Tag Archives: Ukraine

2 paragraphs: Ret. Marine Fighter Pilot Shocked To See U.S. Airmen on Their Knees in Front of Russian Jet, “Never Thought I’d See That”

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Retired U.S. Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath, the first woman to fly a combat mission for the Marine Corps, as well as the first to pilot the F/A-18 on a combat mission, responded to the image of airmen fixing a red carpet laid out to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Alaskan summit with President Donald Trump this week.

McGrath wrote: “I’m sorry but it’s hard to get over the picture of the airmen on their knees, in front of the Russian jet, rolling out the red carpet for a mass murderer. Just never thought I’d see that.”

Matthew VanDyke, founder of Sons of Liberty International, a nonprofit organization that has been providing military training to the Ukrainian military since the Russian invasion in 2022, replied to McGrath: “They certainly don’t make Republicans like they used to.”

Social media influencer and self-described “Democrat for life” Janice Hough also replied to McGrath — with a photo of former President George W. Bush (below). Hough wrote: “This picture SHOULD be as damaging to Trump’s presidency as that picture of George W Bush looking out the window of Air Force One at Katrina damage in New Orleans was to his… Except then we had a real media and a GOP who weren’t all in a cult.”

MAGA supporters are also replying to McGrath with comments including “Well it happens every time, with every president meeting every foreign leader so you should be able to get over it” and “How else do you expect them to roll out the carpet?”

Note: McGrath’s objection didn’t entail questioning the protocol of welcoming foreign leaders, but rather upholding that protocol for “a mass murderer.” In April 2022, two months after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the United Nations reported “that of the 2,343 civilian casualties it had been able to document, it could confirm 92.3% of these deaths were as a result of the actions of the Russian armed forces.”

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) “issued warrants of arrest for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ms. Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.”

Ret. Marine Fighter Pilot Shocked To See U.S. Airmen on Their Knees in Front of Russian Jet, “Never Thought I’d See That”
Retired U.S. Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath, the first woman to fly a combat mission for the Marine Corps, as well as the first to pilot the F/A-18 on a combat mission, responded to the image of ai
Ret. Marine Fighter Pilot Shocked To See U.S. Airmen on Their Knees in Front of Russian Jet, “Never Thought I’d See That”

Newsweek: Smithsonian issues update on Trump’s impeachment exhibit controversy

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The Smithsonian National Museum of American History on Saturday released a statement on its website announcing that it would reinstall President Donald Trump to its exhibit about impeachments, saying that it never intended his removal to be temporary.

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment by email outside of normal business hours on Saturday evening.

Why It Matters

The museum removed references to Trump’s two impeachments from its exhibit on presidential impeachments last month, igniting a debate about historical accuracy and political influence in public institutions.

The controversy centered on “The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden” exhibit, which included a temporary label about Trump’s impeachments that was added in September 2021. Trump remains the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice.

During his second administration, Trump has influenced the museum, which is independent of the government but receives funding from Congress. In March, he signed an executive order to eliminate “anti-American ideology” in the museum and to “restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness.”

What To Know

The Smithsonian confirmed the temporary label remained in place until July before being removed during a review of legacy content.

In a statement posted to the museum’s website, the Smithsonian said the placard “did not meet the museum’s standards in appearance, location, timeline and overall presentation.”

“It was not consistent with other sections in the exhibit and moreover blocked the view of the objects inside its case,” the statement continued. “For these reasons, we removed the placard. We were not asked by any Administration or other government official to remove content from the exhibit.”

The museum assured that the exhibit in the coming weeks would see its impeachment section updated to reflect “all impeachment proceedings in our nation’s history.”

“As the keeper of memory for the nation, it is our privilege and responsibility to tell accurate and complete histories,” the museum wrote.

The decision to remove the placard stoked concerns in the public about possible government interference, the shaping of public memory, and the integrity of historical curation at America’s most prominent museum complex.

A Smithsonian spokesperson previously told Newsweek: “In reviewing our legacy content recently, it became clear that the ‘Limits of Presidential Power’ section in The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden exhibition needed to be addressed. The section of this exhibition covers Congress, The Supreme Court, Impeachment, and Public Opinion. Because the other topics in this section had not been updated since 2008, the decision was made to restore the Impeachment case back to its 2008 appearance.”

Why Was Donald Trump Impeached?

