U.S. Gives Europe Three-Year Ultimatum
Espreso wrote on December 5:
“The Pentagon has informed European diplomats that the United States expects NATO’s European members to take control of the alliance’s conventional defense operations by 2027… The ultimatum marks a significant departure from decades of American military leadership in the transatlantic partnership.
“During meetings with European delegations, Defense Department officials indicated that recent European efforts to strengthen military capabilities following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine have fallen short of expectations. Pentagon representatives warned that failure to meet the deadline could result in the United States withdrawing from certain NATO coordination mechanisms…
“The European Union has already established its own target of achieving independent defense readiness by 2030, acknowledging substantial gaps in air defense, drone technology, cyber warfare, and ammunition production. Defense analysts consider even that more extended deadline highly ambitious…”
Is the USA inadvertently and foolishly creating a Frankenstein monster?
Trump Warns Europe of Losing National Identity
The Guardian wrote on December 5:
“[A new American strategy] document, with a signed introduction by Trump, says Europe is in economic decline but its ‘real problems are even deeper’, including ‘activities of the EU that undermine political liberty and sovereignty, migration policies that are transforming the continent, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition … and loss of national identities’…
“The 33-page exposition… appears to espouse the… ‘great replacement’ conspiracy theory [which claims ethnic white European populations are deliberately being replaced by non-white peoples], saying several countries risk becoming ‘majority non-European’ and Europe faces ‘the real and stark prospect of civilisational erasure’…
“The policy document, released by the White House late on Thursday, underscores the Trump administration’s clear alignment with Europe’s far-right nationalist parties, whose policies centre on attacking supposed EU overreach and excessive non-EU migration… With far-right parties either in government, supporting rightwing coalitions or leading in the polls in several EU member states, the document says the ‘growing influence of patriotic European parties … gives cause for great optimism’.”
Europe is not amused. Note the next article.
“Mind Your Own Business”
Deutsche Welle wrote on December 5:
“German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU)… said Berlin did not need external lectures on freedom of expression or the organization of democratic societies…
“Jürgen Hardt, the foreign policy spokesman of Germany’s ruling conservative CDU/CSU alliance was also critical of the US strategy. ‘The assessment of the US president on Europe, it’s very much single colored, maybe due to information he got from the wrong sides like right [wing] radical parties in Europe, or sometimes it sounds like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin talking about Europe,’ Hardt told DW.
“Hardt expressed concerns about the US strategy, suggesting Trump ‘wants to engage actively in politics in European Union member states.’ ‘We did not [engage] in the US, and we expect that the US is not doing so in German democracies,’ he said…
“The European Commission strongly rejected the accusations against the EU that the US strategy made.”
Trump to Divide Europe?
The Daily Mail wrote on December 11:
“A US defense website claims to have seen a leaked document unveiling a dramatic US proposal to prise four countries away from the European Union… The secret file, reported by Defense One, supposedly claims Trump intends to pull Austria, Italy, Hungary and Poland away from the EU and closer in to Washington’s circle of influence – a move that would rip through the continent’s political landscape…
“The White House has since come out swinging, vehemently denying the claims as the leak triggered widespread alarm among European media outlets and spiralled across social platforms…
“But Defense One upped the stakes hours later, publishing extracts from what it described as a ‘fuller version’ of the strategy that reportedly circulated behind closed doors before the White House unveiled the public edition. According to the outlet, the more expansive draft explicitly listed Poland, Austria, Italy and Hungary as countries the US should ‘work more with… with the goal of pulling them away from the [European Union].’..
“The reaction to the strategy from Europe was instant and furious…”
Austria responded by condemning Trump’s planned strategy. It is clear that they accept the leaked document as genuine.
The US No Longer on Europe’s Side
Bild Online wrote on December 8:
“The new US ‘National Security Strategy’ is changing the world – and times will change even more rapidly for Europe and Germany than before. Experts are concerned and making dramatic predictions…
“A top foreign policy expert is now outlining the painful consequences for Germany. ‘The new US foreign policy stance is a second turning point,’ said Norbert Röttgen, deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. ‘For the first time since the end of World War II, the US is no longer on the side of the Europeans. It is no longer on the side of Ukraine, a country against which a brutal war of annihilation is being waged in violation of international law.'”
Europeans See a Hostile U.S.
The Washington Post wrote on December 9:
“Relations between the U.S. and Europe hit a low point as President Donald Trump’s security strategy slams Europe but largely ignores threats from Russia and China…
“A new U.S. national security strategy berating Europe has triggered a wave of acrimony across the Atlantic, enraging and dismaying European officials who say the document has turned the Trump administration’s vitriol against European democracies into formal policy.
“President Donald Trump’s push to halt the war in Ukraine on terms favorable to Russia, as well as the European Union’s announcement Friday of a roughly $140 million fine against X for violating the bloc’s digital rules, have fueled the fire, pushing transatlantic relations to their lowest point since Trump returned to the White House in January.
“Elon Musk, the owner of X, is calling for abolishing the E.U., and Trump supporters are railing against the 27-nation bloc… Tensions erupted after the U.S. strategy painted the E.U. as a bigger threat than Russia or China… The document lays bare the depth of the rift in the 80-year-old Western alliance, European officials and analysts say, and serves as proof that European nations should strive for greater military independence.
