President Trump announces via Truth Social, “Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Aaron Lukas, will serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence” following the departure of DNI Tulsi Gabbard on June 30, 2026.

[SOURCE]

Aaron Lukas will do a solid job as ‘acting’ or as fully nominated and confirmed DNI.

There will likely be a great deal of rumor and speculation about a different permanent replacement.  One name sure to surface within the discussion is Devin Nunes, but I strongly doubt the former Chairman of the HPSCI would desire or accept the position.

If, and that is a very big ‘if’, Devin Nunes was to accept the role, that would indicate a remarkable change in his opinion about the overall intelligence apparatus. Therefore, I doubt this is an option. Devin Nunes believes in the historic fidelity of the intelligence institutions.  As a result, the DNI position has seemed smaller and less significant.

The only way Nunes would take the job is if two things changed.  First, he now believed the construct of the United States intelligence apparatus is teetering on the edge of irreversible corruption (he did not previously hold this position); and second, if he sees that Tulsi has now proven the power of the DNI in the intelligence apparatus.  As readers here will fully understand, until DNI Gabbard that power was never fully extended.

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Republicans in both the House and Senate are quickly moving to stop the DOJ/IRS settlement with President Trump that establishes a $1.776 billion victim’s compensation fund for those targeted by corrupt government conduct.

The move in the Senate is particularly Machiavellian considering they recently established a $500,000 system of penalties for government conduct after they found out the Jack Smith investigation had subpoenaed their private phone records.

Buried on page 217 of the 2025 Senate Continuing Resolution Bill [TEXT HERE], Republican Senators inserted legislation to “retroactively” pay themselves $500,000 each for every line of communication, telephone record, email or other electronic communication, subpoenaed by the Jack Smith Special Counsel during the Arctic Frost investigation.  The targeting of Republican senators was too much for the Republican Senators to bear.

Now consider:

WASHINGTON DC – Senate Republicans have canceled plans to begin voting this week on a budget reconciliation package that would provide approximately $70 billion to fund immigration enforcement operations through 2029 amid a furious disagreement within their conference over the Trump administration’s proposal to establish a $1.8 billion compensation fund for MAGA allies.

Senate Republicans emerging from a lengthy meeting with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said they expect to leave Washington for the Memorial Day recess without voting on the budget reconciliation package that has stalled over disagreements among Republicans over how to put guardrails on the so-called anti-weaponization fund. (more)

A grandmother silently praying outside an abortion clinic encounters the full weight of the Dept of Justice and FBI costing her tens of thousands of dollars to defend herself.  Hundreds of conservatives have been targeted by a politicized and weaponized IRS.  Dozens of Trump officials were targeted, prosecuted and spent millions of dollars during their judicial defense – many going bankrupt.  Thousands of people who peacefully attended the January 6, 2021, protest were targeted by the FBI and had to hire lawyers. Thousands more received ridiculous subpoenas and investigative inquiries that required them to pay lawyers who provided legal responses.

Yet, only when the weaponization targets a Republican Senator personally does the issue warrant compensation.   Think about it.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio gives remarks to the media from Miami as he prepares to travel to Sweden on a diplomatic mission. Rubio is asked about ongoing negotiations and conflicts with Iran as well as the indictment of Cuban official Raul Castro.

Secretary Rubio also discusses the World Health Organization and the Ebola outbreak in Africa.  As noted by Rubio the #1 priority for the administration is making sure the issue does not come to the United States.  Rubio also noted a change in posture toward NATO following several EU countries refusing to allow U.S. military engagement from bases within their nations.  “The president and I are both disappointed,” with the intransigence of several NATO countries.

Secretary Rubio continues to state the U.S and Cuban officials are still in communication throughout the political conflict between the two countries, the main problem is the Cuban regime doesn’t know how to effectively run a country and is corrupt with all revenue that exists.  Cuba is heading toward being “a failed state” and that issue elevates the urgency due to proximity.

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Last weekend former FBI Director James Comey said there were multiple officials remaining within the DOJ and FBI who were actively working to continue the weaponization of the agencies against President Donald Trump.  When asked about it earlier today, President Trump said Acting AG Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel would root them out and deal with the issue.

Hours later the Dept of Justice released and indictment {SEE HERE} against Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Fort Pierce Branch, Carmen M. Lineberger. Asst USAO Lineberger was caught downloading classified files from the Jack Smith case to her personal email and labeling them as recipes so she could leak them to Lawfare resistance members.

According to FBI Director Kash Patel, “This afternoon, a former managing assistant U.S. Attorney who supported Jack Smith’s politicized investigation of President Trump has been charged with stealing the confidential investigation documents. Carmen Lineberger allegedly emailed the confidential material to her own personal email, disguising them as dessert recipes to conceal them from record searches. Lineberger is charged with four felony counts in the indictment. This FBI will not hesitate to bring to account those who violated the trust of the American public in an investigation that should’ve never been brought to begin with.” {link}

The files Ms. Lineberger is accused of stealing, relate to the Jack Smith case files from the Mar-a-Lago investigation that Judge Aileen Cannon previously sealed.  [Link Below] It appears attorney Carmen Lineberger was in the process of covering her tracks when she was discovered downloading the material and transmitting it outside the U.S. Attorney offices.  {INDICTMENT HERE}

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Somewhere along the path to the inevitable dissolution of the USMCA trilateral trade agreement, reality will set in for Canada.  Until then, denial is the preferred course of action from Prime Minister Mark Carney.  Not since COVID-19 have we witnessed an intellectual disassociation happening over such a large sector of a population.

