Category Blogger C0nservative Tree House

Dec 8 2025

Sunday Talks: Secretary Scott Bessent Discusses Inflation and “Affordability”


Posted originally on CTH on December 7, 2025 | Sundance 

Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent appears on CBS’s Face the Nation for an inflation and affordability debate with narrative engineer Margaret Brennan.

The primary narrative can be seen in Brennan’s emphasis of the new democrat catch phrase “affordability.”  Having gaslit the American electorate over the issues of Joe Biden’s economic/energy policy which created record inflation, the same media who ran cover for Joe Biden have switched during the Trump administration to calling the subsequent high costs an “affordability” crisis.

In essence, Biden’s economic, energy and monetary policies drove 2021/2022 inflation to record levels, this made all prices rise massively.  Those high prices are now the “affordability problem.”  WATCH:

[Transcript] – MARGARET BRENNAN: Good morning and welcome to ‘Face The Nation.’ We have a lot of news to get to, and we begin with the Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent. Good to have you here.

TREASURY SECRETARY SCOTT BESSENT: Morning, Margaret.

SEC. BESSENT: Mr. Secretary, a lot of people are out there holiday shopping. Here is how the President described back in April, what to expect from this season.

[SOT]

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know. And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally.

[END SOT]

MARGARET BRENNAN: Was the President’s prediction then, correct?

SEC. BESSENT: Margaret, it’s actually been a very strong holiday season, and the- you know, we’ve seen across all the income cohorts thus far. And so there’s nothing to say that there are two dolls instead of 30 dolls.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The President was wrong to predict lower numbers of purchases and higher prices?

SEC. BESSENT: The economy has been better than we thought. We’ve had the 4- 4% GDP growth in a couple of quarters. We’re going to finish the year, despite the Schumer shutdown, with 3% real GDP growth.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the maker of Tonka Trucks, their CEO, said it’s going to cost 40 bucks for their toys right now because of tariffs and inflation, it was 30 bucks the year before that, 25. Prices in the toy space are accelerating, and people are feeling that.

SEC. BESSENT: Well, Margaret inflation is a composite number, and it’s roughly the same year over year. And if we were to look at all imported goods, imported goods inflation is below the inflation number.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The inflation number, you mean the–

SEC. BESSENT: The PC- the PCE number which is about 2.9%. Imported goods inflation is about 1.8. It’s the service economy that’s generating inflation, which actually has nothing to do with tariffs.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But when we hear from for example, the President, when he says that affordability is a con job by Democrats, that seems to just not be resonating with consumers that have been polled by CBS. 60% of Americans polled by this network told us President Trump makes prices and inflation sound better than they really are, and his approval rating in the economy is now down to 36% in our latest poll. On inflation, approval is even lower, 32%. Don’t you need to show that you feel the pain?

SEC. BESSENT: Well, Margaret, I think the President’s frustrated by the media coverage of what’s going on–

MARGARET BRENNAN: This is the polling of average Americans.

SEC. BESSENT: –No, no- yeah, but I think the average Americans, they are hearing a lot from media coverage. And I will tell you that affordability has two components, there is inflation, and then there is real incomes. Real incomes are up about 1% and what we’re not going to do is say that Americans don’t know what they’re feeling. We’ve been working on it every day. I was on your show on March talking about affordability. The- we’ve made a lot of gains, but remember, we’ve got this embedded inflation from the Biden years, where mainstream media, whether it’s Greg Ip at the Wall Street Journal, toxic Paul Krugman at New York Times or former Vice Chair, Alan Blinder, all said it was a vibecession. The American people don’t know how good they have it. Now, Democrats created scarcity, whether it was in energy or over regulation, that we are now seeing the- this. affordability problem, and I think next year we’re going to move on to prosperity.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You do think there is an affordability problem?

SEC. BESSENT: Sorry?

MARGARET BRENNAN: You do believe there’s an affordability problem?

SEC. BESSENT: Oh, I think the Biden administration created a terr–

MARGARET BRENNAN: No, but now we’re nearly 12 months in, you said the President would own the economy at this point.

