Butler Shooting
Tucker Carlson’s new documentary on the July 13, 2024, attempted assassination of Donald Trump by Thomas Matthew Crooks in Butler, Pennsylvania, detailed Crooks’ online activity from an anonymous source’s access to his deactivated YouTube account and platforms using his phone number and email. The source uncovered 737 public comments from 2019-2020, when Crooks was 15-17. Comments supported Trump as patriotic and called for violence against immigrants and anti-Trump figures, including death wishes for Ilhan Omar and assassinations of Democratic candidates. By early 2020, comments shifted to criticize Trump as stupid and racist, support lockdowns, and include threats of terrorism on government buildings and politician assassinations. Search history included over 700 Trump queries, “best places for mass shooting,” explosives recipes, Jack Ruby references, and Hitler’s speeches. The documentary referenced interactions with user Willie Tepes, linked to the Nordic Resistance Movement, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, and Google Drive videos of Crooks dry-firing a handgun. Mainstream media outlets, including CNN, have reported on the FBI’s findings of a YouTube account linked to Crooks containing themes of political violence, while cautioning that the full context of his motives remains under investigation.
Federal investigators accessed Crooks’ phone, computer, and encrypted apps across countries using Cellebrite technology after the shooting. A December 2024 congressional report omitted his online presence details. The FBI authorized Crooks’ body cremation on July 23, 2024, preventing independent toxicology. An agent hosed the rooftop scene the next day, deviating from procedures using contractors. Surveillance footage from businesses, state police, and Crooks’ gun range was collected but not released, including his training details. Crooks flew a drone over the rally site for 11 minutes while the Secret Service anti-drone system was offline. Local police identified him as suspicious with a rangefinder and backpack but lost track; he accessed a building outside the perimeter without cameras. Two officers observed him on the roof but did not report it; a third left early. The Washington Post has questioned the validity of claims regarding an FBI cover-up, suggesting such allegations may rely on unverified anonymous sources.
In July 2024 congressional testimony, FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate described a Crooks-linked social media account with anti-Semitism, anti-immigration, and political violence themes, noting limited other online information. The FBI investigated improvised explosive device searches but stated Crooks acted alone without shared intent. The BBC has covered the incident with a focus on broader U.S. political security implications, reporting the FBI’s assessment of Crooks as a lone actor without delving into specific cover-up allegations.
FBI Director Kash Patel responded to the documentary, stating over 480 employees conducted 1,000 interviews, processed 2,000 public tips, analyzed 13 devices with 500,000 digital files, reviewed hundreds of video hours, examined 10 financial accounts, and reviewed 25 social media or forum accounts. The investigation confirmed over 20 online accounts, data from 12 devices, and limited interactions, concluding Crooks planned and executed the attack independently. Patel noted the FBI never claimed no online footprint, countering media reports and Carlson’s cover-up assertions. The FBI has publicly refuted claims of a cover-up on social media, emphasizing ongoing cooperation with congressional inquiries and commitment to transparency.
European Politics
Germany’s coalition government approved expanding military service, mandating 18-year-old men to complete suitability questionnaires starting next year, with medical screenings from 2027. Women receive voluntary questionnaires. The plan increases Bundeswehr troops from 182,000 to 260,000 by 2035, plus 200,000 reservists, to build Europe’s strongest conventional army. If recruitment fails, parliament may consider compulsory enlistment, activating fully in wartime. Lawmakers vote by end of 2025. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated measures enhance deterrence via personnel growth. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said the 2035 target is achievable in five years due to demand for equipment amid European rearmament. The policy revives conscription elements suspended in 2011, following Gen. Carsten Breuer’s warning of potential Russian NATO attack within four years. A Forsa survey showed 51% support for compulsory service, but 63% of 18- to 29-year-olds opposed it. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition started with voluntary service amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure on NATO spending. Deutsche Welle has reported concerns among young Germans about the ethics and personal safety implications of the plan, with critics viewing it as a reversal of post-Cold War military policies.
Energy
The International Energy Agency revised its outlook, projecting oil demand growth until at least 2050 in its base scenario, reversing five years of peak demand forecasts. The change attributes to global economic activity and slower alternative adoption, raising supply constraint concerns as investment lags demand. The Guardian has highlighted environmentalist critiques that the forecast may underestimate renewable transitions and hinder climate goals.
Geopolitics
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Talara in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, diverting it to Iranian waters from Ajman, UAE, to Singapore. Iranian media IRNA called it a routine interception for fuel smuggling under Islamic Republic laws. A U.S. official and Vanguard confirmed three small boats approached the 73,371-dwt crude oil vessel, owned by Cyprus-based Pasha Finance and managed by Greece’s Coronis Family Group. A U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton drone observed for hours per flight-tracking. Ambrey warned after the tanker’s course deviation. The incident follows calm in the strait amid tensions after Israel’s June attack and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Press TV has described the seizure as a lawful anti-smuggling measure, while Al Jazeera noted it occurs amid regional efforts to enforce maritime regulations.
