Zerohedge

Biden Admits He Didn't Sign Pardons. Emails Show Staff Did It For Him Authored by Luis Cornelio via Headline USA, Former President Joe Biden has admitted that he didn’t manually sign all of the pardons he issued before leaving office in January.  In a softball interview with The New York Times that ran on Sunday, Biden revealed that his staff used an autopen device to replicate his signature on clemency documents due to the large volume.  “I made every decision,” Biden told the leftist outlet. Defending the use of the autopen, he added that “we’re talking about a whole lot of people.”  🚨🚨The New York Times CONFIRMS: Dr. Anthony Fauci’s pardon was approved at 10:30 p.m. by Biden’s White House Chief of Staff, Jeff Zients, using the president’s autopen signature. In other words: there was collusion, there was a conspiracy, and there was election interference… pic.twitter.com/XAdOsafFdr — 🇺🇸RealRobert🇺🇸 (@Real_RobN) July 14, 2025 The one-term president’s admission comes as the Trump-era White House, the DOJ and Congress launch separate investigations into the legitimacy of the pardons. Some experts argue are illegitimate because they were never physically signed by Biden.  Biden downplayed Trump’s concerns about the potential abuse of the autopen in remarks to The Times: “I understand why Trump would think that, because obviously, I guess, he doesn’t focus much. Anyway, so — yes, I made every decision.”  Emails turned over by the National Archives show then–Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, not Biden, authorizing the autopen.  “I approve the use of the autopen for the execution of all of the following pardons,” Zients wrote in one exchange, according to the outlet.  Former White House staff secretary Stefanie Feldman managed the process. She reportedly ran the clemency documents through a device and receive “blurbs” claiming Biden had approved them.  Responding to concerns that he was incapacitated and that aides exploited the autopen, Biden shot back: “They’re liars. They know it. They know, for certain. I mean, this is — look, what they, they’ve had a pretty good thing going here. They’ve done so badly.”  Biden defended the pre-emptive pardons for his family when asked, claiming without evidence that Trump would have launched vindictive criminal investigations against them.  “I know how vindictive he is. I mean, everybody knows how vindictive he is. So we knew that they’d do what they’re doing now,” he claimed. “And my family didn’t do anything wrong. My sister, my brother-in-law, my — my brother, etc. And — and all it would do is, if they, if he went after them, would be, is run up legal bills.”  In total, Biden commuted 1,500 sentences and pardoned 39 others. He also reversed the sentences of nearly 2,500 inmates serving time on crack cocaine convictions.  Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 17:10

Secret Meeting Opens Document Floodgates On Trump/Russia Hoax: Sperry Authored by Paul Sperry via RealClearInvestigations, The floodgates holding back long-buried classified documents exposing government efforts to claim Donald Trump conspired with Vladimir Putin to manipulate the 2016 U.S. presidential election might finally be opening.  Trump administration officials held an urgent meeting Sunday to discuss “new information on Russiagate,” which they might use to build a criminal conspiracy case against Obama and Biden administration political appointees who allegedly weaponized the government against Trump, two Trump administration officials told RealClearInvestigations. The documents are said to contain long-classified information, including a secret 200-page congressional audit that reveals details about how an intelligence community assessment on Russia ordered by President Obama after the 2016 election was framed in a way that portrayed Trump as being beholden to the  Kremlin. Sources told RCI that emails and other records tying the CIA’s controversial drafting of the Intelligence Community Assessment [ICA] to the FBI’s discredited “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation targeting Trump could be released as part of an Office of the Director of National Intelligence report as early as Thursday. The White House was briefed on the development Tuesday, the sources said. Participants in the Sunday meeting involving intelligence officials and their Department of Justice counterparts also discussed declassifying investigative notes and depositions taken by Special Counsel John Durham during his probe of the CIA’s and FBI’s handling of the ICA, which relied in part on an anti-Trump dossier financed by the Hillary Clinton campaign. Strengthening Case for Conspiracy  The information could strengthen a criminal case against Obama’s top intelligence officers, including former CIA Director John Brennan, who allegedly gave false testimony to Congress about their role in using the dossier in the ICA, according to the officials who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive information. Although the five-year statute of limitations on perjury means much of the testimony given about the ICA cannot be prosecuted, officials could still be charged with a conspiracy to commit perjury. Sources said the meeting, which was arranged by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, was held in a secure room known as a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility). The