Trump faced two impeachment efforts by Democrats during his first administration: First on December 18, 2019, and then again on January 13, 2021—just one week before he left office. He was ultimately acquitted by the Senate both times.

The first impeachment charged Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his dealings with Ukraine. Both articles passed the House with no support from any Republicans, and some Democrats split from the party.

What People Are Saying

Political analyst Jeff Greenfield wrote on X: “Orwellian is a much-overused phrase; but forcing the Smithsonian to erase the fact of Trump’s impeachments is right out of 1984. Did they drop that stuff down the memory hole?”

Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, posted images of media coverage about Trump’s impeachments on X, writing: “This is what Donald Trump wants you to forget. American never will.”

Former GOP Congressman and Trump critic Joe Walsh called the Post‘s report on X: “Despicable. Reprehensible. Dishonest. Cowardly. Trump’s 2 impeachments are historical facts. They are both part of American history. He’s using the powers of his office to try to rewrite history. I’m done saying ‘shame on him.’ Shame on us for electing him.”

A White House spokesperson told NPR: “We are fully supportive of updating displays to highlight American greatness. The Trump administration will continue working to ensure that the Smithsonian removes all improper ideology and once again unites and instills pride in all Americans regarding our great history.”

What Happens Next?

The Smithsonian acknowledged the need for a comprehensive update of its presidential impeachment exhibit. The institution stated the impeachment section will be revised in the coming weeks to “ensure it accurately represents all historical impeachment proceedings.”

No specific timetable was provided for when Trump’s impeachments or other new content will be permanently reintroduced.

Be sure to leave plenty of room for King Donald’s third impeachment. It will surely be needed if the Felon-in-Chief doesn’t roll over & die first.

Smithsonian issues update on Trump’s impeachment exhibit controversy
The Smithsonian Museum had removed a placard discussing President Donald Trump’s impeachments, sparking outcry amid concern of censorship.

https://www.newsweek.com/smithsonian-museum-issues-update-trump-impeachment-exhibit-controversy-2108096

Forbes: Trump Lashes Out At India And Russia’s ‘Dead Economies’ And Responds To Medvedev’s War Threat

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Topline

President Donald Trump lashed out at both Russia and India in a Truth social post at midnight on Thursday, as he doubled down on the 25% tariffs he placed on New Delhi—along with an unspecified “penalty” for its continued trade with Moscow—and attacked former Russian president and key Putin ally, Dmitry Medvedev, who warned that Trump’s ultimatums against his country were a “step towards war.”

Key Facts

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president wrote: “I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”

Trump claimed the U.S. has done “very little business with India” as their Tariffs are “among the highest in the World,” and added: “Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together.”

While announcing his plan to impose a 25% tariff on India, Trump pointed out that the country has “always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia” and is the “largest buyer” of Russian energy after China.

This was the first instance of the president following through with his threat to impose “secondary tariffs” on Russia’s key trading partners unless Moscow agrees to end its war in Ukraine.

Trump, however, didn’t specify what this penalty would entail.

What Do We Know About Trump’s Deadline For Russia?

Earlier this month, Trump threatened to impose 100% “secondary” tariffs on Russia, unless it managed to secure a deal to end the war in Ukraine in 50 days. These secondary tariffs would target countries like India and China, which are among Russia’s key trading partners. However, the president revised his deadline on Monday during his visit to Scotland and said Moscow now has 10 to 12 days to take steps towards ending its conflict with Ukraine.

What Has Medvedev Said About Trump’s Deadline For Russia?

When Trump announced the first deadline, Medvedev mocked it in a post on X, saying: “Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care.” After Trump shortened the deadline on Monday, Medvedev responded, tweeting: “Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia…He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe road!”

What Did Trump Say About Medvedev?

The president had not commented on Medvedev’s earlier post, but his Thursday midnight post appears to respond to the former Russian president’s “step towards war” remark. After pointing out that Russia and the U.S. do almost no business together, Trump said: “Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!” Medvedev, who had not shied away from nuclear saber-rattling in the past few years, has not yet responded to Trump’s remarks.

Theatrics and a complete lack of statesmanship!

