Biden tries to contain classified documents leak fallout: 'Stakes just got higher'

Naomi Lim

April 14, 05:05 AM April 14, 05:28 AM

A Massachusetts Air National Guardsman has been arrested after the leak of classified information that has already had consequences for the Ukraine war and the United States's relationship with critical allies, including Egypt, Israel, and South Korea.

But while the suspected source of the leak, 21-year-old intelligence information technology officer and gamer Jack Teixeira, has been identified, the national security and political implications of his actions for President Joe Biden are only now being understood.

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Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Mick Mulroy excoriated Teixeira's alleged leak for threatening national security by undermining the country's collection of intelligence.

"It is bad enough that our adversaries know what we know, or at least in part," Mulroy told the Washington Examiner. "It is really bad if our adversaries know how we know it. That goes to our sources and methods. They will review what documents are out there and use that to launch their own counterintelligence operations."

Teixeira reportedly started sharing photos of classified information in a pandemic-era online chatroom he led on the Discord social media website that is popular with gamers months ago before they were found on other platforms and located by the Biden administration last week. And his leak has caused "substantive damage" to Ukraine by disclosing secret U.S. assessments of Ukraine's capabilities and how the U.S. has compromised Russia's communication channels, according to American Enterprise Institute foreign policy senior fellow Dalibor Rohac.

"Our allies, such as Korea, which has been helping Ukraine discreetly, may not appreciate being suddenly in the public spotlight," Rohac said. "The main political damage has not materialized yet, but it will if Ukraine’s efforts indeed fail to make significant advances in the coming weeks and months, as the documents seem to suggest."

The leak, discovered months after Biden became embroiled in his own classified information scandal, coincides with a pivotal period in the Ukraine war and for public support of the conflict as the president seeks to restore the country's reputation abroad after former President Donald Trump's more contentious relationships with many international leaders.

"The main question is whether the administration can help change conditions on the ground in Ukraine to ensure that Ukrainians can liberate their country by providing them with more long-range artillery, fighter jets, [and] tanks," Rohac added. "We definitely have the means to change [the] picture painted by the leaks; the question is one of political will — and the stakes just got higher for Biden."

Former deputy national security adviser Victoria Coates offered a different perspective, asking what the U.S. is doing in Ukraine if current decisions are "perpetuating a stalemate."

"Especially because [Biden's] stated policies, best we can divine, is 'As much as it takes, as long as it takes,''' she said. "Clearly, if these documents [are] accurate, they're not doing as much as it takes. And so I think every American taxpayer should be saying, the American people support Ukrainians, they want you to push back on Putin's aggression, but what's happening here, I think, is a very legitimate question."

Meanwhile, Michael O'Hanlon, Brookings Institution foreign policy research director, believes the leak will likely "be subsumed by larger forces and trends in the war sooner rather than later."

"But it’s too soon to be sure," he said.

As the Department of Defense continues its investigation into the leak and the Department of Justice and FBI prepare for Teixeira's first court appearance on Friday in Boston, Mulroy called for a review into "how we store classified info," "how people can access it," and "how many."

"There are electronic devices that are more secure," the Vandenberg Coalition advisory board member said. "They can erase themselves on a time designated and/or on a geofence if someone tries to remove them. Printed copies of classified information are very difficult to track and allow this individual or individuals to do what he did."

Heritage Foundation Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy Vice President James Carafano noted leakers have tended to be "ideologues," people who have "a grudge," or people who "want money." And while Teixeira apparently had complained of government overreach, initial reports indicate he was also grandstanding to his friends.

"This kid's doing this because he thinks this kind of behavior is OK," Carafano said. "And that is, I think, way, way scarier. Our system is designed to stop people who are malicious, not people who are too stupid enough to know that what they're doing is incredibly risky."

Carafano additionally recommended improving the management of classified information and making sure people with sensitive documents "act responsibly," as opposed to encouraging the Pentagon and intelligence community to monitor social media more.

Biden has been briefed on Teixeira's arrest but hours earlier seemed to downplay the leak to reporters, who traveled with him to Northern Ireland and Ireland.

"I'm not worried about the leak, but I'm concerned that it happened," he said in Dublin. "But I don't know anything there that would be of great importance."

UK Defense Ministry warns major US leak has inaccuracies, could contain disinformation

Mike Brest

April 11, 01:31 PM April 11, 01:35 PM

The United Kingdom's Defense Ministry warned on Tuesday that some of the purportedly leaked U.S. classified documents are false and could be disinformation.

The Biden administration is frantically investigating a trove of classified documents that have been posted on social media sites in recent days and weeks that range in topics from the war in Ukraine to U.S. efforts to spy on allies such as Israel and South Korea, though there's a possibility that either the leaker or any others involved could manipulate or alter the documents.

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“The widely reported leak of alleged classified U.S. information has a serious level of inaccuracy,” a ministry spokesperson said in a statement. “Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread disinformation.”

One of the dozens of documents that have surfaced on social media in recent days revealed that a Russian fighter jet nearly shot down a British jet last September off the coast of Russian-occupied Crimea. A Russian plane came within roughly 15 feet of the British plane on Sept. 29 in a similar incident to the one in March when a Russian pilot collided with a U.S. drone.

It's unclear who is responsible for the massive breach and if more documents will be released, while questions remain about the accuracy of each one.

One document in particular appeared to show Russia and Ukraine's casualty totals, only for a subsequent photo to appear online showing distorted casualty numbers that favor Russia. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the posts looked like a Russian disinformation operation to sow doubts.

South Korean officials have also warned that documents released regarding its government also appear to have been altered.

One of the related documents released provided insight into an alleged internal discussion among top aides to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol regarding a debate about whether to provide the United States with artillery shells due to a long-standing policy of not providing weapons to warring countries. The intelligence seemingly indicates, if true, that the U.S. had spied on its ally.

"On the US government’s alleged wiretapping, the defense ministers of the two countries agreed that ‘a considerable amount of the documents were fabricated,’” South Korea's presidential office said.

