Authored by Andrew Korybko via Substack,

Its successful implementation will help optimize the “military Schengen”, bring about a windfall of profits from facilitating the EU’s trade with Asia that could then be reinvested in its ongoing militarization program, and thus altogether pose a very serious national security concern for Russia.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced late last month that his country will invest €1 billion into expanding the Euroterminal Slawkow railway facility in southwestern Poland, which is significantly the EU’s only cargo hub adapted to handle broad-gauge trains from the former Soviet Union. The plan calls for expanding the existing terminal’s capacity from around 285,000 standard containers per year to half a million and building another terminal to boot, while the long-term plan is to build five of them in total.

As RT’s report about this noted, not only does Tusk envisage Poland profiting more from Ukraine like he earlier explicitly declared that his country will now seek to do, but he also foresees this megaproject helping to expand Poland’s trade with the rest of Europe and even Asia due to its location near the intersection of two European transport corridors. The Asian dimension of future Polish trade through Slawkow is curious though since those trains would have to transit through EU-sanctioned Russia.

Either Tusk expects a thaw in EU-Russian tensions or he expects that this trade will be conducted along the multimodal “Middle Corridor” (MC) linking together China and the EU via Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus, the Black Sea, and then Odessa in this context. About that city’s port, former Polish Deputy Minister of Agriculture Michal Kolodziejczak informally proposed leasing at least one wharf there in April, which was followed by Ukraine inviting Poland to help rebuild its maritime sector.

Moreover, despite bilateral political tensions over Poland’s revival of the Volhynia Genocide dispute and decision to only send more military aid to Ukraine on credit, they signed a cooperation agreement late last month that includes Ukraine helping Polish companies in the country. When coupled with Kolodziejczak’s complementary informal proposal of leasing Ukrainian farmland, the trappings of a master geo-economic plan are emerging that’ll now be briefly described.

Poland is the leader of the “Three Seas Initiative” (3SI), which refers to the regional connectivity projects for fostering integration between the countries of Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), including Ukraine in this context. Ukraine is Poland’s agricultural competitor, however, but Kolodziejczak believes that it can be partially co-opted via his informally proposed farmland leases. Leasing at least one wharf in Odessa and expanding Slawkow can then facilitate Polish agricultural and other exports to Asia via the MC.

At the same time, Slawkow’s expansion also enables Poland to profit from logistically facilitating the EU’s role in Ukraine’s reconstruction, especially neighboring economic powerhouse Germany’s. Furthermore, given Slawkow’s proximity to several European transport corridors, Poland can then play a larger role in intra-EU North-South and East-West trade upon this plan’s completion. Not only that, but it could then facilitate some of these same other EU members’ trade with Asia via the MC, profiting all the way.

Suffice to say, Slawkow also has dual military-logistics purposes vis-à-vis the “military Schengen” just like other major 3SI projects, and some of the profits reaped from the successful implementation of this master geo-economic plan will predictably be reinvested in modernizing Poland’s outdated military-industrial complex.

Poland is also expected to use these profits to purchase more military equipment from the US and South Korea.

This makes Slawkow a very serious national security concern for Russia.

Authored by Tamuz Itai via The Epoch Times,

Just before dawn on June 13, Israel unleashed Operation Rising Lion, its largest air campaign ever, deploying over 200 fighter jets in coordinated waves that dropped more than 330 munitions on at least 100 strategic targets across Iran. The Natanz Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant—vital for housing roughly 1,700 IR4 and IR6 centrifuges, capable of enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels—was hit hard, its above-ground portion severely damaged. Israel also struck additional nuclear sites near Esfahan, Arak, Fordow, Parchin, and multiple IRGC bases—evidence of a meticulously calibrated campaign designed to hobble Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Yet not every fortress fell.

The deeply buried Fordow facility—shielded under hundreds of feet of rock—remains intact, beyond the reach of Israel’s arsenal.

It’s precisely this gap that has stirred urgent talk in Washington: should the United States now bring out its GBU57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the 15-ton bunker-buster designed to penetrate hardened underground sites?

When Precision Strikes Collide With Political Calculus

Iran responded almost immediately, unleashing a barrage of over 150 ballistic missiles and 100 drones toward Israeli territory. The Iron Dome and allied air defenses neutralized the bulk of this threat, with only a fraction breaching the shield, causing limited but symbolic damage. U.S. intelligence officials reported that Iran expended nearly a quarter of its missile stockpile—estimated originally between 2,000 and 3,000—in just days, a testament to its waning capacity.

