-
The Hurricane spins around hotspots of tension and conflict. Feel free to suggest your stories, opinions and ideas: UIHEN@protonmail.com
Democrats block a bill to keep biological males from women's sports
On Monday, Senate Democrats banded together to block a bill to keep biological males from invading women's sports.
The Republican-led Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act fell short of the 60 votes needed to overcome the Democrats' filibuster. Every single Democrat who voted opposed the bill. Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) didn't even bother to show up.
The bill, introduced by Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) and backed by over 40 cosponsors, would have simply codified President Trump's recent executive order into law, affirming that biological sex is "recognized based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth."
#USA #Democrats #Trans #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
US releases $870 million in military aid for Taiwan, angering China
The US has quietly released $870 million in funding for military aid to Taiwan after it was briefly paused during the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid.
Reuters first reported on February 21 that the US released the military aid for Taiwan as part of $5.3 billion in exemptions from the foreign aid pause. China, which strongly opposes US military support for Taiwan, reacted to the news on February 26.
“We are deeply concerned over relevant reports,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian. “China has all along opposed US military assistance to China’s Taiwan region, which has severely violated the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, undermined China’s sovereignty and security interests, and sent a gravely wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”
The US has always sold weapons to Taiwan since Washington severed diplomatic relations with Taipei as part of a normalization agreement with Beijing in 1979, but it wasn’t until 2023 that the US began providing US-funded military aid, a step that marked a significant escalation. In 2024, the US signed off on more than $1 billion in military aid for Taiwan.
#USA #China #Taiwan #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Pentagon nominee deflects on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in hearing
Elbridge Colby wouldn’t say that Russia invaded Ukraine, making him the second top Defense Department nominee in a week to equivocate on the question in a confirmation hearing.
“The president and the vice president have been very clear that words matter, and I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to be commenting on these delicate topics,” said Colby during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
A week ago investor Stephen Feinberg also refused to acknowledge Russian steps as an invasion in his confirmation hearing to be deputy defense secretary. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has similarly refused to publicly acknowledge Russia’s 2022 invasion, saying it wouldn’t help end the war.
The reluctance comes amid a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward the war in Ukraine. The White House paused all remaining military aid to Kyiv, holding up hundreds of millions of dollars in ammunition and other equipment.
Prompting the choice was a disastrous visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week. Rather than signing a deal to share rare earth minerals in exchange for U.S. support, Zelensky ended up in a spat with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who publicly berated him.
#USA #WarInUkraine #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
New York FBI field office head forced out days after his office was revealed to have been hiding thousands of Epstein documents
James Dennehy, the head of the FBI’s New York office, threw in the towel just days after his office was revealed to have been hiding thousands of Epstein documents.
“Late Friday, I was informed that I needed to put my retirement papers in today, which I just did,” Dennehy wrote in an email obtained by NBC. “I was not given a reason for this decision.”
Two sources confirmed to NBC that Dennehy was given the choice between getting fired or resigning. He chose the latter.
Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed that the FBI was withholding thousands of Epstein files. She ordered the FBI to provide the complete Epstein files by Friday morning, February 28, and directed an immediate investigation into the oversight.
Last Thursday’s much-hyped release of “The Epstein Files: Phase One” fell flat for many Americans hungry for the truth. The 120-page dump, handed over to a select group of MAGA influencers, was a heavily redacted dud—mostly rehashed information previously seen.
#USA #FBI #Epstein #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
China will increase its defense budget 7.2% this year
China said Wednesday it will increase its defense budget 7.2% this year, as it continues its campaign to build a larger, more modern military to assert its territorial claims and challenge the U.S. defense lead in Asia.
China’s military spending remains the second largest behind the U.S. and it already has the world’s largest navy.
The budget, which adds up to about $245 billion, was announced at the National People’s Congress, the annual meeting of China’s legislature. The Pentagon and many experts say China’s total spending on defense may be 40% higher or more because of items included under other budgets.
The boost is the same percentage as last year, far below the double-digit percentage increases of previous years and reflecting an overall slowdown in the economy. The nation’s leaders have set a target of around 5% growth for this year.
