5️⃣ TRUMP’S $2 TRILLION UKRAINE HEIST
The Wall Street Journal laid it bare: Trump’s “peace plan” was never about peace. Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Kremlin-linked Kirill Dmitriev have been negotiating megadeals to revive Russia’s $2 trillion economy — with $300 billion in frozen Russian assets as seed money for Trump-aligned investors. As Dean put it: “This is how Donald Trump can enrich his family members and friends and deal-making pals that put him in the White House.” Meanwhile, Europe and Canada are gaming out the unthinkable — a coordinated dump of US Treasuries if Trump recognizes Putin’s land grab. Mark Carney already made the call once during the tariff war. The bond market flinched. Trump backed off. Now the conversation has gone from “how do we manage Trump?” to “what do we do when Trump sells us out?”
4️⃣ ONE SHOOTING, ONE MILLION PUNISHED
Trump announced an indefinite freeze on asylum decisions after two National Guard members were shot near the White House. The suspect? An Afghan national who was CIA-vetted, helped US special forces, and was granted asylum by the Trump administration in April. Kristi Noem tried blaming Biden’s vetting — then admitted they “relied on Biden’s vetting.” The math is simple: one tragedy, one million cases frozen, and thousands of Afghan allies who risked their lives for America now in limbo. FBI stats say 94% of US murders are committed by Americans. 70% by white men. But policy only moves when the shooter is brown.
3️⃣ TRUMP PARDONS THE COCAINE PRESIDENT
Juan Orlando Hernández — convicted in federal court for moving 400 tons of cocaine into America — is getting a full pardon. Trump simultaneously endorsed his party’s candidate in Honduras’s election. The same president claiming to fight the drug war is freeing the Sinaloa cartel’s Honduran partner while offering asylum to cartel kingpins. As Dean noted: Trump’s drug war isn’t about stopping drugs. It’s about choosing which dealers get protection.
2️⃣ “THAT WOULD BE A WAR CRIME”
Top Republicans are now saying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may have committed war crimes. The Washington Post reported he gave verbal orders to “kill everybody” aboard suspected drug boats — including a second strike on survivors in the water. Rep. Mike Turner, Republican chair of House Intelligence: “That would be an illegal act.” Both Armed Services Committees have launched investigations. Venezuela is opening its own probe. Trump’s response? He “wouldn’t have wanted” a second strike — then claimed Hegseth denied it happened. The tapes exist. The senators have likely seen them. And as Dean reminded us: there is no war. This isn’t a war crime. It’s murder.
1️⃣ JUDGE TAKES EPSTEIN FILES FROM DOJ
The bombshell of the day: Judge Richard Berman has taken control of the Epstein file release process away from the DOJ. A devastating letter from victims’ attorneys revealed DOJ exposed at least 28 victim names in documents released to Congress. One woman was confronted by a reporter in front of her nine-year-old son. But here’s the real number: DOJ confirmed over 1,000 victims. The attorneys represent 300 more women DOJ doesn’t even know about. Hundreds trafficked from Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Belarus — an international operation DOJ never investigated. The 53-page indictment and 82-page prosecution memo from 2007? Never released. Judge Berman is now conducting his own review. Trump’s DOJ just lost control of what the public learns about Epstein.
NEW: A Federal Judge Just Took Control of the Epstein Files
At noon today, the Department of Justice faced a deadline that could break open the Epstein case in ways the government never intended.
THE BOTTOM LINE
As Dean put it: “The bottom is falling out.” Pete Hegseth is facing murder charges. The Epstein files are slipping from DOJ’s grip. Europe is preparing economic warfare. And Trump — who couldn’t remember what body part got an MRI — is watching his support evaporate. Troy Nehls, the congressman with a Trump tattoo who wore a Trump bow tie, quit today. The sharks are circling.
The files drop December 19th. Judge Berman is watching. And for the first time, the people protecting the 40-year operation are running out of moves.
The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Advertising inquiries email next@narativ.org. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.
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