President Trump, who issued a 60-day deadline in the spring demanding that Iran curtail its nuclear pursuits, faces a choice. According to The Wall Street Journal, he has privately approved military options, including U.S. strikes, yet holds his hand in the public arena—supporting Israel through missile defense deployments and regional force posturing while refraining from final orders. Trump’s posture is not aggressive by impulse—it’s measured with intent. His record suggests he is more anti-failure than anti-action, ready to act decisively, but only with the promise of lasting results.

Bunkers, Bombs, and the Burden of What Comes Next

It’s one challenge to dispatch bunker-busters; it’s another to envision the aftermath. Should a U.S. strike succeed in obliterating Fordow, the question becomes: What fills the vacuum it leaves?

One optimistic scenario, mentioned by some, centers on Reza Pahlavi, the Shah’s exiled son, potentially returning as a transitional figure. A domestic reformer with ties to expatriate moderates, Pahlavi could lay groundwork for a Western-aligned governance, economic reopening, and perhaps even a regional peace architecture reminiscent of the Abraham Accords. But optimism must be tempered. After Saddam Hussein was toppled in Iraq, the country unraveled into sectarian warfare and militant fragmentation, giving rise to ISIS, and later Iranian influence—a sobering aftermath of authoritarian collapse. Iran, for all its faults, retains stronger institutional and historical coherence. Unlike Iraq which was a new country, Iran has centuries of common history.

Still, signs of stress are evident: Tehran has seen mass evacuations; the economy teeters under the weight of sanctions and societal unrest; and the ruling elite, already rattled by losses in Natanz and elsewhere, appear divided. Left unmanaged, this fracture could spawn armed militias—some with control over nuclear-capable or radiological materials—raising the specter of “dirty bombs” that threaten global security.

From Shadows to Sky: Israel’s Intelligence Masterstroke

What elevates Operation Rising Lion from tactical strike to operational marvel is the intelligence architecture underpinning it. All the pieces were prepared over years. For months, Mossad planted explosive drones, sabotaged radar sites, and guided payloads into Iran—a strategy that Bloomberg describes as “hybrid warfare par excellence.” The agency’s creation of an on-ground drone base—believed to be within Iran’s central provinces—enabled precise neutralization of missile launchers and air defenses.

High-end platforms, including F-15I Ra’am “Thunder” fighters outfitted with 2,000-pound BLU109 bunker-busters, complemented stealth missions flown by F35I Adir jets, supported by mid-air refueling and advanced Israeli targeting pods. The synergy between covert human intelligence, cyber operations, drones, and manned aircraft has redefined the upper limits of modern precision warfare.

Hidden Costs: China’s Billion-Dollar Middle East Investment

Amid geopolitical tremors, Beijing watches not with idle detachment but with vested interest. The March 2021 25-year China–Iran strategic partnership, valued at an estimated $300–400 billion, binds China to sustained investment in Iran’s energy, telecoms, transportation, and potentially military sectors.

For China, Iran serves multiple purposes: a sanctioned oil source (allowing the CCP to buy oil cheaper), a bridgehead into Middle Eastern geopolitics, and a lever to distract and divide the West. Should Iran’s regime collapse entirely, China loses that leverage—but if the country fractures, Beijing stands to exploit a fragmented state and erect a new foothold, much as it did post-U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

America’s Crossroads: Strategy Over Showmanship

The gravest miscalculation would be to treat forthcoming U.S. action as another stand-alone military strike. It’s not about the thrill of bunker-busting—it’s overshadowed by the imperative of foresight. U.S. planners must ask: Do we have a viable political roadmap? Can we guide post-strike governance? Do our allies and the international community align on reconstruction or transitional stability? Crucially, can we prevent Beijing from capitalizing on the aftermath?

These are not hypothetical queries—they are the strategic architecture of modern intervention, and I assume over the past week, or more, the U.S. administration has been busy behind the scenes working out these scenarios and reaching out to allies and others.

Conclusion: Legacy Wears the Blueprint, Not the Bomb

The coming decision—whether to drop bunker-busters on Fordow—will echo for generations. A purely kinetic victory that lacks follow-through risks turning tactical success into strategic liability. Worse yet, it could gift Beijing a new canvas of influence at a moment when the West seeks to check its expansion.

President Trump—or any American leader—faces a rare moment of strategic crossroads: drop the bombs, yes—but also draft the blueprint for Iran’s next chapter. Victory without vision is hollow. Only with both can today’s mission transcend into lasting legacy.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge.