meeting also focused on the release of a highly restricted appendix to Durham’s final report that details intelligence Brennan intercepted exposing a plan by the Clinton campaign in July 2016 to stir up an election scandal involving Trump and Russia to distract from her email investigation. Instead of investigating the Clinton plot, the FBI opened an investigation into Trump and his campaign advisers for allegedly colluding with Russia. Officials attending the meeting also discussed the need to declassify another classified annex, which was attached to an inspector general’s review of the FBI’s probe of Clinton’s unsecured email server. Sources say it details how then-Secretary of State Clinton’s improper email activity gave “foreign actors” access to classified material. Yet the FBI neglected to investigate the security breach, fitting a pattern of then-FBI Director James Comey letting Clinton off the hook while gunning for Trump. Sources say the meeting was attended by senior staff of both ODNI and DOJ and also involved the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and DOJ’s Weaponization Working Group, but did not include Trump’s intelligence czar, DNI Tulsi Gabbard, or Attorney General Pam Bondi. ODNI, which declined comment, has the authority to declassify documents across the intelligence community. Gabbard has tasked a group of analysts to comb through the explosive House Intelligence Committee’s 2019 review of the ICA and other still-secret documents to identify sensitive “sources and methods” and make redactions where necessary before declassifying them for possible use in court. “They have a team working on that,” said an administration official familiar with the operation. Weaponizing Russian Intelligence A U.S. intelligence official alleged the outgoing administration weaponized the Russian intelligence to sabotage President-elect Trump in the weeks before he took office in January 2017. “Obama ordered the ICA to set Trump up and knock him off balance before he could even get started,” said the senior official, who asked to remain anonymous. “This was an influence operation far more consequential than anything [Russian President Vladimir] Putin cooked up. Obama and Hillary [Clinton] schemed the op, and the CIA and FBI ran it.” At the time they drafted the ICA in December 2016, this official noted, the CIA and FBI knew that Clinton had approved a plan by her then-foreign policy adviser, Jake Sullivan – who would later become President Biden’s National Security Advisor – to “stir up” a scandal on Trump about Russia. They also knew then that the dossier they referenced in the intelligence assessment was opposition research underwritten by the Clinton campaign. Several months earlier, Brennan made a referral to the FBI to open a counterespionage case to find out how Russian intelligence intercepted information about Clinton’s plan to tie up Trump in a fake Kremlin scandal.  Brennan appears to have been less concerned about the Clinton campaign’s disinformation campaign than the fact that Moscow knew about it. This so alarmed Brennan that he briefed Obama about it, according to a summary of his handwritten notes, declassified in 2020. The referral, known as a counterintelligence operational lead (CIOL), was sent to Comey, who in turn forwarded it to then-FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok to investigate. Strzok – who was fired by the FBI after his anti-Trump views became public – opened an investigation, codenamed Crossfire Hurricane, not of Clinton but the Trump campaign. Brian Greer, a former Brennan aide, confirmed that the purpose of the counterintelligence operation was not to investigate the Clinton campaign’s dirty tricks, but to determine if the Russians had learned of the deceit by penetrating the Clinton camp. The concern, he said, was that Clinton “may have been spied on by a hostile intelligence service.” Investigating Trump, Protecting Clinton  So instead of investigating the Clinton campaign for providing knowingly false and/or misleading information to the FBI in the form of the transparently spurious Steele dossier, the bureau used the Clinton-funded dossier as evidence to obtain a wiretap to spy on the Trump campaign as part of a year-long counterintelligence investigation. The disparate treatment by investigators is something Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel are focusing on in their conspiracy probe, sources say. To that end, they are also seeking the declassification of all investigative records generated from the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane probe as well as its investigation of Clinton’s emails, codenamed “Midyear Exam.” A Feb. 24, 2016, email between Strzok and then-deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe’s special assistant Lisa Page suggests the FBI investigators planned to treat Clinton with kid gloves during her interview. Page: “One more thing: [Clinton] may be our next president. The last thing you need [is] going in there loaded for bear.” Strzok: “Agreed.” Durham noted that the still-classified appendix to his final report contains “specific indications and additional facts that heightened the potential relevance of this [Clinton Plan] intelligence” to further investigations. Some former FBI officials say federal prosecutors have sufficient grounds to charge Obama’s FBI and CIA officials with criminal conspiracy.  “You look back at what was going on in the FBI starting in 2016 [with] these cases [and] the way they approached Gen. [Michael] Flynn; Crossfire Hurricane; the Russian ‘collusion’ case [prosecuted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller]; then moving to the raid on Mar-a-Lago [and] the [DOJ] lawfare that came after President Trump, this is outrageous. And then you had the arrogance of these two individuals  – Comey and Brennan – it was unbelievable,” former FBI special-agent-in-charge Jody P. Weis, a 22-year veteran of the bureau, said in a recent interview. “So I’m extremely happy that someone is looking into this.” Paul Sperry is an investigative reporter for RealClearInvestigations. He is also a longtime media fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution. Sperry was previously the Washington bureau chief for Investor’s Business Daily, and his work has appeared in the New York Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Houston Chronicle, among other major publications. Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 16:30

US Spot Ether ETFs Post New Record Inflow As Altcoins Pump Authored by Tarang Khaitan via CoinTelegraph.com, US spot Ether exchange-traded funds recorded an inflow of $726.6 million on Wednesday as altcoins rallied. BlackRock's ETHA also saw a daily inflow record, contributing $499 million to the day’s results, while Fidelity’s FETH fund saw the second highest net inflow of $113 million, according to Farside Investors. US spot Ether ETFs now collectively hold more than 5 million ETH, accounting for more than 4% of the circulating supply, according to Trader T. Spot Ether ETFs witnessed net inflows of almost $727 million on Wednesday. Wednesday’s inflow beats the prior daily net inflow record of $428 million on Dec. 5, 2024, by almost 70%, according to Farside Investors. In the past 24 hours, $6.74 million worth of ETH was issued by the network, while US spot Ether ETFs bought nearly 107 times the issuance on Wednesday, according to Ultra Sound Money. Altcoins rally over 24 hours ETH is trading at almost $3,346, up 7.2% in the past 24 hours, and has witnessed a 30% rally in the past 14 days, according to CoinGecko. Crypto analyst Matthew Hyland has stated that Bitcoin dominance has likely peaked if ETH continues its rally. On Saturday, Hyland said that altcoins will likely go up even higher if the Bitcoin dominance falls to 45%. Currently, Bitcoin’s market dominance stands at 61%. In the past 24 hours, XRP, BNB, Solana, Dogecoin, Tron, and Cardano have gone up by 7.6%, 3.4%, 5.2%, 6.9%, 3.2%, and 3.5%, respectively, whereas BTC has climbed just 0.7%. Corporations pile into ETH Corporate treasuries holding ETH now exceed $5.33 billion, accounting for nearly 1.33% of ETH’s circulating supply, according to Strategic ETH Reserve. Last month, corporations added over $1.6 billion in Ether alone, Cointelegraph reported.  One of the biggest buyers has been SharpLink Gaming, which bought another $68 million in ETH over the past 24 hours. The firm has acquired $343 million worth of ETH in the past eight days, according to Lookonchain. ETH is significantly outperforming BTC in recent weeks Meanwhile, World Liberty Financial — backed by US President Donald Trump — purchased an additional $5 million worth of ETH at $3,266, above its average acquisition price between November 2024 and March 2025. BitMine Immersion Technologies, chaired by Fundstrat’s Tom Lee, announced that it now holds more than half a billion dollars worth of ETH in its treasury. Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 14:45

Yield Curve Control? Why Not... By Peter Tchir of Academy Securities There is a lot of chatter surrounding the Federal Reserve. The FOMC, etc. What the President will or will not do. What can be “successfully” done or not. Will Powell be fired? Today, Kevin Warsh is floating the idea of better aligning the Fed and Treasury, as has been the case in the past (so I’m told). Warsh: "we need another Treasury-Fed accord" The last time we had such an accord (in 1951), there was Yield Curve Control in the US. Clear what's coming. — zerohedge (@zerohedge) July 17, 2025 Most of the analysis about what may happen tends to fall along the lines of: Probably cannot “fire” Powell anyways. Even if Powell is “fired” it is a committee and the committee won’t do anything drastic. The front end might rally a bit, but “we” will lose control over the long end. Why not think more outside the box? There are a few things we know: The President thinks rates are too high. The President (and Bessent) are focused on the 10-year and believe that is also too high. The President has no problem (at least on tariffs) dictating specific numbers. Why would this administration only do something halfway? If you are going to do something radical – why not go all the way? Cut interest rates – by ensuring the Chair and Committee are on board with it. I cannot say that I’ve given any thought to how to reset the committee, but I’d be surprised if that was more difficult than making changes at the top of the house? And there are people on the committee who already have more rate cuts in their “dots” than is priced in. It may also be safe to presume that if the Chair was dovish, some people might move their dots, as a cut here or there is already probably too precise for all the