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5️⃣ Lutnick Finally Admits He Went to the Island

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before the Senate Oversight Committee today and conceded for the first time that he did in fact visit Jeffrey Epstein’s private island — directly contradicting his previous sworn testimony and recent podcast statements. Lutnick claimed he stopped by “just for lunch” in 2012 while on a family boat trip, insisting his wife, four children, and nannies were present and that he “doesn’t recall” why they went. “He made sure to tell us he collected all his nannies and kids before he left Epstein Island,” Dean noted. “Was he planning on leaving some there?” Justice Department documents show Lutnick was in contact with Epstein through 2018, and some 250 emails between the Lutnick family and Epstein detail a cordial, ongoing relationship that included business discussions, fundraiser plans, and an email listing the specific ages, names, and sexes of children coming to the island. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt offered only a tepid defense, calling Lutnick “a very important member of President Trump’s team” before quickly pivoting to other topics.

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Today's Lutnick testimony is a perfect example. We checked Ground News and found the same Senate hearing framed completely differently across outlets. CNN led with Lutnick contradicting his own sworn statements. The Washington Times buried a line saying there's "no suggestion of wrongdoing" on Trump's part. Fox News called it "a failing attempt by the legacy media to distract from the administration's accomplishments." Same hearing, same lies, wildly different stories. Ground News rates sources by ownership, bias, and factuality so you can see who's funding each narrative. That's why we partner with them — our mission is accountability journalism, theirs is media literacy.

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4️⃣ Six Redacted Names Unmasked

Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie visited the DOJ to read the unredacted Epstein files and emerged to announce that six wealthy, powerful men had been hidden from the public for no apparent reason. After the congressmen flagged the improper redactions, the DOJ acknowledged its “mistake” and released the names: Salvatore Navora, an NYPD detective previously disciplined for connections to an escort service; Zurab Mukhaladze; Leonic Leonov; Nicola Caputo, an Italian politician and former member of the European Parliament; Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, CEO of Dubai Ports World, who allegedly sent Epstein torture videos and requests for 10 and 11-year-old girls and purchased the neighboring island to Little St. James; and billionaire Leslie Wexner, labeled a co-conspirator by the FBI. “If we found six men they were hiding in two hours,” Khanna said on the House floor, “imagine how many men they are covering up for in those three million files.” Wexner is expected to testify on February 18.

3️⃣ One Million Trump Mentions

Representative Jamie Raskin walked out of the DOJ redaction room and confirmed that a search for Donald Trump in the unredacted Epstein files returned more than one million results. With only about 38,000 mentions in the publicly released files, that means roughly 960,000 references to Trump were scrubbed by the FBI before release. “It doesn’t happen because of press clippings or duplicates,” Dean explained. “It happens because a person is deeply and structurally embedded into the documentary record of a federal investigation.” The unredacted files also include a 2009 email exchange between Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell recounting a phone call with Trump in which Trump admitted Epstein was never asked to leave Mar-a-Lago — he was a guest, not a member — directly contradicting Trump’s longtime claim that he banned Epstein from the club. The files further reveal that Trump told the Palm Beach police chief after Epstein’s arrest that “everybody knew” what Epstein was doing and that Epstein was “stealing women from him.”

2️⃣ The Melania Connection

Narativ’s exclusive reporting revealed two references in the unredacted files — one made under a proffer, meaning under oath — stating that Jeffrey Epstein introduced Donald Trump to Melania. Trump reportedly kept emerging from a bedroom telling people Melania was “a great piece of ass.” The Epstein files show Melania entered the United States through the modeling world connected to Paolo Zampolli, who now holds a diplomatic position in the Trump administration, and through Elite Models, part of Epstein’s orbit. The connection dovetails with Narativ’s ongoing investigation with Ellie Leonard into a coded survivor journal that names Mar-a-Lago as what the survivor described as a “slave camp” and child prostitution center. “Every single brick in this wall turns up to be a brick in the foundation that proves Melania Trump is absolutely part of this,” Dean said, pointing to her Einstein visa, her documented ties to Epstein-connected figures, and her reported direct line to Vladimir Putin.

1️⃣ The Cover-Up Is the Story

The biggest revelation of the day may be what we’re not seeing. Khanna confirmed that 70 to 80 percent of the Epstein files remain redacted and that the FBI sent pre-scrubbed files to the DOJ — meaning survivor statements naming powerful men who raped and abused underage girls were systematically hidden before Congress ever passed the Epstein Transparency Act. “Donald Trump’s FBI scrubbed these files in March, long before Thomas Massie and I passed the Epstein Transparency Act,” Khanna told the House. Lauren Boebert emerged from the redaction room saying there are “definitely” implicated co-conspirators and that Maxwell deserves more prison time, not clemency. Marjorie Taylor Greene said publicly it’s “way worse than you even think.” A new statement from Epstein survivors accused the DOJ of perpetuating “the very dynamics Epstein relied upon — powerful actors protected by secrecy while victims are exposed, scrutinized and made to bear the consequences.” Deputy AG Todd Blanche declared the review “over.” It is anything but. The survivors sent a letter to Pam Bondi ahead of her testimony before the judiciary committee tomorrow morning.