“From the start of Trump’s term, the president’s inner circle has bashed Europe… European Council President António Costa… urged Europe to understand that ‘post-World War II alliances have changed’ and to get ready to ‘protect ourselves not only against our adversaries, but also against the allies who challenge us.’…
“Former E.U. commissioner Thierry Breton [stated] that the ‘very shocking’ document puts it ‘in black and white’ that the White House sees European institutions ‘as an enemy’ it wants to ‘destabilize.’…
“This is certainly not the first transatlantic rift. During George W. Bush’s administration, there was a bitter split over the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and Trump’s first term was also divisive. But polling this year suggests growing alienation, with more and more Europeans viewing ties with America negatively or even as adversarial… Trump once said the E.U… was formed to ‘screw’ the United States…
“But not everyone was displeased by the U.S. vision for Europe. The Alternative for Germany (AfD)… cheered the security strategy as ‘a foreign policy reality check for Europe, and especially for Germany.’ Hungary’s… prime minister, Viktor Orban… praised Musk ‘for holding the line’ against what he called an ‘attack on X’… As Europeans fumed, Moscow welcomed aspects of the new U.S. strategy…
“Some, however, criticized E.U. and national leaders for not hitting back harder. The E.U.’s former top diplomat, Josep Borrell, on Tuesday called the U.S. strategy ‘a declaration of political war’… Borrell called on European leaders to ‘stop pretending that Trump is not our adversary, hiding behind a fearful and complacent silence, and instead assert the EU’s sovereignty.’”
Trump’s Interview with Politico
Politico wrote on December 12:
“President Donald Trump denounced Europe as a ‘decaying’ group of nations led by ‘weak’ people in an interview with POLITICO, belittling the traditional U.S. allies for failing to control migration and end the Russia-Ukraine war… The broadside attack against European political leadership represents the president’s most virulent denunciation to date of these Western democracies, threatening a decisive rupture with countries like France and Germany that already have deeply strained relations with the Trump administration…
“In recent days, European capitals have shuddered with dismay at the release of Trump’s new National Security Strategy, a highly provocative manifesto that cast the Trump administration in opposition to the mainstream European political establishment… In the interview, Trump amplified that worldview.”
Trump also said this in the interview:
“… if it keeps going the way it’s going, Europe will not be … in my opinion, uh, many of those countries will not be viable countries any longer. Their immigration policy is a disaster. What they’re doing with immigration is a disaster…. Europe, they’re coming in from all parts of the world. Not just the Middle East, they’re coming in from the Congo, tremendous numbers of people coming from the Congo. And even worse, they’re coming from prisons of the Congo and many other countries.”
When asked whether the USA and Europe will remain allies, he answered:
“You know, it depends. They’ll change their ideology, obviously, because the people coming in have a totally different ideology. But uh, it’s uh … it’s gonna make them much weaker. They’ll be a much … they’ll be much weaker, and they’ll be much different… When they allow millions of people to pour into their countries, many of these people are committing tremendous crimes… I get reports that you will never see. And I think it’s horrible what’s happening to Europe. I think it’s endangering Europe as we know it.”
“Europe—You Are on Your Own!”
On December 10, The Daily Mail published the following article by Andrew Neil:
“Donald Trump to Europe: ‘You’re on your own, losers. Bye!’ That’s the blunt message at the heart of his administration’s new National Security Strategy…
“Now, in a lot of what Trump has to say about Europe, he’s not wrong. Europe is indeed cursed with a weak and feckless leadership… Even so, the implications of Trump’s new strategy document are chilling… It would be hard to think of a more dramatic rupture between America and the governing elites of Europe’s most important countries, including Germany, France and even Britain. If Trump truly means what his strategy paper says, it’s hard to see Nato in its current guise surviving for long…
“His Ukraine peace plan is going nowhere. I suspect he’ll simply throw his toys out of the pram and give up, abandoning Europe at a time when it is ill-equipped to stand on its own two feet… even as Putin, encouraged by Trump’s indifference, grows more emboldened on Europe’s eastern borders.”
EU’s Fine of Musk Attack on America?
Fox Business wrote on December 6:
“Elon Musk and Trump administration officials delivered blistering criticism of the European Union after its executive branch issued a $140 million fine against Musk’s social media platform, X. ‘The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people,’ Musk wrote on X on Saturday..
“The European Commission said Friday it was fining X for ‘non-compliance with transparency obligations’ under the Digital Services Act (DSA), adding that it was specifically ‘holding X accountable’ for what the EU deems ‘deceptive’ design of X’s ‘blue checkmark,’ a ‘lack of transparency of its advertising repository,’ and ‘failure to provide access to public data for researchers.’ …
“On Friday, in response to an X post from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, calling the fine an ‘abomination’ and saying that President Donald Trump should impose sanctions ‘until this travesty is reversed,’ Musk replied, ‘The “EU” imposed this crazy fine not just on X, but also on me personally, which is even more insane! Therefore, it would seem appropriate to apply our response not just to the EU, but also to the individuals who took this action against me,’ Musk wrote…
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that the fine ‘isn’t just an attack on X, it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments.’..
“Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on X, ‘The Digital Services Act is designed to stifle free speech and American tech companies…’
“‘Foreign bureaucrats have zero right to tell Americans what they can and can’t say,’ added Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo….”
At the same time, the Trump Administration tries to tell Europeans what they can and can’t say (note the articles above).
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted on X:
“What’s even worse is that the US is in a MILITARY ALLIANCE with the very countries attacking us via the EU. As noted earlier this year, this contradiction cannot continue. The nations of Europe cannot look to the US for their own security at the same time they affirmatively undermine the security of the US itself through the (unelected, undemocratic, and unrepresentative) EU. This fine is just the tip of the iceberg. As I mentioned to every European leader I just met at the NATO Ministerial Meeting in Brussels, the EU’s support of the Communist and anti-American regime in Cuba is another striking example of the EU affirmatively undermining US security while the vast majority of its member states look to the US for their own security via NATO… the time for games is over.”
This is tough language, showing that the “friendship” between the USA and the EU is declining fast.
EU Censors US?
On December 8, 2025, Zerohedge published the following article by Tyler Durden:
“Elon Musk is not taking the outrageous fine from Brussels bureaucrats lying down, lashing out at EU officialdom for taking on Nazi characteristics and oppressing their own citizens’ best interests… Musk also re-shared a post about Irish teacher Enoch Burke, who was jailed for refusing to use transgender pronouns, and later replied to another user, ‘So many politicians in Europe who are traitors to their own people.’ And Musk highlighted the fact that Meta has a verification program similar to X’s, yet the EU hasn’t onerously fined the more censorship-prone Meta…
“The EU has virtually declared war on free speech and is targeting American companies… Not surprisingly, X was the chosen target – a company blamed by many in the EU and the U.S. for rolling back free-speech protections. In essence, it’s punishment for not bending the knee to the EU’s iron-fisted control over online content… This isn’t a one-off slap; it’s the culmination of years of threats and harassment… Further, Musk brings receipts showing the European Union sent him a formal letter demanding that he censor Donald Trump during the 2024 US presidential election…
“At the heart of it all is the EU’s obsession with controlling information flows… These moves expose the hypocrisy: the EU claims to champion democracy but builds an Orwellian apparatus that monitors, scans, and punishes speech. It’s not about safety—it’s about power. This latest EU assault on X has infuriated US Vice President JD Vance, who yesterday, as rumors of the impending penalty circulated, took to X and posted: ‘The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage.’… German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called Vance’s opinions ‘unacceptable,’ proving Vance’s point about normalized authoritarianism…
“With Trump back in the White House and Vance as a key ally, expect pushback: America won’t stand idly by as allies erode the very freedoms that define the West. The $140 million hit on X isn’t just a fine—it’s a declaration of war on uncensored dialogue. Musk’s platform remains one of the last major outposts where ideas flow freely, unhampered by globalist filters. As the EU tightens its grip, the message is clear: comply or be crushed… This is just the first salvo in a war that some of us have warned is coming.”
Voluntary Military Service in Germany – For Now!
BBC wrote on December 5:
“Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, has voted to introduce voluntary military service… It marks a significant shift in Germany’s approach to its military and follows Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s push to create Europe’s strongest conventional army.
“The change means that all 18-year-olds in Germany will be sent a questionnaire from January 2026 asking if they are interested and willing to join the armed forces. The form will be mandatory for men and voluntary for women.
“Students at schools across Germany have said they will join strikes in as many as 90 cities on Friday to protest against the move… Many young Germans either oppose the new law or are sceptical. ‘We don’t want to spend half a year of our lives locked up in barracks, being trained in drill and obedience and learning to kill,’ the organisers of the protests wrote in a statement posted on social media. ‘War offers no prospects for the future and destroys our livelihoods.’ In Hamburg alone, about 1,500 people were expected to join the protests, and school head teachers warned parents not to take their children out of school for the day.
“The government says military service will be voluntary for as long as possible, but from July 2027, all 18-year-old men will have to take a medical exam to assess their fitness for possible military service… While the plan is for voluntary service, if the security situation worsens or if too few volunteers came forward, a form of compulsory military service could be considered by the Bundestag…”
Many young people see the writing on the wall. Politicians don’t care and move full steam ahead. Note the next article.
Young Germans Opposed to Conscription
Sky News reported on December 6:
“Across the country, students gathered to demonstrate against what they fear will be a return to conscription. In Berlin, they held signs saying, ‘You can’t have our lives if we don’t eat your lies’…
“While most demonstrators were in their late teens or twenties, some parents also turned out with their younger children. One mother held a placard declaring: ‘You can’t have my son’… ‘None of us want to die for a country that doesn’t really care about us,’ [a student] tells me… [Another demonstrator said:] ‘I don’t think it’s right to send children or anyone against their will into the military, because war is just wrong…’
“‘From my friends no one wants to volunteer because we don’t want to fight for a problem that’s not really ours. We didn’t start the problems, they [the government] did,’ says [another student.]”
