Morning Brief 2022-07-19

BOTTOM OF HOUR 1

GUEST: Rep. Ronny Jackson
TOPIC: Former White House physician, Rep. Ronny Jackson, thinks Biden's cognitive skills may be getting worse.

BOTTOM OF HOUR 3
GUEST: Tommy Robinson
TOPIC: Police in Telford, England have not investigated cases of rape involving "Asian" men over fear that it would "inflame racial tensions."

CB, RR, JB, SK, BM

Domestic News...

22-Year-Old Who Killed Indiana Mass Shooter Was Armed Because of ‘Constitutional Carry’
The attacker entered the mall just before 5 pm and went into the bathroom where he put his cell phone in a toilet and readied his guns. He exited the bathroom and began firing at 5:56 pm. At 5:57 pm, Elisjsha Dicken, shot at the attacker, hitting him as he fled back to the bathroom.

The Indy Star Star Got Something Very Wrong in 10-Year-Old Rape Victim Story
This story is a perfect example of media bias and lazy or corrupt journalism. The Indy Star had a narrative to push and pushed it without care for the victim, the facts, or the fallout.

Leftwing group, ShutDownDC, promises to “disrupt” the congressional baseball game
In an obvious nod to the Bernie Bro who attempted to kill the entire house GOP leadership at a practice for the game in 2017, the group behind the harassment of Kavanaugh promised to 'disrupt' the 2022 game.

Minneapolis again displays the brain rot of the Black Lives Matter movement
Andrew “Tekle” Sundberg, a black man, was shot and killed by police. This is all that Black Lives Matter activists care about. Protests began, as did a sympathetic write-up of the activists in the Star Tribune.

In rebuke to Biden, Homeland Security advisory panel finds no need for disinformation board
"We have concluded that there is no need for a Disinformation Governance Board”

Homeland Security records show 'shocking' use of phone data, ACLU says
The civil liberties group released documents showing new details about how agencies had purchased information on people's movements throughout North America.

Major crime skyrockets 37% in NYC, NYPD data shows
Grand larceny has shot up 49%. Auto theft has spiked by 46.2%. Robbery is up 39.2% and burglaries increased by 32.9%. Felonious assault rose by 18.6% and rapes saw an 11% increase so far this year over 2021 .

If you're ‘afraid’ of your husband because of Roe, it signals a much deeper problem
"I'm a 42-year-old woman now afraid I'll get pregnant from my husband of 20 years," Elena told USA Today.

Man pulls gun on women who didn’t thank him for holding door
“A witness reported that the suspect was upset that two woman did not say thank you to him for holding a door open for them,” cops said.

Politics...

CNN Poll: Most Americans are discontented with Biden, the economy and the state of the country
75% call inflation and the cost of living the most important economic problem facing their family. Last summer, that figure stood at 43%.

CNBC POLL: Biden’s Economic Approval Sinks To New Low
The economy appears to be affecting voters’ behavior too: 65% of respondents said they were trying to spend less on entertainment, 61% are driving less and 54% are cutting back on travel, the poll found.

CNN: "Vulnerable Democrats" suddenly very concerned over "inflation crisis"
For the past year, the same Senate Democrats cited in CNN’s report voted in lockstep for Biden’s inflationary American Rescue Plan.

Manchin: Biden's 'Build Back Better' agenda is a 'complete social realignment'
"I was very clear when the president and I talked, I said, ‘Mr. President, this piece of legislation is going to change our country from when John Kennedy said ask not what your country can do for you, what you can do for your country, that piece of legislation will change us to how much more can my country do for me'"

Biden is a gaffe-ingstock: The decline of the prez - and the presidency
Trump’s words might not have carried much weight, but his populist preference for lightning displays of might over long-term entanglements did. Biden, by contrast, is a captive of transnational progressivism, where red lines are just preliminaries to new red lines, and talking is an end in and of itself.

Jill complains about Joe's unpopular presidency in speech on glam island
Jill lamented Joe having had "so many hopes and plans for things he wanted to do" but instead saw his agenda constantly scuttled by domestic and international crises.

