The Trump administration has officially shuttered the United States Agency for International Development after rolling its operations into the State Department.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the end of the independent agency on Tuesday. Rubio said USAID funds would be better managed and more effective under State Department oversight than they have been in decades.
“USAID had decades and a near-infinite taxpayer budget to advance American influence, promote economic development worldwide, and allow billions to stand on their own two feet,” Rubio wrote in a <a href="https://statedept.substack.com/p/making-foreign-aid-great-again">statement</a>. “Beyond creating a globe-spanning NGO industrial complex at taxpayer expense, USAID has little to show since the end of the Cold War.”
For months, the Trump administration has audited USAID, shrinking its operations and moving it underneath Rubio’s effective control. The Department of Government Efficiency has led the probe into USAID funding, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/22/us/politics/usaid-foreign-aid-trump.html">cutting</a> thousands of spending programs worth tens of billions of taxpayer dollars.
What spending is left will be reallocated and closely watched for measurable returns toward the United States’ national interest, according to Rubio. Of the regions and communities that have received funding from USAID in recent decades, American objectives have “rarely been met.” At the same time, “instability has often worsened, and anti-American sentiment has only grown,” Rubio said.
“[I]n 2023, sub-Saharan African nations voted with the United States only 29 percent of the time on essential resolutions at the UN despite receiving $165 billion in outlays since 1991. That’s the lowest rate in the world,” Rubio wrote. “Over the same period, more than $89 billion invested in the Middle East and North Africa left the U.S. with lower favorability ratings than China in every nation but Morocco.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-2388">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
“[USAID’s] expenditure of $9.3 billion in Gaza and the West Bank since 1991, whose beneficiaries included allies of Hamas, has produced grievances rather than gratitude towards the United States,” he continued. “The only ones living well were the executives of the countless NGOs, who often enjoyed five-star lifestyles funded by American taxpayers, while those they purported to help fell further behind.”
USAID funding has elicited complaints from some allies to the United States. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in February that non-governmental organizations in his country that have been partly funded by USAID have pushed leftist priorities and sought to “topple” his government.
“Now is the moment when these international networks have to be taken down, they have to be swept away,” Orban <a href="https://apnews.com/article/orban-hungary-eliminate-ngos-usaid-aff22b9f9003f4c6c3115a9798c18af6">said</a>. “It is necessary to make their existence legally impossible.”
Under the State Department, international aid will be directed toward “prioritizing trade over aid, opportunity over dependency, and investment over assistance,” said Rubio.
“USAID viewed its constituency as the United Nations, multinational NGOs, and the broader global community — not the U.S. taxpayers who funded its budget or the President they elected to represent their interests on the world stage,” he wrote.
“That ends today, and where there was once a rainbow of unidentifiable logos on life-saving aid, there will now be one recognizable symbol: the American flag. Recipients deserve to know the assistance provided to them is not a handout from an unknown NGO, but an investment from the American people,” he added.

Marco Rubio

Rubio: USAID Closed After Decades Of Funding Posh Lifestyles Of ‘Countless’ NGO Execs

Global Politics

State Department

U.S.

USAID

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday lifting sanctions on Syria, the latest step in warming relations between Trump and Syria&#8217;s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The executive order, Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions, will terminate various sanctions programs on Syria and the national emergency with respect to Syria, beginning on January 1, according to the Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“These actions reflect the President’s vision of fostering a new relationship between the United States and a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors,” Rubio said in a statement. “U.S. sanctions will not be an impediment to Syria’s future.”
The announcement comes after Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-lifting-syria-sanctions-could-transform-the-middle-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener">met with Sharaa</a> — who toppled Syria&#8217;s anti-American dictator, Bashar al-Assad — during his visit to Gulf nations in May. After the meeting, Trump described the terrorist turned head of state as a “young attractive guy” with a “very strong past.” The meeting between Trump and Sharaa was the first meeting between an American president and a Syrian leader in 25 years.
“He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump said of Sharaa. “I spoke with [Turkish] President Erdogan, who is very friendly with him. He feels he’s got a shot of doing a good job. It’s a torn-up country.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
Al-Assad was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-syrian-rebel-leader-mohammad-al-jolani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toppled by Sharaa</a> and his U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, in December. Sharaa, who was once affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had a $10 million <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07gv3j818ko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI bounty</a> on his head for almost a decade before it was lifted in 2024.
Rubio said he will also take “appropriate action” with regard to the Foreign Terrorist Organization designation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham group, and review the Specially Designated Global Terrorist designations of the group and Sharaa.
Rubio will also reexamine Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, enacted in 1979.
“Today’s actions mark the beginning of a new chapter for the people of Syria as they work to shape a future that is safe, stable, and successful,” Rubio added.
The executive order also states that Rubio will determine if the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, signed by Trump in 2019, should be suspended. The act sanctioned the former Syrian government for war crimes and designated several Syrian industries, but includes a provision for the president to waive sanctions if certain conditions are met.
Sanctions will remain on Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, traffickers, people linked to Syria’s past proliferation activities, ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates, and Iran and its terrorist proxies.
The executive order will also relax some restrictions on exports to Syria.
&#8220;This is in an effort to promote and support the country&#8217;s path to stability and peace,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday. “The order will remove sanctions on Syria while maintaining sanctions on the former president Assad and his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS and their affiliates, and Iranian proxies.”
According to the order, “the United States is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and neighbors” and a “Syria that does not offer a safe haven for terrorist organizations and ensures the security of its religious and ethnic minorities will support regional security and prosperity.”
It adds that Syria has been transformed in the last six months since Sharaa’s government took over for Assad.
Sharaa has been accused of grave human rights violations and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-new-leaders-turn-islamic-law-effort-rebuild-assads-police-2025-01-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly plans</a> to impose strict sharia law in the country. But since taking office, he has also sought to reinvent himself as a moderate force for a tolerant Syria.
He has repeatedly denied that he was a terrorist, including in a PBS interview where he said “it’s a political label that carries no truth or credibility.”
Sharaa has worked hard to grow relations with Trump since he took office, including signaling he would be willing to normalize relations with Israel, allow the United States to have access to Syrian oil and gas, and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-tower-damascus-syria-seeks-charm-us-president-sanctions-relief-2025-05-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly stating</a> he wants a Trump Tower in Damascus.

