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'Trump is raging': Columnist prescribes 'spinal transplant' for Congress
President Donald Trump's erratic eruptions as Congress lay "prostrate" before him have led the United States to the "brink of catastrophe" — and it's up to voters to stop it, a furious opinion writer argued Sunday.New York Times columnist David French issued this dire warning to American voters ahead of the midterm elections, when Democrats could feasibly reclaim the House and begin checking Trump's power."Our future may depend in part on American voters deciding to give Congress a spinal transplant," wrote French. "But that requires us to do something that democracies have rarely, if ever, done successfully — see the catastrophe coming and act decisively."The catastrophe, as French sees it, is the looming threat of World War as Trump struggles to control the situation in Iran — and himself."Trump 'erupted' at members of his national security team over the Iran War," wrote French. "He thought he could topple a vicious, deeply embedded authoritarian regime with a few targeted airstrikes and a fantasied popular uprising."French raised alarms about Iran's continued strikes on American bases and its partners across the region, noting they may be receiving assistance from Russia and China to improve the effectiveness of their drone attacks. Iranians proved American planes and bases are more vulnerable than we realized, costs are beginning to mount and resources to dwindle, French argued. "The Trump administration has put forward two contradictory messages — that there’s no shortage of missiles in the American inventory and that the shortage is Joe Biden’s fault (because he helped to arm Ukraine and launched airstrikes against the Houthis)," French wrote. "And Trump is raging." French urged voters to sit up and pay attention rather than accept Trump assurances they can "sit back and relax." He warned the U.S. has not been so close to world war since the end of the Cold War, and argued its leaders in the White House were unfit to navigate the nation on a course to peace. "The American government is led by the worst rulers in the modern history of the United States," he wrote. "Congress, the only branch of government that possesses the power to intervene, has been prostrate before the president."French concluded that if the next Congress is not prepared to challenge Trump, there is a chance " a terrible war swallows the world."
Trump hypes up planned Iran attack — then cancels it citing last-minute deal
President Donald Trump hyped up a planned U.S. attack on Iran Saturday night – one with “power not seen since World War II” – before revealing he’d called off the attack citing a new agreement with the Middle East nation.“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters [sic] of a deal has been agreed to,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat. Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.”The Trump administration and Israeli officials were reportedly considering launching what would be “one of the harshest bombing campaigns to date” targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, multiple inside sources told CBS News. Trump’s claim of being asked by “other Middle Eastern countries” aligns with Axios’ reporting Saturday that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had privately pleaded with Trump Saturday to hold off on the attack.Trump has insisted countless times that the Strait of Hormuz – the crucial shipping waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil trade historically flowed – was “open,” despite evidence to the contrary. His announcement Saturday marks the latest instance of Trump claiming as such.“The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
US ally begs Trump to hold off on ‘unprecedented’ attack in private plea: report
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pleaded with President Donald Trump Saturday to hold off on authorizing an “unprecedented” attack on Iran that is reportedly being actively considered by U.S. and Israeli officials, Axios reported.The Trump administration and Israeli officials are considering launching what would be “one of the harshest bombing campaigns to date” targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, multiple inside sources told CBS News, and as a response to the Iranian attacks on a U.S. military base in Jordan earlier this week.However, “such an attack could lead to an unprecedented escalation in the five-month war,” Axios’ Barak Ravid wrote, and could put U.S. allies in the Middle East at great risk of Iranian retaliatory strikes.“The Saudis expressed concern and asked for clarity about the plan of action,” a U.S. official told Axios. A second source, described by Axios as a person “with knowledge of the call” said that bin Salman “urged Trump to de-escalate and refrain from launching the strikes,” Ravid wrote.Trump has repeatedly downplayed concerns about the conflict's trajectory, insisting in recent public remarks that the war is "going extremely well" and that Iran's military capabilities have been severely degraded, while also floating the possibility of a negotiated settlement. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have signaled no willingness to back down, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi telling NBC News that Iran is ready for a ground invasion by American troops and would refuse any negotiations with Washington.
