Category: Trumpism

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) Introduces Bill to Supercharge American Energy Infrastructure and Support Domestic Manufacturing

    Source:

    Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) Introduces Bill to Supercharge American Energy Infrastructure and Support Domestic Manufacturing

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) and Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-03) introduced the Credit Incentives for Resilient Critical Utility Infrastructure and Transformers (CIRCUIT) Act, legislation to retool the 45X tax credit to include distribution transformers in order to encourage domestic production.

    Distribution transformers are critical components needed to strengthen America’s electric grid and secure energy dominance, but they are currently in short supply. With increasing pressure on distribution transformer manufacturers due to rising energy demand and concerns about grid reliability, Congressman Fry introduced this bill to provide targeted support that will boost domestic production and ensure a more reliable power infrastructure.

    To facilitate increased production, this bill would expand the advanced manufacturing production credit (Section 45X) under the Internal Revenue Code to include distribution transformers, help address national shortages, ease supply chain bottlenecks, and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.

    There is no path to American energy independence without a reliable, resilient electric grid—and that starts with distribution transformers,” said Congressman Fry. “President Trump is right: we need more energy online—but that energy is no good if it can’t be distributed across our grid. The CIRCUIT Act ensures we support the manufacturers producing the components our grid needs to grow, while protecting American jobs and advancing President Trump’s pro-energy, pro-manufacturing agenda. This is a win for South Carolina, a win for American jobs, and a win for energy security nationwide.”

    “Supply chain disruptions are driving up costs and slowing down projects in Kansas and across the country—and one of the best ways to fix it is by making more right here at home,” said Congresswoman Davids. “By incentivizing domestic businesses to produce important technologies, this bipartisan bill will help bring down costs, reduce construction wait times, and improve electric grid reliability. I’m proud to work across the aisle with Representative Fry to strengthen our supply chains and lower housing costs for hardworking folks.”

    This legislation is supported by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), the American Public Power Association, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

    NEMA welcomes the introduction of this critical legislation in the House,” said NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips. “The bipartisan CIRCUIT Act will expand the list of entities included in the Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit (45X) to include distribution transformers that are essential to building a reliable electrical grid. This will ease supply chain constraints and provide manufacturers with the certainty to scale onshoring and domestic production without fear of demand instability. We thank Reps. Russell Fry (R-SC) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) for their leadership to support our nation’s critical infrastructure and we encourage Congress to support new incentives for domestic transformer capacity such as through the CIRCUIT Act.”

    This is the companion bill to the Senate’s CIRCUIT Act, introduced by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).

    Read the full text of the bill here.

    Congressman Fry serves on both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. To stay up to date with Congressman Fry and his work for the Seventh District, follow his official Facebook, Instagram, and X pages and visit his website at fry.house.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast Exposes Spies, Lies and Mismanagement at the U.S. Agency for Global Media

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast delivered opening remarks at a full committee hearing titled, “Spies, Lies, and Mismanagement: Examining the U.S. Agency for Global Media’s Downfall.”

    Watch Here

    -Remarks-

    The purpose of today’s hearing is to examine the efficacy of the US Agency for Global Media, by allowing members the opportunity to discuss the agency’s history of national security concerns, the use of taxpayer dollars, and the Trump administration’s vision for a path forward. And I’m now going to recognize myself for an opening statement. As we meet to discuss the downfall of the US Agency for Global Media, or USAGM as we call it, an independent government agency.

    It’s an agency that can trace its roots back to fighting Nazi propaganda during World War II. But instead of staying true to its mandate of combating our adversaries and advocating for American values, in recent decades USAGM has unfortunately lost its way. Prior to this administration taking office again, the agency was riddled with OIG reports and investigations demonstrating that USAGM had been a cesspool of spies, lies and mismanagement.

    That is not an exaggeration. The agency has promoted the very propaganda that it was created to defeat.

    A case in point is Voice of America, or VOA as it’s known, a media outlet overseen directly by USAGM and funded by the American taxpayer, of course — because of Chinese pressure, Voice of America censored interviews with Chinese dissidents.

    VOA hired an admitted Taliban fighter, a jihadist, to criticize President Trump’s terror travel ban decision — it’s reminiscent of a headline that would be in the Babylon Bee: Terrorist hired to criticize President Trump’s travel ban — while instructing its reporters not to call Hamas terrorists, unless they used air quotes when they did so.

    VOA suppressed negative stories about Iran and its terrorist proxies. And VOA, which peddled the Russian collusion hoax, hired foreign nationals who previously worked for Russian state sponsored news outlets to tell that story.

    USAGM is a government agency tasked with promoting American ideals. But instead, it’s hired foreign adversaries with your tax dollars, who promoted anti-American propaganda, both at home and abroad.

    This is only a partisan issue because President Trump is in the White House. The fact is, Republicans and Democrat administrations alike have exposed USAGM’s hiring, vetting and messaging failures.

    During the Biden era, the State Department Inspector General found that USAGM skirted federal hiring guidelines when doling out jobs to foreign nationals. Many of these foreign nationals were quite literally security risks, yet they were given access to extremely sensitive information. To be specific, what’s known as tier 3 and tier 5, which are the equivalent of secret and top secret information. Everybody should be asking themselves why foreign nationals hired to be journalists need access to top secret information that most foreign militaries don’t get access to.

    This was not just incompetence. It was taxpayer funded self-sabotage. American taxpayers would have been better off if that money had just been lit on fire.

    Before President Trump won his historic second term, USAGM embraced and regurgitated enemy propaganda. It became a mouthpiece for our adversaries paid for, again, by your tax dollars. And we’re here to say that the grift is over.

    It’s not that USAGM has never provided any value. It’s that USAGM had drastically lost their way and allowed themselves to become a source of espionage. However, it’s clear that USAGM cannot continue to operate as it has in recent times. Drastic measures have to be taken to ensure that every taxpayer dollar for where those dollars come from, the American people. Not Xi Jinping. Not Vladimir Putin, not the Ayatollah.

    I want to thank our witness, Kari Lake, for appearing in front of this committee today. I’m looking forward to hearing your testimony. I’m looking forward to a productive and probably a rowdy discussion about the Trump administration’s vision for the future of US broadcasting.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: First Partner launches and expands her annual Book Club, celebrates libraries as community treasures open to all Californians

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jun 25, 2025

    What you need to know: The First Partner launched her annual Book Club today, which features great kids’ reads curated by librarians across California, as well as investments to support library community programming.

    SACRAMENTO – California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom today launched and expanded her book club, which includes a list of children’s books curated by librarians across the state, as well as investments in library programs that help connect more kids to libraries and reading over the summer — and now all year-round. Part of the First Partner’s California for ALL Kids initiative, the Book Club is a partnership with the California State Library, aimed at boosting early literacy, reducing the “summer slide” of learning, and supporting the mental health and well-being of all California children. Libraries — increasingly under threat from the Trump Administration — play a key role in supporting kids’ early literacy and mental health. 

    “Books and storytelling have the power to change the trajectory of a life — especially the books we read when we’re young. That is why I’m so thrilled to share these inspiring children’s books, curated by librarians across the State of California. Our libraries create community and safe havens for us all, but particularly for our children, allowing them to escape into the joy and wonders of reading, disconnect from the online world, build early literacy skills, and so much more. Although we live in a time when beloved public resources like these are under increasing threat from the Administration in DC, California is working to protect them as the community treasures they are for kids, families, and entire communities.” 

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    This year’s Book Club list includes 20 books centered around themes of positive girl representation, environmental leadership, healthy lifestyles, and youth mental health. The books range in reading levels from preschool to high school and are now available for check-out at 890 public libraries across the state. For the full list of authors and books, see here

    To complement the Book Club, the California State Library “Book to Action” initiative has provided funds for libraries to build programming that encourages kids and families to visit public libraries — from volunteer projects in library gardens to digital storytelling workshops and craft programs. 

    “Books can open entire worlds for young people and access to them is something all California families can enjoy through our public libraries,” said California State Librarian Greg Lucas. “I encourage all families to head to your local library this summer and year-round and check out one of this year’s First Partner’s Book Club picks. We’re grateful for the First Partner’s leadership in helping ensure that our libraries can continue to provide inspiration, joy, learning, support, and community for all Californians.”

    Libraries as community hubs 

    Libraries are places where children learn, families gather, and anyone — regardless of income or background—can access tools to grow and explore. 

    The California State Library Parks Pass gives library cardholders free vehicle day-use entry to over 200 participating state parks. Since the start of the program, 26,000 California State Library Parks Passes have been distributed across all California public library jurisdictions. The First Partner helped spearhead and create the California State Library Parks Pass, as well as the California State Park Adventure Pass, which gives fourth graders and their families who live in California free access to 54 parks for an entire year. 

    Libraries play a key role in knitting communities together, and nowhere is this more visible than in regions rocked by natural disasters and public health emergencies — such as Los Angeles was during the Palisades and Eaton fires. Libraries served as key community hubs for recovery efforts. 

    To help highlight the importance of California’s libraries, the First Partner joined library friends, local authors, and advocates for a visit to the Altadena Library on June 18. Altadena’s Summer Reading program is now fully back and up and running after the Eaton fire and includes the “Lunch at the Library” program, which provides free lunches for children and teens from June 9 through August 1, 2025. Lunch at the Library is a project of the California State Library, supported with funds from the State of California. Last year, the program offered free summer lunch programs for kids at more than 200 libraries across the state.

    Libraries under attack

    Libraries are increasingly under budget attack from the current Administration in DC — and California is pushing back. 

    Summer learning and early literacy 

    Studies show that students who participate in summer reading programs have improved educational outcomes. Additionally, access to reading and learning opportunities between the ages of 0 and 5 are linked to an individual’s future health, education, and economic outcomes.

    Between 2011 and 2022, California had one of the largest gains in 4th-grade reading levels. However, the state has more work to do to ensure that all kids — no matter their zip code–have a chance to read, grow, and thrive. To that end, earlier this month, Governor Newsom announced the Golden State Literacy Plan, outlining sweeping new investments to boost student reading achievement. Under the Governor’s leadership, the state has continued to make foundational investments in education – from expanded before school, after school, and summer school programming, to universal school lunches and free pre-Kindergarten for all 4-year olds.

    Recent news

    News What you need to know: Today marked the start of the final phase of work on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing – a monumental wildlife preservation effort in Southern California. LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that the final phase of the…

    News What you need to know: President Trump’s unlawful deployment of military personnel to Los Angeles has slashed California’s National Guard fentanyl and drug interdiction force by 32% — undermining public safety and weakening border fentanyl seizure operations….

    News What you need to know: California is providing $15 million in new apprenticeship funding for youth for new high-paying opportunities that do not require a traditional education or four-year degree. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that 29 youth…

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: More drugs at the border, fewer troops to stop them: One-third of California National Guard counterdrug forces pulled amid Trump’s LA militarization

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jun 25, 2025

    What you need to know: President Trump’s unlawful deployment of military personnel to Los Angeles has slashed California’s National Guard fentanyl and drug interdiction force by 32% — undermining public safety and weakening border fentanyl seizure operations.

    Sacramento, CaliforniaAs President Trump escalates his unlawful militarization of Los Angeles, his actions are directly harming California’s ability to fight the flow of illegal drugs into our communities. 

    An estimated 32% of CalGuard’s servicemembers dedicated to the state’s Counterdrug Task Force have been reassigned by President Trump to militarize Los Angeles. Typically, under the Governor’s command, nearly 450 servicemembers are deployed statewide, including at ports of entry, to combat transnational criminal organizations and seize illegal narcotics. Now, those redirected servicemembers join about 4,000 others at Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos sitting idly as Trump lets drugs flow freely across the border.

    Trump’s actions in Los Angeles are harming public safety. Whether it’s fentanyl takedown operations or wildfire response, the California National Guard plays a critical role in protecting our communities — and Trump is deliberately undermining that work.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The consequences are dire – CalGuard’s efforts help ensure the public safety of communities statewide. Since they started drug interdiction efforts in 2021, they have helped seize nearly 31,000 pounds of fentanyl and more than 50 million pills containing fentanyl, with a street value of more than $450 million. 

    So far this year, servicemembers, along with local and federal agencies, have helped seize 2,411 pounds of fentanyl and nearly 1.5 million pills for an estimated value of nearly $16 million. 

    Fentanyl is primarily smuggled into the country by U.S. citizens through ports of entry. Within the last year, Governor Newsom announced continued augmentation in staffing and enforcement of CalGuard’s illicit fentanyl operations. 

    Youth-focused efforts take a hit

    An estimated half of the 140 service members that are dedicated to CalGuard’s Youth and Community Programs Task Force, known as Task Force Torch, have also been impacted by Trump’s authoritarian orders. These programs help guide at-risk youth and promote community partnerships. 

    High-ranking U.S. military officials agree

    Retired four-star admirals and generals and former secretaries of the Army and Navy filed another amicus brief outlining the grave risks of Trump’s illegal takeover of the CalGuard. Recently, several veterans and veteran rights’ groups came together to decry Trump’s militarization of California. A recent report exposed that less than 20% of Trump’s federalized servicemembers are being utilized. 

    Hurting the state’s wildfire response capacity

    CalGuard’s critical firefighting crews – known as Task Force Rattlesnake – are operating at just 40% capacity. Eight of 14 teams have been diverted to Los Angeles as part of President Trump’s illegal – and highly inefficient – federalization of the Guard. Capacity has only worsened, reducing available crews from nine of 14 last week to just six now. 

    How we got here

    In 2024, Governor Newsom doubled down on the deployment of the CalGuard’s Counterdrug Task Force by more than doubling the number of service members supporting fentanyl interdiction, and seizing other drugs, at California ports of entry to nearly 400. Fentanyl is primarily smuggled into the country by U.S. citizens through ports of entry. 

    CalGuard’s coordinated drug interdiction efforts in the state are funded in part by California’s $60 million investment over four years to expand CalGuard’s work to prevent drug trafficking by transnational criminal organizations. This adds to the Governor’s efforts to address fentanyl within California, including by cracking down on fentanyl in communities across the state, including San Francisco.

    Recent news

    News What you need to know: California is providing $15 million in new apprenticeship funding for youth for new high-paying opportunities that do not require a traditional education or four-year degree. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that 29 youth…

    News What you need to know: Three years after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Governor Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom warn that Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” would defund Planned Parenthood and strip millions of Americans — especially low-income women —…

    News What you need to know: Despite the Newsom Administration’s efforts to increase groundwater and develop stronger partnerships with water agencies, California’s water system remains unprepared for the hotter and drier future. Without the successful completion of…

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA:  Sen. Scott Applauds Treasury’s Action to Crack Down on Illicit Actors Fueling Fentanyl Trade

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    Treasury’s orders are a direct result of the authorities provided by the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, legislation led by Senator Scott to target the China-Mexico fentanyl supply chain.

