Posted originally on CTH on March 29, 2026 | sundance
Three days ago, the Financial Times wrote an article framed around the central thesis of the LaRouche PAC, now branded as Promethean Action PAC. The FT article accused Treasury Secretary Bessent of structuring a U.S. Federal Reserve policy disconnected from the framework of the U.K banking and finance model; essentially the article said what Promethean has been claiming about the British banking system and President Trump’s intent.
Treasury Secretary Bessent immediately responded saying the article and its claims were false, “There is much to be said about the storied Bank of England, but any recreation of its operating framework on this side of the Atlantic has never been contemplated.” CTH was waiting to see how the Lyndon LaRouche PAC would react to the Trump administration denial of their central thesis. As expected, the LaRouche group ignored it.
That said, Barbara Boyd, former organizer of “Students for LaRouche” (SLR), put together a video highlighting some of the recent remarks by Secretary Rubio, Secretary Bessent and President Trump that accurately point out how the U.S. is disconnecting America First policy from the European Union/NATO perspective. The upcoming summit between President Trump and Chairman Xi will be very interesting to watch:
While the LaRouche team at Promethean Action PAC are good at following the Trump America-First policy outcomes, the LaRouche team are British-centric in all things related to it. Decoupling the USA from the “special relationship” with the U.K is an outcome of a pragmatic approach toward America First; it is not the intention of the policy.
Lastly, each time a LaRouche PAC video is shared, the promoters of Promethean Action PAC try to obfuscate the relationship. It is a fact that Susan Kokinda and Barbara Boyd are life-long LaRouche followers and organizers. A recent tweet shared below will hopefully put this pretending (willful blindness) to rest.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain is a shell of its former self. The City of London no longer has anywhere near the influence being attributed to it and the British monarchy is in a state of freefall.
The bloom is off the ruse.
Perhaps that’s why the PAC had to change vehicles.
However, all of that said, I’m not sure MAGA is prepared to shift support toward Beijing and Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping. Then again, as long as it’s not the British crown, that’s LaRouche for ya.
Take from the information buffet all the stuff that provides value and simultaneously ignore the stuff that will have you seeing black helicopters following your car every day.
Remember, ultimately a Political Action Committee (PAC) is a fundraising vehicle.
Posted originally on CTH on March 23, 2026 | Sundance
President Trump delivers remarks and takes questions from reporters in Palm Beach, Florida, before boarding Air Force One en route to Memphis, Tennessee. President Trump emphatically stated that continued negotiations with ‘leadership’ within Iran continues and reaffirms the conditions for a cessation of hostilities.
The military leadership within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. (IRGC), do not recognize any political representation over their military control of Iran. This fracture within the political structure of Iran is what seems to create the conflict with U.S. negotiations with political entities the IRGC refuses to recognize.
President Trump is confident the presentation of terms now being discussed with Iranian political leadership will be agreeable to both Israel and U.S. interests. Additionally, President Trump discusses the issue and circumstances around former NTSC Director Joe Kent and his view on the controversy that have flowed since Kent’s resignation. WATCH:
Posted originally on CTH on March 22, 2026 | Sundance
U.S. Secretary to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, appears on CBS to discuss the political angles to the U.S. military operation against Iran. There was some critical questioning about whether Iran was factually capable of sending a missile from Iran to the U.S. base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Ambassador Waltz seems to question the reporting on their capabilities. Video and Transcript Below:
[Transcript] – MARGARET BRENNAN: That’s Charlie D’Agata reporting in Arad, Israel. We’re joined now by the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, and it’s good to have you here in person.
AMB. MIKE WALTZ: Thank you, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So Ambassador, on Friday, the president tweeted, “The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!” And then last night he threatened that if Iran doesn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours from the time of his post, the US will “hit and obliterate” their power plants, starting with the “biggest one first.” So which is it, is the U.S. opening Hormuz by force or having others do it.
AMB. WALTZ: Well, I think it can be both. It’s not necessarily mutually exclusive. I am glad you are having NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on. I think at his urging and his leadership, we have now seen Italy, Germany, France and a number of others commit to help with this effort.
MARGARET BRENNAN: –After combat operations end.
AMB. WALTZ: Particularly since, particularly since so much energy is going to Europe out of the strait. We just had the Japanese Prime Minister commit to portions of her navy and the Japanese navy, 80% of what is coming out of the Gulf is going to Asia. So we are seeing our allies come around as they should, but at the same time, the president is not going to stand for this regime, as it has threatened and tried for five decades to hold the world’s energy supplies hostage under its, its genocidal intent.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So some allies like the United Kingdom have talked about things like surveillance, anti-mining, anti-drone support for the United States. But in that appeal from the United States, I should say in the Strait of Hormuz, but not until active combat ends. To be clear, that is what we are talking about.