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Thank you Ellie Leonard, Robin Payes, Richard Hogan, MD, PhD(2), DBA, Leah Anderson, CO, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app.

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5️⃣ I Am Not Your Personal Incubator

Narativ’s investigation of the Epstein files has unearthed a journal written in code by a 16-year-old victim — a journal the FBI never bothered to decode. Researcher Ellie Leonard cracked the code and what she found is staggering: at least eight documented pregnancies, multiple forced abortions, and children taken from their mothers. The decoded entries name Leon Black, Harvey Weinstein, and others whose names are redacted in the official FBI files. One entry reads: “So I came out in the toilet and I didn’t know what to do. So I just flushed the tiny little fetus. I hope I never have to see you again. I’m not your personal incubator.” Zev called it the heaviest material he’s encountered in years of reporting on the Epstein network, and warned that tonight’s installment with Ellie Leonard on Narativ Live will be even more harrowing.

4️⃣ Wexner’s Day of Reckoning

Les Wexner, the billionaire who gave Jeffrey Epstein power of attorney, a $77 million Manhattan mansion, and access to his corporate empire at The Limited, will be deposed under oath on February 18th. The DOJ files include a draft message from Epstein to Wexner referencing “gang stuff” and outstanding debts. Wexner is mentioned over a thousand times in the archive. He claims Epstein stole hundreds of millions from him, but he never filed a police report, never sued, and continued the relationship for years after the alleged theft. Dean’s assessment was blunt: Wexner will lie under oath because he’s guilty and has everything to lose. The deposition will be the first time Wexner answers questions under oath about the most consequential relationship in the Epstein network.

3️⃣ Maxwell’s Clemency Con

Ghislaine Maxwell appeared virtually from a Texas prison before the House Oversight Committee and invoked the Fifth on every question. Her lawyer David Oscar Markus — who is close friends with Deputy AG Todd Blanche — told lawmakers Maxwell would talk for clemency, and that she could clear both Trump and Clinton. That was the tell. As Zev explained, the clemency talk is theater. Maxwell already has a path out through her December habeas petition, which argues that 25 men received secret DOJ settlements and four co-conspirators were never indicted. By pleading the Fifth, she covers for Trump. By looping in Clinton, she’s sending a coded message: take the deal and stay quiet, or we all go down together. The Clintons testify February 26-27, and as Dean put it, they have an opportunity to save America — if they don’t fall for the ploy.

2️⃣ Congress Gets 30 Pages of 3.5 Million

Rep. Thomas Massie and Rep. Jamie Raskin went to the DOJ today to view unredacted Epstein files. What they found is a charade of its own: no computers, no phones, no notes allowed, and access to roughly 30 to 40 pages out of a 3.5 million page archive. The DOJ claims it released everything required under the Transparency Act, but Rep. Ro Khanna has pointed out that the department identified over 6 million responsive pages and released barely half. Victims’ names sit unredacted throughout the files while the perpetrators — especially those connected to Trump — remain blacked out.

1️⃣ Lutnick’s 250 Lies

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is mentioned over 250 times in the Epstein files and documents show he planned a visit to Epstein’s private island in 2012 — seven years after he claimed he cut ties. He lied on a podcast, he lied to Congress, and when the New York Times confronted him, he said he “spent zero time” with Epstein but refused to address the island. Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Thomas Massie are calling for his resignation. As Dean put it, the only reason this government exists in its current form is to protect Trump and his friends from the truth about their acts against children. Lutnick is Exhibit A.

The Epstein cover-up is running in real time, but the walls are closing in. Subscribe and share.

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BREAKING: Just after the show, former President Bill Clinton posted a bombshell thread demanding the full release of the Epstein files and a public hearing before the House Oversight Committee. Clinton said he has provided a sworn statement and agreed to appear in person, but Republicans want cameras only behind closed doors. “Who benefits from this arrangement? It’s not Epstein’s victims, who deserve justice. Not the public, who deserve the truth,” Clinton wrote. He called the closed-door format a “kangaroo court” and said he would not be used as a “prop” by a Republican Party running scared. If the committee wants answers, Clinton said, do it the right way: in a public hearing where Americans can see for themselves what this is really about.

5️⃣ Epstein Cover-Up Deepens: Secret Deals Shield Abusers

The Trump regime’s latest attempt to cover up the Epstein files went largely unnoticed until now. Ghislaine Maxwell’s December court filing alleged that 25 men involved in Epstein-related crimes cut secret settlements with victims’ lawyers, and the government then helped conceal their identities from the released files.