Harris, Newsom engage with donors as possible 2024 bids loom if Biden doesn’t run
Party donors have been scrambling to figure out whether Biden is going to run or if someone else could lead the party in 2024.

Kamala: Black Families Are Boosting Home Values By Hanging Up Pictures Of White People
“...you’ve heard the stories about how they’ll then encourage friends of the family — a white family — to come in. And then the white family will put the pictures up of their family. And then that appraisal gets done, and it’s for a much higher value...”

House Democrats push bill to add four seats to Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is "making decisions that usurp the power of the legislative and executive branches," said Rep. Hank Johnson.

Ted Cruz Explains Why Supreme Court Is Unlikely To Overturn Gay Marriage Decision
“And had the Court not ruled in Obergefell, the democratic process would have continued to operate; if you believed gay marriage was a good idea, the way the Constitution set up for you to advance that position is to convince your fellow citizens,” Cruz explained.

CNN Edits Clip Of Cruz Saying Gay Marriage Ruling Was ‘Clearly Wrong’
CNN excluded a portion of a clip Monday in which Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz outlined the consequences of overturning the right to same-sex marriage.

Is Liz Cheney toast?
Cheney's Ahab-like fixation on getting Trump is unpopular in a state where so many voters have a favorable view of the former president.

History in Kentucky as GOP voters overtake Dems
A decade ago, Democrats held the majority of voters and a nearly 525,000 edge in registrations.

Rand Paul unloads on Mitch McConnell and his 'secret deal' with Democrats on judge
“Senator McConnell — he thought it was beneath himself to actually talk to me. Senator McConnell sabotaged this by doing it in secret.”

Nancy Pelosi's team responds to uproar over computer chip stock purchase by husband
"The Speaker does not own any stocks. As you can see from the required disclosures, with which the Speaker fully cooperates, these transactions are marked 'SP' for Spouse."

Economy...

White House Won’t Say Whether U.S. Is Entering a Recession
“I think we can confidently say based on consumer spending, based on payroll employment based on where the unemployment rate is, I think we can confidently say that these numbers that we are posting are very much inconsistent with a recessionary call given where we are now”

White House takes victory lap on sinking gasoline prices
Biden had been blaming Putin and the oil companies for rising prices, but takes full credit for falling prices... BTW, the average gallon of gas is still $4.50.

Border...

Biden’s illegals surge swamps DC
...this brings the total number of illegals caught and released into the U.S. on Biden’s watch to 1,335,959. That is a population larger than nine states.

WAR News... 

Price cap on Russian oil is a ‘ridiculous idea’ and could push oil to $140, says energy research group
The Biden administration wants to put a cap on Russia’s oil prices. “That’s not how the oil market works,” Gal Luft said. “This is a very sophisticated market, you cannot force the prices down.”

The food security crisis could kill more people than COVID has, says Senegal minister at G-20
Urged the global food industry not to boycott the trade of Russian and Ukrainian food products as the food crisis rages on in vulnerable countries.

Zelensky fires top security chief, prosecutor over alleged treason
Fires the country’s security service chief and prosecutor general while accusing dozens of their employees of collaborating with Russia.

Pentagon and Lockheed reach deal to build 375 F-35 fighter jets
The F-35A, the most common version of the jet, currently costs the United States about $79 million, but prices are expected to increase.

COVID-19...

Politico: Fauci wants to put Covid’s politicization behind him
Fauci says he’s prepared for the onslaught of attacks that could come in a Republican-controlled House or Senate next year. “They’re going to try and come after me..."

Commie Update...

China holdings of U.S. debt fall below $1 trillion for the first time since 2010
Japan is now the leading holder of U.S. debt with $1.2 trillion.

Cuba: Pregnant Woman Hospitalized After Police Beatings in Communist Food Line Brawl
A chaotic brawl on a ration line to buy chicken resulted in Cuban state security officials brutalizing civilians and left a pregnant woman hospitalized.

FBI and DHS confirm they are buying Chinese drones despite security concerns
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are purchasing and using Chinese-made drones from a company with close links to the Chinese government.

