Top World News
Stephen Miller's war boast dies a quick death: 'Does he really believe we're buying that?'
Stephen Miller’s Wednesday Night Fox News appearance boast on how well the Iran war was on the receiving end of a great deal of both mockery and fact-checking moments after a clip was posted on social media.Appearing with Fox News personality Laura Ingraham, the high-ranking Trump advisor insisted, “The United States has achieved its objectives even faster than anybody thought possible,” before adding, “President Trump was aware of and has calculated through every permutation and every degree of strategy ... by far the most overwhelming victory based on the objectives.”Critics were quick to point out that one of the “permutations” that Trump did not anticipate was Israel making matters worse, which the president complained about hours after Miller’s appearance, as well as the oil stranglehold Iran has imposed at the Strait of Hormuz.That led former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) to quip on X, “He’s a genius of course.”“’Every permutation’ hahah,” contributed former White House correspondent John Harwood.Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) called out Trump officials routinely lying to Fox News viewers, saying, “Trump officials routinely disrespect and look down on Fox viewers and Fox hosts. Trump officials routinely and blatantly lie to Fox viewers and Fox hosts,” and included a video of Trump admitting he was “shocked” at Iran’s retaliatory response. Critic Mary Jane Wallace asked, “Does he really believe we are buying that?”Campaign for New York Health Executive Director Melanie D'Arrigo pointed out, “Anyone who has ever heard Trump speak knows this is an absolute lie.”“lol yeah and im sure he war gamed the part where his own party starts backing away,” wrote the account Sugnal Observer.
Tulsi Gabbard refuses to support Trump's Iran war during Congress grilling
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declined to say that President Donald Trump's war in Iran was legal or constitutional.During a House Intelligence Committee hearing on Thursday, Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) reminded Gabbard of her 2020 remarks about Trump's strikes against Iran's leadership."President Trump has committed an illegal and unconstitutional act of war, pushing our nation headlong into a war with Iran without any authorization from Congress," Gabbard said at the time. "A war that would be so costly and devastating, it would make our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan look like a picnic.""This war has already been costly and devastating," Bera said of Trump's current war. "Thirteen American service members have lost their lives, including Chief Warrant Officer Robert Marzan from my home of Sacramento, California. Approximately 200 service members have been wounded."Bera noted that the war was also costing nearly $2 billion per day."Director Gabbard, do you still believe that strikes against Iran that don't have congressional authorization constitute an illegal and unconstitutional act of war?" the lawmaker asked."The cost of war weighs very heavily upon me and my colleagues here, especially for those of us who have experienced and seen the cost of war firsthand," Gabbard replied. "My own personal and political views, as I mentioned earlier, I was asked and required by Congress and by the president in this role as the Director of National Intelligence to check those views at the door to ensure that the intelligence assessments are not colored by my personal views.""And that's exactly what I am responsible to deliver," she added."Do you still believe the war with Iran would be so costly and devastating that it would make our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan look like a picnic?" Bera pressed. "Once again, in this role, it is essential that I do not allow any of my personal views on any issues to color or bias the intelligence reporting that we deliver to you and to the president," Gabbard responded.
