WAIT, WHAT?!

Canada's Carney talks security guarantees with Zelenskyy in Kyiv, reiterates possibly providing Canadian troops

CBC
Sat 23 August 2025 

Prime Minister Mark Carney delivers a speech alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a ceremony on Independence Day in Sophia Square in Kyiv Ukraine, on Sunday. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press - image credit)

With the prospects for peace appearing as distant as ever — despite attempts by the Trump administration to broker a settlement in the war between Ukraine and Russia — Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday unveiled details of Canada's $2 billion in additional military aid.

Carney also publicly committed to reintroducing troops to the war-torn country in some capacity should there ever be a ceasefire.

It's Carney's first official visit to the war-torn country. He met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a time when the prospects for peace appear as distant as ever despite attempts by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia settlement.

In a speech in historic Sophia Square in Kyiv on Ukraine's Independence Day, Carney said more than $1 billion of the aid package will be used to finance the purchase of high-priority equipment from the United States, through NATO, as well as ammunition, and advance drone and armoured vehicle production from Canadian suppliers.

Another $220 million will be set aside to purchase drone, counter-drone, and electronic warfare capabilities, which will include investments in joint ventures between Ukrainian and Canadian industry. The two countries signed a Letter of Intent on Canada-Ukraine Joint Production of Defence Material.

During his visit Sunday to Kyiv, Prime Minister Mark Carney reiterated Canada's commitment to providing military and other aid to Ukraine. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Carney reiterated his support for Canada's participation in the "coalition of the willing," and did not rule out providing boots on the ground in Ukraine, but it's not clear whether that would be in a training capacity or as part of a peacekeeping force.

Canada had troops in Ukraine to conduct military training up to the full Russian invasion in February 2022. It has continued the training program, known as Operation Unifier, in other countries, including the United Kingdom and Poland.

The additional $2 billion in defence aid was announced at the G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis, Alta., in June.

Ukraine marks Independence Day celebrations

Carney's trip was made under a strict news blackout and amid tight security as the Ukrainian capital is a frequent target for Russian missile and drone strikes.

The prime minister's visit coincides with Ukraine's Independence Day celebrations. He was invited as a "special guest," according to Canadian officials who briefed journalists about the journey. Ukraine, which has always had its own distinct cultural identity, declared its independence on Aug. 24, 1991, heralding the collapse of the Soviet Union less than six months later.

Carney said the lessons of history are obvious.

"We know that Putin can never be trusted," he said in his speech. "We know that true peace and security will require security guarantees for Ukraine."
In search of security guarantees

As a hedge against Russia using a possible ceasefire — or peace settlement — as simply a pause between wars, Ukraine is asking allies for concrete guarantees and measures of support.

"Putin has broken his word repeatedly from Minsk to this morning," Carney said in reference to the two failed attempts at peace brokered in Minsk, Belarus, prior to Russia's full invasion.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently led a delegation to discuss what allies are prepared to offer in terms of postwar guarantees. He was accompanied by senior American generals and top national security advisers from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Finland, and met with Andriy Yermak, the top adviser to Zelenskyy, according to local media reports.

At the same time, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was also in Kyiv. At a recent news conference, he spoke with Zelenskyy and said the postwar guarantees would consist of two distinct elements — further strengthening the Ukrainian army and deterrence commitments from the U.S. and other allies, including Canada, to prevent future aggression by Russia.

Carney praised Trump's desire to push for peace, but cautioned the allies need to be prepared for the postwar world.

"When that peace comes, we cannot simply trust and verify — we must deter and fortify," the prime minister said.

Obstacles to peace

One of the major stumbling blocks toward peace is the Kremlin's continued, outright refusal to accept U.S.-backed security guarantees.

In an English-language social media post last week, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia's security council and the former president, wrote that Russia has categorically stated there should be no NATO involvement in any potential peacekeeping force inside of Ukraine.

Medvedev insisted there's no need for postwar security guarantees.

Other Russian lawmakers, also last week, suggested Ukraine should follow the Second World War example of Finland, which was invaded by the Soviet Union, and simply ceded territory and became a neutral country, according to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, which tracks political and military developments in regular reports.

Russia is demanding Ukraine cede Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk provinces in the south and east of the country.

Carney said it's not up to Russia to dictate Ukraine's future security arrangements.

Canada in strategic agreement with EU

As well as support for continued armament of Ukraine, Canada has signed a strategic defence agreement with the European Union, which will facilitate joint purchases and production among allies, including Ukraine.

At the time of the signing, drones were mentioned as a possible area of co-operation between Canada and Ukraine, given that country's stunning and innovative use of the remotely controlled technology.

Last week, the United States and Ukraine announced a $50-billion drone co-operation initiative, one of the largest strategic commitments between the two nations.

Because Ukraine needs every piece of military equipment at the front, the country prohibits defence exports to other countries.

Ukraine's Arms Monitor, an online digest that tracks equipment related to the war, reported last week that Ukrainian officials, under pressure from the domestic industry, are considering slightly relaxing the restriction, but only for the most trusted allies — likely NATO members — who have the capacity to safeguard sensitive technology.

Canadian PM Carney, in Ukraine, says he can't rule out sending peacekeepers

Max Hunder
Sun 24 August 2025  

REUTERS

Canadian PM Carney, in Ukraine, says he can't rule out sending peacekeepers

KYIV (Reuters) -Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday he backed Ukraine's calls for robust security guarantees as part of any peace deal, saying Canada would not rule out sending troops under such a framework.

Three and a half years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump is leading peace efforts and Ukraine is working with its European allies to draft potential frameworks for post-war security guarantees for Kyiv, which Trump has also expressed openness towards.

Carney, making his first visit to Ukraine since taking office in March, joined Zelenskiy for a ceremony in central Kyiv to mark Ukrainian Independence Day, which was also attended by Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg.

"We are all working to ensure that the end of this war would mean the guarantee of peace for Ukraine, so that neither war nor the threat of war are left for our children to inherit," Zelenskiy told a crowd of dignitaries in Kyiv's Sophia Square, against the backdrop of an 11th century cathedral.

Zelenskiy has said he wants future security guarantees as part of a potential peace deal to be as close as possible to NATO's Article 5, which considers an attack on one member state as an attack against all.

Carney backed Ukraine's calls for potential international participation.

"In Canada's judgment, it is not realistic that the only security guarantee could be the strength of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ... that needs to be buttressed and reinforced," Carney told a joint press conference.

The two leaders also signed an agreement on drone co-production, and Carney said Ukraine would receive more than C$1 billion ($723 million) in military aid from a previously announced package next month.

'WE NEED PEACE'

Zelenskiy presented Kellogg with a state honour during Sunday's ceremony, telling him "we need peace" as he gave him a medal in a leather case.

