Tag Archives: Hong Kong

Mar 27 2025

Tariffs & Trump’s Inner Circle


Posted originally on Mar 26, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

Never Give Up

COMMENT:

I dont get it..
You said you have no access to Trump.
Cmon Marty…
Your smart enough to find a way.
Your known by many govts and your not smart enough to get through?
I dont believe that!
Even Alex Jones says he has access to Trump
You know Alex…
And he cant get the message to Trump!

GG

REPLY: These tariffs are, to a large extent, political in hopes of forcing change. Europe, for example, is deep in Marxism with high tariffs in theory to protect jobs. Take agriculture. Europe has an Agriculture: 13.9%. Tariff on American agriculture compared to the USA at 5%. Then there are issues the press does not even discuss—the Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs). The EU loves to employ stringent NTBs (e.g., EU regulations, US standards), which are distinct from tariff rates. Regulate something like quality. Since Europe has attacked its farmers using climate change, it can impose NTBs if crops are grown with the fertilizers they have outlawed.

1996 Testify

I believe Trump’s people have taken my testimony before the House Ways & Means Committee because they have advocated the 15% rate I laid out there. I explained that US manufacturers leave because of taxation and regulation, not because they have to pay someone $10 an hour vs. $15. I explained that we could not go to ZERO because some countries would tax a company if it were located in a tax-free zone. I explained that 15% would bring back all the companies that left, but there has to be some guarantee that if the Democrats get back in, they do not reverse everything. Democrats love spending the money of other people. They are indoctrinated into Marxism.

So this is far more complex; all I can do is point out the proper path. I do speak with some people on the team, but we must take this realistically. Canada has tariffs even between its provinces, as if each were its own country. It is a real mess. Many Canadians never knew about that. It is over C$200 billion.

Mar 27 2025

Trump Has Declassified Hillary’s RussiaGate


Posted originally on Mar 26, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

Trump declassifies all the FBI files of RussiaGate that Hillary created and John McCain handed to Comey. He asked the biased press, will they “look” no less, report the truth just for once? This gives the media the right to go in and check it, and now we will see who is really beholden to destroying this country, conspiring with the LEFT to take over America.

She had 70% of Americans assuming Russia was our Greatest Enemy

Justifying World War III – on Lies & Fake News

RissiaGate
Mar 27 2025

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Visits El Salvador Prison Housing Deported Criminal Alien Detainees


Posted originally on CTH on March 27, 2025 | Sundance

Dept of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem goes straight into the heart of the operation where deported criminal gang members are being housed by an agreement with the government of El Salvador.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sends a chilling warning to illegal criminal immigrants entering the United States. On Wednesday, Noem visited the high-security prison in El Salvador that recently received hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members.

Noem was given a tour of the prison by Salvadoran Minister of Justice Héctor Gustavo Villatoro during her visit. The Homeland Security Secretary then met with El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele and is expected to visit Colombia and Mexico next.

“First of all, do not come to our country illegally. You will be removed, and you will be prosecuted. But know that this facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people,” she said.

Mar 27 2025

Vietnam Proactively Responds to April 2nd “Independence Day” Tariffs, by Lowering Import Tariff Regime


Posted originally on CTH on March 27, 2025 | Sundance

Wealthy nations will attempt to maintain exports against President Trump tariffs by subsidizing their industries. Corporations have deeper pockets, and the politicians are used to the bribes, we call it “lobbying.” Therefore, the government responds by subsidizing the corporations [ie. the WEF business model].

Canada will subsidize their export industries, Germany will subsidize their auto industry, the EU will provide subsidies to their manufacturing powerhouses, and China will once again start subsidizing their manufacturing industry. Each of these nations will in turn devalue their currency.

However, poorer nations will be faster to lower import tariffs on USA goods because they have lower lobbying (bribe) income from corporations to govt. That’s what we should expect to see.

VIETNAM – Vietnam said it plans to cut import duties on a range of goods including cars, liquified natural gas and agricultural products.

[…] The announcement on the finance ministry’s website late Tuesday came less than two weeks after Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the country was reviewing duties in order to encourage increased imports from the United States.

Vietnam represents the United States’s third-highest trade deficit, behind China and Mexico.

According to the finance ministry statement, import duties on some cars will be cut by half and the tax rate for liquified natural gas will drop from five percent to just two percent. Duties will also be cut for a number of other products including frozen chicken thighs, almonds, sweet cherries, raisins and wood. (more)

During President Trump’s first term, many companies proactively moved manufacturing operations from China to other nations in Southeast Asia.  Vietnam was a big benefactor of the manufacturing shift.  It is smart for them to respond to the reciprocal tariffs coming April 2nd by lowering their tariff rate.