A United States Army colonel has been removed from his position on the Pentagon staff supporting the Joint Chiefs after his Israel-critical social media posts were publicized by Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). Until this week, Army Col Nathan McCormack led the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Levant and Egypt branch. That team is part of the Joint Staff J5, which proposes strategies, plans, and policy recommendations to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Within hours of Tuesday’s JNS report, McCormack was yanked from his post, with a Pentagon official telling JNS:

“The individual is being returned to [the Army] while the matter is being investigated…The information on the X account does not reflect the position of the Joint Staff or the Department of Defense…Our global alliances and partnerships are vital to our national security, enhancing our collective defense, deterrence and operational reach.” 

Here are the published comments that led to McCormack’s removal: 

• May 2025: “Netanyahu and his judeosupremacist cronies are determined to prolong the conflict for their own goals: either to remain in power or to annex the land.”

• June 2024: “The more Israel’s death cult escalates toward Hezbollah, the more we will see show-of-force attacks like this and 13 April.” 

• June 2024: “The U.S. has not been an honest broker. We have overwhelmingly enabled Israel’s bad behavior.”

• May 2024: Amid talk of pushing Gaza residents into other countries, McCormack wrote, “[Israel] wants to expel them and cleanse ‘Eretz Israel’ of ethnic Palestinians.” 

• April 2024: “I’ve lately been considering whether we might be Israel’s proxy and not realized it yet. Our worst ‘ally.’ We get literally nothing out of the ‘partnership’ other than the enmity of millions of people in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.” 

• Oct 2023: “I agree that Israel has an absolute right to respond militarily, and that civilians may legally be caught in the crossfire, but you are ignoring the requirement of proportionality. Israel’s responses always (always—not hyperbole) disproportionately target Palestinian civilians.” 

The JNS report that prompted McCormack’s removal from the J5 gave no indication of how his semi-anonymous posts came to the pro-Israel outlet’s attention. Up until his 2021 death, zealously pro-Israel billionaire and mega-campaign-contributor Sheldon Adelson was JNS’s largest single donor​​​​. The JNS article included a disapproving quote from another Adelson-funded entity, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which — despite its generic-sounding name — declared in its initial tax-exempt-status-filing that its goal was to “enhance Israel’s image in North America.” 

McCormack’s posts were made on X under an account using the name “Nate” and the handle “@mick_or_mack,” with a profile that used a cartoon version of himself. His account no longer exists, but several of his posts are still viewable via internet archive links. McCormack didn’t strive for full anonymity, as he once posted a photo of a Meritorious Service Medal certificate showing his full name. In May, he replied to an X user, “I’m the Joint Staff J5 Israel branch chief.” 

The Pentagon told JNS another officer has been assigned to “look into the matter,” but it’s not clear that McCormack violated any Army policies. The branch’s social media guide says “soldiers are encouraged to express their opinions of the political process online and offline.” It advises soldiers to “avoid use of DoD titles, insignia, uniforms or symbols in a way that could imply DoD sanction or endorsement of content on your personal page.” McCormack’s profile included a disclaimer that his posts “do not represent the position of the Department of Defense or any of its components.” Then again, one of his posts might be read as attributing a position to the DOD, as he wrote:

“Along with the World Health Organization and United Nations, we (Department of Defense, Department of State and the U.S. Intelligence Community) consider the Gaza Health Ministry figures to be generally reliable (though not precise), but probably less so now than they were originally due to the general destruction and chaos in Gaza.”

Even if he’s spared any formal discipline, it’s safe to say there’s zero chance McCormack will be returning to his position on the J5 staff. Beyond its general influence over US policy and personnel, Israel has a history of a strong presence directly inside the Pentagon. Here’s how former Army Col. Lawrence Wilkerson — who served as Secretary of State Colin Powell’s chief of staff amid the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq — described what he witnessed:  

🚨Col. Lawrence Wilkerson: ‘It’s UNQUESTIONABLE that the Epstein business was heavily influenced by MOSSAD!’

‘I watched Mossad take over the Pentagon in 2002. The Pentagon was infiltrated by Mossad. They did not need any identification to get through the river entrance to the… pic.twitter.com/rZtnFTPc1k

— Going Underground (@GUnderground_TV) June 9, 2025

A Dallas native and Texas A&M graduate, McCormack was commissioned as an infantry second lieutenant just two months after the United States invaded Iraq based on the false pretense that Saddam Hussein was developing a nuclear weapon. As the United States contemplated that invasion, Benjamin Netanyahu told Congress: 

“There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is seeking and is working and is advancing towards the development of nuclear weapons—no question whatsoever.” 

