President Trump Departs Washington For NATO Summit

It’s Time For America To Focus On Its Own Problems

It's Time For America To Focus On Its Own Problems

America First

Donald Trump

Foreign Policy

Iran

Israel

Matt Walsh

Middle East

Opinion

President Trump

President Trump’s strike on Iran is a seminal turning point for American foreign policy.
For years and years and years, we have been boxed into the idea that every war is the Iraq War.
Critics of President Trump — of “Peace through Strength,” going all the way back to World War II, particularly on the Left but now on the horseshoe theory Right as well — have suggested that people who do advocate for American military action liken everything to the lead-up to World War II, to Neville Chamberlain and Munich. They say not everything is World War II. Not every war is the Iraq War.
You might notice that the vast bevy of people who keep complaining about President Trump&#8217;s strike on the Iranian nuclear facilities keep comparing this to the Iraq War. That’s crazy.
These people who keep saying that a one-off strike on a nuclear facility — which is significantly more like killing Osama Bin Laden or killing Qasem Soleimani or killing Anwar al-Awlaki — is somehow more akin to the Iraq War: a full-scale, hundreds of thousands of troops ground invasion of a country in the Middle East, followed by a 20-year effort to rebuild the country and remold the government.
You have to be empty-headed to make that comparison.
But there is an Iraq War syndrome that has set in the American body politic that suggests that every military action is like the Iraq War. It&#8217;s very much like the Vietnam War syndrome that set in after the end of the Vietnam War, when every military action was supposed to be exactly what America did in Vietnam. It took Ronald Reagan breaking the Soviet Union in order for that to begin to end, and it truly ended when George H. W. Bush helped win the first Gulf War.
The lesson of Vietnam and Iraq is not: “Military power, or the threat of its use by the United States is bad,” or even worse, “The United States itself is bad,” which is an argument that is being made all the time by the horseshoe theory Left and the horseshoe theory Right.
The real lesson here is that victory is a possibility. Victory can be achieved if the commitment is clear and if the goal is defined.
President Trump had a goal. He defined that goal. He made a commitment to that goal. And then he pursued an action in pursuit of that goal.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2223-trump-s-masterstroke-what-comes-next?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=The+Ben+Shapiro+Show&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Carousel">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h3>
The same people who are suggesting that President Trump is wrong to bomb the nuclear facilities are the same people who suggest that the United States was wrong to use the atomic bomb to end World War II, or that America has been historically evil over the course of decades. The Howard Zinn Left and the Tucker Carlson Right shake hands on this particular prospect.
But that perspective is wrong. And it is not just wrong, it is a nefariously bad perspective, because it damages America.
The world is better off because of American power — properly used. Of course power can be misused; anyone can misuse their power. We&#8217;re the most powerful country in the history of the world, with the most powerful military in the history of the world.
But — when you use your power properly, you can effectuate good things happening.
President Trump is not George W. Bush. He ran against George W. Bush’s foreign policy. President Trump has never engaged in a long-term nation building project, nor will he. He defined this mission specifically.
<div id="attachment_938485" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-938485" class="size-large wp-image-938485" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220648176-864x576.jpg" alt="US Vice President JD Vance, from left, US President Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, US secretary of state, and Pete Hegseth, US secretary of defense, during an address to the nation in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Trump said the US military struck three sites in Iran on Saturday, marking the first American involvement in direct attacks against Iranian nuclear assets in its conflict with Israel. Photographer: Carlos Barria/Reuters/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220648176-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220648176-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220648176-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2220648176.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Carlos Barria/Reuters/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
I do not actually think that the people warning about a “quagmire” are saying something understandable. I think they are saying something dishonest. I think they are lying to you.
Israel and the United States are not talking about regime change. When President Trump says that there may be regime change in Iran, he means from the Iranian people. That&#8217;s the same thing that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said. Do you think Netanyahu, from a country of 9.7 million people, two million of whom are Arabs and two million of whom are ultra-Orthodox Jews, that tiny country is going to deploy hundreds of thousands of troops to Iran to engage in nation-building? Do you think the United States is going to do that?
If Iranians don&#8217;t overthrow the regime, that&#8217;s their prerogative. But that does not mean that you allow that regime to go nuclear.
All of this raises a question. What exactly is the opposition? What is the opposition here? What is the case against the strike on Iran?
You can basically make three cases: the constitutional, the pragmatic, and the ideological. I think there are a lot of people who are making the constitutional and pragmatic arguments who secretly want to make the ideological argument.
The ideological argument is that America is bad, that when America involves itself in foreign policy, we are doing something evil and immoral, that our enemies, our geopolitical opponents, never have their own philosophy or their own interests. They are always, in every case, driven by American blowback. The only reason people are bad in the world is because America did a bad thing to them, and then those people turn bad.
That, of course, is ignorant. It is stupid. It is wrong. Civilizations have different interests. Countries have different interests. Those countries are driven by interests that are not always about America. Iran pursued regional domination in spite of what America was doing, not because America was a threat to Iran.
Iran decided that it wanted to obliterate Israel, wanted to wipe Saudi Arabia from the map, and wanted to take control of Yemen, not because of America, but because that is the Iranian goal. Russia is invading Ukraine because that has been their longstanding policy, not because Ukraine was moving in a more pro-American direction. Russia decided it wanted to invade Ukraine because it has been Russian policy since the 1990s to reunify with Ukraine, or at least turn it into a proxy regime.
Countries have their own rationales. The ideological case, a Howard Zinn-America-Hating-First case, has been adopted by many on the horseshoe theory Right.
Then there are people masquerading as constitutionalists who are interested in the constitutionality of what Trump is doing. This idea that the War Powers Act (War Powers Resolution) somehow prevents the president of the United States from engaging in a one-off strike is absolute sheer nonsense. It is not true. First of all, there&#8217;s serious doubt as to whether the War Powers Resolution, passed by Congress in 1973, is even constitutional. It may, in fact, violate the Article II prerogatives of the President of the United States. Article II, Section II of the Constitution says, “The president shall be commander in chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states.” The president is the Commander-In-Chief.
Only Congress has the power to declare war under Article I, Section VIII, Clause XI.
But did we declare war against Iran? Is there a war against Iran? One-off airstrikes do not mean a full-scale war against a country. They don&#8217;t. If that&#8217;s true, then we&#8217;ve been at war many, many, many, many times since World War II, all across the globe. But that is not what war constitutes. The Supreme Court has said so.
The War Powers Resolution states: “In the absence of the declaration of war, the president must report to Congress within 48 hours after introducing U.S. military forces in hostilities, which must end within 60 days unless Congress permits otherwise.”
There&#8217;s only one problem. Do you think the United States is engaging in 60 days of on-the-ground hostilities with Iran? We barely engaged in 37 hours of hostilities with Iran. Does this amount to a War Powers Resolution violation?
Then there are those people “deeply worried” about the pragmatic effect of this, who were not worried a few years ago when President Trump killed Qasem Soleimani, and who didn&#8217;t seem particularly worried five minutes ago, before this all happened, when Iran had terror cells throughout the West, but now they&#8217;re very, very worried.
Iran has been pursuing terror attacks, including an attempted assassination of the current President of the United States, for decades. At this point, they have planted terror cells all throughout the world. If the idea is that planting terror cells buys Iran impunity and Iran can now act with complete impunity all over the globe, pursuing nuclear weapons, and that means you can&#8217;t do anything about it, then what is the purpose of American foreign policy? What is the purpose?
I&#8217;m not saying there isn’t a risk when you take action. I&#8217;m saying that the greater risk would be a nuclear-armed Iran with terrorist cells all across the West. That&#8217;s the bigger risk.
This “pragmatic concern” is, in reality, something else.
It is a belief that America&#8217;s foreign policy is inherently bad, that America is the nefarious actor in the world. It&#8217;s wrong and it&#8217;s stupid.
President Trump knew exactly what he was doing when he ordered the strike on Iran. 
And he was absolutely correct.