Trump al-Sharaa

Trump Lifts Sanctions On Syria In Sweeping Policy Shift

Ahmed al-Sharaa

Donald Trump

Sanctions

Syria

The State Department is looking to revoke the visa for Bobby Vylan, a British rap duo whose performance at a festival over the weekend went viral for his virulent anti-Israel lyrics that included a call for death to all Israeli soldiers.
A senior State Department official told The Daily Wire that it is “already looking at revocation” of their visas ahead of a roughly twenty-city tour through the United States, with performances planned in several major cities, including Washington, D.C.
“As a reminder, under the Trump Administration, the U.S. government will not issue visas to any foreigner who supports terrorists,” the senior official said.
Vocalist Pascal Robinson-Foster uses the stage name Bobby Vylan for his punk duo Bob Vylan—a name that nods to legendary Jewish singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, who released the pro-Israel song &#8216;Neighborhood Bully&#8217; in 1983.
While performing at England’s annual Glastonbury Music Festival — which was live streamed on the BBC — Vylan incited his crowd of thousands to chant, “Death, death to the IDF.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“Death, death to the IDF” chanted from the stage by Bob Vylan in front of 200k people at <a href="https://twitter.com/glastonbury?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@glastonbury</a>.
Tens of thousands singing happily along.
This is coming to NYC <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZohranForMayor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#ZohranForMayor</a> <a href="https://t.co/t6vtHVhNQa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/t6vtHVhNQa</a>
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) <a href="https://twitter.com/StopAntisemites/status/1939051372810240348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">June 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Free, Free Palestine,” Vylan chanted with the crowd at Britain&#8217;s biggest summer music festival. “But have you heard this one though? Death, death to the IDF! Death, death to the IDF!”
After repeating the chant several times, Vylan referenced another violent slogan: “Hell yeah, from the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free.”
Following his remarks, StopAntisemitism <a href="https://x.com/StopAntisemites/status/1939324518759116883" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called for</a> Vylan to have his visa revoked ahead of his upcoming concerts in the United States for his Inertia Tour. He currently has concerts scheduled in New York City. Boston, Los Angeles, and Nashville, Tennessee.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-epa-employee-charged-with-threatening-jews-attempting-to-provide-guns-and-money-to-isis?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=California+EPA+Employee+Charged+With+Threatening+Jews%2C+Attempting+To+Provide+Guns+and+Money+to+ISIS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CALIFORNIA EPA EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH THREATENING JEWS, ATTEMPTING TO PROVIDE GUNS AND MONEY TO ISIS</a>
“The antisemite must have his visa denied/rescinded &#8211; his hate is not welcome here,” the StopAntisemitism wrote.
The chair of the Department of Justice’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, Leo Terrell, said his “first call” on Monday morning will be to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure Vylan cannot enter the United States.
“These abhorrent chants, which included calls for the death of members of the Israeli Defense Forces, are abhorrent and have no place in any civil society,” Terrell said in a statement. “We understand that Mr. Vylan is planning to travel to the United States as part of the Inertia Tour. In response, Mr. Terrell’s Task Force will be reaching out to the U.S. Department of State on Monday to determine what measures are available to address the situation and to prevent the promotion of violent antisemitic rhetoric in the United States.”
Avon and Somerset Police in the United Kingdom <a href="https://x.com/ASPolice/status/1939025011844485405" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said they are investigating</a> the duo’s performance and will determine “whether any offenses may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-has-been-clear-for-14-years-that-iran-cannot-have-a-nuclear-weapon?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Has+Been+Clear+For+14+Years+That+Iran+Cannot+Have+A+Nuclear+Weapon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP HAS BEEN CLEAR FOR 14 YEARS THAT IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON</a>
A spokesperson for Lisa Nandy, England’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c33514nryy1o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said she</a> “strongly” condemned Vylan’s “threatening comments” and demanded “an urgent explanation” from the BBC regarding its vetting process.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the chants “appalling hate speech.”
In a statement, the BBC conceded that “some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive.”
“During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language,” the BBC added.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hamas-is-preparing-attacks-on-american-contractors-helping-distribute-aid-in-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Hamas+Is+Preparing+Attacks+On+American+Contractors+Helping+Distribute+Aid+In+Gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HAMAS IS PREPARING ATTACKS ON AMERICAN CONTRACTORS HELPING DISTRIBUTE AID IN GAZA</a>
Vylan responded to the controversy in an Instagram post on Sunday saying that it is important to “encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.”
“Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want and need change,” he wrote. “Let them see us marching on the streets, campaigning on the ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered.”
Liora Rez, the executive director of StopAntisemitism, applauded the State Department preparing to take action against the musician who called for violence against the military of one of America’s strongest allies.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
“StopAntisemitism is committed to doing everything in our power to ensure the United States does not follow the UK’s dangerous descent into institutionalized antisemitism,” Rez told The Daily Wire. “We are grateful to the State Department for swiftly prioritizing this matter and remain confident they will agree that individuals who promote such hatred have no place on American soil.”
Other songs performed at the festival — which was filled with Palestinian flags in the crowd and one on stage, along with the slogan, &#8220;This country was built on the backs of immigrants&#8221; — sent the message that the United Kingdom has already been conquered by immigrants.
&#8220;I hear you want your country back,&#8221; Vylan says. &#8220;Well, shut the f*** up.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The whole crowd is white. Singing about how they’ve been conquered and need to shut the fuck up. <a href="https://t.co/5W8Pebv0ys">pic.twitter.com/5W8Pebv0ys</a>
&mdash; Brent Scher (@BrentScher) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrentScher/status/1939321880374104557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
At the music festival, Irish rap group Kneecap, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-consider-criminal-charges-after-rapper-leads-death-to-the-idf-chant-at-festival?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Police+Consider+Criminal+Charges+After+Rapper+Leads+%E2%80%98Death+To+The+IDF%E2%80%99+Chant+At+Festival" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also performed</a> and chanted “free Palestine,” being embroiled in controversy supporting Hezbollah—including one member who was charged under the Terrorism Act for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London last November, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/glastonbury-bob-vylan-israel-police-d7faf32c07b2ccadf25b29d57a530486" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press.</a>

