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It’s August 22. I’m going to make today’s recap a little quicker so you can get on with your Saturday.
Here are the top stories:
Canada has suspended trade negotiations with the United States after the Trump regime introduced new last-minute demands that PM Carney says infringed on Canadian sovereignty
The Trump regime is already playing the victim, and is threatening additional retaliation against Canada
The Pentagon quietly added 60 more wounded American service members to its Iran war casualty account, with no other information about the injuries
New Trump regime claims about the Strait of Hormuz
Iran is showcasing underground weapons facilities and claims its missile/drone production has surged since the war
Qatar is slashing government spending as the Iran war hurts its economy
Israel says it struck a Syrian airfield to prevent planned Turkish operations
Trump reportedly refused to back a Ukrainian plan to use Starlink-equipped drones to target Russian missile launchers as Putin rejects peace proposals as “unacceptable”
The Financial Times compares Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s bond market scheme to Trump’s disastrous war
Trump is melting down at Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie
A quick reminder: if you find these recaps and the work we do here helpful, consider joining now as a paid subscriber if you haven’t yet. You stepping up to support independent media fuels our growth and allows us to hold the Trump regime accountable — and it gives you access to exclusive content like this.
Now let’s get into it.
Canada Walks Away From Trump
This is the big story today.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last night, just before Trump’s deadline, that Canada is suspending trade negotiations with the United States. Carney then delivered a speech this morning providing the latest updates.
Carney said the Trump regime introduced new demands at the very last minute — and when you hear what they were, it’s easy to understand why Carney walked away. For one, Trump tried to impose restrictions on Canada’s ability to make trade agreements with other countries. Carney called that move a “power play” that attacked Canada’s sovereignty. Who does Trump think he is telling other countries who they can do business with?
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Trump’s now threatening 50% tariffs on roughly $28 billion in Canadian goods, and Canada says it will respond with dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs.
Carney didn’t mince words in his speech today, and it really showed how far America has fallen. He expressed how Canada is a proud, independent country that will make its own trade decisions, whether with the U.S. or the rest of the world. He also made clear that Canada recognizes the U.S. has fundamentally changed and the U.S.–Canada relationship won’t come back anytime soon.
A reporter asked him why it felt like Canada was entering a trade war. Carney’s response? “Because we were attacked.”
Carney also took a direct shot at the utter dysfunction in Trump world, saying Canada’s negotiating team was unified about its objectives and adding, “You cannot say that about the U.S. administration.” Ouch.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been very vocal since all of this went down. Ford described Trump as the kind of person who would steal your lunch money one day, your tonque the next, and your running shoes after that. He said that Trump “is not to be trusted whatsoever.”
Ford also pushed for tariffs met dollar for dollar and floated specifically targeting products from states that voted for Donald Trump.
The Trump regime’s reaction this morning was to play the victim like the predators they are. White House economic adviser Jamieson Greer told Fox that the regime is preparing measures “that respond to Canadian retaliation.”
Allow me to give my opinion for a moment: these are very bad and evil people who are very bad at their jobs, and they use the tactics of abusers because that is who they are.
Shoutout to the Maple Meidas and keep those Elbows Up!
Pentagon Quietly Updates Iran War Casualty
Numbers
The Pentagon quietly added another 60 wounded American service members to its Iran war casualty count this week, with the full number of wounded jumping from 697 to 757. Eighteen Americans have been killed in the war so far. The Pentagon did not at all explain when or where those additional injuries occurred, nor did they explain the severity of the injuries.
At the same time, Axios report and Trump regime stenographer Barak Ravid, citing U.S. officials, claimed that roughly 40 tankers moved through the southern deep channel of the Strait of Hormuz Friday night, carrying approximately 16M barrels of oil. I’m not buying it. And we haven’t seen an iota of proof to back this up. In my opinion, Ravid’s sources are usually the same few people: Witkoff, Kushner, and maybe one or two others…Trump? Vance? My point being: these aren’t exactly trustworthy sources with a record of telling the truth. I believe this is yet another lie to try to manipulate the markets.
