Day 1 of Trump's Presidency... and all the days that follow

[Rizotto]

https://www.alternet.org/protrump-journalist/

Revealed: Pro-Trump journalist is employed by the Defense Department
August 24, 2026
"President Donald Trump’s Pentagon has experienced a wide number of controversies, from the budgetary hole created by the Iran War and the appointment of cronies to its failures involving the mental and physical health of soldiers on the USS Abraham Lincoln. Now there is a new problem emerging — namely, that a supposedly neutral reporter has been described as a “special government employee.” (article continued at above link)

_______________________________________________________________

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/...cklist-exposed

Pentagon’s Secret Press Blacklist Exposed
August 24, 2026

"The Pentagon has a secret list of journalists it will no longer speak to.

An official at the Department of Defense, which has already infringed on journalists' rights, inadvertently revealed to a reporter at The Intercept that the blacklist exists, as he threatened the reporter that if they kept inquiring about Pentagon happenings, they too would be on it.

"You'll be put on a list of people to disregard," Richard Allee, an executive assistant with CENTCOM public affairs, told The Intercept reporter, Nick Turse.

When asked for further information about this apparent list, saying, "You have a list of people to disregard?" Allee confirmed it, saying simply, "Yes."
(article continued at above link)

[Rizotto]

https://www.rt.com/news/644627-trump...000000-asylum/

Trump set for largest visa revocation ever – media
The administration is reportedly preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners seeking asylum in the US

August 25, 2026

The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing to revoke the visas of up to 200,000 foreigners, AP reported on Tuesday, citing State Department documents and two US officials familiar with the plan. The reported move, which targets business and tourism applicants who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum, could be the largest mass visa revocation in US history.

US President Donald Trump has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown since returning to office in January 2025, including increased deportations, expanded detention efforts, and tighter restrictions on visa applicants.

The visa revocation process, which has not yet been finalized and could be challenged in court, is expected to begin in the coming weeks and would target B1 business and B2 tourist visas issued since 2016, AP said.
(article continued at above link)

[BMJ]

Posted by Rizotto (here)
"Why People Think Jared Kushner is a Honeypot"


Edited to add:Be sure to watch to the very end. At 18:43, in an interview together with Kushner, Whitkoff mentions that there had been a 'master plan' all along. Watch the alarmed reaction by Kushner...

Bold and in red must be important in fact its just sensationalism, lets have some context.


Kushner and Witcoff 60 Minutes interview - "Masterplan" for Palestine

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=X7moS-TnTLw

[Rizotto]

Clip of Trump stating he's importing Argentinian beef because "they're fighting for their survival" and because he likes their president Milei. But does not answer the reporter's question about the harm this does to USA cattle ranchers.

Also, interesting analysis of how Trump uses a bullying tone to weasel out of an issue.

Dangerous Imports: Why Your Food Supply Is Under Attack

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=t98Urp5fsnY

[Rizotto]

"Joshua Kushner net worth breakdown and the timeline of Jared Kushner Saudi Arabia meetings in October 2017. Get the facts here.

This discussion examines the financial standing of Joshua Kushner and connects it to the broader context of his brother's activities. We break down the reported figures surrounding Joshua Kushner net worth while analyzing the geopolitical timing of Jared Kushner Saudi Arabia visits. This analysis is designed for viewers interested in the intersection of private wealth and public policy.

By reviewing the events of October 2017, we provide a clearer picture of how Kushner family wealth interacts with high-level diplomatic circles. Understanding these connections helps clarify the narrative often presented in media outlets regarding their business dealings and political influence. We strip away speculation to focus on the documented timeline and reported financial data."

Julian Dorey EXPOSES Kushner Dark Money Ties to Epstein & Saudi Arabia

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=CXY0KNPeYX4

[Rizotto]

https://www.rt.com/business/644629-u...ran-war-costs/

Iran war drives US farmers into worst crisis in 40 years – FT
Diesel and fertilizer costs have soared due to the conflict, with growers projected to lose $31 billion this year

August 26, 2026

US grain farmers have been plunged into their worst financial crisis in four decades as the war with Iran drives up diesel and fertilizer costs, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. The latest price shock compounds years of weak crop prices and falling incomes.

The mounting pressure follows the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February, which prompted Tehran to largely block commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that previously served about a fifth of the world’s energy supplies. The resulting surge in energy costs is hitting the US heartland ahead of November’s midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress.

