Morning Brief: US Navy Restores Ronny Jackson’s Rear Admiral Rank, Kim Jong Un to Meet Xi Jinping During Rare Visit to China

· Guy D. McCardle

Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un walk side by side during Beijing’s Victory Day parade. (Image grab via X)

Good morning. It’s Thursday, September 4, 2025. Trump confirms a National Guard and immigration crackdown in Chicago, while the Navy restores Rep. Ronny Jackson’s admiral rank. Trump prepares new Ukraine talks after his failed Putin summit, and ex-Bolivian minister Arturo Murillo is deported to face charges. The US and Panama push for a UN gang force in Haiti, Israel braces for mass displacement in Gaza, and Europe debates Ukraine’s security guarantees. Meanwhile, Argentina recovers a Nazi-looted painting, Australia upholds war crimes findings against Ben Roberts-Smith, and Kim Jong Un pledges full support to Russia alongside Xi and Putin in Beijing.

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Chicago Braces for Trump’s Planned National Guard and Immigration Crackdown

Chicago leaders and activists are mobilizing ahead of President Donald Trump’s announced plans to deploy National Guard troops and immigration agents to the city, despite opposition from Mayor Brandon Johnson, Governor JB Pritzker, and community groups.

Details of the operation remain unclear, but immigrant and Black neighborhoods have stepped up know-your-rights trainings, expanded hotlines, and coordinated protests. Community networks are planning “emergency protests,” while churches and schools are preparing residents and students for potential encounters with federal authorities.

Trump has cited Chicago’s crime rates as justification, though local officials point to recent declines and argue the city needs resources, not troops.

The looming operation has dampened Mexican Independence Day celebrations and fueled fears in immigrant and Black communities, where leaders denounce the move as racially targeted and politically motivated.

 

US Navy Restores Ronny Jackson’s Rear Admiral Rank After 2022 Demotion

Representative Ronny Jackson, a Texas Republican and former White House physician, has regained his retired rank of rear admiral after the Navy overturned a 2022 demotion tied to misconduct findings.

Navy Secretary John Phelan reinstated Jackson’s rank following a review, citing his decades of service.

Jackson was demoted after an inspector general report found he made inappropriate comments, drank alcohol on duty during presidential travel, and used prescription sleeping medication while serving Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama.

Jackson, known for his glowing assessments of Trump’s health, was elected to Congress in 2020 after an unsuccessful bid to become Veterans Affairs secretary.

 

Trump Plans New Ukraine Talks After Failed Putin Summit

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will hold talks in the coming days on the war in Ukraine after his August summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska produced no breakthrough.

Trump is scheduled to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone Thursday, while European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron will join a broader call with Trump and Zelenskyy later that day.

The discussions will follow a France-hosted virtual meeting of about 30 countries on security guarantees for Ukraine once peace with Russia is reached.

Trump, who has expressed frustration at his inability to halt the fighting, said he underestimated how difficult ending the war would be and hinted at possible new sanctions against Moscow.

Putin has shown little interest in negotiations despite earlier public optimism.

 

Ex-Bolivian Minister Arturo Murillo Deported From US to Face Charges Tied to 2019 Crackdown

Former Bolivian Interior Minister Arturo Murillo was deported from Florida to Bolivia late Wednesday after completing a US prison sentence for money laundering.

Murillo, 61, faces multiple charges in Bolivia, including breach of duty for illegally importing weapons and crimes against humanity for leading a violent crackdown on protests in 2019 that left dozens dead. He was arrested in the US for taking $532,000 in bribes to secure a tear gas contract and served four years before being transferred to immigration custody.

Bolivian courts have already convicted him in absentia, sentencing him to more than 13 years combined for separate cases involving unauthorized and overpriced tear gas purchases. His return comes as Bolivia’s political landscape shifts, with opposition leaders gaining legal ground ahead of an October runoff election.

