Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made the legacy media rounds Sunday saying that he and his Chinese negotiating counterpart had reached an agreement on export controls for rare earth minerals, that would lead to the United States not imposing 100 percent tariffs on China.

Secretary Bessent said that trade negotiations with China had been very productive. The plan was to create a deal for President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping this week in South Korea. However, NBC’s Kirsten Welker was not prepared for Bessent to make a positive announcement about U.S-China trade negotiations.

Because the script in front of her did not factor in the announcement by Bessent, what you see is Secretary Bessent breaking news about a U.S-China trade agreement, but Welker’s pre-scripted follow up questions didn’t align with that news. Welker ends up asking about tariffs and rare earth minerals, after Bessent says a deal to avoid tariffs and retain rare earth mineral access was developed.

Welker then continues asking about U.S-China trade conflicts until Bessent makes the point of saying something akin to ‘can you not hear me, the trade friction is resolved.’ Welker is then forced to abandon her script and ask about Canada. WATCH:

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I have talked to a lot of Canadians on the issues of economics and trade. As a result, I can say with complete sincerity that not since the COVID-19 examples of New Zealand (lockdowns) and Australia (vaxx), has a nation engaged in such a level of mass cognitive dissonance as the govt of Canada on the issue of economics and trade – in the past few years. It is stunning.

To understand the reality of the situation Here’s an IN-DEPTH LINK. Apparently, few really understand the full scope of the issues.

President Trump responds to the latest decision of the Canadian government.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: “Canada was caught, red handed, putting up a fraudulent advertisement on Ronald Reagan’s Speech on Tariffs. The Reagan Foundation said that they, “created an ad campaign using selective audio and video of President Ronald Reagan. The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address,” and “did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is reviewing its legal options in this matter.”

“The sole purpose of this FRAUD was Canada’s hope that the United States Supreme Court will come to their “rescue” on Tariffs that they have used for years to hurt the United States. Now the United States is able to defend itself against high and overbearing Canadian Tariffs (and those from the rest of the World as well!). Ronald Reagan LOVED Tariffs for purposes of National Security and the Economy, but Canada said he didn’t! Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD.”

“Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” [SOURCE]

President Trump said he will not be meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Malaysia.

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Here’s the audio of President Trump discussing his trip to Asia to attend the ASEAN and APEC summits in Malaysia and South Korea respectively.

President Trump is anticipated to meet with Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping in South Korea and there is a rumor that Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un might meet somewhere. President Trump even made mention that if media put out the word, he would be willing to meet with Chairman Kim at the DMZ while he is in South Korea.  Audio Below:

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As long as the communication backchannels between Trump and Putin remain actively engaged, the risk of escalation is contained but the anxiety of the Europeans continues.

President Trump emissary Steve Witkoff and President Putin emissary Kirill Dmitriev are meeting this weekend in Miami to continue conversations.

As noted by Politico, “Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special presidential representative for investment and economic cooperation, is flying to Florida to meet with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, a White House official confirmed to POLITICO. […] “With Trump soon departing for Asia, Witkoff is again on the front lines of negotiating. Dmitriev, as the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, has particular interests in establishing further U.S.-Russia business relations.” (more)

Both President Trump and President Putin have noted publicly their conversations about building an economic relationship once the issues of the Ukraine war are settled.

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As the U.S. military continues targeting drug vessels from Venezuelan Transnational Criminal Organizations, the Dept of War is sending an entire U.S. Carrier Strike Group into the region.  The Gerald Ford carrier strike group is pictured below:

The announcement was made by Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell.

In support of the President’s directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland, the Secretary of War has directed the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and embarked carrier air wing to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR).

The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere. These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs. (link)

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel just as Vice-President JD Vance departed.  After touring the Civilian Military Coordination Center (CMCC) and talking to the U.S. team that is operating the center, Secretary Rubio delivered remarks to the media and answered questions. WATCH:

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Last night President Trump terminated all trade discussions with Canada following the government of Canada running a false political ad in the USA, using manipulated Ronald Reagan remarks against U.S tariffs.