AMB. WALTZ: And the president has been clear too. He’s going to continue to pound Iran’s capabilities, its missile, its naval and its drone capability. Margaret, we have to take a step back. We have seen what it’s doing now in terms of attacking ports, airports, civilian infrastructure, hotels, resorts, and what it is trying to do to global energy supplies. One can only imagine if it had a nuclear umbrella. One could only imagine if Iran achieved its aim to test. Then you have Saudi Arabia wanting a nuclear program, then perhaps the UAE, Turkey or others. And when people ask why this matters to our security here at home, it should petrify every American that you could potentially have a nuclear Middle East awash in weapons.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, they are not enriching. They weren’t enriching leading up to this. This is what U.S. officials have testified to. But just on this point about what the president–
AMB. WALTZ: Well they couldn’t enrich because of Operation Midnight Hammer that obliterated their ability to enrich. They had every intent to continue.
MARGARET BRENNAN: They do have a nuclear power plant, Bushehr. It’s actually their largest energy plant. It’s a civilian site.
AMB. WALTZ: It is actually not their largest energy plant. It is about one, about one gigawatt. They have larger ones that are gas, fired outside of Tehran. But just case in point, yeah.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, but- but in this case, in that clarification, the reason I am asking you is when the president says he is going to bomb energy infrastructure, civilian energy infrastructure, is he going to bomb a nuclear power plant, or is that off the table.
AMB. WALTZ: Well, I would never take anything off the table for the president, certainly not on national television. However, there are larger plants. There is one outside of Tehran. There are others outside of other cities that are gas fired, thermal powered. I think the important point here is to understand the IRGC, a declared terrorist organization, not only by us–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, in Europe too.
AMB. WALTZ: –but in a number of European countries, controls a huge swath of Iran’s critical infrastructure, their economy and certainly many of their governing institutions. And so to the extent we are degrading their military capability and their defense industrial base, all options should be on the table, and the president has made that very clear.
MARGARET BRENNAN: How do you ensure that this doesn’t constitute a war crime, which the UN Secretary General said an attack on energy infrastructure could be. How do you make sure this is not mass punishment for innocent civilians?
AMB. WALTZ: Well, I think you know, I would encourage and will encourage the Secretary General to point out the twenty to thirty thousand Iranians that the regime massacred at scale, the civilian infrastructure that they are attacking–
[CROSS-TALK STARTS]
MARGARET BRENNAN: –No one is endorsing that but how do you make sure this doesn’t hurt–
AMB. WALTZ: — And when you, but when have a regime that has its grips on so much critical infrastructure, that is using it to further not only the repression of its own people, to attack its neighbors, and in contravention of UN sanctions, to march towards a nuclear weapon, then that makes those legitimate targets.
[CROSS-TALK ENDS]
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, well, you know that in many of these places, water desalination is linked into that energy infrastructure, civilian infrastructure. This is why it is a question of it being a war crime.
AMB. WALTZ: I have no doubt that the president, the Pentagon, their team will ensure that what they target is geared towards the military infrastructure of Iran. But I have to tell you, they deliberately blend, have a long history, everything from hiding weapons under schools and hospitals to using power plants and other critical infrastructure to not only power their military but their civilian, and they deliberately blend in contravention of international law.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Let me ask you about what we saw overnight with these missile attacks. The Director of National Intelligence testified last week to Congress that Iran could not develop a militarily viable ICBM, intercontinental ballistic missile, before 2035 if it attempted to pursue that capability. Yesterday, the IDF said Israel said that Iran did fire an ICBM. Has this changed the U.S. assessment?
AMB. WALTZ: I am not familiar with the IDF assessment. I can tell you-–
MARGARET BRENNAN: They said what was fired at Diego Garcia and them was an ICBM.
AMB. WALTZ: I can tell you the UK just condemned the firing of an intermediate range ballistic missile at Diego Garcia, that same type of missile Iran has lied about in terms of its development, said they were not developing yet. They just lied. Yet they just did it. Not only could it hit Diego Garcia, it could hit capitals in Europe. And Margaret, the technology, the booster technology that Iran has been hiding behind its space program. I don’t think we are going to see Iranian astronauts on the moon anytime soon. That this space program has been hiding that technology. You have the re-entry technology to marry the two really does not take very much in terms of technological development. And we just have to you know, thank God the president is taking action now and stopping this march towards a fully fledged nuclear program, instead of waiting until after it’s developed, like we saw in North Korea under the Clinton administration say, surprise, we now have, a full program.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So a difference there in the assessments. But let me ask you about our polling.
