
Benjamin R. Young
14.9K posts

Benjamin R. Young
@DubstepInDPRK
North Korea specialist & professor of intel. Stanford Univ. Press author. Forthcoming book w/ Cornell UP on China, Cuba, & Vietnam. ViewsMy own,not my employer.


Trump on Joe Kent: "I'm not a fan of the guy ... His wife was killed. He remarried fairly quickly."

BREAKING: REPORTER: Who is Steve Witkoff speaking with in Iran? TRUMP: A top person REPORTER: Who is it? TRUMP: I can't. I don't want them to be killed


Rep. Mark Harris: "Everybody continues to be concerned about the rising gas prices. I talked with a guy in my district who owns a trucking company, and everybody is feeling this is a dramatic way. As he explained to me, the difficulty is you can't pass a surcharge onto your customers because they don't have it in their budgets. But everybody understands the resolve and leadership President Trump is showing is critically important."



When asked why the U.S. didn’t tell allies about attacking Iran prior to the strikes, President Trump says, “we wanted surprise.” “Who knows better about surprise better than Japan. Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” Trump says, alongside Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is meeting with the president at the White House on Thursday.

Hegseth: "My 13 year old son popped into my office last night while I was editing these remarks. He asked about the war and the families I met at Dover. I looked at him and said, 'They died for you, son. So your generation doesn't have to deal with a nuclear Iran.'"


Crowds pour into the streets for Larijani's funeral in Iran

Haiti’s president was assassinated in 2021. Since then, security in the capital, Port-au-Prince, has rapidly deteriorated. The city is now largely controlled by gangs. "In a very dangerous place, it's important that you get in, get out as quickly as possible," said @AndersonCooper. The 60 Minutes team drove in a convoy of armored vehicles with bulletproof vests and heavily armed Haitian security personnel. cbsn.ws/4lBzwDh

Just spoke to @POTUS about our European allies’ unwillingness to provide assets to keep the Strait of Hormuz functioning, which benefits Europe far more than America. I have never heard him so angry in my life. I share that anger given what’s at stake. The arrogance of our allies to suggest that Iran with a nuclear weapon is of little concern and that military action to stop the ayatollah from acquiring a nuclear bomb is our problem not theirs is beyond offensive. The European approach to containing the ayatollah’s nuclear ambitions have proven to be a miserable failure. The repercussions of providing little assistance to keep the Strait of Hormuz functioning are going to be wide and deep for Europe and America. I consider myself very forward-leaning on supporting alliances, however at a time of real testing like this, it makes me second guess the value of these alliances. I am certain I am not the only senator who feels this way.

Boom . There it is *TRUMP WAIVES JONES ACT IN BID TO CURB HIGH FUEL PRICES

BREAKING: Kim Jong-un has won North Korea's parliamentary elections with 99.93% of the vote.



There's lots of talk about the role of the private sector in Cuba. Officials there told me in 2024 the legalization of private businesses was not a grudging acceptance of capitalism for the sake of economic survival, but insisted it had a secondary role in a socialist state. “We have a very clear idea of the pathway for gradual recuperation of the economy with the incorporation of new economic actors that are complementary to the socialist state economy," said Susset Rosales, at the Ministry of Economy. nytimes.com/2024/04/29/wor…


Trump briefed that Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is probably gay - and president has priceless reaction trib.al/MugVpH6

Mr. President: I am beyond humbled by your words and graciousness in writing such a beautiful note and sharing it on Truth Social. I am honored that you took the time to write it. Your courage, strength, and moral clarity are truly unparalleled. And your leadership has made our country and the world much safer. Both you and what you are doing deserve our support. And I will not be intimidated or bow to threats. Through your insight and steady hand, America has been made great again. It is an enormous honor to know you as my family and I do and call you, Mr. President, our friend. You're one of a kind. Truly remarkable. Please be safe and God bless.

With some afraid to give their opinions on camera, Russians complain that it's difficult to live now that the Czar has taken away not only their social media applications, but now their internet as well, comparing the country to North Korea. Unable to communicate, get taxis, use banking applications or pay at restaurants, Russians also cite that if they complain, "police will take us to a dark place".





