In December of 2016 when we discussed the possibility of President Trump’s then new and unique tariff approach, we predicted negligible impact – if any at all.  It was a theory at the time, but predicated on the looming possibility that impacted nations would inevitably devalue their currency. It was the currency devaluation, in combination with directed subsidies, that would offset any tariff impact to U.S. consumers.

By the time we got to December 2019, we were no longer discussing theory.  Deflation due to currency devaluation, subsidy and a rising dollar actually became reality.  The lookback data (2017 through 2019) proved the tariffs did not raise prices. In fact, the opposite happened, we were importing broad-based deflation.

Now it’s 2025 and again China is hit with tariffs, along with Canada and Mexico.  With history as a reference, watch the Canadian Dollar and the Mexican Peso.  Initial impact shows the same thing repeating again. The U.S. dollar is rising in value, and the Canadian dollar is dropping quickly.

If this trend holds, the 25% tariffs against Canada (and Mexico) will have minimal impact, if any at all.  The lowered value Canadian dollar and Mexican peso will work as an offset and imports will be paid with higher value dollars.  Depending on the scale of what happens in the next few weeks, there is a strong possibility Canada might have just walked into a trap set by Trump.

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During a Fox News interview, Senator Lindsey Graham says he is a yes on RFK Jr, Kash Patel and now Tulsi Gabbard, specifically because the latter has now assured him, she will support FISA-702 warrantless searches of U.S. citizen communication.  Senator Graham states falsely the 702 authorities only pertain to foreign nationals.  Watch how he says it, PROMPTED:

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Remember what I said about Kash Patel being the firewall selected by the Senate to make the American people drop their pitchforks and torches? Listen to Senator Graham through that protective prism and you can hear exactly that approach.

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This is excellent news.  There are two distinctively different sets of tariffs scheduled to roll out in the next few days, weeks and months.

One set of long-term tariffs called MACRO tariffs focused on reciprocity and based primarily on economic fairness.  The second and more urgent set, are focused on the immediacy of national security, border security and the demand for allies to shut down their support for fentanyl distribution.

The Border Security tariffs of 25% against Mexico and Canada start on Saturday.  The media and corporate interests in/around Wall Street are in maximum apoplexy mode; however, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik previously explained the reason for the urgency.  The video is 5 minutes and well worth your time if you want to avoid the confusion being pushed by media. WATCH:

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Thursday said he will impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico beginning Saturday, reiterating concerns about illegal migration, fentanyl and trade deficits in remarks to reporters.

“I’ll be putting the tariff of 25 percent on Canada, and separately, 25 percent on Mexico, and we’ll really have to do that,” Trump told reporters while signing executive orders focused on aviation safety.

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For the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) holds a hearing with nominee Tulsi Gabbard.  The schedule is for 10:00am today.

DNI Nominee Tulsi Gabbard is opposed by every corrupt interest within the United States Intelligence Community.  The issue of their opposition is basically around who can be open against her and who must pretend to support her while being willfully blind to the attacks.

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For 20-years we have called out the Machievellian nature of Mitch McConnell and his duplicitous agenda to support the UniParty apparatus in Washington DC.  Heck, even the name of this site, “The Last Refuge” came from our non-pretending association as to the nature of the root cause of our problems within the Republican apparatus.  Mitch McConnell has always been working for the other side.

Last night in the confirmation vote for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Mitch McConnell voted no.  In an almost identical way to former Senator John McCain refusing to repeal Obamacare, Mitch McConnell ends his time in the senate with a very planned, purposeful and public rebuke of President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the military.

Do not overlook that Senator McConnell intentionally waited, just like McCain, to cast his ‘nay’ vote until the end of the vote call.  McConnell did this with purpose and public intent, just like McCain.  Vice-President JD Vance then steps-in to a 50/50 vote to cast the tie-breaking vote.

Mitch McConnell now exits the chamber as Pete Hegseth is now confirmed despite him.

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President Trump was asked about Mitch McConnell’s vote as he departed California for the return to DC.  Video Below:

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune is maintaining his pro-Trump agenda position into day #4 of the administration.  Thune appears with the insufferable Sean Hannity to discuss his recent meetings with President Trump and Speaker Johnson, as well as the plans and forecast for legislative support of the American First agenda.

