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Trump’s Plan To Bring the Hammer Down on the Deep State’s Foreign Aid,
By David Stockman

Hot damn!

Not only has Elon Musk brought the hammer down on the entirety of the Deep State’s foreign aid boondoggles, but his sleuths have apparently also uncovered one of the Swamp’s most pernicious artifices. To wit, numerous Federal agencies, including USAID, purchase a shit-ton of expensive subscriptions from beltway megaphones like Politico, which by pure happenstance, of course, favor their agency subscribers with a steady patter of “news” that tracks right down the UniParty fairway.

And we aren’t talking chump change. These “subscriptions” for the “pro” version of various Politico newsletters, for instance, come at $3,000 to $24,000 a pop. Since two of the latter were purchased by the climate crisis bureau over at USAID you have to wonder what that had to do with feeding the world’s starving masses or why USAID bureaucrats needed high-priced climate policy gossip when their inboxes were already flooded with free climate change propaganda from dozens of other Federal agencies, Federally-funded think tanks, NGOs and anti-fossil fuel activists.

As it happened, the tab across all Federal agencies just for the various Politico publications accumulated to $8.2 million over the past nine years according to USASpending.gov. Since most of that cash flow was due to purchase of the high-price “pro” versions, we can only imagine the “deep” insights that must be contained in the “Politico Pro Analysis” at $5,000 per year. Well, at least compared to the regular political gossip/news contained in the standard “Politico” subscription at $200 per year that a smattering of political junkies out in Flyover America apparently purchase.

Yes, we have a thing against Politico mainly because it almost always comes down on the side of more government, more climate crisis claptrap, more Nanny State meddling and more war. But we also recall that it was founded by two former Washington Post reporters—a fact that triggered a trip down memory lane with respect to the one and same foreign aid spending machine that Elon has now sent crashing.

To wit, shortly after the inauguration in 1981 we were finishing the first Reagan budget and had taken a pretty good 33% whack out of foreign aid in a proposal sent over to the State Department on January 27th. Yet the ink was hardly dry on OMB’s detailed and well justified plan to save what was big money back then—about $2.6 billion per year–when our confidential budget “pass-back” to the State Department found its way into a screaming front-page Washington Post headline the very next day!

The tone, of course, was that you pencil pushers at OMB don’t dare interfere with the august business of running the world from Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon on account of budgetary considerations. In fact, when we had our showdown over the matter with the Secretary of State in front of President Reagan the former had a truly goofy way of teeing up the matter.

Said former General Al (“I’m in charge here”) Haig,

“Mr. President, your bean-counting budget director wants to embarrass you before the entire world by having you rear-back and shove your head straight into a pencil sharpener!”

Honest injun. That’s what the man said, apparently on the belief that spending in service of the Empire was not a matter for green eye-shades to trifle with, as the lead paragraphs of the Washington Post story make clear

The Washington Post

Huge Cutback Proposed in Foreign Aid

Reagan’s Budget Director Proposes Huge Cutback in U.S. Foreign Aid

January 28, 1981

By John M. Goshko

President Reagan’s budget director, David A. Stockman, has proposed the biggest cutback of the U.S. foreign aid program since its inception in the aftermath of World War II. It would slice enormous chunks out of every phase of development assistance, tie it closely to American political interests and make it subsidiary to military aid

A plan completed Tuesday by Stockman’s Office of Management and Budget calls for slashing the $8 billion fiscal 1982 foreign aid proposal submitted to Congress by former president Carter by $2.6 billion to bring it down to $5.47 billion. A copy of the OMB proposal has been obtained by The Washington Post.

To accomplish the cuts, Stockman’s plan calls for drastically trimming every facet of nonmilitary aid: direct bilateral assistance to Third World countries, contributions to multilateral development banks, international organizations such as U.N. agencies, the Food for Peace program and the Peace Corps.

If pursued by the Reagan administration, the Stockman proposals are certain to trigger an outburst of fierce opposition from foreign aid supporters in Congress and the traditional U.S. foreign policy establishment, which regards the program as one of the most important tools for influencing events.

In particular, some informed sources said yesterday, it is likely to provide the first test of strength between Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr., who is surrounding himself with foreign policy moderates, and those on the far right side of the Reagan administration whose first emphasis is on draconian budget cutting and an unabashed “American First” approach to the conduct of foreign affairs.

