Category Blogger C0nservative Tree House

May 2 2025

Nat Sec Advisor Mike Waltz and Deputy Alex Wong Fired


Posted originally on CTH on May 1, 2025 | Sundance

CTH said in November 2024, I doubt he could succeed.   I said in December 2024, he would be the first to get fired.  I have said over the past several weeks it was obvious Mike Waltz was no longer in a position of National Security influence, and that President Trump had an NSA “in name only.”

Today, Trump fired National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and his deputy, Alex Wong….

VIA CBS – National security adviser Mike Waltz and his deputy, Alex Wong, will be leaving their posts in the Trump White House, according to multiple sources familiar with their departure.

[…] One source familiar with the situation at the National Security Council said the president thinks sufficient time has passed since the Signal incident that Waltz and Wong’s departures can be framed as part of a reorganization. The president has been hesitant to oust Waltz over the perception that doing so could be seen as bending to outside pressure.

Wong served in the first Trump administration as deputy special representative for North Korea and also as deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the State Department. In announcing his appointment, Mr. Trump said that Wong helped negotiate his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (more)

I’m not going to repeat all the issues that made this outcome transparently predictable from the first day of then President-elect Trump’s announcement.  You can read the background HERE and HERE and HERE.

Mike Waltz held a completely different worldview on the Intelligence Community. Like many others, heck, almost all others, Mike Waltz believes the IC system is inherently good, just under the control of bad actors. There are volumes of direct and specific evidence that this is not the correct perspective.  The IC system is corrupt by design, the mandates and interpreted policies that formulate the mission statements of the bureaucrats within it are the problem, not just the corrupt officials carrying out the mission.

It is almost impossible to understand the scale of the corruption within the IC from a position inside the silos under the control of the IC, the “six ways to Sunday” group.  It is only when you exit those silos and engage with the world that is not under the control of the IC that you fully grasp just how fraudulent the constructs are. (more)

“I suspect Waltz will be the first T-47 exit.” ~ 2024 Prediction

Look up Waltz’s wife, Julia Nesheiwat, the sister of Surgeon General nominee Janette Nesheiwat. Trace the background, and you likely end up looking at Susie Wiles being the person who recommended Mike Waltz for the National Security Advisor position.

Julia, who -like all other people who work in DC silos- has never taken a married name.  Julia Nesheiwat was born in Carmel, New York, in 1975 to Jordanian Christian immigrants and raised in Umatilla, Florida. She has a BA from Stetson University, an MA from Georgetown, and a PhD from Tokyo Tech.

Julia Nesheiwat became a military intelligence officer. She received the Bronze Star Medal during Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq. She departed the military as captain.  Julia Nesheiwat served in several U.S. administrations. Under George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, she held senior national security and economic policy positions. Her most notable role was as Trump’s 10th Homeland Security Advisor from 2020 to 2021. Her Bush administration posts included State Department seniority and Office of the Director of National Intelligence Policy Chief.

Suffice to say their bedroom conversations are likely Intel Community shop talk.

While it’s interesting that Congressman Mike Waltz was selected to be President Trump’s National Security Advisor, it’s actually Julia Nesheiwat that carries the curriculum vitae that seemingly qualifies her for the job.

According to Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, she was “asked by a mutual friend” to travel to New York and meet with candidate Trump in “late December 2015.”  That timeline would be post-Fox Debate (Megyn Kelly attempted hit – Aug ’15) when President Trump was leading every republican primary poll and became the enemy of the professional Republican establishment.

I’m tired of playing these games.

Find the “mutual friend” who organized the December 2015 meeting between Trump and Wiles, and we likely find the person who is in control of all these insufferable conflictions within the Trump administration.

I’m glad Waltz is gone, and perhaps now a solid NSA can be selected (Trump has never had one).  The biggest challenge was always going to be a confrontation with the Intelligence Community.  Everything circles around that issue.

Warmest best and don’t forget to live your best life,

Sundance

May 2 2025

President Trump Participates in a National Day of Prayer Event 11:00am Livestream


Posted originally on CTH on May 1, 2025 | Sundance

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will be participating in a National Day of Prayer event at the White House. Anticipated Start Time 11:00am, with livestream links below:

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May 2 2025

Stephen Miller and Press Secretary Leavitt Hold a Press Briefing – 8:30am ET Livestream


Posted originally on CTH on May 1, 2025 | Sundance 

Continuing to celebrate President Trump’s first 100 days in office this week, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will be accompanied by White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor, Stephen Miller.  The theme is “Restoring Common Sense.”

