Zelensky rejects Trump's assertion that Ukraine may give up territory, tariffs rise to the highest rate since the great depression, covid vaccines for children may lose FDA authorization, and more
He should. The US is one of the countries participating in the ICC agreement. And ICC had issued a warrant for Putin's arrest for the kidnapping of thousands Ukrainian children, which is one of the points in the definition of genocide. But I seriously doubt Trump will do anything about it.
Unfortunately, the US is NOT one of the countries participating in the ICC. Yes, in 2000, the USA did sign the Rome Statute (President Bill Clinton),, but Congress never ratified it. In 2002, the Bush Administration formally withdrew the US Signature. Since then, the US (at best) has worked with ICC on a case-by-case basis (where foreign policy has aligned - note that this was during Obama and Biden stints) but currently USA is strongly opposed to ICC (once ICC issued arrest warrant for Netanyahu, Trump actually has placed sanctions on ICC judges and officials). So no, ICC is fairly powerless here, unfortunately.
Agreed. Unfortunately for "half" of Americans, this means trying democrats (presidents, etc.) for entering the USA into foreign conflicts. Of course, any such conflict instigated by a republican president will get a pass (though maybe a partial scolding from MTG) :-/
Sorry, just in a cynical mood at the moment!
But yes, the "good half" of Americans really do want to see global tyrants held accountable for their actions. There was a time when civilian targets were supposed to be excluded from military action. And yes, the bad operators often exploited that (Hamas using hospitals and schools as command centres). But when you look at aerial footage of Ukraine and Gaza, all you see is rubble (most) everywhere. Whole towns, etc., gone.
The other "small" problem here is that if Putin (or Bibi) were arrested, almost guaranteed that would trigger a world war. Whatever country did that would have Russia/Israel/(US??) raining all kinds of stuff upon them.
Ah, thank you for the correction. I thought the US was involved due to MAYBE having learned the Nuremberg lessons and international terrorism targeting the US. You know... thinking maybe having some place to put international criminals might be useful. Guess not... then we are in trouble. That is a bummer.
I remember vaguely something along this line of thinking. More to the point, this is #1 reason USA has largely made sure it does not cede to such international bodies like ICC (in case enemies somehow tricked the Courts, etc. into issuing such warrants against US citizens/military/leaders). While maybe there could be a valid point to this view, I would hope the US would have realized that any properly constituted court should be able to determine true violations vs "trumped-up" violations. Then again, look at SCOTUS right now, so . . . .
Anyway, a quick check (via Perplexity) says that there currently are no outstanding arrest warrants specifically for US Citizens.
More alarming, the search result did reinforce my earlier comment, that the USA has issued executive orders imposing sanctions on ICC and its officials, to ". . . prevent the court from investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting US nationals, military personnel . . . or allies like Israel, threatening diplomatic and legal reprisals."
This last part is scary -- so if Bibi/Putin just happens to make the mistake (they wont) of landing in, say, Canada (who is a member state of ICC, was the first country to enact national legislation about human rights, war crimes, genocide, etc. in alignment with ICC), and the Mounties arrest them -- then The Orange One could do all kinds of evil things in retribution to Canada. Hmm, like maybe add more tariffs on goods (that Americans would have to pay). Canadians would likely roll eyes, do even less travel to USA, etc., and go sell raw materials, etc. elsewhere (half of the aluminum that Ford Motor Company needs for F150 trucks has been sold to Europe, and, the other half is being pitched to Asian countries).
The Bush-Cheney deal is not something you'll hear talked about in USA or Canada considering Canada answered the NATO call during the Afghani Iraqi War. I'm pretty sure that's why you never see either one of them taking a European Vacation! lol Didn't think much of why Trump-Putin chose Alaska, but makes sense now. Putin only has to cross ocean to get to Alaska from Russia. Wonder now how many of $10millions it's going to cost American taxpayers to secure area for both Trump and Putin? Thanks for returning answer to my question. Sounds like it's time to buy more popcorn before tariffs settle in completely! lol
He actually should be, both of them! Ofc that won’t happen. The Gov of Alaska has already shown where they stand & who they really serve! But like I keep saying & asking the universe 2birds. One stone! It would be a great around the world!
When I was growing up, transported my by parents from Louisiana to California as a young child, we would have called Trump's taste "white trash tacky".
And that judgement, coming from a struggling young white musician father and his adoring wife, my mother, who'd rented a tiny one bedroom Hollywood court bungalow, to house a family of five, which my mom would often cheerily exclaim was decorated in "Early Akron".
