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Jamestown Foundation Posts Commentary: Chaiko Appointed New Commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The Jamestown Foundation posted the following commentary on May 20, 2026, by Alex Horobets, a PhD candidate at the Institute of History of Ukraine National Academy of Sciences, in the foundation's Eurasia Daily Monitor:
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Chaiko Appointed New Commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces
Executive Summary:
* Colonel General Alexander Chaiko has been appointed the new commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, replacing Viktor Afzalov. Chaiko is a ground forces commander with no experience in aviation or air defense, pointing to the decision's political nature.
* Clan
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The Jamestown Foundation posted the following commentary on May 20, 2026, by Alex Horobets, a PhD candidate at the Institute of History of Ukraine National Academy of Sciences, in the foundation's Eurasia Daily Monitor:
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Chaiko Appointed New Commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces
Executive Summary:
* Colonel General Alexander Chaiko has been appointed the new commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, replacing Viktor Afzalov. Chaiko is a ground forces commander with no experience in aviation or air defense, pointing to the decision's political nature.
* Claninterests and personal loyalty, rather than considerations of competency, explain this appointment. Chaiko is a protege of Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, and Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu reportedly lobbied his candidacy to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
* The appointment of a "ground forces" general amid a crisis in air defense due to massive Ukrainian drone attacks demonstrates how the Kremlin continues to solve problems by reshuffling loyal personnel rather than changing approaches.
On May 4, the Russian military leadership carried out another significant reshuffle at the top of its command structure. Russian media, citing sources close to the Ministry of Defense, reported the appointment of Colonel General Alexander Chaiko as the new commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) (RBC; Meduza, May 4). He replaced General Viktor Afzalov, who had led the VKS since 2023, following Sergey Surovikin's departure (Novaya Gazeta, October 20, 2023). The Ministry of Defense still has not officially confirmed the appointment. This lack of transparency is symptomatic of the current state of the Russian command system. It also indicates the decision is not purely technical, but deeply political.
Chaiko has strong ties to Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who maintains the loyalty of the "Gerasimov faction" inside the Kremlin. The 54-year-old general graduated from the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School and rose rapidly through the ranks before being appointed commander of the Aerospace Forces, despite not being a pilot or an air defense specialist. His career followed a classic General Staff trajectory--from platoon commander to commander of the 20th Combined Arms Army. His service record also includes repeated command of Russian forces in Syria, where Chaiko participated in negotiations between then Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and then Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In 2019, Chaiko became deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces under Gerasimov. Shortly before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed him commander of the Eastern Military District. He awarded him the rank of Colonel General in November 2021 (Current Time, May 8).
Chaiko commanded Russia's "Vostok" grouping on the key Kyiv axis in the first months of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. His participation in the war against Ukraine makes the general's appointment especially notable. According to the Security Service of Ukraine, Chaiko established his headquarters in a seized kindergarten in the village of Zdvyzhivka, Bucha district, Kyiv oblast, to avoid strikes during the Ukrainian counteroffensive (see EDM, April 13, 2022; Security Service of Ukraine, September 5, 2022). Ukrainian investigators also accuse Chaiko of ordering the use of combat aviation and artillery against residential areas in early March 2022, resulting in civilian casualties (24tv.ua, July 19, 2025). Meanwhile, the attempted capture of Kyiv became one of the most catastrophic episodes for the Russian Armed Forces, in which troops failed to achieve any of their objectives and were forced to retreat.
The current appointment of Chaiko as commander of the Aerospace Forces comes amid an evident crisis in the Russian air defense system. Under Afzalov's leadership, Russia faced unprecedented pressure from Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strikes on critical, logistical, and military infrastructure (see EDM, March 30, April 13, May 6). In March, Ukrainian UAVs struck the largest Russian oil terminals in the Baltic Sea, significantly affecting oil export capacity (see EDM, March 30). In April alone, Ukraine attacked Russian oil facilities more than 20 times. The "red line" for Afzalov's dismissal, according to Russian Telegram channels, however, may have been a Ukrainian UAV reaching Moscow directly ahead of the May holidays (Telegram/@vizioner_rf; Meduza, May 4). Amid preparations for the May 9 parade and unprecedented security measures in the capital, such an event was perceived as a personal humiliation for the security services (see EDM, May 11). Dissatisfaction within the Kremlin over air defense performance is understandable, reflecting a chronic inability to counter inexpensive Ukrainian UAVs. Air defense and missile defense troops are organizationally part of the Aerospace Forces, and responsibility for systemic inefficiency was placed on Afzalov.
