This author and blogger will not be posting for next week, as I will be on a Baseball Game Vacation in Phoenix, San Diego, and Los Angeles.
Commentary on news developments, which continue unabated, will be pursued upon return.
Thanks to my readers and contributors for understanding.
A free unlimited news media is essential for a democracy to survive, but the Donald Trump Presidency has been working full time to destroy freedom of the press.
Allowing CBS News to be “destroyed” by Paramount SkyDance owner David Ellison and his father Larry Ellison, in the name of “pleasing” Donald Trump and his aim of destroying the truth and the facts of history and current affairs, is a disaster, a tragedy of massive proportions. Their interference with the flagship show, SIXTY MINUTES, is a disgrace!
Scott Pelley, the highly regarded journalist who was the leading “star” of SIXTY MINUTES, denounced what is going on, and now has been fired, and the future of the landmark show, that has been part of the heritage of outstanding journalism, is in crisis after 58 years longevity since 1968.
If the Ellisons get their way, they will gain control of CNN as well, and further destroy honest, factual journalism.
Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos has undermined the Washington Post, with his machinations at that reputable newspaper, and the right wing tilt of its editorials.
And there have been controversies surrounding ABC News and the Los Angeles Times as well.
All this, as well as the manipulative, deceitful, lie based Fox News Channel and the New York Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch and his right wing empire.
So honest, accurate journalism is in a massive crisis.
Donald Trump ran for the Presidency as a person against the use of military force, and perceived as an isolationist.
Certainly, he has shown evidence of not caring about international aliances, including NATO but also Asian alliances.
He has shown doubts about backing Ukraine in its war with Russia.
There are strong doubts about his willingness to defend Taiwan against China, if war broke out.
But at the same time, as CNN has reported, he has managed to threaten 15 countries, and to bomb 7 of those nations, making him an aggressor against one of 13 countries, one of 11 people, 5 countries in the Middle East, 4 continents (North America, South America, Asia, Africa), and 5 targets for American imperialism (Canada, Cuba, Greenland, Panama for its Canal, and Venezeula).
Trump has already bombed the following nations: Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen, and his government has unleashed strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, killing more than 200 people in about 60 incidents, without any proof of such activities.
Trump has also threatened attacks on seven nations in this term—Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Greenland, Mexico, Panama for its Canal, and Oman (Middle East nation).
Trump has utilized loose rhetoric, demonstrating how unstable and dangerous he is, and no one willing to step in, as in Trump’s first term, to tame his moments of temper and reckless emotionalism.
So Trump has made America an international aggressor, ready and willing to compete with Russia and China, and ignore international diplomacy and rational behavior.
Every day he remains in the White House, ranting and raving crazily on Truth Social, the nation and the world are in dire danger that Trump might utilize nuclear weapons, a horrifying nightmare!
It is now three months since the US and Israel began a war against Iran, on February 28, 2026.
Nothing positive has been achieved, and much that is negative has occurred, including:
Massive inflation in the US and worldwide
The Blocking of the Strait of Hormuz
The loss of many lives in the Middle East
The stiffening of the new leadership in Iran
The undermining of the Republican Party in the upcoming Midterm Elections of 2026
The growing incoherence and instability of Donald Trump
While the leadership of Iran was changed, there is no indication that any progress has been made to prevent development of nuclear weapons, and to stop Iranian uranium enrichment.
The budgetary cost of the war has escalated, with the minimum acknowledged as $29 Billion, but much more as this indecisive situation, with no clear resolution, continues.
Once again, sadly, the United States has been dragged into a long range quagmire, that will be very costly, and add massively to the national debt.
Donald Trump is on a rampage to have as many “Vanity” projects as possible, defying history, where only leaders who have passed away, and have high regard of the American people, have projects and buildings named after them.
Trump has destroyed the East Wing of the White House, in his mad dash for a massive 90,000 square foot Ballroom, that would overwhelm the historic building of 226 years.
Trump has also destroyed the Rose Garden, one of the major attractions of the White House.
Additionally, he has promoted a 250 foot Triumphal Arch;
renamed the John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts to include his name;
adding his name to the US Institute of Peace;
is renovating the Reflecting Pool of the Lincoln Memorial;
painting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to be as white as the White House, even though it has always been granite;
a proposed National Garden of American Heroes;
banners on federal buildings of his portrait;
wishing to have Penn Station in New York City and Dulles International Airport in Virginia renamed after him;
proposal to have American Passports with his face on them;
along with wish to create a $250 bill with his face on the currency, when that only happens for leaders who have passed away.
The extent of his self aggrandizement and ego promotion is unprecedented, and no past President would endorse it, not even Richard Nixon, and would be particularly condemned by the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan.
What Trump is promoting reminds one more of the ancient Roman Empire; King Louis XIV of France; and Adolf Hitler of Nazi Germany.
In a new development, the federal courts have intervened to attempt to end control of the Kennedy Center and the adding of Donald Trump’s name;
and are resisting the “Weaponization” proposal to award financial damages to January 6 Insurrectionists, a proposal that many Republicans in the US Senate are now working to prevent.
While for now, there is no final decision on these matters, finally, we are seeing an organized attempt to rein in the reckless activities of Donald Trump, and it is a good sign for the preservation of American democracy and the rule of law.
President Donald Trump has managed, in his five and a half years in the Presidency, to add more to the national debt than any other President.