Farmers across the Corn Belt have been particularly hard hit by soaring diesel and crop nutrient prices since the military campaign began, the FT reported. Nebraska Farmers Union president John Hansen described the downturn as the sector’s worst since the 1980s.

”Inputs are way out of whack,” Nebraska corn and soybean farmer Matt Bailey told the newspaper. He said a phosphorus-rich fertilizer used at planting now costs more than $900 per ton, compared with about $470 a decade ago.

Diesel prices have also surged after the conflict disrupted energy markets and sharply reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The nationwide average has climbed to about $5.45 per gallon from $3.81 before the war, according to US Energy Information Administration data.

”The [Iran] war has made so much uncertainty for us as farmers,” Pam Johnson, a former president of the National Corn Growers Association, told the FT. “It’s projected that farmers aren’t going to make any money for the next two years.”

The latest shock comes after several difficult years for major US crops. American Farm Bureau Federation economists estimate that growers of nine principal crops will lose about $31 billion in 2026 without federal assistance, with losses expected to reach $32 billion next year. Corn producers are projected to lose $131 per acre this year and $167 in 2027, while soybean losses are forecast at $80 and $138 respectively.

Farmers also blamed Washington’s trade disputes for weakening overseas demand, particularly for US soybeans in China. The Trump administration asked Congress in June for another $11 billion in assistance for the sector after billions of dollars in earlier payments.

Drought and unusually hot weather have compounded the pressure, damaging crops across parts of the Corn Belt, including Nebraska. Corn prices have risen as traders cut estimates for this year’s harvest, while soybeans and wheat have also rallied, fueling concerns that higher commodity costs could add to inflation already running above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

[BMJ]

They Will Blow Up the World to Save Their System

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=s-BB3bptPlc

Promethean Updates
August 27, 2026

Summary:
00:00 The Midweek Update - They Will Blow Up the World to Save Their System - August 26, 2026
01:42 Russia Declares Britain an Enemy Combatant
05:17 The Enemy on Our Northern Border
08:12 Mark Carney and the Loonie Democrats

Barbara Boyd argues that the most dangerous escalation is the proxy war with Russia, highlighting Russia’s warning that direct British involvement in strikes on Russian territory could make Britain a combatant.

She says the UK has long driven the Ukraine conflict and that Trump has sought peace while Britain and Europe resist, relying on war production amid failing economies.

The episode focuses on Canada’s Mark Carney as a key spokesman for a permanent-warfare economic strategy, detailing his global financial roles and Canada’s creation of a Defense Security and Resilience Bank to fund defense mobilization without citizen involvement.

Boyd also describes Carney’s actions against the U.S., including trade disputes, deeper EU alignment, and Arctic defense plans. She claims a coordinated “chaos” and “psychological warfare” campaign targets U.S. voters ahead of the midterms.

[BMJ]

[QUOTE=BMJ;1725896]

Posted by BMJ (here)
Canada working hard for China!!! (And not fellow Canadians)

In case you didn't know China was shipping to the USA their products via Canada those products were then labeled Canadian in an effort to avoid the China tariffs, and comrade Carny is well aware of this. Hence Canada now has 50% tariffs on exported products to the USA. Congratulations comrade Carny.

THAT'S THE LOOK, JD!!!🤣🤣🤣

WE DON'T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!!!😎🇺🇸😘😘😘

The burning question remains and that is will Canada become the 51st state or is Canada already the 51st state??? State tuned!!!

Has Canada Gone Nuts? (Cutting off one's nose to spite one's face)
James Thorne explains why Canada's economic policies might serve globalist interests, not Canadians. With US trade at 72% and energy/mineral processing vulnerabilities, provoking a trade war seems economically illogical.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=5Gu_FbWBISk

[Rizotto]

YouTube & The Gov’t CAUGHT Suppressing Independent Media Over the War!

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=jxEqlTAELJM

[Eddy Fire]

David Ellis was a military contractor, who used to talk about the bizarre UK defence and procurement decisions, on the UK column. The billigerence of the UK seemed to be inversely proportional to its logistical competence.
He tried to place documents about EU military integration in Farage's hands, in the lead up to the referendum. Farage pretty much ran away from material that would have been very helpful to his cause. It's the conflict with Russia that is to provide the shaky rationale for this merger, the issue of UK aggression, in a time of decay and competence won't be addressed by our Government/Media cartel.

[John Hilton]

This was originally posted on "X" but I've edited it to remove political bias and innuendo.