McCarthy hails Netanyahu as 'great friend of the USA' amid judicial reform turmoil

Ryan King

March 30, 05:25 PM March 30, 05:25 PM

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) affirmed his support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as turmoil over attempted judicial reform batters the U.S. ally.

McCarthy's overture comes as President Joe Biden has publicly disparaged Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plans and revealed there are no "near term" plans to invite Netanyahu to the White House. The judicial reform measure has since been postponed until at least the summertime legislative session amid rampant backlash.

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"Prime Minister Netanyahu is an Israeli patriot, statesman, and most importantly, a great friend of the USA," McCarthy tweeted. "Free societies have vigorous and open debate. Israel is no exception. I support @netanyahu, and America’s support for Israel’s strong, vibrant democracy is unwavering."

Netanyahu championed an overhaul of that judiciary that would grant Israel's parliament, the Knesset, the power to override Supreme Court rulings. Detractors stormed the streets, marching in protest. Discontent even seeped into the Israel Defense Forces, which saw soldiers threaten to refuse to serve.

Last week, Netanyahu's Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant urged him to delay the move, and the Israeli government announced he would be booted from his post shortly thereafter.

Biden told reporters Tuesday that he was "very concerned" about the judicial reform plans and voiced hope that Netanyahu "walks away from" it. Netanyahu countered that Israel will make its own decisions based on "the will of its people and not based on pressures from abroad."

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides clarified this week that the Biden administration intends to invite Netanyahu "as soon as their schedules can be coordinated."

In an about-face, Netanyahu agreed this week to hit pause on the plans, but he vowed to enact the overhaul "one way or another." He has upheld the proposal as a means of strengthening democracy and argued it will make Israel more responsive to the will of the people.

"We welcome this announcement as an opportunity to create additional time and space for compromise. A compromise is precisely what we have been calling for," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters earlier this week in response to the halt. "We continue to strongly urge Israeli leaders to find a compromise as soon as possible."

Honduras opens ties with China after breaking from Taiwan

Ryan King

March 26, 12:31 PM March 26, 12:31 PM

Honduras moved to open diplomatic ties with China Sunday after breaking away from Taiwan, leaving the island recognized by only 12 nations and Vatican City.

Coinciding with its joint communique with China, Honduras's foreign ministry affirmed publicly that Taiwan is an "inseparable part of Chinese territory," ushering in an end to its formal relations with the island that dated back to the 1940s. The move marks a significant diplomatic victory for China.

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“Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan," the foreign ministry said, per a translation.

President Xiomara Castro foreshadowed the move during a trip to China when she said Honduras would move to establish ties with Beijing. Both China and Taiwan have been embroiled in a battle over whether the island is under China's control or an independent nation-state. China demands that other countries adhere to the "One China" policy in order to have relations.

"With deep regret, we announce the termination of diplomatic relations with Honduras. 82 years of friendship & cooperation bringing real benefit to the peoples were dismissed by the Castro government. Taiwan remains unbowed & continues to work as a force for good in the world," Taiwan's Foreign Ministry tweeted.

Castro mused about pivoting toward China in 2021, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu recounted in a press conference. Honduras requested billions in aid from Taiwan while pointing to the torrent of aid China pitched, per Wu. This included the pursuit of $2.45 billion for the construction of a dam, building a hospital, and paying off debt.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen vowed that her government would not “engage in a meaningless contest of dollar diplomacy with China” in order to preserve international friendships.

Tsai is set to embark on a trip to the U.S., Guatemala, and Belize this week. During her trip, she is expected to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in Los Angeles and possibly other lawmakers as well.

Although the United States does not formally recognize Taiwan, Washington maintains unofficial relations with Taipei City. U.S. officials have fretted that China will eventually seek to reestablish control over Taiwan via force and have talked about the prospect of providing military aid to subvert such aggression.

Bipartisan duo looks to force Biden's hand on US-Saudi relations

David Sivak

March 24, 05:10 AM March 24, 05:11 AM

A bipartisan pair of senators is trying to force President Joe Biden's administration to reevaluate its relationship with Saudi Arabia with new legislation targeting the human rights record of the oil-rich Middle Eastern ally.

Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced a privileged resolution this month that would require the State Department to submit to Congress a report on Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses within 30 days. If the administration failed to do so, security aid to the kingdom would be cut off.

The bill is a novel approach to the debate on Washington’s alliance with Saudi Arabia, which Murphy says is not a reliable partner and often works against U.S. national security interests.

The senators, usually ideological foes on Senate legislation, are utilizing a never-before-used provision of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, which would fast-track consideration of the resolution. Under the law, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee would have 10 days to consider the measure before Murphy and Lee can force a floor vote to discharge it from the committee.

Although those 10 days have now passed — the resolution was introduced on March 15 — Murphy says he’s letting the process play out in committee before deciding whether to request a vote.

“We're talking to the committee about their disposition,” he told the Washington Examiner on March 22. “You know, we have the right to bring it before the Senate after 10 days, but the committee can still work on it, you know, after the 10-day period of time.”

Murphy has for years railed against Saudi Arabia for backing the neighboring Yemeni government in a civil war that has killed thousands of civilians. He and Lee say the United States is complicit in those deaths due to its military assistance to the Saudis.

The complaints are a common refrain among Democrats, who argue America’s strategic partnership with the kingdom (which seeks to counter Iranian influence in the region) undermines America’s commitment to advance human rights abroad.

Those concerns reached a fever pitch in 2018 after the gruesome killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, believed to be ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Biden channeled Democratic outrage on the campaign trail, promising to make the kingdom a "pariah." But the president has sought to improve relations with the oil-producing country after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which sent already-high gas prices soaring.

Biden made a trip to Saudi Arabia last summer to lobby for higher oil production by OPEC+. Yet the diplomatic overtures ended after the cartel, led by the Saudis, announced in October it would cut output by 2 million barrels a day, a move that came weeks before the midterm elections.