Europe Is Arming Fast
Patreon wrote on December 5:
“Europe is undergoing one of its most consequential military transformations in decades, led by a Germany that is quietly but decisively reshaping the continent’s defence architecture. Berlin has unveiled a sweeping €377 billion, 39-page procurement blueprint designed to forge what officials now openly call ‘the strongest conventional army in Europe.’ This unprecedented rearmament push, spanning land, air, sea, cyber and space, marks a fundamental departure from Germany’s post-Cold War posture — and signals the emergence of a nation preparing for confrontation in the absence of any direct, imminent threat.
“Politically, the shift has been accelerated by conservative leader Friedrich Merz, who has argued that the Bundeswehr must be given ‘all the financial resources it needs.’ Behind that message lies a reordering of national priorities: cuts to social spending paired with record-scale defence investments. With Germany carving military spending out of its constitutional debt brake, Berlin now has the ability to sustain vast, multi-year procurement programmes. More than 320 new weapons projects are planned for the next budget cycle alone, with nearly half ready to be awarded to contractors — overwhelmingly German firms. Rheinmetall leads the pack, poised to receive more than €88 billion, followed by missile-maker Diehl Defence.
“Germany’s ambitions extend far beyond terrestrial borders. More than €14 billion is earmarked for new satellite capabilities, including a €9.5 billion low-Earth-orbit constellation, forming the backbone of a €35 billion push into military space systems.
“But Germany is not alone. Poland has emerged as a central European military power, with its defence budget tripling in a decade and reaching 4.12 percent of GDP in 2024 — the highest in NATO… these developments signal a new European chapter defined by rearmament, industrial revival and rising geopolitical tensions — with profound implications for citizens, budgets and the continent’s long-term stability.”
“Stop Relying on Washington”
Politico wrote on December 4:
“It’s time for Europeans to stop trailing behind Donald Trump and instead draw up their own peace plan for Ukraine, Defense Commissioner [and former Lithuanian prime minister] Andrius Kubilius told POLITICO.
“The EU ‘needs to be independent or at least be ready to be strong in geopolitical developments, including to have our plans on how peace in Ukraine can be brought and to discuss them with our transatlantic partners,’ Kubilius said.”
He also said that Europe needs to stop relying on US-led proposals.
Finland Not Ready to Give NATO-Style Guarantees to Ukraine
Helsinki Times wrote on December 2:
“Finland will not offer NATO-style security guarantees to Ukraine, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Tuesday. Speaking at a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Espoo, Orpo confirmed that Finland is prepared to assist in developing Ukraine’s security structures [through logistical and organizational support], but not to provide commitments comparable to NATO’s Article 5…
“Orpo emphasised that only major powers such as the United States or larger European countries could realistically commit to security guarantees… Kristersson… said he would not comment directly on the guarantee issue but stated that Ukraine’s strongest protection is its own armed forces. He said European support should focus on helping Ukraine maintain a capable military.”
Belgium Opposed to Freezing Russian Assets
The Press United wrote on December 3:
“Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has launched a new attack on the EU’s plan to use frozen Russian assets for a loan to Ukraine, describing it as ‘a complete illusion’ to think that Kiev could defeat Moscow and force it to pay reparations.
“Under the proposal, the bloc would leverage about €140 billion ($162 billion) in immobilized Russian sovereign assets – most of them held at Brussels-based clearing house Euroclear – to guarantee a so-called ‘reparations loan’ for Ukraine. Belgium has vehemently protested the plan…
“Russia, meanwhile, has branded such ideas ‘theft’ and warned of far-reaching legal and retaliatory steps if its reserves are stolen…
“The Belgian leader further warned that Moscow would not ‘calmly accept’ confiscation, pointing to the risk that Russia could seize Western-owned factories and some €16 billion ($18.6 billion) held by Euroclear in Russia. He added that Belarus or China could follow suit by targeting Western assets on their soil.”
Russian Money for Ukraine to the US?
Handelsblatt wrote on December 4:
“A new dispute is brewing between the EU and the US: It concerns the use of the €210 billion of the Russian central bank’s assets frozen in Europe. The EU wants to access these assets to support Ukraine. But Washington has its own plans.
“In an interview with Handelsblatt, the US ambassador to the EU, Andrew Puzder, said he expects the assets to be used according to American wishes. From the US perspective, the seized billions are part of the bargaining chips for peace talks with Moscow…
“In a guest article published Wednesday in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) reaffirmed that Europe cannot ‘leave the decision to other, non-European states regarding what happens to the financial resources of an aggressor that have been legally frozen within the jurisdiction of our rule of law and in our own currency.’”
Tagesschau added on December 5:
“Merz rejects US demands to transfer a large portion of the funds to the United States. ‘This money must flow to Ukraine and help Ukraine.’ The US government is also aware of this position [according to Merz].”
There are now many areas where the USA and the EU disagree fundamentally.
