Greetings, fellow Conspirators!
Not only was it Wordsmith Wednesday, letting us dive into a great pulp detective author from the 1930s (we'll read a story by him on Friday to close the show), we also had a blast blasting through the blasted bloviators out there, as the Conspiracy reconvened and we dug into major news from great journalists! Check them out if you have yet to follow them, and join us, m-f 6 PM on Rumble or on X! The Audio Pod always follows the close of the show by about 90 min, and is free, via Spotify and here on Substack! Here are some of the big matters we got to discuss tonight!
WAR
IRAN
HEY! Look! JD Vance Lied again!
Trump is ready to attack again, and ready to call it something new, to skirt the already Constitution-damaging “War Powers Act”
And Trump still claims that the US is dominating Iran. His tie to truth is about as strong as his ties to the US Constitution.
The NYT reiterates the fact that Iran is maintaining a strong defensive posture. Headline: “U.S. Intelligence Shows Iran Retains Substantial Missile Capabilities - The New York Times” LINK And…
The Senate voted late yesterday that, nooo, Trump need not STOP his unconstitutional mass-murder and ocean blockade. Not even the Trump breach of their constitution-eroding “War Powers Act” matters to the majority there.
-UK PM Starmer just announced his intention to provide drones and naval support to Trump’s blockade, adding to the criminal gang, and making sure the UK military industrial complex gets new contracts to replace the arms Starmer will use. Headline: “Britain expands Hormuz mission as Starmer faces calls to quit — RT World News” LINK
Max B elucidates on the insider trading that Trump’s mercurial and fake claims about Iran have inspired
More
The cost, even in the DC under-numbering of the amount, rapidly rises.
And let’s be certain we here re-offer the inflation-price info from yesterday Headline “Iran war drives energy price spike, wages struggle to keep up with inflation” LINK
LEBANON
More Israeli-committed murders.
GAZA
The News re the Israeli Prison-Rape Machine is spreading. These folks (Drop Site and DDN), posted here, have been spreading the news for a long time. Good work, as usual, on their part.
Yet, Zionist US media outlets have not dug into this long-standing criminality.
TRUMP ARRIVES IN CHINA - AND XI DOES NOT GREET HIM AT AIRPORT
Yep.
And Trump brings fascist cronies with him - folk from BlackRock, others…
- Xi did not greet Trump. This is a BIG international incident that Trump likely will try to underplay.
SYRIA
Aaron Mate exposes more details about the false allegations agains Assad in 2018 that he “used chemical weapons” against his population
UKRAINE BIOLABS, PT 2:
Natali Morris, of Redacted, offers more on the Ukraine biolab story we covered last night - here is her excellent report, from the Redacted Morning E-mail:
’The U.S. intelligence community has officially opened an investigation into more than 120 U.S. taxpayer-funded biological laboratories operating overseas, including over 40 located in Ukraine.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard says the probe is part of an effort to shut down risky “gain-of-function” research. The plan is to “identify where these labs are, what pathogens they contain, and what research is being conducted.”
Gabbard accused officials connected to the Biden administration, along with figures such as Anthony Fauci, of misleading the public about the existence and scope of U.S.-backed biolabs overseas.
The Ukraine connection is what’s drawing the most attention. For years, Russia claimed Western-backed labs near its borders were involved in dangerous biological research, even claiming that those labs were conducting AIDS research on Ukrainian military personnel. At the time, the accusations were dismissed as Russian propaganda by Washington.
Gabbard’s stance hasn’t changed much. Back in 2022, she publicly pushed for the shutdown of the biolabs in Ukraine, while politicians such as Mitt Romney called her actions “treasonous.”
Russia even filed an official complaint over alleged U.S.-backed biological activities in Ukraine. It requested a UN probe into the matter, but the UN Security Council rejected Moscow’s proposal after the U.S., UK, and France voted against it. Weren’t they interested in preventing future pandemics? Wasn’t an investigation in everyone’s interest?
It seems the labs are real enough to investigate now.
We don’t really need another pandemic, so let’s hope the pathogens aren’t released, mishandled, or allowed to fall into the wrong hands.’
****Here is the RT documentary on it, segments of which we have played on Liberty Conspiracy - (Via FB) https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BBMJzEKuM/ and a clip LINK and the official RT documentary site LINK
IMMIGRATION POLICE STATE
The US kept Khalil jailed, despite the knowledge that they had no case. Headline: “FBI Quietly Closed a Probe Into Mahmoud Khalil While He Was in ICE Detention” LINK
GITMO - THE US CRIMES CONTINUE, ONGOING FOR THIS MAN FOR 20 YEARS!
Headline: “Somali Man Detained at Guantánamo for 20 Years Asks Federal Appeals Court to Intervene in Habeas Case and Order His Release After Years of Inaction by Lower Court | Center for Constitutional Rights” LINK
SURVEILLANCE, UK STYLE
King Charles is calling for a digital ID in the UK. This might have caused his brother some problems when traveling to meet Epstein and young females being trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell. Headline “King Charles Calls For Digital ID Scheme In Sweeping UK Legislative Agenda | the deep dive” LINK US MAGA-ITES who thirst for immigration policing will see the same kind of system, imposed first on employers through the IRS and DHS-ICE.