Haig’s reaction to the Stockman plan is not known. But, the sources noted, if he accepts it in anything resembling its present form, he will be beginning his stewardship of the administration’s foreign policy effectively deprived of what all of his Republican and Democratic predecessors in the postwar period regarded as one of their most important policy tools.

As it happened, we mostly got rolled by what was already then the congealed UniParty consensus that America’s Homeland security depended upon the maintenance of an Empire abroad. Therefore massive amounts of humanitarian aid, development assistance and walking around money for foreign government allies in the developing world were part and parcel of that requirement.

To be sure, we did manage to wrestle Haig and his Deep State allies to a draw of sorts. That is, in today’s dollars of purchasing power (2024$) the foreign aid and state department operating budget posted at $33.7 billion in Jimmy Carter’s outgoing budget for FY 1980. By 1988, and despite all the internal resistance in the Reagan cabinet and end runs by the State and AID bureaucracies to the appropriations committees on Capitol Hill, the constant dollar foreign aid/state department budget had actually been reduced, albeit by a very modest 7% to $31.5 billion.

But that’s all she wrote. The same budget items today stand at $63 billion in the same constant dollars or more than double Reagan’s outgoing level. And that’s the case even though Haig’s main rationale for big spending on foreign aid—the need to counter Soviet machinations in the developing world—disappeared into the dustbin of history 34 years ago.

As it also happened, last time around the Donald naively filled his national security apparatus with Empire Firsters at the NSC, State, DOD and the intelligence agencies. Not surprisingly, when he reluctantly vacated the Oval Office in January 2021 the State/Foreign Aid budget had clocked in at $61.4 billion in constant dollars (FY 2024 $).

So in spending double what the Gipper had grudgingly agreed to under constant pressure from the Deep State national security apparatus, Donald Trump gave no indication during his first time around that he was an actual threat to the Deep State. And that’s notwithstanding the relentless attacks and opposition of the latter and its multiple attempts to defenestrate and ultimately impeach him.

Alas, this time around the barn the Donald may have turned Elon Musk loose out of a wanna be centi-billionaire’s crush on the world’s richest man, but whatever the motivation Musk has struck the gold we stumbled upon 44 years ago nearly to this date. That is to say, the whole complex of the State and USAID funds, which flow to the World Bank, the IMF, the various UN Agencies and literally thousands of NGOs and news agencies like Reuters, AP, the BBC, Politico and countless more are the mother lode of the Empire’s base camp on the Potomac.

Route that camp on the foreign aid budget and you will soon have the whole Deep State in a broad-based retreat as the entitled apparatchiks who populate it suddenly realize that their seeming permanent and ineffable grasp on unelected power has been shaken loose.

We can only hope that this time around the Donald realizes that if you can face down the dandies who run the soft side of the Warfare State, the 2024 election might actually mean something, and for the first time in more than four decades at that.

For removal of doubt, there is one thing Trump could do to ensure that this run at the foreign aid boondoggle is more successful than the one we tried 44 years ago. To wit, he could insist than an America First national security policy must focus tightly on an invincible nuclear deterrent and a powerful conventional defense of the North American coastline and airspace. But that it does not need an Empire nor a network of globe-spanning alliances and endless meddling in the internal economic and political affairs of distant lands that have no bearing on the homeland security and liberty of the American people.

In short, foreign aid does exactly nothing for true homeland security and should be eliminated entirely—lock, stock and barrel. That would reduce the bloated Federal work force by more than 10,000 bureaucrats in one fell swoop, and save upwards of $40 billion per year.

Moreover, there is a simple way to counter the beltway bleating about the defunding of programs to combat hunger, HIV/AIDS and diseases like cholera, malaria, and measles in the developing world. To wit, proclaim that all of these worthy efforts lie in the realm of philanthropy, not national security policy or the proper remit of government.

Accordingly, he could announce the establishment of a Humanitarian Help Fund and ask Bill Gates and the rest of the billionaire liberals class to each contribute $1 billion to the fund. That would shut them up right quick, especially if a large neon billboard were set up at the former USAID headquarters in the Ronald Reagan Building indicating the level of their contributions to date against the $1 billion target for each.

After all, there is no greater example of the mendacity of the UniParty consensus than the housing of USAID in the Ronald Reagan Building. While he held his nose on the aforementioned $30 billion budget, he never gave up his personal opinion that foreign aid is a giant rat hole. And we can attest to hearing that repeatedly and unhesitatingly.