Entertainment...

Federal prosecutors drop charges against Colbert team members arrested at Capitol
"We do not believe it is probable that the Office would be able to obtain and sustain convictions on these charges. The defendants no longer will be required to appear for a scheduled hearing in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on July 20, 2022."

Sesame Place accused of racism, facing backlash over viral video
The footage shows the Muppet appearing to high-five and hug the other kids around them, but skipping the young black children.

Prince Harry said that he knew Meghan Markle was his “soulmate” in Africa
Harry said Africa is where he’s “found peace and healing time and time again.”

Andrew Schulz’s ‘Infamous’ Offers Crash Course in Taboo Comedy
Renegade comic will joke about anything.

Media...

Pulitzer Prize Defends Award To 2018 Russia Hoaxers
On Sunday, the board released a statement saying the organization stood by its 2018 presentations after years of criticism provoked an “independent” review.

Broken and distrusting: why Americans are pulling away from the daily news
A Reuters Institute survey found that a rising number of people are avoiding the news or just don’t believe it

Man In Underwear Sneaks Through Background Of CNBC Live Shot While Dogs Barking
During a live shot on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” from the home of asset manager Karen Firestone, dogs were barking continuously followed by an unidentified man in his underwear walking through the background.

Europe...

Europe Encouraged To Ration Gas Supplies Ahead Of Winter
The International Energy Agency is calling for widespread energy rationing across Europe due to the continent’s ongoing fuel crisis the agency predicts will be exacerbated by the coming winter months.

Middle East...

Biden’s Plan To ‘Embarrass’ Saudi Arabia Into Getting Green-Pilled Totally Backfired
Biden’s strategy to coax Saudi Arabia into embracing climate-friendly policies backfired during his visit to the region Friday and Saturday.

Fuming families rip Biden, say he did nothing to free US citizen ‘hostages’ in Saudi Arabia
The cases aren’t well-known because the families opted to work quietly with the US government ahead of Biden’s visit.

Environment...

Senate Democrats Urge Biden to Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’
“This ... frees up the president to use the full powers of the executive branch. And those full powers certainly include a climate emergency.”

Sri Lanka Is Just The First To Topple In Globalists’ Green Energy House Of Cards
Riots, famines, societal collapse, and cultural invasion — the globalist agenda has created the perfect storm for national instability.

Paper: Plants Create Their Own Pain Medicine When Stressed
New research from a California university shows that plants create salicylic acid, also known as aspirin, when faced with environmental stress.

Movie Review: Crack in the World (1965)
Scientist use a thermonuclear missile (they launch the missile upside down, into the Earth) to break the crust in order to release magma, which will lead to a future of unlimited green energy!

LGBTQIA2S+...

Feds misquoted SCOTUS to require states to let boys in girls' restrooms, judge says
Purported "guidance" isn't optional for states that risk federal funding by waiting for agencies to "drop the hammer" on them for protecting women's sports, restroom privacy, court says.

Trans Biden Official Wants To ‘Empower’ Kids To Get Sex Changes
Levine said transgender youths are threatened by mental health issues, bullying and political attacks, and that treatment of these youths should affirm their perceived gender identity and empower them to get sex change treatments.

Russia ridicules Biden's trans and non-binary appointees
"Keep going that way, our dear American ex-partners! I don’t think we even need any long-term strategies to counter your malicious role in the world - you are doing the right thing yourselves!"

LGBTQ Nation: “Parental Rights in Education” laws are a form of child abuse
At least 12 other state legislatures are now appropriating the Florida model and are considering similar “Don’t Say Gay” laws.

Who was James Webb? And why do scientists want to rename the James Webb Space Telescope?
Webb was undersecretary of state during the Truman administration when the federal government systematically purged its ranks of LGBTQ employees.

Education...

Planned Parenthood clinic to open in high school if school board approves deal
A California school district board will vote on allowing Planned Parenthood Los Angeles to open and operate a clinic at John Glenn High School in Norwalk.