guesswork involved. Align the Fed and Treasury. Seems strange, but is it really that wild? If rates out the curve don’t perform as expected (move significantly lower in response rate cuts) then why not just “set the curve”? The Fed has done QE (bought treasuries). The Fed has done Operation Twist (bought/sold treasuries to influence the shape of the curve). It isn’t the first time since the GFC that we’ve chatted about the potential for yield curve control: if the Fed is going to set rates in a world where longer term rates are likely more important than short term rates, why not set those too? Who knows if anything will happen. But presumably, by May of next year at the latest (and that seems like a lifetime away) we will see changes in how the Fed behaves. I’m not arguing against Fed independence and the dual mandate, etc., but you can see the appeal of going in a different direction. Set yields across the curve. Issue debt to take advantage of these yields. Save “trillions” in interest rate expense. There is no easier way to lower projected annual deficits than by reducing costs. That would actually help lower yields too. If long end treasury yields cannot bear the brunt of potential reckless Fed policy (because of yield curve control) then the dollar will likely be hit hard. Yeah, there is always “strong dollar” rhetoric, but imagine a world with higher tariffs AND a cheaper dollar? Imports look way more expensive and the U.S. exports start to look a lot cheaper. A materially weaker dollar may be viewed as a “feature” not a “bug” if your primary goal is more manufacturing in the U.S. 1985: Plaza Accord 2025: Powell fired — zerohedge (@zerohedge) July 16, 2025 Again, no idea how this will play out, but expecting only one “radical” move seems a little “naïve”? If you are going to reshape something (like monetary policy) why not reshape it all the way? In any case, maybe we should be spending less time thinking about “how much steeper will the yield curve go” if something happens to the Fed, to what would you do to ensure long end yields don’t rise? Just thinking out loud, but if we are going to get “radical” why wouldn’t we get really radical? Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 13:45

USDt Market Cap Hits $160B, Cementing Its 'Digital Dollar' Role: Tether CEO Authored by Amin Haqshanas via CoinTelegraph.com, The market cap of Tether’s USDt, the world’s largest stablecoin, has surpassed $160 billion for the first time, a “new mind-blowing milestone,” according to Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino. In a Thursday post on X, Ardoino called the achievement a testament to USDt’s growing role as the digital dollar for “billions of people living in emerging markets and developing countries.” USDt crossed $150 billion in May. Ardoino has said that USDt is used by more than 400 million people worldwide, expanding by 35 million wallets each quarter, especially in emerging markets where it serves as a reliable dollar substitute. The blockchain distribution of USDt shows that Tron hosts the highest USDt supply, now accounting for about $81 billion, compared to Ethereum’s $65 billion, according to data from DefiLlama. USDt issuance on other networks is significantly smaller, totaling $6.8 billion on BNB Chain, $2.3 billion on Solana and $1.1 billion on Polygon. USDt’s market cap hits $160 billion. Source: Paolo Ardoino USDt backed by cash and US Treasurys According to Tether’s attestations, cash and cash equivalents, primarily short-term US Treasurys, constitute 81.5% of USDT’s backing reserves, with Bitcoin accounting for 5.1%. Tether holds over $127 billion in US Treasurys as of Q2 2025, ranking as the 18th largest holder globally, alongside countries like South Korea and Germany. The company posted over $1 billion in operating profit in Q1. The stablecoin issuer has also been consistently minting new tokens. On Wednesday, Tether minted another $1 billion, with more than $4 billion over the past week alone. Last week, Tether announced it will stop allowing redemptions of USDt on five legacy blockchains, including Omni Layer, Bitcoin Cash SLP, Kusama, EOS (now Vaulta), and Algorand, starting Sept. 1. The move aims to let the company focus on blockchains with better scalability, more developer activity and stronger community engagement, according to CEO Ardoino. Stablecoin market expands amid growing regulatory clarity The stablecoin market has been expanding quickly, with fiat-pegged digital assets increasingly seen as the internet’s go-to settlement layer. In 2024, stablecoin transaction volumes even surpassed those of Visa and Mastercard combined. The growing momentum comes as the Trump administration has prioritized stablecoin regulation, with the GENIUS Act leading the charge. The bill gained bipartisan support in the Senate Banking Committee and passed the Senate in June. However, it stalled in the House of Representatives after a group of lawmakers blocked a key procedural vote on Tuesday. The House is set to vote Thursday on the GENIUS Act as a standalone measure. Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 13:05

