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MAGA congressman gets more than he bargained for from Jake Tapper: 'Guess I'm confused?'
CNN anchor Jake Tapper pushed Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE) to answer his questions, with the longtime journalist pressing the Trump administration's claims over its objectives in the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. As President Donald Trump announced an extended ceasefire as the current deadline was set to end, Flood told Tapper during a live broadcast on Tuesday that congressional leaders had been receiving classified briefings surrounding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.But Tapper didn't stop his line of questioning — multiple times — saying he wanted Flood to answer direct questions about the Iranian regime, its nuclear capabilities and what the plan was for America's military operations. "I guess I'm just confused because President Trump has been saying for weeks that that that he won the war, the U.S. won the war, and [Pete] Hegseth and others have said that the Iranian Navy is at the bottom of the sea and they don't have the capability of doing the missile construction that they did, the ballistic missiles and the nuclear material is underground," Tapper said. "I'm just I'm trying to understand what the metric is other than opening the Strait of Hormuz for this to be over for. You say nobody wants to cut and run. OK. But what still needs to be done?"Flood had a quick response. "Making sure that there is no more nuclear weapons that comes out of Iran," Flood said.Tapper wasn't satisfied with that. "But what's the metric for that? I mean, because it sounds as though they're pretty close to having achieved that," Tapper said. "If the missiles are destroyed the way President Trump and Pete Hegseth say they are." But Flood said that wasn't good enough. "Nuclear pretty close isn't achieved — and by the way, a lot of this is handled in a classified setting with actual metrics and actual updates," Flood explained. "And that is not something that can be shared on CNN or any other network right now," he added. "You know, we are into this now. We have a mission to rid ourselves of, of a nuclear prepared Iran. The people of America have checks and balances and that there's going to be a request for supplemental. There are certain limitations on how long the president can engage in this way. There's going to have to be an opportunity for the White House to share with Congress where they're at. And I know that the guys behind me that are 100% for not only the cattle industry, but national security and safety from a terrorism sponsor. We want it all. We want all of the above. And I think we can have it, but it doesn't happen on a 24-hour news cycle. It happens over time. And it happens when our military leaders can go to bed at night knowing that we don't have to worry about a dirty bomb or a nuclear bomb landing somewhere in Israel or in the United States."
'He's a moron!' CNN conservative fumes after ex-Fox News host apologizes for Trump support
MAGA commentator Scott Jennings had a stinging response to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson's comments that he was regretful for supporting President Donald Trump. CNN anchor Kasie Hunt asked Jennings to comment on Carlson's remarks that he would be "tormented" by his decisions to endorse Trump, which led to a heated exchange between the two during the live broadcast. Carlson had issued a public apology Monday for having supported Trump in the 2024 election, telling his millions of followers that he was “sorry for misleading people.”Jennings shared his thoughts on the move. "I mean, is his preference that Kamala Harris had become the president of the United States?" an indignant Jennings asked. "That will come as a surprise to, I'm sure, a lot of people who used to view Tucker Carlson as a conservative and someone who, you know, had certain kinds of values. And what's he sorry for? That we got a new engagement here that might ultimately lead to taking away nuclear weapons?"Hunt pushed back on Jennings' characterization of the war."We got into engagement, Scott? That is quite a way to put it," Hunt said. "We started a war with Iran.""Is he now claiming he had no idea that Donald Trump held the position that he would never permit Iran to have nuclear weapons, if that's what he's saying today?" Jennings asked. "He's kind of a moron," Jennings added. "I mean, I don't know how else to put it, or he's willfully misleading people. The president was clear he'll never let them have nuclear weapons. We just saw on '60 Minutes' on Sunday night, a broad agreement among the experts. They have 970 pounds of enriched uranium, enough to make 10 or 11 nuclear bombs. This is not acceptable to the president. He had that position back in 2024. He had that position back in the first term. He has that position today to say now that you're sorry, that you elected a president that wanted to take away nuclear weapons from this terrorist regime. I don't get it."
Trump extends ceasefire with Iran after vowing 'to be bombing' if negotiations stalled
President Donald Trump announced that he was extending a ceasefire with Iran just hours after he threatened to bomb the country if negotiations stalled."Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal," Trump said in a Tuesday Truth Social post. "I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other," he added.While speaking to CNBC earlier in the day, Trump promised that a "great" deal would emerge from negotiations with Iran, but vowed to resume attacks if it did not."I expect to be bombing because I think that's a better attitude to go in with. But we're ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go," the president explained. Iran has insisted that it would "not negotiate under threat and force."
Taiwan president blames China for forced cancellation of Eswatini trip
Lai Ching-te abandons visit after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoke overflight permission Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, has cancelled his trip to Eswatini, the democratic island’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, after his government said several countries had revoked overflight permits because of “intense pressure” from China.Lai was to leave on Wednesday for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession. Continue reading...