Reported Actions and Outcomes (successes?) Associated with the Trump Administration (as of mid-to-late 2026)

Border and Immigration
1. Illegal border crossings were reported at low levels relative to recent years. Policies including expanded wall construction, reinstatement of “Remain in Mexico,” and reduced releases into the interior were implemented.

2. Net migration was reported as negative in 2025 for the first time in decades. Approximately 3 million people without legal status left the United States (roughly 675,000 through formal removals and the remainder through voluntary departure). A program offering financial incentives and travel assistance for voluntary departure was used.

3. The Laken Riley Act was signed into law. It requires detention of certain non-citizens charged with specific crimes (including theft, burglary, assault on police, or crimes causing death or serious injury) and allows states to sue federal officials for non-enforcement.

Crime
4. FBI data showed a 9.7% decline in violent crime in 2025, including an 18.1% drop in murder and an 18.5% drop in robbery. The violent crime rate reached its lowest level in more than a century according to available historical comparisons. National Guard deployments occurred in some high-crime urban areas.

Economy, Taxes, and Regulation
5. The 2017 tax cuts were made permanent and expanded through legislation that included a higher standard deduction, expanded Child Tax Credit, 100% expensing for certain capital investments, and reduced taxes on tips, overtime, and some Social Security benefits.

6. Federal agencies reported a high ratio of deregulatory actions to new regulations (approximately 129-to-1 in fiscal 2025). This included repeal of the 2009 Endangerment Finding related to greenhouse gases and removal of certain electric-vehicle mandates and related incentives.

7. Private-sector announcements of planned U.S. investments totaled roughly $18 trillion across manufacturing, semiconductors, data centers, energy, and related sectors.

8. Several major manufacturers announced shifts of production into the United States (examples include certain Ford, Toyota, GM, Honda, and other facilities).

9. New or revised trade agreements were negotiated with countries representing a large share of global GDP, using tariffs as leverage in some cases.

10. U.S. oil, natural gas, and LNG production and exports reached record levels. The United States became a net energy exporter on a large scale, with expanded permitting, pipelines, and export terminals.

11. Five new nuclear reactors reached criticality in a relatively short period after decades with limited new private non-light-water reactor deployments.

Government Structure and Administration
12. In Trump v. Slaughter, the Supreme Court affirmed broader presidential authority to remove certain executive-branch officials, modifying prior limits on “independent” agencies.

13. In Trump v. CASA, the Supreme Court restricted the use of nationwide injunctions by single district judges.

14. USAID was significantly restructured or terminated as an independent entity, with remaining humanitarian functions moved under the State Department.

15. The federal civilian workforce was reduced to its smallest size in approximately 60 years. Remote-work policies were tightened.

16. Federal DEI offices and race- or sex-based preference programs in hiring and contracting were eliminated.

Social and Cultural Policy
17. Enforcement of the Hyde Amendment and Mexico City Policy was reinstated or expanded. Federal funding restrictions related to abortion and fetal-tissue research were strengthened. Certain pro-life activists previously prosecuted received pardons. Efforts were made to limit federal funding to large abortion providers.

18. Federal policy was updated to recognize biological sex as binary (male/female) for purposes of sports, facilities, and certain medical interventions involving minors. Title IX enforcement was adjusted accordingly, and some institutions changed related policies.

19. A nationwide school-choice tax-credit program was enacted, along with “Trump Accounts” providing a federal seed contribution for eligible newborns.

20. New White House offices and task forces focused on religious liberty and alleged anti-Christian bias were established. Conscience protections were expanded.

Foreign Policy and Defense
21. NATO allies agreed to a higher collective defense-spending target (moving toward 5% of GDP by 2035).

22. Diplomatic and security actions reduced Chinese influence in parts of the Caribbean and around the Panama Canal. Nicolás Maduro was taken into U.S. custody.

23. The administration mediated or facilitated ceasefires or peace agreements in multiple conflicts.

24. Funding and development began for a multi-layered missile-defense system (“Golden Dome”) including space-based sensors and interceptors.

25. All active-duty military services met or exceeded 2025 recruiting goals. The Department of Defense (sometimes referred to administratively as the Department of War) increased emphasis on readiness, shipbuilding, munitions, and industrial capacity.

[Rizotto]

Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America 'effective immediately'

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=qmsaD8s7xPk

_____________________________________________________________

While the internet has exploded in derisive memes about Trump changing the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America", it should be interesting to look at the origin of the names in question. Which name truly belongs to the location?