Black scholar predicts 30 years to erase 'big lie' of '1619' victimhood
“The real story of America is the story of American blacks, not American blacks exclusively, but American blacks as exemplary of what the American promise is,” said William Allen.

Health...

Simple blood test could predict schizophrenia, psychotic attacks - study
Researchers have discovered that brain cells die in a psychotic attack and a simple blood test could make it possible to predict such an event and treat it.

Technology...

GoFundMe allows page for Minnesota gunman after axing one for NYC bodega clerk
GoFundMe is allowing a small fortune to be collected for kin of the Minneapolis gunman fatally shot by cops after he fired at neighbors, while hard-working Manhattan bodega clerk Jose Alba’s fund got the ax.

Poll: Social media makes nearly half of Gen Z and millennials feel negatively about their finances
More than 1 in 3 U.S. adults who have social media say they have felt negatively about their finances after seeing others’ posts. Those feelings included jealousy, inadequacy, anxiety, shame and anger.

Shirtless Elon Musk vacations in Mykonos on luxury yacht
He might want to spend a few dollars on a tanning bed, or just wear a shirt while in the water.

Sports...

Dates announced for 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
Get your COVID passport ready, because the Olympics are coming to LA. July 14-30, 2028. Plenty of good seats still available.

July 19, 2007 - Glenn battles US Attorney who put border agents Compean & Ramos behind bars... Marcus Luttrell's new book is a #1 bestseller...

July 19, 2010 - Barack says Obamacare won't increase your taxes... Obama changes 'freedom of religion' to 'freedom of worship'... Obama authorizes assassination of US citizen...

Trump's 3 BIGGEST border victories

SAUL LOEB / Contributor | Getty Images

The Southern Border is healing!

Just hours after his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border. A little over a month later, the tide of migrants pouring into the United States has been significantly stemmed. Trump is delivering on his major campaign promises: stopping illegal crossings, rolling back Biden-era border policies, and using every available resource to fortify the border against future challenges.

In his recent congressional speech, Trump highlighted these border security successes—achievements often overshadowed by the flood of other news stories this past month. To spotlight this monumental progress, we’ve compiled a list of Trump’s three most significant border victories.

1. Significantly reduced border encounters

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Contributor | Getty Images

When Trump took office, it was clear—the sheriff was back in town. According to the Department of Homeland Security, daily border encounters have plummeted by 93 percent since his inauguration. Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ramped up its efforts: in the past month alone, ICE doubled arrests of criminal aliens and tripled apprehensions of fugitives at large. This dramatic shift stems from reinstating strict border policies, restoring common-sense enforcement, and unleashing the full capabilities of ICE and Border Patrol.

2. Major policy changes

John Moore / Staff | Getty Images

President Trump has also made sweeping strides in border policy. He reinstated the “Remain in Mexico” policy, requiring immigrants to wait in Mexico during their immigration proceedings instead of being released into the U.S. He also terminated the controversial “catch and release” practice, which had allowed millions of illegal immigrants to stay in the country pending court dates. Additionally, Trump signed the Laken Riley Act, mandating detention for all illegal immigrants accused of serious crimes.

Another key victory was designating cartels like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua as terrorist organizations. This classification empowers law enforcement and border agencies to tackle these ruthless gangs with the seriousness and resources they demand.

3. Deployed major muscle

John Moore / Staff | Getty Images

Trump is doubling down on border security—and he’s not holding back. He deployed 1,500 U.S. troops to secure the southern border and restarted construction of the border wall. Among the forces sent is a Stryker Brigade, a rapid-response, high-tech mechanized infantry unit equipped with armored ground and air vehicles. This brigade’s mobility and long-range capabilities make it ideal for patrolling the rugged, remote stretches of the border.

Fort Knox exposed: Is America's gold MISSING?

Christopher Furlong / Staff | Getty Images

President Trump promised that we would get a peek inside Fort Knox, but are we ready for what we might find?