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee Chairman, today applauded the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) for taking action against three Mexico-based financial institutions who have played a key role in money laundering in connection with the illicit fentanyl trade. Treasury’s orders are a direct result of the authorities provided by the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, legislation led by Senator Scott to target the China-Mexico fentanyl supply chain.

    “For too long, Americans across the country have fallen victim to the illicit actors that fuel the fentanyl trade, and it was clear we needed a different approach to help save American lives. That’s why I drafted and led legislation that was signed into law last year to target the financial assets of the criminal groups in China and Mexico poisoning our communities and profiting off the backs of Americans suffering from addiction. Treasury’s action today – thanks to the authorities provided by our bill – is yet another demonstration of President Trump’s commitment to keeping our communities safe,” said Senator Scott.

    BACKGROUND:

    Senator Scott wrote and introduced the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which directs the Department of Treasury to use U.S. economic security tools to choke off the profits of the Chinese precursor manufacturers and the Mexican cartels that push fentanyl across the border. The bill was debated and unanimously passed out of the Senate Banking Committee on June 21, 2023, during the committee’s first legislative markup since 2019. Multiple national groups, including law enforcement associations and anti-opioid abuse organizations, also voiced support for the bill. 

    Senator Scott’s bill was signed into law as part of the national security supplemental package in April 2024.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Introduce Bill to Protect Access to Reproductive Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Yesterday, on the third anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner and Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate, Health, Education and Labor (HELP) Committee, joined Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Patty Murray (D-WA) in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation to guarantee access to abortion care across the country. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration and Republicans continue to attack reproductive freedom. Virginia is the last southern state where abortion is still legal, and Virginia has seen an increase in demand for abortions after other states have passed laws restricting access.

    “In the three years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, we’ve seen the consequences unfold in real time: women denied lifesaving care, doctors forced to navigate confusing and dangerous legal gray areas, and families left to deal with the fallout. Decisions about pregnancy should be made between a woman and her doctor, not by politicians,” said Warner. “This bill would once and for all restore the constitutional right to abortion, permanently making it safe and legal nationwide.”

    “Three years ago, the Supreme Court took away Americans’ ability to access reproductive health care, and since then, we’ve seen the tragic impacts of this decision for women across the country,” said Kaine. “I’m proud to be joining my colleagues in introducing this legislation to protect access to abortion nationwide and restore Americans’ freedom to make their own health care decisions.”

    Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care. In his second term, President Trump has continued to attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood, threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.

    The Women’s Health Protection Act guarantees the right to access an abortion—and the right of an abortion provider to deliver these services—free from medically unnecessary restrictions that interfere with a patient’s individual choice or the provider-patient relationship. The bill also protects the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.

    Following the Dobbs decision, Warner and Kaine have strongly advocated for legislation to protect Americans’ access to reproductive health care. The senators cosponsored legislation to protect the right of women to travel across state lines for abortion services and help protect medical providers from being punished for providing patients with this care. Kaine has also introduced the bipartisan Reproductive Freedom for All Act to protect abortion rights and contraception access.

    In addition to Warner, Kaine, Baldwin, Blumenthal, and Murray, the Women’s Health Protection Act is cosponsored by Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    Full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Grills Bove During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, grilled Emil Bove III, President Trump’s pick to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, on multiple allegations of ethical misconduct throughout Mr. Bove’s tenure as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). Senator Welch also called out Mr. Bove’s refusal to acknowledge that President Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election.  
    Senator Welch: “This question of temperament obviously is relevant. You’d acknowledge that?” 
    Mr. Bove: “Yes, Senator.”   
    Senator Welch: “I was a defense attorney, worked with many prosecutors, had enormous respect for those prosecutors. So, the temperament issue doesn’t always get into the question of whether it’s an ethical violation. But it does get into the temperament and why that—in my view—is very important whatever our job is, but particularly for a judge where you’ve got that incredible power.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s full remarks below: 

    Similar to other Trump nominees, Mr. Bove refused to acknowledge that President Biden had won the 2020 presidential election: 
    Senator Welch: “Who won the 2020 election for President of the United States?” 
    Mr. Bove: “President Biden was certified as the winner of that election.”   
    Senator Welch: “So, you give the standard answer. You can’t say that he won because he got the majority of votes and also got the electoral college victory?”   
    Mr. Bove: “I think that the characterizations that you just made, Senator, are both political. And so, I can’t address them under the canons, and they’re also tied up in ongoing litigation.”   
    Senator Welch: “Help me understand how it’s political to state who got the most votes in any election.”   
    Mr. Bove: [PAUSE] “…Senator, I’m just trying to be precise. The process by which our country declares the victor in an election is a certification process. President Biden was certified.” 
    Ahead of Mr. Bove’s nomination hearing today, Senator Welch joined six Senate Judiciary Committee colleagues in requesting personnel records relevant to Mr. Bove’s conduct throughout his career in the Southern District of New York. Last month, Senator Welch and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) led their colleagues in referring Mr. Bove to the Office of the Inspector General and called for an investigation into Mr. Bove’s potential abuse of prosecutorial authority within the Civil Rights Division.   

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: US to hold talks with Iran next week – D. Trump

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    THE HAGUE, June 25 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump announced in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Wednesday that the United States will hold talks with Iran next week.

    “We are going to talk to them – to Iran – next week. We can sign an agreement,” D. Trump said at a press conference following the NATO summit.

    Earlier on Wednesday, Trump noted that the ceasefire between Iran and Israel was being observed “very well.” –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Jimmy Gomez Statement On Supporting War Powers Resolution

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) released the following statement announcing his cosponsorship of H.Con.Res.40, the War Powers Resolution to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran without congressional approval:

    “I support the War Powers Resolution to prevent the Trump administration from launching further offensive action against Iran without congressional approval. Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon — but Trump failed to properly consult Congress, and we shouldn’t have to take the President’s word on why this strike happened at this particular moment.

    “No intelligence of an imminent threat was presented to bipartisan congressional leadership, committees of jurisdiction or Congress as a whole ahead of time — and still hasn’t been presented to us. The administration continues to delay providing Congress with an explanation of the alleged imminent threat that prompted the strike. Now, media reports indicate the Defense Department isn’t even confident the strikes destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities, and that Iran may have moved key equipment and uranium ahead of time.

    “Trump’s ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ foreign policy doctrine weakens America’s global standing, makes us less safe and unnecessarily puts our troops in harm’s way without achieving any meaningful defense or security goals.”

    “The American people, including my constituents, do not want to be dragged into another avoidable war. The Trump administration’s lack of transparency is unacceptable. Congress has the power to authorize the use of force against a foreign power — and it’s time we reassert that authority.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Presses Secretary Collins on Politicization of VA’s Work, Jeopardizing Care for Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s questioning with VA Secretary*** 

    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a hearing on President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, pressed VA Secretary Doug Collins on recent decisions that jeopardize care for veterans and stifle VA’s critical work.

    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “Secretary Collins—you are charged with making sure we keep our promises to our veterans. And I will tell you, as the daughter of a veteran—one who had great need for the VA benefits—I take this work seriously.

    “Mr. Secretary, I know you hate scaring our veterans. But here’s what I know: when you fire thousands of VA staff with no rationale beside Musk said so—that really scares veterans.

    “When you cancel hundreds of contracts—including a cancer registry in my state—that scares veterans. When you muzzle our researchers—that scares veterans.

    “When you eliminate the VASP program which helped save veterans from foreclosure on their homes–that scares veterans.

    “When you remove language saying veterans and doctors can’t be discriminated against based on their political views or marital status—with no explanation until after people call it out—that scares veterans.

    “And more than just scaring veterans, it puts the care and the support they have not only earned but are entitled to in serious jeopardy. 

    “So if you are concerned about scaring veterans, my suggestion is to stop doing what you’re doing. Focus on what matters: stop implementing policies with no explanation or analysis. Lift the hiring freeze and get our facilities fully staffed.

    “To that end, I have a few questions about some of the actions that veterans have told me they are deeply concerned about, and I hope today you can put their minds at ease—to give us clear, straightforward answers.”

    [VA’S DISCRIMINATION GUIDELINES]

    Senator Murray began by asking about VA’s recent decision to explicitly remove language in anti-discrimination guidelines to ensure all veterans get the care they need: “Secretary Collins, there has been a lot of discussion regarding your decision to modify VA provider guidelines that would open the door to discrimination. You struck the words age, national origin, politics, marital status, and disability from the anti-discrimination policy that was applied to our VA hospitals and clinics. When you changed the guidelines and removed the words making clear when discrimination is not tolerated, what you actually signaled to veterans across the country that they may be denied the care they need. Mr. Secretary, if you insist these categories are already covered by federal law and therefore your changes do not provide openings for discrimination, will you commit then to reinstating the previous policy?”

    Instead of responding on the substance, Secretary Collins blamed news outlets for reporting on the changes he made, stating in part: “I appreciate you taking my own words because it’s about time that somebody decided that they were not going to continue to repeat false rings to keep people in veterans from actually trusting the VA…the Guardian who wanted clickbait, decided to run with something and then it was amplified. It’s scaring veterans. And if they’re concerned—”

    “You took words out—” said Senator Murray, pushing Secretary Collins on why he made the change if he insists the policy isn’t changing.

    Secretary Collins interrupted to continue railing against coverage of the decision instead of answering Senator Murray’s question about whether he would restore the language and the policy.

    Senator Murray reiterated, “Mr. Secretary, I have the floor for a second. What I am telling you is what veterans hear and what Americans hear. Please listen. When you take something out, it says that’s been eliminated, period.”

    “No, it does not,” responded Secretary Collins.

    “Well it does—” said Senator Murray.

    “Only when you have a cheap magazine like the Guardian who wants to put it out there and put it in a position,” replied Secretary Collins, again interrupting.

    Senator Murray pressed, “Ok, your position is: it doesn’t change anything.”

    Secretary Collins answered, “It doesn’t.”

    Senator Murray then asked: “Well, do you think it is possible to be eligible for care and still discriminated against when you try to access health care?”

    “No one is discriminated against at the VA,” demurred Secretary Collins.

    Senator Murray noted, “Well Mr. Secretary, in fact many of us have heard from women veterans—”

    “Did you help correct them?” Secretary Collins attempted to avoid the question.

    Senator Murray flipped the question back to Secretary Collins, “Did you? You took the words out, I did not.”

    Secretary Collins replied, “I did. I put out videos and have done everything because of a false article.”

    “Mr. Secretary, I’m simply telling you, when you took those words out, people heard it in a specific way. Therefore, I’m asking you, why don’t you put them back in and eliminate—” said Senator Murray, attempting to clarify that veterans are viewing this language change as loss of protections, even if VA does not intend that.

    “No. They heard it in a specific way because a reporter who looked for clicks, decided to write an article that he knew was false,” said Secretary Collins, again attempting to place the blame of veterans’ reactions on reporting on his decision-making.

    “Again, I’ve heard from women veterans about experiences, which is why—” responded Senator Murray.

    Secretary Collins again avoided the issue at hand, that there were veterans who were upset with the change in language, regardless of VA intent, “Do you have an example that you can give to me? Cause I’ll make sure it’s corrected. Nobody is to be discriminated against.

    Senator Murray pushed back, “Well, if you are going to call each individual woman in the country and tell them they are not going to be discriminated against… Let me move on.”

    [TOXIC EXPOSURE FUND]

    Senator Murray next asked Secretary Collins about guardrails to ensure Toxic Exposure Fund (TEF) resources are spent appropriately and no veterans’ care is affected by the administration’s request to spend out of the TEF: “Congress has already appropriated funding for Medical Care, which has been passed into law. Your budget request proposes to cancel $18 billion of that money and shift it over to the Toxic Exposures Fund. I am supportive of putting funds where they are needed, but I do want to make sure that you are aware that there are specific limitations for the use of those funds that are in statute. These are guardrails to prevent misuse and address concerns, we put that in because of concerns from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who were very concerned about turning that into a slush fund. Can you commit to us that you will abide by those limitations for all of the funds being spent from the TEF, to include agreements which made with the Committee about what ‘expenses incident to the delivery of care’ means?”

    Secretary Collins replied, “We are committed to following the law on the stuff we are supposed to.”

    “All I’m asking is, you are asking to remove $18 billion into that fund. Are you committed to following the guardrails that the language, that the statute language that surrounds those funds? Because Mr. Secretary, if that is true, then how can you commit that the veterans who were not eligible for care that is unrelated to toxic exposures will not have their care cut off or limited because of the $18 billion decrease to funds?” pressed Senator Murray.

    “Because, as we look at our budgets and take the money that is coming in, we are going to meet the needs of the veterans who come before us,” said Secretary Collins.

    [VA RESEARCH]

    Senator Murray then pressed Secretary Collins on VA directives to prevent researchers from publishing their findings without clearance from Trump administration political appointees: “I have repeatedly raised concerns over the direction VA is taking with the research program. And now it was reported that VA officials are ordering physicians and scientists to not publish their work without seeking approval from Trump’s political appointees. According to a VA official, this policy is specifically in place to prevent ‘negative national exposure.’”

    “So, Mr. Secretary, if a research finding would advance veterans’ health but does not align with the administration’s priorities, will you allow it to be published?”

    “I’m not familiar with the question you have and I’m not going to answer a hypothetical, but I don’t foresee anything, but we have not done anything to restrict our researchers going forward,” said Secretary Collins, refusing to answer the question.

    Senator Murray pressed, “This is on your website.”

    Secretary Collins ignored the fact that this is on the VA website and said, “We are not restricting our researchers. I don’t know how else to answer the question.”

    “If you are ordering physicians and scientists to not publish their work without seeking approval, you can answer that… by saying yes, of course we are not going to say no. But then I’m asking you—” said Senator Murray, clarifying her question before being interrupted.

    “I’m going to reach here and say this is also discussing a policy that had nothing to do with research and publishing research. It had a meeting about talking to media on other issues. I’m happy to take this and see what you are actually discussing, but nothing has changed as far as we know. Researchers can do their research,” responded Secretary Collins.

    Senator Murray again pressed, “All researchers? You will not deny research that shows whatever helps veterans?”

    Secretary Collins again avoided the question, “Again, hypotheticals, we can go down all that. I can’t answer a question if we don’t have an exact question on the end.”

    “Well, it leaves me with the question, that arbitrarily you are going to say no to any kind—” said Senator Murray in part, before again not being able to further clarify her point because she was again interrupted.

    Secretary Collins said, “At this point, I’m not saying either way. I’m sitting here saying that we’re not restricting it.”