Zelensky Rejects Trump’s “Peace Plan”
MSN wrote on December 8:
“Ukraine will not surrender territory, President Volodymyr Zelensky declared Monday, rejecting a central Russian demand that President Donald Trump had incorporated into his latest proposal to end the Kremlin’s war. ‘Under our laws, under international law — and under moral law — we have no right to give anything away,’ Zelensky said, after meeting with top European leaders to discuss Trump’s plan Monday. ‘That is what we are fighting for.’ The unequivocal declaration that Ukraine will not surrender land could mark the collapse of Trump’s plan, which critics condemned as fulfilling a wish list of Russian President Vladimir Putin…
“Zelensky said Ukraine will not surrender its territory in the eastern Donbas region — not to hasten peace talks, not to satisfy Washington’s push for compromise and not under pressure from Moscow’s continuing military onslaught… Trump over the weekend again cast Kyiv as the obstacle to the American-championed proposal, accusing Zelensky of slow-walking the plan, even as Moscow has shown little, if any, willingness to compromise on its maximalist demands.
“Trump’s continuing pressure, including his stern tone toward Ukraine and apparent openness to granting Putin’s territorial claims, has unnerved European capitals… Even before Zelensky’s outright rejection of ceding land, Ukraine and its European supporters voiced deep apprehension about Trump’s initiative, which some said originally was so favorable to Russia that they believed it had been drafted by the Kremlin…”
Merz and Spahn At Odds
Bild Online wrote on December 5:
“Distrust reigns between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. Many MPs no longer trust their coalition partner…
“Furthermore, Merz and his parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn have even more opponents within their own ranks as of today. Many MPs resent the way they were pressured before the vote [on the pension issue]…
When Merz falls, will Spahn survive?
Merz for a Two-State Solution
ntv wrote on December 7:
“A meeting between the Chancellor and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planned. At the meeting, Merz says he wants to promote the implementation of the two-state solution, i.e. the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
“He also wants to call on Israel to provide better humanitarian care for the people in the Gaza Strip. The Chancellor also wants to raise the tense situation in the West Bank…”
It was only a matter of time before Merz, who proclaimed strong support for Israel, would stab Israel in the back.
China’s New Warrior Robots
Interesting Engineering wrote on December 3:
“China has showcased its new type of military robot during a recent event. The robot is reportedly capable of matching every move of soldiers using artificial intelligence… The new combat robot is claimed to be an effort of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to develop autonomous combat systems for modern warfare. The Asian giant previously showcased gun-toting robotic dogs…
“The report revealed that the new robotic system works by having a human operator wear a motion-sensing suit; whatever moves the person makes — punches, defensive maneuvers, or other actions — the robot replicates almost instantly.”
The Bible speaks about 200 million “horsemen” from the Far East invading Europe. Warrior robots seem to play a big part in this number.
“Listen to the People, President Trump — They Really DO Feel Economic Pain”
The conservative and Trump-friendly New York Post Editorial Board wrote on December 8:
“President Donald Trump… needs to be careful: Slamming Democrats’ talk of ‘affordability’ as a ‘con job’… make it seem he doesn’t think people are suffering… [He] must admit the frustration is painfully real: Three-quarters of Americans view the economy negatively, a Fox News survey found last month. That’s up from the 70% who felt that way at the end of Joe Biden’s presidency.
“Nearly half say Trump’s policies have hurt the economy, vs. just 15% who say they’ve helped… when voters feel pain, they don’t take well to being told they’re just wrong… prices… are still rising, with inflation stuck about 3%; wage growth is also slow, particularly for lower-income workers.
“Trump’s tariffs are partly to blame; for example, new cars, whose prices are significantly affected by import fees, now average a mind-blowing $50,000, per Kelley Blue Book… voters elected him to fix things — and so far they haven’t seen great progress….
“Ending wars is great, but pretty distant from the kitchen table. With the midterm elections just 11 months off, Trump can’t afford to ignore [the economy].”
But Trump Is Not Listening!!!
ABC News wrote on December 9:
“In a speech the White House billed as President Donald Trump’s kickoff event for a tour around the country focused on his economic agenda ahead of next year’s midterm elections, Trump passed off any blame for high costs onto his predecessor almost a year into his second term.
“Speaking for nearly an hour and 40 minutes, Trump strayed from the issue of affordability, launching into derogatory language to call out his political opponents, and prompting his supporters into a ‘Send her back’ chant about Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.”
“Kill Them All”
The Ron Paul Institute published on December 4 the following article by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano:
“When Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted a meme of Franklin the Turtle, the amiable child’s cartoon character, in a helicopter using a military weapon to kill people in a small boat below him, and captioned it ‘For your Christmas wish list,’ it understandably caused an uproar. Should the secretary of defense be mocking the people his troops have killed? Should he engage a child’s cartoon character to produce this mockery? Should anyone in his right mind, who professes to understand Christianity, suggest that this killing should be on a child’s Christmas wish list? Should he be killing nonviolent boatpeople?…
“President Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Defense to annihilate persons in speedboats in the Caribbean Sea, 1,500 miles from the United States and elsewhere. The true targets of these killings are not the boats but the persons in the boats. We know this because the president has stated so, and because in a particularly gruesome event, two survivors of an initial attack on Sept. 2, 2025, who were clinging to the broken remains of their boat hoping to be rescued, were hit with a second attack, which obliterated them…
“These killings constitute murder under federal law and under international law, and persons who use the force of government to commit murder may themselves be prosecuted for it in US courts, courts of the countries from which their victims came, and in international courts. These killings constitute murder because none of the 81 dead boatpeople was engaged in any violence at the times of their deaths… If the police see a nonviolent person distributing dangerous drugs in an American city, can they summarily kill that person? Of course not…
“The Washington Post reported that seven sources — seven — informed its reporters that when military personnel saw two boat survivors floating at sea, they asked the chain of command what to do. Under the law, the military had a duty to rescue the folks they tried and failed to murder.