AMB. WALTZ: It wouldn’t be the first time you have different intelligence assessments, by the way, by different intelligence communities.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Absolutely. The administration has not convinced, we’ve seen it in our polling, the majority of Americans that this war was necessary. Sixty six percent of Americans believe conflict with Iran is a war of choice. Sixty percent disapprove of the US taking military action against Iran. Fifty seven percent of Americans think the conflict is going very or somewhat badly. How do you tell the American people they’re wrong?
AMB. WALTZ: Well, I can. I could quote a whole slew of polls that show, for example, self-described MAGA Republicans give the president a 100% percent approval rating–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –his base is in there, absolutely–
AMB. WALTZ: A majority say the number one job of the commander in chief is to keep Americans safe. I can point here to an NBC poll, 90% of Republicans, broader Republicans, support Trump’s effort to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities. And I have to point out, no one should be surprised here. President Trump has said Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon 2016 campaign, 2020 campaign. Since 2024 he has said it seventy four times out in the public space.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But if he is going to commit any kind of ground troops or boots on the ground. Don’t you think he needs to persuade the majority of American people, not just his base?
AMB. WALTZ: I think the president will keep all options on the table to secure these objectives. And as a veteran, as a parent, I thank God he is not kicking the can like so many administrations have for fifty years, until this is a catastrophic problem where we have very limited options to deal with, much less an entire Middle East potentially awash in nukes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ambassador Walz, thank you for your time this morning.
Posted originally on CTH on March 20, 2026 | Sundance
In the next few days, much more about the overall investigative review underway in Florida will begin to surface. The review has been led by USAO Jason A. Reding Quiñones, a federal prosecutor for the Southern District of Florida.
As with all investigations containing multiple players and actors, the first investigative information is extracted from testimony by those furthest away from the principals, yet closest to the granular details of the events being reviewed. The questioning then goes upstream, using information collected to assembly more specific questions as the principal players are approached.
The widest concentric circles are questioned first. Then, using the responses and investigative information from that circle, the questioning and inquiry goes to the next inner circle of participants. The information is assembled, and more pointed questions are then targeted to the next inner circle; the process continues until the core is questioned.
Beginning with the end in mind, the biggest challenge is knowing what the correct questions are to ask of those who were closest to the corrupt activity (the outer circle). Background research is critical – CTH of value. From those pointed questions you get answers. Then, next level of more specific questions get focus, and so on, and so on.
FLORIDA – Former FBI Director James Comey has been subpoenaed in connection with a wide-ranging investigation being run by a Trump-appointed federal prosecutor in Florida, two sources familiar with the matter told NBC News on Thursday.
The probe, which focuses on an earlier investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and other prosecutions related to President Donald Trump, is being led by Jason A. Reding Quiñones, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. The sprawling probe has been dubbed a “grand conspiracy” investigation by Trump allies.
An attorney for Comey did not have an immediate comment, while Quiñones’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (read more)
Please remember, there are two distinct and different aspects to the overall conspiracy and timeline.
There was surveillance of the 2016 Republican candidates by contractors working on behalf of the FBI who was institutionally collaborating with the Clinton campaign; that is known as “Spygate.” There was then an FBI operation to target and eliminate the threat represented by the 2016 GOP primary winner, Donald Trump; that is known as “Russiagate.”
‘Spygate’ and ‘Russiagate’ are two distinctly different corrupt pathways that eventually merged due to common interests.
The Mueller investigation, an extension of Crossfire Hurricane (Russiagate) was used by Obama-era politicians and internal government officials as a mechanism to block President Trump from executing a divergent foreign policy. The primary policy of focus was to protect the Iran deal.
Based on mounting evidence, a pattern in other international activities and U.S. participants, the Obama-Clinton-Kerry Iranian deal likely included a mechanism for return payments to U.S. officials following the release of billions in frozen Iranian asset funds and the loosening of sanctions – (ie. pallets of cash). Qatar was the mediator/broker.
However, it is speculated, perhaps being currently evidenced, that return payments to the Obama team contained a timing mechanism and the quid-pro-quo payments were stopped after President Trump withdrew from the Iran deal and re-instituted sanctions.
Thus, a much larger background context exists for why the totality of the U.S. government and Intelligence Community opposed President Donald Trump. Is it all about the money? Time will tell. Current events may not be coincidental.
♦ September 2015 – Billionaire Paul Singer contracts with Glenn Simpson and Fusion GPS for opposition research on candidate Donald Trump during 2016 GOP presidential primary. Simpson prior work during time at Wall Street journal serves as reference.
♦ November 2015 – Simpson hires Nellie Ohr to assist on Trump project. Ohr was CIA open-source analyst. Revelations by NSA compliance officer in April 2016 point to November 2015 as origin of multiple unauthorized searches of NSA database.
♦ December 2015 – Mrs. Ohr contacts Christopher Steele, submitting data for cross-reference with sources and seeking collaboration on Trump project. Ohr using ham radio license as independent operator.
