Headline Updates

Minerals for Ukraine Security Done, Judge Ruling on Alien Enemies, Walz Switches Jobs, Kamala Interview Emmy?, Stupid Fuji Climber

• Ranting Politics • Season 1 • Episode 162

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Mineral rights deal with Ukraine transforms military aid into a business transaction while a federal judge blocks deportation plans using a 227-year-old law. The White House experiences a staffing shakeup as National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is nominated for UN Ambassador after just 102 days on the job.

• Trump signs 50-50 mineral rights agreement with Ukraine where US military aid counts as investment contributions
• Russian officials mock the deal as an arrangement with "a country about to disappear"
• Judge Fernando Rodriguez blocks deportation of Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act from 1798
• Mike Waltz leaves National Security https://nypost.com/2025/05/01/world-news/heres-how-trump-made-ukraine-pay-for-military-aid-with-long-awaited-minerals-deal/ https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-alien-enemies-act-venezuelans-texas-e0dda59f64b1f5752fb92a91ff7878f8 https://nypost.com/2025/05/01/us-news/trump-believes-waltz-will-make-a-better-un-ambassador-jd-vance/ https://www.foxnews.com/media/60-minutes-kamala-harris-interview-center-trumps-cbs-lawsuit-receives-emmy-nomination https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mount-fuji-climber-rescued-twice-returned-to-get-phone/ Advisor position after 102 days, with Marco Rubio taking over temporarily
• CBS News receives Emmy nomination for Kamala Harris interview while fighting $20 billion lawsuit with Trump
• Chinese student rescued twice from Mount Fuji after returning for his phone despite altitude sickness

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Speaker 1:

Hello America, joc, here with your ranting politics headline updates, where we are diving into today's most explosive political stories that you need to know about Coming up. We're diving into Trump's clever minerals deal with Ukraine that has the Kremlin fuming, a federal judge blocking the administration's deportation plans using a 227-year-old law and some major White House staffing musical chairs with Mike Waltz. Then we'll explore how CBS somehow managed to score an Emmy nomination for that controversial Kamala Harris interview, while they're in the middle of a $20 billion lawsuit with Trump. Talk about timing and stick around for our fan-favorite Shaking your Head segment, where we'll meet a climber who was rescued from Mount Fuji with lawsuit with Trump. Talk about timing and stick around for our fan favorite shaking your head segment, where we'll meet a climber who was rescued from Mount Fuji with altitude sickness, only to return days later to get his phone. You can't make this stuff up, folks, if you're just tuning in for the first time. Welcome to America's fastest growing daily news rundown, designed specifically for your commute run or coffee time. Stick around for all this and more in your daily dose of unfiltered news and common sense commentary. This is Ranting Politics Headline Updates.

Speaker 1:

Well, folks, it looks like President Trump is putting the art of the deal into actual foreign policy. According to the New York Post, trump has officially made good on his campaign promise to make Ukraine pay for its military aid through a freshly inked mineral rights agreement between Washington and Kiev. And let me tell you, this is classic Trump dealmaking at work. The agreement signed Wednesday after months of negotiations establishes a shared investment fund that both nations will contribute to, with profits split right down the middle 50-50. Here's the kicker Instead of pouring cold hard cash into this fund, the United States can earn credit toward their total contribution equal to the cost of any military equipment, technology or training it sends across the Atlantic. The deal specifically states that if the government of the United States delivers new military assistance to Ukraine in any form, including the donation of weapon systems, ammunition technology or training, the capital contribution of the US partner will be deemed to be increased by the assessed value of such military assistance. Now, this doesn't mean previously approved aid under the Biden administration gets cut off. That money will still flow until it runs out next month, but it creates an entirely new framework for how America supports Ukraine going forward. Ukrainian observers note this reflects their country's understanding of Trump's transactional approach to foreign policy. As Lieutenant Denis Yaroslavsky of Ukraine's Armed Forces put it, trump is immune to emotional appeals and only pragmatic economic proposals matter. He called this the first step toward what he hopes will be a great alliance of our countries.

Speaker 1:

The Kremlin isn't exactly thrilled about this arrangement. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev sarcastically praised Trump for making a deal with a nation that he claims will soon disappear, adding that the country that is about to disappear will have to use its national wealth to pay for military supplies. Some analysts point out that, while the US isn't required to sell any weapons to Ukraine under this deal, it serves as a warning shot to Russia by reminding them that Trump reserves the right to further equip Ukraine if necessary. Love it or hate it, this arrangement establishes a new, thoroughly Trumpian approach to Ukraine support, one where America's checkbook isn't wide open but the door for assistance remains deliberately cracked.

