The War Monitor

Elon's now claiming it was "Starlink," when it was actually Starshield that he restricted (per WSJ). An unelected civilian is making national security decisions based on personal beliefs, and the WH is only staying quiet because of his millions in donations. That should concern everyone.

nytimes.comIn U.S. Gas Talks With Kremlin, Hidden Financing for Alaska Project EmergesInterviews and documents show a Russian energy giant secretly funded a U.S. firm. The deal has been discussed in talks to end the war in Ukraine.

When we joked that Trump would consider giving Alaska back to Russia, we didn't think he'd actually do it.

Eric Lipton NYT@ericlipton.nytimes.com

JUST POSTED: A Russian energy giant has secretly moved to acquire a position in a massive Alaska gas project. Its part of talks between Witkoff/Kushner & Putin. But CEO of US company resigns after learning of Russian money in the project. A wowzer of a story. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/23/u...

Vote early, and in person if you can. Verify your votes with the printed record before casting. And don't forget to remind your adult kids to do the same.

My doctor's office asked if I approved of AI listening in on my conversation with the doctor so it could write a clinical note for my medical record. I declined. Can't imagine it essentially writing prescriptions.

FactPost@factpostnews.bsky.social

RFK Jr: Sam Altman told me it would be malpractice for a doctor to make a diagnosis or prescription without checking AI

nbcnews.comPro-Trump TV ads paid for with Customs and Border Protection money, official saysThe ads, which the White House has described as “public service announcements,” drew bipartisan criticism for being paid for with taxpayer money.

The Trump administration paid for TV ads showing the president in a favorable light using money intended for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

propublica.orgThis White House Plan Threatens Funding That Helps Disabled Americans VoteA new rule from the Office of Management and Budget would prohibit anyone from using federal grant money for voter registration drives. It’s part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to restr...

The White House is threatening funding that helps disabled Americans vote as part of its plan to restrict voting. www.propublica.org/article/disa...

engadget.comFlorida AG requests emergency order to stop OpenAI model development - EngadgetThis follows a lawsuit from this summer where ChatGPT was allegedly connected to a mass shooting.

Florida AG Moves to Freeze OpenAI Development with Emergency Court Order. www.engadget.com/2270988/flor...

abcnews4.comFBI co-deputy director Andrew Bailey steps down after a year on the jobPatel responded by praising Bailey’s "fantastic contributions," saying the reforms he helped institute and the FBI’s "historic success" would endure.

Andrew Bailey, one of the FBI’s two co-deputy directors, announced Monday that he is stepping down. Bailey held responsibility for election-related matters. abcnews4.com/news/nation-...

nbcnews.comThe Iran war will have a chilling effect on your wallet this winterSky-high airfare, rising gas prices and soaring home heating costs are all squeezing consumers heading into the holiday season.

Consumers face mounting financial pressure this holiday season from steep airfare, higher gas prices, and expensive home heating costs. www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...

nbcnews.comOpenAI pauses training of latest models after agents searched U.S. government sites in unexpected waysAI labs are facing pressure from lawmakers and tech experts to slow development so they can build guardrails to stop agents from acting on their own.

OpenAI suspended training of its latest models following unusual agent activity on U.S. government websites. www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...

cnbc.comNIH funding cuts delayed a promising childhood brain cancer trial. Patients lost time they didn't haveA delayed clinical trial underscores the stakes of federal research funding cuts for children with DIPG, a deadly brain tumor with few treatment options.

A promising trial for childhood brain cancer was delayed due to cuts in NIH funding. www.cnbc.com/2026/09/25/n...

propublica.orgThe Untold Origins of Trump’s Plan to Sharply Restrict Mail-In VotingProPublica’s reporting reveals for the first time the extent of the White House’s role in trying to dictate how mail-in ballots are processed, spurring behind-the-scenes drama that played out for near...