For a fun day out, we would take a car ride through Beverly Hills to admire the beautiful mansions. My mom would say, "You don't need to envy the people living here. They most surely have just a many problems in life as we do, if not more."
That stuck with me. So whenever life has taken a turn for the worse, after thinking I finally had it made - caused by the government, or the banking industry, or the industrialized military machine, or a global epidemic, or a tragic fatal illness of a loved one - I know how to start over and count my blessings, no matter what.
Today, I watched an interview by Oprah of Leanne Morgan.
"How do you know your purpose?" " You know it in your heart. It's 'instinct' - 'knowingness' - 'intuition'."
"Nothing is ever lost or wasted. Everything that is happening is leading to something else that is meant to happen"
"There's a reason. Hold on."
And that's how we get past vulgar "Autocrat-chic".
Trump shows how weak he is by accepting Putin's demands. Trump probably won't have an American interpreter again, relying only on the interpreter provided by Putin. I read Witcoff has been doing the same thing on his many visits to Russia. The whole regime is a bunch of fucking morons.
If Putin lands in a country that’s a member state of the international criminal court — which the USA is not (unfortunately). Better hope he doesn’t land in Canada by mistake!
I mean did Trump bother to ask Ukraine if they wanted him to negotiate cause I'm pretty sure since he's horrible at it and a putin ass kisser, they'd say hell no.
Nope. And the last time people of Ukraine said they weren't interested in any options involving surrender, he complained they were being "difficult". Had he found any squatters on one of his golf courses he would have probably pitched a screaming fit about his property and people violating his land.
Now the “orange man” will tell everyone that President Zelensky is to blame for why the war isn’t ending. He always finds a way to protect Putin, give him everything, and then shift the blame onto someone else.
It's going to be interesting in 2 months from now when Trump tries to say the rise in prices is all a result of the past administration. When all the people who voted for him or didn't vote at all are shocked by the world they are living in.... Because right now, they have no idea how much their world is about to change.
God, I hope you’re right Laurie. I’m surrounded by people who insist Trump‘s presidency will have Zero negative impact on our daily lives. Until it affects them, they can’t see it.
Thank you, Aaron. I'd love to ear more about your Ukraine family and experiences.
And why would we trust Trump with negotiating ANYTHING?? Especially regarding RUSSIA? and with Ukraine making strides and Russia running out of money??
It seems every day Trump tries to flood the news to squeeze out any space or mention of Epstein.
Trump is saying what Putin wants. Russia is the aggressor, why should they give up THEIR territory? Trump is a know nothing idiot who just wants this to go away because it's fucking up the "promises" he made. Actually this is only one of the many things he promised his believers that he hasn't been able to do! Also how is it any of his business. AND are Americans okay with allowing their enemy to enter their country? That's like asking the ruler of North Korea to come to dinner, in the WH! Zelenskyy should be part of the peace talks and UK, France and Germany. But Donald and Vlad think it's only them that should be at the table. That's not a peace talk it's a business deal. Trump I'll give Putin what he wants if HE gets to cash in on the "spoils of war." What a complete reprobate! This is not fooling anybody outside his dumber that dumb base.
I'm kinda tired of tariffs being framed as ways Trump is trying to balance the trade deficit. This is a war on Americans. They don't want us to have a single spare penny to make contributions to journalists, ACLU, non profits that help our fellow humans, classrooms, cities, states, to buy food, to pay for our Healthcare, to stay home when a child is sick, or take care of aging parents. They want profit and they are killing the golden goose.
Meanwhile, these mfs are out here "seeking $1.5 billion from investors to form a public company holding its $WLFI tokens, after generating $500 million for the family"!
Maybe Alaska will have one of their huge earthquakes when Putin and Trump meet there and the ground will open up and swallow them both. A girl can dream can't she?
I’m trying to follow all this blathering about the “wars” that Trump has “rushed in and solved” and has these countries nominating him for the nobel peace prize. And i may have missed it but could you break that down a little more for me? Or point me somewhere where it is broken down? Cause like what is that? Why is the US brokering solutions? Thanks so much!!
This is all just horrid as usual. Aaron, please, please, please look further into Pete Hegseth and friends saying they want to repeal women’s right to vote and have one vote per household with the “patriarch” being the vote caster.
Not only did I read an article involving what you're saying, which also contained this excerpt:
Doug Wilson (Pete Hegseth's favorite pastor) holds some of the extreme views on gender on the Christian right. In the past, he’s written that men have a sexual right to women and that unsubmissive women are at fault for any sexual violence committed against them. “The sexual act cannot be made into an egalitarian pleasuring party.… A man penetrates, conquers, colonizes, plants. A woman receives, surrenders, accepts.” He also posits that God created women “to make the sandwiches” and thinks that giving women the right to vote led to “a long, sustained war on the family.” This is the man the U.S. defense secretary is enthusiastically platforming.