SEC. BESSENT: I said that the Biden administration created the worst inflation in 50 years, and maybe for working Americans, the worst inflation of all time. And we have pulled that number down- that Strategas research does something called the common man index. Under Biden, the accumulated inflation number, as measured by CPI, was about 20%. Their index showed 35. This year for the first time, the common man index is below the inflation index because the basket of goods for working Americans, food, gasoline, rent is coming down. So I wrote an essay March 12, 2024, and it talked about the three I’s, immigration, interest rates and inflation. Immigrant- mass, unfettered immigration, depressed wages caused housing prices to go up. President has closed the border that is fixed. Interest rates have come down. The bond market just had the best year since 2020 and now we are working on inflation, and I expect inflation to roll down strongly next year.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I mean, grocery prices are up nearly 3% compared to last September. The President seems to be acknowledging that grocery prices, or at least beef prices, are a challenge, because he put out this order just yesterday saying they’re going to investigate corporate price gouging for high beef prices. Isn’t suing the food companies the same thing the Biden administration did, and it didn’t really work? How is this any different?

SEC. BESSENT: Well, nothing- nothing the Biden administration did worked–

MARGARET BRENNAN: So why are you doing it?

SEC. BESSENT: Because this isn’t the same thing. If they- if they had done this, if they’d done it properly, we’d be in a different spot. And like, beef is one component. Thanksgiving Turkey was down 16%.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I know you are working on the trade front, and for American farmers and the prices that they are experiencing, that they’re feeling a pinch about not having a market to sell into, necessarily.

SEC. BESSENT: Not- not anymore.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the agricultural Secretary just said that the President is going to announce a bridge payment for farmers this week to give them short term relief while you’re working on these- finalizing these trade packages. There are these low crop prices, and the soybeans in particular, I know you spoke with China’s Vice Premier Friday. Are they going to speed purchasing up?

SEC. BESSENT: Well, they’re not going to speed purchasing up. They’re in the cadence that we agreed to. Soybean prices are up about 12 or 15% since the agreement with the Chinese. They are going to buy 12.5 million metric tons. But Margaret, I’m involved in the agricultural industry. I run a soybean farm, and I can tell you–

MARGARET BRENNAN: You own one, you invest in it.

SE. BESSENT: Sorry?

MARGARET BRENNAN: You own or invest in–

SEC. BESSENT: –People in my family go out and work on it. I actually just divested it this week as part of the- my ethics agreement, so I’m out of that business. But I probably know more about any Treasury Secretary than- about agriculture since the 1800s and I can tell you that what farmers need is certainty, and we have put that in place with this trade deal. 12 and a half million metric tons this year, 25 million metric tons for the next three years, for soybeans, also sorghum, the- and lumber.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So those purchases, just to clarify, those will be this year, because I heard you say this past week that some of the purchases wouldn’t take place until February.

SEC. BESSENT: Well, for the- for the season, so the crop year.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The season year?

SEC. BESSENT: Yep.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. But why- if everything’s fine, then why do farmers need a bridge payment from the Agricultural Department?

SEC. BESSENT: Sorry?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Why would farmers need a bridge payment from the Agriculture Department, then?

SEC. BESSENT: Because these prices haven’t come in, because the Chinese actually used our soybean farmers as pawns in the trade negotiations. And we are going to create this bridge because, again, agriculture is all about the future. You’ve got to start financing for planning next year when things will be very good.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you about something that was announced this past week, the Trump accounts, and building on this concept so parents, as I understand, are going to be able to open these accounts via the Treasury for their kids, their tax deferred investment vehicles to U.S. citizen children under 18, get $1,000 from the government for babies born between 2025 and 2028. So there are going to be restrictions on what the money can be used for college tuition or their first house, is that right?

SEC. BESSENT: No, it is- the federal government for children born in the period you just described, is going to put $1,000 into these Trump accounts, it will be invested in a widely diversified, low cost index, and then it will be available–

MARGARET BRENNAN: In the stock market, in an exchange traded fund or mutual fund.

SEC. SCOTT BESSENT: So in essence, it is a trust fund. It is a piece of the American economy for every child, and they will be able to take it out when they’re 18, or they can convert it to a more IRA-type program and keep it for their retirement.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So there won’t be the restrictions I mentioned there about how they use the money?

SEC. BESSENT: No.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so there was also a broadening of this- this past week, with the Dell Foundation making a significant investment in the American children. So how is this going to work? Why structure it this way, instead of a savings account, for example?

