Stephen Miller’s Presumed Babysitting of JD Vance’s European Animosity … and DOD’s Potential War Crimes
Tulsi Gabbard’s testimony at the threat hearings was clear: After falsely claiming that fentanyl was the top threat to the United States, she said the second threat was China. That’s important background to the most interesting comment I’ve seen about the chat.
The Trumpsters on the chat were obsessed with making Europe pay for the operation. But — as Nathalie Tocci noted in this NYT story focused on the Trumpsters’ obsession — the entire conversation ignored the import to China of transit through the Suez Canal.
“It is clear that the trans-Atlantic relationship, as was, is over, and there is, at best, an indifferent disdain,” said Nathalie Tocci, director of Italy’s Institute of International Affairs, who formerly advised a top E.U. official. “And at worst, and closer to that, there is an active attempt to undermine Europe.”
[snip]
He and others, like Anna Sauerbrey, the foreign editor of Die Zeit, noted that the explicit demand for payment, rather than just political and military support, as in Iraq and Afghanistan, was new. And it ignored the fact that “the U.S. depends on global trade,” she said, and that “France, Britain and the Netherlands have deployed ships to the region” for the same purpose. The Americans, she said, “are constantly overlooking European efforts.”
China, for example, gets most of its oil imports through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and does much of its export trade with Europe through the same sea route. But no one is asking China to pay, Ms. Tocci noted.
In the texts released by Atlantic, there’s actually even more focus on the trade that transits the canal than the original story.
Indeed, it was at the center of debates over whether the strikes should go forward, which decision Tulsi Gabbard claimed had been made long before the chat started, and which debate, in yesterday’s cover story, was hailed as a policy process working.
Eleven minutes after Mike Waltz kicks off the thread with instructions that Joint Staff is sending “a more specific sequence of events in the coming days,” JD Vance piped in to say he thought the strikes were a mistake.
He focused on the fact that (he claimed) just 3% of US trade goes through Bab el-Mandeb, whereas 40% of Europe’s does.
Both Joe Kent (Tulsi’s unconfirmed aide) and John Ratcliffe respond that they could wait; indeed, in an arguably classified text, Ratcliffe says that more time would “be used to identify better starting points for coverage on Houthi leadership.” Kent also offers to provide unclassified details on shipping, perhaps to correct JD’s claim.
Remember, the person most likely to have been the “JG” whom Waltz tried to add to the chat instead of Jeff Goldberg is Jamieson Greer, Trump’s trade representative, who likely would have had the precise details (and also might be sufficiently grown up to point out how stupid this Signal chat was).
Then Pete Hegseth pipes up to second JD’s specific concerns about messaging, including his worry that (ha!) the plans will leak and “we look indecisive.”
Waltz responds to JD’s original point, correcting him about how much US traffic transits Bab el-Mandeb, accounting for the fact that the stuff transiting the canal ends up in trade with the US.
That’s the first 27 minutes of the substantive discussion. Somewhere between 8:32 and 8:42AM, Waltz adds “SM,” believed to be Stephen Miller.
After adding Miller (but without mentioning he added him), Waltz returns to the issue of sea lanes, asserting that unless the US reopens them, they won’t get reopened.
JD suggests that if Hegseth is okay with the strikes, “let’s go.” He suggests Houthi targeting of Saudi oil facilities are one downside risk, not Saudi involvement, which is why the US has often chosen to lead on Houthi strikes.
Then Hegseth agrees that the Europeans are “free-loading It’s PATHETIC,” and says “we are the only ones on the planet (on our side of the ledger) who can” reopen the shipping lanes — which may suggest he believes China could do it too.
As Tocci pointed out to NYT, there’s no discussion of asking China to pay for these strikes. No discussion of how doing so for China helps China build its influence in Europe. No discussion at all in how this might affect China.
These boys purportedly intent on confronting China simply don’t consider the policy decision’s affect on China. JD and Whiskey Pete, at least, are interested primarily in hurting Europe.
Another 46 minutes elapse before SM — added after JD was wailing about the Europeans — comments. He offers an interpretation of what Trump said: a green light on the operation, he opines, but the US would harass Egypt and Europe after the fact to extort a payback.
Eleven minutes later, Hegseth — the guy to whom JD appealed on this issue — agreed with SM’s interpretation of the President’s intent.
That settled it. As I noted, SM’s — presumed to be Stephen Miller, Trump’s top domestic policy advisor — interpretation of the President’s intent is the sole backup in this now public document that the President authorized the strike at all: “As I heard it, the president was clear: green light.”
And the next thing we know, after Waltz resets how long until this PRA/FRA-covered communications will be destroyed illegally — DOD is flattening the apartment of someone’s girlfriend.
Fist-flag-fire!
By March 17, locals in Sanaa were claiming 53 people had been killed in this and ensuing strikes, including five children.
Even ignoring the foreknowledge of a civilian target, that makes the whole thing legally precarious, because everyone on the list is relying on SM’s interpretation of presidential intent. With the foreknowledge, it puts everyone involved in the strike at much greater legal risk because the legality of it, seemingly a target with significant civilian exposure, is so fragile.
But the other thing it does is show SM — again, believed to be Trump’s top domestic policy advisor — serving as the surrogate for Trump, and doing so in a way designed to shut JD up.
Like wormtongue, his mere gloss of the leader’s intent is treated with uncontested authority.
Stephen Miller does not assert that Trump has given the authorization merely that he heard something he interpreted as an authorization. Why? Did Trump tell him to phrase it that way for plausible deniability? I can’t believe Miller would have done that on his own as it makes him responsible and I think he is smart enough to realize that.
No doubt Miller was acting on orders, but let’s also recall that he’s Convict-1 / Krasnov’s US muse and the idea probably originated with Miller because of who he repeatedly shows himself to be. However, this also means another red line was crossed because POTUS must explicitly approve any such attack (involving code words, etc.) and that appears to have been bypassed. What’s next, a missile launch?
The lack of a China payout is a significant point, because both China and Russia would benefit from continued conflict there IF the PRC is allowed free transit. The exceptions are a pretty good indicator of the underlying ‘strategery’.
As for whether D-Gar is the only US base in the region, there is also Qatar and Manama in the Gulf available, and whatever MBS has. Possibly Muscat as well.
Several people are playing president now. trump is lazy, disinterested & unable to comprehend the work that has to be done. Iniquitous people like Steven Miller attach themselves to trump as a shortcut to power. He isn’t the only one. It’s a dangerous huddle. In effect, the USA has a titular president now.
This point seems to become clearer and clearer every day.