“These seven persons have corroborated that Hegseth verbally ordered that the two survivors be killed — an order he denies having given, but which the White House has confirmed, laughably calling it ‘self-defense.’ That’s when Hegseth posted his macabre, revolting, anti-Christian suggestion of murder for Christmas.”
On December 4, Newsmax wrote:
“A Navy admiral told lawmakers Thursday that there was no ‘kill them all’ order… Adm. Frank ‘Mitch’ Bradley ‘was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all…’ said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark..”
Both accounts cannot be correct. It is clear that someone is lying.
Still Justified?
The Guardian reported on December 5
“The US admiral who directed an attack on suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean on 2 September told lawmakers this week that the small boat destroyed by the US military is a series of strikes was moving narcotics to a larger vessel bound for the South American nation of Suriname, not the United States… Suriname is a transit country for South American cocaine [not fentanyl], the majority of which is likely destined for Europe…”
CNN added on December 6:
“Bradley argued there was still a possibility the drug shipment could have ultimately made its way from Suriname to the US…, telling lawmakers that justified striking the smaller boat even if it wasn’t directly heading to US shores at the time it was hit…. The new detail adds yet another wrinkle to the Trump administration’s argument that striking the boat multiple times, and killing survivors, was necessary in order to protect the US from an imminent threat…
“The US military ultimately struck the boat four times—the first time splitting the boat in half and leaving two survivors clinging to a capsized portion… The second, third and fourth strikes killed them and sunk the vessel. The survivors were also waving at something in the air… although it’s unclear whether they might have been surrendering or asking the US aircraft they had spotted for help.”
Whether legal or not, according to man’s laws, all these actions are sinful and ungodly according to God’s standards.
Minister of War Pete Hegseth—How the Times Have Changed
CNN Politics wrote on December 8:
“In 2016, as then-presidential candidate Donald Trump vowed that US troops would carry out even his most extreme battlefield orders as commander in chief — some of which former military leaders said would be illegal — Pete Hegseth warned that service members had a duty to refuse unlawful orders from a potential President Trump…
“As a Fox News contributor and former Army National Guard officer, Hegseth was frequently asked to weigh in on Trump’s national security proposals, and in the 2016 appearances he echoed that consensus view: that service members could face criminal consequences for carrying out illegal commands, that the military’s ethos requires refusing such orders, and that military members may have to refuse Trump.”
What happened? It’s a rhetorical question, of course.
Crazy: Tourists to Provide Social Media History… and More!
The Sun wrote on December 10:
“TOURISTS entering America will have their social media histories checked at border control, if the latest Trump administration mandate is enforced.
“The proposed social media screening would apply to all tourists… entering the US, regardless of whether they need a visa or not…
“Currently,… tourists [on the visa waiver program] do not require a visa to visit the US and instead can complete Electronic System for Travel Authorizations (ESTA).
“The Federal Register notice states it would be mandatory for all foreign tourists to provide data from their social media from the past five years, including email addresses and phone numbers. Names, addresses, numbers and birthdays of family members would also be included in the compulsory information passed to the country’s border force.”
The New York Times added on December 10:
“In a document filed on Tuesday in the Federal Register, C.B.P. (Customs and Border Protection) said it plans to require applicants to provide a long list of personal data including social media, email addresses from the last decade, and the names, birth dates, places of residence and birthplaces of parents, spouses, siblings and children.”
This is totally insane and blatantly illegal
Insane—Trump’s New Requirements for Tourists
Daily Mail wrote on December 11:
“Overseas travellers… could soon be required to make every post they’ve made on social media in the last five years open to scrutiny, with any hint of anti-American sentiment likely to land them in hot water with border officials.
“The controversial plan follows other recent proposals, including asking tourists to pay a $15,000 bond to guarantee they won’t overstay their 90-day tourist visas.
“People entering the US will also be asked to provide email addresses [for the last ten years], phone numbers and information on their family members in order to achieve safe passage…
“Peter Greenberg, aka The Travel Detective, [said] that the US faces losing huge tourist revenue if the plans go ahead. The News Travel Editor at CBS said: ‘They’re proposing up to a $15,000 bond to guarantee that when a visit is over, they don’t extend their visa and they come home. How many people can afford that? Adding to that [the bond] is the new proposal that tourists may have to provide five years of social media history that needs to be inspected. Add those things together and you’ll understand already why there’s been a huge drop in inbound travel to the United States this summer, resulting in lost revenue that can never be recouped.’
