One thing I’ve often said—and that we all need to keep in mind—: you should never trust Trump. The collusion with russia runs too deep. Some were quick to conclude that he had now sided with Ukraine. I’ve consistently expressed my doubts. Here's another reason why. www.ft.com/content/d8c4...

Donald Trump ‘not sure’ he will let Ukraine build Patriot missiles

US president had earlier said he would allow Kyiv to produce the weapon vital for its defence against Russia

ft.com

Excellente décision. Les choses sérieuses commencent enfin. Merci à Laurent Nunez et à @rolandlescure.bsky.social. La deuxième étape qui devra suivre : les propagandistes français stipendiés par la russie... La loi du 25 juillet 2024 (art. 7) pourrait le permettre. www.franceinfo.fr/economie/med...

Le gouvernement gèle les avoirs de la chroniqueuse russe Xenia Fedorova pendant six mois

Cet arrêté, qui "complète la mesure d'expulsion" adoptée mercredi par le ministère de l'Intérieur, vise à prévenir la commission de "nouveaux actes d'ingérence", explique le ministère de l'Economie

franceinfo.fr

Perhaps my Ukrainian friends haven't seen this: today, this French far-right media outlet—which is very sympathetic to russia—is giving a platform to Iuliia Mendel, a former advisor to President Zelenskyy, who has defected to the Kremlin, to smear her own country. Hight treason and disgrace.

More than 20,000 Ukrainian children deported to russia; 1.6 million are in Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow, the oldest of whom are forcibly conscripted as cannon fodder; now this: some are reportedly being sent to re-education camps in NK. Acts of genocide. www.leparisien.fr/internationa...

Kyiv claims that a North Korean unit equipped with approximately 120 ballistic missiles is being deployed in Russia. The Allies know what they must do: neutralize the archer rather than attempt, with all the uncertainties that entails, to shoot down the arrow. www.bfmtv.com/internationa...

Kiev affirme qu'une unité nord-coréenne équipée de missiles balistiques se déploie en Russie

Une unité nord-coréenne spécialisée dans le lancement de missiles balistiques a commencé à se déployer dans l'ouest de la Russie et pourrait orienter ses lanceurs en direction de l'Ukraine, a déclaré ...

bfmtv.com

Soutien à @raphaelglucksmann.bsky.social, @gabriel-attal.bsky.social et E. Philippe visés par des opérations russes de désinformation. Ce n'est pas une question partisane. C'est la démocratie française qui est visée. Appui au projet de loi qui renforce les sanctions. www.bfmtv.com/politique/ed...

Édouard Philippe, Raphaël Glucksmann, Gabriel Attal... À huit mois de la présidentielle, les ingérences russes se multiplient

Candidats déclarés ou non à l'élection présidentielle, Édouard Philippe, Raphaël Glucksmann ou Gabriel Attal ont été visés ces dernières semaines par des campagnes de désinformation menées par des off...

bfmtv.com

On Aug 7, 2008, russia began attacking Georgia. In April, like Ukraine, it had not received a MAP from NATO. Then, the Allies failed to respond to the occupation of 20% of its territory, still under russia's yoke. Georgia now fully is. Had we wanted to, Moscow would have understood—once and for all.

Definitely the best way to keep Iran from charging a toll on the Strait of Hormuz is for the USA (illegally) to start charging a toll itself. This is real hyper-brilliance on the downslope of American decline.

Reuters@reuters.com · last mo.

President Trump said the US is reinstating a naval blockade on Iran, and would be reimbursed 20% on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran claimed it had closed the strait. Follow our live coverage: reut.rs/4ykBL3R

New @washingtonpost.com story today, the Trump family has secured about $3.2 billion in Pentagon contracts for firms which they are involved in. This is the tip of the iceberg in the largest corruption saga in US history. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/i...

Trump’s sons invest heavily in defense tech as father’s administration pours money in

Most investments by funds linked to Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have taken place since their father’s reelection.

washingtonpost.com

New post. We are in the early stages of a Revolution In Military Affairs (though militaries are trying to pretend otherwise). This RMA will see the dehumanizing of war and will have dramatic impact on how wars start, are fought and are ended. It is also unstoppable. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Yes, We Are In A Revolution In Military Affairs

And It is Just Starting and Is Unstoppable

open.substack.com

"The US-Iran War is a war of superlatives, because it is so absurd. It has already been the most “corrupt” war in #US history (easily), the most “strategy-free” war in US history, and the most pointless #war in US history. It might also be the stupidest."

Phillips OBrien@phillipspobrien.bsky.social · last mo.

Hi All, Just sent out my midweek update (mostly free). It was a week when the US had to realize that it did not live in a consequence free world—which might be quite a shock to some. Also, the war with Iran should be called “Donald Trump’s War”… open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Trump's address on thursday was, of course, aimed at undermining the integrity of US elections running into the 2026 midterms. And to show how anti-democratic they were, the real story was how the one thing he protected in the address was Putin's Russia. Always Putin's Russia.

