Join Us at the 2023 World Economic Conference in Orlando, Florida!

? Dates: November 17, 18, and 19 ? Location: Orlando, Florida, USA (or tune in from home with our virtual ticket options)

Are you ready to unlock the future of economics and finance? Prepare for an unforgettable World Economic Conference experience in sunny Orlando, Florida! This premier event is your gateway to insights, networking, and valuable resources that will supercharge your understanding of the global economy.

?️ What’s Included for In-Person Attendees:

1. Event Admission: Enjoy reserved seating assigned based on the order of ticket sales, ensuring you have a prime view of every presentation.
2. Presentation Slides: Gain access to the presentation slides from all speakers, allowing you to delve deeper into the topics discussed.
3. Video Recording: Can’t make it to a session? No worries! You’ll receive access to video recordings of all conference presentations, so you can catch up at your convenience.
4. WEC Event App: Connect with the conference on a whole new level. Access presentation slides, bonus reports, recordings, and more via the official WEC Event App.
5. Bonus Conference Materials: Get a package of bonus conference-related materials, including exclusive bonus reports and videos (as provided by Martin Armstrong).
6. Morning Information Sessions: Don’t miss out on important morning information sessions, screened on-site in the meeting room on Saturday and Sunday.
7. Networking Opportunities: Exclusive access to the Event App Networking Feature allows you to connect with fellow attendees, both in-person and virtual, fostering valuable professional relationships.
8. Culinary Delights: Savor delicious breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, prepared to keep you energized throughout the day.
9. Cocktail Reception: Kick off the conference in style at our Friday evening cocktail reception. Meet and mingle with fellow attendees while enjoying refreshing drinks.
10. Swag Bag: As a token of our appreciation, each in-person attendee will receive a swag bag filled with goodies, including an Armstrong Economics notebook, pen, and an event collector’s mug!

Unable to travel? We also have two different ticket options for those wishing to attend virtually! 

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a global gathering of economic and financial minds. Secure your spot at the World Economic Conference in Orlando, Florida, and gain the knowledge, connections, and resources you need to thrive in the world of finance and economics.

Space is limited, so act now and reserve your seat! Visit our Events page to register and join us in sunny Orlando this November.

Now available at all major retailers!

The eBook will be available shortly.

The second edition of “The Plot to Seize Russia – The Untold History” is now available for purchase in paperback and hardcover on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The ebook will be available shortly.

Book description:

“Take care of Russia,” Boris Yeltsin said as he departed his presidency in August 1999. These words were directed at current Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Yeltsin specifically picked Putin as his predecessor to prevent the takeover of Russia.

So, who was Yeltsin warning against? Newly declassified documents from the Clinton Administration prove that there was a plot to rig the Russian election of 2000. These never-before-seen documents confirm numerous attempts to implement pro-Western policies using the Russian oligarchy headed by Boris Berezovsky.

On the other side were the communists who desired a return to the glory days of the Soviet Union. As one of the largest international hedge fund managers, author Martin Armstrong found himself in the middle of perhaps the greatest espionage, or attempt at a regime change for Russia, in modern history.

The Plot to Seize Russia pulls back the curtain to expose the most extraordinary attempt to seize power in modern history, but with the pen rather than armies. These declassified documents reveal a plot that has altered our thinking about the relations between the United States and Russia. The thirst for power comes seething through every line of these papers that alter our perception of reality, change the course of history, and now threaten us with World War III.

European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius believes a unified European army should replace American troops amid geopolitical tensions. “How will we replace the 100,000-strong American regular military forces that form the backbone of military power in Europe?” he asked, later answering his own question by proposing the creation of a permanent continent-wide joint armed force.

Kubilius believes there must be a European Security Council, a centralized control hub. “The European Security Council could consist of key permanent members, as well as several members on a rotational basis—around 10 to 12 in total—whose task would be to discuss the most important defense issues,” he emphasized, adding that the United Kingdom may be barred from entering due to Brexit.

The idea that the European Union now seriously considers replacing American troops with a European army is the culmination of decades of shifting global power, economic cycles, and the EU’s structural failure to sustain its own sovereignty. NATO became permanent precisely because European nations could not muster the political will and economic unity to defend themselves independently. It is easy to talk about replacing 100,000 U.S. troops with a European force when Europe has yet to solve its own sovereign debt problems and cannot even harmonize a defense budget.

“Would the United States be militarily stronger if they would have 50 armies on the States level instead of a single federal army, 50 state defence policies and defence budgets on the states level, instead of a single federal defence policy and budget? Kubilius questioned. The United States is a unified nation (for now); the European Union model expects each member to abandon its national identity, which is simply not possible.

