actively engaged in conversations with other Persian Gulf nations on how to respond.

'Large number of farmers won’t survive this': Trump's new trade moves put growers at risk

09/11/25 2:30 PM

The game of chicken Donald Trump is playing with China as part of his tariff war is reportedly on the verge of doing irreparable harm to America’s soybean farmers with Chinese negotiators holding the upper hand.According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, soybeans farmers are poised to harvest “tens of millions of tons of soybeans,” but their biggest market, China, is not buying, thereby putting pressure of the Trump administration to make a tariff deal.As the Journal’s Jon Emont and Patrick Thomas are reporting, China’s buyers are boycotting American soybean crops unless Trump first drops the 20 percent tariff the the president imposed.Trump’s reluctance to bend now has U.S. farmers on edge, fearing this could be the end for them.“It is U.S. farmers who are feeling the pain. Nearly a quarter of the more than 4 billion bushels of soybeans American farmers grow each year are exported to China, which is by far the world’s biggest soy importer. The country imported nearly $13 billion of soybeans from the U.S. last year, compared with about $2 billion two decades ago,” the report notes before adding that Caleb Ragland, a Kentucky soybean farmer, lamented, “We have a large number of farmers that won’t survive this.”At a U.S. soy industry conference in August, Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng laid the blame of the Trump administration and stood up for the U.S. farmers by noting, “After confusion and chaos in the plowing season, our farmer friends may soon have to face new uncertainty in the harvest season.”According to the Journal, China anticipated the fight with the American president and created stockpiles to lessen the blow in their own country, with China turning to other trade partners, including Argentina and Uruguay, to make up for their own shortfalls.You can read more here.

'Putin played Trump for a fool': Internet mocks president for Russia's 'unprecedented' act

09/10/25 12:54 PM

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that several Russian drones were shot down Wednesday that had flown over the NATO country’s airspace, igniting a firestorm of criticism against President Donald Trump for his handling of Russian aggression.“[Russian President Vladimir] Putin embarrassed Trump 3 weeks ago in Alaska,” wrote X user “Maine,” a self-described Democratic strategist with more than 88,000 followers. “Putin bombed an American factory two weeks ago; Putin [is] now expanding war into Poland and Moldova. Putin has played Trump for a fool.”According to Tusk, the incursion was the first time in history that Russian drones had been shot down over NATO country territory, NATO being the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the intergovernmental military alliance of western nations. Putin has frequently named NATO as the impetus for his country’s aggression amid long-running talks to accept Ukraine as a NATO-member state.Ron Filipkowski, a former prosecutor, ridiculed the Trump administration for its handling of Russian aggression by mocking Defense Department Secretary Pete Hegseth, criticizing what he characterized as the administration’s weak and performative responses to past instances of Russian aggression.“Hegseth is working on a very energetic workout video to respond to Putin’s aggressive military violation of Poland’s airspace,” Filipkowski wrote in a social media post on X Wednesday.The incursion was called the “most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began” by Kaja Kallas, the European Union foreign affairs chief, who went on to note that the incursion appeared “intentional,” and “not accidental.”It’s unclear exactly how many Russian drones had invaded Poland’s airspace, though the Ukrainian Air Force estimated it to be at least eight, according to the New York Times. On Polish television, Tusk said there had been as many as 19 Russian drones that flew into Polish airspace.“Putin never would have launched drones into Poland if Donald Trump was President,” X user Maine wrote in another social media post, poking fun at Trump’s past claims that Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine “would have never happened” were he president at the time. Trump has also said at least 53 times that he would end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office for his second term, a pledge that clearly did not come to fruition.CNN's Natasha Bertrand said, "Russia’s drone incursion into Poland marked the first time in its history that NATO planes have engaged potential threats in allied airspace, per Col. Martin L. O’Donnell, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe spokesperson. Fellow CNN personality Aaron Blake also called the move "unprecedented."Putin embarrassed Trump 3 weeks ago in Alaska. Putin bombed an American factory 2 weeks ago. Putin now expanding war into Poland and Moldova. Putin has played Trump for a fool https://t.co/ePfltZXaem— Maine (@TheMaineWonk) September 9, 2025

'Raised eyebrows': New Pete Hegseth move said to send 'chilling message' to Europe