Trump Hits Out Against Former Russian President’s War Threat—Doubles Down On India Tariff
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump announced a 25% tariff rate on Indian goods, along with an unspecified “penalty” for its continued trade relationship with Russia.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/07/31/trump-lashes-out-at-india-and-russias-dead-economies-and–responds-to-medvedevs-war-threat

Trump Lashes Out At India And Russia’s ‘Dead Economies’ And Responds To Medvedev’s War Threat
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump announced a 25% tariff rate on Indian goods, along with an unspecified “penalty” for its continued trade relationship with Russia.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/trump-lashes-out-at-india-and-russia-s-dead-economies-and-responds-to-medvedev-s-war-threat/ar-AA1JD76k

Daily Beast: JD Vance’s Idyllic Vacation in Foreign A-List Hotspot to Be Hijacked by Protests

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The Stop Trump Coalition said the vice president will “find the resistance waiting” on his English summer break, an ocean and almost 4,000 miles from DC.

Anti-Trump protesters have warned that they will derail JD Vance’s planned English countryside escape.

The vice president, his wife Usha, and their three children are expected to explore London in mid-August, rent a cottage in the Cotswolds, and then travel to Scotland, according to The Telegraph.

The Cotswolds is a stunning area full of rolling hills and quaint villages in southwest England, which is frequented by the wealthy elite, including Hugh Grant, David Beckham, and King Charles. But a serene stay is set to be hijacked by “a coalition of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, climate protesters and trade unions,” the British publication reported.

Ellen DeGeneres, who decided to move to the U.K. with wife Portia de Rossi after Trump’s re-election, is also a recent American expat living in the area. DeGeneres said over the weekend that she had found an oasis of calm. “We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in,’” DeGeneres told the BBC. “And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’”

The Stop Trump Coalition has pledged to ensure that Vance’s merriment falls as flat as it did when he visited Disneyland with his brood earlier this month. Demonstrators gathered outside the hotel he was believed to be staying at to protest the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration raids in California.

The group, which helped mobilize mass protests against Donald Trump’s first state visit to the U.K. in 2019, warned that even in the heart of the English countryside, the vice president “will find the resistance waiting.”

A spokesman told The Telegraph that the group also plans to Trump’s visit to Scotland later this week, when the president will open a new golf course named after his Scottish mother, and a second full state visit planned for September.

“We are meeting Trump with protests in Aberdeen and Edinburgh this month, and then in London and Windsor in September,” they said.

“J.D. Vance is every bit as unwelcome in the U.K. as Donald Trump. We remember how Vance cut short his ski trip in Vermont because he was so enraged by the sight of a few protesters.

“We are sure that, even in the Cotswolds, he will find the resistance waiting.”

In March, protesters in Vermont forced Vance and his family to flee a ski resort after demonstrations sprang up against the administration’s Ukraine stance.

He was told to “go ski in Russia,” and branded a “national disgrace.”

The Vances were also met with resistance at Disneyland earlier this month. Over 100 protesters turned up the day before he arrived to speak out against the Trump administration’s mass deportations in a demonstration outside the Grand Californian Hotel, where the Vances were booked.

A smaller crowd of protesters showed up the day he arrived, with the park reportedly shutting down certain rides for the Vances to enjoy privately, causing delays for other park guests.

Even California Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted Vance in an X post, writing, “Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t.”

The Stop Trump Coalition, meanwhile, has also said it will protest against the president’s visit. He will jet into Scotland, where he has business interests, meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Aberdeen, on the country’s northeast coast.

The group previously said it will hang anti-Trump banners and flags along roadsides and position a huge message on a beach to be visible from the sky.

The folks in Greenland wouldn’t stoop low enough to have lunch with J.D. Dunce. Hopefully the folks in the U.K. will show equally high standards!

JD Vance’s Idyllic Vacation in Foreign A-List Hotspot to Be Hijacked by Protests
The Stop Trump Coalition said the vice president will “find the resistance waiting” on his English summer break, an ocean and almost 4,000 miles from DC.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/vances-vacation-plans-immediately-hit-with-protest-threats

Daily Express: Kristi [Bimbo #2] Noem explodes over ‘false’ FEMA failure report as flood deaths soar

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The DHS head has been accused of being unprepared to handle the natural disaster, which killed 129 people and left 160 missing, but she denies the claims.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi [Bimbo #2] Noem accused The New York Times of politicizing the deadly Texas floods following the publication of a report that sharply criticized her handling of the catastrophic disaster.