♦ January – March 2016 – GOP Presidential primary ongoing. Candidate Donald Trump wins majority of primary delegates from all early state contests. Momentum for Donald Trump becomes significant. Cruz, Kasich, Rubio final group along with Trump. Late March, Paul Singer contacts Glenn Simpson to cancel opposition research. NSA compliance officer notifies NSA Director Mike Rogers about unauthorized use of database by “contractors.” Rogers asks for full review.
♦ April 2016 – April 16, 2016, NSA compliance officer reports to Director Rogers of approximately 10,000 database searches, using “same identifiers” over “multiple dates.” Rogers responds by shutting down contractor access and blocking all FISA-702(17) “about” queries. April 17, 2016, Glenn Simpson wife, Mary Jacoby, visits White House. Glenn Simpson pitches preassembled oppo-research file on Trump to Clinton Team. Clinton lawyer Michael Sussmann takes over payments and signs contract with Fusion for continued work.
♦ May/June 2016 – Chris Steele constructing dossier on Donald Trump, submissions returned to Fusion GPS, Nellie Ohr and husband Bruce Ohr, #4 in DOJ-NSD. External contacts made to Trump orbit by foreign officials from Australia (Downer), U.K (Mifsud) and Cyprus. Trump campaign continues presidential primary victories. Trump enlists Paul Manafort as delegate manager for upcoming RNC convention.
♦ July 2016 – FBI opens official investigation of Trump for Russia collusion, predicated on contact from Australian Ambassador about non-existent claim Trump group receiving Clinton/DNC emails from Russian hackers. Attempted FISA application rejected.
♦ August 2016 – CIA Director John Brennan informs Harry Reid of Clinton oppo-research effort known colloquially as Trump-Russia. Former Acting CIA Director Mike Morrell, long time Clinton ally, publishes article in New York Times claiming Russians want Trump victory. Hillary proclaims vast Russian conspiracy theory.
♦ September 2016 – Director Brennan directly informs White House, President Obama, Susan Rice, Lisa Monaco of Clinton oppo-research effort known colloquially as Trump-Russia. Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson and Michael Sussmann identified as sources for organizing oppo-research Steele Dossier.
♦ October 2016 – Steele Dossier assembly used by DOJ-NSD in FISA application against Trump campaign official Carter Page. Through April 2016, FBI used Carter Page as undercover employee in case against Russian Evgeny Buryakov; now October 2016, FBI claims Carter Page is official “agent of a foreign government” to gain FISA warrant. Steele Dossier serves as replacement for Woods File supporting Title-1 search warrant.
♦ November 2016 – Donald Trump wins 2016 presidential election defeating Hillary Clinton and stunning world. Clinton campaign blames Russians for her loss. Accuses Trump of colluding with Russia. Trump campaign and transition team now under Title-1 full counterintelligence surveillance by FBI via Page FISA warrant.
♦ December 2016 – Joint Analysis Report released by intelligence community, claiming Russians were involved in attempting to influence 2016 election. All Trump campaign and transition members under full physical and electronic surveillance. All communication intercepted. Officially FBI Director James Comey denies President-elect Trump under investigation.
♦ January 2017 – Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) released by Obama administration claiming confidence Russia had attempted to interfere in the 2016 election. Sanctions imposed by Obama; Russian diplomatic corps expelled. FISA surveillance warrant resubmitted with no new context and renewed by FISC without question.
♦ February 2017 – National Security Advisor Michael Flynn under fire for talking to Russian ambassador in December during Christmas holiday. Flynn wrongly accused of discussing possible policy changes and not to worry about Obama sanctions. Full court press by FBI and DOJ to leak information to media about Trump under FBI counterintelligence investigation. James Comey leaks information to friend, Columbia University Professor Daniel Richman as intermediary to media. Washington Post publish article citing FBI intercept of Flynn-Kislyak phone call.
♦ March 2017 – • On 16th HPSCI Chairman Devin Nunes releases information to public about Obama presidential daily briefing containing information about Trump-Russia collusion investigation and surveillance of Trump campaign by FBI. First public indications that “wires were actually tapped.” • On 17th copy of FISA application delivered from FISA Court to Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice-Chairman Mark Warner. Shortly after 4pm, Warner instructs SSCI Security Director James Wolfe to leak the FISA application to media. Wolfe transmits 82 pictures to Politico journalist Ali Watkins via encrypted phone images [FISA application 83 pages with one blank page]. FISA application returned to courier FBI Agent Brian Dugan. • March 20th, James Comey testifies to HPSCI during open hearing admitting for first time publicly that President Trump, and his entire administration, is under official FBI counterintelligence investigation. Comey claims no information previously given to congressional oversight due to “sensitivity of the matter.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions forced to recuse.