President Trump has instructed the Commerce Department and U.S. Trade Representative to calculate both the tariffs and the non-tariff trade barriers as part of the reciprocity equation.  The non-tariff barrier calculation is the factor many foreign governments are anticipating with great interest.

This overall dynamic is a major reset in global trade as the U.S. market is the crown jewel for entry.  We are the customers that everyone wants access to.  President Trump is leveraging that access to trigger internal GDP growth.

Remember, even the GDP calculation is a factor of the value of products we generate, minus the value of the products we import.  If we lower the import side of the equation and simultaneously increase domestic production, the GDP expands significantly more than just increasing production.

Mar 27 2025

President Trump Announces 25 Percent Tariff on Import Cars and Import Car Parts, Effective April 3rd and May 3rd Respectively


Posted originally on CTH on March 27, 2025 | Sundance

During an executive order signing session in the White House today, President Trump announced a major change in tariffs on the auto industry.  [Full Executive Order Here]

The 25% import duty applies on top of any preexisting tariff for cars and light trucks.  The 25% tariff also applies to imported car parts.  The USMCA trade agreement between the U.S. Canada and Mexico still applies.

If the content of a car assembled in Mexico/Canada contains 50 percent component parts from the USA, the 25% tariff only applies to the final value of the imported components. In this example the tariff rate would be 12.5% of the total value.

The tariff applies to all imported cars and light trucks.  Approximately half of all cars sold in the USA are currently American made, the other half are import vehicles from mainly Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Germany.

This is a very big kick in the teeth to Germany.  Previously in a long-term strategy to avoid U.S. tariffs, German automakers invested billions in auto assembly plants in Mexico.  Ex. the BMW parts were shipped from Germany and the cars assembled in Mexico.  Now that investment is worthless as the vehicle will be taxed at a rate of 25% regardless of whether it is assembled in Germany or Mexico.

Ex.2 High end auto Mercedes currently builds SUVs in the USA in order to avoid the previous 25% tariff; however, they still build cars outside the USA and export them into the USA market.  This will likely change quickly, and Mercedes will begin building all cars and SUVs in the USA.

From the Executive Order:

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this proclamation, all imports of articles specified in Annex I to this proclamation or in any subsequent annex to this proclamation, as set out in a subsequent notice in the Federal Register, shall be subject to a 25 percent tariff with respect to goods entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on April 3, 2025, for automobiles, and on the date specified in the Federal Register for automobile parts, but no later than May 3, 2025, and shall continue in effect, unless such actions are expressly reduced, modified, or terminated. The above ad valorem tariff is in addition to any other duties, fees, exactions, and charges applicable to such imported automobiles and certain automobile parts articles.

(2) For automobiles that qualify for preferential tariff treatment under the USMCA, importers of such automobiles may submit documentation to the Secretary identifying the amount of U.S. content in each model imported into the United States. “U.S. content” refers to the value of the automobile attributable to parts wholly obtained, produced entirely, or substantially transformed in the United States. Thereafter, the Secretary may approve imports of such automobiles to be eligible to apply the ad valorem tariff of 25 percent in clause (1) of this proclamation exclusively to the value of the non-U.S. content of the automobile. The non-U.S. content of the automobile shall be calculated by subtracting the value of the U.S. content in an automobile from the total value of the automobile.

(3) If U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determines that the declared value of non-U.S. content of an automobile, as described in clause (2) of this proclamation, is inaccurate due to an overstatement of U.S. content, the 25 percent tariff shall apply to the full value of the automobile, regardless of the actual U.S. content of the automobile. In addition, the 25 percent tariff shall be applied retroactively (from April 3, 2025, to the date of the inaccurate overstatement) and prospectively (from the date of the inaccurate overstatement to the date the importer corrects the overstatement, as verified by CBP) to the full value of all automobiles of the same model imported by the same importer. This clause does not apply to or otherwise affect any other applicable fees or penalties. [SOURCE]

It cannot be overstated how big a hit this will be to the German economy specifically.  That’s why EU President Ursula von der Leyen is couching her words very carefully.

Germany drives the economic engine of the EU, and the Germans care about their money far more than they care about the security of Ukraine.

“As I have said before, tariffs are taxes – bad for businesses, worse for consumers equally in the US and the European Union,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. “We will now assess this announcement, together with other measures the US is envisaging in the next days.”

