White House Japan Summit Dinner Featured TechGods & PEUs

TechGods of Spying (Palantir's Alex Karp & Shyam Sankar) and War (Anduril's Palmer Luckey) joined other insiders at the White House Dinner as part of the U.S. Japan summit.  Financial juggernauts BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, Softbank and Mastercard were represented.  Las Vegas Sands, Open AI, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries executives also attended.  

Most of the private equity underwriters (PEU) who attended did so in their professional role within the Trump Administration, J.D. Vance (Narya Capital), Howard Lutnick (GCM Grosvenor), Doug Burgum (Arthur Ventures) and Scott Bessent (Key Square Capital).  Senator Bill Hagerty (Haggerty Peterson & Co) was also at the White House dinner.

TechGod and PEU Peter Theil is an investor in both companies, Palantir and Anduril.  He met with the Japanese Prime Minister weeks before the White House visit where Trump II compared the U.S./Israeli attack on Iran to Pearl Harbor for its surprise nature.  

There is a different surprise attack going on.  Polticians Red & Blue love PEU and their new TechGod brethren.  Increasingly, more are one and they are taking all the spoils. 

Update 3-22-26:  Alex Karp's Palantir has the corner on domestic surveillance.  Take that, Anthropic!

The company cut its teeth protecting Bilderbergers, where Alex Karp and Peter Thiel served on its steering committee.

CNN: Carlyle Vice Chairman Back, Much Left Unsaid

It's becoming a weekly event for Carlyle Group Vice Chairman Admiral James Stavridis to be interviewed by Michael Smerconish with no disclosure as to the man's day job.  

Stavridis could have provided color on Carlyle co-founder David Rubenstein's decision to sell 500,000 shares of stock for over $23 million.  Surely, the man's tax bill went down like other billionaires in his class.  

Is Rubenstein funding another historical project as part of his "patriotic philanthropy," the political sales pitch for his longtime "carried interest" tax dodge?  

Does he plan to invest the money in his daughter Alexa's new PEU fund based in West Palm Beach, Florida - the New Cracker Wall Street?

Later on Smerconish interviewed the parents of Sam Bankman-Fried about his "innocence."  For a lawyer Smerconish went light on the legal details that contributed to SBF's conviction.  

SBF and David Rubenstein both invested in Paxos, alongside numerous other TechGods and private equity underwriters (PEU).  SBF approach Rubenstein for an investment as FTX neared financial trouble.  Rubenstein passed.

Co-mingling customer funds with company trading accounts is a longtime financial sin that has taken down many executives.  

Back to Admiral Stavridis and his day job, global strategy at Carlyle.  I am sure he is working overtime to assess the impact on Carlyle's portfolio and where/how to put their giant vaults of dry powder to work.  Trump II's country by country takeover has a strong economic motivation as "deal makers earn deal fees" and he needs greater net worth.

Consider this from another PEU, Skybridge Capital's Anthony Scaramucci:

...the U.S. and its allies had developed a “systemic blind spot” after the Berlin Wall fell, treating liberal democracy's victory as inevitable and making economic mistakes that fueled political and cultural fractures. 

He admitted that, as a young Wall Street analyst, he had ignored the concerns of American workers while leaders justified offshoring, trade integration, and China's WTO entry.

It was the PEU boys who bought U.S. companies and shuttered factories, sending jobs overseas.  Politicians provided them tax breaks that helped millionaires become billionaires.  

The factories are "coming back" but they will be automated.  Carlyle's Stavridis may be working on this, but we know Jeff Bezos is as well.  Axios reported:

(Bezos) is in talks to raise $100 billion for a fund that would buy manufacturing companies "and seek to use AI technology to accelerate their path to automation."

TechGods and at least one Trump boy have a stake in factory automation company Hadrian.  Don Jr. is a partner for 1789 Capital which took a stake in Hadrian two months ago.

Stavridis could have talked about:

1.  the Trump's race to expand the American economic pie by raiding other countries or 
2. the PEU race within the race to garner larger and larger chunks of Uncle Sam's budget in the new Red Team's "state capitalism" or 
3. the race to paper over criminal behavior in our new anything goes business environment.  

That I would have found more interesting.

Greasy Palms: Team Trump II

Corey Lewandowski, former Special Advisor to Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem, is alleged to have asked for a cut of any deal contractors made with the department.