Study Finds Congress Often Out Of Sync With America Authored by Adair Teuton via RealClearPolitics, In an era of deep political polarization, a new study indicates that many members of Congress may be out of step not just with the opposition party, but with their own voters as well. The study by the Institute for Legislative Analysis, a conservative group led by Republican Party activists Fred McGrath and Ryan McGowan, compares the ideological leanings of every sitting member of Congress with the partisan makeup of their districts, drawing on more than 100,000 votes cast in the last session and overlapping them with the Cook Political Report’s Partisan Voter Index. The result is a striking picture of ideological misalignment across both parties, particularly among Republicans from deep-red states. “It’s shocking to see that some Republican lawmakers are more aligned with the Democratic Party than with their own constituents,” said Fred McGrath, president of ILA and leader of this study. More than two-thirds of lawmakers received a failing grade (“F”) for ideological alignment with their districts. Republicans were most often penalized for voting less conservatively than their deep-red districts, while Democrats struggled to meet the progressive expectations of blue districts. “This study shows the overwhelming majority of elected officials in both parties are out of alignment with the people they represent,” said Ryan McGowan, CEO of the ILA. “Too many are either voting against the ideological tendencies of their constituents or failing to provide a clear alternative when representing swing districts.” District-Based Grading System The ILA introduced a District-Based Grading System to measure how well a lawmaker’s voting record aligns with their district’s ideological makeup. Districts are assigned an expected Limited Government Rating based on their partisan voter index, and lawmakers are graded on how closely their actual voting record matches that expectation. The study found that some of the most conservative states had Republican lawmakers voting more liberally than their districts. For example, South Dakota Republicans had the largest average gap, scoring 24.3 points more progressive than their voters. Rep. Hal Rogers, a Kentucky Republican, showed a 63% more progressive voting record than his district.  Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, by contrast, nearly perfectly matched her district’s ideological makeup with a +3 LGR that aligns with her district’s +3 voter index. Texas Democrats voted 3.4 points more conservatively than their district's preferences, the highest such gap among Democrats. “While one may expect the most conservative lawmakers in Congress to represent the deepest red states, the data proves this is simply not the case,” McGowan said. The study suggests that electoral dynamics in swing states like Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina push lawmakers to align more closely with their constituents. “Lawmakers in these states are under more scrutiny, which may explain their better alignment with their voters,” McGrath said. The study found the largest ideological gaps in fiscal and tax policy. Many GOP lawmakers in red states failed to vote in line with conservative fiscal priorities, despite their campaign promises. This misalignment is particularly noticeable in states like South Dakota, Arkansas, and Mississippi, which don’t receive the same level of electoral scrutiny as swing states. “Special interests and lobbying pressures may play a role, but the lack of consistent public scrutiny in these deep-red states is a key factor,” McGrath noted. Movement conservatives (and progressive activists alike) have long demanded fealty to the policy preferences of their own political “base.” But the ILA suggests that reaching political consensus – or even public policy compromise – would be more difficult if lawmakers adhered strictly to the desires of their respective bases. “I don’t know if all lawmakers voting completely in-line with their districts would necessarily drive greater ‘consensus,’” McGrath explained, “if by that you mean lawmakers of both parties agreeing with one another on policy.” McGrath highlighted that the study found the largest disconnect between lawmakers and their voters in deeply red states. “If these members of Congress voted based on the makeup and views of their constituents, then they would have taken more conservative stances on policy when casting their votes,” he said. He concluded that the data shows many Republicans are voting more progressively than their districts, suggesting that if proper alignment existed, Congress would likely see more conservative policies enacted. As the 2026 primaries approach, the ILA scorecards may become a powerful tool for challengers seeking to unseat incumbents who are seen as ideologically extreme or insufficiently aligned with their party. By offering a clearer view of how lawmakers’ votes align with their districts, the study provides voters with the information they need to assess whether their elected officials truly reflect their values. Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 12:25

