Rollan Roberts II

The U.S. State Department, under the Trump administration, has approved a $510 million arms sale to Israel for thousands of precision-guided munitions kits, reinforcing Israel’s strike capabilities amid ongoing regional tensions. The approved package includes 3,845 KMU-558B/B JDAM guidance kits for BLU-109 bunker-buster bombs—2,000-pound munitions designed to penetrate hardened targets—and 3,280 KMU-572F/B JDAM kits for MK 82 general-purpose bombs, which weigh 500 pounds each. These JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) kits convert unguided bombs into GPS-guided precision weapons, enabling accurate strikes in all weather conditions. The deal also includes engineering, logistics, and technical support services provided by Boeing, the principal contractor. Some of the kits may be sourced from existing U.S. government stockpiles.

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I am a China hawk. We have over three decades of experience that the "engagement" strategy has failed to incorporate China into a liberal rules-based order. Instead, China uses the liberality of the free world to undermine its institutions and engage in massive rule breaking, predatory economics and outright theft. I think the free world is a big enough economy to be able to decouple of autocratic regimes, and should do so to the maximum extend possible, always holding out the hand of friendship for countries that reform themselves. Morgan Stanley disagrees with me. From a recent research report: "China's investability has incrementally improved over time, with new technologies and new business models attracting the most attention among investors: Investors are particularly interested in ideas associated with the New Consumption theme as well as AI/Technology related themes. Investors in general admit that many of them have overlooked/spent much less time covering China since 2021/2022, which had resulted in limited knowledge of the latest technological breakthrough on the tech and smart manufacturing fronts, as well as on a number of new consumer brands that have gained extensive market share and traction during the same period." They recommend increased investment in China. It is perfectly legal, but it is strategically dumb. Recommendations: -- take China stocks out of all financial instrument indices. This would be bigger than tariffs as a stick to force China to conform to international norms of good behavior. -- Instead of tariffs on Chinese goods, put a 100% tariff on US capital investment in China, and a 50% corporate tax on their Chinese profits. -- prevent Chinese companies from listing on any US exchange or any international exchange controlled by a US corporations. Let's stop subsidizing Chinese cost of capital. -- 100% capital tax on Chinese investment in the US. Including companies and real estate. -- 100% tax on interest paid to China by any US entity, including treasury bonds. -- continue to admit Chinese students to US universities, but only with a 100% tax on their tuition, rebate of their tuition tax if they renounce their Chinese citizenship and become US citizens. Admit no members or family members of the CCP and monitoring all their communications until they become US citizens. I welcome feedback on these. Some have interesting implications. Francois Trahan, M²SD #decoupling #china National Security Council, The White House U.S. Department of the Treasury #tariffs Macroeconomics Trivium China J. Scott Christian William Collins #china Shannon Brandao Liza Tobin Edo　慧人 NAITO　内藤 #foreignpolicy #nationalsecurity Dr. Alicia H. Lili Pike David Barboza Lingling Wei Diana Choyleva Frank Tsai David O. Shullman Shirley Ze Yu Andrew Collier Gerard DiPippo Oxford China Policy Lab China Policy

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⚖️ Trump’s $100K H-1B Visa Overhaul: What Still Remains Unclear The U.S. administration has confirmed a $100,000 annual fee for H-1B applications, along with talk of higher wage floors. But many key questions are still unanswered: 🔹 Fee Structure Will the $100,000 fee be in addition to existing fees (lottery registration, employer petitions, training fees) — or a complete replacement? 🔹 Wage Floors What will the new minimum wage levels be for H-1B workers? How will they be calculated, and will certain roles or industries get exemptions? 🔹 Legal Challenges Immigration lawyers argue the proclamation may overstep Congressional authority. Court battles could delay or even reshape implementation. ⸻ 💡 Why this matters: For tech companies, outsourcing firms, and skilled workers — the difference between “extra” fees vs. replacement fees, or a moderate vs. extreme wage floor, could define whether the H-1B remains viable. #H1B #GlobalTalent #Immigration #Tech #Leadership #Economy

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California has become the first state to ban most law enforcement officers — including federal immigration agents — from wearing masks while conducting official business, under a bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

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Corporate America Breaks Its Silence as Trump’s Tariffs Spark Market Turmoil Introduction: From Quiet Lobbying to Public Criticism After weeks of behind-the-scenes maneuvering, corporate leaders are now speaking out against President Trump’s escalating trade war. As the economic fallout from sweeping tariffs deepens, a growing number of CEOs are abandoning caution and publicly challenging the administration’s policies. With financial markets reeling and business uncertainty mounting, the silence from boardrooms is giving way to open dissent. Key Signs of Growing Corporate Pushback • Private Frustrations Go Public • Initially, executives limited their complaints to trade groups and backchannel meetings with Trump officials. • Many CEOs found those meetings unsatisfactory, with few concrete answers about strategy or duration. • Market Declines Prompt Action • A three-day Wall Street selloff intensified pressure on CEOs to speak out, particularly after warnings from major investors like Bill Ackman and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon. • Direct Criticism from Business Leaders • Bahram Akradi, CEO of Life Time Group Holdings, criticized the tariffs directly, saying, “This cannot stay… You cannot apply this type of gridlock and this much friction to the world’s trade.” • The CEO of Ethan Allen also urged the administration to reconsider, noting that despite producing most of its furniture in North America, the trade restrictions are still damaging business operations. • Shifting Tone in the Boardroom • Executives are now framing tariffs not just as a temporary disruption but as a structural risk to global supply chains and economic growth. • Public statements from once-silent CEOs suggest a broader willingness to challenge Trump’s economic nationalism when it directly impacts profitability and investor confidence. Why This Matters: Business Community Signals Breaking Point The emerging chorus of CEO criticism marks a significant shift in the corporate-political landscape. While many business leaders previously tolerated or quietly navigated Trump’s policy disruptions, the financial and operational costs of the trade war have become too large to ignore. This pushback could influence political momentum in Congress and embolden lawmakers seeking to curb the president’s tariff powers. As business confidence erodes and supply chains strain, the corporate world’s growing dissatisfaction may become a powerful force shaping the future of U.S. trade policy.