Hegseth: POTUS still retains 24 hours of decision space
What about that? To me, it means trump has not made a decision and has set a time for the following day for final go/no go.
Or am I reading this wrong? This would appear to undermine either reading of the chat: 1) that the decision had been made and this was kibbitzing; or 2) that this was the decision meeting and Miller gave the nod.
Someone commented on the previous post that Miller is also the Homeland Security Advisory and would be part of a principals meeting.
Yes, if this was a homeland issue, but since it wasn’t he was on there as Deputy Chief of Staff. Also as pointed out he was added later to tamp down JD. I could find a way to read it as saying that there was an in person meeting with the President and he indicated some general approval of the strike. But the other way to read it is Miller is basically doing anger translations of Trump and then giving orders.
My understanding is that Stephen Miller is functionally the acting president. Elon Musk serves as villainous shiny object, and is certainly doing tremendous damage to government services, but policy decisions and implementation are fundamentally Miller’s purview.
Because Trump desperately fears being seen as weak, and killing people in foreign countries makes him feel strong, he almost certainly did green-light this operation. And the deference to Saudi concerns makes it, in fact, a “domestic” issue; Trump is an at least partially-owned subsidiary of the Saudi state. Anything he does to please them will likely benefit him financially.
The anti-Europe bellicosity? That’s a not-very-veiled tribute to Putin. Vance, especially, is showing his Kremlin-tilted hand. By now he must realize that his Oval Office performance with Zelenskyy made him look simultaneously like an overbearing bully AND a total kiss-ass–in short: a fool–and with his demonstrated lack of self-awareness, Vance almost certainly blames Zelenskyy (and thus Ukraine) for that.
“Somewhere between 8:32 and 8:42AM, Waltz adds “SM,” believed to be Stephen Miller.”
It’s interesting to me that Miller was not included initially, and that it was Waltz who made the addition. What prompted that? Did Waltz believe that Vance needed to be shut down, and Miller was the one to do it? Did an offline conversation occur where Waltz was told to add Miller, whether by Miller himself or Trump? Very curious what the dynamics were here.
That segment of the thread also points to something I haven’t seen posted elsewhere (not that I’ve gone scouring): Miller’s statement of Trump’s greenlighting, juxtaposed with the previous parts of the exchange (along with JD’s objections which seemed to be new thinking to everyone), indicates to me that Vance was being kept out of loop, probably by Trump himself.
Vance is his political heir at this point, and as such (and at the risk of getting overly Shakespearean), someone to be suspicious of — in Trump’s zero-sum brainpan. He doesn’t want to share power, and this blindsiding of Vance might have been just one more mafia-move, i.e., an unspoken rebuke for being smarter than the Capo di tutti i capi, iow.
The old saw, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you,” may well apply here.
I really don’t understand why Stephen Miller is considered the point person for POTUS intent, when Susie Wiles, his COS, was included in the chat. I don’t remember reading that she appointed him her point of contact either. If the decision to go to war came down from the POTUS after his deliberation, why are they still discussing it at all.
Because these rank imposters couldn’t muster even the traces of a coherent gameplan, let alone a narrative that would explain away their colossal ineptitude.
And we haven’t even gotten to the blowback phase yet.
I’m mystified tha stefanik was apparently a bridge too far for some house republicans and hegseth, rfk, noem, gabbard were not.
To Gacyclist:
I think they just don’t want to risk the loss of a seat in the House. They are vulnerable.
They must have internal data suggesting the other special elections are very much at risk if they yank an appointment like this. 0_o
There are a lot of military people, veterans, and related civilians in Florida. And they are pissed. Buyers’ remorse. So, FL-1 and FL-6 may be very close. And those 2 seats were vacated by Gaetz and Waltz. Two arrogant assholes. Time for a big change!
“Josh Weil on His Run for FL District 6 House Rep: Protecting Schools & Children From Project 2025”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLwP9cvxcvw
This has been hovering in the back of my mind since I first read about it here (and then in The Atlantic): they are praying and high-fiving and celebrating strikes that absolutely would have killed innocent Arab civilians and doing it with emojies.
The callousness and carelessness is off the charts here. And these are the people who’s supporters want to justify invading and annexing my country because we’re booing their national anthem.
My disgust runneth over.
And the “godspeed to the ballistic missiles,” and “I’ll say a prayer for victory,” displays the underlying theocratic pretext for saving Israel the trouble of doing it themselves — and of course, for pushing forward the Rapture timeline in the process.
So…which will happen first:
1) The Doomsday Clock will be placed at midnight (currently set to 89 seconds before midnight or
2) The Rapture timeline will hit its intended tipping point
“— and of course, for pushing forward the Rapture timeline in the process.”.
When Trump at a rally before the election mentioned to Speaker Mike Johnson about their “little secret”, that’s exactly what I thought he was talking about.
Nothing Trump has done since then has changed the impression.
Nothing like a little extortion to make your intentions clear!
I wonder how they figured out how the extortion payoff mechanism would work. Cashier’s check, big PAC contribution, long leisurely stays at M-a-L with scads of room service? That also assumes the EU and Egyptians would go along, and FWIW, even a Nimitz-class carrier can’t hold off all of them plus the Houthis. Something will leak through.
Trump loves to appear uninvolved and out of the loop, when he’s not sure how something will go down. But I don’t see much plausible deniability here, not when both his COS and deputy chief of staff are on the chat.
The lack of knowledge about the stakes is breathtaking. As Marcy remarks, these principals discuss nothing about how much of China’s trade with Europe, the Med, Egypt and North Africa, the Near East goes through Suez, parts of the world in which China is trying to become an imposing presence.
Nothing about how int’l trade is intertwined, with raw materials, components, subsystems, systems going from A to B to C, and end up in America or provided to others on its behalf. Or how ships travel to resupply the lone de facto American base in the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia. Do they all go round the Cape?
What jumps out is the extreme anti-Europe, anti-NATO attitude. Who would have thought that Trump could unite them so quickly?
As you well know EOH, at the end of WWII, when the US had the only blue-water navy left standing, plus the hard-earned knowledge of how to project force across two entire oceans at the same time, which literally no other navy can do, it took on the role of protecting the shipping lanes of the world, not out of the goodness of our hearts, but to secure incalculable military, tactical, and economic advantage. That isn’t something other countries need to pay us nickels and dimes for. It’s something that secures our role as a superpower. And which these fools running NatSec clearly know nothing about. Their scrabbling for protection money reveals them for the small-minded idiots they are. They are literally scaling down our military while asking Germany to build theirs up! It’s beyond belief…
Lastly, this entire episode is a textbook illustration of why no-one should hold ANY conversation of great import via Text Messaging.