Speaker 1:

In a dramatic legal showdown, a federal judge has just slammed the brakes on the Trump administration's deportation strategy. And get this? The judge is Fernando. Talk about awkward Thanksgiving dinner conversations. Judge Rodriguez has barred the administration from deporting Venezuelans from South Texas under the Alien Enemies Act, a dusty law from 1798 that's been used exactly three times in American history, most recently during World War II. The judge didn't mince words, calling Trump's invocation of the act unlawful and stating that it exceeds the scope of the statute. This all started back in March when Trump issued a proclamation claiming that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua was invading the United States. He argued this gave him special powers to deport immigrants identified as gang members without the usual court proceedings. But Rodriguez wasn't buying it. According to the Associated Press, the judge wrote in his ruling that the proclamation makes no reference to and in no manner suggests that a threat exists of an organized armed group of individuals entering the United States at the direction of Venezuela to conquer the country. In other words, not exactly the same as the British during the War of 1812 or the Japanese in World War II. Now, rodriguez was careful to point out that he's not interfering with the government's ability to deport people through conventional means, just that they can't use this particular 227-year-old law to do it.

Speaker 1:

Vice President JD Vance has already fired back on Fox News, declaring that the administration will be aggressively appealing the ruling. The judge doesn't make that determination whether the Alien Enemies Act can be deployed, vance said. I think the President of the United States is the one who determines whether this country is being invaded. The case will likely head to the Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, one of the nation's most conservative appeals courts. From there, it could possibly fast-track to the Supreme Court, which has already weighed in once on this issue, holding that migrants alleged to be gang members must be given reasonable time to contest their removal. This ruling represents the first permanent injunction against using the AEA for deportations, with ACLU lawyer League Allernt stating Congress never meant for this law to be used in this manner. The battle lines are drawn in what's shaping up to be a defining legal test of presidential power.

Speaker 1:

Well, folks, there's been a major shakeup in the Trump White House this week. Mike Waltz is out as National Security Advisor after just 102 days on the job. But before you start speculating about palace intrigue, the administration has a different spin. He's headed to the United Nations instead. President Trump announced Thursday that he's nominating Waltz to be the next UN ambassador, a position that will require Senate confirmation. According to the New York Post, this decision caught many close to the White House completely off guard. Initially, rep Elise Stefanik was selected for the UN Post, but was ultimately told to stay in Congress to boost the House GOP majority. Vice President JD Vance took to Fox News to explain the sudden change, telling host Brett Beyer we brought Mike on to do some serious reforms of the National Security Council. He has done that. Vance insisted that both he and Trump like Mike and that they thought that he'd make a better UN ambassador as we get beyond this stage of the reforms. The Veep even suggested I think you can make a good argument that it's a promotion. The Veep even suggested I think you can make a good argument that it's a promotion. Vance was adamant that the media was mischaracterizing the situation, stating Donald Trump has fired a lot of people. He doesn't give them Senate-confirmed appointments afterwards. In the meantime, secretary of State Marco Rubio will pull double duty, serving as interim national security advisor while continuing his diplomatic role.

Speaker 1:

The timing is particularly interesting given Waltz's recent high-profile blunder. He mistakenly added Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a signal chat where administration officials were discussing military plans to strike the Houthis in Yemen. Sources told the Post that Trump may have waited to move Waltz specifically to show that he, not his staff, has the ultimate decision-making power. Vance himself was caught up in that leaked chat controversy, having expressed skepticism about carrying out the Houthi strikes, complaining that the US was bailing Europe out again. But when pressed by Beyer, the VP downplayed his comments as merely a private strategic conversation about how to message this to the American people. Waltz now becomes the first major White House figure removed from the second Trump administration. Now becomes the first major White House figure removed from the second Trump administration. Whether it's a demotion disguised as a lateral move or truly a promotion, as Vance claims, one thing's certain the revolving door at the White House continues to spin. Well, talk about perfect timing.

Speaker 1:

The 60 Minutes interview that landed CBS News in a $20 billion lawsuit with President Trump has just received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Edited Interview. You can't make this stuff up, folks. The nominations for the 46th News and Documentary Emmy Awards were announced Thursday, with the controversial Kamala Harris and Tim Wall's primetime special landing a coveted spot. It's competing against interviews with Supreme Court Justice Katonji Brown Jackson, the late Pope Francis, celine Dion and Brittany Griner Quite the lineup lot. It's competing against interviews with Supreme Court Justice Katonji Brown Jackson, the late Pope Francis, celine Dion and Brittany Griner quite the lineup.