Copied from AI search results:

ONTARIO

"The word Ontario comes from Indigenous Iroquoian and Huron-Wendat (Wyandot) languages, meaning "great lake," "beautiful water," or "sparkling water".Indigenous RootsOntarí:io: A Huron-Wendat (Wyandot) word that translates to "great lake".Kanadario / Skanadario: Iroquoian or Haudenosaunee words meaning "sparkling water" or "beautiful water".History and EvolutionFirst Use: European explorers and documents first recorded the name as "Ontario" around 1641 to describe the north shore of Lake Ontario.The Lake First: The name originally belonged to Lake Ontario long before it applied to any land region or political boundary."

AMERICA

"The name "America" comes from the first name of the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.Who Chose the Name?A German mapmaker named Martin Waldseemüller drew a famous world map in 1507.He wanted to honor Vespucci for his voyages.Waldseemüller took the name "Amerigo" and changed it into the Latin version "Americus".He made it feminine ("America") to match the names of other continents like Europe, Asia, and Africa.Why Amerigo Vespucci?Christopher Columbus reached the region first.However, Vespucci wrote popular letters explaining that these lands were a totally new continent, not a part of Asia.The mapmaker thought Vespucci was the first person to figure this out.The new name spread quickly on maps and stayed forever, even after the mapmaker realized his historical mistake."

[ThePythonicCow]

Posted by John Hilton (here)
This was originally posted on "X" but I've edited it to remove political bias and innuendo.

I am pleasantly surprised at how much substance remained, after such an edit.

[BMJ]

How the Globalists Built a System of Fear - And How America IS Breaking It

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=p8hwpcB8LeI

Promethean Overviews
August 24, 2026

Summary:
00:00 The Black-Pilling of America
02:06 AI Leaders Predict the Apocalypse
02:50 AI: Energy Revolution or Control?
03:23 AI and American Reindustrialization
04:16 Malthus and the Politics of Doom
06:23 Population Decline, Migration, and War
06:42 Trump’s Response to Migration and War
07:33 The Deeper Crisis of Hope
08:31 The Global Fertility Collapse
09:38 Why Birthrates Are Falling
11:00 Cell Phones and the Culture of Malaise
11:27 Europe’s Long View of History
12:23 The Black Death and Population Collapse
12:57 Europe’s Population Miracle
15:00 Dante’s Answer to Despair
15:57 Faith, Hope, and Love
17:04 Final Thoughts and the Midterms

In this overview, Mike examines the culture of “black pilling” that keeps Americans trapped in permanent anxiety, cynicism, and despair. Leading AI executives warn of an approaching apocalypse, but AI presents a choice: centralized surveillance and control or American reindustrialization, advanced manufacturing, and nuclear energy development.

Mike traces today’s pessimism back to Thomas Malthus and his predictions of disease, famine, and population collapse. He then examines President Trump’s response to migration and war, the worldwide decline in fertility rates, and the cell phone’s role in transmitting a culture of anxiety and short-term thinking.

From Europe’s recovery after the Black Death to Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, history shows how faith, hope, and love can inspire civilization to build, grow, and overcome despair.

Topics include:

• AI doomsday predictions
• AI surveillance and industrial development
• Thomas Malthus and population pessimism
• President Trump’s border policies
• Migration and war
• Declining global fertility rates
• Cell phones and chronic anxiety
• European population growth
• The Black Death
• Dante and the Divine Comedy
• Faith, hope, and love
• Rebuilding a culture of hope

[Rizotto]

https://www.economist.com/interactiv...proval-tracker

The Economist, Polling data as of August 25, 2026:

Summary:

"The president's net approval rating is -26,
down 0.3 points since last week.
35% approve, 61% disapprove, 5% not sure"

Scrolling down on the above link, there are several detailed analysis further below, per issue & demographics.

Inflation & prices remain the most critical issue, according to this poll.

Question to Americans on this forum:
The internet is full of reports from many Americans from the middle class or working class raising alarm about the cost of living, their struggles or inability of making ends meet every month, etc. Is this something you are experiencing?

[Rizotto]

"Jeffrey Sachs joins Jimmy to argue that President Trump’s tariffs, tax policies, energy policies, and sanctions have actively harmed working Americans while benefiting wealthy corporations and Trump’s political donors. Sachs says the tariff costs were effectively passed on to U.S. consumers, and he questions whether any resulting refunds will actually reach the households that paid the higher prices.
Sachs also argues that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is focused more on economic pressure against foreign countries—particularly Iran—than on addressing America’s debt, deficits, interest rates, and broader economic problems. The two conclude that the Trump administration’s aggressive economic pressure and sanctions are merely encouraging countries such as China and others to reduce their dependence on the United States and its financial system."

