The Badlands Brief is your daily drop of Badlands’ takes on the narratives dominating the info war. Read on, and join the conversation in the comments section.
US, 12 Nations of SHIELD Warn Colombia Over Election Fraud Allegations
The United States and twelve regional partners — Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago — issued a joint statement on July 10 through the “Shield of the Americas” coalition, voicing alarm over Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s attempts to challenge the outcome of the country’s June 21 election, won by Abelardo de la Espriella. Petro has reportedly claimed the real winner was Iván Cepeda and alleged the result was manipulated using technology from California.
The coalition said the sovereign will of citizens, expressed at the ballot box and certified by electoral authorities, is the sole basis of legitimate government, and rejected any effort to delegitimize the mandate, discredit electoral authorities, or obstruct Colombia’s institutional transition process. They urged Colombian officials to respect the certified results and ensure a peaceful, orderly, transparent transition. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared the statement publicly.
Related: President Trump will be making a Speech to the Nation on Thursday evening at 9pET. Mainstream reporting from MSN, Polymarket, and others claim the speech will address newly declassified intelligence on foreign interference in the 2020 election.
Ashe in America: Everyone is either dooming on this announcement or using it as a vehicle to mock Kristi Noem, but I’m encouraged by it.
During the recent Deadwood GART, Jonathan Drakeand I debuted our Badlands Jury experience to smash reviews. The premise of the fictitious case was that Badlands was indicted for violating the “Electoral Confidence Preservation Act”, a made up law that criminalized doubting the delivery mechanism of democracy.
The language in this SHIELD announcement is reminiscent of that fake law.
“In every constitutional democracy, the sovereign will of the citizens — freely expressed at the ballot box and formalized by the competent electoral authorities — constitutes the sole foundation of the legitimacy of public power.”
If the sole foundation of the legitimacy of public power is elections — and it is, just ask the State Department — then fake elections are treason at the most foundational level. If elections are fake, then those holding public power are illegitimate. And what of the “competent electoral authorities?
“We reject any action, statement, or decision that seeks to delegitimize the mandate conferred by the citizens, to discredit without basis the competent electoral authorities, or to obstruct the institutional transition…”
Okay, but what if the competent electoral authorities are discredited with basis and evidence and proof? Claiming incompetence is the plausibly deniable way to beat a treason charge. That shouldn’t be permissible when the public-private elections industry has been knowingly and willingly enabling fake elections. Allegedly.
Discrediting with basis only requires a public hearing — in America and Colombia and everywhere else that bases legitimate power on the consent of the governed.
Hey, did you guys hear that President Trump is holding a press conference Thursday that is widely speculated to be about foreign election interference that was known but previously covered up by Americans in power?
We’ll cover it live here on Badlands Media!
Former Iranian President Reportedly Under House Arrest Amid Mossad Allegations
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reportedly been placed under house arrest following Israel’s recent conflict with Iran, according to multiple media reports citing sources familiar with the matter. The reports allege Iranian authorities are investigating suspected Israeli intelligence infiltration and claim Ahmadinejad is being questioned over alleged contacts with individuals accused of links to Israel’s intelligence service, Mossad. Iranian authorities have not publicly confirmed the reports or announced any formal charges.
The reported house arrest comes as Iran continues a sweeping internal security crackdown following its recent military confrontation with Israel. Iranian officials have announced numerous arrests and investigations targeting individuals accused of espionage or collaboration with Israel, while state media has reported executions in several espionage-related cases. The allegations involving Ahmadinejad remain unverified by independent sources, and neither he nor his representatives have publicly commented on the reports.
GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: This revelation that former president Ahmadinejad worked for Mossad makes a lot of sense, and aligns with many of my working theories.
Ahmadinejad served as president of Iran from 2005 until 2013, when he was replaced by Rouhani.
What defined Rouhani's presidency was his pivot toward Putin and Russia—which, for centuries, was a rival of Iran. Even today, many analysts refuse to believe that Iran has become a true ally of Russia, instead characterizing their relationship as "strategic transactionalism."
But the reality is that Rouhani made earnest steps to forge economic bonds with Russia that included construction of railroads, pipelines, and Iran seeking to join the Putin-led BRICS financial system.