Maga media forces Hegseth to walk tightrope over surprise Israel attack
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was forced to walk a tightrope lest he alienate the only military ally he has in the war on Iran — and he was put in that spot Thursday by a MAGA media reporter.Late Wednesday night, President Donald Trump was less than diplomatic when he criticized Israel on Truth Social over a new front in the Middle Eastern war.On Truth Social, the president wrote, “Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently lashed out at a major facility known as South Pars Gas Field in Iran. A relatively small section of the whole has been hit. The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen. "Unfortunately, Iran did not know this, or any of the pertinent facts pertaining to the South Pars attack, and unjustifiably and unfairly attacked a portion of Qatar’s LNG Gas facility.“I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long-term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so.”With that post in mind, Jordan Conradson of the conspiracy-minded, far-right website Gateway Pundit asked Hegseth, “So with this strike yesterday on South Pars gas field, you know, if the U.S. didn't know about it or didn't approve of it, it kind of seems like a trend of Israel apparently pursuing their own objectives over U.S. objectives. I'm not sure if you agree with that, but the president has said he doesn't want to hit Iran's oil infrastructure right now.”Hegseth replied with a defensive, “We hold the cards, we have objectives. Those objectives are clear. We have allies pursuing objectives as well.”“I mean, President Trump was very clear about that,” he continued. “Iran has weaponized energy for decades; Israel clearly sent a warning and POTUS has made it clear, very clear, Iran knows when you hit Kharg Island and you hit military capabilities on Kharg Island, which is the only thing we hit, we can hold anything at issue, anything.“The United States military controls the fate of that country. Iran has the ability to make the right choices. It should not, going forward, target Arab allies, Arab countries trying to create pain, the pain that they created themselves." - YouTube youtu.be
'I'm thinking': Tulsi Gabbard falls into awkward silence over Iran war objectives
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) was met with silence when he asked Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard about the objectives of the war with Iran.During a House Intelligence Committee hearing on Thursday, Castro noted that Israel had struck Iran's energy infrastructure despite President Donald Trump telling the country not to."So my question is, what does the intelligence community assess Israel's goals in this war to be?" Castro asked. "And are those goals aligned with the goals of the United States?"Despite having a working microphone, Gabbard was unable to respond for several moments."I'm thinking carefully here," she finally said, "about what can be said in this open setting versus a closed setting.""Are the goals aligned?" Castro repeated."The objectives that have been laid out by the President are different from the objectives that have been laid out by the Israeli government," Gabbard admitted. "We can see through the operations that the Israeli government has been focused on disabling the Iranian leadership and taking out several members, obviously, beginning with the Ayatollah and the supreme leader. And they continue to focus on that effort.""How does that differ from our goals?" the congressman wondered. "The president has stated that his objectives are to destroy Iran's ballistic missile launching capability, their ballistic missile production capability, and their Navy, the IRGC Navy, and mine-laying capability."Castro observed that "death and destruction continues, the economic costs to the United States, to Israel, to the Gulf states, and to the world continues to increase."He then asked CIA Director John Ratcliffe: "Do you know why Israel decided to strike that infrastructure despite the fact that the president said it should be off limits?""I wouldn't speak for Israel," Ratcliffe replied."What do you guys know? We're at war. What do you guys know?" Castro demanded as his time ran out."Let's take that for the record," the chair said.
Nancy Mace launches renegade Middle East mission — and the White House is seething
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is once again thumbing her nose at the Trump administration, this time by mounting her own freelance rescue operation for Americans stranded in the Middle East — a move that's infuriating White House officials trying to control the Iran war narrative.According to the Guardian, Trump administration officials are seething over Mace's decision to travel to the region and conduct unauthorized evacuation missions, directly undermining State Department coordination efforts.The South Carolina Republican has already been a thorn in the side of the White House with her insistence that the entire Jeffrey Epstein files be released.The congresswoman engaged with foreign governments — including Saudi Arabia — without informing the State Department, then audaciously asked the administration to requisition a Saudi commercial plane to transport 300 people, The Guardian reported. The unilateral diplomacy has become a persistent headache for an already chaotic evacuation process, the newspaper wrote."If members of Congress want to be helpful they should work with the administration instead of trying to exploit the situation for political gain," fumed one White House official speaking anonymously about the operational details.Some diplomats and travelers have accused the Trump administration of moving too slowly on evacuations in the first place — a criticism Mace's intervention has highlighted, according to the report. Her willingness to act independently exposed the administration's sluggish response.Still, Mace's rescue efforts have descended into controversy. Grey Bull Rescue, the private group handling some evacuations, suspended operations Wednesday after an American mother accused them of extorting $1 million to return to the U.S.The State Department, by contrast, claims relative success: 60 completed flights as of Wednesday evening, with direct or indirect assistance provided to 42,000 people requesting help. However, according to sources familiar with the matter, many charter flights have increasingly been flying empty. Some Americans have rejected State Department-arranged connections through Greece, citing preference for direct routes.You can read more here.
