“The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) spent millions of American taxpayer dollars propping up pet projects like dog collar manufacturing and pickle making in Ukraine and then spent months stonewalling members of Congress about that spending, according to findings obtained by The Federalist.
Sen. Joni Ernst’s staff uncovered the secret slush funds when, after months of enduring the agency’s excuses to justify its resistance to oversight, they were finally permitted access to “very limited data.” In October 2024, as Ernst has since detailed, the senator’s staff visited USAID headquarters in person for an “in-camera review” of Ukraine assistance data even though, her team discovered, the documents were not classified.
Even though they were heavily restricted during their investigation, Ernst’s team discovered a variety of U.S. taxpayer-funded grants funneled to Ukrainian businesses under the guise of both Competitive Economy Program (CEP) and Investment for Business Resilience funds.
Among the grants Ernst’s staff discovered were hundreds of thousands of dollars devoted to literal pet projects including approximately $300,000 to a “pet tracking app,” approximately $300,000 to a “dog collar manufacturer,” and approximately another $109,000 to a “pet food packaging producer,” according to a findings breakdown Ernst’s office sent to The Federalist…..”
“DNI Tulsi Gabbard says over 100 intelligence agents who were caught undermining her leadership over chat, glorifying heinous acts of fornication, and engaging in acts unbecoming of federal employees, are being FIRED.
“Tulsi Gabbard has fired everyone involved in the chats published by @realchrisrufo!
“I put out a directive today that they will all be terminated, and their security clearances will be revoked.”
“The thing here is we have to take a step back because this is just barely scratching the surface.”
“So today’s action in holding these individuals accountable is just the beginning of what we see across the Trump Administration.”
“Clean house, root out the rot in corruption and weaponization in politicization so we can start to rebuild that trust in these institutions that are charged with an important mission of serving the American people, ensuring our safety, security, and freedom.””
“CA has a major loophole in anti-corruption regulations that allows elected leaders to raise unlimited sums of cash from corporate interests, and even foreign governments, as long as they do so through nonprofits or foundations that they have tremendous influence over.”
Ok, a date has been set for the signing. This Friday, Zelensky will come to DC to sign the rare minerals deal with the President. I think Trump wants to sign a similar deal with Putin as well. His strategy for peace is quite ingenious really. I think it will work, eventually.
“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will fly to Washington D.C. to sign a rare earth mineral deal with President Donald Trump on Friday, formalising a future economic relationship between the two countries and ensuring a return on investment for America’s large spending on the Ukraine war.
Dealmaker Donald Trump appears to have struck again, with Ukraine agreeing to sign a mineral rights deal without explicit future security guarantees. Both the U.S. and Ukraine say President Zelensky will go to Washington on Friday to seal the deal with President Trump in person.
President Trump mooted the deal as a way of recouping the billions of dollars the United States has spent on supporting Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion. While an investment fund is mutually beneficial, with Ukraine urgently needing new industries post-war if it hopes to recover, the deal had initially been dismissed out of hand as unreasonably demanding….”
I am encouraged to see the possibility of having a more cordial relationship with Russia. This is a very good interview with Putin in which he gives his assessment of his talks with Trump. He’s very open to signing some kind of deal for join participation with US companies even inside of Russia itself. It’s time to bury the old Soviet hatred and discover who Russia is and wants to be today.
The left side of the internet is a buzz with lists of budget cuts to SNAP (230 billion) Medicaid (800 billion) etc and contrasts it with tax cuts for billionaires and raising the debt ceiling. They also specifically mentioned no tax breaks on tips, overtime and Social Security.
So I was interested in AJ’s X link at 11:27 which states the opposite but either the link doesn’t work or it has been taken down.
The Guardian didn’t mention anything specific — other than some Republicans want more specifics during reconciliation. I’m interested to see if there’s any specific info from a reliable source.
My initial impression of the US-Ukraine mineral deal is fairly positive. It has nothing to do with peace and in fact allows the war to continue. Its fairly straight forward — money and weapons for mineral development. Interestingly although the US gets 50% of any new mine development the first level of post profit investment has to be done in Ukraine. For example, if a mine makes a million dollars, then it must be invested in Ukraine and only if that investment makes money does 50% go to the US.
If my understanding is correct, this will work out well for Ukraine. This commits the US to financial investments in Ukraine and thus they now have a vested interest in an independent Ukraine. As well, money and weapons will continue to flow.