President Trump Returns To White House From New Jersey

Trump’s Strike On Iran: A Vital Turning Point In American Foreign Policy

Ben Shapiro

Iran Nuclear

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

U.S. Military

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lays-into-kooky-tucker-carlson-over-opposition-to-israeli-strikes-on-iran?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Lays+Into+%E2%80%98Kooky%E2%80%99+Tucker+Carlson+Over+Opposition+To+Israeli+Strikes+On+Iran">criticizing</a> Trump over the Middle East conflict, called him to &#8220;apologize&#8221; for saying things &#8220;that were a little bit too strong.&#8221;
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump addressed the ongoing debate among some on the Right about the conflict between Israel and Iran. He dismissed a question that suggested the Israeli strikes are &#8220;dividing&#8221; his supporters.
&#8220;No, my supporters are for me. My supporters are for America First and Make America Great Again,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;My supporters don&#8217;t want to see Iran have a nuclear weapon. Tucker&#8217;s a nice guy. He called and apologized the other day because he thought he said things that were a little bit too strong.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s comments came after Carlson interviewed Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) over foreign policy in a discussion that quickly turned into a heated debate on Israel and Iran during an episode of Carlson&#8217;s podcast that was released on Wednesday.
The president added that &#8220;Ted Cruz is a nice guy. He&#8217;s been with me for a long time.&#8221; Trump said that &#8220;nobody thinks it&#8217;s okay&#8221; for Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t want a fight, either. I&#8217;m not looking for a fight,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;But if it&#8217;s a choice between fighting and them having a nuclear weapon, you have to do what you have to do. And maybe we won&#8217;t have to fight. Don&#8217;t forget, we haven&#8217;t been fighting. We add a certain amount of genius to everything, but we haven&#8217;t been fighting.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨NEW — President Trump says Tucker Carlson called him and apologized:
&quot;Tucker&#39;s a nice guy. He called and apologized&#8230;because he thought he said things that were a little bit too strong.&quot;
&quot;If they think that it&#39;s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, then they should oppose… <a href="https://t.co/GEz1WjYlRx">pic.twitter.com/GEz1WjYlRx</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1935419082733490666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Earlier this week, Carlson said Trump was &#8220;complicit in an act of war&#8221; after Israel struck military targets and nuclear facilities in Iran. Carlson added in his newsletter that “This Could Be the Final Newsletter Before All-Out War.” Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lays-into-kooky-tucker-carlson-over-opposition-to-israeli-strikes-on-iran?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Lays+Into+%E2%80%98Kooky%E2%80%99+Tucker+Carlson+Over+Opposition+To+Israeli+Strikes+On+Iran">responded</a> to Carlson&#8217;s criticism, writing on Truth Social on Monday, “Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, ‘IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!’”
In another statement responding to criticism over his allegiance to an &#8220;America First&#8221; foreign policy, Trump <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/trump-america-first-iran-israel-strikes-rcna213299">said</a> earlier this week, &#8220;Well, considering that I’m the one that developed ‘America First,’ and considering that the term wasn’t used until I came along, I think I’m the one that decides that. For those people who say they want peace—you can’t have peace if Iran has a nuclear weapon. So for all of those wonderful people who don’t want to do anything about Iran having a nuclear weapon—that’s not peace.&#8221;
Cruz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/off-the-rails-ted-cruz-rips-tucker-carlson-for-going-bat-crap-crazy-on-foreign-policy?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=13&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=%E2%80%98Off+The+Rails%E2%80%99%3A+Ted+Cruz+Rips+Tucker+Carlson+For+Going+%E2%80%98Bat+Crap+Crazy%E2%80%99+On+Foreign+Policy">ripped</a> Carlson earlier on Wednesday, arguing that he has gone “bat crap crazy” in adopting “hardcore isolationist” views. Carlson, meanwhile, criticized Cruz during their interview for not knowing the population of Iran, as the senator calls for regime change in the radical Islamic country.
&#8220;I want to stop a lunatic who wants to murder us from getting nuclear weapons that could kill millions of Americans,&#8221; Cruz told Carlson.
&#8220;Fair,&#8221; Carlson responded.