Policy expert flags Trump’s major ‘strategic mistake’ that could ‘bring the war to the US’
Foreign policy expert Trita Parsi issued a bleak warning Saturday over what he called a major “strategic mistake” of the Trump administration that could very well “bring the [Iran] war to the U.S.,” and soon.Earlier on Saturday, CBS News reported that the United States and Israel were actively planning “one of the harshest bombing campaigns to date” targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure, citing multiple inside sources. Also on Saturday, federal authorities were investigating whether Iran was responsible for a string of cyber attacks on U.S. water systems across several states.The cyber attacks, per The New York Times, “increasingly appeared to be the work of Iran.” As such, Parsi, a foreign policy analyst and president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, feared that the Trump administration’s plans and the cyber attacks could be connected.“If Iran is behind these cyberattacks on US water systems, the message is clear,” Parsi wrote in a social media post Saturday on Substack.“It's a warning: If the US strikes critical infrastructure in Iran, including desalination plants and power grids, Iran will respond in kind through cyberattacks against critical infrastructure in the US. Essentially, Iran will bring the war to the US itself using cyber.”President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to destroy Iranian power plants and other critical infrastructure, threats that, if carried out, would likely be considered war crimes. Should the United States and Israel carry out its supposed plan to launch a massive attack on Iranian energy infrastructure, Parsi warned that the consequences could be astronomical for Americans.“The strategic mistake of starting – and restarting – this war is only becoming more enormous,” Parsi wrote.If Iran is behind these cyberattacks on US water systems, the message is clear.It's a warning: If the US strikes critical infrastructure in Iran, including desalination plants and power grids, Iran will respond in kind through cyberattacks against critical infrastructure in the US.Essentially, Iran will bring the war to the US itself using cyber.The strategic mistake of starting - and restarting - this war is only becoming more enormous. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/01/us/politics/iran-cyberattack-water-systems.html?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20260801&instance_id=179699&nl=breaking-news®i_id=75080685&segment_id=224053&user_id=a45a9b52edcc21d2f15a650c5a769bd9 - Trita ParsiRead on Substack
'We're in serious trouble': Senior GOP staff scared by 'rabid' young Republican 'idiots'
Concern is mounting among high-ranking Republicans that the next generation of conservatives consists primarily of "rabid" "idiot" Nazis, according to a new report. GOP veterans have begun to fret that the pipeline feeding young conservative "talent" into government job has collapsed under the pressure of a Trumpist ideology that prefers sycophancy to smarts, Politico reported Saturday. “We have a generation of rabid, incompetent idiots," a senior GOP congressional staffer told Politico. "The organizations that bring young staffers to Washington, D.C. have spent the last decade prioritizing blind ideological loyalty instead of competence or intelligence." Politco argues the concerns amount to more than middle-aged griping about "kids these days." As organizations such as the Heritage Foundation have adapted their conservative beliefs to fit the MAGA mold, they've attracted a group of young people with serious problems, sources told Politico. Those sources include four senior Republican congressional staffers, think tank scholars, Heritage expats, academics and up-and-coming young Republicans."Critics fear a decline of merit and skill," Politico reported, "along with a tolerance for darker ideologies that could cripple the party’s ability to govern in the long run."The biggest problem for these conservatives are "groypers" — followers of the white nationalist holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and fellow anti-establishment right-wingers, according to the report. "Prominent conservative commentators have alleged that groyperism is spreading among younger members of the GOP, including in government — a view seemingly backed by examples like the young Trump administration lawyer who admitted to a 'Nazi streak' in text messages revealed by POLITICO," the report stated. "Others point to social-media posts from official government accounts that echo the language or memes of the online far right."Meanwhile young Republicans argue their elders are using groyperism complaints to dismiss their frustrations with the party's relationship with Israel. Marty Bertao, a Berkeley senior and president of the College Republicans of America, told Politico, "there is not this mass groyper issue." Rachel Bovard, the VP of programs at the Conservative Partnership Institute, added, "They’re counting as ‘groyper’ anyone who’s remotely anti-Israel.”E.J. Fagan, an associate professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, fears the problem isn't specifically groypers but social media — and pointed to E.J. Antoni, a Heritage economist, as proof.President Donald Trump nominated Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but later rescinded after reports surfaced that Antoni ran a deleted X account that hurled sexual insults at former Vice President Kamala Harris.Another source argued the problem is, as Politico described it, "a generation hooked on the conspiratorial musings of Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens." “Five, eight years from now," the source said, "if we’re reliant on people with this view of the world, we’re in serious trouble.”
Hegseth's swagger meets a reckoning as Pentagon moves to unwind 'pugnacious' purge: report
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is being pressured to backtrack after an airstrike gone wrong, according to The Atlantic.The Pentagon is moving towards restoring as many as half of the roles that Hegseth cut during a "pugnacious" purge at the Department of Defense, according to reporting by The Atlantic. Hegseth's downsizing included the firing or reassignment of staff dedicated to avoiding civilian casualties in war, the reporting noted."The potential reversal, which hasn't previously been reported, now awaits Hegseth's signature," according to The Atlantic. The Pentagon is considering bringing back staff as it deals with the fallout of an airstrike that killed almost 170 people, most of them children, at a school in southern Iran, The Atlantic reported.The Atlantic also noted that Hegseth said early in the conflict that the U.S. would fight with "no stupid rules of engagement" and "no politically correct wars."An anonymous Pentagon official confirmed to The Atlantic that the DoD is "currently undergoing a strategic reassessment to inform its future reorganization."A Pentagon inspector general report this spring determined that the DoD's cuts to civilian-harm protections may have violated laws designed to protect noncombatants, The Atlantic reported. Leaders of the Pentagon's combatant commands also support the restoration of personnel who can safeguard against civilian casualties, a U.S. official told The Atlantic."Over the last year, we have seen a total disconnect between the willingness to wage wars all over the world, at an unprecedented pace and scale, while at the same time all but abandoning their leading role in setting up the systems and approaches needed to better protect civilians," Emily Tripp, the head of Airwars, an independent UK-based watchdog, told The Atlantic.
