10/24/2025

My Dear Friend & POTUS, DJT, 

I hope you saw NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (MR)’s interview with Bret Baier on Fox & appreciated MR’s observation that you “smartly designed” the new sanctions against Russia, especially the pressure on Brazil, China & India to stop getting energy from VVP. You must have been thrilled to hear him say you are “well respected” by the NATO 31 leaders. 

I’m afraid some will accuse MR of being akin to a car salesman regarding marketing weapons. He made it sound like all Americans should be excited to see NATO arming itself because it means jobs for the middle class.  

Don’t get me wrong, the middle class needs jobs. I’ve met too many 20-somethings that are underemployed & wondering about their financial futures. These bright young college grads don’t want to build weapons. They’d rather fight climate change & ameliorate social inequities so let’s not celebrate NATO’s increased defense spending as a smart jobs program. 

Speaking of young folk, please address that awful text from the Young Republicans that has made its way into the headlines. It’s profoundly disturbing & should not be dismissed with a “boys-will-be-boys" explanation. You don’t want to be associated with folks who revere Hitler, do you? 

I remind you to keep an eye on Burma. Please thank ERM for removing his Starlink satellites from the scam centers there & encourage him to more to live up to his company’s promise to “ensure the service remains a force for good & sustains trust worldwide: both connecting the unconnected & detecting and preventing misuse by bad actors.” 

BYBS,