Tag Archives: Trump

Trump has accused Venezuelan boat crews of being narco-terrorists. The truth, AP found, is more nuanced

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Trump Has Accused Venezuelan Boat Crews of Being Narco-Terrorists. The Truth, AP Found, Is More Nuanced
Associated Press | 11/08/2025 | Regina Garcia Cano

GÜIRIA, Venezuela (AP) — One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet. And a fourth was a down-on-his-luck bus driver.

The men had little in common beyond their Venezuelan seaside hometowns and the fact that all four were among the more than 60 people killed since early September when the U.S. military began attacking boats that the Trump administration alleges were smuggling drugs.

President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials have alleged the craft were being operated by narco-terrorists and cartel members bound with deadly drugs for American communities.

The Associated Press learned the identities of four of the men and pieced together details about at least five others who were slain, providing the first detailed account of those who died in the strikes.

In dozens of interviews in villages on Venezuela’s breathtaking northeastern coast from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had indeed been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists or leaders of a cartel or gang.

Most of the nine men were crewing such craft for the first or second time, making at least $500 per trip, residents and relatives said. They were laborers, a fisherman, a motorcycle taxi driver. Two were low-level career criminals. One was a well-known local crime boss who contracted out his smuggling services to traffickers.

The men lived on the Paria Peninsula, in mostly unpainted cinderblock homes that can go weeks without water service and regularly lose power for several hours a day. They awoke to panoramic views of a national park’s tropical forests, the Gulf of Paria’s shallows, and the Caribbean’s sparkling sapphire waters.

(Read the full article at apnews.com)

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**Topics:** Crime/Corruption, Foreign Affairs, News/Current Events, War on Terror
**Keywords:** drugs, narcotics, Venezuela

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https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4351549/posts

Trump wants Commanders’ new DC stadium named for himself

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The commander in chief wants the new Washington Commanders’ stadium, located outside of Washington, DC, to bear the Trump name. The White House is all but confirming a report from ESPN that it has expressed interest in naming the stadium after President Trump as the team moves ahead with plans for construction on the site of the old Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Southeast DC.

“That would be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Post on Saturday.

The White House did not provide further clarification on whether the naming was a requirement for continued support, but a source told ESPN bluntly, “It’s what the president wants, and it will probably happen.”

Trump is set to attend Sunday’s Commanders home game against the Detroit Lions after spending the start of the weekend at Mar-a-Lago. He will join a special Veterans’ Day event at halftime and will view the game from owner Josh Harris’ luxury box.

Pro stadium naming rights sell for millions of dollars annually. For example, Northwest Federal Credit Union agreed to pay $7.5 million per year for an eight-year naming deal after a similar FedEx naming contract expired last year for the stadium that currently hosts the Commanders.

The current stadium is located in Landover, Maryland, outside DC, with a contract with the team running through 2027. The new stadium, part of a massive commercial development, is projected to be completed by 2030.

In July, Trump threatened to hold up the stadium deal unless the team changed its name back to the one it had during its glory days. The team ditched the Washington Redskins moniker in 2020 and adopted the Commanders name after years of pressure and controversy.

“I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a stadium in Washington,” Trump posted on Truth Social at the time, although he did not follow through on the threat.

Like many projects in DC, the stadium naming involves overlapping bureaucracies. The stadium sits on land managed by the National Park Service, but D.C.’s city council would also have to approve a naming arrangement under a long-term lease.

Former President Joe Biden signed legislation in January transferring control of the land from the federal government to the city for a period of 99 years. The DC City Council approved plans for the $3.7 billion, 65,000-seat domed stadium in September.

The team played at RFK from 1961 until 1996, at a location that lines up with the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument and was a notable feature of aerial broadcasts during the team’s heyday.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/08/us-news/trump-wants-commanders-new-dc-stadium-named-for-himself/

Trump Media Reports $55M Loss After Massive Bitcoin Investment

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Donald Trump’s media company is morphing into something very different from what it set out to be. Once marketed as the “free-speech alternative” to Silicon Valley, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) is now spending billions on Bitcoin as its own balance sheet collapses.

