Morning Brief: Chicago Pushes Back as Trump Threatens National Guard Deployment, Venezuela Deploys Warships to Counter Drug Trafficking

· Guy D. McCardle

USCG Law Enforcement Detachment 404 interdicts a vessel 17 miles northeast of Silva, Venezuela, July 11, 2025. (DVIDS)

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, August 27, 2025. The US ramps up rare earth production to counter China, Trump’s National Guard threat meets resistance in Chicago, and Fort Hood faces criticism over assault handling. Venezuela sends warships against cartels, African militaries turn to low-cost drones, and a Ukrainian drone crash in Estonia raises NATO concerns. Russia grapples with fuel shortages from refinery strikes, Australia launches a manhunt after two officers are killed, and North Korea dismisses South Korea’s denuclearization pledge.

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US Accelerates Rare Earth Push as Trump Targets China’s Supply Chain Grip

The US government is ramping up efforts to rebuild its critical minerals industry, investing billions to reduce reliance on China, which dominates the global supply of rare earths used in electric vehicles (EVs), smartphones, and defense systems.

The Trump administration has funded American producers, set a minimum price for select US-made minerals, and opened investigations into foreign supplies.

The Pentagon has committed more than $400 million to MP Materials, along with loan support and price guarantees, while other firms, such as USA Rare Earth and NioCorp, plan to build new magnet and mineral production facilities.

President Donald Trump framed the effort as a “Manhattan Project moment for rare earths,” citing China’s near-monopoly as a national security risk. Beijing imposed export restrictions earlier this year, temporarily halting Ford’s EV production and highlighting US vulnerability.

While domestic production is expanding, analysts say it will fall far short of North America’s demand of 35,000 tons of magnets annually, which could double within a decade.

Industry leaders warn that cheap Chinese exports could undercut US projects without sustained government backing. Experts also note that despite new mines and factories, a long-term deal with Beijing may still be unavoidable to meet US needs.

 

Chicago Pushes Back as Trump Threatens National Guard Deployment

President Trump’s threats to send National Guard troops to Chicago drew strong backlash from city leaders, residents, and community groups, who said federal troops would heighten tensions and undermine progress in reducing violence.

Trump described Chicago as a “killing field” and “hell hole,” repeating claims that residents want federal intervention.

Locals and officials countered with data showing shootings down 37 percent, homicides down 32 percent, and overall violent crime down 22 percent in the first half of the year — the steepest decline in over a decade.

Community leaders emphasized that Chicago’s progress comes from grassroots anti-violence efforts and systemic reforms, not militarization. Residents said crime varies by neighborhood and time of day but rejected Trump’s portrayal of the city as unsafe.

At a press conference, Governor JB Pritzker and more than 100 officials, clergy, and activists denounced the idea, urging federal resources go toward prevention programs instead.

Critics argued Trump’s rhetoric dismisses local progress and risks reversing hard-won gains in public safety.

 

Fort Hood Survivor Speaks Out as Army Faces Scrutiny Over Barracks Attacks

A report published Tuesday by Stars and Stripes detailed the story of Mayra Diaz, a former Fort Hood soldier who was raped at gunpoint in her barracks room in July 2022, one of several attacks carried out by Sgt. Greville Clarke.

Clarke confessed to assaulting four women over 18 months and is now serving a life sentence.

Investigative records showed Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) agents noted similarities among the crimes but chose not to issue public alerts, citing concerns about public alarm and protecting the investigation.

The case emerged as Fort Hood was still enacting reforms following the 2020 murder of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, which had revealed systemic failures in addressing crime and sexual violence on base.

Critics argue that earlier alerts could have safeguarded soldiers and aided investigators. Since Clarke’s arrest, Fort Hood has invested in new security systems, cameras, and patrols.

Diaz, who has since left the Army, told Stars and Stripes she continues to live with the trauma but now plans to advocate for stronger protections so future service members can pursue military careers without fear of violence in their own barracks.

 

Venezuela Deploys Warships to Counter Drug Trafficking

Venezuela announced Tuesday it will deploy military vessels to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Venezuela as part of expanded operations against drug trafficking.

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said about 15,000 armed forces members will join patrols on land and sea, targeting groups operating along the Colombian border. He also reported that Venezuelan forces dismantled shipyards in the northeast used to build vessels for drug smuggling to Europe and North America.

The move follows the recent US deployment of three guided-missile destroyers to waters near Venezuela to counter Latin American drug cartels.

President Nicolás Maduro rejected US accusations, asserting Venezuela does not produce cocaine and accusing Washington of ignoring domestic drug consumption.