“If you take out Saddam, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region.” 

McCormack would later be deployed to Iraq, where he surely witnessed for himself the utter emptiness of Netanyahu’s claims, and the catastrophic consequences of acting on them. As the Pentagon participated in deliberations over joining another Middle East war on nearly-identical premises, Colonel McCormack’s contrarian perspective might have been particularly valuable at such a pivotal moment. 

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

A unanimous panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has struck down California’s “1-in-30” gun rationing law as unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.

The law restricted citizens to one gun purchase every 30 days and was based on a ridiculous rationale that was shredded by the three-judge panel.

California Penal Code § 27535(a) states that individuals may not apply “to purchase more than one firearm within any 30-day period,” and § 27540(f) prohibits a firearms dealer from delivering any firearm if the dealer is notified that “the purchaser has made another application to purchase a handgun, semiautomatic centerfire rifle, completed frame or receiver, or firearm precursor part” within the preceding 30-day period.

Writing for the court, Judge Danielle Jo Forrest found the California law facially unconstitutional. She wrote:

California suggests that the Second Amendment only guarantees a right to possess a single firearm, and that Plaintiffs’ rights have not been infringed because they already possess at least one firearm.

California is wrong.

The Second Amendment protects the right of the people to “keep and bear Arms,” plural. U.S. Const. amend. II (emphasis added).

This “guarantee[s] the individual right to possess and carry weapons.” Heller, 554 U.S. at 592 (emphasis added).

And not only is “Arms” stated in the plural, but this term refers to more than just guns. It includes other weapons and instruments used for defense. See id. at 581. California’s interpretation would mean that the Second Amendment only protects possession of a single weapon of any kind. There is no basis for interpreting the constitutional text in that way.

The court rightfully dismisses the state’s forced and frankly frivolous argument.

It then delivers a particularly lethal line on the historical prong of the analysis.

Next, the panel held that California’s law is not supported by this nation’s tradition of firearms regulation. Bruen requires a “historical analogue,” not a “historical twin,” for a modern firearm regulation to pass muster. Here, the historical record does not even establish a historical cousin for California’s one-gun-a-month law.

Here is the opinion: Nguyen v. Bontan

President Trump addressed the nation at 2200ET and said that with “massive precision strikes”, Iran’s nuclear facilities have “been completely and totally obliterated” in a “spectacular military success.”

He warned Iran (“the bully of the Middle East”) that if they do not come to peace then there are many other targets:

“There will be either peace; or tragedy for Iran worse than the likes of which we have seen over the last eight days.”

“If peace does not come quickly,” we will go after the rest of the nation with “speed and skill.”

He ended the speech by saying “God bless The Middle East, Gold bless Israel, and God bless The United States.”

Watch:

BREAKING: President Trump says Iran’s nuclear facilities have been “totally obliterated.” pic.twitter.com/doentvmWLS

— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) June 22, 2025

President Trump then posted this to his X account

And The White House released photos from The Situation Room as the strikes occurred:

White House releases photos from situation room as attack on Iran unfolded pic.twitter.com/et2Akb8j7r

— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) June 22, 2025

*  *  *

Update (2133ET): 

Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin revealed that the B-2 bombers spotted heading to Guam were part of a calculated deception to draw attention westward:

“It’s notable how much deception was involved in this operation. All eyes were looking west towards Guam.” 

“The 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs were dropped at Fordo. And as we have reported, there are two entrances to Fordo.” 

“At least two bombs at each, two entrances, which suggests at least two B-2s were involved over Fordow. My suspicion is that there were more.”

JUST IN: Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin says the B-2 bombers heading to Guam were a distraction to keep all eyes “looking west.”

“It’s notable how much deception was involved in this operation. All eyes were looking west towards Guam…”

“The 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs were… pic.twitter.com/X7jnExPoWJ

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 22, 2025

Sean Hannity revealed he spoke directly with President Trump, who confirmed the scope of the U.S. strike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility:

• Six “bunker buster” bombs were dropped by multiple B-2 stealth bombers.

• Thirty Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from U.S. submarines positioned approximately 400 miles away.

Hannity added, “Everyone is out of harm’s way for now.”