The company, which went public last year through a high-profile SPAC merger, reported another brutal quarter — a $54.8 million loss, nearly three times higher than a year ago. Revenue barely cracked $1 million, while legal bills alone ballooned past $20 million. Shares of TMTG slipped more than 3% in extended trading after the news.

The numbers paint a picture of a company caught between political fandom and financial chaos. There’s still no data on Truth Social’s audience, no clarity on user growth, and no evidence that the platform generates meaningful income.

### A Radical Shift Toward Bitcoin

But Trump Media’s leadership seems to think it has found another way out — by betting big on crypto. Between July 1 and July 21, the firm poured roughly $2 billion into Bitcoin and related assets, according to its quarterly filing. It bought when prices hovered near $118,000 per coin. That move might already be underwater.

By early November, Bitcoin had tumbled to around $103,000, erasing hundreds of millions in paper value. The firm also owns Cronos (CRO) tokens through an August venture with Crypto.com and a blank-check company — another stake that has dropped since September.

The initiative was introduced as a “treasury diversification strategy,” but it now looks more like a desperate pivot toward speculation. The company’s original mission — building a social network — has been quietly sidelined, with no mention of new user milestones or platform upgrades in its latest report.

### Trump’s Expanding Fortune

Ironically, while his company sinks deeper into losses, President Trump’s personal wealth is soaring. Thanks to his large holdings in Trump Media and various crypto assets, Forbes now values his net worth at $7.3 billion, up sharply since his return to the White House.

Roughly $6.6 billion of that total is tied directly to crypto and Trump Media equity, making him one of the wealthiest sitting U.S. presidents in history and placing him at #201 on the Forbes 400 list.

Trump’s public comments suggest little concern about the company’s financial transparency. In a September Truth Social post, he even called for an end to quarterly financial reports, claiming it would “save money and let executives focus on running their companies.”

### Leadership Under Pressure

Inside Trump Media, the financial strain hasn’t stopped the flow of executive rewards. CEO Devin Nunes, a former Republican congressman, received a $5.9 million stock award in August — weeks after the company recorded a $20 million Q2 loss. The shares will vest over three years, even as investors grow wary of the firm’s cash reserves.

That compensation package has fueled new questions about how much oversight the company really has, especially as Trump remains the controlling shareholder with 114.75 million shares held through a revocable trust.

### Ethics Concerns and Political Firestorm

With Trump back in the Oval Office, critics argue that his overlapping roles — as president, media owner, and crypto investor — create murky ethical territory. But the administration has brushed off such criticism.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, dismissed the allegations in a statement to Forbes, calling them “irresponsible fabrications” and insisting that “neither the President nor his family have ever engaged, or will ever engage, in conflicts of interest.”

### A Meme Stock Without a Map

What began as a populist tech play has turned into a volatile mashup of politics, crypto, and speculation.

For now, Trump Media is less a communications company and more a market experiment, propped up by faith, followers, and financial risk-taking. Whether its Bitcoin strategy can save it — or sink it further — remains to be seen. But after another quarter of red ink, one thing is clear: Trump’s media empire is betting its survival on the world’s most unpredictable asset.

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*The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. Coindoo.com does not endorse or recommend any specific investment strategy or cryptocurrency. Always conduct your own research and consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions.*

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**About the Author**

Alex is an experienced financial journalist and cryptocurrency enthusiast. With over 8 years of experience covering the crypto, blockchain, and fintech industries, he is well-versed in the complex and ever-evolving world of digital assets. His insightful and thought-provoking articles provide readers with a clear picture of the latest developments and trends in the market. His approach allows him to break down complex ideas into accessible and in-depth content. Follow his publications to stay up to date with the most important trends and topics.
https://coindoo.com/trump-media-reports-55m-loss-after-massive-bitcoin-investment/

Rand Paul Says Supreme Court Should STRIKE DOWN Trump’s Tariffs: ” Tariffs Are a Tax. I Want to See the Constitution Have Meaning”

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During an appearance on *Varney & Co.*, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) expressed his belief that the Supreme Court should strike down President Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on foreign imports, arguing that such tariffs violate the Constitution.