The White House accused the Saudis of aiding Russia’s war effort by driving up oil revenues and promised to work with Congress to reevaluate America's relationship with the kingdom in its aftermath. But five months later, Murphy says Biden has failed to live up to that pledge.

“The administration has made several public statements about reorienting Saudi policy. I'm disappointed we haven't seen that reorientation,” Murphy said. “And I think it's time for Congress to have a discussion about whether we're going to continue business as usual with a country that doesn't seem too interested in acting like our national security matters to them.”

The senator told the Washington Examiner the Biden administration has consulted with Congress on the topic, including multiple conversations with Murphy himself, but that the dialogue has yet to produce a change in strategy.

“They are very aware of my belief that our policy should have changed,” he said. “But I'll let them speak for themselves as to why they generally kept things on a steady track notwithstanding all of the bad behavior we're seeing every day.”

In addition to requiring an account of Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations, including its crackdown on political dissidents, Murphy and Lee's resolution would require the administration to detail how the U.S. has responded to those abuses and evaluate whether continued military assistance is warranted.

After the report is submitted, Congress would then have the right to pass a joint resolution, privileged at a 50-vote threshold, ending or paring back U.S. military support for the kingdom. To become law, it would have to be signed by the president.

The Biden administration only allows defensive weapons to be sold to Saudi Arabia, and in 2021, it imposed sanctions and visa bans on Saudi agents whom it believes perpetrated the slaying of Khashoggi, penalties that notably exempted the crown prince. Yet Murphy believes the actions are not enough, and he has called for the Biden administration to “right-size” its relationship with Saudi Arabia, a shift that would include a freeze on all new military aid to the kingdom.

It’s a move that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, himself called for in response to the oil cuts in October.

Yet it’s not clear whether the resolution will get taken up by his panel. “I haven’t seen it,” Menendez told the Washington Examiner. “I’m not sure whether or not it'll get a hearing in the committee.”

Asked about the timing of the measure, Murphy hinted that recent positive developments in the U.S.-Saudi relationship, such as last week’s release of a dual national imprisoned for tweets critical of the crown prince, may delay its consideration. Murphy does not expect it to come before the Senate before the April 3 recess.

This is not the first time Murphy has partnered with Lee, a constitutional conservative who says the president does not have the authority to insert the U.S. into Yemen’s civil war.

In 2019, the pair sponsored legislation to end America’s involvement in the conflict that made it all the way to the White House. Then-President Donald Trump, who stood by the crown prince despite Khashoggi's death, vetoed the resolution, saying it was an “unnecessary, dangerous attempt” to weaken the office of the president.

WATCH: Rep. Waltz calls for sending ‘very clear message’ to Mexico and drug cartels

Heather Hamilton

March 13, 10:33 AM March 13, 10:35 AM

Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) is calling upon the Biden administration to demonstrate stronger leadership and confront the Mexican drug cartel crisis.

“This is more weakness from this White House,” Waltz told WHD News’s Steve Hilton. “Now cartels, these narco-terrorists that control our southern border, that control upwards of a third, according to some estimates, of the entire country of Mexico.”

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“Look, I would ask the White House, 'If ISIS or al Qaeda pumped chemicals into the United States that killed 80,000 Americans, more than the worst year of World War II, would we be treating it as a law enforcement/diplomatic problem?' Hell no, we wouldn’t!” Waltz said. “We would go after them, ISIS and al Qaeda, with everything we’ve got. And that’s what we’re demanding now in the Congress.”

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) joined Waltz in January, introducing legislation to authorize military force against the major Mexican drug cartels. Their effort has found support from former Attorney General William Barr.

Waltz said efforts could utilize offensive cyberstrategy through military or space assets, in addition to going after the cartels’ money or dismantling the cartel leadership with special operation forces.

"We’re at a point now where we need to send a very clear message ... to say we’re going to have to do this with you or without you. We have no choice. We cannot accept, actually under international law, to allow your territory to be used as a sanctuary for narco-terrorists to then kill the citizens of your neighbor is a violation of international law," Waltz said.

“And I think we send a message that we have no choice: Work with us, or we're going to have work alone to protect our sovereignty, our people, and our interest. I think if we send that message the right way, much like we did with the 'Remain in Mexico' policy, that we’ll see folks get on board," the congressman said.

When it was suggested that a new president might be needed for Waltz to see his ideas come to fruition, the Republican congressman said immediate action is needed in light of the recent kidnapping and slaying of American citizens in Mexico.

“We owe it to those families to do everything we can do from Congress and at least set the stage for the next president if this one won’t … act,” Waltz said.

Matt Gaetz resolution to pull US troops from Syria fails to clear House

Ryan King

March 08, 06:08 PM March 08, 06:08 PM

A resolution championed by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) calling for the United States to withdraw its troops from Syria failed to clear the House.

The measure was shot down on Wednesday in a 103-321 vote. Forty-seven Republicans and 56 Democrats voted in favor of Gaetz's War Powers Resolution Act, which would have directed President Joe Biden to bring the roughly 900 U.S. troops in Syria home within 180 days unless Congress authorized an extended deployment.

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Gaetz had filed the resolution after a Feb. 17 press release from U.S. Central Command stated that four American service members were wounded in a raid in northeastern Syria to take out a senior ISIS leader.

“If Joe Biden wants to keep us in Syria’s war, then he must explain to the American people why, what the goal is, and what winning looks like. Until then, every member of the House of Representatives will vote on the record on whether they support continuing war in Syria or not," Gaetz said in a statement ahead of the vote.

Due to the fact that war powers resolutions are privileged, Gaetz could force a vote on the measure within 18 days of him unveiling it. Gaetz is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

"America First means actually putting the people of our country first — not the interests of the Military Industrial Complex," he said.

The House Progressive Caucus encouraged its 100-plus members to back Gaetz's bill. Last year, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) unveiled a similar proposal that attracted 155 votes in favor, including 25 Republicans. Gaetz was one of them.

Robert Ford, the former ambassador to Syria under the Obama administration, also urged members of Congress to support Gaetz's resolution.