The anticipated start time is 9:00am ET. Livestream Links Below:

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May 1 2025

Senate Effort to Block President Trump Tariff Authority Fails Despite Three Republicans In Support


Posted originally on CTH on April 30, 2025 | Sundance

Republican senators Rand Paul, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski all voted in support of removing President Trump’s ability to impose tariffs under national security grounds.  However, the overall vote failed in the Senate 49-49.

The vote was mostly symbolic for the upper chamber as the House previously approved a rule to block any effort to restrict President Trump’s trade authority, and the White House would obviously veto any bill that might pass.  However, the vote does showcase the Republicans who are in support of multinational corporations outsourcing jobs and manufacturing.

The bill was originally created by Republican Senator Rand Paul and Democrat Senator Ron Wyden.  The intransigent neocon wing of the GOPe, those who take funds from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (aka Decepticons) also supported the bill, but given the certainty of Trump’s veto, needed to retain their masks.

WASHINGTON – […] The legislation, designed to end the national emergency Trump used to impose his now-paused “Liberation Day” tariffs, failed by a vote of 49 to 49 despite three Republicans joining all Democrats. {Full Story}

May 1 2025

Treasury Announces Joint U.S-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund (Minerals Deal) to Repay USA for Spending in Ukraine War


Posted originally on CTH on April 30, 2025  Sundance 

Will U.S. taxpayers ever see a dime repaid? Probably not, because the proceeds will likely end up in the pockets of the professional political class; however, the concept is a good idea in principle.  It is more than likely Zelenskyy has sold his “minerals” to several countries in his perpetual tin cup tour. The ‘investment fund’ aspect is just another way to transfer proceeds into the bank accounts of U.S. Senators.

The previously called “minerals deal” is now essentially a fund created between the USA and Ukraine where proceeds from exploiting Ukraine natural resources will be used to rebuild the country and repay the USA for prior financial support.  According to ABC News, “Both sides were ready to sign the agreement on critical minerals and other resources earlier, but the U.S. said it wanted the main minerals resources agreement signed and the creation of an investment fund document signed at the same time, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and a source in the Ukrainian president’s office said.”

WASHINGTON — On April 30, the United States and Ukraine signed an agreement to establish the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund. In recognition of the significant financial and material support that the people of the United States have provided to the defense of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, this economic partnership positions our two countries to work collaboratively and invest together to ensure that our mutual assets, talents, and capabilities can accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery.

Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, the Treasury Department and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) will work together with the Government of Ukraine to finalize program governance and advance this important partnership.

“Thanks to President Trump’s tireless efforts to secure a lasting peace, I am glad to announce the signing of today’s historic economic partnership agreement between the United States and Ukraine establishing the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund,” said U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “As the President has said, the United States is committed to helping facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless war. This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump Administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term. President Trump envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to show both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine. And to be clear, no state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine.”

Both the United States and the Government of Ukraine look forward to quickly operationalizing this historic economic partnership for both the Ukrainian and American people. (LINK)

May 1 2025

President Trump Holds Press Availability During Cabinet Meeting


Posted originally on CTH on April 30, 2025 | Sundance

Earlier today President Trump held a cabinet meeting with the heads of all executive agencies.  Following the meeting, President Trump invited the press into the cabinet meeting room where he answered media questions.  WATCH:

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May 1 2025

Following Massive Surge in First Quarter USA Purchases, Chinese Manufacturing Output Now Drops in Second Quarter


Posted originally on CTH on April 30, 2025 | Sundance

This next story is a natural outcome in the flow of goods. Remember, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the first quarter is a hindsight review. Meaning the information released today was based on activity in January, February and March 2025.

U.S. companies surged the purchasing of import goods, mostly from China, by more than 50% in the first quarter. They were/are building inventory. So, what happens in China starting in April?

Hong Kong, CNN – China’s factory activity contracted at its fastest pace in 16 months in April, as steep US tariffs took a heavy toll on the manufacturing sector, adding urgency to Beijing’s efforts to roll out fresh economic stimulus.

The manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 49.0 in April, the weakest reading since December 2023, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday. A reading below 50 signals a contraction.

Zhao Qinghe, a senior statistician at the NBS, said in a statement that the contraction in factory activity was due to “sharp changes in the external environment and other factors.” (read more)

The U.S. has front-loaded the inventory. So, orders to China drop now. It’s a natural outcome.

We have purchased goods in advance. So, orders to China drop. As a result, the cargo shipments from China to the USA drop in April, May and June.

It’s not that U.S. consumers don’t have the product to purchase; the reality is the product is already here, awaiting purchase.

However, to retain an oppositional perspective toward Donald Trump, the media narrative will not look back at the 50% surge in first quarter purchases; they will only look at the severe drop in second-quarter orders.

