By Edward Curtin - August 15, 2025

For anyone who still thinks Donald Trump does not represent the interests of what is called “the deep state” but is actually the shallow or official US state, it is time to think again. If he is not a figurehead for those alleged hidden forces, then he will agree to a Russia-Ukraine settlement on Russia’s fundamental terms – that is, a mutual security agreement that stipulates the pulling back of US/NATO forces encircling Russia, etc. – when he meets with Putin in Alaska today.

There will be no further delay.

This, however, is extremely unlikely. Trump knows little but bullying and the use of the English language as a hammer. “I’m very highly educated,” he has said, without a scintilla of irony, “I know words, I know the best words. But there’s no better word than stupid.”

On the latter assertion he is right: there is no better word than stupid when it’s applied correctly.

During his campaign for the presidency, Trump used words more than fifty times to say that he would end the war in Ukraine “within twenty-four hours” of assuming the presidency. He could have accomplished this on day one by issuing an executive order (beside all he did issue), stopping all military aide to Ukraine, but he didn’t. Seven months of game-playing have elapsed and the war goes on with Trump’s backing laced with doubletalk about how he is seeking peace in Ukraine, is a man of peace, is bringing all American troops back home, and of course he gave a grateful ah-shucks when his brother-in-genocide, Benjamin Netanyahu, showed him a letter nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

He fully supports the destabilization of Russia, overtly or covertly, as have his predecessors, and this is incompatible with any deal Russia can agree to when he meets with Putin in Alaska.

This past weekend, and starting up again late Tuesday . . .

[SNIP]