As Zev explained, 43 of the 47 victims are named in the files, but almost none of their abusers are — because those names were redacted under the cover of these secret deals. Maxwell is set to testify before the House committee on Sunday, followed by Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard raided Lord Mandelson’s properties in London and Wiltshire after Epstein files revealed he leaked sensitive government documents to Epstein, and new evidence showed Epstein had a mole inside Buckingham Palace whose office was actually in the palace itself.

Dean called for Canada to immediately launch its own investigation, joining Poland, Lithuania, France, Britain, Estonia, and Ukraine in demanding accountability. “There is no statute of limitations when it comes to murder and child rape,” Dean said. “None. Zero in the United States.”

4️⃣ Iran Talks Are an Oil and Real Estate Play

The United States and Iran sat down in Oman for their first talks since Trump ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June, with the U.S. delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Iran’s Foreign Minister called it a good start but said discussions were exclusively nuclear, refusing to discuss missiles or proxy forces. Senior administration officials admitted they don’t have clear guidance on what Trump actually wants from these talks. Dean pointed out that Witkoff has done business with Putin and his associates for 30 years and was handpicked by Putin to be Trump’s guy, while Kushner carries his own Epstein ties through Apollo Group. “This is a real estate and natural gas slash oil play,” Dean said. “Iran is loaded with energy. That’s all this is about.” Meanwhile, the United States announced plans to reestablish military cooperation with Russia, including possible joint exercises — even as NATO allies conducted Arctic exercises in Greenland without the Americans.

3️⃣ Judge Orders Border Patrol Body Cam Release

A federal judge in Chicago ruled that the public will see the body camera footage and text messages from the Border Patrol agent who shot Marimar Martinez, a 30-year-old teacher’s assistant and U.S. citizen, five times during an immigration operation on Chicago’s southwest side. After the shooting, Agent Charles Exum texted colleagues bragging about the kill. The government argued releasing the texts would sully Agent Exum, and the judge pointed out that the administration showed zero concern about sullying Martinez’s reputation. In Minneapolis, the executions of Alex Preddie and Nicole Renee Good were ruled homicides, and there are whispers of state attorneys general preparing to bring murder charges not just against the agents who pulled the trigger but everyone in the chain of command. “No one has immunity in the United States of America,” Zev said. “No one is above the law, including the president.”

2️⃣ Trump Posts Racist Obama Video

Late last night, Trump posted a video on Truth Social depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle. He deleted it and blamed someone else for posting it, which Dean called classic Trump. But the damage was done and the video spread across every platform. Dean noted that of all the racist, fascist content Trump has put out, this video topped them all. But both hosts agreed the real purpose was distraction. “He wants us to talk about everything else other than Epstein files,” Zev said. “Every time they try to gaslight us, every time they try to divert our attention, we need to double down on covering Epstein.” The cover-up itself reveals the scale of the crime: if you go to the trouble of making secret deals with 25 billionaires and subverting the law, the crime must be enormous.

1️⃣ Trump Holds Infrastructure Hostage for His Name

The Trump administration told Chuck Schumer they would release frozen funding for the Gateway Rail Tunnel, the biggest infrastructure project in the country at $16 billion connecting New York and New Jersey under the Hudson River, if Schumer agrees to rename Penn Station and Dulles Airport after Donald Trump. Schumer pointed out it’s not his call, but the shakedown reveals everything about the man. Dean drew a direct line from Napoleon building the Arc de Triomphe to Hitler to Kim Jong-un to Trump slapping his name on buildings and constructing a 250-meter Freedom Arc. “He knows this thing’s not gonna last,” Dean said, “so he’s trying to indelibly tattoo Trumpism on buildings.” But Dean offered hope through Roman Emperor Nero, who built a 165-foot bronze statue of himself next to the Colosseum and ended up buried next to his donkey. “Donald Trump will be buried with the donkeys when this is over,” Dean said, “and we will strip his name from every single building.”

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Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her Catalina Foothills home on January 31st—just 60 miles from the Arizona-Mexico border. Ransom demands for millions in Bitcoin were sent to TMZ and local news outlets. Police discovered a sophisticated operation: the doorbell camera was digitally disconnected at 1:47 a.m., physical hardware was removed from the front door, and blood matching Nancy’s DNA appeared on the doorstep. Dean observed, “You can pretty much say this is a professional hit of some sort,” noting that “this kind of thing doesn’t tend to happen in America” outside of 1990s Medellín cartel cases. The timing, methods, and crypto demands raise questions as the Epstein files consume national attention and Trump seeks political cover.

President Trump who has shown zero compassion for families separated at the border, for victims of mass shootings, for the parents of dead soldiers. Yet he personally called Savannah Guthrie and directed 'ALL Federal Law Enforcement' to the case.

Former FBI agent Chris O’leary says investigators would be assessing the involvement of Mexican cartels known for these type of kidnapping plots.

