Secretary of State Marco Rubio was singled out on MS NOW on Tuesday morning for spending more time hyping up US military members and not doing his job and bringing the war on Iran to a halt.
During an appearance on “Morning Joe,” retired United States Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling was asked by co-host Joe Scarborough if Donald Trump’s war can be considered a success so far.
Drawing upon his military career that spanned 38 years, Hertling became indignant at the mention of Trump appointee Rubio as part of the conversation.
“What I will say is I'll make a recommendation to all politicians: quit starting your sentences with, ’We've got the greatest military in the world,” he bluntly stated. “The military knows what they can and can't do, and what they can't do is end a war that's up to the politicians, and to continue to open your sentences like Secretary Rubio just did with how great the military is, is a waste of time.”
“You know, the military, for the most part, is pretty humble,” he observed. “There's no hubris involved. We don't need other people telling folks how good we are; we know what we can do. But we also know what we can't do and that's the ground we're in right now.”
He added, “So I can say that I make that recommendation to all politicians: knock it off. Worry about what you've got to do to end wars.”
The appointment of a new ayatollah shortly after the death of Ali Khamenei highlights a major shortcoming in Donald Trump's plot for Iranian regime change, an analyst wrote Tuesday.
Despite the president's team carrying out a series of strikes against the Middle Eastern country earlier this month, the only changes made so far, according to CNN analyst Stephen Collinson, are beneficial to Iran. Trump may have succeeded in removing the country's former head, but his replacement, Collinson believes, is far worse for the US and the current administration.
He wrote, "No one from the outside can know its true state after days of aerial pounding of government facilities and heavy loss of life.
"But so far, the operation has succeeded only in replacing an aged supreme leader — who was already close to his eternal rest and had no succession plan — with a younger version with the same last name.
"The choice of Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his martyred father as supreme leader was a signal of defiance from the theocracy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that rule Iran with an iron fist. It remains unclear how Khamenei will be able to consolidate power in such extreme circumstances."
Trump has also failed to take into account the activity needed from the Iranian people to successfully topple and ultimately replace the regime, Collinson argued.
"There’s no outward sign that the uprising of Iranians against their corrupt and repressive rulers that Trump sought to trigger is about to materialize," he wrote. "Perhaps US and Israeli attacks on Iranian economic and energy infrastructure could so weaken the regime’s foundation that a revolt could materialize in the months and years ahead, even if the clerics cling on for now.
"But this requires Iranian civilians taking to the streets against ruthless security forces pining for revenge following the US onslaught.
"Only weeks ago, thousands were killed in a previous thwarted uprising. It seems just as likely that the unintended result of the war will be more repression rather than a flowering of freedom."
Trump may also be forced to play his hand sooner than he had hoped. Collinson wrote, "Trump also faces pressing strategic dilemmas. Will he use force to try to open the Strait of Hormuz — the world’s vital oil conduit, which has been all but closed by Iran?
"And would the survival of the regime lead to an almost permanent state of simmering warfare between the US and Israel and Iran that requires regular escalations to prevent the Islamic Republic rebuilding its threat?"
A terrorism analyst on Monday explained how the United States-Israel war against Iran might have activated sleeper cells and has concerned law enforcement.
Alex Plitsas, counterterrorism program director for the Atlantic Council, told CNN anchor Jake Tapper that recent attacks had suggested increased activity among terrorist sleeper cells. Plitsas cited the attempted attack Saturday by two men charged with using weapons of mass destruction and supporting the Islamic State after throwing a bomb near New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Gracie Mansion, in addition to two other recent terrorism-related incidents — the attack on a nightclub in Austin, Texas, and a bombing outside the U.S. embassy in Oslo, Norway. He also described a new report that revealed an encrypted transmission was intercepted by the U.S., which has prompted concern among security experts and law enforcement.
Tapper asked Plitsas how worried he was about the recent attacks.
