President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed excitement for the first flight of the new Air Force One, calling the Qatari-gifted jet &#8220;the greatest commercial plane ever built.&#8221;
Trump spoke to reporters on the tarmac before departing to North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.
“So, this will be the first flight of what I think is maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built,” Trump said. “I think you know, to be honest with you, I&#8217;m excited about the first flight. It&#8217;s something nobody&#8217;s ever seen anything like it, even you people with all your experience and all of your talents, you will never see anything like this.” 
A video posted by the White House&#8217;s Rapid Response X account captured the commander-in-chief climbing the stairs of the Boeing 747-8, pausing to pump his fist <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2072313524747985250?s=20">before takeoff</a>. 
In June, White House officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-last-ride-white-house-bids-farewell-to-air-force-one?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=31&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98The+Last+Ride%E2%80%99%3A+White+House+Bids+Farewell+To+Air+Force+One">bid farewell</a> to the old Air Force One, a Boeing 747-200, which has transported U.S. presidents across the nation and around the world for more than three decades.
“The last ride,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung <a href="https://x.com/StevenCheung47/status/2067514778684162330?s=20">said on X</a>. “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
“THANK YOU,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino said, <a href="https://x.com/Scavino47/status/2067523503817977868?s=20">posting a video</a> of the aircraft, saying he has “been fortunate to fly around the world on this iconic plane for 5 1/2 years — of the 35 years it has been serving U.S. presidents.” 
The old Air Force One has been replaced by three Boeing 747-8s, including a luxury jet gifted by the Qatari government that sparked a political firestorm. The so-called “flying palace” is estimated to be worth $400 million, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-defends-400-million-flying-palace-offered-as-gift-from-qatar">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. The other two Boeing-built VC-25Bs that will be used as Air Force One are still undergoing modifications. 
<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/politics/white-house-staff-bids-farewell-to-planes-used-as-air-force-one-for-more-than-35-years">CNN reported</a> that the Qatari jet received significant modifications for its new role as Air Force One, including a major overhaul to equip it with the secure communications and security systems required for presidential travel.
“They made it appropriate for a president, that means the security and all of the different bells and whistles they put on, very complex style, but it&#8217;s really quite something,” Trump said Wednesday. 
&#8220;This is a plane that the United States of America should have. Our Air Force One was 36 years old,&#8221; he added. 
His fight for a new plane cracked open a controversy at the beginning of his second term. In May 2025, multiple reports revealed that the Trump administration was in talks to accept a luxury jet from Qatar, a proposal that sparked bipartisan criticism.
Critics pounced on the president, arguing that gifts from Qatar — a nation that spends heavily to build influence in the United States — rarely come without strings attached.
Pro-Trump activist Laura Loomer <a href="https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/1921615017138618439">urged</a> Trump not to accept the plane, saying, “This is really going to be such a stain on the admin if this is true.”
On Wednesday, Trump rebuffed that criticism, calling the flying White House, which has a red, white, blue, and gold design, “beautiful” and something the country should “be very proud of.” 
“So this was a gift from a country that&#8217;s treated us very well, and they&#8217;re an ally of us over in the Middle East,” Trump said. “Frankly, we couldn&#8217;t build a plane like this because we wouldn&#8217;t be willing to spend the kind of money necessary.”

