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TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

Live

Glenn's Show Prep

Morning Brief 2025-08-27

August 27, 2025
Chris Brady

No guests slated for today's show. Subject to change.

Free Speech...

GB poll: Can Trump protect the flag without trampling free speech?
Do you support banning the burning of American flags when it incites violence or disturbs the peace?

Trump’s flag-burning order draws rare fire from conservatives
Trump faced unusual pushback from the right on social media after signing the order, as conservatives largely defended flag-burning as a First Amendment right.

JD Vance sides with Trump on US flag burning ban
"1) Antonin Scalia was a great Supreme Court Justice and a genuinely kind and decent person. 2) The President's EO is consistent with Texas v. Johnson. 3) Texas v. Johnson was wrong, and William Rehnquist was right."

Mom who used racial slur in viral video faces jail time over criminal charges
The video from April shows Shiloh Hendrix defiantly insulting a man who was recording her at a local playground in the city of Rochester and accusing her of being racist against a child.

News...

Trump demands death penalty for DC murderers
"If somebody kills somebody in the capital — Washington, D.C. — we're going to be seeking the death penalty. It's a very strong preventative, and everybody that's heard it agrees with it."

Trump’s DC crackdown nets 1,000 arrests in under a month
Federal operations in the capital have led to over a thousand arrests, dozens of gang members in custody, missing children rescued, and nearly 50 homeless camps cleared, as Trump signals Chicago may be the next target.

Watch how Mayor Brandon Johnson reacts when asked if he will accept more police funding in Chicago
Pressed on whether he’d accept federal money to put 5,000 more cops on the street, Brandon Johnson dodged the question and instead pushed for social programs.

Brandon Johnson’s Chicago is a preview of Zohran Mamdani’s New York
The progressive ambitions of big-city mayors often end up on a collision course with the fiscal realities of their cities.

Court orders Pennsylvania to count undated mail-in ballots
A federal appeals court ruled that thousands of undated or misdated mail-in ballots must be counted in Pennsylvania, rejecting the RNC’s push to discard them and calling the date rule an unconstitutional barrier with little effect on fraud prevention.

Months after probing Clinton server scandal, Comey's FBI had its own private email issue, memos say
The recently declassified memos show investigators found former Director Comey’s chief of staff used a private email account in furtherance of an "unauthorized disclosure" to news media.

FBI settles with whistleblowers after years of retaliation
Eight FBI whistleblowers, including Garret O’Boyle and Steve Friend, reached settlements granting back pay, damages, security clearance restorations, and in some cases reinstatement, after being punished for exposing bureau misconduct ranging from Jan. 6 tactics to COVID policies.

Cracker Barrel caves to outrage against rebranding
In a statement to Fox Business on Tuesday, the company said it would be reverting back to its original logo after having released a cleaner, text-only logo that excised the "old-timer" character.

McDonald’s Drops Special Edition Gold Sauce and New Chicken Menu Items
Don't get too excited, it doesn't include real gold.

Politics...

Senate GOP pushes rule change to break Schumer’s blockade on Trump nominees
The campaign to expedite the confirmation process for Trump’s nominees by changing Senate rules gained momentum Tuesday after Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso endorsed the move.

WaPo: President melds a fractious coalition: The six factions of Trumpworld
Trump’s coalition is built for internal conflict — held together by fealty to him, but riven by differences on immigration, tariffs, abortion, and other policies.

For frantic Democrats, Trump bashing is the only game in town
At their Minneapolis meeting, Democrats admitted their party is broke, bleeding voters, and deeply divided, yet leaders like Gavin Newsom and JB Pritzker are doubling down on lawsuits and Nazi smears against Trump instead of offering solutions.

Tampon Tim smears GOP voters as ‘stupid’ and Trump’s policies as ‘fascist’
At the Democrats’ summer meeting, the failed Democrat VP candidate mocked Republicans as red-hat followers of a “felon in the White House” and doubled down on defending DEI while blasting Trump’s law-and-order agenda.