JUST IN: Sean Hannity says he spoke with President Trump, reveals 6 ‘Bunker Buster’ bombs were dropped on Iran’s Fordo nuclear plant.

– 6 ‘Bunker Buster’ bombs dropped from multiple B-2s

– 30 Tomahawk missiles launched by U.S. submarines from ~400 miles away.

“Everyone is out… pic.twitter.com/JLz0U6fY94

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 22, 2025

*   *   * 

Update (2005ET): 

Hours after U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers departed Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri en route to the Indo-Pacific region, President Trump announced that U.S. forces had “successfully attacked” three nuclear sites in Iran—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.

The president wrote on his Truth Social:

We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space.

A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.

Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.

There has been no confirmation from President Trump regarding what type of USAF bombers conducted the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, based on timing and strategic capability, it is plausible that B-2 Spirit stealth bombers—previously observed departing Whiteman Air Force Base—were involved in the operation.

Graphic via X user (((Tendar)):

Operational details remain scarce pending President Trump’s scheduled address to the nation at 10 p.m. EST.

*TRUMP: WILL ADDRESS NATION AT 10:00 P.M https://t.co/9c50F2Ew3v

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) June 22, 2025

pic.twitter.com/5z5p2JMPf1

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 22, 2025

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who recently introduced a bipartisan War Powers Resolution aimed at prohibiting “unauthorized U.S. military hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran,” voiced sharp criticism of the Trump administration following the strikes.

Posting on X, Massie wrote, “This is not Constitutional.”

This is not Constitutional. https://t.co/EU3fS5jcwb

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) June 21, 2025

Polymarket bets… No leaks this time. 

“US military now briefing troops that its strike on Iran “will likely result in counterstrikes on US bases and facilities” in the Middle East, and “likely activate Iran and other foreign terrorist organizations cells abroad including the US to conduct strikes against US persons and facilities,” according to briefing I obtained,” reporter Ken Klippenstein wrote on X. 

US military now briefing troops that its strike on Iran “will likely result in counterstrikes on US bases and facilities” in the Middle East, and “likely activate Iran and other foreign terrorist organizations cells abroad including the US to conduct strikes against US persons…

— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) June 22, 2025

Threats to the US Homeland:

• October 2024: State Department Alerts Congress: Iranian Spy Teams Are Attempting To Assassinate Former Trump Officials

• January 2025: Former CIA Officer Warns: 1,000 Al-Qaeda Fighters In US For Next Homeland Attack

Ah, yes, the war programming in US movies… 

*   *   * 

As the Israel–Iran conflict enters Day 9, President Trump has publicly stated he will wait two weeks before deciding whether to authorize U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. In parallel, U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are being repositioned to forward operating bases in the Indo-Pacific—possibly Andersen Air Force Base in Guam or Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago—indicating a deliberate show of force and strategic signaling of U.S. readiness for multi-theater operations.

Fox News confirmed six B-2 stealth bombers have taken off from Whiteman AFB in Missouri and are likely to be staged at Andersen AFB in Guam.

🚨BREAKING: 6 U.S. B2 stealth bombers appear headed towards Guam

— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 21, 2025

Plus air tankers. 

BREAKING: U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers appear to have taken off from their base in Missouri. These are the exact aircraft needed to hit the heavily fortified Iranian Fordow Nuclear Site.

Eight tankers are in flight, headed the same direction, refueling the B-2 bombers… pic.twitter.com/an8Z2xlKJJ

— Hunterbrook (@hntrbrkmedia) June 21, 2025

There is no official confirmation regarding the current force posture or final destination of the stealth bombers. For months, the USAF has staged these nuclear-capable bombers at Diego Garcia (in range of Iran)—often referred to as America’s “unsinkable aircraft carrier“—located between Africa and Indonesia, approximately 1,000 miles south of India.

“President Donald Trump, who has said he will make a decision on U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, is expected to return to the White House on Saturday afternoon. The president is expected to receive intelligence briefings with the National Security Council on Saturday and Sunday as he considers possible actions against Iran,” Fox News noted. 

The island provides strategic access for stealth bombers to the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and across the Indian Ocean.

Previous staging of B-2s at Diego Garcia:

• Stealth Bombers Reportedly Deploying To America’s “Unsinkable Carrier”

• Satellite Imagery Confirms Stealth Bomber Buildup At America’s “Unsinkable Carrier”

• If Everything Is Going To Be Okay, Why Are The U.S. & The EU Feverishly Preparing For World War III?

