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Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Sunday, July 13, 2025

Some of the world's poorest countries have started paying millions to lobbyists linked to Donald Trump to try to offset US cuts to foreign aid. Somalia, Haiti, and Yemen are among 11 countries to sign significant lobbying deals with figures tied directly to the US president after he slashed US foreign humanitarian assistance. Many states have already begun bartering crucial natural resources -- including minerals -- in exchange for humanitarian or military support.

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Contracts worth $17m were signed between Trump-linked lobbying firms and some of the world's least-developed countries, which were among the highest recipients of USAID. The DRC is primed to sign a mineral deal with the US for support against Rwanda-backed rebels, providing American companies access to lithium, cobalt and coltan. The DRC -- a former top-ten USAID recipient -- signed contracts worth $1.2m with the lobbyists Ballard Partners. The firm, owned by Brian Ballard, lobbied for Trump well before the 2016 US election and was a leading donor to the US president's political campaign. Somalia and Yemen signed contracts with BGR Government Affairs, $550,000 and $372,000, respectively. A former BGR partner, Sean Duffy, is now Trump's transport secretary, one of myriad links between the US president and the lobbying firm.

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#1 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2025-07-13 09:32 AM | Reply

You don't need lobbyists to sway Trump.

You need bribes.

Although I guess that someone on hand to tell him what a genius he is is always helpful.

#2 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-13 09:55 AM | Reply

Hi Zed: You're right. The headline should have read: 'Poor Countries Hiring Lobbyists to Sway Bribe Dummkopf Trumpf'

#3 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2025-07-13 10:17 AM | Reply

Maybe if they used that money on their citizens, things would be better in those nations.

But none of you see THAT.

#4 | Posted by boaz at 2025-07-14 12:14 AM | Reply

@#4 ... Maybe if they used that money on their citizens, things would be better in those nations. ...

What does your analysis say about the amount of money spent by a Country to ~bribe~ Pres Trump relative to the possible benefits that a Country might incur from that expenditure?



#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-07-14 12:24 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Lobbyists linked to Donald Trump paid millions by world's poorest countries
www.theguardian.com

... Some of the world's poorest countries have started paying millions to lobbyists linked to Donald Trump to try to offset US cuts to foreign aid, an investigation reveals.

Somalia, Haiti and Yemen are among 11 countries to sign significant lobbying deals with figures tied directly to the US president after he slashed US foreign humanitarian assistance.

Many states have already begun bartering crucial natural resources -- including minerals -- in exchange for humanitarian or military support, the investigation by Global Witness found.

USAID officially closed its doors last week after Trump's dismantling of the agency, a move experts warn could cause more than 14 million avoidable deaths over five years.

Emily Stewart, Global Witness's head of policy for transition minerals, said the situation meant that deal making in Washington could become "more desperate and less favourable to low-income countries", which had become increasingly vulnerable to brutal exploitation of their natural resources.

Documents show that within six months of last November's US election, contracts worth $17m (12.5m) were signed between Trump-linked lobbying firms and some of the world's least-developed countries, which were among the highest recipients of USAID. ...


#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-07-14 12:28 AM | Reply

It doesn't matter how many lobbyists a poor, 3rd world country, like Canada hires. They are gonna pay a 35% tariff and watch their country implode.

#7 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-07-14 08:32 AM | Reply

Oh Sotts, you poor little moron.

Canada's not paying a penny. All this time on here and you still don't understand who pays the tariff.
God you people are the stupidest, dumbest, densest fccks. Seriously.

#8 | Posted by YAV at 2025-07-14 08:40 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

They need to up their bribes.

#9 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-07-14 08:42 AM | Reply

"Maybe if they used that money on their citizens,"

Ironic post of the decade from the least self aware person on this blog.

#10 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-07-14 08:43 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

They are gonna pay a 35% tariff and watch their country implode.
#7 | Posted by ScottS

^
Genuinely curious how it benefits America when a neighboring country's economy collapses.

#11 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-07-14 09:07 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

"New data from the Treasury Department released Friday afternoon confirmed that June was yet another record month on the revenue front, with $26.6 billion in customs duties coming into US coffers.

It was another step up from May's total of $22.2 billion. It brings the total for the fiscal year, which began in November, to $108 billion, with the majority of that money coming in recent months as Trump's tariffs began to bite."

Anyone that's traveled internationally should ---- well know that it is YOU that pays the customs duties. Think hard about this every time Trump touts "billions of dollars coming in from tariffs!" - it is YOU and ME that are paying those tariffs. They are taxes on us - above all the federal and state taxes.