A Chihuahua state advisory board leader said explicitly: the decrease in migrant flow is forcing organized crime to "find different ways to obtain resources." Kidnappings for ransom are surging in border cities. Juarez alone saw eight civilians kidnapped for ransom in early 2025, including a businesswoman, a doctor, a retiree. One was shot dead after a $40,000 ransom wasn't paid.

Trump has deep ties to the very cartels operating along the Arizona border. His granted members of the Sinaloa cartel permanent residence in the US. This story is dominating the news at a time when Epstein would be the main talking points.

5️⃣ Brad Karp Steps Down as Epstein Reckoning Accelerates

The chairman of Paul Weiss, one of America’s most powerful corporate law firms, resigned after newly released Epstein files revealed email exchanges with the convicted sex trafficker—exchanges that occurred after his conviction. Dean emphasized that “every one of these people had something to do with him after he was convicted” and publicly outed as a pedophile. The broader Epstein reckoning is picking up speed with calls for Hillary Clinton’s public testimony, though House Oversight Chair Comer wants to keep it private. Bill Gates, Leon Black, Leslie Wexner, Jess Staley, and Jamie Dimon should all be testifying, Zev argued, noting Trump’s name appears 38,000 times in the files—yet he remains untouched.

4️⃣ Peter Attia’s 1,700 Epstein Emails Expose the Loop

The Canadian longevity guru appears in the Epstein files not once, but 1,700 times—with communications continuing years after Epstein’s conviction. One email from Attia to Epstein reads, “The biggest problem with being friends with you—the life you lead is so outrageous, and yet I can’t tell a soul.” Another email discusses Little St. James Island with unmistakable innuendo. Dean stated flatly: “Those 1,700 mentions are not a f*****g accident, especially when that proximity in those mentions occur after Epstein’s conviction.” Remarkably, Attia was just hired by Bari Weiss to CBS News, while Peter Thiel—who appears 1,800 times in the files—recommended Alan Dershowitz as a potential contributor to her “credible” news operation.

3️⃣ Jeff Bezos Guts Washington Post, Courts Power

Jeff Bezos fired 300 journalists from the Washington Post, the most significant staffing cut at a major American newspaper since 2008—despite having no financial pressure to do so. Dean noted the connection: immediately after the theatrical launch of Hooker and Boots (the Melania Trump film Bezos bankrolled with $75 million), Pete Hegseth visited Blue Origin to discuss billions in NASA and space grants. The film itself was ticket-laundered—only 22,000 people worldwide actually watched it, with military personnel forced to attend. Bezos pulled Kamala Harris’s endorsement mid-election and now silences his newsroom. Dean concluded: “Jeff Bezos only cares about himself. He doesn’t give a f**k about democracy. He never did.”

2️⃣ Tulsi Gabbard Raids Voter Files Under Trump’s Watch

The DNI, a Russian asset tied to a Hawaiian cult, personally attended FBI raids on Fulton County offices and seized voter rolls and voting machines. She claimed “serious irregularities” but has disclosed nothing. Trump initially said he didn’t order it; then blamed Pam Bondi (who is now unavailable for comment). Two months prior, Gabbard conducted the same operation in Puerto Rico. Dean stressed the illegal absurdity: “She’s the director of national intelligence—that’s outward focus—yet she’s a Trump and Putin operative desperate to cook 2026.” The goal appears to be manufacturing evidence of election fraud to justify ending democracy itself.

1️⃣ Vance Admits: It’s a New World Order

Vice President J.D. Vance told Megyn Kelly that Trump is forging “a new world order” in trade, globalization, and alliance structures—willing to shake up NATO and abandon old relationships. Dean translated bluntly: “F**k democracy. We’re in it for the elites and the kleptocracy, and we’re going to work with the world’s worst people.” A new study shows 72% of the world now lives under autocratic rule, with America classified as an autocracy. Trump has destroyed every American trade alliance, leaving only “failed petro-states and dictators” as partners. The new world order means one thing: Trump is the dictator, nobody else has rights, and democracy is dead.

Democracy dies in darkness, but Jeff Bezos turned off the lights on purpose.

The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Cat: Poli-Psych, Robin Payes, Story Carrier, Sushipheliac 🍣🍥🍣, Iulia Huiu, and many others for tuning into my live video with Dean Blundell! Join me for my next live video in the app.

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Today’s FiveStack became a One Stack. The allegations in the Epstein files were too significant to rush through. Congressman Ted Lieu stood before reporters and said what everyone has been thinking:

“Donald Trump is in the Epstein files thousands and thousands of times. There’s highly disturbing allegations of Donald Trump raping children, of Donald Trump threatening to kill children.”

That’s not speculation from a basement blogger. That’s an elected official, a constitutional lawyer, entering it into the public record. “Elected officials are not going to repeat conspiracy theories unless you’re in MAGA,” Dean noted. “You don’t just say those things.”