“It’s just false,” [Bimbo #2] Noem said about the damning report on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday. “It’s discouraging that during this time, when we have such a loss of life and so many people’s lives have turned upside down, that people are playing politics with this because the response time was immediate.”

The investigation revealed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which operates under the DHS, left “nearly two-thirds” of thousands of desperate victims without answers when they placed distress calls during the July Fourth weekend deluge in Central Texas, a disaster that has taken 129 lives while 160 remain missing. It came as an extraordinary throwback photo revealed Noem’s face BEFORE plastic surgery – but she still denies any procedures.

[Bimbo #2] Noem, who critics have nicknamed “ICE Barbie” due to her tendency to dress up for immigration-related photo-ops, has come under intense fire for her management of the event, especially regarding the overhauls she has implemented at the massive federal agency.

Numerous detractors, including Texas legislators, have charged her with being ill-equipped to manage the natural disaster, allegations she has forcefully rejected.

The former South Dakota governor terminated “hundreds of contractors at call centers” as part of cost-cutting measures, along with other modifications, that purportedly weakened the federal emergency response to the calamity.

CNN reports that she is facing allegations of hindering search and rescue operations by instituting a new policy requiring her personal approval for any contracts or grants exceeding $100,000.

She has forcefully denied the findings of the report, which she insinuates was driven by hidden political motives.

“I’m not sure where it came from,” [Bimbo #2] Noem told NBC. “The individuals who are giving you information out of FEMA, I’d love to have them put their names behind it because anonymous attacks to politicize the situation is completely wrong.

“The false reporting has been something that is inappropriate and it’s something that I think we need to clear up.”

In an ironic twist, she proceeded to make a political statement herself, asserting that her management of the natural disaster surpassed what the Biden administration could have achieved.

“This response was by far the best response we’ve seen out of FEMA, the best response we’ve seen out of the federal government in many, many years and certainly much better than what we saw under Joe Biden,” she claimed.

Amidst the devastating aftermath of the floods, there has been growing concern that U.S. President Donald Trump might act on his repeated threats to dismantle FEMA. Nonetheless, [Bimbo #2] Noem addressed these worries, arguing that such fears are unfounded.

“The president recognizes that FEMA should not exist in the way that it always has been,” she remarked. “It needs to be redeployed, in a new way, and that’s what we did during this response.”

Addressing concerns, she also noted that other federal resources can be utilized in addition to FEMA.

Kristi “Bimbo #2” Noem is a pathological liar who couldn’t tell the truth if her life depended on it.

Kristi Noem explodes over ‘false’ FEMA failure report as flood deaths soar
The DHS head has been accused of being unprepared to handle the natural disaster, which killed 129 people and left 160 missing, but she denies the claims.

https://www.the-express.com/news/politics/177412/kristi-noem-fema-report-response

Daily Beast: Musk Accuses Trump Aide of Federal Crime as Feud Explodes

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The former boss of the Department of Government Efficiency has ramped up his attacks on White House staffer Sergio Gor.

Elon Musk has accused one of President Donald Trump’s top aides of committing a federal crime.

Weeks after the epic breakup between the president and the world’s richest man, Musk has continued to snipe at Sergio Gor, the director of the presidential personnel office, who he believes fueled his falling out with Trump.

Earlier this week, Musk described Gor as a “snake” after the New York Post reported that, even though Gor is in charge of vetting thousands of executive branch employees, he himself hasn’t been fully vetted.

But on Friday, the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency ramped up his attacks, writing on X: “He deliberately lied about where he was born on Federal forms. That’s a serious crime.”

“Gor is breaking the law,” Musk later added.

The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House about Musk’s latest comment, which came in response to a series of posts by Ukraine-born American race car driver Igor Sushko accusing Gor of being a “Russian spy.”

Sushko had posted a series of articles relating to the White House aide, including a New York Post story questioning where Gor was born; details of a fact-finding trip he took to Russia while working for Senator Rand Paul; an archive of Gor’s high-school email suggesting it referred to him as “Russian-Maltese”; and a now-retracted investigation by former Washington Post reporter-turned-independent journalist Brian Krebs.

Central to Musk’s attack is the claim that Gor failed to file his own SF-86, the critical vetting form required for permanent U.S security clearance. This was despite Gor being responsible for vetting thousands of executive branch employees.