A classified U.S. Justice Department memo authorizes military strikes on drug-smuggling boats, classifying fentanyl as a chemical weapons threat due to potency 80 times morphine and effects on central nervous system and respiration. Drafted over summer, it justifies operations under President Trump’s designation of cartels as foreign terrorists targeting U.S. and allies. It references Venezuela as a base for one group, though no evidence links Venezuela to fentanyl from China and Mexico via land routes. The memo supports “Operation Southern Spear,” led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear and SOUTHCOM, announced by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to remove narco-terrorists from the Western Hemisphere and secure against drugs killing Americans. Since September, U.S. forces targeted 20 boats off Latin America, with undisclosed fentanyl cargoes. Reuters has reported on the operation as part of broader anti-drug efforts, while outlets like The Grayzone have questioned the chemical weapons classification and Venezuela links as potential pretexts for escalation.
Health
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and husband Oliver Mulherin, plus Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, invested in Preventive, raising $30 million for CRISPR-based embryo gene editing to eliminate hereditary diseases. Founded by Lucas Harrington, protégé of CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna, the San Francisco company researches early-stage embryo alterations but has not implanted edited ones. Mulherin stated the investment helps families avoid genetic illnesses. Preventive explores UAE jurisdictions for experiments under less restrictive regulations, as U.S. law bans such engineering. The New York Times has covered the funding alongside debates on ethical risks, including potential “designer babies,” balanced against benefits for preventing genetic diseases.
President Trump proposed eliminating Obamacare subsidies to insurance companies and redirecting funds directly to individuals for healthcare purchases. He criticized the Affordable Care Act for inflating insurer profits, with major health insurance stocks rising up to 1,000% since passage, while premiums increased 26% average for 2026. Over 90% of marketplace participants qualify for enhanced subsidies in 2025. Trump attempted repeal in 2017 and vowed termination in 2024 campaign, arguing the system limits choices and raises costs. The proposal aligns with cuts to ACA subsidies and Medicaid, promoting health savings accounts and competition to bypass middlemen. The Washington Post has reported expert concerns that the plan could destabilize insurance markets and increase uninsured rates without a full replacement.
Economy
Michael Burry of the Big Short closed his hedge fund Scion Asset Management. In a letter to investors, his valuation estimates no longer aligned with market conditions. Scion terminated SEC registration on Monday, planning fund liquidation and capital return by year’s end, retaining a holdback for audits and taxes. Burry’s latest 13F filing showed put options on Palantir and Nvidia, including 50,000 Palantir contracts at $50 strike expiring 2027, acquired for $9.2 million. These positions were 80% of the portfolio and incurred losses as stocks rose after September 30. Burry cited Federal Reserve liquidity distortions, with balance sheet over $6 trillion and banks holding $3 trillion in reserves, plus passive fund inflows and retail options trading. He described cryptocurrencies and “story stocks” without earnings as trading on liquidity, making short-selling ineffective in a market where fundamentals decoupled from prices. The Wall Street Journal has noted that while some investors share Burry’s concerns over market overvaluation, others point to economic recovery and technological advancements as justifying the ongoing rally.
Sources
Tucker Carlson Exposes Trump Assassin’s Pro-Trump Roots, Radical Shift, and FBI Cover-Up
The FBI lied about that fact, and that Crooks was a right-winger.
Source | Submitted by Rodster
Germany’s Coalition Approves Partial Conscription to Reach 260,000 Troops by 2035
The new military service plan will mandate all 18-year-old men to fill out a questionnaire on their suitability to serve and, from 2027, to undergo medical screening.
Source | Submitted by Sebastian N.
The Only Winning Move: Michael Burry Shuts Down Scion Capital
“Sometimes, we see bubbles. Sometimes, there is something to do about it. Sometimes, the only winning move is not to play.”
Source | Submitted by Redneck Engineer
FBI’s Crooks Cover-Up: The Assassin’s Violent YouTube Manifesto and What They’re Hiding
And more than anything, what are they hiding?
Source | Submitted by Josef Bray-Ali
Secret US Memo Ties Venezuela to Fentanyl ‘Chemical Weapons’ Threat
A classified Justice Department brief authorizing strikes on drug-smuggling boats describes fentanyl as a potential chemical weapons threat, according to a House member and another person familiar with the memo.
Source | Submitted by nickythec
Iran’s IRGC Seizes Marshall Islands Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
Iranian forces are reported to have seized a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker.
Kash Patel Details FBI’s Massive Probe into Trump Shooter Crooks, Responding to Tucker Carlson’s Documentary
The investigation, conducted by over 480 FBI employees, revealed Crooks had limited online and in person interactions, planned and conducted the attack alone, and did not leak or share his intent to engage in the attack with anyone.
Sam Altman Funds CRISPR Push for ‘Disease-Free’ Babies, Sparking Designer Human Fears
Behind the polished language lies a darker reality: this marks the first step toward commercialized designer babies
Source | Submitted by Chris Martenson
IEA’s Oil Demand Reversal: From Imminent Peak to 2050 Growth, Sparking Supply Fears
the fear of peak demand is leading to the reality of peak supply.
Source | Submitted by Chris Martenson
Michael Burry’s Big Short Exit: Liquidating Hedge Fund Amid Bubble Warnings
With a heavy heart, I will liquidate the funds and return capital — but for a small audit/tax holdback — by year’s end.
Source | Submitted by PhilH
Trump’s Bold Bid: Scrap Obamacare, Send Subsidies Straight to Americans
“I am calling today for insurance companies NOT to be paid. But for this massive amount of money be paid DIRECTLY to the people so they can buy their own healthcare!”
Source | Submitted by Redneck Engineer
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: CNN, The Washington Post, BBC, FBI, Deutsche Welle, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, The Grayzone, Press TV, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, and The Guardian.
by sand_puppy 