Staging B-2s at Guam or Diego Garcia is a clear signal of deterrence to adversaries, whether that’s Iran in the Middle East or China and North Korea in Asia. The mere presence of these stealth bombers can be both preemptive and psychological. 

More force posture: This week, the USAF has repositioned additional fighter aircraft and aerial refueling tankers across key regional bases in Europe, coinciding with Israel’s Operation Rising Lion targeting Iranian assets. The moves come amid growing speculation that President Trump may authorize direct U.S. military involvement within the next two weeks unless Tehran makes a deal with the U.S.

The abject insanity of the political left cannot be overstated when it comes to the issue of transgenderism.  The notion of gender fluidity is built upon a swampy foundation, with a handful of questionable scientific papers primarily backed by pharmaceutical companies acting as the only evidence that trans “identity” has any basis in reality.  At bottom, the transgender debate is a perfect example of what happens when science becomes political. 

When corporate greed meets ideological cultism there is little room for objective analysis.  Progressives took an extreme minority of aberrant mental health cases (people with the psychological illness of gender dysphoria) and turned them into an international movement to deny basic biology and psychology.

No society should ever enable or embrace mental illness as a cultural ideal.  In particular, vulnerable children should be kept far away from emotionally unstable, morally bankrupt political zealots.  The western world is well aware of what happens when cult movements get their hands on little kids.

It would appear that the majority of the US Supreme Court agrees with this assessment with their latest 6-3 decision to uphold a ban on gender affirming care for minors in the state of Tennessee.  With its decision in Skrmetti v. United States, the Supreme Court has delivered a decisive blow to the transgender activist movement which has long sought to spread their ideology throughout the US.  The top goal of these activists is to normalize the trans grooming of children.

To be clear, this decision does not require states to ban gender-affirming care, but it does protect the ability of states to ban the practice.  The Tennessee case sets a precedent that will inspire similar bans throughout most of the US.   

In response, most Democrat politicians remain surprisingly quiet which has infuriated far-left progressives.  Democrats suffered severe political consequences for their blind support for transgender activism, losing the presidency, the House, the Senate and the popular vote in 2024.  Wokeness helped to destroy their party and they are trying to distance themselves.  Dem leaders seeking a potential White House run in 2028 are particularly absent from the debate.

Lefists argue that this represents a “betrayal” on the part of Democrats and on the part of SCOTUS.  They say the court’s decision is “devastating”, which makes little sense to normal people but perfect sense when you understand how important the grooming of children is for trans ideologues.  

In 2007 the very first transgender youth clinic was opened in Boston, MA.  By 2017 there were 41 such clinics across the US.  From 2017 to 2024, at least 300 trans clinics aimed specifically at children were built.  The institutions were spreading like a cancer.  

In 2017 the narrative was that there was no such thing as transgender treatments for children.  Leftist completely denied the practice existed.  Post-2020, the Overton Window shifted; Democrat leaders and progressive activists not only admitted that puberty blockers and gender-based surgeries were being administered to children, they argued that to prevent this from happening was akin to “genocide”.  

Between 2019 and 2023 around 14,000 American kids received puberty blockers and other treatments (which permanently sterilize them and ruin their physical development for the rest of their lives).  At least 5700 of those kids underwent trans surgeries.   

The claim among trans advocates is that children are aware of their gender fluid identity at a early age and have the cognitive ability to consent to such treatments, even without a parent’s knowledge.  Trans propaganda in public schools led to the rise of “trans trenders” – Minors who jumped on the bandwagon in order to fit in or stand out as “special”.  Then there is the problem of leftist narcissist parents who push their children into transgenderism because they see their kids as political fashion accessories instead of human beings.

Social media is rife with abuser parents manipulating their kids into believing they are trans.  

While conservatives and libertarians tend to demand limits on government interference in individual decision making, one area in which most of them agree is that kids do not have the ability to consent.  Undergoing transgender treatment is a life altering decision that cannot be left to easily impressionable minors, or their parents for that matter.  Not all “freedoms” are inherently good.

Scientifically speaking, there are only two genders and there is no evidence whatsoever that “trans children” are a reality.  The assertion that these kids will be more prone to suicide if they don’t receive puberty blockers and surgeries is baseless.  There is no historical precedent for what is happening in the west today when it comes to gender fluid theory.  Chemical castration and chopping off body parts for aesthetic purposes is not healthcare.