BAD ATTITUDE: GORKA
Yeah. He implies that Tucker C and Nick F could be working for terroristic terror terrorist terrorerors. Get scared. LINK
SPECIAL REPORT:
CHINA-US: The US “SANCTIONS” and “SECONDARY SANCTIONS” AGGRESSION - WHAT THINGS LOOK LIKE NOW
The Trump administration has escalated its “maximum pressure” campaign—known as Operation/Economic Fury—against Iran’s oil revenue, with a strong focus on disrupting the China-Iran oil trade through warnings to banks and sanctions on related entities (as of mid-May 2026).
No major Chinese banks have yet been hit with full secondary sanctions (which would cut them off from the U.S. financial system), but the Treasury Department has issued explicit threats and warnings, and it continues to target the broader network of refineries, shippers, and facilitators.
Key Recent Developments (LINK) (LINK)
Mid-April 2026 warnings to banks: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that the department sent letters to financial institutions in China, Hong Kong, the UAE, and Oman. It specifically warned two Chinese banks that they face secondary sanctions if U.S. officials can prove Iranian funds (tied to illicit activities or oil trade) are flowing through their accounts. A broader Treasury statement on April 29 underscored that all banks supporting Iranian trade (including via Chinese “teapot” refineries) risk sanctions.
Sanctions on Chinese refineries and shippers (April 24 onward): The U.S. sanctioned multiple independent Chinese “teapot” refineries (including Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co., one of Iran’s largest customers) for purchasing billions in Iranian oil. It also targeted ~40 shipping firms/vessels in Iran’s “shadow fleet.” Additional refinery sanctions followed.
May 11, 2026 US sanctions on oil facilitators: The US Treasury blacklisted 12 entities and individuals (including 4 in Hong Kong, 4 in the UAE, and 1 in Oman) tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) oil network. These groups used front companies to sell and ship Iranian oil primarily to China. This was explicitly linked to disrupting the China-bound trade.
Related actions: The U.S. has also sanctioned Chinese/Hong Kong entities for aiding Iran’s weapons, drones, and missiles programs, and it recently directed U.S. banks to flag suspicious Iranian money-laundering networks (including crypto and shell companies).
China has defied the moves by invoking a 2021 “blocking statute,” ordering its companies to ignore U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil and allowing them to sue entities that comply. However, reports indicate its financial regulator has quietly instructed major banks to pause new loans to the U.S.-sanctioned teapot refiners (while not calling in existing debt), sending mixed signals ahead of President Trump’s planned summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing (May 13–15, 2026).
***WHERE TARIFF LEVELS STOOD IN DEC 2024, WHERE THEY STAND NOW (LINK)
For China, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~19–21% in December 2024 and has risen to ~25–32% as of May 2026 due to layered Section 301 tariffs plus the baseline global surcharge.
For Brazil, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~2–4% in December 2024 and stands at ~10% (plus some additional duties) as of May 2026 under the Section 122 baseline.
For Japan, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~2–3% in December 2024 and has increased to ~13–15% as of May 2026 from the Section 122 surcharge combined with autos and steel duties.
For England (UK), the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~2–3% in December 2024 and is now ~10% as of May 2026 under the Section 122 baseline with some steel exemptions.
For the EU, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~2–3% in December 2024 and is currently ~9–10% as of May 2026 under the Section 122 baseline with steel and auto layers.
For Singapore, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~1–2% in December 2024 and ranges from ~1–10% (mostly lower) as of May 2026 thanks to U.S.–Singapore FTA preferences.
For Venezuela, U.S. tariffs on key goods were already prohibitive due to sanctions in December 2024 and remain prohibitive as of May 2026 with sanctions continuing to dominate limited trade.
For Russia, U.S. tariffs on key goods were already prohibitive due to sanctions in December 2024 and remain prohibitive as of May 2026 with sanctions and high duties on energy and metals.
For India, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~3–4% in December 2024 and is now ~10% as of May 2026 under the Section 122 baseline.
For Canada, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~1–2% in December 2024 and is under 5% (mostly 0% for compliant goods) as of May 2026 thanks to USMCA preferences.
For South Korea, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~1–2% in December 2024 and has risen to ~13% as of May 2026 from KORUS FTA preferences plus Section 122 and 232 layers.
For Taiwan, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~2–3% in December 2024 and is currently ~10–15% as of May 2026 with no FTA and the Section 122 baseline applied.
For Australia, the approximate effective U.S. tariff rate on imports was ~1% in December 2024 and is ~10% or lower as of May 2026 thanks to AUSFTA preferences that keep many goods at preferential rates.
That’s it for now, all! Many thanks for supporting freedom, and for sharing the links! And remember, you can back us here by becoming a paid subscriber if you would like, and feel free to watch Liberty Conspiracy LIVE on Gardner’s X @gardgoldsmith and on Rumble! Spread the word! Thanks, again! Please feel free to SHARE the links, and join us every M-F at 6 PM on Rumble, and my X @gardgoldsmith — and you also can donate to help the Liberty Conspiracy, itself! Just visit PayPal to help out! You also can mail GG at:
Gardner Goldsmith
PO Box 581
Amherst, NH, 03031 :)