Bobby Vylan And Marco Rubio

EXCLUSIVE: State Department Looks To Revoke Visa For British Rappers Who Chanted ‘Death To The IDF’

Hamas

Hezbollah

Israel

After CNN, The New York Times, and other legacy media outlets tried to torpedo the success of President Donald Trump’s strike on the Iranian nuclear facilities, quoting a leak claiming the strike only set Iran&#8217;s nuclear program back by months, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth slammed the leakers, calling them “professional stabbers” and revealing an investigation is already underway.
“The US military strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities last weekend did not destroy the core components of the country’s nuclear program and likely only set it back by months, according to an early US intelligence assessment that was described by seven people briefed on it,” CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/24/politics/intel-assessment-us-strikes-iran-nuclear-sites">declared.</a> “Intel Report on Iran Upends Victory Lap Trump Was Hoping for at NATO,” the Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/24/us/politics/trump-nato-iran.html">trumpeted</a>.
Speaking while seated with Hegseth and President Trump at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Rubio began by attacking the leakers, saying, “First of all, all of this stuff about the intelligence: This is what a leaker is telling you the intelligence said. That’s the game these people play; they read it and then they go out and characterize it the way they want to characterize, and they’re leakers. This is the game they play. So that’s number one.”
He segued to the results of the attack: “ Number two: the conversion facility — which you can’t do a nuclear weapon without a conversion facility — we can’t even find where it is, where it used to be on the map. You can’t even find where it used to be because the whole thing is just blackened out. It&#8217;s gone.”
“It&#8217;s wiped out,” Trump interjected.
“It&#8217;s wiped out,” Rubio repeated. “Then we dropped 12 of the strongest bombs on the planet right down the hole in two places. Everything underneath that mountain is in bad shape. And I refer you to the statement of the IAEA, Mr. Grossi. You know what he said? He said there was Iran the way it looked the day before the attack, and what their nuclear program looks like now. Two very different things. They are way behind where they were just seven days ago.”
“Now, anything in the world can be rebuilt, but now we know where it is, and if they try to rebuild it, we’ll have options there as well,” Rubio asserted. “But all of this leaker stuff; these leakers are professional stabbers. That’s what they are. They go out and they read this stuff and then tell you what it says — against the law — but they characterize it for you in a way that’s absolutely false. There’s no way Iran comes to the table if somehow nothing had happened: This was complete and total obliteration. They’re in bad shape. They are way behind today compared to where they were just seven days ago because of what the president did.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> sets the record straight for the Fake News: &quot;These leakers are professional stabbers&#8230; There&#39;s no way Iran comes to the table if somehow nothing had happened. This was a complete and total obliteration&#8230; They are way behind today compared to where they were just 7… <a href="https://t.co/V3wrIjic8F">pic.twitter.com/V3wrIjic8F</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1937800084621558011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“When you talk to people who built the bombs, understand what those bombs can do, and deliver those bombs, they landed precisely where they were supposed to,” Hegseth said. “It was a flawless mission. Right down where we knew they needed to enter. Given the 30,000 pounds of explosives, the capabilities of those munitions, it was devastation underneath Fordo. And the amount of munitions, six per location,  any assessment that tells you something otherwise is speculating with other motives. And we know that because when you actually look at the report — by the way, it was a top-secret report — it was preliminary; it was low-confidence, you make assessments based on what you know — ”
“And it said it could be very devastating, very serious —” Trump pointed out.
“Moderate to severe, and we believe far more likely severe and obliterated,” Hegseth echoed.
“Is there a leak investigation?” a reporter asked.