Senator forced to explain what 'sarcasm' is following right-wing melt down
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) was forced to explain what “sarcasm” was Tuesday following a barrage of attacks from right-wing figures over a remark he’d made about the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.On Monday, multiple reports revealed that more than two dozen Iranian vessels bypassed the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil trade flows. In response to the reports, Murphy published a single-word post on social media: “awesome.”The reaction from right-wing figures was swift.“You should be removed from the Senate,” wrote right-wing figure and self-proclaimed “proud Islamophobe” Laura Loomer. “You are a national security threat.”“This piece of s--- is rooting for the Muslim terror Mullahs to win,” wrote Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL), another right-wing figure who’s also been scrutinized for making what critics have called Islamophobic remarks. “Treason.”The right-wing backlash saw a number of other notable figures condemn Murphy, including political commentator Benny Johnson, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and conservative commentator Batya Ungar-Sargon, among several others.As the backlash stretched into Tuesday morning, Murphy apparently felt compelled to clarify the meaning of his remark.“I can’t believe I need to clarify this but obviously [President Donald] Trump’s bungled mismanagement of this war is not ‘awesome,’” Murphy wrote in a social media post on X. “As I have said a million times here, it’s a disaster and he should end the war immediately. My tweet was something called ‘sarcasm.’”Ok Twitter, I can’t believe I need to clarify this but obviously Trump’s bungled mismanagement of this war is not “awesome”. As I have said a million times here, it’s a disaster and he should end the war immediately. My tweet was something called “sarcasm”. https://t.co/aL9vSEzZC1— Chris Murphy ???? (@ChrisMurphyCT) April 21, 2026
Student allegedly jailed in China for six years after taking part in pro-democracy protests in Australia
Exclusive: The Australian government has been urged to take stronger action to protect overseas students from political repressionThe Australian government has been urged to take stronger action to protect Chinese international students from political repression by authorities on their return after a Chinese student was allegedly sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for joining pro-democracy protests in Australia.The student, who the Guardian has chosen not to name, lost contact with his friends in Sydney after returning to China in December 2024. Continue reading...
Trump hit with unusually blunt statement from priest in president's own backyard
The Catholic Church is not done with Donald Trump. Just as the president appeared to dial back his attacks on Pope Leo XIV, the Bishop of Palm Beach — whose diocese includes Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate — issued a scathing public scolding of Trump's "disrespectful and violent attacks" on the pontiff.According to The Daily Beast, Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, installed in his post by Pope Leo in December, issued an unusually blunt statement on Sunday that frames Trump's conduct as a constitutional violation."The Diocese of Palm Beach stands firm with our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and strongly rejects the disrespectful and violent attacks that Donald J. Trump has directed against the Holy Father," the bishop wrote.The bishop went further, asserting that Trump's attacks on the Pope violate constitutional protections. "These attacks also constitute a grave violation of the religious freedom enshrined in the Constitution of the United States and, as such, harm the rights of the American Catholic faithful.""Please pray for the safety of the Holy Father," the statement concluded — a warning that carries particular weight coming from a bishop overseeing the area where Trump maintains his primary residence.The feud began with Trump's original attack on the Pope for criticizing his unprovoked Iran war. Vice President JD Vance then escalated things by admonishing the pontiff to stick to matters of "morality" — effectively telling the Pope to stay out of geopolitical affairs.The bishop's intervention carries added symbolic weight given his personal history. Rodríguez previously served in the Catholic church diocese in Queens, New York — roughly seven miles from where Trump was raised — making this a rebuke from a spiritual leader with geographic ties to the president's own background.
'How do you screw up this badly?' Analyst floored as Trump's 'lying' comes back to bite
A Democratic political analyst was floored on Sunday after President Donald Trump's "lying" about negotiations to end the war in Iran seemed to come back to bite him. Over the weekend, Trump said the White House was preparing to send another delegation to Pakistan to negotiate the end of the war in Iran. The deployment follows Vice President JD Vance's unsuccessful trip to the Middle East last week to secure a deal. Trump's announcement seemed to catch the Iranian counterparts off-guard, as Iranian state media reported that Iranian officials were unaware that talks had been scheduled. The news floored Adam Mockler, a Democratic analyst and founder of Mockler Media, who asked Trump in a new reaction video on YouTube, "How do you screw up this badly?" "Iran wasn't privy to any more negotiations, yet Donald Trump announced that we're sending JD Vance and an entire delegation over to Pakistan for negotiations," Mockler said. "But the question is, negotiations with whom? Iran isn't even privy to any of this again. How do you screw up this badly on the global stage?"Mockler added that Trump's "lying" was sending him down a path where he is losing credibility with world leaders. That could come back to bit him as he seeks a way to end the war in Iran. "He is straight-up lying about negotiations that aren't taking place," Mockler said.