I am appalled by Putin entering US territory!
Shouldn't he be arrested? He's a war criminal. The governor of Alaska as well as the president should be held accountable!
He should. The US is one of the countries participating in the ICC agreement. And ICC had issued a warrant for Putin's arrest for the kidnapping of thousands Ukrainian children, which is one of the points in the definition of genocide. But I seriously doubt Trump will do anything about it.
Unfortunately, the US is NOT one of the countries participating in the ICC. Yes, in 2000, the USA did sign the Rome Statute (President Bill Clinton),, but Congress never ratified it. In 2002, the Bush Administration formally withdrew the US Signature. Since then, the US (at best) has worked with ICC on a case-by-case basis (where foreign policy has aligned - note that this was during Obama and Biden stints) but currently USA is strongly opposed to ICC (once ICC issued arrest warrant for Netanyahu, Trump actually has placed sanctions on ICC judges and officials). So no, ICC is fairly powerless here, unfortunately.
Thanks for the update.
The people in the U.S. still want war criminals put on trial.
Agreed. Unfortunately for "half" of Americans, this means trying democrats (presidents, etc.) for entering the USA into foreign conflicts. Of course, any such conflict instigated by a republican president will get a pass (though maybe a partial scolding from MTG) :-/
Sorry, just in a cynical mood at the moment!
But yes, the "good half" of Americans really do want to see global tyrants held accountable for their actions. There was a time when civilian targets were supposed to be excluded from military action. And yes, the bad operators often exploited that (Hamas using hospitals and schools as command centres). But when you look at aerial footage of Ukraine and Gaza, all you see is rubble (most) everywhere. Whole towns, etc., gone.
The other "small" problem here is that if Putin (or Bibi) were arrested, almost guaranteed that would trigger a world war. Whatever country did that would have Russia/Israel/(US??) raining all kinds of stuff upon them.
We can't talk, because we now have our own global tyrant.
Dang, sorry, they should have a few more options on the Threads “Reply” list…
1) Donald Trump is a moron
2) Donald Trump is a moron
3) Donald Trump is a moron
Aside here… Damn, you are good!!!
4) Donald Trump is a moron
5) Donald Trump is a moron
6) Donald Trump is a moron
Moron is polite. I had stronger words in mind.
Ah, thank you for the correction. I thought the US was involved due to MAYBE having learned the Nuremberg lessons and international terrorism targeting the US. You know... thinking maybe having some place to put international criminals might be useful. Guess not... then we are in trouble. That is a bummer.
I thought there were warrants for George W Bush and Dick Chaney over Iraq detainment issues? Waterboarding?
I remember vaguely something along this line of thinking. More to the point, this is #1 reason USA has largely made sure it does not cede to such international bodies like ICC (in case enemies somehow tricked the Courts, etc. into issuing such warrants against US citizens/military/leaders). While maybe there could be a valid point to this view, I would hope the US would have realized that any properly constituted court should be able to determine true violations vs "trumped-up" violations. Then again, look at SCOTUS right now, so . . . .
Anyway, a quick check (via Perplexity) says that there currently are no outstanding arrest warrants specifically for US Citizens.
More alarming, the search result did reinforce my earlier comment, that the USA has issued executive orders imposing sanctions on ICC and its officials, to ". . . prevent the court from investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting US nationals, military personnel . . . or allies like Israel, threatening diplomatic and legal reprisals."
This last part is scary -- so if Bibi/Putin just happens to make the mistake (they wont) of landing in, say, Canada (who is a member state of ICC, was the first country to enact national legislation about human rights, war crimes, genocide, etc. in alignment with ICC), and the Mounties arrest them -- then The Orange One could do all kinds of evil things in retribution to Canada. Hmm, like maybe add more tariffs on goods (that Americans would have to pay). Canadians would likely roll eyes, do even less travel to USA, etc., and go sell raw materials, etc. elsewhere (half of the aluminum that Ford Motor Company needs for F150 trucks has been sold to Europe, and, the other half is being pitched to Asian countries).