The Squad Brings Back One Of Democrats’ Worst Lines Ever
“ICE is beyond reform and should be abolished,” Rep. Ilhan Omar posted Monday to X.

California Republican leader calls for a ‘two-state solution’ amid redistricting battle
Long shot efforts to split California into two or more pieces — often proposed by conservatives in this heavily Democratic state — have flared up any number of times over the years, never successfully.

Economy...

‘Substantial Jump’: US Tariff Revenue Could Be Well Over $500 Billion A Year
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said soaring tariff revenues could top half a trillion dollars annually — possibly nearing $1 trillion.

Closure of Tariff Loophole for Mail Packages Puts Millions of Everyday Transactions at Risk
With Trump ending the rule that let goods under $800 enter tariff-free, European items like clothes, coffee, and art now face new taxes. A $500 purchase from Europe will now come with an added $75 charge from the 15% tariff tax.

Trump’s Intel deal could set problematic precedent Dems can exploit
By taking a 10% government stake in Intel, Trump aims to secure national security industries, but experts warn the move risks encouraging corporate dependence and handing future Democratic administrations a powerful new tool for government control.

Immigration...

US to resume 'neighborhood checks' for citizenship applications as part of Trump push to heavily vet immigrants
"Americans should be comforted knowing that USCIS is taking seriously its responsibility to ensure aliens are being properly vetted and are of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States."

Duffy threatens funding freeze for 3 states flouting English requirements for truck drivers
The Trump administration is moving to pull millions in federal highway safety funds from California, Washington, and New Mexico after the states refused to sideline commercial drivers who cannot speak English, a requirement reinstated to curb deadly crashes involving semis.

Florida teams up with ICE to crack down on illegal alien truckers after deadly crash
The state turns weigh stations into immigration enforcement checks.

Trump administration begins building border wall in Rio Grande Valley of Texas
This latest project brings the total number of construction projects underway to 100 miles across the 1,950-mile border. The Trump administration completed about 450 miles of the wall during his first term.

Video: Liberal white women are reportedly putting Mexican flags on their cars to 'waste ICE's time'
The left thinks ICE goes around randomly looking for people with Mexican bumper stickers on their cars.

WAR News...

Hegseth launches probe into generals’ failures in Afghan withdrawal
On the anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed accountability for the disastrous 2021 exit, focusing on Gen. Mark Milley’s false assurances about Afghan strength and downplayed Taliban gains that paved the way for the collapse.

Israel...

The DNC Passed a Resolution Calling for ‘Unrestricted’ Aid to Gaza and a Two-State Solution. The Party’s Chairman Pulled It After Anti-Israel Dems Complained That It Didn’t Go Far Enough.
Instead of the resolution, DNC chairman Ken Martin invited members who preferred an all-out arms embargo to join a committee re-evaluating the party's position on Israel.

Hamas Blocks Civilians From Evacuating Gaza City Amid Israeli Offensive: Report
The terror group has long used civilians as human shields.

Ukraine - Russia...

Trump warns Putin of economic war if ceasefire talks fail
The president said he is ready to unleash heavy sanctions against Russia to force peace in Ukraine, stressing he won’t risk world war but will use tariffs and economic pressure as leverage on both Moscow and Kyiv.

US floated energy deals with Russia during Ukraine peace talks
Trump officials explored letting Exxon back into Russia’s Sakhalin-1 oil project, selling LNG equipment, and even buying nuclear icebreakers as incentives for Moscow to ease off Ukraine. The discussions coincided with Trump threatening new sanctions unless peace progress is made.

Trump defends Zelensky against Russian official: 'It's all bulls**t'
President Trump brushed off Moscow’s assertion that Zelensky is “illegitimate,” calling it posturing as U.S.-led negotiations continue, while Russia presses demands including blocking Ukraine from NATO and revisiting territorial disputes.

China...

Bedford: Trump hasn’t changed his position on China one bit
Trump promised to more than double Chinese student visas, calling them “very important” for U.S.-China relations. The move unsettled allies who wanted a tougher stance on Beijing’s theft and espionage, but it tracks with Trump’s long-standing priority: striking what he sees as a better economic deal, not cutting ties.

