FiveStack with Dean Blundell & Zev Shalev

This episode is brought to you by Ground.News—the media literacy tool we use every day to prep The FiveStack. Get 40% off at groundnews.com/fivestack.5️⃣ Lutnick Finally Admits He Went to the IslandCommerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before the Senate Oversight Committee today and conceded for the first time that he did in fact visit Jeffrey Epstein’s private island — directly contradicting his previous sworn testimony and recent podcast statements. Lutnick claimed he stopped by “just for lunch” in 2012 while on a family boat trip, insisting his wife, four children, and nannies were present and that he “doesn’t recall” why they went. “He made sure to tell us he collected all his nannies and kids before he left Epstein Island,” Dean noted. “Was he planning on leaving some there?” Justice Department documents show Lutnick was in contact with Epstein through 2018, and some 250 emails between the Lutnick family and Epstein detail a cordial, ongoing relationship that included business discussions, fundraiser plans, and an email listing the specific ages, names, and sexes of children coming to the island. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt offered only a tepid defense, calling Lutnick “a very important member of President Trump’s team” before quickly pivoting to other topics.WE RELY ON GROUND NEWS AND YOU SHOULD TOOToday's Lutnick testimony is a perfect example. We checked Ground News and found the same Senate hearing framed completely differently across outlets. CNN led with Lutnick contradicting his own sworn statements. The Washington Times buried a line saying there's "no suggestion of wrongdoing" on Trump's part. Fox News called it "a failing attempt by the legacy media to distract from the administration's accomplishments." Same hearing, same lies, wildly different stories. Ground News rates sources by ownership, bias, and factuality so you can see who's funding each narrative. That's why we partner with them — our mission is accountability journalism, theirs is media literacy. Get 40% off at groundnews.com/fivestack.4️⃣ Six Redacted Names UnmaskedRepresentatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie visited the DOJ to read the unredacted Epstein files and emerged to announce that six wealthy, powerful men had been hidden from the public for no apparent reason. After the congressmen flagged the improper redactions, the DOJ acknowledged its “mistake” and released the names: Salvatore Navora, an NYPD detective previously disciplined for connections to an escort service; Zurab Mukhaladze; Leonic Leonov; Nicola Caputo, an Italian politician and former member of the European Parliament; Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, CEO of Dubai Ports World, who allegedly sent Epstein torture videos and requests for 10 and 11-year-old girls and purchased the neighboring island to Little St. James; and billionaire Leslie Wexner, labeled a co-conspirator by the FBI. “If we found six men they were hiding in two hours,” Khanna said on the House floor, “imagine how many men they are covering up for in those three million files.” Wexner is expected to testify on February 18.3️⃣ One Million Trump MentionsRepresentative Jamie Raskin walked out of the DOJ redaction room and confirmed that a search for Donald Trump in the unredacted Epstein files returned more than one million results. With only about 38,000 mentions in the publicly released files, that means roughly 960,000 references to Trump were scrubbed by the FBI before release. “It doesn’t happen because of press clippings or duplicates,” Dean explained. “It happens because a person is deeply and structurally embedded into the documentary record of a federal investigation.” The unredacted files also include a 2009 email exchange between Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell recounting a phone call with Trump in which Trump admitted Epstein was never asked to leave Mar-a-Lago — he was a guest, not a member — directly contradicting Trump’s longtime claim that he banned Epstein from the club. The files further reveal that Trump told the Palm Beach police chief after Epstein’s arrest that “everybody knew” what Epstein was doing and that Epstein was “stealing women from him.”2️⃣ The Melania ConnectionNarativ’s exclusive reporting revealed two references in the unredacted files — one made under a proffer, meaning under oath — stating that Jeffrey Epstein introduced Donald Trump to Melania. Trump reportedly kept emerging from a bedroom telling people Melania was “a great piece of ass.” The Epstein files show Melania entered the United States through the modeling world connected to Paolo Zampolli, who now holds a diplomatic position in the Trump administration, and through Elite Models, part of Epstein’s orbit. The connection dovetails with Narativ’s ongoing investigation with Ellie Leonard into a coded survivor journal that names Mar-a-Lago as what the survivor described as a “slave camp” and child prostitution center. “Every single brick in this wall turns up to be a brick in the foundation that proves Melania Trump is absolutely part of this,” Dean said, pointing to her Einstein visa, her documented ties to Epstein-connected figures, and her reported direct line to Vladimir Putin.1️⃣ The Cover-Up Is the StoryThe biggest revelation of the day may be what we’re not seeing. Khanna confirmed that 70 to 80 percent of the Epstein files remain redacted and that the FBI sent pre-scrubbed files to the DOJ — meaning survivor statements naming powerful men who raped and abused underage girls were systematically hidden before Congress ever passed the Epstein Transparency Act. “Donald Trump’s FBI scrubbed these files in March, long before Thomas Massie and I passed the Epstein Transparency Act,” Khanna told the House. Lauren Boebert emerged from the redaction room saying there are “definitely” implicated co-conspirators and that Maxwell deserves more prison time, not clemency. Marjorie Taylor Greene said publicly it’s “way worse than you even think.” A new statement from Epstein survivors accused the DOJ of perpetuating “the very dynamics Epstein relied upon — powerful actors protected by secrecy while victims are exposed, scrutinized and made to bear the consequences.” Deputy AG Todd Blanche declared the review “over.” It is anything but. The survivors sent a letter to Pam Bondi ahead of her testimony before the judiciary committee tomorrow morning.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Ellie Leonard, Robin Payes, Richard Hogan, MD, PhD(2), DBA, Leah Anderson, CO, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

5️⃣ I Am Not Your Personal IncubatorNarativ’s investigation of the Epstein files has unearthed a journal written in code by a 16-year-old victim — a journal the FBI never bothered to decode. Researcher Ellie Leonard cracked the code and what she found is staggering: at least eight documented pregnancies, multiple forced abortions, and children taken from their mothers. The decoded entries name Leon Black, Harvey Weinstein, and others whose names are redacted in the official FBI files. One entry reads: “So I came out in the toilet and I didn’t know what to do. So I just flushed the tiny little fetus. I hope I never have to see you again. I’m not your personal incubator.” Zev called it the heaviest material he’s encountered in years of reporting on the Epstein network, and warned that tonight’s installment with Ellie Leonard on Narativ Live will be even more harrowing.4️⃣ Wexner’s Day of ReckoningLes Wexner, the billionaire who gave Jeffrey Epstein power of attorney, a $77 million Manhattan mansion, and access to his corporate empire at The Limited, will be deposed under oath on February 18th. The DOJ files include a draft message from Epstein to Wexner referencing “gang stuff” and outstanding debts. Wexner is mentioned over a thousand times in the archive. He claims Epstein stole hundreds of millions from him, but he never filed a police report, never sued, and continued the relationship for years after the alleged theft. Dean’s assessment was blunt: Wexner will lie under oath because he’s guilty and has everything to lose. The deposition will be the first time Wexner answers questions under oath about the most consequential relationship in the Epstein network.3️⃣ Maxwell’s Clemency ConGhislaine Maxwell appeared virtually from a Texas prison before the House Oversight Committee and invoked the Fifth on every question. Her lawyer David Oscar Markus — who is close friends with Deputy AG Todd Blanche — told lawmakers Maxwell would talk for clemency, and that she could clear both Trump and Clinton. That was the tell. As Zev explained, the clemency talk is theater. Maxwell already has a path out through her December habeas petition, which argues that 25 men received secret DOJ settlements and four co-conspirators were never indicted. By pleading the Fifth, she covers for Trump. By looping in Clinton, she’s sending a coded message: take the deal and stay quiet, or we all go down together. The Clintons testify February 26-27, and as Dean put it, they have an opportunity to save America — if they don’t fall for the ploy.2️⃣ Congress Gets 30 Pages of 3.5 MillionRep. Thomas Massie and Rep. Jamie Raskin went to the DOJ today to view unredacted Epstein files. What they found is a charade of its own: no computers, no phones, no notes allowed, and access to roughly 30 to 40 pages out of a 3.5 million page archive. The DOJ claims it released everything required under the Transparency Act, but Rep. Ro Khanna has pointed out that the department identified over 6 million responsive pages and released barely half. Victims’ names sit unredacted throughout the files while the perpetrators — especially those connected to Trump — remain blacked out.1️⃣ Lutnick’s 250 LiesCommerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is mentioned over 250 times in the Epstein files and documents show he planned a visit to Epstein’s private island in 2012 — seven years after he claimed he cut ties. He lied on a podcast, he lied to Congress, and when the New York Times confronted him, he said he “spent zero time” with Epstein but refused to address the island. Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Thomas Massie are calling for his resignation. As Dean put it, the only reason this government exists in its current form is to protect Trump and his friends from the truth about their acts against children. Lutnick is Exhibit A.The Epstein cover-up is running in real time, but the walls are closing in. Subscribe and share.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Cat: Poli-Psych, Debbie Hupp, Robin Payes, Cathy R. Payne, Karen Hinton, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