President Trump Departs D.C. For Camp David For The Weekend

Trump Takes Off On Maiden Voyage For Qatar-Gifted Air Force One

Air Force One

News

President Trump

President Trump says we have a deal with Iran, an amazing deal for us and our allies.
The Iranians say they have a deal with the United States, the worst possible deal for them and their allies.
You know who doesn&#8217;t have the deal? Any of us.
We do not have words. We do not have the text.
I&#8217;m not about to take anybody&#8217;s word for it when there&#8217;s clearly no solid information for any of us to look at.
As I&#8217;ve been saying for months, war is a simple calculus. It is about which side can take more pain. That&#8217;s it. If I can take more pain than you, I win. Even if you win on an absolute level, you inflict more pain on me on an absolute level than I inflict on you, that doesn&#8217;t matter. You don&#8217;t actually win until the other side has experienced pain beyond what they are willing to bear.
If the other side is willing to undergo the pain of having all of their limbs lopped off, and you&#8217;re only willing to undergo the pain of a hangnail, the other side must only inflict minor pain; in order to win, you must inflict massive pain.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ben-shapiro-show-ep-2445?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-981859" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ben-banner.avif" alt="" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ben-banner.avif 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ben-banner-300x50.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/ben-banner-768x128.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
This was always the imbalance between the United States and Iran in this whole deal. The United States had to lop off all the arms, all the legs, eviscerate the leadership, make it so that Iran could not rise again in order to achieve what we want in a deal. Iran, in order to exert pressure on us, basically had to fire some drones and missiles at shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and at some oil fields.
What would a good long-term deal look like? Let&#8217;s point out that nothing that&#8217;s going on right now is a long-term deal. What we have right now is called a “memorandum of understanding.” Supposedly, it is a 60-day memorandum of understanding, which is kicking the can down the road because none of the major issues have been solved in this memorandum of understanding.
Let&#8217;s talk about what a great deal would look like for the United States, according to the administration&#8217;s list: No nuclear weapons or development or facilities, no ballistic missile development, no funding of terror apparatus abroad, and opening the Strait of Hormuz permanently without tolls.
Then, when all of those have been verified, we could talk about opening up the economy. That&#8217;s what a good deal would look like for the United States.
What would a bad deal — meaning a good deal for Iran — look like?
First, continuation of nuclear development, even if it&#8217;s pushed off, even if it&#8217;s slower; maintenance of nuclear facilities, capacity to keep nuclear material in the country.
Second, ballistic missile development revitalized; no sanctions on ballistic missile development, and money flowing into the country that could be used for additional ballistic missile development, which would create that umbrella of defense and offense that would prevent action to get rid of their nukes.
Third, continued funding of terrorism abroad, the rebuilding of the terror apparatus that Iran had prior to October 7, Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and terrorist groups in Iraq. If they got more money coming in and they could continue to fund terrorism, that would be a win for them.
Fourth, continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, basically being told by Iran or given the tacit threat that any time things went wrong, Iran could shut down the world economy again and again.
Fifth, the biggest one, much more funding is going into Iran. Remember, before this war, Iran was basically on its last economic legs. The Iranian rial had spiked from 42,000 per American dollar to 1 million per American dollar. That was before the war. Their economy was falling apart. That&#8217;s why you had these gigantic riots in the streets, which ended with the Iranians shooting some 42,000 people in a weekend. So if more money goes into Iran, that is a win for Iran.
That&#8217;s the long-term standard.
I&#8217;m setting the standards up front so we know what we&#8217;re talking about. That’s because one of the things that I don&#8217;t like when we talk about good deal/bad deal is being vague about what we are saying.
To reiterate the five conditions for a good deal for the United States: No nukes, no ballistic missile development, no funding of terrorism abroad, opening the Strait permanently without tolling, and then theoretically opening up the economy.
What would the best deal for the Iranians look like?
First, continued nuclear development, even covert nuclear development, which would mean maintaining their nuclear facilities in-country, with all supposed watering down of nuclear material to be done in Iran, then continuing to cheat and hide. Second: Ballistic missile development. Third: Funding of terrorism abroad. Fourth: Continued control over the Strait. Fifth: More funding going into Iran.
What we have here, according to the Trump administration and Iran, is a memorandum of understanding, a temporary agreement.
What would a good temporary agreement look like for the United States? There are three options: Good, mediocre, and bad.
A good temporary agreement would look like anything that facilitated a good permanent agreement; whatever got us toward the goal of no nukes, no ballistics, no funding of terrorism, and opening the Strait permanently.
A mediocre temporary deal would ensure that Iran doesn&#8217;t get any of the things that it wants long-term, but it wouldn&#8217;t achieve all the good stuff, so it wouldn&#8217;t disarm them of nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles, but it would not release a bunch of money to them and might temporarily open up the Strait a little bit. It might release a small amount of money to them, and then we would go home, but we would leave the sanctions in place, which is the most important thing. Not opening the Iranian economy, not allowing them to tie their activity to terrorist groups in the region, and not allowing them to rebuild their ballistic missile facilities with our money.
A mediocre deal would basically be us packing up our stuff and going home. Why would that be mediocre and not great? Because we&#8217;ve done an enormous amount of damage to Iran&#8217;s facilities. We&#8217;ve already set them back tremendously. If we go home right now, then Iran will maintain some vestigial control over the Strait, will not permanently get rid of the Iranian nuclear program, and will not eliminate their ballistic missile capacity. It won&#8217;t prevent their funding of terrorism.
What would a bad temporary agreement look like? It would not only leave their nuclear development intact but also incentivize it. It would allow them to allocate more money to ballistic missiles. It would allow them to extend their terrorist reach, and it would allow full-scale, continued Iranian control over the Strait.
Which is it?
We don&#8217;t know. We literally do not know because the administration has not and will not release the text right now, which they should.
I&#8217;m happy to analyze a deal once I know what&#8217;s in it. I cannot analyze a deal for or against until I know what the hell is in the deal.
You don&#8217;t know what a good deal looks like just because one side says good and the other says bad. Right now, we have two sides telling two very, very different stories. You have President Trump saying he got a good, temporary agreement, and J.D. Vance saying that it&#8217;s a brilliant temporary agreement. You have Iran saying that it&#8217;s a very, very bad temporary agreement.
My hunch is that the temporary agreement doesn&#8217;t do much at all. Basically, the temporary agreement might be the mediocre scenario: We leave, they get a little bit of cash to open up the Strait of Hormuz, not enough to really revitalize their economy; the sanctions remain on them; we never get to any further negotiation on a nuclear weapons deal; we never get to any further negotiation on ballistics or terrorism, and they don&#8217;t get fully reintegrated into the world economy.
If that&#8217;s the end of the war, this goes with a whimper, not a bang. We would be saying, “You know what? We did enough. We&#8217;re out.”
We don&#8217;t know because we don&#8217;t have the text of the deal.