Speaker 1:

White House Communications Director Stephen Chung couldn't resist a jab telling Fox News Digital. Of course it's nominated for best editing because it takes some serious talent to edit Kamala's answer into something that's coherent and understandable, which in the end they still failed to do. The lawsuit stems from how CBS handled Harris's response when asked why Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu wasn't listening to the Biden administration. A preview clip on Face the Nation showed Harris giving what critics mocked as a word salad answer. But when the same question aired during the primetime, special viewers saw a different, more polished response, leading to accusations that CBS edited the interview to shield Harris from criticism before Election Day. The plot thickened when FCC Chair Brendan Carr ordered CBS to release the unedited transcript after the network initially refused. The raw footage revealed both responses came from the same answer, with CBS airing the first half in the preview and the second half in the special Behind the scenes.

Speaker 1:

Cbs News is reportedly in chaos. Sherry Redstone, paramount's controlling shareholder, is apparently pushing to settle with Trump to help clear the way for Paramount's planned merger with Skydance Media. There's concern that Trump's FCC could derail the multibillion-dollar deal if the lawsuit persists. The turmoil reached a boiling point last week when 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens resigned, citing corporate pressure that prevented him from maintaining editorial independence. According to reports, redstone wanted to keep tabs on segments involving Trump and allegedly urged CBS executives to delay sensitive Trump reporting until after the merger closed. Cbs journalists themselves acknowledged the situation on air, with staffers on both CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes saluting Owens while directly addressing Trump's lawsuit. One CBS insider told Fox News Digital that everyone at the network is on edge, adding nobody knows the next shoe that will drop. Internally, many CBS staffers reportedly believe Trump's lawsuit is BS and oppose the settlement, fearing it will damage the news division's credibility. But with both parties now in mediation, a courtroom showdown seems increasingly unlikely.

Speaker 1:

And now it's time for our fan favorite shaking your head segment, where we highlight a story that just makes you wonder what in the world people are thinking. Folks, we've got a doozy today from Mount Fuji in Japan. A 27-year-old Chinese student living in Japan had to be airlifted from near the peak after developing altitude sickness. Fair enough, these things happen, but what happened next will leave you scratching your head. Just four days later yes, four days this same climber returned to the mountain. Why? He wanted to retrieve his cell phone and other belongings he'd left behind during the first rescue, because apparently nothing says good idea like returning to a place that literally made you so sick you needed an emergency helicopter evacuation. Predictably, another climber found him unable to move after he apparently got altitude sickness for a second time. Police confirmed he was suspected of having altitude sickness and was taken to hospital. No word on whether he actually found his phone, but he certainly found another rescue team. Here's the kicker Mount Fuji's hiking trails are officially open only from July to early September.

Speaker 1:

This happened in April, well outside the official climbing season. While there's no penalty for off-season hiking, there's also no charge when a climber needs to be rescued. That second part has many Japanese citizens up in arms, with social media calls growing for the climber to be charged for at least his second rescue. It's like getting food poisoning at a restaurant and then going back four days later to order the exact same dish. Police in Shizuoka Prefecture have once again reminded people not to climb the mountain during off-season, noting that weather conditions can change suddenly, making rescue operations difficult. They also pointed out that medical facilities along the trails are closed and that even in spring, the 12,388-foot mountain has low temperatures and is covered in snow. Mount Fuji, or Fujisan as it's called in Japan, is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site and increasingly popular among hikers. Local authorities introduced entry fees and visitor caps last year to control overcrowding, with more than 220,000 people climbing Mount Fuji during the official three-month season in 2023. As reported by CBS News, it seems that determining how many tourists is too many remains a challenge Almost as challenging as convincing some people that maybe, just maybe, they shouldn't return to a mountain that already kicked their butt once.

Speaker 1:

That wraps up today's Ranting Politics headline updates. What a wild news cycle we've had, from Trump's mineral deals with Ukraine to federal judges blocking deportation efforts, white House musical chairs, emmy nominations amid lawsuits and, of course, our mountain-climbing phone enthusiast, who just couldn't let go. If you enjoyed today's rapid fire rundown of the day's biggest stories, make sure to follow us across all platforms. We're on X at Ranting RP, where we post breaking news updates throughout the day. Subscribe to our channel on YouTube for video highlights and extended commentary. You can also catch us on Spotify, iheartradio and Apple Podcasts for your daily commute companion. For more in-depth coverage and our complete archive of stories, head over to RantingPoliticscom and sign up for our free newsletter. This is JOC signing off, and thank you, our loyal listeners, for choosing Ranting Politics Headline Updates. We'll be back soon with the updates you need to navigate these interesting times. Remember we don't align with a political party. We align with you, the American citizen. Until then, stay tuned, stay informed and, as always, stay free.