♦ April 2017 – Absent AG, and without confirmed DAG, interim and acting DAG Dana Boente receives request for FISA renewal from FBI Director James Comey. On same day FISA application is renewed for second time, journalist Ali Watkins -having ownership of illegal and leaked unredacted FISA application- writes first details of FISA application, then transfers employment to New York Times for senior role in Trump-Russia reporting. FBI continues leaking details of investigation to media. Mid April Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein arrives to take all responsibilities related to AG Sessions recusal.
♦ May 2017 – Early May, Deputy AG Rosenstein has phone call with FBI Director James Comey, “What do you want me to do – wear a wire?” Mid-May, Rosenstein takes former FBI Director Robert Mueller to White House for oval office meeting with President Trump. Next morning Mueller returns to White House to pick up cell phone he accidentally left in Oval Office. Later in afternoon, President Trump fires FBI Director James Comey. Following day Rosenstein talks to Mueller (3X) and coordinates meeting. Robert Mueller appointed Special Counsel; Mueller chief deputy Andrew Weissmann assumes organization of investigation.
♦ June 2017 – Weissmann assembles Crossfire Hurricane team into Special Counsel. WFO FBI Agent Brian Dugan begins to suspect SSCI leak of FISA application based on media reporting. Agent Dugan requests and receives first warrant for cell phone records of SSCI Security Director Wolfe and NYT journalist Ali Watkins. June 29th Andrew Weissmann requests renewal of Carter Page FISA warrant to continue surveillance of administration. Application renewed.
♦ July 2017 – While conducting investigation of internal FBI conduct during Clinton email investigation, Office of Inspector General Michael Horowitz discovers inappropriate activity within FBI investigative team. Horowitz informs DAG Rosenstein and SC Robert Mueller about Lisa Page and Peter Strzok compromise. Weissmann removes Page and Strzok to avoid scrutiny by OIG of special counsel team. President Trump White House Counsel Don McGahn discovers all 2016/2017 transition team emails, phone records, electronic communications and devices have been given to Andrew Weissmann by General Services Administration as requested by the FISA authority carried by special counsel.
♦ August 2017 – DAG Rod Rosenstein officially expands Special Counsel investigative scope as requested by Andrew Weissmann to include five specific targets: Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Carter Page, George Papadopoulos and Walid Phares [targeting angle = FARA violations, per DOJ-NSD authority] Mr. Phares organized interview between Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abel Fattah al-Sisi during 2016 campaign. FISA surveillance authority used to collect evidence of financial transactions, banking records, travel, communication and full Title-1 counterintelligence operations deployed against targets.
♦ September 2017 – FBI Agent Brian Dugan conducting surveillance of Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) and communication between SSCI Vice-Chair Mark Warner and Chris Steele representative Adam Waldman. Dugan intercepts Waldman side of conversation for investigative file. Weissmann and 18 lawyers, 50 FBI agents and 200 staff continue Trump targeting operations, continue full Title-1 authorized FISA surveillance, and outline cases against Manafort (financial crimes/FARA), Flynn (FARA), and Papadopoulos (lying to investigators).
♦ October 2017 – FISA search warrant used by Mueller/Weissmann special counsel expires. Weissmann requests expanded scope memo from Rosenstein to target Michael Flynn Jr for use against his father, Michael Flynn. Cases against Manafort and Papadopoulos ongoing. Media 24/7 with Trump-Russia collusion. Meanwhile, FBI Agent Brian Dugan first approaches SSCI Security Director James Wolfe about FISA leak and media contacts. Agent Dugan forced by USAO Jessie Liu to inform SSCI Chair Burr and SSCI Vice-Chair Warner about ongoing leak investigation.
♦ November 2017 – All prior surveillance and assembled evidence used via Title-1 search warrant authority, in combination with FARA and threats against Mike Flynn Jr, used to coerce a guilty plea by Michael Flynn (Nov 31). House Intelligence Committee now seeking to review FISA warrant, DOJ and FBI denying access. Political debate between Chairman Devin Nunes and ranking member Adam Schiff ongoing.
♦ December 2017 – AFTER securing Flynn guilty plea, immediately first reports of Lisa Page and Peter Strzok text messages released. Within days, Bruce Ohr identified, demoted twice, former Crossfire Hurricane investigation now being scrutinized. Nellie Ohr’s name surfaces. Chris Steele and Fusion GPS now being reviewed with increased suspicion. Testimony to Senate by Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson “accidentally” leaked by SSCI member Dianne Feinstein (keep stories straight, motive). Nunes memo -vs- Schiff memo battle for media narrative. Internal details of prior FBI targeting operation begin to surface with evidence showing sketchy behavior. FBI Agent Brian Dugan confronts SSCI Security Director James Wolfe with evidence against him, Wolfe admits to leaks. SSCI fire Wolfe.