The next biggest impact will come to Canada.  The auto-sector in Canada only exists to send cars and trucks into the U.S. market.  That’s the entire purpose and business model behind the Canadian auto industry.  Every component part of a Canadian car that does not originate from USA will now be subject to a 25% tariff.

[Executive Order Here]

Mar 27 2025

Team USA and Team Russia Release Statements Following Technical “Ceasefire” Team Meetings


Posted originally on CTH on March 26, 2025 | Sundance

As the negotiations for a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire agreement are being worked out, here are the statements from each of the participants in the technical team discussion following their meeting in Saudi Arabia.

RUSSIA STATEMENT (SOURCE):1. “In line with the agreement reached by the presidents of Russia and the United States, the Russian and American sides agreed to provide for the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative, which includes ensuring safe navigation, eliminating the use of force, and preventing the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea, while adopting appropriate control measures by inspecting such vessels.

2. The United States will help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.

Note:

Clauses 1 & 2 will come into force following:

the removal of sanctions imposed on Rosselkhozbank (Russian Agricultural Bank) and other financial institutions involved in ensuring international food trade (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers, their reconnection to SWIFT, and opening of relevant correspondent accounts;

the removal of restrictions imposed on trade finance operations;

the removal of sanctions imposed on companies producing and exporting food (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers, as well as restrictions banning insurance companies from working with food cargoes (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers;

the removal of restrictions on servicing ships in ports and sanctions against ships flying the flag of Russia, if they are involved in food trade (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers;

the removal of restrictions on supplies to the Russian Federation of agricultural machinery and other goods used in the production of food (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers.

3. Russia and the United States agreed to develop measures for implementing the agreement between the two countries’ presidents to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine for 30 days starting on March 18, 2025, with an option to extend the agreement or to withdraw from it in the event of non-compliance by either party.

4. Russia and the United States welcome the good offices of third countries with a view toward supporting the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements.

5. Russia and the United States will continue working toward achieving a durable and lasting peace.”

USA Statement / RUSSIA (SOURCE): “In line with presidential-level discussions between President Donald J. Trump and President Vladimir Putin, the United States facilitated bilateral technical-level talks with the Russian delegation March 23-25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Following those discussions:

The United States and Russia have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.

The United States will help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.

The United States and Russia agreed to develop measures for implementing President Trump’s and President Putin’s agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine.

The United States and Russia welcome the good offices of third countries with a view toward supporting the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements.

The United States and Russia will continue working toward achieving a durable and lasting peace.

The United States reiterated President Donald J. Trump’s imperative that the killing on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict must stop, as the necessary step toward achieving an enduring peace settlement. To that end, the United States will continue facilitating negotiations between both sides to achieve a peaceful resolution, in line with the agreements made in Riyadh.

The United States expresses gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his leadership and hospitality in once again facilitating these important discussions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” (source)

U.S Statement / UKRAINE (Source): “In line with presidential-level discussions between President Donald J. Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the United States facilitated bilateral technical-level talks with the Ukrainian delegation March 23-25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Following those discussions:

The United States and Ukraine have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.

The United States and Ukraine agreed that the United States remains committed to helping achieve the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children.

The United States and Ukraine agreed to develop measures for implementing President Trump’s and President Zelenskyy’s agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine.

The United States and Ukraine welcome the good offices of third countries with a view toward supporting the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements.

The United States and Ukraine will continue working toward achieving a durable and lasting peace.

The United States reiterated to both sides President Donald J. Trump’s imperative that the killing on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict must stop, as the necessary step toward achieving an enduring peace settlement. To that end, the United States will continue facilitating negotiations between both sides to achieve a peaceful resolution, in line with the agreements made in Riyadh.

The United States expresses gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his leadership and hospitality in once again facilitating these important discussions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Mar 27 2025

President Trump Directs the Declassification and Release of FBI Russiagate Files – Essentially, “the Mar-a-Lago Binder”


osted originally on CTH on March 26, 2025 | Sundance

Yesterday President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting: “Immediate Declassification of Materials Related to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crossfire Hurricane Investigation.” [ORDER TEXT HERE]

Within the XO President Trump informs the Attorney General (Pam Bondi) the Director of National Intelligence (Tulsi Gabbard), and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (John Ratcliffe), “I have determined that all of the materials referenced in the Presidential Memorandum of January 19, 2021 (Declassification of Certain Materials Related to the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane Investigation), are no longer classified.”

However, there’s an important set of qualifiers.