Explicit security guarantees are missing but Z managed to embed US financial interests in Ukraine, and that might be enough.
Exactly, HRW. And I look forward to a similar deal signed with Russia. It incentivizes both sides to come to an agreement. And Ukraine will likely end up smaller, neutral and much more prosperous as a result. Win,win,win.
Wandering Views 
Close them down. Your tax dollars at work:
“The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) spent millions of American taxpayer dollars propping up pet projects like dog collar manufacturing and pickle making in Ukraine and then spent months stonewalling members of Congress about that spending, according to findings obtained by The Federalist.
Sen. Joni Ernst’s staff uncovered the secret slush funds when, after months of enduring the agency’s excuses to justify its resistance to oversight, they were finally permitted access to “very limited data.” In October 2024, as Ernst has since detailed, the senator’s staff visited USAID headquarters in person for an “in-camera review” of Ukraine assistance data even though, her team discovered, the documents were not classified.
Even though they were heavily restricted during their investigation, Ernst’s team discovered a variety of U.S. taxpayer-funded grants funneled to Ukrainian businesses under the guise of both Competitive Economy Program (CEP) and Investment for Business Resilience funds.
Among the grants Ernst’s staff discovered were hundreds of thousands of dollars devoted to literal pet projects including approximately $300,000 to a “pet tracking app,” approximately $300,000 to a “dog collar manufacturer,” and approximately another $109,000 to a “pet food packaging producer,” according to a findings breakdown Ernst’s office sent to The Federalist…..”
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/26/exclusive-usaid-blew-hundreds-of-thousands-in-taxpayer-slush-funds-on-ukrainian-pickle-maker-pet-accessories/
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is an interesting study from Pew Research: Decline of Christianity in the U.S. Has Slowed, May Have Leveled Off
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/decline-of-christianity-in-the-us-has-slowed-may-have-leveled-off/#trends-in-the-religiousness-of-christians
LikeLiked by 2 people
People publicly calling for assassination and/or violence need to be accountable.
https://x.com/USAEdMartin/status/1894113722827690318
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is the way….
https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1894570465424736704?t=0VMtfeOYX3sRrCHAWWg7Aw&s=19
“DNI Tulsi Gabbard says over 100 intelligence agents who were caught undermining her leadership over chat, glorifying heinous acts of fornication, and engaging in acts unbecoming of federal employees, are being FIRED.
Thank you @DNIGabbard!”
—–
LikeLiked by 4 people
“Tulsi Gabbard has fired everyone involved in the chats published by @realchrisrufo!
“I put out a directive today that they will all be terminated, and their security clearances will be revoked.”
“The thing here is we have to take a step back because this is just barely scratching the surface.”
“So today’s action in holding these individuals accountable is just the beginning of what we see across the Trump Administration.”
“Clean house, root out the rot in corruption and weaponization in politicization so we can start to rebuild that trust in these institutions that are charged with an important mission of serving the American people, ensuring our safety, security, and freedom.””
https://x.com/dogefather_Twit/status/1894759231615881307?t=jSZ4L1zrKGHn5y5kwo1DSQ&s=19
LikeLiked by 2 people
Facts and truth.
https://x.com/DefiyantlyFree/status/1894784624233968028?t=Yq8rO0ZoSsO7h-b2yIe28Q&s=19
“No tax on tips will benefit over 4 million people who are on tip income.
No tax on social security will benefit over 65 million people.
No tax on overtime pay and this actually benefits over 10 million people.
None of these people are billionaires or millionaires.
These are elderly people who are retired or younger people who are working. All of them in the lower to middle class bracket.
Thats why democrats hate these tax cuts.”
LikeLiked by 3 people
Sure, it’s corrupt, but this is Dem run Cali here…..
https://x.com/AnaKasparian/status/1894786458793157055?t=UgcG5tEdpfqFe0CI9L1qDg&s=19
“CA has a major loophole in anti-corruption regulations that allows elected leaders to raise unlimited sums of cash from corporate interests, and even foreign governments, as long as they do so through nonprofits or foundations that they have tremendous influence over.”