Later in the day, Kellogg met Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, who said they had discussed the Ukraine-U.S. minerals agreement as well as the security guarantees issue.

During the press conference with Carney, Zelenskiy was asked about a story in the Wall Street Journal which said the Pentagon had for months been quietly blocking Ukraine's use of the U.S.-supplied ATACMS missile to hit targets in Russia.

A source familiar with the matter said while there was never a formal suspension in long-range attacks, the Pentagon had created a review process that has so far not authorized a strike with the ATACMS deep inside Russia.

In response, Zelenskiy said Kyiv has of late been using its own domestically produced long-range weapons to hit targets inside Russia, which are not cleared with Washington.

"Lately we have not been discussing this issue with the United States," he said.

Ukraine has said it conducted overnight strikes on an oil refinery in Russia's Samara region, as well as a gas fractionation facility at Ust-Luga, a Russian port which is a key energy export node.

($1 = 1.3826 Canadian dollars)

Carney Pushes Energy, Defense Deals in Europe in Pivot From US

Laura Dhillon Kane
Sat 23 August 2025

BLOOMBERG

Mark Carney during a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 22.

(Bloomberg) -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is visiting Poland, Germany and Latvia to strengthen defense and industrial partnerships, with a particular focus on growing his country’s nuclear and critical minerals sectors.

Carney arrived in Poland on Saturday and intends to meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Monday, government officials said at a background briefing with reporters. He’ll meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Tuesday, and Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa in Riga on Wednesday.

The Canadian leader has been pushing hard to diversify the country’s trading relationships and reduce its security reliance on the US, often calling Canada “the most European of non-European countries.”

The trip comes a day after Carney announced he would remove many retaliatory tariffs against US products in an olive branch to President Donald Trump, after Canada blew past an Aug. 1 deadline without reaching a trade deal.

In Warsaw, Carney and Tusk plan to finalize a bilateral strategic partnership on energy and security, and the Canadian prime minister will also meet with business leaders to discuss nuclear and other clean power sectors. In Berlin, he and Merz will announce an agreement to cooperate on critical minerals and he’ll meet with investors in the industry.

Carney also intends to emphasize Canada’s commitment to the long-term security of Ukraine and Europe, with his final stop in Riga focused on the Canadian Armed Forces’ largest overseas mission, known as Operation Reassurance. The prime minister will visit a military base and meet with deployed members.

Carney's trip to Europe aims to encourage trade, defence and energy co-operation

CBC
Sat 23 August 2025 


Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks to reporters at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Friday. He'll be travelling to Germany, Poland and Latvia next week. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press - image credit)

Economic and security ties are front and centre as Prime Minister Mark Carney meets allies over the next few days in eastern and central Europe.

The prime minister will be travelling not only to Germany but also Poland and Latvia, where he'll meet with key business and political leaders, as well as Canadian troops deployed throughout the region.

The German portion of the trip was acknowledged on Friday by Carney as he answered questions about the removal of some reciprocal tariffs on the United States.

"Canada has a good partnership with Germany. It's been built up over the years, but it can be much, much better, and I'm confident that with this chancellor, and the focus of our government, that it will," he said.

Carney said he will meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Tuesday. Following his remarks, a senior government official expanded on the itinerary, saying there will be meetings with key German business leaders.

The German government in a statement announced the planned meeting ahead of Carney's news conference on Friday.

In Poland, Canada is expected to finalize a bilateral strategic partnership focused on energy and security. Carney will also meet with Canadian troops deployed in the country.

In Latvia, Carney will get a first-hand look at the Canadian-led NATO brigade and is scheduled to meet with the Baltic nation's prime minister, Evika Siliņa.

"This visit to Europe is an opportunity to strengthen relations with European allies, and to progress co-operation in key areas, including trade, energy, critical minerals and defence," said the senior official who was authorized to speak on background only.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson and Defence Minister David McGuinty will accompany the prime minister on different legs of the trip

Canada can play 'important role' in Ukraine peace deal

The meetings with allies come as uncertainty hangs over the bid by U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia has stepped up its bombing campaign — launching one of its heaviest missile and drone assaults since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022 — following last week's summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with NBC News on Friday that there is currently no plan for Putin to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Putin would meet Zelenskyy "when the agenda is ready for a summit," he said, noting that "this agenda is not ready at all."

Lavrov also accused Zelenskyy of failing to accept Russia's demanded preconditions for negotiation, namely discussion about "territorial issues."

At the same time, Ukraine is looking for concrete security guarantees from allies, including the U.S., before agreeing to a potential peace deal. Carney said he spoke with Trump about the subject.

U.S. President Donald Trump, left, greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he arrives at the White House, in Washington, D.C., on Monday. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)

As a member of the "coalition of the willing" led by France and Britain, Carney said Canada will have a role to play in security guarantees. But precisely what that will look like is uncertain.

"Canada has the potential to have an important role," the prime minister said. "So, we're very engaged in these sets of issues."

Appearing last week on CBC Radio's The House, Canada's top military commander, Gen. Jennie Carignan, said she's had a number of discussions with other allied defence chiefs and that the shape of each country's involvement is still being determined.

Much will depend on what the ceasefire or the potential peace deal will look like: "There's a lot of unknown at the moment, but one thing is for sure is that they will need a requirement for training and development for Ukrainian forces to assume their own security," Carignan, chief of the defence staff, said.

In Kyiv, meanwhile, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization met with top Ukrainian officials.

"We are now working together — Ukraine, the Europeans, the United States — to make sure that these security guarantees are of such a level that Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin sitting in Moscow will never try to attack Ukraine again," Mark Rutte said.

Trump is making it harder than ever to have an American holiday – and tourists are taking note

Robert Jackman
Sun 24 August 2025 

THE INDEPENDENT

trump tourism

Donald Trump loves a bit of American exceptionalism. But here’s one accolade that we won’t be hearing from the mouth of the president: the US is set to be the only major economy to suffer a decline in tourism spending this year.

The verdict comes from the World Travel and Tourism Council, which presumably knows its stuff. And while it is just a projection, it isn’t exactly out of line with some of the things that we know are happening, with foreign visitors to the States down by 12 per cent year on year.

Given the pugilistic state of American politics, arguing over whether Mr Trump should share part of the blame or not is always a risky exercise. But the Maga hardcore would have to admit that this administration hasn’t helped itself when it comes to international tourism, showing, at best, a cavalier attitude towards America’s image abroad.

Of course, the president isn’t exactly anti-tourism. He’s repeatedly talked up events like the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which are expected to draw more than 50 million visitors between them. But all too often, tourism seems to take second billing to other, more Trumpian goals.