SEC. SCOTT BESSENT: Well, a savings account just gets interest. This is the compounding power of the stock market. As Warren Buffett says, don’t- don’t bet against the American stock market, don’t bet against the economy. And this is going to bring a whole group of new investors into the market. We’re going to couple it with a big amount of financial literacy, so that children understand what they own. The incredible gift by Michael and Susan Dell will be the- is a program that philanthropists’ foundations can do to top up these accounts. And we are expecting, we’re already at- Treasury is already in discussions with foundations, with major philanthropists to top up these accounts. It could either be for all children, or you can specify it by zip code, a school district, or you can do what the Dells did, and say that it will be- won’t apply to the zip codes of the top 20% of earners.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And more information is going to be coming out on how to use this and access it?

SEC. SCOTT BESSENT: Yes, in the coming weeks, we’ll do that, and then the official kickoff will be July 5.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Before I let you go, I want to ask you about this massive fraud out in Minnesota, and the state welfare program has been under federal investigation since all the way back in 2022. The President told you, though, this week, to look into Somalis who, quote, ripped off that state for billions of dollars. He said they contribute nothing. What exactly are you investigating?

SEC. SCOTT BESSENT: Well, Margaret, to be clear, the initial fraud that was discovered by the IRS for which I’m the Acting Commissioner- is discovered by IRS Criminal Investigations Unit. This was not an endogenous thing that the state of Minnesota decided. We had to go in and clean up the mess for them, and this is part of the continued cleanup. A lot of money has been transferred the- from the individuals who committed this fraud, including those who donated to the government- Governor, donated to Representative Omar and donated to AG Ellison, but they’ve been transferred to something called MBs–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Mortgage backed securities, what–?

SEC. BESSENT: Sorry?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Transferred to what?

SEC. BESSENT: These are money- the- bureau services, and they are wire transfer organizations that are outside the regulated banking system, and that money has gone overseas, and we are tracking that- the- both to the Middle East and Somalia to see what the uses of that have been.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, but you have no evidence of that money being used to fuel terrorism, which is what some conservative writers are alleging?

SEC. SCOTT BESSENT: That’s why it’s an investigation. We started it last week. We’ll see where it goes. But I can tell you that, you know, it’s terrible. You know, Representative Omar tried to downplay it. Said, oh, it was very- the- it was very tough to know how this money should- should be used. She was gaslighting the American people.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, we’ll talk to her.

SEC. BESSENT: Yeah. But, you know, when you come to this country, you got to learn which side of the road to drive on. You got to learn to stop at stop signs, and you got to learn the- not to defraud the American people.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, there are plenty of- plenty of criminal behavior from communities well beyond the immigrant community, but we’ll talk about this with Representative Omar shortly. Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

SEC. BESSENT: Good.

[End Transcript]

Dec 8 2025

President Trump and First Lady Melania Attend Lincoln Center Honors


Posted originally on CTH on December 7, 2025 | Sundance

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend the Kennedy Center Honors.  During the arrival ceremony President Trump answered questions on the red carpet from the assembled press pool.

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Sylvester Stallone is one of the honorees and gave some strong remarks about his relationship to President Trump. Below:

Dec 8 2025

Tucker Carlson Interviews Qatar’s Prime Minister Al Thani


Posted originally on CTH on December 7, 2025 | Sundance

Tucker Carlson is attending a conference in Doha along with a series of U.S. and EU political pundits and people within the geopolitical world including Donald Trump Jr.  This conference has people like Mark Levin and Laura Loomer going bananas as the Qatar vs Israel influence operation reaches new political levels of antagonism.

In the interview below Tucker Carlson is interviewing Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on the Israel–Gaza war, U.S. foreign policy toward Israel, Qatar’s long and ongoing role in mediation with Hamas, and the surge of propaganda targeting Doha.

The discussion includes how various administrations have asked Qatar for assistance, and the issue of Israel attacking Qatar amid the active peace talks. Tucker Carlson also tackles the issue of U.S. voices calling him a propagandist for Qatar head on.  WATCH:

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As previously noted, Donald Trump Jr also attended the Doha, Qatar, conference.  His remarks are below.

The Qatar vs Israel influence battle, seems to be -essentially- the JD Vance vs Ron DeSantis pre-battle and influence operation.  I’ll keep watching it unfold, because the transparency of the objectives is interesting.

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Dec 8 2025

Commemorating Pearl Harbor Day


Posted originally on CTH on December 7, 2025 | Sundance

Via White House – “On December 7, 1941, a peaceful Sunday morning on the Hawaiian island of Oahu was shattered by an unprovoked attack by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor and the aircraft and hangars at Kaneohe, Ford Island, Barbers Point, and Hickam Field. The surprise offensive claimed the lives of 2,403 American service members and civilians and propelled our Nation into the Second World War.