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According to the New York Times, President Trump has removed the security detail from Mike Pompeo and Brian Hook, in addition to previous removals for John Bolton.  The protective detail came from the U.S. State Dept under the Diplomatic Security Service.

NYT –  President Trump revoked security protection for his former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and a former top aide, Brian Hook, despite warnings from the Biden administration that both men faced ongoing threats from Iran because of actions they took on Mr. Trump’s behalf, four people with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.

Mr. Pompeo and Mr. Hook had been part of an aggressive posture against Iran during the first Trump presidency, most notably the drone strike that killed the powerful Iranian general Qassim Suleimani in early 2020.

Mr. Trump also remains under threat because of that action, and his advisers have regularly stressed the seriousness of the situation in the years between his two terms in office.

Mr. Pompeo and Mr. Hook had their security details, which were believed to be provided by the State Department, pulled on Tuesday, one of the people briefed on the matter said. A day before, Mr. Trump pulled the U.S. Secret Service detail of John R. Bolton, who was Mr. Trump’s third national security adviser and also faces threats. (more)

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The leftist media are calling this “revenge,” however, in reality it is more akin to modest accountability given the nature of the conduct and motive behind it.

President Trump issued an executive order late Monday [SEE HERE] seeking to revoke the security clearances of 50 former intelligence and high-ranking government officials. Each of the officials participated in the widely discussed election interference operation surrounding the Hunter Biden laptop and the 2020 election.

The Intelligence Community (IC, aka Deep State, aka “six ways from Sunday” group) forms the tip of the spear in both controlling U.S politics, manipulating intelligence gathering machinery – including those used to control politicians, and targeting any entity who tries to confront their unconstitutional efforts. In short, the IC is the Fourth Branch of Government, and they have grown to operate with malicious intent.

It was the IC operation who targeted President Trump in 2016 and throughout his first term. It is the same IC who manipulate media for political gain and who weaponized information surrounding the Hunter Biden laptop in 2020. In President Trump’s second term, starting now, it is only by confronting the IC officials, named and hidden, that putting America-First policy into place will succeed.

Any and all efforts to fight and destroy the IC are supported by CTH and this assembly of research wolverines.

In a mostly symbolic message that will gain massive attention, President Trump now starts to revoke the Security Clearances of multiple IC officials who have been exposed as an outcome of the Biden Laptop operation. I say ‘symbolic’ because President Trump is well aware of the IC motives, and they have been removed from influence over the executive branch operation; more on that later.

Here is the Executive Order that fires a shot across the bow of the corrupt apparatus.

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Like many of you I am absorbing the shock and awe evident in the planning of President Trump’s first day after his swearing in.  Sometimes there is just so much news from events, its best to just elevate, watch it all unfold and appreciate the full context of how these moments came to fruition.

So much to discuss, almost too much.  Meanwhile, in the background, you can see the furious shadows of those who operate in the opaque places, behind the glass.  The political calculations and lesser visible downstream effects of the Trump tsunami are happening in real time across a massive swath of offices, complexes and institutional silos.  That activity is where my focus remains.

Here is President Trump delivering remarks to the assembled audience inside Capital One Arena in Washington DC.  Fire for effect!

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This is so far beyond corrupt, the light from where corruption emanates could not catch this level of corruption for a year.

Let us be clear.  Joe Biden didn’t actually pardon anyone.  Biden wouldn’t know who, how, or what a preemptive pardon actually is.

Nope, the non-pretending version of what just happened is: the people who control Joe Biden, just used the tool he represents to pardon themselves.

No one has picked up on this yet, but the people in control of the pardoning process Joe Biden represents, just pardoned themselves; including Mary McCord.  Notice the wording (emphasis mine):

WHITE HOUSE – […] “some have even been threatened with criminal prosecutions, including General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, and the members and staff of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.”

[…] That is why I am exercising my authority under the Constitution to pardon General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee. {SOURCE}

Mary McCord was a lead staffer on the J6 Committee.  REMINDER: November 3, 2021 – In Washington DC – “Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and the House Jan. 6 Select Committee has tapped Mary McCord, who once ran the Justice Department’s National Security Division, for representation in its fight to obtain former President Donald Trump’s White House records. (source)

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