The Bush-Cheney deal is not something you'll hear talked about in USA or Canada considering Canada answered the NATO call during the Afghani Iraqi War. I'm pretty sure that's why you never see either one of them taking a European Vacation! lol Didn't think much of why Trump-Putin chose Alaska, but makes sense now. Putin only has to cross ocean to get to Alaska from Russia. Wonder now how many of $10millions it's going to cost American taxpayers to secure area for both Trump and Putin? Thanks for returning answer to my question. Sounds like it's time to buy more popcorn before tariffs settle in completely! lol
Trump is a real weenie
He should be at the Iowa State Fair.
p.s. Just to clarify, when I said “Damn, you are good!!!, I should have clarified! Duh, Dianna!!!
What I meant to say is “Damn Grant, you are good!!!”.
And then I also should have added: Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
Good point. You are correct. Dems need to protest this. Maybe Putin will get the same welcome as JD in Greenland.
He actually should be, both of them! Ofc that won’t happen. The Gov of Alaska has already shown where they stand & who they really serve! But like I keep saying & asking the universe 2birds. One stone! It would be a great around the world!
Exactly
Yes . Most of Russia will be glad. Particularly the military no longer sacrificing their troops
Yes, that should NOT be happening. And I would think Putin could be arrested, as well.
Well, he'll certainly appreciate the new gilt in the White House. It's "Autocrat-Chic."
When I was growing up, transported my by parents from Louisiana to California as a young child, we would have called Trump's taste "white trash tacky".
And that judgement, coming from a struggling young white musician father and his adoring wife, my mother, who'd rented a tiny one bedroom Hollywood court bungalow, to house a family of five, which my mom would often cheerily exclaim was decorated in "Early Akron".
For a fun day out, we would take a car ride through Beverly Hills to admire the beautiful mansions. My mom would say, "You don't need to envy the people living here. They most surely have just a many problems in life as we do, if not more."
That stuck with me. So whenever life has taken a turn for the worse, after thinking I finally had it made - caused by the government, or the banking industry, or the industrialized military machine, or a global epidemic, or a tragic fatal illness of a loved one - I know how to start over and count my blessings, no matter what.
Today, I watched an interview by Oprah of Leanne Morgan.
"How do you know your purpose?" " You know it in your heart. It's 'instinct' - 'knowingness' - 'intuition'."
"Nothing is ever lost or wasted. Everything that is happening is leading to something else that is meant to happen"
"There's a reason. Hold on."
And that's how we get past vulgar "Autocrat-chic".
Lovely comment.
Agreed!!! He'd better not cross over on to one square inch of Canada either!! He would be staring down the barrel of a shotgun.
Me too. Don't want that man on American soil. BUT I STAND WITH UKRAINE AND ZELENSKY.
Most likely given a go ahead from the Traitor Twins, Tulsi and Tantrump!
It is about the oil. Maybe Palin will join the meeting. lol
Trump shows how weak he is by accepting Putin's demands. Trump probably won't have an American interpreter again, relying only on the interpreter provided by Putin. I read Witcoff has been doing the same thing on his many visits to Russia. The whole regime is a bunch of fucking morons.
Why didn't they arrest him and ship him off to The Hague?
That’s what I mean. Isn’t he subject to arrest for breaking international law the instant he leaves Russian territory. I could be mistaken. . .
If Putin lands in a country that’s a member state of the international criminal court — which the USA is not (unfortunately). Better hope he doesn’t land in Canada by mistake!
Well, dammit! Thanks for clearing that up for me. Maybe someone could just accidentally stumble against him and shove really HARD!
We all should be
Trump will give Putin alaska, keep your enemy’s close. And will have help keeping an eye on Badass Canada. !!
Exactly! But I think 2 birds, one stone!
Who do they think they are?😡( I know the answer)…Sickening.. Stay safe and take care of yourself Aaron… and everyone on this substack!!
You too.
Thank you, Tess, and the same for you.
Zelenskyy should not give up anything…
Agreed. Nothing. Zero. Zilch.
And how exactly is it "swaps" (territory “switched”) for the “betterment of both” when they're trying to force only one side to give up territory? 😒
These people are the worst!
I mean did Trump bother to ask Ukraine if they wanted him to negotiate cause I'm pretty sure since he's horrible at it and a putin ass kisser, they'd say hell no.
Of course not! Who with half a brain would ask trump to do anything!
Nope. And the last time people of Ukraine said they weren't interested in any options involving surrender, he complained they were being "difficult". Had he found any squatters on one of his golf courses he would have probably pitched a screaming fit about his property and people violating his land.
Now the “orange man” will tell everyone that President Zelensky is to blame for why the war isn’t ending. He always finds a way to protect Putin, give him everything, and then shift the blame onto someone else.
He’s terrified of his so-called friend, Putin. Terrified.