    Senator Murray concluded, “Well, that leaves me very curious about how you’re going to move forward on research.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: At HELP Hearing, Senator Murray Presses CDC Nominee on Commitment to Scientific Integrity, Vaccine Access, as RFK Jr. Fires ACIP Members, Pushes Vaccine Conspiracies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray Calls for Kennedy to Reinstate Fired ACIP Members or Delay Meeting Until New Members Appropriately Vetted

    Senator Murray, along with Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), authored the PREVENT Pandemics Act that made the CDC Director a Senate confirmed position for the first time starting this year

    Dr. Monarez on ACIP members: “If they have not gone through an ethics approval process, they shouldn’t be participating in the meetings”

    ***WATCH: Murray’s questioning of Dr. Monarez***

    Washington, D.C. – Today—during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing on the nomination for Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—Senator Murray, senior member and former Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, questioned nominee Dr. Susan Monarez on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. firing of all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replacing them with 8 new unvetted members just two weeks ago, pressing Dr. Monarez on the need for the new ACIP members to go through a thorough ethics review process before meeting today. Murray also raised alarm over Secretary Kennedy’s move to bring in Lyn Redwood, the leader of the anti-vaccine group founded by Secretary Kennedy, to give a presentation on thimerosal in vaccines at the ACIP meeting this week—furthering RFK Jr.’s debunked claims that the preservative used in vaccines causes autism. Senator Murray also pressed Dr. Monarez on the importance of ACIP in maintaining no-cost access to evidence-based vaccines for children and families, and how ACIP recommendation changes could force families to pay out of pocket for vaccines—or forgo vaccination.

    Yesterday, Senator Murray called on Secretary Kennedy to reinstate the ACIP members he fired without cause, or delay this week’s meeting until the new members have been appropriately vetted. Earlier this month, Senator Murray held a press call with Dr. Helen Chu of Washington state, one of the 17 ACIP members abruptly fired by Secretary Kennedy, laying out how Secretary Kennedy’s purge of the Committee threatened public health and vaccine confidence.

    Senator Murray was a vocal critic of President Trump’s first pick for CDC Director, Dave Weldon. The CDC Director is a Senate-confirmed position for the first time this year thanks to a provision in Senator Murray’s bipartisan PREVENT Pandemics Act, which she negotiated and passed with former Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) in 2022.

    [ACIP MEMBER QUALIFICATION]

    Senator Murray began by questioning Dr. Monarez on the appointment process of members of CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), as RFK Jr. appointed members with seemingly no vetting process, “Three weeks ago, Secretary Kennedy abruptly fired all 17 members of the ACIP. And then, he appointed 8 new, unvetted members—many of whom are known vaccine skeptics—and as we all know the Committee is starting today to vote on vaccine recommendations. As of last night, they’re down to just 7 members. I wanted to ask you, do you agree that any new ACIP members should have to go through a thorough ethics review process before meeting?”

    Dr. Monarez replied, “The members of the ACIP do need to go through a thorough ethics review before they are allowed to participate in those critical meetings.”

    Senator Murray pressed, “So, if that ethics review process was not complete before the Committee met today—do you think any vaccine recommendations from this week’s meetings should be valid?”

    “My understanding is that to convene the ACIP meetings, there needs to be a quorum of participants,” replied Dr. Monarez.

    Senator Murray reiterated her question, “You just said they should through the ethics vetting before meeting, they are meeting today without that ethics review process. Should they make recommendations today? Should they be valid?”

    Dr. Monarez answered, “I’m not familiar whether or not the members that are participating in the meeting this week have or have not gone through the ethics review necessary to allow them to participate in those meetings.”

    “If it is known that they have not gone through the ethics process and they issue recommendations, would you accept them as valid?” asked Senator Murray.

    “If they have not gone through an ethics approval process, they shouldn’t be participating in the meetings,” said Dr. Monarez.

    Senator Murray continued, “I would agree with that. And I know Chair Cassidy has expressed concerns about that as well. These affect millions of people, and it’s not just the members that I’m concerned about. Secretary Kennedy is bringing anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists from his former organization into that crucial vaccine meeting. Lyn Redwood, who is from the Children’s Health Defense, is scheduled to give a presentation on thimerosal in vaccines, to further RFK’s debunked claims that it causes autism, and she cited a study that does not exist. And after that was pointed out, CDC uploaded a new presentation. But let me ask you, do you think it is acceptable for a known conspiracy theorist who cites made-up sources to be presenting at CDC’s ACIP meeting and advising on vaccine recommendations?”

    Dr. Monarez replied, “I’m not familiar with the person you have identified. The ACIP is a public meeting and members of the public are in a position to be able to present what should be scientific and evidence-based information. And members of the ACIP should listen to that information and be able to evaluate the veracity of the data that is being discussed.”

    “The CDC Director makes the decision on whether a vaccine should be recommended to the public and does not have to follow recommendations passed by ACIP. What will you do if the Committee votes to remove vaccines from the vaccine schedule—or to not approve new ones—in opposition to clear, established science?” Senator Murray asked.

    “If I’m confirmed as a CDC Director, I will be an active listener and will be very interested in the discussions that take place at the ACIP meetings. I will be looking at how the ACIP members are able to evaluate this complex scientific information and the statistical analysis that goes into the risk benefit associated with that,” Dr. Monarez responded.

    Senator Murray said, “I appreciate that long answer there, but I have to say, many of us are very deeply concerned about the recommendations because they impact millions of people as I said. But they also translate directly into which vaccines get covered by insurance—and which vaccines are then accessible to patients.”

    [VACCINE COVERAGE]

    Senator Murray then questioned Dr. Monarez on access to vaccines as RFK Jr. attempts to obstruct coverage for millions of Americans, “Secretary Kennedy has spread really blatant disinformation about vaccines, and undermined the established science by pretending families need to do their own research on vaccine safety. Secretary Kennedy recently decided to revoke COVID vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women, meaning that their insurance may now not cover the cost of their vaccines.”

    “Do you think ‘leaving it up to the parents’ or the individual, if the ‘choice’ they are left with is to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars just to get one vaccine that was previously free, is the right way to go here?” asked Senator Murray.

    Dr. Monarez said, “I think we need to make sure that we are providing transparent and clear, effective communications about the benefits and the risks associated with vaccines so parents can make informed decision-making for themselves, their children, their families.”

    Senator Murray concluded, “Well, it is hard to know if it’s informed if you have ACIP members who are listening to somebody who is a vaccine conspiracy theorist that has been debunked. And I just want to make this clear, when ACIP pulls its recommendation or refuses to recommend an evidence-based vaccine, a lot more kids and a lot more families will not get vaccinated. They will not be able to afford it. And that is the reality.”

    _______________

    Senator Murray forcefully opposed the nomination of notorious anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. to be Secretary of HHS, and she has long worked to combat vaccine skepticism and highlight the importance of scientific research and vaccines. Murray was also a leading voice against the nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to lead CDC, repeatedly speaking up about her serious concerns with the nominee immediately after their meeting. In 2019, Senator Murray co-led a bipartisan hearing in the HELP Committee on vaccine hesitancy and spoke about the importance of addressing vaccine skepticism and getting people the facts they need to keep their families and communities safe and healthy. Ahead of the 2019 hearing, as multiple states were facing measles outbreaks in under-vaccinated areas, Murray sent a bipartisan letter with former HELP Committee Chair Lamar Alexander pressing Trump’s CDC Director and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health on their efforts to promote vaccination and vaccine confidence.

    Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress against RFK Jr.’s dismantling of HHS and attacks on America’s public health infrastructure, raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans’ health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: At HELP Hearing, Senator Murray Presses CDC Nominee on Commitment to Scientific Integrity, Vaccine Access, as RFK Jr. Fires ACIP Members, Pushes Vaccine Conspiracies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray Calls for Kennedy to Reinstate Fired ACIP Members or Delay Meeting Until New Members Appropriately Vetted

    Senator Murray, along with Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), authored the PREVENT Pandemics Act that made the CDC Director a Senate confirmed position for the first time starting this year

    Dr. Monarez on ACIP members: “If they have not gone through an ethics approval process, they shouldn’t be participating in the meetings”

    ***WATCH: Murray’s questioning of Dr. Monarez***

    Washington, D.C. – Today—during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing on the nomination for Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—Senator Murray, senior member and former Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, questioned nominee Dr. Susan Monarez on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. firing of all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replacing them with 8 new unvetted members just two weeks ago, pressing Dr. Monarez on the need for the new ACIP members to go through a thorough ethics review process before meeting today. Murray also raised alarm over Secretary Kennedy’s move to bring in Lyn Redwood, the leader of the anti-vaccine group founded by Secretary Kennedy, to give a presentation on thimerosal in vaccines at the ACIP meeting this week—furthering RFK Jr.’s debunked claims that the preservative used in vaccines causes autism. Senator Murray also pressed Dr. Monarez on the importance of ACIP in maintaining no-cost access to evidence-based vaccines for children and families, and how ACIP recommendation changes could force families to pay out of pocket for vaccines—or forgo vaccination.

    Yesterday, Senator Murray called on Secretary Kennedy to reinstate the ACIP members he fired without cause, or delay this week’s meeting until the new members have been appropriately vetted. Earlier this month, Senator Murray held a press call with Dr. Helen Chu of Washington state, one of the 17 ACIP members abruptly fired by Secretary Kennedy, laying out how Secretary Kennedy’s purge of the Committee threatened public health and vaccine confidence.

    Senator Murray was a vocal critic of President Trump’s first pick for CDC Director, Dave Weldon. The CDC Director is a Senate-confirmed position for the first time this year thanks to a provision in Senator Murray’s bipartisan PREVENT Pandemics Act, which she negotiated and passed with former Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) in 2022.

    [ACIP MEMBER QUALIFICATION]

    Senator Murray began by questioning Dr. Monarez on the appointment process of members of CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), as RFK Jr. appointed members with seemingly no vetting process, “Three weeks ago, Secretary Kennedy abruptly fired all 17 members of the ACIP. And then, he appointed 8 new, unvetted members—many of whom are known vaccine skeptics—and as we all know the Committee is starting today to vote on vaccine recommendations. As of last night, they’re down to just 7 members. I wanted to ask you, do you agree that any new ACIP members should have to go through a thorough ethics review process before meeting?”

    Dr. Monarez replied, “The members of the ACIP do need to go through a thorough ethics review before they are allowed to participate in those critical meetings.”

    Senator Murray pressed, “So, if that ethics review process was not complete before the Committee met today—do you think any vaccine recommendations from this week’s meetings should be valid?”

    “My understanding is that to convene the ACIP meetings, there needs to be a quorum of participants,” replied Dr. Monarez.

    Senator Murray reiterated her question, “You just said they should through the ethics vetting before meeting, they are meeting today without that ethics review process. Should they make recommendations today? Should they be valid?”

    Dr. Monarez answered, “I’m not familiar whether or not the members that are participating in the meeting this week have or have not gone through the ethics review necessary to allow them to participate in those meetings.”

    “If it is known that they have not gone through the ethics process and they issue recommendations, would you accept them as valid?” asked Senator Murray.

    “If they have not gone through an ethics approval process, they shouldn’t be participating in the meetings,” said Dr. Monarez.

    Senator Murray continued, “I would agree with that. And I know Chair Cassidy has expressed concerns about that as well. These affect millions of people, and it’s not just the members that I’m concerned about. Secretary Kennedy is bringing anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists from his former organization into that crucial vaccine meeting. Lyn Redwood, who is from the Children’s Health Defense, is scheduled to give a presentation on thimerosal in vaccines, to further RFK’s debunked claims that it causes autism, and she cited a study that does not exist. And after that was pointed out, CDC uploaded a new presentation. But let me ask you, do you think it is acceptable for a known conspiracy theorist who cites made-up sources to be presenting at CDC’s ACIP meeting and advising on vaccine recommendations?”

    Dr. Monarez replied, “I’m not familiar with the person you have identified. The ACIP is a public meeting and members of the public are in a position to be able to present what should be scientific and evidence-based information. And members of the ACIP should listen to that information and be able to evaluate the veracity of the data that is being discussed.”

    “The CDC Director makes the decision on whether a vaccine should be recommended to the public and does not have to follow recommendations passed by ACIP. What will you do if the Committee votes to remove vaccines from the vaccine schedule—or to not approve new ones—in opposition to clear, established science?” Senator Murray asked.

    “If I’m confirmed as a CDC Director, I will be an active listener and will be very interested in the discussions that take place at the ACIP meetings. I will be looking at how the ACIP members are able to evaluate this complex scientific information and the statistical analysis that goes into the risk benefit associated with that,” Dr. Monarez responded.

    Senator Murray said, “I appreciate that long answer there, but I have to say, many of us are very deeply concerned about the recommendations because they impact millions of people as I said. But they also translate directly into which vaccines get covered by insurance—and which vaccines are then accessible to patients.”

    [VACCINE COVERAGE]

    Senator Murray then questioned Dr. Monarez on access to vaccines as RFK Jr. attempts to obstruct coverage for millions of Americans, “Secretary Kennedy has spread really blatant disinformation about vaccines, and undermined the established science by pretending families need to do their own research on vaccine safety. Secretary Kennedy recently decided to revoke COVID vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women, meaning that their insurance may now not cover the cost of their vaccines.”

    “Do you think ‘leaving it up to the parents’ or the individual, if the ‘choice’ they are left with is to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars just to get one vaccine that was previously free, is the right way to go here?” asked Senator Murray.

    Dr. Monarez said, “I think we need to make sure that we are providing transparent and clear, effective communications about the benefits and the risks associated with vaccines so parents can make informed decision-making for themselves, their children, their families.”

    Senator Murray concluded, “Well, it is hard to know if it’s informed if you have ACIP members who are listening to somebody who is a vaccine conspiracy theorist that has been debunked. And I just want to make this clear, when ACIP pulls its recommendation or refuses to recommend an evidence-based vaccine, a lot more kids and a lot more families will not get vaccinated. They will not be able to afford it. And that is the reality.”

    _______________

    Senator Murray forcefully opposed the nomination of notorious anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. to be Secretary of HHS, and she has long worked to combat vaccine skepticism and highlight the importance of scientific research and vaccines. Murray was also a leading voice against the nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to lead CDC, repeatedly speaking up about her serious concerns with the nominee immediately after their meeting. In 2019, Senator Murray co-led a bipartisan hearing in the HELP Committee on vaccine hesitancy and spoke about the importance of addressing vaccine skepticism and getting people the facts they need to keep their families and communities safe and healthy. Ahead of the 2019 hearing, as multiple states were facing measles outbreaks in under-vaccinated areas, Murray sent a bipartisan letter with former HELP Committee Chair Lamar Alexander pressing Trump’s CDC Director and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health on their efforts to promote vaccination and vaccine confidence.

    Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress against RFK Jr.’s dismantling of HHS and attacks on America’s public health infrastructure, raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans’ health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Trump’s Rescission Package Would Gut Bipartisan Foreign Policy Investments 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Rescissions package that Senate Republicans are debating—and House Republicans passed—would decimate core foreign policy investments made on a bipartisan basis 

    Lifesaving programs like PEPFAR, GAVI, humanitarian assistance; U.S. treaty obligations; investments to advance U.S. interests all on the chopping block  

    Washington, D.C. – Ahead of a hearing on President Trump’s $9.4 billion rescissions request with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released a new fact sheet detailing how the rescission package would devastate core bipartisan foreign policy investments—and breaking down the Trump administration’s misleading talking points on its request. 

    ____________________________ 

    FICTION: This package would simply cut “woke” Biden-era initiatives—or a highly-selective short list of *past* examples of funded projects that the Trump administration finds objectionable.

    FACT: President Trump himself signed most of these funds into law in March—and his administration has flexibility to determine how exactly to fulfill the objectives provided by Congress for the funding. 

    While Congress specifies particular objectives for the foreign assistance it has provided to advance U.S. interests, the Trump administration has discretion over how exactly to execute the funding in compliance with the law—just as any administration does. 

    The Trump administration has trotted out a highly-selective, tiny list of past initiatives funded by these broader pots of money allocated by Congress—but the plain fact is it now is in charge of executing these programs, and most of the funds in the rescission request were signed into law by Trump himself. 

    ____________________________ 

    FICTION: The cuts are merely to “wasteful foreign assistance spending” that is “antithetical” to American interests. 

    FACT: Passing the rescission package would gut funding provided for all manner of important, bipartisan foreign policy objectives. 

    Passing this package would: 

    • Rip away $900 million provided for global health programs that save millions of lives and protect Americans from public health threats. The package would cut $400 million from PEPFAR and another $500 million for other global health programs, which address maternal and child health, family planning, and diseases like malaria, TB, and Polio. 
    • Rescind $4.6 billion for economic and development assistance—half of the total amount provided for fiscal year 2025. This funding pot is used to support cybersecurity, the Counter PRC Influence Fund, critical mineral supply chain diversification, support to partners in the Indo-Pacific, food security programs, support for U.S. businesses abroad, efforts to address irregular migration in our hemisphere, and many other bipartisan initiatives. 
    • Zero out $1 billion to meet U.S. treaty obligations and contributions to international organizations. This includes funds to cover dues to the United Nations, support peacekeeping missions, support UNICEF, and more—ceding ground to countries like China to expand their influence and shape the rules of the road without the United States. 
    • Eliminate $1.3 billion provided for humanitarian assistance, leading to needless suffering, promoting instability, and undermining U.S. interests. This includes emergency food needs, shelter, and other commodities that help stabilize conflict and disaster-stricken populations and stabilize partner governments. 

    ____________________________ 

    FICTION: The Trump administration has transparently detailed what this package would mean for bipartisan foreign policy objectives long supported by Congress. 

    FACT: The Trump administration has refused to tell Congress or the public how it plans to effectuate the sweeping cuts it seeks, allowing Russ Vought and President Trump to decide what specific initiatives to slash well after Congress debates and passes the package.  

    The Trump administration’s proposed rescissions of a variety of foreign policy priorities only spell out cuts to high-level accounts—not the specific programs and initiatives funded from within those accounts that they will cut if this package passes.

    We do not know which humanitarian responses that Congress intended to support will be reduced. We do not have details on which infectious disease programs or support for maternal and child health will be curtailed. We do not know which economic and development programs are going to be cut off, undermining congressional direction. Will they cut funding to counter the Chinese government, support American farmers—both? We don’t know. 

    ____________________________ 

    FICTION: The $400 million cut to PEPFAR funding is surgical, and the package will preserve all life-saving assistance. 

    FACT: The package does not protect lifesaving care, nor does it detail what specifically will be cut or how—the Trump administration retains that discretion and has so far refused to provide details on what it plans to cut. Cutting preventative assistance means cutting lifesaving assistance, too.  

    Without robust prevention efforts, more people will become infected with HIV—costing lives and many more dollars in treatment down the line. Every dollar invested in prevention saves $20 in HIV treatment and care costs. The Trump administration’s decision to curtail support for prevention efforts is already seriously setting back efforts to end the H.I.V. epidemic. 

    ____________________________ 

    FICTION: Rescinding these funds will help “put the Nation’s fiscal house back in order.” 

    FACT: The requested cuts spanning multiple fiscal years represent less than 0.12% of all federal spending in fiscal year 2025. Rescinding these investments will do nothing to meaningfully tackle our debt—but President Trump and Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” would explode it by $4 trillion. 

    While some Republicans insist making these cuts is necessary in the interest of fiscal responsibility, the plain fact is President Trump and congressional Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which Senate Republicans are laboring to pass this week, would add $4 trillion to the national debt over just the next 10 years.  

    While rescinding these investments to advance U.S. interests abroad would do exceptionally little to address the deficit or our national debt, they would decimate core objectives Congress has long supported on a bipartisan basis. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Transfer of biometric data to the Trump administration – E-002416/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002416/2025
    to the Council
    Rule 144
    Özlem Demirel (The Left)

    The Enhanced Border Security Partnership (EBSP) is a security agreement that the US Government obliges countries to sign if they wish to participate in the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP). This gives US authorities direct access to police-maintained biometric databases for such personal data as fingerprints and facial images. However, the initiative has raised legal and political concerns as it runs counter to the common EU legal framework. Critics also warn of an imbalance because it is unclear whether the data exchange is to be on a reciprocal basis. Such an agreement is open to abuse, particularly under the current US administration.

    • 1.Does the Council know whether the Trump administration, like its predecessor, is requiring countries participating in the VWP to sign up to the EBSP, and whether and how it differs from previous demands?
    • 2.In what formats has the EBSP or a comparable programme been discussed between the EU and the Trump administration to date?
    • 3.To what end, and with what outcome, was the issue discussed at the EU-US Justice and Home Affairs ministerial meeting in early June 2025?

    Submitted: 16.6.2025

    Last updated: 25 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – EU cooperation with OCCRP in the context of USAID termination – E-002383/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002383/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Petr Bystron (ESN)

    The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) is an influential globalist propaganda network, established in 2007, which maintains close ties with the United States and in the past received substantial funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). According to investigative reports, between 2014 and 2023, OCCRP received approximately USD 1.1 million from the EU, in addition to funding from several individual European countries. This non-transparent and politically biased organisation uses the so-called ‘fight against corruption’ as a pretext for undermining democratic principles and discrediting critical views on various issues such as the war in Ukraine, US foreign policy or the actions of the Commission.

    Therefore, we would like to ask the Commission:

    • 1.How much funding has the Commission and its agencies provided to the OCCRP annually since 2020?
    • 2.How does the Commission justify its partnership with a foreign-funded, politically biased organisation that undermines democratic debate under the pretext of anti-corruption efforts?
    • 3.When does the Commission intend to terminate its cooperation with or financial support of OCCRP in light of the recent termination of USAID funding by US President Donald Trump?

    Submitted: 12.6.2025

    Last updated: 25 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Georgia – A10-0110/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Georgia

     

    (2025/2024(INI))

    The European Parliament,

     having regard to the Commission communication of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘2024 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2024)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Georgia 2024 Report’ (SWD(2024)0697),

     having regard to the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part[1],

     having regard to Article 78 of the Georgian Constitution, which requires that all possible measures be taken to ensure Georgia’s full integration into the EU and NATO,

     having regard to the final report of 20 December 2024 of the election observation mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the parliamentary elections held in Georgia on 26 October 2024,–  having regard to the Council conclusions of 27 June 2024 on Georgia and of 17 December 2024 on enlargement,

     having regard to its previous resolutions on Georgia,

     having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

     having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0110/2025),

    A. whereas in December 2023, the European Council granted Georgia candidate status on the understanding that the relevant nine steps set out in the Commission recommendation of 8 November 2023 and primarily relating to reforms in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights would be taken;

    B. whereas the situation in Georgia has deteriorated significantly since the publication of the 2024 Commission report on the country on 30 October 2024, particularly as a result of the actions of the Georgian Government;

    C. whereas Georgia has been experiencing democratic backsliding in recent years and in particular since the parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024, which failed to meet international democratic standards and comply with Georgia’s OSCE commitments, and resulted in an illegitimate parliament composed of only one political party, Georgian Dream; whereas Russia has systematically interfered in democratic processes in Georgia; whereas the fraudulent elections included voter intimidation, vote buying and harassment of election observers;

    D. whereas on 28 November 2024, Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would delay initiating accession talks with the EU and reject its financial assistance until the end of 2028, disregarding the country’s constitutional commitment to European integration and effectively undermining Georgia’s sovereign Euro-Atlantic aspirations, which have the strong support of the Georgian people;

    E. whereas concerns over the direction in which the country is heading and the decision to pause the efforts to start accession negotiations sparked large-scale protests across the country, with protesters demanding new, free and fair elections, the return of the country to its European path, an end to political violence and repression, investigations into and accountability for the serious human rights violations committed against protesters by law enforcement agencies, and the release of political prisoners; whereas protests have been taking place every day without interruption since 28 November 2024; whereas pro-EU protests have significantly increased across Georgia in 2025, with tens of thousands of citizens demonstrating against the government’s perceived shift away from EU integration; whereas these self-organised and spontaneous protests involving all segments of Georgian society underscore the Georgian people’s strong commitment to European values and democratic governance;

    F. whereas in response to the peaceful protests, the Georgian authorities began an unprecedented violent crackdown on demonstrations, accompanied by the unlawful use of force, torture and other ill-treatment by the de facto authorities; whereas since November 2024, at least 62 people have been criminally charged in connection with their participation in pro-European protests and 54 remain in pre-trial detention; whereas more than 500 people have been detained under administrative procedures, some 300 of whom have reportedly been subjected to torture or other forms of inhuman and degrading treatment and at least 157 of whom have suffered visible signs of serious physical injury;

     

    G. whereas the de facto Georgian Dream authorities systematically subject civil society and independent media to pressure, legal restrictions and physical violence; whereas at least 138 incidents of media freedom violations have been documented in the context of pro-European protests or related events since November 2024, and a total of 174 media professionals have been the target of state repression; whereas at least 30 reporters have suffered repeated violations, including physical assaults, damage to professional equipment, administrative fines, criminal charges and judicial harassment; whereas journalist Mzia Amaglobeli is currently in pre-trial detention on trumped-up charges;

     

    H. whereas the Georgian authorities have been restructuring or eliminating structures within the Georgian civil service responsible for pro-European reforms and dismissing professionals and civil servants en masse, in particular those who have criticised government policies, expressed pro-European views and condemned violence against peaceful demonstrators;

     

    I. whereas the illegitimate Georgian parliament has established the Temporary Parliamentary Investigative Commission on the Activities of the Regime and Political Figures of 2003-2012, which was the period when President Mikheil Saakashvili was at the helm and paving the way for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic ambitions; whereas this commission is a tool for the further persecution of political opponents, especially leaders of opposition movements; whereas on 22 May 2025, Zurab ‘Girchi’ Japaridze, the leader of the Girchi – More Freedom party and one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, was arrested for refusing to appear before this politically motivated commission created and controlled by Georgian Dream, whose long-term ambition is to eradicate political opposition in Georgia; whereas on 29 May 2025, Nika Melia, another leader of the Coalition for Change, was arrested one day before he was due to appear in court for refusing to appear before the Temporary Parliamentary Investigative Commission;

     

    J. whereas, in order to maintain and further increase its grip on power, the ruling Georgian Dream party has unilaterally and without consultation adopted changes to the municipal electoral system for the elections to the city councils in October 2025; whereas the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe has recommended repealing these changes and the leaders of the main opposition parties have announced that their parties will not participate in those elections; whereas reforms to the formation process of the Central Election Commission further compromise election integrity, limit citizen participation and restrict the ability of observers and media to effectively monitor the electoral process;

     

    K. whereas despite progress towards a more equal and inclusive society, deep-rooted inequalities and stereotypes persist, resulting in high levels of gender-based violence, severe restrictions for persons with disabilities and violence and harassment against the LGBTI community; whereas due to insecurity at home, many LGBTI people choose to flee the country; whereas Georgia’s legal definition of rape does not comply with the standards set in the Istanbul Convention;

    Suspension of Georgia’s EU integration

    1. Reiterates its solidarity with the Georgian people and its unwavering support for their legitimate European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations and wish to live in a prosperous and democratic country, as expressed in mass protests that continue despite brutal crackdowns by the authorities; remains ready to assist the Georgian people in achieving these goals; strongly condemns the violent repression, arbitrary and politically motivated detention without sufficient legal grounds and the reported systemic torture of peaceful protesters, civil society actors, political opponents and media representatives; demands that the Georgian authorities refrain from using force, respect the freedoms of assembly and of expression and annul the recently adopted draconian legislation aimed at stifling popular protests, notably through extortionate fines; expresses its particular concern regarding the growing number of political prisoners and reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of all of them; calls for all acts of violence to be effectively and credibly investigated and for those responsible to be held accountable; expresses concern about the lack of independence within the judiciary, with high-placed judges with links to the Georgian Dream overseeing politically motivated court proceedings against peaceful protesters and government critics;

    2. Expresses deep regret over the fact that the ruling Georgian Dream party failed to use the historic opportunity granted to Georgia, as a candidate country, to progress on its European integration path, noting that European integration continues to be supported by an overwhelming majority of the population; recalls that candidate status was granted to Georgia with the benefit of the doubt, despite the already concerning trajectory of the Georgian Dream government’s actions, which were increasingly at odds with European values and democratic principles; underlines that Georgia under Georgian Dream’s rule has not moved forward, and has in fact even regressed, on the key provisions of the nine steps indicated by the Commission, despite the authorities’ claims to the contrary; stresses that Georgia’s EU integration process has effectively been suspended as a result of the continued democratic backsliding in the country and the rigged October 2024 parliamentary elections amounting to a clear turning point towards an authoritarian regime, the ensuing illicit capture of the state institutions and democratic safeguards, and the adoption of a series of anti-democratic legislative acts that run counter to the values and principles upon which the EU is founded; concurs with the European Council’s conclusions of 27 June 2024 that a failure to reverse the current course of action jeopardises Georgia’s EU path and urges the Georgian Dream to return to the course of democratic reforms and Euro-Atlantic integration;

