Watch “The Morning Meeting LIVE at 9am ET today by Zoom here with special guest Meghan McCain.
You can watch it on YouTube LIVE here.
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Watch “2WAY Tonight” LIVE and interactive on Zoom here at 6pm ET with special guest Marc Andreessen.
Watch LIVE on YouTube here.
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“THE MORNING MEETING” DAYBOOK
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2025
DAYBOOK, all Eastern Time unless otherwise noted
DONALD TRUMP
1pm: Karoline Leavitt briefs.
3pm: Signs more executive orders.
5pm: Departs for Mar-a-Lago.
JD VANCE
No public events known at this time.
CONGRESS
House and Senate are out.
9am: Hakeem Jeffries and Yvette Clarke hold a news conference.
C-SPAN
From the great Robin Newton:
“The Morning Meeting” topics:
* Latest theories and reporting on the crash.
* The Kennedy and Gabbard nominations.
* The impact of Trump’s Thursday performance.
* Are tariffs coming or not?
* Sunday’s IRL “The Morning Meeting” event.
ESSENTIAL READING/VIEWING
* Financial Times (h/t John Ellis):
China’s military is building a massive complex in western Beijing that US intelligence believes will serve as a wartime command centre far larger than the Pentagon, according to current and former American officials.
Satellite images obtained by the Financial Times that are being examined by US intelligence show a roughly 1,500-acre construction site 30km south-west of Beijing with deep holes that military experts assess will house large, hardened bunkers to protect Chinese military leaders during any conflict — including potentially a nuclear war.
Several current and former US officials said the intelligence community was closely monitoring the site, which would be the world’s largest military command centre — and at least 10 times the size of the Pentagon.
* Wall Street Journal step-back piece: “Trump, Facing Two Crises in His Second Week, Spreads the Blame Around: Second week of his second presidency shows how an administration moving at lightning speed deals with sudden challenges: by going on offense”
* From a Wide World of News reader, printed with permission:
One of my friends, a DC insider, has sums ups how this looks to democrats and republicans that are not trumpers :
Bullying:
The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological.
There is almost always a day of reckoning for bullies but it often comes after they’ve done great harm. Can you identify this leader?
He uses international trade barriers to bend lesser countries to his will.
He is skilled at manipulating others to serve his own ends, often making alliances and then later betraying them.
He uses lies, distortions and propaganda to maintain his image and influence public opinion.
He uses the military to enforce his rule.
He seeks to imprison those who oppose him.
He uses aggressive and domineering behavior, politically and militarily, in pursuit of territorial expansion disregarding the sovereignty of other countries.
He installs family members in high places.
He declares his absolute authority.
Like our President, Napoleon Bonaparte was a transformative leader who rose to power was exiled and then rose again.
He abolished the free press, ended directly elected representative government, exiled and jailed critics of his regime, reinstated slavery in France's colonies, banned the entry of blacks and mulattos into France, reduced the civil rights of women and children in France, and violently repressed popular uprisings against his rule.
As he rose to power he engaged in voter fraud and suppression.
He installed his brother as king of Spain.
He introduced discriminatory tariff policies which promoted French trade at the expense of allies and satellite states.
He dismissed judges who disagreed with him.
While Napoleon promoted meritocracy, his policies often favored the wealthy and military elites. His actions curtailed many of the democratic gains of the French Revolution, such as free speech, political participation, and press freedom.
His imposition of French dominance over other nations stirred nationalist uprisings and created enduring hostility toward France throughout Europe.
Many regarded Napoleon as a military genius and leader who implemented significant reforms and modernization. But his relentless pursuit of power and disregard for democratic principles left deep lasting scars on France and Europe.
Though small in stature, he was a big bully.
At bottom, he did what bullies do best, make lasting enemies.
The word bully came to mind last weekend when our President boasted of besting Columbia, our biggest best ally in South America. They have fought with America in the war on drugs and buy more from us then we from them.
Bullies must win. Wise leaders aim higher. As Trump was declaring victory, Columbia pivoted to China where welcoming arms await.
In recent days the bully has wielded his perceived power over lessers, firing career prosecutors and inspectors general, freezing life-saving aid to poor countries and international aid groups, and stripping security protection from everybody from Dr. Fauci to distinguished General Milley. He has banned transgenders serving in the military and is kicking out those patriots already serving
Then yesterday the bully took aim at virtually all our nation’s 2.3 million civil servants, many of whom have made careers out of making America safer, cleaner, stronger, wiser and much more.
Regardless of the importance of the work they do and position they hold he gave them a week to decide if they want to quit their careers, promising eight months pay if they do so and telling them if they don’t quit they may very well get fired.
In MAGA land there is cheering reminiscent of the school yard where the bully picks on the bespectacled kid while his cronies egg him on. But for those picked on, those immediately impacted and even the rest of us bearing witness Trump has left no middle ground. All now are left to choose. Am I his crony or his enemy? Such is the path the bully has plowed.