At Chequers with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Donald Trump delivered his harshest public remarks yet about Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian leader had âlet him downâ over Ukraine. But while the rhetoric was sharp, Trump simultaneously shifted responsibility for the war to Europe, insisting NATO allies stop buying Russian oil and distancing the U.S. from its past commitments, like the Budapest Memorandum that persuaded Ukraine to give up nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, European leaders put on a lavish state dinner, part of a larger effort to flatter Trump away from Moscowâs orbit â even as allies quietly brace themselves to endure him until 2028. The spectacle underscores just how far traditional alliances have tilted, with Americaâs partners trying to keep Trump out of Putinâs grasp with pageantry rather than policy.Kimmel Suspension Signals Media CrackdownThe second bombshell came with ABCâs abrupt suspension of Jimmy Kimmel after FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to pull affiliate licenses over a monologue about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. This follows the earlier ouster of Stephen Colbert and comes as major broadcast mergers are pending, making networks especially vulnerable to political pressure. Trump had already telegraphed Kimmel would be ânext,â turning the censorship into a public spectacle. Analysts warn this is part of a broader consolidation of media power under Trump, with Disney, CBS, and even TikTok in the mix â creating what could become a state-aligned media empire. The crackdown isnât stopping at TV: Trump also announced that âAntifaâ is now designated a terrorist group, a vague label that could be used to target Democrats, NGOs, and human-rights organizations. The moves mirror early authoritarian tactics seen in Russia and Hungary, raising alarms that American media and political opposition could soon be unrecognizable if uncheckedThank you Lalisa, john king (MY HUMBLE OPINION), Kevin Paquette, Julie, Mary B âŽď¸, and many others for tuning into my live video with Olga Lautman! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe
At Chequers with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Donald Trump delivered his harshest public remarks yet about Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian leader had âlet him downâ over Ukraine. But while the rhetoric was sharp, Trump simultaneously shifted responsibility for the war to Europe, insisting NATO allies stop buying Russian oil and distancing the U.S. from its past commitments, like the Budapest Memorandum that persuaded Ukraine to give up nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, European leaders put on a ...