Border security would be the obvious one. But while Trump may have triumphed in last year’s election by promising to secure the border, did anyone really cast their vote on the basis that more tourists would end up shackled and deported for minor infractions, as we’ve seen with cases like Rebecca Burke – the young woman from Wales detained for 19 days?

Earlier this month, Donald Trump signed an executive order creating a White House task force to help coordinate the 2028 Olympic Games - Getty

Some in the administration have suggested that one potential problem with foreign visitors is the possibility that some “overstayers” will slip through the net and end up abusing their visa to work in the grey economy. Already, the Trump administration has shaken up the rules around student visas with that concern in mind.

Now the US government is set to do similar with tourism, hence the requirement for certain nationals (currently those from Zambia and Malawi) to cough up a $15,000 (£11,300) security deposit in order to obtain a tourist visa. The administration has suggested that the pilot programme could be extended to other nations too, in time.

To be fair, Britons should be safe either way, given that US government numbers suggest that only a tiny fraction of us take liberties with our ESTA visa-waiver permits. Though those travellers who need a full visa may end up having to cough up for the new $250 visa integrity fee, included within Trump’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill”.

In any event, arguing over the exact details is only part of the picture. The bigger point is that this bombardment of tougher rules will have already sent a signal around the world that the US is becoming less welcoming to tourism.

And that’s before we get to the increased fixation with vetting travellers’ social media, like the French researcher refused entry in the spring after border officials found messages and memes that were seen as anti-Trump.
‘Anti-American attitudes’

Again, the underlying issue is nothing new: US border agents have long had the right to ask to see your phone. But the Trump administration appears to be pursuing the policy with a new ferocity, stretching the definition of national security to include what many of us would consider legitimate political opinions.

“If you look at the memo from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services this month, you can see this administration is taking a hard stance on what they perceive as anti-American attitudes,” says Christi Jackson, a partner with immigration lawyers Laura Devine. “That is always going to be difficult to define in reality, particularly when people are criticising the US government in ways that would be considered freedom of speech elsewhere.”


Could this chilling effect be contributing to the reported 10 per cent decline in tourism from some European countries? While it’s impossible to say for sure, it is worth noting that surveys do suggest that some travellers (including Britons) are less likely to visit the US under the current administration.

Still, we Europeans are a tiny drop in the ocean compared with the Canadians, who make up nearly one quarter of foreign tourists. But thanks to Trump’s aggressive rhetoric towards their country, many have been voting with their feet: Canadian visitors to the US were down 33 per cent in June compared with the previous year.

Maybe some Maga hardliners will take pride in the fact that the lily-livered liberals are staying away. But for now, the situation doesn’t appear to have dented the political consensus that tourism is a good thing for the States. In Congress, some Republican and Democrat politicians have put aside their differences to lobby for tourism.

In March, the Democratic congresswoman Dina Titus – whose seat contains part of the Las Vegas Strip – coordinated a bipartisan letter, calling on the Trump administration to nominate a tourism secretary within the commerce department. Despite being signed by some Republican lawmakers, the plea has so far been ignored.
Trade concerns

Others have made the case that a huge tourism push would help the president in achieving another of his perennial obsessions – the trade deficit. During the first Trump administration, the economist and former Trump adviser Stephen Moore authored a paper arguing that tourism generates the biggest trade surplus for the US outside of financial services.

The administration has already found one way to increase the money flowing in from foreign visitors, with provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill to increase the ESTA charge from $21 to $40 at some point in the future. The higher charges won’t be popular with families heading to Orlando or New York, but they will bring in more revenue for US government coffers.

In the end, though, perhaps the best way to convince the president would be the obvious one. From rip-roaring stock markets to huge investment deals from oil-rich Gulf monarchies, Donald J Trump loves to tout his bombastic statistics about how America is doing better than ever. Surely it wouldn’t be too difficult to add tourism to that list?

Right now, though, it seems like tourism is pretty low on the pecking order in Maga-town. If current trends persist – and that bombshell World Travel and Tourism Council prediction comes true – maybe that will change. Particularly if some of Trump’s political adversaries start making mileage out of the situation.

If that fails, we can opt for the one gambit that will definitely get his attention: let’s all holiday in Canada instead.

Trump’s tariff salvo blindsides UK manufacturers

Saskia Koopman
Sun 24 August 2025 

Conservative shadow trade secretary Andrew Griffith accused ministers of failing to protect exporters, saying: “When it comes to protecting UK businesses from US tariffs, Starmer is ‘all hat, no cattle’."

Donald Trump has blindsided UK manufacturers by slapping fresh tariffs of up to 25 per cent on more than 400 categories of British goods, from shampoo and children’s highchairs to motorcycles and diggers.

Conservative shadow trade secretary Andrew Griffith accused ministers of failing to protect exporters, saying: “When it comes to protecting UK businesses from US tariffs, Starmer is ‘all hat, no cattle’.”


“His ‘tiny tariff’ agreement turns out to have more holes than one of Donald Trump’s golf courses and the trade secretary doesn’t even know what tariffs apply where. Downing Street need to spend less time on negotiating away Chagos and more sweating the detail on US trade.”

The move, which UK officials say took them by surprise, comes just months after London and Washington hailed a “breakthrough” deal on steel and aluminium.

That agreement was supposed to cut the 25 per cent tariff on UK metals to zero – but implementation has stalled amid US concerns over the origins of some British exports.

Manufacturers warn of a ‘very damaging’ impact

Industry leaders have described the latest measures as “very damaging to British industry”.

JCB chief executive Graeme Macdonald, whose firm exports £2bn worth of diggers and machinery to the US, said the sudden changes have created chaos in American ports.

“This has blindsided everybody … there’s a huge backlog of imported goods in every port now in the US”,he warned, urging ministers to strike a deal quickly.


Motorbike maker Triumph, which sold over 100,000 bikes last year, also said the tariffs came as a shock.

Chief executive Nick Bloor said the decision was “a surprise, especially given the recently negotiated trade agreements”.

Peter Brennan of UK Steel added: “Orders are being cancelled or delayed – sometimes costing firms millions of pounds – because this trade negotiation is still ongoing.”
Trade talks and political pressure

The expanded tariff list, which includes items as varied as tableware, washing machines and even condensed milk in aluminium packaging, followed lobbying from US steel companies urging the White House to prioritise domestic production.

While Downing Street insists the UK remains the only country to have avoided Trump’s 50 per cent metals tariff, the government admitted the timing of the latest announcement was unexpected.

Officials have said they would continue working with Washington to “give industry the security they need, protect vital jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets”.

Trump, meanwhile, on his Truth Social platform, has trumpeted new Congressional Budget Office estimates that tariffs will cut America’s budget deficit by $4trn over the next decade.