Balance of Washington Post Story From January 1981

.…….Haig tentatively is scheduled to meet with Stockman and other senior administration officials tomorrow to discuss the aid question. At a news conference yesterday he paid obeisance to the need for budgetary austerity, but noted pointedly that foreign aid “can sometimes be a very cost-effective way” of ensuring the success of American policy goals.

Entitled “Foreign Aid Retrenchment,” the OMB document sets out as its underlying assumptions that “every major program should take some reduction,” that “bilateral aid has priority over multilateral aid programs” and that “security assistance has priority over development assistance.”

It goes on to conclude, “The primary impact of this proposal would be to eliminate or reduce U.S. participation in a range of multilateral organizations which are not responsive to U.S. foreign policy concerns. . . . The reductions in aid would mainly affect the poorer countries to Africa and the Asian subcontinent.

Bilateral development aid,” it continues, “could be concentrated on a small number of countries of key importance to the United States, perhaps at the loss of influence in countries of lesser importance.”

The Stockman proposals specifically argue that the United States should curtail sharply its contributions to the International Development Association, which is managed by the World Bank and which makes low-interest loans to the world’s poorest countries. Although the United States recently pledged $3.24 billion to the IDA for the 1981-83 period, the plan calls for Reagan to revoke the pledge and reduce the U.S. contribution by half.

In regard to other multilateral development banks, Stockman proposes that in 1981 the United States revoke its three-year pledge of funds to the African Development Bank, in 1982 stop replenishing funds of the International Fund for Agricultural Development and in ensuing years phase out its support for such other institutions as the Inter-American Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

The plan advocates big cutbacks of voluntary contributions to international organizations, and refusal to pay any unreasonable increased assessments. It specifically suggests U.S. withdrawal from the U.N. Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) because of its “pro-PLO[Palestine Liberation Organization] policies and its support for measures limiting the free flow of information.”

In respect to the Food for Peace program (PL 480), Stockman’s proposal would eliminate U.S. loans to needy countries to cover food purchases from America. It would continue to put U.S. surplus food into the hands of voluntary organizations such as CARE and Catholic relief agencies.

In addition to calling for cuts in bilateral assistance administered by the Agency for International Development ($686 million below the Carter-proposed budget for fiscal 1982), the plan says that the Peace Corps’ volunteer levels should be cut by 25 percent, a move that would force it to reduce its activities sharply and eliminate service in some countries where it now is represented.

Reprinted with permission from David Stockman’s Contra Corner.

Former Congressman David A. Stockman was Reagan's OMB director, which he wrote about in his best-selling book, The Triumph of Politics. His latest books are The Great Deformation: The Corruption of Capitalism in America and Peak Trump: The Undrainable Swamp And The Fantasy Of MAGA. He's the editor and publisher of the new David Stockman's Contra Corner. He was an original partner in the Blackstone Group, and reads LRC the first thing every morning.

Copyright © David Stockman

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The Barnes Brief: Friday, March 27, 2026

I. INTRODUCTION 

**Alert: Amos Miller Special Dinner Fundraiser: https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7756876/1776-law-center-fundraiser-birthday-bash-at-amos-millers

A. Art of the Week

  • The artful studio, the hidden cigar room, and the secret negotiations place. The well-structured chairs, the comfortable cushions, the wood-paneled walls, the delicate lamps, the simple table, the luxuriant rug, the seafaring sailboat beckoning on the wall. The simple art of everyday aesthetics that shape mind and soul alike, the art that envelops and motivates at the same. An inviting, beckoning, hidden welcome. 

B. Recommendation of the Week

C. Wisdom of the Week

  • “The most disadvantageous peace is better than the most just war.” Desiderius Erasmus. 

D. Appearances

  • Interview w/ Dr. Parsi.
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II. THE EVIDENCE

*NOTE: A reminder: links are NOT endorsements of the authors or their interpretation of events, but intended to expand our library of understanding as well as expose ideas of distinct perspective to our own. 