Off topic, I suppose, but when I was in the union the AFL-CIO opposed this. They specifically objected to the US Navy protecting American ships like those of Majestic Shipping which belonged to Loews Corp because the ships were not American flagged and the crew on those ships did not benefit from protections they would have if the ship was not flying a flag of convenience.
What percentage of the ships that the US is protecting are American flagged?
Almost none.
The primary job of the US Navy is to keep the sea lanes open for trade.
All sea lanes.
All oceans.
All countries.
All companies.
It used to be this way.
Until the grifters came and wanted to be paid for it.
American shippers have long operated their fleets through flags of convenience, e.g., Panama, with non-US crews, because they were too rapacious to abide by US labor and liability laws. For all practical purposes, though, those vessels are carrying on US trade.
Here Here! Plus, Trump appears content to pretend he is president.
This smells a lot like a Roy Cohen “How to set up a Protection Racket 101” to me. At least according to Vance. If Vance ever makes it to the Resolute Desk we are in even greater trouble than we are now.
trump is a liability to the Project 2025 grand plan. President Vance is exactly what he schemed for & what his patrons arranged.
I find I can’t rule out the possibility that Vance was not showing his true colors so much as spouting a popular party line in a meeting of people he doesn’t quite trust.
I mean, that doesn’t make me less anxious about seeing him as President…
One problem at a time. And frankly, I have always felt that Trump poses a unique threat to the republic that no one else can match.
Trump isn’t bought-in to the wack-a-doodle teachings of Curtis Yarvin and Theil and the rest of the Techno-Bros seeking world domination, like Vance. Trump is dangerous, but incompetent.
The real people behind Vance are high on their own supply and armed with AI, which makes them feel infallible.
And there is this about Waltz:
“The Venmo account under Waltz’s name includes a 328-person friend list. Among them…noted conspiracy theorist Ivan Raiklin, who calls himself the “the secretary of retribution” and once created a deep state target list.”
https://www.wired.com/story/michael-waltz-left-his-venmo-public/
My perhaps jaundiced reading of the NYT annotated release of the group chat seems to show Maggie currying favor with various admin sources.
Oh she outright makes up JD’s hostility to overseas involvement–the same week he’s going to Greenland!
She also asserted that Witkoff was “not on his personal phone at the time.” The whole time, huh Mags—despite the signal chain stretching over multiple hours. And him being in Russia at the time. Man is she ever useful.
Forgot to mention also of interest, where was the Joint Chief on this, oh that’s right, there isn’t one and the acting one is a Biden appointee, perhaps keeping him out was what Hegseth meant when he said they were “currently clean on OPSEC”.
It would certainly fit their definition of ‘enemy’.
Re
“ I could find a way to read it as saying that there was an in person meeting with the President and he indicated some general approval of the strike”
FWIW I tend to such an interpretation.
There are more references to what the President said than
“ everyone on the list is relying on SM’s interpretation of presidential intent.”
There’s JDV saying
“….• The strongest reason to do this is, as POTUS said, to send a message.•
But I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. There’s a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil price….”
So while there is a strong sense of the group ‘working towards’ an outcome desirable to Trump (to borrow a phrase describing how Nazis implemented plans pleasing to Hitler) rather that having an explicit plan signed off by Trump, there does seem to have been a discussion with Trump which involved some of the principals which set their planning in motion.
Obviously, JDV is pushing back, and Walz brings in Miller, and on this interpretation plainly to strengthen the pro-bombing line.
However. Perhaps the most important point of all is that these real time interactions would be gold to the spooks and analysts of America’s adversaries. Perhaps even more important than the military details.
The Felon Guy has changed his story on this several times. Which raises the possibility that he was only informed after the fact, and really doesn’t understand any of the problems.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/3/27/2312865/-Trump-s-confused-response-to-war-plans-leak-is-a-bad-signal
Longtime former CIA operatives stationed overseas have made precisely this point, re internal policy deliberations on sensitive matters “That’s the kind of thing they give you a medal for”—Marc Polymeropolous.
Why am I reminded of the theory of the “lazy dictator” advanced by Ian Kershaw in Working Towards the Fuhrer: “it is the duty of everybody to try to work towards the Fuhrer along the lines he would wish.” (quoting German official Werner Willikens).
Thank you for the citation and quote, it is very apt.
I expressed similar thought, (without the useful citation) in a comment held up in moderation.
It struck me even in Trump 1.0 that Kershaw’s dictum was in play; and then again, it too is a variation on “will no-one rid me of this meddlesome priest.” Plus ca change.
The text that needs more explanation is:
https://cdn.theatlantic.com/thumbor/DrbNnB9vZme8vdZBAWs4TxNEhAI=/665×1024/media/img/posts/2025/03/14/original.jpg
Michael Waltz
The team in MAL did a great job as well.
5:15
MAL must equal Mar A Lago? Who’s on the team? What are their clearances? How does that involve Trump? Are we looking at grounds for a double impeachment?
The meaning of MAL here might make an interesting thought experiment since IIRC Convict-1 / Krasnov was in DC, but perhaps I am wrong on that point. It’s not like there are too many other options for location names. The team question is a valid one, who is involved? It’s not like M-a-L has been infested with PRC and other spies in the past. Oh, wait….
If you have the quarter to get into the MAL bathroom, you have all the security clearance you need.
Probably Susie Wiles and staff.
My guess MAL means Mossad Action and Liason. https://irp.fas.org/world/israel/mossad/ says
“Political Action and Liaison Department conducts political activities and liaison with friendly foreign intelligence services and with nations with which Israel does not have normal diplomatic relations. In larger stations, such as Paris, Mossad customarily had under embassy cover two regional controllers: one to serve the Collections Department and the other the Political Action and Liaison Department.”
If the chat group did not give some Israeli notice of plane launch schedules, there might be friendly fire hell to pay. Gusssing they had a voice in the chat.
I guess you’ve canvassed the other Jeffrey Goldbergs who may have the intended invitee.
In my search, one of interest is an Israeli military intel operative…
And you’re sure about all that?
https://ia601201.us.archive.org/28/items/pdfy-oCHnBd9LCLPEIdbD/Mossad%20Organizational%20Chart.pdf
Trace the third tier, Mossad head > coordination > AL
Mossad coordination, no action role, launch time notice given so no Israeli jets are scrambled?
According to Wired, there was a $1 million per seat candlelight dinner at Mar-a-Lago on March 15. Waltz, Miller, and Rubio were in attendance. One presumes there is a SCIF in Trump’s palace, which is notoriously leaky.
https://www.wired.com/story/trump-officials-signal-chat-candlelight-dinner-mar-a-lago-yemen/
This event is why I posted my questions.
