President Donald Trump gives an extensive interview to Axios on current events, the comparison between Term 1 and Term 2, and the issues surrounding the ceasefire agreement with Iran.

The conversation centers on Iran, where Trump defends the military campaign, the deal that followed and his decision to stop short of further escalation. He also discusses the Strait of Hormuz, Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu, Cuba, Venezuela, artificial intelligence, Anthropic, China’s AI race and how he thinks about maintaining power in the final stretch of his presidency.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 – Welcome to The Axios Show
0:11 – The one big thing: power
1:37 – “I’m the boss” and the G7
3:36 – What Trump sees in world leaders
4:05 – Trump on Xi Jinping and China
6:11 – Venezuela, military power and oil
7:19 – Trump on Modi, Pakistan and global leadership

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A lot might be said, but little of it will be grounded in reality.  Here’s a general outline that may provide context for the next few weeks.

First, contrary to popular opinion, leaks from inside the IC related to activity within the ODNI will likely come as an outcome from bad actors in the FBI and the attached liaison office. {EXAMPLE HERE} As you may or may not be aware, every intelligence community silo has a liaison attached to the office of the Director of National Intelligence.

What that means is that every IC agency has a person(s) inside the ODNI that can then be the source of information within the larger parent silo. The most frequent leaking child from within the parent agency is the FBI liaison.  Understand this reality and you begin to understand frustration around Kash Patel’s inability to control his agency.

Second, contrary to popular opinion, CIA Director John Ratcliffe will not be able to partner with Acting DNI Pulte in the same direct manner he was with fully confirmed DNI Tulsi Gabbard.  Despite the ODNI technically sitting atop the CIA within the construct of the overall Intelligence Community, there are rules about information flows to non-confirmed “acting” positions.  Deputy DNI Aaron Lukas will have more intelligence capabilities than Pulte.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe will likely not be the source of conversation about this standard, the information to Pulte will likely come from the DNI Legal Counsel Jack Dever, and/or Deputy CIA Director Michael Ellis who also carries the role of General Counsel for the Central Intelligence Agency.

When SSCI Vice-Chair Mark Warner says he is in communication with IC leadership about isolating Acting DNI Bill Pulte from national security information, he is likely outlining contact with the general counsel of the DNI or CIA, or with the Intelligence Community Inspector General’s office. That said, the National Security Advisor, Marco Rubio, could mitigate some of that isolation by requesting IC information Pulte may desire to review.

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It’s a simple word, “out.”  It conveys multiple meanings depending on the context when used.

The rock seems unbreakable; many have hammered it before, but it remains there as a monolith, an immovable object unfazed by all the blows that take place.  The ‘sword in the stone’, just reversed.  Each deliberate spectator picks up the axe and strikes the rock. Each hoping to yield the blow that finally fractures it.

It is wise to remember, the blow that eventually breaks the rock is not singular. In the immediacy of the moment, the glory befalls the last holder of the axe; yet, in reality, the last blow benefits from the invisible weakening provided by prior strikes. It is wise to remember the history; the entirety of the effort.

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Rest well truth warrior, surrounded by the priorities that truly matter.

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The central question remains, and unfortunately it is a question that cannot be answered except by dropping all pretenses. That question is: Was the SARS-CoV-2 release ‘accidental’ or done with ‘intent’.

On her last day as Director of National Intelligence, and I am certain she will never return, what Tulsi Gabbard releases is alarming evidence the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Anthony Fauci, lied -repeatedly- to congress, the media and the American people. {ODNI Link Here}

CTH has long espoused that in the aftermath of the release, the SARS-CoV-2 response, how they reacted to it and all the control mitigation stuff, came from the Intelligence Community and Military.  What DNI Gabbard released is evidence of exactly that aspect; the NIAID under Fauci worked directly with the U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC).

Remember, with emphasis, this is ‘after action’ stuff.

This is post-COVID-release information about what took place within government after the virus was released upon all of us.  The fact that Tulsi had to wait until her final day in office to make this statement, together with the fact that no one has been held to account, and the establishment’s desperate effort from blocking Acting DNI Bill Pulte from succeeding her, only reinforces the conclusion that the people who orchestrated this cover up remain firmly in charge and that part of this battle is far from over.

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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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Speaking to Politico reporters on Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune says, “ask the White House,” when questioned about the status of Jay Clayton’s DNI nomination.

Apparently, Thune is in the dark as to what comes next.

POLITICO – […] Asked whether Clayton’s nomination was being withdrawn, Thune pointed to the White House for answers.  “I’ve never been asked to slow a nomination down before,” he said.

Asked for a further explanation of why Trump effectively killed the Senate GOP’s hopes of quickly confirming Clayton and unlocking an extension of key surveillance law, Thune mentioned the acting director of national intelligence who is set to start Friday: “I think he’s very committed to Bill Pulte.”

“I don’t have good answers for these questions — those are probably better asked of the president and his team,” he added. “We are just executing or trying to execute on what they had asked us to.” (read more)

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Today, President Donald Trump is participating in a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House.

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is in Brussels, Belgium, for a NATO summit and meeting of all NATO defense ministers. As noted by Secretary Hegseth, “going forward, our annual NATO dues will be contingent on other countries meeting their defense spending targets; where other allies do not spend with urgency, our dues contributions will go down,” Hegseth said. “NATO will be a two-way street. It’s only common sense. America cannot care for or pay more for Europe’s defense than our allies do.”

Specifically pointing toward Canada and Prime Minister Mark Carney, Secretary Hegseth noted some are not fulfilling their obligations while simultaneously talking about “middle powers” assembling.  WATCH (prompted)

PRESS STATEMENT – The War Department plans to review its posture and footprint in Europe to determine how the U.S. is supporting NATO, how partners are supporting NATO and whether what’s happening on the ground reflects what President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth believe the alliance should be.

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The Justice Department Fraud Taskforce announced today fifteen individuals, 11 illegal aliens and four U.S. citizens, have been charged and arrested for benefit fraud in Massachusetts. The defendants are charged with more than $1.4 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit fraud, MassHealth benefit fraud and disability and unemployment benefit fraud.

Assistant AG Colin McDonald and Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley announced currently there are 650 fraud investigations ongoing nationwide.  In the Massachusetts operation the illegal aliens used stolen American identities to defraud welfare benefits.  WATCH:

DOJ ANNOUNCEMENT –  […] The following individuals have been charged over the past week. Several defendants’ names are currently unknown at this time, as they have been living under stolen identities:

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