The first location is Zorro Ranch, Epstein’s 10,000-acre New Mexico compound. In November 2019, a former staff member sent an email to investigators claiming two foreign girls were buried in the hills there after dying during rough sex.

“Did you know somewhere in the hills outside Zorro, two foreign girls were buried on orders of Jeffrey and Madam G, both died by strangulation during rough fetish sex,” the email read.

The managers who ran the ranch for two decades—Brice and Karen Gordon—vanished after Ghislaine Maxwell’s arrest. “Nobody knows where they are. Some people say maybe New Zealand. Who knows?” The ranch was searched in 2019, but details remain scarce. “It is about as remote as you could place anything,” Zev observed. Victims describe waking up in what appeared to be a laboratory, people in hazmat suits, significant memory gaps.

The second location is Trump’s golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. FBI files contain a complaint from a victim and witness to a sex trafficking ring there between 1995 and 1996. The complaint names Ghislaine Maxwell as the broker, with clients including Epstein and Robin Leach.

Two separate witnesses reported seeing Leach strangle a young girl during a sex party. “He claims that she’s buried behind the 19th hole at the Donald Trump golf course,” Zev read from the files. Another document warns that witnesses would “end up in the hole as well” if they talked. “You’ve got two eyewitnesses calling the FBI about Robin Leach strangling somebody during rough sex and the body being buried. That is something you have to investigate.”

The patterns repeat across 38,000 mentions of Trump in the files—far more than the original 5,400 estimate. Women waking up drugged with $300 on the bed. Victims who later disappeared, remains found years later matching their last known clothing. Threats against anyone who spoke. “It is not possible that over 30 years, hundreds of brave women and young men had the exact same story that resulted in the exact same threats,” Dean said. Even Jeffrey Epstein, in emails from 13 years ago, described Trump as “the worst of us. There’s nothing this f*****g guy is incapable of.”

The question now is whether anyone will investigate. “We need to at least consider getting a search warrant for the president’s golf course,” Zev said. “Are there girls buried in the presidential golf course? Is this actually possible? Shouldn’t we at least check it out?” The surveillance footage seized from Epstein’s properties—footage that could confirm or disprove these allegations—has never been released. “They say where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Dean concluded. “But we’re literally watching a bonfire. And Donald Trump is trying to tell everybody it’s not.”

The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.

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BREAKING:

The House just passed spending bills 217-214 to end the partial government shutdown. The package funds most of the federal government through September 30 and the Department of Homeland Security through February 13—a 10-day window for Republicans and Democrats to negotiate new accountability measures for ICE agents.

5️⃣ Epstein Reckoning

Bill and Hillary Clinton finalized an agreement today to testify under oath about Jeffrey Epstein this month after House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer set a noon deadline to clarify terms or face contempt proceedings. . Meanwhile, three months after Epstein died, a former Zorro Ranch staff member sent the FBI a chilling tip claiming two foreign girls were buried in the hills outside the compound, strangled during rough fetish sex on orders of Jeffrey and Madam G.

4️⃣ Paris Raids Musk’s X

French police raided Elon Musk’s X offices in Paris this morning as part of a criminal investigation into child sexual abuse images, deepfakes, and Holocaust denial, with the Paris prosecutor’s office summoning Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino to appear for questioning on April 20th.

We found the Musk story on Ground News. It showed us 82 sources covering the Paris raid worldwide with completely different headlines. France24 went with straightforward reporting, The Guardian led with Musk’s name, while Russian state media RT framed it as Western censorship against free speech. Ground News rates sources by ownership, bias, and factuality so you can see who’s funding each narrative. That’s why we partner with them—our mission is accountability journalism, theirs is media literacy.

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3️⃣ Trump Seizes The Vote

President Trump told Republicans to take over and nationalize voting in at least 15 states this weekend while repeating debunked 2020 fraud claims, and simultaneously his administration is threatening to cut federal funding to blue states that resist his agenda. Trump explicitly called for Republicans to nationalize elections in 15 states during weekend remarks while threatening to withhold federal funding from states that don’t comply with his policies, prompting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to call it outlandishly illegal. These aren’t separate stories but rather the same coordinated strategy—defund states that resist, seize election control in states that comply, and call it election integrity. When a president demands his party nationalize elections while holding federal dollars hostage, that’s not policy but rather a coup dressed in budget language, making the authoritarian blueprint explicit.

2️⃣ Killers Named, Cameras Deployed

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced body cameras for all federal immigration officers in Minneapolis effective immediately, but the timing reveals everything—ProPublica had just identified Border Patrol agents Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez as the men who killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, on January 24. Two Americans were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this month with Renee Good dying January 7 and Alex Pretti dying January 24, yet the government stonewalled for weeks refusing to identify the agents until ProPublica did the work and published their names. Noem announced body cameras immediately after the names went public despite having 30 billion dollars in enforcement funding at her disposal, yet no charges have been filed against either agent. Federal agents kill two Americans, the government stonewalls for weeks, journalists identify the killers, and then body cameras appear—cameras aren’t accountability when they only show up after the bodies pile up.

