The National Security Strategy drafted by our Maladministration Project 2025 fascists completely and unarguably suborn the national interests of the United States for those of a formerly perceived super power rival, Putin's Russia.
That alone should be considered an impeachable offense for all concerned.
Excellent again, thanks Cathy. Right before I read your analysis today, I had read an explanatory piece from Umair Haque on the economic/financial context for this NSS. It fits well with your article. The reason I include the link here is the hope that other folk more knowledgeable than myself might critique his views.
Thanks for the link and introduction to this economist of whom I had no prior knowledge. His article is sobering to say the least. I had no idea that the EU held more US debt than Japan and China combined. Sorry my knowledge of economics is shallow, but what he says makes sense up to a point. I think there are so many economic interdependencies between the US and the EU that it would be damaging to EU to offload its US holdings at any kind of speed. And I wonder how long the US dollar is going to be the global currency standard. https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/whats-behind-the-u-s-dollars-dominance-and-why-it-matters/
Thanks! I don't know enough on the subject, and I've seen some other stuff from this guy (boilerplate anti-capitalism) that makes me wary. But I'd love to hear from other people.
Europe will see this strategy as nothing much more than the ravings of a sad old racist man who long ago lost touch with reality and sold his soul for a gold toilet. But it will spur them onward toward a more independent, self-reliant approach to its global affairs. The White House, meanwhile, has shot itself in the foot, and once the crazies are booted out of office, there will be some hard work ahead to regain America’s respect and position in the world. So sad. He might not be a Russian asset, but he sure as hell acts like one.
The new Trump NSS reads like it was ghostwritten by a Franco-era Pinterest board: racial panic, Eurasian fever dreams, and a slobbering crush on authoritarian Europe. It is less strategy and more identity theater, a Great Replacement fanfic with footnotes. And to really twist the knife into the free world, this administration launched GenAI. mil, an AI program explicitly designed to automate threat detection while carefully avoiding the one threat actually burning down the house: Trump’s own authoritarian orbit. We have built a machine that sees everything except the fascism standing in front of it.
The NSS whines about censorship while Trump sues journalists. It warns Europe about democracy while he criminalizes opposition at home. It pearl-clutches about national identity while cozying up to regimes that treat dissent like a food group. And the Russia section? Pure kompromat poetry. Not one word about hybrid warfare, infiltration, or sabotage. Just a soft-focus daydream about “strategic stability,” which is MAGA-speak for “let Putin have whatever he wants.”
Make no mistake. This is not a retreat from global leadership. This is siding with the arsonists.
The only question left is simple. Why the hell are the rest of us letting him light the match‽
The NSS reads like Putin wrote it. I am not a conspiracy theorist so I'm not claiming that Trump is the Moscovian Candidate, but given his track record on NATO, Europe and Ukraine, for all intents and purposes he is and, whether intentional or idiotic, he needs to be treated as if he is. The thing is, Trump himself didn't write it so that means that there is enough support for that position in the administration for it to actually be produced. I don't necessarily mean that all of the members of the National Security Council are Russian assets. But I do conclude that there are enough people in the administration who are clueless enough and stupid enough that they would be willing to produce the document, which implies that they are also clueless enough and stupid enough to implement it. From a risk management prespective, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it needs to be treated as if it's a duck whether it is one or not. In this case a false negative is infinitely worse than a false positive. IMHO.
Thanks for another great piece, Cathy.. What the Trump administration is doing is mind-bogglingly idiotic, and against the interests of the United States as much as Europe. It is hard to believe that the understandings that underpinned the post-WWII order, which has benefited the US and the world to so great a degree, is being tossed out in a wild lurch into the arms of evil. It is truly outrageous. Sadly, Americans who do understand what is at stake, and their allies elsewhere, need to win this argument all over again.
Why wouldn't the strategy document be considered a victory for the BRICS* block? Putin celebrated by firing 700 drones at Ukraine, then went to India for a victory lap.
*Brazil is apparently off the team. Their offense was prosecuting Bolsonaro. "Bad country!!"
