Democrat Swalwell to resign from Congress amid assault allegations

Trump says Iran wants deal “very badly” despite failed talks

U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports begins

President Trump says the American military blockade of Iranian ports has begun. The blockade is underway as part of the president’s effort to force Iran to open the strait of Hormuz. All of this comes following a failure over the weekend by the U-S and Iran to reach an agreement to end the war that has gone on for more than six weeks. In the meantime, a fragile ceasefire remains in place.

Trump removes post of AI image depicting him as Jesus

President Trump’s social media site has removed an AI-generated image depicting the president as Jesus Christ. In the image, the president is shown in a long white robe with a burst of light emitting from one of his hands. The other hand is placed on the forehead of an ailing man. After the social media post was taken down, the president told reporters it was supposed to be him as a doctor because he makes people “a lot better.” He accused the press of causing the controversy, but conservative Christians and other Republican allies of the president had denounced the image as offensive and blasphemous.

Judge dismisses Trump $10B lawsuit against Wall Street Journal

President Trump’s 10-billion dollar defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal has been dismissed by a federal judge. The president filed a lawsuit last summer against the newspaper and owner Rupert Murdoch over a story connecting him to Jeffrey Epstein. The article described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper said bore Donald Trump’s signature. In turning away the lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Florida wrote that the president had failed to make the argument that the article was published with the intent to be malicious, but gave him a chance to file an amended complaint.

U.S. military to blockade all Iranian ports after failed ceasefire talks

The U-S military will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports starting Monday morning. After ceasefire talks with Iran over the weekend ended without an agreement, President Trump said the U-S Navy would enforce the blockade. According to U-S Central Command, the blockade will involve all Iranian ports. However, ships traveling between non-Iranian ports could still use the Strait of Hormuz. The president wants to weaken Iran’s key leverage in the war after demanding that it reopen the strait. Two Iranian news agencies reported that any military vessels in the strait would get a “forceful response.”

Trump unleashes long tirade against Pope Leo the 14th

President Trump has unleashed a long tirade against Pope Leo the 14th. In a lengthy social media post, the president lashed out at the American-born pope after the Catholic Church leader criticized the U-S war against Iran. Donald Trump said he didn’t think Pope Leo was “doing a very good job,” that he caters to the “radical left,” and that the pope is in no position to criticize a president who was, in Trump’s words, “doing exactly” what he was elected to do. He later told reporters that the only reason Leo was chosen to be the pope was because Donald Trump was the president.

Trump’s anger toward NATO raises questions about its future

President Trump is angry with NATO allies over the Iran war and the future of the military alliance is in question. The president’s uneasy relationship with NATO took a turn for the worse during the conflict with Iran when allies refused to assist in the U-S and Israeli-led war. On Wednesday, Donald Trump met privately with NATO’s secretary-general in the Oval Office. No media coverage of the White House visit was allowed, unlike previous visits. Afterwards, the president was still fuming, writing on social media that “NATO wasn’t there when we needed them and they won’t be there when we need them again.”

Kamala Harris “thinking” about 2028 presidential bid

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is thinking about running for the presidency in 2028. Appearing at the National Action Network’s annual convention, Harris said she “might” consider another presidential bid. Asked directly by the Rev. Al Sharpton, she said “I am thinking about it.” Harris received a standing ovation. However, some in her party are looking to a new generation of Democratic leaders. More than a half-dozen potential candidates appeared at Sharpton’s event this week hoping to make inroads among Black voters and jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded 2028 field.

Vance warns Iran not to “play us” ahead of weekend talks

Vice President Vance is warning Iran not to “play” the U.S. in this weekend’s negotiations aimed at ending their war. As he departed Washington for the talks in Pakistan, the vice president said the U-S is willing to extend an open hand “if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith.” But he said the U-S delegation would not be receptive if Iran tries to “play us.” The vice president, who has long been skeptical of foreign military interventions, told reporters that President Trump provided “some pretty clear guidelines” on how the talks should go.

Vance-led U.S. delegation heads to weekend talks with Iran

Vice President Vance will lead the U-S delegation in peace talks with Iran this weekend. The vice president, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner are heading to Pakistan for Saturday talks aimed at finding a permanent end to the war. The round of negotiations comes just a few days after an announced ceasefire between the U-S and Iran, although disputes over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz have threatened to derail the two-week truce.

Melania Trump denies ties to Epstein, knowledge of his crimes

First Lady Melania Trump says she had any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. In a surprising and extraordinary White House event, the first lady denied any association with Epstein. Melania Trump asserted that she was not friends with Epstein or his former girlfriend, but that they were in overlapping social circles. She said she and her attorneys were fighting back against allegations connecting her to the convicted sex offender.