“Of course,” Hegseth replied. “We’re doing a leak investigation with the FBI right now, because this information is for internal purposes, battle-damage assessments. And CNN and others are trying to spin it to make the president look bad when this is an overwhelming success.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨JUST IN: WATCH:?SecDef Pete Hegseth announces criminal investigation into the leaked bad intel to CNN and NYT that the strikes on Iran didn&#39;t destroy the nuclear program
&quot;We&#39;re doing a leak investigation with the FBI right now.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/46Uzfd6qUZ">pic.twitter.com/46Uzfd6qUZ</a>
&mdash; Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) <a href="https://twitter.com/JewishWarrior13/status/1937851760116404715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;

NATO Leaders Attend 2025 Summit In The Hague

Rubio, Hegseth Slam Media Over Iran Strike Leak: ‘Professional Stabbers’ Undermining U.S. Victory

Iran Nuclear

leaks

Legacy Media

Media

Pete Hegseth

Politics

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing the reality that China would be severely damaged by Iran’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, challenged the Chinese government on Sunday to tell the despotic Iranian regime not to do so.
“China in particular buys more oil from Iran than any other nation &#8211; with its imports from Iran surpassing 1.8 million barrels per day last month, according to data by ship tracking firm Vortexa,” the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c056pyv723vo">noted</a>. Iran&#8217;s state-run Press TV reported that the Iranian Parliament had endorsed closing the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision would be made by the Supreme National Security Council.
“Do you expect Iran to move to close the Strait of Hormuz, to try to disrupt oil transportation across the world?” Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo asked Rubio on Fox&#8217;s &#8220;Sunday Morning Futures.&#8221;
“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them [Iran] about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio answered. “If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake; it’s economic suicide for them if they do it. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries&#8217; economies a lot worse than ours. It would be, I think, a massive escalation that would merit a response, not just by us, but from others.”
“So, look, they’re going to say what they need to say, you know,” he continued. “These are the things that need to happen for their own internal politics, and so forth. But in the end, we’re going to judge them by the actions that they take moving forward. We had three objectives; we struck those three objectives with decisive force, and that was the point of this mission. And what happens next will depend on what they do. If they want to negotiate, we’re ready to negotiate. If they want to get cute, and do things that are dangerous, we have responses available that are devastating.”
Rubio&#8217;s words may well have been heard in China; on Monday, it was reported that China warned Iran to back down from its threat to close the Strait.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
China warns Iran after its threats to close the Strait of Hormuz: “The Persian Gulf and surrounding waters are critical trade routes and must remain stable and open.” <a href="https://t.co/xzIrnzkVQd">pic.twitter.com/xzIrnzkVQd</a>
&mdash; Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) <a href="https://twitter.com/PolymarketIntel/status/1937133481378619475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“We estimate that 84% of the crude oil and condensate and 83% of the liquefied natural gas that moved through the Strait of Hormuz went to Asian markets in 2024,” the U.S. Energy Information Administration has <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65504">reported</a>. “China, India, Japan, and South Korea were the top destinations for crude oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz to Asia, accounting for a combined 69% of all Hormuz crude oil and condensate flows in 2024. These markets would likely be most affected by supply disruptions at Hormuz.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/APD5gNeIJjY?si=EBFV0xwOmPE7Z-IH&amp;start=1022" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies on the 2026 Budget In House Hearing

Rubio Challenges China: Tell Iran Not To Close Strait Of Hormuz. The Next Day, China Warns Iran.