Though Rouhani was president when the Iran Nuclear Deal was signed in 2016 with the Obama administration and authorized the meetings, Iranian Prime Minister Javad Zarif is credited as the prime contact and principal negotiator for the Iranian side. In 2018, Rouhani had a number of central bankers arrested—the same ones identified by President Trump in his sanctions package—for laundering US dollars through banks in Iraq and the UAE. (I believe these dollars were the same ones sent by Obama under the terms of the nuclear deal.)
At the very least, it seems fair to characterize the Iranian government over the past several decades as a mixed bag of "good twin/evil twin," as it relates to the global Deep State and its influence over specific actors in the regime. While its maybe not a binary of "good vs evil," it is clear that when Ahmadinejad left office Iran made significant changes to its foreign policy objectives.
Simply put: It's very possible that earnest actors have been embedded in Iran from the start, and have simply been battling against various agents of the Deep State for control over all of these years.
This section from the original report by the New York Times stood at to me.
[Now former] Mossad Director David Barnea has always been a person of interest for me as I have analyzed the Middle East over the past several years. I identified him in 2023 as the most likely actor in Israel to instigate a war with Iran, and it appears that he has achieved that objective before ending his five-year term last month.
In an appearance on Devolution Power Hour over a year ago, I explained that Mossad under Barnea had likely deeply infiltrated the Iranian government, and was probably preparing to launch a coup to take over the country. In my very first appearance on camera on Badlands (also on DPH) in 2023, I explained that the threat of a nuclear strike by Iran was a red herring, and that the country's hypersonic missiles were actually the true threat for Israel.
I've also speculated for years that Barnea—who before becoming Director was assigned to "track" General Soleimani—was actually Soleimani's handler and that the General was really a Mossad mole; Hence why President Trump likely killed him and why David Barnea called Trump the night before the operation to back out and effectively try to prevent it.
I've written before in this News Brief about Iranian Devolution, and how the Continuity of Government (COG) protocol that was implemented last August was done because it had been determined that Mossad and the CIA had likely infiltrated the highest levels of the IRGC and intelligence community. COG effectively abolished the control hierarchy, removed the Ayatollah from the chain of command, and devolved the political and military powers to regional governors and lower level commanders.
Iran only had the opportunity to implement this protocol because President Trump provided it to them when he capped off the "Twelve Day War" with Operation Midnight Hammer, giving Iran the time it needed to regroup and prepare for the coup attempt. One of the main reasons given for the initiation of COG was the concern that the West would use currency manipulation to crash the Iranian financial system in order to stoke unrest and invoke a political revolution. This happened in December/January, and the only reason it was stopped was because the operatives were forced to use Starlink (provided by Elon) to communicate, and Putin/Russia helped the Iranians "hack" Starlink and use it to geo-locate all of the operatives' locations.
The admission that Ahmadinejad was a Mossad asset validates so much of this theory, in my mind. I recognize that it's never a binary—one guy being a black-hat actor doesn't mean his political opponents are necessarily white-hats—but the patterns emerging from Iran suggest that a deeply complex web is being untangled and Iran is being purged (or has been purged) of the infiltrators. In the process, many of these bad actors from western governments who collaborated with these infiltrators are also being exposed for their malfeasance.
Lindsey Graham's departure provides an opportunity to turn the page, and have an actual reset of relations with Iran—but only if Americans have the courage and strength to make peace with a foreign culture that they have been conditioned to hate.
DOJ, Pentagon Launch Joint Task Force to Investigate Media Leaks
The US Department of Justice and the Pentagon have established a joint task force to identify and prosecute unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information to the news media, War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced.
In a video posted to X, Hegseth said he has delegated authority to the War Department’s Office of General Counsel to lead media leak investigations, empowering the office to request and receive all information, records, and support across the department related to those investigations.
The announcement comes after the Trump administration issued subpoenas Friday to several New York Times journalists following the outlet’s report on President Trump’s new Qatari-donated Air Force One. The subpoenas seek to compel the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday.
