From an initial report of 3.0% to a revised report of 3.3% second quarter growth. [BEA report HERE]  Not a surprise, when we factor in the prediction we presented after the first quarter GDP.

However, it is nice to see the BEA finally admit, “The increase in real GDP in the second quarter primarily reflected a decrease in imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP.”  I digress.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy rebounded this spring from a first-quarter downturn due to fallout from President Donald Trump’s trade wars.

In an upgrade from its first estimate in July, the Commerce Department said Thursday that U.S. gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — expanded at a 3.3% annual pace from April through June after shrinking 0.5% in the first three months of 2025. The department had initially estimated second-quarter growth at 3%.

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I guess we can call this a FAFO war edition.  Ukraine, likely the CIA all things considered, built a drone manufacturing facility next to the buildings housing the EU and British delegations in Kiev.  Putin blew it up.

None of the EU or Brits were harmed, but the EU and British go bananas.

(Via Politico) – Early Thursday, Russia launched a deadly attack on Kyiv that killed at least 12 and damaged buildings housing the EU and British delegations.

There were no injuries to EU staff in the attack. Commission spokesperson Arianna Podestà said Thursday: “The attacks are completely unacceptable. In no way will they shake our support for Ukraine.” She added that diplomatic staff would remain in Ukraine despite the attack.

The EU’s ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, said the building was “severely damaged by the shock wave” of the “massive” barrage of drones and ballistic missiles Russia launched at Ukraine overnight. (read more)

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The Wall Street Journal wrote the hit piece against DNI Tulsi Gabbard, sourced to two “people familiar with the matter,” and “three other people with knowledge of the situation.”  They all needed to coordinate with the WSJ. Think about it.

The substance of the story is that among the 37 current and former Intelligence Community officials Tulsi Gabbard recently stripped of their security clearances, was an “undercover CIA agent” located within one of those agencies.

The story is written to say DNI Tulsi Gabbard should have vetted the list with the CIA for a longer period of time before she took action. Therefore, she is not doing her job correctly, or something.  The CIA was compromised by Tulsi Gabbard removing the security clearance of one of their hidden agents within the U.S. Government.

Before getting to the story at hand, just stop and think of what the story is selling.  The article says the placement of CIA agents throughout the administration’s agencies is commonplace.  The CIA Director is not necessarily aware of these CIA operatives or operations that are taking place within the government.  That point is one well worth thinking about.

However, there’s another larger point that will fly past most casual observers.  The Intelligence Community (IC), and let’s accept this one is likely the CIA (directorate of analysis) from the structure of the political hit, is leaking against DNI Tulsi Gabbard.  Again, think. The issue at the heart of the CIA complaint is null and void unless the CIA publicly complains about it.

If there was a valid, genuine, legitimate and valuable CIA asset within the 37 names who lost their security clearances, the issue would be quickly and quietly resolved by just not taking the action against that person.  Saying nothing, doing nothing, makes the “mistake” (if that’s what it was) disappear.

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a press briefing from the Brady Room.  The anticipated start time is 1:00pm ET, with livestream links below:

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Once again, the narratives of the professional fake-news media collapse.

For several days the media has been saying the Trump administration FBI targeted John Bolton, hence the FBI raid on his home and office.  However, the New York Times now outlines how the investigation into John Bolton began during the Biden administration and picked up speed after they received access to his email information from an “adversarial country’s spy service.”

Apparently, John Bolton used an unclassified email system to send information to his friends and allies.  The emails were intercepted.  Bolton was discussing information that appears to have been the outcome of his access to classified information as National Security Advisor.

CTH has previously outlined how John Bolton’s business model was essentially selling information and influence.  This common DC business model seems to have formed the baseline for him to share sensitive, possibly classified information, of greater value.  This does not come as a surprise.

Selling information is the currency of affluence in Washington DC.  That’s why the removal of security clearances is looked upon as devastating within the beltway.  New York Times story below:

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

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History rhyming is likely just a coincidence. Then again, if it were a coincidence, it wouldn’t be so predictable would it.

Simultaneous with the German economy contracting and Chancellor Fredrich Merz saying the expansive entitlement programs are no longer sustainable, as if on cue the German Bundestag is now promoting conscription to make their military much bigger.

The compulsory military service plan is being decided amid two options. Option #1 is compulsory service reinstated only if the Bundestag vote for it.  Option #2 is mandated military service becomes automatically law if voluntary conscription targets are missed.

This new military service requirement is coming on the heels of Germany pledging to lead the coalition of the willing on NATO spending.  Remember, CIA operations in Ukraine are based out of Germany.

GERMANY – […] Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Cabinet on Wednesday approved a sweeping reform of military service, requiring 18-year-old men to register in a new selection system while keeping actual service voluntary.

Those who choose to sign up — typically for a half-year stint, with the option to extend up to 23 months — will be offered more generous pay and training options.

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Moldova was always important for the goals of the EU elites against the influence of Russia. However, after Georgia rejected the EU manipulation, Moldova became even more important; very, very important.

Moldova is now the frontline battle of the EU Central Bank against pesky Russian ideological intransigence.  All your democracies are belong to us, comrade.  In the background the EU economies are beginning to quiver, led by Germany.

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is worried that if Moldova gains EU membership before Ukraine, his battleground position could be compromised. ‘Hey, wait a minute, we’re no more corrupt than they are.’ Ukraine wants simultaneous attention, priority and ascension.

Moldovan President Saia Sandu squeaked a win in her election with the use of overseas ballots. The highly divided Moldovans living in Moldova didn’t support Sandu, but the mysterious Moldovans who do not live in Moldova supported her. The EU leadership doesn’t want too many people to notice that.

BRUSSELS ― The leaders of France, Germany and Poland are converging Wednesday on tiny Moldova to urge voters to keep turning away from Russia and support their country’s pro-EU government.

The Moldovan president, Maia Sandu, and her governing Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) face a critical Sept. 28 parliamentary election amid warnings that the Kremlin is working to influence the result and derail the country’s efforts to join the EU.

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India is now facing a 50% import tariff against the majority of their goods (electronics and pharmaceuticals exempted). However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed not to yield to the pressure. Modi said the world was witnessing a “politics of economic selfishness.”

For approximately a decade many western countries including the U.S. have heaped effusive praise on India as corporations viewed the massive Indian population, the world’s largest democracy, as both workers and consumers.  However, after the western sanctions against Russia were delivered, India -a BRICS nation- began pulling back from western alignment and influence.

Western sanctions map against Russia (yellow = agree with USA).

What we are witnessing now is one of the ramifications of the U.S. forcefully putting an “us or them” aspect into the strategic economic relationship, where “them” is Russia.  Currently, India is not flinching.

One could make the argument that undeveloped regions in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) contain the majority of the valuable rare earth minerals and magnets the ‘western’ nations need for manufacturing.  BRICS has a pressure point to apply leverage, but no global trade currency, if the trade conflict escalates.

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