"After more than eight years of military operations in Syria there is no definition of what the ‘enduring’ defeat of ISIS would look like,” he wrote in a letter to Congress obtained by the Intercept. “We owe our soldiers serving there in harm’s way a serious debate about whether their mission is, in fact, achievable.”

On Saturday, Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made a surprise trip to Syria in a Kurdish-controlled controlled region to examine United States operations. He underscored the importance of having a military engagement in the region to curtail terrorist threats.

“Unless you support and devote the correct amount of resources to it, things will get worse,” he told reporters, the New York Times reported. “If you completely ignore and turn your back, then you’re setting the conditions for a resurgence.”

Putin says he expects Xi to visit Moscow as he meets with China's top diplomat

Mike Brest

February 22, 10:31 AM February 22, 10:31 AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Chinese leader Xi Jinping would visit Moscow in the coming months, while the United States and its allies remain concerned about their growing partnership.

Putin met with Wang Yi, China's highest-ranking diplomat, at the Kremlin on Wednesday, describing the relationship between the two countries as "reaching new frontiers."

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"We await a visit of the President of the People's Republic of China to Russia. We have agreed on this. Everything is progressing, developing. We are reaching new frontiers," Putin told Wang, according to Reuters, while the top Chinese diplomat said their relationship would "not succumb to pressure from third parties," a thinly veiled reference to the U.S. Wang also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Wang's visit gave both sides an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to one another, and it happened just before the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. China has, throughout the war, sought to remain a neutral party calling for peaceful solutions, while leaders also simultaneously made remarks supporting Russia.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters on Wednesday that he had no details to share about a possible Xi trip to China.

"China and Russia have maintained close communication at all levels on advancing the development of bilateral relations and contributing to world peace and development. As for interactions between the two presidents, I have nothing to share at the moment," he said.

Days ago, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said China appeared to be "considering" taking a more active role in supporting Russia by providing them with "lethal weapons."

"China’s having — trying to have it both ways," he said in an interview last weekend on Meet The Press. "Publicly, they present themselves as a country striving for peace in Ukraine, but privately, as I said, we’ve seen already over these past months the provision of nonlethal assistance that does go directly to aiding and abetting Russia’s war effort. And some further information that we are sharing today and that, I think, will be out there soon that indicates that they are strongly considering providing lethal assistance to Russia."

He emphasized that they hadn't seen China “cross that line” of providing lethal aid to Russia, though they “see them considering this.”

China and Russia released a communique prior to Moscow's invasion that outlined a wide range of plans for economic and diplomatic cooperation, though the war has stressed their relationship. Now though, Russia is more dependent upon China as it has become a pariah on the international stage, while Russia is also able to cast the war in Ukraine as a West vs. Asia battle.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said last week that the relationship between the Kremlin and the Chinese Communist Party has "no-limits."

“My assessment is the PRC [People's Republic of China] is trying to both increase its standing in the international community by saying that it's willing to mediate and help bring this horrifying invasion to an end. And at the same time, they are committed to their no-limits partnership with Russia,” Sherman added. “And we have, certainly, concern and growing concern about that partnership and the PRC’s support for this invasion.”

Blinken and Wang Yi met last week on the sidelines of the Munich Security Forum, where Blinken "warned about the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia or assistance with systemic sanctions evasion," according to State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a readout of the meeting.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, said in response to the claim that the U.S. is not in a position to dictate its relationship with Russia.

As Wang Yi visited Moscow, President Joe Biden was in Europe reaffirming his support for Ukraine. He secretly traveled to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday before meeting with allies in Warsaw, Poland.

Additionally, America's relationship with China has continued to plummet through various incidents over the Biden administration, most recently China's possible increased support for Russia and the spy balloon that traversed the U.S. weeks ago before the military shot it down over the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. officials have also described China's recent actions as more provocative and have argued they're trying to rewrite aspects of the Chinese-U.S. relationship unilaterally.

Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure ahead of long, hard winter

Mike Brest

November 18, 04:00 AM November 18, 04:00 AM

Russian forces have continued to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, setting the conditions for a brutal winter for civilians.

Russia has repeatedly lost occupied territory in Ukraine, though it continues to pummel its southern neighbor aerially. That includes launching missiles targeting Ukraine’s energy grid, which Russian leaders argue are legitimate military targets. On Nov. 14, Russia launched an estimated 60 to 100 missiles at various Ukrainian cities, Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters the next day.

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“With the onset of winter, families will be without power, and more importantly, without heat. Basic human survival and subsistence is going to be severely impacted, and human suffering for the Ukrainian population is going to increase,” Milley said. “These strikes will undoubtedly hinder Ukraine's ability to care for the sick and the elderly. Their hospitals will be partially operational. The elderly are going to be exposed to the elements.”

The Pentagon thinks roughly a quarter of Ukrainian civilians are now without electricity, Milley said, and Ukrainian officials have said that roughly 30% of the country’s power stations have been destroyed.

Milley called Russia's deliberate targeting of Ukraine's civilian power grid "a war crime.” Milley, the highest-ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, also noted that Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine's territory. This includes much of the eastern Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as Crimea, which Russia annexed illegally in 2014.

Ukrainian officials have asked for assistance from American officials and their counterparts in a half-dozen European allied nations in order to prepare for an extended time with limited gas and electricity. In the U.S., Milley, the Joint Chiefs chairman, warned that Russia’s latest aerial attack would continue and the potential onslaught could overwhelm the country's ability to bring heat and power back online.

"The Russians are striking throughout the depth and breadth of all of Ukraine with air-launched cruise missiles, with Kalibr sea-launched cruise missiles, and with other types of munitions. They are striking the Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, and it has little or no military purpose," Milley said. "These missiles, again, they targeted intentionally and damaged civilian power generation facilities to cause unnecessary suffering with the civilian population."