Chaiko has no experience in air defense or aviation--he is a combined-arms commander. The Kremlin is either not looking for a genuine technical solution to the problem, or another logic dictates the appointment. In military-political circles, Chaiko is consistently characterized as a protege of Gerasimov. The connection likely originated when Gerasimov served as a subordinate to Chaiko's father in East Germany during the Cold War (Zerkalo, May 8). The trajectory of Chaiko's career--repeated appointments to the same positions, rotations with other generals from the same circle, and rapid returns to service after failures--indicates a stable patron at the top of the military hierarchy. The general is known as a "desk fox," meaning a master of bureaucratic survival who can maintain his position despite military failures (Telegram/@arbat, June 27, 2023).
The picture becomes more complex, as Shoigu--who is currently the secretary of the Russian Security Council-- allegedly proposed Chaiko's candidacy to Russian President Vladimir Putin (Telegram/@russicaru, May 5). According to an independent Russian news outlet Important Stories, Western intelligence has detected signs of pressure on Shoigu, including possible criminal prosecution (Important Stories, May 4). Promoting his own candidate to a key military post may be part of a protective strategy (see EDM, March 31).
Appointing a ground forces general to oversee aviation and strategic air defense clearly indicates bureaucratic logic and internal political calculation. Whoever controls the Aerospace Forces controls resources, budgets, and, under wartime conditions, a significant part of the daily operational picture. The appointment broadly reflects a continuing crisis in the command structure of the Russian Armed Forces. The Kremlin continues to rely on trusted insiders from the Gerasimov-Shoigu circle, even when it comes to critical high-tech branches of the military. This creates additional risks for Russia's defense capability and opens a window of opportunity for Ukraine to continue its offensive drone campaign. As the Russian economy becomes increasingly dependent on oil and petroleum exports, the inability of the Aerospace Forces to ensure reliable protection of energy infrastructure may become an important factor in determining the future course of the war.
Chaiko's appointment fits into a stable Russian tradition--responding to systemic failures with personnel reshuffles rather than reforming the system. This is not an attempt to solve a problem, but an attempt by the traditional elites of the General Staff and the Ministry of Defense to maintain control over it. A commander compromised by war crime allegations and known for bureaucratic flexibility, but not aviation experience, is now leading forces facing a crisis of effectiveness. If such "bureaucratic foxes" occupy key command positions, the Russian military will continue to demonstrate a gap between its propagandistic claims of "unmatched capabilities" and its actual effectiveness on the battlefield and in the air. For Ukraine and its allies, this personnel reshuffle is not grounds for expecting an immediate increase in Russian air defense capabilities. It clearly demonstrates, however, that the internal dysfunction of the Russian military command has not disappeared.
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Alex Horobets is a PhD candidate at the Institute of History of Ukraine National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, within the Department of International Relations and Foreign Policy of Ukraine.
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URL: Institute of History of Ukraine National Academy of Sciences
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Original text here: https://jamestown.org/chaiko-appointed-new-commander-of-the-russian-aerospace-forces/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Hudson Institute Issues Commentary: Ukraine Military Situation Report on May 20, 2026
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following commentary on May 20, 2026, by nonresident senior fellow Can Kasapoglu:
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Ukraine Military Situation Report | May 20
Executive Summary
* The Russia-Ukraine War continued at a high operational tempo, with intense combat operations and mounting drone and missile strikes.
* Ukraine intensified its long-range robotic salvos targeting Russia's energy and defense-industrial infrastructure, as well as the Moscow area.
* Kyiv's development
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following commentary on May 20, 2026, by nonresident senior fellow Can Kasapoglu:
* * *
Ukraine Military Situation Report | May 20
Executive Summary
* The Russia-Ukraine War continued at a high operational tempo, with intense combat operations and mounting drone and missile strikes.
* Ukraine intensified its long-range robotic salvos targeting Russia's energy and defense-industrial infrastructure, as well as the Moscow area.
