Beltway Insider: Trump/Houthi Texts, Myanmar Earthquake, Ukraine/Russia, Special Elections Test Trump Loyalty, Smithsonian, Richard Chamberlain

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Sunday, 30 March 2025 13:03

Written by Janet Walker

President Donald Trump is confronting the first scandal of his presidency and using his usual ad hominem attacks to deflect the ramifications of the violation of protocols, which exposed his team as political separatists instead of loyalists.

The President's job approval rating, according to Gallup for the period ending March 16, 2025,  has decreased by 3.0% to 43.0% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness increased by 2.0% at 53.0%. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.

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Hegseth Sends Yemen Attack Plans to Journo

The Bromance text leaks from Defense Department Secretary Pete Hegseth, released to the editor of "The Atlantic" Jeffrey Goldberg, allegedly by accident, and others including the VP Vance, have become the latest gaff all the President's men must deflect in order to try and secure credibility as they spread their propaganda to the world.

Wall Street Journal Columnist Peggy Noonan wrote, "To see the transcripts of the now famous "Houthi PC small group" is to conclude it's pretty ad hoc. Pretty messy. The word jejune comes to mind. So does callow. There's a lot of freelancing. The vice president questions what appears to have been a presidential decision, and the debate is conducted on a publicly available encrypted app. No one on the 19-person call said, "Guys, should we be doing this on Signal?."

Even as the president has said he is open to an inspector general review of the incident, as the Republicans hold the majority in both houses, further scrutiny of the breech of national security is doubtful.

European Allies have responded much the same noting the breech was reckless and the inability of the boys of Trump's Whitehouse to maintain tighter control over their messaging is shocking. Fortunately, the techno-junkies fell just short of revealing information critical to other global issues such as Ukraine, Russia, China, and relationships with the UK, Canada, or the EU.

Houthi-gate, which is the first real scandal of President Donald Trump's second term will continue to be investigated by media especially The Atlantic Magazine and other democratic broadsheets, as it reveals more than simply the words and denotes an already growing dissension in the White House. And politics is a dirty game, and within this White House, any opportunity to present the boys of this White House as incapable, unmanageable, and unqualified is a golden nugget.  

The president expressed his usual ad hominem attacks and derogatory word choices to deflect the ramifications of the violation of protocols, "I happen to know the guy is a total sleazebag," Mr. Trump said of Mr. Goldberg on Tuesday, speaking to reporters from the Cabinet Room. He added: "The Atlantic is a failed magazine, does very, very poorly. Nobody gives a damn about it," The New York Times reported.

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Myanmar Earthquake

The death toll from Friday's catastrophic 7.7 magnitude earthquake continues to rise with 1,700 known fatalities, and more than 3500 injured, in and around the epicenter of Mandalay, Myanmar.

The energy from the Myanmar earthquake, which struck at a shallow depth of 6 miles, equaled 20 million tons of TNT and sent tremblors into neighboring Thailand, more than 800miles from the epicenter, collapsing an under construction skyscraper in Bangkok and sending millions of workers from the many high rise buildings into the streets.

Bangkok has been declared a disaster area. The Bangkok International Airport has been reopened after initial reports of total devastation.  According to the Bangkok Post, "The State Railway of Thailand delayed all trains to the North and the Northeast pending safety checks on all tracks and at all stations. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said the ministry had increased passenger boat trips on waterways including the Chao Phraya River to serve commuters.

Images from the Bangkok show widescale destruction, large structural damage left many residents of the densely populated capital of Thailand unable to access their homes pending safety checks. Video have been released showing the violent rocking of parked subway cars as groups of individuals hold onto each other to keep their balance.

The devastation was so critical in Mandalay, Myanmar, that the usually reserved military junta leaders released a statement with an open invitation for worldwide aid organizations. The dissolution of the US AID organization in the United States will have grave consequences on the entire region, affecting more than 20 million people within Myanmar, who are in desperate need for supplies, drinking water, military ready to eat meals (MREs), tents and blankets.