GettyImages-2269545205

The Iran Deal’s Biggest Secret

Ben Shapiro

Foreign Policy

Iran

Iran Nuclear Deal

Opinion

Spencer Pratt wasn’t supposed to get this far.
A reality television star with no traditional political background forcing a runoff in one of the bluest cities in America should make every political consultant in the country stop and ask the same question: What are voters trying to tell us?
The answer is obvious. They’re tired of being told not to believe what they see with their own eyes.
For Democrats, Los Angeles should be a five-alarm warning. Simply having a “D” next to your name is no longer enough, not even in cities where Democrats have dominated for decades.
For years, too many big-city politicians have governed as if reelection were guaranteed. They’ve enjoyed the perks of power while residents have been left dealing with the consequences. Living amongst the homelessness crisis and open drug use, rising concerns about crime, animals suffering in heartbreaking conditions, and neighborhoods that feel like they are moving in the wrong direction.
But what has angered voters the most isn’t just that these problems exist. It’s that, too often, the people in charge seem more interested in explaining them away than in fixing them.
That’s where Pratt found an opening.
His campaign made a connection with the people because before promising solutions, he did something many politicians refuse to do: He admitted there was a problem. He didn’t tell frustrated residents their concerns were exaggerated or that everything was fine. He met them where they were.
Critics immediately attacked him for having “no political experience,” but that argument doesn’t hit the same way it used to. When voters are unhappy with the results delivered by career politicians, telling them someone has spent decades inside the same system they’re frustrated with isn’t exactly the winning message people think it is.
Experience matters, but results matter more.
And Republicans should not watch what happened in Los Angeles and learn the wrong lesson. This is not proof that voter frustration automatically translates into Republican victories. It doesn’t.
The same message applies to the Right: You have to earn votes.
A Trump endorsement remains the most powerful force in Republican politics, but it is not a campaign strategy by itself. Candidates cannot simply put “endorsed by President Trump” on a mailer, avoid the hard conversations, and expect voters to show up — especially not right now.
Americans are struggling. They are worried about grocery and gas prices, housing costs, and whether the American dream is slipping further out of reach. They are watching billions spent on conflicts overseas while wondering why life feels more expensive at home.
Voters want to know that the person asking for their vote understands what they are living through.
Trump’s political rise was built on recognizing something the establishment missed: millions of Americans felt ignored, talked down to, and forgotten. Candidates who want to benefit from that movement need to remember what created it in the first place.
It was never just about a name. It was about making people feel heard.
That is the real lesson from Los Angeles.
Democrats cannot assume blue cities will stay blue simply because they always have. Republicans cannot assume a red wave arrives because of endorsements, slogans, or frustration with the other side.
Voters are done handing power to anyone who thinks they are entitled to it.
The political ground is shifting. Party loyalty is weakening. People are more willing than ever to cross traditional lines when they believe someone is actually fighting for them.
The candidates who win the future will not be the ones who tell voters what they should care about. They will be the ones brave enough to admit what voters already know.
***
Vanessa Santos is a political communications specialist and the president and CEO of Renegade DC.

Mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt

What You See Is What You Get: What Trump And Spencer Pratt Have In Common

California

California Elections

DW Opinion

Populism

Spencer Pratt

Trump Voters

“The politicization of politics” sounds like a contradiction in terms, but since the duplicitous Obama era, it has been the sorry norm. When President Barack Obama wasn’t giving obviously partisan speeches for Democrat causes but speaking more formally as president, on behalf of the whole country, he would appear to speak magnanimously, with high-flown rhetoric about the good of the country, coming together, and common sense. Yet those seemingly non-partisan speeches almost always bore a snide, partisan subtext. And now, post-Obama, in the Trump era, subtext has become text. What Obama often slyly implied about his opponents, Trump brashly trumpets about his own political rivals.
This new politicization of politics, in which the partisan fight is almost never switched off, presents a real problem for our country’s Semiquincentennial: how do we celebrate the birthday of America, the signing of the Declaration, and the American Revolution as a whole and unified country, without either the Obamian undertones of partisan sniping or the Trumpian overtones of political bombast?
<a href="https://x.com/ByronYork/status/2061070209083973826?s=20">Byron York</a> seems to have hit on the solution, which, to be fair, Trump’s Freedom250 office has already begun to implement in large part.
First, York suggested on X: “Stick with the Great American State Fair concept. Make it a sprawling display of the local economies and cultures of each of the 50 states.” Already happening with the pavilions featuring American industry and the arts, with themes for each day, including “Engines of Enterprise,” “The Next 250: Innovation,” “The American Canvas,” and “Faith, Values, and Inspiration.”
Second, York recommended that they “[d]e-celebritize the events. Don&#8217;t try to book stars. Republicans have always lost at that game, and doubly so with Trump.” Well, it seems the celebrities are, in large part, taking care of that themselves, as the Left and their media henchmen have put the screws on performers, many of whom have now backed out of an original “yes” to perform. Byron York is right when he adds to his point that “show business appears to be largely made up of a) entertainers and businessmen who hate Trump, and b) entertainers and businessmen who are scared of being accused of not hating Trump.” Personally, I think that celebrity fear that York mentions comes from both an elite threat (“You’ll never work in this town again!”) and a mob threat (“What is that celebrity’s home address, so we can threaten their family and property?”).
Third, Byron York counsels the organizers to “[m]ake music a big part of the events by showcasing U.S. military bands. There are a lot of military bands and orchestras, and they are very, very good.” A good suggestion, but one the organizers have already taken, I’m sure. Something more may be needed to round out the celebration of so many days — 16 in total from June 25 to July 10 — with multiple stages. I suggest recruiting the various private fife-and-drum corps that dot these lands. Personally, I think it is sad that such politicization of civic events has famous and favorite musicians balking in large numbers, but there are many great bands of lesser fame who might be willing to gain exposure on such a huge stage. Some have suggested that it be conservative or Right-wing musicians, but why not simply widen the appeal by asking anyone willing to support or depoliticize our 250th birthday — taking Right, Left, and center musicians, albeit lacking celebrity, who will perform good music? They would just need to pay them a good portion of their fee afterward, contingent on good, non-protesty, non-angsty, and non-partisan performances.
Now that last idea conflicts with York’s next point, namely to make the Fourth of July simply traditional (no celebrities and not even, presumably, lesser would-be or pseudo-celebrities and contemporary music). That is my preference too, but most people like a good show, which means more than just military bands.
While York’s suggestion for a massive fireworks display has been the plan all along, his last suggestion is by far the hardest to accomplish: “No starring role for Trump. He&#8217;ll be the President of the United States watching over the events with pride.” Trump has already said he plans to give a huge speech: “We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain.” Now this is typical trolling from President Loki, executive of mischief, but the truth is that he is now slated to kick off the Great American State Fair either the eve before it starts, on June 24, or on the first day, June 25. Of course, given the politicization of politics, people who hate Trump are losing their minds, but in an era of hyperpartisanship, it is not altogether hard to understand their concern.
I suspect Trump will offer a very unobjectionable and patriotic speech, like others he has given, say at Mt. Rushmore. But unobjectionable to whom? Well, it depends on whether you agree or disagree with this line, perhaps the most partisan in character from that July 3 fireworks display at Mt. Rushmore: “Make no mistake. This left-wing cultural revolution is designed to overthrow the American Revolution.” Hyperpartisanship makes that an attack on a large swath of Left-leaning Americans. Does Trump have the moral fortitude, the patience, or the gentleness to leave off even that sort of line and to give a positive vision that avoids settling disputes or naming enemies? Can he create a kind of holiday from partisanship and politicization, so America can celebrate its political birthday, e pluribus unum? The next line in that Rushmore speech has the seeds of the better way: “In so doing they would destroy the very civilization that rescued billions from poverty, disease, violence, and hunger, and that lifted humanity to new heights of achievement, discovery, and progress.” All he needs to do is leave off the destroyers and simply sing America’s virtues.
York is probably right to suggest Trump simply preside rather than speak at our national festivities on the Mall this summer. But if he must speak — and Trump being who he is, he likely must — then he should forget all his battles, set aside all enmities, and give a speech free of both the snide subtext of his predecessors and the typical text of Trumpian payback. Trump may be tempted on such a grand stage of America’s 250th birthday to engage in that sort of payback. If he has any strength left, he should resist the inclination to fight and instead generously pay it forward with a hopeful and peace-loving speech exclusively about the goodness and grandness of this great and loving country.
***
Matthew Mehan is Associate Dean and Associate Professor at Hillsdale College in D.C. He is also the author of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-book-every-american-family-should-own">newly released</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Abmu6GIaY">fully illustrated heirloom celebration</a> of America’s 250th, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/American-Book-Fables-Matthew-Mehan/dp/B0G1XYVC54">The American Book of Fables</a>.