The U.S. has sought to provide Ukraine with gear for the winter season, as have other allies. The U.S. has committed approximately 50,000 parkas, 4,700 trousers, and 39,000 fleece hats, as well as more than 23,000 boots, 18,000 gloves, and 6,000 tents, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said last month.

Russian battlefield failures

As Russia continues its monthslong on-and-off air assault across Ukraine, its forces have continued to lose ground in the eastern part of Ukraine. Russian forces recently retreated from the strategically key city of Kherson, which was the only regional capital that Russian forces had captured and occupied. They had held the city since the start of the war, which began in February.

Kherson was one of four regions that the Kremlin sought to annex. While the Russian occupiers went through the motions of a referendum, which they declared overwhelmingly went in favor of joining the Russian Federation, the U.S. and its Western allies unanimously and immediately denounced it as a violation of international law.

Russia’s likelihood of achieving its initial goal of overthrowing the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is “close to zero,” Milley said.

“I can suppose theoretically it’s possible, maybe, but I don’t see it happening militarily,” Milley said. He later tempered this optimistic appraisal by saying the probability of a full Ukrainian military victory “happening anytime soon is not high.”

Nevertheless, Milley praised the Ukrainian forces' determination and resolve.

“They wanted to overrun all of Ukraine, and they lost. They didn't achieve those objectives. They failed to achieve their strategic objectives, and they are now failing to achieve their operational and tactical objectives. The Ukrainians have achieved success after success after success, and the Russians have failed every single time. They've lost strategically, they've lost operationally, and I repeat, they lost tactically. What they've tried to do, they failed at. They started this war and Russia can end this war," he said.

Through nearly nine months of the war, Russia likely has "well over 100,000" soldiers killed or wounded, Milley said earlier this month, and Ukraine likely has sustained a similar number of casualties, he added.

“The fighting is not going to stop,” Milley said. But both sides will use the winter as an “opportunity to get some rest to do some training to get resupplied.”

Diplomatic efforts

The lull in the fighting does open the possibility of a return to diplomacy. And Ukraine's latest battleground gains are likely to improve their negotiating hand.

“Politically, there may be a political solution where politically the Russians withdraw. That's possible. You want to negotiate from a position of strength. Russia, right now, is on its back,” Milley added. “The Russian military is really hurting bad. So, you want to negotiate at a time when you're at your strength and your opponent is at their greatest weakness. And it's possible, maybe, that there will be a political solution.”

The winter months will also diminish the fighting between both sides as the conditions worsen.

Last week, Colin H. Kahl, the undersecretary of defense for policy, told reporters that the “sloppy weather in Ukraine” is already slowing the fighting, at least a bit.

"It's getting really muddy, which makes it hard to do large-scale offensives. I think that that challenge is going to get worse in the coming weeks. So we'll have to see whether the fighting slows down as a consequence of that," he said.

Our constitutional structure easily beats our parliamentary competitors

Adam Carrington

November 02, 12:36 PM November 02, 12:37 PM

The parliamentary system will never be as strong as America’s constitutional model because it lacks a true separation of powers.

In a recent piece for National Review, Dan McLaughlin ably defended the benefits of our system in having established terms for presidents and congressmen, as well as the two-party structure our Constitution privileges through the Electoral College. But our system does much more — it also helps our government to run safer and better once our elected officials begin exercising their constitutional duties.

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The parliamentary structure is found in many governments worldwide besides the United Kingdom and those nations once under its rule. This system does not have a president but instead selects its executive from the ranks of the legislative branch. The parliamentary system, as we now see it, stems from the modern problem of monarchy. In centuries past, a parliament consolidated most of a nation’s legislative power to itself, while the king possessed executive duties.

As theories of popular government gained dominance, the legitimacy of a king exercising real political powers came to be seen as less and less legitimate (the same went for aristocratic bodies such as the English House of Lords). Yet these nations needed an office to wield executive power, so they gradually answered the need in the office of prime minister. The prime minister rose out of the legislative body, exercising executive duties while remaining part of the nation’s lawmaking institution.

By combining legislative and executive into one body, and even one office, this system neglects the insight so central to the U.S. Constitution: that governments should be structured according to the separation of powers. Many know the threat to liberty this combination holds. The French 18th-century political philosopher Montesquieu observed that when the powers of lawmaking and law-enforcing are held within a singular institution, genuine moderation is destroyed — and, with it, liberty.

Separating lawmaking and law enforcement makes the government better at doing its job. The distinct bodies can check each other’s excesses, thereby protecting liberty from government. But they also are created to fulfill their particular roles well, thus promoting a government effective at preserving the blessings of liberty from private threats. Different institutions could be molded with their assigned power in mind. A legislative body could be built around deliberation, helping it to craft laws in thoughtful ways that account for different perspectives and the need for refining legislative ideas. A constitution could establish an executive made for law enforcement, especially the ability to act decisively and swiftly in carrying out a nation’s rules. Separation of powers, therefore, guards us both from tyranny and anarchy.

The wisdom of our Founding Fathers also displays itself in how our president is selected. In addition to the Electoral College that McLaughlin defended, a more fundamental virtue to our system is that our president answers the problem monarchy posed for an independent executive in the age of democracy. The president is not a king. That person is chosen by the people and has no claims to rule by hereditary or divine right. Making the executive a popular one permitted democracy to maintain an independent, powerful executive rather than enfolding the position into the legislative branch.

We should celebrate our Constitution’s structural advantage over a parliamentary system in how it orders elections and thus realizes the consent of the governed. But we also should note its superiority in how that elected government then runs. Our constitutional system of government isn’t outdated. It’s worlds ahead of the competition.

Adam Carrington is an associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College.

China’s leader-for-life, and America’s diminished military, raise risk of war over Taiwan

Jamie McIntyre

October 21, 01:00 AM October 21, 01:00 AM

It has been described as "a coronation."

At a weeklong Chinese Communist Party national congress this month, Xi Jinping, 69, secured an unprecedented third five-year term while consolidating enough power so that he can likely secure a fourth or even fifth term, if he wants it.