Opinion - Trump’s climate crackdown will backfire as GOP lawsuits expose coal’s dark secrets

Michael Dorsey and Pallavi Phartiyal, 

opinion contributors

Sun 24 August 2025 



One of President Trump’s latest executive orders aims to attack states’ powers to file climate cases against oil companies. It is more than just an environmental setback — it is a direct assault on states’ ability to hold polluters accountable.

At a time when rising seas, raging wildfires and record-breaking heat make the climate crisis impossible to ignore — last year alone was the hottest on record — the president’s move aims to cut off one of the few legal avenues left for demanding corporate responsibility in contributing to the climate crisis.

However, in an ironic twist, a new front in the climate fight may emerge — not from environmental champions, but from many of the Republican attorneys general who have long ignored the reality of climate change.

Across several states, Republican attorneys general led by Texas’s Ken Paxton (R), have launched a lawsuit against major asset managers such as BlackRock, State Street and Vanguard, alleging antitrust violations tied to their environmental, social and governance or ESG investment practices. As far-fetched as it may sound, these lawsuits accuse the financial giants of investing in coal companies as part of a conspiracy to restrict coal production, which would lead to higher prices and make coal less attractive to end consumers.

Their goal is clear: to intimidate asset managers and others in finance out of climate-conscious investing.

Yet these lawsuits may have an unintended consequence, opening a legal window into the inner workings of the coal industry.

At the heart of their legal argument is that asset managers colluded with coal companies to restrict coal production, meaning the coal firms themselves are likely to be directly pulled into the case through the discovery process. And discovery will finally put sunlight on the coal companies’ own internal communications, dark-money funding efforts and strategy memos, among other materials. The findings will provide a solid road map outlining the coal companies’ decades-long efforts to obstruct the energy transition, fund climate disinformation and pressure regulators to maintain the status quo.

Although we have had some snapshots into their tactics, environmentalists have long suspected that the true depth of fossil fuel industry interference in addressing climate change goes far deeper than what has been reported. Now, litigation intended to punish climate-minded investors might help prove it.

If these lawsuits move forward, they will hopefully expose the very tactics that have kept America hooked on outdated and polluting energy sources. Transparency, even when born of political theater, can be a powerful accelerant for public pressure and future legal accountability.

To be clear, this is no reason to cheer on this latest chapter in the Republican Party’s shortsighted crusade against sustainable investing. The attacks on ESG principles are regressive and rooted in political posturing, even if most voters think they are folly. But amid the wreckage of Trump’s climate rollback, there is a glimmer of possibility. Sometimes the most unexpected cracks in the system let the truth shine through.

Trump may be trying to protect polluters from liability through his legally questionable executive orders, but some of his party’s own lawsuits could actually help expose them instead. For climate advocates, it’s a reminder: the fight for our planet will be waged in legislatures, courtrooms and, occasionally, in the very legal battles meant to undermine it.


Michael Dorsey, Ph.D., is a member of the Club of Rome and a former board member for the Sierra Club. Pallavi Phartiyal, Ph.D., is vice president of programs, policy and advocacy at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Economist/YouGov Poll Shows Widespread Trump Disapproval

Bibhu Pattnaik
Sun, August 24, 2025 
BENZINGA

Seven months into his second term, President Donald Trump‘s approval ratings are underwater, according to a new poll.

What Happened: A poll conducted by The Economist/YouGov shows a growing disapproval of Trump’s presidency among Americans.

The survey revealed that 40% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the presidency, while 56% expressed disapproval. The poll also highlighted a partisan divide, with most Democrats disapproving of Trump and most Republicans approving.

Trump’s highest approval rating came from those aged 65 and older, with 48% expressing approval. On the other hand, the lowest approval rate was among those aged 18 to 29, with 29% expressing approval.

The poll found that 23% of Americans “strongly approve” of Trump’s work as president, while 47% “strongly disapprove.”

An earlier Reuters/Ipsos poll this month showed a seven-point drop in approval for Trump’s handling of the presidency, with his approval at 40% as in the new The Economist/YouGov survey.

Meanwhile, a Pew Research Center poll released in mid-August put Trump’s current job approval rating at 38%.

Why It Matters: The decline in approval ratings is a significant development in Trump’s second term. The growing disapproval among Americans and the partisan divide highlighted in the survey could have implications for the administration’s policy-making and political strategy.

The stark difference in approval ratings among different age groups also points to a potential generational divide in political opinion.

New poll shows more Americans 'strongly disapprove' of Trump's second term: What to know

Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAY
Sun, August 24, 2025 

Twice as many Americans say they strongly disapprove of President Donald Trump's second term than those who strongly approve, according to a new poll.

In a survey from YouGov and The Economist, conducted Aug. 15-18, two-thirds of respondents said they have strong feelings about Trump — and, increasingly, most of them are negative. The poll found 47% said they strongly disapprove of the second-term president, compared to 23% who say they strongly approve.

More: Amid Putin, Zelenskyy talks, several Trump approval polls dropped. Here's what they say.

About 70% of Americans say they either "strongly approve" or "strongly disapprove" of Trump's job performance, while 27% say they have a more muted opinion of the president. That includes people who either "somewhat approve" or "somewhat disapprove."

When broken down along party lines, most Democrats say they disapprove of Trump, and most Republicans approve of him, matching what has been a consistent theme among polling since the Republican took office a second time in January.

The YouGov/Economist poll found Democrats' sentiment toward the president is even stronger than Republicans', with 83% of Democrats saying they strongly disapprove of him. Among his Republican supporters, a little over half describe their approval in similarly passionate terms, with 54% saying they strongly approve of his performance.

That's a shift from earlier in Trump's second term, according to an Aug. 22 YouGov analysis of the data.

In January ,a majority still said they had a strong opinion about Trump, with 69% either strongly approving or disapproving. But unlike the most recent poll, 36% of Americans strongly disapproved of Trump at the time, and 34% strongly approved.

That's an 11-point increase in respondents who strongly disapprove of the president from the beginning of his term to recent weeks. Similarly, the August survey shows a nine-point drop since January among those who say they strongly approve of him.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One en route from Scotland, Britain, to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., July 29, 2025.

The poll surveyed 1,568 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points. Overall approval ratings put the president at a 40% approval and 56% disapproval mark.

Aggregations of recent approval polling from The New York Times and RealClearPolitics place Trump's approval between 44% and 45%, respectively, with disapproval rates of 53% and 50%, as of Aug. 24.

A historical analysis and average by Gallup shows Trump's approval ratings in the first July of both of his terms are lower than those of any other modern president. In comparison, former President Joe Biden had a 50% average approval rating in July 2021, while former President Barack Obama's first and second-term July approval ratings were 57% and 46%, respectively. Gallup's analysis puts Trump's second-term average to date at 42%.

Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Poll measures how much people strongly approve or disapprove of Trump

Most California voters disapprove of Trump's immigration enforcement policies, poll shows

Andrea Castillo
Sun, August 24, 2025 



The U.S. Border Patrol produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 14 and made one arrest. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)


Most California voters strongly disapprove of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies and believe that raids in the state have unfairly targeted Latinos, according to a new poll.

The findings, released Sunday, reflected striking emotional reactions to immigration enforcement. When voters were asked to describe their feelings about news reports or videos of immigration raids, 64% chose rage or sadness "because what is happening is unfair."

Among Democrats, 91% felt enraged or sad. Conversely, 65% of Republicans felt hopeful, "like justice is finally being served."


Such divisions were consistent across 11 questions about the administration's overall immigration strategy and specific aspects of the way enforcement is playing out in the state, with divisions along partisan lines. The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll was conducted for the Los Angeles Times.

Read more: Love it or hate it? Poll shows how Californians feel about Newsom's redistricting fight with Trump

Democrats almost unanimously oppose President Trump’s tactics on immigration, the poll showed. Most Republicans support the president, though they are not as united as Democrats in their approval.

"It was essential to show the strength of feelings because Democrats are strongly on the negative side of each of these policies," said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Berkeley IGS Poll. "That struck me. I don't usually see that kind of extreme fervor on a poll response."

The poll found that 69% of respondents disapprove of the way immigration enforcement is being carried out in the state.

Among Democrats, 95% disapprove, as well as 72% of voters with no party preference or others not affiliated with the two major parties, whereas 79% of Republicans approve.

The poll was completed online in English and Spanish from Aug. 11-17 by 4,950 registered voters in California.

A question that showed the least unified support among Republican voters asked respondents whether they agree or disagree that federal agents should be required to show clear identification when carrying out their work. The question comes as immigration agents have carried out raids using face coverings, unmarked cars and while wearing casual clothing.

Some 50% of Republicans agreed that agents should have to identify themselves, while 92% of Democrats agreed.

G. Cristina Mora, IGS co-director and a sociology professor at UC Berkeley who studies race and immigration, helped develop the poll questions. She said the poll shows that Republican voters are much more nuanced than Democrats. They also split on questions about due process, birthright citizenship and immigration enforcement in sensitive locations.

"Republicans are much more fractured in their thinking about immigration across the state," Mora said.

Mora said she developed the question about agent identification in response to the recent bill led by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) that would require immigration officers to display their agency and name or badge number during public-facing enforcement actions, similar to police and other local law enforcement.

Padilla also spearheaded a letter last month to Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons seeking information about the agency's policies regarding the identification of agents while on duty. ICE has justified the tactics by stating that agents are at risk of doxxing and have faced increased assault on the job.

"The public has a right to know which officials are exercising police power, and anonymous enforcement undermines both constitutional norms and democratic oversight," Padilla and 13 other Democrats wrote in the letter.

Another poll question that garnered mixed support of Republicans asked respondents to agree or disagree with the statement, “ICE agents should expand immigration enforcement into schools, hospitals, parks and other public locations.”

Among Republicans, 53% agreed with that statement, though fewer than 1 in 3 agree strongly. Meanwhile, 94% of Democrats disagreed.

Shortly after Trump took office, his administration rescinded a 2011 memo that restricted immigration agents from making arrests in sensitive locations, such as churches, schools and hospitals. Since then, agents have been filmed entering locations that were previously considered off limits, putting immigrant communities on edge.

Schools in Los Angeles reopened this month with "safe zones" in heavily Latino neighborhoods and changed bus routes with less exposure to immigration agents. An 18-year-old high school senior, Benjamin Marcelo Guerrero-Cruz, was walking his family’s dog in Van Nuys when he was taken into federal immigration custody.

Mora said the varied responses illustrate how California Republicans view the Trump administration's immigration tactics with "degrees of acceptability." They might feel strongly that immigrants with violent criminal histories should be deported, she said, but the takeover of MacArthur Park, when a convoy of immigration agents in armored vehicles descended there in a show of force, or the enforcement actions outside of public schools "might have been a step too far."

Mike Madrid, a GOP political consultant who wrote a book about how Latinos have transformed democracy, said the split among Republicans is consistent with national polling. The trend is problematic for Trump, he said, because it means he is losing big swaths of his base.

"This is becoming viewed as overreach more than it is immigration control," he said. "The idea sets a frame for it, but the actual implementation is widely unpopular."

Republicans were largely united in response to other questions. Asked about the Trump administration's proposal to do away with birthright citizenship — which confers citizenship to all children born in the U.S. regardless of their parent's legal status — 67% of GOP respondents approved, and most of them strongly approved. By contrast, 92% of Democrats disapproved, and as did seven in 10 respondents overall.

Mora said she was surprised by the fact that Latinos didn't stand out as substantially more opposed to Trump's actions than voters of other racial and ethnic groups. For example, 69% of Latino voters said ICE raids have unfairly targeted Latinos, just five percentage points higher than the 64% of white non-Latino voters who agreed.

"You would imagine Latinos would be through the roof here, but they're not," Mora said. She said this reminded her of research around the tendency for Latinos to individualize their experiences instead of seeing them as racially unjust.

Broadly, 72% of Latinos disagree with the way the Trump administration is enforcing immigration laws in California, while 25% approve and 3% have no strong opinion.

Among Latino voter subgroups, older men and third-generation (or beyond) women are the more likely to support the way immigration enforcement is being handled in California, with 38% of Latino men over age 40 in agreement compared to 11% of Latinas ages 18-39, although among both groups majorities disapprove.

Madrid said that's consistent with national polling showing a decrease in support for Republicans among Latinos after record gains in the last presidential election. The question, he said, is whether Trump's approval ratings among Latinos could regress substantially enough to flip control of Congress in the midterms.

"We're not there yet," he said.

 L.A. Times 

Analysis-China faces pivotal welfare reform test as court ruling hits jobs, small firms

STATE CAPITALI$M IS STILL CAPITALI$M

View of financial district of Pudong is reflected on a bus passing by, in Shanghai 

Reuters
Wed, August 20, 2025 

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's top court ruling that makes it illegal for businesses and employees to avoid social insurance payments is stoking fears about jobs and the survival of small firms, forcing Beijing to confront the risks of long-promised welfare reform.

The ruling, analysts and one government adviser say, aims to replenish depleted pension coffers in ageing regions and lay the groundwork for more generous welfare, helping China transition to a growth model that relies more on consumer demand and less on debt-driven infrastructure and industrial investment.

The Supreme People's Court said this month the levies have always been mandatory, but acknowledged patchy enforcement. In practice, millions of workers informally agree with factories, construction firms, delivery services, restaurants and other small businesses not to pay into the scheme so they can keep the money.