♦ January 2018 – Apex for Special Counsel. Brian Dugan assembles file against Wolfe submits for grand jury indictment. Due to file touching on Trump-Russia issues, Wolfe criminal activity file submitted to Special Counsel Weissmann for review. Nunes memo released and discussed.
♦ February 2018 – Text messages between SSCI Vice-Chair Warner and Chris Steele layer Adam Waldman surface. Andrew Weissmann organizes a press conference for Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein to conduct, announcing indictments of 17 Russians and entities for 2016 election interference; this is timed as Trump departs for summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
♦ March 2018 – Public begins to absorb totality of FBI (mis)conduct in the Trump targeting operation. The information war is in full swing. Narrative battles are throughout media.
♦ April 2018 – Leaks of the FISA application against Carter Page now under scrutiny. A criminal referral from OIG toward FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe for lying to INSD investigators about his media leaks.
♦ June 2018 – The criminal indictment of SSCI Security Director James Wolfe unsealed and made public.
♦ July 2018 – The DOJ informs the FISC that despite issues surfacing about the predicate of the FISA warrant they authorized against Carter Page for being an agent of a foreign power, everything was ok. A week later, the DOJ then releases to the public the first FISA Title-1 search warrant ever seen, …
…the publicly released version of the FISA application is the exact copy of FISA that was contained in the FBI evidence file against James Wolfe. The same exact document hand carried from the FISC to the SSCI on March 17, 2017, was the copy released by the DOJ in July 2018 – not the DOJ-NSD copy. How did that happen?
♦ December 2018 – Despite the DOJ refusing to indict James Wolfe for leaking the Top-Secret Compartmented Intelligence Carter Page FISA application, and after the guilty plea was entered for lying to investigators, and while the Judge was considering Wolfe’s sentencing, in December of 2018, after the midterm election and under penalty of perjury, the USAO in Washington DC swears to the Judge in the case that James Wolfe leaked the FISA application.
Posted originally on CTH on March 15, 2026 | Sundance
Perhaps the Ellison effect is actualizing inside CNN, but the insufferable furrowed brows of Jake Tapper were unusually non-combative today as he interviewed U.N Ambassador Mike Waltz while discussing Iran. [Video and Transcript Below]
[Transcript] – Joining us now to discuss, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret who served in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
Ambassador Waltz, thank you so much for joining us.
The president just said that the U.S. has beaten and completely decimated Iran, both militarily, economically, and in every other way. Help us understand what that means, that Iran has been beaten. Does that mean that U.S. service members will soon be coming home?
MIKE WALTZ, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: Well, Jake, let’s just unpack that for a moment.
Militarily, the U.S. military has decimated Iran’s air force, their air defenses, their missile capability, their missile production capability. This has been a dominant victory, the likes of which we haven’t seen in modern American military history, economically, the maximum pressure campaign that President Trump put in place his first term and reinstituted the second — as the second major item, executive order that he signed this term.
Their currency is tanking. Their foreign reserves are completely depleted. And that’s why you saw the most recent uprising. You saw the uprising based on economic terms. And then, diplomatically, we just saw this week at the U.N. Security Council 135 nations — Jake, it was a U.N. record — 135 nations side with the Gulf Arab countries and condemn the GCC — excuse me — with the Gulf Arab countries, the GCC countries, and condemn Iran for its atrocious attacks on civilian infrastructure, ports, airports, hotels, resorts. And, as I pointed out at the Security Council, I don’t see how the regime argues that those are military targets. They are clearly not, and they are clearly deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.
And I have got to tell you, this shoot-in-all-directions strategy that Iran has taken on is backfiring. They have never been more diplomatically isolated. Just one more point. Russia and Iran had an opportunity to veto that measure, and they stood back and did not. They abstained.
So, with friends like those, I think Iran is going to stay incredibly isolated.
TAPPER: You said Russia and Iran abstained. I assume you meant Russia and China abstained.
WALTZ: Excuse me, Russia and China. That’s right.
TAPPER: Yes. Yes.
So, is he willing, the president, to accept an end to the war that leaves whatever of the regime is left still in place, the new ayatollah as supreme leader? Because it sounds like — the way you describe it, it sounds like President Trump, with the exception of the stranglehold that the Iranians have of the Strait of Hormuz, it sounds like everything has been achieved pretty much, with the possible exception of a new regime, which was not one of the specific goals.
WALTZ: Well, the president has said he’s not happy with this new nominated Mojtaba Khamenei, who, by many accounts, is an incredibly hardline individual, a hardline cleric.
We will see if he’s actually really in charge. As Secretary Hegseth said, he was wounded during the initial strikes. And it’s unclear that he really has control of the country, if he’s even alive at this point.