State Department blames unnamed staffer for 'unfortunate' map at global AIDS conference
The Trump administration State Department is issuing a mea culpa for using a bizarre map of Africa that mislabeled every country that was highlighted."A video of the presentation given at the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro ... shows the errant map displayed halfway during a presentation about the State Department’s new health agreements," reported The Guardian, noting the original image was caught by Reuters.The map highlights Nigeria, Mozambique, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, and Cameroon all in completely the wrong parts of the continent, and often with made-up borders that don't resemble the real ones. Nigeria, for instance, was depicted as in the middle of the Sahara Desert instead of its correct position on the Gulf of Guinea, while Mozambique was depicted where Ethiopia is near the Horn of Africa, instead of its real location in the southern part of the continent.In response to the viral controversy, a State Department spokesperson apologized, per The Washington Post."This was an unfortunate error caused by a team member who hastily altered the slide deck immediately before the presentation at the AIDS 2026 Conference," said the spokesperson. "We take full responsibility for the confusion and misrepresentation it caused for attendees, including our African partners." The statement did not clarify how these "hasty alterations" could have led to the fictional borders as well as the mislabeled locations.The State Department has endured a number of recent humiliations, including Brazil denying visas to two high-ranking Trump administration officials over allegations of election meddling.
Trump enraged as surprise attack with curse-laden threat hits: 'Going to get a beating'
President Donald Trump erupted Wednesday following a surprise Iranian attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan earlier that morning, vowing to respond with a curse-laden threat.“We are going to beat the f------ s--- out of them,” Trump told Fox News, according to Trey Yingst. “We'll be hitting them hard, they're going to get a beating.”Following a brief lull in strikes between the United States and Iran, the U.S. Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan came under fire early morning Wednesday from a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles. No casualties have been reported as of Wednesday morning.“So clearly, the United States is going to respond to what the president described as a 'surprise attack,' he says U.S. forces had just minutes to shoot down these incoming Iranian ballistic missiles,” Yingst said. “The president says he has reviewed video of the shoot down, and it was U.S. forces conducting this operation to defend that area. He said it was real time, they were calling out coordinates and ensuring that none of this incoming Iranian fire got through.”Iran’s Revolutionary Guard acknowledged it had launched strikes at the U.S. base, according to the Associated Press, setting the stage for another round of escalation between the United States and Iran.“Again, President Trump telling Fox News 'we are going to beat the f-ing S out of them,' and that U.S. strikes will take place against Iran in response to the surprise attack overnight against U.S. forces in Jordan,” Yingst said."We are going to beat the f****** s*** out of them"- Trump in response to Iran's suprise attack on US base in Jordan pic.twitter.com/aDuzi9j1bB— Alexander Willis (@ReporterWillis) July 29, 2026
Bully tactics come back to bite Hegseth — now begging for help he can't get: report
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is running into a brick wall as he begs U.S. allies for support, according to a new report.After months of browbeating European nations to join his Iran war, Hegseth is now desperately seeking their assistance—only to discover that his previous bullying has consequences, Politico reported Wednesday.The Defense Secretary is proposing an international coalition that will patrol the Strait of Hormuz, according to Politico. "Hegseth is urging the U.K. and France to help lead the naval coalition," according to the report. "But even with the assistance of U.K. Defense Minister Wes Streeting, he’s facing skepticism across Europe, according to four British officials and one U.S. official."European officials have expressed "deep frustration" over the President Donald Trump administration's treatment so far, stemming back to when the president launched airstrikes on Iran in February without consultation—no heads-up to Congress, no warning to longstanding partners."There was no consultation with Congress, no consultation with allies, just boom," Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) told Politico.Even America's closest ally is drawing firm lines. U.K. Defense Minister Wes Streeting cautiously agreed to help with maritime security but explicitly rejected further offensive operations. "The U.K. has 'not joined and will not join offensive U.S. military action in Iran,'" Streeting said, maintaining distinction between defending shipping lanes and supporting Trump's escalation agenda.Coons articulated the deeper problem, stating Trump is "deeply frustrated that Congress isn't supporting it, the American people aren't supporting it, our core allies aren't supporting it. You can't be surprised when you throw a party and you don't invite anybody."