Paul explained that the Founding Fathers intended for the power of taxation to rest solely with the House of Representatives.

**Stuart Varney:** Now, since we know you’re not a fan of tariffs, do you want to see them struck down by the Supreme Court?

**Rand Paul:** I want to see the Constitution have meaning. The Constitution said that taxes originate in the House. Tariffs are a tax. Anybody who tries to say tariffs are not a tax—just not serious people.

Our Founding Fathers wanted taxes to start in the House because the House is elected every two years, making it the branch closest to the people. They were very, very specific about this, especially since we fought the Revolution over taxation without representation.

A President cannot levy taxes without the approval of Congress. I think the Supreme Court is going to strike this down, and it’s not from any personal vendetta against the President. I like the President. I wish him and our country success. But we have to do things in an orderly, constitutional manner, or it can lead to chaos.

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Meanwhile, President Trump has cautioned that a Supreme Court ruling against his authority to levy tariffs could cause devastating economic harm to the United States.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Trump said that overturning the tariffs would require the U.S. government to refund massive sums collected under his administration’s trade reforms.

Trump emphasized that the tariffs were part of a larger strategy to rebalance trade relationships and secure fairer deals for American workers.

**Reporter:** Before the Supreme Court issues a ruling, which could take several weeks, are you planning to lay out any new additional tariffs?

**Trump:** I don’t want to talk about it. I’m going to hope that we win. I can’t imagine that anybody would do that kind of devastation to our country. You know, we’d have to pay back trillions of dollars. We’ve taken in trillions. We haven’t taken in billions; we’ve taken in trillions of dollars.

We’ve made trade deals based on that revenue that give us, as an example, the European Union $950 billion, Japan $650 billion, and South Korea $350 billion. Without this, we’re not talking about that kind of money. And they’re okay. They’re satisfied. They love us. I just left. They all love us.

So, it’s not like we’re such bad people, but they were doing it to us until I came along.

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At the heart of the case is whether the President can use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) to impose tariffs unilaterally after declaring a national emergency to reduce the U.S. trade deficit.

In May, the Court of International Trade in New York ruled that President Trump exceeded his authority under IEEPA.

The Department of Justice immediately appealed, but in August, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the lower court’s decision.

Now, the case heads to the Supreme Court, which will decide whether the President of the United States can exercise broad executive powers to impose tariffs during a declared national emergency.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/11/senator-rand-paul-says-supreme-court-should-strike/

Trump relative says he hates being blamed for Tuesday’s blue wave: “Not taking any of this too well”

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Donald Trump’s lesbian niece, Mary Trump, recently revealed that her uncle is not handling the results of Tuesday’s elections very well. On her blog, Mary joked, “I know it’s not going to shock you all: Donald’s not taking any of this too well. He doesn’t like the whole blue wave narrative, and he certainly doesn’t like people blaming him for it.”

She mocked him for his reaction to the Democratic sweep by “lying to protect his fragile ego” during a post-election day speech in which he falsely claimed that the prices of gas and groceries had significantly decreased. According to Mary, her uncle’s claim that gas is at a 20-year low and costing only $2 a gallon is untrue.

Mary immediately debunked that possibility. “I don’t have a car, but I rented one this weekend, and gasoline was $4 a gallon,” she said. “The American Automobile Association, or AAA, has the average price of gasoline nationwide at $3.08 a gallon. I think Roseanne was still on TV the last time gas was less than $2 a gallon—not the reboot, the original.”