Such children are, in fact, being used as guinea pigs to satisfy a monstrous political experiment in biological and moral relativism.  This can no longer be tolerated.

Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times,

The Los Angeles Dodgers said on Friday that it has committed $1 million in financial aid to support illegal immigrant families affected by recent federal immigration operations in Los Angeles.

The Dodgers has refrained from directly referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in its statement, instead expressing its intent to help illegal immigrants affected by “recent events” in the city.

“What’s happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected,” Los Angeles Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement.

The Dodgers also stated that it plans to partner with the local community and labor organizations, including the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, in the coming days to provide more support to those affected.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed her gratitude to the Dodgers for providing support.

“These last weeks have sent shockwaves of fear rippling through every neighborhood and have had a direct impact on our economy,” Bass said in the statement.

The Dodgers said on June 19 that it had denied ICE officers access to the parking lot at Dodger Stadium, although Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials disputed this claim.

DHS clarified that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) vehicles used the Dodger Stadium parking lot only “very briefly,” and that they had “nothing to do with the Dodgers.”

The department also made clear that CBP’s presence at the stadium was “unrelated to any operation or enforcement.”

Los Angeles has just experienced two weeks of protests stemming from the arrest of dozens of illegal immigrants as part of federal deportation efforts. Hundreds of protesters have been arrested in the demonstrations, which led to property damage and injuries.

President Donald Trump authorized the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to quell riots and protect federal property, despite objections from California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Trump said on June 16 that ICE officers have been subjected to violence and threats from opponents of the operation, but added that it won’t deter his administration from carrying out its mandate.

“Our federal government will continue to be focused on the remigration of aliens to the places from where they came, and preventing the admission of anyone who undermines the domestic tranquility of the United States,” the president stated in a Truth Social post.

Trump urged ICE agents to do everything they can to carry out what he called the “largest mass deportation operation of illegal aliens in history,” with a particular focus on sanctuary cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where many illegal immigrants are located.

NGOs and connected insiders have made a small fortune on “green” initiatives. As dam removal projects fail to deliver on the restorative promises of west coast governors, devastated agricultural communities are beginning to follow the green trail and ask,  “Cui Bono?”

In a scathing critique, a video posted by @americaunwon on X (see below) exposes the disastrous aftermath of the Klamath Dam removals, labeling it a “catastrophe” for both fish populations and local communities. 

The video, criticizing the removal of four dams along the Klamath River—the largest such project in U.S. history—addresses how an “ungodly amount” of sediment unleashed decimated fish habitats, and a rural agricultural economy while undermining the stated goal of restoring the river’s ecosystem.

Siskiyou County, California resident and farmer, Theodora Johnson, accuses environmental NGOs like American Rivers and government entities of hypocrisy, after decades of shutting down timber and mining operations due to fears of sediment release. Johnson argues that regulations, intended to protect fish and wildlife, destroyed rural economies, while releasing an estimated 16.8 million tons of sediment, silt, clay, and heavy metals such as aluminum, chromium, and lead—killing off fish populations for decades to come. 

“Even if you’re a person who agreed that it was cool to destroy people’s livelihoods and homes, because it was going to save a bunch of fish, you need to know, they didn’t save any fish. They just destroyed a bunch of fish and their habitat for decades to come,” Johnson asserts, frustrated with the one-sided reporting of the issue. 

Over a decade after the Elwha Dam was removed – the claimed picture of success – fish populations have still not returned to pre dam removal levels after the sudden sediment release of 20 million tons resulted in a mass fish kill. Now blamed on climate change, experts have quietly acknowledged that it could be decades longer before salmonid populations return to pre-removal numbers—stressing a need for increased funding. 

Cui Bono? Only DOGE Knows…

So, if the public isn’t benefiting, who really benefits from these taxpayer funded projects?

Biden’s Green Gravy Train

The KRRC, a 501(c)(3) front formed under the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA), was backed by a who’s-who of green NGOs: American Rivers, California Trout, Klamath Riverkeeper, Northern California Council–Federation of Fly Fishers, Salmon River Restoration Council, Sustainable Northwest, Trout Unlimited, and the Institute for Fisheries Resources. 

Not long after KRRC was appointed to oversee the dam removal, the board came under scrutiny for ties to the very environmental groups pushing for the project. 

While the project itself was funded by $215 million from PacifiCorp ratepayers, $265 million from California’s Proposition 1, $15 million from Oregon taxpayers, and $50–$100 million from Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Biden’s Department of Interior shoveled out another “landmark” $72 million. 