#China #USA #Military #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Germany’s Merz makes nuclear war more likely
The new German chancellor wants to station French fighter jets with nuclear weapons in Germany in addition to the American bombs.
How far the project has progressed has now become clear during talks between French President Macron and US President Trump in Washington. Macron signaled there that France was prepared to station fighter jets with nuclear weapons in Germany in order to use its nuclear deterrent to protect Europe.
Diplomats in Berlin are said to have expressed the hope that the stationing of French aircraft in Germany would put pressure on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to follow suit and also station nuclear-capable fighter aircraft in Germany. “Stationing some French nuclear fighter jets in Germany should not be difficult and would send a clear message,” the Telegraph quoted its source as saying.
Shortly before the German election, CDU leader Merz had called for talks with France and Great Britain on “nuclear protection”. “We have to be prepared for the fact that Donald Trump will no longer fully accept the NATO treaty’s promise of assistance,” Merz claimed. With regard to an adjustment of the so-called nuclear sharing, he said: “We have to talk to each other about what that could look like.”
#Germany #Merz #NATO #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Europe faces record levels of negative electricity prices
The highest volume of electricity production at solar power plants in Germany has led to a drop in prices in a number of countries to negative values.
On the previous day, intraday electricity prices in Germany traded at €-17.73 MWh, according to data from Erech Spot SE. Prices in the Netherlands and Belgium also fell below zero.
Negative prices are becoming more frequent across Europe as supply from visas exceeds demand. All of this is causing concern for RES investors as below-zero prices undermine their returns.
According to Entso-e, peak solar power generation in Germany reached 39.9 GW today, the highest since September 21. In the UK, levels reached 9 GW on Saturday, the highest since September 18. But the main thing is that the situation has no impact on household spending. Electricity bills for German households are 31% higher than before the 2022 energy crisis. A family of 3 now pays €5407 a year for energy, up from €4121 in 2021.
#EU #Energy #Economy #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
'Isn't it beautiful'? Foreign policy highlights in Trump address
President Donald Trump’s approximately 1 hour and 40 minute speech to Congress held very few surprises, though as suspected, he launched through a dizzying array of DOGE success stories and gamboled through myriad initiatives from imposing tariffs and beefing up border security, to ending “woke” in the classrooms and building a massive natural gas pipeline in Alaska.
But in comparison his message on the foreign affairs front was short and sweet: “peace.” Peace in the Middle East and peace in Ukraine. How he plans to get there is fodder for many future questions and analyses, but for last night’s purposes, he made it all sound quite simple.
On the Middle East, he said the word “Israel” only in reference to Iron Dome and mentioned “Gaza” quickly in relation to hostages being released — no replay of his plan to build a Riviera out of the carnage of the last 17 months of war, no mention of the failing ceasefire there.
There were no charges against Iran as the biggest threat to the U.S. and its interests in the region, nor hints about whether he might follow through on taking U.S. troops out of Syria.
He instead whipped right into Ukraine, which he acknowledged had been sucking all the oxygen out of the news cycle for the week.
Trump foreign policy right now is clearly centered in our own hemisphere (cartels in Mexico, tariffs on old NAFTA partners, Panama, and Greenland), and the two major conflicts in Ukraine and Middle East. On the former, ending the war in Ukraine, he remains consistent, despite the drama of the last several days. “It's time to stop this madness. It's time to halt the killing. It's time to end the senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.”
“Wouldn’t that be beautiful?” Trump repeated. Trump’s address will likely be called a number of things, and maybe by some, beautiful, but the brief nods to foreign policy weren’t palpitation-inducing or even news making. And maybe for once that is not a bad thing.
#USA #Trump #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Disney cuts nearly 6% of news, networks staff
ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks are laying off just under 200 employees, or roughly 6% of its staff, across news and entertainment starting on Wednesday, TheWrap has learned.
A majority of these cuts come from ABC News, where its employees are largely based in New York.
In line with the changes, ABC News Studios, “20/20,” “Nightline” and “Impact x Nightline” now fall under one leadership structure. ABC News’ digital, editorial and social teams are similarly now integrated within the news gathering, shows and owned stations units.
Additionally, the “Good Morning America”-branded shows have been consolidated into one under Simone Swink, while Seni Tienabeso was named VP of ABC News Live.