In this new era of radical transparency, the possibility that the Deep State's darkest secrets could be exposed has many desperate for answers to old questions. Recently, Glenn has zeroed in on gold, specifically America's gold reserves, which are supposed to be locked away inside the vaults of Fort Knox. According to the government, there are 147.3 million ounces of gold stored within several small secured rooms that are themselves locked behind a massive 22 ton vault door, but the truth is that no one has officially seen this gold since 1953. An audit is long overdue, and President Trump has already shown interest in the idea.

America's gold reserve has been surrounded by suspicion for the better part of a hundred years. It all started in 1933, when FDR effectivelynationalized the United States's private gold stores, forcing Americans to sell their gold to the government. This gold was melted down, forged into bars, and stored in the newly constructed U.S. Bullion Depository building at Fort Knox. By 1941, Fort Knox had held 649.6 million ounces of gold—which, you may have noticed, was 502.3 million ounces more than today. We'll come back to that.

By 1944, World War II was ending, and the Allies began planning how to rebuild Europe. The U.N. held a conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, where the USD was established as the world's reserve currency. This meant that any country (though not U.S. citizens) could exchange the USD for gold at the fixed rate of $35 per ounce. Already, you can see where our gold might have gone.

Jump to the 1960s, where Lyndon B. Johnson was busy digging America into a massive debt hole. Between the Vietnam War and Johnson's "Great Society" project, the U.S. was bleeding cash and printing money to keep up. But now Fort Knox no longer held enough physical gold to cover the $35 an ounce rate promised by the Bretton Woods agreement. France took notice of this weakness and began to redeem hundreds of millions of dollars. In the 70s Nixon staunched this gushing wound by halting foreign nations from redeeming dollars for gold, but this had the adverse effect of ending the gold standard.

This brings us to the present, where inflation is through the roof, no one knows how much gold is actually inside Fort Knox, and someone in America has been buying a LOT of gold. Who is buying this gold? Where is it going and for what purpose? Glenn has a few ideas, and one of them is MUCH better than the other:

The path back to gold

Mario Tama / Staff | Getty Images

One possibility is that all of this gold that has been flooding into America is in preparation for a shift back to a gold-backed, or partial-gold-backed system. The influx of gold corresponds with a comment recently made by Trump's new Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, who said he was going to:

“Monetize the asset side of the U.S. balance sheet for the American people.”

Glenn pointed out that per a 1972 law, the gold in Fort Knox is currently set at a fixed value of $42 an ounce. At the time of this writing, gold was valued at $2,912.09 an ounce, which is more than a 6,800 percent increase. If the U.S. stockpile was revalued to reflect current market prices, it could be used to stabilize the dollar. This could even mean a full, or partial return to the gold standard, depending on the amount of gold currently being imported.

Empty coffers—you will own nothing

Raymond Boyd / Contributor | Getty Images

Unfortunately, Glenn suspects there is another, darker purpose behind the recent gold hubbub.

As mentioned before, the last realaudit of Fort Knox was done under President Eisenhower, in 1953. While the audit passed, a report from the Secretary of the Treasury revealed that a mere 13.6 percent was checked. For the better part of a century, we've had no idea how much gold is present under Fort Knox. After the gold hemorrhage in the 60s, many were suspicious of the status of our gold supply. In the 80s, a wealthy businessman named Edward Durell released over a decade's worth of research that led him to conclude that Fort Knox was all but empty. In short, he claimed that the Federal Reserve had siphoned off all the gold and sold it to Europe.

What would it mean if America's coffers are empty? According to a post by X user Matt Smith that Glenn shared, empty coffers combined with an influx of foreign gold could represent the beginning of a new, controlled economy. We couldstill be headed towards a future where you'll ownnothing.

Glenn: The most important warning of your lifetime—AI is coming for you

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

Artificial intelligence isn’t coming. It’s here. The future we once speculated about is no longer science fiction—it’s reality. Every aspect of our lives, from how we work to how we think, is about to change forever. And if you’re not ready for it, you’re already behind. This isn’t just another technological leap. This is the biggest shift humanity has ever faced.