...wanted to be compensated based on the company’s new or renewed contracts with DHS, the two sources said. 

 “He wanted payments — what some people would call a success fee.”

This is a widespread practice amongst the private equity underwriting (PEU) crowd.  It is also pervasive in Trump world, where the White House looks the other way for members of its team.

The U.S. government has gone "deal maker" under Trump II.  From his inauguration the Trump boys have targeted (front run) dad's strategic initiatives for profit.

Deal fees can be direct or indirect.  

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's boys as well as Steve Witkoff's kids are benefitting mightily from Trump II.

Stable coin Tether is based outside the United States and has never conducted a financial audit of its operation, despite news announcements of such last March.

The White House announced a fraud initiative focused on federal benefit programs.  

It mentioned the use of third party contractors.  You guessed it, Don Jr.'s 1789 Capital invested in such a firm last November.

Nobody acts on insider information better than the Trumps and members of their inner circle.  They have a Washington, D.C. club with that as a mission.  The Executive Branch Club is just that.  

And you and I aren't in it.

$TRUMP: Leveraged Political Access Bet

Trump II's memecoin has the following disclaimer:

Trump Memes are intended to function as an expression of support for, and engagement with, the ideals and beliefs embodied by the symbol "$TRUMP" and the associated artwork, and are not intended to be, or to be the subject of, an investment opportunity, investment contract, or security of any type.

 And Trump II's second dinner contest caused a 354% rise in $TRUMP derivatives volume?  I believe derivatives are investment contracts.

Trump II's first dinner nearly doubled his meme-coin price from roughly $8 to $16 during the contest period.  

His second is less impactful to date.  It has gone from $2.75 to currently $3.40 (with a rise to $4.25 in between).

"It's long term value is tied to Donald Trump's political relevance," which is ebbing by the tantrum and savage whim.  

A new poll on Donald Trump found that 65% of polled Americans say “arrogant” applies “a lot” to the president. More than half also describe him as “opportunistic” (57%), “reckless” (56%), “dishonest” (54%), and “corrupt” (54%).

Derivatives are risky bets, the kind Trump II would want to take (his ideals and beliefs).  Are you "all in" for Trump II's global casino rampage?  It could get you a free meal.

Old & New PEU Fed Chairs

Trump II's nominee for the Fed Chair is Kevin Warsh, who works for Stanley Drunkenmiller's Duquense Family Office.  Kevin manages the firm's private equity portfolio.  

Private equity underwriters (PEU) came up short in returns the last few years for a large Canadian pension.  It lost that pension 5.3%.

This pension essentially managed their own private equity portfolio, I imagine much like Kevin Warsh at Duquense.

I am sure many of you recall Apollo's Marc Rowan calling private credit, essentially investment grade.  That has not aged well.

Unfortunately many Americans have been sold private equity and private credit investments in their retirement funds.  Extend and pretend has been the mantra on both sides, equity and credit.  

Economic stressors tend to expose criminal behavior or the inability to handle a formerly survivable financial event.  

PEU Kevin Warsh will be installed as Fed Chair, replacing another Trump appointed PEU in Jay Powell.  

Politicians Red & Blue love PEU and their new TechGod brethren.  Increasingly, more are one.

Update:  Carlyle's 2018 European PEU fund has also performed poorly.

TechGods & PEUs Intend to Deliver Hell

Trump II never followed Christ's Gospels.  Love God and love your neighbor?  In his mind that's for suckers and losers.  Trump II is a deal maker.  Deal makers brutalize their victims, earning deal fees, directly and indirectly.

TechGod and Chief Heretic Peter Thiel has been dispatched to Rome (next to the Vatican city/state) to distort the Book of Revelations.   

Thiel might as well be wearing an "I am the Anti-Christ" hat with his unrestrained, unethical tech that seeks to usurp God at every turn. 

It's as darkly comical as Trump II pretending to be a great leader. Both Thiel and Trump cannot get enough prizes on this earthly plane. 

Bottomless is their greed, lust for power, abuse of others and need to control.  Our elected officials and their billionaire supporters, private equity underwriters (PEU) and TechGods, are crafting a literal hell on earth for most of its occupants.  

TechGods and PEUs promised only good but the public knows they've delivered far more evil than advertised.  TechGods don't allow their kids access to their products, except on a very limited basis.  

Most workers have experienced a PEU buyout of their employer and know the "shit show" that follows.  