* Kyiv's developmentof its first indigenous glide bomb signaled a growing shift toward scalable, low-cost precision warfare.
1. Battlefield Assessment
Last week, fighting continued at a high operational tempo amid ongoing Russian pressure. Ukrainian reporting and open-source intelligence indicated that on some days Russian and Ukrainian forces waged roughly 200 to 250 tactical engagements.
The heaviest fighting continued to center around Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka, and Huliaipole, where most combat took place. Russian forces also increased their activity along the Lyman, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk axes, mounting sustained pressure across several sectors.
Last week also witnessed some of the most intense drone and missile action since the war's outset, as Russia launched hundreds of drones and follow-on ballistic missile salvos. Because Ukraine lacks sufficient interceptors for its Patriot surface-to-air anti-ballistic missile systems, Russian projectiles, including the North Korean KN-23 and indigenous Iskander, continued to threaten Ukrainian missile defenses. Ukraine did mount an increasing number of drone-on-drone interceptions, though Russian drones continued to terrorize Ukrainian cities.
Kyiv's improving robotic-warfare deterrent retaliated against Russian air raids. On the night of May 15, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (USF)--working alongside the country's Special Operations Forces, Defense Intelligence Directorate, and other components of Ukraine's defense establishment--conducted a long-range strike against the Ryazan oil refinery, an installation owned by Russia's state-controlled Rosneft corporation. Ukrainian military sources stated that the strike involved operators from the 1st Separate Center, the 414th Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade ("Magyar Birds"), and the Raid-413 robotic warfare formation.
The Ryazan refinery is one of Russia's largest oil-processing facilities, with an annual refining capacity of approximately 17.1 million tons. The plant produces multiple grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, liquefied gases, jet fuel, and other petroleum products for both civilian and military uses. Additionally, Ukrainian intelligence analyses have indicated that each year the facility produces roughly 840,000 tons of TS-1 aviation kerosene, an important source of fuel for the Russian Aerospace Forces.
According to Ukrainian reporting, the strike on the Ryazan refinery triggered multiple explosions and a large-scale fire on the premises. While Ukrainian officials stated that battle-damage assessments of the strike are ongoing, the operation reflects Kyiv's continuing campaign to degrade Russia's energy infrastructure and constrain the logistical and operational sustainment capacities supporting Moscow's war machine.
Ukraine also struck other Russian facilities last week. On the night of May 16, Ukrainian long-range strike assets--including indigenous robotic weapons such as the Bars RS-1, Fire Point FP-1, and Bars-SM Gladiator--conducted a coordinated wave of strikes against military-industrial and logistics targets in Moscow Oblast. Ukrainian military authorities confirmed a successful strike on a facility in Zelenograd owned by JSC Angstrem, a major Russian semiconductor developer and manufacturer. The facility serves as a key node in Russia's defense-industrial base, and is responsible for the production of microelectronics, radio electronics, optical components, and robotic systems used in precision-guided weapons programs. Secondary fires were reported at the site following the attack.
Additionally, Ukrainian forces struck the Solnechnogorskaya pumping station, a critical component of the pipeline network encircling Moscow. The facility is responsible for storing, transferring, and distributing large volumes of petroleum products, including fuel supplies that support Russian military operations. Open-source satellite-imagery intelligence confirmed that four RVS-5000 storage tanks were destroyed at the pumping station, and visual uploads after the strike revealed fires at the impact site. Beyond the strikes they conducted inside Russia, Ukrainian forces also targeted multiple operational-level military assets across occupied territories and frontline sectors within Ukraine.
Lastly, social media posts from the 414th "Magyar Birds" unit of the USF revealed that the group is pioneering a new concept of employment (CONEMP): a rocket-drone hybrid that integrates unguided rockets into long-range FP-1 and FP-2 strike drones. The new asset can operate over 300 miles inside Russia's operational depth and boasts a 60-kilogram-class strike-wing warhead.
Last week Ukraine launched salvos that used the drone-rocket hybrid, and video from its onboard camera was released for the first time. This new adaptation is important not only for its precision, but also for its ability to extend rotary-wing and attack-aviation effects into hostile airspace where conventional helicopters cannot usually survive.
