Last week CTH noted, “interested political followers in the USA should pay close attention to how the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWA) respond to the corporate media narrative. …  Will the International Longshoremen’s Association stand with Trump, or will they drop support as the global trade reset emphasizes domestically manufactured jobs?  That will be an interesting aspect to watch because the dockworker union leadership will face massive pressure to comply with the anti-tariff narrative.”  (full article)

Yesterday, we got the answer: “The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) unequivocally condemns the recent tariffs that the Trump administration has imposed.”

[SOURCE]

All these moves are so transparently political, it almost makes you laugh.  However, that said, we are now in a better position to understand exactly how the Democrats and Deep State operatives will weaponize the supply chain along with their union orcs.

In the next phase of the anti-Trump tariff agenda, approximately 3 months from now it will begin, we will see/hear a constant drumbeat of empty shelves, missing parts and missing products.  Whether factually true, or whether the shortages are an outcome of a strategy by the ILWA to assist the shortage narrative, the overall objective will be to blame President Trump for everything from shortages of medicine to shortages of parts to fix, repair or maintain consumer products.

(more…)

Hat Tip very dear friend of the Treehouse, Zurich Mike.

Switzerland is in a conundrum. More specifically, the Swiss National Bank is stuck betwixt two points that are also playing out in other stable western countries.  Exports to the USA account for over ten percent of the Swiss manufacturing base.

The Trump tariffs are putting pressure on Switzerland to drop the value of their currency as an offset to retain competitive pricing.  However, simultaneous to the tariffs, the Swiss Franc is being purchased by global investment groups and sovereign foreign countries as a safe harbor due to the stability of the currency, which is driving up the value of the franc.

The Swiss Franc is now at the highest point against the U.S dollar in decades. One franc is worth 1.21 dollars.  This makes their exports cost even more.  The Swiss government desperately needs to lower the value of their currency.  The Swiss central bank has already dropped interest rates to 0.25% and is now contemplating negative interest rates as a result.

SWITZERLAND – […] That is why many are speculating on a reaction from the Swiss National Bank (SNB). SNB Director Martin Schlegel could weaken the currency by selling the Swiss franc against the dollar and euro in order to support the export-oriented economy.

But this could provoke a backlash from Trump if he perceives the SNB’s intervention as currency manipulation. Even during Trump’s first term in office, Switzerland was on the US list of suspected currency manipulators.

(more…)

I am trying to avoid my own confirmation bias, which is difficult in this case, because when Congressman Mike Waltz was announced as NSA to President-elect Donald Trump, immediately I thought he would be the first to exit the national security team; his ideology just doesn’t mesh right.

Following the fiasco with Signal and his Jeffrey Goldberg foul up, it looked like Waltz was pushed out of the immediate circle of influence and instead told to focus on restructuring the National Security Council.  His proximity still exists, but his immediate role appears -at least outwardly- to have shifted; he seems less influential as a direct emissary for President Trump to foreign intelligence peers and leaders.

I have this horribly annoying affliction to noticing small details and taking notes, and all indications point in that direction.  When you start to notice this shift, what becomes evident is within the verbiage used as a proximity person begins describing events as if they were an observer, not a direct participant. [The “we” is lost.] Listen to how Mike Waltz describes current geopolitical events, he sounds like a pundit not a participant.

.

If my suspicion is accurate, President Trump has a National Security Advisor in name only.

(more…)

An interesting report from the U.K reflects British government officials who feel their legal position against ‘free speech’ in Great Britain is now part of the negotiations for President Trump’s tariffs.  Essentially, the tariff discussion is encompassing more than just tariffs; if the nation does not support traditional freedoms and liberty, they could face stronger tariffs from the USA.

The messenger for this dynamic is not coincidentally Vice President JD Vance, who aligns closely with the tech platforms.  The tech control agents are bitterly opposed to President Trump’s tariff position, and this nuance is quite possibly a way to give the tech platforms an ancillary benefit, vis-a-vis free speech support.

The tech industry is facing pressure from the EU and British government to censor and control information content on their platforms.  By adding the importance of free speech to the leverage of tariff pressure, President Trump gives both Main Street companies and American Tech Titans something important to their business interests.  This is both a smart and righteous approach.

(Via The UK Independent) Sir Keir Starmer must embrace Donald Trump’s agenda by repealing hate speech laws in order to get a trade deal over the line, a Washington source has told The Independent.

The warning came after the US vice-president suggested a UK-US agreement may be close, with the White House “working very hard” on it.

(more…)

President Trump hosted Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in the Oval Office and took questions from reporters on Thursday.  The majority of the question from both the U.S. and Norwegian media encompass the current effort to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine.

One of the ceasefire ‘sticking points’ per se’, is that immediately following the breakout of the conflict the government of President Zelenskyy changed many of their constitutional rules to include the legal elimination of opposition parties in the country, removal of religion or faith-based social influence that runs counter to the Ukrainian Nazi mindset, the cessation of elections in Ukraine, and other “emergency measures” intended to assist the stability of Zelenskyy’s government as they entered a war footing.

The results of the legal changes and constitutional framework, which included non-recognition of any lost territory, is now being leveraged by Zelenskyy in negotiations for a ceasefire.  President Zelenskyy is now saying the ceasefire terms proposed, which include accepting regional losses of geography to Russia, are not constitutionally possible and he has no power to agree to them.

In essence, Zelenskyy’s emergency government changed the constitutional power of the President, cemented a new constitutional status during war, and now says those previous changes make it impossible to accept proposed terms.  This self-fulfilling creation, intentionally done with forethought for exactly this kind of current scenario, is the baseline for frustration toward the Ukraine position.  President Trump notes this Ukraine position is frustrating, while thousands die weekly in the process.  WATCH:

.

