President Musk

Hi Global Recap readers,

I just realized we’re only days away from Christmas. Is it just me?

• On top of that, we’re a day away from a potential US government shutdown, and we’ll soon see if a last-minute deal will be reached, as many expect.

• To top off the year, we have the Houthis and Israel bombing each other, lighting up the skies with fire and explosions.

• Also, the Pentagon apparently “just learned” they’ve been misreporting the number of US troops in Syria. An honest mistake, or are they just bad with numbers? First the financial audit, now this?

Let’s dive into the details of this mess. 👇️

🇷🇺 RUSSIA
Putin Ready to Compromise?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed readiness to negotiate with US President-elect Donald Trump to resolve the conflict in Ukraine—without preconditions.

Ready to Talk

Putin is open to discussions with Trump, emphasizing the need for both sides to compromise.

• Putin expressed readiness to meet Trump, despite not having spoken to him for years.

• He dismissed claims that Russia is in a weak position, stating that Russia has grown stronger since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Economic Effects

But is that true? The war has transformed the Russian economy, leading to high inflation and signs of overheating.

• Putin claims that Russia's growth is higher than many other economies, such as Britain.

• He admits that Russia should have been better prepared for the conflict and should have sent troops into Ukraine sooner.

• The central bank is likely to raise the key interest rate by 200 basis points to 23% this week. The last time the rate was at 23% was in 2002.

No Preconditions

Putin insists that Russia has no conditions for starting talks with Ukraine.

• He is willing to negotiate with anyone, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

• Any deal must be signed by Ukraine's legitimate authorities, which currently means the Ukrainian parliament.

Long-lasting Peace

Putin rejects the idea of a temporary truce, advocating for a long-lasting peace deal.

• Talks should be based on a preliminary agreement reached in Istanbul during the early weeks of the war.

• Some Ukrainian politicians view this draft deal as a capitulation.

What This Means

With declining international and domestic support for the costly war in Ukraine, rejecting Putin’s offer of negotiations could severely harm Zelensky’s reputation.

• On the surface, it might appear as though he is refusing a genuine peace proposal.

• However, accepting such negotiations risks legitimizing Russia’s past aggression and potentially emboldening future violations.

What will come of this?

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Pentagon Reveals Troop Numbers

The Pentagon previously said that they have 900 troops in Syria.

Now, they claim to have “recently learned” that the number of US troops in Syria is far higher than they previously believed.

Surprise Announcement

The Pentagon has been underreporting the number of US troops in Syria.

• Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder revealed there are approximately 2,000 US troops in Syria.

• This figure is more than double the previously reported 900 troops.

• The additional forces are considered temporary rotational forces.

Recent Airstrikes

The US military has been busy in Syria lately.

• Dozens of airstrikes have been conducted in recent days.

• A round of strikes on December 8 hit 75 targets.

• Another round on Monday killed 12 militants.

Historical Context

However, this isn’t the first time troop numbers have been misreported.

• In 2019, President Trump incorrectly claimed there were no US troops in Syria.

• CNN then reported that there were actually around 1,000 troops in the country.

• However, some are arguing online that the US President misreporting the numbers offhand is different from the military misreporting them.

Current Situation

The situation in Syria is increasingly unstable.

• Since the fall of President Bashar Assad’s regime two weeks ago, there have been more questions about the safety of US forces.

• Turkey and Israel have also conducted military operations in Syria recently.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
House Rejects Trump’s Budget

The House rejected Trump’s budget plan, pushing the government toward a potential shutdown, despite President-Elect Trump’s call for lawmakers to vote “YES.”

Budget Bust

Trump’s budget plan didn’t stand a chance in the House.

• The vote was 174-235 against the bill.

• The bill was hastily assembled after Trump and Elon Musk scuttled a prior deal.

• Critics see this as a preview of chaos when Trump returns to the White House on January 20.

• This happened just a day before a potential government shutdown.

Musk's Hands

Elon Musk's political posts on X have earned him the nickname “President Musk” from Democrats. Not only that, Representative Rand Paul is also suggesting that Musk should be the House Speaker.

• Musk's intervention was mocked by Democrats.

• House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called the proposal “laughable.”

• 38 Republicans joined nearly every Democrat in voting against the bill.

Vance’s Comments

Vice President-Elect JD Vance also commented on the vote, expressing frustration with Democrats for voting to “shut down the government.”

• He believes the Democrats would rather shut the government down because they do not want to give President-Elect Trump “negotiating leverage” in his next term.

Trump’s Demands

The bill aimed to extend government funding and provide disaster relief.

• It would have extended funding into March.

• Included $100 billion in disaster relief.

• Suspended the debt limit for two years to facilitate Trump's promised tax cuts.

Political Drama

The political drama is heating up as the deadline approaches.

• House Speaker Mike Johnson is scrambling to come up with a new plan.

• Democrats are sticking with the original deal and calling Trump’s new plan “laughable,” calling it a cover for tax cuts benefiting the wealthy.

• The White House also opposed the package, accusing Republicans of serving billionaire benefactors.

Shutdown Looms

With the government funding set to expire at midnight on Friday, a shutdown is imminent.

• A shutdown would interrupt funding for border enforcement, national parks, and more.

• Over 2 million federal workers could see their paychecks cut off.

• Travelers during the holiday season could face long lines at airports.

• The current debt limit expires on January 1, 2025, and Trump wants the problem solved before he takes office.

🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Houthis Strike Israeli School

A school near Tel Aviv was struck by a Houthi missile, causing significant damage but, thankfully, no injuries.

Missile Strike

• A ballistic missile fired from Yemen by Houthi rebels hit a multistory school building in Ramat Gan.

• The missile was partially intercepted, but the warhead still managed to hit the school.

• The incident occurred in the middle of the night, so no children were present.

Damage Assessment

• Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen estimated the damage at $11 million.

• The school building will be torn down and rebuilt.

• Parked cars in the area were also damaged by falling debris.

Emergency Response

Quick thinking and action saved the day.

• Sirens went off, sending millions of Israelis to bomb shelters.

• Students will be transferred to another school temporarily.

• The city's psychological services will provide support to affected students.

Military Reaction

Israel didn't take this lying down.

• As the missile was fired, Israel Air Force jets were already en route to Yemen for a preplanned bombing mission.

• The strikes targeted ports and the capital Sana'a to prevent weapons deliveries from Iran to the Houthis.

• Education Minister Yoav Kisch praised the Air Force for their swift response.

🇲🇽 MEXICO
Mexico Prepares for Mass Deportations

Mexico is gearing up to welcome its nationals if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his plan to deport illegal immigrants.

Ready for Return

Mexico is bracing for a potential influx of deported nationals.

• President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration is coordinating with federal, state, and local authorities.

• The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed readiness to handle mass deportations.

No Safe Haven

However, Mexico will not serve as a "safe third country" for migrants from other nations.

• The Foreign Affairs Ministry reiterated this stance, which was also held during Trump's first term.

• In 2019, then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador rejected a similar agreement.

Backchannel Talks

Trump's team has been in secret talks with Mexico and El Salvador.

• Discussions involve taking back millions of undocumented migrants.

• Conversations have included businesspeople and representatives from both Latin American governments.