“To avoid unnecessary waits and checks at the airport, ticking all the admin boxes before you get on the plane will make going through the US border less painful. A spokesperson for ABTA, the UK’s trade organisation for tour operators and travel agents, told the Daily Mail that fans who are determined to make it to the World Cup next summer should apply for… ESTA, now, before booking travel and tickets… ‘If you are unable to get an ESTA you will need to go in person to apply for a visa, which can take some time.’”
If you thought Trump’s crazy immigration policy could not get any crazier, here you go… and, of course, it will contribute to the destruction of the USA.
Birthright Citizenship
NBC News wrote on December 5:
“… the Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide the lawfulness of President Donald Trump’s contentious plan to roll back automatic birthright citizenship for nearly anyone born in the United States…
“Birthright citizenship has long been understood to be required under the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which states: ‘All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.’ The language was included in the constitutional amendment enacted after the Civil War to ensure that Black former slaves and their children were recognized as citizens.
“Legal scholars of all ideological stripes have generally assumed the phrase to be self-explanatory, with the only exceptions being people born to foreign diplomats, invading hostile forces and members of some Native American tribes. But Trump, as part of his immigration crackdown, has sought to unravel that historical understanding, embracing a hitherto fringe theory pushed by anti-immigration activists.”
This time, the Supreme Court is supposed to rule on the merits, unlike last time, when it just ruled evasively on jurisdictional issues [For example, can courts issue nationwide injunctions?]. A decision by the Supreme Court is expected in June. Let us hope that they make the only correct decision in line with the Constitution—to uphold birthright citizenship.
No More Dual Citizenship?
It gets crazier and crazier. A bill was introduced by Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Morenoa to ban dual citizenship. That would even apply to Melania and Barron Trump who hold citizenship in the United States and Slovenia. Unfortunately, Germany wants to follow Trump in this respect.
Bild Online wrote on December 8:
“A tough legislative initiative in the USA: Dual citizenship is threatened with extinction! If Republican Senator Bernie Moreno has his way, US dual citizens will soon have to relinquish their second passport… Millions of people in the USA would be affected.
“Leading politicians from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) now see the planned US model as a blueprint for Germany and want to bring about the end of dual citizenship here as well… BUT: Parts of the ‘plans being discussed in the USA,’ such as the ‘retroactive abolition’ of the already permitted dual passport, would probably be ‘neither constitutionally nor politically feasible’ in Germany.”
Trump’s Gaza “Peace Plan” Falling Apart?
The Algemeiner wrote on December 8:
“As the United States pushes for the second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire to begin, Israel is warning that Qatar and Turkey are trying to shield Hamas from disarmament as the Palestinian terrorist group seeks to reassert control over the war-torn enclave.
“Qatar and Turkey have proposed alternatives to a central provision of Trump’s peace plan… Rather than requiring Hamas to disarm, Qatari and Turkish officials have pushed for the Islamist group either to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority or place them in secure storage under international oversight. As part of this plan, Qatar and Turkey are reportedly advocating a two-year grace period during which Hamas could legally retain its weapons.
“However, Israeli officials have rejected these options as unacceptable, arguing they would allow the terrorist group to maintain its influence in Gaza, which Hamas has ruled for nearly two decades. Israel has made clear it will allow Hamas just a few months to give up its weapons, warning it will act unilaterally if the group is not disarmed promptly.
“Turkey and Qatar [have been] longtime backers of Hamas… Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected any Turkish or Qatari involvement in post-war Gaza…
“Qatar and Turkey are now insisting that Israel must withdraw from Gaza before Hamas can disarm — a demand Jerusalem vehemently opposes, warning it would give the terrorist group time to reassert full control over its half of Gaza and remove any incentive to disarm later on…
“Since the ceasefire took effect two months ago, Hamas has targeted Palestinians who it labeled as ‘lawbreakers and collaborators with Israel,’ sparking widespread clashes and violence as the group moves to seize weapons and eliminate any opposition. Social media videos widely circulated online show Hamas members brutally beating Palestinians and carrying out public executions of alleged collaborators and rival militia members.”
This “peace plan,” for which Trump got a “peace prize” from the corrupt FIFA [see below], was doomed to failure from the outset. How one can have Turkey and Qatar participate in the process of establishing peace with terrorists is beyond sanity. Also, one of the wars which Trump allegedly ended, is still ongoing.
As Reuters reported on December 10: “Thailand and Cambodia traded accusations of targeting civilians in artillery and rocket attacks on Wednesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump said he would try to intervene to stop the fighting and salvage a ceasefire he brokered earlier this year.” The Thai Prime Minister allegedly wrote online that he will no longer negotiate with Trump and will no longer take orders from him.
Trump’s peace deals collapse one after another.
