Zelenskiy laments behavior at Oval Office meeting after Trump suspends military aid

March 5th, 2025

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SGT
March 05, 2025

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March 5th, 2025

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CURRENT EVENTS

Zelenskiy laments behavior at Oval Office meeting after Trump suspends military aid

Our take: 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy took to X to express his regret for how his meeting in the Oval Office with President Trump went down last week.

In his statement, Zelenskiy said he supported peace negotiations and was ready to sign a deal giving the United States access to Ukrainian minerals, which he had left on the table when he abandoned a visit to Washington after an Oval Office argument with Trump on Friday.

There are a few points that need to be clarified here. Russia was the aggressor and invaded Ukraine to take back land they see as theirs despite the upheaval in Eastern Europe/Western Asia over the past 40 years.

Ukraine, while feisty and scrappy, simply does not have the financial, human, or tactical resources to win a war against Russia. They are outgunned, outmanned, and outmatched at almost every turn.

Over 1.5 million people have died in this conflict, and the US has sent over $100 billion in aid and military equipment. There is no end in sight from a military perspective, so diplomacy and negotiation become doubly important.

The mineral deal that was on the table Friday made sense. Ukraine is rich in rare earth minerals, including lithium, titanium, and uranium. The US can help optimize these industries and recoup some of the investment we have made in supporting the war. All this creates a strong US presence in Ukraine, which helps protect the country from future Russian aggression, enriches Ukraine, and helps the US recover some of the money invested in the war effort.

Unfortunately, Zelenskiy has developed a reputation as a re-trader, saying one thing to people in private and then flip-flopping in public or when it is time to memorialize the terms of agreements. He thought he could go to the Oval Office, flex his muscle, gain sympathy from the administration, and wind up in a better spot.

Trump shut that shit down quick. The 2 leaders engaged in a back-and-forth in front of the media that ended with Zelenskiy being shown the door without a mineral deal in place. For good measure, Trump paused all military aid to Ukraine until some good faith is exhibited by Ukraine to bring about a ceasefire.

Zelenskiy appears to have realized he overplayed his hand and needs to show some contrition in order for the funds to flow again to save his country. We, for one, support Trump in his approach here.

COURTESY: MSN

Jon Stewart agrees to unedited appearance by Elon Musk

Our take: 

Jon Stewart has built his brand largely in comedy. An over-the-top commentator who is not beholden to any party (although clearly left-leaning at his core), he is generally held in high regard by most people. He recently went back to The Daily Show, the gig that made him a household name back in the early 2000s.

Elon Musk is an incredibly smart guy. A serial entrepreneur known for his tireless work ethic and ability to solve complex problems, he has recently taken an outsized role in US politics, allying himself with President Trump and earning Trump’s trust to lead the charge on rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the government, as well as shrinking the overall size.

Stewart does not agree with the approach DOGE is taking. Musk is never one to shy away from healthy debate. It seems only natural that Musk should go on The Daily Show and have a conversation with Stewart.

We are fans of this type of respectful debate and disagreement. Regardless of what side you support, we can all learn a lot when intelligent people have substantive disagreements in a productive way. We hope this comes to fruition and will be surprised if there is not a lot of value that comes out of it when it does.

COURTESY: MSN

JPMC boss Jamie Dimon supports DOGE, says government is “inefficient” and “needs a lot of work”

Our take:

The CEO of one of the largest banks in the world supports the concept behind the work DOGE is doing. Jamie Dimon publicly recognized the need for the work to be done.

“The government is inefficient, not very competent, and needs a lot of work,” Dimon said in a recent interview with CNBC’s Leslie Picker.

The discussion arose when Picker asked Dimon whether he supports the so-called “chainsaw approach” DOGE is taking to the federal government.

Although Dimon declined to give what he called a “binary” answer, he stressed the need for scrutiny in government spending—a key focus of DOGE’s efforts.

“It’s not just waste and fraud; it’s outcomes. Why are we spending the money on these things? Are we getting what we deserve? What should we change? I think doing that needs to be done,” he said. “I’m hoping it’s quite successful.”

This is the thing we cannot understand. Why are people protesting a process that will help us save money on government spending, identify and eliminate fraudulent activity, and make the government run more efficiently? It seems to us that the only people who would not want to root out fraud and waste are the ones benefitting from it. Keep that in mind when you see people out chanting with their signs while the rest of us are actually working.

COURTESY: MSN

TIP OF THE DAY

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are foods containing ingredients that are significantly modified from their original form. They often contain additives like added sugar, highly refined oil, salt, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors as well. UPFs are highly palatable, meaning they are easily overeaten, and activate reward-related regions in the brain, which can lead to excess calorie consumption and weight gain. Studies show that diets high in ultra-processed food can contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” - Willie Nelson

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