    3. Deplores the dismissal of approximately 700 civil servants since December 2024 due to their participation in or support for pro-European protests; stresses that such retaliation erodes public trust in democratic institutions, violates freedom of expression and association, and contributes to the deepening authoritarian tendencies of the current regime; calls on the Georgian authorities to abide by labour law standards and to allow civil servants to register a trade union in order to protect them from the unjustified restriction of their labour rights; expresses its concern about the growing politicisation of civil service appointments, and calls for a repeal of the amendments to the Law on Public Service adopted in December 2024 that remove the competition rule for the appointment of civil servants and instead grant direct appointment powers to the heads of public institutions; reiterates that these amendments constitute worrying backsliding from the successful public service reform that was implemented by Georgia under the EU-Georgian Association Agreement and calls for their repeal; 4.  Stresses the need for an immediate and comprehensive audit of the EU’s policy towards Georgia given the ongoing democratic backsliding and the increasingly repressive political and legislative environment that constitutes a regression for many of Georgia’s democratic achievements and successful EU reforms, fundamentally weakens democratic institutions and further consolidates power in the hands of the ruling party; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to review the implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in the light of the blatant breach of Georgia’s obligations regarding the general principles laid down in Article 2, namely respect for democratic principles, human rights and fundamental freedoms; reiterates that non-fulfilment of these obligations may result in the conditional suspension of economic cooperation and the privileges afforded by the Agreement;

    5. Deplores the fact that high-level ruling party officials, members of parliament and government-affiliated media regularly spread manipulative narratives, disinformation and conspiracy theories about the EU, its Member States, leaders and politicians, as well as European integration; stresses that the ruling party’s regime continues its purposefully deceitful and ambiguous discourse, fuelling the false belief among parts of the Georgian public that it remains in favour of European integration; regrets the fact that the media and information environment is being suppressed and dominated by TV and media outlets supported by Georgian Dream, which spread false narratives about EU integration, thereby emulating and playing into Russian-inspired propaganda and facilitating polarisation in society;

     

    6. Underlines the responsibility of Bidzina Ivanishvili and other officials and political leaders, including Irakli Kobakhidze, Shalva Papuashvili, Vakhtang Gomelauri, Mayor of Tbilisi and Georgian Dream Secretary General Kakha Kaladze, and the former Georgian Dream chair Irakli Garibashvili, for the deterioration of the political process in Georgia by enabling democratic backsliding resulting in the autocratic consolidation of power and by acting against the country’s constitutional objective of Euro-Atlantic integration; calls, therefore, for immediate and targeted personal sanctions to be imposed against Bidzina Ivanishvili, his family members and his companies and calls for the EU, in cooperation with other jurisdictions, in particular the United Kingdom, to freeze his financial assets; deplores the obstruction by the Hungarian and Slovak Governments of the Council decisions on the imposition of sanctions against individuals responsible for democratic backsliding in Georgia; condemns the unilateral actions by the Hungarian Government seeking to legitimise Georgian Dream;

     

    Continued backsliding on democracy and the rule of law and the autocratic consolidation of power

     

    7. Reiterates its position that the settlement of the current political and constitutional crisis in Georgia can only be achieved by way of new parliamentary elections, which should be held in the next few months in an improved electoral environment, overseen by an independent and impartial election administration and monitored through diligent international and independent domestic observation to guarantee a genuinely fair, free and transparent process that would reflect the true will of the people;

    8. Stresses that it does not recognise the self-proclaimed authorities established by the Georgian Dream party following the rigged parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024 and that it considers Georgia to be a state captured by the illegitimate Georgian Dream regime; consequentially rejects any decisions taken by the body that has taken control of the country, such as the rushed adoption of amendments to the Code on Administrative Offences, the Criminal Code and the Law on Assemblies and Manifestations; regrets the fact that the parliament of Georgia is a one-party parliament formed on the basis of fraudulent elections, which is incompatible with a pluralistic parliamentary democracy and the standards expected from an EU candidate country; welcomes the rejection of Georgian Dream’s credentials in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which resulted in the withdrawal of the Georgian delegation;

    9. Deplores the continued attempts by the ruling Georgian Dream party to persecute political opponents, including through their illegal arrest and detention, threats and physical attacks; reiterates its calls for an end to politically motivated hostilities, an improvement to the political environment and the building of trust and cross-party dialogue;

     

    10. Condemns the unlawful prosecution of political opponents by the investigative committee of the de facto Georgian parliament under the leadership of the Georgian Dream party, which disproportionately targets the actions of the government that ended its mandate more than twelve years ago; highlights the political nature of the ‘investigation’, noting that the Georgian Dream party has been in power since 2012 but launched the investigative committee in parallel with its attempts to ban genuine opposition parties; notes with concern the statements by the chair of the investigative committee, Tea Tsulukiani, spreading Russian narratives; strongly condemns the arrest of Zurab ‘Girchi’ Japaridze and Nika Melia, and the threats to arrest  other politicians, and considers these individuals to be political prisoners;

     

    11. Expresses deep concern over recent declarations by leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party indicating their intention to declare opposition parties – primarily the United National Movement – unconstitutional; recalls that the United National Movement played a pivotal role in initiating and advancing Georgia’s European integration process; notes the parallels between the conduct of the Georgian Dream de facto authorities and the current Kremlin regime, which cemented its rule by outlawing opposition parties; condemns the draft amendment to the Organic Law on Political Associations of Citizens and to the Law on the Constitutional Court adopted on 13 May 2025, which would empower the Constitutional Court to effectively and arbitrarily ban all opposition parties;

     

    12. Strongly reiterates its demand for the immediate release of former President Mikheil Saakashvili on humanitarian grounds for the purpose of seeking the necessary medical treatment abroad; emphasises that the Georgian authorities bear full responsibility for his health and well-being and must be held accountable for any harm that befalls him; calls, furthermore, on the Georgian Dream authorities to ensure that Members of the European Parliament are granted unhindered access to Mikheil Saakashvili;

     

    13. Underlines that the policy of non-recognition of the legitimacy of the one-party parliament and the president appointed by it should continue until there is a tangible change in the political course of Georgia and new free and fair parliamentary elections are held; calls for the EU’s and the Member States’ representatives and members of parliament to refrain from meetings with representatives of the regime, starting with the current de facto president; continues to recognise Salome Zourabichvili as the legitimate President of Georgia and representative of the Georgian people; praises her efforts to peacefully steer the country back towards a democratic and European path of development;

     

    14. Points out that the upcoming municipal elections in autumn 2025 present yet another test for the resilience of Georgia’s democracy and political pluralism; calls on the opposition to seize the opportunity presented by these elections to reflect the unity of the Georgian people in favour of democracy and the rule of law, as already demonstrated in the peaceful protests against the manipulation of the parliamentary elections and repression; calls for the municipal elections to be held in an improved electoral environment, overseen by an independent and impartial election administration and monitored through diligent international observation to guarantee a genuinely fair, free and transparent process;

     

    15. Is deeply concerned, in this context, by the further deterioration of the electoral system and the overall democratic environment ahead of the municipal elections, in particular the fast-tracked adoption of new amendments to Georgia’s Organic Law and to the Election Code in December 2024 that undermine the principle of equal suffrage and aim to solidify the ruling party’s dominance at all levels of governance; recalls that these amendments have been criticised by the Venice Commission and calls for them to be repealed; calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Member States to consider imposing additional individual sanctions against Georgian officials if the upcoming municipal elections fail to meet the criteria for fair and free elections;

     

    16. Strongly condemns the continuing and deliberate destruction of the environment for Georgia’s vibrant civil society, with the adoption of several pieces of restrictive Russian-style legislation, including on the transparency of foreign influence, threats, and stigmatisation by the authorities; strongly denounces the new legislative initiative that requires the registration of all civil society organisation grants with the government and that obliges foreign donors to obtain executive approval to disburse grants to local organisations; regrets the recent decision by the authorities to freeze the bank accounts of crowdfunding initiatives and campaigns in support of political prisoners and their families; calls on the authorities to immediately cease the intimidation, threats, politically motivated prosecutions and physical assaults against civil society representatives, political leaders, civil activists, journalists and media workers in Georgia; condemns the arbitrary and unjustified refusal of several European journalists’ entry to Georgia;

    17. Condemns the recent adoption, without due public consultation, of legislation that enables further political persecution, limits the right of assembly, and further shrinks the space for civil society, independent media and the opposition to operate freely, including the Russian-style foreign agent law, the amendments to the Law on Public Service, the amendments to the Law on Grants, the Foreign Agents Registration Act, as well as new restrictive amendments to the Broadcasting Law; calls for the Georgian authorities to repeal these legislative changes; stresses that Georgian Dream’s political conduct, including its strategic alignment with the Russian Federation and the accelerated adoption of tools characteristic of authoritarian regimes, mirrors such developments within Russia itself;

     

    18. Commends the work of Georgia’s civil society in the past months, providing free legal aid, documenting serious human rights violations and taking the lead on domestic and international litigation to seek justice and accountability against a background of continued attacks, the criminalisation of civic space, and disinformation campaigns against the work of civil society;

     

    19. Stresses the urgent need to support Georgia’s civil society and independent media in the light of the growing repression and the suspension of the activities of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and therefore asks the Commission to increase financial support and disburse it without any further delay; calls for the EU’s funding mechanisms to be adjusted to take into account the needs that arise in a more hostile and anti-democratic environment and for funds to be reallocated to directly support civil society organisations, independent media and human rights defenders; stresses further, in this regard, that the Member States should be ready to receive and support Georgian civil society organisations and independent media outlets so that they can continue their work in exile;

     

    20. Stresses that beyond Georgian Dream’s rejection of Georgia’s EU integration, it rejects more generally international human rights law and democratic standards, while speedily moving along the negative trajectory previously witnessed in Russia; is deeply concerned, specifically, that this will have further trickle-down effects on the rights and well-being of women, minorities, migrants, persons with disabilities, LGBTI people, people living below the poverty line, and other vulnerable or at-risk groups; strongly condemns the adoption of anti-LGBTI legislation by the Georgian parliament in October 2024, which mirrors authoritarian, Russian-style policies and violates the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and calls for it to be repealed; calls for the reinstatement of gender quotas that were abolished by the parliament of Georgia in April 2024; calls on the EU Member States, when assessing asylum applications, to adequately take into account the fact that Georgia now has one of the most repressive anti-LGBTI laws in Europe; is concerned about the lack of protection of ethnic and religious minorities in Georgia;

     

    21. Reiterates that the measures taken by the EU so far in response to the flagrant democratic backsliding and reneging on previous commitments do not reflect the severity of the situation in Georgia and its consequences across the region; regrets the lack of proactive measures taken and the generally limited and delayed reaction by the Council and the Commission; stresses that the absence of unanimity among the Member States should not prevent those willing to take appropriate and effective measures from doing so; calls on the EU’s leadership to urgently rally like-minded Member States to take coordinated action and thereby surmount the political obstacles to adopting EU-wide sanctions;

    22. Calls for the EU and its Member States to introduce, on a bilateral and coordinated basis, personal sanctions against key Georgian Dream political leaders, officials and the regime’s enablers in the administration, business, media, justice system, law enforcement agencies and the electoral commission who are responsible for democratic backsliding, electoral fraud, human rights violations and the persecution of political opponents and activists; further calls for sanctions to extend to mid- and lower-level public officials responsible for implementing repressive measures against the regime’s opponents and to maintain them until Georgian democracy is adequately restored; welcomes the imposition of bilateral sanctions by Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Czechia, Germany and Poland, as well as by like-minded partners such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Ukraine, and invites other EU Member States to follow suit; calls for the consideration of further restrictive measures, such as SWIFT cut-off or sectoral sanctions, aimed at cutting off the financial flows and sources of income of the Georgian Dream regime;

     

    23. Welcomes the Council’s decision to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian diplomats and officials as a first step in response to the persistent negative developments in Georgia; reiterates its call on the Commission and the Council to review Georgia’s visa-free status, with the possibility of suspending it if the relevant benchmarks and standards on democratic governance and freedoms are not met because of the ruling party’s actions; stresses that Georgian Dream is fully responsible for any consequences stemming from the possible suspension of the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens; stresses the importance of visa-free travel for Georgian civil society actors, human rights activists and journalists, among others, both for travelling to the EU to inform European actors of developments in Georgia, but also for enabling them to quickly leave the country, as many face political persecution by the authorities;

    Alignment on foreign policy matters

    24. Deplores the fact that Georgian Dream is undoing decades of progress towards democracy, the rule of law and Euro-Atlantic integration and is alienating its allies, which had supported it throughout the process; regrets that Georgia has made no progress on implementing the EU’s recommendations on foreign, security and defence policy and that the level of Georgia’s alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) remains remarkably low, at 49 %, demonstrating its lack of commitment to European integration; emphasises that progress in the EU accession process requires full alignment with the EU’s CFSP, in line with the expectations for all candidate countries; regrets the fact that Georgia does not participate in the EU’s crisis management missions and operations under the common security and defence policy; regrets the fact that misalignment of Georgia’s foreign policy is leading to self-isolation and that Georgian Dream’s repressive regime is worsening the instability in the South Caucasus region and the Black Sea;

    25. Notes that Georgia, under the current government, is moving in a direction that puts it at risk of becoming a Russian vassal state like Belarus; regrets the fact that, at a time when the democratic world is standing in strong support of Ukraine against the Russian Federation’s unprovoked war of aggression, the current Georgian authorities are increasingly aligning themselves with Kremlin policies and rhetoric, thereby contributing to historical revisionism; notes that Georgia has not aligned with the vast majority of sanctions against Russia, Belarus and Iran, but has claimed that it has cooperated with the EU to prevent sanctions circumvention; expresses its concern, however, over reports alleging Georgia’s role in facilitating the evasion of EU sanctions against Russia; calls, therefore, on the Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into such allegations;

     

    26. Notes also with concern the recent strategic turn by the Georgian Dream government towards China and its increasing cooperation with Iran; notes the Georgian Dream’s public support for Chinese geostrategic initiatives and strengthened bilateral economic relations, including the award of the Anaklia deep-sea port construction project to a Chinese-led consortium; emphasises that such a move contradicts Georgia’s stated commitment to Euro-Atlantic integration; underscores that the Anaklia project now risks becoming a vehicle for increasing Chinese political, financial and economic leverage in the region, thereby further distancing Georgia from its strategic partners in the West; calls, in this regard, on the Commission and the Member States to review and, if necessary, suspend or redirect funding for regional connectivity projects; expresses serious concern about Georgia’s increased multifaceted cooperation with Teheran, which can lead to Georgia’s further isolation;

     

    27. Warns that Georgia’s ongoing turn towards authoritarianism and increasing alignment with Russia constitutes a growing threat to European security, particularly in view of Georgia’s strategic location and access to the Black Sea, which is critical to Russia projecting power in the region; underlines that the ruling Georgian Dream party’s strategy may be replicated elsewhere as a playbook for hybrid state capture; is concerned about regional repercussions and warns that the credibility of European action in the wider South Caucasus is at stake, especially in anticipation of the forthcoming EU Black Sea strategy;

     

    28. Is deeply concerned about Georgian Dream’s collaboration, rapprochement and ideological convergence with Russia and other authoritarian regimes, despite Russia’s creeping occupation of Georgia’s territory; denounces Georgian Dream’s promotion of and participation in Russian disinformation and manipulation, including the weaponisation of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine as a propaganda tool, which are at odds with the undiminished and extraordinarily high public support for the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration; regrets the lack of cooperation with the EU in the fight against foreign information manipulation and interference;

    29. Reiterates its strongest condemnation of Russia’s ongoing occupation of Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and the continued ‘borderisation’ process, which constitutes a violation of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; urges the Georgian government to maintain a clear and consistent position on Russian aggression and calls for the EU to remain actively engaged in conflict resolution, human rights monitoring and support for affected communities;

    30. Recommends the reinforcement of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) with increased resources and a broader mandate to monitor foreign interference and border destabilisation; urges the Member States to ensure adequate funding and personnel for the EUMM to respond to the current political and security crisis;

    31. Notes that support from the European Peace Facility, worth EUR 30 million, was rightfully suspended in 2024 in response to the democratic backsliding in Georgia and that no support is planned for 2025; highlights that this suspension will have detrimental consequences on the national stability and security of Georgia; reiterates that any future financial support can only be authorised with the stipulation that the self-declared Georgian regime step down and fair and impartial elections be held;

     

    °

    ° °

    32. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili and the self-appointed authorities of Georgia.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: The Reconciliation Bill Will Give Us More Prosperity and Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins Newsmax to Discuss the Iran and Israel Conflict and the Reconciliation Package in the Senate.
    Washington – On Tuesday night, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Ed Henry on Newsmax’s The Briefing to discuss the President’s handling of the Iran and Israel conflict, the President’s push for peace worldwide, and what the Senate is doing to pass the reconciliation package. 