BREAKING: Just after the show, former President Bill Clinton posted a bombshell thread demanding the full release of the Epstein files and a public hearing before the House Oversight Committee. Clinton said he has provided a sworn statement and agreed to appear in person, but Republicans want cameras only behind closed doors. “Who benefits from this arrangement? It’s not Epstein’s victims, who deserve justice. Not the public, who deserve the truth,” Clinton wrote. He called the closed-door format a “kangaroo court” and said he would not be used as a “prop” by a Republican Party running scared. If the committee wants answers, Clinton said, do it the right way: in a public hearing where Americans can see for themselves what this is really about.5️⃣ Epstein Cover-Up Deepens: Secret Deals Shield AbusersThe Trump regime’s latest attempt to cover up the Epstein files went largely unnoticed until now. Ghislaine Maxwell’s December court filing alleged that 25 men involved in Epstein-related crimes cut secret settlements with victims’ lawyers, and the government then helped conceal their identities from the released files. As Zev explained, 43 of the 47 victims are named in the files, but almost none of their abusers are — because those names were redacted under the cover of these secret deals. Maxwell is set to testify before the House committee on Sunday, followed by Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard raided Lord Mandelson’s properties in London and Wiltshire after Epstein files revealed he leaked sensitive government documents to Epstein, and new evidence showed Epstein had a mole inside Buckingham Palace whose office was actually in the palace itself. Dean called for Canada to immediately launch its own investigation, joining Poland, Lithuania, France, Britain, Estonia, and Ukraine in demanding accountability. “There is no statute of limitations when it comes to murder and child rape,” Dean said. “None. Zero in the United States.”4️⃣ Iran Talks Are an Oil and Real Estate PlayThe United States and Iran sat down in Oman for their first talks since Trump ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June, with the U.S. delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Iran’s Foreign Minister called it a good start but said discussions were exclusively nuclear, refusing to discuss missiles or proxy forces. Senior administration officials admitted they don’t have clear guidance on what Trump actually wants from these talks. Dean pointed out that Witkoff has done business with Putin and his associates for 30 years and was handpicked by Putin to be Trump’s guy, while Kushner carries his own Epstein ties through Apollo Group. “This is a real estate and natural gas slash oil play,” Dean said. “Iran is loaded with energy. That’s all this is about.” Meanwhile, the United States announced plans to reestablish military cooperation with Russia, including possible joint exercises — even as NATO allies conducted Arctic exercises in Greenland without the Americans.3️⃣ Judge Orders Border Patrol Body Cam ReleaseA federal judge in Chicago ruled that the public will see the body camera footage and text messages from the Border Patrol agent who shot Marimar Martinez, a 30-year-old teacher’s assistant and U.S. citizen, five times during an immigration operation on Chicago’s southwest side. After the shooting, Agent Charles Exum texted colleagues bragging about the kill. The government argued releasing the texts would sully Agent Exum, and the judge pointed out that the administration showed zero concern about sullying Martinez’s reputation. In Minneapolis, the executions of Alex Preddie and Nicole Renee Good were ruled homicides, and there are whispers of state attorneys general preparing to bring murder charges not just against the agents who pulled the trigger but everyone in the chain of command. “No one has immunity in the United States of America,” Zev said. “No one is above the law, including the president.”2️⃣ Trump Posts Racist Obama VideoLate last night, Trump posted a video on Truth Social depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle. He deleted it and blamed someone else for posting it, which Dean called classic Trump. But the damage was done and the video spread across every platform. Dean noted that of all the racist, fascist content Trump has put out, this video topped them all. But both hosts agreed the real purpose was distraction. “He wants us to talk about everything else other than Epstein files,” Zev said. “Every time they try to gaslight us, every time they try to divert our attention, we need to double down on covering Epstein.” The cover-up itself reveals the scale of the crime: if you go to the trouble of making secret deals with 25 billionaires and subverting the law, the crime must be enormous.1️⃣ Trump Holds Infrastructure Hostage for His NameThe Trump administration told Chuck Schumer they would release frozen funding for the Gateway Rail Tunnel, the biggest infrastructure project in the country at $16 billion connecting New York and New Jersey under the Hudson River, if Schumer agrees to rename Penn Station and Dulles Airport after Donald Trump. Schumer pointed out it’s not his call, but the shakedown reveals everything about the man. Dean drew a direct line from Napoleon building the Arc de Triomphe to Hitler to Kim Jong-un to Trump slapping his name on buildings and constructing a 250-meter Freedom Arc. “He knows this thing’s not gonna last,” Dean said, “so he’s trying to indelibly tattoo Trumpism on buildings.” But Dean offered hope through Roman Emperor Nero, who built a 165-foot bronze statue of himself next to the Colosseum and ended up buried next to his donkey. “Donald Trump will be buried with the donkeys when this is over,” Dean said, “and we will strip his name from every single building.”ShareThe FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her Catalina Foothills home on January 31st—just 60 miles from the Arizona-Mexico border. Ransom demands for millions in Bitcoin were sent to TMZ and local news outlets. Police discovered a sophisticated operation: the doorbell camera was digitally disconnected at 1:47 a.m., physical hardware was removed from the front door, and blood matching Nancy’s DNA appeared on the doorstep. Dean observed, “You can pretty much say this is a professional hit of some sort,” noting that “this kind of thing doesn’t tend to happen in America” outside of 1990s Medellín cartel cases. The timing, methods, and crypto demands raise questions as the Epstein files consume national attention and Trump seeks political cover.President Trump who has shown zero compassion for families separated at the border, for victims of mass shootings, for the parents of dead soldiers. Yet he personally called Savannah Guthrie and directed 'ALL Federal Law Enforcement' to the case. Former FBI agent Chris O’leary says investigators would be assessing the involvement of Mexican cartels known for these type of kidnapping plots. A Chihuahua state advisory board leader said explicitly: the decrease in migrant flow is forcing organized crime to "find different ways to obtain resources." Kidnappings for ransom are surging in border cities. Juarez alone saw eight civilians kidnapped for ransom in early 2025, including a businesswoman, a doctor, a retiree. One was shot dead after a $40,000 ransom wasn't paid. Trump has deep ties to the very cartels operating along the Arizona border. His granted members of the Sinaloa cartel permanent residence in the US. This story is dominating the news at a time when Epstein would be the main talking points. 5️⃣ Brad Karp Steps Down as Epstein Reckoning AcceleratesThe chairman of Paul Weiss, one of America’s most powerful corporate law firms, resigned after newly released Epstein files revealed email exchanges with the convicted sex trafficker—exchanges that occurred after his conviction. Dean emphasized that “every one of these people had something to do with him after he was convicted” and publicly outed as a pedophile. The broader Epstein reckoning is picking up speed with calls for Hillary Clinton’s public testimony, though House Oversight Chair Comer wants to keep it private. Bill Gates, Leon Black, Leslie Wexner, Jess Staley, and Jamie Dimon should all be testifying, Zev argued, noting Trump’s name appears 38,000 times in the files—yet he remains untouched.4️⃣ Peter Attia’s 1,700 Epstein Emails Expose the LoopThe Canadian longevity guru appears in the Epstein files not once, but 1,700 times—with communications continuing years after Epstein’s conviction. One email from Attia to Epstein reads, “The biggest problem with being friends with you—the life you lead is so outrageous, and yet I can’t tell a soul.” Another email discusses Little St. James Island with unmistakable innuendo. Dean stated flatly: “Those 1,700 mentions are not a f*****g accident, especially when that proximity in those mentions occur after Epstein’s conviction.” Remarkably, Attia was just hired by Bari Weiss to CBS News, while Peter Thiel—who appears 1,800 times in the files—recommended Alan Dershowitz as a potential contributor to her “credible” news operation.3️⃣ Jeff Bezos Guts Washington Post, Courts PowerJeff Bezos fired 300 journalists from the Washington Post, the most significant staffing cut at a major American newspaper since 2008—despite having no financial pressure to do so. Dean noted the connection: immediately after the theatrical launch of Hooker and Boots (the Melania Trump film Bezos bankrolled with $75 million), Pete Hegseth visited Blue Origin to discuss billions in NASA and space grants. The film itself was ticket-laundered—only 22,000 people worldwide actually watched it, with military personnel forced to attend. Bezos pulled Kamala Harris’s endorsement mid-election and now silences his newsroom. Dean concluded: “Jeff Bezos only cares about himself. He doesn’t give a f**k about democracy. He never did.”2️⃣ Tulsi Gabbard Raids Voter Files Under Trump’s WatchThe DNI, a Russian asset tied to a Hawaiian cult, personally attended FBI raids on Fulton County offices and seized voter rolls and voting machines. She claimed “serious irregularities” but has disclosed nothing. Trump initially said he didn’t order it; then blamed Pam Bondi (who is now unavailable for comment). Two months prior, Gabbard conducted the same operation in Puerto Rico. Dean stressed the illegal absurdity: “She’s the director of national intelligence—that’s outward focus—yet she’s a Trump and Putin operative desperate to cook 2026.” The goal appears to be manufacturing evidence of election fraud to justify ending democracy itself.1️⃣ Vance Admits: It’s a New World OrderVice President J.D. Vance told Megyn Kelly that Trump is forging “a new world order” in trade, globalization, and alliance structures—willing to shake up NATO and abandon old relationships. Dean translated bluntly: “F**k democracy. We’re in it for the elites and the kleptocracy, and we’re going to work with the world’s worst people.” A new study shows 72% of the world now lives under autocratic rule, with America classified as an autocracy. Trump has destroyed every American trade alliance, leaving only “failed petro-states and dictators” as partners. The new world order means one thing: Trump is the dictator, nobody else has rights, and democracy is dead.Democracy dies in darkness, but Jeff Bezos turned off the lights on purpose.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Cat: Poli-Psych, Robin Payes, Story Carrier, Sushipheliac 🍣🍥🍣, Iulia Huiu, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