Hit by higher U.S. trade tariffs this year, some factories have fired full-time staff and rehired them as day labour to save on pension, unemployment, medical and other insurance payments.

Analysts say the court ruling, which is effective September 1, could bring Beijing closer to meeting its long-standing pledge to bolster the safety net in the world's second-largest economy, but it also poses a difficult test to the government's broader reform ambitions as it creates immediate risks to economic growth if businesses and workers have less to spend.

Jia Kang, founding president of the China Academy of New Supply-Side Economics, told Reuters the decision could be "a matter of life or death for many small firms."

Societe Generale estimates the costs to firms and consumers at about 1% of GDP if the ruling is enforced.

"China is confronting the core question of who pays for reform," said Joe Peissel, an analyst at research firm Trivium.

As things stand, workers and businesses bear the burden, which undermines employment and consumption and may not be sustainable, he said. This calls for new policies to make more state resources available to the welfare system.

"The long-term success of these reforms will hinge on whether the government is willing to shoulder more of the cost," said Peissel.

The human resources ministry, and the State Council Information Office, which answers media queries for the government, did not immediately respond to a comment request.

INSTANT IMPACT

Social insurance contributions differ by city but typically equal about a tenth of gross income for employees and roughly a quarter for employers.

That's high by global standards and incentivises informal workarounds, economists say.

A complex system of paybands also makes social insurance payments highly regressive, with low-income workers bearing a heavier burden than top earners, discouraging them from paying, a 2024 report by China's top legislature found.

A survey of more than 6,000 firms by human resources firm Zhonghe Group last year found only 28.4% of them were fully compliant with social insurance rules. Official data shows 387 million employees contribute to China's urban pension scheme, roughly half of the workforce.

Mary Dai, 23, a waitress in the eastern city of Jinhua, said her boss asked her to accept a salary cut to 2,500 yuan from 4,000 yuan per month if they both had to pay contributions.

"It's like one sweeping blow killing everyone" said Dai, adding such income would not cover her basic needs and she would return to her village to live with her parents.

Qin Sinian, a restaurant owner in the southwestern city of Mianyang, said he fired six of his 12 workers to be able to afford paying social insurance from next month.

His restaurant makes 700,000 yuan annually, of which 500,000 goes on rent, labour and ingredients. Social insurance will add 120,000 yuan, leaving just 80,000 yuan ($11,140) before taxes.

"It feels like being crushed beneath a mountain," Qin said.

Social media users have also expressed a lack of trust in how their contributions are managed. A 2024 cabinet report found 13 provinces had diverted 40.6 billion yuan from pension funds to other expenditures.

Xiao Qiang, founder of U.S.-based censorship tracker China Digital Times, said some posts on this topic have been taken down, including views that the ruling disproportionately hurts the most vulnerable.

A construction worker from the central Hubei province, giving only her surname Li for privacy, said neither she nor her employer can afford social insurance on her 3,500 yuan wage.

"When they roll out these policies, do they even consider the struggles of people at the bottom?" Li said.

LABOUR 'SUPPRESSION'

Waiving social insurance payments has fed China's economic imbalances at home and abroad.

It lowers factory labour costs and improves China's export competitiveness. It makes public infrastructure works cheaper, which in turn lowers logistics costs for manufacturers and brings supply chains closer together.

But as China ages, missed payments pose risks to the pension system - predicted to run out of money by 2035.

It also worsens industrial overcapacity by freeing resources for factory expansion. And it forces workers to save for rainy days on their own, a key drag on consumer spending.

"A core flaw in China's overall economic development has been relying on suppressed labour costs to compete, generating large trade surpluses, especially with the United States and Europe," said a policy adviser, requesting anonymity due to the topic's sensitivity.

"This is not a viable long-term path," the adviser said, citing trade tensions. "If you can't afford to pay wages, what kind of business are you running?"

The adviser suggested Beijing should increase unemployment benefits before tightening enforcement to cushion the blow of business closures.

Societe Generale analysts expect the government will either delay implementation or roll out more stimulus to offset the impact.

"Another shock to the labour market is the last thing policymakers would like to see," they wrote in a note.

($1 = 7.1813 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Liangping Gao, Ellen Zhang, Kevin Yao in Beijing and Claire Fu in Singapore; Writing by Marius Zaharia; Editing by Kim Coghill)

Trump wants to go to heaven for ending the war in Ukraine. What religion is he?

Kinsey Crowley, 

USA TODAY
Thu, August 21, 2025 



President Donald Trump said he hoped helping end the war between Ukraine and Russia would help boost his chances of getting into heaven.

In an Aug. 19 appearance on Fox News' "Fox & Friends," Trump was talking about his phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin after the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders at the White House the prior day.

"I wanna end it. You know, we're not losing American lives ... we're losing Russian and Ukrainian mostly soldiers," Trump said. "I wanna try and get to heaven if possible. I'm hearing I'm not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons."

He then went on to talk about saving lives with "six, actually seven," peace deals (USA TODAY counts five).

Trump has said he was "saved by God to make America great again" in the July 2024 assassination attempt when a bullet grazed his ear. So what religion is he?

More: Trump talks God in his speech on bombing Iran. What did he say, what religion is he?
What religion is Donald Trump?

Trump once identified as a Presbyterian, but in 2020 he told Religion News Service he began considering himself a non-denominational Christian.

First lady Melania Trump, however, made news in 2017 when she met the late Pope Francis and revealed she was Catholic when asking the pontiff to bless her rosary beads.
Trump heaven quote: 'I'm hearing I'm not doing well.'

Trump said the following about heaven in an Aug. 19 appearance on "Fox & Friends" discussing efforts to achieve peace between Ukraine and Russia:

“I want to try and get to heaven, if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.”

At the White House press briefing later that day, press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether Trump was joking in his comments or if there was a spiritual motivation behind his peace efforts.

"I think the president was serious," Leavitt said. "I think the president wants to get to heaven as I hope we all do in this room as well."
What happened at the Zelenskyy meeting?

Zelenskyy's August trip to the White House had far fewer fireworks than the February visit, when he was berated by Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

In addition to Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also attended the summit on Aug. 18.

Zelenskyy, wearing a black suit instead of the military garb that drew comments in February, met with Trump in the Oval Office ahead of the wider group of foreign leaders. He also thanked Trump, something Vance had criticized Zelenskyy of not doing during the previous Oval Office spat.

Trump then met with the European leaders in the White House East Room, saying they would know “in a week or two weeks” if a deal to stop the fighting is possible.

After the day of meetings with the European leaders, Trump called Putin to urge him to meet with Zelenskyy. Trump deemed it a step in the right direction.

"Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine. At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy," he wrote on Truth Social. "After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself. Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years."