Burning Bright: If I were to split my brain along partisan lines, which I’m no longer wont to do, the liberal side of me circa 2004 would be screaming into the wind about the trashing of the First Amendment, the sanctity of the so-called fourth branch of the government, which was meant to serve as a check on the first three and the slippery slope such an aggressive anti-media policy could lead us down.
And that’s at least worth considering.
If I were to follow the modern, NON-MAGA conservative line of thinking, then this is a great move to preserve the sanctity of the US Military and guard against all threats, foreign and domestic.
The thing is, going back to the first point, I’ve heard all that before.
So how do I split the difference?
First, by recognizing that we no longer exist in a partisan world, even if most of the normie mindscape is still trapped in the controlled opposition dynamic most of this audience has intentionally broken themselves free of.
Instead, we recognize that we exist in a battlespace defined by two major foundational realities:
1) That illegal psychological warfare operations have been waged against the American people for generations, and that the Media Industrial Complex has not just participated in said PsyOps, but been the main vector of psychological control, i.e.: slavery over the American populace.
That’s us.
And ...
2) That everything from the Donald Trump era, from the Military Intelligence operation most of us believe has been in the offing for a decade and more to the war on the US Military, Media and Political Industrial Complexes is itself representative of a counter-insurgency operation that has likely been even longer in the planning stages than it has been in the execution stages, even if the latter has taken, well, a decade and more.
And you can’t have a counter insurgency without first having an insurgency.
The media is important, but the Media Industrial Complex must be destroyed.
The military is important, but the Military Industrial Complex must be destroyed.
When you recognize that those two complexes are and have been part of the same complex, and that the Trump administration is currently at war with both ... you see headlines like this less through traditional partisanship and more through the lens of a Fifth-gen war, and one we intend to win.
Woe be unto those who used their powers for ill as part of said complex ... up to and including the storytellers.
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Trump Says US Will Become ‘Guardian of the Hormuz Strait’
President Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States will be known as the “Guardian of the Hormuz Strait,” saying it will provide security for the strategic waterway while allowing all countries, except Iran and its customers under the “Iranian Blockade,” to continue using the strait.
Trump said the US would be reimbursed through a proposed 20% fee on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz to cover the costs of providing security, adding that the process would begin immediately.
Then you have this comment from Rubio from June 23rd:
So what to make of all of this?
Well, it is being reported that Iran has struck multiple bases in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain. We have previously discussed the [highly plausible] theory that the Deep State was using weather modification technology in advance radar systems in Qatar to dry out the region, specifically targeting Iran with historic drought.
It is possible that these brief little skirmishes between President Trump and Iran are merely cover stories for a more sophisticated plot to wipe out these radar stations that have been or could potentially be used to manipulate weather patterns.
Interesting comment here from President Trump.
Define "They." We assume that he is talking about Iran, but what if he was simply referring to the transnational cartel that likely has assets everywhere—including in Tehran and Tel Aviv?
Mega MAGA Fracture Over Robinson Hearing
Prominent conservative figures condemned Candace Owens this week, claiming evidence from Tyler Robinson’s preliminary hearing undercut her claims of a conspiracy in Charlie Kirk’s murder. Owens has argued Robinson didn’t act alone, implicating Israel, Egypt, the US military, Turning Point USA staff, and Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.
Dinesh D’Souza called Owens a “malignant narcissist,” while Ben Shapiro, Laura Loomer, Catturd, and Lauren Southern also condemned her. Politico reported TPUSA staff received death threats and increased security after Owens’ broadcasts named them. Owens fired back on X, alleging a coordinated “Zionist PR” campaign against her, and her spokesperson accused TPUSA figures of targeting her for months.
Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly also faced backlash for continuing to stand by Owens amid the growing rift.
Ashe in America: So many stories, but the assassination of Charlie Kirk still dominates online public conversation.
Jonathan Drake joined me on Culture of Change last night, and we talked a lot about this case. We also talked broadly about trials and juries and illegitimate international courts and Colombian elections and more. It was a lot of fun, and you should watch it.
Over the weekend, CannCon discovered that the super secret, “once you’ve seen what we’ve seen, you will agree this trial is over”, video is actually the same video, captured in the Court TV stream. Candace Owens played Brian’s video on her show last night:
Wait until you hear what Brian has to say about elections, Candace.