Voters sense that elected officials cater to this billionaire class and reluctantly consider the little people around election time as their votes are needed to remain in power.  

TechGods & PEUs are legion in the U.S. political systems and are intertwined in Gordian fashion.  Christ could cast out this multitude of demons but he is not physically here.  

It is time to reverse the toxic tide that floated the privileged in their super-yachts and drowned so many.  

Politicians Red & Blue love PEU and their new TechGod brethren.  Increasingly, more have been one.  Let's make that a decreasingly in November.  

Conflicts Undeclared: McHenry's "This Week"

Former Interim Speaker of the House Patrick McHenry served on a political panel Sunday morning.  The host did not share any information about McHenry's current work, where his Congressional service to TechGods and private equity underwriters (PEU) paid off handsomely.  

McHenry has at least nine high paying gigs.  Lazard and a16z represent the old bastion (PEU) and new  guard (TechGod) of finance.  McHenry is Senior Advisor at both.

His other Senior Advisor roles are with Stripe, Equipifi and the Coalition for Prediction Markets.  

McHenry is on the Advisory Board for BGR Group a D.C. based lobbying firm that specializes in big money and high tech.  BGR lobbies for McHenry's a16z.

Other roles include Vice Chairman for Ondo Finance, a blockchain/tokenized securities fintech.  He is also on the Board of Directors for a digital bank, LiveOak Bank, which aims to be America's small business bank.  

That should give McHenry a unique perspective when looking at a16z's fintech Synapse collapse.  

"the amount of the “shortfall” in customer funds was between $65 million and $95 million"

Marc Andreessen's a16z walked away from Synapse carcass with nary a peep or care.  He did set up an office in Washington, D.C. to deter any accountability.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) set aside $46 million for jilted Synapse account holders.  

Trump II has the CFPB in his sights for disruption and dismantling, a move likely applauded by TechGods and PEUs.

McHenry is working hard, raking in the green, all for his and his numerous employers' behalf. There is little left for the common person, no service, no protection, no voice, no advocacy and no recourse after these guys "jack stuff up."   

"It's overwhelming because you really feel like you are up against this huge wall that you can't penetrate. There's nothing that you can do. And they don't care."

Politicians Red & Blue love PEU and their new TechGod brethren.  Increasingly, more are one.  

Trump Grynesty Loots the Globe

Founder Jared Kushner already has billions in Middle East money to invest through Affinity Partners, a relatively new private equity underwriter (PEU).  Jared is seeking $5 billion more.  

Simultaneously Jared is Trump II's international negotiator, alongside Steve Witkoff of The Witkoff Group. PEU Report wrote about their diplomatic push to war.  

Trump is executing his hostile takeover of Iran.  The world saw Jared's ability to take that which is not his in Davos, Switzerland:

The imagery was sleek, the promises grand. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, presented a “Trump economic development plan” for Gaza—complete with AI-generated renderings of glass towers and marinas which reimagined the devastated enclave as a futuristic tourist destination. 

However, these glossy images bear little relation to the reality of a population emerging from a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Famine was recently declared, over a million people lack adequate shelter, and the health system has collapsed. Trump’s plan would obliterate Gaza’s history and society by imposing a top-down economic and tourism model. Few Palestinians, if any, have been consulted in its development: in the absence of Palestinian agency, President Trump will “exercise all power and authorities” as chairman of the Board of Peace (BoP).[1] - European Council on Foreign Relations

Jared's financial disclosure is due soon for his White House special envoy role.  It should be somewhat revealing, as much as the PEU boys are actually willing to share.  It's private equity and private capital, meaning none of anyone else's business (outside us insider connected billionaires).

The Pentagon is forming its own internal PEU and needs greed and leverage talent.  Cerberus PEUs holds top spots in the Pentagon and its Office of Strategic Capital.

Lorch needs a few heartless finance/tech bros (the kind that staffed DOGE).  

Lorch was Director and VP for The Meadows of Wickenburg, a high end mental health treatment facility for the rich and famous.  Yes, that includes political types.

Back to the Pentagon new PEU office, which needs a PEU good men.

You realize who is to be enriched by these public PEU efforts...

There is a pattern here for those willing to pull back far enough to see.

The fish rots from the head down as the government is being remade on the inside in PEU/TechGod image.  For this "economic statecraft", the little people suffer.  

