The president has made clear that America is going to secure our interests in the Western Hemisphere and at the center of that is dismantling narotism, drug trafficking, and criminal cartels uh from our southern border all the way on down to the uh the tip of South America. We are going to make sure that the American people are safe and protected from transnational organized crime. Venezuela is run by a narot terrorist ring that traffics drugs, weapons, human traffics as well into the United States. >> Whit ...

Russian Interference in the 2016 Election - The intelligence community leaders released declassified information regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election, alleging attempts to undermine the election's integrity and harm Hillary Clinton [1] - Russia aimed to both bloody Hillary Clinton before and after the election and to aid Donald Trump's election prospects through an influence campaign using information operations [2] - Russian influence operations involved bots, personas, hacking into emails (DNC), and disseminating information through Wikileaks, but did not change any votes [3] - The intelligence community assessment at the time indicated no information regarding the impact of Russian interference on the election and did not mention collusion [4] Intelligence Community Response and Integrity - The Obama administration directed the intelligence community to avoid actions that could affect the election outcome or release reports naming American citizens [5] - Former intelligence community leaders emphasize their commitment to carrying out their responsibilities with integrity, citing over 80 years of combined experience [6] - The intelligence community issued an assessment at President Obama's direction to warn about Russian interference, which has been a long-standing issue in democratic elections, including attempts in France [7] Partisan Politics and Deflection - Despite reviews by Republicans and Democrats validating the intelligence community's work, some Republicans under Trump dismissed it as a hoax, while current administration leaders are seen as deflecting [8] - A list of individuals targeted by Donald Trump includes political leaders, former presidents, entertainment figures, and civil rights activists, reflecting a sensitivity to criticism and facts [9][10] - Individuals on the list have spoken out against the Trump administration, indicating a punitive nature to the policies and actions, but a determination not to be intimidated [11] - Partisan politics have unfortunately infiltrated the highest levels of the intelligence community, creating a divide between former and current directors [12] Importance of Speaking Out - It is crucial to continue speaking out and disseminating information about the events of 2016 and the ongoing threat of Russian interference in elections [13] - The fact that former intelligence community professionals like Brennan, Clapper, and Comey are speaking out, despite being targeted, highlights the existential threat to the government [13][15] - Their decision to raise their voices and not remain silent could encourage others to stand up and do the same [15]

Iranian Nuclear Program Assessment - The assessment of the Iranian nuclear program's status post-strikes is premature, with varying opinions on the extent of the damage [5][6] - There are concerns about whether other nuclear nations (Pakistan, North Korea, Russia) might assist Iran in rebuilding or accelerating its nuclear program [7] - The consensus is that an Iranian nuclear weapon is unacceptable and a dangerous enrichment program should be prevented [7] US Government Transparency and Congressional Oversight - There are allegations that the president may have misled the public regarding the extent to which the Iranian nuclear program was "obliterated" [2][3] - The administration is urged to provide updated, detailed assessments to Congress regarding the damage to Iran's nuclear capabilities [7] - Congress seeks consultation and briefings from the administration to understand the risks involved [8] - Concerns exist that the administration might restrict information shared with Congress [10][11] Domestic Policy Concerns - The focus on the Middle East risks distracting from critical domestic issues, specifically a bill that could impact healthcare for tens of millions of Americans and cut tens of billions of dollars from healthcare programs [14][15]