A. Barnes Library: Curated Weekly Articles

  1. The Gallipoli example. https://responsiblestatecraft.org/veterans-iran/
  2. Private credit risks spread. https://substack.com/home/post/p-192317151
  3. Doomberg’s perspective. https://newsletter.doomberg.com/p/house-of-pain
  4. Exit ramps. https://www.cato.org/commentary/how-end-war-iran
  5. Dr. Malone exits. https://thehighwire.com/watch/

 *Bonus: Rescued by hanging onto a cliff. https://abc7news.com/post/live-crews-working-rescue-person-clinging-cliff-house-san-francisco/18773788/

B. Best of the Board: Five Fun Posts of the Week

  1. Comedic wisdom. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7802545/this-ones-for-you-janet-fly-the-friendly-skies
  2. American roulette. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7802590/seems-pretty-accurate-from-where-i-sit-both-parties-are-poison-they-just-have-different-ideas-on
  3. Light and shadow at the Lighthouse. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7802467/title
  4. Malone warns. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7801997/they-tried-it-s-over
  5. Ideas for reformers. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7802626/here-it-is-robertbarnes-a-highly-detailed-and-extensively-researched-list-for-1776-law-center-u

*Bonus: Art meets nature. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7801135/title

C. Homework: Cases of the Week for Sunday

  1. Free speech win. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2026/03/27/a_consent_decree_for_freedom_speech_153985.html
  2. Pentagon loses Anthropic block. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.465515/gov.uscourts.cand.465515.134.0.pdf
  3. North Carolina voter id upheld. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/nc-voter-id-naacp-hirsch-berger.pdf
  4. Environmentalists lose. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/reclamation-water-contracts-ruling.pdf
  5. Cop negligence. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/monica-liliana-v-san-diego-ruling.pdf
  6. Musk loses. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/x-advertiser-boycott-lawsuit-dismissed.pdf
  7. Musk loses again. https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/elon-musk-challenges-twitter-fraud-verdict-flags-4-20-joke-as-jury-bias-93424.htm
  8. Facebook loses. https://courthousenews.com/meta-and-google-hit-with-6-million-verdict-for-social-media-harms-to-young-woman/
  9. Facebook loses again. https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/new-mexico-department-of-justice-wins-landmark-verdict-against-meta/
  10. SCOTUS: copyright law. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-171_bq7d.pdf
  11. SCOTUS: more immunity. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-297_bqm2.pdf
  12. SCOTUS: mail-in voting argument. https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-1260_8njq.pdf

*Bonus: A joke lawsuit over Lion King. https://www.slashfilm.com/2133281/the-lion-king-circle-of-life-singer-comedian-learnmore-jonasi-lawsuit/

**Bonus: Google settles again. https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/open-lawsuit-settlements/5m-google-play-subscription-class-action-settlement/

***Bonus; MN sues over shootings. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.290713/gov.uscourts.dcd.290713.1.0_2.pdf

D. Deep Dive: Sources on X to Follow on Iran War

  1. War analyst. https://x.com/pati_marins64
  2. Former Israeli defense intelligence. https://x.com/citrinowicz
  3. War & geopolitics nerd. https://x.com/policytensor
  4. Commodity manager. https://x.com/tleilax___
  5. Geopolitics from an economics perspective. https://x.com/DarioCpx?