Trump’s Iran Sanctions Screw Over Americans | Jeffrey Sachs

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=yCmko6gMtWQ

[Rizotto]

https://www.rt.com/news/644776-trump-president-ranking/

Trump declares himself ‘greatest’ US president
The American leader put himself above Lincoln and Washington while branding Biden and Obama “failures”

August 28, 2026

Donald Trump has declared himself the “greatest” president in US history while branding Joe Biden and Barack Obama “failures” in a ranking posted on Truth Social.

Abraham Lincoln, who led the US through the Civil War and abolished slavery, and George Washington, the first US president and a founding father, were placed one tier below Trump.

The US president shared the ranking on Thursday alongside a CNN clip highlighting polling showing his dominance among Republican voters. The graphic divides US presidents into six tiers – ‘The Greatest’, ‘Great’, ‘Near Great’, ‘Average’, ‘Below Average’, and ‘Failures’ – with Trump alone at the top.

Lincoln, Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson were placed in the ‘Great’ category. Theodore Roosevelt, Grover Cleveland, John Adams, and James K. Polk were rated ‘Near Great’, while Bill Clinton was among those deemed ‘Average’.

Biden and Obama were placed at the opposite end of Trump’s chart alongside fellow Democrat Jimmy Carter and former presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Warren G. Harding. The list contains 34 presidents and leaves out 11 others, including Ronald Reagan, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and both George Bushes.

The graphic appears to be an altered version of a ranking published by LIFE magazine in 1948, when Harvard historian Arthur Schlesinger Sr. asked 55 experts in American history to classify presidents as ‘great’, ‘near great’, ‘average’, ‘below average’, or ‘failure’. Trump’s version largely retains the original categories but adds himself at the top and several more recent Democratic presidents.

Trump posted the image after CNN highlighted an Elon University poll showing 53% of Republicans named him the Republican president they admired most, far ahead of Reagan at 18% and Lincoln at 8%. CNN analyst Harry Enten called it a “historic comparison,” saying Trump “nearly triples up” on Reagan.

Expert surveys, however, have placed Trump at the opposite end of the scale. The Presidential Greatness Project ranked him last in 2018 with 12.34 points out of 100, versus 95.03 for Lincoln, and put him last again in its 2024 survey of 154 presidential scholars and experts. Lincoln topped both rankings.

Trump’s broader approval has also slumped during his second term. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted August 21-24 put his approval at a record-low 33%, with 65% disapproving. A Marquette survey showed even weaker numbers on the economy, with 30% approving of his handling of it and just 22% backing his record on inflation and the cost of living.

[Rizotto]

Trump has repeatedly suggested the use of nuclear weapons against Iran...

"How close are we to nuclear war? According to Joe Kent, a lot closer than you think."

Impeachment Looms Over Trump After the Pentagon’s Leaked Nuclear Plans. Joe Kent on What Comes Next.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=9POOfL7fo7c

[BMJ]

China's Paradox and America's Solution: The New World System of Trump

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=D7jGpcOM8nk

Promethean Overviews
August 28, 2026

Summary:
00:00 China’s Industrial Power and Hidden Crisis
01:29 Japan and the Original American System
02:47 How China Built Its Industrial Machine
04:28 Evergrande and China’s Property Collapse
05:48 The Financial Crisis Beijing Avoided
07:32 Why China Cannot Stop Exporting
08:55 The World Pushes Back With Tariffs
09:18 China’s Demographic and Poverty Crisis
11:24 The Soul China Left Behind
12:28 The Choice Facing Beijing
13:17 America’s Answer to Globalization
14:28 Trump Revives the American System
16:58 Nuclear Power, Chips, and Physical AI
18:04 SpaceX and the New World System
18:27 Globalization Is Already Ending

China’s economic crisis is colliding with President Trump’s revival of the American System. Mike Steger examines China’s property crash, globalization, tariffs, manufacturing, AI, and nuclear power.

In this overview, Mike examines how China became the world’s leading manufacturing power—and why its industrial strength now masks a growing economic crisis. After decades of directed credit, infrastructure development, and export-driven growth, China faces a collapsing property market, overwhelming debt, shrinking domestic demand, and an aging population.