Today’s FiveStack became a One Stack. The allegations in the Epstein files were too significant to rush through. Congressman Ted Lieu stood before reporters and said what everyone has been thinking: “Donald Trump is in the Epstein files thousands and thousands of times. There’s highly disturbing allegations of Donald Trump raping children, of Donald Trump threatening to kill children.” That’s not speculation from a basement blogger. That’s an elected official, a constitutional lawyer, entering it into the public record. “Elected officials are not going to repeat conspiracy theories unless you’re in MAGA,” Dean noted. “You don’t just say those things.”The first location is Zorro Ranch, Epstein’s 10,000-acre New Mexico compound. In November 2019, a former staff member sent an email to investigators claiming two foreign girls were buried in the hills there after dying during rough sex. “Did you know somewhere in the hills outside Zorro, two foreign girls were buried on orders of Jeffrey and Madam G, both died by strangulation during rough fetish sex,” the email read. The managers who ran the ranch for two decades—Brice and Karen Gordon—vanished after Ghislaine Maxwell’s arrest. “Nobody knows where they are. Some people say maybe New Zealand. Who knows?” The ranch was searched in 2019, but details remain scarce. “It is about as remote as you could place anything,” Zev observed. Victims describe waking up in what appeared to be a laboratory, people in hazmat suits, significant memory gaps.The second location is Trump’s golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. FBI files contain a complaint from a victim and witness to a sex trafficking ring there between 1995 and 1996. The complaint names Ghislaine Maxwell as the broker, with clients including Epstein and Robin Leach. Two separate witnesses reported seeing Leach strangle a young girl during a sex party. “He claims that she’s buried behind the 19th hole at the Donald Trump golf course,” Zev read from the files. Another document warns that witnesses would “end up in the hole as well” if they talked. “You’ve got two eyewitnesses calling the FBI about Robin Leach strangling somebody during rough sex and the body being buried. That is something you have to investigate.”The patterns repeat across 38,000 mentions of Trump in the files—far more than the original 5,400 estimate. Women waking up drugged with $300 on the bed. Victims who later disappeared, remains found years later matching their last known clothing. Threats against anyone who spoke. “It is not possible that over 30 years, hundreds of brave women and young men had the exact same story that resulted in the exact same threats,” Dean said. Even Jeffrey Epstein, in emails from 13 years ago, described Trump as “the worst of us. There’s nothing this f*****g guy is incapable of.”The question now is whether anyone will investigate. “We need to at least consider getting a search warrant for the president’s golf course,” Zev said. “Are there girls buried in the presidential golf course? Is this actually possible? Shouldn’t we at least check it out?” The surveillance footage seized from Epstein’s properties—footage that could confirm or disprove these allegations—has never been released. “They say where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Dean concluded. “But we’re literally watching a bonfire. And Donald Trump is trying to tell everybody it’s not.”The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Pamela, Lisa 🌿🔍🔎🌿, Leah Anderson, Suzanne Sky, Noble Blend, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

This episode is brought to you by Ground.News—the media literacy tool we use every day to prep The FiveStack. Get 40% off at groundnews.com/fivestack.BREAKING: The House just passed spending bills 217-214 to end the partial government shutdown. The package funds most of the federal government through September 30 and the Department of Homeland Security through February 13—a 10-day window for Republicans and Democrats to negotiate new accountability measures for ICE agents.5️⃣ Epstein ReckoningBill and Hillary Clinton finalized an agreement today to testify under oath about Jeffrey Epstein this month after House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer set a noon deadline to clarify terms or face contempt proceedings. . Meanwhile, three months after Epstein died, a former Zorro Ranch staff member sent the FBI a chilling tip claiming two foreign girls were buried in the hills outside the compound, strangled during rough fetish sex on orders of Jeffrey and Madam G. 4️⃣ Paris Raids Musk’s XFrench police raided Elon Musk’s X offices in Paris this morning as part of a criminal investigation into child sexual abuse images, deepfakes, and Holocaust denial, with the Paris prosecutor’s office summoning Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino to appear for questioning on April 20th. We found the Musk story on Ground News. It showed us 82 sources covering the Paris raid worldwide with completely different headlines. France24 went with straightforward reporting, The Guardian led with Musk’s name, while Russian state media RT framed it as Western censorship against free speech. Ground News rates sources by ownership, bias, and factuality so you can see who’s funding each narrative. That’s why we partner with them—our mission is accountability journalism, theirs is media literacy. Get 40% off at groundnews.com/fivestack or click the button below.3️⃣ Trump Seizes The VotePresident Trump told Republicans to take over and nationalize voting in at least 15 states this weekend while repeating debunked 2020 fraud claims, and simultaneously his administration is threatening to cut federal funding to blue states that resist his agenda. Trump explicitly called for Republicans to nationalize elections in 15 states during weekend remarks while threatening to withhold federal funding from states that don’t comply with his policies, prompting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to call it outlandishly illegal. These aren’t separate stories but rather the same coordinated strategy—defund states that resist, seize election control in states that comply, and call it election integrity. When a president demands his party nationalize elections while holding federal dollars hostage, that’s not policy but rather a coup dressed in budget language, making the authoritarian blueprint explicit.2️⃣ Killers Named, Cameras DeployedDHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced body cameras for all federal immigration officers in Minneapolis effective immediately, but the timing reveals everything—ProPublica had just identified Border Patrol agents Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez as the men who killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, on January 24. Two Americans were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this month with Renee Good dying January 7 and Alex Pretti dying January 24, yet the government stonewalled for weeks refusing to identify the agents until ProPublica did the work and published their names. Noem announced body cameras immediately after the names went public despite having 30 billion dollars in enforcement funding at her disposal, yet no charges have been filed against either agent. Federal agents kill two Americans, the government stonewalls for weeks, journalists identify the killers, and then body cameras appear—cameras aren’t accountability when they only show up after the bodies pile up.1️⃣ Iran Attacks US ForcesIran launched two very aggressive actions against U.S. vessels in six hours today with Revolutionary Guard fast boats attempting to board a U.S.-flagged commercial ship near the Strait of Hormuz this morning, then hours later an Iranian drone approached the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier and was shot down by an F-35. The Iranian boats scattered before a U.S. Navy destroyer arrived to escort the commercial vessel with no shots fired, while U.S. Central Command described the drone’s intent as unclear before destroying it. Nuclear talks scheduled for Friday in Istanbul are now in jeopardy after Iran demanded changes to venue and format, with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expected to lead delegations. A U.S. carrier strike group is in the region and Trump bombed three Iranian nuclear sites last summer while threatening more strikes if no deal is reached, as Iran’s Supreme Leader warned Sunday of regional war if attacked and Iranian officials say they’re authorized to use weapons against protesters after killing at least 6,842 people in January’s crackdown alone.Five stories, one pattern: power without accountability, institutions captured or corrupted, and when the reckoning finally comes, it comes too late.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Kait Justice, Stephanie G Wilson, PhD, Cat: Poli-Psych, James Rowles, ESBC NFL And SportsBetting, and many others for tuning into my live video with Ellie Leonard! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

I joined Wajahat Ali this weekend to discuss what I’m finding in the Epstein files. The short version: everywhere you look, two names keep coming up—Russia and Trump.We covered:* Leon Black went to Russia with Donald Trump in 1996. The same Leon Black who paid Epstein $158 million. The same Leon Black who sat on Putin’s sovereign wealth fund board.* Peter Thiel advised Ehud Barak to invest in Palantir—while Barak was photographed entering Epstein’s mansion. Thiel’s Founders Fund invests alongside Masha Drokova’s Day One Ventures. Drokova did PR for Epstein.* 31% of Trump’s inner circle appears in the Epstein files. The statistical probability of your name appearing by accident? 0.0000001%.* This is bigger than trafficking. It’s financial warfare. It’s intelligence operations. It’s a worldwide cover-up now cracking open.As Waj put it: “It implicates Elon Musk, Steve Bannon, Howard Lutnick, Leon Black, Leslie Wexner, Israel, Russia, Melania Trump, Peter Thiel. So many people.”Watch the full conversation above.Subscribe to Narativ for continuing investigation into the Epstein files.Thank you Cat, Lyudmila and Daniel, Robin Payes, IAMPEGS, Story Carrier, and many others for tuning into my live video with THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali and Lev Parnas! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