*Bonus: War nerd. https://x.com/ripplebrain

III. CLOSING ARGUMENT: An Answer to My Critics on Iran War

  • A few common complaints recur. Their most continuous error is the failure to step back and provide an effective overview. What are the rewards you seek? What is the probability the means you employ will obtain those rewards? What are the risks of using those means to obtain those rewards? What is the probability of those risks coming to fruition? This simple 4-step analysis is the very thing the critics can’t seem to meaningfully engage. Instead, the criticisms tend to conflate wishful thinking with geopolitical realism. 
  • For example: “Are you saying you want the Islamic regime in Iran to be the hegemon in the Middle East?” Nope. I am saying the current war is more and more likely to make them such a hegemon. This common confusion conflates wishful thinking with geopolitical realism. Recognizing a likely reality doesn’t make it a desirable reality. Wishing for a particular outcome doesn’t make it happen. This isn’t a fairytale world. 
  • Another: “Sounds like Barnes is moving the goal posts by labeling Iran's proxies as 'resistance movements. ' lol” It is important to use consistent, objective definitions for a label like “terrorism”, rather than the subjective whims of calling those you don’t like “terrorists” but excuse the identical conduct by those you support as something else. Terrorism has a long standing broadly understood definition: “the unlawful use of violence against civilians to intimidate societies for politicized objectives.” By that definition, Iran’s support tends to be for rebels who mostly use violence against states or other armed rivals — e.g., the Houthis, Hezbollah and the Shia Militias in Iraq. By contrast, they fought ISIS more than we did. By our own State Department, more terrorism happens by Israel and US backed groups than by Iran. Pretending otherwise makes the Iran critics look hypocritical and fraudulent. Equally, and more importantly for American security interests, it makes Iran’s government not an imminent threat to Americans in our own homeland. As is, even if it did, the war creates far more terrorists who will target America.  
  • A third: “I guess a 4000km range missile doesn't worry Mr. Barnes. Personally, I would prefer a non-radioactive Middle East.” Once again, what is your evidence Iran would use nuclear armed ballistic missiles against the United States when they have whenever attacked us in our homeland, ever? Even if you believed that was so, how do you think the war reduces that risk? 
  • This fundamental failure to test their own assumptions, filter their own arguments through an objectively verifiable standard, and their dubious sourcing relying on emotional appeals, the critics reveal their lack of quality arguments for their position. 
  • My take: I see the reward of a peaceful, democratic, pro-American, pro-Israel regime in Iran as highly unlikely. I see the reward of an Iran incapable of making nuclear weapons as equally unlikely. I see the reward of a docile, submissive Iran, unsupportive of Shia rebel groups and the Palestinians as equally unlikely. Indeed, I see the risk of a more hostile, more likely to get nuclear weapons, more likely to embrace true terrorism, as the more probable outcome of the war. As important, I see the risk of Democratic dominance for a half-decade as much more likely than Iran becoming the 1978 Shah’s version of Iran, due to the betrayal to anti-war voters, the economic fallout from the conflict, the budgetary cost of the war, and the way it sucks all the oxygen out of the room from achieving any meaningful reforms of the kind Trump voters elected him to achieve.
  • It is that risk-reward analysis that leads to my skepticism toward the war. Those who disagree need to do so on those terms — what is the sought after reward?; what is the price, or risk, of the means chosen to obtain that reward?; compare and contrast the two to come to a decision about the policy preferences concerning the war. The fact the critics cannot even try to do so speaks volumes about the absence of good arguments on their side of supporting the war. 
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Robert Barnes@RobertBarnes
March 20, 2026
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The Barnes Brief: Weekend of March 20, 2026

I. INTRODUCTION 

**Alert: Amos Miller Special Dinner Fundraiser: https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7756876/1776-law-center-fundraiser-birthday-bash-at-amos-millers

A. Art of the Week

Persepolis: the ancient city of the Achaemenid Empire founded centuries ago by Darius the Great in succession from Cyrus. The Gate of All Nations invites visitors to this 3,000 year old ceremonial city celebrating the power of Persian culture and its echoing effect across the Iranian nation today. The Gate itself integrated the languages of the time — Elamite, Babylonian and Old Persian, with its symbols of strength but solemnity, showcasing power without threat, as the columns facing the public stand the Lamas, mythical legends with the bodies of a bull, the wings of an eagle, and the heads of the human leaders. Such legends still shape much of the Persian mindset to this day.  

B. Recommendation of the Week

A unique travelogue on Iran. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/161711.Mirrors_of_the_Unseen

C. Wisdom of the Week

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” Rumi. 

D. Appearances

  • LIVE w/ Tom Woods

https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7780307/tom-woods-interview

  • LIVE w/ Nina Infinity

II. THE EVIDENCE

*NOTE: A reminder: links are NOT endorsements of the authors or their interpretation of events, but intended to expand our library of understanding as well as expose ideas of distinct perspective to our own. 

A. Barnes Library: Curated Weekly Articles

  1. Russiagate lies. https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/20/fbi_misled_court_to_spy_on_second_trump_campaign_adviser_1171646.html
  2. Democrats lack growth agenda. https://www.liberalpatriot.com/p/democrats-dont-have-a-growth-program
  3. Iran war intent. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/how-iran-sees-war
  4. Hormuz risks. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2026/03/20/solving_the_hormuz_problem_imposing_costs_without_incurring_risk_153960.html
  5. Polling on who benefits from Iran War. https://substack.com/@greenwald/note/c-230246413

 *Bonus: The Greeks rescue the pets. https://www.oregonlive.com/nation/2026/03/greece-launches-animal-airlift-to-evacuate-pets-and-owners-from-mideast.html