According to the latest media reports, Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to announce a new Canadian Trade Advisory Council that will strategize the best moves within each sector of the Canadian economy to deal with the United States USMCA renegotiations.  Even at this latest date, the Canadian government is still under the belief they can negotiate themselves into a position where their status within the USMCA (CUSMA) will be retained.

Simultaneous to this announcement, the one best hope the Canadians have relied upon is also evaporating.  However, before discussing that aspect, let’s first look at the advisory council.

CANADA – Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to unveil a new advisory council focused on Canada-US trade relations as Ottawa attempts to salvage Canadian-US trade amidst Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs. According to reports, the council will bring together major business leaders, labour representatives and former politicians to advise the federal government ahead of the scheduled review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

[…] While the entire list of figures present on the council has yet to be announced, the Government of Canada first announced the advisory committee in April 2026, and released a partial list of members. Members reportedly include Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, former Quebec premier Jean Charest, and other representatives from sectors such as energy, manufacturing and forestry. There are also multiple high-level Canadian executives present on the list released by the Prime Minister’s office on April 21. The committee will be chaired by Dominic LeBlanc, who currently serves as minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade and intergovernmental affairs. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the council’s role will be to provide strategic advice and industry expertise as Canada prepares for negotiations under the umbrella of Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats.

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President Trump gives brief remarks following his arrival back at Joint Base Andrews following the DOJ announcement of an indictment against Raul Castro.  President Trump notes the Cuban regime is under a lot of pressure and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has specific expertise on the issues surrounding Cuba.  Expect more activity soon as their economic condition continues to put pressure upon them.  WATCH:

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This afternoon, federal and state officials from Florida unsealed an indictment against Raul Castro which was returned in federal court in Miami on April 23, and charges him with one count of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts of ‌destruction of aircraft. Five other people are also named as defendants in the case.

U.S. Attorney Todd Blanche made the announcement in Florida to a packed audience of Cuban-Americans. Reuters: “The charges stemmed from a 1996 incident in which Cuban jets shot down planes operated by a group of Cuban exiles, U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at an event in downtown Miami on Wednesday to honor victims of the incident. “My message today is clear: The United States and President Trump does not and will not forget its citizens,” Blanche said to applause in a packed auditorium of government officials and Cuban Americans in Miami.”

For those not familiar with the sensitivity of the issues in the South Florida area, it is difficult to imagine the impact of this announcement.  There are hundreds of thousands of first- and second-generation Cubans who fled the brutality of the communist regime when Fidel Castro took power.  This is a very close and personal issue for the Cuban people within Miami-Dade.

Everyone in/around Miami knows an immediate family member or close family friend who was victimized by the Castro regime. As noted by The Hill:

[…] In indicting Castro, the U.S. is laying a similar groundwork that led to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was also indicted in a U.S. court before armed forces seized him from his compound.

It’s unclear what action may await Castro and Cuba, but CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with officials on the island last week to convey that the window for negotiations will not be open indefinitely. (source)

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UPDATE: Massie Loses His Seat – Ed Gallrein Wins Primary!

In one of the most watched primary races of the season, Kentucky House race for congressional district 04 is a challenge of President Trump endorsed Ed Gallrein versus the incumbent Trump antagonist Thomas Massie.

Most of the pontificating high-horse alligator emojis from the DeSantis tribe are supporting Thomas Massie along with significant elements of the GOPe and Bush clan who just want President Trump to get a loss.  The anti-Trump republicans have all coalesced behind Massie.  Meanwhile, the MAGA group of pro-Trump supporters are aligned to support Massie’s challenger, the Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein.

Representative Thomas Massie is facing the most difficult re-election battle of his career. Massie has been the most outspoken Republican antagonist of President Trump, who has strongly backed his challenger, Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL.  The race has turned into the most expensive congressional primary race on record, with several groups furious over Mr. Massie’s general disposition to be in opposition to anything until Trump is removed.

New York Times Election Results Here

Associated Press Election Results Here

Polls closed at 6 p.m. local time. / UPDATE: 7:45pm ET

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It is always a good idea to make note of things, put them into referenceable context, and then later tell the full story from background details that will surprise everyone else.

Two significant events have taken place within the last few days against the backdrop of Sinaloa government officials beginning to turn themselves in to U.S. federal authorities.

The first event is the Mexican government freezing the bank accounts and financial assets of those who have been named in the U.S. federal indictment.  Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says the seizures are out of her control, merely a process that takes place, yet the motives for her defensive protestations are more than a little transparent.

MEXICO – On May 18, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit froze the accounts of Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya, his children, and senior aides. The action followed U.S. federal charges alleging they aided the Sinaloa Cartel through drug trafficking, weapons possession, and accepting multimillion-dollar bribes. Sheinbaum stressed the freeze was a technical, preventive step triggered by U.S. arrest warrants, not a domestic criminal finding.

The freezes come amid heightened U.S.-Mexico tensions over cartel corruption claims that have already strained security cooperation and political trust. Washington has broadened its anti-cartel strategy to target politicians accused of enabling organized crime, while Mexico remains sensitive to perceived foreign interference. Analysts warn the case could further erode institutional trust and complicate cross-border collaboration on security, trade, and migration.  (more)

The second event happened very quietly.

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President Trump took the press pool on a tour of the White House ballroom and defense infrastructure that is being incorporated into the design itself. As noted by President Trump the ballroom will sit atop a sub-surface system of hardened rooms, research facilities and military operations that will form a hub of interconnected executive office government defense operations.

The building is being built to withstand missile and drone attacks, with several floors underground that will serve as a defense system for the President and cabinet members. The ballroom that sits atop the underground network will be paid by President Trump and donors; the government funding is for the military defense complex that will sit underground approximately six stories down.  This is a remarkable explanation by President Trump. WATCH:

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