Badlands Brief
War Weaves & Midterm Maxis
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.
Ending Soon? Conflicting War Narratives on Iran
President Trump told Axios Wednesday that the war with Iran would end “soon” and said there is “practically nothing left” to target.
“Any time I want it to end, it will end,” Trump is quoted as saying. “The war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period.”
His statement stands in conflict with comments from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, quoted by The Times of Israel as saying, “The operation will continue without any time limit, as long as required, until we accomplish all objectives and achieve victory in the campaign.”
Related: The US military’s Central command told Iran to stay away from ports near the Strait of Hormuz.
“Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel, and commercial vessel crews should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment,” US Central Command said in a statement. “Iranian naval forces have positioned military vessels and equipment within civilian ports serving commercial maritime traffic.”
Iran has accused US officials of “posting fake news to manipulate markets”.
Central Command has accused Iran of the same, posting Wednesday on X: “An IRGC leader has claimed that a U.S. F-15 was shot down today south of Tehran. LIE. No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran. U.S. forces continue to exercise air superiority over vast swaths of Iran. TRUTH.”
Burning Bright: Donald Trump just delivered yet another pre-emptive strike into the heart of the central narrative — this time in the form of a five-minute phone interview exclusive to Axios.
Therein, he calmly declared there’s “practically nothing left to target,” that the war will end “soon,” that it’s “way ahead of the timetable,” that they’ve done “more damage than we thought possible” and that he can end it “any time” he wants.
On the surface, these statements clash violently with the central narrative the media industrial complex has been desperately trying to lock in for weeks: that of yet another Forever War kicked off on the back of Trump’s folly.
So how do we reconcile the seeming contradiction?
The answer lies in understanding that Trump is operating on multiple levels simultaneously — a bicameral approach to narrative control that has never been more stark, more consistent or more surgically applied to a single deployment.
Day after day, statement after statement, the surface read screams escalation while the subtext whispers de-escalation. And now the mechanism for said deployments itself has been weaponized and turned around.
Because Trump isn’t dropping these lines into the ether, or even onto Truth Social first. He is feeding them directly to legacy propaganda outlets as exclusives — outlets that cannot resist the dopamine hit of a Trump interview even as those very words undermine the fear engine they are ostensibly paid to perpetuate.
Axios runs with “practically nothing left to target” as another exclusive lands the same hour that states something close to the opposite, the hive mind amplifies both and the central narrative fractures in real time.
This is the inversion in full effect. Some might refer to it as the discombobulator.
Trump is watching his own statements battle it out in the central narrative while simultaneously neutering the entire media apparatus.
Every new exclusive becomes an on-ramp for the warmongers’ preferred story … AND an immediate off-ramp that undercuts it.
Thus, the media industrial complex is now trapped in a contradictory feedback loop of its own making — forced to signal boost the very de-escalation rhetoric that starves their Forever War script of oxygen.
By issuing these pre-emptive de-escalation strikes in the ironic wrapper of legacy media exclusives, Trump is not merely managing the Iran deployment, but dismantling the very architecture that requires perpetual conflict to survive.
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GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: Annnnd there is the divergence.
As we suspected, Israel is diverging from President Trump’s telling of events. In fact, the only other geopolitical entity whose messaging seems to agree with Trump’s narrative is Iran. While Trump and Iran appear to be on opposing sides of the story, they are really the only two parties affirming the claims of one another.
We can only speculate, but it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Iranian leadership and President Trump already worked out a deal at some point in the past and are now working together to expose other parties, including the NeoCons and Zionists who seemingly control many western governments.
Here is an excellent clip of a guy [unwittingly] explaining the Sovereign Alliance from the perspective of Game Theory.
Note his description of “transgression;” the breaking of social norms and expectations to organize—in secret—in order to “cheat” at the game through orchestrated deception.
I have a feeling that this divergence between President Trump and Israel is the Older Brother (USA) leaving the arrogant Younger Brother to face the consequences of bullying all the other kids on the playground.