Iran Claims Its Weapons Production Is Surging
Iran is now showing off an underground ballistic missile production facility and claims the country is now producing more sophisticated equipment in substantially greater quantities than before the war. Iran’s state media claims kamikaze drone production has tripled since the war started. These are claims from the Iranian regime, so I’d treat them as such, but one thing’s clear: Iran wants the world to know it’s still producing missiles and drones at scale. And Trump’s claims that Iran has been totally “obliterated” have been a lie since day one.
Qatar Is Getting Crushed
The Financial Times is now reporting that Qatar has cut some government budgets by as much as 30% and overseas aid by roughly 85% as the Iran war hammers its economy, which depends on LNG (liquefied natural gas). Iran’s strikes on Ras Laffan reportedly knocked out about 17% of its export capacity (full recovery could take 3-5 years). The IMF now projects Qatar’s economy will CONTRACT a whopping 8.6% this year. Goldman Sachs estimates Qatar and Kuwait are losing between $1.5B and $2B a week in energy revenue. They have Donald Trump to thank.
Israel-Turkey Tensions Continue to Escalate
Another update here. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur airfield in Syria after receiving intel that Turkey intended to conduct operations Israel believed threatened its security. Katz says Israel warned Syria first and shared its intel with the U.S. before approving the strike. He then went after Turkish President Erdogan, saying he’d be “caught with his hand in the cookie jar.” Katz also publicly disputed Trump envoy Tom Barrack’s account of the situation, calling it inaccurate and inconsistent with Trump’s position on the Golan Heights. Separately, a Jerusalem Post opinion piece argued that Israel should view Türkiye as a military threat comparable to Iran. I think we can all see where this is going.
Trump Denies Ukraine Starlink
Ukraine sought Trump’s help to obtain Elon Musk’s approval to use Starlink-equipped drones against Russian military targets up to roughly 200km inside Russia, per the Financial Times. Ukraine wants a greater ability to destroy Russian ballistic missile launchers before the missiles can be fired at Ukrainian cities. Trump was reportedly noncommittal to the ask and didn’t appear supportive. And meanwhile, Putin continues to reject any chance for peace, calling any proposals “unacceptable.”
Bessent vs. the Bond Market
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appears to be in a fight with the bond market, and the market is winning. As the Financial Times described it in a piece this weekend: “Bossing the bond market around never works.” The FT compared Bessent’s struggle to tame the bond market to Trump’s Iran war: confusing/unclear objectives, an underestimated opponent, and an implausible path to victory.
Trump’s MAGA Civil War Gets Even Nastier
Yesterday, Trump also posted a long rant against Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie after the three of them met. He called Tucker “totally irrelevant,” “a very Low I.Q. individual” and a “loser.” He called Greene “a highly neurotic young woman.” He called Massie “a failed politician, and a real JERK.”
Then Trump labeled all three “LOSERS ALL!” and bizarrely concluded his post with, “PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!”
Normal stuff!
Those are the big stories today. There’s more to come. Remember to keep spreading the word, listen to the MeidasTouch Podcast for more reporting, and if you haven’t yet, preorder our book WTF America today!
Shoutout to the Meidas Mighty!
COMMENTS:
Just watched & listened to the Canadian PM and I'm jealous. He spoke like an intelligent decent human not like a brain-dead con-man.
We love him 🥰
I was also impressed by the quality of the reporters' questions. Corporate media reporters could learn a lot.
The ironic thing is that by endorsing Carney's opponent in 2025, Trump helped ensure that Canada would be led by a calm, rational person. Trump endorsement was a kiss of death to the other guy, whose name escapes me. The fool was being called the Canadian Trump. 🤣 Oops. Bad timing there, buddy!
That would be Pierre Poilievre that you're thinking of. We Canadians would NEVER have elected him; he is an ignorant fool.
Like Trump?
Anyone with half a brain would never want their name associated with the scumbag sewer rat, t-RUMP.
Meanwhile…. “Canada has suspended trade negotiations with the United States after the Trump regime introduced new last-minute demands that PM Carney says infringed on Canadian sovereignty.
The Trump regime is already playing the victim, and is threatening additional retaliation against Canada.
So much for the “The Art of the Deal”, huh?
trump has DARVO down pat: Deny Attack Reverse Victim & Offender.
Pathetic.
He's a one-trick pony and the whole world has his number now. He's a loser and a goner.