2. Ukraine Introduces Its First Indigenously Developed Glide Bomb
Ukraine released images of its first indigenously developed guided glide bomb, a practical munition fit for use in precise and low-cost strikes. This development demonstrates Kyiv's intention to manufacture a homegrown precision-attack system suited to its wartime needs. Ukrainian officials stated that the new bomb is now ready for combat after a 17-month design and testing process led by Brave1, a government-backed defense technology initiative.
The new weapon, reportedly a 250-pound-class bomb, comes with a detachable set of wings and an unspecified guidance mechanism. This combination of features allows the munition to hit fortified positions, command posts, logistics hubs, and other targets far behind enemy lines.
Ukraine's defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, clarified that the weapon's design is an original Ukrainian innovation, different in kind from both Western and Soviet-vintage bombs. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has already purchased initial experimental batches of the munition, and Ukrainian pilots are undergoing training for combat deployment of the weapon.
Available footage suggests that Ukraine tested its new glide bomb using a Ukrainian Air Force Su-24 Fencer strike aircraft. Open-source intelligence suggests that the bomb appears to utilize deployable glide wings and large cruciform tail surfaces to stabilize and guide the munition after release. Resembling Russian glide-bomb adaptations, the weapon's design likely allows the bomb to transition to its attack profile immediately after separation from its deploying aircraft, but before wing deployment.
While the precise range and guidance architecture of the new weapon remain undisclosed, glide bombs fill an important niche in Ukraine's battlefield needs. Compared to cruise missiles, glide bombs are less expensive to manufacture and can carry larger warheads than most drones. Tactical aircraft can also release glide bombs outside many short-to-mid-altitude engagement envelopes.
Guided munitions with mid-range standoff capabilities that are inexpensive to produce offer Kyiv a means to preserve its low long-range missile inventories while simultaneously sustaining pressure on Russia's operational infrastructure and frontline concentrations.
3. What to Monitor in the Coming Weeks
Last week, Russia and Belarus conducted joint nuclear drills involving dual-capable delivery systems and tactical nuclear-warfare scenarios, underscoring Moscow's continued reliance on nuclear signaling amid its protracted war in Ukraine. The joint exercises coincided with the Kremlin's renewed rhetoric hinting at non-strategic nuclear deployments in Belarus and broader escalation messaging toward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO nations should closely monitor whether these drills evolve into nuclear-sharing mechanisms or new nuclear-use priorities.
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At A Glance:
Can Kasapoglu is a nonresident senior fellow at Hudson Institute. His work at Hudson focuses on political-military affairs in the Middle East, North Africa, and former Soviet regions.
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Original text here: https://www.hudson.org/missile-defense/ukraine-military-situation-report-may-20-can-kasapoglu
[Category: ThinkTank]
Hudson Institute Issues Commentary to Wall Street Journal: Economics of Victory in Ukraine and Defeat in Iran
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following excerpts of a commentary on May 20, 2026, by distinguished fellow Tom Tugendhat to the Wall Street Journal:
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The Economics of Victory in Ukraine and Defeat in Iran
The U.S. uses $4 million Patriot interceptors to destroy drones that cost $20,000 to $50,000.
*
The war in Iran teaches an old lesson about military spending.
Six hundred years ago, on a muddy field near Agincourt in northern France, King Henry V's outnumbered, half-starved
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, issued the following excerpts of a commentary on May 20, 2026, by distinguished fellow Tom Tugendhat to the Wall Street Journal:
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The Economics of Victory in Ukraine and Defeat in Iran
The U.S. uses $4 million Patriot interceptors to destroy drones that cost $20,000 to $50,000.
*
The war in Iran teaches an old lesson about military spending.
Six hundred years ago, on a muddy field near Agincourt in northern France, King Henry V's outnumbered, half-starvedEnglish army faced the flower of French chivalry.
French knights were expensive, each man-at-arms the product of many years of training, his armor and warhorse a major investment.
Henry's archers carried longbows that cost little, drawn by men trained in every village across the kingdom.
When the volleys came, the knights fell by the hundreds. Quantity overwhelmed quality--and the mud helped. France lost the battle, but defeat in the war came not in the dying.
It was in the impossibility of replacing what had died.
Read the full article in the Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-economics-of-victory-in-ukraine-and-defeat-in-iran-3d2403e1).