From Japan’s lost decades and the collapse of Evergrande to China’s industrial overproduction and dependence on foreign markets, Mike explains why this crisis is unlike anything faced by the other Asian Tigers. Despite its advanced factories, infrastructure, robotics, and space program, China never developed a strong internal consumer economy capable of supporting its enormous productive system.

Mike then examines the deeper difference between China’s state-controlled economic model and the true American System of Alexander Hamilton and Abraham Lincoln—a system designed to develop productive citizens, industries, infrastructure, and scientific progress.

With President Trump back in office, the United States is beginning a new economic mobilization through federal credit, private investment, nuclear energy, semiconductor manufacturing, physical AI, critical minerals, and space exploration. This American industrial revival could replace the failed system of globalization and provide a new model of development for the world.

Topics include:

• China’s growing economic crisis
• China’s reusable rockets and industrial power
• Japan and the lost decades
• The American System of Hamilton and Lincoln
• Sun Yat-sen and China’s industrial development
• China’s massive credit expansion
• The Evergrande property collapse
• China’s debt and local government crisis
• Industrial overproduction and export dependence
• Tariffs on Chinese vehicles
• China’s population decline
• Poverty and the hukou system
• The failure of globalization
• President Trump and American reindustrialization
• Federal credit for critical minerals and technologies
• Wall Street investment in American manufacturing
• Nuclear energy and semiconductor production
• Physical AI and advanced factories
• SpaceX, Tesla, and America’s new industrial projects
• Building a new global economic system

[BMJ]

Interesting???
But why? I'm sure there is plenty of speculation as to why the USA made it know this flight was happening I'm sure it was to make the cabal aware of these secretive and essential communications. But what was said who knows.


CIA Director Rides Unmarked USAF C-17 to Moscow
A U.S. Air Force C-17 was noted making an unusual journey into Russian airspace on Aug. 25, 2026 shortly before U.S. media outlets broke the story that CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Moscow for undisclosed talks. The C-17 Globemaster III, flying under Air Mobility Command (AMC) callsign REACH 4555 (four digit call signs have been noted regularly for ‘high priority’ C-17 taskings), took off from Riga International Airport on the morning of Aug. 25 after arriving from Andrews Air Force Base. 07-7181, the airframe in question, is one of a significant number of AMC aircraft almost completely devoid of identifying markings, sporting only a U.S. flag and a low-visibility U.S. Air Force roundel.

Ratcliffe and his entourage appear to have travelled from Andrews to Riga using a C-40B (a military Boeing 737-700 BBJ) before transferring over to the C-17.

The C-17 would have likely still needed to travel via Andrews to collect a Roll-On Conference Capsules (ROCC), which provides a more comfortable travel option for VIPs compared to the very rudimentary seating options usually offered in an airlifter’s cargo hold.

The ROCC, certified as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), features a conference room, living quarters, toilet facilities, and an array of secure communication options. These containerized units replaced the famous ‘Silver Bullet’ trailers which – unlike the ROCC – could not be occupied during takeoff or landing, nor during air to air refueling or moderate turbulence.

C-17s (and other airlifters) have routinely been used to accommodate VIP airlift into less secure locations, being much more discreet than a dedicated executive aircraft while also boasting a defensive aids suite (DAS) designed for flying into potential threat zones. This type of mission is what originally spawned the creation of the Silver Bullet system, and why an investment was made into the ROCC.

In theory, an arranged trip into Russian airspace should be considered relatively safe and it is not known exactly why this additional layer of security was considered necessary. Notably, in 2025, a U.S. Air Force C-37B in the highly visible blue and white VIP scheme made a brief trip to Moscow for unknown reasons. The last time a C-17 is recorded to have visited Moscow was, according to Russian media, in 2017.

When the flight was first spotted on flight tracking sites like Flightradar24.com, many initial assumptions were that the C-17 was taking part in a fairly routine support mission for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. C-17s conduct these missions on a regular basis across the world, often with the callsign REACH 1815, keeping the extensive network of U.S. Embassies and diplomatic offices linked together. It was only after reports of the C-40’s simultaneous presence at Riga did the mission spark additional interest, before the news about Ratcliffe began to hit the headlines.

... The C-17 departed Moscow after around eight hours, heading back to Riga. The accompanying C-40 then departed Riga bound for Bangor, Maine (fuel efficiency is decreased when flying westbound across the Atlantic).

Link: https://theaviationist.com/2026/08/2...7-moscow/#deny