“Trump’s order would have forced postal workers to serve as gatekeepers, deciding which ballots would be delivered and which wouldn’t.” Postal Worker's Union: The ultimate goal was to create chaos and doubt in the vote-by-mail process. www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Putin intends to use the same playbook against NATO nations that he used to justify his 2014 hybrid war against Ukraine.

MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦@maks23.bsky.social

🥴❗️Putin stated that Russia will "continue to fight for the rights of compatriots" in the Baltics, but through international legal means.

ms.nowTrump aides explore attaching president’s name to Ford’s TheatreThe playhouse where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated has been mentioned among federal properties that could carry the president’s name, people familiar with the effort told MS NOW.

Reports say Trump now wants a federal building tied to Lincoln's death to carry his name. www.ms.now/news/trump-f...

theatlantic.comThe Supporters Urging Trump to Declare Martial Law for the MidtermsTrump’s advisers have been working for months to move his focus away from baseless theories of election fraud. A group of outsiders is making that difficult.

Trump allies are pushing him to declare "martial law" this November to seize the midterms, with some aides trying to stop it but admitting they may fail. www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Trump had our troops kneel while rolling out the red carpet for the Russians in Alaska, only for them to spit in his face and walk away. Now he wants to do it again.

MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦@maks23.bsky.social

❗️❗️Trump said he expects to hold another meeting with Putin. "We already had a meeting in Alaska. I think we'll have another one," he said.

The War Monitor reposted

NOELREPORTS

@noelreports.com

Ukrainian drones are attacking the industrial zone around an oil refinery in Ufa, Russia. The area was already targeted by Ukrainian drones last night, when explosions and a fire were also reported. #Russia

nbcnews.comVideo shows injured man on the ground after ICE mistakenly targets himAccording to police, the man reported injuries to his head, neck and teeth; DHS did not respond to questions about the man’s injuries or why ICE officers did not render aid to him.

“Agents later learned that he was a U.S. citizen,” after putting him in the hospital. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

kyivindependent.comUS preparing 'massive' potash deal with Belarus, Trump saysTrump said that the deal would be more advantageous than buying the fertilizer from Canada.

Belarus is widely characterized as Europe's last dictatorship under the rule of Alexander Lukashenko, one of Russia's closest allies. The nation has frequently been used as a staging ground for attacks on Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent@kyivindependent.com

⚡️US preparing 'massive' potash deal with Belarus, Trump says Trump said that the deal would be more advantageous than buying the fertilizer from Canada.

Belarus just said they have no idea what Trump is talking about.

yahoo.comICE Fires New Hires After Vetting Red Flags EmergeICE Fires New Hires After Vetting Red Flags Emerge

ICE agents may have to pay back their $50,000 signing bonus because they're being fired before fulfilling their service contract. This could lead to federal collection measures such as wage garnishment at future employment. www.yahoo.com/news/us/arti...

dlvr.itTrump Targets International Criminal Court With ‘Sweeping Sanctions’ After Vow to Defend NetanyahuThe White House is gearing up to hit the ICC with "sweeping sanctions," months after President Donald Trump said he wants to defend Netanyahu The post Trump Targets International Criminal Court With ‘Sweeping Sanctions’ After Vow to Defend Netanyahu first appeared on Mediaite.

The ICC has previously issued arrest warrants for both Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin for war crimes.

Mediaite@mediaite.com

Trump Targets International Criminal Court With ‘Sweeping Sanctions’ After Vow to Defend Netanyahu

ICE agents shot another man in North Austin today. Rep. Greg Casar is calling for a full independent investigation and the immediate release of body camera footage. The victim's identity and details have not yet been released.

FAA to deploy A.I. air traffic system at DC Airports starting this week, because having it bomb a school and nearly start a war with China isn't enough.

The U.S. virtual embassy in Iran has issued a security alert, advising all American citizens not to travel to the country under any circumstances and to depart immediately.