Trump: U.S. forces to stay near Iran until “real agreement” is reached

President Trump says American warships and troops will remain around Iran until a “real agreement” to end the war is reached. With a 14-day ceasefire in place, the president said U-S armed forces won’t be returning home immediately. Writing on social media, he said America’s military presence will remain until both sides reach a “real agreement” — a deal he said would prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons and keep the Strait of Hormuz open. The president went on to warn that if the U-S and Iran cannot permanently end the war, then, in his words, “the Shootin’ Starts, bigger and better” than before.

Lebanon and Hormuz disputes threaten ceasefire with Iran

Disputes over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz are threatening the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.ran  Iinsisted that an end to the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire deal, but Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump said the truce did not cover Lebanon. Meanwhile, the United States is demanding that the Strait of Hormuz remain open to shipping traffic. The White House said Wednesday’s closure was “completely unacceptable.”

White House defends Trump’s threat to kill Iran’s civilization

The White House is defending President Trump’s threat to wipe out Iran’s civilization. Asked about the unusually harsh language from an American president, press secretary Karoline Leavitt stood by the president’s remarks. Some conservatives, including Tucker Carlson, influential podcasters, and Republican members of Congress, took issue with the president’s chilling rhetoric, denouncing it as evil and disgusting.

VP Vance to lead U.S. delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iran

The U-S and Iran will hold peace talks this weekend aimed at finding a permanent end to the war. With a two-week ceasefire underway, the United States will participate in peace negotiations in Pakistan. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says Vance will lead the delegation, which includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.

White House claims victory in Iran war, calls truce “fragile”

The White House is claiming victory in the war against Iran, but says the two-week ceasefire is “fragile.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claims the United States achieved its core military goals in Iran. But the White House is also being cautious, noting that the ceasefire is a “fragile truce.” Leavitt says Vice President Vance will lead the U-S negotiating team this weekend in Pakistan talks aimed at finding a permanent end to the war.

Trump says U.S. will “dig up” enriched uranium buried in Iran

President Trump says the U-S will work with Iran to “dig up and remove” its enriched uranium. On the heels of the ceasefire agreement, the president said “there will be no enrichment of uranium” by Iran. He wrote online that the U-S would remove any “nuclear dust” from the bomb sites of last summer’s military strikes. Retrieving the material could be very difficult and it remains to be seen what the United States would do with any enriched uranium that is removed. The president also said his administration will be discussing “tariff and sanctions relief with Iran.”

U.S. and Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire amid fiery rhetoric

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire ahead of a Tuesday night deadline imposed by President Trump. In stark and violent language, the president had warned that Iran’s “whole civilization [would] die…and never to be brought back again” unless his demands were met. Shortly before the deadline, Donald Trump announced a suspension in military attacks subject to Iran’s agreement. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council accepted the ceasefire, but said it doesn’t mean an end to the war. The Iranian foreign minister said passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be allowed for the next two weeks under Iranian military management.

Trump pulls back from Iran threat, announces 2-week ceasefire

President Trump is pulling back on his threat to destroy Iran’s civilization with a massive bombing campaign. Ahead of a Tuesday night deadline, the president announced he was suspending military strikes on Iran for two weeks if Iran agreed to a ceasefire and the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said it has accepted the two-week ceasefire. The president also said Iran has proposed a “workable” 10-point peace plan that could help end the war. Earlier in the day, Donald Trump threatened to kill Iran’s “whole civilization” in a chilling statement by an American president.

House Democrats call for vote to end Trump’s war against Iran

Reaction to President Trump’s threat to destroy Iran civilization stretches from Capitol Hill to the Vatican, where concern and outrage is being expressed after Donald Trump vowed to utterly destroy Iran unless it opened the Strait of Hormuz. House Democratic leaders issued a joint statement calling the president “completely unhinged” and asked the House to be brought back immediately into legislative session and vote to, quote, “end this reckless war of choice.” Meanwhile, Pope Leo the 14th said the president’s threat “against all the people of Iran…is truly unacceptable.”

Trump threatens to end Iran’s “civilization” if no deal by tonight

President Trump is threatening to wipe out Iran’s “civilization” if Tehran doesn’t agree to the terms of his latest demand. In his darkest and most violent comments since the start of the Iran war, President Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” He wrote online that he doesn’t “want that to happen, but it probably will.” The president has demanded that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping traffic or else the U-S will strike Iranian power plants and bridges. He said Iran still has time to capitulate ahead of tonight’s deadline.

U.S. forces strike Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil export hub

The U-S military has struck targets on Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil export facility. The strikes against the important oil hub came hours ahead of President Trump’s deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In a morning social media post, he said that a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if Iran did not make a deal by 8pm Washington time this evening.

Trump gives Iran Tuesday PM ultimatum to reopen Strait of Hormuz

President Trump has given Iran a Tuesday night ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping traffic. The president warns Iranian leaders that the U-S military can unleash extensive damage in just a few hours, saying the “entire country can be taken out in one night.” He’s giving Iran a Tuesday deadline of 8pm Eastern. The president said he was “not at all” concerned about accusations of war crimes as he targets power plants and bridges.