China

Iran

Strait of Hormuz

Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio delivered a stern retort on Sunday to CBS News journalist Margaret Brennan after she pressed him on whether the United States lacked intelligence on Iran&#8217;s supreme leader ordering weaponization of its nuclear program.
&#8220;That&#8217;s irrelevant,&#8221; Rubio declared in a &#8220;Face the Nation&#8221; interview conducted after President Donald Trump ordered strikes on three of Tehran&#8217;s nuclear facilities this weekend to prevent the Iranian regime from obtaining nuclear weapons.
&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t matter that the order was given. They have everything they need to build nuclear weapons. Why would you bury things in a mountain, 300 feet under the ground? Why do they have 60% enriched uranium? You don&#8217;t need 60% enriched uranium. The only countries in the world that have uranium at 60% are countries that have nuclear weapons because they can quickly make it 90,&#8221; Rubio said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
MUST WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> schools Margaret Brennan on the Iranian regime&#8217;s nuclear program.
&#8220;Why do they have 60% enriched uranium? &#8230; The only countries in the world that have uranium at 60% are countries that have nuclear weapons because they can quickly make it 90%!&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/XO8ol5jBIn">pic.twitter.com/XO8ol5jBIn</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1936797923267809774?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He continued: They have all the elements — why do they have a space program? Is Iran going to go to the moon? No. They&#8217;re trying to build an ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] so they could one day put a warhead on it.&#8221;
Brennan said that is a question of intent and claimed that an intelligence assessment found that Iran wanted to be a &#8220;threshold state&#8221; and use its leverage.
&#8220;How do you know what the intelligence assessment says?&#8221; Rubio asked.
After Brennan insisted that information came from an intelligence assessment in March, Rubio shot back.
&#8220;That&#8217;s an inaccurate representation of it. That&#8217;s not how our intelligence is read. That&#8217;s not how intelligence is used. Here&#8217;s what the whole world knows — forget about intelligence — what the IAEA knows,&#8221; Rubio said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
&#8220;They are enriching uranium well beyond anything you need for a civil nuclear program,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;So why would you enrich uranium at 60% if you don&#8217;t intend to one day use it to take it to 90 and build a weapon? Why are you developing ICBMs? Why do you have 8,000 short-range missiles and 2-3 thousand mid-range missiles that you continue to develop? Why do you do all these things?&#8221;
Brennan said she &#8220;understood,&#8221; but Rubio was not done.
&#8220;They have everything they need for a nuclear weapon,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;They have the delivery mechanisms, they have the enrichment capability, they have the highly-enriched uranium that is stored — that&#8217;s all we need to see, especially in the hands of the regime that&#8217;s already involved in terrorism and proxies and all kinds of things. They are the source of all instability in the Middle East.&#8221;
Brennan said &#8220;no one is disputing&#8221; what Rubio was explaining. She noted that Iran was censured by the IAEA for its uranium enrichment and violating their nonproliferation agreements. She then stressed that she was &#8220;simply asking&#8221; if the United States had intelligence that there was an order to weaponize.
&#8220;We have intelligence that they have everything they need to build a nuclear weapon and that&#8217;s more than enough,&#8221; Rubio said.

Secretary Of State Marco Rubio

‘That’s Irrelevant’: Rubio Shuts Down Margaret Brennan On Iran Nuclear Ambitions Intel

Margaret Brennan

Nuclear Weapons

Iran &#8220;tried to play&#8221; President Donald Trump, which led to U.S. strikes on three of Tehran&#8217;s nuclear facilities this weekend,&#8221; Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday.
Rubio <a href="https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1936791941653708903" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> anchor Maria Bartiromo on Fox News&#8217; &#8220;Sunday Morning Futures&#8221; that Trump sent a letter months ago to Iran emphasizing how the regime would not be allowed to have nuclear weapons and that he wanted negotiations to achieve a peaceful resolution. But, he emphasized, that did not happen.
&#8220;They tried to play him along the way they&#8217;ve played every American president for the last 35 years and the president told them, &#8216;If we don&#8217;t get a deal&#8217; — which is what we wanted — &#8216;then I&#8217;ll have to handle it differently.&#8217; And that&#8217;s what he did last night. He handled it differently,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;But that was an Iranian choice. We didn&#8217;t make that choice. They did by playing games with Donald Trump, they made a huge mistake.&#8221;
Rubio declared that the world now is &#8220;safer&#8221; and &#8220;more stable&#8221; than it was 24 hours ago, prior to the strikes on Iran&#8217;s nuclear facilities.
&#8220;And a bunch of these countries, putting out statements condemning us — privately, they all agree with us — that this needed to be done. They got to do what they got to do for their own public relations purposes, but the only people in the world that are unhappy about what happened in Iran last night is the regime,&#8221; Rubio said.
Rubio <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1936792593301385714" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stressed</a> that the United States has bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to protect those countries from Iran and its terrorist network of proxy groups spread across the region.
&#8220;Why does Hezbollah exist? &#8220;Why does Hamas exist? Because of Iran. How do the Houthis exist? Because of Iran. Who built the IEDs that maimed and killed American soldiers in Iraq? Iran. They&#8217;re behind every problem in this region. They are the sole source of instability in the entire Middle East. And the world has been paying a price for this for 40 something years,&#8221; Rubio said.
&#8220;Imagine those people having a nuclear weapon,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Just one. Just one nuclear weapon. Or even the capability to — being on the threshold of having a nuclear weapon. That&#8217;s what the world was facing. That is unacceptable. President Trump did the world a favor last night.&#8221;

Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Iran ‘Tried To Play’ Trump, Rubio Says

The White House released photos taken from inside the White House’s Situation Room on Saturday as American bombers knocked out nuclear facilities in Iran.
The White House posted a series of seven photos on X showing President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and others huddled together watching the mission progress.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Donald J. Trump in The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 <a href="https://t.co/fw70poHb0O">pic.twitter.com/fw70poHb0O</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1936605842796687502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Donald J. Trump in The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 <a href="https://t.co/QZroRBNW1t">pic.twitter.com/QZroRBNW1t</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1936605850115657813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Donald J. Trump in The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 <a href="https://t.co/T0ECocToiC">pic.twitter.com/T0ECocToiC</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1936605859406135328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Donald J. Trump in The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 <a href="https://t.co/V4pRVzsqcZ">pic.twitter.com/V4pRVzsqcZ</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1936605863323598879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
American B-2 bombers dropped payloads on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday. Bombs struck the nuclear facilities Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
The White House had said Thursday that the president planned to make a decision on whether or not to bomb Iran “within the next two weeks.” Trump addressed the nation after the mission.
“Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran&#8217;s key nuclear facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” the president <a href="https://x.com/KassyAkiva/status/1936607420068856087">said</a>.
Trump threatened further action against Iran unless Tehran chooses peace.
&#8220;This cannot continue. There will be either peace or tragedy for Iran — far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/KassyAkiva/status/1936611374458675349">said</a>. “Tonight was the most difficult of them all — by far — and perhaps the most lethal, but if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed, and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes.”
In the United States, the strike on Iran has already sparked calls for impeachment from Democrats in Congress.
“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1936603028708082160">said</a>. “He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1936602051431063760">defended</a> the president in a post on X, noting that “[l]eaders in Congress were aware of the urgency of this situation and the Commander-in-Chief evaluated that the imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act.”

PHOTOS: Trump, Top Officials Monitor Strike On Iran From Situation Room

JD Vance

White House

Syrian-born anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, released from detention despite alleged Hamas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-israel-activist-detained-by-ice-led-activities-aligned-to-hamas-trumps-dhs-says">ties</a>, vowed on Saturday to continue anti-Israel protests while appearing alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) at a New Jersey airport.
Khalil, 30, spent 104 days in a Lousina detention center after his March 8 arrest, as the Trump administration sought to deport the Columbia student for allegedly engaging in activities &#8220;aligned to Hamas,&#8221; the Palestinian terrorist group responsible for the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
Immediately upon his Friday release following a court order from U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz, Khalil <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/21/us-news/anti-israel-protestor-mahmoud-khalil-makes-emotional-return-home-embraces-wife-and-holds-telling-press-conference-with-aoc/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">bashed</a> the U.S.-funded “genocide” in Gaza, and even vowed to fight for the rights of the “incredible men” he was imprisoned with in Louisiana, per the New York Post.
&#8220;The U.S. government is funding this genocide, and Columbia University is investing in this genocide,&#8221; Khalil declared at the airport. &#8220;This is what I was protesting. This is what I will continue to protest with every one of you. Not only if they threaten me with detention, even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Palestine.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
AOC just imbedded herself with a Terrorist Hamas supporter 👍👍👍 Dems 80/20 &#8211; we&#39;ll take 20 🤣
BREAKING: Mahmoud Khalil Holds Press Gaggle With AOC After Being Released From Immigration Detention <a href="https://t.co/WOiRdLUc5k">https://t.co/WOiRdLUc5k</a> <a href="https://t.co/zk8712HIqG">pic.twitter.com/zk8712HIqG</a>
&mdash; Joni Job (@jj_talking) <a href="https://twitter.com/jj_talking/status/1936485070191423943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who joined Khalil at Newark Liberty International Airport alongside his wife and their newborn son, claimed the allegations against Khalil were politically motivated.
&#8220;Because Mahmoud Khalil is an advocate for Palestinian human rights, he has been accused, baselessly, of horrific allegations, simply because the Trump administration and our overall establishment disagrees with his political speech,&#8221; the congresswoman claimed to reporters. “We will continue to resist the politicization and the continued political persecution that ICE is engaged in.”
The conditions of Khalil&#8217;s bail included surrendering his passport and travel restrictions limiting him to New York, New Jersey, Michigan, to visit his family, Washington, D.C., and Louisiana, where his immigration trial will be held.
Khalil graduated from Columbia in December, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused him of leading “antisemitic protests and disruptive activities, which fosters a hostile environment for Jewish students in the United States,” as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-rules-columbias-pro-hamas-agitator-mahmoud-khalil-can-be-deported">reported</a>.
“Condoning antisemitic conduct and disruptive protests in the United States would severely undermine that significant foreign policy objective,” Rubio added, citing the 1952 Immigration and Naturalization Act, which authorizes the U.S. Secretary of State to deport anyone whose continued residence in the country “would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences.&#8221;
Defense attorneys for Khalil celebrated the Syrian’s release as a “significant and important victory,&#8221; per the Post.
The Trump administration is <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/anti-israel-activist-mahmoud-khalil-released-following-judges-order">appealing</a> Judge Farbiarz’s preliminary injunction and Khalil&#8217;s release on bail to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