She added, “According to petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan, prices would need to decline below $2.96 to reach their lowest level since 2021. They’d need to drop below $1.76 a gallon nationally—a $1.34 per gallon drop compared to today—to fall to their lowest level since 2009.”

Mary questioned the president’s motivation behind trying to convince Americans that he has brought down the cost of living. “You can tell people all you want that gasoline is cheaper than it’s ever been, but if you’re somebody who buys gasoline a lot and pays attention to how much it costs, because a price difference of 20 to 50 cents a gallon is going to negatively impact your ability to buy other essential goods, you’re going to notice.”

She also referenced CNN’s fact-check that grocery prices were 2.7% higher in September than they were a year earlier and 1.4% higher than when the president took office in January.

Reflecting on the election results, Mary Trump said, “voters just aren’t buying the lies anymore.”

The president did not hide his rage in the immediate aftermath of Tuesday’s results. He ranted on Truth Social that unnamed “pollsters” claimed “TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT.”

In a follow-up post, he reiterated his call to Republicans to terminate the filibuster and demanded they “GET BACK TO PASSING LEGISLATION AND VOTER REFORM,” which critics interpret as a dog whistle for voter suppression.

However, the president probably shouldn’t have been surprised by the results, considering his monstrous disapproval ratings. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow recently detailed just how unpopular he is with the American people, explaining that his disapproval rating is “higher than it was in the immediate aftermath of January 6th.”

Citing an ABC/Washington Post Poll, Maddow added that “Americans disapprove of him on everything,” including:

– His handling of Israel and Gaza (minus 6 points)
– His approach to crime (minus 11 points)
– His immigration policies (minus 13 points)
– His handling of foreign relations (minus 19 points)
– The economy (minus 25 points)
– His handling of the Russia-Ukraine War (minus 21 points)
– His management of the federal government (minus 27 points)
– His tariffs (minus 32 points)

These numbers no doubt explain what happened in Tuesday night’s elections, where Democrats swept in races across the country.

The November 4 off-year elections saw Democrats dominate their Republican and independent opponents in gubernatorial and mayoral races, judicial retention votes, state legislative elections, commission races, and a historic, unprecedented ballot measure.

Analysts have said the Democrats could not have had a better night, as candidates across the country not only won their elections but, in many cases, made history.

In numerous races, Democrats won by such large margins that news organizations declared winners within minutes of polls closing.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/11/relative-says-he-hates-being-blamed-for-tuesdays-blue-wave-not-taking-any-of-this-too-well/

A Former White House Ethics Lawyer Just Revealed What Will Eventually Lead To Trump’s “Self-Destruction”

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**A Former White House Ethics Lawyer Reveals What Could Lead to Trump’s “Self-Destruction”**

Former Obama White House ethics lawyer Norm Eisen issued a warning on Monday about Donald Trump’s attempts to consolidate power, suggesting that these power grabs could ultimately backfire on the former president.

Appearing on MSNBC’s *The Weeknight*, Eisen—who also served as the U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic—shared insight drawn from people who have witnessed “democratic backsliding” in their own countries but later saw recovery. He explained that the “besetting sin” and greatest danger of self-destruction for dictators is overreach.

“In a sense, the phrase is, ‘The worse, the better,’” Eisen said. “The American people will not let him get away with that. The courts alone won’t save us, but the people are the ultimate guardrail and the ultimate safeguard.”

Eisen also highlighted signs that voters are beginning to push back against Trump’s tactics. “They don’t like it,” he observed. “So, I’m hopeful that we will be strong enough to stand up to his shenanigans.” However, he offered a sober warning: “It will get worse.”

Separately, Symone Sanders-Townsend discussed how Trump’s administration operates with a belief that “when the president does something, it is legal, regardless of what it is.” She noted that Trump’s team wants the public to become accustomed to extreme measures — including invoking the Insurrection Act or even martial law — without objection.