Authorities in La Paz have pledged to hold him accountable, though questions remain over how the judiciary will proceed under the new political climate.

 

US and Panama Push for 5,550-Member Gang Suppression Force in Haiti

The United States and Panama have submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council calling for the creation of a 5,550-member force to combat gangs in Haiti.

The proposal would expand the Kenya-led mission, which currently has fewer than 1,000 troops despite an initial target of 2,500.

Gangs, which grew in power after President Jovenel Moïse’s assassination in 2021, now control about 90 percent of Port-au-Prince and have spread violent activities into rural areas.

The resolution would authorize the force to detain gang members, protect key infrastructure, and support Haitian authorities in countering arms trafficking. It would operate for an initial 12 months with voluntary funding.

The Security Council is expected to vote by the end of September before the current mission mandate expires on October 2.

 

Israel Says Houthi Missile from Yemen Fell Outside its Territory

The Israeli military reported Thursday that a missile launched from Yemen landed in an open area outside Israeli territory, marking the third such incident in less than 24 hours.

No sirens were activated.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement has intensified missile and drone attacks, describing them as acts of solidarity with Palestinians. Most projectiles have been intercepted or fallen short.

In response, Israel has carried out strikes on Houthi-controlled areas, including the port city of Hodeidah, killing senior officials.

The Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have also targeted Red Sea vessels since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

 

Israel Projects One Million Palestinians Will Flee Gaza City Ahead of Offensive

A senior Israeli military official said Wednesday that an upcoming offensive in Gaza could displace one million Palestinians, with authorities planning to designate a new “humanitarian area” in the territory’s south.

Nearly all of Gaza’s two million residents have already been displaced at least once during the nearly two-year war.

Israel is preparing to seize Gaza City, home to almost one million people, and estimates that 70,000 have already fled south.

The proposed humanitarian zone would extend from central refugee camps to Al-Mawasi and eastward, though the coastal Al-Mawasi area, previously designated safe, has come under Israeli strikes and lacks basic services.

Israeli authorities said preparations are underway to expand water and power supplies and reopen a southern hospital.

The Red Cross and UN have warned that a mass evacuation of Gaza City cannot be carried out safely.

 

Europe Weighs Ukraine Security Guarantees Amid Uncertainty Over US Role

European leaders met in Paris on Thursday to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine after a possible ceasefire, but uncertainty over US involvement has left the coalition divided.

France, the United Kingdom, and Estonia have signaled readiness to send troops as part of a “reassurance force,” while Poland has ruled out participation.

Analysts warn that without a ceasefire and clear US backing — particularly intelligence and airpower support — such a force would carry high risks and limited deterrent value.

US President Donald Trump has shifted away from pressing for a ceasefire, instead favoring open-ended peace talks, a stance closer to Moscow’s position.

Russian officials continue to dismiss the prospect of negotiations with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, leaving Europe caught between planning for security guarantees and doubts about US reliability.

Experts suggest European nations may ultimately resort to providing Ukraine with more weapons and ammunition as the most viable option.

 

Military Veterans Drive Europe’s Defense Startup Boom Amid Ukraine War

Military veterans are reshaping Europe’s defense technology sector as record investment pours in following Russia’s war on Ukraine.

A Reuters analysis found that veterans lead about a quarter of Europe’s 80-plus defense startups, bringing battlefield experience to product design, testing, and procurement processes. Venture capital funding reached $5.2 billion in 2024, up more than 500 percent from pre-war levels.

Former soldiers have founded companies producing drones, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven battle-planning tools, and unmanned vehicles, with their combat knowledge enabling faster refinements and credibility with military customers.

Experts say veterans’ firsthand experience helps avoid failures in the field, making their involvement vital as NATO boosts defense spending and Ukraine demands battle-tested solutions.

 

Nazi-Looted Portrait by Giuseppe Ghislandi Recovered in Argentina After 80 Years

An Argentine federal court announced Wednesday the recovery of Portrait of a Lady, an 18th-century painting by Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi that was looted by the Nazis during World War II.

