Lots of seemingly small things going on that point toward bigger developments. For example, signs that the war on Russia is winding down. It’s true that clowns like Keith Kellog are still engaging in crazy talk about collapsing the price of oil to hurt Russia (it would be much, much worse for the US and KSA), but … reality is setting in:
The key to why this is so big is that Nordstream 2 AG is owned by Gazprom, a Russian company. This looks like paving the way for Russian gas to resume flowing to Western Europe through the Baltic pipelines. That appears to be further confirmed:
Following Denmark's permission to repair the Nord Stream gas pipeline, the EU is now debating resetting purchases of Russian gas - Financial Times
The EU debates restarting Russian gas purchases and removal of some sanctions as a form of peace deal with the Kremlin. Looks like that the war in Ukraine is nearing an end and serious negotiations are taking place in the background.
No surprise: Putin wants to talk about big issues, while settling the Ukraine issue on Russia’s terms. Makes sense. Putin has summarily rejected the goofy Kellogg plan and is unintimidated by Trump’s rhetoric:
Putin's interview was very savvy and his message was clear: Let's not talk about Ukraine, we've got so many other things we could discuss - nuclear weapons, oil and energy prices. Let's sort it all out between us in our mutual interest
Putin’s approach actually promises a big win for Europe and even the US in the long term—with the long term starting up rather quickly.
Scott Ritter weighs in on making peace with Russia—and, by the way, he’s a fan of Trump’s Greenland project. Now, I still believe that Trump’s rhetoric is a cover for his bigger picture plans. Still, Ritter offers a perspective on what could have been if the Anglo-Zionists hadn’t invested decades in their war on Russia. Peace could be so easy:
Scott Ritter @RealScottRitter
Trump and May 9
A little more than a week into his presidency, Donald Trump’s optimistic plan to bring an end to the war in Ukraine is floundering, with the fantasy-driven “peace plan” crafted under the guidance of retired LtGen Keith Kellogg running head on into the fact-driven reality of a Russian victory defined by objectives unfettered and unfazed by American posturing and threats.
And Donald Trump should tell Vladimir Putin that he would like to send a high-level delegation to attend this year’s May 9 Victory Day celebration—headed by the Vice President and Secretary of Defense.
And unlike the Biden administration, which placed obstacles in the way of US WW2 veterans who wanted to attend the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, Donald Trump should offer to have American soldiers march in the May 9 parade.
If Donald Trump we’re to do this, he would win the respect and admiration of the Russian people, and demonstrate to the Russian government—indeed, the Russian President—that the US was serious about building a relationship with Russia based on mutual respect.
This, more than trying to bring about a peace in Ukraine by bluster and bullying, is how Donald Trump could best serve the legitimate national security interests of the United States.
1:04 PM · Jan 30, 2025
Meanwhile we’re hearing about a tariff war being launched by Trump. I’m not against targeted tariffs, or even blanket tariffs in specific cases, but I do question whether that approach can accomplish what Trump claims is our goal—maintaining American imperial hegemony—unless that’s more rhetoric. But the style won’t win us friends, as Trump issues orders around the world:
Megatron @Megatron_ron
BREAKING:
President Trump says that Egypt and Jordan will accept Palestinians from Gaza afterall:
"They will do it... We do a lot for them, and they’re going to do it."
I’m not at all sure that that will happen.
Megatron @Megatron_ron
BREAKING:
 Trump announces 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico start Saturday
Trump confirmed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico will take effect Saturday but hasn’t decided whether to include oil imports.
A lot of people will be unhappy about how those tariffs affect grocery prices.
Megatron @Megatron_ron
BREAKING:
 Trump announces that he is in the process of imposing tariffs on China
Price inflation? China is no longer just a purveyor of low cost stuff. Alex Krainer maintains that a lot of this could backfire in the eyes of consumer. He argues that tariffs could, indeed, help to revive US manufacturing in the longer term, but that the inflationary jolt will be immediate. That, in turn, will incentivize dedollarization. He further argues that tariffs could constitute an attempt at a simple solution to complex problems.
Imposing tariffs on large trade partners like Mexico, Canada, China and other BRICS nations will in fact begin to close the US trade deficit, but in doing so it could shut off an important inflation pressure-valve. As domestic manufacturing develops, the competition among producers should have a disinflationary effect, but only if the measure is successful and with a considerable delay.
The inflation jolt could be almost immediate: as foreign goods become more expensive because of the tariffs, domestic US producers will be increasing their own prices close to matching the new price level. Furthermore, as manufacturers bring their production capacities to the US they will almost inevitably put upward pressure on US wages, which could be the motherlode of CPI inflation. Labor is not easily substituted and every last company in the world needs workers.
If inflation re-accelerates, the dollar's purchasing power will suffer and this will only increase pressure on other countries, including the BRICS to seek alternatives to the US dollar as a trade settlement currency and reserve currency. The economic imbalances Donald Trump's administration inherited (including from the last Donald Trump administration) are complex and simple, straightforward measures could end up reaping unintended consequences and opposite outcomes.
Incidentally, Trump's Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick is the same patriotic Howard Lutnick, the longtime CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald who has been trying to move the clearing of US Treasury futures to Bank of England controlled LCH in London, for whatever weird reason, as I discussed in the 21 January TrendCompass titled, “U.S. Treasuries Clearing Affair: More Bad News for Britain?”
All of which may explain why gold is reaching record highs.
Rumors have been swirling about for a year or more that there is an ongoing "last call" run on the gold in London and New York vaults. Lots of dollars getting exchanged for "pet rocks".
Hunter Biden is a free man. Ed Snowden is a wanted man living in Russia, exiled from the USA for 12 years so far. This isn’t a flaw in the system, this IS the system.
I view the debacle of the Democratic senators during the confirmation hearings as more important. Bernie with his “onesie” questioning, or RFK pointing out Bernie’s been bought by big pharma for a million.
Trump is using the Dc crash to destroy dei’s credibility. In the hit pieces in the media on Trumps Dei comments in the nypost and daily mail, the comments agree with Trump.
Seems to me a BRICS alternate system should be understood by President Trump to be a legitimate, understandable, and laudable goal of nations that have experienced all the dubious fruits of globalization and the perversity of Western philosophical leadership. ‘Cattle no more!’ should be the BRICS rallying cry.
And Trump ordered the removal of pronouns from email signatures for federal employees:
https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/federal-employees-told-remove-pronouns-email-signatures-end/story?id=118310483
On a more series note:
I view the debacle of the Democratic senators during the confirmation hearings as more important. Bernie with his “onesie” questioning, or RFK pointing out Bernie’s been bought by big pharma for a million.
https://x.com/rustyrockets/status/1884655199572181229
Trump is using the Dc crash to destroy dei’s credibility. In the hit pieces in the media on Trumps Dei comments in the nypost and daily mail, the comments agree with Trump.
https://apnews.com/live/dc-plane-crash-reagan-updates#00000194-b9b6-d4ac-abf5-bbb7a8150000
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14344059/female-ntsb-head-stuns-press-dei-donald-trump.html
Seems to me a BRICS alternate system should be understood by President Trump to be a legitimate, understandable, and laudable goal of nations that have experienced all the dubious fruits of globalization and the perversity of Western philosophical leadership. ‘Cattle no more!’ should be the BRICS rallying cry.