Sanders-Townsend further argued that Trump is “in a race against time,” emphasizing that upcoming elections could either curb or accelerate his authoritarian tendencies.

You can watch the full clip [here].

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*This article originally appeared on BuzzFeed Trending.*

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Let’s chat about all things politics! Visit our Politics Discussions page for full coverage and community insights.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/leemoran/norm-eisen-donald-trump-warning-sign

What to know about the Supreme Court arguments over Trump’s tariffs

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Three lower courts have ruled illegal President Donald Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose worldwide tariffs. Now, the Supreme Court — with three justices Trump appointed and generally favorable to muscular presidential power — will have the final word.

In roughly two dozen emergency appeals, the justices have largely sided with Trump, allowing parts of his aggressive second-term agenda to take effect temporarily while lawsuits proceed. But the case being argued Wednesday marks the first time the court will render a final decision on a central Trump policy. The stakes are enormous, both politically and financially, as Trump has made tariffs a cornerstone of his economic and foreign policy, declaring it would be a “disaster” if the Supreme Court rules against him.

**What to Know: The Supreme Court Tariff Case**

**1. What Are Tariffs?**

Tariffs are taxes on imports, paid by companies that bring finished products or parts into the country. These costs are often passed on to consumers. Through September, the government reported collecting $195 billion in revenue from the tariffs.

**2. Who Has the Power to Impose Tariffs?**

The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to impose tariffs. However, Trump claimed extraordinary authority to act without congressional approval by declaring national emergencies under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

In February, Trump invoked the law to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, stating that illegal immigration and drug flows across the U.S. border amounted to a national emergency. He further imposed global tariffs in April, declaring trade deficits a “national emergency.”

**3. Legal Challenges to Trump’s Tariffs**

Businesses and states backed by libertarian groups challenged Trump’s actions in court. Trump’s opponents won rulings from a specialized trade court, a Washington, D.C., district judge, and a business-focused appeals court. All found that Trump could not justify tariffs under the emergency powers law, which does not explicitly mention tariffs. However, these courts left the tariffs in place while legal proceedings continue.

The appeals court relied on the “major questions” doctrine — a legal principle set by the Supreme Court that requires Congress to speak clearly on issues of “vast economic and political significance.”

**4. The Major Questions Doctrine — and Its Precedents**

The ‘major questions’ doctrine has played a decisive role in high-profile cases. Conservative majorities on the court struck down three separate Biden-era initiatives related to the COVID-19 pandemic, ending a pause on evictions, blocking a vaccine mandate for large businesses, and preventing a $500 billion student loan forgiveness program.

In comparison, the stakes in the tariff case are much higher, with taxes estimated to generate $3 trillion over ten years. Challengers have pointed to writings by the three Trump appointees — Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh — urging the court to apply similar limitations to Trump’s policies.

Barrett, for example, used a babysitter analogy in the student loans case to stress the need for clear congressional instruction: “Permission to spend money on fun authorizes a babysitter to take children to the local ice cream parlor or movie theater, not on a multiday excursion to an out-of-town amusement park,” Barrett wrote.

Kavanaugh, though, has suggested the court should not apply the same restrictive standard to foreign policy and national security.

**5. Congress’s Power to Delegate**

Some business plaintiffs are advancing a separate argument appealing to conservative justices: that Congress cannot constitutionally delegate its taxing authority to the president. The so-called nondelegation principle has not been used in 90 years, since the Supreme Court struck down some New Deal laws. However, Gorsuch authored a recent dissent arguing that Congress ceding too much lawmaking power to the executive branch is unconstitutional, with Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas joining.

**6. An Unusually Fast Turnaround**

The Supreme Court only agreed to hear the case in September, scheduling arguments in under two months — a notably quick turnaround. This suggests the court may act faster than usual, as high-profile cases can typically take half a year or more for a final decision due to extended drafting of majority and dissenting opinions.