It's Trump II's Greed Dynasty... and his Grynasty will wear us down.  

Update 3-17-26:  Semafor found the pattern:

This same newsletter had:

Admiral James Stavridis, the former supreme allied commander of NATO and a vice chair at Carlyle, told Semafor last year that a postwar Iran could be “the big investment opportunity in the Middle East.” An educated population of 90 million people with good demographic trends and a strong national culture — “they believe in themselves as Persians,” he said — could “look like the reconstruction of the Korean peninsula after the end of the Korean War.”

TechGods and PEUs want to profit from the war as well as its aftermath.  

Trump II Pumps Memecoin: Dinner Redux

Crypto whales bid up Trump II's flagging memecoin ($TRUMP), rescuing it from a new low around $2.75.  TechGods, CryptoBros and Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) Chiefs continue to throw good money after bad just to butter up our Global Tamperer in Chief.  

Catch the hype!

It was nice of Trump II to make it look like these people actually have the option of saying no.  Pick your poison, Florsheim shoes, WLFI token, USD1, a giant Ballroom donation?  Whatever you choose, it's Trump II's will that gets done.  Not yours.

The last "dinner competition" pumped $TRUMP to the $16-17 range.  It's been in a marked decline since, recently breaking $3.

Access....insiders....welcome to Trumplandia where everything is denominated and all proceeds go to Trump II and his conflicted family.  This too shall pass.

Update:  The SWF ask is actually far higher as Jared Kushner is seeking $5 billion in new investments from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE for his Affinity Partners PEU.  Nothing like a protection racket to motivate funders....

Trump comes out with another creepy, conflicted billionaire crypto-bribing opportunity and immediately attacks the media.  LOOK AWAY!!!!

Trump II is the troll that lives under the bridge and all who cross must pay a massive toll, otherwise known as a tariff.  No toll and the troll dines on your flesh and bones.  Later, it steals your house.

Finally, a crypto website called it like it is:

$TRUMP, a meme-coin with no utility, dependent on Trump II's political relevance. which is waning rapidly after his terrible call to wage his War of Choice on Iran.  The coin has been in the crapper for quite some time.  

Trump II does not know it but he is done.  Donald is no Tricky Dick.  He will fight dirty every step of the way and take down as many around him as possible.  

Update 3-18-26:  The Trump meme website has this on the conference and dinner event:

April 2026 Conference and Gala Luncheon Event 

• The April 2026 Conference and Gala Luncheon Event (the “2026 Event”) is scheduled to take place on April 25, 2026 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida but may be rescheduled to a different date or location, as determined in our sole discretion. 

• President Trump may not be able to attend the 2026 Event, and the 2026 Event may be cancelled for any reason (including, but not limited to, a force majeure event). In the event President Trump is unable to attend the 2026 Event, or if the 2026 Event does take place, then in our sole discretion, the 2026 Event may be rescheduled to another date, or persons who are qualified for the 2026 Event will receive a limited edition TRUMP NFT in lieu thereof. 

• All expenses incurred by the verified Gala Luncheon recipients in connection with attending the 2026 Event (including, but not limited to, travel costs, ground and other transportation, parking, meals, gratuities and incidental hotel expenses) are the sole responsibility of verified 2026 Event recipients. 

• All 2026 Event attendees must be 18 years or older and the age of majority in their local jurisdiction, will be required to sign a release and any other requested documents, must meet the 2026 Event eligibility requirements, and must undergo a security and background check and investigation and be approved in advance as determined by us in our sole discretion. 

We reserve the right, in its sole discretion, to invite additional guests to the 2026 Event beyond the initial number of attendees, subject to such guests meeting all applicable eligibility, security, and background check requirements set forth herein.

Whales Gorge on $TRUMP

Yesterday Trump II's memecoin had "no catalyst" to break its year long plunge.  Today it went up 54.5%.  One prior boost came from TechGod purchases for the "dinner with the President" opportunity.  Other bump ups occurred in conjunction with Saudi Arabian economic summits.

Today's massive rise comes as Middle East governments (with giant sovereign wealth funds-SWF) wrestle with protecting their public from Iranian retaliation for Trump II's War of Choice.

It also occurs after Iran's new Supreme Leader indicated TechGod facilities are fair targets under the current war.  Might either group have steered protection money to $TRUMP?  Maybe both...

I can imagine Trump II asking TechGods and Middle East governments to show him some love.  Deal fees can be direct or indirect.  