Defense policy would require a unanimous agreement among all member states. Yet each member state faces distinct security threats shaped by trade and geography. Spain will not have the same concerns as Poland, for example, as you cannot broadly paint Europe with one brush. It has become increasingly apparent that each policy issued from Brussels benefits some members while disadvantaging others. Trade, war, and migration — every nation faces unique challenges that cannot be solved by broad solutions. Each nation can only survive if it maintains its structural and economic integrity, which is why I have warned that the very design of the euro was flawed from the beginning. It is extremely unlikely that 27 independent nations could continually agree on ever-changing policies in the event of war. A centralized authority would need to assume control of the proposed army, make decisions unilaterally, and trust that soldiers would collectively follow orders.

The European Union coerces members into prioritizing European interests. The union was destined to fail, and these overhauls will only spur the cycle in motion—Europe is in the process of separating.

The proposed billionaire tax has caussed $1 trillion in potential tax revenue to flee California. The billionaire tax would require California residents worth over $1 billion to pay a one-time 5% fee on all assets, including unrealized gains.

Google co-founder Larry Page fled the state and took his $276 billion net worth with him. Page moved his family office, Koop LLC, from California to Delaware and began purchasing property in Florida at the end of 2025. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, worth around $245 billion, sold his home in San Francisco in favor of Hawaii. Venture capitalist Peter Thiel cut ties with California, taking his $26 billion and counting, opting to relocate in Miami. Craft Ventures co-founder David Sacks fled California and opened an office in Austin, Texas. Sacks wrote on social media that “Miami will replace NYC as the finance capital and Austin will replace SF (San Francisco) as the tech capital.”

Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya believes California has lost $1 trillion in billionaire wealth because 50% of billionaire-driven potential tax revenue has left the state. Even if the bill does not pass, the fact that it was proposed and highly considered has unsettled capital and smart money will not remain where it is not welcome.

California heavily relies on top-earners to cover budget deficits. Last January, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) found that California is facing “double-digit operating deficits in the years to come” as a result of reckless government spending. For the 2025-26 period, the LOA believes the state may have a balanced budget, but calls Newsom’s spending and policies highly unpredictable.

GOVERNMENT SPENDING is to blame for the budget failures. Every analysis says the same thing. The LAO suggests: “Legislature would need to address in the coming years, for example, by reducing spending, increasing taxes, shifting costs, or using more reserves. The magnitude of these deficits also indicates that, without other changes to spending or revenues, the state does not have capacity for new commitments.”

California was banking on billionaires to cover 90% of the state’s health care costs. The 2025-26 budget allocated $188.1 billion in total ($42.1 billion General Fund) to Medi-Cal, representing a steep $4.5 billion General Fund increase from the previous year. Medi-Cal is expected to expand to $222.4 billion in FY2026-27. Administration costs alone account for nearly 17% of health spending, with costs increasing by 23% in 2023 alone. The state was expecting the billionaires’ tax to cover $22.5 billion in annual healthcare program costs. The funds have left the state and will not return.

The state was also planning to redirect $2.5 billion from billionaires’ annual contributions to food and education assistance programs. Governments will never understand that they cannot rob Peter to pay Paul without repercussions. Again, the proposal alone was enough to uproot capital, businesses, jobs, development, and innovation.

Russia is slinking back into its old Soviet Union methods of spying on citizens. Beginning on January 1, 2026, internet providers in Russia are now required to store all text, audio, and video messages for three years. The Center for Countering Disinformation has access to every Russian’s digital footprint.

Per usual, authorities claim the measure is to protect against fraud. The true motive is control, instant punishment, and the notion that citizens will begin to self-censor their private correspondence to avoid criticizing the Kremlin.

The Roskomnadzor (the federal communications regulator) has the authority to disconnect the Russian internet segment (Runet) from external sources at whim. Regulators may block or permanently ban individual websites or services if they believe they are a threat to national security. Telecom operators must issue commands and control network traffic in accordance with the Roskomnadzor. The Russian internet will be completely isolated from the global network.

Fines and penalties have been inconsequential despite increasing severity. As of September 1, 2025, Russians face a 5,000 ruble fine for “intentionally searching extremist materials.” This was significant as it was the first time Russia punished citizens for viewing prohibited online content.

Over one million websites have been analyzed for pretrial blocking by Roskomnadzor and the Prosecutor General’s Office. Over 150 media organizations are currently blocked in Russia. The government has repeatedly shut down the internet on a regional basis throughout the Ukraine war, with authorities claiming the blackouts are needed to support drone warfare.

Social media channels such as Twitter/X, Reddit, META/Facebook, LinkedIn, SnapChat, and Discord are inaccessible. YouTube and TikTok may be used on a limited basis. Russians are forbidden to view BBC News, Deutsche Welle, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, and other news outlets. VPNs are illegal, although widely used, and Russia ranked #1 in the top internet outages in 2025.