The Older Brother is widely feared by the other kids on the playground, and this has led to the Younger Brother—who is untouchable, thanks to the Older Brother—cultivating an insufferable hubris that has become impossible to control. And sometimes, the only way an arrogant bully can learn his place in the world is to get punched in the face. Because getting punched in the face is an incredibly humbling experience.
So as the Older Brother prepares to leave the playground (the war), the Younger Brother has been left to face the consequences of his actions. A hard lesson learned.
And meanwhile, President Trump is encouraging Bibi to focus on his warmongering ambitions.
It’s like President Trump is stepping off the rug while simultaneously slapping its rear end to send it howling into the fire.
Saving Seoul now available in Digital/Audio Formats!
Following the limited edition leatherbound hardcover, Saving Seoul, the first book in the Sword Punk Trilogy is now available in digital and audio formats from our own Burning Bright Publishing.
The audiobook was produced in partnership with Soundbooth Theater.
This isn’t some AI read aloud crap; it’s a full-on audio theater production, featuring a cast of professional actors, original music and high-end studio polish, and I think it represents the best vision for the Sword Punk aesthetic in the best package for this audience, bringing the story of Akio Prince and his war against the Deep State to life in vivid detail.
Head over to BadlandsMedia.tv/SwordPunk to listen to a free sample, and download the full Audio Production for $25.
Trump Says Save Act Paramount to Midterms, GOP Divided, Dems See Opportunity
President Donald Trump told lawmakers the SAVE America Act is a top priority ahead of the 2026 midterms, urging Senate Republicans to pass the legislation requiring documentary proof of US citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and directing states to remove non-citizens from voter rolls.
The measure passed the House in February, and Senate Republicans are debating whether to prioritize the legislation even if it conflicts with maintaining the legislative filibuster.
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) wrote an oped asserting that the SAVE America Act is more important than preserving Senate procedural norms, arguing election integrity should take precedence. Cornyn is facing a tough primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Democrats and some strategists say internal Republican fights over election legislation could benefit Democrats in the 2026 midterms, where they hope to gain seats.
Ashe in America: On Monday, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) told a LindellTV reporter that she would not be voting for the SAVE America Act because the implementation of citizenship and voter ID would “disenfranchise” rural Alaskans.
Those are progressive, expansionist talking points about the electoral franchise, and they’re also widely considered to be racist. 60–70% of Alaska’s population are indigenous/native Alaskans, or American Indians. 20% of the population lives in rural communities.
Murkowski is essentially alleging they can’t get ID or prove their citizenship. It’s always the crinkle-faced white ladies that go there.
Honestly, Murkowski was never going to vote for the SAVE America Act. She’s a progressive when it comes to elections. By all accounts, she loves the (un-auditable, unverifiable) Rank Choice Voting!
Sadly, because of RCV, voters will be hard pressed to hold “Murkowski” accountable. We can’t have real elections until we are honest about how fake they’ve been.
As this SAVE America Act saga plays out, I hope we get every “no”-voting Senator on the record insulting their constituents as too stupid to figure out how to lawfully prove their identity.
It has all the classic earmarks of an excellent boomerang.
Spain Expels Israeli Ambassador, Cuts Diplomatic Relations
The government of Spain has expelled the Israeli ambassador and announced the termination of diplomatic relations with Israel amid escalating tensions over the ongoing regional conflict.
Spanish officials said the decision includes withdrawing Spain’s ambassador from Israel and ordering the Israeli ambassador to leave Spain, effectively suspending formal diplomatic ties between the two countries.
The move comes during a widening international dispute over Israel’s military campaign linked to the conflict involving Iran. Diplomatic expulsions and ambassador withdrawals are a common escalation step in international disputes, signaling a breakdown in formal relations without necessarily closing embassies permanently.
GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: Well that didn’t take long.
To be fair, I don’t think Spain’s decision has as much to do with the Strait of Hormuz as it does the pattern of behavior of the Israel government since the October 7 attack in 2023. However, the psychological impact of both Iran and Spain defying the Hegemony will lead to others following suit.
I don’t really have a firm read on Spain. Over the past several yards, a lot of corrupt politicians and their associates have fled there in order to evade prosecution over the past several years.
What’s clear is that the world is finally starting to stand up to the Hegemony.
