Trump’s Sweeping Changes For America And Beyond

PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – President Donald Trump is transforming America and the world. Trump’s tariffs fit a growing global trend of hardball migration diplomacy. It works both ways, but richer countries by and large have the upper hand.

GREAT! – Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada as America’s two largest trading partners took major steps to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking.

GREAT! – El Salvador has agreed to house violent US criminals and receive deportees of any nationality in an unprecedented deal with the Trump team that has alarmed critics.

Trump provides updates on Panama Canal and border security.

Trump has taken the first step towards setting up a sovereign wealth fund for the US and suggested that it could buy TikTok.

Elon Musk is tightening his control over broad swaths of the federal government at extraordinary speed, prompting ‘coup’ accusations and alarm from Democrats.

From transgender troops to DEI, MAGA change comes to the military.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories ending the week from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEFING – the PDB:    

NATIONAL SECURITY

The Marine Corps’ transition to the VH-92A Patriot helicopter for use in the “Marine One” role shuttling the president, VP, their families, and top advisors, won’t be done till 2030, at the earliest; seven years late.

HOMELAND SECURITY

Texas National Guard soldiers now have the authority to make immigration arrests and help detain and deport illegals under an agreement between the state and Team Trump that requires it be done under the direction of a Customs and Border Protection official.

Defense Secretary Hegseth met troops at Fort Bliss for a deployment on the border with Mexico as Marines unloaded at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to begin work on migrant detention facilities.

GREAT! – Marines head to Guantanamo to aid illegal alien ‘removal operations’.

Navy P-8A Aircraft are conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions on the southern border.

PENTAGON WOKE WATCH

The Air Force is not shutting down its equal opportunity programs, distinguishing them from the department’s sweeping review of DEI efforts.

WHY SO QUICKLY? – The pause on social media accounts within the Defense Department was rescinded Monday.

POLITICS

Veterans groups urging Trump to make exceptions for Afghan allies who are now barred from entering the US, including the Afghan families of active-duty service members left behind by Biden-Harris in 2021.

Executives from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris told Wall Street analysts last week that they are well-equipped to support the administration’s push for a “next-generation missile defense shield.”

VA will end remote work status for thousands of staffers by the end of February.

US POWER OVERSEAS

The USS Carl Vinson and its strike group recently steamed out of Thailand, where two of the aircraft carrier’s escorts scraped hulls.

IRAN THREAT/ISRAEL WAR

Trump to withdraw US from UN Rights Council, extend funding ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

Netanyahu seeks strong backing from Trump, as first foreign leader to visit.

CHINA THREAT

China will impose tariffs of 15 percent on imports of coal and LNG from the US in retaliation for Washington’s 10 percent levies on Chinese goods.

YES! – US should provide its ally the Philippines with the type of sound cannons the Chinese coast guard employs to harass Philippine vessels amid China’s increasingly hostile gray-zone tactics.

Five Chinese nationals were arrested by Philippines on espionage charges last month after conducting “illegal intelligence gathering” on Philippine Navy and Coast Guard facilities, ports and ships stationed near the South China Sea.

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

Donald Trump wants to negotiate an agreement with Ukraine in which Kyiv guarantees supplies of rare earth metals, key elements used in electronics, in exchange for aid.

The founder of a pro-Russian militia group in eastern Ukraine, described as a “criminal mastermind” by Ukraine, killed by a bombing in central Moscow.

NATO chief says tensions between Europe and the US over trade issues under Trump will not affect the alliance’s collective deterrence.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

The election of a far-right government in Austria puts into question the country’s continued membership in the European Sky Shield Initiative, a joint scheme for buying missile defense equipment.

Italy itching to drop $24 billion on Lynx fighting vehicles, Panther tanks as quickly as possible to get Italy ready for an increasingly dangerous world.

US MILITARY

An Arleigh Burke class destroyer successfully test-fired its High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system to take out an aerial target drone, even as other US military laser efforts have faced a reality check.

The Marine Corps released a revised aviation strategy focused on using autonomous systems, drones and artificial intelligence-driven software to ensure its aircraft fleet can survive a fierce war zone.

The Marine Corps will upgrade an air-to-surface munition to give its helicopters ability to shoot down enemy drones.

The Army is set to dramatically expand how many new recruits it can send to basic training this spring, riding the momentum of recent gains toward reversing its recruiting slump.

END of PDB

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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