Trump’s Corruption Crisis

On tonight’s show I’ll talk about how Trump is heading into major China talks apparently without a single serious China expert at his side. Which is insane. And while Trump’s team is screaming insults at actual experts, Eric Trump is joining the Beijing trip while a family-linked group is chasing a China chip deal. So yes, somehow we’re back to “foreign policy as family business opportunity.” Again. (Still?)I’ll also get into Iran, where Trump officials are now claiming that Iran is “frighteningly close” to weapons-grade enriched uranium. Which is exactly the problem some of us warned about when Trump blew up the Iran nuclear deal with no replacement. He tore up the guardrails, Iran got back to work, and now his own administration is basically admitting the danger is worse. Then again, they’re lying. Iran is not close to building a nuke -- not to mention, they’re STILL close after two months of bombing? Then what have we accomplished?Then there’s the economy. Trump’s people are still pretending they “inherited” historic inflation, when inflation was 2.9% when he took office and is now 3.8%. That’s not an inheritance. That’s a policy failure with a price tag. And Americans are feeling it every time they buy groceries, fill the tank, or pay the bills.I’ll also talk about the stunning corruption story out of the New York Times: Trump is reportedly considering settling a $10 billion lawsuit with himself, while one option being reviewed would have the IRS drop audits of Trump, his family, or his businesses.And then there’s the FBI. NOTUS reports there’s now an internal “payback squad” handling politically sensitive cases, while other reporting says Kash Patel’s FBI may be gaming the Most Wanted list to make its arrest stats look better. So the bureau is apparently being turned into a political weapon and a PR machine at the same time. Very banana republic. I’ll also hit the health corruption angle: Another top Kennedy official is out, reportedly over the administration’s push to let major tobacco companies sell flavored vapes that appeal to children. Because apparently even in this administration, some people still have a line. (Though why did he work for Trump & Kennedy at all?)Finally, I’ll turn to Ukraine, where the war is changing fast. Russia’s advance has slowed to a crawl, drones are now causing a massive share of Russian casualties, and the Pentagon is openly studying Ukraine’s drone battlefield because this is what modern war now looks like. That matters for any Trump “peace deal,” because the facts on the ground don’t match the Putin-is-winning narrative Trump keeps trying to sell.0:00 -- Welcome and show setup2:37 -- Tonight’s lineup: Trump, China, Iran, Ukraine, RFK scandal3:45 -- Trump goes to China without serious China experts5:00 -- White House communications director melts down online8:00 -- The venom and childishness of Trump’s team10:00 -- Eric Trump joins the China trip while family-linked business chases a China deal12:00 -- The Hunter Biden hypocrisy vs Trump family corruption13:29 -- Iran is still “frighteningly close” to enriched uranium15:00 -- If Iran is still close, what did Trump’s war accomplish?19:23 -- Burgum tries to blame Biden for Trump’s inflation problem20:00 -- Inflation was 2.9% when Trump took office -- not “the highest in 40 years”23:00 -- Trump’s tariffs, Iran war, and rising prices24:15 -- Trump praises China and says he wants to help lift China higher26:27 -- Trump considers settling a $10 billion lawsuit with himself29:00 -- Possible IRS audit protection for Trump, his family, and his businesses31:00 -- The reported FBI “payback squad” targeting Trump’s enemies34:17 -- RFK Jr. vaping scandal and resignations inside Trump’s health team37:30 -- Trump’s deranged attack on Mitch McConnell’s staffer40:00 -- Trump targets the staffer personally and gets basic facts wrong44:00 -- My own Senate staff story -- and why staffers matter50:00 -- Congressional staff do the work Trump clearly doesn’t understand52:23 -- Trump’s hand and the weird refusal to explain what’s going on53:14 -- Russia’s military advance in Ukraine has slowed to a crawl55:00 -- Why Trump’s Ukraine “peace deal” rewards Putin for failing56:17 -- Ukrainian drones are devastating Russian forces57:31 -- The US studies Ukrainian drone technology and battlefield lessons58:16 -- Hungary summons Russia’s ambassador after a drone attack near its border60:35 -- Kash Patel’s FBI accused of gaming the Most Wanted list63:00 -- Viewer Q&A: superpower conflict, Russia, China, and spheres of influence67:00 -- Is conflict with Russia or China inevitable?70:00 -- Hungary, Belarus, NATO, and the Suwalki Gap74:00 -- Wrap-up and goodnight This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aravosis.substack.com/subscribe