Natural Gas Is America's Strategic Advantage Fueling The AI Race Authored by Karen Harbert via RealClearEnergy, Today, countries around the globe are in a new race for primacy of artificial intelligence (AI) that will define economic and technological competition in the 21st century. As global powers like China accelerate investments, America’s ability to lead hinges on its capability to rapidly scale compute capacity, a feat dependent on abundant and available energy. While many energy sources will play a role, there is one that can provide the reliability, flexibility, and scalability to keep America at the head of the race: natural gas. Advancing AI infrastructure means providing the energy to support exponential computational growth. From California to Texas to Virginia, data centers are popping up at an unprecedented rate, each requiring extensive power infrastructure. Goldman Sachs Research estimates data center power demand will grow by 160% by 2030. Without adequate energy infrastructure, America's AI ambitions risk being throttled. The race for AI primacy depends on our ability to scale our energy infrastructure to meet the growing demand while maintaining reliability, affordability and safety for data centers, for businesses and manufacturing and for our families. Of all the available energy sources in the U.S., natural gas is uniquely positioned to support the rapid demand growth required for America to lead the way in AI without jeopardizing reliability or affordability. With more than 2.8 million miles of pipeline networks, extensive storage systems, and abundant natural gas resources, the U.S. natural gas industry is strategically placed to serve as the backbone of a scalable energy system that can reliably meet surging energy demands. We currently have a front row seat to history with the opportunity to accelerate the buildout of the vast natural gas pipeline system to meet the increasing energy demands from data centers. Pipeline development projects help to ensure consistent and reliable energy delivery to new large demand centers and existing consumers. Every year, more than 21,000 businesses sign up to use natural gas for their manufacturing processes, heating needs, and operational tasks. Its cost-effectiveness is unmatched, with natural gas saving commercial and industrial customers more than half a trillion dollars over the last decade. Data centers value reliability of supply at a premium: 78% of surveyed data centers experienced power outages between 2017 and 2020, with unplanned downtime costing some facilities more than $100,000 per incident. Such losses of power risk corrupting data, halting critical services, and even melting down servers. With only one in 650 natural gas customers expected to experience a planned or unplanned natural gas outage in any given year, natural gas is a clear solution. Natural gas continues to drive clean energy in the power sector. Since 2005, natural gas has been responsible for 60% of the CO2 emission reductions in electricity generation. As the energy sector advances and innovates, natural gas will continue to play a vital role in driving sustainable progress. The partnership of natural gas and AI can position American business and manufacturing at the forefront of innovation. It can increase living standards and fuel economic growth in ways unseen since the Industrial Revolution. It will strengthen our national security and keep America as a production giant on the global stage. The innovative relationship between AI and natural gas also creates a virtuous cycle – while natural gas fuels AI, the technology itself provides vast opportunities to help make natural gas distribution smarter, more efficient and cleaner. Advanced AI can optimize energy exploration, enhance system repairs and improvements, and create a cleaner, more efficient and less costly natural gas system. Further innovation in renewable natural gas and hydrogen blending will also continue to advance a more efficient, lower-emissions energy system. The U.S. has always risen to the challenge of global competition through innovation, resilience and strategic investment. In the 1960s, it was about reaching the moon. Today, it’s about leading on artificial intelligence, maximizing our economic capabilities, and winning that race against competitors like China. According to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, U.S. natural gas provides the critical competitive advantage that America can utilize to get ahead. Natural gas is the key to ensuring America wins in this race. Policymakers must recognize the critical intersection of energy and AI competitiveness. Accelerating the expansion and modernization of natural gas infrastructure is needed to keep pace with growing demand. Therefore, streamlined permitting reform is now vital to support American innovation. The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce, but with natural gas fueling our advancement, America is well-equipped to cross the finish line first. Karen Harbert is President and CEO of the American Gas Association.  Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 11:45