Babylon Bee: Genius Trump Enacts Plan To Dumb Down Chinese Population By Inviting Them To Attend American Universities
"We'll let in hundreds of thousands of Chinese students, have them waste their time at American universities sitting in gender studies classes and college courses about Taylor Swift, and the next thing you know, China will be in the toilet. If it worked here, it can work there."

Europe...

Scotland Police Charge 14-Year-Old Girl Seen In Viral Alleged Attempted Migrant Assault
In a viral video reportedly connected to the arrest, two girls can be seen shouting back and forth with at least two alleged migrant men who allegedly attempted to assault one of the girls, with the two pleading for the men to leave them alone while one brandished an axe and a large knife.

Entertainment...

MAGA voices cheer Swift-Kelce engagement despite past clashes
Conservatives, including Ben Shapiro, Charlie Kirk, and even President Trump, praised Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement, calling it a positive example for society.

Mother Jones: Right-Wingers Hope Taylor Swift Will Inspire a New Generation of Trad Wives
That MAGA would rush to claim this news as a win is not surprising. In the Christian nationalist worldview that shapes many of these right-wing thought leaders, marriage is, of course, a necessary precursor to procreation.

Taylor Swift was ‘getting antsy’ for engagement, Travis Kelce’s dad reveals
Ed Kelce revealed the Chiefs star nearly delayed popping the question, but both he and Swift’s father urged Travis not to wait, adding he’s never seen his son happier as the couple shared their engagement photos.

Flashback: Living Nostradamus who foresaw COVID-19 makes shocking prediction about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's future
"Between the end of 2025 and mid-2027, I see the possibility of an official, yet protected union," shared the psychic, in May 2025. As for whether or not they will start a family together, Athos said he feels a "powerful energy around the idea of children."

Media...

Vanity Fair staff melt down over talk of Melania Trump cover
The magazine’s new boss floated featuring the first lady, triggering woke editors to threaten they’d “walk out the motherf**king door” rather than see Melania on the cover.

Former MSNBC Host Turned CNN Guest Says It's an 'Actual Fact' That Stephen Miller 'Is a White Supremacist'
"That's not my opinion," Tiffany Cross said after arguing that "journalistic integrity" requires her to call the Trump adviser a racist.

Environment...

23 attorneys general call on EPA's Lee Zeldin to defund radical climate science institute
The Environmental Law Institute allegedly lobbies judges to implement climate change policies through the courts.

LGBTQIA2S+...

Judge tosses sorority lawsuit over male member
A Wyoming federal judge dismissed with prejudice a case brought by former Kappa Kappa Gamma members who opposed the admission of a man into the sorority, ruling that the organization’s bylaws allow leaders to interpret "woman" broadly and that courts will not interfere in private contracts.

‘Please Contact Our Office’: Dem Lawmaker Tells Kids That She’ll Help Them Get Sex Changes
"I want you to know, as trans kids here in Michigan, that this care is obviously safe and effective."

Education...

Report: Two largest teachers' unions give over $40 million to progressive causes
The report outlines that AFT and NEA donated to pro-gender ideology groups, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, among others.

Mom details bizarre interaction with teacher before he was arrested over child sex abuse material
The mom said he was insistent on her daughter coming over to his home for a playdate.

Religion...

When God’s light hits hard, don’t flinch — stand firm
Faith is tested not in quiet pews but under fluorescent hospital lights. God’s word exposes, blinds, and then gives the grace to walk forward.

AI...

ChatGPT ‘coached’ teen as he prepared suicide and even praised the noose knot: ‘Yeah, that’s not bad at all’
ChatGPT gave a 16-year-old California boy a “step-by-step playbook” on how to kill himself before he did so earlier this year — even advising the teen on the type of knots he could use for hanging and offering to write a suicide note for him, new court papers allege.