Donald Trump/Tucker Carlson

Trump Says Tucker Carlson Called Him To Apologize After Criticizing President’s Iran Stance

Tucker Carlson

U.S.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Wenesday blasted conservative commentator Tucker Carlson over his foreign policy stance, saying that the former Fox News host has gone &#8220;bat crap crazy&#8221; in adopting &#8220;hardcore isolationist&#8221; views.
On his podcast, &#8220;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/israel-vs-iran-whos-winning-whats-next-will-america/id1495601614?i=1000713386485">Verdict with Ted Cruz</a>,&#8221; the Texas senator previewed an interview he had with Carlson slated to drop on Carlson&#8217;s podcast on Wednesday. During the discussion, Cruz and Carlson get into a heated debate over Iran and President Donald Trump&#8217;s position on the Middle East conflict.
&#8220;I agree with Tucker on 80% of the issues &#8230; during the idiotic COVID lockdowns, Tucker&#8217;s monologue every night on Fox was the single best thing on television, which I told him at the time, and I agree with him,&#8221; Cruz said after recording the interview with Carlson. &#8220;I will say on foreign policy, Tucker has gone bat crap crazy. He&#8217;s gone off the rails. He is suddenly a hardcore isolationist.&#8221;
Cruz added that he knew going into the interview with Carlson that it would be a &#8220;rough and tumble fight&#8221; over foreign policy, especially after Israel launched an attack on Iran&#8217;s nuclear facilities and military leaders last week.
&#8220;Tucker has spent the last several days attacking Donald Trump,&#8221; Cruz said. &#8220;He&#8217;s blasted Trump as &#8216;complicit&#8217; in this horrible attack, and he keeps saying World War III is going to happen. He&#8217;s just been over the top.&#8221;
The senator said the two-hour interview with Carlson immediately became &#8220;combative,&#8221; with Carlson &#8220;throwing haymakers.&#8221; A <a href="https://x.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1935136085266387417">short clip</a> of the interview posted by Carlson on X shows the conservative commentator asking Cruz about the population of Iran, a question that Cruz couldn&#8217;t answer.
&#8220;How could you not know that?&#8221; Carlson asked.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t sit around memorizing population tables,&#8221; Cruz replied.
&#8220;Well, it&#8217;s kind of relevant because you&#8217;re calling for the overthrow of the government,&#8221; Carlson said.
Cruz shot back, &#8220;Why is it relevant whether it&#8217;s 90 million or 80 million or 100 million? Why is that relevant?&#8221;
Cruz added on Wednesday morning that Carlson criticized Trump throughout the interview and &#8220;spends 20 minutes&#8221; talking about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and &#8220;how he thinks the AIPAC lobby is dominating American foreign policy.&#8221;
&#8220;It was just unhinged, and I get there are conspiracy sections of the internet that are worried that AIPAC is running the world. It&#8217;s just not reality,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And [Carlson] didn&#8217;t like it when I called him out on it, and I did.&#8221;
The senator also accused Carlson of denying that Iran has attempted to assassinate President Trump, despite the Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-murder-hire-and-related-charges-against-irgc-asset-and-two">charging</a> an Iranian in November who it accuses of being &#8220;tasked by the Iranian Regime with surveilling and plotting to assassinate President-Elect Donald J. Trump.&#8221;
&#8220;He just said, &#8216;That&#8217;s not true. I&#8217;ve never heard anything about it. I don&#8217;t know anything about it,&#8221; Cruz added. &#8220;Well, it happens to be a fact. It happens to be that the DOJ has indicted Iranian hitmen for attempting to murder Donald Trump.&#8221;
Earlier this week, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lays-into-kooky-tucker-carlson-over-opposition-to-israeli-strikes-on-iran?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Lays+Into+%E2%80%98Kooky%E2%80%99+Tucker+Carlson+Over+Opposition+To+Israeli+Strikes+On+Iran">called out</a> Carlson over his views on the Middle East conflict, writing on Truth Social, “Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, ‘IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!’”
Later in his podcast, Cruz said that isolationism and interventionism are &#8220;both wrong&#8221; approaches to foreign policy.
&#8220;I&#8217;m a non-interventionist hawk. I am very reluctant to engage in military conflict, just like Trump is,&#8221; Cruz added. &#8220;But I also believe in peace through strength. The best way you avoid war is being strong enough that your enemies don&#8217;t want to stand up to you.&#8221;

Ted Cruz/Tucker Carlson

‘Off The Rails’: Ted Cruz Rips Tucker Carlson For Going ‘Bat Crap Crazy’ On Foreign Policy

