Tag Archives: Trump declassifies “Russagate”.

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in the Federal Register, shall be subject to a 25 percent tariff with respect to goods entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on April 3, 2025, for automobiles, and on the date specified in the Federal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.