It’s a $1 million to dine with him privately, $5 million to talk with him.
I wonder if Trump will ever figure out that Vance told the NatSec team that he was willing to withhold information from him.
HEGSETH: “I feel like now is as good a time as any, given POTUS directive to reopen shipping lanes.”
Could someone tell me where I could read this “directive”? Thanks.
I’m just assuming TRUMP is in on this conversation through WILES and MILLER.
When I search for “strikes”, “Yemen”, many of the headlines contain variations of “TRUMP orders”.
AP: Trump orders…
Reuters: Trump launches …
EO 14175
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14175-designation-ansar-allah-foreign-terrorist-organization
Jan 22,2025
Designed Houthis as terrorist organisation and
“…The Houthis have also attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 100 times, killing at least four civilian sailors and forcing some Red Sea maritime commercial traffic to reroute, which has contributed to global inflation.
The Houthis’ activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade”
“Policy. It is the policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate Ansar Allah’s capabilities and operations, deprive it of resources, and thereby end its attacks on U.S. personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea.”
“Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall, after consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of the Treasury, submit a report to the President, through the National Security Council, concerning the designation of Ansar Allah as a foreign terrorist organization consistent with 8 U.S.C. 1189.
(b) Within 15 days after submitting the report required under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of State shall take all appropriate action, consistent with 8 U.S.C. 1189, with regard to a designation of Ansar Allah as a terrorist organization”
30 Days was 21Feb, 15 days thereafter was 8 March
Thank you, Steve! That timing is what I was interested in.
Harpie
Further data points
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-eases-rules-military-raids-airstrikes-targets/
Friday 28 February Report
“ During his first overseas trip earlier this month
[ie around 13 February],
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a meeting with senior U.S. military leaders from U.S. Africa Command in Germany, signed a directive easing policy constraints and executive oversight on airstrikes and the deployment of American commandos”
“ The move prioritizes flexibility by giving commanders greater latitude to decide whom to target while relaxing the multi-layered centralized control….
The official added that Mr. Trump’s approach carries both risks and rewards because the streamlined process can potentially degrade foreign terrorist organizations capabilities faster, given the lower threshold required to strike and widened target selection, but it inherently raises the risk of flawed decisions and unintended civilian casualties“
“ The Islamist armed group Al-Shabaab in Somalia and the Houthis in Yemen were discussed as potential targets, according to U.S. officials with knowledge of the meeting…
CBS News reached out to the Pentagon and U.S. Africa Command on Tuesday
[25 February]
but has not received a reply.
On Friday [28 February] Hegseth confirmed the reporting [ie this article before updated to include this detail]in a post on X, sharing CBS News’ story with the message, “Correct.”
https://x.com/PeteHegseth/status/1895434234481050019
JD Vance starts throwing around apparently incorrect statistics about the percentage of trade conducted by the US and Europe. Michael Waltz chips in with his own statistics. That would have been the point when Waltz might have suggested they ask the trade representative for his opinion. “Hey, JG, what are the right numbers?”. Might have exposed the fact that the wrong JG was on the chat.
Aren’t those shipping lanes used by the oil countries to export their oil? So now we have Europe, China, Middle Eastern oil countries, Egypt etc., all freeloading off the US, which suggests that Vance’s big point in favor of postponement to stay on message is just hot air.
It is not totally clear what the purpose of the chat was. Was it to make effective Trump’s directive? Or discuss whether the operation should occur under different conditions, i.e. getting remuneration agreements from the Europeans before the strikes? The more I look at JD Vance’s participation, the more I think he was, at best, throwing confusion into the operation and, at worst, countering Trump. Ratcliffe and Hegseth seem swayed by Vance until SM shuts Vance down.
The lack of facts backing up positions, the confusion caused by Vance, and the authority of SM are all useful bits of information for our enemies and our allies. Sausage-making is a process. What goes into the sausage might just as important for friends and enemies as the end product.
The “Lazy Dictator” (referenced above) is one thing, but does Trump even have the presence of mind needed to marshal relevant facts; perform a risk-benefit analysis; determine cause and effect; game-out scenarios, options and potential consequences? Would there be any value in the Principals, in SM, taking—wasting—the time to ask Trump for his “decision”? A decision about events occurring on the geopolitical stage? In real-time? Sadly … Why not just go, metaphorically at least, straight to Putin? It would be what Trump would want.
There is history, Obama’s drone strkes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilian_casualties_from_the_United_States_drone_strikes#Approvals_of_drone_strikes
Trump 45 targeted an Iranian General. This is more targeted assassination, without MSM coverage of that aspect yet.
There’s also a history to strikes on Yemen under Trump’s watch. Read the Wikipedia entry “Raid on Yakla,” especially the subchapter “Approval of the raid.” I took place on the 10th day of Trump’s first presidency, on January 29, 2017, and killed — beside those targeted — more than 20 civilians. One US military, Chief Petty Officer William Owens, was also killed, and three wounded.
Re this Trump administration making a deliberate choice to risk even higher rates of civilian casualties as a matter of operational policy see my comment above for evidence https://www.emptywheel.net/2025/03/26/stephen-millers-presumed-babysitting-of-jd-vances-european-animosity-and-war-crimes/#comment-1092232
At the time, the RW Wurlitzer was making a lot of noise about Obama’s “Drone Strikes(tm)”. But “Drone Strikes(tm)” are F.K.A. “Apache Gunship Strikes(tm)” and were actually an effort to cut down on civilian casualties resulting from “Apache Gunship Strikes(tm)”. But let’s keep on bashing Obama for “Drone Strikes(tm)”.
ETA: Wasn’t Edward Snowden’s actions precipitated by viewing classified video of civilian casualties during “Apache Gunship Strikes(tm)”?
Where’s Eddie, indeed—Snowden has been curiously quiet about the wanton disregard for civilian casualties here, now that you mention it*—let alone about atrocities committed by Russian soldiers and mercenaries in Ukraine, including against kids. Weird how neither he, nor Taibbi, nor Mate nor of course Glem have much to say about any of that.
MR to Signal Chat Group: There’s been a big mistake!!
POTUS: What are you panicking about Little Marco?
MR: Pete was on Signal looking for war plans and he happened on a chat between Russia, Iran and North Korea.
POTUS: Is that right, Pete?
PH: Your highness, it is. They are planning a pincer movement (and I know war plans) on the USA. As we speak their planes and missiles are headed our way. And they have partnered with Canada invading from the North.