Congress

Politics

Ted Cruz

Verdict with Ted Cruz

President Trump is correct to reinstate the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/restricting-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-united-states-from-foreign-terrorists-and-other-national-security-and-public-safety-threats/">travel ban</a> on nations like Iran. It&#8217;s a necessary step to safeguard national security. However, the greatest threat from Tehran isn&#8217;t simply attempting entry — it is already entrenched within our borders.
Sympathizers of the Islamic Republic have established <a href="https://www.hstoday.us/featured/perspective-the-u-s-must-investigate-iranian-regime-networks-inside-the-homeland/">footholds</a> in the United States, holding green cards, naturalized citizenship, or residing under visas granted through academia, government-funded programs, or employment in critical sectors. While most Iranian-Americans actively oppose the regime, a concerning minority continue promoting Tehran’s dangerous agenda — some openly, others clandestinely.
Over the past two decades — including during the Obama-era diplomatic thaw with Tehran — many Iranian nationals, including some with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-princeton-scholar-was-once-a-high-ranking-iranian-official-why-is-he-still-here?author=Aidin+Panahi&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=This+Princeton+Scholar+Was+Once+A+High-Ranking+Iranian+Official.+Why+Is+He+Still+Here%3F">regime-linked backgrounds</a>, obtained legal residency or advanced academic placements in the U.S. While most pose no threat, this period coincided with a wave of regime-aligned individuals quietly embedding into American institutions under minimal scrutiny.
These assertions aren’t speculative — they are substantiated by documented public records.
Recent intelligence reports indicate that the Islamic Republic of Iran has gone far beyond covert propaganda. Tehran has been <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/08/donald-trump-iran-assassination-plot-00188498">linked</a> to a plot to assassinate President Trump and has actively funded and <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/08/30/us-news/iran-backs-pro-hamas-protests-at-us-campuses/">promoted</a> antisemitic agitation across the U.S. — including pro-Hamas encampments on university campuses and coordinated protests following October 7. At recent riots in cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, individuals have been <a href="https://x.com/Aidin_FreeIran/status/1931929174899339352">seen</a> wearing Hamas and other Islamic terrorist group headbands while waving the Mexican flag — a manufactured coalition of chaos that Tehran helps engineer. These developments are not spontaneous. They reflect a deliberate, externally supported campaign to destabilize American cities, stoke antisemitism, and erode democratic norms.
In 20241, Iranian regime-aligned <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/exclusive-us-confirms-iran-will-run-absentee-ballot-stations-in-us/7666273.html">elections</a> were held on U.S. soil, with polling sites reportedly coordinated by pro-regime organizations embedded in American communities. While such activity is typically framed as cultural engagement, it represented an organized effort by a <a href="https://2017-2021.state.gov/designation-of-the-islamic-revolutionary-guard-corps/">hostile</a> foreign regime to normalize its legitimacy abroad. Participation and promotion of such events by green card holders and dual citizens raise questions about foreign influence that deserve closer examination — not dismissal.
Moreover, the situation intensifies when considering documented overlaps between participants in these regime-linked elections and anti-Israel or pro-Hamas activities across America. National security reporting, including coverage by <a href="https://www.meforum.org/meet-kian-kianfar-the-pro-iranian-cement-worker-agitating-for-mullahs-in-massachusetts">Dexter Van Zile</a>, identified individuals in Massachusetts who took part in the elections and were later seen at pro-Hamas demonstrations — a group the U.S. classifies as a terrorist organization. This alignment is unlikely to be accidental; it points to a strategic nexus of anti-American propaganda shaped or inspired by Tehran.
Alarmingly, this infiltration extends beyond propaganda. In 2024, a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/iranian-man-indicted-providing-material-support-foreign-terrorist-organization-resulting">Massachusetts-based engineer</a> holding U.S. permanent residency was federally indicted for illegally exporting drone components to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qods Force — a designated terrorist entity. Those parts were directly implicated in lethal attacks against American military personnel overseas. Notably, this individual maintained active ties with the <a href="https://omidcenter.com/">Omid Islamic Center</a>, a Shi’a congregation in the greater Boston area — a congregation previously <a href="https://www.meforum.org/articles/iranian-regime-hosts-voting-on-u-s-soil">reported</a> to have hosted organizers of Iran’s U.S.-based regime elections. These connections reinforce a broader pattern of deliberate influence networks operating on U.S. soil.
Yet, these publicly known cases represent only a fraction of the potential threat.
<a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/iranian-national-charged-multi-year-hacking-campaign-targeting-us-defense-contractors-and">Concerns</a> are rising among U.S. intelligence and national security professionals regarding a subset of Iranian nationals or dual citizens occupying sensitive roles in critical American industries. These positions often involve access to intellectual property, infrastructure systems, or federally funded research. While most Iranian-Americans are loyal contributors to U.S. progress, a smaller group continues to travel frequently to Iran, raising red flags given Tehran’s well-documented practice of coercing travelers — including asylum seekers — into espionage by threatening their families. These tactics pose serious counterintelligence risks and may be used to collect intelligence or monitor dissident communities within the United States.
If the travel ban genuinely aims to fortify U.S. security, it must be complemented by rigorous internal review. DHS, State Department, and USCIS must urgently reassess past approvals granted to Iranian nationals for indicators of regime affiliation, including:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Participation in regime-sponsored activities.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Travel to or affiliation with sanctioned Iranian institutions.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Associations with organizations known as regime front groups.</li>
</ul>
Individuals with dual nationality who actively propagate Tehran’s anti-American rhetoric, or who regularly return to Iran after asylum claims, must face immediate scrutiny, visa re-evaluation, and potential revocation.
This policy isn&#8217;t about collective punishment or discrimination — it&#8217;s purely about national security. America holds a clear right and fundamental responsibility to ensure those benefiting from its protection are not covertly serving a hostile, terrorist-sponsoring regime. Each visa, security clearance, and federal grant should withstand thorough verification when national security is demonstrably at stake.
Critics will invariably label this as xenophobic, but nothing could be further from reality. This isn’t about ethnicity or nationality; it&#8217;s about allegiance and ideology. Indeed, millions of Iranian-Americans stand firmly against Tehran’s regime, many actively advocating for democracy in Iran. Their voices deserve amplification. Protecting our society from embedded sympathizers of an oppressive regime protects the genuine opposition and strengthens U.S. national security.
For decades, Tehran has adeptly exploited America&#8217;s open society — mosques, student groups, cultural centers — to embed its agents. This soft-power infiltration has succeeded primarily because our security policies failed to adapt accordingly.
President Trump’s renewed travel ban sets a clear, necessary boundary. Now, the boundary must extend inward, addressing those already here. The U.S. government&#8217;s next logical steps must include immediate investigation, rigorous vetting, and decisive action against those who serve the Islamic Republic—regardless of residency or citizenship status.
America’s right and obligation to self-defense includes countering subversive threats posed by the agents of a regime openly committed to America&#8217;s destruction. Defending our homeland means identifying and removing those who embed themselves in our institutions to undermine our democracy and security from within.
* * *
Dr. Aidin Panahi is an Iranian-American research professor, energy expert, and political activist. He is the cofounder of the “From Boston to Iran” initiative and his analyses on security and policy issues have appeared in outlets including The Jerusalem Post, Washington Times, the Jerusalem Strategic Tribune, Middle East Forum, Homeland Security Today, and Visegrád24. X: @Aidin_FreeIran
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-UN-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-IRAN-CONFLICT

