BIG TALK:  President Trump told Fox News yesterday that he would not put US soldiers in Ukraine as part of his security guarantees for the country. “Well, you have my assurance, and I’m president.,” he said.

  Russia has also rejected the notion of having Western peacekeepers in Ukraine.

  Despite Trump claiming Russia’s Vladimir Putin wants to end the war, Russia continues bombarding civilian areas, killing at least 14 people overnight yesterday. While Trump says he’s arranging for a face to face meeting between Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, the Russians are downplaying the prospect of that happening.

  Among other things Trump told Fox News, he said that there was “a warmth there” between himself and the Russian leader.

  Trump also blamed Ukraine for the war. “It’s not a war that should have been started,” he said. “You don’t take on a nation that’s ten times your size.” Ukraine did not “take on” Russia. It was invaded and has defended itself for 3 ½ years.

CAPITAL OCCUPATION:  Tennessee is sending 160 members of its National Guard to Washington, joining five other Republican states and bringing the number to 1600, about half the size of the DC metropolitan police force.

  The Army says guardsmen most will patrol tourist areas and transit stations.

  The US attorney in Washington, former television judge Jeanine Pirro, has told her prosecutors to maximize federal criminal charges whenever possible against anyone arrested. 

  Her office has also opened an investigation into whether city police officials falsified crime data, making the picture rosier than President Trump claims. The Metro police have reported that crime is down dramatically. 

  This is similar to Trump’s refusal to believe downward figures in economic statistics.

REGIME NEWS:

— The President yesterday issued a social media post blasting museums throughout the country for being “woke” and in particular the Smithsonian for harping on how bad slavery was. He wants the Smithsonian to be an instrument of promotion for American greatness.

  Here’s the whole post: “The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of “WOKE.” The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future. We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made. This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE. We have the “HOTTEST” Country in the World, and we want people to talk about it, including in our Museums.”

— Security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials were revoked at the direction of President Trump, Director of National intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard announced. Many of those had worked on Russia analysis or foreign threats to US elections. That would include Russian attempts to sway the 2016 and 2020 elections for Trump, which he claims is a lie. 

  Trump and his administration do not tolerate officials who deliver information and reports counter to their beliefs. Gabbard said in a memo, “Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold.”

— The Trump administration has appointed a second deputy director of the FBI  in a position equal to that of Dan Bongino. It’s a signal that Bongino, a former podcast host who has disagreed with the administration about their refusal to open the Jeffrey Epstein files, is on the way out. Bongino, at least for now, will be joined in equal status by Andrew Bailey, the attorney general of Missouri. 

— Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced he’s resigning two years into a four-year term as the Air Force’s top general. No reason was given, but defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has purged officers in all the services who rose to senior positions under the Biden administration. 

THE WAR ROOM: The Israeli military is calling up 50,000 reservists as it goes into a new phase of operations in Gaza, invading Gaza City itself. Israel says Hamas militants are still active in Gaza City.

  Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering in the city where there is still some of the last standing infrastructure in all of the Gaza strip.

THE SPIN RACK:  Beaches are closed all along the East Coast as high waves and rip currents are expected while hurricane Erin passes 250 miles offshore. The Outer Banks of North Carolina may get hit by 15-20 foot waves. — The FDA has warned the public not to eat certain lots of frozen shrimp sold at Walmart that show signs of radioactivity. How the shrimp were exposed is unknown. — The male leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints … the Mormons … has approved a new sleeveless style of sacred undergarments for women. They are not available in the US yet but women are buying them online. The undergarments, which also go to the knees, serve as a constant reminder of faith in God.

BELOW THE FOLD: Stock in the Chinese retailer Pop Mart surged more than 12 percent yesterday on news that it will issue a mini version of its wildly trendy Labubu dolls. 

  The Labubu is a four-inch furry creature with rabbit-like ears and a grin with nine delta-shaped teeth. They’re sold “blind” in a box … you don’t know which model you get until you open it. 

  The dolls have become coveted accessories for the rich and famous,  dangling from designer handbags, collected, and sometimes re-sold for thousands of dollars. The mini-Labubu will be small enough to hang from a cellphone.

  They come and they go. Does anyone remember Cabbage Patch Kids? Bratz dolls? Anyone? 

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