The last call before the singularity

I've been ringing this bell for 30 years. Thirty years warning you about what’s coming. And now, here we are. This isn’t a drill. This isn’t some distant future. It’s happening now. If you don’t understand what’s at stake, you need to wake up—because we have officially crossed the event horizon of artificial intelligence.

What’s an event horizon? It’s the edge of a black hole—the point where you can’t escape, no matter how hard you try. AI is that black hole. The current is too strong. The waterfall is too close. If you haven’t been paying attention, you need to start right now. Because once we reach Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI), there is no turning back.

You’ve heard me talk about this for decades. AI isn’t just a fancy Siri. It isn’t just ChatGPT. We are on the verge of machines that will outthink every human who has ever lived—combined. ASI won’t just process information—it will anticipate, decide, and act faster than any of us can comprehend. It will change everything about our world, about our lives.

And yet, the conversation around AI has been wrong. People think the real dangers are coming later—some distant dystopian nightmare. But we are already in it. We’ve passed the point where AI is just a tool. It’s becoming the master. And the people who don’t learn to use it now—who don’t understand it, who don’t prepare for it—are going to be swallowed whole.

I know what some of you are thinking: "Glenn, you’ve spent years warning us about AI, about how dangerous it is. And now you’re telling us to embrace it?" Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. Because if you don’t use this tool—if you don’t learn to master it—then you will be at its mercy.

This is not an option anymore. This is survival.

How you must prepare—today

I need you to take AI seriously—right now. Not next year, not five years from now. This weekend.

Here’s what I want you to do: Open up one of these AI tools—Grok 3, ChatGPT, anything advanced—and start using it. If you’re a CEO, have it analyze your competitors. If you’re an artist, let it critique your work. If you’re a stay-at-home parent, have it optimize your budget. Ask it questions. Push it to its limits. Learn what it can do—because if you don’t, you will be left behind.

Let me be crystal clear: AI is not your friend. It’s not your partner. It’s not something to trust. AI is a shovel—an extremely powerful shovel, but still just a tool. And if you don’t understand that, you’re in trouble.

We’ve already seen what happens when we surrender to technology without thinking. Social media rewired our brains. Smartphones reshaped our culture. AI will do all that—and more. If you don’t take control now, AI will control you.

Ask yourself: When AI makes decisions for you—when it anticipates your needs before you even know them—at what point do you stop being the one in charge? At what point does AI stop being a tool and start being your master?

And that’s not even the worst of it. The next step—transhumanism—is coming. It will start with good intentions. Elon Musk is already developing implants to help people walk again. And that’s great. But where does it stop? What happens when people start “upgrading” themselves? What happens when people choose to merge with AI?

I know my answer. I won’t cross that line. But you’re going to have to decide for yourself. And if you don’t start preparing now, that decision will be made for you.


The final warning—act now or be left behind

I need you to hear me. This is not optional. This is not something you can ignore. AI is here. And if you don’t act now, you will be lost.

The next 18 months will change everything. People who don’t prepare—who don’t learn to use AI—will be scrambling to catch up. And they won’t catch up. The gap will be too wide. You’ll either be leading, or you’ll be swallowed whole.

So start this weekend. Learn it. Test it. Push it. Master it. Because the people who don’t? They will be the tools.

The decision is yours. But time is running out.

The coming AI economy and the collapse of traditional jobs

Think back to past technological revolutions. The industrial revolution put countless blacksmiths, carriage makers, and farmhands out of business. The internet wiped out entire industries, from travel agencies to brick-and-mortar retail. AI is bigger than all of those combined. This isn’t just about job automation—it’s about job obliteration.

Doctors, lawyers, engineers—people who thought their jobs were untouchable—will find themselves replaced by AI. A machine that can diagnose disease with greater accuracy, draft legal documents in seconds, or design infrastructure faster than an entire team of engineers will be cheaper, faster, and better than human labor. If you’re not preparing for that reality, you’re already falling behind.

What does this mean for you? It means constant adaptation. Every three to five years, you will need to redefine your role, retrain, and retool. The only people who survive this AI revolution will be the ones who understand its capabilities and learn to work with it, not against it.

The moral dilemma: When do you stop being human?