Speaking on the opening day of the party congress, the putative leader-for-life laid down a marker that was met with thunderous applause by the 2,000 delegates packed into Beijing’s cavernous Great Hall of the People.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MUST INVESTIGATE THREAT OF CHINESE OWNERSHIP OF US FARMLAND, GOP SAYS

“Taiwan is China’s Taiwan,” the Chinese leader said. “We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will never promise to renounce the use of force.”

“The wheels of history are rolling on toward China’s reunification,” he continued. “Complete reunification of our country must be realized, and it can, without doubt, be realized!”

China has the world’s second-largest defense budget after the United States, and Xi harbors ambitious plans to build his country’s People’s Liberation Army into a “world-class military” by 2049.

China hasn’t fought a land war in more than four decades, not since it invaded Vietnam in 1979, but Xi is vowing to turn the PLA into a modern fighting force capable of deterring “crises and conflicts” and winning “local wars.”

“We will intensify military training under combat conditions, laying emphasis on joint training, force-on-force training, and high-tech training,” he said.

While not mentioning Ukraine, Xi seemed to confirm that China is learning a lot about how a war against a smaller enemy backed by the U.S. is fought.

“We will study and gain a good grasp of the characteristics of informatized and intelligent warfare and the laws that govern it, provide new military strategic guidance, and develop strategies and tactics for a people’s war,” Xi said. He promised “new-domain forces with new combat capabilities” while speeding up the development of “unmanned, intelligent combat capabilities.”

“China would prefer coerced unification that avoids armed conflict, and it has been stepping up diplomatic, economic, and military pressure on the island for years,” Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, told the Senate Armed Services Committee in May. She added, “Beijing is prepared to use military force if it decides this is necessary.”

“It's our view that they are working hard to effectively put themselves into a position in which their military is capable of taking Taiwan over our intervention,” Haines testified.

As recently as last month, the Pentagon said it had detected no shift in Beijing’s timeline, and in fact, suggested that Xi may be chastened by Russia’s embarrassing failures in Ukraine — a war effort that Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to be a cakewalk.

"It's no mystery that Xi Jinping has given his military until 2027 to develop the military capabilities to forcefully reunify with Taiwan, but I've seen no indication that he's made that decision to do so," said Colin Kahl, the Pentagon’s undersecretary of defense for policy, at a defense forum.

"I would hope that they would draw the lesson from Russia's experience that 'Hey, maybe ... we shouldn't do that,'" Kahl said.

But two days after Xi’s speech, Secretary of State Antony Blinken seemed to suggest that Xi is getting increasingly impatient, has made a “fundamental decision” that the status quo of Taiwan as a self-governing island is “no longer acceptable," and is "determined to pursue reunification on a much faster timeline."

At a Hoover Institution event at Stanford University, Blinken said China is “profoundly disrupting the status quo and creating tremendous tensions” as Xi escalates threats to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control.

“If peaceful means didn’t work, then it would employ coercive means, and possibly, if coercive means don’t work, maybe forceful means, to achieve its objectives,” the secretary of state said.

The ramp-up in rhetoric follows President Joe Biden’s repeated assertions, most recently in a CBS 60 Minutes interview, that the U.S. would come to the defense of Taiwan if China invades. That's a muddying of America’s long-standing policy of “strategic ambiguity” designed to keep Beijing guessing about the level of military support America would provide.

Biden told CBS’s Scott Pelley that the U.S. military would defend Taiwan if “there was an unprecedented attack.”

“So unlike Ukraine, to be clear, sir, U.S. forces, U.S. men and women, would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?” Pelley pressed, to which Biden replied, “Yes.”

Biden’s National Security Strategy names China as America’s “only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it.” But the just-released document drew sharp criticism from Republicans for listing climate change as “the greatest and potentially existential” threat facing the world.

“The Chinese Communist Party is again making clear that it is the single greatest threat to our national interests,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), a member of the House Intelligence and Armed Services committees.

“We desperately need a sense of urgency to put hard power in Xi’s path before it is too late,” the Republican said in a statement in response to the Chinese leader’s address. “This starts with providing Taiwan with security assistance and moving them to the front of the [Foreign Military Assistance] line, maxing out munitions production, and augmenting and dispersing American hard power forward in the region."

Gallagher also presided over the release of the Heritage Foundation’s latest Index of U.S. Military Strength, which rates the readiness of the U.S. Army as “marginal,” the Navy and Space Force as “weak,” and the Air Force as “very weak.” Those are the lowest grades in the nine-year history of the highly respected index.

Only the Marine Corps and U.S. nuclear forces were rated “strong."

Meanwhile, the chapter on China judges its military as “aggressive” for its level of provocation and “formidable” for its level of capability.

“The American military forces are in a diminished state, as readiness issues, old equipment, and a lack of capacity calls into question its ability to defend the United States and its interests,” the just-released report concludes.

“When it comes to Taiwan, time is not on our side. We have entered the window of maximum danger,” said Gallagher in a speech at Heritage, referring to one U.S. commander’s assessment that China may make a move on Taiwan within the next five years.

“Most of the transformative technology DoD is investing in with its much-hyped 9.5% increase in research and development dollars, from hypersonic weapons to ‘Joint All Domain Command and Control,’ may not be fielded until the 2030s — if at all,” Gallagher said. “Making matters worse, we’re running low on the munitions that are essential to both Ukraine and Taiwan. Two months into the war, we had already sent Ukraine a quarter of our entire Stinger stockpile and more than seven years’ worth of Javelins.”

One early lesson from the war in Ukraine, Gallagher argues, is that despite clear U.S. threats of harsh sanctions and the promise of military assistance to Kyiv, after the fact, Pentagon leaders were forced to concede Putin was simply “not deterrable” due to the ardor of his irredentist ambitions.

“This was an important, if inadvertent, admission about the supremacy of hard power, one that has profound implications for how we deter a war with China over Taiwan,” Gallagher said.