—-
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2025/02/26/californias_other_dodgers_pols_exploiting_a_golden_gateway_to_murky_behested_payments_1093289.html
LikeLiked by 3 people
We should be producing our own drugs, for safety and economic reasons.
https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1894788173026238768?t=FZeChInPxKl7pjzbmMahkw&s=19
“BREAKING: Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announces a $27 billion manufacturing investment in the U.S.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
“SCOOP: Trump To Tap Democrat Lawfare Target Jeff Clark As White House Regulation Czar”
https://x.com/FDRLST/status/1894787990985035993?t=u-DpzbCeA-D-HrCL2JES3g&s=19
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Kill all the chickens because all the chickens will die if we don’t kill them!”
https://x.com/DataRepublican/status/1894785145347170598?t=4qcgEphS8cSgeoNbKmW53g&s=19
—-
https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1894778483198308489?t=wkNIgS2MfBFGkBQtHAFf0g&s=19
“We need to stop with this ridiculous tactic of just culling sick chickens.
Food labels already say to cook poultry to 165.
I don’t care if we want to separate “flu” eggs/meat from non-flu eggs/meat (if that’s even plausible). Just stop culling them.”
—-
And spiking the price of chicken and eggs, whichever came first.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ok, a date has been set for the signing. This Friday, Zelensky will come to DC to sign the rare minerals deal with the President. I think Trump wants to sign a similar deal with Putin as well. His strategy for peace is quite ingenious really. I think it will work, eventually.
“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will fly to Washington D.C. to sign a rare earth mineral deal with President Donald Trump on Friday, formalising a future economic relationship between the two countries and ensuring a return on investment for America’s large spending on the Ukraine war.
Dealmaker Donald Trump appears to have struck again, with Ukraine agreeing to sign a mineral rights deal without explicit future security guarantees. Both the U.S. and Ukraine say President Zelensky will go to Washington on Friday to seal the deal with President Trump in person.
President Trump mooted the deal as a way of recouping the billions of dollars the United States has spent on supporting Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion. While an investment fund is mutually beneficial, with Ukraine urgently needing new industries post-war if it hopes to recover, the deal had initially been dismissed out of hand as unreasonably demanding….”
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/02/26/ukraine-agrees-trumps-rare-earth-minerals-deal-zelensky-to-sign-friday/
LikeLiked by 2 people
I am encouraged to see the possibility of having a more cordial relationship with Russia. This is a very good interview with Putin in which he gives his assessment of his talks with Trump. He’s very open to signing some kind of deal for join participation with US companies even inside of Russia itself. It’s time to bury the old Soviet hatred and discover who Russia is and wants to be today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Meanwhile, over at The New Republic, hair is ablaze over the very thought that peace and mutual prosperity might break out between the US and Russia.
https://news.yahoo.com/trump-makes-clear-where-loyalty-205603766.html
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh nooooos!
Lol. So predictable. 🙄
LikeLiked by 1 person
The left side of the internet is a buzz with lists of budget cuts to SNAP (230 billion) Medicaid (800 billion) etc and contrasts it with tax cuts for billionaires and raising the debt ceiling. They also specifically mentioned no tax breaks on tips, overtime and Social Security.
So I was interested in AJ’s X link at 11:27 which states the opposite but either the link doesn’t work or it has been taken down.
The Guardian didn’t mention anything specific — other than some Republicans want more specifics during reconciliation. I’m interested to see if there’s any specific info from a reliable source.
hrw
LikeLike
My initial impression of the US-Ukraine mineral deal is fairly positive. It has nothing to do with peace and in fact allows the war to continue. Its fairly straight forward — money and weapons for mineral development. Interestingly although the US gets 50% of any new mine development the first level of post profit investment has to be done in Ukraine. For example, if a mine makes a million dollars, then it must be invested in Ukraine and only if that investment makes money does 50% go to the US.
If my understanding is correct, this will work out well for Ukraine. This commits the US to financial investments in Ukraine and thus they now have a vested interest in an independent Ukraine. As well, money and weapons will continue to flow.
Explicit security guarantees are missing but Z managed to embed US financial interests in Ukraine, and that might be enough.
hrw
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly, HRW. And I look forward to a similar deal signed with Russia. It incentivizes both sides to come to an agreement. And Ukraine will likely end up smaller, neutral and much more prosperous as a result. Win,win,win.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have no idea if how the budget is going, other than the House did pass Trump’s budget. Now it’s wait and see.
LikeLiked by 1 person