Damning rebuke causes Trump diplomats to walk out on 'deeply worried' UN officials: report
American diplomats walked out of a United Nations meeting after they were confronted with harsh criticism about President Donald Trump, The Guardian reported.During a U.N. Security Council meeting on the Ukraine-Russia war, United States diplomats staged a walkout after months of foreign diplomats and U.N. officials blasting Trump's human rights record, according to reporting by The Guardian.The condemnation came after the Trump administration imposed sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries it alleged were using "forced labor," The Guardian reported, noting that U.S. lawmakers also took issue with the tariffs. Critics dismissed the allegations as a "convenient" justification for Trump's tariffs, The Guardian added.The Trump administration has also come under fire for criticizing the U.N. human rights system and opposing the reappointment of U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk, according to The Guardian.Türk said in March that he was "deeply worried by the fundamental shift in direction" in the US. In June, Türk called for "prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations" into immigration custody during the Trump administration.The U.S. was one of ten countries that voted against Türk's reappointment last week. The U.S. voted against Türk's reappointment alongside Russia, North Korea, Nicaragua, Israel, and Mali, which led French diplomats to call it out via a social media post, per The Guardian."The U.S. used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore," French diplomats wrote in a post on X. "Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia, isolated. And the world no longer listens to it."
'Dementia talking again': Trump's fumbling Fox News interview sparks ridicule
Critics were mocking President Donald Trump on Tuesday after he dodged questions on Fox News over who exactly he was negotiating with in Iran and boasted about his tariff policy.Iran’s foreign ministry has pushed back on Trump's claims about the discussions. And during an interview on Tuesday, "Fox & Friends" host Brian Kilmeade pressed Trump during a phone interview for specifics."We hear that you’re talking right now with leaders on Iran,” Kilmeade said. "But Iran has come out publicly and said ‘we’re not talking to the U.S.—'"Trump interrupted the conservative outlet's anchor."Well, they just came out and said ‘we are talking’ a little while ago," Trump said."So could you tell me who you’re talking to, Mr. President?" Kilmeade asked.But Trump didn't give a direct answer — and the internet noticed. The conversation then shifted into talk about late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), tariffs and the economy."Trump's dementia talking again. The old jerk has quite an imagination," Dean Baker, senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, wrote on X."THE IRANIAN LEADER I'M TALKING TO LIVES IN CANADA YOU WOULDN'T KNOW HIM," S.V. Dáte, White House correspondent at HuffPost, wrote on X."Trump: 'I stopped 8 wars, I would say 5 of them because of tariffs,'" X account Republicans Against Trump, which has more than 1 million followers, wrote."That is exactly the reason why they are hurting the economy, as well as reciprical [sic] tariffs on US companies," Meidas Touch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski wrote on X."This is a test for Fox News viewers: After all these lies, are you still willing to believe him?" Conservative anti-Trump attorney George Conway wrote on Bluesky.Trump's dementia talking again. The old jerk has quite an imagination. https://t.co/8eBRpSgbrG— Dean Baker (@DeanBaker13) July 28, 2026
'Who exactly are you talking to?' Trump stumbles when pressed by MAGA Fox News host
President Donald Trump's negotiations with Iran have even stumped Fox News, The New Republic reported.Fox News host Brian Kilmeade grilled Trump during an interview Tuesday after the president had claimed talks were underway "right now," despite Iran’s foreign ministry saying the country has no interest in direct talks."We hear that you’re talking right now with leaders on Iran,” Kilmeade told Trump. “But Iran has come out publicly and said ‘we’re not talking to the U.S.—""Well, they just came out and said ‘we are talking’ a little while ago," Trump said, interjecting Kilmeade's comment. "So could you tell me who you’re talking to, Mr. President?" Kilmeade asked.Trump avoided directly answering the question."For some reason, we can be in the midst of a beautiful discussion, and they’ll come out and say 'we’re not talking' or 'we didn’t discuss nuclear,'" Trump said. "Well, that’s all we discussed, because they’ll never have a nuclear weapon, they understand that. We’ve had some very good talks."Trump then shifted the conversation to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). "It does not inspire confidence when the president can’t confidently say who he has been in contact with while supposedly trying to negotiate an end to his increasingly unpopular and expensive war," The New Republic reported. "This conversation came after a recent pause in violence in the region, and ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House on Tuesday—in which he most likely lobbied Trump to start bombing Iran again."KILMEADE: We hear that you're talking with leaders from Iran. But Iran has come out publicly and said 'we're not talking to the US'TRUMP: Well, they just came out and said we are talkingKILMEADE: So could you tell me who you're talking to?TRUMP: We've had some very good… pic.twitter.com/bAqKISTbjU— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 28, 2026