09/05/25 2:54 PM

The Department of Defense sent letters last week to European countries informing them that it will pull military support for nations near the Russian border, including Ukraine.Reuters reported Friday that Section 333 of the U.S. Code permits the Secretary of Defense to provide training and equipment to foreign security forces for counterterrorism or anti–drug trafficking operations. However, a Lithuanian defense ministry official revealed that Pete Hegseth is moving to rescind this support for some European countries bordering Russia, following the receipt of the Pentagon’s letter.The decision follows President Trump’s declaration of a war on drug trafficking and cartels.Two sources confirmed on Thursday that the U.S. would begin a phase-out of European security assistance, raising concerns, particularly from those in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. Fox News' national security correspondent, Jennifer Griffin, posted on X, "Pentagon’s Elbridge Colby begins push to cut US military aid to Eastern European and Baltic countries that border Russia in move that has raised eyebrows among National Security officials in chilling message to Europe and Ukraine: sources tell Fox."One American in Ukraine couldn't help but notice that this announcement comes after Trump refused to sanction Russia. He then posted photos of himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin and praised their "great relationship" during a White House dinner. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, on Thursday, reaffirmed Canada's support for NATO, pledging to continue working with those on the border with Russia to ensure their sovereignty. The Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, along with Ukraine, were once part of the Soviet Union. All three Baltic nations declared independence shortly after the fall of the "Iron Curtain" in 1989. Russian President Vladimir Putin has long sought to restore Russia to its pre-1991 borders, which would include regaining control over the Baltics and Ukraine.Read the full report here.

'Then comes the tell': Ex-Trump insider says president just sent a 'signal' to adversary

09/14/25 12:47 PM

Donald Trump is sending "signals" to Putin, according to an ex-operative with deep ties to Trump and Ukraine.Soviet-born Lev Parnas, who worked closely with Rudy Giuliani during Trump's first administration, was purportedly sent to Ukraine to help Trump and Giuliani make contacts there for the purposes of digging up negative info on Hunter Biden. Parnas was later convicted of campaign finance violations, and today reports on Trump from outside the administration.Parnas late on Saturday published an article called "Trump’s NATO Letter Exposes His Deal with Putin," in which he argues that Trump's "reckless letter reveals he’ll only act against Russia if it benefits him, not democracy or freedom."In his letter, Trump wrote in part, "I am ready to do major Sanctions on Russia when all NATO Nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO Nations STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA... I believe that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50% to 100% TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the WAR with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR."Trump then added, "China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful Tariffs will break that grip. This is not TRUMP’S WAR (it would never have started if I was President!), it is Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s WAR. I am only here to help stop it, and save thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives (7,118 lives lost last week, alone. CRAZY!)"For Parnas, though, the letter can be seen as "extortion" or even "blackmail.""Trump just posted a so-called 'letter' addressed to NATO and the world. And once again, it’s not just reckless—it’s dangerous," Parnas wrote. "He says NATO should slap 50% to 100% tariffs on China, but not as a long-term strategy—only until the war ends. That’s not foreign policy. That’s a shakedown. He’s treating a global war like one of his real estate deals, bargaining with tariffs as if the lives of Ukrainians are chips at his poker table."Parnas also highlighted what he says was a "tell" in the letter."And then comes the tell: Trump repeats his old line—'this is not Trump’s war, it’s Biden’s and Zelenskyy’s war.' That is the Kremlin’s narrative word-for-word," according to Parnas. "Trump is telling NATO allies that Ukraine’s survival, and Russia’s aggression, don’t matter unless they serve his personal agenda. He even throws out fake casualty figures, pretending concern for '7,118 lives lost last week alone,' while making it clear he’ll only act if NATO bends to his demands. That’s not leadership. That’s blackmail."Parnas then translated that tell into what it means:"This is what I’ve been warning you about. Trump is not serious about stopping Putin. He’s not serious about NATO. He’s not serious about saving lives. He is serious about leverage—about using this war to strengthen his power, weaken the alliance, and tie Ukraine’s survival to his trade wars with China. And while he postures about 'ending' the war, what he’s really signaling to Putin is simple: I got your back."After declaring that Putin is "listening" to the signals, Parnas writes, "I know how these backchannel games work—I was born in the Soviet Union. I grew up in this world. I know how it works because I lived it.""And later, I was sent by Donald Trump himself to put pressure on President Zelensky, to deal directly with Russian oligarchs," the ex-Trump insider added. "I saw firsthand how these oligarchs and foreign operatives operate, how they treat lives as nothing more than bargaining chips. That’s why when I read Trump’s so-called 'letter' to NATO, I don’t see diplomacy—I see extortion."Read the post here.

'This is my last warning': Trump sends ominous message while attending US Open

09/07/25 6:53 PM

President Donald Trump interrupted his appearance at the US Open to send out a message about Israel's war in Gaza."Everyone wants the Hostages HOME," the president wrote Sunday on Truth Social. "Everyone wants this War to end!" "The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well," he continued. "I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter."Before heading to the men's final tennis match in New York, Trump told reporters at the White House that he was also ready to move to a "second stage" of sanctions against Russia. The president, however, did not provide specific details.