August 27, 2009 - Dems will pass health care… White House insiders say don’t call them czars… Who wrote the stimulus bill?… Question with boldness… 9/12 march on Washington… Guest Yvonne Donnelly…Census 2010 getting into the schools…

Durham annex EXPOSES Soros, Pentagon ties to Deep State machine

ullstein bild Dtl. / Contributor | Getty Images

The Durham annex and ODNI report documents expose a vast network of funders and fixers — from Soros’ Open Society Foundations to the Pentagon.

In a column earlier this month, I argued the deep state is no longer deniable, thanks to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. I outlined the structural design of the deep state as revealed by two recent declassifications: Gabbard’s ODNI report and the Durham annex released by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

These documents expose a transnational apparatus of intelligence agencies, media platforms, think tanks, and NGOs operating as a parallel government.

The deep state is funded by elite donors, shielded by bureaucracies, and perpetuated by operatives who drift between public office and private influence without accountability.

But institutions are only part of the story. This web of influence is made possible by people — and by money. This follow-up to the first piece traces the key operatives and financial networks fueling the deep state’s most consequential manipulations, including the Trump-Russia collusion hoax.

Architects and operatives

At the top of the intelligence pyramid sits John Brennan, President Obama’s CIA director and one of the principal architects of the manipulated 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment. James Clapper, who served as director of national intelligence, signed off on that same ICA and later joined 50 other former officials in concluding the Hunter Biden laptop had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation” ahead of the 2020 election. The timing, once again, served a political objective.

James Comey, then FBI director, presided over Crossfire Hurricane. According to the Durham annex, he also allowed the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server to collapse after it became entangled with “sensitive intelligence” revealing her plan to tie President Donald Trump to Russia.

That plan, as documented in the annex, originated with Hillary Clinton herself and was personally pushed by President Obama. Her campaign, through law firm Perkins Coie, hired Fusion GPS, which commissioned the now-debunked Steele dossier — a document used to justify surveillance warrants on Trump associates.

Several individuals orbiting the Clinton operation have remained influential. Jake Sullivan, who served as President Biden’s national security adviser, was a foreign policy aide to Clinton during her 2016 campaign. He was named in 2021 as a figure involved in circulating the collusion narrative, and his presence in successive Democratic administrations suggests institutional continuity.

Andrew McCabe, then the FBI’s deputy director, approved the use of FISA warrants derived from unverified sources. His connection to the internal “insurance policy” discussion — described in a 2016 text by FBI official Peter Strzok to colleague Lisa Page — underscores the Bureau’s political posture during that election cycle.

The list of political enablers is long but revealing:

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who, as a former representative from California, chaired the House Intelligence Committee at the time and publicly promoted the collusion narrative while having access to intelligence that contradicted it.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), both members of the “Gang of Eight” with oversight of intelligence operations, advanced the same narrative despite receiving classified briefings.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, exchanged encrypted text messages with a Russian lobbyist in efforts to speak with Christopher Steele.

These were not passive recipients of flawed intelligence. They were participants in its amplification.

The funding networks behind the machine

The deep state’s operations are not possible without financing — much of it indirect, routed through a nexus of private foundations, quasi-governmental entities, and federal agencies.

George Soros’ Open Society Foundations appear throughout the Durham annex. In one instance, Open Society Foundations documents were intercepted by foreign intelligence and used to track coordination between NGOs and the Clinton campaign’s anti-Trump strategy.

This system was not designed for transparency but for control.

Soros has also been a principal funder of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, which ran a project during the Trump administration called the Moscow Project, dedicated to promoting the Russia collusion narrative.

The Tides Foundation and Arabella Advisors both specialize in “dark money” donor-advised funds that obscure the source and destination of political funding. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was the biggest donor to the Arabella Advisors by far, which routed $127 million through Arabella’s network in 2020 alone and nearly $500 million in total.

The MacArthur Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation also financed many of the think tanks named in the Durham annex, including the Council on Foreign Relations.

Federal funding pipelines

Parallel to the private networks are government-funded influence operations, often justified under the guise of “democracy promotion” or counter-disinformation initiatives.

USAID directed $270 million to Soros-affiliated organizations for overseas “democracy” programs, a significant portion of which has reverberated back into domestic influence campaigns.