B. Best of the Board: Five Fantastic Posts of the Week

  1. Board insight on F35. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7782690/this-is-exactly-the-weakness-i-have-been-pointing-out-in-the-f-35-design-for-years-it-uses-what-is
  2. RIP a legend. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7783832/chuck-norris-passed-away-one-of-those-men-you-just-expect-to-live-forever-thank-you-for-all-the-en
  3. Memeatic magic from the OG. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7784089/in-honor-of-chuck-norris
  4. Gas price reports from Europe. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7784098/well-we-have-hit-11-pr-gal-of-diesel-in-noway
  5. Board wisdom. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7782594/thinking-about-jd-vance-s-position-and-last-nights-bwb-comment-that-at-some-point-jd-should-step-a

*Bonus: Magical photography from a board member. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7782916/some-images-from-late-october-and-early-nov-2025-another-outing-with-my-wife-her-spotting-with-bi

C. Homework: Cases of the Week for Sunday

  1. SCOTUS: street preacher win! https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/olivier-city-of-brandon-scotus-opinion.pdf
  2. Joe Kent targeted. https://www.axios.com/2026/03/19/joe-kent-fbi-leak-investigation
  3. Richin verdict. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7779244/summary-of-closing-arguments-in-kouri-richie-trial
  4. DOJ withdraws abortion pill challenge. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/slap-in-the-face-major-pro-life-group-unloads-on-trump-admin-after-doj-moves-to-dismiss-abortion-pill-suits/
  5. Judicial coup against Kennedy. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/judge-says-hes-ruling-against-rfk-jr-move-to-block-gender-dysphoria-procedures-for-kids-6001419?utm_source=andshare
  6. Judicial coup against Kennedy part 2. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Murphy-vaccine-ruling.pdf
  7. AI plans. https://conservativeladiesofamerica.substack.com/p/nationwide-age-assurance-takes-center?triedRedirect=true
  8. Latest California insanity. https://www.thecollegefix.com/calif-democrats-advance-measure-to-allow-race-based-preferences-in-financial-aid/
  9. Powell plans to usurp Fed further. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2026/03/19/freekevin_153957.html
  10. Afroman wins. https://www.oregonlive.com/nation/2026/03/greece-launches-animal-airlift-to-evacuate-pets-and-owners-from-mideast.html
    Trump DOJ sues Harvard over Israel statements. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/justice-department-harvard-antisemitism-complaint.pdf
  11. Campaign disclosure laws. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/american-future-fund-ny-elections-appellant-brief.pdf
  12. Trump AG loses effort to support corporate farming. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/united-states-vs-california-ruling.pdf

*Bonus: Disney settles latest scam. https://courthousenews.com/disney-settles-livestream-subscriber-class-action-for-50-million/

**Bonus: States sue over mergers. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/attorneys-general-nexstar-lawsuit.pdf

***Bonus: Court clerk sues judge over libel & corruption. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/maness-tanner-complaint-political-defamation.pdf

D. Deep Dive: Private Capital Market Risks

  1. Financial system risks. https://goghieas.substack.com/p/is-private-credit-another-2008-not
  2. Liquidity issues. https://romulusstrategy.substack.com/p/the-liquidity-illusion-in-private
  3. Iran war ties. https://matein.substack.com/p/private-credits-meltdown-will-hurt
  4. Roaches exposed. https://eurodollaruniversity.substack.com/p/private-credit-and-the-return-of
  5. 2008 echoes. https://discussthetape.substack.com/p/the-butterfly-effect-what-is-really

*Bonus: A 401K/IRA perspective. https://felixprehn.substack.com/p/private-credit-risks-what-us-retirees