A special report live from Nuuk, Greenland with Malcolm Nance, Dean Blundell, and Jacob Kaarsbo bringing firsthand reporting on NATO’s response to Trump’s territorial demands while covering the day’s critical stories from Minneapolis to Beijing.5️⃣ Trump Deploys Homan to Minneapolis After Video Exposes LiesTrump deployed border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis for meetings with Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey as federal agents began leaving the state. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was pulled from command after video proved he lied about Alex Pretti trying to “massacre law enforcement,” but Bovino keeps his job, Kristi Noem keeps her job, and Trump made no public statement about either American killed by federal agents this month. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a statement threatening impeachment unless Trump fires Noem immediately, telling the administration “we can do this the easy way or the hard way” while Senate Democrats block DHS funding. Pretti’s sister Micayla condemned the “disgusting lies” told about her brother, writing “When does this end? How many more innocent lives must be lost before we say enough?” The retreat came after a two-hour White House meeting where Trump expressed frustration with Noem, but refused to accept her resignation or hold anyone accountable for the deaths.4️⃣ NATO Deploys Troops as Trump Demands Greenland Base SovereigntyTrump told the New York Post he wants U.S. sovereignty over American military bases on Greenland, a demand Denmark and Greenland immediately rejected as crossing a red line that would end NATO. Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, and the UK deployed forces to Greenland for Operation Arctic Endurance while Denmark accelerates $2.3 billion in Arctic defense spending. Broadcasting from Nuke, Greenland, correspondents reported finding no Russian presence despite Trump’s claims, discovering instead a pristine landscape where land ownership is prohibited to protect the ecosystem. The terrain makes military invasion nearly impossible, with fjords offering no resupply routes and temperatures that would freeze unprepared forces even in summer. Trump backed down from tariffs threatening eight NATO allies last week after meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at Davos, claiming they reached “the framework of a future deal” on Greenland that NATO says doesn’t exist.3️⃣ Larry Ellison Censors “Epstein” on TikTok as Greatest Heist Chapter 8 PublishesLarry Ellison’s first act after buying TikTok was blocking the word “Epstein” in direct messages, prompting California Governor Gavin Newsom to open an investigation. The timing coincided with the publication of Greatest Heist Chapter 8, detailing how Trump made $54 million profit selling a Palm Beach mansion during the worst housing crash in history to a Russian oligarch who demolished it, while Leon Black’s Apollo ran similar extraction plays as ten million families lost their homes. TikTok also began closing accounts of prominent critics, including military analyst Malcolm Nance, in what observers called the Putin playbook of nationalizing social media platforms. Big Tech faced its first jury trial in Los Angeles over claims Meta, TikTok, and YouTube deliberately designed addictive features to harm children, with over 1,500 similar cases waiting for the verdict, though Snap and TikTok settled on the eve of trial.2️⃣ Xi Jinping Purges Generals Who Said Taiwan Invasion Impossible by 2027Xi Jinping purged his top two military commanders Saturday for defying his 2027 Taiwan invasion deadline, with Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Chief of Staff Liu Zhenli under investigation for “seriously trampling” Xi’s authority. Zhang wanted 2035 for joint operations capability and made clear in his November 2025 article he intended to fix training problems first, but Xi demands 2027 and wants “speed and scale.” When January’s training plan showed no correction toward Xi’s timeline, the defiance became visible across the PLA and Xi announced the purge on a Saturday afternoon, rushing the editorial overnight. The move follows a pattern of dictators setting unrealistic deadlines for unrealistic objectives, with Xi’s generals telling him 2027 is impossible but facing replacement by commanders willing to rush toward failure with increasingly aggressive training and exercises.1️⃣ Trump an Hour Late to Sell Iowa Farmers Tariff WelfareTrump was scheduled to speak in Clive, Iowa about “bridge payments” to farmers whose livelihoods his tariffs destroyed, but arrived an hour late to an empty podium. The billions in taxpayer-funded payments compensate for damage Trump caused, with Iowa farming groups furious the Republican House failed to include year-round E15 ethanol sales in last week’s spending plan. Trump sits at 61% disapproval nationally with Iowa giving him lower approval than any other Republican-led state, while three of Iowa’s four House districts remain competitive and Democrats see Senator Joni Ernst’s retirement as an opportunity. Broadcasting from Greenland, correspondents noted Trump appears increasingly ineffectual on the world stage, backtracking on Minneapolis executions, facing EU and NATO rejection of his Greenland demands, and threatening to punish Americans with more tariffs after Mark Carney embarrassed him at Davos.The pattern revealed across today’s stories: retreat without accountability, threats without consequences, censorship timed to investigations, purges for truth-telling, and rallies selling failure to the people paying the price.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Nick Paro, Northern Variables, Story Carrier, ann schneider, Omar Moore, and many others for tuning into my live video with Jacob Kaarsbo! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. 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5️⃣ Europe Stands Up, Trump Backs DownTrump wanted Greenland and threatened to take it by force. The European Union told him to back off, and according to Washington Post analysis published today, pushback actually works. When the EU threatened retaliatory tariffs over Trump’s military threats, Trump ruled out using force within hours. The pattern is clear, as Zev explained: when confronted by equals with actual leverage, Trump folds, then immediately retaliates against weaker targets he controls. After backing down to Europe, Trump withdrew Canada’s invitation to the Board of Peace in petty retaliation for Prime Minister Mark Carney stealing the limelight at Davos. Dean compared the situation to a camp talent show where someone who lost got violent until given a participation trophy, calling it exactly what happened in Davos. They pulled Trump into a room and told him you can have all the stuff you already have, or you can go to war with the rest of the European Union, because we’re filling it up with ammunition, soldiers, cutters, and everything. No one’s backing down. Dean’s assessment: stand up to bullies and they fold, appease them and they escalate.4️⃣ Minnesota Rises Against ICE TerrorHundreds of businesses across the Twin Cities closed today in sub-zero temperatures for a general strike against ICE operations, with their message clear: history is on our side. The strike centers on 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was used as bait by ICE agents. Dean described the heartbreaking scene: this little boy wearing a cute blue toque with bear ears and carrying his Spider-Man backpack, was made to knock on his own door to lure adults out so agents could arrest them. The photo shows an officer’s hand jammed down the boy’s backpack, holding him in place in front of an ICE vehicle. They told him he’d get a treat if he did it, Dean explained, treating him like a dog. Then when the family did come out, they just led him back to the car and made him stand with his face in front of the car and arrested him and his entire family. Interfaith services, labor unions, and business leaders united for the strike, with a march planned for 2 PM despite minus-50 degree wind chill. One protester captured the community’s resolve: we’re being invaded at all levels of society from kids to old people, but it’s not working. If anything it’s making our community tighter.PRO TIP: HERE’S HOW FIVESTACK’S DEAN BLUNDELL AND ZEV SHALEV STAY AHEAD IF THE NEWSGround News helps you compare perspectives and see through media bias. In today's polarized media landscape, it's more important than ever to understand how different sources cover the same story. Ground News processes thousands of articles daily, merging them into single stories that reveal multiple perspectives from multiple sources in one place. You can see coverage details showing total articles published worldwide on a given story, compare headlines from different political leanings, and understand ownership and factuality ratings for each source. Ground News is subscriber-supported and independent - not funded by media, big tech, government, or institutional investors.Subscribe to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan by going to groundnews.com/fivestack or by clicking the link.3️⃣ WHO Exit Hands China Health ControlTrump’s second withdrawal from the World Health Organization was finalized this week, with the United States refusing to pay $270 million owed to the organization. Dean revealed the stark truth about why Trump pulled out of 66 global organizations: the United States simply doesn’t have the money to pay those organizations for their entry, submission, subscription fees. They don’t have the money. Where’s the money going? Tax cuts to the wealthy and funding massive federal operations. Zev pointed out they’re giving themselves that money, dude. They are giving that money. They’re stealing that money is what’s going on. The WHO withdrawal hands Beijing control of global health infrastructure by default, gutting pandemic surveillance. Dean noted the suspicious pattern: Trump is doing the same steps again, the same moves that he did back before COVID. Let’s withdraw from the WHO. Let’s give China all this control. His conclusion: he doesn’t want to be accountable to anybody. He wants to steal all the f*****g money.2️⃣ Ukraine Talks Test Territorial SurrenderThe first trilateral meeting between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States took place today in Abu Dhabi, with Russia demanding Ukraine withdraws from Donbas entirely. Trump keeps claiming he’s getting close to a deal, though Zev noted that yesterday’s meeting with Zelensky was reportedly frosty, and judging by Zelensky’s speech afterwards, could not have been very friendly. The show acknowledged the inevitable: U.S. allies are watching to see if America just abandons Ukraine, which of course they have, and completely sides with Putin, which of course they have too. Meanwhile, Ukrainians have no electricity in the worst winter conditions. But Dean highlighted the Ukrainian resolve that continues to inspire: they continue to give the rest of us hope, showing how to stand up to tyranny. He described watching Zelensky’s speech at Davos: he simply said, but we will fight with all the confidence in the world and we will win. And this hasn’t dampened their resolve. Dean’s takeaway: if there is a lesson here for everybody, it’s the Ukrainian stoic way.1️⃣ Patel Purges FBI Trump InvestigatorsSix senior FBI agents were forced out today, every single one connected to Mar-a-Lago or January 6 investigations. Miami field office lost six agents who executed the search warrant at Mar-a-Lago, Atlanta’s Special Agent in Charge is gone, New York’s acting assistant director is out, and the former New Orleans SAC who oversaw January 6 investigations was terminated. The purge came one day after Jack Smith’s largely sealed public testimony at a congressional hearing. Dean delivered a scorching assessment of FBI Director Kash Patel: he was a podcaster that liked to play dress up, literally liked to play dress up. He was a cosplayer. He’d LARP like he’s LARPing to be an FBI director right now. He larped as a wizard in a series of children’s books, participated in backyard wrestling parties with his friends. That guy just fired six career FBI employees for doing an excellent job in a very difficult set of circumstances to protect the United States from Donald Trump. Zev connected it to the show’s central pattern: Trump backs down to the EU in story five because they have power. Then he retaliates against FBI agents who have none. Greenland showed the strategy. Patel’s purge proves it. Appease the strong. Crush the vulnerable. Governing principle.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you John Liccione, Robin Payes, Petrena Wilbur, Andy Collen, Sushipheliac 🍣🍥🍣, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. 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The second part of Jack Smith’s testimony delivered the most damaging evidence against Trump. Democrats played audio of the infamous Raffensperger call where Trump demanded Georgia’s Secretary of State “find 11,780 votes.” Smith testified that Trump threatened Raffensperger with criminal prosecution when the Republican official wouldn’t comply. A Georgia fake elector witness described being told his vote would only be used if they won in court, then watching Trump try to use those fraudulent certificates anyway.Smith testified unequivocally that Trump was “the person most responsible for what happened at the Capitol” and that the attack was “foreseeable to him.” The special counsel revealed that multiple January 6 rioters admitted they committed crimes “at the behest and in the name of Donald Trump.” Even the QAnon Shaman’s lawyer stated his client “heard the words of the president. He believed them. He genuinely believed them.”The hearing took a dramatic turn when a Texas Republican congressman revealed he learned just three weeks ago that his own phone records had been subpoenaed by Smith’s team in 2022. Scott Perry’s phone was physically seized from him in front of his family. Republicans claimed over 400 conservative groups and leaders had their financial records and phone data obtained, including Cleta Mitchell, Sidney Powell, and Jenna Ellis. Smith defended the subpoenas as standard investigative practice when examining a criminal conspiracy.Throughout the questioning, Smith drew a clear line: Trump was free to say falsely that he won the election, but he was not free to use knowingly false statements to target a lawful government function. The certification process from December 14th through January 6th was that lawful function, and Smith’s evidence showed Trump crossed that line repeatedly.Part 2 includes discussion and analysis with Dean Blundell and Nick Paro examining the implications of Smith’s testimony and the clips that matter most.Thank you Ellie Leonard, Brodee Myers-Cooke, Cat, John Liccione, Northern Variables, and many others for tuning into my live video with Nick Paro and Banner & Backbone Media! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