1️⃣ Iran Attacks US Forces

Iran launched two very aggressive actions against U.S. vessels in six hours today with Revolutionary Guard fast boats attempting to board a U.S.-flagged commercial ship near the Strait of Hormuz this morning, then hours later an Iranian drone approached the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier and was shot down by an F-35. The Iranian boats scattered before a U.S. Navy destroyer arrived to escort the commercial vessel with no shots fired, while U.S. Central Command described the drone’s intent as unclear before destroying it. Nuclear talks scheduled for Friday in Istanbul are now in jeopardy after Iran demanded changes to venue and format, with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expected to lead delegations. A U.S. carrier strike group is in the region and Trump bombed three Iranian nuclear sites last summer while threatening more strikes if no deal is reached, as Iran’s Supreme Leader warned Sunday of regional war if attacked and Iranian officials say they’re authorized to use weapons against protesters after killing at least 6,842 people in January’s crackdown alone.

Five stories, one pattern: power without accountability, institutions captured or corrupted, and when the reckoning finally comes, it comes too late.

The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.Thank you Kait Justice, Stephanie G Wilson, PhD, Cat: Poli-Psych, James Rowles, ESBC NFL And SportsBetting, and many others for tuning into my live video with Ellie Leonard! Join me for my next live video in the app.

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I joined Wajahat Ali this weekend to discuss what I’m finding in the Epstein files. The short version: everywhere you look, two names keep coming up—Russia and Trump.

We covered:

* Leon Black went to Russia with Donald Trump in 1996. The same Leon Black who paid Epstein $158 million. The same Leon Black who sat on Putin’s sovereign wealth fund board.

* Peter Thiel advised Ehud Barak to invest in Palantir—while Barak was photographed entering Epstein’s mansion. Thiel’s Founders Fund invests alongside Masha Drokova’s Day One Ventures. Drokova did PR for Epstein.

* 31% of Trump’s inner circle appears in the Epstein files. The statistical probability of your name appearing by accident? 0.0000001%.

* This is bigger than trafficking. It’s financial warfare. It’s intelligence operations. It’s a worldwide cover-up now cracking open.

As Waj put it: “It implicates Elon Musk, Steve Bannon, Howard Lutnick, Leon Black, Leslie Wexner, Israel, Russia, Melania Trump, Peter Thiel. So many people.”

Watch the full conversation above.

Subscribe to Narativ for continuing investigation into the Epstein files.Thank you Cat, Lyudmila and Daniel, Robin Payes, IAMPEGS, Story Carrier, and many others for tuning into my live video with THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali and Lev Parnas! Join me for my next live video in the app.

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A special report live from Nuuk, Greenland with Malcolm Nance, Dean Blundell, and Jacob Kaarsbo bringing firsthand reporting on NATO’s response to Trump’s territorial demands while covering the day’s critical stories from Minneapolis to Beijing.

5️⃣ Trump Deploys Homan to Minneapolis After Video Exposes Lies

Trump deployed border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis for meetings with Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey as federal agents began leaving the state. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was pulled from command after video proved he lied about Alex Pretti trying to “massacre law enforcement,” but Bovino keeps his job, Kristi Noem keeps her job, and Trump made no public statement about either American killed by federal agents this month. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a statement threatening impeachment unless Trump fires Noem immediately, telling the administration “we can do this the easy way or the hard way” while Senate Democrats block DHS funding. Pretti’s sister Micayla condemned the “disgusting lies” told about her brother, writing “When does this end? How many more innocent lives must be lost before we say enough?” The retreat came after a two-hour White House meeting where Trump expressed frustration with Noem, but refused to accept her resignation or hold anyone accountable for the deaths.

4️⃣ NATO Deploys Troops as Trump Demands Greenland Base Sovereignty

Trump told the New York Post he wants U.S. sovereignty over American military bases on Greenland, a demand Denmark and Greenland immediately rejected as crossing a red line that would end NATO. Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, and the UK deployed forces to Greenland for Operation Arctic Endurance while Denmark accelerates $2.3 billion in Arctic defense spending. Broadcasting from Nuke, Greenland, correspondents reported finding no Russian presence despite Trump’s claims, discovering instead a pristine landscape where land ownership is prohibited to protect the ecosystem. The terrain makes military invasion nearly impossible, with fjords offering no resupply routes and temperatures that would freeze unprepared forces even in summer. Trump backed down from tariffs threatening eight NATO allies last week after meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at Davos, claiming they reached “the framework of a future deal” on Greenland that NATO says doesn’t exist.