The immediate aftershock, registered 6.7 magnitude on the Richter scale, released 1million tons of energy. It can be expected that aftershocks of lesser magnitude will continue to affect the region.

Ukraine/Russia Agree on Sea, Energy Truce

President Trump released joint statements this week on the outcomes of presidential level peace discussions between Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in regard to sea travel and energy initiative in the Black Sea region.

While both statements appear to present the belief that each side, the Ukraine and Russia, are closer to a long lasting peace accord, that fact does not resonate with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky who stated, "What's needed now is a result from Russia. We do not trust them. In truth, the world does not trust Russia. And they must prove that they are ready to end the war, ready to stop lying to the world, to Trump, to America," The Washington Post reported.

What the cease fire does is stop the Ukraine from effectively humiliating Putin as Ukraine forces have continued to strike Russian Oil refineries, driving the Russian dictator to reconsider his strategy to reunify Russia to its once U.S.S.R. glory days. The war is costing both sides as the death toll from the Russian initiated war continues to rise, and Russian state agency TASS has been less than transparent, the actual losses may be considerably higher. The barbaric methods initiated by the Russian Military, and directed by Putin, during the initial days of the war, would be challenging to sideline for some yet achieved good.

Reclaiming Ukraine for Russia wouldn't be the first time, the Russian government had miscalculated the strength and determination of their opponent. When Russian invaded Afghanistan, it was expected to be a simple snatch and grab, roll through the capital and take the country from the leaders, subdue the rising Islamic rhetoric and reestablish the nation as a stronghold for communism. After weeks shy of ten years, Russian troops withdrew from Afghanistan in defeat.

While it is unclear if Putin, who sees capturing the Ukraine as a jewel in his legacy, and withdrawing would tarnish the vestiges of the monument he has built during his lengthy political career, there comes a time when the decision to continue to invest in a losing proposition carries the value or simply becomes a burden.

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Florida Special Election Tests Trump Appeal

Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Florida will hold special elections this week, and while none of the elections are pivotal, they all test Trump's appeal with a wide selection of voters across several states.

Florida's special election, should the democrats win, will narrow the majority margin the House, and provide clear insight into the mid-term election in 2026. Tipping the scale with one seat, won't give the democrats a majority as the Republican party controls the house with 218 seats, and the democrats 213 seats.

Should both special elections in Florida tip to the democrats the majority narrows, and lawmakers up for re-election in the mid-terms would be more inclined to cross the aisle and put pressure on the more far right wing idealists who seem mesmerized by the current state of the Union, without considering the economic hardship many are now enduring due to the current leadership.

Florida's First Congressional District which former House Republican Matt Gaetz, a hardline Trump loyalist and former pick for Attorney General, resigned his seat before the damning House ethics report could be released, paving the way for the special election to fill his seat.

In any other election season, the First Congressional District would have expected the Republican candidate to handily secure a victory. However, as Veterans Affairs Department has been targeted by DOGE, the margin of victory may not be as secure as it seemed in January 2025. The race between Democrat challenger Gay Valimont and Republican Jimmie Patronis is expected to be close.

The second seat, in Florida's Sixth Congressional district, was vacated by Michael Waltz, who resigned after he was picked by Trump as his National Security Adviser.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, (I) who has been traveling the country holding rallies, endorsed Democrat Josh Weil saying, ""Josh Weil is a working-class father of two and a middle school teacher who knows what it's like to live paycheck to paycheck," said Sanders. "Unlike his opponent, he does not have any billionaire-backed Super PACs supporting him. Josh would be a voice in Congress who understands why we must protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and not give massive tax breaks to billionaires," Yahoo reported.

Coronavirus Total

At the order of the President of the United States, the U.S. no longer recognizes the value of The World Health Organization. The CDC has recommended every person from age six months, including senior citizens should receive at least one shot of an updated COVID-19 vaccine, annually.  The death toll from Covid-19 has dramatically decreased, as has transmission of the virus. Even as confirmed new cases continue each week, fewer are dying from the newer variants.