Trump Billionaires Club Game has been pushed back yet again.  That may be cover for $TRUMP's next big rise (also, a more palatable political influence laundering opportunity).  However, TechGods and Middle East monarchs don't care about hiding their money flaunting and the political benefit it buys.  And Trump II is shameless in his overt selling of same.

Update:  Trump will host a dinner at Mara-Lago for the top 297 $TRUMP holders with the top 29 having VIP privileges.  It was nice of Trump II to give TechGods and SWF Chiefs a reason to go "all in" on his waning memecoin.

Update 3-14-26:  WSJ found the story.  A White House official stated Trump is not confirmed to attend the event.  Someone is out of the communication loop.  

Dominari Does Defense Drones

Dominari invested in a golf course company, Aureus Greenway Holdings, which will merge with a private military drone manufacturer, Powerus.

Not long ago Aureus Greenway was at risk of losing its NASDAQ listing.  Since then the company ditched its Chairman and CEO, the Cheung brothers.  One's name is Stephen but he is not Trump II's White House Communications Director. 

Somehow the Cheung's firm effectively turned into a NASDAQ SPAC for Powerus.  Other firms in the deal include a Korean private equity underwriter (PEU), Unusual Machines and the Agostinelli Group, a family office funded by PEU money.

Trump II spent last week at Trump Doral pushing domestic military use in the Americas to take on "the cartels."  His sons then "spin in" a drone company and can profit from Dad/Trump II's vision.

Powerus has three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Kaizen Aerospace, Inc., which develops heavy-lift UAS platforms capable of 500-pound-plus payloads; Tandem Defense LLC, which builds tactical defense platforms; and Agile Autonomy LLC, which specializes in maritime surveillance systems.

Understandably, Eric is excited about it.

The Trump boys were already in Aureus via Dominari, which the pair heavy-lifted from an anonymous basement near Wall Street. (They office in the Trump Tower)

Once Eric employs the drones to get rid of that "gopher cartel," he and Don Jr. will be free to front-run other federal initiatives pushed by their father.  

The pattern begins with an engorged Trump II summit.  Days later out comes a new corporate announcement by the boys riding that summit's momentum.  It's all one Trump package with Velcro straps and extra absorbency.

Liquidity flows the Trumps' way until it doesn't.  At that point I expect them to scream their greedy, beady little heads off.  I'm sure some obscenely rich donor will then show up with a capital injection.

Politicians Red & Blue love PEU and their new TechGod brethren.  Increasingly, more are one and their sons shall be far richer than their fathers.

Update 3-11-26:  Lo and behold:

“Following the transaction, these (golf) properties are expected to continue operations and may serve as proving grounds for Powerus precision agriculture drone systems.”

Gopher cartels, beware! Also, I'm not sure another profit making boondoggle for the boys is the support U.S. farmers are expecting.

Update 3-18-26:  Aureus reported on March 11th the "closing of its previously announced private placement ($9 million) with institutional and accredited investors on March 10, 2026.... The Private Placement was originally announced on March 9, 2026...  Dominari Securities LLC acted as sole placement agent for the Private Placement." 

OTC Markets reported:

Under the terms of the agreement, Powerus will merge with and into a newly-formed subsidiary of AGH, with Powerus continuing as the surviving entity and AGH adopting the name “Powerus Corporation.” The combined company expects to be listed on Nasdaq under the ticker “PUSA.” The merger transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies and a majority of each company’s stockholders.

Anybody want to buy some PUSA?  The deal is expected to close in Summer 2026.

Trump $250B

Surely Americans will want to celebrate Trump II's net worth hitting $250 billion by the end of his term in office.  

Really, nobody has seen anything like it, the lying, the cheating, the insider dealing by the people already on top.

Trump II's meme-coin $TRUMP hit a new low this week.  "Celebrate our win & have fun" was the sales pitch when it was released days prior to his second inauguration.  

This is YOUR chance to join a community that’s all about fighting for what matters. The TRUMP Meme encourages a culture of success & optimism to make the world a better place. Go TRUMP!

Contrast that with the crypto sites who act like there are serious market dynamics for $TRUMP, tying it to Bitcoin, citing support prices and market fundamentals.  Is it a fun way to funnel money into Trump's pocket or an actual financial product that mostly loses money for Red Team investors?  It's clearly both at this stage.