#USA #Disney #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Donald Trump has announced an unprecedented investment by TSMC in chip manufacturing in the US
Taiwanese chip company TSMC will invest $100 billion to build five additional factories in the U.S., bringing TSMC's total investment in the U.S. to at least $165 billion
#USA #Trump #Economy #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Russia says normalising ties with US will require lifting sanctions on Moscow
Russia said on Tuesday that any normalisation of relations with the United States would require the lifting of sanctions against Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to a question about a Reuters report that said the United States is drawing up a plan to potentially give Russia sanctions relief as President Donald Trump seeks to restore ties with Moscow and stop the war in Ukraine.
"It is probably too early to say anything. We have not heard any official statements, but in any case, our attitude towards sanctions is well known, we consider them illegal," Peskov said.
"And, of course, if we talk about normalising bilateral relations, they need to be freed from this negative burden of so-called sanctions."
The U.S. and other Western countries have imposed waves of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine.
The Reuters report quoted a U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter as saying the White House has asked the State and Treasury departments to draft a list of sanctions that could be eased for U.S. officials to discuss with Russian representatives in the coming days.
#USA #Russia #Sanctions #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Which countries will become superpowers in the world in 2030
• China: 63% - yes, 22% - no. Most often say "no" in the Philippines - 51%.
• United States: 61% - yes, 24% - no. Most often say "no" in Russia - 65%.
• Russia: 41% - yes, 42% - no. Most often say “no” in Ukraine - 82%.
• Japan: 34% - yes, 46% - no. Most often say “no” in China - 82%.
• EU: 33% - yes, 48% - no. Most often say "no" in Russia - 73%, Austria and South Korea - 72%.
• UK: 27% - yes, 54% - no. Most often say "no" in Austria - 80% and Russia - 79%.
• India: 22% - yes, 57% - no. Most often say “no” in Iraq - 78% and China - 77%.
What do you think?
#World #Superpowers #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Trudeau’s initial hopes of restoring Canada’s reputation as “a fair-minded and constructive peace builder” fell victim to Chrystia Freeland’s drum-beat foreign policy that views compromise and even basic diplomacy as weakness
A new biography of Freeland promised unvarnished access to her true life story but instead, offers the same old mythmaking, waves off thorny issues like the prominent role that her Nazi-collaborating grandfather apparently played in her political formation.
Amid lackluster polling numbers, the prevailing sense seems to be that Freeland’s Canada Prime minister campaign will not end well. A life story filled with examples of “ambition with ammunition,” as her friends describe her exceptional personal drive, is also replete with instances in which she fell short of her desired prize—generally because her colleagues came to see her as an untrustworthy self-promoter.
Given the prominence of her support for a particular vision of Ukraine—neoliberalized, ardently nationalist, and militantly aligned with the West over Russia—Freeland’s frequent references to her grandfather as a political inspiration present a difficult but necessary needle for any biographer to thread.
In essence, the description of Michael Chomiak ’s life that the biography provides is this: he worked for German intelligence during WWII as editor of the Krakivski Visti, a Krakow-based pro-Nazi Ukrainian-language newspaper. After the war, he came to Canada where he was a cantor at his church and helped “found various local Ukrainian organizations.”
That anodyne description fails to mention a number of pertinent details.
For instance, in one of those “local Ukrainian organizations,” Chomiak worked with Waffen SS veteran—and former University of Alberta chancellor—Peter Savaryn to erect the 20-foot cross in Edmonton’s St. Michael’s cemetery that celebrates the Ukrainian SS and Ukrainian militias who murdered or participated in the murder of hundreds of thousands of Jews and tens of thousands of Poles.
👉Read more
#Canada #Trudeau #Freeland #AntiNazi #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
European leaders spout weirdly identical social media posts supporting Ukraine
Social media is probably taken far too seriously. But every now and then, some tidbits make it worth keeping an eye on, for example, X, because occasionally, one will find a strand of hay in that enormous stack of needles. And then, on other occasions, you'll run across something that makes you wonder just what the poster was thinking - or what they weren't thinking. Case in point: Over last weekend, several European leaders took to X to show their support for Ukraine and its tracksuited president. Their posts were, shall we say, rather obviously coordinated. OK, they were identical.