3️⃣ Larry Ellison Censors “Epstein” on TikTok as Greatest Heist Chapter 8 Publishes

Larry Ellison’s first act after buying TikTok was blocking the word “Epstein” in direct messages, prompting California Governor Gavin Newsom to open an investigation. The timing coincided with the publication of Greatest Heist Chapter 8, detailing how Trump made $54 million profit selling a Palm Beach mansion during the worst housing crash in history to a Russian oligarch who demolished it, while Leon Black’s Apollo ran similar extraction plays as ten million families lost their homes. TikTok also began closing accounts of prominent critics, including military analyst Malcolm Nance, in what observers called the Putin playbook of nationalizing social media platforms. Big Tech faced its first jury trial in Los Angeles over claims Meta, TikTok, and YouTube deliberately designed addictive features to harm children, with over 1,500 similar cases waiting for the verdict, though Snap and TikTok settled on the eve of trial.

2️⃣ Xi Jinping Purges Generals Who Said Taiwan Invasion Impossible by 2027

Xi Jinping purged his top two military commanders Saturday for defying his 2027 Taiwan invasion deadline, with Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Chief of Staff Liu Zhenli under investigation for “seriously trampling” Xi’s authority. Zhang wanted 2035 for joint operations capability and made clear in his November 2025 article he intended to fix training problems first, but Xi demands 2027 and wants “speed and scale.” When January’s training plan showed no correction toward Xi’s timeline, the defiance became visible across the PLA and Xi announced the purge on a Saturday afternoon, rushing the editorial overnight. The move follows a pattern of dictators setting unrealistic deadlines for unrealistic objectives, with Xi’s generals telling him 2027 is impossible but facing replacement by commanders willing to rush toward failure with increasingly aggressive training and exercises.

1️⃣ Trump an Hour Late to Sell Iowa Farmers Tariff Welfare

Trump was scheduled to speak in Clive, Iowa about “bridge payments” to farmers whose livelihoods his tariffs destroyed, but arrived an hour late to an empty podium. The billions in taxpayer-funded payments compensate for damage Trump caused, with Iowa farming groups furious the Republican House failed to include year-round E15 ethanol sales in last week’s spending plan. Trump sits at 61% disapproval nationally with Iowa giving him lower approval than any other Republican-led state, while three of Iowa’s four House districts remain competitive and Democrats see Senator Joni Ernst’s retirement as an opportunity. Broadcasting from Greenland, correspondents noted Trump appears increasingly ineffectual on the world stage, backtracking on Minneapolis executions, facing EU and NATO rejection of his Greenland demands, and threatening to punish Americans with more tariffs after Mark Carney embarrassed him at Davos.

The pattern revealed across today’s stories: retreat without accountability, threats without consequences, censorship timed to investigations, purges for truth-telling, and rallies selling failure to the people paying the price.

The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.

Thank you Nick Paro, Northern Variables, Story Carrier, ann schneider, Omar Moore, and many others for tuning into my live video with Jacob Kaarsbo! Join me for my next live video in the app.

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5️⃣ Europe Stands Up, Trump Backs Down

Trump wanted Greenland and threatened to take it by force. The European Union told him to back off, and according to Washington Post analysis published today, pushback actually works. When the EU threatened retaliatory tariffs over Trump’s military threats, Trump ruled out using force within hours. The pattern is clear, as Zev explained: when confronted by equals with actual leverage, Trump folds, then immediately retaliates against weaker targets he controls. After backing down to Europe, Trump withdrew Canada’s invitation to the Board of Peace in petty retaliation for Prime Minister Mark Carney stealing the limelight at Davos. Dean compared the situation to a camp talent show where someone who lost got violent until given a participation trophy, calling it exactly what happened in Davos. They pulled Trump into a room and told him you can have all the stuff you already have, or you can go to war with the rest of the European Union, because we’re filling it up with ammunition, soldiers, cutters, and everything. No one’s backing down. Dean’s assessment: stand up to bullies and they fold, appease them and they escalate.

4️⃣ Minnesota Rises Against ICE Terror

Hundreds of businesses across the Twin Cities closed today in sub-zero temperatures for a general strike against ICE operations, with their message clear: history is on our side. The strike centers on 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was used as bait by ICE agents. Dean described the heartbreaking scene: this little boy wearing a cute blue toque with bear ears and carrying his Spider-Man backpack, was made to knock on his own door to lure adults out so agents could arrest them. The photo shows an officer’s hand jammed down the boy’s backpack, holding him in place in front of an ICE vehicle. They told him he’d get a treat if he did it, Dean explained, treating him like a dog. Then when the family did come out, they just led him back to the car and made him stand with his face in front of the car and arrested him and his entire family. Interfaith services, labor unions, and business leaders united for the strike, with a march planned for 2 PM despite minus-50 degree wind chill. One protester captured the community’s resolve: we’re being invaded at all levels of society from kids to old people, but it’s not working. If anything it’s making our community tighter.

