Hello and welcome to background briefing, available 24-7 at background briefing. I'm me and

Masters, and today we'll examine a number of stories and issues in the news.

We'll begin with Trump feigning indignation at Putin's murderous missile attack on Kiev

while he throws Ukraine under the bus, trying to force a surrender on the victim while rewarding the aggressor.

We will discuss the opposite of the art of the deal, as Trump gives Putin an incentive not to make a deal, but to wait for him to walk away and abandon Ukraine as he is threatened to do.

Joining us is Jacob Harbrun, the editor at the National Interest, and a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, she raised the Center and a columnist for

the Spectator. His books include they knew they were right, the rise of the neocons, and America

last the right century-long romance with foreign dictators. We will discuss his article at the national

interest. Is Trump about to abandon Ukraine? Why agree to a deal when Trump may simply abandon Ukraine?

Then we look into how major news organizations are caving to Trump's extortion as the wannabe

dictator follows the playbook of Putin, Orban and Erdogan to turn the free press into a chorus of

worship for the dear leader,

following the example of the ritual praise Trump gets from his cabinet.

Joining us is Jemeel Jaffer, a professor of law and journalism,

and the inaugural director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.

A former deputy legal director of the American Civil

Liberties Union, he has argued human rights and civil liberties cases in multiple appeals

court, as well as the United States Supreme Court, and has testified many times before the U.S.

Congress. We will discuss his op-ed at The Guardian. The Trump administration's round-up of student protest is genuinely shocking,

and his op-ed at the New York Times.

This is not a moment to settle with Trump.

Then finally, we'll speak with David Graham, a staff writer at the Atlantic,

...