America 250 Anniversary 2026 retro postcard design layout with 3D vintage patriotic style text design. Red and blue color palette with American flag

How To Celebrate America In A Hyper-Political Partisan Era

America 250

After two years of devastating American and Israeli strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites, missile infrastructure, air defenses, terror proxies, and regime leadership, President Donald Trump holds more leverage over the Islamic Republic than any U.S. president since the Islamists took power in 1979.
The question is whether he uses it — or trades it away.
Talk of a deal is again at fever pitch. Trump is reportedly mulling a memorandum of understanding that would extend the ceasefire by 60 days, lift the U.S. naval blockade of Iran’s ports, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and launch formal nuclear talks.
The guns, however, are not yet silent. On Wednesday night, U.S. forces shot down four Iranian drones and struck a ground control station to preempt attacks on American troops and commercial shipping in the Strait. Tehran answered with a ballistic missile aimed at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, intercepted by Kuwaiti air defenses. The infrastructure to resume the war Trump began in February remains in place — and no deal is better than a bad one.
The Iranians have mastered the art of negotiating with Washington. They outplayed Obama. They outplayed Biden. Each time, they preserved their nuclear pathway and pocketed billions in sanctions relief. Even now, at the regime’s weakest moment since the revolution, the mullahs retain enriched nuclear material, terror proxies, residual missile capability, and a chokehold on the global oil economy. They are losing the war.
But they believe they can still win the peace — meaning regime survival and a runway to rebuild.
Three issues will decide whether talks succeed or hand Tehran a lifeline.
First, Hormuz. The regime has been running a maritime extortion racket, charging tankers up to $2 million for “safe passage.” Any deal must end the toll, clear every Iranian mine, and forbid attacks on commercial or U.S. Navy vessels. The American blockade should come off only in phases tied to verified compliance, not all at once. If Tehran cheats, Trump must be ready to relaunch Project Freedom — the tanker-escort operation aborted earlier this year when Riyadh withheld overflight rights. The Saudis should be told, plainly, that this time they have no choice but to grant them — or we won’t defend them.
Second, the nuclear file. Iranian assurances that they “do not seek a bomb” are worthless. Only actions count. That means surrendering every kilogram of enriched uranium — not just the 970 pounds of 60-percent material entombed in the tunnels of Isfahan and Fordow, but the thousands of additional pounds enriched between two and 20%, much of it three-quarters or more of the way to weapons grade.
It means a permanent ban on enrichment and plutonium reprocessing. It means dismantling Pickaxe Mountain, the underground site Iran intends as an enrichment and centrifuge plant impervious even to the massive ordnance penetrators that destroyed the Fordow nuclear facility during Operation Midnight Hammer last June. And it means hard limits on rebuilding the missile force that threatens Israel, the Gulf, and Europe, U.S. forces across the region, and the American homeland if they rebuild their destroyed ICBM program.
Third, sanctions relief and access to frozen funds. Trump has said Iran will receive no cash and no sanctions relief up front. Good. But the principle of “no dust, no dollars” must be airtight. The war has cost Tehran between $150 and $300 billion. Will the regime now be permitted to unload the $15 billion in oil sitting in blockaded tankers? Tap the billions frozen in Qatar, Oman, and Iraq? Hand the mullahs any of that money before they verifiably dismantle their nuclear program, and the leverage Trump built with American air power vanishes overnight.
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Iran still controls enriched uranium sufficient for at least 10 nuclear weapons. It can still convulse oil markets by squeezing Hormuz. And the Iranians read American politics. They see November’s midterms. They know how to drag negotiations into a season when they believe a wounded president would have less appetite for confrontation. Stalling is their best weapon.
Here is the bad deal Trump must refuse: a freeze instead of dismantlement, sanctions relief for promises, frozen funds released for goodwill, the nuclear program left dormant rather than eliminated. It is the deal the regime is built to extract — and the deal that hands the Iran problem, yet graver and closer to a bomb, to Trump’s successor, who may not have the spine to finish what Trump started.
The six-week military campaign is incomplete. The administration declined Israeli proposals to hit Iran’s energy infrastructure and to decapitate dozens more regime leaders, including Iran’s current supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. If Tehran refuses real terms, the military and economic warfare campaign can be resumed. The leverage is there. The forces are in position — and President Trump can arm, support, and help unleash millions of Iranians to retake their streets and their country. The only question is whether the president who built this position has the will to use it. It is a good bet that he will.
***
Mark Dubowitz is chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the presenter of <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.fdd.org/category/podcasts/the-iran-breakdown/__;!!F0Stn7g!CXgsIlEBML2AYFaX0372v0_L5qnUjHMgegvX8DDMWsMIjt3f0Sf06wIzQZDE2vGSfwN3STHRx9Y$">“The Iran Breakdown”</a> podcast.