Citizens Or Sympathizers? Iran’s Hidden Allies In America

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps

National Security

Travel Ban

When President Trump says other countries are “ripping us off,” he is referring to more than trade or currency manipulation. He is also talking about predatory investors overseas — foreign-based hedge funds and sovereign wealth funds — that have devoted staggering amounts of money to bankroll frivolous lawsuits in American courts. Why? Their aim is to pocket a significant portion of any verdict or settlement. If successful, these litigation gamblers not only secure a sizable return on their investment, they also walk away without having to pay any taxes.
It is unfair to American companies, consumers, and taxpayers. 
There is, however, a real opportunity to stop this litigation abuse through the budget negotiations currently underway in Congress. Foreign investors are using our U.S. court systems to punish American companies and citizens while enriching themselves. Since litigation is so costly, risky, and time consuming, many companies often agree to settle even when the case lacks real merit, because the risk of going to trial is simply too high.
The lawsuit funding landscape has become akin to the wild west. Foreign investors take advantage of loopholes to avoid paying taxes on their judgments or settlements even if the plaintiffs they are bankrolling are required to pay taxes. One reason this practice is not better known is very few jurisdictions require investors to disclose their involvement in cases or the terms of their agreements.
Allowing foreign-based investors to operate in the shadows, cloaked in anonymity, raises a host of legal, ethical, and even national security concerns. How are judges to know if they need to recuse themselves if they do not have access to all the facts? Who are the attorneys acting on behalf of the plaintiffs or the investors? Is the often-confidential information obtained during the discovery process about American citizens and companies at risk of being turned over to foreign funders, some of whom may hold views antithetical to our national interests? What are the real motivations for these lawsuits? Is it about justice or achieving other geopolitical goals?
Clearly, this practice is cloaked in secrecy. And while there is much the American people still do not know, they know enough to understand it’s both unfair and a serious threat. At least $15 billion is devoted to this dubious practice as of today. We also know Russian oligarchs have <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation-finance/putins-billionaires-sidestep-sanctions-by-financing-lawsuits">dodged sanctions</a> by investing in lawsuits in American courts and investors based in China have <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/china-firm-funds-us-lawsuits-amid-push-to-disclose-foreign-ties">used</a> litigation financing arrangements to target tech companies.
The good news? There is a remedy at the ready.
Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Congressman Kevin Hern (R-OK) introduced the <a href="https://www.tillis.senate.gov/services/files/94578FC8-8F83-48AB-9932-7D61465A7FFF">Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act</a>, a bill which cracks down on the misuse and abuse of our courts by ending investors’ preferential tax treatment and creating much-needed deterrence. This legislation will, at a minimum, make investors think twice before targeting a successful American company with a frivolous claim.
The Tillis-Hern Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act takes the “for sale” sign off of American courthouses and amends the tax code to impose a new “tax on income from litigation which is received by third-party entities that provided financing for such litigation.”
Income from lawsuits is just that – income; just as American taxpayers have to pay taxes on the money they make, so too should foreign investors who use our court systems as a casino.
President Trump’s Reconciliation Bill passed the House last month and now awaits consideration in the Senate. While it contains a permanent extension of the Trump tax cuts, No Tax on Tips, and billions for immigration enforcement – the Senate also has a chance to fix the equity and tax issues associated with predatory foreign litigation investing. In addition, the Tillis-Hern Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act would crack down on foreign intrusions in our courts, safeguard national security interests, and generate new tax revenues to fund other commonsensical American priorities.
This is an ideal time and a good legislative vehicle to stop foreign investors from using U.S. courts to harm and punish American taxpayers, and this Reconciliation Bill can accomplish just that.
* * *
Trey Gowdy represented South Carolina’s 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 until 2019.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>