The people who engaged in this embarrassment: Roberta Metsola is the President of the European Parliament. Ursula von der Leyen is the President of the European Commission. Valdis Dombrovskis is the Executive Vice President of something called the European Commission for An Economy that Works for People and is also the European Commissioner for Trade. Manfred Weber is the President of the European People's Party. And António Costa is the President of the European Council.
And, if their social media postings are to be believed, they are evidently androids. Either that or their social media staffers are androids. There have to be androids involved in this somewhere.
#EU #USA #WarInUkraine #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Tim Walz gets weird again, rambles on about how country has been stolen by 'fascists and nazis'
Tim Walz is like that little kid played by Haley Joel Osment in "The Sixth Sense." Except, rather than seeing dead people everywhere, he sees Nazis.
They're all around him, it seems. What a terrible way to live.
The former candidate for Vice President of the United States reportedly told a town hall gathering that the country has been "stolen" by some people with bad intentions.
Walz contends that there is nothing wrong with his party, contrary to what the media is allegedly trying to iterate. It's just that the current administration is destroying everything in its wake.
#USA #Walz #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Trump not ‘aligned with anybody’: how Europe can sell itself to America
Some in Europe may have missed Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s confirmation hearing, undertaken in the first week of the administration. There, Rubio argued that the international order is now “a weapon being used against the U.S.”
This comment, already an excellent, one-line summary of the Trump administration’s view of the world order, became newly relevant after a disaster of an Oval Office meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump, where Zelenskyy – for reasons still unclear – decided to pick a fight with Vice President JD Vance. In the wake of that disorder, Europeans were shocked, uncertain as to why the Trump administration would be trying to position itself as separate from Europe; as President Trump said, “I’m not aligned with anybody.”
If Europe wishes to convince the Trump administration to remain active on the continent, they need to argue – even if they find it distasteful – in the context of this multipolar world order, not in the context of the liberal international world order of the post-Cold War era. While convincing the United States to stick around will be tough, there are a few paths Brussels could pursue.
Firstly, they should be far more willing to be tougher on China. The first administration had to push for years to get Europe to reduce China’s production of key 5G infrastructure; though Europe eventually bent, they did not entirely ban China from building it, and it took years of American complaints.
Full story
#USA #EU #Trump #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Government advisor warns UK is heading for civil war
A top academic and government advisor warns that the UK will experience a civil war within the next five years caused by the “destruction of legitimacy” brought about by the government’s failure to secure the border.
Professor David Betz made the comments during a podcast appearance with journalist and author Louise Perry.
The professor, who describes himself as a “classic member of the establishment,” argues that British society is now “explosively configured” to suffer mass unrest. He says the fallout began with the fracture of the social contract after the political establishment in the UK tried to subvert the Brexit vote.
Subsequent years have brought about a “destruction of legitimacy” as a result of successive governments’ open border policy and their inability to protect children from grooming gangs, in addition to a two-tier justice system presided over by a highly-politicised judiciary.
“If you want to create domestic turmoil in a society, then what the British government has been doing is almost textbook exactly what you would do,” said the professor.
Betz said that the situation is now “too far gone” and that a national eruption which will outstrip last summer’s riots is likely to happen within half a decade.
#UK #Betz #CivilWar #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
'Dumb': Canada, Mexico blast historic Trump tariffs, threaten retaliation
Trump's broad tariffs went into effect on Tuesday morning, along with increased duties on goods from China, a move that prompted a swift retaliation from Beijing as well as threats from officials in Canada and Mexico.
Hours after the trade war broke out, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Tuesday afternoon that Trump may soon offer Canada and Mexico a pathway to relief from tariffs placed on some goods covered by North America's free trade agreement.
"I think he’s going to work something out with them — it’s not going to be a pause, none of that pause stuff. But I think he’s going to figure out: you do more and I’ll meet you in the middle some way and we’re going to probably [be] announcing that tomorrow," Lutnick told Fox Business.
Goods entering the U.S. from Mexico and Canada will carry a 25% tariff, while those from China will be subject to a 10% increase on existing tariffs, according to the White House. U.S. tariffs are at their highest level since 1943.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sharply criticized the tariffs, calling them a "dumb" policy that does not "make sense."