US-ISRAEL-IRAN-WAR-POLITICS-TRUMP

Iran Thinks It Can Still Pull Off One Last Trick

Iran war

A barrage of gunfire erupted steps from the White House on Saturday after a suspect pulled a weapon and opened fire on Secret Service officers at a nearby checkpoint. Agents returned fire, killing the suspect.
“A preliminary investigation indicates that as the individual approached, he removed a weapon from his bag and began firing at posted officers,” the U.S. Secret Service said in a <a href="https://x.com/SecretSvcSpox/status/2058341552234115202?s=20">statement.</a> “Secret Service police officers returned fire, hitting the suspect, who was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died.”
The New York Post is reporting the guy who started shooting is 21-year-old Nasire Best.
<div class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__wrapper"><a title="Open a slideshow of all 11 article images." href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/23/us-news/white-house-on-lockdown-after-dozens-of-shots-fired/#" aria-controls="nyp-slideshow-modal" data-slideshow-modal="trigger" aria-label="Open a slideshow of all 11 article images." data-slideshow-slide-number="1" data-slideshow-slides-total="11"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-39470813" src="https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?w=809" sizes=" (max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" srcset="https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1070w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=237,300&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 237w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=768,973&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=809,1024&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 809w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=474,600&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 474w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=465,589&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 465w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=392,496&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 392w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=509,644&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 509w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=388,491&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 388w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=223,282&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 223w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=163,206&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 163w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=56,71&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 56w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=32,40&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 32w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=55,70&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 55w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=43,54&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 43w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=158,200&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 158w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=231,293&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=322,408&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=300,380&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=348,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 348w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=47,60&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 47w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=63,80&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 63w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=46,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 46w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=123,156&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 123w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/superior-court-district-columbia-criminal-128614615.jpg?resize=39,50&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 39w" alt="Obtained by the NY Post Nasir Best, 21, opened fire on a White House checkpoint on Saturday evening." width="466" height="590" /></a></div>
He used a revolver and only got off a few shots before he was quickly shot and killed in a hail of bullets from federal officers.
While authorities have not confirmed a motive, sources told The New York Post that Best is believed to be mentally troubled, allegedly claimed to be Jesus Christ, and was already known to the Secret Service. Sources also said he had previously violated a court order requiring him to stay away from the White House.
A bystander was also hit during the shooting, though investigators say it remains unclear whether the person was hit by the suspect’s gunfire or during the “subsequent exchange of gunfire.”
<div id="attachment_1101169" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1101169" class="wp-image-1101169 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366955-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366955-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366955-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366955-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366955-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366955-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366955-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366955-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Around 6 p.m., reporters gathered on the White House North Lawn were suddenly rushed into the briefing room after hearing what sounded like nearly 30 gunshots nearby.
“I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots. It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now,” <a href="https://x.com/selinawangtv/status/2058312115098697760">ABC reporter Selina Wang</a> posted on X.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="LISTEN: Reporter hides as barrage of gunshots erupts outside White House" width="422" height="750" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4KblC3jmce0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Secret Service said none of its officers were injured during the shooting and confirmed that President Donald Trump “was at the White House during the incident but was not impacted.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said federal agents are assisting with the investigation.
<a href="https://x.com/OpenSourceZone/status/2058317467391255004?s=20">More dramatic video</a> showed U.S. Secret Service agents shouting at reporters to evacuate their camera positions.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Secret Service orders members of the press to abandon their reporting pods on the north lawn of the White House and go toward the briefing room after dozens of shots were heard nearby
Via <a href="https://twitter.com/NewsNation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NewsNation</a> <a href="https://t.co/XDPJhCybVP">https://t.co/XDPJhCybVP</a> <a href="https://t.co/rPTGsgCGZz">pic.twitter.com/rPTGsgCGZz</a>
— OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) <a href="https://twitter.com/OpenSourceZone/status/2058317467391255004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2026</a>
<div id="attachment_1101167" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1101167" class="wp-image-1101167 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366620-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366620-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366620-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366620-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366620-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366620-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2277366620.jpg 1621w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Ulysse BELLIER / AFP via Getty Images)</div></blockquote>
The shooting came roughly an hour after Trump announced that a deal aimed at ending the conflict with Iran was close to being finalized.
&nbsp;