So, look, I will leave it to the president where he decides and when he decides and on what terms he decides as commander in chief to end hostilities. But I think the important point here is, the United States has never been in such a position of strength and the Iranian regime has never been in such a position of weakness when it comes to its options.
TAPPER: Despite U.S. strikes on military targets on Iran’s key oil hub of a Kharg Island Friday night, Iran says that oil production on the island is proceeding normally.
If Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, is President Trump prepared to target those oil facilities, which, as you know, handle 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports? And, if so, are you worried that that could risk even more of an escalation when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz? WALTZ: Well, President Trump is not going to take any options off the
table, Jake, and he pointed out in his TRUTH where he announced the military infrastructure strikes on Kharg, which, by the way, they use to project their fast boats, drones and other types of attacks on — into the Gulf, that he deliberately hit the military infrastructure only for now.
And I would certainly think he would maintain that optionality if he wants to take down their energy infrastructure. But we have to take a step back, Jake. I mean, look at what they’re doing to global energy supplies. Look at what they’re trying to do in terms of constraining the world’s economy with drones and boats.
One could only imagine if they had a nuclear arsenal or if they had a nuclear weapon. That’s what many of these Gulf Arab countries have woken up to, that they now realize, and why they have been so supportive and are standing with us as we seek to ensure this regime can never have a nuclear weapon, which President Trump has been consistent about for 10 years.
TAPPER: If not longer.
WALTZ: Yes.
TAPPER: President Trump said that the Navy, the U.S. Navy, is going to begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and that will begin very soon. And he said — quote — “Many countries will be sending warships to keep the strait open and safe” — unquote.
The administration has been talking about potential Navy escorts for more than a week now. Shipping executives tell CNN that all their requests for escorts have, as of now, been rebuffed. President Trump said — quote — “Hopefully, China, France, Japan, South Korea, the U.K. and others will send ships to the area” — unquote.
Is he hoping that those countries are going to send ships or have they committed to sending ships? And how soon will those naval escorts be ready?
WALTZ: Well, I will leave those conversations to him. The conversations are ongoing.
I think there’s an important point that’s getting kind of missed in the conversation, that 80 percent of the oil coming out of the Gulf heads to Asia. Only about 7, 8 percent heads to the Western Hemisphere. And thank God for President Trump’s energy dominance agenda, everything from opening up ANWR, new pipeline in Alaska, incentivizing fracking, what we’re going to see come out of Venezuela and Guyana in the coming months and years.
This is why we have to be energy-independent. And I have to just say it’s a little rich coming from the progressive left, who has literally been at war against oil, literally were putting policies in place to drive up the price of oil in order to force Americans to buy E.V.s and go to wind and solar, are now suddenly celebrating it or decrying the lack of it.
Like I said, it’s a little bit rich. We have the energy dominance in place. But, to your point on escorts, look, back, in the ’80s, under the tanker wars then, the last time Iran tried to constrain global energy supplies, you had French, United Kingdom, even Soviet Union forces in there escorting their tankers out that were heading to their markets.
And I think that’s what President Trump is calling upon the world, saying the entire world is affected. Iran can’t hold your economies hostage. And we certainly welcome, encourage, and even demand their participation to help their own economies.
And, meanwhile, the U.S. military will continue to pound the Iranian military, their missile, boat and drone forces to keep the straits open.
TAPPER: Sources tell CNN that Russia has been providing Iran with intelligence to help Iran better target U.S. service members. You said in an interview last week that President Trump will — quote — “deal with it accordingly.”
Here’s what President Trump had to say about this on Friday.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BRIAN KILMEADE, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Do you think Putin is helping them?
TRUMP: I think he might be helping him a little bit, yes, I guess. And he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right? China would say the same thing. You know, it’s like, hey, they do it and we do it, in all fairness. They do it and we do it.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
TAPPER: Do you see an equivalence between the U.S. helping Ukraine defend itself and Russia helping Iran target U.S. service members?
WALTZ: Well, Jake, we have known that Russia and Iran have this symbiotic, have this strategic partnership for some time now.
I will tell you what Russia has lost out of this. They have lost their biggest manufacturer of the Shahed drones. Russia’s been licensing those drones for quite some time and hitting Ukraine with it, all the more reason why we need to defang this regime and all the more reason that they cannot have a nuclear weapon.
And I will just point out too, because a lot of critics out there are making hay of this, it was President Trump that put sanctions on Russia’s largest oil producer, Rosneft. He also put sanctions on Lukoil. The Biden administration did not do that for many years.
They only did a kind of a pinprick action at the very end of the administration. He also took tough action on India. And now he’s put a temporary pause on that in order to calm energy markets. I think these are all pragmatic, commonsense approach — approaches,
while we deal with the Iranian regime.
TAPPER: But, surely, surely Russia helping Iran target our service members is upsetting and distressing, and action needs to be taken.