His debt increase has been close to one third of the entire national debt, with 8 Trillion Dollars added in his first term, and so far, nearly 3 Trillion Dollars in his second term, and with the national debt presently at about 39 Trillion.
Trump has added overwhelmingly to the national debt with his two massive tax cuts in 2017, and even more so, in 2025.
Sadly, the COVID 19 Pandemic caused a massive increase under Joe Biden of 8 Trillion dollars, so the national debt has risen from 19 Trillion when Trump entered office until now, nearly ten years later.
The national debt has increased seven fold since 2000 when Bill Clinton was about to leave the Presidency, and has doubled since Trump came into office in his first term in 2017.
The nation will witness a major US Senate turnover in the upcoming 120th Congress (2027-2029).
This would be due to retirements, primary defeats, potential election defeats, and 4 Senators running for Governor.
For now, the following is certain:
The following 11 US Senators are retiring:
Republican Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, running for Governor
Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois
Republican Joni Ernst of Iowa
Republican Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Democrat Gary Peters of Michigan
Democrat Tina Smith of Minnesota
Republican Steve Daines of Montana
Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire
Republican Thom Tillis of North Carolina
Republican Alan Armstrong of Oklahoma, appointed temprarily to replace Markwayne Mullin
Republican Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming
The following two US Senators were defeated in primaries:
Republican Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Republican John Cornyn of Texas
The following seven US Senators are endangered for reelection:
Republican Dan Sullivan of Alaska, challenged by Mary Peltola
Republican Ashley Moody of Florida, challenged by Alex Vindman
Democrat Jon Ossoff of Georgia, challenged by Republican nominee
Republican Susan Collins of Maine, challenged by Graham Platner
Democrat Ed Markey of Massachusetts, challenged by Seth Moulton in primary
Republican Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, challenged by Independent Dan Osborn
Republican Jon Husted of Ohio, challenged by former Senator Sherrod Brown
Likely gains for Democrats seem possible or likely in
Alaska, North Carolina (open seat), Maine, Ohio, and with outside chances in Texas (open seat), Iowa (open seat), Montana (open seat), and Florida.
But Republicans have possibilities in Georgia, Michigan (open seat), and New Hampshire (open seat).
Also, the following US Senators are running for Governors of their states, and if elected, would resign from the Senate, and a replacement would be appointed or elected:
Democrat Michael Bennet of Colorado
Democrat Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Republican Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee
IF all of the above were to occur, the maximum number of new US Senators, either by election or appointment for replacements, could reach the mid 20s in number.
Imagining about 20 new Senators as a minimum, is very likely to occur!
The Republican Party in the US Senate, under Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, is facing a “free fall” for the remainder of 2026, through the contentious Midterm Elections this coming November.
While there are 53 Republican US Senators, with the recent defeat of Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas;
and the coming retirement of Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina;
and the continuing reputation for “independence” of Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska;
along with the usual difficult balancing act of Susan Collins of Maine, who faces a very difficult reelection campaigan against Graham Platner;
the potential for the loss of support for Donald Trump for the remainder of this year is likely.
Additionally, Utah Senator John Curtis is an independent minded member, and cannot be counted upon to be in loyal support of Trump on a constant basis, and is not up for reelection until 2030. As the successor to Mitt Romney, he is from the same tradition, as the former Senator and 2012 Presidential nominee, one of total independence.
The die is cast, as Texas faces the most important single Midterm Election contest of 2026, with corrupt, immoral, disgraceful Attorney General Ken Paxton fighting to succeed defeated Senator John Cornyn, and facing Texas State Senator James Talarico.
Talarico is the most exciting, dynamic, charismatic political candidate in a long time, a “religious” Christian, a seminarian, who exudes the true teachings of Jesus Christ—empathy, compassion, sincerity, decency, humanity—and represents the best traits for a future political leadership nationally, and all this at only age 37.
This is an election of good vs evil to the extreme, as Ken Paxton is so despicable, that many Republican Senators have condemned him, and he will not be easily welcome in the Senate Republican ranks if he, somehow, was to succeed in his quest to defeat Talarico, and replace John Cornyn, who was much admired by his Senate Republican colleagues.
If Ken Paxton wins the Senate seat, it will be a condemnation of the disaster and tragedy that Texas has become in the age of Donald Trump, allowing corruption and malfeasance to be triumphant, and long term, it would have a deleterious effect on the image and reputation of the “Lone Star” state.
This is not just an ordinary battle for the future of a state and political philosophy, but rather a time where the long range future of America itself is at stake.
Political reporter Harry Enten of CNN has revealed that Generation Z men have made a massive switch against Donald Trump, an amazing turnaround since the Presidential Election of 2024.
Trump was the first Republican Presidential nominee in the 21st century to capture the young male vote in 2024, but it has switched from a one point edge to minus 55 in less than a year and a half.
On foreign policy, Trump won Generation Z men by 9 points, but now is minus 54 points, a switch of 63 points.
On the economy, Trump had a margin of 7 points, but now is minus 59, a switch of 66 points.
Regarding Congress, Generation Z men voted for Democrats by 3 points, now up to 28 percentage points lead.
It is clear that young men are exasperated over the inability to plan to purchase a home, or find decent employment that provides optimism for the future.
Also, young men see JD Vance as minus 48 and Marco Rubio as minus 39, so it augurs for real trouble for Republicans, when it comes to who might succeed Donald Trump as the Republican Presidential nominee in 2028.