III. CLOSING ARGUMENT: Article I, Legislative Immunity

  • The Constitution affords Congress broad leniency in terms of transparency, internal operations, and immunity from the other branches of government in the exercise of its legislative duties. 
  • First, under Article 1, Section 5, Congress can exempt any of its proceedings from public transparency whenever it “may in their Judgment require secrecy” from the duty to keep and publish the journal of its proceedings. 
  • Second, under Article 1, Section 5, Congress “may determine the Rules of its Proceedings”, “punish members for disorderly Behavior”, and may expel a member “with the Concurrence of two-thirds.” 
  • Third, under Article 1, Section 6, the compensation of members of Congress can be set by them, and must be paid out of the Treasury, prohibiting the power of payment from the executive branch’s control of the Congress. The Twenty-Seventh Amendment, the last amendment to be passed, limits this power to “until an election” has “intervened” between the time of the passage of a compensation law and its enforcement. 
  • Fourth, under Article 1, Section 6, members of Congress are “privileged from arrest during their attendance” and during their transit, except for the limited crimes of Treason and Felony breach of the Peace. 
  • Fifth, under Article 1, Section 6, no member of Congress can be questioned “in any other place” for any of their “speech or debate in either house”, the so-called Speech & Debate clause immunity from libel and slander suits for their speech inside the Chamber. 
  • These privileges intend to afford members of Congress sufficient, but no more than sufficient, immunity from the other branches of government in order to capably, confidently, and competently perform their legislative duties. Of course, it can’t fix the corruptibility, cowardice, or constricted cognitive capacity of Congress. 
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Robert Barnes@RobertBarnes
March 13, 2026
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The Barnes Brief: Weekend of March 13, 2026

I. INTRODUCTION

**Alert: Amos Miller Special Dinner Fundraiser: https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7756876/1776-law-center-fundraiser-birthday-bash-at-amos-millers

A. Art of the Week

  • From a board member, this photo captures a place I want to someday retreat to — out in the woods, with a wood fireplace inside & out, in a cozy cabin that embraces its surroundings while escaping the busy, busy world of concrete interiors and crowd-field valleys between mountainous walls of sky-rising office towers and condos. A place to be still with nature and within it while outside its colder embrace. 

B. Recommendation of the Week

C. Wisdom of the Week

  • "My apprehension is traceable, too, to a belief that our republic has begun to retrace, step by step, the march of folly that led to the fall of the British and every other great empire.” Pat Buchanan, 1999.  

D. Appearances

II. THE EVIDENCE

*NOTE: A reminder: links are NOT endorsements of the authors or their interpretation of events, but intended to expand our library of understanding as well as expose ideas of distinct perspective to our own. 

A. Barnes Library: Curated Weekly Articles

  1. Myth of EU Military. https://eventsinukraine.substack.com/p/eu-weapons-complex-rises
  2. Populists oppose the war. https://x.com/PatrickBashamDI/status/2032186099804651697?s=20
  3. Trouble in private credit markets. https://www.aol.com/veteran-fund-manager-george-noble-093001166.html
  4. Cuba next? https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/03/13/cuba-confirms-talks-trump-economic-deal/89132765007/
  5. SAVE Act struggles. https://spectator.com/article/trump-defeat-senate-republicans-save-act/?edition=us&rcp=true

 *Bonus: Rescuing sloths.

B. Best of the Board: Five Fantastic Posts of the Week

  1. Tennessee toward top of move-in list. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7764685/title
  2. Truth. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7764970/they-had-a-golden-opportunity-squandered-to-do-the-bidding-of-another-country
  3. Humor. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7764477/been-there
  4. Epstein as global framing. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7765282/title
  5. Mematic truth. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7764927/title

*Bonus: Spooky day. https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/post/7765058/title

C. Homework: Cases of the Week for Sunday

  1. Antitrust settlement controversy. https://prospect.org/2026/03/09/live-nation-settlement-spurs-chaos-in-court/
  2. Social media to jury. https://courthousenews.com/landmark-social-media-addiction-trial-heads-to-jury/
  3. Israel lets war criminals walk. https://x.com/TRHLofficial/status/2032256539830972614?s=20
  4. Israel at ICJ. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/united-states-declaration-of-intervention-genocide-in-the-gaza-strip-icj.pdf.pdf
  5. Torture verdict. https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/251043.P.pdf
  6. Judges protect DEI. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/institute-for-applied-ecology-v-burgum-opinion-dei-grants.pdf
  7. Online risks to kids. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/netchoice-vs-bonta-opinion.pdf
  8. Richins murder trial. https://www.fox13now.com/news/crime/kouri-richins-defense-team-surprisingly-rests-case-without-calling-single-witness
  9. Qui Tam win over Pharma fraud. https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/241793.P.pdf
  10. Necessary parties. https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/232316.P.pdf
  11. Trans care mandates. https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/movaokabwva/USA_HEALTH_TRANSGENDER_WESTVIRGINIA.pdf
  12. 1st Amendment in schools. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/BB-Capistrano-Unified-ninth-circuit-opinion.pdf