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3️⃣ WHO Exit Hands China Health Control

Trump’s second withdrawal from the World Health Organization was finalized this week, with the United States refusing to pay $270 million owed to the organization. Dean revealed the stark truth about why Trump pulled out of 66 global organizations: the United States simply doesn’t have the money to pay those organizations for their entry, submission, subscription fees. They don’t have the money. Where’s the money going? Tax cuts to the wealthy and funding massive federal operations. Zev pointed out they’re giving themselves that money, dude. They are giving that money. They’re stealing that money is what’s going on. The WHO withdrawal hands Beijing control of global health infrastructure by default, gutting pandemic surveillance. Dean noted the suspicious pattern: Trump is doing the same steps again, the same moves that he did back before COVID. Let’s withdraw from the WHO. Let’s give China all this control. His conclusion: he doesn’t want to be accountable to anybody. He wants to steal all the f*****g money.

2️⃣ Ukraine Talks Test Territorial Surrender

The first trilateral meeting between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States took place today in Abu Dhabi, with Russia demanding Ukraine withdraws from Donbas entirely. Trump keeps claiming he’s getting close to a deal, though Zev noted that yesterday’s meeting with Zelensky was reportedly frosty, and judging by Zelensky’s speech afterwards, could not have been very friendly. The show acknowledged the inevitable: U.S. allies are watching to see if America just abandons Ukraine, which of course they have, and completely sides with Putin, which of course they have too. Meanwhile, Ukrainians have no electricity in the worst winter conditions. But Dean highlighted the Ukrainian resolve that continues to inspire: they continue to give the rest of us hope, showing how to stand up to tyranny. He described watching Zelensky’s speech at Davos: he simply said, but we will fight with all the confidence in the world and we will win. And this hasn’t dampened their resolve. Dean’s takeaway: if there is a lesson here for everybody, it’s the Ukrainian stoic way.

1️⃣ Patel Purges FBI Trump Investigators

Six senior FBI agents were forced out today, every single one connected to Mar-a-Lago or January 6 investigations. Miami field office lost six agents who executed the search warrant at Mar-a-Lago, Atlanta’s Special Agent in Charge is gone, New York’s acting assistant director is out, and the former New Orleans SAC who oversaw January 6 investigations was terminated. The purge came one day after Jack Smith’s largely sealed public testimony at a congressional hearing. Dean delivered a scorching assessment of FBI Director Kash Patel: he was a podcaster that liked to play dress up, literally liked to play dress up. He was a cosplayer. He’d LARP like he’s LARPing to be an FBI director right now. He larped as a wizard in a series of children’s books, participated in backyard wrestling parties with his friends. That guy just fired six career FBI employees for doing an excellent job in a very difficult set of circumstances to protect the United States from Donald Trump. Zev connected it to the show’s central pattern: Trump backs down to the EU in story five because they have power. Then he retaliates against FBI agents who have none. Greenland showed the strategy. Patel’s purge proves it. Appease the strong. Crush the vulnerable. Governing principle.

The FiveStack is available as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The FiveStack is a co-production of deanblundell.substack.com and narativ.org.

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The second part of Jack Smith’s testimony delivered the most damaging evidence against Trump. Democrats played audio of the infamous Raffensperger call where Trump demanded Georgia’s Secretary of State “find 11,780 votes.” Smith testified that Trump threatened Raffensperger with criminal prosecution when the Republican official wouldn’t comply. A Georgia fake elector witness described being told his vote would only be used if they won in court, then watching Trump try to use those fraudulent certificates anyway.

Smith testified unequivocally that Trump was “the person most responsible for what happened at the Capitol” and that the attack was “foreseeable to him.” The special counsel revealed that multiple January 6 rioters admitted they committed crimes “at the behest and in the name of Donald Trump.” Even the QAnon Shaman’s lawyer stated his client “heard the words of the president. He believed them. He genuinely believed them.”

The hearing took a dramatic turn when a Texas Republican congressman revealed he learned just three weeks ago that his own phone records had been subpoenaed by Smith’s team in 2022. Scott Perry’s phone was physically seized from him in front of his family. Republicans claimed over 400 conservative groups and leaders had their financial records and phone data obtained, including Cleta Mitchell, Sidney Powell, and Jenna Ellis. Smith defended the subpoenas as standard investigative practice when examining a criminal conspiracy.

Throughout the questioning, Smith drew a clear line: Trump was free to say falsely that he won the election, but he was not free to use knowingly false statements to target a lawful government function. The certification process from December 14th through January 6th was that lawful function, and Smith’s evidence showed Trump crossed that line repeatedly.

Part 2 includes discussion and analysis with Dean Blundell and Nick Paro examining the implications of Smith’s testimony and the clips that matter most.

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