US-POLITICS-CRIME-WHITE HOUSE

Secret Service Recounts White House Firefight After Suspect Started Shooting

Secret Service

White House

New York Giants defensive lineman Abdul Carter is taking major heat after posting publicly to criticize teammate Jaxson Dart for introducing President Donald Trump onstage at a New York rally Friday night.
“thought this sh!t was AI, what we doing man,” Carter posted on X, after clips of Dart standing beside Trump exploded across social media.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
thought this sh!t was AI, what we doing man <a href="https://t.co/ePR3b4MZEv">https://t.co/ePR3b4MZEv</a>
— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) <a href="https://twitter.com/1NCRDB1/status/2058138900187545756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The reaction immediately sparked backlash from conservatives and NFL fans, many of whom accused the rookie defender of disrespecting both Trump and his own teammate over what many viewed as a patriotic moment.
“If your QB wants to support the President, he’s allowed to,” one user wrote under Carter’s post. “Your head coach is a huge Trump fan also, and so is more than half the league. The Left injected their woke bullsh*t into sports for decades, and you didn’t say sh*t. You know nothing of the world.”
Another user blasted Carter even more directly: “lol you’re about to find out that he’s the franchise and you’re not bud,” the commenter wrote. “Also your new coach voted for Trump too. Grow up and get over it. If you voted for kamala who wants our tax dollars to pay for weirdos sex change surgeries, that’s your business bro but not everyone is dumb.”
Others went even further, with some bringing up Carter’s past legal controversy involving an alleged altercation with a tow truck driver during his college years: “The reason I never wanted the Giants to draft you was because I read the police report where you beat the tow truck driver within inches of his life. You are a complete psychopath. It was hard enough to look past the Muslim thing. You can’t sack the QB to save your life and you sleep in meetings. Total bust. Good riddance. At least Jaxson is a Christian American who loves America.”
The viral reaction came shortly after Dart joined Trump onstage at a rally supporting Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), where the rookie quarterback warmly introduced the president before Trump praised him as a future “hall of famer.”
Carter, a former Penn State star selected third overall by the Giants in last year’s NFL Draft, has openly embraced his Muslim faith and made headlines during draft night after wearing traditional Islamic clothing on the red carpet.
“Just paying homage to what got me here,” Carter said at the time. “Just praying to God, praying to Allah, you know, dressing like Muslims. That’s what got me here.”
At Friday’s rally, Trump praised the rookie quarterback moments after Dart introduced him to the crowd.
“I want to thank Jaxson Dart,” Trump said. “This is going to be a Hall of Famer in my book.”
Dart&#8217;s appearance at the rally was brief. He led the crowd in a chant for the Giants and then introduced the president, making no political statement.

Muslim NFL Player’s Post Criticizing Pro-Trump Teammate Backfires

New York

“This problem will be solved, as the president’s made clear, one way or the other.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered that blunt warning while hinting the Trump administration could be on the verge of a major breakthrough with Iran after weeks of escalating tensions tied to Operation Epic Fury and the growing standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to India, Rubio repeatedly teased that behind-the-scenes negotiations are actively underway and suggested a major development could come within days.
“There may be news later today,” Rubio said. “There may not be. I hope there will be. I’m not sure yet.”
Rubio’s comments also come as Trump appears to be quietly reshuffling his schedule because what’s happening between the United States and Iran is becoming increasingly serious behind the scenes.
Trump announced Friday that he would skip Memorial Day weekend plans and miss Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration in the Bahamas in order to remain in Washington during what he described as an “important period of time” for the country.
Trump previously told reporters he had “a thing called Iran” preventing him from fully committing to attending the wedding.
The Trump administration has continued ramping up pressure on Iran following Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure and nuclear-linked facilities earlier this year.
Since then, tensions across the Middle East have continued boiling over as the White House pushes Tehran to back down from several key demands.
Among the administration’s biggest conditions: Iran must fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions and hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Rubio suggested that progress may finally be happening.
“There’s been some progress done, some progress made,” Rubio said. “Even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done.” 
He added that the administration could potentially have something to announce “later today, tomorrow, or in a couple days.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Rubio drops major hint about Iran as Trump clears his schedule" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ReBFhI675RU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Strait of Hormuz is now turning into one of the biggest pressure points in the entire Iran showdown.
Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply moves through the narrow waterway, meaning any disruption could immediately send shockwaves through the global economy and energy markets.
Rubio also reiterated one of President Donald Trump’s biggest red lines: Iran can never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
“They need to turn over highly enriched uranium. We need to address that issue. We need to address the issue of enrichment,” Rubio said.
At the same time, Rubio emphasized that Trump still prefers to resolve the conflict diplomatically instead of militarily, though he made clear the administration believes the issue will ultimately be resolved regardless.
“These are the president’s points consistently,” Rubio said. “His preference is always to solve problems such as these through a negotiated diplomatic solution.”
Meanwhile, Iran appears to be publicly signaling some openness to negotiations for the first time in weeks.
Iranian officials confirmed that Tehran is working to finalize a “memorandum of understanding” with the United States through talks reportedly being mediated by Pakistan.
Still, Iranian officials are simultaneously insisting the United States has “nothing to do” with how the Strait of Hormuz is managed, showing just how shaky any possible agreement still is.
Rubio previously warned during a NATO foreign ministers meeting earlier this month that if Iran refuses to cooperate, the United States and its allies may ultimately be forced to intervene.
“Then someone’s going to have to go in and do something about it,” Rubio said at the time.