I commend Canada and Carney for their calm and articulate response to America's fat ass, humped-back, bald-headed, corrupt and evil sewer rat.
When dealing with djt there is no ART & no DEAL involved.
I sincerely doubt if the scumbag sewer rat ever negotiated anything. He has no such skills. His peculiar abilities lie more in the domain of cheating, deceiving, and lying.
Yep. Trump’s best-seller “art of the deal” book was just another con.
In fact, the author who wrote the book for him, Tony Schwartz, has repeatedly apologized for writing it.
“Tony Schwartz, the ghostwriter of The Art of the Deal, has expressed deep remorse and regret for co-authoring the 1987 memoir. He has stated that he "put lipstick on a pig" and helped create a fictional, charismatic persona that made Donald Trump more appealing to the public and contributed to his political rise.”
“Even before I agreed to write The Art of the Deal for Donald Trump three decades ago, I sensed his extreme self-absorption and utter lack of conscience. I wrote the book anyway for the money. To do so, I set aside my concerns about the kind of man he was, and more importantly, the kind of man I wanted to be.
“I never imagined that writing a book for a buffoonish real estate developer could eventually help get him elected president of the United States. The fact that it did is a source of shame and regret I will always carry.”
https://gen.medium.com/trump-is-a-lost-cause-we-have-to-change-ourselves-dd3d412e3aa8
“Trump's ghostwriter says writing "The Art of the Deal" is the greatest regret of his life”
"I knew this was a bad guy when I did the book," Tony Schwartz told CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett for this week's episode of "The Takeout" podcast. The pair sat down for lunch at New York's ViceVersa restaurant.
"Trump is not only willing to lie, but he doesn't get bothered by it, doesn't feel guilty about it, isn't preoccupied by it," Schwartz said. "There's an emptiness inside Trump. There's an absence of a soul. There's an absence of a heart."
Anyone want to bet our Donnie Demented TACOs out? I sure wouldn't bet against it.
Same. 🇨🇦
Go Canada! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Yesssssss 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Most Americans LOVE Canada,
Yes, indeed, we do!
Do you think Trump realizes how many Americans live in Canada? Due to oil industry, tech , auto industry?
MAGA assets will need to be seized and sold to pay for the damage this regime has caused,
Including everything that Trump and his family have acquired with their
Illegal schemes.
Vote blue🇺🇸
May it be so!
Vote Blue! Seize all the assets and quickly send the Trump Crime Family where they belong
Bring back debtors' prisons and lock them all up. Along with everyone they've pardoned.
What a mess our country is in!!! Thanks Ben, for your extraordinary work in keeping us informed of the truth on this evil regime.
I've noticed no one is paying Trump any mind anymore. (Except the American press, which continues to breathlessly report his every Tweet of Twaddle.) Everyone has figured out he is weak and full of... bluster. He has to know this on some level, and it is probably driving him nuts that he's living Rodney Dangerfield's signature line: "I don't get no respect".
Updating Rodney Dangerfield's other signature line, to every other country:
"Take our President, please."
You would certainly think so.
The owners of US Treasury bonds worldwide -- meaning they are the creditors of the United States--are voting no confidence. They are selling, and then exchanging the dollars they get for Euros and pounds sterling.
Proud of my PM & the trade delegation standing up to bullies!! Yes, it will hurt for a bit, but we have 1.5 billion other people to trade with thanks to PMMC. FAFO USA!
So are most of the American people!
Don't think we can say "proud," but are in complete support of Canada, or anyone else who stands up to this rabid mongrel of a president. Cheers to your PM and all your people.
You should never trust the RUMP or believe one word that comes out of his lying mouth.
Of course Trump won’t help Ukraine protect their own people. Putin would be very angry.
T-treasonously ..R routinely..U-undeniably..M-Moscow..P-puppet (Trump)
Says it all
None dare call him Krasnov.
Maybe we should offer to give Qatar back their plane?
Don't offer it back - just take it back, with the keys left under the seat.
We are paying MILLIONS to bring it up to PRESIDENTIAL standards, so EVIL T should have to pay to send it back!!!
It's a crying shame that the American people are footing the bill for the 'upgrading' to this illegal 'gift'. Personally, it will not sadden me one iota if the thing blows up with the entire MAGA filth on board - hopefully somewhere in an ocean.