The Japanese mission was designed to cripple our military assets and obliterate the American spirit, but instead, the fatal attacks rallied our shattered citizenry and fueled our resolve. Young men from every corner of our country put their lives and futures on hold and were thrust into bloody and brutal battles of historic consequence that would forever change the world. Although untested in battle, these patriots, still reeling from horror and disbelief, united in a singular mission: to defeat tyranny. The exceptional courage and immeasurable sacrifices of the Greatest Generation secured our way of life and the blessings of freedom for future generations.”

“In the decades since the “date which will live in infamy,” the aggressor has become our loyal ally and trusted friend. Japan is one of our closest security partnerships, and our military forces work together every day to defend our common interests. We are united by commerce, history, culture, and mutual respect. Our strong alliance is a testament to the transformational power of peace, diplomacy, and democracy.

The lessons learned 84 years ago on that fateful day still resound with America’s exceptional fighting force. We must remain ever vigilant and prepared to annihilate any foe who dares to threaten our liberty. This annual day of remembrance must be held in the highest esteem and reverence as we honor the Americans who laid down their lives to defend our homeland on the island of Oahu and in the battles of World War II.

The Congress, by Public Law 103-308, as amended, has designated December 7 of each year as “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.”

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 7, 2025, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn day and to honor our military, past and present, with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.”

DONALD J. TRUMP

Dec 7 2025

President Trump’s 2025 National Security Strategy – Europe Is Destroying Itself


Posted originally on CTH on December 6, 2025 | Sundance

President Trump’s 2025 National Security Strategy is outlined in a detailed 33-page report.

In addition to setting the priorities for the United States focus, the report details the Trump administration perspective on the world as broken down into specific regions.  The report is a brutally honest review of the current state of geopolitical benefits, risks and threats as they pertain to vital U.S. interests.

[Full pdf Here]

In addition to outlining a critically renewed focus on the Western Hemisphere, the Trump administration also notes the practical position of Europe, as it pertains to NATO and dependency on the U.S.A.

In a brutally honest review of the situation, the Trump administration notes Europe is increasingly losing their own identity.  The fear the Europeans express about being vulnerable to Russian strength is hypocritical, in the sense that in practical outcomes the EU is purposefully weakening itself and simultaneously demanding assistance against their own weakness.

[PAGE 25] – American officials have become used to thinking about European problems in terms of insufficient military spending and economic stagnation. There is truth to this, but Europe’s real problems are even deeper.

Continental Europe has been losing share of global GDP—down from 25 percent in 1990 to 14 percent today—partly owing to national and transnational regulations that undermine creativity and industriousness. But this economic decline is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilizational erasure.

The larger issues facing Europe include activities of the European Union and other transnational bodies that undermine political liberty and sovereignty, migration policies that are transforming the continent and creating strife, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition, cratering birthrates, and loss of national identities and self-confidence.

Should present trends continue, the continent will be unrecognizable in 20 years or less. As such, it is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies. Many of these nations are currently doubling down on their present path. We want Europe to remain European, to regain its civilizational self-confidence, and to abandon its failed focus on regulatory suffocation.

This lack of self-confidence is most evident in Europe’s relationship with Russia.

European allies enjoy a significant hard power advantage over Russia by almost every measure, save nuclear weapons. As a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, European relations with Russia are now deeply attenuated, and many Europeans regard Russia as an existential threat.

Managing European relations with Russia will require significant U.S. diplomatic engagement, both to reestablish conditions of strategic stability across the Eurasian landmass, and to mitigate the risk of conflict between Russia and European states.

It is a core interest of the United States to negotiate an expeditious cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, in order to stabilize European economies, prevent unintended escalation or expansion of the war, and reestablish strategic stability with Russia, as well as to enable the post-hostilities reconstruction of Ukraine to enable its survival as a viable state.

The Ukraine War has had the perverse effect of increasing Europe’s, especially Germany’s, external dependencies. Today, German chemical companies are building some of the world’s largest processing plants in China, using Russian gas that they cannot obtain at home.