Showing how quickly it can move under deadline pressure, the court recently ruled just a week after arguments in the TikTok case, unanimously upholding a law that requires the social media app to be banned unless sold by its Chinese parent company. Trump himself has intervened multiple times to keep the law from taking effect while negotiations continue with China.

**Stay Tuned**

The Supreme Court’s impending decision could have far-reaching effects on U.S. economic policy and presidential authority — as well as the pocketbooks of American businesses and consumers.
https://ktar.com/national-news/what-to-know-about-the-supreme-court-arguments-over-trumps-tariffs/5770683/

Crypto Is The “Industry Of The Future”: David Sacks

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**President Trump’s Crypto and AI Czar David Sacks Advocates for U.S. Leadership in Digital Innovation**

David Sacks, appointed by President Trump as the White House AI and Crypto Czar, is making a bold case for America to reclaim its leadership role in digital innovation. Calling cryptocurrency “the industry of the future,” Sacks emphasizes the urgent need for clear regulatory standards to keep crypto innovation onshore.

Speaking alongside a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, as well as entrepreneur Erik Torenberg, Sacks criticized the Biden administration’s “regulation by enforcement” approach. He argued that, under SEC Chair Gary Gensler, crypto entrepreneurs have been prosecuted instead of being provided with clear rules to follow.

> “All the entrepreneurs I’ve talked to over the years say the same thing: just tell us what the rules are,” Sacks said.
> “During the Biden years, you had an SEC chairman who took an approach, which I guess has been called regulation through enforcement, which basically means you just get prosecuted.”

### Making the United States the Crypto Capital of the Planet

Sacks highlighted President Trump’s campaign pledge to make the U.S. “the crypto capital of the planet” and to remove Gary Gensler from his position, noting that this message resonated strongly with voters.

> “He’s talked about how surprised he was at the big ovation he got at that,” Sacks observed, underscoring the growing political significance of crypto policy.

Looking ahead, Sacks said that under the Trump administration, the goal will be to establish regulatory clarity that both protects consumers and fosters innovation and competitiveness in the sector.

> “Providing certainty means entrepreneurs can build here in America,” he added.

Last night on *60 Minutes*, President Trump reinforced his support for crypto in the United States, stating,

> “I only care about one thing: will we be number one in crypto.”

### Crypto, AI, and America’s Technological Future

The discussion also touched on competition with China in artificial intelligence, the need for a comprehensive federal crypto framework, and the critical role of abundant energy resources in powering future technologies.

Sacks positioned both cryptocurrency and AI as twin pillars of America’s technological leadership—sectors that he believes will define the next decade of global economic growth.

### Sacks’ Role and Key Initiatives

Since his appointment in December, Sacks has served part-time to shape policy across AI and cryptocurrency sectors. His approach advocates for pro-innovation and deregulatory policies that provide a clear legal framework for the cryptocurrency industry.

Among his notable achievements, Sacks was instrumental in crafting the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. This new federal Bitcoin reserve is to be funded using BTC already owned by the U.S. government through asset forfeitures, meaning it will incur no taxpayer cost.

> Sacks described the reserve as a “digital Fort Knox,” explaining that the government will hold—not sell—these assets. This policy aims to prevent past mistakes, where premature Bitcoin sales resulted in taxpayers losing over $17 billion in unrealized gains.

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With renewed leadership and clear regulatory guidelines, David Sacks and the Trump administration aim to position the United States at the forefront of the crypto and AI revolutions, securing America’s status as a global technological powerhouse.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/crypto/crypto-is-the-industry-of-the-future-david-sacks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=crypto-is-the-industry-of-the-future-david-sacks

Hegseth Revisits Vietnam and Korea, Sites of America’s Two Bloodiest Wars Since World War II

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Secretary Pete Hegseth is revisiting some of the scenes of America’s two bloodiest wars since World War II, buttressing defenses against the same enemies—the Chinese and the Russians—with whom Americans fought and died in Vietnam and Korea.