With less being ordered, the media will now say the Trump tariffs are hurting consumers, deliveries to ports are substantially less, without ever mentioning the products are already here.

On the upside, there will be a massive rebound in Second Quarter GDP as the imports have dropped; meaning there is less to deduct. However, we will not see that statistically until the last Friday in July.

[…] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi dismissed calls for a negotiated tariff truce with Washington, saying appeasement in the face of US threats will only “embolden the bully.” His comments on the sidelines of a meeting in Rio de Janeiro echoed the message in a striking social media video shared by his ministry calling on the international community to stand up to America’s “bully” leader.

In an interview that aired on Tuesday, Trump said China “deserved” the 145% tariffs that he imposed, claiming Beijing would absorb them.

“China probably will eat those tariffs. But at 145, they basically can’t do much business with the United States,” he said in an interview with ABC News.

May 1 2025

Awesome News – GDP Growth at -0.3% in First Quarter, Despite Massive Import Purchase Increase of 41.3% to Avoid Tariffs


Posted originally on CTH on April 30, 2025 | Sundance

The absolute key to the first quarter GDP result is to remember that ‘imports‘ are a deduction in the economic equation of Gross Domestic Product.  The GDP is the valuation of all goods and services produced in the USA *minus* the value of imports.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) releases the results of the first quarter GDP.  The overall economic growth seems low at –0.3% until you look at how U.S. companies responded in February and March to the tariff announcement.

Companies proactively purchased massive amounts of products in advance of the tariffs leading to an overall increase in imports of 41.3%.  Which results in a 5.3% deduction to GDP.  Every dollar of those imports is a deduction to the GDP equation, giving the false appearance of lower domestic production.

There was a massive surge in import goods purchases of 50.9% versus the prior period [Table 1, line 20].  That’s the largest periodic increase in import purchases I have ever seen.  Simultaneously, fixed asset investment in equipment for domestic production surged 22.5% [Table 1, line 11].

Put both of these metrics together and what you see are U.S. companies building consumer inventory from overseas (imports) while simultaneously preparing themselves to shift production into the USA.  The massive import purchases are a bridge to cover the time needed to shift the manufacturing from overseas to the USA.  This is exactly what we want to see.

To give more detail to the economic shift, we turn to Table 2 and look at the contribution impact to the GDP equation.

Here we can see that imports surged and led to a 5.03% deduction to the GDP equation.  Meaning if all things were equal without the Q1 surge in import purchases the GDP would have been +5.0%.

Meanwhile the impact of federal spending decreased 0.33% as President Trump makes the federal government smaller, and federal spending contribution less.  The federal government is getting smaller as a percentage of GDP.  Again, a very positive sign.

Investment in the USA is high.  MAGA working.

Imports are temporarily high, as companies prepare to purchase less from overseas.  MAGA working.

Following the increase in U.S. investment and following the increase in equipment purchasing; we will see an increase in jobs as a result of hiring Americans to use the equipment and create the products.  If the workforce tightens up (illegal alien deportation continues) and unemployment lessens, then pressure is created on wage rates as companies compete for workers.  Main Street starts winning again.

Attach welfare support to employment efforts and the dependency model shrinks.

This is very good news all around.

Apr 30 2025

Peak Hassett – National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett Provides Details on Trade Negotiations


Posted originally on CTH on April 29, 2025 | Sundance

As we saw previously in Term-1, President Trump has again divided and assigned trade negotiation responsibility to key cabinet members.  In this interview with CNN National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett smiles and walks effortlessly through the narrative engineering attempt by CNN pundit Kassie Hunt.

This is a must watch interview if you are following the details of the current global trade renegotiation.

Hassett outlines the current status of trade negotiations with some of the biggest trade partners in the world.  India and Southeast Asia are being handled by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.  Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is in control of the section 232 (national security) tariffs, and USTR Jamison Greer has 19 current Free Trade Agreements outlined with various partners all willing to accept the reciprocity agreement.  WATCH:

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Apr 30 2025

Wisconsin Supreme Court Suspends Arrested Judge Who Assisted Criminal Illegal Alien


Posted originally on CTH on April 29, 2025 | Sundance 

Following her arrest for assisting a criminal illegal alien attempting to avoid capture, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended Judge Hannah Dugan from all judicial proceedings.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended a judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities, saying Tuesday that it is in the public interest to relieve her of her duties as she faces two federal charges.

[…] In its two-page order, the state Supreme Court said it was acting on its own initiative and not responding to a request from anyone. Liberal justices control the court 4-3.

[…] She is set to appear in court for arraignment May 15.

In addition to Mastantuono, her attorneys include Paul Clement, a prominent conservative lawyer, and Steve Biskupic, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin who was appointed by President George W. Bush. (read more)