CHINA-US-DIPLOMACY

Rubio Drops Major Hint About Iran As Trump Clears His Schedule

Marco Rubio

This sounds like the plot of a spy thriller movie, except federal prosecutors say it was real and the target was Ivanka Trump.
Federal prosecutors say a suspected Iran-linked terrorist plotted against Ivanka Trump as payback for President Trump ordering the strike that killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani back in 2020.
According to the New York Post, recently captured terror suspect Mohammad Baqer Al-Saadi vowed to target Ivanka Trump after Soleimani was killed in the U.S. drone strike ordered during Trump’s first term.
Sources told the Post the suspect viewed Ivanka as a symbolic way to “burn down the house of Trump” in retaliation for Soleimani’s death.
The report claims Al-Saadi had a map of the Florida enclave where Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, own a multimillion-dollar home, along with threatening social media posts warning that neither “palaces nor the Secret Service” would protect Americans.
Federal prosecutors say Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey earlier this month before being extradited to the United States.
According to court filings cited by the Post, investigators accuse him of involvement in multiple terror attacks and attempted attacks targeting American and Jewish sites across Europe and North America, including alleged firebombings, stabbings, and shootings tied to Iran-backed extremist networks.
The Post also reported that Al-Saadi maintained close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iraqi militia groups connected to Soleimani.
Photos included in federal filings reportedly show the suspect meeting with Soleimani at military facilities, posing with missiles, and posting threats online for years.
One image allegedly posted by the suspect showed a map near Ivanka Trump’s Florida neighborhood alongside an ominous message about “surveillance and analysis.”
The allegations arrive as tensions involving Iran and Iranian-backed terror groups remain a major focus for the Trump administration following Operation Epic Fury.
Neither Ivanka Trump nor the White House publicly commented on the alleged plot.

Ivanka Trump

Ivanka Trump Targeted In Chilling Plot Tied To Iran-Linked Terror Network

terror

Reality check for Democrats — literally.
Spencer Pratt, the once-infamous &#8220;The Hills&#8221; villain turned viral political outsider, is suddenly within striking distance of becoming mayor of Los Angeles, and the new numbers are the kind that should make City Hall break into a cold sweat.
New Cygnal <a href="https://www.cygn.al/news/la-mayor-poll-pratt-within-striking-distance-bass-remains-flat/">polling</a> released this week shows Pratt climbing to 25% support once voters hear more about the race, putting him tied with incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, whose numbers remain completely flat.
That’s a brutal position for an incumbent mayor in a city where voters increasingly believe everything is spiraling in the wrong direction.
Just 30% of voters say Los Angeles is headed the right way, while 58% say the city is on the wrong track.
Their top frustrations? Cost of living, homelessness, and corruption, essentially the entire modern Los Angeles experience.
Cygnal CEO Brent Buchanan said Bass appears “flat, capped out,” while Pratt still has room to grow, particularly among independents, men, and Northeast Valley voters.
And suddenly, what once looked like a Hollywood punchline is starting to look like a genuine outsider campaign.
Pratt has built much of his campaign around viral videos blasting Los Angeles leadership over crime, homelessness, drugs, and wildfire failures, while positioning himself as the anti-establishment candidate in a city voters increasingly feel has been badly mismanaged.
The whole thing even caught President Donald Trump’s attention during a recent exchange with Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan.
“Do you see yourself in him at all? A former reality TV star?” Olohan asked Trump.
“I’d like to see him do well. He’s a character. I don’t know. I don’t know him. I assume he probably supports me,” Trump replied. 
When Olohan said she believed Pratt did support him, Trump leaned into the comparison.
“I heard he does,” Trump said. “I heard he’s a big MAGA person. He’s doing well.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="President Trump shares his thoughts on Spencer Pratt" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bQklPAw66Fw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Trump then pivoted into criticism of California’s voting system, arguing the state’s elections are “very dishonest” because of widespread mail-in voting.
“If we had Jesus Christ come down and count the votes, I would have won California,” Trump said.
And honestly, there’s a reason Democrats may be getting a little uncomfortable watching this unfold.
After all, Democrats once laughed off a reality TV star named Donald Trump, too. That worked out great for them.
Trump famously turned “The Apprentice” into a political launchpad before bulldozing his way into the White House. Now, a former reality TV villain with frosted hair and a crystal obsession is mounting his own outsider-style political rise in a city where voters appear increasingly fed up with establishment leadership.
Meanwhile, Pratt’s candidacy is already rattling Democrats enough that far-Left Los Angeles Councilwoman Nithya Raman recently warned supporters Trump was “about to endorse Spencer” while urging donors to stop a “MAGA Republican mayor.” 
Pratt responded with an eye-roll GIF from a mayoral debate.
Which honestly feels like the most Spencer Pratt political response imaginable.
But beneath the memes and reality TV history, there’s something much bigger happening here: voters in one of America’s bluest cities appear so frustrated with the status quo that they’re willing to seriously consider a celebrity outsider promising to clean things up.
And for Democrats in Los Angeles, that may be the biggest reality check of all.