In his book "The Road to Unfreedom", Timothy Snyder documents the deciding reason for the Russian Support of the last stage of the Assad regime was to create a reason to attack North Western Syria. By bringing carnage to the area, Russia would drive the Middle Eastern, Islamic refugees into Europe. The assumption was that this forced migration would destabilize Europe and European alliances. The goal wasn't support for Assad, but the destruction of Western unity.
I've heard that theory. Makes a lot of sense to me. (Russia has also really stoked the anti-migrant flames; not that there weren't real problems, but I recall that there were stories that turned out to be fake, e.g. of a girl being kidnapped and raped by migrants, that turned out to be Russian fakes.)
Vance's voice is evident in quite a few passages. This is another aid to help EU/NATO realize long term change is upon us. Trump's departure is not going to change the overall direction of this regime.
Of all the silly , stupid, self-dealing, grifting, and idiotic things Trump has done, this is the most dangerous one. For one, it is quite clear the text has lost some of its sharpness in the translation from the original Russian version. I am not sure Gabbard's Russian is up to snuff.
But all sarcasm apart, for Trump and his pro-Russia henchmen (the fascists, the racists, and the tech broligarchs), to jeopardize the one thing that made America rich and the world safe is a catastrophic development. Hopefully this will be the straw that breaks the GOP's spineless camel's back. We cannot and should not leave our liberal and liberty loving partners in this moment of great uncertainty. This is nothing less than flagrant treason to our guiding principles.
Another great column Cathy! I am so impressed with all the talented writers and podcasters on The Bulwark staff. With the growing capitulation of the legacy media to Trump, The Bulwark is more important than ever to Americans who still believe in the Constitution, the Rule of Law, NATO, and simple human decency. Keep fighting the Good Fight!
The National Security Strategy drafted by our Maladministration Project 2025 fascists completely and unarguably suborn the national interests of the United States for those of a formerly perceived super power rival, Putin's Russia.
That alone should be considered an impeachable offense for all concerned.
It reads better in the original Russian
Excellent again, thanks Cathy. Right before I read your analysis today, I had read an explanatory piece from Umair Haque on the economic/financial context for this NSS. It fits well with your article. The reason I include the link here is the hope that other folk more knowledgeable than myself might critique his views.
https://open.substack.com/pub/umairhaque/p/how-trump-just-signed-americas-economic?r=49qfcv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thanks for the link and introduction to this economist of whom I had no prior knowledge. His article is sobering to say the least. I had no idea that the EU held more US debt than Japan and China combined. Sorry my knowledge of economics is shallow, but what he says makes sense up to a point. I think there are so many economic interdependencies between the US and the EU that it would be damaging to EU to offload its US holdings at any kind of speed. And I wonder how long the US dollar is going to be the global currency standard. https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/whats-behind-the-u-s-dollars-dominance-and-why-it-matters/
And big thanks for the article. I’m going to keep educating myself, and really appreciate your help.
Thank you Judith!
Thanks! I don't know enough on the subject, and I've seen some other stuff from this guy (boilerplate anti-capitalism) that makes me wary. But I'd love to hear from other people.
Thankyou Cathy!
Then there's this: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/10/tourists-social-media-trump Visitors to the US would have to reveal 5 years of their social media activities before entering the US. And this: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/10/ice-tracking-pregnant-women Pregnant women who are in ICE monitoring programs are monitored even while giving birth and threatened with their newborns disappearing--just in case the babies could become citizens. For every thing that makes it to the surface of the news feeds, there are plenty more outrageous events that don't.
Europe will see this strategy as nothing much more than the ravings of a sad old racist man who long ago lost touch with reality and sold his soul for a gold toilet. But it will spur them onward toward a more independent, self-reliant approach to its global affairs. The White House, meanwhile, has shot itself in the foot, and once the crazies are booted out of office, there will be some hard work ahead to regain America’s respect and position in the world. So sad. He might not be a Russian asset, but he sure as hell acts like one.
The entire Trump administration has basically been an "Are we the baddies?" GIF
The new Trump NSS reads like it was ghostwritten by a Franco-era Pinterest board: racial panic, Eurasian fever dreams, and a slobbering crush on authoritarian Europe. It is less strategy and more identity theater, a Great Replacement fanfic with footnotes. And to really twist the knife into the free world, this administration launched GenAI. mil, an AI program explicitly designed to automate threat detection while carefully avoiding the one threat actually burning down the house: Trump’s own authoritarian orbit. We have built a machine that sees everything except the fascism standing in front of it.
