Is It War?


Posted originally on Mar 16, 2026 by Martin Armstrong |  

President Trump Establishes the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud


Posted originally on CTH on March 16, 2026 | Sundance 

Earlier today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order creating the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which will advise the President and coordinate government-wide efforts to combat widespread fraud, waste, and abuse in Federal benefit programs. [Executive Order Here]

According to the White House – The Vice President will serve as Chair of the Task Force, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission will serve as Vice Chairman, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security will serve as Senior Advisor, and an Executive Director will manage daily operations. Relevant cabinet secretaries and heads of government agencies will serve as Task Force members.

The Order directs the Task Force, on behalf of the President, to coordinate a comprehensive national strategy to stop fraud, waste, and abuse across Federal benefit programs, including housing, food, medical care, and cash assistance administered with State and local partners, in order to protect these benefits for eligible Americans.

The Task Force will coordinate measures to improve eligibility verification, implement pre-payment controls, detect high-risk fraud trends, and disrupt and dismantle fraud networks and the mechanisms through which fraud is committed.

The Task Force will also coordinate development of minimum anti-fraud requirements to prevent exploitation of taxpayer-funded benefits, including proof of identity and documentation requirements, risk controls, and audit and remedial actions, while each member agency’ works to develop a measurable implementation plan.

The Task Force will provide frequent updates to the President regarding its work. (read more)

Megyn Kelly Said Mark Levin Has a “Micropenis”, President Trump Stands in Support of Levin


Posted originally on CTH on March 16, 2026 | Sundance 

I dislike Mark Levin immensely.  Long-time CTH readers know I have a very valid reason to dislike Mark Levin immensely. My approach was to essentially ignore “old yeller” as he shouts and rants about all the things he always shouts and rants about.  I dislike Mark Levin very much; beyond what most here would define as immense.

That said, I also accept that -for whatever reason he has- President Donald J Trump does not hold the same opinion of Mark Levin.  In fact, Donald Trump seems to like Mark Levin.  As a consequence, I retain my peace and ignore everything that circles around their time together.  However, this is also an ¹opportunity.

Mr Levin’s audience has been shrinking quite fast.  The downward spiral has been happening with greater speed and increasing slope for around 15 years.  The diminutive Mr Levin is now a visual representation of the Black Knight Monty Pyton skit. If the name was raised, I quietly just stared in southern.

♦ Within the great podcaster war of 2026, apparently Mrs. Megyn Kelly and Mr Mark Levin have been having a very public feud.  I don’t know the details but given the reality of the past 12 months it probably surrounds Mr Levin’s Israel-First approach toward everything political.  In the latest drama du jour, Mrs Kelly is said to have mentioned that Mr Levin has a small penis, a “micropenis.”

Mr Levin apparently picked up the phone and called his loyal friend, President Donald Trump. Likely looking for an ally of considerable consequence to boost his member-ship status.  After all, Levin’s circle of influence is rather, well, small and shrinking.

PRESIDENT TRUMP – “Mark Levin, a truly Great American Patriot, is somewhat under siege by other people with far less Intellect, Capability, and Love for our Country. Mark is Tough, Strong, and Brilliant, hence the nickname, “THE GREAT ONE,” conceived by our MAGA friend, the wonderful Sean Hannity, after years of dealing with Mark in Legal, Media, and other capacities. Mark would often do Sean’s show, speaking as a lawyer, and Sean realized then, as did others, that he was special.

Mark Levin was not looking to do Television, Radio, or anything else, but he was drafted by very smart people who understood that there are few like him. He is a true Conservative, and Intellect, far smarter than those who criticize him but, above all, he is a man of Great Wisdom and Common Sense who truly loves our Country.

When you hear others unfairly attack Mark, remember that they are jealous and angry Human Beings, whose “sway” is much less than the Public understands, and will, now that they know where I stand, rapidly diminish. Other than for his wonderful wife and family, Mark Levin only cares and wants one thing, GREATNESS AND SUCCESS FOR AMERICA!

Those that speak ill of Mark will quickly fall by the wayside, as do the people whose ideas, policies, and footings are not sound. THEY ARE NOT MAGA, I AM, and MAGA includes not allowing Iran, a Sick, Demented, and Violent Terrorist Regime, to have a Nuclear Weapon to blow up the United States of America, the Middle East and, ultimately, the rest of the World.

MAGA is about stopping them cold, and that is exactly what we are doing. GOD BLESS OUR GREAT MILITARY, WHICH I HAVE REBUILT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MY FIRST TERM, TO ACHIEVE EVERLASTING PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

~ President DONALD J. TRUMP

…””micro” is such an unfair characterization”

President Trump is well known to be loyal.  I will just leave it at that, because I choose to leave it at that.

¹Pulling back to the Bigger Picture:

From decades well outside the wire, researching – boots on the ground, alone, deep in the weeds, carrying a rusty machete, looking at the unpopular truth while being snarked at from all sides… I can share a fundamental thing experience has taught me:

When “it” seems chaotic and mad, really confusing, conflicting and topsy-turvy chaotic, you can reasonably be sure there’s a focused intelligence operation swirling around “it”.

“It’s” not random, or organic…. EVER!

There is an absolutely true algorithmic boosting, an intentional shaping, underway in the background of all social media platforms.

The algorithms are manipulated to give increased influence, views and impressions to particular viewpoints.