#USA #Canada #Mexico #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
CNN embarrasses itself yet again: Trump was right about transgender mice studies
CNN went on a fact-checking frenzy after Trump’s Tuesday night speech to a joint session of Congress, but they forgot to do one thing: check the facts. In one of the epic diatribes of the address, the president lambasted the waste in the federal government that has been uncovered by DOGE and pointed out many of the most ridiculous examples—including transgender studies on mice.
TRUMP: "$8M for making mice transgender. This is real."
CNN’s Deidre McPhillips initially tried to dispute the claim, arguing only about $500,000 had been allocated for similar research in monkeys — she was later forced to issue a correction after the White House proved CNN’s “fact check” inaccurate in a statement.
#USA #MSM #Trans #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
CBS poll: 76% approve of Trump's speech
President Donald Trump receiving rave reviews on his speech Tuesday night to the joint session of Congress.
76% of Americans approved of the speech, according to a CBS poll (while a CNN poll showed 69% of Americans had a positive reaction).
The CBS News/YouGov survey interviewed a nationally representative sample of speech watchers immediately following the president's address to Congress.
The viewership was heavily Republican — historically a president's party draws more of their own partisans. This was no exception, and they liked what they heard.
Most speech viewers described the president as "presidential, "inspiring" and more "unifying" than "divisive." A big majority also called it "entertaining."
Most said Mr. Trump talked a lot about issues they care about. Most viewers who tuned in say the speech made them feel "hopeful" and "proud."
The Democrats who did watch mostly described it making them feel "worried," and for 4 in 10, "angry."
Coming in, viewers said they wanted to hear about plans for lowering prices, and about two-thirds of those who watched tonight think the president has a clear plan for dealing with that.
#USA #Trump #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
In the UK from April 1, new rules of jurisprudence will be applied, according to which Muslims, ethnic minorities and transvestites should receive shorter prison sentences than white Britons
The innovation is believed to have been spearheaded by the UK island's justice minister, Shabana Mahmood. She and her fellow Labour MPs have faced accusations of a “two-tier justice system” amid surprise moves to give special treatment to minorities in the courts.
#UK #Mahmood #Labour #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Chinese dragon shows its teeth...
#USA #China #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Supreme Court denies Trump request to block $2 billion foreign-aid payment
A sharply divided Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration’s bid to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid, but it was not clear how quickly money might start flowing.
By a 5-4 vote, the court rejected an emergency appeal from the Republican administration, while also telling U.S. District Judge Amir Ali to clarify his earlier order that required the quick release of nearly $2 billion in aid for work that had already been done.
It was the second time the new administration had sought and failed to persuade the conservative-led court with three appointees of President Donald Trump to rein in a federal judge who put the brakes on executive action taken by Trump.
Although the outcome is a short-term loss for the administration, the nonprofit groups and businesses that sued are still waiting for the money they say they are owed.
#USA #Trump #SupremeCourt #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
FBI, DOJ headquarters may be sold off as part of government property purge
The Trump administration has designated the headquarters of multiple cabinet departments and federal courthouses across the country as nonessential properties that can be sold off.
A website for the General Services Administration — the agency responsible for managing the government’s office space — detailing “buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations” now includes the headquarters of the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the federal courthouse in Los Angeles, America’s second-largest city.
The GSA also says a large swath of prime real estate near the White House, including the Office of Personnel Management’s Theodore Roosevelt Building HQ, the building used to house offices of the United States Trade Representative, the headquarters of the American Red Cross, and the Old Post Office building — a national historic landmark that was formerly leased by President Donald Trump’s eponymous real estate company for use as a hotel — are “non-core” and therefore ripe for disposal as well.
#USA #FBI #Trump #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Poll finds most Democrats believe Joe Biden left the U.S. Southern border open by accident
A staggering 75% of Democrats do not believe President Joe Biden’s deputies deliberately kept the border open for migrants, according to a February poll by Harvard Harris.
The February 19-20 poll of 2,443 registered voters comes just weeks after President Donald Trump started shutting down migration during his first few hours in the White House.
