So, Pres Trump TACOs yet again?

... The publication says most of the space in the dining room is taken up by "printed-out news articles and documents," presumably Harp's handiwork. ...

So, she has created a "safe space" for Pres Trump?

A space that Pres Trump can retreat to when reality starts to intrude into his alternative reality space?

Ground assault in Iran?

Related ...

More from the article ...

... Pentagon officials have in recent weeks asked several NATO countries to tone down their rhetoric regarding the threat posed by Russia, arguing that some statements by European leaders and officials have undermined continental security, four people familiar with the matter said.

Among the nations that have received messages urging them to keep public statements in check are Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. It was not clear if the messages, which were delivered in bilateral meetings, were conveyed to other European governments.

The US requests come as the Trump administration restarts an effort to press for a negotiated end to the full-scale war in Ukraine, now well into its fifth year. The latest push has blended incentives for Russia - including sanctions relief - with pressure on Ukraine to halt its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

Asked for comment, a Pentagon official said: "Private conversations among allies are just that, so we will not comment on these allegations."

Among the comments that have drawn US officials' attention are suggestions by European leaders that Russia is cornered and resorting to increasingly desperate measures as its invasion of Ukraine slows to a crawl, one of the people said.

Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a key figure in an ongoing review of US troop levels in Europe, was one of the US officials delivering the message, the people said. Reuters could not determine what other officials were involved.

None of the people, who include three European officials and a US official, suggested the advice was communicated in a confrontational manner.

EUROPE SHOULD AVOID "POKING" RUSSIA

The US messages reflect a debate within NATO regarding how to publicly address the threat of an increasingly assertive Russia. ...

@#4 ... Musk does Vlad a favor on Starlink, Vlad calls him a genius ...

@#54 ... IT was the GOP that did this first in Alaska... see the post at #7.

And they used the name of an out of state prison inmate. ...

Personally, I'd prefer to see those candidates running for office avoiding these types of shenanigans.

But when the races are as close as they appear to be this election cycle ... well, it looks like lawful, and not ethical, seems to be the possible red-line that is not crossed.

Probably why Pres Trump looks to be handing financial aid over to Pres Putin...

More from the article ...

... The country's 2027-2029 state budget, which was approved Thursday in the rubber-stamp parliament on the first of three votes, is accompanied by a string of tax hikes announced after the September parliamentary elections.

While last year the Kremlin went for a broad tax increase, raising value-added taxes at the cash register and making more small businesses pay VAT, this cash grab hits a narrower segment: mining companies and better-off citizens with investment income, property sales and bank accounts.

The budget deficit this year has swelled beyond forecast s due to lavish military spending and tepid economic growth amid sanctions, high interest rates for non-military companies, labor shortages and Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries and export terminals.

The deficit hit 5.8 trillion rubles ($72 billion) through August, almost 50% higher than last year's figure and above the already revised target of 4.8 trillion rubles, according to the Kyiv School of Economics.
New taxes will hit mining companies and bank interest

The government proposes a 20%-30% windfall profits tax on mining companies that have benefited from prices that have risen since last year. That will hit companies producing iron ore, nickel and gold. Another measure imposes higher rates of 13% to 22% on income from interest, dividends and proceeds from selling property. Such income is currently taxed at 13% for amounts under 2.4 million rubles ($29,800) and 15% above that. ...

Apropos?

@#14 ... Trump, insecure and constantly in need of reassurance of his manhood ...

Perhaps he needs such reassurance because of a real attraction towards men?

I mean, why does he seem to frequently talk about admiring men's derrieres and their bodies?

What's up with that? (OK, that may not be the best question to ask...)

... Flávio Bolsonaro declared himself the "true president" of Brazil ...

Then, why did he flee to Miami?

Does a leader of a country run away from that country?

This does not bode well.

@#15 ... Pedo 47 just figured out there's a "b" in incumbent. ...

When do you figure he might realize that there is no "Trump" in Oval Office?

imo, January 2029 cannot arrive soon enough ...

@#10 ... I like JoJo From Jerz's take ...

Yeah, but what does she really think?

OK, I've read some more of her posts.

Wow.

I can no longer ask what she really thinks. She seems to be quite specific in the area of expressing her opinions.

:)

All that aside, her comment, cited in #10, does seem to be spot on.

@#1 ... Continuing the theme of "IPO risks that sound like they come from a science fiction novel," Anthropic spends a good deal of time discussing the possibility that its models could display "unexpected strategic or self-preserving behaviors" to prevent control from human operators. ...

Oh, this ain't good.

The Matrix is alive and looking to take over humanity.

Where is our Neo?

@#11 ... The fat orange chomo answers to the Kremlin. ...

The sad part of it is, that the approach is killing Americans who have volunteered to serve the Country.

... US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed out the Pentagon's top planning officer as President Donald Trump weighs new strikes against Iran ...

You cannot allow longer-term planning to occur when the cult leader only wants short-term transactions.

Planning does not seem to fit in with the "what do I get out of this now" that Pres Trump seems to have.

@#3 ... Will they play the 9th? ...

If your current trolling alias is really interested, you can listen on WQXR streaming.

But my guess is that your comment is just yet another of its usual comments only trolling for replies.

So, yeah, it got one ...

@#14 ... Carville is a washed-up has-been. ...

Agreed.

He, currently, seems to be like, e.g., Mr Karl Rove, ... trying to be contrary to attain screen-time.

Strategists from a different era, still trying to seem to be relevant.

@#1 ... as part of an effort to "improve U.S.-Russia relations and help end the war." ...

So, how might Pres Putin view this latest bowing to him?

Will he view it as a posture of strength against him and suddenly change his goal that Ukraine should not exist as a country?

Or, might Pres Putin just see this latest effort by Pres Trump as yet another showing of Pres Trump bowing in front of Pres Putin?

More from the article ...

... The New York Times reported Tuesday that the Trump administration is reviewing a request to lift sanctions on the Russian Direct Investment Fund, a multibillion-dollar state fund the Biden administration branded a "slush fund" for Russian President Vladimir Putin when it hit the fund with penalties days after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

A U.S. official confirmed to The Times that the Trump administration is assessing the fund's application through established channels as part of an effort to "improve U.S.-Russia relations and help end the war." The official praised the fund's chief, Kirill Dmitriev, as "a helpful envoy." ...