POTUS: What do you suggest Little Marco?
MR: It’s hopeless. We must agree to their terms or face annihilation. Russia wants the eastern seaboard. South Korea wants the Western US. Canada wants the upper Midwest and Iran wants Texas and the southern Midwest.
JDV: I don’t know Mr. President. What’s in it for me?
POTUS: That’s a terrible deal. You know I only make the best, most beautiful deals. Let me speak with Vlad and I’ll get back to you.
[30 minutes later]
POTUS to Signal Chat Group: I’ve spoken with Vlad and made a perfect deal. The country will be divided as described. JD, you and Asha will be permanently stationed in Greenland under Vlad’s direction. I will have permanent residence at Mar-a-Lago and can continue to compete for/win club championships. My head will be sculpted on Mount Rushmore. Melania will become one of Vlad’s concubines. She’s fine with that because she likes strong men like myself.
Draw up the papers, Little Marco.
Oops. Make that North Korea.
Wired reports that participants in the Signal chat left their Venmo friends list exposed.
And this is clean OPSEC.
https://www.wired.com/story/michael-waltz-left-his-venmo-public/
Wired is doing vital reporting these days.
A very good argument could be made that Waltz added Goldberg in order to setup Vance disagreeing with Trump in front of a reporter. By adding Miller after Vance had stuck his foot in his mouth kinda confirms this.
Hegseth fucked it up by posting stuff he copied from what was likely a Top Secret briefing power point he got.
No one on that chat wondered who “JG” was and why he or she was so quiet?
The most plausible explanation is that Waltz (or his aide) thought that he was including the trade representative, whose initials are also “JG”. As Waltz suggested to Laura Ingraham, it is the kind of mistake we have all made – selecting the wrong person from our contact list. Except this was not a chat about who is bringing what to the pot luck.
Maybe had the trade rep been in the chat he could have corrected Vance’s notions about who benefits from keeping shipping lanes open.
Vance’s ignorance seems to extend well beyond who benefits from keeping Suez open, and how that affects American friends and enemies.. His understanding of trade issues is pathetic, particularly in how final assembly is so often a function of the work of many states, and how sometimes complicated is their subsequent trade.
Appalling ignorance and hubris – the perfect VP for Trump.
I forget who, but one of Trump 1.0’s advisers said that his understanding of the world was equivalent to that of a 5th grader, i.e., someone just on the edge of what the philosophers call the “age of reason,” that is, under 12. Personally I think that does 5th graders a disservice.
So of course Trump picked Vance. They’re able to communicate on the same level.
Last night in the Oval Office:
https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3llcri5hhvg2b
March 26, 2025 at 5:52 PM [emphasis added]
TRUMP [says he] “doesn’t know” or “hasn’t heard” SO MANY THINGS!
Anna Bower started WITAOD [Who is the administrator of Doge?]
It may be time to ask: WITPOTUS?
[Who Is The President Of The United States?]
It is odd that Trump unaware of disappearance of 4 soldiers and vehicle close to Lithuanian border with Belarus.
However REPORTS OF DEATHS seem premature :
Mystery deepens over four missing US soldiers in Lithuania after abandoned tank found 10:29GMT 27Mar25
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-soldiers-lithuania-missing-tank-hercules-b2722501.html
I’m sure Tulsi has Vladimir in one of her Signal groups. She can just ask him if they are being held by his buddy, Lukashenko.
If Trump has dementia — and to any noticeable degree — he could have been told about the missing soldiers and forgotten rather quickly. Even with very mild symptoms others around him could game this by gaslighting him, to which he may respond with denials.
Recall that his reflexive fallback when confronted is denial, the first response in DARVO.
Apart from that, this is a worrying scenario given Lithuania’s status as a NATO member. Also the timing of the EU’s message to citizens is rather odd. See:
https://apnews.com/article/european-union-security-stockpile-war-disease-climate-49e280ff524ebe1fb44ee0856b035f32
Re the timing of the new Commissioners statement on preparedness
On 17 September 2024, Ursula von der Leyen nominated Hadja Lahbib as the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Crisis Preparedness and Management, Civil Protection, and Equality. She assumed her European Commissioner role on 1 December 2024.
The preparedness report press release is here
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_856
The background to this is the 164 pp Niinistö’s report
here
https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/5bb2881f-9e29-42f2-8b77-8739b19d047c_en?filename=2024_Niinisto-report_Book_VF.pdf
That report was commissioned by U v d Leyen 20 March 24 and published 30 Oct 24
It was one of 3 major reports produced during 2024, the other 2 focussed on civics and economics.
https://euneighbourseast.eu/young-european-ambassadors/blog/why-niinistos-report-matters-the-implications-for-common-european-defence/ Blog post 23 Jan 25 explains and analyses the report
It notes
“However, there are certain challenges concerning the realisation of the report. The main issue, also stemming from Mario Draghi’s and Enrico Letta’s reports, is that Member States think more of themselves and are not willing to experience a dramatic change, potentially making some of the above-mentioned ideas hard to implement..
Another challenge is that for decades, NATO’s presence has made some European citizens, notably in Western Europe, rather relaxed, making it hard fully to perceive the risks associated with the current geopolitical context. This concern is especially relevant for bringing organisations, businesses, and people on board when they may not understand the need to engage and spend resources….
the report solidifies the ongoing political discussions on security matters, thus having the potential to have a tangible impact on changing the preferences of and within the Member States, especially considering that many of its suggestions were preemptively envisaged during the formation of the new European Commission (2024-2029) whose Political Guidelines seem well-instrumentalised for advancing European-wide security.“
The Political Guidelines of the new commission are here
https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en?filename=Political%20Guidelines%202024-2029_EN.pdf pub July 2024.
See pp 13,14,15 re defence and preparedness.
Given the recent pace of developments in international relations, then it would seem the press release was a response to these events. But to the extent that might be so, it is only because those events crystallise thinking and planning already in progress.
and he’d die before he’d admit there’s
an issue. his vanity won’t allow him to admit any weakness or wrongness.
anyone who doesn’t think JD would exploit the hell outta that?
neetanddave says: March 27, 2025 at 10:17 pm
I think everyone around him is aware of it and uses it to their own advantage. I think they’re also well aware that he’ll agree with the last person to speak to him.
NATO Sec’y General Mark Rutte confirmed the four American soldiers, “were killed.”
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/03/26/europe/us-army-soldiers-lithuania-intl-latam
As of update EDT 2:47 pm 27 March 2025 they are still being searched for.