The Trump Administration finds itself at odds with European officials who hold unrealistic expectations for the war perched in unstable minority governments, many of which trample on basic principles of democracy to suppress opposition. A large European majority wants peace, yet that desire is not translated into policy, in large measure because of those governments’ subversion of democratic processes. This is strategically important to the United States precisely because European states cannot reform themselves if they are trapped in political crisis.

Yet Europe remains strategically and culturally vital to the United States. Transatlantic trade remains one of the pillars of the global economy and of American prosperity. European sectors from manufacturing to technology to
energy remain among the world’s most robust. Europe is home to cutting-edge scientific research and world-leading cultural institutions. Not only can we not afford to write Europe off—doing so would be self-defeating for what this strategy aims to achieve.

American diplomacy should continue to stand up for genuine democracy, freedom of expression, and unapologetic celebrations of European nations’ individual character and history. America encourages its political allies in Europe to promote this revival of spirit, and the growing influence of patriotic European parties indeed gives cause for great optimism.

Our goal should be to help Europe correct its current trajectory. We will need a strong Europe to help us successfully compete, and to work in concert with us to prevent any adversary from dominating Europe.

America is, understandably, sentimentally attached to the European continent — and, of course, to Britain and Ireland. The character of these countries is also strategically important because we count upon creative, capable, confident, democratic allies to establish conditions of stability and security. We want to work with aligned countries that want to restore their former greatness. (continue reading)

Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin does not see a strong Europe; instead, he sees a continent destroying itself and creating vulnerabilities that can easily be exploited.

President Trump is attempting to stop the inevitable conclusion, the outcome created throughout history, when a strong nation state is positioned right next to a vulnerable, fat, lazy and weak-minded coalition of states.

Europe would be wise to listen to President Trump now, because the American people are not willing to put our blood on the line again to protect the EU – ultimately from itself.

Dec 7 2025

President Trump Delivers Kennedy Center Medal Awards from the Oval Office


Posted originally on CTH on December 6, 2025 | Sundance 

President Trump presented the Kennedy Center Award to the 2025 recipients from the Oval Office. The awards were presented to George Strait: Renowned country music star known as the “King of Country,” with over 60 number one hits and 120 million records sold. Michael Crawford: Actor and singer famous for his role as the Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera.”  Sylvester Stallone: Iconic actor known for his roles in the “Rocky” series and other major films. Gloria Gaynor: Celebrated singer best known for her anthem “I Will Survive.” and KISS: Legendary rock band known for their theatrical performances and iconic music.

The President placed around each honoree’s neck a new medal that was designed, created and donated by jeweler Tiffany & Co., according to the Kennedy Center and President Trump.

It’s a gold disc, etched on one side with the Kennedy Center’s image. The honoree’s name appears on the reverse side, with the date of the ceremony. The medallion hangs from a navy blue ribbon and replaces a large rainbow ribbon decorated with three gold plates that rested on the honoree’s shoulders and chest. WATCH:

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Dec 7 2025

A Welcome Perspective Change Within U.S. State Department


Posted originally on CTH on December 6, 2025 | Sundance 

Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau presents a well-articulated change in perspective from the U.S. State Department.  The response comes following the EU decision to levy a compliance fine against the social media platform X.

[SOURCE]

What Christopher Landau notes as the contrast and conflict in ideological priority from the EU can just as easily be applied to the USA dynamic with Canada.  As noted by Twitter user John Frank, “The same observations can easily apply to the relations with Canada, given the divergence between the US role in the military alliance with Canada, while Canada is involved in activities which work against US interests.”

At a certain point it does become necessary to distinguish exactly what values, benefits, perspectives and priorities frame the positions that determine who our U.S. allies really are, and who should benefit from that relationship.

It is good to see a structurally different perspective from the U.S. State Department that puts a bold underline under the term “western alliances.”  What values are those alliances based on?

Dec 6 2025

USTR Jamieson Greer Outlines U.S. Trade Strategy, Free Trade Agreements and Trade Policy


Posted originally on CTH on December 6, 2025 | Sundance | 

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is questioned about the Trump administration strategy or lack thereof. “Yes, there’s a strategy,” Greer says in this new interview. “First of all, you don’t change 70 years of trade policy overnight. And second of all, when some people say, ‘Oh, well, this is chaos. What’s your strategy?’, what they really want to know is can we go back to how it was before? And that’s not going to happen.”