USTR Greer Slated To Defend Trump Tariffs To Congress

Time To Stop Predatory Foreign Investors

Corporations

finance

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

In May, U.S. energy officials <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/ghost-machine-rogue-communication-devices-found-chinese-inverters-2025-05-14/">released</a> bombshell findings about China’s ability to turn out the lights across America. Rogue communications devices were found inside Chinese solar power inverters. In addition, undisclosed cellular radios were found inside Chinese batteries. These Chinese Communist Party sabotage efforts are reminiscent of CCP-tied Huawei’s infiltration of our communications network, which gave Beijing the ability to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/23/politics/fbi-investigation-huawei-china-defense-department-communications-nuclear/index.html">disrupt our nuclear arsenal communications</a>.
Beijing seeks the ability to remotely access and destroy the systems upon which Americans depend for everyday life and upon which our military depends to project power across the globe. The U.S. rightly began to remove Huawei technologies from our market <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/ghost-machine-rogue-communication-devices-050547906.html?guccounter=1">in 2019</a> because of security risks. Since then, ironically, we’ve allowed China to flood our market with network-connected technologies such as routers, drones, cranes, healthcare devices, cameras, green tech, and more, which collectively constitute a deeper penetration of our vital systems. This trend must be reversed through new laws and better law enforcement to block and remove all Chinese network-connected technologies. 
American tax dollars should not fund technologies that facilitate Chinese espionage and sabotage efforts. At the federal level, Congress should ban federal procurement of Chinese network-connected technologies. Congress should also codify President Trump’s Information and Communications Technology <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/17/2019-10538/securing-the-information-and-communications-technology-and-services-supply-chain">executive order</a> from 2019 and fund ICT programs to block CCP tech. During March 2025 testimony, former Biden Administration official Dr. Rush Doshi <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/oS_aZXE6W0k">argued</a> that codifying Trump’s order “would let us prohibit certain [Chinese] goods,” especially power converters and network-connected technologies, “from being in the U.S. market.”
States must excise CCP network-connected technologies from their critical infrastructure and government systems. For example, Texas’ 2021 <a href="https://www.jw.com/news/insights-texas-lone-star-infrastructure-protection-act/">Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act (LIPA)</a> forbids Texas businesses and government from contracting with China, Russia, North Korea and Iran on critical infrastructure, especially if foreign parties would gain remote access or control of the infrastructure. A 2023 Nebraska law <a href="https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-applauds-bipartisan-work-ban-state-funds-huawei-equipment">prohibits</a> the state from providing public funds to telecommunications providers that have not yet removed Huawei 5G hardware from their cell towers. Utah passed a 2024 law to end procurement of Chinese technologies such as computers and routers. All states should adopt these measures.
Furthermore, the U.S. must enforce the rule-of-law. The Chinese Communist Party has made tremendous gains at the expense of the U.S. in part because the U.S. and its allies have failed to enforce their own laws upon malicious CCP agents and entities. At a fundamental level, the two legal systems are incompatible because <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/statement-national-security-advisor-robert-c-obrien-011521-2/">China’s laws require businesses to engage in espionage for the party-state</a>, while America’s laws require data privacy. America must pivot and crush CCP lawlessness. Consumer fraud and data privacy laws must be tightened, and robust enforcement actions must be taken by both federal agencies and state attorneys general. 
In March 2025, the FCC’s Council on National Security <a href="https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/fcc-investigating-china-companies-national-security/743316/">opened an investigation</a> into several telecommunications companies, including Huawei, for engaging in unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices such as selling banned equipment in the United States. The FCC can go further by revoking telecom licenses from corrupt entities. Meanwhile, other federal agencies must get in the fight.
State AGs must enforce the law against Chinese manufacturers that embed hidden backdoors in products, and American companies that “white-label” such products must also be held accountable. For example, according to the federal <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/contec-cms8000-contains-backdoor">Cybersecurity &amp; Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)</a> the Chinese company Contec sells healthcare monitors with embedded backdoors that provide Beijing with access to patient data along with the ability to manipulate readings of a patient’s vitals. AGs should investigate Contec for potential violations of consumer and medical data protections. As a recent FDA Safety Communication states, <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/cybersecurity-vulnerabilities-certain-patient-monitors-contec-and-epsimed-fda-safety-communication">Florida-based Epsimed</a>, which sells Contec products in the U.S., should also be investigated.
These security concerns are amplified by ethical concerns. Chinese green energy technologies are not only riddled with backdoors, they often <a href="http://www.cecc.gov/events/hearings/from-cobalt-to-cars-how-china-exploits-child-and-forced-labor-in-the-congo">rely on slave labor</a>. Too many environmental activists have been hoodwinked into promoting cheap CCP hardware to “save the planet,” all while supporting slave labor and compromising our energy grid.
The United States <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/ghost-machine-rogue-communication-devices-050547906.html?guccounter=1">2019 actions against Huawei</a> were a strong step, but since then we’ve lost ground. Rapid and concerted action is needed to protect our way of life against Chinese Communist Party sabotage, and to build an economic system based upon rule-of-law rather than communist infiltration and subversion.
* * *
Michael Lucci is the Founder and CEO of State Armor, a 501(c)(3) non-profit advocating for state solutions to the global threats posed by the CCP. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-CHINA-TECHNOLOGY-AI

CCP In The Machine: How China’s Tech Continues To Infiltrate American Hardware

Attorney General

China

Communism

Espionage

Spying

Technology

Recently, the news stories in the media have been coming so fast and furious they’re almost like a group of muscular bald men driving hot cars out of airplanes, landing them on top of other cars, and then driving away at high speed while firing a rocket launcher out the window&#8230; because they’re fast and… well, never mind.
Anyway, I began to wonder: how can the news media report all this news in a way that reflects the outlooks of Americans everywhere across this great land, from the pine forests of Vermont to the golden wheat fields of Kansas, across the vast expanses of Texas to the sun-baked beaches of the Pacific Coast? So I decided I would take a look at the headlines of news outlets from 40th Street in Manhattan all the way to 47th Street — because that’s about all of them.
So for instance, in the news, inflation slowed to its lowest rate in more than four years.
Here’s the headline from The Wall Street Journal: &#8220;Trump’s Tariffs to Cause Massive Inflation Very, Very Soon, Experts Who Predicted Massive Inflation Because of Trump’s Tariffs Very Soon Say.&#8221;
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-andrew-klavan-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Andrew Klavan Show</a></h3>
Here’s One From The New York Times: &#8220;Hardworking Migrant Juan Ortega May Lose His Chicken Farm as Trump’s Policies Cause the Bottom to Fall Out of Egg Prices.&#8221;
And here’s the Report from NPR: &#8220;How Lower Inflation Spurred the Rise of Hitler,&#8221; a historical report read by a person with a very soft, sleepy voice that will make you want to hurt yourself just to make it stop.
Another news story: Trump negotiated a ceasefire between hostile nuclear powers India and Pakistan.
From The Wall Street Journal: &#8220;Nuclear Devastation Averted, Leaving Millions Alive to Suffer Massive Inflation Very Soon Because of Donald Trump’s Tariffs, Experts who Predicted Massive Inflation Very Soon Because of Donald Trump’s Tariffs Say.&#8221;
Or from The New York Times: &#8220;Environmentalists Worry that Trump’s Reckless Actions on the Indian Subcontinent Will Leave Earth’s Population at Levels Sure to Cause Devastating Climate Change.&#8221;
Or the story as reported by NBC News: &#8220;Biden’s Policy of Mindlessly Prolonging Foreign Wars to No Effect Finally Pays Big Dividends by Bringing Peace Deal Between India and Pakistan.&#8221;
In other news, Trump negotiated the release of Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage being held by vampiric Palestinian monsters.
The headline in The Wall Street Journal reads: &#8220;Released Hostage Finds Himself in a World Soon to be Wracked by Massive Inflation Caused by Trump’s Tariffs, According to Experts.&#8221;
The New York Times headline was: &#8220;Sad Little Palestinian Boy Jihad Muhammed Sharia Jihad Jihad Muhammed Sheds Sad Tears of Very Sad Sadness as Genocidal Israelis Steal the Wonderful Friend his Parents Kept Chained up for Him in the Basement.&#8221;
And of course, CNN featured an interview with a Columbia University professor who once read part of a book on Israel and says the Jews sound genocidal to him until Scott Jennings knocks him unconscious and jumps up and down on his face.
Then there was the news that Donald Trump had negotiated several trillion dollars in American investment from Saudi Arabia.
The Wall Street Journal reported the story with the headline: &#8220;Saudis Want to Invest in America but Whoa Nellie, Just Wait Till They See the Massive Inflation that’s Going to be Caused by Trump’s Tariffs Any Day Now, Experts Say.&#8221;
The Headline in The New York Times reads: &#8220;Sad Yale Historian Who Studies Fascism Says He Is Leaving America Because Trump’s Presidency Will Look Just Like Fascism as Soon as It Looks Like Fascism.&#8221;
And CBS reported: &#8220;Weak Trump Caves to Saudi Demands that he take their Money.&#8221;
In other news, Trump struck a deal with China to free us from their hammerlock on our supply lines, brought down drug prices, bombed the Houthis into submission, opened U.K. markets to American farmers, made progress on a nuclear deal with Iran, and the headlines say….. oh, screw it.
***
This excerpt is taken from the opening satirical monologue of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-andrew-klavan-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Andrew Klavan Show</a>.”
The views expressed in this satirical article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Andrew Klavan is the host of “The Andrew Klavan Show” at The Daily Wire. Follow him on X: <a href="https://x.com/andrewklavan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@andrewklavan</a>
Klavan is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the Cameron Winter Mystery series. The fourth installment, “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1613165536?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_thcv_3&amp;storeType=ebooks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Woman Underground.</a>” His most recent nonfiction release is “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Cain-Finding-Literature-Darkness/dp/0310368340/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=nMYjR&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.bc3ba8d1-5076-4ab7-9ba8-a5c6211e002d&amp;pf_rd_p=bc3ba8d1-5076-4ab7-9ba8-a5c6211e002d&amp;pf_rd_r=133-8344803-2786917&amp;pd_rd_wg=7a8J3&amp;pd_rd_r=5791ea0f-6d96-4732-9d6a-3a4e6b348bb5&amp;ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Kingdom of Cain: Finding God in the Literature of Darkness.</a>” (May 2025, Zondervan/HarperCollins).