US Strikes Destroyed Only One Of Three Iranian Nuclear Sites: Intel Assessment The intelligence-gathering saga and (highly politicized) efforts to ascertain just how much of Iran's nuclear program was truly destroyed during the US attacks on Iran called "Midnight Hammer" on June 22 continues. And now NBC is reporting that it was likely much less damage inflicted on two among the three facilities than previously thought. "One of the three nuclear enrichment sites in Iran struck by the United States last month was mostly destroyed, setting work there back significantly," the Thursday report says. "But the two others were not as badly damaged and may have been degraded only to a point where nuclear enrichment could resume in the next several months if Iran wants it to, according to a recent U.S. assessment of the destruction caused by the military operation, five current and former U.S. officials familiar with the assessment told NBC News." One of Iran's nuclear sites allegedly destroyed in US strike, via Reuters. The assessment was issued in a briefing to some US lawmakers, as well as American defense officials and even allied countries in recent days, officials told NBC. Another revelation is that US Central Command (CENTCOM) "had developed a much more comprehensive plan to strike Iran that would have involved hitting three additional sites in an operation that would have stretched for several weeks instead of a single night, according to a current US official and two former US officials." Of course, it is normal and standard practice for Pentagon planners to develop and present multiple 'options' for any potential military course of action when briefing the Commander-in-Chief. Trump balked at the weeks-long plan version of an attack, seeing in it a recipe for getting the US sucked into another Middle East quagmire: President Donald Trump was briefed on that plan, but it was rejected because it was at odds with his foreign policy instincts to extract the United States from conflicts abroad, not dig deeper into them, as well as the possibility of a high number of casualties on both sides, one of the current officials and one of the former officials said. "We were willing to go all the way in our options, but the president did not want to," one of the sources with knowledge of the plan said. Despite this new US intelligence briefing saying that two of the sites among the three (Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan) were less badly damaged than previously believed, the Trump administration is sticking by the president's insistence that they were all totally "obliterated". "As the President has said and experts have verified, Operation Midnight Hammer totally obliterated Iran’s nuclear capabilities," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement responding to the NBC report. "America and the world are safer, thanks to his decisive action." 'Iran could resume nuclear enrichment in next several months' NBC, citing US officials, claims Trump's strikes 'destroyed only 1 of 3 Iranian nuclear sites' 1 of 3 mostly destroyed, other 2 'not as badly damaged' Footage: Fordow Nuclear site before & after US strikes pic.twitter.com/dL6sGqJVm2 — RT (@RT_com) July 17, 2025 The White House has of late additionally warned that it is ready to attack Iran's nuclear sites again if it is perceived that the Islamic Republic is trying to revive and utilize its sites and uranium enrichment capability. Certainly Israel would welcome such a move, as would Iran hawks in Congress. Some are already advocating for more US militarism. Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 10:45

Trump Says Coca-Cola Agreed On Major Reformulation To Use Real Cane Sugar  Just days after the White House released a list of massive corporate changes across parts of the processed foods industrial complex—including the removal of toxic synthetic dyes, seed oils, and dozens of harmful additives—President Trump posted on Truth Social that Coca-Cola will begin reformulating its U.S. products to use real cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup.  "I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so,"  President Trump wrote in the post. He added, "I'd like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them — You'll see. It's just better!"  Reuters cited a Coca-Cola spokesperson who said the Atlanta-based company will publish new offerings soon and that it appreciates the president's enthusiasm for its product. The current Coke formulation in the U.S. consists of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS-55) as its sweetener, carbonated water, caramel coloring, phosphoric acid, caffeine, and other ingredients.  HFCS consumption has been linked to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Cane sugar, on the other hand, has a slightly lower glycemic index. Still consume in moderation. While Coca-Cola had been using HFCS-55 since the 1980s in the U.S., by 2009, virtually all U.S. Coke products used HFCS-55 instead of cane sugar. This was primarily a cost-saving measure due to corn subsidies and sugar tariffs; however, it has also contributed to America's obesity crisis.  According to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Alvin Tai, a reformulation of U.S. coke products could lift domestic sugar consumption by nearly 4.5%.... Here's more from Tai: U.S. sugar consumption could rise about 4.4% from the usual amount of around 11 million metric tons annually if Coca-Cola implements President Donald Trump's advice to use cane sugar in Coke beverages within the country, we calculate. Coca-Cola sold 4.36 billion liters of regular Coke in the U.S. last year, according to Euromonitor data. Using sugar would displace high-fructose corn syrup, creating an oversupply of corn and hurting ADM's corn-processing business. Wilmar's sugar business could gain. Also, here's the growing list of major Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) changes to the nation's food supply chain:  Steak & Shake moved to 100% all-natural beef tallow and replaced its "buttery blend," which contained seed oils, with 100% Grade A Wisconsin