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#Whistleblowers are the vital guardrails of democracy !! And, of course, the US system to protect federal workers from retaliation for reporting gross mismanagement, waste, fraud and abuses of power was one of the first to be under fire from the Trump administration. In one of the first cases to test whether or not the US will remain a democracy and survive this full scale attack on the democratic accountability and anti-corruption infrastructure of country, it has passed the first test and is likely to be on its way to the Supreme Court. US District Judge Jackson ruled that the unprecedented and illegal firing of the Head of the Office of the Special Counsel who protects whistleblowers is in fact illegal. She said in her ruling on Saturday that upholding Trump’s ability to fire Hampton Dellinger would give him “a constitutional license to bully officials in the executive branch into doing his will”. The irony of course is that while the US has in fact done a better job in terms of recognising the importance of whistleblowers for a long time, governments around the world are only just starting to take action in their own countries to shore up the democratic accountability mechanism/protection that whistleblower protection really represents. We must support our US colleagues working hard to protect their democracy as a matter of public good, and recognise that #whistleblowing is not just a back-up measure, it is a front line of defence and IF WE ARE READY to catch the ball when a whistleblower throws it to us, protecting whistleblowers is a key to fighting back against tyranny everywhere. Whistleblowing International Network (WIN) Government Accountability Project UNCAC Coalition Transparency International The Coalition against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) #anticorruption #humanrights #humanrightsdefenders #integrity #compliance #antifraud #environmentalprotection https://lnkd.in/eSizkBXu

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I initially doubted that a gunfighting tactic would prove to be a powerful leadership principle. On a recent Shawn Ryan Show (shawnryanshow.com) interview, Shawn asked me a question from a viewer: “What’s an essential leadership principle that has trouble translating from military to civilian situations? My response: Cover and Move. Cover and Move is a gunfighting tactic. In combat, if you and I need move down a street during a firefight under enemy fire, I lay down cover fire to suppressive the enemy so you can safely move. Then, you lay down cover fire, so I can move. That’s how we advance— by mutually supporting one another, working together toward the common goal of eliminating an enemy threat. But when Jocko Willink and I first launched Echelon Front, we weren't sure how this battlefield tactic might translate to the corporate world — until we sat down with a company. We listened as the different departments blamed each other for problems. The sales team blame marketing for a lack of support. Marketing pointed fingers at operations. Operations wasn’t setting up sales for success. Everyone was consumed by their own agendas and their own challenges, and they couldn’t see how they were failing their teammates. We realized what they needed to understand Cover and Move. Cover and Move is teamwork. Every team within an organization must work together, mutually supporting one another into order to achieve the goal. Cover and Move is the recognition that it’s not about you — it’s about the overall team and the strategic mission. And I’ve seen this principle apply everywhere. When your wife is frustrated and struggling with the kids, you should step in and provide some cover to take things off her plate. When another department in your company isn't giving you the support you need, you should reach out to them and find out how you can better support them, so that you build a better relationship with them and increase mutual support. That’s Cover and Move in action — mutually supporting one another to help the help the team win. When the overall team wins, everyone wins. Though we weren’t sure initially how Cover and Move would translate in the civilian world, it turns out, it’s an essential element for any team to accomplish their mission and win. 

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Why veteran founders pull through when the plan explodes: 5 reasons why from my conversation with multi-venture founder and retired Brigadier General Robert S. Cooley, Jr. 1) They Lead People First “Our job is to teach, train, and mentor.” Vets understand leadership’s about developing others*not performing for the spotlight*. They don’t just hire staff, they grow them. Leading to cultural resilience that outlasts downturns. 2) They Normalize Failure “You’re going to screw something up. You’ve got 30 seconds to feel bad, then you get back up and move.” Military life doesn’t romanticize resilience → it operationalizes it. 3) They Innovate Inside the System Understanding structure deeply enough to know **where to push** It’s why veteran founders can thrive in complex, regulated industries. Because they’re trained to adapt inside parameters. 4) They Execute in Chaos, and Fast Startups operate in fog-of-war conditions: • Fuzzy data • Moving targets • Unclear priorities Military leaders are built for that, often rotating leadership every 18 months: Dropping into unfamiliar environments, aligning teams fast, and making high-stakes calls without perfect intel. Veteran founders bring that same tempo to early-stage execution. 5) They Think in Second and Third-Order Effects Looking “over the hill and around the corner”. This is strategic foresight in action. Not just shipping, but scanning. Their scenario-planning horizon includes: • Today’s problem • Next quarter’s trade-offs • What is likely to break if they scale wrong There’s an old adage in the startup world “You bet on the jockey, not the horse.” Veteran founders come with proof of discipline, decision-making under pressure, and real leadership reps. You can teach product. You can’t teach pressure-proof leadership. Enjoy this? Catch my full sit down with Brig Gen Cooley, Jr. on The Amplified CEO: https://lnkd.in/eeXtJFPC We cover: → Translating military command into startup execution → Leading high-performance teams without micromanaging → Mentoring founders in emerging or under-resourced markets If you’re trying to build across sectors, mentor well, or just figure out how to operate at a higher level, this episode’s worth your time.

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