Although the meeting showed strong European unity, it was unclear whether major progress toward peace was made. Trump said the United States would help guarantee Ukraine's security in a deal but did not clarify the extent of the commitment. He also appeared to dismiss the need for a ceasefire ahead of peace negotiations.

Contributing: Joey Garrison, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Bart Jansen, Zac Anderson, Francesca Chambers, Josh Meyer, Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump heaven quote: 'I'm hearing I'm not doing well.'

Jack White Rips Donald Trump’s ‘Vulgar, Gold-Leafed and Gaudy’ White House Makeover, Comparing it To ‘Wrestler’s Dressing Room’

Gil Kaufman
Wed, August 20, 2025 
 Billboard


Jack White has some thoughts on the gilding of the White House. The rocker who opened a bespoke upholstery shop in Detroit in the mid 1990s before launching his music career — and who has long had a keen eye for visual aesthetics — went scorched earth on Donald Trump’s gold-plated makeover of the People’s House in a no-holds-barred Instagram post on Tuesday (Aug. 19).

“Look at how disgusting trump has transformed the historic White House. It’s now a vulgar, gold leafed and gaudy, professional wrestler’s dressing room,” White said of the makeover Trump has rolled out for the White House, which includes all-gold-everything in the Oval Office. “Can’t wait for the UFC match on the front lawn too, he’s almost fully achieved the movie Idiocracy,” White added in reference to Trump’s plans to hold a ultimate fighting match on the White House grounds next year and the beloved 2006 Mike Judge movie satire of a world in which anti-intellectual, lowest-common-denominator dolts inherit the Earth. “Look at his disgusting taste, would you even buy a used car from this conman, let alone give him the nuclear codes?” White asked.

In a clever side slam, White tagged Trump with a link to professional wrestling legend “Nature Boy” Ric Flair’s Instagram feed in the post, in which he also took aim a the many ways the president is abrogating norms by profiting from his second tenure in office. “A gold plated trump bible would look perfect up on that mantle with a pair of trump shoes on either side wouldn’t it?” White wrote. “What an embarrassment to American history. Also pictured in this photograph, a REAL leader of a nation in a black suit.” The post featured a photo of Trump meeting with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy this week in the dizzyingly filigreed Oval Office.

In keeping with the wrestling metaphor, White House communications director Steven Cheung attempted his own smack down of the 12-time Grammy-winning rocker who is slated to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the White Stripes in November. “Jack White is a washed-up, has-been loser posting drivel on social media because he clearly has ample time on his hands due to his stalled career,” Cheung told The Daily Beast. “It’s apparent he’s been masquerading as a real artist, because he fails to appreciate, and quite frankly disrespects, the splendor and significance of the Oval Office inside of ‘The People’s House.'” At press time it appeared White had not responded to Cheung’s comments.

In May, photo editor and creative consultant Emily Keegin wrote an essay in The New York Times entitled “Trump’s Oval Office is a Gilded Rococo Nightmare. Help,” in which she noted that in 2017 journalist Peter York referred to Trump’s shiny aesthetic as “dictator chic,” likening the former reality TV star’s New York penthouse style to that of late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s opulent, garish mansions. In the commentary, Keegin described the 14K White House redesign as, “a parade of golden objects that march across the mantel, relegating the traditional Swedish ivy to a greenhouse. Gilded Rococo wall appliqués, nearly identical to the ones at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, are stuck to the fireplace and office walls with the same level of aesthetic consideration a child gives her doll’s face before covering it in nail polish.”

Check out White’s post here.

Jack White responds to White House calling him a 'has-been loser': 'Trump is masquerading as a human being'

"He's masquerading as a Christian, as a leader, as a person with actual empathy. He's been masquerading as a businessman for decades," the "Seven Nation Army" musician wrote.

Wesley Stenzel
Wed, August 20, 2025

Entertainment Weekly

Key points

A representative for the White House called Jack White a "washed-up, has-been loser" after he criticized the Oval Office's decor.


White responded by saying he believes President Trump is "masquerading as a human being."


White also opined that Trump is "masquerading as a Christian, as a leader, as a person with actual empathy."

Jack White has strong words for the Trump administration.

The former White Stripes frontman posted a lengthy statement in an Instagram gallery condemning Donald Trump's policies and past on Wednesday. The post came in response to White House communications director Steven Cheung calling him a "washed-up, has-been loser" in a statement to The Daily Beast following White's shorter criticism of the president on Tuesday.

John Nacion/Variety via GettyJack White at 'SNL50: The Homecoming Concert' in New York City on Feb. 14, 2025

"Here's my opinion, trump is masquerading as a human being," the "Icky Thump" musician wrote. "He's masquerading as a christian, as a leader, as a person with actual empathy. He's been masquerading as a businessman for decades as nothing he's involved in has prospered except by using other people's money to find loophole after loophole and grift after grift."

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to the White House for further comment.

White previously called out the Oval Office's new gold decor, which was prominently visible during Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"Look at how disgusting trump has transformed the historic White House," the singer wrote on Instagram Tuesday. "It's now a vulgar, gold leafed and gaudy, professional wrestler's dressing room. Can't wait for the UFC match on the front lawn too, he's almost fully achieved the movie 'Idiocracy'."

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Christopher Furlong/Getty

Cheung responded on the White House's behalf in a comment to The Daily Beast.

"Jack White is a washed up, has-been loser posting drivel on social media because he clearly has ample time on his hands due to his stalled career," he said. "It's apparent he's been masquerading as a real artist, because he fails to appreciate, and quite frankly disrespects, the splendor and significance of the Oval Office inside of 'The People’s House.'"

In Wednesday's post, White responded to specific jabs from Cheung. "'Masquerading as a real artist'? Thank you for giving me my tombstone engraving!" the musician wrote. "I have 'ample time on (my) hands'? That orange grifter has spent more tax payer money cheating at golf than helping ANYONE in the country. Improve. Anything."

MediaPunch/Bauer-Griffin/GC ImagesJack White in New York City on Aug. 20, 2024

This is far from the first time that White has criticized the president. The musician previously threatened Trump's 2024 campaign for using the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" in a video.

"Don't even think about using my music you fascists," he wrote on Instagram at the time. "Law suit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.)

White also called out celebrities like Mark Wahlberg, Joe Rogan, Mel Gibson, and Guy Fieri for their participation in a 2023 meet-and-greet with Trump. "Anybody who 'normalizes' or treats this disgusting fascist, racist, con man, disgusting piece of s--- Trump with any level of respect is ALSO disgusting in my book," he opined on social media at the time.

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On Wednesday, White expressed his amusement at the fact that his Oval Office criticism marked the first time that the White House responded to his remarks despite his numerous other posts criticizing the president, including incidents when he called Trump a "Nazi," a "racist," and a "fascist."