The interview is in an audio file presented by Politico and shared below. This is some really good information on the various free trade agreements and the regions represented by some of our largest trade partners. Well worth listening to as you go about your day and travels today. Embed below:

USTR Greer notes how the tariffs are being used, the upcoming Supreme Court decision, the need for congress to codify the tariff regime in legislation and the various regional strategies for the deployment of countervailing duties.

Dec 6 2025

CNN Reports J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect as Trump Supporter Angered by Stolen Election


Posted originally on CTH on December 6, 2025 | Sundance

You know a deep state cover-story operation is underway when Natasha Bertrand and Evan Perez are pushing the narrative.

The narrative is laughable, claiming the 30-year-old black North Virgina resident, working for a bail bond company that supports illegal aliens, whose father previously sued the Trump administration and claims racism against their company opposition, is a Trump supporter.

Alas, that’s the story -according to FBI people familiar with the matter- and CNN are sticking to it.

(VIA CNN) – During interviews with the FBI, the suspect arrested in the pipe bomb probe told investigators that he believed the 2020 election was stolen, providing perhaps the first indication of a possible motive for the bombs placed near the DNC and RNC headquarters, people briefed on the matter told CNN. (read more)

If you are to believe this narrative and simultaneously overlay the indictment evidence, the pipe bomber had remarkable predictive abilities in purchasing the explosive components for his devices before the 2020 election took place.  Somehow, according to CNN, Brian Cole Jr knew the 2020 election would be “stolen” and was prepared for the outcome.

Ridiculous, all of it.

Meanwhile, Brian Cole Jr’s grandmother, Loretta, tells an entirely different story.

(Via Daily Mail) – […] ‘He’s not politically affiliated with anything,’ the grandmother told the Daily Mail during an interview at her home in Gainesville, Virginia. ‘He has no social media contacts. He’s never online going back and forth with politics or anything like that. He says he don’t like either party.

‘He’s borderline autistic,’ she added. ‘He’s slow. He may be 30, but he’s got the mind of a 16-year-old. That’s why we’re thinking – What the hell? What’s going on?’

[…] ‘We’re terrified,’ she said. ‘They say they’ve got all this evidence. Whatever happened, we’ve still got to fight it. We have to figure out what to do.’

She said she had no idea her grandson may have been gathering parts for months to build the bombs from area businesses, stored them in the home, then allegedly tried to carry out a terrorist attack.

Cole was charged with laying explosives outside the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters, which did not detonate.

She said she doesn’t believe the charges.

‘This young man is very calm and quiet,’ she said. ‘He just stays to himself. Nobody bothers him because he doesn’t bother anybody.

‘He doesn’t have a girlfriend,’ she added. ‘That’s how slow he is. He’s just off in a little world on his own. He stays downstairs and he used to be with his dog all the time.’

‘That’s why everything is so messed up with us because he’s a good kid,’ she said. ‘If you knew him, you would say that he couldn’t have done it.’

‘And if he did, it was just him trying to prove a point or whatever,’ she continued. ‘He probably doesn’t even know the magnitude of what he’s done, if he did it.’

‘He’s a data entry clerk in the office and answers the phones,’ she said. ‘He’s right in the reception area up front. We have a business, so we have to put him to work. And he understands that. He’s good with data entry.’

‘All I can tell you is I love my grandson,’ she said. ‘He’s not a bad kid and he’s not affiliated with any gangs or anything like that. He’s not a political anarchist, or whatever they’re calling him. People could pull unnamed sources out of the sky. I don’t believe that. I don’t know.’ (read more)

I personally am not ascribing operational motive (or outcome) to the intents of either Kash Patel or Dan Bongino because as I have said from the outset of their selection, neither of these two men have the intellectual or discernment skillset needed to confront the corrupt institutional intent of the FBI as an organization.

Both Dan and Kash have easily identifiable ‘attack vectors’ which can be exploited by those skilled in the dark arts of manipulation.  Kash’s open weakness is his ego and lust for lifestyle, Bongino’s open emotional weakness is his need to be cherished and appreciated.  Both mindsets are easily influenced by those who know how to do such things.

Was/is Brian Cole Jr a patsy or was he a secretly hiding from his family a high functioning intellectual skillset capable of strategic thinking, foresight and developing covert plans.  Something just doesn’t add up.

The media’s need to ascribe a pro-Trump spin to the motives and intents is typical of their fake news status, pumping toxic fuel into the minds of those who genuinely believe some form of credibility in DC reporting still exists.  When CNN pushes a narrative the domestic Intelligence Community is generally behind it.