The NSS whines about censorship while Trump sues journalists. It warns Europe about democracy while he criminalizes opposition at home. It pearl-clutches about national identity while cozying up to regimes that treat dissent like a food group. And the Russia section? Pure kompromat poetry. Not one word about hybrid warfare, infiltration, or sabotage. Just a soft-focus daydream about “strategic stability,” which is MAGA-speak for “let Putin have whatever he wants.”
Make no mistake. This is not a retreat from global leadership. This is siding with the arsonists.
The only question left is simple. Why the hell are the rest of us letting him light the match‽
https://twvme.substack.com/p/epistemic-russian-roulette-how-the
The NSS reads like Putin wrote it. I am not a conspiracy theorist so I'm not claiming that Trump is the Moscovian Candidate, but given his track record on NATO, Europe and Ukraine, for all intents and purposes he is and, whether intentional or idiotic, he needs to be treated as if he is. The thing is, Trump himself didn't write it so that means that there is enough support for that position in the administration for it to actually be produced. I don't necessarily mean that all of the members of the National Security Council are Russian assets. But I do conclude that there are enough people in the administration who are clueless enough and stupid enough that they would be willing to produce the document, which implies that they are also clueless enough and stupid enough to implement it. From a risk management prespective, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it needs to be treated as if it's a duck whether it is one or not. In this case a false negative is infinitely worse than a false positive. IMHO.
Let's go with "Moscow Don"
Thanks for another great piece, Cathy.. What the Trump administration is doing is mind-bogglingly idiotic, and against the interests of the United States as much as Europe. It is hard to believe that the understandings that underpinned the post-WWII order, which has benefited the US and the world to so great a degree, is being tossed out in a wild lurch into the arms of evil. It is truly outrageous. Sadly, Americans who do understand what is at stake, and their allies elsewhere, need to win this argument all over again.
Why wouldn't the strategy document be considered a victory for the BRICS* block? Putin celebrated by firing 700 drones at Ukraine, then went to India for a victory lap.
*Brazil is apparently off the team. Their offense was prosecuting Bolsonaro. "Bad country!!"
In his book "The Road to Unfreedom", Timothy Snyder documents the deciding reason for the Russian Support of the last stage of the Assad regime was to create a reason to attack North Western Syria. By bringing carnage to the area, Russia would drive the Middle Eastern, Islamic refugees into Europe. The assumption was that this forced migration would destabilize Europe and European alliances. The goal wasn't support for Assad, but the destruction of Western unity.
I've heard that theory. Makes a lot of sense to me. (Russia has also really stoked the anti-migrant flames; not that there weren't real problems, but I recall that there were stories that turned out to be fake, e.g. of a girl being kidnapped and raped by migrants, that turned out to be Russian fakes.)
You speak of the acceptance of the Russian actions by Hungary/Slovakia and Serbia, it is calling a spade a spade, much needed.
Vance's voice is evident in quite a few passages. This is another aid to help EU/NATO realize long term change is upon us. Trump's departure is not going to change the overall direction of this regime.
Of all the silly , stupid, self-dealing, grifting, and idiotic things Trump has done, this is the most dangerous one. For one, it is quite clear the text has lost some of its sharpness in the translation from the original Russian version. I am not sure Gabbard's Russian is up to snuff.
But all sarcasm apart, for Trump and his pro-Russia henchmen (the fascists, the racists, and the tech broligarchs), to jeopardize the one thing that made America rich and the world safe is a catastrophic development. Hopefully this will be the straw that breaks the GOP's spineless camel's back. We cannot and should not leave our liberal and liberty loving partners in this moment of great uncertainty. This is nothing less than flagrant treason to our guiding principles.
Cathy lays these complex matters out so seamlessly and honestly.
Thank you! I really wish this would get more attention
Another great column Cathy! I am so impressed with all the talented writers and podcasters on The Bulwark staff. With the growing capitulation of the legacy media to Trump, The Bulwark is more important than ever to Americans who still believe in the Constitution, the Rule of Law, NATO, and simple human decency. Keep fighting the Good Fight!