(more…)

Interesting series of events converging.  According to multiple media outlets, a delegation from the U.S, Europe and Ukraine are scheduled to meet again in London tomorrow for further discussions of the peace proposal.

President Trump said Monday they had “very good meetings” about Ukraine and Russia recently as Trump was likely debriefed from the meeting that Secretary Rubio and Envoy Steve Witkoff held in Paris, France with Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine, EU and U.K officials.  However, this was the same Paris meeting that preceded Secretary Rubio saying if progress was not made quickly, the USA would exit their role in negotiating a peace deal.

President Trump and Secretary Rubio are putting pressure on Ukraine, EU, U.K as well as the CIA background players to get to a place of earnest peace discussion, by threatening to pull back from their effort and likely allowing Russian President Putin a lot of implied latitude to increase hostile action.

The belligerent Ukraine officials (harsh Nazi tones on display) feel emboldened to keep fighting with enhanced funding and support from the EU, U.K, NATO and CIA operatives embedded with Ukraine forces.  As an ancillary matter, the potential for Trump to pull back stands as a visible motive for the USA Deep State to keep attacking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

At a certain point President Trump is going to have to make a decision on further support.  If Trump exits the proxy war, that’s when the real internal battle with the CIA will likely surface. This is a very interesting dynamic to keep watching as CIA Director John Ratcliffe appears to be a bystander, incapable of stopping the independent elements of the CIA from operating their own agenda.

(more…)

Earlier today, President Trump held the swearing-in ceremony for Dr. Mehmet Oz to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services along with Secretary of HHS Robert F Kennedy Jr.  Following the ceremony President Trump took questions from the media.

The first questions to President Trump encompass the remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio about walking away from peace negotiations in the Ukraine-Russia conflict if the EU/UK and NATO participants do not get serious about stopping the bloodshed. The Q&A segment begins at 13:42 (prompted) WATCH:

.

(more…)

“This is not our war.” ~ Secretary Rubio

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters in Paris on April 18 about the prolonged peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. However, a frustrated Rubio warned that the U.S. could “move on” from its involvement in negotiations to end the war if no progress is made “within a matter of days and weeks.” That’s the mainstream media narrative.

The non-pretending summary is that Ukraine, France, Great Britain, the EU, NATO et al are all trying to retain their interests in the conflict. Russia has simple terms, but the war machinery controlled by the intel apparatus (CIA and EU) and the financial stakeholders in the EU region are unhappy. [Too many cooks] A frustrated Secretary Rubio says, make up your mind, if no deal – ¹we’re done.  WATCH:

¹Having followed this very closely, here’s what “we’re done” likely means.

President Trump ends the USA side of the proxy war. President Trump pulls back all support for Ukraine; stops sending money, weapons and to the extent he can, intelligence to Ukraine. This opens the door for Russia to go full combat as the ground thaws, without concern for USA to engage.

The EU will have to step up with funding, intelligence and war material to continue supporting Ukraine.  Rubio is calling the EU/UK bluff here because he knows without the USA the EU/UK will not commit to fight Russia.

Remember if no one does anything, Russia has already gained the ground they want and will just continue grinding western Ukraine to ever expanding rubble.  Factually, doing nothing is a big win for Russia, especially if Trump withdraws.

(more…)

There are a ton of geopolitical influences happening in the background and foreground of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, President Trump voice and envoy Steve Witkoff, and Keith Kellogg meeting in Paris with delegations from France, U.K, Ukraine and EU stakeholders.  The intent is to get the EU/UK on board with a Trump/Putin ceasefire plan.

NYP Story HERE ~ AP Story HERE

French President Emmanuel Macron (seeking a distraction from his own internal political turmoil) has appointed himself as representative for EU interests in the peace negotiations.  No one in the EU wants to hear Macron keep whining, so they just roll with it.  Macron even bought new lifts for the occasion.

The UK comes into the picture in Paris because France and the UK have decided to lead the coerced EU “coalition of the willing” (not many are willing) to create the boots on the ground peacekeepers if there is going to be a ceasefire.  REMINDER: Macron and Starmer demand the U.S. backstop their proposed Ukraine peacekeeping with USA military power.

Those of you who bet on Macron using the opportunity to leverage a better tariff position; actually, the entire reason he appointed himself leader; can take a victory lap. “At Thursday’s talks in Paris, Macron also discussed the impact of Trump’s tariff policies and the conflicts in the Mideast.” (source) We all knew the little French rat would. We were right.

(more…)

Folks, I know this is going to be hard, but we must remain steadfast in bearing the burden of new tariffs for our essential items.  Hermes has announced they will pass along the cost of President Trump’s tariffs to consumers.

Currently, Hermes branded purses ranging from $20,000 to $200,000 are purchased by a whopping 0.001% of Americans, yet 90% of wives for Wall Street hedge fund managers have them.

Yes, this is going to be a painful price increase; however, it is our patriotic duty to withstand it.  We can survive it.

NEW YORK – […] The Paris-based company — which manufactures the vast majority of its goods in France — will raise prices enough to offset any hit to growth from the current 10% tariff on the European Union, according to Eric du Halgouet, Hermes’ executive vice president of finance.

If Hermes adds the 10% tax, US shoppers could pay an additional $2,000 on a lower-cost model, or an extra $20,000 on a $200,000 handbag. (read more)

If you have any tips or advice on how to deal with increased emotional anxiety as a result of this horrific announcement, please provide your words of wisdom in the comments section.  If we lean on each other for support, we can get through this.

(more…)