Earlier today Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke about the issue to his assembled stenographers in media, and shortly thereafter he had a phone call with Ontario Premier Doug Ford.  Carney and Ford decided to run the ad during the World Series and then stop it on Monday.

It would be illegal for the USA government to run an ad in Canada.  The Canadian government does not permit foreign interests to express political opinions against their domestic policies on their controlled broadcasting operations.

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BREAKING: “Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses. We’ve achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels.

I’ve directed my team to keep putting our message in front of Americans over the weekend so that we can air our commercial during the first two World Series games.

In speaking with Prime Minister Carney, Ontario will pause its U.S. advertising campaign effective Monday so that trade talks can resume.

The people elected our government to protect Ontario—our workers, businesses, families and communities. That’s exactly what I’m doing. Like I said earlier today: Canada and the U.S. are neighbours, friends and allies.

We’re so much stronger when we work together. Let’s work together to build Fortress Am-Can and make our two countries stronger, more prosperous and more secure.”  ~ Ontario Premier Doug Ford

U.S-Canada trade negotiations remain terminated.  I strongly support a full U.S-Canada border shutdown, trade embargo and visa revocation. The Canadian economy must be destroyed in order to protect the USA and Mexico from toxic leftism.

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White House Chair of the National Economic Council (NEC), Kevin Hassett, walked out to the press pool to discuss the latest excellent inflation figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics today {BLS REPORT HERE}.  However, the insufferable press pool wanted to talk about other things.

I’ll get to the BLS data below – with a gold nugget just for you, don’t share it.  But first, NEC Director Hassett also let something slip in his responsive comments that most will miss.

When asked about Trump’s decision to terminate all trade negotiations with Canada, Hasset noted the discussions were frustrating, and “The Canadians were very difficult to negotiate with.” Then comes the key point (03:28), “The fact that we are now negotiating with Mexico, separately, reveals that it’s not just one add, there’s frustration that has built up.”

What Hassett just confirmed again, as if we needed more evidence, is that the trilateral trade agreement -the USMCA- is not going to exist once Trump opens it up for renegotiation.  The USA team is already working on a separate bilateral trade agreement between the USA and Mexico, proactively.  The USMCA is dead – we just have not made it official yet.  WATCH (prompted):

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On the inflation data, the September inflation rate was 0.3 percent, much lower than all economists and pundits predicted.  The tariffs are having no impact on the rise of consumer prices.  In fact, the sectors with the most imported goods are the sectors with the lowest inflation.

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President Trump makes a statement from his Truth Social account that all trade negotiations with Canada are immediately terminated following the Canadian government purchasing ads to lie to the American people about tariffs.

PRESIDENT TRUMP – “The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs. The ad was for $75,000,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts. TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” President DJT

At first review this might seem like an angered response to a fabrication by the Canadian government of Prime Minister Mark Carney. However, there is much more to this background story as CTH readers are well aware.

First, rather than make any substantive policy changes, Canada is organizing a new trade relationship with China as an offset to the trade conflict with President Trump. {GO DEEP} This will make Canada a dumping ground for cheap Chinese goods, which then becomes a problem for the U.S.

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Talk about prescient Trump.  Wow, this Truth Social post was stunningly accurate:

Senator Chuck Grassley has released a memo [SOURCE HERE – outlined below] showing FBI Director Chris Wray asking Attorney General Merrick Garland to authorize the FBI’s “Arctic Frost“ investigation that targeted all of President Trump’s supporters inside and outside government.

Knowing how these things work, it appears Deputy AG Lisa Monaco and FBI Director Chris Wray formulated the Arctic Frost strategy as the request memo sent by Wray was authorized through the office of DAG Monaco.

In the memo as released, DAG Monaco writes, “Merrick, I recommend you approve.”

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