SINCERETALK

President Donald Trump is defending allowing the nation’s last nuclear treaty with Russia to expire by declaring he’s already “stopped” nuclear wars between several countries. Experts and advocates warn that the treaty was the last barrier against a nuclear arms race. “As of today, for the first time in over half a century, the US and Russia don’t have a legally binding arms control treaty in place anymore,” observed Wall Street Journal national security reporter Robbie Gramer. “Without the New START treaty,” NBC News reported on Thursday, “which caps the number of deployed nuclear warheads at 1,550 on each side, there will be no limits on the American and Russian arsenals.” “Not only are there no discussions between Washington and Moscow on what comes next,” NBC added, “but also officials from both countries are left guessing about the other side’s capabilities and intentions, increasing the possibility of misunderstandings and an unrestricted nuclear arms race not seen since t...

Another prominent House Republican from Georgia will retire, adding to the mass exodus Speaker Mike Johnson is seeing under his leadership. U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) announced on Wednesday that he will not seek re-election. Loudermilk was first elected to Congress in 2014. He is the fourth Georgia Republican not seeking re-election, and joins (former) U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), and U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA). Loudermilk become the thirtieth House Republican to retire or seek a different office, according to the U.S. House Casualty List . Last week, Cook Political Report’s Dave Wasserman reported : “Today, we only see 18 out of 435 races as toss-ups, but Republicans would need to win two-thirds of the toss-up column to hold their House majority.” He suggested that Democrats are “modest favorites” to regain the House majority. Speaker Mike Johnson’s margin over House Democrats is so thin that he directed Republican lawmakers to “ t...

Strategist Karl Rove writes in the Wall Street Journal that Republicans have an economy problem — and Trump’s constant crowing about his economy is making voters furious. “The president came to Iowa last month for an economic speech . His team hoped his appearance in a Des Moines suburb would recenter the discussion,” said Rove, adding: “It didn’t.” “Mr. Trump made two mistakes,” said Rove. “The first was straying from the subject for almost half his speech. Victories and stolen elections. Immigration. Introducing politicians on the stage. Attacking his predecessor for multiple sins. Lots of different foreign issues. He went everywhere — and therefore nowhere.” But the second, said Rove, was assuming that voters were just as happy with his economy as he apparently is. “[It was] Trump’s triumphal tone,” said Rove. “He congratulated himself on ‘the greatest first year of any administration in American history.’ The ‘economy is booming,’ he said. It’s been ‘the best first year of a...

After Sen. Mark Kelly (R-Ariz.) called on troops to remember their oath to disobey illegal orders, President Donald Trump's Department of Defense (DoD) made moves to cut his military pension. Now, a judge is likely to rule that move illegal. That's according to a Tuesday article in CNN , which reported that U.S. District judge Richard Leon (an appointee of former President George W. Bush) scoffed at the DoD's argument for punishing the Arizona senator and retired U.S. Navy captain. According to CNN, Leon took issue with Pentagon lawyers' justification of including military retirees in its loophole to circumvent First Amendment protections for active-duty personnel. "You’re asking me to do something the Supreme Court or the DC Circuit has never done," Leon said. "That's a bit of a stretch." Tuesday's hearing came after Kelly sued the Trump administration , alleging its retaliatory measure was a violation of the U.S. Constitution's Spe...

The New Republic reports a federal agent likely used his cellphone to nab a “trophy” photo of Chicago resident and U.S. citizen Marimar Martinez after Border Patrol agents shot her five times in Chicago. Martinez, who said the memory haunts her to this day, testified before Congress Tuesday about how she was shot while monitoring agent’s activities from her car in Chicago and warning her neighbors. The New Republic reports the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initially claimed that when the officers exited their vehicle, Martinez tried to run them over, "forcing the officers to fire defensively." President Donald Trump’s DOJ charged her with felony assault of a federal officer — despite her being the one ending up in the hospital. But it was as she was leaving the hospital that agents renewed her horror at the Trump administration. After three hours of treatment, doctors discharged Martinez into the custody of the FBI, who she says treated her like a hunting prize...

President Donald Trump has previously demanded the pending bill to keep the government funded be sent to his desk promptly, without changes. Two Republicans have a different idea. On Monday, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) tweeted that she is prepared to mount a "standing filibuster" of the bill the Republican-controlled Senate sent to the House of Representatives. Luna is insisting that the SAVE Act – which would require voters provide proof of citizenship before being able to cast a ballot — be included in the House version of the bill. Luna insisted in her post that Trump supports including the SAVE Act in the final legislation. "Just left the White House. POTUS wants the SAVE America Act passed! Voter ID is number one," Luna tweeted. Luna's claim that Trump wants to add the controversial bill to a must-pass government funding package has not yet been corroborated by the president. Trump's latest position — which he posted to Truth Social Monday ev...