The financial rewards within social media are specifically tailored to viewpoints that increase impressions and content creators end up following the narrative that rewards them.  Simultaneously content creators stay away from viewpoints that are algorithmically disliked.  This manipulation is obvious at this point.

Rewarding specific content is how the control levers are being manipulated.

It’s not organic or natural at all. The reality of what you see online, particularly in social media, is being controlled and influenced.

The “why” is a debatable aspect. Who and for what purpose is for each person to decide. I have my own opinions on who and why this is being done. However, whether it is happening is inarguable and the data affirms it.

From my perspective the division is all connected. Remember, Nick Fuentes is banned from the same platforms that now algorithmically boost accounts that mention him. Ideological hypocrisy within the algorithm outcome is one of the ways you can spot the manipulation.

Nick Fuentes is banned from TikTok, Instagram, Face Book, Google, YouTube, Meta etc., and as a consequence any prior account mentioning his content would not organically get a lift…. yet now it does.

This all started in June 2025, shortly after the Qatar vs Israel friction became visible as a wedge. Social media accounts who promoted Nick Fuentes on the same platforms that banned him, started getting increased impressions; something was turned off. This highlights the inorganic nature of the boost.

For others, like Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly or Tucker Carlson, it is entirely possible they only see the lift in impressions (and financial reward therein) and could ultimately believe their content is creating natural increases in support without realizing they are being boosted algorithmically as part of an intentional operation.

That is what I see as the most likely scenario.

Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, et al, are simply doing more of what creates revenue, possibly without realizing those who are delivering the revenue might have ulterior motives for boosting them.  Ego, pride and/or willful blindness can also play a role.

A strategic political manipulation campaign could spend $5 billion trying to push up a candidate (traditional route), or they could spend $5 billion fracturing the opposition (modern splitter approach using social media).

Last point. The people around President Trump know absolutely nothing about how this operation is being conducted.  Instead, as represented in the Truth Social post above, they are inadvertently providing fuel for it.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Emphasizes Constitutional Inability to Conduct Overseas Military Operations


Posted originally on CTH on March 16, 2026 | Sundance 

Responding to questions about whether Japan would send military ships to the middle east to participate in escorts through the Strait of Hormuz, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi noted the current constitution blocks Japan from conducting overseas military operations.

Exactly as we outlined when President Trump first made the request via Truth Social {SEE HERE} Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may want to support the request, but Japan’s post WWII constitution about military operations doesn’t permit it.

Japan’s military can be constitutionally defensive only.

While an argument might be made that escorting oil destined for eventual arrival in Japan may technically squeeze within a narrow interpretation of ‘defense’, considering the operation would take place far from Japan a highly conservative Sanae Takaichi is not going to try and thread that precarious needle.

TOKYO, March 16 (Reuters) – Japan has no plan to dispatch naval vessels to escort vessels in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday, after U.S. President Donald Trump called on allies to protect tankers traversing through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We have not made any decisions whatsoever about dispatching escort ships. We are continuing to examine what Japan can do independently and what can be done within the legal framework,” Takaichi told parliament.

Trump’s call in a social media post for U.S. allies, including Japan, to help protect oil and gas shipments through the strategic waterway puts Tokyo in a difficult position because while it relies heavily on Middle East energy its war-renouncing constitution limits the scope of overseas military operations it can conduct.

Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force has conducted anti-piracy operations in waters near the Middle East, but those missions were policing operations rather than combat missions against state actors. Japan can deploy its military overseas to respond to what it determines to be an existential threat to the nation, but that would be politically difficult and a high legal threshold for Takaichi’s government to justify.

Takaichi will travel to Washington this week for talks with Trump that she said will cover the conflict with Iran.

“I would like to engage in solid discussions based on Japan’s views and position regarding the need for early de-escalation,” she told lawmakers. (link)

President Trump Answers Media Questions During Roundtable Luncheon


Posted originally on CTH on March 16, 2026 | Sundance 

Moments ago, President Donald Trump took questions from the assembled press pool during a lunch with the Trump-Kennedy Center board members.

The full video is below the fold. However, the shorter segment of media questions and answers is highlighted in this video. President Trump was asked about countries willing to support the military escort request through the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump noted an announcement of supporting countries will be forthcoming.

President Trump also noted the biggest beneficiary of the oil from Iran is China, and he would expect those nations who are dependent on the stability of that oil flow to rise in support of the escorts. WATCH:

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The full event video is below.

CENTCOM Commander U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper Provides an Update on Operation Epic Fury


Posted originally on CTH on March 16, 2026 | Sundance 

CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper provides an update on the latest military engagements during Operation Epic Fury.  Commander Cooper highlights video footage and captured images of Iranian war infrastructure to show the before and after results of U.S. strikes.  WATCH:

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3.16.26 – Manic Monday News Cycle


Posted originally on Rumble on Strictly Speaking: Unfiltered with Bob Frantz on March 16, 2026

Lara Logan: America in Crisis


Posted originally on Rumble on Strictly Speaking: Unfiltered with Bob Frantz on March 15, 2026

Bringing America Back to Life ’26 – Day Two


Posted originally on Rumble on Strictly Speaking: Unfiltered with Bob Frantz on March 13, 2026

BABL: Bringing America Back to Life! LIVE!


Posted originally on Rumble on Strictly Speaking: Unfiltered with Bob Frantz on March 12, 2026