The initial statement made by Rutte was withdrawn yesterday and acknowledged to have been made in error
“The search is ongoing,” NATO said in a statement posted on X. “We regret any confusion about remarks [Rutte] delivered on this today. He was referring to emerging news reports & was not confirming the fate of the missing, which is still unknown.”
Josh Marshall has a THREAD about a Stars and Stripes article, here:
https://bsky.app/profile/joshtpm.bsky.social/post/3llen6dupe22q
March 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Article:
Boggy terrain complicates search for 4 missing US soldiers in Lithuania
JOHN VANDIVER STARS AND STRIPES • March 27, 2025
“Boggy terrain” succinctly describes a geography that’s been famous in military circles since at least the time of Napoleon Bonaparte. It was also made famous in WWI and WWII, and required considerable planning to deal with.
Stars and Stripes 12:58 PM · Mar 28, 2025
https://x.com/starsandstripes/status/1905665688880251272
I do wish elected lawmakers had the same prohibition: politicians “can discuss politics but must make clear they are speaking in a personal capacity and avoid implying their constituents’ endorsement.”
Kash Patel must be delighted he wasn’t included in the Signal chat.
Trump Says Signal Chat isn’t ‘really an FBI thing.’ The FBI has a long history of such inquiries
https://apnews.com/article/fbi-pentagon-attack-plans-petraeus-clinton-comey-3ab3773b2642abaf024d3a5f3eb66f4b
AND
Democratic Congressman crushes Gabbard and Hegseth, makes airtight case for resignations
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS_gA-f7p8g)
For those who don’t do the Tube of U: It’s Jason Crow (D-CO)
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/3/26/2312730/-Outrageous-Watch-this-congressman-shred-Trump-team-for-war-plans-leak
Apparently Joe Kent hasn’t been confirmed as CoS for Tulsi Gabbard by the Senate, but I’m not sure it is required to be DNI’s acting chief of staff. DKos has an article up on this, but for me the presence of Goldberg is the key to invoking the Espionage Act since there is no sane world that a random journalist is considered a valid channel for attack plans (Sorry, Maggie).
Kash Patel will go after Waltz as the designated fall guy. Even if Convict-1 / Krasnov doesn’t understand how Signal works, I think Kash does and the so-far-official-excuse that Goldberg slipped in will be a non-starter for the FBI. The orders are already out to protect Hegseth (for now) from further damage by Convict-1 / Krasnov. I would give it another week for the various actors to shoot off their mouths to blow the excuses out of the water.
As for whether we will hear anything truthful about it, I have my doubts given how the courtier press is already going along with the ‘minor foulup’ story peddled by Leavitt, et al to protect their ‘access’. Leavitt for her part is perfectly fine with shunning inconvenient reporters like she did to Kaitlan Collins yesterday so the C-suite twits can understand what they have to lose.
Signal, as good s it is for civilian use, should not be a part of any govt system.
💯 percent—which everyone on that chain knows—which begs the question, why were they on it (Vought lays it out in Project 2025).
The fact that Signal gave Waltz two (maybe more?) “JG”s to get confused over proves it’s unsafe. A secure tool wouldn’t even allow such a possibility of mix-up. I sure hope Waltz doesn’t have any “VP”s on his list to get confused with “Vladimir Putin.”
According to Danish TV, JD and USHA were shunned by Greenlanders,
so they canceled their photo-op:
See the screenshot here:
https://bsky.app/profile/brendannyhan.bsky.social/post/3lle7sl47hc2a
March 27, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Hitlerspeak: “So we’ll, I think, we’ll go as far as we have to go,” he continued. “We need Greenland. And the world needs us to have Greenland, including Denmark. Denmark has to have us have Greenland.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-says-us-far-control-122016592.html
The Felon Guy’s ego demands it. The rest of us are fine with the way things were before he got put back into the Oval Office high chair.
There is another piece on the Danish TV2 website on the planned visit. The US consulate tried to organize a private visit to the Nuuk art museum for Usha, but this idea had to be dropped, because: The museum told them it couldn’t offer the delegation exclusive admission. If they wanted to visit they had to buy tickets on equal terms with all other visitors during opening hours.
The website (Danish), posted today at 2:18pm CET, can be found by “Museum sagde nej til vicepræsidentfruen” (Museum said no to VP wife) and “tv2.dk”.
If they wouldn’t have backed off, how would they get a delegation, their security, vehicles, equipment around the country if the government of Greenland was not interested in having them there?
Also whether the administration was looking into having someone in the delegation get hurt or killed a la Duke Ferdinand to start his “we’ll go as far as we have to go”.
So the museum said they had to pay their own way? And mix with normal people? And so in true MAGA fashion, if someone else doesn’t pay for it, they skip out.
Been a long time since Krasnov’s shown up in a public setting.
TODAY on SIGNALGATE:
https://bsky.app/profile/kyledcheney.bsky.social/post/3llec4e2ukc2y
March 27, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Is this an example of what Marcy would call RetCon?
https://bsky.app/profile/rparloff.bsky.social/post/3llejzeemr224
March 27, 2025 at 10:44 AM
UPDATE: Judge Boasberg has ordered the agencies who participated in the Signalgate chat to preserve all Signal messages between March 11-15 and to provide an update to the court about efforts to do so https://bsky.app/profile/kyledcheney.bsky.social/post/3llf53kakvk2n
If you’re cynical you might wonder if the war crime wasn’t the whole point—to justify Russian aggression. If so, it’s the kind of sacrifice a pawn might make for a king, if Trump and much of his administration are, in fact, Russian assets.
It also accords with the long-range planning that Russian active measures are know for. It serves Russia’s strategic interests: it discredits America in the eyes of resource-rich Africa and other resource-rich places around the world, like Europe, Australia, Japan, South Korea.
All that’s a given if one assumes Trump and many if not all of his administration are Russian assets, ranging from useful idiots to compromised, extorted individuals, to willing informants.
Another critically important facet of this focus on Greenland is the focus itself — Trump’s bullshit forces the rest of NATO to rejigger their awareness and intelligence toward their backside, necessarily reducing resources aimed at Russia and its proxies. Cui bono after all if Trump insists on attacking and occupying Greenland? Not the US, not Greenland, not Denmark, not the EU or NATO.
Exactly—no surprise that the language re Greenland mirrors Putin’s re Ukraine—if anything the ex KGB thug is more subtle—and that Putin has spoken favorably about trump’s imperialist ambitions.
This is an interesting take by
Sal Mercogliano — a maritime historian at Campbell University (@campbelledu) and former merchant mariner
https://youtu.be/WsVPuY9wVjk
His basic point is that the Houthis have not attacked or even threatened to attack a ship since their declaration of 19 January that they wouldn’t.