Donald Trump, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

Trump’s Global Triumphs Cause Inflation Apocalypse, Say Analysts Cheering For Inflation Apocalypse

Andrew Klavan

Economy

Inflation

Legacy Media

Satire

Tariffs

President Donald Trump praised American troops as the &#8220;tip of the spear&#8221; in the fight against the &#8220;enemies of civilization&#8221; in a Thursday speech at an American military base in Qatar.
Trump made the comments to troops at the Al Udeid Air Force Base, the largest American military facility in the Middle East, before departing Qatar for the United Arab Emirates. In his speech, Trump laid out his priorities for the Middle East and promised that American troops would soon get a raise through his proposed budget bill.
“All of you are the tip of the spear, you&#8217;re the finest we have, anywhere in the world, you’re the finest we have, you’re the finest anyone has in the fight against the enemies of civilization,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;You’re the people that are defeating chaos, combating terror, defending our interests, supporting our allies, securing our homeland, and making America incredibly proud, and you know what, making America great again.”
Trump also promised the troops that he would make the U.S. military &#8220;bigger, better, stronger, and more powerful than ever.&#8221;
“You are without a doubt the greatest fighting force in the history of the world. That&#8217;s the way it is. I said it last night. I said it&#8217;s strong. We have the strongest military in the world. It&#8217;s not even a contest. We have the best equipment, nobody has equipment like us, nobody has the planes or the missiles or anything else,&#8221; he said. 
Echoing his speech on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, Trump said he was focused on keeping the peace by projecting American strength.
&#8220;As president, my priority is to end conflicts, not start them — but I will never hesitate to wield American power if it&#8217;s necessary to defend the United States of America or our partners. And this is one of our great partners right here,&#8221; Trump told the troops on Thursday.
The day before his speech, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-signs-major-defense-deal-with-qatar-despite-past-accusations-of-terror-financing?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Signs+Major+Defense+Deal+With+Qatar+Despite+Past+Accusations+Of+Terror+Financing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> a defense agreement with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, where the country signed a letter of intent to purchase $2 billion worth of MQ-9B Reaper drones and $1 billion in counter-drone technology. At the same time, Trump has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-defends-400-million-flying-palace-offered-as-gift-from-qatar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faced criticism</a> over his acceptance of a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar.
In attendance at Thursday&#8217;s speech to the troops were comedian Theo Von and country music singer Lee Greenwood, who sang &#8220;God Bless America&#8221; before Trump took the stage.
Throughout his Middle East trip, Trump has signed defense agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, announced billions of dollars worth of business deals with both countries, and met with the president of Syria, marking the first time the leaders from the two countries have met since 2000. Trump is now headed to the United Arab Emirates to meet with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other top officials.

QATAR-US-DEFENCE-DIPLOMACY

Trump Praises American Troops In Qatar: ‘Tip Of The Spear’ Against ‘Enemies Of Civilization’