US-POLITICS-MIGRANTS-KHALIL-EDUCATION-MIGRATION

Pro-Hamas Agitator Mahmoud Khalil Bashes U.S. ‘Genocide’ With AOC After Judge Orders Release

anti-Israel

Columbia University

Courts

Department of Homeland Security

Pro-Hamas

Trump Administration

The State Department will resume granting student visas, but with heightened social media protocols to monitor possible support for terrorism or &#8220;a history of political activism&#8221; associated with violence or anti-American views. 
The department announced Wednesday that it would soon start scheduling student visa application interviews after all new applications were frozen last month. Potential exchange students will be asked to make their social media profiles public to allow for vetting. 
“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security,” the department said. “Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants.”
The Trump administration has expressed concern about foreign students who have engaged in disruptive anti-Israel protests at campuses across the country, as well as Chinese students connected to the Chinese Communist Party. 
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the State Department said. “The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.”
A cable to American diplomats <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/18/social-media-screening-student-visas-00413160" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained</a> by POLITICO revealed that they were instructed to search the social media accounts of students for “any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States,” “advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to U.S. national security” and “support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence.”
One specific terrorist group they were urged to watch out for was Hamas.
The diplomats were also told to determine if “applicants who demonstrate a history of political activism” associated with violence and asked to “consider the likelihood they would continue such activity in the United States.”
The cable added that the diplomats should “take screenshots to preserve the record against possible later alteration or loss of the information.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States does not want to import anti-American activists to disrupt and undermine the education system.
The resumption of student visa application interviews comes after President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-unveils-terms-of-done-trade-deal-with-china">announced</a> last week that the United States would continue to allow Chinese students into the country as part of a trade deal. That came after Rubio said that he would aggressively revoke the student visas of Chinese students, especially those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

US-KAZAKHSTAN-DIPLOMACY-RUBIO-NURTLEU

New State Dept Measures Unveiled: How Foreign Students Will Be Screened For U.S. Entry

Communist China

Education

foreign students

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States was not involved in Israel&#8217;s Thursday evening strikes on Iran.
“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.&#8221;
Rubio added that &#8220;Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”
Rubio said that Israel advised the United States that the action was necessary and for self-defense.
&#8220;President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio
“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its… <a href="https://t.co/5FFesh3dkF">pic.twitter.com/5FFesh3dkF</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1933328486669697508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
Israel launched strikes on Iran late Thursday evening &#8212; though it is currently still unclear which targets Israel struck.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a “special situation” throughout Israel for the next 48 hours due to a “high probability” that a retaliatory attack would occur.
Earlier on Thursday, President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-an-israeli-strike-on-iran-is-something-that-could-very-well-happen?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Says+An+Israeli+Strike+On+Iran+Is+%E2%80%98Something+That+Could+Very+Well+Happen%E2%80%99">Donald Trump said</a> that an Israeli attack was something “that could very well happen,” but said he preferred a diplomatic approach to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon.
Videos appeared online shortly after news broke of the strikes of what appear to be bombed sites in Iran:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Israel is currently striking Iran’s capital, Tehran.
Follow: <a href="https://twitter.com/AFpost?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AFpost</a> <a href="https://t.co/YzYr0CneRz">pic.twitter.com/YzYr0CneRz</a>
— AF Post (@AFpost) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFpost/status/1933318783919403497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Rubio Says United States Not Involved, Warns Iran Against Attacking U.S. Personnel