'What the hell?' Bizarre videos plucked from Pentagon staffers' private chats jolt experts
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's approach to war messaging has devolved into pure spectacle — TikTok-style video montages splicing missile strikes into movie clips and video game footage — leaving military veterans and Congress members stunned by the brazenness of treating armed conflict like entertainment content.According to Politico, the White House communications team has churned out more than half a dozen of these viral videos, apparently plucked straight from staffers' private group chats. But outside the administration bubble, the reaction has ranged from bewilderment to outright revulsion.Former military brass are particularly appalled. "I don't think the performance of our men and women in uniform requires embellishment from Hollywood or computer games," said Joe Votel, a former Central Command chief under Trump's first administration. "They represent the American people quite well on their own."Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who commanded U.S. troops in Europe during Obama's presidency, was even blunter. "It just seems detached from reality. Our allies look at this and they wonder what the hell is going on? It doesn't look like we're serious."The videos range from an NFL clip captioned "Touchdown" to baseball home runs, Grand Theft Auto footage, and scenes from "Iron Man," "Top Gun" and "Gladiator."Hegseth has escalated beyond embarrassing aesthetics into genuinely alarming territory. He's declared the U.S. will give "no quarter, no mercy for our enemies" — language that signals troops should execute combatants rather than take prisoners, a potential war crime. He's called rules of engagement "stupid" and branded Iranian leaders as "rats" who are "cowering" underground.Military historian Tom Ricks slammed the entire approach. "The Trump administration's approach to discussing the war against Iran is both unusual and unprecedented," he said. "With Hegseth at the helm, they are mixing incompetence and hubris. They don't seem to care what the American public thinks, which is a dangerous approach."The messaging offensive isn't working. A YouGov poll this week found 56 percent of Americans — and 63 percent of independent voters — disapprove of Trump's Iran handling. The propaganda blitz hasn't even successfully consolidated Trump's base, with significant cracks emerging in the MAGA movement.Joe Rogan, the podcaster who helped Trump reach young male voters during the presidential campaign, has called the Iran war "nuts" and reported his listeners feel "betrayed" by Trump's pivot toward military adventurism instead of domestic priorities.You can read more here.e here.
Trump told impeachment now the 'least of your problems': 'Nothing will save you, Donald'
Former Republican operative Rick Wilson had a message for President Donald Trump about who would target him next. The co-founder of The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump organization, described in his Substack post on Wednesday how as Trump's approval rating plummets, gas prices surge, and the Iran war rages on, Trump is looking at no escape. Instead, "Misery, humiliation, and shame await," Wilson argued. "Nothing will save you now, Donald," Wilson wrote. "Not the war. Not the lies. Not today’s loyalists, tomorrow’s traitors. Not the terrified little men orbiting your shrinking political sun. Not the algorithms, not the oligarchs, not the endless stream of garbage Fox and Twitter propaganda pumped into the veins of a movement that’s finally, visibly, unmistakably breaking apart. You chose this."Wilson called out Trump's biggest fear — impeachment. But even that shouldn't make him worry. There was another looming threat. "You’re afraid of impeachment. Of course you are," Wilson wrote. "It’s the word that haunts you, the specter you can’t quite outrun.But impeachment is the least of your problems. What you should fear, what should keep you pacing the halls of the Residence at three in the morning, is oversight. Relentless, grinding, methodical exposure."The ex-GOP strategist suggested that more investigation could come from lawmakers. And as Republicans approach midterms and Democrats hope to take back the majority, Trump might have another problem on his hands. "A Democratic House and Senate won’t just vote on articles of impeachment," Wilson wrote. "They’ll open the books. They’ll drag the secrets into the light. They’ll subpoena documents, bank records, and communications. They’ll put your allies, your bagmen, your enablers, and yes, your crapulous, scumbag low-tier crypto criminal family members, on the hot seat."Trump's allies might also be called to testify before Congress. "And it won’t just be you," Wilson wrote. "The tech-bro billionaire class that decided, in a fit of adolescent contrarianism and naked self-interest, to hitch their wagons to your movement? They’re next in line. Let’s see how Boy Elon does under the hot lights for 8 hours a day for two weeks."Even Elon Musk, or others who have funded Trump, could have to face justice, Wilson explained."They’ve been very comfortable lavishing you with swag and praise, funding, amplifying, and cheering on the chaos, convinced that they were too rich, too smart, too insulated to ever face real consequences," Wilson added. "Congressional oversight is about to disabuse them of that notion. Subpoenas don’t care about your net worth. Hearings don’t care about your follower count. Under oath is a very different environment than a podcast or a tweet. They’re about to find out."