In South Korea, Mr. Hegseth is focusing on a highly sensitive topic: transferring operational control to the top Korean commander in time of war from the American general who commands U.S. Forces Korea as well as the Combined Forces Command and the UN Command. American and Korean negotiators are addressing the trickier aspects of this transfer, while the Americans press the South to increase defense spending and contribute more to the costs of keeping 28,500 American troops on bases there, as President Trump demanded in his first term.

Mr. Hegseth got a first-hand taste of the standoff on the Korean peninsula after spending two days in Vietnam discussing the shipment of heavy arms for the Vietnamese Communists, who fought the Americans and their South Vietnamese allies using Chinese and Soviet weapons between 1965 and the American withdrawal in 1973.

Just after flying to Osan Air Base, south of Seoul, from Hanoi, Mr. Hegseth headed to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that has divided North and South Korea since the end of the Korean War. There, he was greeted by South Korea’s defense minister, Ahn Gyu-back, who escorted him to the Joint Security Area (JSA)—the site where the war truce was signed in July 1953.

Mr. Ahn noted that Mr. Hegseth had called the JSA “the frontline of division and a place of dialogue.” This carefully constructed remark acknowledged the importance of the JSA as the venue for negotiations when President Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for the third time in June 2019. It was also at the JSA that Mr. Kim met former South Korean president Moon Jae-in in 2018, during a period of hopeful North-South rapprochement.

For Mr. Hegseth, the visit to the DMZ was typical of visits made by thousands of sightseers, but it also symbolized the American-Korean alliance amid deepening North-South confrontation. Currently, Mr. Kim refuses to meet with anyone from the South, which he has declared the “enemy” while tightening his alliance with Russia’s president. North Korea has sent thousands of troops and steady shipments of arms to Russian forces in Ukraine.

Mr. Hegseth is urging South Korea to invest more in its own defense and possibly increase its share of the costs for American troops and bases, which currently stand at $1.1 billion a year under President Biden. During his first term, President Trump demanded $5 billion annually but has not repeated that figure during his second term. Trump also did not mention defense during his recent visit to Pusan, where he met President Xi Jinping ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in nearby Gyeongju.

After meeting other defense ministers in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, Mr. Hegseth flew to Hanoi. There, he discussed selling warplanes and other arms in meetings with Vietnam’s leader To Lam, general secretary of the ruling Communist Party, as well as with Vietnam’s president Luong Cuong and defense minister General Phan Van Giang.

Mr. Hegseth is believed to have discussed the sale of aircraft—including transport planes and helicopters—to a regime that has moved much closer to America in the 30 years since Hanoi established diplomatic relations with Washington, two decades after the Vietnam War ended in 1975.

During the Vietnam War, Russia supplied Hanoi with heavy ammunition, including short-range missiles that shot down numerous American warplanes, while China provided rifles and machine guns. The legacy of Vietnam weighed heavily on Mr. Hegseth’s visit.

As a symbol of regretful remembrance, he “returned” to Vietnam some souvenirs belonging to a deceased Communist soldier, including a belt, a knife, and a leather box. Mr. Pham, a Vietnamese official, in turn gave Mr. Hegseth identification cards of two American soldiers.

More significantly, they discussed measures to combat Agent Orange, which was sprayed over vast stretches of jungle, as well as ongoing efforts to search for missing American soldiers.
https://www.nysun.com/article/hegseth-revisits-vietnam-and-korea-sites-of-americas-two-bloodiest-wars-since-world-war-ii

Tuesday’s elections will be early test of how voters feel about Trump, Democrats

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Tuesday is Election Day in Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and California. These races will serve as early tests of how voters are feeling about President Trump and the Democrats’ efforts to push back against his agenda.

CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O’Keefe has the highlights.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/what-to-know-about-upcoming-election-day-1/