The real danger of AI isn’t just economic—it’s existential. When AI merges with humans, we will face an unprecedented question: At what point do we stop being human?

Think about it. If you implant a neural chip that gives you access to the entire internet in your mind, are you still the same person? If your thoughts are intertwined with AI-generated responses, where do you end and AI begins? This is the future we are hurtling toward, and few people are even asking the right questions.

I’m asking them now. And you should be too. Because that line—between human and machine—is coming fast. You need to decide now where you stand. Because once we cross it, there is no going back.

Final thoughts: Be a leader, not a follower

AI isn’t a passing trend. It’s not a gadget or a convenience. It is the most powerful force humanity has ever created. And if you don’t take the time to understand it now, you will be at its mercy.

This is the defining moment of our time. Will you be a master of AI? Or will you be mastered by it? The choice is yours. But if you wait too long, you won’t have a choice at all.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Trump's Zelenskyy deal falls apart: What happened and what's next?

SAUL LOEB / Contributor | Getty Images

Trump offered Zelenskyy a deal he couldn’t refuse—but Zelenskyy rejected it outright.

Last Friday, President Donald Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington to sign a historic agreement aimed at ending the brutal war ravaging Ukraine. Joined by Vice President J.D. Vance, Trump met with Zelenskyy and the press before the leaders were set to retreat behind closed doors to finalize the deal. Acting as a gracious host, Trump opened the meeting by praising Zelenskyy and the bravery of Ukrainian soldiers. He expressed enthusiasm for the proposed agreement, emphasizing its benefits—such as access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals for the U.S.—and publicly pledged continued American aid in exchange.

Zelenskyy, however, didn’t share Trump’s optimism. Throughout the meeting, he interrupted repeatedly and openly criticized both Trump and Vance in front of reporters. Tensions escalated until Vance, visibly frustrated, fired back. The exchange turned the meeting hostile, and by its conclusion, Trump withdrew his offer. Rather than staying in Washington to resolve the conflict, Zelenskyy promptly left for Europe to seek support from the European Union.

As Glenn pointed out, Trump had carefully crafted this deal to benefit all parties, including Russia. Zelenskyy’s rejection was a major misstep.

Trump's generous offer to Zelenskyy

Glenn took to his whiteboard—swapping out his usual chalkboard—to break down Trump’s remarkable deal for Zelenskyy. He explained how it aligned with several of Trump’s goals: cutting spending, advancing technology and AI, and restoring America’s position as the dominant world power without military action. The deal would have also benefited the EU by preventing another war, revitalizing their economy, and restoring Europe’s global relevance. Ukraine and Russia would have gained as well, with the war—already claiming over 250,000 lives—finally coming to an end.

The media has portrayed last week’s fiasco as an ambush orchestrated by Trump to humiliate Zelenskyy, but that’s far from the truth. Zelenskyy was only in Washington because he had already rejected the deal twice—first refusing Vice President Vance and then Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It was Zelenskyy who insisted on traveling to America to sign the deal at the White House. If anyone set an ambush, it was him.

The EU can't help Ukraine

JUSTIN TALLIS / Contributor | Getty Images

After clashing with Trump and Vance, Zelenskyy wasted no time leaving D.C. The Ukrainian president should have stayed, apologized to Trump, and signed the deal. Given Trump’s enthusiasm and a later comment on Truth Social—where he wrote, “Zelenskyy can come back when he is ready for peace”—the deal could likely have been revived.

Meanwhile, in London, over a dozen European leaders, joined by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, convened an emergency meeting dubbed the “coalition of the willing” to ensure peace in Ukraine. This coalition emerged as Europe’s response to Trump’s withdrawal from the deal. By the meeting’s end, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a four-point plan to secure Ukrainian independence.

Zelenskyy, however, appears less than confident in the coalition’s plan. Recently, he has shifted his stance toward the U.S., apologizing to Trump and Vance and expressing gratitude for the generous military support America has already provided. Zelenskyy now says he wants to sign Trump’s deal and work under his leadership.

This is shaping up to be another Trump victory.