5️⃣ Trump Backs Down on Greenland—Or Does He?Trump told world leaders at Davos the U.S. “won’t use force” to take Greenland, sparking celebration in Denmark until the next sentence: “I don’t have to take it militarily or by force.” Jacob Kaarsbo, former Danish intelligence officer, urged caution on today’s show. “He can flip again tomorrow,” Kaarsbo warned, noting Trump’s latest Truth Social post walked back the threatened tariffs after an alleged agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “I think the risk that we’re ending up in an all-out invasion in Greenland in a couple of days is lower now,” Kaarsbo said. Zev pointed out Europe’s unified front preempted Trump’s plans: “If Europe had just snoozed their way through this, he would have invaded and caught everyone by surprise. But Europe, particularly Denmark, put together a really forceful front.” Dean noted Trump confused Greenland with Iceland for “a solid hour” at Davos. 4️⃣ DOGE Leaked Your Social Security DataA Justice Department filing revealed Elon Musk’s DOGE team improperly shared Social Security data through an unapproved server, and the agency still can’t determine what was compromised or whether it remains on external servers. DOGE employees used Cloudflare for 10 days in March, with Steve Davis—senior adviser to Musk—copied on emails containing personal Social Security info on about 1,000 people. “We suspected this was going on when it was happening,” Dean said. “Sometimes we’re right. This time we were right.” The filing alleges DOGE employees were contacted by a political group seeking voter roll data to overturn election results, with one employee signing a “Voter Data Agreement” that bypassed official channels. “DOGE looked to us like it was just mining data in order to interfere in elections,” Zev explained. “Now here’s some evidence that that is in fact what happened.” Dean connected it to Zev’s earlier reporting: “If you got one, you got 100. If you think they’ve only taken information from Social Security, they’re going through every avenue.”3️⃣ Supreme Court Skeptical of Trump’s Fed TakeoverThe Supreme Court heard arguments on Trump’s attempt to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook, and justices across the ideological spectrum expressed serious skepticism. Brett Kavanaugh said Trump’s position would “weaken if not shatter the independence of the Federal Reserve,” warning it “incentivizes a president to come up with trivial or inconsequential or old allegations that are very difficult to disprove—sort of the search and destroy, no process, nothing, you’re done.” Even conservative Justice Alito questioned why they’re “rushing such a huge case,” while Sotomayor said Fed independence “is harmed if we decide these issues too quickly.” Dean noted the context: “Trump just launched a criminal probe of Powell himself earlier this month. Over a building renovation. Makes it pretty obvious this is about controlling Fed policy, not about any actual wrongdoing.” Zev added, “It looks like Lisa Cook will keep her job, which is a good thing for the Fed and for everybody, really.”2️⃣ Trump Calls Minnesotans “Stupid People”Trump specifically singled out Minnesota at Davos, saying ICE gets beat up by “stupid people” who don’t appreciate federal help, even as ICE presence surged in Minneapolis and the City Council introduced an ordinance banning use of city property for ICE staging. “When you’re calling your own residents and your own citizens stupid, but it’s your federal agents that are shooting people and tear gassing people, it just says everything you need to know about this guy,” Zev said. Dean revealed the numbers: Out of 4,000 detainments and arrests in Minneapolis, only 24 were criminal illegal aliens. “Not 2,400. Twenty-four.” Zev called it engineered reality: “The intention is so clearly to rile people up. It’s all designed for the very wrong purpose.” Dean added that at Davos, Trump “completely gaslit, completely engineered a false reality” about Antifa and “radicalized left lunatics” beating up cops. “None of that has f*****g happened. And then he went all in in a multicultural global world leadership review at WEF on it’s the f*****g Somalis.”1️⃣ Jack Smith Testifies TomorrowFormer Special Counsel Jack Smith testifies publicly tomorrow at 10 AM before the House Judiciary Committee in his first and probably only public appearance. “Trump’s trying to shut it down right now, too,” Dean said. “I think they’re trying very hard to limit some of the evidence he’s going to be able to talk about.” Zev expects Smith will have “a lot to say tomorrow” about “how Trump tried to steal the last elections and beyond.” Trump referenced Smith today at Davos, calling him “that sick son of a b***h.” Dean’s read on Trump’s appearance: “Underlying narrative is, you’re right, that man is not long for terra firma. If you watch today, outside of all the crazy rhetoric—Greenland, Somalis, f*****g, I could crush the housing market in the United States if I wanted, threatening Canada, telling Mark Carney to watch your f*****g back—he was so f*****g sickly. Low energy, slurring, incoherent.” Carolyn Levitt denied Trump confused Iceland and Greenland. “You can’t deny it. We’ve seen it.”Five stories, one Stack. Trump backed down on Greenland but not really, DOGE leaked your data, the Supreme Court won’t let Trump take the Fed, Minneapolis gets called stupid, and tomorrow Jack Smith testifies.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Lev Parnas, Cat, Dana DuBois, Robin Payes, Social SLP, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. 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5️⃣ Danish MEP Tells Trump to “F**k Off”A Danish member of the European Parliament delivered the most direct response yet to Donald Trump’s Greenland threats when Anders Vistisen told the chamber: “Let me put this in words you might understand, Mr. President: f**k off.” The Parliament vice president immediately censured Vistisen for offensive language, but the MEP defended his approach, saying “the only language that Trump understands is direct language.” Danish lawmaker Rasmus Jarlov went further, warning CNN that any U.S. invasion of Greenland would be “an act of war” that Denmark would resist militarily despite being outmatched. As Zev noted on the show, European frustration with diplomatic niceties that Trump ignores has reached a breaking point. Dean observed that we’re watching world leaders do “the unthinkable that they thought would not be possible six months ago” - standing up face-to-face to the Trump regime with a solid “go f**k yourself.”4️⃣ Alberta Separatism Surges on Bannon PlaybookMassive lineups wrapped around community halls in Red Deer and Eckville as Albertans signed petitions calling for the province to separate from Canada, with the timing raising serious questions about foreign influence. The Alberta Prosperity Project needs signatures to trigger a referendum asking “Do you agree that the province of Alberta should cease to be a part of Canada to become an independent state?” Support for separation has jumped to 31% from 25% before the federal election, and the movement is using Steve Bannon’s “flood the zone with s**t” disinformation playbook according to political analysts. Premier Danielle Smith’s government changed rules to enable the referendum even after courts declared the original question unconstitutional. Dean called it out bluntly: “Alberta’s not gonna separate from Canada, no matter how hard Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, try to justify the idea.” Former Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk’s counter-petition supporting staying in Canada has collected 456,000 signatures, and some Alberta protesters have been seen carrying U.S. flags - a troubling sign of foreign coordination.3️⃣ Mark Carney Declares “Old Order Dead” at DavosCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a devastating assessment at the World Economic Forum, telling global leaders that the U.S.-led rules-based international order is over and middle powers must unite against coercion. “The old order is not coming back,” Carney told the chamber. “We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy.” Using a powerful analogy from Czech dissident Vaclav Havel, Carney described how systems persist when everyone participates in rituals they know to be false, declaring “it is time for companies and countries to take their signs down.” He announced Canada just signed strategic partnerships with China and Qatar, ending years of diplomatic bad blood, and said he stands “firmly” with Denmark on Greenland. Dean was electrified by the speech: “Mark Carney stood up today and basically f*****g detonated the Trump regime.” French President Emmanuel Macron followed with his own warning that “we prefer respect to bullies,” pushing the EU to activate its anti-coercion instrument that could restrict U.S. companies’ access to European markets worth $8 trillion. EU leaders hold an emergency summit Thursday to discuss $108 billion in retaliatory tariffs.2️⃣ Markets in Freefall as Trump Chaos Takes TollWall Street suffered its worst day since October as Trump’s diplomatic meltdown triggered a global flight from American investments. The Dow crashed 849 points, the S&P 500 fell 1.89%, and the Nasdaq dropped 2.12%. Ten-year Treasury yields spiked to 4.28% - the highest since September - as confidence in U.S. assets evaporated, while thirty-year yields hit 4.91% and the dollar collapsed 1%. The selloff came after Trump leaked private messages from French President Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, posted AI-generated images of the American flag over Greenland, and threatened 200% tariffs on French wine. Analysts warned that “Europe holds roughly $10 trillion in U.S. bonds and equities” that “could be leveraged amid escalating trade tensions.” As Zev pointed out, this isn’t market jitters - it’s a measurable calculation: “When you hold $10 trillion in U.S. assets and the president threatens your territory, those assets become leverage. Trump just handed Europe the nuclear option.”1️⃣ New York Times: Trump Pocketed $1.4 BillionThe New York Times editorial board published a detailed accounting showing President Trump has used the office to pocket at least $1.4 billion - an amount equal to 16,822 times the median U.S. household income. The breakdown includes $867 million from cryptocurrency ventures, $90.5 million from tech and media settlements with Amazon, Meta, X, ABC and Paramount, $28 million from Amazon for a Melania documentary, $23 million from overseas licensing deals, and a Boeing 747 from Qatar worth $400 million that Trump plans to keep for his presidential library. The Times noted that “this tally focuses on documented gains” and that “$1.4 billion is a minimum, not a full accounting.” The editorial warned that “when the aim of government shifts from public good to private gain, its constitution becomes an empty shell.” Dean summed it up perfectly: “The financial crimes will make his crimes against humanity pale in comparison.”Today’s stories reveal the same pattern told five different ways: a president monetizing the office while European allies prepare economic warfare, markets price in American unreliability, and separatist movements mobilize using authoritarian playbooks.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Robin Payes, Nancy McAllister, Leah Anderson, Noble Blend, Lalisa, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. 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5️⃣ Insurrection Day: 1,500 Troops on Standby for MinnesotaThe Pentagon has ordered 1,500 active-duty soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska to prepare for possible deployment to Minnesota as Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act for the first time in the 21st century. “This is the first time that I can recall in my history, the United States government willing to send in military troops into the streets of Minnesota,” Zev said on today’s show. The DOJ is also investigating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly inciting violence against federal immigration agents. “They’re investigating the mayor of Minneapolis and the governor of Minnesota for inciting all this violence, which means these guys won’t be able to run in the next election,” Zev explained. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called state officials’ resistance “terrorism” and promised to stop them “by whatever means necessary.” As Dean put it: “To cover up crimes against children, Donald Trump is going to war against the people of Minnesota.”4️⃣ Trump’s Norway Letter: No Longer Feeling “Purely of Peace”Trump sent a stunning letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre overnight, directly linking his Greenland demands to not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace,” Trump wrote. The letter was so outrageous that European journalists initially doubted it was real. “At first, several journalists doubted the veracity of the document,” Jacob Kaarsbo, former Danish intelligence officer, explained on the show. “So it was only actually when the Norwegian prime minister came out and really said, well, this is it. I received it. It’s true. So that’s how crazy it is. You know, people just didn’t believe it.” Dean compared it to “sending a letter to my high school saying I am going to foreclose and buy that entire area the high school’s on because you didn’t name me the valedictorian in 1993.” The letter came as Trump announced 10% tariffs on eight NATO allies starting February 1, rising to 25% by June unless the U.S. gets “Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”3️⃣ Europe Prepares to Fight BackEight NATO allies issued a joint statement Sunday warning that Trump's tariff threats "undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral." French President Emmanuel Macron requested the EU activate its "trade bazooka"—a retaliation tool that could devastate U.S. access to European markets. But Jacob Kaarsbo revealed the military calculations happening behind the scenes: "Together, Canada and the Nordic States, France, Germany and Great Britain and the Dutch also, we have times four of the U.S. capacity to actually fight in the Arctic." He warned that Europe is prepared to send a stark message: "We have to be ready to tell Donald Trump that your first at least 1,000 soldiers are going to come back to the US in body bags. We think it's a terribly bad idea." Jacob also addressed European leaders still hoping to keep Trump engaged: "There's this whole longing to keep Donald Trump in the NATO tent. And I'm afraid we can't do that. You know, it's just something we imagine, something we hope, but the reality tells us otherwise."2️⃣ The Real Story: Epstein Files Cover-UpWhile Minnesota and Greenland dominate headlines, Dean pointed to what’s being buried: “What aren’t we talking about today? The Epstein files. We’re not talking about 1% of the Epstein files being released and Pam Bondi sending a letter to the oversight committee a few days ago saying we’re not releasing anything. No one has reported on that story.” He emphasized the calculated distraction: “All of this is b******t. Everything Donald Trump is trying to do to the people of Greenland, everything he’s doing to the people in Minnesota, every threat that he tables, every letter he sends ahead of state blaming them for not giving him a f*****g Nobel Peace Prize is all a distraction.” Zev laid out the pattern: “This is about making sure the American people and everyone around the world knows exactly what’s going on. This is a war against democracy, and it’s been going on for many years, but it’s about to get very kinetic.”1️⃣ Dean and Team Deploying to Greenland This WeekDean Blundell, Jacob Kaarsbo, Malcolm Nance, Ken Harbaugh, and Denver Riggleman are traveling to Greenland this week to report from the ground as tensions escalate. “Why are we going to Greenland? Because all of this is b******t,” Dean explained. He warned about potential military action: “That 11th Airborne that’s getting ready to go into Minnesota might not be about Minnesota either. It might be that they’re prepping the 11th Airborne to literally fly over Narsarsak or one of the other old military bases, take that base, and then just march into town and start arresting politicians.” The team will document the reality on the ground, interviewing Greenlanders about Trump’s threats. Dean emphasized the importance: “I want to talk to those people. So your support can come in the form of a subscription. That’s all I care about because I want you to share the content.”From targeting journalists and threatening troops against American cities to extorting allies and dismantling NATO—this is Day 7 of the Trump administration showing the same pattern: concentrated executive power, elimination of checks and balances, and the systematic destruction of democratic norms.ShareThe FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

