Category: Politics
Inside President Trump’s new ‘America First’ national security strategy
With the first year of the second Trump administration coming to a close, Present Donald Trump has articulated a new national security strategy that will “build upon” his substantial achievements thus far.
On Friday, the Trump administration published a document that lays out the National Security Strategy to put America first going forward.
‘In everything we do, we are putting America First.’
The 33-page document highlights President Trump’s successes and frames his time in office as a correction of failed policies from past administrations and conventional wisdom.
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Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Looking to the future, the document asks a simple question: what should the United States want?
It goes on to highlight the core tenets of what the Trump administration will work to achieve, including the “survival and safety” of U.S. citizens, control over our borders and freedom from “destructive propaganda and influence operations,” a strong military, economy, energy grid, and a “robust industrial base.”
The document goes into more detail and lists other wants of the country, but it also issues a reimagining of “soft power” entails: “‘Soft power’ that serves America’s true national interest is effective only if we believe in our country’s inherent greatness and decency.”
In our dealings with the world, the strategy reiterates its desire to control the Western Hemisphere without foreign incursions and to have unimpeded strategic access in the hemisphere, thus asserting a “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine.
In addition, the strategy highlights the desire to avoid “forever wars,” maintain primacy in the tech sector, and to restore a Europe, it says, that is in danger of “civilizational erasure” thanks to institutions which have “undermined political liberty and sovereignty.”
“We want Europe to remain European, to regain its civilizational self-confidence, and to abandon its failed focus on regulatory suffocation.”
The strategy also highlighted that Europe’s principal alliance with the United States, NATO, is not guaranteed perpetually if the character of the nations change through rampant immigration from the third-world.
The document says it is “plausible” that certain NATO countries will be “non-European” in the next few decades, which could mean that they will view the United States and themselves differently than those who signed the charter.
Crucially, President Trump writes: “In everything we do, we are putting America first. … In the years ahead, we will continue to develop every dimension of our national strength–and we will make America safer, richer, freer, greater, and more powerful than ever before.”
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Federal judge in Florida orders release of long-hidden Epstein grand jury documents
After the nearly unanimous passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act last month, many have wondered what other files and information have yet to be disclosed amid the heated controversy over the Epstein files.
A federal judge in Florida just ordered the release of grand jury documents from an old case against Epstein, defying past orders not to release them.
U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith argued that a recent law now takes precedence over the rules that prohibited past disclosure.
U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith has ordered the release of grand jury transcripts related to investigations from 2005 and 2007 involving convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images
Grand jury proceedings are often conducted in private and there are higher standards to meet in order to disclose transcripts from them.
However, U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith, in his short decision to release the transcripts, argued that a recent law now takes precedence over the rules that prohibited past disclosure.
Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky), who spearheaded the effort for disclosure, posted the news of the ruling on X on Friday afternoon.
Massie highlighted the fact that the Epstein Files Transparency Act played a crucial role in the judge’s decision to override past decisions against disclosure.
The Act, being “later-enacted” and more “specific”, trumps the rules barring the release of the documents in the past.
Epstein was not convicted of any crimes as a result of this grand jury investigation..
Instead, he famously pleaded guilty to comparatively minor charges in 2008 under the U.S. Attorney at the time, Alex Acosta, who later became Trump’s Labor Secretary in his first term. Acosta subsequently resigned following scrutiny over the non-prosecution agreement in 2008.
It is not clear when the grand jury transcripts will be released or exactly how much new information will be disclosed.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law on November 19, gives the government 30 days to prepare and release all relevant records.
Those following the case can expect an update on the release of any remaining files by December 19.
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Redistricting bill passes Indiana House but will face opposition in Senate — from some Republicans
The Indiana House of Representatives passed a controversial bill that would redistrict the state and possibly flip two seats to the Republican column in the midterm elections.
Fifty-seven members voted for the bill, while 41 voted against it. The bill will go to the Indiana Senate, where some Republicans have said they oppose the redistricting effort.
‘Fair maps are essential to protecting Hoosiers’ voices in Washington, and today the House voted to do just that.’
Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Braun urged the Senate to pass the bill.
“Fair maps are essential to protecting Hoosiers’ voices in Washington, and today the House voted to do just that, delivering a strong congressional map,” Braun said. “I commend Speaker Huston and his caucus for having the courage to protect Hoosier voters. I urge the Senate to move quickly next week and adopt this map so Indiana can move forward with confidence.”
However, efforts to persuade state Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, a Republican, to support the bill have failed so far.
Another Republican said that she received a threat over her opposition to the redistricting bill.
“Unfortunately, my house was the target of a pipe bomb threat on Saturday evening. This is a result of the D.C. political pundits for redistricting,” state Sen. Jean Leising wrote on social media.
Trump has blasted those Republicans as “RINOs,” an epithet meaning “Republican in name only.”
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Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita cited the Supreme Court’s temporary approval of the Texas redistricting map for the midterms to justify his support of the bill.
“This specific map is legally solid. If any group or individual is silly enough to sue, we will defeat their attack in court,” Rokita said. “As the United States Supreme Court emphasized once again last night, redistricting for political reasons is constitutional. In fact, the Court has said that redistricting belongs in the legislature — in the hands of the people’s elected representatives, not judges.”
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