butter. McCormick announced it will drop certain food dyes from its products. PepsiCo announced it will remove artificial ingredients from popular food items — including Lay's and Tostitos chips — by the end of the year. In-N-Out announced it will remove synthetic food dyes and artificial flavors from its menu items, and also transitioned to 100% beef tallow. Tyson Foods eliminated synthetic dyes in its food products. Mars removed titanium dioxide from its Skittles product. Sam's Club committed to removing 40 harmful ingredients — including artificial colors, additives, dyes, and high-fructose corn syrup — from its private-label products. Kraft-Heinz announced it will remove artificial dyes from its U.S. products. General Mills announced it will remove artificial dyes from its U.S. cereals and all foods served in K-12 schools. Nestlé announced it will remove all petroleum-based food dyes from its food and beverage products. Conagra Foods announced it will remove certain color additives from its frozen products, no longer offer products with artificial dyes in K-12 schools, and stop using artificial dyes in the manufacturing of its products. JM Smucker announced it will remove synthetic colors from its consumer food products. Hershey announced it will remove synthetic dyes from its snacks. Consumer Brands announced it will urge its members to remove artificial colors in food and beverage products served in schools. As we've previously stated, Americans must demand a complete overhaul of the toxic food supply chain—controlled by globalist corporations that prioritize profit over public health. The best way to protect your well-being is to reject all processed foods pushed by these companies and instead support local farmers and ranchers. Plant a garden, build a chicken coop, and take back control of the food supply chain. We're all in agreement that we don't want to eat bugs from the globalists. What's truly alarming is that it took President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to force these long-overdue changes. It raises an important question: What if the Harris regime had won? Would these corporations still be pumping toxic ingredients into the food supply? At this point, it feels deliberate. Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 10:05

Low IQ Jasmine Crockett Says USAID Is Vital To Fund Sesame Street In Iraq... Or Something Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, Idiocracy-a-like Democrat Jasmine Crockett argued during a hearing that USAID, the slush fund decimated by DOGE, is desperately needed in order to fund US propaganda in places like Iraq to ensure Islamists there don’t become radicalised against America. Yes, really. Crockett claimed that past programs including a version of Sesame Street that was made for Iraq are vital to national security, suggesting “This is so that there is not this warped thought process about the Western world.” Jasmine Crockett: We need USAID to fund Sesame Street in Iraq to prevent people from being "radicalized against us." "This is so that there is not this warped thought process about the Western world." pic.twitter.com/EhGeANfbrC — Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 15, 2025 What in God’s name is she on about? One the dumbest Congresswomen in our country. https://t.co/y7f8QIXgLd — Chelle (@FL_Chelle) July 15, 2025 They would hate America but some colourful felt puppets ensure those feelings are kept at bay. Jasmine – they've hated us long before Sesame Street. No amount of puppetry is going to change that. https://t.co/r6MSMW4xxr — Karen Bowman (@KBow5) July 15, 2025 Maybe it’s really this… So American taxpayers should fund every government in the world, instead of just our own. That's basically the argument the foreign aid folks are making. — The Conservative Alternative (@OldeWorldOrder) July 15, 2025 It hasn’t worked on Americans. Why would it work on Iraqis? Apparently, Sesame Street has not prevented some Democrats from being radicalized against us. — MacJediKev ✝️ 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇯🇲 (@KevinLedgister) July 15, 2025 Are there not more pressing things to fund? Who else thinks we shouldn’t be funding Sesame Street at all anywhere? https://t.co/BjEGacRWbn — Drew Wiseman music🇺🇸🧑🏽‍🦯 (@dwwwiseman) July 15, 2025 President Trump declared Tuesday that Crockett is in competition with AOC for the prize of dumbest member of Congress. “AOC, look, I think she’s very nice, but she’s very low IQ, and we really don’t need low IQ,” Trump said.  He added, “Between her and Crockett, we’re going to give them both an IQ test to see who comes out best.” “Now I took my test. I took a real test at Walter Reed Medical Center, and I aced it. I got every one of all those questions right. Now, it’s time for them to take a test,” Trump further quipped. Trump ROASTS AOC and Jasmine Crockett, "AOC… look, I think she's very nice but she's very Low IQ… Between her and Crockett, we're going to give them both an IQ test to see who comes out best."pic.twitter.com/Twjh50fcP1 — Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) July 15, 2025 The only question remaining is what does Elmo think of this after his recent X outburst? @elmo did you see this? — Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) July 15, 2025 *  *  * Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews. Tyler Durden Thu, 07/17/2025 - 09:05