Air Force

Executive

Military

Qatar

President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday with a large delegation from his cabinet for meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other high-ranking Saudi officials.
Air Force One landed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh at around 9:49 a.m. local time after an escort from a pair of Saudi F-15 fighter jets. Once on the ground, Trump was greeted by Mohammed bin Salman, who then took him inside the airport for a brief welcome with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
From the airport, Trump and the American delegation were brought to the Saudi Royal Court by an escort of Arabian horses. While speaking with the crown prince, Trump said he believed Saudi investment in the United States could create up to two million jobs, adding, &#8220;I really believe we like each other a lot.&#8221;
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> is greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 🇺🇸🇸🇦 <a href="https://t.co/81qUv6hi7D">pic.twitter.com/81qUv6hi7D</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1922190356692557858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump announced in March that Saudi Arabia had committed to investing $1 trillion into the American economy.
“I made a deal with Saudi Arabia…I said I’ll go if you pay $1 trillion to American companies, meaning the purchase over a four-year period of $1 trillion, and they’ve agreed to do that,” he said at the time.
Many prominent businessmen and investors, including several Americans, are being hosted for lunch by the crown prince. Attendees include Elon Musk, Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, LinkedIn Chairman Reid Hoffman, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and many others, according to the White House.
“As you know, we have the biggest business leaders in the world here,” Trump <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/05/13/trump-middle-east-saudi-arabia-qatar-uae/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during his meeting with the crown prince, according to the Washington Post. “They’re going to walk away with a lot of checks for a lot of things that you’re going to provide.”
The lunch is being attended by top Trump officials as well, including Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Trump&#8217;s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, according to a list provided by the White House.
The Saudi Arabia trip is Trump&#8217;s first stop on his second foreign trip of his second term. Trump attended Pope Francis&#8217; funeral in Vatican City on April 26. He is expected to visit Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and possibly Turkey.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-asks-trump-to-join-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-in-turkey">Zelensky Asks Trump To Join Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks In Turkey</a>

President Trump Makes First Middle East Trip Of His Second Term

Trump Arrives In Saudi Arabia To Kick Off High Stakes Middle East Trip

Global Politics

Saudi Arabia

Trump Administration

Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that he still views Europe as &#8220;on the same team&#8221; as the United States, adding that his recent criticism of the continent is not out of any animosity toward America&#8217;s longtime allies.
Vance made the remarks during a Munich Security Council Q&amp;A nearly three months after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-people-have-a-voice-vance-warns-europe-about-censorship-the-threat-from-within" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ripped</a> European countries over censorship, immigration, and foreign policy at the Munich Security Conference.
&#8220;I still do very much think that the United States and Europe are on the same team,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;Sometimes I&#8217;ve been criticized as a hyperrealist, [that] I think of foreign policy purely in terms of transactional values &#8230; and focus so purely on the transactional value of it that we ignore the humanitarian or the moral side of it. And I think at least with Europe that&#8217;s not a full encapsulation of my views.&#8221;
The vice president added that he believes the United States and Europe are connected by far more than transactional agreements.
&#8220;European civilization and American civilization, European culture and American culture are very much linked, and they&#8217;re always going to be linked,&#8221; Vance said. &#8220;And I think that it&#8217;s completely ridiculous to think you&#8217;re ever going to be able to drive a firm wedge between the United States and Europe.&#8221;
At the Munich Security Conference in February, Vance told the audience that he feared Europe was leaving behind its &#8220;fundamental values&#8221; that it shared with the United States, such as free speech and fair elections.
&#8220;The threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor,&#8221; Vance <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/remarks/2025/02/remarks-by-vice-president-vance-at-the-munich-security-conference/">said</a> in the speech. &#8220;What I worry about is the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values — values shared with the United States of America.&#8221;
The vice president acknowledged his February speech on Wednesday, saying that the United States and Europe will continue to &#8220;have disagreements&#8221; and criticize one another. He added, &#8220;I do think, fundamentally, we have to be and we are on the same civilizational team.&#8221;

JD Vance/Wolfgang Ischinger

Vance: U.S. And Europe Still ‘On The Same Team’

Europe

JD Vance

Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the Trump administration thinks Russia is pushing for &#8220;too much&#8221; in the peace talks with Ukraine.
Vance spoke at a Munich Security Conference Q&amp;A, where he addressed numerous foreign policy issues, including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the effort to negotiate a peace deal between the two countries. The vice president said that to end the war, President Donald Trump has been trying &#8220;to understand where the other side is coming from.&#8221; As peace talks have hit multiple roadblocks in Trump&#8217;s first 100 days in office, Vance said he isn&#8217;t giving up hope that the two countries can come to some sort of agreement.
&#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t say that the Russians are uninterested in bringing this thing to a resolution. What I would say is right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they&#8217;re asking for too much,&#8221; the vice president said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
JD Vance says Russia is &quot;asking for too much&quot; in peace talks with Ukraine. <a href="https://t.co/zyIIsW61Ta">pic.twitter.com/zyIIsW61Ta</a>
&mdash; Zach Jewell (@zach_d_jewell) <a href="https://twitter.com/zach_d_jewell/status/1920137276190846991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Trump administration is hoping to take a step back from mediating negotiations.
&#8220;We would like both the Russians and the Ukrainians to actually agree on some basic guidelines for sitting down and talking to one another,&#8221; Vance continued. &#8220;Obviously, the United States is happy to participate in those conversations, but it&#8217;s very important for the Russians and Ukrainians to start talking to one another.&#8221;
“We think it’s probably impossible for us to mediate this entirely without at least some direct negotiation between the two, and so that’s what we focus on,” Vance added.
The Trump administration has been talking to both Russian and Ukrainian leaders for months, seeking a way to end the war. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff recently spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for the third time. Some of Russia&#8217;s demands include ensuring that Ukraine will never be admitted into NATO and the recognition of its occupation of Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula it invaded and annexed in 2014. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to push for NATO membership, a request Trump said in February that Ukraine should &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgShN8V5dW0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forget about</a>.&#8221;
Vance said that the Trump administration has &#8220;moved beyond&#8221; pushing for a 30-day ceasefire after those talks went nowhere with Russia.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve tried to move beyond the obsession with a 30-day ceasefire and more on what the long-term settlement would look like,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And we&#8217;ve tried to consistently advance the ball.&#8221;
The United States took a major step forward in talks with Ukraine last week, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-ready-to-sign-minerals-deal-with-ukraine-as-soon-as-this-afternoon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signing</a> a minerals agreement with Kyiv. The agreement provides Ukraine with continued military assistance in exchange for the United States getting access to some of Ukraine’s vital natural resources, including aluminum, graphite, oil, and natural gas.
Russia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russia-hits-u-s-over-minerals-deal-says-ukraine-is-about-to-disappear" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> the minerals deal shortly after it was made, mocking President Trump and saying that Ukraine “is about to disappear.”

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