♦ The overall FBI angle is EXTREMELY SKETCHY (noted in Fox video below) as the “new FBI” investigative unit simply used Brian Cole’s cell phone and geolocation as part of the evidence against him.  This cell phone geolocation and ID are exactly what all of the J6 pipe bomb researchers have been shouting about for five years.

For five years the FBI couldn’t exploit the cell phone use for identification, then suddenly they were able to exploit the cell phone use for identification.  Something doesn’t add up here and is really hinky, despite Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino claiming the FBI’s investigative efforts were excellent.

Dec 6 2025

The Money Phase – Emissary Witkoff Updates on Ukraine/Russia Peace Negotiations


Posted originally on CTH on December 6, 2025 | Sundance

If we read between the lines in the latest update from President Trump emissary Steve Witkoff, we can clearly see the negotiations have entered into that critical phase where payments to all of the stakeholders will determine a successful outcome.

Pragmatic people have long predicted the ultimate solution to the bloodshed will only be determined once western interests get to the point where negotiators propose a long-term plan for continued financial benefit.  Too many people, “stakeholders” are making money from the conflict.

From a western perspective, support for the Ukraine conflict is based on money. Therefore, the solution to the conflict requires a system where the western opportunity for financial benefit continues.

Written in polite diplomatic terms, the continued payments are identified as “the prosperity agenda which aims to support Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, joint U.S.–Ukraine economic initiatives, and long-term recovery projects.” This is codespeak for the U.S. Senate and EU will retain a financial mechanism to exploit for personal benefit.

From the language it appears that Witkoff and Kusher are confident they can construct a financial reward system for western banks, investors, politicians and Ukraine officials that will retain the benefits of war without the ancillary ingredient of bloodshed.

If the U.S. delegation can pull this off, then Russia can gain the territory they want, corrupt Ukraine officials can keep skimming investment money, the EU can retain the power it wants to extract financial payments, American politicians can use the “long-term recovery projects” for money laundering and quasi-public/private investment banks can benefit from the exploitation of Ukraine resources.

Again, from a ‘western geopolitical perspective’, the territorial issues, security guarantees, EU membership status and the position of NATO are downstream details once the larger payment system is organized.  Put another way, they are down to the stuff that really matters, the money.

STEVE WITKOFF – Readout of Meeting Between Special Envoy for Peace Steven Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Ukrainian Secretary of National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, and Chief of General Staff General Andriy Hnatov

Over two days, Special Envoy for Peace Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Ukrainian Secretary of National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov and Chief of General Staff General Andriy Hnatov for constructive discussions on advancing a credible pathway toward a durable and just peace in Ukraine.

Today, the group had their sixth meeting over the past two weeks. Secretary Umerov reaffirmed that Ukraine’s priority is securing a settlement that protects its independence and sovereignty, ensures the safety of Ukrainians, and provides a stable foundation for a prosperous democratic future.

The participants discussed the results of recent meeting of the American side with the Russians and steps that could lead to ending this war. The American and Ukrainians also agreed on the framework of security arrangements and discussed necessary deterrence capabilities to sustain a lasting peace.

Both parties agreed that real progress toward any agreement depends on Russia’s readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace, including steps toward de-escalation and cessation of killings.

Parties also separately reviewed the future prosperity agenda which aims to support Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, joint U.S.–Ukraine economic initiatives, and long-term recovery projects.

American and Ukrainian parties underscored that an end to the war and credible steps toward ceasefire and de-escalation are necessary to prevent renewed aggression and to enable Ukraine’s comprehensive redevelopment plan, designed to make the nation stronger and more prosperous than before the war.

Parties will reconvene tomorrow to continue advancing the discussions.” (source)

From the Russian side of the equation the war is about ideology, national security and proactive defeat of western, mostly American, encroachment and influence.  From the western side, the EU support for Ukraine was less ideological and more financially motivated.

Russia and Ukraine have paid a high price in the larger proxy war.  Russia has won the physical fight.  Hopefully soon the financial terms will be accepted by the western stakeholders and combat operations can cease.

Ukraine President Zelenskyy will get a nice villa in Europe and a reasonable mansion in the USA.  The cocktail parties will continue with crustless cucumber sandwiches and white wine spritzers, while the ladies go shopping and the men get manicures while talking about which of their favorites will replace Zelenskyy.