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full remarks.
    On CNN’s Iran Aftermath Report
    “I think it’s more lies from fake news. But you know, the proof will be in the pudding, and we’ll see what the pictures are in a week or two. I think it would take a year just to remove the rubble to get to where this facility once was. I just can’t imagine. …14 bombs we dropped, these were all a direct strike, the likes of which we’ve never seen. These are 30,000 pounds each – I’m going to bet on the United States Air Force. They know what they’re doing. It was a direct strike. I bet we got our mission done. We’ll wait for the final pictures here.”
    On President Trump being the ‘Peace President’:
    “President Trump is the most transparent President in history. This morning, we knew exactly where he was. He didn’t have to send an aide to go tell Bibi to knock it off – he told him in front of the whole world, and that’s who President Trump is.
    “I think that the regime in Iran is more worried about regime change than they are about nuclear weapons in the future. I think that’s what their big fear is. They’re trying to save face as well. And here’s President Trump offering another olive branch. He wants peace. He cares about the Iranian people who have been tortured and murdered by their government for decades as well. So, I think it’s another master class in negotiations by President Trump.
    “Look, we’re tired of the killing. That’s all I can say, we’re tired of the killing here. We’re tired of the killing in Gaza. We’re tired of the killing in Ukraine. President Trump wants to end all that, and when that happens, the economy, the world economy, will improve if we can get all these wars back under control.”
    On Democrats’ hypocrisy on foreign precision strikes:
    “And this is what I was talking about earlier, going from Trump obsession to Trump psychosis. And this is what you have, that they are dissociated from truth, from reality. The President has a constitutional duty to protect this nation. Iran was one week away from having a nuclear warhead – they had enough 60% enriched uranium to build 10 atomic bombs. The President had a duty to protect us. That’s what he did.
    “You pointed this out early, the hypocrisy of Obama, who did similar things. Clinton did similar things. President Nixon, of course, as well. So, this is psychosis. Thank God for President Trump that this is not phasing him, it’s not slowing him down. He’s going to do the right thing. I even saw some polling recently, 90% of Republicans support how President Trump has handled all this – I think he’s growing stronger, more popular. The United States is respected more. This is what peace through strength looks like.”
    On the next steps in the reconciliation process:
    “Like you said, President Trump’s done his job. Now it’s time for us to do our job. This bill is not perfect, but it’s going to prevent the largest tax increase for hard-working, middle-income families in the history of our country. It’s going to build 2000 miles of barrier. It’s going to give us border security funding for four years – we’re going to run out of funding very soon to secure the border. It’s going to give our military pay raises, make the military stronger for the next four years as well.
    “You know, some things that people aren’t talking about out there that I think are very important… this is going to defund Planned Parenthood. It’s going to allow us to purchase short-barreled rifles again. It’s going to give more flexibility with 529 education plans and with Pell Grants as well. … There are so many good things in this. It’s going to increase your Child Tax Credits to $2200 – If we don’t do this, it would be $1,000. So, there are so many great things in this bill. It’s going to be a rising tide that floats all boats. It’s going to give us more prosperity and security. We don’t have a choice – we need to get it done.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Leads Fight for Federal Disaster Aid for Kansas Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    WICHITA – Following multiple rounds of severe weather in May 2025, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) joined by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), and U.S. Congressmen Tracey Mann (R-KS-01), Derek Schmidt (R-KS-02), and Ron Estes (R-KS-04) have sent a letter to President Trump in support of the state’s request for a federal disaster declaration. If approved, the Federal government would be able to provide much-needed public assistance funding to ensure necessary repairs and the rebuilding of public infrastructure.
    In their letter, Kansas’ Republican Congressional Delegation wrote:
    “This devastating weather event included at least seven EF3 tornadoes, which caused widespread destruction, leveling entire towns and inflicting significant property loss across dozens of Kansas communities. Critical transportation routes, including Interstate 70, were closed due to storm damage, and widespread devastation affected utilities, public infrastructure, and private property.”
    If approved, the following Kansas counties would be eligible for public assistance: Bourbon, Cheyenne, Edwards, Gove, Kiowa, Logan, Pratt, Reno, Scott, Sheridan, and Stafford.
    Communities across Kansas sustained damage, with Plevna and Grinnell seeing near-total destruction. Upon approval of the disaster declaration, local governments and public utility providers would be eligible to submit storm-related expenses to FEMA for reimbursement.
    Click HERE to read the full text of the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Leads Fight for Federal Disaster Aid for Kansas Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    WICHITA – Following multiple rounds of severe weather in May 2025, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) joined by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), and U.S. Congressmen Tracey Mann (R-KS-01), Derek Schmidt (R-KS-02), and Ron Estes (R-KS-04) have sent a letter to President Trump in support of the state’s request for a federal disaster declaration. If approved, the Federal government would be able to provide much-needed public assistance funding to ensure necessary repairs and the rebuilding of public infrastructure.
    In their letter, Kansas’ Republican Congressional Delegation wrote:
    “This devastating weather event included at least seven EF3 tornadoes, which caused widespread destruction, leveling entire towns and inflicting significant property loss across dozens of Kansas communities. Critical transportation routes, including Interstate 70, were closed due to storm damage, and widespread devastation affected utilities, public infrastructure, and private property.”
    If approved, the following Kansas counties would be eligible for public assistance: Bourbon, Cheyenne, Edwards, Gove, Kiowa, Logan, Pratt, Reno, Scott, Sheridan, and Stafford.
    Communities across Kansas sustained damage, with Plevna and Grinnell seeing near-total destruction. Upon approval of the disaster declaration, local governments and public utility providers would be eligible to submit storm-related expenses to FEMA for reimbursement.
    Click HERE to read the full text of the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces $135 million available for new wildfire projects amid Trump’s assault on resources protecting communities

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 25, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom announced $135 million is available for wildfire prevention grants – protecting communities from catastrophic wildfire at the same time as President Trump adds new strain to firefighting resources.

    SACRAMENTO – As President Trump continues straining firefighting and prevention resources in California, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the state has $135 million available for new and ongoing projects to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire. 

    Grant applications are now open for CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Prevention Grants Program. It funds local projects that focus on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. Activities include hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning, and wildfire prevention education.

    The funding builds on $72 million the Governor announced last month for forest health projects across the state – part of $2.5 billion in investments in wildfire prevention work that have more than doubled since the Governor took office. 

    Today’s announcement comes as the California National Guard’s (CalGuard) critical firefighting crews – known as Task Force Rattlesnake – are operating at just 40% capacity due to President Trump’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles. The National Guard impact is on top of the Trump administration’s dangerous cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which also threatens the safety of communities across the state.

    We won’t let Trump stand in the way of protecting Californians from catastrophic wildfire. We’re making millions more available to fund projects that are proven to keep communities safe.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Prevention Grants are effective. Local projects like proactive vegetation management, defensible space creation and structure hardening helped preserve historical structures and homes in Los Angeles County in 2025. In 2024 in Sonoma County, over 300 acres of shaded fuel breaks, created by clearing brush and small trees along roads, helped reduce flammable vegetation and slowed a fire’s spread. Residents were able to evacuate safely, and firefighters were able to stop the spread of fire quickly.

    “These examples demonstrate how grant funds are effectively helping to improve wildfire resilience in California communities through thoughtful planning and preventative work funded through CAL FIRE grants,” said Chief Daniel Berlant, California State Fire Marshal. “Over the last five years, over $500 million has been awarded to over 490 projects across the state.”

    California’s unprecedented wildfire readiness 

    Despite the strain caused by President Trump, California stands ready to protect communities. As part of the state’s ongoing investment in wildfire resilience and emergency response, CAL FIRE has significantly expanded its workforce over the past five years by adding an average of 1,800 full-time and 600 seasonal positions annually – nearly double that from the previous administration. Over the next four years and beyond, CAL FIRE will be hiring thousands of additional firefighters, natural resource professionals, and support personnel to meet the state’s growing demands.

    Late last month, the Governor announced $72 million for projects across the state that help reduce catastrophic wildfire risk. Additionally, 20 new vegetation management projects spanning nearly 8,000 acres have already been approved for fast-tracking under the Governor’s new streamlining initiative.

    This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires, and Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation signed in March to fast-track forest and vegetation management projects throughout the state. Additionally, to bolster the state’s ability to respond to fires, Governor Newsom recently announced that the state’s second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations, adding to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. 

    New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate. A full list of California’s progress on wildfire resilience is available here.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    News What you need to know: As part of California Jobs First, the state is awarding $15 million through the Regional Investment Initiative to support California Native American tribal partners in creating jobs and developing high-paying and fulfilling careers….

    News What you need to know: The First Partner launched her annual Book Club today, which features great kids’ reads curated by librarians across California, as well as investments to support library community programming. SACRAMENTO – California First Partner Jennifer…

    News What you need to know: Today marked the start of the final phase of work on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing – a monumental wildlife preservation effort in Southern California. LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that the final phase of the…

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “THE FACT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO RUN AWAY FROM CONFRONTING THESE SITUATIONS ON CAPITOL HILL IS VERY PROBLEMATIC”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe where he emphasized that Iran is a sworn enemy of the United States and the Trump administration must follow the Constitution and stop hiding its actions in the Middle East from Congress and the American people.

    JOE SCARBOROUGH: Leader Jeffries, thanks so much for being with us. I’m wondering, do you consider his win last night in New York City, do you think it provides a roadmap for Democrats running in 2026 on how to energize the base?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: I think what’s clear is that the relentless focus on affordability had great appeal all across the City of New York. He also clearly out-worked, out-organized and out-communicated the opposition. And when someone is successful in being able to do all three things at the same time, it’s usually going to work out for them.

    JOE SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, The New York Times editorialized that he was not qualified to be mayor. Of course, The Wall Street Journal and others say that he is far too extreme on economic issues and even issues involving Israel. I’m curious what your thoughts are on him ideologically. Is that—does he have an ideology that you would want your candidates in 2026 to have?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, from the standpoint of House Democrats and what our focus has been, clearly, we have an affordability crisis in the United States of America, and our focus will continue to be on driving down the high cost of living in this country. Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. Costs haven’t gone down. They’re going up. He’s crashing the economy in real time, his tariffs are going to impose thousands of dollars in additional cost on everyday Americans per year and he may even be driving us toward a recession. That’s the reason why Donald Trump has become so unpopular, it’s because he’s failed the country on the economy. And so, our vision is going to be for an affordable America—work hard, play by the rules, live the good life, provide a comfortable living for yourself and for your family. That means being able to actually afford a home, educate your children, have access to healthcare, go on vacation with your children and your family every now and then and, of course, Joe, one day retire with grace and dignity.

    JOE SCARBOROUGH: Democrats look at Donald Trump’s approval ratings and you have a lot of other Democrats and people on media asking the question, why is the Democratic Party’s approval ratings, why are they lower than Donald Trump’s? I take it that’s something that you all grapple with every day. Why has the Democratic Party over the past year found itself at sort of its lowest ebb in recent history? And how do Democrats get out of that?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, no, it’s a very important question and, listen, institutions are unpopular right now in the United States of America and that includes, of course, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The dynamics that we have to work through, of course, one, Donald Trump and Republicans have given the American people every reason to run away from them, and it’s going to be important for us to continue to make clear why this administration failed on the economy, failed foreign policy, trying to take away healthcare from tens of millions of Americans, ripping food out of the mouths of children and seniors and veterans. Of course, all of that is problematic, all of that is unpopular. That’s why the One Big Ugly Bill has such a high disapproval rate in the United States of America. We also recognize, as Democrats, that it’s going to be important for us to articulate our affirmative agenda, what we stand for, this principle of working hard and playing by the rules, being able to live the good life, an affordable life for hardworking American taxpayers. And that is something that we’re going to have to lean into. The other thing I’d note, Joe, as you know, perhaps the most important thing in terms of a midterm election dynamic, is what’s the generic ballot say to us? Every single significant generic ballot poll has House Democrats beating House Republicans consistently, including a recent Fox News poll that had us up by about eight points. And so, at the end of the day, yes, we have to lean into improving the Democratic brand. But at the end of the day, what will be most significant, most important is how our vision contrasts with the management of this President, which has been a failure in the United States of America.

    JONATHAN LEMIRE: Leader Jeffries, let’s turn you now to the situation in Iran. We played some sound from you earlier in the show, expressing unhappiness that the administration briefing was postponed. The White House saying it’s well, it’s so Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense can be part of it later this week. Is that acceptable to you, and do you have concerns that the administration is not being fully forthcoming as to what actually transpired in Iran over the weekend?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes, there’s every reason to be concerned. There was this briefing that had been scheduled to take place in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. There was absolutely no reason that we’ve been provided that it should have been canceled in terms of the important questions that need to be asked and answered by the Trump administration. What was the imminent threat to the safety and security of the United States of America that justified this strike without seeking the congressional authorization required by the Constitution? What is the assessment of the damage that was done to Iran’s nuclear program? Was it completely and totally decimated? No evidence to date has been provided to suggest that that representation made by Donald Trump is accurate. What is the plan to avoid another costly failed war in the Middle East? Why was aggressive diplomacy abandoned by the Trump administration, notwithstanding the success that had taken place under President Obama’s administration in actually pushing back Iran’s nuclear aspirations. These are questions that need to be answered by the administration. And the fact that they continue to run away from confronting these situations on Capitol Hill is very problematic.