WALTZ: Well, I’m not going to get into leaked assessments of what intelligence is being provided or not. I just can’t and won’t do that.
But I will tell you, if they are doing it, it certainly hasn’t been affected — or effective, excuse me, because the Iranian air force, air defenses, missile forces, and Navy have been completely decimated.
TAPPER: All right, Ambassador Mike Waltz, thank you so much. Appreciate your time today, sir.
Posted originally on CTH on March 13, 2026 | Sundance
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are traveling to Paris this weekend to meet with the Chinese trade officials. This meeting is in advance of President Trump’s visit to China for direct face-to-face discussions with Chairman Xi Jinping.
Given the recent events in Venezuela and Iran a lot of groundwork must be taking place for the Trump-Xi meeting. Multiple Chinese interests have been impacted directly. USTR Jamieson Greer discusses those preparatory issues as well as the recent announcement for Section 301 investigations and tariffs. WATCH:
Posted originally on CTH on March 11, 2026 | Sundance
President Trump’s U.S. Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, recently sat down with Greta Van Susteren to outline the point of diplomatic discussions with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi when things broke down.
The Witkoff explanation is interesting as he outlines Iran’s unwillingness to even consider a cease to their ballistic missile program as part of the expanded security talks. According to Envoy Witkoff, Foreign Minister Araghchi was intransigent on several key points of concern; even becoming loud and aggressive as he was pushed to explain why seeking ballistic missiles would be needed.
It’s an interesting background perspective that gives context to the decision that President Trump ultimately reached. WATCH:
Posted originally on CTH on March 7, 2026 | Sundance
President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Vance and other dignitaries participate in a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover AFB for the arrival of six servicemembers killed in Operation Epic Fury. The solemn and silent ceremony is presented below:
O Keeper of the dawn and dusk, hold them beneath Your steadfast wing.
Let the dust of distant roads not dim the light within their eyes.
When the night leans heavy on their shoulders, be the quiet fire in their hearts.
When the wind carries the scent of danger, be the shield they cannot see.
Guide their steps through shadowed valleys, let courage rise like rivers in their veins.
Bring them home to open arms and gentle laughter, and for those who cannot return, wrap them in the eternal peace that no battle can disturb.
Posted originally on CTH on March 4, 2026 | Sundance |
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appears on CNBC to discuss the Trump administration policies that were proactively deployed during Operation Epic Fury.
The goal of global financial stabilization is actually part of the strategic planning within the White House, including Treasury, Energy and Interior in alignment with the State Dept., Pentagon and national security agencies. Part of that plan was the announcement for the U.S. to underwrite maritime insurance to ensure a minimal disruption to the global energy markets.
Secretary Bessent discusses the insurance facet at the 3:00 minute mark of the video below. WATCH:
Posted originally on CTH on March 3, 2026 | Sundance
Secretary of State Marco Rubio updates the media on current activity surrounding Operation Epic Fury.
Secretary Rubio begins with an update on what Americans in the region need to know. Rubio asks all Americans to record their status with the U.S. State Department. [State Dept. Website] To get the latest updates visit http://travel.state.gov/destination and enroll to receive alerts directly at http://step.state.gov. Americans who need consular help can reach us 24/7 by phone: +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada).
Rubio then outlines the latest report on a drone hitting near a U.S. embassy in Dubai. A drone struck a parking lot adjacent to a chancellery building and a fire broke out. No Americans were hurt or injured. The consulate was already on minimal staffing.
Secretary Rubio then provides an update on the general disposition of the conflict effort. Rubio notes the two most powerful air forces in the world are about to go even more severe in our combat activity deep inside Iran.
The traditional frame of reference for pundits surrounds “the escalation trap.” Most of them are so stuck in their old Washington DC view of nation building they just cannot see another approach.
How do you avoid the trap? You don’t play the game.
You don’t try to control the outcome on the ground. You change behavior, without being on the ground.
Eventually, having killed or destroyed everything you want to see killed or destroyed (including their ability to wage war against you), you withdraw – then demand terms.
You don’t need to be there on the ground.
It’s a version of the Venezuela model.
Tell the governing body, whoever that is, whoever surfaces to claim lead with the support of the people, what you expect. Then you hold them accountable.
If they refuse to change behavior, bomb them again – select the refusers as new targets. Wash – Rinse – Repeat.
Again, pull back, await the governing authority to surface, tell them the expectations, if they balk, reject or refuse, bomb them again…. Pull back, await the next crew, tell them the expectations; if they balk, fail or reject, bomb them again…. Then pull back.
Is there an escalation trap? No, you are trying to change behavior – full stop.
You remain open but cold, hard and indifferent to any non-compliant replies.
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This is a library of News Events not reported by the Main Stream Media documenting & connecting the dots on How the Obama Marxist Liberal agenda is destroying America