World

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Tuesday after five Western governments imposed sanctions on them for “extremist rhetoric.”
The countries sanctioning the two Israeli cabinet members include Canada, the United Kingdom, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia. They released <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-ministers-joint-statement-on-measures-targeting-itamar-ben-gvir-and-bezalel-smotrich">a joint statement</a> claiming the officials had “incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights” in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.
“These sanctions do not advance U.S.-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,” Rubio <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1932536569107525916">said in a statement</a>. “We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organization that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace.”
Rubio added that the United States “urges the reversal of the sanctions” and “stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/donald-trump-has-a-recommendation-for-greta-thunberg-after-her-selfie-flotilla?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Donald+Trump+Has+A+Recommendation+For+Greta+Thunberg+After+Her+%E2%80%98Selfie+Flotilla%E2%80%99">DONALD TRUMP HAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR GRETA THUNBERG AFTER HER ‘SELFIE FLOTILLA’</a>
The sanctions reportedly include travel bans and asset freezes, though the ministers are not known to have any assets in those countries.
In the five countries’ statement, they claim that the situation in Judea and Samaria cannot be viewed separately from “the catastrophe” in Gaza. They added that they are &#8220;appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid” and that they oppose “unlawful transfer of Palestinians from Gaza or within the West Bank” or any reduction of the territory of the Gaza Strip.
The countries accuse Ben-Gvir and Smotrich of “extremist rhetoric” including allegedly advocating for the “forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements.”
Both Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are the Israeli boogeymen to the Israeli Left and Western media due to their extremely nationalistic and hawkish right-wing views, including for the expansion of settlements in Judea and Samaria and support for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-announces-plans-to-create-an-emigration-administration-to-relocate-gazans">relocating Gazans</a> from the Gaza Strip.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/christian-pro-israel-conference-cancels-after-overwhelming-number-of-credible-terror-threats?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Christian+Pro-Israel+Conference+Cancels+After+%E2%80%98Overwhelming%E2%80%99+Number+Of+Credible+Terror+Threats">CHRISTIAN PRO-ISRAEL CONFERENCE CANCELS AFTER ‘OVERWHELMING’ NUMBER OF CREDIBLE TERROR THREATS</a>
Smotrich responded <a href="https://x.com/bezalelsm/status/1932419325865889825">in a speech</a> on Tuesday while he was inaugurating the new Israeli settlement “Mitzpe Ziv” in the Hebron Hills.
“I heard that Britain had decided to impose sanctions on me for obstructing the establishment of the Palestinian state,” he said. “The timing couldn&#8217;t be better.”
He added that Britain has already once attempted to prevent Jews from “settling in the cradle of our homeland” and that “we are determined to continue building.”
In the five countries’ statement, they repeatedly mention the two-state solution, a plan for both an Israeli and Palestinian state, claiming that it is “extremist rhetoric” to reject such a plan.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Huckabee said that the United States no longer backs the establishment of a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria, in an interview with Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-10/us-holds-deep-doubts-about-palestinian-state-ambassador-says">published Tuesday</a>.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
Ben-Gvir also responded to the sanctions on Tuesday, claiming that these countries are attacking Israel while they have their own internal issues to worry about.
“While the European colonial countries fantasize that we Jews are still their subjects, the streets of their famous cities are being taken over by radical Islam,” <a href="https://x.com/itamarbengvir/status/1932455261756653815">he wrote</a>. “But their campaign of appeasement for the Hamas terrorists will not save them. When they finally wake up, it will be too late!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Moments after being protested by a bottle-throwing crowd near Yale University, Itamar Ben-Gvir sat down with me to discuss the stark contrast between his VIP treatment at Mar-a-Lago and the hostile reception from anti-Israel students.
Here’s what he said: <a href="https://t.co/KoNVqyP66W">pic.twitter.com/KoNVqyP66W</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1915885745954558377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In April, protesters near Yale University <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-israels-national-security-minister-responds-to-bottle-throwing-yale-crowd">hurled bottles</a> at Ben-Gvir during his trip to the United States, just a day after he was welcomed by applause from a crowd filled with Trump allies and members of Congress at Mar-a-Lago. He told The Daily Wire that the reception likely wouldn’t have happened if President Donald Trump had lost because he was detested by the Biden administration.
<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>
“It would have been likely that they would not admit me and here I am today, from a situation where I was a persona-non-grata, to a situation where I am being loved,” he said. “I enter their room and there is an applause for what I say, on our ideas, on our world view, on the fact that I want a big and strong state of Israel.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that the government will call a special meeting next week to determine how to respond to the “outrageous, unacceptable decision” by the five Western governments, <a href="https://www.jns.org/london-to-sanction-ben-gvir-smotrich-over-anti-hamas-comments/">Jewish News Syndicate reported</a>.
“It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kinds of measures,” Sa’ar stated.

Ben-Gvir Smotrich and Rubio

Rubio Defends Israeli Officials After 5 Western Governments Sanction Them For ‘Extremist Rhetoric’

Menu