He has all the data to back that up..
He emphasises that the key message within the signal texts is
Eg per Vance
“….
We are prepared to execute and if I had the final go or no go vote I believe we should
this is not about the Houthis I this is about two things
No 1 restoring freedom of navigation a core National Interest
And 2 restoring deterrence”
And Hegseth
“POTUS directive to reopen shipping lanes”
If it is not about the Houthis then what’s the problem?
Insurance Companies
Attacks are to convince insurance companies they can lower war risk insurance
Insurance companies have cashed in on the Houthis threat, it’s been a gold mine
Ocean carriers are raking in money too, making massive profits using more ships on longer and slower journeys
President been in discussions with shipping lines eg Rudolph Safe of CMA CGM they going to invest $20B into American shipping including reflagging 20 vessels
Mediterranean Shipping Co working with Black rock to buy ports from Hutchinson
Trump talking to shipping firms
If you can gat insurance rate down , by providing US Navy as guardian you get the ships going through these shipping lanes
That would then reduce the freight rate
Remember we have a massive freight rate spike, (graph)
And especially important in conjunction with with the US Trade representative s301 hearings action against Chinese intending to penalise Chinese shipping, but which is also going to push the freight rates back up, but if the lanes through ashes and BaM are more highly active, the freight rates will be not as high as see on the graph in the past
2nd thing is leveraging not the Houthis But Iranians — they are subject to huge sanctions at present If there is negotiations behind scenes between US and Iran to lessen sanctions if Iran backs of from Houthis and allow resumption of trade
Not going to pound Houthis into submission but if you could remove backing (Nb complexity in background) but also just smashing them up on suspicion makes backing them an unprofitable option. So carrot and stick
Now Trump is smashing Houthis on minimal pretexts.
Nb also going forward. there is also push for Russian and Ukrainian shipping to expand.
So if Israel provided the intelligence about targets in Yemen relying on HUMINT, who’s zooming who?
Was this a proof of concept to determine how these fucking morons chosen by Trump will perform when “aimed” by certain intelligence sources?
So Vance’s remark about extorting Egypt and the Europeans indicates that he is doesn’t understand what’s going on.
According to the chat, they’re claiming the bombing is going to help EU countries and they don’t like that it’s helping EU countries. So why are they bothering to bomb?
Being a populist politician means facts and logic don’t matter. It’s the messaging that counts. Makes their job a lot easier unless they go off message.
I suspect that Israel and Saudi Arabia are jerking Trump’s chain on the bombing. And it really is in the US commercial interest to keep shipping lanes open.
According to Sal,
ship owners are making insane profits staying away from Suez and insurance companies are charging increased premiums for those going through Suez. Why is the administration, which is so business friendly want to end that gravy train? They didn’t throw enough money at Trump or they did but it’s never going to be enough?
As I understand Sal’s point there’s a distinct and competing imperatives for shipping lines involving the massive ocean going ships, and those invested in the type of carriers which use Suez and the Med.
Trade and economies in general would benefit by lowering costs substantially re insurance and freight rates.
I am in no position to defend his analysis of the economics of shipping.
But I thought it may add further texture to the discussion.
Insofar as the various imperatives under which the Trumpers are purporting to operate lead to incoherent and chaotic analysis, decision making and outcomes:
“Plus sa change…”
NEW:
https://bsky.app/profile/brianbeutler.bsky.social/post/3lley2gpr3k2p
March 27, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Links to WSJ:
Israel Supplied Intelligence in Airstrike Discussed in Signal Chat, Officials say
Houthi missile expert was tracked with help of Israel-linked human source in Yemen
Youssef, Ward, Gordon March 27, 2025 2:25 pm ET
>“As I heard it, the president was clear: green light.”
“As I heard it” means that this is second-hand, he’s not even interpreting something he personally heard Trump say.
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Huh? That’s precisely what he’s doing.
This monsoon of information is mind-numbing and hard to keep up with. But it is understandable in the context that it’s much more difficult to deal with something you screwed up – compared to the effort it takes to do it right in the first place.
Which leads to my first thought: When you gather up a clown car made up almost entirely of people who never have to be accountable for their words or actions, what could we expect? This is especially true for MAGA media personalities whose only metrics are ratings and click counts — and an occasional pat on the head from Trump.
The second thing is this term “transactional”. For years now it has been used to describe Trump’s approach to “business”. And many have simply considered it a personality trait, and just left it at that. But Trump, responding to SignalGate’s potential harm basically said that since the raid was a success, there wasn’t anything to be worried about. In other words: “One transaction. Matter closed”. Folks like that shouldn’t have anything to do with high-stakes business, politics, military leadership, diplomacy, religion, or parenting. And to my mind, it says a lot about his lack of success in so many of his lines of business. Even with his marquee enterprise – golf – he is backed by staff personnel who are individually certified by national and international bodies.
sorry, off topic.
DOGE, in an unrelated case, speaks that it has a Signal retention policy as of March 25.
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.277367/gov.uscourts.dcd.277367.13.2.pdf
Unsigned, no letterhead, but a useful question for Amy – did she write this? And is it being followed?
Another case of retconning for Marcy.
Off-topic, from The Guardian: Trump cuts 69 global programs tackling child labor and human trafficking
Ahh, now I see. Your solution to make the American economy more competitive is to stop spending money on preventing other countries from using child labor to outcompete you. Smart!
I thought it was to have more child labor here, and fck education after the age of 14.
Florida is proposing child labor law changes: restrictions on hours removed, 14-year-olds can work overnight, teens can work overnight on school nights, and no guaranteed meal breaks for 16 & 17 year olds.
screen shot: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6288343b03c4f48d2609985f648d386e78712aeb57c90316000e58fb4af939da.jpg?w=800&h=1160
“You know, work is good for you. You find dignity in work.”
–Mike Johnson
If this passes in Florida, how long will it take for some other states to require products grown, processed, manufactured, assembled, etc. in Florida to meet those other states’ own child labor laws? And perhaps require state employees on official business in Florida to be reimbursable for lodging, meals, car rental, and facility fees only when those costs were incurred if the offerers were in compliance with those other states’ regulations?
Beyond products and produce, would this be an issue for tourism? Perhaps opportunity for a cottage industry to certify non-Dickensian businesses?
So. Much. Evil.
You know Boots DeSantis’s favorite slogan regarding child labor: Arbeit Macht Frei.
I’m beginning to think George Orwell miscalculated by about 40 years.