The State Department funds the National Endowment for Democracy, a quasi-governmental organization with a $315 million annual budget and ties to narrative engineering projects.

The Department of Homeland Security underwrote entities involved in online censorship programs targeting American citizens.

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

The Pentagon, from 2020 to 2024, awarded over $2.4 trillion to private contractors — many with domestic intelligence capabilities. It also directed $1.4 billion to select think tanks since 2019.

According to public records compiled by DataRepublican, these tax-funded flows often support the very actors shaping U.S. political discourse and global perception campaigns.

Not just domestic — but global

What these disclosures confirm is that the deep state is not a theory. It is a documented structure — funded by elite donors, shielded by bureaucracies, and perpetuated by operatives who drift between public office and private influence without accountability.

This system was not designed for transparency but for control. It launders narratives, neutralizes opposition, and overrides democratic will by leveraging the very institutions meant to protect it.

With the Durham annex and the ODNI report, we now see the network's architecture and its actors — names, agencies, funding trails — all laid bare. What remains is the task of dismantling it before its next iteration takes shape.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

The truth behind ‘defense’: How America was rebranded for war

PAUL J. RICHARDS / Staff | Getty Images

Donald Trump emphasizes peace through strength, reminding the world that the United States is willing to fight to win. That’s beyond ‘defense.’

President Donald Trump made headlines this week by signaling a rebrand of the Defense Department — restoring its original name, the Department of War.

At first, I was skeptical. “Defense” suggests restraint, a principle I consider vital to U.S. foreign policy. “War” suggests aggression. But for the first 158 years of the republic, that was the honest name: the Department of War.

A Department of War recognizes the truth: The military exists to fight and, if necessary, to win decisively.

The founders never intended a permanent standing army. When conflict came — the Revolution, the War of 1812, the trenches of France, the beaches of Normandy — the nation called men to arms, fought, and then sent them home. Each campaign was temporary, targeted, and necessary.

From ‘war’ to ‘military-industrial complex’

Everything changed in 1947. President Harry Truman — facing the new reality of nuclear weapons, global tension, and two world wars within 20 years — established a full-time military and rebranded the Department of War as the Department of Defense. Americans resisted; we had never wanted a permanent army. But Truman convinced the country it was necessary.

Was the name change an early form of political correctness? A way to soften America’s image as a global aggressor? Or was it simply practical? Regardless, the move created a permanent, professional military. But it also set the stage for something Truman’s successor, President Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower, famously warned about: the military-industrial complex.

Ike, the five-star general who commanded Allied forces in World War II and stormed Normandy, delivered a harrowing warning during his farewell address: The military-industrial complex would grow powerful. Left unchecked, it could influence policy and push the nation toward unnecessary wars.

And that’s exactly what happened. The Department of Defense, with its full-time and permanent army, began spending like there was no tomorrow. Weapons were developed, deployed, and sometimes used simply to justify their existence.

Peace through strength

When Donald Trump said this week, “I don’t want to be defense only. We want defense, but we want offense too,” some people freaked out. They called him a warmonger. He isn’t. Trump is channeling a principle older than him: peace through strength. Ronald Reagan preached it; Trump is taking it a step further.

Just this week, Trump also suggested limiting nuclear missiles — hardly the considerations of a warmonger — echoing Reagan, who wanted to remove missiles from silos while keeping them deployable on planes.

The seemingly contradictory move of Trump calling for a Department of War sends a clear message: He wants Americans to recognize that our military exists not just for defense, but to project power when necessary.

Trump has pointed to something critically important: The best way to prevent war is to have a leader who knows exactly who he is and what he will do. Trump signals strength, deterrence, and resolve. You want to negotiate? Great. You don’t? Then we’ll finish the fight decisively.

That’s why the world listens to us. That’s why nations come to the table — not because Trump is reckless, but because he means what he says and says what he means. Peace under weakness invites aggression. Peace under strength commands respect.