Accelerate.
First GART Ticketholder Exclusive Livestream — TODAY at 2pET
Badlands Media hits the road four times a year for a three-day patriot-packed event with our hosts and the Badlands community. Meet like-minded Americans, hear powerful content, and be part of something real on April 9-12 in Nashville, TN.
The first GART Ticketholders First Exclusive Livestream is TODAY at 2pET. (Link will be sent in email by 1pET.)
Trump Demands NY AG Turn Over Cohen Communications
President Donald Trump has demanded that New York Attorney General Letitia James turn over all communications between her office and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen after Cohen claimed he was pressured to provide damaging statements about President Trump.
Cohen recently said he was coerced into making statements about Trump during investigations tied to the New York civil fraud case brought by the attorney general’s office. Trump’s team is seeking all records of communications between James’ office and Cohen, arguing the claim raises questions about the conduct of prosecutors and investigators involved in the case.
The request comes as part of the President’s ongoing efforts to challenge the New York civil fraud judgment against him and his business during the Biden Administration.
Ashe in America: When you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas. NY decided to partner with Michael Cohen to “get Trump,” during the Biden Administration.
Now, they’re getting bitten by fleas because Michael Cohen is only loyal to himself, and the political winds have changed.
At least that’s the story.
There is also a reading that Michael Cohen has been playing a role the whole time – like an undercover operative in a RICO, involved in meetings of the minds to engage in criminal conduct.
We can’t discount it entirely, as unpalatable as the idea may be.
We all know this prosecution – which is the substance of the story of how Donald Trump was convicted of 34 felonies – was weaponized justice. They called it the “zombie case” for heaven’s sake.
The idea that there was an operative on the inside as it was happening is a delightful possibility… even if it’s Michael Cohen.
BONUS ITEM
FBI Warns Iran Aspiring To Attack California In Retaliation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned law-enforcement agencies in California that Iran had aspired to conduct a surprise drone attack on the US West Coast if the United States carried out strikes against Iran. The FBI alert said intelligence indicated Iran considered launching unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the US coast, targeting unspecified locations in California.
The bulletin stated authorities do not have additional information on the timing, method, targets, or perpetrators associated with the potential attack. The warning was circulated to police departments at the end of February, before hostilities escalated in the current US-Israel conflict with Iran.
California officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, said there is no known imminent threat, but authorities remain in close coordination with federal agencies and monitoring the situation.
China Pushes “Ethnic Unity” Law Critics Say Will Expand Assimilation
China’s legislature is expected to advance a proposed Ethnic Unity Law aimed at strengthening what the government calls national cohesion among the country’s 56 officially recognized ethnic groups.
The proposal is being considered by the National People’s Congress and is intended to formalize policies promoting ethnic integration and unity across the country. Critics say the legislation could codify policies that pressure minority groups to assimilate into Han Chinese cultural and political norms, particularly in regions with large minority populations.
Human rights organizations have raised concerns that the law could expand existing programs affecting minority communities, including groups such as the Uyghurs and Tibetans.
Chinese officials say the legislation is intended to promote unity, stability, and development in minority regions, which Beijing has long described as a national priority.
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Ashe: “It’s always the crinkle-faced white ladies that go there.” Yep. White educated liberal middle class Karens. Scourge of this country. Virtue signaling hypocrites!
Bravo @Ghost!
What I have found to be amazing is that what we call Game Theory is so exceptionally insightful because it simply is the natural process of choosing between positive and negative incentives that we have practiced since we were still in the womb! Ultimately it recognizes all of the human elements that impact choice - and theorizes what small, incremental changes are necessary to make those choices predictable - at both a large and small scale.
@Ashe: as for Saving America: 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 - I know a Guy!
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PS - I am in the middle of a deep dive into what motivated Paul to write his first epistle to those citizens of the kingdom of God who gathered together in Galatia. From it I have realized that what we have recently referred to as Christian Zionism (the modern version of which was revitalized by Darby and Schofield, et al.) was first manifest in Jerusalem in what we think of as about 50 AD! I have detailed the proofs elsewhere, but felt compelled to correct my previous expressions as to its origins!