The mafia—and the Russian mafia in particular—profits off human misery, and trafficking vulnerable individuals. The former commander of US NATO forces in Europe accused Putin of creating refugee crises on purpose—which, considering Putin’s own background and proclivities, should come as no surprise.
It turns out that, Joe Kent, Trump’s nominee to be director of the National Counterterrorism Center, was also part of the group despite his awaiting Senate confirmation.
https://www.wweek.com/news/2025/03/26/signalgate-snares-one-of-oregons-own/
————————-
The recklessness and incompetence and giddiness of how Trump’s so-called ‘best and brightest’ handled national security information is bad enough and is especially incrminating now that it is learned that civilian deaths, including five children, were the result of this escapade.
Adding citation to my comment above: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cedle6je601o
“US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz told ABC News that Saturday’s strikes “targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out”.
Trump’s continued loyalty to Hegseth is troubling as he may be counting on Hegseth when he invokes the Insurrection Act which may be the whole point of trying to provoke demonstrations. I bet Miller has encouraged that tactic.
I suspect you’re right here, Hegseth is a needed tool, nothing more and he’d be willing to carry this out. FWIW, ‘Whiskey Pete’ got another tattoo (normally a no-no for officers) that is the Arabic word for infidel. I don’t think it is coincidental.
I didn’t see or hear much from Pete yesterday on International Whiskey Day. Must’ve been “busy.”
Photo and report here
https://trt.global/world/article/81df8ef1fa9b
It is clearly new, immediately below his Gothic Script “Deus Vult” (Crusader slogan) tattoo and has the same dimensions albeit in Arabic script.
The man is unhinged.
neither here no there …but at this point is there a rush for on full blown arm tattoo removal surgery? A gang identifier, if I ever saw one and the see thru look is so ugly for formal attire.
I usually do not link to Politico but this piece from 2018 provides an interesting lens to view Miller’s actions and words.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/08/13/stephen-miller-is-an-immigration-hypocrite-i-know-because-im-his-uncle-219351/
Besides the United States of America, which other democracies in the world rendition inmates to another country without a hearing or pleading in front of a judge and then make scary commercials using the inmates as props? Asking for a friend….
Not sure. But who says the US is a democracy? Democracies don’t tell people who they can and cannot hire as their lawyers just becuase the executive holds a grudge. Witness this from today’s news:
Jenner & Block LLP and WilmerHale both launched lawsuits Friday against the Trump administration over executive orders targeting the BigLaw firms.
Commercials which cause problems.
https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/knbr-racist-homeland-security-ads-hosts-pissed-20244704.php
(KNBR is a major radio station in the Bay Area.)
Russia still attacking Ukraine.
Conclusion: it must still be January 20.
This is what happens when you don’t wear a suit and tie in the WH. Mr. Taylor Greene tried to warn Zelenskyy.
First, the use of Signal. Second, the sharing of plans for a future military operation with a journalist for the Atlantic. Third, the denials that the details of that operation were classified. Fourth, Waltz’s explanation that everybody has a person in their contacts listed under another name, which in reality nobody has. Fifth, Waltz claiming that a contact on his phone somehow inserted himself into the Signal conversation.
There just aren’t words for this level of bungling ineptitude. If someone like Joseph Heller wrote it as satire, you’d say it was too ridiculous and farfetched.
Hillary Clinton: How Much Dumber Will This Get?
Guest Essay March 28, 2025 [GIFT link below]
GIFT link from Justin Hendrix, here:
https://bsky.app/profile/justinhendrix.bsky.social/post/3llgqczdzkk2c
March 28, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Donald J. Trump 11/8/13:
SEE: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandlaws.bsky.social/post/3ll5ljlkyoc22
March 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
He’ll deny he ever said that, even with a video of it.
Looks like Trump or at least some of his minions, have not lost interest yet in extorting Ukraine’s mineral wealth out of them in exchange for more or less nothing.
The Washington Post has the report.
And there is nothing in it to prevent the US from turning around and selling those extorted minerals/oil/gas to Russia.
“The new draft deal, said one senior official, looks like “Ukraine was in the war with U.S., lost, [was] captured and now has to pay lifetime reparations.””
But isn’t that the case? Isn’t the US effectively at war with everyone (except Russia)? Isn’t it the case that if someone else has something, then we’ve “lost” since we don’t have it? We are entitled to everything, after all; and you will never forget that, for so long as you shall live.
Things are going much better with Canada.
“The old relationship we had with the United States based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation is over,” Carney said during a press conference Thursday.
Everything Trump touches dies.
Kudos to emptywheel and Rita Rita for the JG/ JG proximity— what’s the bet that they are adjacent in his contacts list
The honor of discovering who JG probably was goes to Madame Wheeler.
Too bad the trade rep wasn’t there to bring some clarity. But, even if he were there, the likelihood that he would have spoken up and been listened to is small. Wouldn’t want anyone destroying the messaging.
Without in anyway wishing to deprive EW of plaudits
I believe meryvrmer was the first in these threads (I missed their post when I imagined I had worked it out first some hours later) but meryvrmer was beaten on Bluesky by the two below.
Happy to be corrected.
https://www.emptywheel.net/2025/03/24/the-classified-information-john-ratcliffe-pete-hegseth-and-mike-waltz-sent-to-journalist-jeffrey-goldberg/#comment-1091826
meryvrmer
25 March 25 8:08pm GMT
https://bsky.app/profile/christianh.bsky.social/post/3ll5bkqalls2h
So, what are the odds the US NSA, Michael Waltz, when creating his super secret group chat for war planning, did not check which “JG” in his contacts is the Atlantic EIC and which is the USTR (Jamieson Greer)?
24 March 25 17:24 GMT
also do you think jamieson greer is off sobbing somewhere because he was the JG meant to be in that group chat?
24 March 25 17:07 GMT
https://bsky.app/profile/seeemilyplay.bsky.social/post/3ll5alrq4ic2x
Argh messed up my GMT /EDT for meryvrmer
Apologies.
Theirs was 24 March 25 8:08 pm EDT which is of course 00:08 GMT 25 March 25.
But general point stands
This morning, the very information that Marcy presented in the OP of this thread, Steven Miller’s outsized role in Trump 2.0, was covered by NPR, almost verbatim. It’s almost as if the story idea for NPR Weekend came from reading this thread.
https://www.npr.org/2025/03/29/nx-s1-5334722/why-stephen-miller-has-become-one-of-trumps-closest-aides-on-some-of-his-signature-issues
Great catch—I’m glad they’re reading her, but other journalists really need to start crediting EW for her work. And having her on their shows more often.
*Stephen Miller