According to new lawsuit against OpenAI, a Microsoft executive has called AI training practices "the largest theft of labor in human history."

usa.news-pravda.comRussia’s FSB has imposed temporary restrictions along part of the border with NATO member Estonia, including a nighttime movement ban in the border zoneFrom September 16 to 26, people and vehicles are prohibited from moving outside settlements after dark within 5 km of the border in the Slantsy and Kingisepp districts. Access to the Narva riverbank a...

20 Sept

Russia's FSB just imposed a curfew along the border with Estonia, banning movement within 5km from Sept 16–26. Officially cited as "environmental protection," analysts fear it's to prevent a mass exodus or prepare for potential escalation against NATO. usa.news-pravda.com/world/2026/0...

The War Monitor reposted

Jon Cooper

@joncooper-us.bsky.social

20 Sept

Cartoon by Dave Granlund | cagle.com/granlund.

IG of the Bundeswehr, Carsten Breuer, warned that Germany needs to fully mobilize its society, commercial sector, and military to prepare for national defense and the possibility of war.

Trump is scheduled to cut his Camp David trip short, citing the potential for major regional escalation following Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Gavin Newsom has signed a law prohibiting foreign state military forces from entering California.

kyivpost.comBundeswehr Chief Urges Society-Wide Readiness for War by 2029Germany must mobilize its society, industry, and military to prepare for potential war and hybrid threats, Bundeswehr Chief Carsten Breuer warns.

IG of the Bundeswehr, Carsten Breuer, warned that Germany needs to fully mobilize its society, commercial sector, and military to prepare for national defense and the possibility of war. www.kyivpost.com/post/84893

The State Department warns Americans in the Middle East to exercise heightened vigilance due to tensions. Iranian-backed Houthi hostilities against Saudi airports and the risk of rapid escalation are driving the alert, which also advises travelers outside the region to reconsider visits.

Russia has taken control of Nestlé and Auchan's Russian assets, with the Kremlin describing the seizure as retaliation for "hostile actions" by European nations.

theguardian.comLatvia’s president warns that Europe is not up to date with drone and aerial warfare in UkraineEdgars Rinkēvičs says drone warfare in Ukraine is moving at ‘lightning speed’ and efforts to prepare for an aerial war could be obsolete by next year

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs warns that drone and aerial warfare is evolving at "lightning speed," leaving Europe struggling to keep up. He cautioned that countermeasures being developed today could be obsolete by the middle of next year. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

Britain signaled it could deploy high-readiness forces under NATO plans if Belarus and Russia attempt to seal the Suwałki Gap.

Italy's Embassy in Riyadh urges Italian citizens to exercise utmost caution amid regional military escalation. Non-essential travel should be avoided, and citizens are advised to follow local authorities' instructions and register with the Viaggiare Sicuri app.

Iran's NSC Secretary Mohsen Rezaei told Al Jazeera that while Washington's actions give Tehran grounds to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, no decision has been made at this time. But he warned further pressure could change that.

charter97.orgBudris: Lithuania Has Information About Possible Hybrid Attacks By RussiaNATO will respond to Moscow's provocations.

Lithuanian FM Kęstutis Budrys said Vilnius holds the same intelligence as regional allies about possible Russian hybrid attacks, and that consultations with NATO's leadership confirmed everyone is assessing the same threat... a potential Russian false-flag operation. charter97.org/en/news/2026...

Appeasement has a cost. By prioritizing Russia over its allies, the White House is inviting exactly this outcome, and if a major war erupts in Europe, America won't be able to stay on the sidelines any more than it could in WWII.

OSINTdefender [UNOFFICIAL]@sentdefender-mirr.selfhosted.social

France has already begun carrying out covert conventional military responses against Russian hybrid attacks in Europe, amid growing concern across the continent of direct hostile action against NATO in the near future by Russia,

According to The Washington Post, the U.S. government is allegedly withholding the true casualty figures of the Iran conflict.

Telegraph: Putin reportedly gearing up to strike Ukraine's European allies, aka NATO.