A Political Thread pt. 2

[AlRums]

Blimey, ChatGPTs estimate was way off haha

Which was?

 

[AlRums]

White House says it will decide which reporters get near the president at all times

The White House is eyeing major changes to the practices around press access, expanding the group of reporters permitted within small group settings with President Donald Trump by taking control of what's known as the "press pool."

The press pool includes rotating representatives from television, print, radio, wire services and still photography outlets that travel with the president on Air Force One and in other small settings like the Oval Office or Roosevelt Room. They communicate information back to their counterparts at other outlets through what's known as pool reports disseminated by email.

"For decades, a group of DC-based journalists, the White House Correspondents Association, has long dictated which journalists get to ask questions of the president of the United States in these most intimate spaces. Not anymore," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced at Tuesday's press briefing.

Leavitt added, "Moving forward, the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team."

Her announcement comes one day after a federal judge declined to temporarily restore the Associated Press' access to some of Trump's events, the Oval Office and Air Force One.

Leavitt said that legacy outlets will still be allowed to join but "new voices are going to be welcomed in, as well," pointing to streaming services, radio hosts from across the country, and other new media outlets. She did not lay out timing or specific details surrounding the new rotation.

"A select group of DC-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly over the privilege of press access at the White House," she said.

You can see where this is going

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Which was?

£6bn

 

[AlRums]

As the US pressures Kyiv to sign a minerals deal, the EU is pushing to boost its own access

An ilmenite open pit mine

As Washington continues to pile pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a draft deal with the United States involving over $500 billion of materials such as aluminum, gallium and ***anium, the European Union is hoping to scale up its access to Ukraine's minerals.

Stéphane Séjourné, the EU commissioner for prosperity and industrial strategy, committed to "accelerating" the bloc's "mutually beneficial partnership" with Ukraine regarding the supply of minerals during a visit to Kyiv on Monday, a European Commission spokesperson told CNN.
The EU is hoping to expand upon a 2021 memorandum of understanding with Ukraine that centered on "mutual benefits," the spokesperson said.

Ukraine could successfully supply 21 out of the 30 minerals needed by the EU under this scaled-up arrangement, Séjourné said Monday, the spokesperson confirmed.
The bloc tried to downplay any potential conflict with the US, with the spokesperson stressing that the move is "about cooperation with Ukraine, not competition with the US." This comes as a senior Ukrainian official told CNN Monday that negotiations regarding a draft proposal with Washington were now reaching the "final stages."

Remember: Last year, the Biden administration had prepared a similar draft memorandum of understanding to the European Union. That included commitments from Washington to providing investment opportunities in Ukraine's mining projects.

In recent weeks, US President Donald Trump has zeroed in on securing access to what he has described as Ukraine's "great rare earths," saying access to these minerals would serve as a payment for any US military support going forward.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

We didn't need it because we had NATO. Pointless having a separate command structure for the same armies

Hence saying the protection of the USA masked that but it's clear now they are not a trustworthy partner and possibly even an adversary now. The Republicans and Democrats are so diametrically opposed on their world views it's like the entire nation is suffering a severe bout of schizophrenia. We cannot rely on that.

In theory but you are reliant on European goverments agreeing when to deploy etc, etc. Look at Ukraine various European nations already ruled out sending soldiers. Unfortunately nations still look after self-interest. Recent events show the EU bureaucracy is painfully slow at adapting, reacting and agreeing

There's also a massive difference in competence and professionalism in European armies. Especially the varied standards of those with conscription vs fully professional soldiers.

Hence there needs to be an effort to standardise all of these across the nations so it becomes a credible force. Years of being completely apathetic towards it have led to this situation. At some point European leaders need to wake up and realise that, as long as they continue acting as individual nations in a disjointed manner, the other world powers will play divide and conquer on Europe as Europe did to the world before. A divided Europe is on that has no say on the world stage. A united Europe would not have been sidelined in the peace talks and sat around wondering what they could do as the USA and Russia carved up Ukraine. I would have thought the lessons of the cold war, where one of the superpowers at least was on our side, and the lessons of now would have spurred people into action.

Naivety, apathy and a complete refusal to accept the world is not a nice place have led us to where we can be pushed around.

 

[AlRums]

For Trump, 3 court losses in 90 minutes

https://us.cnn.com/2025/02/25/politics/trump-court-losses-immigration-spending-freeze/index.html

 

[AlRums]

DOGE’s Millions: As Musk and Trump Gut Government, Their Ax-Cutting Agency Gets Cash Infusion

The Department of Government Efficiency is funded — and acts — like a federal agency. But the White House has shielded DOGE from the rules that govern such agencies, ProPublica found as it examines the group and expands a list of DOGE workers.

www.propublica.org

 

[AlRums]

Frustration at Elon Musk spills over after closed-door House GOP meeting: 'Fed to the wolves'

House Republicans are privately complaining about Elon Musk's federal government efforts, though nearly all agree with the DOGE goal.

www.foxnews.com

Now the republicans are getting narked

 

[AlRums]

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

“TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING”

truthsocial.com

Trump being his usual modest self

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

“TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING”

truthsocial.com

Trump being his usual modest self

Trump was definitely right about everything, far right.

 

[General Melchett]

It has all the hallmarks of a grotesque fake but nothing he does surprises anymore. Imagine watching that after being bombed non stop for over a year, being moved from pillar to post and having lost family and friends.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

It has all the hallmarks of a grotesque fake but nothing he does surprises anymore. Imagine watching that after being bombed non stop for over a year and having lost family and friends.

Of everything he's doing, it's by far the most blood thirsty. Really shows that anything he says regarding human life and well being is total BS.

 

[Weldit]

Dear lord. 1984 was a warning not a manual.