    JONATHAN LEMIRE: So, Leader Jeffries, to that point, you and many people who have had your position in the decades before this, have expressed frustration when presidents don’t seek congressional authority for military action like this. Do you feel like that a greater good was achieved here if Iran’s program was, if not destroyed, but at least significantly delayed? What should be the next steps for this administration in this process?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, to be clear, Iran can never be allowed to become a nuclear-capable power. Iran is a sworn enemy of the United States, of Israel, of Jordan, of our allies in the Middle East, a sworn enemy of the free world. But the question, of course, is, was this strike successful in meaningfully pushing back Iran’s nuclear aspirations, or is it going to complicate things in the Middle East in ways that put our men and women in uniform, American troops and America in harm’s way? That’s simply the reason that having an all-Member briefing on Capitol Hill sooner rather than later is important so these answers can be obtained for the American people, the representatives of the American People, in the United States Congress. That is the reason, fundamentally, why it’s been Congress that was given the power to declare war, to authorize military force and when administrations act differently, they have an obligation and a responsibility to provide the facts, the evidence and the truth, justifying their actions to the American people.

    JOE SCARBOROUGH: Well, this has been the debate, and we talked about it yesterday with another Member of Congress. This has been a debate going back 30, 40, 50 years. Obviously Republicans were saying this after Barack Obama attacked Libya. Republicans were saying this with Bill Clinton in the 1990s on Kosovo. But if you’re going to have a surprise attack with B-2 bombers that are going to be going over to Iran, striking their nuclear facilities. Do you think it’s a good idea to inform 535 members of Congress before that operation takes off?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the key here is what was the imminent nature of the threat that justified immediate military action and surprise military action—

    JOE SCARBOROUGH: Right—

    LEADER JEFFRIES: If there was no imminent threat—

    JOE SCARBOROUGH: Well, the United Nations, I’m curious if you’re concerned, like the United Nation’s nuclear agency, the IAEA had said that Iran had already enriched uranium up to 60 percent, and as you know, the jump from 60 to 100 percent is negligible, and had enough enriched uranium for several weapons. Would you consider that to be considerable enough? A considerable enough threat to strike Iran under those circumstances?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, certainly it’s a challenging situation, but one of the reasons why we need a briefing, Joe, is to have an understanding, was that enriched uranium even damaged or was it removed by the Iranians prior to the strike? We don’t know the answers to that question. It certainly is something that should be talked about, and the American people should be informed about the reality of whether it was a successful strike or not. In terms of the Iranian nuclear threat, I think we’ve all been clear that Iran can never be permitted to become nuclear capable. But the constitution is not a mere inconvenience, it’s the reality and if members of the executive branch, if hawkish individuals across the country want to change things, there’s Article I, Section 8, Clause 11. They can put forward a constitutional amendment but the framers of this country saw fit to vest this authority within the House and the Senate, not the executive branch.

    JOE SCARBOROUGH: Right. And at what point should that be triggered? Should it be triggered by every strike, like, for instance, Barack Obama in 2011 in Libya, or countless strikes by the Bush administration and the Obama administration after September the 11th? Is it every strike or is it when you are going in sending troops in? When do you think that action is triggered?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Seems to me, and it’s a great question, Joe, that it has to relate to whether the step that was taken, one, is in response to an imminent threat to American interests, and two, whether it’s an act of war. And part of the reason why, after the fact, it’s important for Members of Congress to be able to have a briefing with the administration that is comprehensive and that gives Members the opportunity to ask questions so we can provide these answers to the American people who clearly do not want another failed, costly, deadly war in the Middle East.

    JOE SCARBOROUGH: All right. Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you so much for being with us.

    Full interview can be watched here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Announces $1.29 Million HHS Grant to STEP Inc.

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded STEP Inc., located in Franklin County, Virginia, a $1,296,059 grant. The funding supports head start and early head start projects. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

    “Solutions that Empower People (STEP) serves communities in Franklin and Patrick Counties. 

    “This grant for nearly $1.3 million helps STEP support its head start and early head start programs.”

    BACKGROUND

    According to its website, Solutions That Empower People (STEP), Inc. is a dynamic community action agency that provides services at significant milestones throughout life. Programs are designed to partner with individuals and families to help them overcome adversity and enhance their quality of life through community, economic, personal, and family development.

    In a recent Health Subcommittee hearing with Congressman Griffith present, Secretary Kennedy noted President Trump’s Budget request recommends Head Start continue to receive funding equal to the FY 2025 enacted level.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: The Justice Department Files Complaint Challenging Minnesota Laws Providing In-State Tuition Benefits for Illegal Aliens

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today the United States is challenging laws in Minnesota that provide reduced in-state tuition — and in some cases, free tuition — for illegal aliens. These laws unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens, who are not afforded the same privileges, in direct conflict with federal law. The Department of Justice has filed the complaint in the District of Minnesota. This challenge builds upon a recently successful lawsuit against the state of Texas on a similar law.

    “No state can be allowed to treat Americans like second-class citizens in their own country by offering financial benefits to illegal aliens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice just won on this exact issue in Texas, and we look forward to taking this fight to Minnesota in order to protect the rights of American citizens first.”

    In the complaint, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of Minnesota laws that require public colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates (and free tuition under certain circumstances, including if they meet a certain income threshold) for illegal aliens who maintain state residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States. Federal law prohibits institutions of higher education from providing postsecondary education benefits to aliens that are not offered to U.S. citizens. These laws blatantly conflict with federal law and thus are unconstitutional under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

    This lawsuit follows two executive orders recently signed by President Trump that seek to ensure illegal aliens are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment.

    Read the complaint here.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Global: Will Trump’s high-risk Iran strategy pay dividends at home if the peace deal holds?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex

    During Donald Trump’s first term, he made clear that he wanted his foreign policy to be as unpredictable as possible, stating: “I don’t want them to know what I’m thinking.”

    With the US’s recent attack on Iran, Trump certainly kept everyone in suspense. While US enemies may not have known what Trump was thinking, the problem was neither did US allies nor US legislators. Trump apparently did not bother to inform his own vice-president, J.D. Vance, when he had made the decision.

    Trump has portrayed this as a strength, that he is the only one capable of getting certain things done in foreign policy because his unpredictability and risk-taking behaviour gives him more leverage.

    But thus far he has had fewer successes than wins with this approach. His dalliance with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Trump’s first term only resulted in the acceleration of North Korea’s nuclear programme.

    His great relationship with Vladimir Putin has so far led to no concessions from Moscow regarding the war in Ukraine, even causing Trump to effectively give up trying to resolve that crisis, at least for now.


    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.


    In Trump’s second term his Maga base has been a bit more divided than in his first. On the issue of tariffs, key Republican senators begged him to backpedal with concerns that the new tariffs would be catastrophic for the US economy – one of the issues that propelled him to victory. Yet he went ahead with the tariffs anyway, as some members of his base were in support.

    With the Middle East crisis, Trump supporters appeared to be mostly against the US getting involved in a foreign conflict, with “no more wars” being a common slogan on the campaign trail.

    In the lead up to the US strikes, key leaders in the Maga movement criticised the idea of the US getting involved in the conflict. Right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson told hawkish Senator Ted Cruz that he should know far more about the regime that the senator wanted to topple. Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon and Representative Marjorie Taylor Green were also calling for the US to stay out of the conflict.

    Before the attacks, a YouGov poll showed that 60% of Americans did not want the US to get involved in the conflict, which has since increased to 80%. However when asked more specifically about support for US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as many as 94% of Maga Republicans gave their approval.

    Trump announces that the US has carried out air strikes on Iran.

    Is there voter backing?

    Trump also believes he can sell the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as a huge win, making good on his promise to eradicate Iran’s nuclear programme. The US intelligence community is saying otherwise, but Trump has rejected this.

    Trump took an early victory lap, claiming that Iran’s nuclear programme had been “completely destroyed”. It was arguably comparable to George W. Bush’s “mission accomplished” announcement in May 2003, after Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq was ousted by US-led forces. Bush’s approval ratings were as high as 70% in the immediate aftermath, but had plunged by 40 points by 2008 after five years of fighting the Iraqi insurgency that emerged in Hussein’s absence.

    Trump seems to be revelling in taking more risks and being more unpredictable. As he has become increasingly bold in his second term, he has been more willing to test the loyalty of his base when they don’t agree with his instincts. Though the isolationist wing of Maga has been critical, Trump assumes that his base will unite and rally around him.

    Trump was more careful to not betray his base in his first term. Trump had ordered strikes on Iran in 2019, but backed down at the last minute. But now he has gone so far as to suggest the door may be open to regime change in Tehran.

    With the ceasefire now in place (at least in theory), Trump is heralding his action as a huge win. Iran has backed down after a limited attack on its nuclear facilities.

    Just weeks ago, the US seemed less relevant in the Middle East, and more likely to follow Israel’s instructions than the other way around. With Trump’s confidence growing, it is now Trump that is telling Israel that he is not happy.

    For Trump the risks involved were huge. There may appear to be the potential for some short-term domestic political gains if the ceasefire holds. But Trump may not have thought through the long-term implications of his decision on stability in the Middle East more generally, or what voters will think about his foreign policy gambles when the next election rolls around.

    Natasha Lindstaedt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Will Trump’s high-risk Iran strategy pay dividends at home if the peace deal holds? – https://theconversation.com/will-trumps-high-risk-iran-strategy-pay-dividends-at-home-if-the-peace-deal-holds-259736

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Will Trump’s high-risk Iran strategy pay dividends at home if the peace deal holds?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex

    During Donald Trump’s first term, he made clear that he wanted his foreign policy to be as unpredictable as possible, stating: “I don’t want them to know what I’m thinking.”

    With the US’s recent attack on Iran, Trump certainly kept everyone in suspense. While US enemies may not have known what Trump was thinking, the problem was neither did US allies nor US legislators. Trump apparently did not bother to inform his own vice-president, J.D. Vance, when he had made the decision.

    Trump has portrayed this as a strength, that he is the only one capable of getting certain things done in foreign policy because his unpredictability and risk-taking behaviour gives him more leverage.

    But thus far he has had fewer successes than wins with this approach. His dalliance with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Trump’s first term only resulted in the acceleration of North Korea’s nuclear programme.

    His great relationship with Vladimir Putin has so far led to no concessions from Moscow regarding the war in Ukraine, even causing Trump to effectively give up trying to resolve that crisis, at least for now.


    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.


    In Trump’s second term his Maga base has been a bit more divided than in his first. On the issue of tariffs, key Republican senators begged him to backpedal with concerns that the new tariffs would be catastrophic for the US economy – one of the issues that propelled him to victory. Yet he went ahead with the tariffs anyway, as some members of his base were in support.

    With the Middle East crisis, Trump supporters appeared to be mostly against the US getting involved in a foreign conflict, with “no more wars” being a common slogan on the campaign trail.

    In the lead up to the US strikes, key leaders in the Maga movement criticised the idea of the US getting involved in the conflict. Right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson told hawkish Senator Ted Cruz that he should know far more about the regime that the senator wanted to topple. Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon and Representative Marjorie Taylor Green were also calling for the US to stay out of the conflict.

    Before the attacks, a YouGov poll showed that 60% of Americans did not want the US to get involved in the conflict, which has since increased to 80%. However when asked more specifically about support for US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as many as 94% of Maga Republicans gave their approval.

    Trump announces that the US has carried out air strikes on Iran.

    Is there voter backing?

    Trump also believes he can sell the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as a huge win, making good on his promise to eradicate Iran’s nuclear programme. The US intelligence community is saying otherwise, but Trump has rejected this.

    Trump took an early victory lap, claiming that Iran’s nuclear programme had been “completely destroyed”. It was arguably comparable to George W. Bush’s “mission accomplished” announcement in May 2003, after Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq was ousted by US-led forces. Bush’s approval ratings were as high as 70% in the immediate aftermath, but had plunged by 40 points by 2008 after five years of fighting the Iraqi insurgency that emerged in Hussein’s absence.

    Trump seems to be revelling in taking more risks and being more unpredictable. As he has become increasingly bold in his second term, he has been more willing to test the loyalty of his base when they don’t agree with his instincts. Though the isolationist wing of Maga has been critical, Trump assumes that his base will unite and rally around him.

    Trump was more careful to not betray his base in his first term. Trump had ordered strikes on Iran in 2019, but backed down at the last minute. But now he has gone so far as to suggest the door may be open to regime change in Tehran.

    With the ceasefire now in place (at least in theory), Trump is heralding his action as a huge win. Iran has backed down after a limited attack on its nuclear facilities.

    Just weeks ago, the US seemed less relevant in the Middle East, and more likely to follow Israel’s instructions than the other way around. With Trump’s confidence growing, it is now Trump that is telling Israel that he is not happy.

    For Trump the risks involved were huge. There may appear to be the potential for some short-term domestic political gains if the ceasefire holds. But Trump may not have thought through the long-term implications of his decision on stability in the Middle East more generally, or what voters will think about his foreign policy gambles when the next election rolls around.

    Natasha Lindstaedt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Will Trump’s high-risk Iran strategy pay dividends at home if the peace deal holds? – https://theconversation.com/will-trumps-high-risk-iran-strategy-pay-dividends-at-home-if-the-peace-deal-holds-259736

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: Bombing Iran: has the UN charter failed?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Caleb H. Wheeler, Senior Lecturer in Law, Cardiff University

    The recent US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites has prompted renewed questions about whether the UN charter’s prohibition on the use of force is meaningful.

    Considered one of the keystones of international law, article 2(4) of the charter specifically forbids member states from using force – or threatening to do so – against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state, or “in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations”.

    A significant amount of commentary exists about what the prohibition entails. This tries to clarify ambiguities around the terms “force”, “threats of force”, “territorial integrity” and “political independence”. Although no absolute consensus has been reached, it is commonly thought that member states are prohibited from launching armed attacks against other states, or threatening to do so, unless acting in self-defence or with the authorisation of the UN security council.

    Other exceptions have been suggested. These include use of force as part of a larger humanitarian intervention operation. There’s also a question of whether it’s permissible when a state is rescuing its nationals abroad. But the legality of either of these situations is contentious and remains unsettled.


    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.


    Early in its existence, the UN made concerted efforts to protect and respect article 2(4) and to comply with its provisions. In 1950, the security council authorised UN member states to provide South Korea with the assistance necessary to repel the armed attack launched by North Korea, triggering the increased internationalisation of the Korean war.

