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Coronavirus and Public Health:
RFK Jr. Moves to Eliminate Public Comment
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted a document Friday proposing to strip public participation from much of the business his department conducts.
The move comes during a time of major upheaval across federal health agencies, and as the public waits to see how Kennedy will enact his pledge of ‘radical transparency’ at the department.
Politics:
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Donald Trump and J. D. Vance appear to have entered today’s Oval Office meeting with the goal of generating a pretext for a diplomatic break with Ukraine.
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Leave aside, if only for a moment, the utter boorishness with which President Donald Trump and Vice President J. D. Vance treated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House today. Also leave aside the spectacle of American leaders publicly pummeling a friend as if he were an enemy. All of the ghastliness inflicted on Zelensky today should not obscure the geopolitical reality of what just happened: The president of the United States ambushed a loyal ally, presumably so that he can soon make a deal with the dictator of Russia to sell out a European nation fighting for its very existence.
Trump’s advisers have already declared the meeting a win for ‘putting America first,’ and his apologists will likely spin and rationalize this shameful moment as just a heated conversation—the kind of thing that in Washington-speak used to be called a ‘frank and candid exchange.’ But this meeting reeked of a planned attack, with Trump unloading Russian talking points on Zelensky (such as blaming Ukraine for risking global war), all of it designed to humiliate the Ukrainian leader on national television and give Trump the pretext to do what he has indicated repeatedly he wants to do: side with Russian President Vladimir Putin and bring the war to an end on Russia’s terms.
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At Least Now We Know the Truth
At least the Oval Office meeting held by President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was held in front of the cameras. False friendliness in public by Trump and Vance, followed by behind-the-scenes treachery, would have been much more dangerous to the Ukrainian cause.
Instead, Trump and Vance have revealed to Americans and to America’s allies their alignment with Russia, and their animosity toward Ukraine in general and its president in particular. The truth is ugly, but it’s necessary to face it.
Today’s meeting gave the lie to any claim that this administration’s policy is driven by any strategic effort to advance the interests of the United States, however misguided. Trump and Vance displayed in the Oval Office a highly personal hatred.
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Trump administration retreats in fight against Russian cyber threats
Recent incidents indicate US is no longer characterizing Russia as a cybersecurity threat, marking a radical departure: ‘Putin is on the inside now’
Israel Wants Russian Bases to Stay in Syria
Israel is lobbying the United States to keep Syria weak and decentralised, including by letting Russia keep its military bases there to counter Turkey’s growing influence in the country.
Turkey’s often fraught ties with Israel have come under severe strain during the Gaza war and Israeli officials have told Washington that Syria’s new Islamist rulers, who are backed by Ankara, pose a threat to Israel’s borders.
Why exactly would the new Syrian government agree to this?
Russia and China Trying to Recruit Disgruntled Workers
Foreign adversaries including Russia and China have recently directed their intelligence services to ramp up recruiting of US federal employees working in national security, targeting those who have been fired or feel they could be soon.
The intelligence indicates that foreign adversaries are eager to exploit the Trump administration’s efforts to conduct mass layoffs across the federal workforce – a plan laid out by the Office of Personnel Management earlier this week.
Trump’s Media Company Defends Diversity and Inclusion
Donald Trump has made purging the government of diversity, equity and inclusion programs a top priority of his new administration, calling them ‘illegal’ and ‘immoral.’ But throughout his career Trump has espoused the opposite view and has often highlighted the importance of such initiatives in business.
Corporate governance documents of his media company, which owns the Truth Social platform, just last year pledged to foster a “culture of diversity and inclusion” among a handful of guidelines adopted before the company went public.
Hegseth Warns Mexico of Military Strikes
Hegseth told the officials that if Mexico didn’t deal with the collusion between the country’s government and drug cartels, the U.S. military was prepared to take unilateral action… Mexico’s top brass who were on that call were shocked and angered.
U.S. Terminates Support of Ukraine’s Energy Grid
The State Department this week terminated a U.S. Agency for International Development initiative that has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to help restore Ukraine’s energy grid from attacks by the Russian military.
Trump Fires Hundreds Working on Weather Forecasts
Serendipity:
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Man the circus has come to town and I am wondering when and if it can be forced to leave. Vance browbeating every single European security leader and now this attack on a country fighting for its very existence. Fuckin embarrassing that this hate fueled discourse is actually a breath of fresh air to some knowing the blue guys would have impotently played nice and given empty thoughts and prayers as the only support.
I hate to say it but when my American friends apologize for what is going on, my reaction is an incredulous “DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!”
I guess these goddamn delusional billionaires figure their stake is strong enough to flip the game table and opportunistically start taking by force with nobody, not even its own people, having any say in the matter.
America used to try and do the right thing for humanity, even if it was with tact fitting a teenager. Wonder where this will end up!
I’m amazed at how many normies think the 2026 election might let Dems regain the House as a check on Trumpism.
That’s waaaaaayyyyy too long to wait. Impeachment or the 25th Amendment need to be short-term goals. Republicans in government have to have their feet held to the fire. I’d love to see Canada deny Trump entry for the upcoming G7 meeting. Hell, make it the G6 and kick America out.
Trump seems determined to crash the economy so it looks like blood in the streets is heading our way. If he opts for martial law, we might be heading towards a 1789 event.
Even back when he hadn't taken office yet and was bragging about a billion executive orders and creating trade wars with closest allies, we were deliberating that he definitely wants to crash the economy. Remember how much the wealth gap widened last time, who actually received the bail out money and who didn't? I was so hoping I was just being dramatic but it looks like it might be the case.
No, I can't leave it aside. Boorishness is exactly the point. This president, Trump, is in the process of amassing more power. What does a person like that do with unchecked power? We are (or will be) at the mercy of someone who has no respect for any idea, any entity, any person that does not cower before him.
That's fine, I guess if you have young knees that bend easily. I think I may have been born old, because my knees never bent easily.
It’s a myth that it’s an ancient Chinese curse, but “May you live in interesting times” is hitting us with a vengeance.
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