The work, missing for 80 years, resurfaced after Dutch journalists traced it to the family of Friedrich Kadgien, a Nazi officer who fled to Argentina and died in 1978. The painting, depicting Countess Colleoni, appeared briefly in a real estate listing posted by Kadgien’s daughter before being seized by authorities in Mar del Plata.

Prosecutors placed Patricia Kadgien and her husband under house arrest on charges of concealment and obstruction of justice.

The portrait, linked to Dutch-Jewish collector Jacques Goudstikker’s plundered collection, is now secured in a special chamber.

Experts say it remains in good condition and estimate its value at $50,000.

 

Australia’s High Court Ends Ben Roberts-Smith’s Bid to Overturn War Crimes Findings

Australia’s High Court on Thursday rejected war hero Ben Roberts-Smith’s final appeal, leaving in place rulings that found he unlawfully killed four unarmed Afghans in 2009 and 2012.

The decision closes the defamation case Roberts-Smith launched in 2018 against newspapers that reported the allegations.

A federal judge first ruled against him in 2023, with three appeal judges unanimously upholding the finding earlier this year.

Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living veteran with a Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry, has not faced criminal charges, which require proof beyond a reasonable doubt. His case is part of broader scrutiny of Australian forces in Afghanistan, where a 2020 inquiry recommended criminal investigations into 39 alleged unlawful killings.

 

Pakistani Taliban Kill Two Border Troops in Clash Near Afghanistan

Pakistani Taliban (TTP) militants killed two border troops and wounded five others during an overnight clash with security forces in Swat, a remote border region near Afghanistan, officials said Thursday.

The fighting followed reports of TTP graffiti appearing across villages and militants patrolling the area.

Authorities estimate about 400 TTP fighters are now active across several districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where violence has surged in recent months. Nine security personnel have been killed in the past 10 days alone.

Pakistan recorded over 1,600 deaths from militant violence in 2023, its deadliest year in nearly a decade. Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of harboring TTP fighters, a charge Kabul denies.

Since January, nearly 450 people, mostly security personnel, have been killed in attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

 

Kim Jong Un Vows Full Support for Russia’s Army in Meeting With Putin and Xi

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged “full support” for Russia’s military during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of China’s World War II commemoration events in Beijing, state media reported Thursday.

Putin praised North Korean troops aiding Russia in Ukraine and described bilateral ties as “special” and rooted in trust and alliance.

The gathering marked the first time Kim, Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared together, a move analysts say bolsters Kim’s propaganda image.

South Korea’s intelligence agency estimates 2,000 North Korean soldiers have died in Ukraine and that Pyongyang plans to send thousands more.

Kim and Putin reaffirmed their defense pact signed last year and discussed long-term strategic cooperation.

 

Kim Jong Un’s Security Team Scrubs Meeting Room After Talks With Putin

After North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, his staff meticulously cleaned the meeting room to remove any traces of his presence, including wiping chairs, tables, and removing his drinking glass.

Analysts say the practice is part of long-standing security measures designed to prevent foreign intelligence agencies from gathering information about Kim’s health.

Similar precautions have been observed on Kim’s past trips, including traveling with a private toilet, sealing waste, and disinfecting furniture before use.

Experts note that such steps, dating back to Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, aim to block potential intelligence collection on medical conditions or vulnerabilities.

 

Kim Jong Un to Meet Xi Jinping During Rare Visit to China

China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during Kim’s rare trip abroad.

Details on the timing of the talks were not released.

Kim attended a Chinese military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, joining Russian President Vladimir Putin and other foreign leaders.

Chinese spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the meeting would include in-depth discussions on bilateral ties and mutual concerns, calling Kim’s visit and participation in the parade highly significant.

Kim arrived in Beijing by train on Tuesday.

 

Sources: News Agencies