The FIFA Gala Turns Into a Bizarre Pandering to Donald Trump
ntv wrote on December 5:
“In a bizarre show, ostensibly billed as the World Cup draw for next year’s biggest football tournament of all time, the smitten and self-abasing FIFA boss Gianni Infantino unknowingly gifted the sport to the US president. Trump was canonized that evening. As the peace angel he fancies himself…
“And Trump was then allowed to participate in his own canonization: He spoke of it as ‘one of the greatest honors of my life.’ He thus elevated the award above the Nobel Peace Prize, which he so desired and which he deserved according to Infantino’s world…
“Trump praises his relationship with the Canadian Prime Minister. What a joke! Just a few months ago, he wanted to annex Canada as the 51st state…
“Infantino, of course, personally presents the gigantic trophy! What a sycophantic scene… The man who deployed the National Guard in his own country…”
Infantino, as the FIFA president, has been controversial for years (according to Die Welt). FIFA—the international federation of football associations—has been embroiled in numerous scandals, not least because of bribery and corruption. Furthermore, many of the controversial rules established by FIFA have long been under attack. FIFA can certainly spoil the enjoyment of the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. But this is always the case when politics gets involved.
An Act of Cronyism
Die Welt wrote on December 5:
“‘A clumsy attempt at pandering by FIFA,’ said ZDF commentator Oliver Schmidt… ‘Has an act of cronyism ever been so blatant, ever so public?’”
An Absolute Spectacle of Horror
t-online wrote on December 5:
“This draw will be remembered – unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. This gala in Washington, D.C., was one of the most absurd events in recent sports history. The way football and politics became intertwined, the way FIFA President Gianni Infantino fawned over and flattered US President Donald Trump – it was an absolute spectacle of horror.
“FIFA has done a lot to lose credibility in recent years. But with this draw, it has outdone itself in a negative way… When Infantino presented Trump with the FIFA Peace Prize, it was clear: things couldn’t get any crazier – or more unpleasant…”
A Bizarre Ceremony
Express wrote on December 5:
“Football fans have reacted with fury as Donald Trump plays a major role at the World Cup 2026 draw in Washington. The US president was awarded a peace prize and allowed to take part in the draw, sparking frustration from viewers on social media platform X…
“One person wrote: ‘… There was global condemnation & constant crying at Qatar having the World Cup. What we are witnessing with USA & Trump is so comfortably worse & a bigger disgrace for the sport & the globe, but of course, no one will care because it’s the West. Hypocrites…’”
Shameless
The Daily Mail wrote on December 5:
“In a display of sycophancy so cringe-inducing it almost veered beyond satire, Mr Infantino presented President Trump with the award in recognition of his ‘extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity throughout the world’…
“Yesterday’s draw for the World Cup group stage at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC often fell flat with a seemingly perplexed crowd and Mr Infantino’s shameless courting of the President…”
Australian Youth Banned From Social Media
NBC News wrote on December 9:
“More than 1 million social media accounts held by users under 16 are set to be deactivated in Australia on Wednesday in a divisive world-first ban that has inflamed a culture war and is being closely watched in the United States and elsewhere. Social media companies will have to take ‘reasonable steps’ to ensure that under-16s in Australia cannot set up accounts on their platforms and that existing accounts are deactivated or removed…
“Social media companies will be responsible for enforcing the ban, paying fines of up to 49.5 Australian dollars (about $32 million) for serious or repeated breaches. Children and parents will not be punished for any infringements.
“Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X, Snapchat and Reddit are all set to be age-restricted under the law… All of the platforms have said they will comply…”
Heading to a Very Dark Place
The Daily Mail published on or about December 6 the following article by Stephen Glover:
“In all sorts of areas this increasingly despised Government is showing a lofty dismissiveness for the rights and concerns of those whom they claim to serve. Tradition is ignored, and established liberties set aside, in the cause of greater efficiency… Look at Labour’s new plans to extend facial recognition technology, which could be deployed in every city, town and village. Under a new consultation launched on Thursday, police could be given access to Britain’s passport database to identify lawbreakers… But do we really want our every movement outside our homes to be monitored by the authorities? Who knows to what uses information garnered in this way might be put by a future government that was positively malign? Even the Home Office admits that live recognition cameras ‘interfere’ with human rights…
“I feel the same about digital identity cards, which will soon be mandatory for anyone taking a new job. Sir Keir Starmer has told us that they will be useful in preventing illegal immigrants from working. I’ve no doubt we will all have them in the end. Again, greater efficiency is the justification for imposing new restrictions. Most of us would be much happier if Labour found a way of deterring illegal immigrants from coming here in the first place rather than foisting ID cards on us…
“What makes this Government’s high-handed coercion especially galling is that many of its senior ministers are very far from being morally upright and, in some cases, are fortunate not to have been led away in handcuffs… But then it is precisely because they are not upright that they find it so easy to bully us and tell us what to do, even if that involves stripping us of freedoms which many of us had taken for granted.
“Nowhere is this more apparent than in the crackdown over free speech. A slew of new laws has made it more difficult for people to speak their minds. The logging of ‘non-crime hate incidents’ – deemed by the police to demonstrate hostility in action or speech – has soared in recent years… more than a third of Britons feel that they have to self-censor their views on race or ethnicity, while 32 per cent said they felt they could not speak freely about immigration or religious extremism. Some 41 per cent hold back their views on transgender issues…
“With a Government that holds so many of the people in contempt, and a people that comprehensively loathes its Government, we could be heading to a very dark place.”
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.