5️⃣ ICE Tear Gasses Family With Six KidsA Minneapolis couple driving home from their kid’s basketball game Wednesday night got caught between ICE and protesters in North Minneapolis. Six children in the car, the youngest just six months old. ICE surrounded them, started lobbing tear gas and stun grenades, and a canister rolled under the vehicle. “The blast set off the airbags, smoke filling the vehicle, kids screaming,” Zev reported. The father kicked the door open, blinded by tear gas, and started pulling kids out while the baby stopped breathing in his car seat. Bystanders performed CPR on the six-month-old and poured milk on the other children to neutralize the gas. “The baby came back before EMTs got there,” Zev said. Three kids were hospitalized, two with severe asthma. Dean pointed out that enrollment in Proud Boys and Oath Keepers has plummeted 75 percent—because they’ve all joined ICE.4️⃣ Canada’s China DealMark Carney announced a massive trade deal with China, slashing tariffs on Chinese EVs from 100 percent to 6.1 percent for up to 49,000 vehicles while China dropped tariffs on Canadian canola, pork, and other agricultural products. Dean argued Trump forced Canada into a corner, but Zev pushed back hard. “China has been doing economic warfare on Canada for a while,” Zev warned, noting China desperately wants Arctic access, Canadian farmland to feed its population, and “an easy to capture government.” He pointed out that Russia acts as China’s proxy—”if you blame Russia for making Trump happen, you can blame China.” While Dean celebrated the deal helping Saskatchewan farmers, Zev called it “another version of selling out to the Chinese” and warned that China’s 30-year plans “don’t leave any room for real democracy anywhere in the world.” When Carney announced Canada was preparing for “the new world order,” Zev’s response was blunt: “That’s terrible. I’m not ready to concede yet.”3️⃣ Trump Won’t Rule Out War With NATO CountriesA reporter asked Trump if he would leave NATO to seize Greenland, and his answer was chilling: “I wouldn’t be telling you what I’m willing to do. But Greenland is very important for national security.” Then he linked it to Venezuela. “He is willing to go to war with NATO, so he says publicly, which I’ve never heard an American president say since the formation of NATO,” Zev reported. Meanwhile, troops are deploying to Greenland from Germany, France, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the Netherlands in what they’re calling Operation Northern Endurance Exercises. Dean announced he’s traveling to Greenland and Denmark next week with the cast of The ‘A’ Team: Ken Harbaugh, Malcolm Nance, Denver Riggleman, and Jacob Kaarsbo to interview the Prime Minister and visit Arctic Command—because “nobody is telling Greenland’s truth.” Support their mission at deanblundell.substack.com2️⃣ Pay-to-Play PardonsTrump’s been handing out pardons to wealthy criminals who donated to his campaign. Julio Herrera Velutini, a Venezuelan-Italian banker whose daughter Isabella donated $3.5 million to MAGA Inc.—$2.5 million while dad faced felony charges, another million after his lawyer cut a plea deal—got pardoned along with his co-defendants, including former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez and former FBI agent Mark Rossini. “He’s pardoning people that pled guilty,” Zev noted incredulously. Then there’s Adriana Camberos, whom Trump pardoned twice—first in 2021 for a counterfeit five-hour energy scheme, then again after she got out and immediately committed new fraud. “There is a way out of jail in America,” Zev said. “You just have to pay the president.”1️⃣ Insurrection Act Means TanksTrump posted on Truth Social: “FEAR NOT, GREAT PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA, THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING!” He’s not bluffing about the Insurrection Act. “Tanks in the streets, military checkpoints, soldiers with live ammunition enforcing curfews on American streets—that is what the Insurrection Act actually means,” Zev warned. Stephen Miller is already arguing on television that Minnesota’s governor and mayor are “insurrection leaders.” Trump’s immigration policy is now polling at just 31 percent, with independents turning away from his crackdown. A new political report shows 18 seats now leaning Democrat for November. “They know they’re in a hurry because they’ve got to get it done before the elections,” Zev said. The clock is ticking on Trump’s authoritarian ambitions.Minneapolis to Greenland to Beijing—power without constraint, consequences for people who don’t pay.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Ellie Leonard, Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, NeuroDivergent Hodgepodge, Cat, Stephanie G Wilson, PhD, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

Today’s FIVESTACK is powered by Ground News. In an era where media bias shapes every headline, Ground News shows you how the same story is covered across the political spectrum. Compare coverage from over 50,000 sources worldwide and see who’s covering what and who isn’t. Right now, FiveStack viewers get 40% off the Vantage subscription at www.groundnews.com/fivestack. That’s www.groundnews.com/fivestack for 40% off.5️⃣ Trump: We Shouldn’t Even Have ElectionsThe President of the United States told Reuters he doesn’t think elections are necessary. When you think of it, we shouldn’t even have an election, Trump said, expressing frustration about potential Republican losses in the 2026 midterms. It’s some deep psychological thing, but when you win the presidency, you don’t win the midterms. Then he doubled down: I had accomplished so much that when you think of it, we shouldn’t even have an election. This isn’t campaign rhetoric or Trump being hyperbolic. He’s genuinely frustrated that democracy requires him to face voters again, conditioning his base to accept the idea that elections themselves are obstacles to his agenda. Coming hours after threatening the Insurrection Act against Minnesota protesters, Trump is openly questioning whether democratic processes should apply to him. As Dean noted on today’s show, Trump has always been intent on finding a way to manufacture visual violence and turn that into policy where he can cancel elections and call martial law.4️⃣ Minneapolis: Insurrection Act ThreatenedTrump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act this morning, deploying the military against American protesters in Minnesota. If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the patriots of ICE, I will institute the Insurrection Act, Trump posted on Truth Social. The threat came after 2,000 federal agents flooded Minneapolis in what Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called a federal invasion. ICE shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three and US citizen, one week ago. Wednesday night, ICE shot another man in the leg. But the story getting almost no coverage: ICE is detaining Indigenous Americans, including four members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, three still in custody at Fort Snelling. That’s the same site where in 1862, US forces imprisoned 1,700 Indigenous people following the US-Dakota War. Many died of torture, starvation, and disease. ICE is holding Indigenous Americans at a historic concentration camp site, and Trump’s threatening martial law against anyone who protests.3️⃣ Visa Ban: 75 Countries FrozenStarting January 21, the United States indefinitely suspended immigrant visa processing for 75 countries. Afghanistan, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Haiti, Russia, Somalia, Yemen, and 67 others are now banned from sending immigrants to the US. The administration cited public charge concerns, claiming these countries send people likely to become dependent on government assistance. Tourist visas remain unaffected for now, but the ban represents one of the largest restrictions on legal immigration in modern American history. The policy went into effect with virtually no notice, leaving thousands of families separated indefinitely and undermining decades of diplomatic relationships across four continents.2️⃣ Canada Pivots to ChinaCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Beijing today for meetings with Xi Jinping, marking the first visit by a Canadian leader in eight years. With 75 percent of Canadian exports going to the United States, Canada is desperately hedging against Trump’s threatened tariffs and erratic trade policy. The goal is straightforward: double exports to other countries and reduce dependence on an increasingly unreliable American market. Trump’s threats to allies are forcing traditional partners to seek new arrangements. Canada turning to China represents a fundamental realignment of North American trade relationships that would have been unthinkable three years ago.1️⃣ Greenland: Guns LoadedSix European NATO members deployed troops to Greenland today: Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, Netherlands, and Finland. The deployment came one day after a White House meeting with Denmark and Greenland ended in what officials called fundamental disagreement. Trump called US control of Greenland non-negotiable and referenced the Venezuela military action as a threat. Anything less than US control is unacceptable, Trump said. This is a NATO Article 5 crisis. Trump is threatening military force against a NATO ally. As Malcolm Nance pointed out on today’s show, 35,000 Greenlanders own powerful long rifles for hunting in Arctic conditions. Those 35,000 soldiers with long rifles live in the harshest conditions in the world and are more than willing to welcome American troops rudely. Denmark has zero intention of surrendering their territory, and the US military has zero icebreakers compared to dozens operated by Nordic countries. Only 17 percent of Americans approve of taking Greenland by force.Trump said we shouldn’t have elections. He threatened the Insurrection Act. He banned 75 countries from sending immigrants. Canada’s fleeing to China. Europe’s defending Greenland with troops. This isn’t normal political conflict. It’s coordinated autocratic escalation.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Get 40% off Ground News at www.groundnews.com/fivestack to see how media bias shapes the news. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thanks NeuroDivergent Hodgepodge, John Liccione, Robin Payes, Sushipheliac 🍣🍥🍣, Karen Gordon, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