Why Democrats May Be Headed For Reality Check Round Two

Democrats

Donald Trump

Los Angeles

Last night’s primary election news was all about dominance.
It’s worth pausing in this news-filled political season to appreciate just how dominant President Donald Trump’s political operation has become. They have, over the past month, racked up a litany of wins in Indiana, Louisiana, and Georgia, and last night cemented things in Kentucky by having Trump’s favored candidate easily outpace Mitch McConnell’s chosen heir.
The nuking of Thomas Massie, who exited stage left complaining about Jews, was just the icing on the cake. As CNN quoted a Senior White House adviser yesterday: &#8220;It’s not a retribution campaign, it’s a send a message campaign. It&#8217;s about reminding people of the political power. It&#8217;s not about retribution. This is basic political management of a party. You have to keep everybody on the reservation. Occasionally, you have to shoot a hostage. The next one is Thomas Massie.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Here&#8217;s what one official told me on the President&#8217;s revenge tour and Massie ahead of tonight:
&#8220;It’s not a retribution campaign, it’s a send a message campaign,&#8221; a Senior White House adviser told CNN. &#8220;It&#8217;s about reminding people of the political power. It&#8217;s not about…
— Kristen Holmes (@KristenhCNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/KristenhCNN/status/2056861347368116525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
While the White House has to be pleased to have eliminated an irritating House member, the statewide choices are far more important. In Louisiana, Trump’s pick to replace incumbent Bill Cassidy, Julia Letlow, came in first by a wide margin. Burt Jones, Trump’s pick for governor, topped the field in Georgia. And after clearing a path for him by offering Nate Morris an ambassadorship, Andy Barr won easily in Kentucky.
It wasn’t always this way. The long-tenured Republican establishment used to have the ability to pick winners and losers, long past the point where Trump had become president the first time around. Now he and his team are paying a lot more attention to which loyalists can win and where, and in most cases, they’ve timed his endorsements for outsized impact.
It didn’t look like Trump was going to weigh in on the Texas Senate runoff, but a day after early voting began, he dropped John Cornyn like a rock. The Ken Paxton endorsement is one that Republicans in Washington, D.C. had strongly opposed — partially out of loyalty to Cornyn, but as much out of fear that Paxton could weigh down their efforts to keep the House in newly drawn Texas districts.
There’s also the fact that Paxton has struggled to raise money over the course of his career and may need more money from the national party, which is already facing tough contests in Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, and Michigan. But the Trump team, and the man himself, are feeling confident enough to make the call for a lockstep loyalist, no matter how flawed.
Why shouldn’t they be confident? After all, even when the Trump political team loses, they snatch victory from defeat. Gripes about insufficient spending on what turned out to be a very winnable Virginia redistricting battle at the ballot box had barely started when the Virginia Supreme Court bailed them out with a (justified) constitutional ruling. Sometimes you just get lucky.
This is all momentary, and the candidates in question are entering a cycle in which the headwinds against Republicans are still very strong. But this is an indication of Trump’s unprecedented dominance over a party that now operates according to his priorities. The idea that lasted far too long in some shrinking Republican circles is that there would be a reversion to a vague mean, some political reset that takes place when Trump is no longer in the White House. There is no point in holding on to that fantasy any longer. The party is his, and his alone.
&#8220;There&#8217;s only one rule in the jungle — when the lion&#8217;s hungry, he eats.&#8221;

President Trump Holds “Make America Wealthy Again Event” In White House Rose Garden

Last Night Proved Trump’s Political Team Has A Lock On The GOP

2026 elections

Republican Party

Iran keeps finding out the hard way that President Donald Trump’s foreign policy playbook does not leave a lot of room for stalling, bluffing, or endless empty negotiations.
As the regime weighs whether to respond to Trump’s latest nuclear proposal, officials and defense experts are openly warning what comes next if Tehran tries to drag this out too long: more crushing economic pressure, expanded military strikes, and a systematic dismantling of Iran’s ability to threaten the region.
Speaking Saturday morning to reporters, our commander-in-chief said he expects to hear from Iran “very soon” regarding the latest United States peace proposal and suggested Tehran still “very much” wants to reach a lasting agreement.
The president sounded cautiously optimistic but also made clear he is watching closely to see whether Iran is serious or simply trying to buy time, a tactic the regime has used throughout Operation Epic Fury.
“We&#8217;re getting a letter [from Iran] supposedly tonight, so we&#8217;ll see how that goes,” Trump told reporters Friday evening from his golf club in Virginia.
When asked whether Iran could be intentionally dragging out negotiations, Trump responded bluntly: “I don&#8217;t know. We&#8217;ll find out soon enough.”
That uncertainty is exactly why the situation still feels like it could explode at any moment.
Behind the scenes, negotiators are reportedly trying to piece together a preliminary framework tied to Iran’s nuclear program and possible sanctions relief. But former military officials say neither side actually trusts the other.
Meanwhile, the pressure campaign on Tehran has not exactly disappeared.
Just days after Iran launched missiles toward the UAE’s Fujairah Port, United States forces struck Iran’s Qeshm port and Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz.
Officials insist the operation did not officially restart the war or end the ceasefire, but it sent a very clear message that America is still holding the bigger stick.
And according to defense experts, Trump is intentionally keeping Iran guessing about how far he is willing to go.
If negotiations collapse, experts say the U.S. would likely begin by targeting the systems Iran relies on to intimidate the Middle East and threaten global shipping lanes.
That includes ballistic missiles, Revolutionary Guard infrastructure, command centers, naval attack boats, and air defense systems.
One major target would almost certainly be Iran’s fast attack boat fleet in the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has long used to harass oil tankers and pressure the global economy.
At the same time, Trump appears to be tightening the economic screws even further.
Some experts say a maritime blockade alone could slowly suffocate Iran’s oil exports and leave the regime economically cornered within months.
Others warn that if Iran refuses to deal, the next phase could become much more painful.
Trump has already warned Iran that America could target key energy infrastructure and export hubs if Tehran continues pushing toward a nuclear weapon.
The contrast with previous administrations is hard to miss.
Instead of pallets of cash, endless appeasement, and weak red lines, Trump is signaling that Iran has two choices: negotiate seriously or watch America squeeze the regime even harder from every direction possible.

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