Five takeaways from lone Florida Senate discussion amongst Marco Rubio and Val Demings

Naomi Lim

Oct 18, 10:01 PM Oct 18, 10:22 PM

Abortion access, election protection, and international coverage dominated Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Val Demings's (D-FL) 1 and only discussion right before Florida voters determine which they want to characterize them in the Senate.

Demings, the underdog challenger, arrived out swinging, calling two-term incumbent Rubio a liar and cheat while introducing herself to the statewide citizens "as the daughter of a maid and a janitor." But the six-12 months Orlando-dependent Home lawmaker and previous police chief's bluster seemed to peter out in comparison to Rubio's command of coverage, besides for his evasive response to a query about abortion.

Right here are 5 times from the hourlong discussion that stood out:

BIDEN Keeps Target ON ABORTION AS DOBBS Shows Signals OF FIZZLING AS VOTER Priority

ABORTION

As President Joe Biden underscores the problem of abortion nationwide, a person of Rubio and Demings's most striking contrasts became apparent when they were speaking about Rubio's co-sponsorship of Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-SC) 15-week abortion ban.

"Each monthly bill I've at any time sponsored on abortion, every monthly bill I've at any time voted for has exceptions," Rubio explained. "Every single a single of them does simply because which is what can move and which is what the the vast majority of people assist."

When pressed on no matter whether he would back again a bill devoid of exceptions, the senator additional he didn't "believe that that the worth of human life is decided by the circumstance."

"We are never going to get a vote on a legislation that isn't going to have exceptions," he mentioned. "She nonetheless would not solution what unique restrictions. She has by no means voted for limits."

Demings recurring she endorsed "a woman's proper to select up to the time of viability."

GUN Regulate

Coming from a condition marred by gun violence, Rubio and Demings sparred more than how federal lawmakers really should respond to mass shootings, this kind of as the 2016 Orlando Pulse nightclub taking pictures and Parkland's Stoneman Douglas High University capturing two years later.

Demings appeared disappointed with Rubio's plan argument immediately after this week's shooting in North Carolina, contending he designed "no feeling" right after he was asked whether an 18-yr-old should be able to obtain an AR-style rifle.

"Persons who are people of victims of gun violence have just listened to that, and they're inquiring by themselves, 'What in the hell did he just say?'" she mentioned. "Florida handed laws raising the age to have an assault weapon."

"What would make no feeling is that we are likely to in fact pass laws that only regulation-abiding folks will stick to and criminals proceed to violate," Rubio replied. "The dilemma is that the Remaining in the Senate and in the Home, like congresswoman Demings, are towards it since they want the California crimson flag law that allows your co-employee who has a grudge and can go to a judge."

Foreign Plan

Irrespective of equally getting on their chamber's intelligence committee, Rubio's membership of that panel, in addition to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was shown all through questions on Russia, China, and immigration.

When needled on how the United States should answer if Russia have been to strike an ally, Demings mentioned there must be an "speedy" response, although Rubio included it should really be "proportionate."

"The NATO alliance will have to meet up with and choose what is proportional reaction, and that would rely on the nature and degree of the attack," he said. "It would have to be an allied response, not only a U.S. one."

Rubio and Demings had been much more evenly matched on China policy. Demings claimed the U.S. desired to "maintain China accountable," especially with regards to Taiwan. Rubio quipped that sounded like "a good bumper sticker."

"He goes close to the state conversing a lot about our dependency on China for semiconductors, and then he voted versus the CHIPS Act that will help further American independence," Demings claimed.

Financial system

The financial state was not the centerpiece of the debate, defying anticipations provided that polling suggests it is a leading voter worry. Rubio and Demings have been asked what they would do now to give middle-course family members money relief. Rubio criticized Demings, and Democrats more broadly, for passing trillion-dollar paying deals and for getting a domestic electrical power policy that has relied on periodic releases from the country's crisis oil reserve. Demings, in switch, scrutinized the pandemic-period Paycheck Safety Plan.

ELECTION INTEGRITY

Rubio and Demings had been grilled 2 times on election integrity and security. Rubio distanced himself from Republicans and 2022 gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams (D-GA), who have disputed election benefits in the past, advocating for identification specifications and in opposition to fall containers, as very well as so-named ballot harvesting.

"I assume elections have to have policies," he claimed, dismissing persons likening "what's happening now to the Jim Crow period."

The pair was also asked why a federalized method to elections was important. Demings urged Congress to move the John R. Lewis Voting Legal rights Improvement Act

"We never require that federal regulation imposed on every single condition," Rubio countered. "Florida has quite superior election guidelines, and other states are very good."

North Korea launches ballistic missile into Sea of Japan

Jenny Goldsberry

September 24, 07:49 PM September 24, 08:25 PM

North Korea launched a missile more than the weekend that landed in the Sea of Japan, South Korean officers verified.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Team described the launch took place just ahead of 7 a.m. KST Sunday, which was about 6 p.m. EST Saturday, but did not share the missile's range or trajectory. This start came just right before the South Korean military's prepared substantial-scale military services drills.

A U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea shortly ahead of the start in preparing for Vice President Kamala Harris's journey throughout Asia, in which she designs to visit South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Harris is building the journey generally for former Key Minister Shinzo Abe's funeral on Sept. 27.

TAIWAN ON THE AGENDA WHEN HARRIS Fulfills INDO-PACIFIC LEADERS IN JAPAN AND KOREA

The previous time North Korea launched missiles was in June when it launched 8 short-range missiles, triggering the United States to simply call for U.N. sanctions versus the nation for violating United Nations Stability Council resolutions.

Biden strategies to show up at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral: Stories

Christian Datoc

September 09, 09:10 AM September 09, 09:18 AM

President Joe Biden programs to go to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in the coming weeks, according to studies.

The president stopped by the British Embassy in Washington Thursday evening to spend his respects and claimed previously that day that the queen "defined an period."