MICHAEL COHEN AND THE EPSTEIN FILESInvestigative journalist Ellie Leonard broke major news on today’s show about Michael Cohen’s previously unknown connections to Jeffrey Epstein’s network. Leonard, who has been meticulously combing through the Epstein files, discovered that Cohen was working on Epstein-related matters as early as 2003 - years before his official role as Trump’s personal attorney. According to Leonard’s analysis of the documents, Cohen was involved in the same kind of catch and kill operations he later executed for Trump with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Blundell observed that Cohen’s pattern was consistent across cases, handling these matters with the same playbook. The discovery raises significant questions about the depth of Trump’s knowledge of Epstein’s activities and when that relationship really began. Leonard explained that Cohen was Trump’s fixer during a critical period when Trump and Epstein were allegedly involved together in the Katie Johnson case.Paid Subscribers Can Access a Deeper Dive BelowKATIE JOHNSON AND THE TOM BARRACK CONNECTIONThe most explosive revelation involved Katie Johnson, who accused both Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump of raping her when she was 13 years old. According to Zev’s research, when Epstein learned about the Katie Johnson allegations, the first person he contacted was Tom Barrack, who at the time was heading Trump’s presidential campaign finance committee. Epstein sent Barrack an email calling the case nuts, but then kept detailed track of every development through his attorney, with Barrack monitoring it closely as well. This pattern shows how close the Epstein-Barrack relationship really was, even if Epstein’s relationship with Trump had publicly cooled. The immediate alert to Trump’s campaign finance chair about sexual assault allegations involving Trump demonstrates the intertwined nature of these networks at the highest levels. Leonard also noted there are 31 credible sexual assault accusations against Trump, and the Katie Johnson case represents the intersection of Trump and Epstein’s alleged criminal activity.LEV PARNAS’S IMPASSIONED PLEA FOR ACCOUNTABILITYLev Parnas joined the show with an urgent message about the Epstein investigation. Blundell described Parnas’s advocacy as mission-driven and authentic, emphasizing that there’s nothing performative about his work. Parnas, whose decision to expose Trump’s Ukraine scheme cost him everything but gave him clarity about how these criminal networks operate, made clear during the show that every connection in the Epstein files matters. This isn’t about scoring political points - it’s about holding powerful people accountable for crimes that have been covered up for decades. Blundell stressed that Parnas isn’t chasing headlines or building a brand, but is genuinely committed to bringing democracy back and ensuring these networks can’t continue operating with impunity. Parnas’s unique experience understanding how cover-ups work, how fixers like Michael Cohen operate, and why following every thread matters informed his participation in today’s discussion. His presence on the show underscored a central point made throughout the episode: the Epstein investigation isn’t a distraction from current threats to democracy - it’s the key to understanding how corruption, sexual abuse, and authoritarian power have been intertwined at the highest levels for decades. The people who enabled Epstein are still in power, still making decisions, still protecting each other.GREENLAND DIPLOMATIC STALEMATEIn breaking news from earlier today, Denmark and Greenland’s foreign ministers met with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House to discuss Trump’s continued push to acquire Greenland. The meeting produced what Shalev described as a diplomatic snooze - both sides agreed to have more high-level meetings in a few weeks but reached no concrete agreement on either selling Greenland or allowing any military takeover. According to Shalev’s analysis, this outcome is good news for those who prefer not to see NATO dissolve or allies feuding with each other. The administration’s aggressive posture toward a NATO ally’s territory remains unresolved, with working groups now tasked with finding some face-saving compromise that allows both sides to claim progress without fundamentally changing Greenland’s status. Denmark and Greenland made clear they’re willing to strengthen security cooperation but have no intention of becoming American property.The show featured Dean Blundell, Zev Shalev, and special guest Ellie Leonard of The Panicked Writer, As well as Lev Parnas.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Nick Paro, Cash Flow Collective, Cat, Stephanie G Wilson, PhD, Story Carrier, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell, Lev Parnas, and Ellie Leonard! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

Former Senior Border Patrol Agent Jenn Budd joined Nick Paro and Zev Shalev today with revelations that explain exactly how Renee Nicole Good ended up dead on a Minneapolis street.THE GREEN LIGHT TO KILLBudd points to an executive order from September 25, 2025 that labeled people with “extreme views on gender” and “extreme views on migration” as domestic terrorists. Good had a gay pride sticker on her car. She was monitoring ICE activity. “She met two of those criteria. He’s been given the green light to see her as a domestic terrorist.”THE COVER-UP TEAMSBorder Patrol has operated illegal “Critical Incident Teams” since 1987. Their job: show up at shootings and make the evidence say what they want it to say. The Biden administration disbanded them, declaring they “never had the right to exist.” No Border Patrol agent has ever been convicted for killing anyone—American or migrant—in the agency’s 101-year history.JONATHAN ROSS VIOLATED HIS OWN TRAININGRoss is a firearms instructor with over 10 years in Border Patrol and ICE. He teaches agents how to safely approach vehicles. Yet he stood directly behind her bumper. He walked right up against the hood. He had his phone in his right hand—his gun hand—until the moment he decided to draw. “He creates—he is escalating the violence in that moment. He caused that to happen.”Budd’s assessment: “When I look at how they approach that vehicle, it’s obvious to me they don’t see her as a real threat. They’re going to teach them a lesson is what I see.”THE HATRED OF WOMEN“There’s nothing that a lot of these Border Patrol agents hate more than undocumented immigrants. It’s women. They really do not like women.” Budd herself was “hazed in with a sexual assault”—standard practice for women entering the agency. “That’s how you prove how strong you are.”THE CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST PIPELINEAfter 9/11, hiring shifted to “right-wing Christians, fundamentalists.” Churches near the border tell agents they’re heroes doing God’s work, quoting Isaiah 6:8—a passage about laying waste to sinful cities while closing your eyes to what’s required. Charlie Kirk came to these churches and told agents they’d need to “stomach” what was coming, and that “the real problem we have are the people who are here legally and the people who don’t agree with us.”THE MILITARY CONVERSION38% of agents are now former military. They wear camo. They call assignments “tours.” They treat migrants—and now American civilians—as “enemy combatants.” They’re staying on military bases while conducting raids in Democratic cities.WHAT’S COMINGBudd warns that during the 2026 midterms, agents will approach voters in line: “I don’t think you’re a citizen.” They’ll detain people for hours, release them after the polls close. “They can’t take all of us. We are way, way, way more than they are. They just want you to think they are bigger than they are.”Jenn Budd’s Substack: Borderland Talk Her book: Against the Wall: My Journey from Border Patrol Agent to Immigrant Rights ActivistThank you Rachel @ This Woman Votes, Cheech Previti, Debbie Hupp, Sushipheliac 🍣🍥🍣, Nancy McAllister, and many others for tuning into my live video with Nick Paro and Banner & Backbone Media! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

