It will be interesting to see how Hegseth treats Adm Bradley: “Soldiers, when you are ordered to do something criminal, know that no one has your back, and that your superiors will throw you under the bus rather than share responsibility for their orders.”

Trump plays to his base, which only responds to cruelty. It is a cartoon, where Brutus exists only to threaten Olive Oyl … Marvin the Martian is visible only when destroying planets. Mr Punch would vanish without his slap. He is like a Cheshire Cat who will disappear, and only the sneer will remain.

Trump pardoned him for money, but … how many other dealers did he rat on during sentencing … how many fellow prisoners did he cross while in prison … how many current cartel leaders see him as a new rival, a threat, someone who got something they won’t have? His days are numbered.

“So, did you infiltrate gangs, looking for the worst and the toughest criminals? Did you chase armed bandits?”
“No, I mostly grabbed guys from Home Depot lots, women from school classrooms. I cuffed a couple of preteens, and several folks who turned out to be US citizens.”

I see your point, and I am sure that’s what the president hopes will happen. But if Euro nations are paying the bill, won’t they favor their own weapons mfg’s? Also, there is a cosmic shift to drones, and Ukraine has a lot to offer a partner who can scale up production.

What do DOD officials and uniformed think of Trump threatening Kelly and others with death?

What will happen to all the new ICE agents, post-trump? Will any law enforcement group hire them?

What do US arms makers think of Trump telling Zelenskyy he is on his own? Won’t the be losing business and potential tech transfer?

Of course, that’s exactly what he’d say if he WAS planning to murder members of Congress.

So Trump floated a proposal that threw Ukraine under the bus. It was universally criticized. Now he is going back on it. “Trump Always Chickens Out.”