Not just the plane, but all those millions in crypto they gave to Trump in early 2025.
I'm smiling over this action. Canada, thank you for standing up to Trump. He's just a bully who needs to get his nose flattened.
And arse kicked
Canada just metaphorically knocked the RUMP's teeth down his throat! Great justice for the scumbag!
Yea, 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁
Thank PM Carney.
B slap.
Elbows up!🇨🇦
Gloves off!
Trump hates Canada but loves and bows to Putin. That’s where we are now. Republicans are OK with this.
Why,, why, WHY- has he started finishing his posts "Praise be to Allah!"????
He is clinically insane, but you won’t get that from this country’s corporate media.
This last minute zingers in negotiations with other countries shows how weak and feckless DumOld is. Never trust a Trumper especially the person bearing that curse of a name. He thinks this works. 🤣 He makes such a moron out of himself daily. Dragging us down with him
we the people are fighting hard and winning in many States, so we will definitely get back at him after we win in November!!
And why aren't the MAGA, who are mostly White Christian Nationalists, reacting in rage to this?
Remember, these are the same people who taped gauze pads under their right ear as a sign of their fealty to Trump after the Butler, PA incident. If that's not cult behavior, I'm not sure what is.
So true. Wearing that stupid red hat and the stupid merch is a dead give away as well. At least you can see them coming and avoid the stupidity.
Wow…I missed that one…
Some of them appeared to use feminine hygiene products attached to the side of their heads. Pathetic, as always.
And don't forget the diaper wearers! With the "Real Men Wear Diapers!" T shirts. . .
Depends™ ;)
They are the cult.
Because THEY recognize that this is trump's way of insulting Muslims without being called out for it.
Because as well as a moron, a malignant narcissist, and a creep, he's fucking weirdo.
He has realized the fascist white Christian nationalists only have a connection to Satan. He thinks Iran has found a connection to God. Trumpism and the worship of golden idols is opposite of Gods commands.
Trump first praises, then wants to negotiate to his benefit, then condemns with foul nasty descriptions that actually are reflective of himself, not those who refuse or ignore his offers and demands. Such as being so stupid to try and restrict who Canada can trade with!
Everyone should refuse to deal with him. He doesn't have a clue what working together means. If everyone abandoned and called out how irrelevant his BS is, maybe he will go away.
This is severe mental illness... He is a danger to us all. R's refuse to see what's in front of them... He is deteriorating more each day. Manic episodes. Irrational language and behaviors.
Someone needs to tell him "You catch more flies with honey," but it's too late. He's already burned all his bridges and is such a moron he's now wondering why nobody trusts him. FAFO, Donnie Diaper.
I would like a break for one F**king day from all trump's crap. I wish I could say that I cannot believe he did this to our neighbor, Canada, but of course he did. The US just sinks further and further into the mud with him in office. It would not surprise me if several nations banded together to say the US is too dangerous and we must do something. After all, many nations banded together during WW2 to take down a fascist regime.
Reading the thoughts of others in this forum is always impressive and enlightening, but maybe we can focus on replacing the MAGA GOP BOOBS in NOVEMBER!
WE SIGN EVERY PETITION OFFERED, focus on sharing tRump's ENVIRONMENTAL ATTACKS...promoting DIRTY COAL?
SMALL TOWNS ARE SAVING $$$ GOING GREEN!
How rural Mass. towns are saving green by going green
https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/04/22/rural-towns-financial-savings-electric-new-england-budgets
While tRump is fighting his WINDMILLS, MASSACHUSETTS is struggling to promote ENERGY programs to reduce consumption, save consumers' money.
What I see is lots of whining, but no celebration of WINS, nor any suggestions for solutions or recognition of HARD FOUGHT WINS.
Due to the DELUSIONAL SMILING BESSENT, we're in for a long downward ride governed by incompetent BOOBS! PREPARE YOURSELVES!
You might also consider the offering of SCOTT DWORKIN and participate in some letter-writing.
Numerous environmental groups offer opportunities to OPPOSE actions of the ENVIRONMENTAL RAPISTS that we can stop and much else.
Let's focus more on how we limit the damage of the MAGA MAGGOTS and work to re-build community.