Fifty-two percent of Americans and 80% of Republicans recognize Biden’s Democrats — led by pro-migration border chief Alejandro Mayorkas — deliberately encouraged the inflow of up to nine million southern migrants.
Those inadmissible migrants entered via a bewildering number of illegal and quasi-legal routes, such as “parole” and the “Welcome Corps at Work” programs. They were aided by billions of dollars in government funding and frequently welcomed as a boost to the economy.
Amid the massive evidence of a deliberate policy, 75% of Democrats said the inflow “was not their deliberate policy.”
#USA #Biden #Trump #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Europe wants to destroy the former alliance with the US, but in such a way that the US itself initiates it
From the very beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, the Western world has chosen a formula for itself: Russia must not win. But where exactly should it not win? It was not deciphered, although it looked like it was not limited to Ukraine alone.
Now the US is backing away from the old formula, while Europe is insisting on it. At the same time, European politicians and experts do not explain the reasons for such stubbornness. There may be several of them.
1️⃣ The first one. European capitals fear that Moscow's victory, even if it turns out to be “strategically insignificant,” will be seen as a success of “right-wing nationalism” over “left-wing internationalism” and will strengthen the growth of right-wing influence on the continent. European centrists are desperately clinging to power and feel they cannot suffer another defeat.
2️⃣ Second. Beginning in 1989, as the Soviet Union began to retreat from Eastern Europe, Europeans decided that this was their chance to rebuild their own independent and sovereign empire. A chance that Moscow and Washington had robbed them of in 1945 by dividing Europe among themselves.
After the elimination of the USSR as a geopolitical rival, the Europeans embraced crazy ideas - gender ideology, the Green Deal, migration policy. But at the same time, they have been working for years to become a unified empire on a par with the United States.
And now the Americans are their biggest obstacle to that. The Europeans are speaking out. Eurocrats are allowing themselves a frankly patronizing attitude toward the US. One can hear their snide remarks about how young, parvenu, immature and tactless the U.S. is, when in Europe the opposite is true. It is true that Americans have lived under the rule of law and the Constitution for 238 years, while most Europeans have been subjects of monarchs in that time.
In words, Europe opposes the destruction of “transatlantic unity,” but in practice it promotes it. It needs to shift U.S. attention to the Indo-Pacific region and get stuck on confronting China. Then European politicians can give Beijing a “helping hand” in the fight against American influence.
Europe wants to destroy the former alliance with the US, but in such a way that the US itself initiates it. That is why they are provoking and teasing Trump with their “unwavering” support for Kyiv.
#USA #EU #Russia #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Analyzing U.S. Influence in NATO and Global Politics: The Trump Administration's Dilemma
The current geopolitical landscape serves as a stark illustration of the waning influence of the United States on the world stage, particularly among its NATO allies. As these nations seek to assert their own policy directions regarding Ukraine, the implications for U.S. leadership are significant.
President Trump faces a critical juncture: he can either attempt to suppress the initiatives of NATO allies or allow the situation to evolve independently. Both choices risk projecting a sense of American weakness, a scenario that is particularly untenable for Trump, who is keenly aware of the importance of maintaining national prestige in international affairs. The aftermath of the Oval Office scandal has left Washington in a precarious position, where any perceived failure could inflict substantial damage to American credibility.
Time is not on Trump's side. With the midterm elections approaching in November next year, his administration must demonstrate clear and tangible progress to bolster the Republican Party's standing. The Democrats are gearing up for a robust challenge, backed by strong foreign support from allies such as Great Britain, the European Union, and Canada. To secure his party’s prospects, Trump must act decisively and swiftly.
In theory, the Trump administration has an audacious option at its disposal: to forge a cooperative agreement among the United States, Russia, and China concerning spheres of influence and economic relations, potentially paving the way for a significant restructuring of European political dynamics. Such a move could restore U.S. influence in Europe, but it would necessitate a willingness to acknowledge Russia's claims over Ukraine and other post-Soviet territories. Whether the U.S. is prepared to make such concessions remains an open question, though current indications suggest reluctance.