Trump says US seized Iranian ship as ceasefire negotiations fall apart
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the U.S. has seized an Iranian-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz that was allegedly attempting to get through the U.S. blockade. The announcement came at a time when U.S. officials have said that Iran chose to close the Strait of Hormuz to many foreign ships, which is in violation of the fragile ceasefire agreement the two countries recently agreed to. At the same time, some U.S. officials are scheduled to travel to Pakistan next week to continue negotiations to end the war in Iran, which has raged since late February. "Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "The U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop." "The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom (sic)," he added. "Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel. The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!"
Trump 'incapable' of accepting US has lost the war with Iran: Nobel laureate
President Donald Trump has lost the war with Iran but is refusing to accept it, according to a Nobel Prize winner. Paul Krugman believes that Trump is flat out unable to deal with the fallout of the war in Iran, and that it has not yet set in that the United States' intervention in the Middle East has failed. Writing in his Substack earlier Saturday, Krugman claimed, "It’s been clear for a while that the United States has basically lost this war. "The goal was to achieve regime change, possibly to take Iran’s uranium. Neither of those is going to happen. The Iranian regime is a harder line than it was before. Iran has ended up strengthened because it’s demonstrated its ability to shut off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz."Well, as best I can tell, and this is all speculation now, I don’t think that Trump has taken on board, maybe he’s emotionally incapable of taking on board the reality that he screwed up, that he took us to war and lost, that he, in his mind, still thinks that America has the upper hand and that the Iranians are cowering in fear over the might of the U.S. military, and that he doesn’t need to make any concessions."The Strait of Hormuz had briefly been opened by Iran but was again closed over a US blockade. A new closure of the Strait of Hormuz was confirmed by Iranian military operational command, Khatam Al Anbiya, with a statement accusing the US of "maritime piracy and theft".The statement reads, "For this reason, control of the Strait of Hormuz has reverted to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is under the strict management and control of the armed forces.""Until the US restores the complete freedom of navigation for vessels from an Iranian origin to a destination, and from a destination back to Iran, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain strictly controlled and in its previous state."President Trump previously imposed a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as part of his escalating Iran war strategy, declaring he would "immediately eliminate" Iranian Navy vessels attempting to breach it.
'Not in my interest at all': Pope blows off suggestion he debate Trump
Pope Leo XIV has made clear he has no interest in continuing his public feud with Donald Trump. During his 11-day African tour, the pontiff firmly rejected the notion that he's been debating the American president, insisting his peace message transcends partisan politics.According to Politico, Leo addressed the spiraling controversy that has dominated headlines all week. "There's been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself," Leo said."Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said."The Pope was defending his remarks at a peace meeting in Bamenda, Cameroon — a city at the epicenter of a separatist conflict ravaging the country's Anglophone region for nearly a decade. In those remarks, Leo had blasted the "handful of tyrants" who were ravaging Earth with war and exploitation, Politico is reporting.Leo emphasized the remarks predated Trump's attacks. "My remarks were written two weeks ago, long before Trump's criticisms began," he explained, undercutting Trump's narrative that the Pope was specifically targeting him."And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all," Leo said, making clear he views the controversy as a distraction.Looking forward, the Pope signaled his priorities lie elsewhere. "I primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all the Catholics throughout Africa."
US war with Iran could get 'harder' as Trump team nears worst-case scenario: analyst
President Donald Trump has made the war with Iran much trickier after prematurely declaring victory, a political analyst has warned. Trump took to Truth Social and made a series of posts regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. One post reads, "President Xi is very happy that the Strait of Hormuz is open and/or rapidly opening. Our meeting in China will be a special one and, potentially, Historic. I look forward to being with President Xi — Much will be accomplished! President DONALD J. TRUMP."Another saw Trump declare the matter of reopening the strait over. "Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help," he wrote yesterday. "I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL. They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger! President DJT."But in declaring victory with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which has since been closed once again according to Iranian media, Trump has made ending the war with Iran that much trickier. The Preparedness and Politics Substack argues that the declaration of victory so close to the new closure makes peace a much tougher conclusion to the war. They wrote, "For shipping markets and insurance underwriters, the political contradiction is itself risk. "When the US president publicly declares victory while ten thousand US personnel actively enforce a blockade that the other party calls illegal and threatens to retaliate against, the contradiction is a reason to keep rates high. "If Iran reneges on the opening — as the April 7-8 pattern suggests is entirely possible — lifting the blockade in response becomes harder, not easier, because Trump has already claimed the situation is resolved."A new closure of the Strait of Hormuz was confirmed by Iranian military operational command, Khatam Al Anbiya, with a statement accusing the US of "maritime piracy and theft".The statement reads, "For this reason, control of the Strait of Hormuz has reverted to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is under the strict management and control of the armed forces. "Until the US restores the complete freedom of navigation for vessels from an Iranian origin to a destination, and from a destination back to Iran, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain strictly controlled and in its previous state."President Trump previously imposed a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as part of his escalating Iran war strategy, declaring he would "immediately eliminate" Iranian Navy vessels attempting to breach it.
Apr 24, 2026