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At A Glance:
Tom Tugendhat is a distinguished fellow at Hudson Institute.
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Original text here: https://www.hudson.org/national-security-defense/economics-victory-ukraine-defeat-iran-tom-tugendhat
[Category: ThinkTank]
Congressional Republicans' Misplaced Priorities Hand Trump $70B Mass Deportation Slush Fund Instead of Providing Relief for Americans
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release on May 20, 2026:
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Congressional Republicans' Misplaced Priorities Hand Trump $70B Mass Deportation Slush Fund Instead of Providing Relief for Americans
While everyday Americans struggling to make ends meet receive no relief, congressional Republicans are moving to funnel a blank check worth tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to support the Trump administration's unpopular and unaccountable mass deportation agenda, with a billion more for his wasteful ballroom project.
Congressional Republicans turbocharged
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release on May 20, 2026:
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Congressional Republicans' Misplaced Priorities Hand Trump $70B Mass Deportation Slush Fund Instead of Providing Relief for Americans
While everyday Americans struggling to make ends meet receive no relief, congressional Republicans are moving to funnel a blank check worth tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to support the Trump administration's unpopular and unaccountable mass deportation agenda, with a billion more for his wasteful ballroom project.
Congressional Republicans turbochargedthe Trump administration's mass deportation agenda when it approved slush funds with no guardrails for ICE and CBP through the OBBBA in 2025. Since then, the administration's aggressive, indiscriminate immigration enforcement practices have forced the nation to reckon with the needless deaths of Americans in the streets, widespread detention of people who pose no threat to public safety, and record high deaths in ICE detention. Today, a majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of immigration. Yet, in spite of ICE and CBP retaining more than $103 billion in funds, congressional Republicans are choosing to further fuel Trump's unaccountable, unpopular mass deportation tactics. The proposed funding package would:
* Provide a massive $70 billion windfall in unaccountable spending
* Provide $1 billion in taxpayer money for Trump's unpopular ballroom project
* Add a slush fund for the Department of Justice that lacks any guardrails on using funds to target political opponents
* Decimate public safety by failing to stop the administration from continuing to divert vital law enforcement resources
* Do nothing to stop ICE's dangerous tactics, fuel family separations, and massively increase unsafe immigrant detention
"Congressional Republicans are choosing to double down on the Trump administration's unpopular, reckless tactics instead of supporting commonsense measures to make Americans safer," said Debu Gandhi, senior director of Immigration Policy at American Progress. "All members of Congress should listen to Americans' concerns and stop adding billions in taxpayer dollars to further the Trump administration's ideological crusades."
"American communities are living with the chaotic consequences of these reckless policies," said Rosa Barrientos-Ferrer, senior policy analyst for Immigration Policy at American Progress. "In addition to fomenting fear and violence in communities across the country, the Trump administration's tactics have led to family separation, the detention of people with no criminal record and avoidable deaths in detention. It's time to put the safety of Americans first."
Read: "Congressional Republicans Recklessly Bill Taxpayers for the Trump Administration's ICE and CBP Slush Fund and Wasteful Ballroom" (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/congressional-republicans-recklessly-bill-taxpayers-for-the-trump-administrations-ice-and-cbp-slush-fund-and-wasteful-ballroom/) by Rosa Barrientos-Ferrer, Ben Greenho, Debu Gandhi, and Silva Mathema.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Rafael Medina at rmedina@americanprogress.org.
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Original text here: https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release-congressional-republicans-misplaced-priorities-hand-trump-70b-mass-deportation-slush-fund-instead-of-providing-relief-for-americans/
[Category: ThinkTank]
America First Policy Institute: TrumpRx Delivers for American Patients
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on May 20, 2026:
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TrumpRx Delivers for American Patients
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Governor Bobby Jindal, AFPI Chair of Healthy America, following President Trump's announcement that TrumpRx is being expanded to include hundreds of new medications:
"Hardworking Americans have been fleeced for years with sky-high drug prices--thanks to greedy middlemen, suffocating red tape, and foreign countries ripping us off.