Intelligence head Tulsi Gabbard amazes with claim it's not her job to determine threats
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) pushed National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard to answer questions about President Donald Trump's knowledge of economic fallout prior to the Iran war during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Wednesday. Gabbard tried to dodge his questions over what prompted the military strikes in Iran, and she appeared to contradict Trump's justifications and objectives behind launching the joint U.S.-Israeli operation. "Was it the intelligence community's assessment that, nevertheless, despite this obliteration, there was a, quote, imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime? Yes or no?" Ossoff asked. "It is not the intelligence community's responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat. That is up to the president based on a volume of information that he receives," Gabbard said. Ossoff pushed back on Gabbard's claims. "No, it is precisely your responsibility to determine what constitutes a threat to the United States," Ossoff said. "This is the worldwide threats hearing where, as you noted in your opening testimony quote, you represent the IC's assessment of threats. You are here to represent the IC's assessment of threats. That's a quote from your own opening statement. And so my question is, as you're here to present the IC's assessment of threats, was it the assessment of the intelligence community that, as the White House claimed on March 1st, there was a, quote, imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, yes or no?""Once again, senator, the intelligence community has provided the inputs that make up this annual threat assessment," Gabbard said, not answering Ossoff's question. "You won't answer the question," Ossoff said. "It is the nature of the imminent threat that the president has to make that determination based on a collection and volume of information and intelligence that he is provided with," Gabbard said. Ossoff interjected with a sharp response. "You're here to be timely, objective and independent of political considerations," Ossoff said. "That's exactly what I'm doing," Gabbard responded. Ossoff then called Gabbard out, alleging that she was not answering questions honestly. "No, you're evading a question because to provide a candid response to the committee would contradict a statement from the White House," Ossoff said.
Pakistan to pause Afghan strikes for Eid, two days after deadly Kabul attack
Five-day cessation announced as mass funeral held for some of hundreds of victims of airstrike on rehab centrePakistan has announced a five-day pause in strikes against neighbouring Afghanistan, as a mass funeral was held for some of the hundreds of victims killed in Monday’s attack on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul.The Afghan Taliban government has said more than 400 people were killed and 265 others wounded in that attack, which took place as people at the centre were praying days before the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Continue reading...
Mexico arrests suspect wanted in the 2023 killing of Ecuadorian candidate and sends him to Colombia
Mexican authorities have arrested an Ecuadorian fugitive accused of helping organize the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio
Pakistan announces 'temporary pause' in strikes against Afghanistan at request of several countries
Pakistan has announced a pause in strikes against Afghanistan, saying the decision was made ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey
At least 17 dead in fighting on Sudan's border with Chad, aid group says
Attacks on a town along Sudan’s border with Chad have killed at least 17 people and injured 123, Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, said