It's going to be interesting in 2 months from now when Trump tries to say the rise in prices is all a result of the past administration. When all the people who voted for him or didn't vote at all are shocked by the world they are living in.... Because right now, they have no idea how much their world is about to change.
God, I hope you’re right Laurie. I’m surrounded by people who insist Trump‘s presidency will have Zero negative impact on our daily lives. Until it affects them, they can’t see it.
They’re still trying to blame Biden - and even Obama - for anything they don’t like. They really believe Trump is their hero. They have no clue.
Me too. But it will affect their daily lives as soon as inflation and the recession hits, I'm guessing before the end of this year?
Thank you, Aaron. I'd love to ear more about your Ukraine family and experiences.
And why would we trust Trump with negotiating ANYTHING?? Especially regarding RUSSIA? and with Ukraine making strides and Russia running out of money??
It seems every day Trump tries to flood the news to squeeze out any space or mention of Epstein.
They aren't going to release the Epstein files so they deflect
Yup. Maybe the summit will be cancelled. Smoke and mirrors.
Thank you for all you do!
Trump is saying what Putin wants. Russia is the aggressor, why should they give up THEIR territory? Trump is a know nothing idiot who just wants this to go away because it's fucking up the "promises" he made. Actually this is only one of the many things he promised his believers that he hasn't been able to do! Also how is it any of his business. AND are Americans okay with allowing their enemy to enter their country? That's like asking the ruler of North Korea to come to dinner, in the WH! Zelenskyy should be part of the peace talks and UK, France and Germany. But Donald and Vlad think it's only them that should be at the table. That's not a peace talk it's a business deal. Trump I'll give Putin what he wants if HE gets to cash in on the "spoils of war." What a complete reprobate! This is not fooling anybody outside his dumber that dumb base.
You know what they say:
Colonizers/rapists of a feather... wait, is that how it goes? 🤭
Oh yeah, that’s how it goes in this particular political climate all right!
I'm kinda tired of tariffs being framed as ways Trump is trying to balance the trade deficit. This is a war on Americans. They don't want us to have a single spare penny to make contributions to journalists, ACLU, non profits that help our fellow humans, classrooms, cities, states, to buy food, to pay for our Healthcare, to stay home when a child is sick, or take care of aging parents. They want profit and they are killing the golden goose.
Meanwhile, these mfs are out here "seeking $1.5 billion from investors to form a public company holding its $WLFI tokens, after generating $500 million for the family"!
And somehow WE'RE the waste, fraud and abuse 😒
And the only reason that the GOP is 'pro-life' is that they want someone around 20-30 years from now to buy all their crap.
Maybe Alaska will have one of their huge earthquakes when Putin and Trump meet there and the ground will open up and swallow them both. A girl can dream can't she?
🙏
Putin wouldn’t agree to a 3 way meeting which included trump and Zelenskyy bc he couldn’t manipulate trump so easily!
It's not a Summit without UKR present. It's a back room gangster plot. Period. Full stop.
Take care of yourself, Aaron! Some day this will be over, or maybe it won't, so your health is important. Sleep, exercise, food. 👍
And lots of water!
I’m trying to follow all this blathering about the “wars” that Trump has “rushed in and solved” and has these countries nominating him for the nobel peace prize. And i may have missed it but could you break that down a little more for me? Or point me somewhere where it is broken down? Cause like what is that? Why is the US brokering solutions? Thanks so much!!
I'll help you out...
He hasn't solved a damn thing!
You're welcome 😋🤭
That’s obvious!! 🤣
🙏💙💪👏🤗🍀🍀🍀🍀🥰🥰🥰
This is all just horrid as usual. Aaron, please, please, please look further into Pete Hegseth and friends saying they want to repeal women’s right to vote and have one vote per household with the “patriarch” being the vote caster.
And it gets worse!
Not only did I read an article involving what you're saying, which also contained this excerpt:
Doug Wilson (Pete Hegseth's favorite pastor) holds some of the extreme views on gender on the Christian right. In the past, he’s written that men have a sexual right to women and that unsubmissive women are at fault for any sexual violence committed against them. “The sexual act cannot be made into an egalitarian pleasuring party.… A man penetrates, conquers, colonizes, plants. A woman receives, surrenders, accepts.” He also posits that God created women “to make the sandwiches” and thinks that giving women the right to vote led to “a long, sustained war on the family.” This is the man the U.S. defense secretary is enthusiastically platforming.
But then there's this:
https://jonathanlarsen.substack.com/p/hegseth-pastor-says-women-cant-lead?publication_id=2270025&utm_campaign=email-post-title&r=531oeo&utm_medium=email 😖
Or is it more deflection?