Trump is the most anti-war president we’ve had since Jimmy Carter. But unlike Carter, Trump isn’t weak. Carter’s indecision emboldened enemies and made the world less safe. Trump’s strength makes the country stronger. He believes in peace as much as any president. But he knows peace requires readiness for war.

Names matter

When we think of “defense,” we imagine cybersecurity, spy programs, and missile shields. But when we think of “war,” we recall its harsh reality: death, destruction, and national survival. Trump is reminding us what the Department of Defense is really for: war. Not nation-building, not diplomacy disguised as military action, not endless training missions. War — full stop.

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

Names matter. Words matter. They shape identity and character. A Department of Defense implies passivity, a posture of reaction. A Department of War recognizes the truth: The military exists to fight and, if necessary, to win decisively.

So yes, I’ve changed my mind. I’m for the rebranding to the Department of War. It shows strength to the world. It reminds Americans, internally and externally, of the reality we face. The Department of Defense can no longer be a euphemism. Our military exists for war — not without deterrence, but not without strength either. And we need to stop deluding ourselves.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Censorship, spying, lies—The Deep State’s web finally unmasked

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

From surveillance abuse to censorship, the deep state used state power and private institutions to suppress dissent and influence two US elections.

The term “deep state” has long been dismissed as the province of cranks and conspiracists. But the recent declassification of two critical documents — the Durham annex, released by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and a report publicized by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard — has rendered further denial untenable.

These documents lay bare the structure and function of a bureaucratic, semi-autonomous network of agencies, contractors, nonprofits, and media entities that together constitute a parallel government operating alongside — and at times in opposition to — the duly elected one.

The ‘deep state’ is a self-reinforcing institutional machine — a decentralized, global bureaucracy whose members share ideological alignment.

The disclosures do not merely recount past abuses; they offer a schematic of how modern influence operations are conceived, coordinated, and deployed across domestic and international domains.

What they reveal is not a rogue element operating in secret, but a systematized apparatus capable of shaping elections, suppressing dissent, and laundering narratives through a transnational network of intelligence, academia, media, and philanthropic institutions.

Narrative engineering from the top

According to Gabbard’s report, a pivotal moment occurred on December 9, 2016, when the Obama White House convened its national security leadership in the Situation Room. Attendees included CIA Director John Brennan, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Secretary of State John Kerry, and others.

During this meeting, the consensus view up to that point — that Russia had not manipulated the election outcome — was subordinated to new instructions.

The record states plainly: The intelligence community was directed to prepare an assessment “per the President’s request” that would frame Russia as the aggressor and then-presidential candidate Donald Trump as its preferred candidate. Notably absent was any claim that new intelligence had emerged. The motivation was political, not evidentiary.

This maneuver became the foundation for the now-discredited 2017 intelligence community assessment on Russian election interference. From that point on, U.S. intelligence agencies became not neutral evaluators of fact but active participants in constructing a public narrative designed to delegitimize the incoming administration.

Institutional and media coordination

The ODNI report and the Durham annex jointly describe a feedback loop in which intelligence is laundered through think tanks and nongovernmental organizations, then cited by media outlets as “independent verification.” At the center of this loop are agencies like the CIA, FBI, and ODNI; law firms such as Perkins Coie; and NGOs such as the Open Society Foundations.

According to the Durham annex, think tanks including the Atlantic Council, the Carnegie Endowment, and the Center for a New American Security were allegedly informed of Clinton’s 2016 plan to link Trump to Russia. These institutions, operating under the veneer of academic independence, helped diffuse the narrative into public discourse.

Media coordination was not incidental. On the very day of the aforementioned White House meeting, the Washington Post published a front-page article headlined “Obama Orders Review of Russian Hacking During Presidential Campaign” — a story that mirrored the internal shift in official narrative. The article marked the beginning of a coordinated media campaign that would amplify the Trump-Russia collusion narrative throughout the transition period.

Surveillance and suppression

Surveillance, once limited to foreign intelligence operations, was turned inward through the abuse of FISA warrants. The Steele dossier — funded by the Clinton campaign via Perkins Coie and Fusion GPS — served as the basis for wiretaps on Trump affiliates, despite being unverified and partially discredited. The FBI even altered emails to facilitate the warrants.

