Trump's Massive Growing $37 Trillion Debt Problem As He Plays Putin Puppet Theater  episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 13, 2025 · 26 MIN

Trump's Massive Growing $37 Trillion Debt Problem As He Plays Putin Puppet Theater

from FiveStack with Dean Blundell & Zev Shalev · host Zev Shalev and Dean Blundell

5️⃣ Alaska Washes Away Trump-Putin SummitExpectations for the Putin Trump summit are being washed away with the worst Alaskan glacial floodson record this week as 17 billion gallons of water threatened 14,000 Juneau residents, creating a surreal backdrop for Trump's Friday summit with Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The president, already downplaying the meeting as less important than a future three-way with Zelensky, chose to hold this "historic" summit at a military base—not because of the flooding that jumped water levels from 10.9 to 13.9 feet in 90 minutes, but because no venue in Alaska would host them. As one White House insider revealed, Alaskans ordered 12,000 Ukrainian flags to line any potential route the Russian president might travel. Putin, so paranoid he travels with someone to collect his bodily waste, will likely never leave his plane.4️⃣ Europe's Desperate Ukraine InterventionEuropean leaders emerged from Wednesday's emergency call claiming victory while EU diplomat Kaja Kallas warned that initial US-Russia negotiations focused on "territory only." The reality is less dramatic than headlines suggest—European leaders weren't begging Trump but firmly stating they'll continue supporting Ukraine regardless of any deal he cuts. As Polish PM Donald Tusk noted with remarkable candor: "I guess everyone's afraid Putin will play Trump's ego again like he has in the past." The Europeans made their position clear: Ukraine decides its fate, not two strongmen hiding on an Air Force base.3️⃣ The Kennedy Center's Casino ActTrump unveiled his Kennedy Center Honors featuring Sylvester Stallone, Kiss's Gene Simmons (who once bragged about "deflowering 10,000 women"), and Gloria Gaynor—while announcing he'll host the ceremony himself and joking about giving himself an honor next year. He claimed to be "98 percent involved" in selecting recipients after rejecting "wokesters," though Kiss bassist Simmons previously said Trump "got all the cockroaches to rise to the top." Tom Cruise declined due to "scheduling conflicts," production company Done+Dusted pulled out, and subscriptions are down. Trump's promise to make DC "beautiful again" by replacing park grass with "the finest grasses—I know a lot about grass because I own golf courses"—captures the absurdity perfectly.2️⃣ The Epstein Files Crack Trump's BaseMore than one-third of Republicans disapprove of Trump's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files according to new Quinnipiac polling—the first significant crack in his base support. While 90% maintain overall approval, the Epstein connection represents his greatest vulnerability. As Joe Rogan recently observed, every time Epstein surfaces in the news, there's suddenly a new national emergency—bombings, DC takeovers, Putin summits. Reports suggest victims and witnesses to Trump's involvement in Epstein-related activities are preparing to come forward, which explains the timing of Friday's hastily arranged Alaska summit.1️⃣ America’s Historic Debt and DOGE’s Trillion Dollar Lie ExposedAmerica crossed the $37 trillion debt threshold on August 12th—five years ahead of pre-pandemic projections—while Politico revealed DOGE saved just $1.4 billion, less than 5% of Musk's claimed $52.8 billion. The agency used "faulty math" and ceiling levels to inflate savings that don't actually reduce the deficit since agencies are mandated to spend allocated funds. Meanwhile, July's deficit jumped 20% to $291 billion despite record tariff revenues of $28 billion. The administration is adding $1 trillion to the debt every five months while Trump spends on gold paneling, marble floors, a Qatari jet that can't land at US airports, and $15,000 signing bonuses for teenage ICE recruits. As Maya MacGuineas warned: "We hope this $37 trillion milestone will wake up policymakers."The con artist's playbook remains consistent: promise everything, deliver nothing, and when caught, create a distraction. Friday's summit isn't diplomacy—it's theater designed to buy Putin more time while Americans foot the bill for an administration that's turned governance into a personal enrichment scheme. The flood in Alaska is real; everything else is just more water under a very expensive bridge.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Advertising inquiries email [email protected]. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

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Trump's Massive Growing $37 Trillion Debt Problem As He Plays Putin Puppet Theater

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This episode was published on August 13, 2025.

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5️⃣ Alaska Washes Away Trump-Putin SummitExpectations for the Putin Trump summit are being washed away with the worst Alaskan glacial floodson record this week as 17 billion gallons of water threatened 14,000 Juneau residents, creating a surreal...

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