*Bonus: Italy court affirms citizenship limits. https://www.cortecostituzionale.it/uploads/release/69b2adc90cb9b.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawQgK8hleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0UG41c3M1aWhsTHZ4U1lyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhvXqFDR4BGvMTH3XKnxYxpQ-KxzoZCTGOtJDHeTDemH3z9pPKTgaJtL2dME_aem_rFeIHB6Nrrwte1UJXunMPA

**Bonus: Limits of Anti-SLAPP. https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/OpinionsPDFVersion/Majority%20Opinion%20-%20W2022-01636-SC-R11-CV.pdf

***Bonus: EV Mandate. https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/trump-california-ev-mandate-complaint.pdf

D. Deep Dive: Iran War Risks

  1. $50B more for Iran War. https://debtdispatch.substack.com/p/5-reasons-the-us-should-not-spend
  2. Battle of weapons attrition. https://mrandrewfox.substack.com/p/the-iran-war-is-now-an-ammunition
  3. Epic Folly? https://richardhaass.substack.com/p/epic-folly-march-12-2026
  4. China? https://greenwald.substack.com/p/iran-war-supporters-invent-a-new
  5. Nukes? https://sonar21.com/should-iran-build-a-nuke-game-theory-says-yes/

*Bonus: Chess strategy needed. https://fallows.substack.com/p/the-arrogance-of-ignorance

III. CLOSING ARGUMENT: Article I, Defining War Crimes 

  • Two sources in the Constitution provide the power to Congress to define war crimes. 
  • First, Section 8 of Article I provides three separate sources of legislative authority, as Congress is a body of only defined, express powers, not inferred, implicit or broad powers. Article 1, Section 8 provides that Congress “shall have Power” to “define and punish Piracies and Felonies on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations”; “to declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water”; “to make Rules for the government and Regulation of the land and Naval forces.”
  • Second, the Congress enjoys the power to enforce Treaties. Article VI provides “all Treaties made, and which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land.” 
  • The phrase “the Law of Nations” derives from a popular scholastic legal work in many a library of the Founding generation entitled: The Law of Nations, or Principles of the Law of Nature, Applied to the Conduct and Affairs of Nations and Sovereigns” by Emmerich de Vattel, published in 1758. Today, we know it by another name: international customs and law. 
  • First, Vattel’s Law of Nations recognized war as illegal, and any actions taken in its kinetic course and conduct, as a crime against the law of nations whenever it is fought for reasons other than self-defense and securing essential rights of sovereignty, and even then, only after meaningful sincere diplomatic and peaceful efforts fail. This was colloquially called Just War, influenced by the Catholic intellectual tradition especially. 
  • Second, Vattel’s Law of Nations required moderation, sparing civilians, treating prisoners with humanity, and especially prohibited denying quarter to those who have not violated the laws of war. 
  • The early Congresses recognized their obligations to declare war by authorizing conflict with France, the Barbary pirates, and American tribes on the frontier. Presidents Washington, Adams and Jefferson all recognized their requirement for Congressional authorization to initiate force against foreign adversaries. 
  • The very first Congress also accepted this Constitutional authorization and included the law of nations violations in its first Judiciary Act of 1789. The very first criminal prosecution ever in federal courts enforced these Law of Nations against Gideon Henfield for violating America’s neutrality in the British-French wars at the time. Chief Justice Jay identified the source of law for the prosecution: the Law of Nations, which Congress gave the courts the power to enforce under the Judiciary Act of 1789. 
  • Treaties signed by the President and affirmed by the requisite vote in the Senate governing conduct in kinetic conflicts include: the Geneva Convention; The Hague Conventions; and the Pact of Paris of 1928. Congress codified several of the precepts and principles from these treaties and conventions into federal statutory criminal law, such as section 2441 of Title 18 of the United States Code, which include the death penalty as a possible sentence. 
  • The key criminal prohibitions for grave violations of these treaties and the Law of Nations, include: torture; curly or inhumanity toward anyone in custody or control; biological experiments; and murder, mutilation, maiming, or serious bodily injury in violations of the law of war, including harm to anyone “taking no active part in the hostilities” which include those “out of combat” for any reason, such as the injuries, detained or “any other cause.” The law excludes Antone harmed from “collateral damage” or “lawful attack.” 
  • Thus, the Law of Nations still guides American law, as it has from the founding the of the nation, and expressly referenced within the explicit powers of Congress to enforce, be it by treaty or particular statute, or simply judicial authority to prosecute or punish. 
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