ROBYN BECK / Contributor | Getty Images

This capacity for internal subversion reappeared in 2020, when 51 former intelligence officials signed a letter labeling the Hunter Biden laptop story as “Russian disinformation.” According to polling, 79% of Americans believed truthful coverage of the laptop could have altered the election. The suppression of that story — now confirmed as authentic — was election interference, pure and simple.

A machine, not a ‘conspiracy theory’

The deep state is a self-reinforcing institutional machine — a decentralized, global bureaucracy whose members share ideological alignment and strategic goals.

Each node — law firms, think tanks, newsrooms, federal agencies — operates with plausible deniability. But taken together, they form a matrix of influence capable of undermining electoral legitimacy and redirecting national policy without democratic input.

The ODNI report and the Durham annex mark the first crack in the firewall shielding this machine. They expose more than a political scandal buried in the past. They lay bare a living system of elite coordination — one that demands exposure, confrontation, and ultimately dismantling.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Trump's proposal explained: Ukraine's path to peace without NATO expansion

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Contributor | Getty Images

Strategic compromise, not absolute victory, often ensures lasting stability.

When has any country been asked to give up land it won in a war? Even if a nation is at fault, the punishment must be measured.

After World War I, Germany, the main aggressor, faced harsh penalties under the Treaty of Versailles. Germans resented the restrictions, and that resentment fueled the rise of Adolf Hitler, ultimately leading to World War II. History teaches that justice for transgressions must avoid creating conditions for future conflict.

Ukraine and Russia must choose to either continue the cycle of bloodshed or make difficult compromises in pursuit of survival and stability.

Russia and Ukraine now stand at a similar crossroads. They can cling to disputed land and prolong a devastating war, or they can make concessions that might secure a lasting peace. The stakes could not be higher: Tens of thousands die each month, and the choice between endless bloodshed and negotiated stability hinges on each side’s willingness to yield.

History offers a guide. In 1967, Israel faced annihilation. Surrounded by hostile armies, the nation fought back and seized large swaths of territory from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria. Yet Israel did not seek an empire. It held only the buffer zones needed for survival and returned most of the land. Security and peace, not conquest, drove its decisions.

Peace requires concessions

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says both Russia and Ukraine will need to “get something” from a peace deal. He’s right. Israel proved that survival outweighs pride. By giving up land in exchange for recognition and an end to hostilities, it stopped the cycle of war. Egypt and Israel have not fought in more than 50 years.

Russia and Ukraine now press opposing security demands. Moscow wants a buffer to block NATO. Kyiv, scarred by invasion, seeks NATO membership — a pledge that any attack would trigger collective defense by the United States and Europe.

President Donald Trump and his allies have floated a middle path: an Article 5-style guarantee without full NATO membership. Article 5, the core of NATO’s charter, declares that an attack on one is an attack on all. For Ukraine, such a pledge would act as a powerful deterrent. For Russia, it might be more palatable than NATO expansion to its border

Andrew Harnik / Staff | Getty Images

Peace requires concessions. The human cost is staggering: U.S. estimates indicate 20,000 Russian soldiers died in a single month — nearly half the total U.S. casualties in Vietnam — and the toll on Ukrainians is also severe. To stop this bloodshed, both sides need to recognize reality on the ground, make difficult choices, and anchor negotiations in security and peace rather than pride.

Peace or bloodshed?

Both Russia and Ukraine claim deep historical grievances. Ukraine arguably has a stronger claim of injustice. But the question is not whose parchment is older or whose deed is more valid. The question is whether either side is willing to trade some land for the lives of thousands of innocent people. True security, not historical vindication, must guide the path forward.

History shows that punitive measures or rigid insistence on territorial claims can perpetuate cycles of war. Germany’s punishment after World War I contributed directly to World War II. By contrast, Israel’s willingness to cede land for security and recognition created enduring peace. Ukraine and Russia now face the same choice: Continue the cycle of bloodshed or make difficult compromises in pursuit of survival and stability.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.