Good evening. This is John Batchel. The show tonight begins in NATO, asking my colleague, Colonel Jeff McCausen, the U.S. Army retired, is NATO on life support? What happens if the U.S. turns all of its

attention to the Pacific as it appears is underway? Jeff answered severally. NATO needs the U.S.

We also discuss the national security team

for the Trump administration, clumsy

and perhaps lesson learned

handling secure information on open channels,

either aware or not aware

that the Chinese hear everything

when it's not protected.

Then I turn to discussing the news from New York that a judge has dismissed the case against Eric Adams,

the mayor of New York, with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought again by the Trump administration or anyone.

However, the mayor is in political trouble. His approval rating is very low, and he's unlikely to be

re-elected. So it is a sad turn of events for a first-time mayor.

The charge is public corruption, having to do with straw donors, foreign money.

Recognizable, Tammany Hall stuff.

And then Taiwan, the threat of Taiwan, an

naval exercise for the last several days entitled

Straight Thunder 2025 Alpha by the PLA Navy,

included a live fire on the second day, combined arms, air,

sea, land, preparing for what could be a land invasion of Taiwan. I discussed this with Jeff, a cousin earlier, and I discussed it with

Jim Finnell, U.S. Navy retired intelligence captain, watching it very closely.

Are the Chinese bluffing? No. The year 2027 continues to be the target date for the Chinese jump-off.

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