"It wasn't me calling out any of that, it was the f---ing DECOR OF THE OVAL OFFICE remarks I made that got them to respond with insults," White wrote. "How petty and pathetic and thin skinned could this administration get?"

White House Spokesperson Totally Loses It Over Rock Star's Trump Takedown

Lee Moran
Wed, August 20, 2025 
HUFFPOST

Rock star Jack White’s blistering critique of Donald Trump and the president’s blinged-out Oval Office makeover has sparked a furious response from the White House.

Communications Director Steven Cheung lashed out after the White Stripes star described the Trump-era decor as “vulgar.”

“Jack White is a washed-up, has-been loser posting drivel on social media because he clearly has ample time on his hands due to his stalled career,” Cheung fumed about the 12-time Grammy winner to The Daily Beast.

“It’s apparent he’s been masquerading as a real artist, because he fails to appreciate, and quite frankly disrespects, the splendor and significance of the Oval Office inside of ‘The People’s House,’” Cheung added.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung slammed musician Jack White's criticism of Donald Trump. DREW ANGERER via Getty Images

White provoked Cheung’s wrath after posting on Instagram a photo of Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday.

In his caption, White blasted the Oval Office redesign as looking like “a professional wrestler’s dressing room.” In full, he wrote:

Look at how disgusting trump has transformed the historic White House. It’s now a vulgar, gold leafed and gaudy, professional wrestler’s dressing room. Can’t wait for the UFC match on the front lawn too, he’s almost fully achieved the movie ‘Idiocracy’. Look at his disgusting taste, would you even buy a used car from this conman, let alone give him the nuclear codes? A gold plated trump bible would look perfect up on that mantle with a pair of trump shoes on either side wouldn’t it? What an embarrassment to American history. Also pictured in this photograph, a REAL leader of a nation in a black suit.

Related: Rock Star Calls Trump 'A Danger' To 'The Entire World' In Fiery Instagram Post

White has not responded to Cheung’s slam.

Trump, who frequently attacks celebrities who criticize him, has remained silent on White’s comments and Cheung’s response.

The rocker has previously branded Trump “scum” and a “wannabe dictator,” and last year condemned the use of his band’s anthem “Seven Nation Army” in a pro-Trump video.

Pentagon attacks Washington Post over report on Hegseth’s security costs

THIN SKINED PETE

Ellen Mitchell
Wed, August 20, 2025

Pentagon attacks Washington Post over report on Hegseth’s security costs

The Pentagon is lashing out at The Washington Post over a report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s unusually large personal security requirements are overburdening the Army agency that protects him and his family, claiming the scrutiny “puts lives at risk.”

The Post report found that the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) has had to pull agents from criminal investigations to protect Hegseth’s family residences in Minnesota, Tennessee and Washington, D.C. — a multi-million dollar effort that one CID official said is unlike any other in the agency’s recent history.

But chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell on Tuesday said any action related to the security of Hegseth and his family “has been in response to the threat environment and at the full recommendation” of CID.

“In the wake of two assassinations attempts against President Trump, ICE agents facing a 1000% increase in assaults, and repeated threats of retaliation from Iran for striking their nuclear capabilities, it’s astonishing that the Washington Post is criticizing a high-ranking cabinet official for receiving appropriate security protection,” Parnell wrote in a post to X.

And while the Post said it withheld several sensitive details from the report, including the size of Hegseth’s protective details and the exact places where they are assigned, Parnell claimed the outlet was doxing the defense secretary, referring to the practice of publishing private or identifying information about an individual on the internet.

“When left-wing blogs like the Washington Post continue to dox cabinet secretaries’ security protocols and movements, it puts lives at risk,” he wrote.

The report comes as Army CID in recent years has struggled with staffing and budgetary shortfalls, with new security demands caused by Hegseth placing added pressure on the agency, officials told the Post.

“We have complete inability to achieve our most basic missions,” one person told the outlet.

CID, whose chief mission is to investigate serious crimes within the Army, including contracting fraud, sexual assault and other violent crimes, also is in charge of protecting the Pentagon chief and other current and former top defense officials, such as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Army secretary.

CID agents serve as advance teams, coordinating security ahead of public appearances. They also staff motorcades and provide security during travel at home and abroad.

About 150 of CID’s roughly 1,500 agents serve on personal protective duty, though that number has been beefed up to 400 to 500 since Hegseth started at the Pentagon in January, according to the Post.

The number is greatly inflated due to Hegseth’s large blended family, which includes multiple children across his current and ex-wife, as well as a rise in politically motivated violence.

To provide around-the-clock security, CID has had to move agents from investigations to send them for long-term assignments in Tennessee, or Minnesota, the latter of which is where Hegseth’s second wife lives, people familiar with the matter told the Post.

Agents are being taken off investigations, “doing what we are supposed to be doing,” to “sit on luggage” instead or “sit in the cars on the driveway,” one CID official frustrated with the situation said to the outlet.

To fill any staffing gaps, CID has had to activate military reservists.

In a statement to The Hill, a senior Army CID official acknowledged the agency “operates within existing resource constraints” and said it “proactively adjusts its efforts to address emerging threats and maintains a robust security posture in both the investigative and protective realms.”

CID also said Hegseth did not request the additional coverage and that he “has never effected CIDs recommended security posture.”


Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

India's federal investigator opens criminal case against Anil Ambani, his company

Anil Ambani, chairman of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, attends the company's annual general meeting in Mumbai · Reuters

Reuters
Sat, August 23, 2025 


MUMBAI (Reuters) -India's federal investigating agency said on Saturday it had opened a criminal case against industrialist Anil Ambani and his company Reliance Communications Ltd following a complaint by India's largest bank about alleged fraud.

State Bank of India alleged that Anil Ambani, the younger brother of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, and Reliance Communications defrauded the bank, causing 30 billion Indian rupees ($344 million) of losses.

India's Central Bureau of Investigation conducted search operations in Mumbai at Anil Ambani's house and the offices of the now insolvent Reliance Communications, the agency said in a press statement.

A spokesperson for Ambani told Reuters that the searches at his residence concluded early this afternoon. "Mr. Ambani strongly denies all allegations and charges, and will duly defend himself," the spokesperson said.

The agency said Anil Ambani and his company misused and diverted bank funds for purposes other than what was agreed.

An email query to SBI was not answered immediately.

Last month, India's Enforcement Directorate also searched 35 locations linked to Reliance Group as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering and siphoning of public funds, a government source told Reuters.

Reliance Group did not respond to a request for comment at the time, but a source at the group denied the allegations.

($1 = 87.3260 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Jayshree P Upadhyay. Editing by Mark Potter)