“I have further determined that the material proposed for redaction by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in a cover letter dated January 17, 2021, remains classified.

My decision to declassify the materials described above does not extend to materials that must be protected from disclosure pursuant to orders of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and does not require the disclosure of certain personally identifiable information or any other materials that must be protected from disclosure under applicable law.” (link)

Caution is warranted.  Yes, there may be a few new items, perhaps a few redactions removed on previously released items, but essentially this is likely be a rehash of assembled component parts we have already discussed at length.  In essence, this sounds like the Mar-a-Lago ten-inch binder content the FBI was previously trying to get back.

There is also a possibility the FISA Court has ordered some materials related to the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, sealed by the FISC.  President Trump does not extend his order to these materials.

There is a certain likelihood the CIA holds foreign intelligence equities that tangentially supports the origin of the Crossfire Hurricane targeting.  We already know officials and intelligence operations from the U.K, Australia, Italy and Israel were involved in the 2016 operation against Trump.  President Trump does not extend his order to these materials, because the equity ownership of the classified material rests in the foreign intelligence services.

The ODNI, DOJ and FBI are ordered to release their classified equities, and we may glean some new insight or confirmation from the intelligence documents those agencies created.  However, I would not expect to see anything remarkably new, given the qualifiers contained within the Executive Order.  [Example: I would not expect to see the full unredacted outline of Lisa Page and Peter Strzok’s text messages.]

Perhaps we may see a transcript of the FBI created “Flynn cuts.”  This is the transcript between then Nat Sec Advisor Michael Flynn and then Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak; that was an FBI intercept.  I doubt highly the Carter Page FISA application would be released in unredacted form, because it appears to be covered by the XO qualifiers related to the FISC.

So, absent the communication from foreign governments to the CIA, and absent the CIA internal documentation – which is going to be light anyway even if released, the DOJ and FBI background source material on Crossfire Hurricane is likely to be the only material contained in any release.

That said, it would be awesome if there was more, and even if it is only confirmational stuff perhaps more people will awaken to the biggest scandal in American political history.  Which is to say, the prior Obama administration used government agencies (CIA, FBI, DOJ) to target and spy-on the leading candidate for their political opposition in a presidential election.

After their 2016 efforts failed, everything else that followed was a cover-up operation to hide the fact that the Obama administration used the CIA, DOJ and FBI to target, spy-on and ultimately remove their political opposition.

All participants from the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branch then operated to protect themselves from President Trump’s capability to expose the operation in 2017.  Special Counsel Robert Mueller was used for this aspect, and post Mueller the impeachment process was triggered.  The use of Lawfare was part of the cover. The targeting never stopped.

Mar 26 2025

Mark Mitchell: “The Last Time Right Direction Polling Was This High Was February 2020”


Posted originally on Rumble By Bannon’s War Room on: Mar 25 2025, at 7:00 pm EST

Mar 26 2025

President Trump: “I’d Be Honored to See” NPR, PBS “End”


Posted originally on Rumble on Bright Bart New Network on: Mar 25, on 5:00 pm EST

Mar 26 2025

UAE to Invest $1.4 Trillion in Key US Sectors


Posted originally on Mar 26, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

UAEsheiktahnoon

The United Arab Emirates committed to one of the largest foreign direct investment pledges after agreeing to invest $1.4 trillion in the United States over the next decade.  Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser and a key figure in the Gulf nation’s economic strategy, met with President Donald Trump last week to discuss the massive investment promise.

The detailed framework has not been outlined. However, the UAE has said it would like to “substantially increase” existing investments in semiconductors, energy, manufacturing, and AI—all key sectors for the USA. It is no secret that American manufacturing has been suffering in recent years. The CHIPS act did little to promote semiconductor manufacturing in the US. Donald Trump has accused Taiwan of taking semiconductor business away from the US, and naturally, has threatened tariffs. The US must work fast if it wishes to compete with China in the AI realm, with DeepSeek being one example of China’s technological achievements.

Emirates Global Aluminum has announced plans to create the first new aluminum smelter in the US in nearly four decades. The White House noted this “would nearly double US production capacity” in aluminum and provide a much-needed boost to manufacturing overall.

Investment fund ADQ, based in the UAE, will partner with US-based Energy Capital Partners to invest $25 billion into energy infrastructure including data centers. This comes after billionaire Hussain Sajwani announced in January that he plans to place $20 billion into a US data center as his firm, Damac, already has close ties with Trump’s business ventures.

This historic deal is excellent news for the US economy and part of a much larger capital shift taking place as foreign capital seeks a safe haven.