BIDEN Tends to make Surprise Stop by IN HONOR OF LATE QUEEN ELIZABETH II

"In a earth of constant transform, she was a steadying presence and a source of consolation and delight for generations of Britons, which include quite a few who have by no means regarded their region without the need of her. An enduring admiration for Queen Elizabeth II united people throughout the Commonwealth," the president wrote. "The 7 a long time of her historical past-creating reign bore witness to an age of unparalleled human advancement and the ahead march of human dignity."

"Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance in between the United Kingdom and the United States," he reported. "She helped make our relationship specific."

The queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland Thursday at the age of 96, marking her the U.K.'s longest-serving monarch. Her coffin will before long depart for the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarchy's formal home in Scotland, before lying in rest at St. Giles Cathedral for 24 several hours, in accordance to the BBC.

The queen will moreover lie in condition at Westminster for 4 days, allowing the general public to pay back their respects, forward of her funeral at Westminster Abbey in less than two months, although the specific date and time of her funeral have yet to be set.

Queen Elizabeth will turn into the to start with monarch to have a funeral services in the abbey given that King George II in 1760.

This is a building tale and will be up-to-date with much more details as it results in being available.

China halts US discussions on critical concerns in response to Pelosi Taiwan journey

Cami Mondeaux

August 05, 07:32 AM August 05, 07:32 AM

China has halted dialogue with the United States on various troubles which include local climate alter and military services problems in retaliation for Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s take a look at to Taiwan before this week.

The Chinese overseas ministry announced it would be enacting eight distinctive actions in response to Pelosi’s pay a visit to, which contain suspending discussions in between senior-level military services commanders on cross-border criminal offense, drug trafficking, and local weather transform, the ministry introduced Friday. The retaliation comes in reaction to the Home speaker viewing Taiwan earlier this week despite repeated warnings from China, which claims Taiwan is aspect of its territory despite island leaders retaining it is self-governed.

View: NANCY PELOSI ACCUSES CRITICS OF SEXISM AS SHE LEAVES TAIWAN

China also imposed undefined sanctions on Pelosi and her family members shortly just after she still left Taiwan, contacting her trip “vicious” and “provocative.”

"Inspite of China's serious considerations and company opposition, Pelosi insisted on traveling to Taiwan, critically interfering in China's inner affairs, undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, trampling on the one-China coverage, and threatening the peace and security of the Taiwan Strait," a ministry spokesperson explained in a assertion.

Pelosi departed from Taiwan about 6 p.m. community time on Wednesday, marking the conclusion of a contentious trip that defied threats from China as perfectly as warnings from U.S. officials. The Chinese armed service started to mobilize right after Pelosi, the greatest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in 25 several years, landed on Tuesday, with China announcing ideas to conduct military routines around the island that prompted worries among Taiwanese officials.

During her check out to Taiwan, Pelosi accepted an award from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on behalf of the United States, emphasizing a partnership with the island is “crucial” amid the “struggle among autocracy and democracy in the planet.”

Her short end in Taiwan was section of a larger Asia trip that provided stops in Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan. For the duration of the tour, Pelosi and a team of lawmakers will emphasis on strengthening financial and security partnerships overseas and the "democratic governance in the Indo-Pacific area," in accordance to Pelosi's press release.

Trump downplays LIV uproar: 'I never know significantly about the 9/11 families'

Ryan King

July 26, 11:07 AM July 26, 11:09 AM

Former President Donald Trump downplayed the outcry from family members of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in excess of his internet hosting of the LIV Golf Invitational Series at his New Jersey golf resort.

Households of the victims have criticized LIV for accepting dollars from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund because they think the oil-prosperous country experienced ties to the attackers. On the other hand, Trump has been unrelenting in the experience of this kind of criticism about his final decision to host the tournament at his golf vacation resort, positioned an hour away from floor zero.

TRUMP Internet hosting SAUDI-BACKED LIV Sequence AT Golfing Clubs Inspite of 9/11 FAMILIES' PLEAS

“I really do not know substantially about the 9/11 households, I do not know what is the relationship to this and their extremely solid feelings, and I can recognize their thoughts,” he told the Wall Road Journal. “I just cannot genuinely comment on that due to the fact I really do not know particularly what they are stating and what they’re expressing, who did what.”

Other criticisms of Saudi Arabia's comportment on human legal rights have been hanging over LIV. Some have pointed to the slaying of previous Washington Put up columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 as a different case in point of the kingdom demonstrating its disregard for human rights, with U.S. intelligence concluding Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was probably associated in Khashoggi's demise. Trump believes the debate has "died down."

“I can say that from the standpoint of Khashoggi, that has died down so much,” Trump stated. “It actually looks to have thoroughly died down."

The previous president said LIV has been instrumental in rehabilitating Saudi Arabia's impression on the planet phase, arguing the PGA has extended "taken advantage" of golfers.

“I consider LIV has been a good detail for Saudi Arabia, for the picture of Saudi Arabia,” Trump, who is slated to host two of LIV's 8 activities for the calendar year, included. “I think it is likely to be an amazing expenditure from that standpoint, and that’s far more worthwhile than heaps of other factors for the reason that you just can't acquire that — even with billions of pounds.”

Until finally Tuesday's report, Trump was largely silent on the uproar. Final 7 days, he took to his social media platform Fact Social to speculate that LIV will eventually merge with the "disloyal" PGA Tour, a idea shared by quite a few other observers.

The former president had been rankled by PGA in the previous. His Bedminster, New Jersey, training course was poised to host the 2022 PGA Championship, a important breakthrough in his quest to acquire inroads with the golfing elite. But the PGA pulled the plug in response to the Jan. 6 riot and moved the match to Southern Hills in Oklahoma.

LIV has served as an upstart challenger to the PGA Tour. Organizers have tapped into their extensive piggy bank, which contains at minimum $2 billion from the Saudi sovereign prosperity fund to generate golfing stars to its gatherings with lavish paydays. The PGA has putted back again and suspended LIV members from its occasions, increasing antitrust considerations. Some heavyweight golfers have seemingly utilised the LIV as a cudgel to support address their gripes with the PGA, which includes reduced-than-desirable paychecks and busy schedules.