President Trump is ending it. With
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on May 20, 2026:
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TrumpRx Delivers for American Patients
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Governor Bobby Jindal, AFPI Chair of Healthy America, following President Trump's announcement that TrumpRx is being expanded to include hundreds of new medications:
"Hardworking Americans have been fleeced for years with sky-high drug prices--thanks to greedy middlemen, suffocating red tape, and foreign countries ripping us off.
President Trump is ending it. WithTrumpRx and Most Favored Nation pricing, we're slashing costs, expanding access, and delivering real relief at the pharmacy counter.
Drug prices are finally falling for millions of families and seniors.
He promised to put American patients first--and he's delivering."
Governor Jindal is available for interview. Click here (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/contact/comms-team) to schedule.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/trumprx-delivers-for-american-patients
[Category: ThinkTank]
America First Policy Institute Issues Commentary to The Blade: Ohio's Ratepayer Protection Pledge Works
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on May 20, 2026, by Travis Ricketts, action manager of the Ohio state chapter, and Alex Fitzsimmons, acting under secretary of energy, to The Blade:
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Ohio's ratepayer protection pledge works
Private investment is coming to Ohio in ways that the state hasn't seen in a generation. This is not by accident, but because leaders at the Ohio Statehouse and federal partners understand the importance of economic development.
Leading technology companies are pouring money into Ohio because of its
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on May 20, 2026, by Travis Ricketts, action manager of the Ohio state chapter, and Alex Fitzsimmons, acting under secretary of energy, to The Blade:
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Ohio's ratepayer protection pledge works
Private investment is coming to Ohio in ways that the state hasn't seen in a generation. This is not by accident, but because leaders at the Ohio Statehouse and federal partners understand the importance of economic development.
Leading technology companies are pouring money into Ohio because of itstax structure, grid capacity, and land. With President Trump's Ratepayer Protection Pledge, Ohioans are benefiting from this investment through jobs and economic growth, while keeping electricity prices affordable.
Presently, Ohio ranks fifth in the nation for data centers, with more than 200 facilities operational and 77 more in the pipeline. By 2024, the industry supported nearly 95,000 jobs and contributed about $12 billion to the state's economy. Amazon Web Services has committed $23.8 billion to this region. Every dollar the state has invested through incentives has generated roughly $2.10 in tax revenue.
On March 4, President Trump gathered the country's biggest tech operators at the White House to sign the Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
The pledge is straightforward -- Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI agreed to build, bring, or buy their own generation capacity, cover the cost of grid upgrades their facilities require, and invest in their local communities.
To read the full article, click here (https://www.toledoblade.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2026/05/19/to-editor-ohios-ratepayer-protection-pledge-works/stories/20260520010).
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Travis Ricketts, State Action Manager, America First Ohio
This article was co-authored by Alex Fitzsimmons, acting under secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/ohios-ratepayer-protection-pledge-works
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI Celebrates Indictment of Raul Castro
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on May 20, 2026:
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AFPI Celebrates Indictment of Raul Castro
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Joshua Trevino, AFPI Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere Initiative, in response to news that the U.S. Department of Justice has indicted ex-Cuban President Raul Castro:
"The America First Policy Institute, along with countless Cuban Americans, celebrates the Department of Justice's indictment of Raul Castro for murdering American citizens.
President Trump's
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on May 20, 2026:
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AFPI Celebrates Indictment of Raul Castro
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Joshua Trevino, AFPI Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere Initiative, in response to news that the U.S. Department of Justice has indicted ex-Cuban President Raul Castro:
"The America First Policy Institute, along with countless Cuban Americans, celebrates the Department of Justice's indictment of Raul Castro for murdering American citizens.
President Trump'sDepartment of Justice is pursuing accountability for a regime that killed 4 Americans fleeing Cuba in 1996, and that has exported violence, repression, and instability throughout the Western Hemisphere for decades.
Just 90 miles off the coast of Florida, the Castro regime crushed the Cuban people through political repression, censorship, imprisonment, and economic destruction, and they spread anti-American influence to destabilize the hemisphere.
It's another example of how communist regimes only create corruption, instability, suffering, and criminality. Now, for at least one of those crimes, Castro will be held accountable."
Joshua Trevino, AFPI Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere Initiative, is available for interview. Click here (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/contact/comms-team) to schedule.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-celebrates-indictment-of-raul-castro
[Category: ThinkTank]