$TRUMP is down from its all time high of $74.27.  It's trading around $2.90 this morning.

Those who bought at the top have a 96% loss.  I imagine that would feel like failure and be depressing to anyone on a tight budget with no rainy day funds.

Whatever the Trumps make from this is gravy.  It is literally money from nothing.  The huge bonus,  trading fees are a nice source of regular income ($millions).  

Reuters reported:

The U.S. president’s family raked in more than $800 million from sales of crypto assets in the first half of 2025 alone, a Reuters examination found, on top of potentially billions more in unrealized “on paper” gains. Much of that cash has come from foreign sources as Donald Trump's sons have touted their business on an international investor roadshow.

STRUMP got several boosts in price around Saudi Arabian Economic Summits.  Middle Eastern money may be wavering on Trump II given his War of Choice in Iran.  If they walk away $TRUMP may meet its demise sooner.  If not, remember "dilution is coming!" with future unlocks.

Politicians Red & Blue love PEU (private equity underwriters) and their new TechGod brethren,  Increasingly, more are one.  This is the method of wealth transfer.  

Trump II inserts himself into their deals and deal makers get deal fees, directly or indirectly.  That means lots more deals so PEUMP up the VOLUME!!!  Trump II's got a net worth target to hit and he clearly enjoys striking.

Update 3-11-26:  This is for Trump's other crypto offering (WLFI):

Trump dilutes and usurps everything...

"AI Promoter" American Edge's Dark Advisors

The American Edge Project, a TechGod lobbying group, currently has a commercial singing the praises of AI.  I wanted to know more about the folks pushing unrestrained AI on our citizenry.

Flashback to June 2020 before Tech giants were elevated to TechGod status:

Ten organizations today urged Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to shut down American Edge, a new political advocacy group that Facebook launched to influence federal policymaking through advertising and political spending.

After watching the Cane Brew commercial with its Matthew McConaughey like CEO, I looked under the bottle cap to sample its leadership content.  

American Edge had the necessary Red & Blue political stars on their various advisory boards.  Nearly all are private equity underwriters (PEU) ranging from Pine Island Capital to Liberty Strategic Capital to Fortress to Google Partners.  

Their advisory board is a walk down memory lane.  Two members, Frances Townsend and Greg Walden, played a significant role in PEU Report stories over the years.  

Fran wrote the White House Lessons Learned Report on Hurricane Katrina which omitted the hospital with the highest patient death toll, Lifecare Hospitals, a Carlyle Group affiliate.  It's nice when the White House does your risk management for you.  Fran went on to work for Carlyle advisor James A. Baker's law firm advising corporations on how to get out of their government messes.  She then joined PEU MacAndrew & Forbes before going to Activision, which is selling to Affinity Partners and Middle East sovereign wealth funds.  

Greg Walden was head of the National Republican Congressional Committee's (NRCC's) oversight function during the years Chief Financial Officer Chris Ward embezzled over $1 million.  Walden's group could not provide the basic oversight required by a local nonprofit organization, getting a financial audit and have it presented by the partners in the audit firm.

It's no wonder the American Edge Project is doing the TechGod's bidding (like Fran did for Carlyle) and asking for no oversight (like Walden did for the NRCC).

What comes around goes around.  Politicians Red & Blue love PEU and their new TechGod brethren.  Increasingly, more are one.

PEU Generals & Admirals Everywhere

ABC's This Week interviewed Admiral Mike Mullen this morning about Trump II's War of Choice on Iran.  Yesterday, CNN's Michael Smerconish interviewed Admiral James Stavridis about the same topic.  Neither network revealed their conflicts of interest from their private equity ties.

Admiral Mullen's C5 Capital is "tackling some of the biggest societal issues that corrode global security and disrupt peace."  That sounds germane to the current outbreak of war.

C5 was founded by South African born Andre Pienaar who calls himself a "cybersecurity, space and energy expert and investor.  He does not have the same name recognition as Elon Musk or Peter Thiel but he is politically connected. 

Pienaar serves on the Advisory Board of the U.S. Institute of Peace which was renamed in December 2025 to the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.  That board is currently under disruption like everything Trump II, private equity underwriters (PEU) and TechGods touch.

An SEC filing stated:

Admiral Michael Mullen, Ret. joined the Pine Island Capital Partners team in 2018.  