According to the Department of the Interior’s BIL allocations for Klamath Basin restoration, the NGOs represented by board members received direct cash infusions upwards of $10 million in grants as “sub contractors.”

Thanks to DOGE, and X user @DataRepublican we also know that $65,558,108.23 were allocated to these same NGOs, states and tribes for “Klamath River Basin” projects, while exposing insanely high salaries—as reported by Laura Loomer.

EXCLUSIVE:

🚨High Salaries Exceeding $1.2 MILLION PER YEAR at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Amidst Federal Funding Waste Scandals EXPOSED🚨

Through my investigation into the financial dealings of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), established… pic.twitter.com/QV98UnPhjF

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) February 11, 2025

Progressivism: Wash – Rinse – Repeat

Decades after FDR’s progressive New Deal, state and federal regulations prevent the dams – built with America’s tax dollars- from operating at full capacity today. Even after being regulated out of usefulness, more progressive Green New Deal initiatives – slated to replace America’s infrastructure – are being shut down by the same environmental groups. 

Following Ivanpah Solar Plant’s $2.2 billion flop, Oregon’s 2.4 GW offshore wind farms off Coos Bay and Brookings threaten a repeat. 

While critics argue that green projects are steeped in taxpayer subsidized disasters, it’s not fish, but rural communities and family farms that are being displaced by these disasters.

Dam removals are being planned across the West. But no one wants to talk about what’s happening at the Klamath River… pic.twitter.com/ynb1ko1YrR

— UNWON | Keely Covello (@americaunwon) June 10, 2025

Keely Covello, of AmericaUnWon, warns that similar dam removal projects are being planned all across the West. Echoing concerns that junk science, and misinformation have fueled political agendas, Covello urges immediate reevaluation, as farming communities wait to learn if the Big Beautiful Bill will save them from the economic, environmental and regulatory oppression of Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

America’s highways have become not just a mess but a national security threat, as the Biden–Harris regime oversaw a four-year surge in migrants obtaining non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs). The situation has grown so dire that President Trump recently signed an executive order requiring all CDL holders to demonstrate English proficiency—a policy slated to take effect next week.

The latest chaos unfolded on a stretch of highway in northern Baltimore County, where a truck driver identified as Christian Ramos, 28, of Aurora, Illinois, went on an alleged shooting spree Wednesday night, according to Maryland State Police.

The incident occurred just before midnight when a Toyota Prius carrying three people, including a toddler, was shot at near the Shawan Exit, about ten miles north of Towson, Maryland.

No injuries were reported, but a bullet was found lodged in the front seat of the Prius. Ramos, driving a Tag Trans Inc. tractor-trailer, was identified through dashcam footage as the shooter and arrested at a TA Travel Center in Elkton, Maryland, where MSP found a .45-caliber handgun and ammunition.

🚨 ALARMING: TRUCKER SHOOTING SPREE

Maryland State Police arrested Christian Ramos, 28, from Illinois, after he allegedly shot at a Toyota Prius with a 2-year-old inside on I-83 in Baltimore County. No injuries, but a bullet hole was found in the car’s window. Ramos, driving a… pic.twitter.com/WynCfJ1jXq

— American Truckers (@atutruckers) June 21, 2025

“Investigators later learned that Pennsylvania State Police are also investigating three shootings that occurred Wednesday night along I-83 in Pennsylvania between 10:00 p.m. and midnight,” MSP stated. 

The trucking advocacy group American Truckers United commented on X, noting:

This incident involving Christian Ramos reflects a troubling trend of unvetted truck drivers contributing to a surge in wrecks and public safety threats across the United States.

The expansion of the non-domicile CDL program has allowed an unprecedented influx of drivers, compounded by lax vetting processes and fast-tracked commercial driver’s licenses, leading to dangerous incidents like this shooting spree and the earlier bomb threat in South Carolina involving another Illinois-based driver.

According to data from Overdrive, the sanctuary state of Illinois flooded America’s highways with non-domiciled CDL holders: 

ZeroHedge investigators contacted MSP regarding Christian Ramos’ citizenship status but were referred to Illinois authorities for further information.

Recall an earlier note from American Truckers….

Tens of thousands of migrants received commercial driver’s licenses after Biden made the process for them to obtain one easier. Many don’t know how to drive these massive trucks.

Biden caused a public safety nightmare on our roads.

This is terrifying.https://t.co/h7QNQ8WvmM

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 6, 2025

What a mess.