Russia ranked first worldwide in total internet disruptions in 2025, according to Top10VPN’s Cost of Internet Shutdowns report. Analysts recorded 37,166 hours of outages, citing their scale and technical complexity. pic.twitter.com/amRIN2yAke

— SOTA English (@sotavisioneng) January 12, 2026

Russians all know that Big Brother is monitoring them online and tapping their phones. People in former communist nations do not trust the government. They’ve been taught throughout the generations to keep a guard up. Unlike those in the West, the Russians and Chinese understand that the mainstream media is merely a propaganda tool. The information displayed on your TV screen or the front page of the newspaper has been pre-approved by the government; otherwise, it would not be permitted to air. I can proudly say that this website is one of them, and we are permitted to operate in both Russia and China.

The Kremlin and every other government authority has unlimited access to text messages and online searches. You can delete your texts and clear your search history, but government can still see your complete digital footprint. Governments sued internet and phone providers years ago to ensure they had full backdoor access to every outlet. Social media outlets were compromised, and those who failed to comply like TikTok were either banned or sold out. Digital privacy is not a protected right. Modern civilization depends on the internet for communication and information, making it a prime target for government surveillance. We will see governments continually restrict internet access in the years ahead as each nation aims to create a digital firewall to protect its citizens from sharing information, or worse, collaborating against the regimes controlling them.

President Trump’s announcement that he wants to push the U.S. defense budget to $1.5 trillion in 2027 is being framed as a necessary response to “very troubled and dangerous times” and a way to build what he calls a “Dream Military.” He claims that tariff revenues generated by his trade policies can help fund the increase and even allow for debt reduction while maintaining economic growth. There is a reason that Washington wants to increase its budget drastically, and the timing aligns perfectly with our computer model.

The proposal represents a roughly 50% increase from the $901 billion defense budget approved for 2026. The massive increase in funding represents a country preparing for a major geopolitical event. America stands alone. It can no longer trust the neocons in NATO, besides, America was the one primarily funding the organization. All of America’s allies are on the fence in terms of continued support, with the majority showing intense disapproval for recent military ventures.

Europe’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war cannot be ignored. Protests have erupted in France and Germany to declare that the people do not wish to die for Ukraine, but they have no say. The EU is run by neocons who are eagerly awaiting their turn to enter the conflict directly. China, the Middle East, South America, and Europe—conflicts are emerging in every corner of the globe, and unsurprisingly, America has been at the forefront.

An additional $500 million ensures the United States retains its reputation for having the most advanced military in the world, one would hope, but China has been rapidly advancing its military capabilities in preparation for a grand-scale conflict. Russia has been testing nuclear missiles, some powerful enough to create toxic radioactive tsunami waves that can wipe cities off the map.

We are approaching a critical turning point in the Economic Confidence Model. Confidence will continue to decline as war nears, and capital will continue to seek refuge in private assets. When confidence declines, politicians turn to external enemies to justify internal failures. War becomes a tool to distract from fiscal mismanagement and to consolidate power. The 2026 panic cycle aligns with a historic pattern in which sovereign debt crises and geopolitical conflict converge. This is not the beginning of war; it is the escalation phase.

COMMENT:

We had a similar referendum past November initiated by the young extreme leftists for a 50% (!) inheritance tax for wealthy above $50m – despite the fact that we pay already a wealth tax every year!

Well Swiss people realised that the billionaires have feets and can walk away similar to what you write in the California case:

Some 84.1% of Swiss voters said no to the civic duty proposal, while 78.3% rejected the inheritance tax initiative.

REPLY:

Switzerland became wealthy precisely because it respected property rights, capital mobility, and legal stability. The moment you threaten those pillars, the entire foundation collapses. The nation caved to the European Union in 2015 and abolished banking secrecy, the primary reason that people chose to keep capital in Switzerland. Switzerland abandoned its neutrality stance on war for the European Union, but internally, politicians are looking to shake down citizens for money as their own policies have caused capital to flee.

In November, radical leftist groups pushed not one but two initiatives that reflected the same ideological fantasy now sweeping California, New York, and Brussels. One proposal demanded a 50% inheritance tax on fortunes above CHF 50 million, while Switzerland already imposes a wealth tax every single year. The other initiative framed redistribution as a so-called “civic duty,” attempting to dress up confiscation as morality. More than 84% of Swiss voters rejected the civic duty proposal, and over 78% rejected the inheritance tax.