 

Africa’s Militaries Turn to Cheaper, Disposable Drones as Warfare Shifts

African militaries are increasingly adopting smaller, low-cost drones — including disposable and “suicide” models — alongside traditional surveillance and attack aircraft.

At a defense chiefs conference in Abuja, Nigeria, local companies showcased commercial-style drones adapted for combat, with prices starting under $1,000 before explosives.

Nigerian firms argued the devices offer speed, agility, and affordability compared to systems like Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2, which costs about $6 million for a set.

The shift mirrors tactics seen in Ukraine and among jihadist groups in West Africa’s Sahel, where modified commercial drones have been used for attacks.

Nigeria’s military is embracing the trend while also seeking jamming systems to counter similar technology used by militants.

Officials highlighted the strategic value of drones that require no runway and are harder to detect, though experts warn their growing use has produced mixed battlefield results and serious civilian risks.

 

Ukrainian Drone Crashes in Estonia After Suspected Russian GPS Jamming

A combat drone, believed to be Ukrainian, crashed and exploded near Tartu, Estonia, on Tuesday after reportedly being diverted by Russian electronic warfare.

Estonia’s Internal Security Service said the drone was likely targeting Russian territory but veered off course due to GPS jamming. No casualties were reported, though the crash left a crater discovered by a local farmer.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal accused Russia of long using GPS interference to disrupt regional air and maritime traffic.

The incident follows similar drone incursions into NATO states, including Poland, Romania, and the Baltic countries, raising ongoing security concerns.

Last week, a Russian drone exploded in Poland without casualties, while a 2022 Ukrainian missile mishap killed two civilians in a Polish village near the border.

 

Ukrainian Drone Strikes on Refineries Trigger Gas Shortages in Parts of Russia

Fuel shortages have hit several regions of Russia after a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries, leaving motorists in long lines and prompting rationing or halted sales in areas such as the Far East, Crimea, and the Kuril Islands.

Wholesale gasoline prices surged to record highs, about 50 percent above January levels, as demand peaked during harvest season and summer travel. Some drivers turned to reselling fuel online at inflated prices.

Ukraine has carried out at least 12 strikes on Russian oil infrastructure this month, damaging facilities in the Ryazan-Volgograd corridor and cutting refinery intake by up to 250,000 barrels per day. This has reduced gasoline output by nearly 9 percent and diesel production by over 10 percent in early August.

While Moscow remains unaffected due to strong local supply, regions dependent on fewer refineries face the worst shortages.

Russia paused gasoline exports in late July to stabilize supply, but analysts warn the situation exposes a domestic vulnerability. Although diesel stocks buffer public transport and the military, reliance on refinery equipment that may require foreign parts raises the risk of longer-term disruptions.

Officials expect the shortage to ease by late September once seasonal demand drops and refinery maintenance concludes.

 

Armed Suspect Kills Two Police Officers in Rural Australia, Manhunt Underway

Australian police identified 56-year-old Dezi Freeman as the suspect in the fatal shooting of two officers and the wounding of a third during a search warrant operation at his property in Porepunkah, Victoria.

Police said Freeman, heavily armed and skilled in wilderness survival, fled on foot into nearby forest after the attack, prompting a large-scale manhunt that entered its second day Wednesday.

Residents have been urged to stay indoors as schools, public buildings, and a local airfield remain closed.

Authorities described the killings as deliberate, while Australian media reported Freeman had expressed anti-government and “sovereign citizen” beliefs in past court appearances, including hostility toward police. His wife and children later contacted police and are safe.

The rare police shooting comes amid heightened concern, recalling other isolated but deadly attacks on officers in recent years.

Police officials warned Freeman’s survival expertise poses a significant challenge to the ongoing search.

 

North Korea Rejects South Korea’s Denuclearization Pledge as “Vain Delusion”

North Korea’s state media dismissed South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s call to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons, describing it as a “vain delusion” and a “naïve dream.”

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal is a permanent policy enshrined in its constitution, framed as a response to external threats from the US and South Korea.

Lee made the pledge during his first state visit to Washington, including a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and a private meeting with President Donald Trump.

Lee said the meeting exceeded his expectations and that Trump encouraged his efforts.

North Korea, believed to hold up to 50 nuclear weapons, last tested in 2017 and insists its program deters hostile policies.

KCNA did not mention Lee’s meeting with Trump but reiterated that changing Pyongyang’s nuclear stance would require fundamental shifts in the global and regional security environment.

 

Sources: News Agencies