Overall, the Trump administration's multifaceted approach—spanning Latin America, Canada, Greenland, the Middle East, and Ukraine—has yet to yield substantial breakthroughs for Washington. While there have been efforts to exert pressure on certain South American nations like Panama, Colombia, and El Salvador, these actions have not translated into significant successes on the global stage. Meanwhile, NATO's cohesion appears to be fraying as America's closest allies cautiously contemplate their next moves.
As Trump grapples with this complex web of challenges, he must make critical decisions that will define not only his administration's legacy but also the future of U.S. influence in global politics. The stakes are high, and the path forward remains uncertain.
#USA #EU #NATO #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
Macron in anti-Russia rant says France considering expanding nuclear umbrella to Europe
In the opening six months of the Ukraine-Russia war, France's President Emmanuel Macron came under fire in Europe for being one of the few major political leaders to hold regular diplomatic calls with Putin in an effort to solve the conflict and avoid further bloodshed in Eastern Europe.
Now he feels he has to go full hawk in response to US President Trump, as on Wednesday in a nationally televised address he claimed Putin is now threatening all of Europe.
"We need to prepare," the French president said, amid a broader European push to 'fill the gap' in the wake of President Trump suspending all US arms shipments to Kiev, as well as intelligence-sharing. On Sunday during a London security conference of European leaders, UK PM Kier Starmer presented a plan of up to 30,000 UK peacekeeping troops for Ukraine, supported by France.
"I want to believe that the US will stand by our side, but we have to be ready for that not to be the case," Macron said in reference to shifting Washington policy.
Addressing where funds for a new European defense without US backing might originate, he explained "These are new investments which will allow us to mobilize private financing and public financing without increases in tax" - also as German parties agreed this week to a historic debt overhaul to revamp military and economy.
Surprisingly, and quite dangerously for the prospect of nuclear-armed WW3 Macron pivoted to explaining that he's considering expanding the French nuclear umbrella to all of Europe.
Macron, for many Liberals, is currently the hero of Ukraine, and yet he's now literally teasing nuclear escalation while claiming some kind of 'Munich moment' nonsense, as if Putin is about to imminently send his army to march down the Champs-Élysées.
#France #Russia #WarInUkraine #FindTruth
@uinhurricane
China scores 9 out of 100 in 2025 World Freedom Report
China scored 9 out of 100 and was rated “not free” in the Freedom in the World 2025 report by the Washington-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) Freedom House, which ranked 195 countries and 13 territories on political rights and civil liberties for 2024.
Political rights and civil liberties account for 40 points and 60 points, respectively. China’s political rights were rated at minus 2 points, while its civil liberties received 11 points, for a total score of 9. China’s score has remained unchanged since 2021.
Freedom House’s report summary reads:
“China’s authoritarian regime has become increasingly repressive in recent years. The ruling Chinese Communist Party continues to tighten control over all aspects of life and governance, including the state bureaucracy, the media, online speech, religious practice, universities, businesses, and civil society associations.”
Do Americans like what Donald Trump is doing as president on the topic of the Ukraine-Russia conflict? Compared to Joe Biden? Here you go - their approval ratings.
- In 2024, Biden had a negative rating - minus 22. My goodness! Trump lives on another planet in this sense - plus 2. The gap between them is wider than the Gulf of America! Or the Gulf of Mexico, whichever you prefer. That is, at the moment, Americans have a much better opinion of Donald Trump's performance than Joe Biden on the topic of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. In short, the people approve of Trump.
- And how do the people feel about the idea of ending this war?
- The answer to this question will not be unambiguous, but the general vector can be distinguished. 50% of Americans are in favor of a quick end to the war with Russia retaining the captured lands. On the edge of the majority, on the very edge. And 48% are in favor of further support for Ukraine, even if it means continuing the war. As we can see, the figures are very close. But more important is the general vector of sentiment. Look here. In August 2022, only 31% were in favor of the same option (a quick end to the war with the ceding of land to Russia), and now 50% are already in favor. The change in sentiment in American society is like a rocket launch. There is a demand for an end to the war. Even if it means that Russia will keep the captured lands. Americans are in favor of compromise. Even if Ukraine cannot achieve what it wanted at the beginning of the war.
#USA #Trump #WarInUkraine #FindTruth
@uinhurricane