It has taken Donald Trump's America to make Europeans realize that it is not just scary to look after itself without the USA--but that it also has strategic benefits. As those benefits become clearer Europe will strengthen and the USA will have weakened itself.

“The nature of war has changed, and countries that fail to acknowledge it run the risk of sounding like nostalgic defenders of a mounted cavalry—and of being left behind,” Phillips Payson O’Brien argues:

The U.S. is Blowing Billions on the Wrong Weapons

The future of warfare is drones, clearly.

bit.ly

Hi All, free weekend update out. The big story is the Fedorov dismissal. That made this the worst week for Ukraine in years. However, stories are circulating that he might be back and Syrskyi could be on his way out. Can the worst week transform into the best week? open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Weekend Update #194: The Worst Week For Ukraine In Years. Can It Become The Best?

An update on Ukraine and Patriots; Moscow and Kyiv

open.substack.com

Latest piece out. The US military under Trump and Hegseth is pumping up military virtues is does not understand and which arguably makes things worse. Bravery does not win wars. The smarter, more adaptable, better led and looked after side usually does. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Bravery Does Not Win Wars

Even With Extra Testosterone Supplements

open.substack.com

In a nutshell why US friends would be wise not to trust America again for a long time. Canada has been a solid friend and neighbor to the USA. It has fought beside the USA. And now the USA is creating legal shams to punish Canada for no purpose than to weaken both countries.

The Associated Press@apnews.com · last mo.

BREAKING: President Trump imposes 50% tariff on a range of Canadian goods, claiming unfair treatment over U.S. autos, alcohol and cheese.

Been talking to @mykolabielieskov.bsky.social about the appointment of Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new Ukrainian Commander in Chief. His first response was: “Best Choice of Zelensky”.

New Midweek Update Out (mostly free). The US is weakening itself every day with this war against Iran. It is running down weapons stocks, degrading US institutions, alienating allies and strengthening China. Iranian strategy is proving itself superior. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Midweek Update #20: Each Day The US Weakens Itself

What It Means For US-China Relations

open.substack.com

“The USA is engaged in a war of choice to defeat itself.”

Phillips OBrien@phillipspobrien.bsky.social · last mo.

New Midweek Update Out (mostly free). The US is weakening itself every day with this war against Iran. It is running down weapons stocks, degrading US institutions, alienating allies and strengthening China. Iranian strategy is proving itself superior. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Giving more money to this Pentagon at this time is exactly the wrong idea. The US government is corrupt, it defense plans are incompetent, and it is weakening the US military. www.npr.org/2026/07/22/n...

House passes Pentagon funding bill and a blueprint to unlock new dollars for Iran war

Republicans passed more than $1 trillion for the Pentagon alongside a budget blueprint to fund the war with Iran and implement provisions of President Trump's election overhaul bill.

npr.org

People need to step back and understand what they are seeing. After a few months of war, the USA is running out of munitions and options fighting a country with no air force, no navy and a damaged infrastructure. US decline is real and self-inflicted.

If you havent been paying attention, Iran is toying with the USA and tormenting Trump. Trump is desperate for a ceasefire and the Iranians are attacking vital oil facilities located in US allies. Its a strategic humiliation for the USA, and it really pains me to say that.

What the world is learning is that the US now lacks the capability to fight for any other state, and probably will so for many years until it retools its industry and creates a new defense plan. That will never happen while these corrupt clowns run things, so will take a while.

Latest Midweek Update is out. Iran toyed with the USA this week. Trump continues to want out of the war, but Iran escalated. Their strategy seems pretty sophisticated and the end result is looking even worse for the USA. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Midweek Update #21: Iran Is Toying With The USA

Plus: Iranian Strategy; How Does This End?

open.substack.com

If you cannot accept that what Trump has done over the last year and a half is starve Ukraine of air defense, and put off any new aid for as long as possible, so Putin can terrorize Ukraine from the air for as long as possible--you cannot accept reality.

Just a reminder that since Laura Loomer announced her support for Ukraine, Trump has: 1) walked back a promise to let Ukraine build Patriots, 2) denied a ukrainian request for 300 PAC3s, 3) slow walked 400mil in congressionally approved aid for Ukraine. But the vibes were good!

Latest piece is out. Reports from the last few days indicate that China is about to send advanced, finished munitions to Iran--of the type that could chaos for any US escalation. However, Trump pretends otherwise. China might be going in for the kill--with US help. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Is China Going In For The Kill?

Trump Has Left The US More Vulnerable Than It Has Been Since 1861

open.substack.com

Also, Drapatyi and Fedorov revealed how similar their approaches are. If only they could work together. Finally, the war for shipping is getting intense.

"Russia, with the help of the USA, can now attack Ukraine with ballistic missiles and the Ukrainians are practically defenseless to stop them once they are launched"

Phillips OBrien@phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 3w ago

Free weeked update is out. The big story this week was once again people had hope in Trump and once again that hope was delusional and served Putin's interest. The toll for this misplaced hope is being written in blood. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...