It isn't any foreign nation or country paying a dime. If you can't figure that out, then you really should excuse yourself from voting and conversation on the subject and work on just remembering how to chew your food and swallow.

#12 | Posted by YAV at 2025-07-14 09:29 AM | Reply

" Genuinely curious how it benefits America when a neighboring country's economy collapses.

#11 | POSTED BY SNOOFY AT 2025-07-14 09:07 AM | REPLY

No kidding. As a Michigan resident it will definitely hurt our economy.

#13 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2025-07-14 09:36 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"Canada's not paying a penny.
#8 | Posted by YAV"

LOL, yeah, the US consumers are paying it through the non-existent inflation. Got it. Let's see how Canada's GDP looks over the next 6 months.

#14 | Posted by ScottS at 2025-07-14 09:51 AM | Reply

Let's see how Canada's GDP looks over the next 6 months.

#14 | POSTED BY SCOTTS

Let's see how Trump's GDP looks. You know, the one already contracting?

What-an-Idiot.

#15 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-14 10:28 AM | Reply

#14 | POSTED BY SCOTTS

The neocons had this idea that all George W. Bush had to do was to bark military action and the entire political universe would cower to his will.

MAGA, who say they hate neocons, have this idea that all Donald Trump has to do is bark economic action and the the financial universe will cower to his will.

But, then as now, everyone in the universe also gets their votes.

You can't live in a childlike, magical reality like this an expect anything beyond the pleasure of your fantasy.

#16 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-14 10:37 AM | Reply

Wooooooooooooooow....so some of you actually think this is new behavior? This isn't even hidden. Countries are open about their lobbying. They all try to lobby to get the US to do something. This has been going on since the 1800s.

But, hey, put a partisan spin on it and liberals will believe anything. I mean, Iran lobbied hard to get Obama to cut them some slack and that ended up being a multi-billion dollar payment.

#17 | Posted by humtake at 2025-07-14 11:35 AM | Reply

"They are gonna pay a 35% tariff"

Clueless.

Tariffs are taxes, and American tariffs are paid 100% by American consumers.

#18 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-07-14 12:06 PM | Reply

Tariffs are taxes, and American tariffs are paid 100% by American consumers.

#18 | POSTED BY DANFORTH

What's the partisan spin to that, HUMTAKE?

#19 | Posted by Zed at 2025-07-14 12:15 PM | Reply

--------. There has been no "tax"on Americans. This is just another thing liberals think if they say something enough, it becomes fact.

Inflation is still very low. No one is feeling any affects from tariffs, except the U.S. pocketbook and those who have never had to pay tariffs for access to the worlds largest marketplace.

#20 | Posted by boaz at 2025-07-14 06:41 PM | Reply

--------. There has been no "tax"on Americans. This is just another thing liberals think if they say something enough, it becomes fact.

Inflation is still very low. No one is feeling any affects from tariffs, except the U.S. pocketbook and those who have never had to pay tariffs for access to the worlds largest marketplace.

#20 | Posted by boaz

The high prices haven't fully begun to hit.

Did you realize that, for instance, the "deminimus" exenption for imported for under $800 is no longer in effect? Every pair of socks or shirts or electronics or any other everyday item made overseas is about to cost 30%+ more thanks to these tariffs?

That auto parts, tires, sawed lumber (2x4's, etc), the clothes you wear, electronics, phones, gas and oil (we import a LOT of oil for gasoline from Canada), fruit, and a myriad of other everyday items will cost everyone more? Including homeowners and auto insurance premiums because it'll cost more to repair a house or a car. I could go on ...

It is A TAX ON ALL OF US. An unnecessary and inflationary tax on everyone.

You all ------- about "Bidenflation," which was the result of COVID and lower than any other developed nation's rate of inflation.

You aren't gonna ----- about the obviously inflationary results of Trump's tariffs? 'Cause that's just reality.

Those are the facts, BOAZ.

#21 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2025-07-14 07:02 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Trump will not be content with lobbyists pleading the cases for poor countries. The leaders of these countries MUST come before Trump and prostrate themselves if they expect to get anything out of Trump.

#22 | Posted by FedUpWithPols at 2025-07-15 12:06 PM | Reply

Boaz doesn't do facts.
Or reality.
Or truth.

#23 | Posted by YAV at 2025-07-15 09:21 PM | Reply

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