Renee Nicole Good, 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed by ICE Officer Jeffrey Ross Thursday morning in Minneapolis. Her wife Rebecca Good witnessed the shooting while filming with her phone. Vice President JD Vance posted edited footage from Ross’s phone claiming the officer fired in self-defense, but over 40 videos including ring camera footage from across the street tell a different story. Ross walked around Renee’s car multiple times while recording with his phone before positioning himself in front of her vehicle. When she backed up to avoid him and attempted to drive around, he fired twice. She was not threatening him. Her hands were visible outside the window. Stuffed animals for her six-year-old son were on the front seat. Ross was not struck, not injured, not run over. Rebecca Good’s statement: “We stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns.” Renee had just dropped their son at school. His father, a Gold Star military service member, died serving the United States. His mother was just murdered exercising her First Amendment rights.Two More Shot in Portland Following Same PatternICE officers shot two more people in Portland Wednesday, claiming they were Venezuelan gang members and prostitutes. No evidence supports this claim. Dean analyzed the dictatorial strategy at deanblundell.substack.com, showing how the administration systematically dehumanizes victims by labeling them terrorists, gangbangers, or illegals before killing them. The pattern is identical: shoot first, lie about the threat, claim immunity, send the message that dissent equals death. They can’t call Renee Good illegal because she’s American, so they’re calling her a domestic terrorist trained to use her car as a weapon. The evidence proves otherwise, but truth doesn’t matter when you’re building a police state.Jack Smith to Testify in Public HearingSpecial Counsel Jack Smith will appear in a public hearing on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks to present his case against Donald Trump. This is the first time the American public will hear directly from the prosecutor who investigated Trump’s crimes. The hearing is expected after February 24th when Judge Aileen Cannon’s gag order expires. As Zev pointed out, if America had an actual independent media network, Jack Smith would get three hours of primetime television to lay out his entire case against Trump. Instead, we’ll get a congressional hearing where half the committee will spend their time defending a criminal.Russia Fires Nuclear-Capable Missile at UkraineRussia fired a nuclear-capable missile at Ukraine yesterday. You’re hearing nothing about it because the Trump regime wants you distracted by manufactured crises while they coordinate with Putin and Xi on regime changes and territorial grabs. Trump had to get Putin and Xi’s blessing to invade Venezuela. Trump and Netanyahu need permission from Putin and Xi to do anything with Iran. This isn’t East versus West. This is a gang of dictators horse trading national borders, deciding who gets Taiwan, who gets Ukraine, who gets Greenland. They don’t care how many people die. They’ll continue making life miserable until millions die in a world war while they steal your money and nationalize your services.The Autocratic Coordination Nobody’s Talking AboutDon’t believe the theater. Like Maduro and Venezuela, any regime change will be optics. If Trump somehow ejects the Iranian regime, it’s only possible because China and Russia allow it. We’re watching an autocratic shell game. Meanwhile, collectivos—paramilitary gangs—are roving through Venezuela checking people’s phones and shooting anyone who helped the United States. Trump blessed that. He told Delcy Rodriguez to do whatever she wants as long as it looks like he saved democracy. Same model Putin uses with his little green men who beat old ladies asking where their sons are. These are the same dictatorships, the same model, the same gang of criminals. Trump laundered Iranian Revolutionary Guard money through his Baku resort with Ivanka leading the design. He’s always taken money from anybody. Now he’s in power, coordinating with the same autocrats, turning pure criminality into policy, and sending you one message: comply or die.The show today analyzed how every killing, every false claim of terrorism, every assertion of immunity is designed to make Americans afraid to speak up, afraid to protest, afraid to exercise their constitutional rights. What is a shooting if not a signal to not make noise, to not pipe up, to stay quiet when confronted by authority because they may just kill you?The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Nick Paro, Cash Flow Collective, Cat, Sushipheliac 🍣🍥🍣, Leah Anderson, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

Wednesday morning in Minneapolis, less than a mile from where George Floyd was murdered, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good through her windshield. Three shots. She died at Hennepin County Medical Center. She was a poet, a wife, a mother to a six-year-old who is now orphaned. Her partner was in the car. Stuffed animals in the front seat. Golden Grahams in the back. She’d just dropped her kid at school.Twenty-four hours later, the Trump regime closed ranks. Today’s show broke down five angles on how authoritarianism protects its own.1. FBI Seizes Control, Freezes Out MinnesotaThursday morning, the FBI announced it was taking complete control of the investigation—and freezing out Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension entirely. No access to evidence. No access to interviews. No access to the scene. “We’re not sure we’re going to get a fair outcome here,” Governor Tim Walz said. This breaks with precedent. After George Floyd’s murder, the FBI and BCA conducted a joint investigation. Not this time. Federal officials unilaterally seized it. As Dean emphasized on today’s show, “This is how cover-ups work in 2026.”2. JD Vance’s Gaslighting Press ConferenceVice President JD Vance held a press conference attempting to paint Good as a “left-wing lunatic.” When pressed on whether he actually knew her politics, Vance admitted “I don’t know, we’re trying to figure that out yet”—but kept pushing the narrative anyway. He called protesters a “paid, organized, trained, fundamental mob of left-wing lunatics preventing ICE from doing their job.” The reality? Good was a church-going white woman who had just dropped her child at school and was trying to navigate conflicting orders from masked agents—one telling her to drive away, another grabbing her door handle screaming “get out of the f***ing car.” Dean called it what it is: “A megalomaniacal fascist gaslighting dump on the memory of a woman that Trump and his regime sanctioned the murder of.”3. Trump Shares Manipulated Video to Justify KillingHours after the shooting, Trump posted video to Truth Social. Forensic analysis by NARATIV and military analyst Nick Paro revealed systematic manipulation: Video slowed to 50 percent, stretching 7 seconds to 13 to make normal movement look threatening. Audio slowed at a different rate—3 to 4 times slower—making her screams of “NO! NO!” completely unintelligible. Possible AI “ghosting effect” creating the illusion someone was being run over when no one was. Cropped 14 pixels from edges to remove context. Compressed to 863 kbps causing extreme quality loss. Re-encoded through Rumble instead of using original source. Speed her voice back up to normal, and you hear what Trump’s team didn’t want anyone to hear: a woman pleading for her life. “The woman in no way was armed, in no way was dangerous, and did not ram anybody,” Dean said, citing former FBI forensic criminologists who’ve analyzed the footage. They’re still running with the lie anyway.4. Noem Defends Shooter, Congress Prepares ImpeachmentDHS Secretary Kristi Noem called Good a “domestic terrorist” who “attempted to run a law enforcement officer over.” She called ICE agent Jonathan Ross “an experienced officer who followed his training.” When asked about Minnesota being frozen out of the investigation, Noem attacked the state itself: “Minnesota is a train wreck. It’s corrupt.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s response: “This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying.” Now House members are drafting Articles of Impeachment against Noem with six counts: abuse of power, deprivation of civil rights under color of law, systematic deception of the public, dehumanization as policy, failure to supervise federal law enforcement, and pattern of ethical corruption.5. Protests Grow as 2,000 More ICE Agents Flood MinneapolisHundreds of demonstrators gathered Thursday morning outside federal buildings, heckling ICE agents as they arrived for work. “No more Minnesota nice; we don’t want your fascist ICE,” they chanted. Police deployed tear gas. Arrests were made. One protester wore a sandwich board with Smokey Bear saying “Only you can prevent fascist liars.” Another handed out whistles so neighbors could alert each other if they see ICE agents. “It feels like we are reliving the George Floyd moment,” one protester said. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is deploying 2,000 additional ICE agents into Minneapolis. The message is clear: we’re not backing down. As Dean noted, this isn’t just about immigration anymore—”they’re coming after Americans now, white Americans. And that makes a difference.”The shooter has been identified: ICE agent Jonathan Ross. The FBI seized the investigation. The Vice President smeared her. The President shared manipulated footage. The DHS Secretary called her a terrorist. Congress is preparing impeachment. And 2,000 more agents are flooding the city.Renee Nicole Good. Remember her name.The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Lev Parnas, Nick Paro, Pilar Gerasimo, Nancy McAllister, P. J. Schuster, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe

This morning, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, 37, in south Minneapolis during what the Department of Homeland Security calls “the largest immigration operation ever.”The shooting happened at 34th Street and Portland Avenue around 10:45 AM local time. Good’s mother identified her daughter to the Minnesota Star Tribune. The woman - a white, middle-aged resident not targeted by any investigation - was in her vehicle when ICE agents conducting “targeted operations” encountered community members attempting to block their vehicles.Video posted on social media shows agents surrounding Good’s vehicle. The footage shows her reversing, then accelerating. One agent appeared to fire multiple rounds into the car. She crashed and died from a gunshot wound to the head.ICE immediately labeled her actions an attempt “to run over” agents and claimed the agent “fired defensive shots.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called it “domestic terrorism.”Video of the shooting tells a different story. The footage shows Good’s car trying to leave - not ramming anyone, not threatening anyone. Just trying to escape.Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey saw the video. Here’s what he said at a City Hall press conference this afternoon:“To ICE: get the f**k out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, and you are doing exactly the opposite. People are being hurt. Families are being ripped apart. Long-term Minneapolis residents are being terrorized and now somebody is dead. That’s on you. And it’s also on you to leave.”Then Frey issued a warning to Minneapolis residents - and it’s the most important part of his statement:“We all know that the agenda of this Trump administration is to create chaos. They want us to respond in a way that creates a military occupation in our city. They want an excuse to come in and show the kind of force that will create more chaos and more despair. Let’s not let them.”This is the trap. This is what they wanted.Three days ago, 2,000 ICE agents were deployed to the Twin Cities. Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz announced he will not seek reelection, ending his campaign amid sustained federal pressure over fraud allegations. Hours later, the Trump administration froze $10 billion in federal funding to five blue states - California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York.Now Renee Nicole Good is dead in the streets of Minneapolis.This is the pattern: deploy federal agents, cut federal funding, force Democratic governors out of office, then use any resistance as justification for military occupation.Frey sees it clearly. Governor Walz joined him in calling for calm. They’re both urging peaceful protest. They’re asking Minneapolis not to give Trump the excuse he’s looking for.But Renee Nicole Good is already dead. And Homeland Security is calling her a domestic terrorist.After Venezuela, after Greenland threats, after seizing oil and threatening NATO allies - federal force is now being used on American streets against American communities. And when communities resist, ICE opens fire.Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed what the video shows: “It is obviously very concerning whenever there’s a shooting into a vehicle of someone who’s not armed.”The FBI and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are now investigating whether state laws were violated. But the damage is done. The provocation worked. Renee Nicole Good is dead.And 2,000 more ICE agents remain in Minnesota.This is what occupation looks like in a liberal American city in 2026.Renee Nicole Good was 37 years old. May she rest in peace.Watch the full breaking news coverage above. Thank you Ellie Leonard, Nick Paro, Story Carrier, Robin Payes, Angie T, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.narativ.org/subscribe