Trump Tied Aid To Minerals - Zambia Just Said No

The administration of President Donald Trump was quick to cancel USAID. But quietly since then, it has been reinstating some programmes - with a catch. Increasingly, his 'art of the deal' team are demanding that essential aid for HIV sufferers is tied to preferential access to minerals, and a ten year access to health information for all citizens. The 'deals' are egregiously one-sided, assuming that the other side will have no option. But increasingly now African nations are saying no. President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia is the most recent, following in the wake of Zimbabwe's similar refusal. Let's discuss.

Another day, another verbal twist from the President of War. Yes, now Trump is SO furious at all those Europeans who apparently care about international law and war crimes, that he is threatening to pull the United States out of NATO. It's something we've heard before, and generally it's about trying to terrify the Europeans into dancing to President Trump's tune. But it's getting to the point where many will be seeing such an exit as not just inevitable - but actually a desirable outcome.

President Donald Trump, who just yesterday was threatening to commit war crimes against Iran if it didn't open the Strait of Hormuz, is now on whiplash mode again, and is now talking up the prospect of leaving Iran after a bit more bombing, whether the Strait is open or not. Those countries who need that oil, he said, can sort out the mess (that he is single-handedly responsible for) for themselves. Needless to say, many are not happy at this proposition. But out of the two scenarios, there is cause to think this will endure as the likeliest one to actually be executed. Let's discuss.

The multi-faceted stream of consciousness from President Donald Trump about what he wants from the Iran war, when and how he might end said war, and more besides continues. Now he is saying straight out that he would like to take Iran's oil - something that would only be possible if the US actually occupied Kharg island, something which most analysts say could only happen at very high cost. So maybe he'll just bomb the island's facilities instead, along with all the rest of Iran's energy and water infrastructure. Or maybe America will declare victory, leave, and then work out how to get the Strait of Hormuz reopened. Oh, and in the mean time, they're going to take those weapons for Ukraine that Europe BOUGHT from the US, and send them to the Middle East instead. No refunds, obviously. What could possibly go wrong?

In principle, Palantir is just a company that helps governments to work smarter. In practice, it has embraced the absence of guardrails of the US administration of President Donald Trump, its technology can be used for expanding surveillance, and for making life and death decisions that are extremely in the public eye right now. Its most high profile project has been its support of ICE's mass deportation efforts, that have been so controversial they turned Trump's most popular issue into a liability. Now, it seems there is increasing pushback, and taking support from Palantir is becoming toxic in a number of areas. Let's discuss.

In this news round-up of the week for Friday, March 27th 2026. Trump declares that Iran negotiations, which seem mostly to be conducted between the voices in his head, are going very well - meanwhile Iran is solidifying its control of the Strait of Hormuz. Meta and YouTube were found legally liable by a California jury for deliberately addicting users and causing harm to young people. A finding that could open the floodgates to many more. And Robert F Kennedy Junior's anti-vax agenda is falling apart as the Trump administration notices it might not be the vote-winner it had hoped it would be.

Even though President Trump declared to the world that peace negotiations with Iran were advanced, and seeing agreement on most points of substance - today the US presented Iran with its starting-position 15 point plan. Iran basically shrugged it off, presented its own demands, and repeated that no negotiations have taken place, and Iran is not interested in a ceasefire. The absurd Trump claims would be hilarious if the conflict weren't causing such major consequences. But is it all a delaying game? Let's discuss.

The election in Hungary is getting closer - and we've been seeing all the things we knew were coming - Trump's endorsement of Viktor Orban, related to CPAC Hungary conference. Other far-right figures from across Europe turning up to give their support. Reams of Russian disinformation on social media. And ... wait, a false flag assassination attempt? Well, evidence has emerged that the idea was floated to the Kremlin at least - whether it was agreed or not. It gives some indication just how much weight Viktor Orban's autocratic allies are putting on him surviving his closest election yet. Let's discuss.

President Donald Trump has form in claiming that he is in active negotiations with other leaders, or with countries, when the other parties deny any such thing is happening, and it turns out that they were right. So it's somewhat surreal to find him making exactly that sort of claim about the Iranian leadership, when there is precisely nothing you would expect could be achieved by doing so. Except that any excuse to delay an unviable deadline gives him more time to come up with more distractions. And any excuse will give the stock market a boost and oil markets a price drop - and that's enough for today's headlines. But it's hard to see how any of it turns into the off-ramp he's now obviously seeking. Let's discuss.

In the course of 24 hours, President Donald Trump went from saying that he was looking at 'winding down' the Iran war, to issuing threats to escalate the crisis should Iran refuse to completely open up the Strait of Hormuz. Such massive whiplash on positions suggest that he is getting increasingly agitated about his options, and is looking around - and testing out publicly - the course of action that will enable him to get out of this situation while credibly claiming victory. But, on that score, nothing much is going his way. Which could be entertaining to watch, except that the consequences for the rest of the world seem likely to get more and more difficult as he follows the logic of his position to its end conclusion. Let's discuss.