Mullen was not alone in getting a free pass on his conflicts of interest.  The Carlyle Group's Admiral James Stavridis got same. 

Surely, Carlyle's global strategists are working overtime with the seismic remaking of industries and the globe, something they have had a hand in for decad

Thank heaven for the French.  They may be the first to surrender in war, but they did not surrender to conflicted warriors.  Their interview with General David Petraeus disclosed his PEU role with KKR and his numerous positions, one of which deals with the Middle East.

The PEU Admirals & Generals have returned to the airwaves, no longer afraid that Trump II might twist their words or whack heir firm in retaliation for anything less than "Trump is great, Trump is good and I thank him for our food."

It's risk taking time, everything, everywhere and all at once.  Where are the sane minds in Congress and the Supremes?  Many are retiring, so I hear.  How many will end up on a PEU or TechGod payroll?  

And how many PEU/TechGod candidates will emerge to replace them?

Politicians Red & Blue love PEU and their new TechGod brethren.  Increasingly, more are one and for this many suffer needlessly.

Update 3-11-26:  This morning CNN interviewed Brig. General Steven Anderson.  I found he was Chief Growth Officer for Sallyport Global.  Sallyport was acquired by Michael Baker which was acquired by Acuity International, which is an affiliate of PEU DC Capital Partners.  Their Advisory Board is chock full of military brass:

Brig Gen. Anderson is now with the Bodwe Group.  In 2025 Bodwe paired up their Native American non-gaming operations with a service disabled, veteran owned logistics company.  .

The integration is so deep at this point, there may not be a PEU way out.

Update 3-17-26:  Another PEU military retiree getting time on Fox News is Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan, Advisor for McNally Capital since August 2025.  

McNally Capital has an equity stake in the Gaza aide provider (Safereach Solutions) that played a role in Israel's ramping up the misery index for Palestinians.  

Shield the Little People, Lord

Trump II hosted similarly oriented leaders at his Trump National Doral for the launch of the Shield of the Americas.  Let me guess:  This shield involves a bunch of high tech stuff that is obscenely expensive and enriches the already richest people on the planet.  And that shield, which includes a high tech military, will be used against "the cartels."

It is the seventh day of Trump II's War of Choice on Iran, a historic "fully integrated, multi-domain operation."  No wonder Iran is blowing up data centers.  TechGods will not be pleased.

Trump II wants to open up Iran to the West and direct where their natural resources go while using oil proceeds to buy TechGod products/services and invest in unsellable private equity underwriter (PEU) affiliates/secondary offerings.

World leaders may not be aware that showing up to any meeting with Trump II is at their peril.  They risk being used, usurped and/or reduced to a prop in Trump II's irreality play. 

Chris Whalen of The Institutional Risk Analyst wrote:

The year 2025 was another year of magical thinking ℅ Donald Trump, a man whose mere presence in the room causes everyone else to descend to their most base level. Trump came to Washington as a president who spurned convention and embraced crypto currencies. 

He rejected New Deal regulation and shamelessly encouraging greed and self-interest in a way not seen since the years following WWI. The impact on financial markets is profound and may continue for some time.

Trump's military escapades are hostile takeovers of attractive targets, formerly known as sovereign countries.  He's a deal maker and deal makers earn deal fees.

Trump II's usurping is ceaseless, driven by want.  It's a form of resource lust.  That combined with his desire to dominate means nearly everyone and everything is a potential target. 

Greed is the language of PEUs and disruption the signature mark of TechGods. 

Lord, shield us from the takers of the world and their violence.  Soften their hearts such that they can fully rejoin the human family and fulfill what Christ taught us, to love you and to love our neighbor.  

Update:  TechGods hate when one of their own (a former Palantir engineer) reveals the rigged game and offers to work on behalf of the little people.  They want government power and resources trained in their direction. 

TechGods are good at stealing, but bad on sharing or making whole people damaged by their products/services.  

Jilted Synapse "bank" customers could use some of what Andreessen Horowitz is passing around.  Might those Synapse account losers show up at Joe Lonsdale's Erebor Bank, the new Bank of TechGods?  They'd be smart not to touch it.  "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

Update 3-11-26:  Prayers for the little people may become more important if Trump II's irreality becomes completely disconnected from the widespread harm he has unleashed with his War of Choice on Iran.  Expect lots of brain breaking behavior from Trump II who will accept not one iota of responsibility for jacking anything, much less everything up.