Beltway Insider: Trump, Euro Leaders Meet, 2026 Smokescreen, Redistricting, Israel Withholds Aid, Camp Mystic Parents, James Dobson

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Saturday, 23 August 2025 19:09

Written by Janet Walker

President Trump announced, after meeting the seven European leaders, including Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, separately, that he was pausing his efforts to negotiate a peace treaty between the warring nations.

The President's job approval rating, according to Gallup featured in The New York Times for the period ending August 24, 2025, of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President remained constant at 37% and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as president remained constant at 58%. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.

Beltway Insider: Trump/Putin Meet, No Deal, Ukraine/Euro Leaders, ICE, Strike Force, House Redistricting

Trump, Euro Leaders Meet

President Trump met this week, in an impromptu European Summit, as seven European leaders, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky flew to the White House, on the heels of President Trump's meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, to show their support for Ukraine and concern over Putin's aggression.

In attendance were Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, Finland President Alexander Stubb, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and President of the European Commission President von der Leyen.

The spontaneous summit set a different tone for Ukraine President Zelensky than that of his February visit where he experienced a verbal beatdown by Trump and Vice-President Vance, in tag team style. Zelensky also understood what was on the line, and while he retained his all black style, he did wear a suit, although not a tie. Zelensky's effort paid off and Trump acknowledged his wardrobe change.

As Mr. Trump has continued to attempt to work with both parties, he has tried to console Putin, who is obstinate, and present to Zelensky the only option is to cede lands, which is out of the question. As Trump, Zelensky, and Putin have yet to meet face-to-face, and all efforts to arrange a suitable global location are rebuffed by the Russians, and the traditional Lausanne, Switzerland often used for peace negotiations, seems to be unworkable, the effort to appease all parties and work out a solution are becoming tiring for the president.

The foreign leaders left the White House assured that the United States remains committed to their efforts to keep an aggressive Russian military from advancing further. Although he has not committed to boots on the ground, he has indicated "probably" air support.

"Trump said the United States would be "involved" in keeping peace in Ukraine after any agreement with Russia, but he offered few specifics on the role that U.S. forces would play. Trump later said in a Truth Social post that European countries would provide the guarantees, "with a coordination with the United States of America," The Washington Post reported.

The Big Red 2026 Smoke Screen

While Mr. Trump has much of the nation focused on Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, utilizing the national guard to patrol cities, and his coziness with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's terror campaign against Palestine, he has slowly been working behind the scenes to build a coalition that will all but guarantee republican control of the House in 2026.

For many the redistricting of Texas, which was matched by California Governor Gavin Newsom's effort to redistrict its state to counter the effects of a GOP takeover of the Texas legislature, is not seen as a Trump persuaded effort, when in fact it clearly is a Trump endorsed effort to maintain control over the U.S. House of Representatives, and in reality to present to the American people, a false belief that MAGA Republicans are the pulse of the American people, leading into the 2028 Presidential primary and election season.

The Big 2026 Smoke Screen campaign has voters looking at a myriad of big issues that are plaguing them in their home states, while Mr. Trump stealthy, and with a determined effort, with a single goal in mind, redraws the lines of the playing field to favor the Republicans, seemingly without more Democrats even noticing.

World News: Trump Fails to Move Russia and Ukraine Toward Peace

While California has moved to attempt to counter the Texas move, Mr. Trump has already created a list of potential states to redistrict to aid the MAGA GOP retain their control.

Redistricting isn't the only issue that Mr. Trump is targeting as he seeks to maintain his lock on both houses. This week, the president stated he would use an executive order to dissolve the use of mail-in voting, and after a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin who confirmed to Mr. Trump that he lost the 2020 election due to widespread fraud and mail-in ballot fraud, indicated he would use his authority as president to address this matter.

"The comments are another sign that Trump is trying to alter the rules around voting ahead of the midterms. Trump has also instigated an effort to redraw voting maps in Texas to increase Republicans' chances of retaining power. It was not immediately clear what the executive order would entail, but any attempt to forbid mail-in ballots using executive authority would probably run into legal challenges, given that the Constitution gives states explicit control over election procedures," reported The Washington Post.

While demonizing the Democrats with big soundbite statements, much of those efforts have resulted in small, and relatively silent walk backs, as Mr. Trump often uses this sting and jab technique to further his efforts to ostracize democrats painting them as the "enemy within," and continuously blaming all woes on a succession of democratic leadership.

Mr. Trump has one stumbling block in front of him, the lingering involvement with convicted sex offender, and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

As the Department of Justice indicated they began sharing documents related to the investigation, to members of Congress, on Friday. Representative James Comer (R-KY), Head of the House Oversight Committee filed a request to have the documents turned over for examination. Whether the documents reveal any new information, or directly or indirectly link the president to the criminal actions Mr. Epstein was convicted and known to have procured, it may be the single most determining factor and in fact be the stumbling block he cannot get past.

World News: France Takes a Stand on a Two State Solution

Israel Continues Starvation Campaign

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appeared to estrange himself from the majority of his former  allies save United States President Donald Trump, who continues to support his efforts, even in the face of global criticism over the systematic starvation and annihilation of the Palestinians who remain in Gaza.

"Since the gruesome Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that killed about 1,200 Israelis, Israel has waged a pitiless war in Gaza. More than 62,000 people have been killed, including some 18,500 children, according to local health authorities, in what is considered by many experts to be an undercount," The New York Times reported. 

Well beyond a measured response to the October 7, 2023 massacre, Israel's continued attacks upon innocent Palestinians, especially women and children, will act as a long term determination to one day rise up again, with an intensity, learning from the mistakes, and attack all of Israel.