    While article 2(4) was not explicitly mentioned in resolution 83, it was alluded to through repeated references to North Korea’s “armed attack” against South Korea. As such, it can be interpreted as an effort by the security council to use its authority to address a violation of article 2(4), even if it did not clearly frame it in those terms.

    The security council also authorised member states in 2011 to take all necessary measures to protect civilians in Libya. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that the member states may have exceeded their authority in Libya and carried out acts that could themselves be construed as violations of the UN charter.

    Rather than just protecting civilians, as the security council resolution instructed, legal experts were concerned they had effectively intervened in a civil war. Any possible violations went unpunished by the security council.

    Security council actions taken with regard to Korea were, in many ways, the high watermark for the prohibition of the use of force, given the scale of the conflict. There are two reasons for that. First, a significant proportion of the wars taking place after 1945 have been domestic and not subject to the provisions of article 2(4). The prohibition specifically applies to a member state’s international relations so is not inapplicable when a member state attacks a group within its own borders.

    Second, the UN has failed to address many of the acts occurring after 1945 that might fall under the provisions of article 2(4). The reason for this inaction lies primarily in the flawed structure on which the UN is built.

    Chapter VII of the charter makes the security council responsible for addressing acts of aggression that would constitute uses of force under article 2(4). But it has repeatedly failed to fill that role, allowing states to commit these acts without meaningful response.

    The UN veto problem

    UN security council decisions can only be enacted when at least nine members vote in favour. This must also include the affirmative vote or abstention of all five of the permanent members: the US, Russia, China, the UK and France. This essentially gives each of the permanent members the right to veto security council resolutions.

    Permanent members have commonly used the threat of their veto in their own political interests. This can be seen in a variety of instances, most notably the 2003 US invasion of Iraq and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Both situations clearly involved uses of force prohibited by article 2(4), and in both situations the security council was prevented from acting by some of its permanent members.

    This inaction is consistent with the UN’s failure to address many other acts that might fall under the provisions of article 2(4), including US involvement in south-east Asia in the 1960s and the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

    The security council’s failure to adequately perform its role has caused some to try and find a workaround. The Council of Europe, disappointed at the lack of accountability for Russia’s acts of aggression against Ukraine, has entered into an agreement with Ukraine to establish a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

    In the special tribunal’s draft statute, an act of aggression is defined to almost exactly mirror the type of conduct that would constitute a use of force under the UN charter.

    Bombing Iran

    Which brings us to the current situation in Iran. There is little question that the US violated article 2(4) when it bombed Iranian nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan on the evening of Saturday June 21. This is a clear use of force against the territory of another state.

    But even if the attacks themselves were not enough to establish a violation, they were also accompanied by US president Donald Trump’s suggestion that a regime change in Iran might be appropriate. These comments, coming immediately after the initial attack, could be construed as a threat of further force against Iran’s political independence should such a change not occur.

    Under the UN charter, such threats and uses of force should elicit a response from the security council. But just as with Iraq in 2003 and Ukraine in 2022, none will probably be forthcoming as the US will block any efforts to hold it to account.

    But equally chilling is the lack of condemnation of the US actions by its allies. German chancellor Friedrich Merz saw “no reason to criticise” the bombings, and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte insisted that the bombings did not violate international law.

    As the respected Dutch scholar of international law André Nollkaemper suggests, this refusal to condemn a clear violation of the prohibition of the use of force creates a real danger that the bar for when a state can legally use force will be lowered.

    Should that be allowed to happen it could further hollow out the prohibition, effectively making it less likely that states will be held to account for violating international law. Further, it could also lead to the return of a world where “might makes right”. This would undo more than a century of legal evolution.

    Caleb H. Wheeler does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Bombing Iran: has the UN charter failed? – https://theconversation.com/bombing-iran-has-the-un-charter-failed-259751

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: The South African apartheid movement’s close relationship with the American right – then and now

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel Conway, Reader in Politics and International Studies, University of Westminster

    The allegations of a “white genocide” against Afrikaner farmers that emerged during the tense Oval Office meeting between the US president, Donald Trump, and South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, on May 21 shocked many around the world. But it was merely the latest example of what has been a long-running obsession for Trump, which has been evident since well before he took office in January.

    In early February, Trump issued an executive order: “Addressing Egregious Actions of The Republic of South Africa”. The order included the allegation of “unjust racial discrimination” against the white Afrikaner community and recommended the establishment of an Afrikaner refugee scheme. In his meeting with Ramaphosa, Trump doubled down on US hostility to the South African government. He repeatedly claimed – and produced purported evidence of – so-called genocide against Afrikaner farmers.

    This level of hostility towards multi-racial, post-apartheid South Africa may seem to have come out of the blue. Some may think it was inspired by Trump’s close relationship, at the time at least, with South Africa-born business leader Elon Musk – who could be seen standing in the corner of the Oval Office watching the uncomfortable scene unfold. But the claim that white Afrikaners are victims of violent and vengeful black South Africans has a much longer history.

    It’s a history that goes back almost five decades. It connects white supremacy in southern Africa and the apartheid government’s international disinformation strategy with the evangelical Christian right in American politics. Some of the individuals and institutions that were vocal advocates of white-minority rule against the threat of black government in South Africa are the same people who have the Trump administration’s ear today.

    As the South African academic Nicky Falkof has observed, the claim of white victimhood is nothing new. She believes that “entire political agendas develop around the idea that white people must be protected because they face exceptional threats”.




    Read more:
    Trump and South Africa: what is white victimhood, and how is it linked to white supremacy?


    The apartheid years

    The idea that white South Africans face an existential threat emerged in the violent final decade of apartheid rule. It was a key narrative that the National Party government of president P.W. Botha liked to present to the outside world.

    In 2021, a former apartheid intelligence officer named Paul Erasmus published his autobiography detailing his work for Stratcom, the apartheid government’s international covert communications and intelligence agency. Erasmas detailed his work in the US and, in particular, Stratcom’s close links with Republican policymakers.

    One of the primary US conservative contacts was said to be Dr Edwin Feulner, a founder and president of the Heritage Foundation. Erasmus wrote that Feulner, who was a foreign policy advisor to Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, was “already well positioned to serve Stratcom the kind of high-level advice that we needed to temper growing international affection for the ANC as the first ruling party of a democratic South Africa”.

    The Conversation approached Dr Feulner through the Heritage Foundation to seek his comments on specifically whether he had any past association with the apartheid-era government in South Africa and received no reply on the matter. But in 1986, during Feulner’s presidency of the Heritage Foundation, it published a report presenting alleging “close links between the ANC [African National Congresss] and the communists and the way in which the communists exploit the ANC to manipulate Western opinion”.

    This history is key to understanding Trump Oval Office meeting with the South African president. The Heritage Foundation continues to have close links with Afrikaner nationalists. And it is well known that the foundation is central to Trump’s governing strategy, having published its Project 2025 on which much of this administration’s policy is based.

    The South African media outlet, the Daily Maverick, has investigated links between the self-defined Afrikaner minority rights movement, Afriforum, the Heritage Foundation and the Republican Party. Since Trump was first inaugurated in 2017, Afriforum representatives – including CEO Kallie Kriel and his deputy Dr Ernst Roets – have made several visits to Washington, most recently in February 2025, to speak with senior representatives of the Trump administration and representatives of the Heritage Foundation. For some time, Afriforum has claimed there is a white genocide against Afrikaner farmers.

    When asked directly about its relationship with Afriforum, a Heritage Foundation spokesperson denied any particularly close links between the two organisations, saying: “We meet with hundreds of individuals and groups every year.” He pointed to the Heritage Foundation’s recent round table and stressed the foundations’s “well-documented and long-running effort to work with leaders from across Africa”.

    Trump began to tweet about the killing of farmers in South Africa in 2018 and is very opposed to South Africa’s recently passed Expropriation Act. This act allows for the expropriation of land without compensation, but only if it is “just and equitable and in the public interest” to do so.

    In May 2024, the Heritage Foundation called for the cancellation of US aid to South Africa. It accused the ANC government of supporting Hamas and not aligning “with American values”.

    Religious links

    America’s evangelical Christian community was a strong supporter of the apartheid regime in South Africa. This is a key constituency of Trump’s electoral base. The historian Augusta Dell’Omo has documented the South African government lobbying of US televangelists such as Pat Robertson – an outspoken supporter of apartheid South Africa. As Dell’Omo argues, Christian evangelicals were not just vexed by threats to apartheid in South Africa. They were drawing a “direct link between the causes of Black grievances in the US and South Africa and a global threat to conservative and religious values”.

    There is not just an historical – but also an ideological – link between Trump’s attitudes to farm killings and land expropriation in South Africa and his vehement opposition to diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) programmes in the US. This white grievance politics continues to consider South Africa as a symbol of the overthrow of white privilege and the disorder that multiculturalism and black-led government ostensibly creates.

    As academic Nicky Falkof has argued in The Conversation: “The architecture of white supremacy depends on the idea that white people are extraordinary victims. This is the driving notion beneath the great replacement theory, a far-right conspiracy theory claiming that Jews and non-white foreigners are plotting to ‘replace’ whites.”

    Trump’s accusations against the current government in South Africa have their roots in the murky international disinformation campaigns of apartheid’s final years and the willing cooperation of key actors on the right of US politics and society. That white-supremacist politics from the past would continue to have currency in today’s White House is shocking. It should be opposed by all who support a democratic, multiracial and prosperous South Africa.

    Daniel Conway does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. The South African apartheid movement’s close relationship with the American right – then and now – https://theconversation.com/the-south-african-apartheid-movements-close-relationship-with-the-american-right-then-and-now-257663

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Continued Lee Efforts to Sell Off America’s Public Lands: “The Latest Lee Proposal Is Just One More Attempt To See If Congress Blinks”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    06.25.25

    Cantwell Statement on Continued Lee Efforts to Sell Off America’s Public Lands: “The Latest Lee Proposal Is Just One More Attempt To See If Congress Blinks”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, released the following statement in response to the latest proposal from U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) to sell off America’s public lands to the highest bidder.

    Lee’s most recent draft comes after the Senate Parliamentarian rejected his opening gambit because it fails to meet strict Senate rules governing the budget process that Senate Republicans are relying on to circumvent the Senate filibuster, which normally curtails divisive partisan proposals. It is expected that Lee will continue to modify his controversial land sales proposal to pass muster with the parliamentarian until right up to the Senate votes on the measure later this week as part of the larger reconciliation bill.  After the Senate Parliamentarian rejected Lee’s opening gambit — deeming the proposal ineligible under budget reconciliation process rules — Lee responded, “I’m doing everything I can to support President Trump and move this forward.” He promised, “We’re just getting started.”

    “Republicans seem hell bent on trying to sell public lands. Members need to stand up and stop this giveaway of our natural heritage. The latest Lee proposal is just one more attempt to see if Congress blinks. A massive change to our public land policy should not be included in a budget bill. We need climbers, hikers, hunters, gateway communities, and everyone who loves the outdoors to call their elected representatives right away to say our public lands are not for sale,” Sen. Cantwell said.

    Lee’s revised language would require the Secretary of Interior to sell between 0.25 percent and 0.50 percent of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in the 11 Western states, minus Montana. It would also allow for the nominations of BLM land to be sold. The land would have to be in a 5-mile radius of the border of a population center.

    Yesterday, Sen. Cantwell hosted a virtual press conference to push back on Lee’s proposal. She was joined by Boise Mayor Lauren McLean, professional athletes and outdoorsmen Tommy Caldwell and Graham Zimmerman, REI leader Susan Viscon, and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers spokesperson Kaden McArthur.

    READ MORE:

    The Associated Press:  GOP plan to sell more than 3,200 square miles of federal lands is found to violate Senate rules

    The Seattle Times: Pitch to sell public lands hits snag. What does that mean for WA?

    The Spokesman Review: Public land sales provision would violate Senate rule, but its backer pledges to try again

    The Tri-City Herald: What public lands near Tri-Cities could be sold under new Trump tax plan?

    Video of yesterday’s virtual press conference is available HERE; a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s opening remarks is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: V. Zelensky met with D. Trump on the sidelines of the NATO summit

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    KYIV, June 25 /Xinhua/ — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague /Netherlands/ on Wednesday, the Ukrainian leader’s Telegram channel reported.

    V. Zelensky noted that “all truly significant issues” were raised at the meeting. In particular, according to him, the parties discussed ways to establish peace in Ukraine and protect Ukrainian citizens from Russian attacks.

    V. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine appreciates the attention of the United States and its readiness to help end the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Statement on Republicans’ Last-Ditch Effort to Sell Our Public Lands

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado

    This week, the Senate parliamentarian struck down Senate Republicans’ initial provision to their budget to sell three million acres of public land to bankroll tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy

    WATCH: Hickenlooper also spoke in a Senate roundtable today about protecting our public lands

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement about Senate Republicans’ updated proposal in the budget reconciliation bill to sell off Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land after their previous provision was struck down by the Senate parliamentarian.

    “Republicans’ provision to sell off our American treasures is wildly unpopular in Colorado and throughout the country. It is flat out wrong.

    “We’ll keep fighting against their last-ditch efforts to sneak their provision back into their big ugly bill. Our public lands are not for sale now, or ever.”

    In an attempt to skirt the Senate parliamentarian, Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee recently released updated budget reconciliation text that focuses on the sale of BLM lands. It mandates BLM dispose of between 0.25% and 0.50% of their estate within five miles of a population center. The Wilderness Society estimates up to 1.2 million acres would be required to be put up for sale. The bill specifies that those sales will be mandated in Colorado and ten other western states.

    Hickenlooper called out how this reckless fire-sale of our public land would devastate our outdoor recreation industry and Americans’ access to public lands today at ENR Ranking Member Senator Martin Heinrich’s public lands roundtable. Watch his remarks HERE. 

    In addition to the public lands sale provision, the bill rescinds Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding for the National Park Service (NPS) and BLM, including $267 million for NPS to pay for rangers, maintenance, emergency responders, and scientists. The bill would also eliminate IRA funding for updates to the electric grid, industrial decarbonization, and tribal energy loans.

    Hickenlooper also voted against the Republican budget resolution twice, and will vote against the budget bill again. In April, Hickenlooper led a group of Western senators to introduce an amendment to the budget bill to protect public lands from being sold to pay for Republicans’ tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. He took to the Senate floor to condemn the public lands sale provision in the House version of the bill. At the end of May, Hickenlooper held a press conference in Estes Park with Congressman Neguse, public lands advocates, and local elected officials to call out the Trump administration’s threats to Colorado’s national parks and public lands – including Rocky Mountain National Park.

    MIL OSI USA News