Among other things, the form covers citizenship, employment history, relatives, foreign contacts and travel, financial activities, and drug use. The White House, however, insisted earlier this week that Gor filled out the form, has the relevant clearance, and is a “trusted adviser to President Trump.”

Underpinning Musk’s accusation is a long-standing rift with Gor, who says the 38-year-old fueled his spectacular falling out with Trump earlier this month.

Things got particularly messy when Gor encouraged Trump to rescind his nomination for Jared Isaacman—Musk’s personal friend—to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) just days before his Senate confirmation vote. Trump at the time cited Isaacman’s “prior associations”—a reference to Isaacman’s past donations to Democrats—as the reason for withdrawing his nomination.

And that last tidbit is probably the real issue here — F’Elon Musk’s buddy won’t be running NASA, which would have removed a lot of regulatory obstacles from Musk’s path, not to mention helping to ensure a steady stream of lucrative government contracts.

Musk Accuses Trump Aide of Federal Crime as Feud Explodes
The former boss of the Department of Government Efficiency has ramped up his attacks on White House staffer Sergio Gor.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/elon-musk-accuses-trump-aide-sergio-gor-of-federal-crime-as-feud-explodes

Alternet: ‘Dangerous moment’: Analyst says Trump deliberately leaving former aides ‘unshielded’

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President Donald Trump’s decision to strip security protections from his own former officials has left them dangerously exposed at a time of escalating global conflict and political violence in the United States, The Bulwark’s Will Saletan argued in a piece published Thursday.

According to Saletan, the convergence of foreign assassination plots and domestic political attacks is not coincidental — and Trump’s policies have made the moment even more perilous. “We’re in a dangerous moment,” he said.

“These two challenges aren’t unrelated,” Saletan wrote. “They’ve converged before. They might do so again.”

‘Dangerous moment’: Analyst says Trump deliberately leaving former aides ‘unshielded’

https://www.alternet.org/trump-aides-threats

Daily Beast: Trump Lists Reasons He Deserves Nobel Prize in Epic Meltdown

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“The people know, and that’s all that matters to me!” the president claimed.

“I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between India and Pakistan, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between Serbia and Kosovo, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for keeping Peace between Egypt and Ethiopia (A massive Ethiopian built dam, stupidly financed by the United States of America, substantially reduces the water flowing into The Nile River),” Trump wrote on Friday. “And I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for doing the Abraham Accords in the Middle East which, if all goes well, will be loaded to the brim with additional Countries signing on, and will unify the Middle East for the first time in ‘The Ages!’”

He added, “No, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and that’s all that matters to me!

What the people know is that he is a deranged narcissistic who should be in a looney bin.

Trump Lists Reasons He Deserves Nobel Prize in Epic Meltdown
“The people know, and that’s all that matters to me!” the president claimed.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-lists-reasons-he-deserves-nobel-prize-in-epic-meltdown

WhoWhatWhy: Trump Silences Dissent in the Military

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Behind closed doors, the Trump administration is advancing a chilling project: silencing dissent, lowering intellectual standards, and purging independent oversight — all within what was the most powerful military in the world. 

Sound familiar? It’s Donald Trump’s playbook: Reward loyalty, punish competence — this time with an armed force, trained to kill, and stripped of oversight.

Military officers, legislators, legal scholars, and defense experts are raising alarms about a series of directives that appear to reshape the US armed forces — from a constitutionally grounded institution into a politically compliant weapon.

Trump Silences Dissent in the Military – WhoWhatWhy
With dissent punished, critical thinking suppressed, and standards lowered — the military becomes easier to control and less able to defend the Constitution. What orders will they follow?

Raw Story: ‘Very insulted’: Trump tells G7 members they’ve hurt Putin’s feelings

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U.S. President Donald Trump used a press conference with G7 chair Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to air Russia’s grievances about being kicked out of what was then the G8 over the annexation of Crimea.

Who cares?

Carney had just publicly welcomed Trump to the summit when the president launched into his claim that there would never have been a full-scale invasion of Ukraine had he been president.

Bullsh*t!

“And, I mean, he was thrown out by Trudeau, who convinced one or two people along with Obama. He was thrown out. And he’s not a happy person about it, I can tell you that. He basically doesn’t even speak to the people that threw him out. And I agree with him.

Poor babies!

‘Very insulted’: Trump tells G7 members they’ve hurt Putin’s feelings

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-putin-ukraine-ceasefire