Wealth taxes merely shrink the tax base, reduce reinvestment, and push entrepreneurs offshore. Inheritance taxes punish saving or building something intended to last beyond a lifetime. Switzerland currently has a decentralized inheritance tax system that attracts the wealthy. The nation has already lost its destination for capital by handing over all banking information to centralized governments. Adolf Hitler deemed it illegal for Germans to store money outside the country, leading the way to Swiss banking. Decades later, centralized governments deem it illegal to store money anywhere that they cannot track and tax it. Christine Lagarde began the SWIFT confiscation when she was the head of the IMF. Lagarde threatened all tax havens to turn over accounts or be removed from SWIFT.  Not even Hitler violated the sovereignty of Switzerland where those in government today are far more ruthless and threaten other nations with ultimatums.

Why would the government be entitled to half of someone’s fortune? The government collects its share when you earn your wealth. They tax the assets you hold, tax capital once realized, levy your property annually, and then, even in death, the government demands more. Family businesses cannot operate long-term under these conditions, and to the government’s advantage, families cannot grow in power. Inheritance taxes are not designed to fund the government; rather, they are intended to prevent intergenerational wealth transfer and keep citizens dependent on the state.

Switzerland has begun phasing in the global minimum tax rate of 15% for multinational enterprises with revenues exceeding 750 million euros. A vote will be held this year to determine whether married couples should be taxed independently. VAT tax will be expanded to online digital services such as streaming platforms. Governments are assessing every possible angle to steal from citizens. The world will witness higher tax rates and excessive authoritarian controls on capital as we move toward the end of the current cycle.

Great Britain has caved to Islamist radicals to such an extreme extent that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it must limit its funding for universities in the United Kingdom. The Muslim Brotherhood is active in the UK as the government refuses to ban the radical group. The UAE is legitimately concerned that young men will go abroad to the UK and return with radicalized, jihadist values.

The Under the Terrorism Act (2000) states that organizations can be banned if they are “concerned in terrorism.” A 2015 review found that the Muslim Brotherhood has an “ambiguous relationship with violent extremism,” meaning that the group as a whole cannot be disbanded. “The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism,” former PM David Cameron stated, with “possible” being the keyword. The UK decided to merely monitor the group despite known ties to terrorism. “Certain factions of the Muslim Brotherhood maintain a notably unclear relationship with violent extremism. Both as a doctrine and as a network, it has served as a pathway for some individuals and groups that have subsequently participated in violence and terrorism,” Cameron later said.

The comments coming out of the UAE are nothing new. This is Amjad Taha (an analyst from the UAE) talking last year about how we probably have more Islamists in the UK than in the Middle East, and how the Muslim Brotherhood is banned in the UAE but allowed to operate in Britain. https://t.co/MafvKmnW4o pic.twitter.com/nJPah0JYpt

— Brian (@BMM1882) January 9, 2026

The UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia banned the Muslim Brotherhood due to its threat to regional stability. Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and other well-known terrorists were radicalized in their youth by the Brotherhood. The group has openly funded Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Hamas. Its sole purpose is to provide a bridge for young Islamists to integrate into jihadist groups.

Between 2023-2024, 70 students at UK universities were reported to the Prevent Deradicalisation Programme due to ties to “Islamist radicalization.” As such, the UAE will no longer recognize degrees from unapproved universities, limiting the list of potential schools for Emiratis.  Abu Dhabi determined British universities needed to be completely excluded from state scholarships.

How could this happen in the UK? The global caliphate is seemingly opening headquarters in London where the government permits a “moral collapse,” as Nigel Farage has stated. “If you want to destroy the Muslim Brotherhood, you have to start in London,” Farage declared.

The Department of Justice has opened a CRIMINAL investigation against Chairman Powell of the Federal Reserve. I have totally disagreed with trump on interest rates and he assumes that the Fed can just lower rates counter-trend to the world economy. I understand he is acting on what was taught in school under Keynesian Economics. But that has totally failed and even Keynes admitted before he died that he was wrong.

Using the Department of Justice as the Biden Administration did against him is one thing when we are looking at the attempt by the Neocons to prevent him from office with the outrageous Russia Gate that they totally manufactured. But to allow the Department of Justice to use the criminal law to get interest rates lower is a new political low. Powell stated:

“Those are pretexts,” Powell said. “The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president.”

It was 75 years ago when President Truman sought to intimidate the Fed to cap interest rates because he wanted to wage war in Korea. It did not work. If Trump thinks he can replace Powell with a chimpanzee who does whatever he says, we are in for a real crisis post-2027. Jerome Powell’s current term as Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ends on May 15th, 2026. The computer has been showing a sharp rise in volatility post May 2026. Trump will be confronted with the free market which he cannot control.

Thank you, Commodity Culture, for naming me the “Guest of the Year” for the second consecutive year.

Check out the “Interviews” page on the AE blog to tune into past media engagements.