The 4K video thing was hilarious because it was so dramatic, and it was from the same crew that did the Epstein binder thing, and what is going on with that whole Benny and Jack thing, anyway?
The most generous reading is that the fake story about fully high resolution, undeniable evidence that makes this trial “over” is just — very effective — engagement farming. But I think it’s more than that.
Influencing the jury pool is also certainly in play, like the Derek Chauvin op as we discussed previously. But it’s likely more than that, too.
What is the primary objective?
~Cue hypnotic music~
It was a lone gunman. There is no conspiracy, just a troubled young they/them, end of story. There was no second shooter on the grassy knoll — the time for debate on this is over (before the trial). If you question the official narrative then you’re a conspiracy theorist (like those magic bullet deniers) but, worse, your doubt hurts Erika! Doubting makes you bad person AND a bad* Christian!
~End hypnotic music~
This is wicked propaganda and, I know I sound like a broken record but, this was a probable cause hearing. The accused deserves his day in court. Innocent until proven guilty.
Are we ready to consider that this hyper-religious drama event, born from a legitimate mass trauma event, is intended to influence a trial and incite a mob and sell a narrative and, possibly, cover up a broader portfolio of crime?
*Note that, in this upside down clown world, being a good Christian is to condemn a man before his trial and lie about what was presented in court and use emotional blackmail (of the worst sort) to manipulate a trial outcome.
God help us.
BONUS ITEMS
Hunter Biden Awarded $1.7 Million in Defamation Lawsuit Against Patrick Byrne
Hunter Biden was awarded $1.7 million in punitive damages Friday after a federal judge ruled former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne defamed him by repeatedly promoting “false” claims that he participated in an $800 million Iranian bribery scheme.
USDistrict Judge Stephen Wilson found Byrne acted with “intentional misrepresentation” and “conscious disregard” for Hunter Biden’s rights, ruling he continued amplifying the allegations even after the lawsuit was filed and encouraged others to spread them on social media.
The judge awarded Hunter Biden $1 in nominal damages, as requested, and $1.7 million in punitive damages. Byrne was also ordered to pay nearly $35,000 in previously imposed court sanctions within two weeks or face an additional $1,000 daily penalty for late payment.
The lawsuit centered on Byrne’s claims that Hunter Biden sought a bribe from Iran in exchange for influencing Joe Biden to release $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets and reduce pressure during nuclear negotiations. Hunter Biden denied the allegations, arguing Byrne knowingly republished false claims.
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A very discerning woman I know (by the name of Ashe in America) once gave an example of problems with “majority rule” by presenting a decision in the State of Colorado related to the wild coyote population. Implementation of majority opinion, while popular, can have a deleterious effect on the sovereign rights of those in the minority. Jonathan Drake gave compelling explicit examples as well on his No Treason Podcast presentation of Lysander Spooner’s “Trial by Jury.” Sweeping “majority” opinion should not be the law of the land. Our governing decisions are currently not representative of our God-given rights in any way, shape or form. Dare I say, we must open our minds to the possible need for complete abolishment of Congress?
*Note that, in this upside down clown world, being a good Christian is to condemn a man before his trial and lie about what was presented in court and use emotional blackmail (of the worst sort) to manipulate a trial outcome.
A very discerning woman I know (by the name of Ashe in America) once gave an example of problems with “majority rule” by presenting a decision in the State of Colorado related to the wild coyote population. Implementation of majority opinion, while popular, can have a deleterious effect on the sovereign rights of those in the minority. Jonathan Drake gave compelling explicit examples as well on his No Treason Podcast presentation of Lysander Spooner’s “Trial by Jury.” Sweeping “majority” opinion should not be the law of the land. Our governing decisions are currently not representative of our God-given rights in any way, shape or form. Dare I say, we must open our minds to the possible need for complete abolishment of Congress?
*Note that, in this upside down clown world, being a good Christian is to condemn a man before his trial and lie about what was presented in court and use emotional blackmail (of the worst sort) to manipulate a trial outcome.
God help us.” Thanks Ashe.