For the seven days ending March 30, 2025, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases reported by the World Health Organization increased by 70,233 confirmed cases totaling 777,664,564. The total worldwide death toll remained increased by 7,091,788 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated March 16, 2025, from the World Health Organization).

Trump Targets Smithsonian

President Donald Trump, in his continual effort to reduce the great chasm Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has driven through American society, he signed an executive ordering targeting the Smithsonian Museum anti-American and racially divisive messaging that reenforces  

The president wrote in his executive order, "It is the policy of my Administration to restore Federal sites dedicated to history, including parks and museums, to solemn and uplifting public monuments that remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage, consistent progress toward becoming a more perfect Union, and unmatched record of advancing liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing.  Museums in our Nation's capital should be places where individuals go to learn — not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history."

The task of overseeing the Smithsonian Museum's ideology will fall on the Vice-President Vance, to effectuate change as he sees fit, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Associate Staff Secretary, Lindsey Halligan, Esq.

The Museums mandate will no longer celebrate male athletes who competed as females to be honored, in the American History Women's Museum. The order also prohibits the support or sponsorship of any exhibit that presents race or ideologies inconsistent with federal law.  

The National Museum of African American History and Culture which has exhibits that introduce specific characteristics which are designated as inherent to the "White" race and those which are inherent to the African American race further driving a separating wedge into an already broken socialite structure. Other exhibits describe race as a scientific invention and not a biological determination.

Understanding that society, daily, separates itself while claiming to be integrated and in reality remains segregated in thought, actions, and choice, is further propagated by these national exhibits that do not represent the ideologies put forth in the Constitution.

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Richard Chamberlain, Star of Stage and Screen, Dies

Richard Chamberlain, who graced both the stage and small screen with his charismatic appeal, died this week. He was 90.

Chamberlain was known to many different generations, as a small screen heartthrob in the 1960s, before even the advent of color television, as Dr. Kildare, in a series that ran for five seasons. It was noted that during those years, Chamberlain received upwards of 12,000 letters weekly from fans. For Hollywood, the golden boy from Beverly Hills, was a break out star in a time of tumultuous turmoil in America. After the series ended, Chamberlain wanted to be taken seriously as an actor, moved to London, and trained with the Birmingham Repertory Theater, and performed Shakespeare's Hamlet, which was both a critical and commercial success, and changed Chamberlain image as a pretty face suited only for television.

Chamberlain, however, was suited for television, and as much as he wanted to shake his image, he continued to find his star appeal in the mini-series and starred in the original "Shogun,"James Clavell's 1975 novel, playing the lead John Blackthorne. This role again would cast him as a romantic lead, in a style that had now become more comfortable for him to play. After this he would rise to a stratospheric fame when he was cast as Father Ralph de Bricassart, the tortured priest in love and unwilling to leave God or the Church, in the television mini-series, in Colleen McCullough, 1977 novel "The Thorn Birds," which has remained the second highest watched mini-series in television history, behind only Alex Halley's "Roots."

Across his six decade career, Mr. Chamberlain has 86 screen credits and "received Emmy Award nominations for "The Thorn Birds" and "Shogun," as well as for "Wallenberg: A Hero's Story" (1985) — in which he played Raoul Wallenberg, the World War II resistance hero — and for "The Count of Monte Cristo" (1975). He won three Golden Globes during his career, for "The Thorn Birds" and "Shogun," and as best television actor for "Dr. Kildare" in 1963," reported The New York Times.

Mr. Chamberlain passed away due to complications from a stroke. He is survived by his longtime Martin Rabbet, a former actor, producer and writer.

For more information on President Donald Trump: Whitehouse.gov.

Sources: Various © Articles covered by Copyright protection.

Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade.  A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays, "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She is completing the non-fiction narrative, "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," which is expected to be released in early 2025. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a former member of the International Federation of Journalists.