As the Israeli's and the Palestinians have not been able to live peacefully for over 4000 years, what is this current campaign meant to accomplish? The deconstruction of Hamas will be the only lasting objective accomplished during this Israeli military campaign.

While the world stays silent in the face of this humanitarian tragedy the echoes of the past, when nations of the world, including the United States, remained silent as Adolf Hitler systematically starved millions of jews and marched them into the gas chambers to their deaths, scream of history flipping the deck and repeating itself, as now the Israeli led military is systematically starving the Palestinian people.   

There was once a time when horrifically injured children, victims of regimes without conscience, would be plastered on every newspaper around the world. Now, children who are shockingly maimed, horribly burned beyond recognition as Israel continues to bomb refugee camps, and appallingly starved to the point where they are unable to hold their heads up, are glossed over with words of encouragement from the President.

A Palestinian Occupied Gaza Strip Will No Longer Exist

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu achieves his objective, a Palestinian occupied Gaza Strip will no longer exist. Israel will reclaim the Gaza strip and enlarge the borders of their nation to include the once Palestinian occupied Gaza Strip.

"Palestinian journalists report that Israeli military forces have begun a wholesale massacre in the Al Sabra district of Gaza City overnight, continuously shelling homes and tents, flattening whole areas and murdering dozens, perhaps hundreds, of Palestinians including – as it almost always does – many children and wiping out whole families," Skwawkbox.org reported.

Occupying the Gaza strip is not the only territory Netanyahu is planning on taking, or returning to its rightful owner, as just this week the Israeli government approved the EL housing project which constructs about 3500 unit in the West Bank, essentially creating a small city in the middle of more than 500,000 Israeli settlers who live among three million Palestinians. Although the project, which has been delayed for two decades, is approved, the construction could face further delays.

With tensions already at a boiling point, the West Bank Palestinians have not choice except to allow a simmering peace to rule the day. One outbreak of violence could result in an annihilation of the population and a repeat of the Gaza Strip.

"Critics say it would bisect the West Bank, posing a major challenge for the contiguity of any future Palestinian state. France, Britain, Australia and more than a dozen other countries immediately denounced the plan as illegal and a violation of international law. The Trump administration, however, stayed largely silent. Mr. Huckabee told Israeli radio that the move was fundamentally Israel's decision," The New York Times reported.

For Hamas, those terrorist leaders who chose to initiate this campaign, the cost of the campaign will result in an annihilation of a people, the loss of a homeland, and the possibility for further campaigns against the occupied West Bank.

World News: Israel and the Depopulation of Gaza

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 August 24, 2025, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases reported by the World Health Organization increased by 16,369 to 778,474,217. The total worldwide death toll increased by 341 to 7,099,716 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated August 3, 2025, from the World Health Organization).

Beltway Insider: Trump/Big Bill Passes, Takeaways, Texas Death Toll Rises, Idaho Murderer Sentenced

Camp Mystic Parents Testify

Parents of the 27 Camp Mystic girls, who were tragically killed during the July 4, Kerr County floods, testified this week before the Texas State legislature pleading with representative to never allow this to happen again, and to mandate that all camps that sit along the Guadalupe River, in this flood prone area have a precautionary warning system in place.

The heartbreaking testimony presented echoed those of individuals who were equally heartbroken upon hearing the news, as this tragedy, and pictures of dozens of bright, youthful, and happy girls filled the news and social media.

However, even as the public endorsed each word spoken, challenging decades of tradition no matter how tragic the loss render change nearly impossible.

It was the first time many of the parents had spoken, as they were called on to support the passage of Senate Bill 1, which was crafted in the six weeks since the Kerr County July 4 floods, and includes requirements for camps and succession, as the investigation concluded that all three men in charge of securing the safety of the county were either sick, out of town, or on a schedule day off, leaving the entire community vulnerable.

"Among the bill's provisions are a requirement for camps to have emergency rooftop ladders in every cabin in the floodplain and flash flood evacuation plans. It also seeks to create a line of succession for local officials in the event they are absent when disaster strikes and to streamline how justices of peace report deaths," CNN reported.

Camp Mystic's leader Dick Eastland, who died in the floods was not oblivious to the dangers of the Guadalupe River, and often led campaigns for change, for warning systems, for moving the cabins outside of the flood zone. While he was a respected leader, his efforts were often met with pushback, especially as catastrophic flooding, while possible, was infrequent, and therefore not fiscally sound.

James Dodson, Focus on the Family Leader, Dead

James Dodson, a psychologist and evangelical leader of Focus on the Family, has died this week in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was 89.

"Dr. Dobson was the author of a best-selling book on parenting, "Dare to Discipline," when he founded Focus on the Family as a radio program in 1977 to promote fundamentalist Christian values. He was credited with taking some of the first steps, two years before the Rev. Jerry Falwell launched the Moral Majority, toward bringing evangelical Christianity explicitly into the realm of conservative politics," The Washington Post reported.

Mr. Dobson eventually entered the political realm and began to use his power and evangelic Christian base to support republican leaders often demonizing democrats and directing his base to vote Christian by voting Republican. After his verbal lashing of former President Bill Clinton, calling him "the most immoral man he has ever known," he softened his tone when confronted with the trice married and known confessed adulterer, President Donald Trump, calling him "not a perfect man." And went on to explain that he "loves him," and the president has "kept every promise to the faith community he made."

Once Dobson entered politics as the evangelical quarterback, his message become diluted and less polarizing allowing for the republican leaders who are openly less than perfect to secure his endorsements.

Beltway Insider: Trump Visits Texas, Death Along The River, Warning System, Recovery, Blame Game

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 has also published "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," and "Days, Times, Seasons, and Events: A Collection of Poetry & Prose," which can be purchased here. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a former member of the International Federation of Journalists.