"Significantly concerned," Plitsas said. "You know, not that there's a particular plot that I'm aware of and not to be alarmist for folks who are listening, but let's we can kind of walk through some of the facts that we that have come out and come to light recently about why I would make that comment. So there's been three cells that have been arrested in Qatar, in the UK and Azerbaijan over the last week that were affiliated with the IRGC, the Quds force — that's Iran special operations folks — that have an external cell that were engaged either intelligence collection or surveillance and preparation, likely for sabotage or terrorist operations. We saw a bombing outside of the U.S. embassy in Oslo. We still don't know who was responsible for that. And then there was reporting that came out earlier today that code words appear to have been intercepted where the Iranians may have activated sleeper cells globally amongst their IRGC folks or potentially Hezbollah. And so they've been known to have folks slip in and out of the United States, intelligence officers from Iran in covert status who have been in the United States conducting surveillance on targets who have also attempted to contract hitmen in some cases you know, there was a plot against President Trump himself."
He also mentioned how these operations had targeted others.
"There's a very famous female dissident who lives in Brooklyn, they were attempting to assassinate her as well," Plitsas said. "They'vebecome exceptionally bold inrecent years. And this all sortof came to light during theObama administration when it wasrevealed and disrupted that theywere looking at actually bombing arestaurant in Washington at onepoint, where the Saudi ambassadorwas said to have been eating. Sothe threat is real. And as Irangets further backed into acorner and its militarycapabilities are furtherdegraded, there's a possibilityit could turn to asymmetricthreats."
Plitsas argued there could be more attacks and that law enforcement would continue investigating.
"And as we like to sayin the business, you know onetime is an instance, two times acoincidence, three times ishostile enemy action," Plitsas added. "We hadthree cells arrested this week, abombing outside Oslo. And thenpotential chatter now aboutsleeper cells being activated.So the JTTF (Joint Terrorism Task Force) and speaking to contacts within the FBI andlaw enforcement community areactively monitoring andaggressively pursuing any leadsthat are out there right now,including with internationalpartners. So confidence in theefforts are federal lawenforcement along with their local partners, have but theyonly have to be right once, andwe have to be right every time."
The U.S. Department of Defense insisted that its military forces had "only just begun to fight" as President Donald Trump insisted that the war in Iran was "very complete."
Trump made the statement during a phone interview with CBS correspondent Weijia Jiang on Monday.
"I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they've got no Air Force," the president was quoted as saying, noting that the U.S. was "very far" ahead of its plans for a 4 to 5 week war.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the "Department of War Rapid Response" X account shared a meme reading "No Mercy."
"We have Only Just Begun to Fight," the caption added.
President Donald Trump claimed in a new interview what he thinks will come next for the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran as reports surfaced about a conversation Monday between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the president.
CBS Senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang reported that Trump said in a phone interview that the war in the Middle East could be ending soon. It's unclear when the conflict was expected to end.
“I think the war is very complete, pretty much," Jiang wrote about the conversation with Trump via X. "They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force.”
Trump also said that the "U.S. is 'very far' ahead of his initial 4-5 week estimated time frame," Jiang added.
The president also reportedly had a phone call with Putin, according to Reuters chief national security reporter Phil Stewart in a post on X, and "shared his proposals aimed at a quick settlement to the Iran war, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. The leaders also discussed the Ukrainian conflict and the situation in Venezuela in the context of the global oil market situation, Ushakov said."
Trump was slated to address press questions about the war on Monday afternoon.
The internet reacted Monday after reports that President Donald Trump has set his eyes on Arizona's largest county in hopes to — again — try and litigate the 2020 presidential election and increase the federal government's influence over elections.
The Trump administration subpoenaed records from Maricopa County, Arizona, on Monday, Politico reported. In January, the Trump administration raided election offices in Fulton County, Georgia, seizing 2020 ballots.
The 79-year-old president has long maintained the conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was "rigged" against him despite no evidence of fraud. In 2023, he was indicted in Fulton County for his attempts at reversing his loss in Georgia.
Republican and Arizona Senate President Warren Peterson wrote on X that he agreed with Trump, confirming the state would follow the federal demands.
"President Trump is 100% correct," Peterson wrote. "Late last week I received and complied with a federal grand jury subpoena for records relating to the Arizona State Senate’s 2020 audit of Maricopa County. The FBI has the records. Any other report is fake news."
On social media, people responded to Trump's latest attempt to revive his 2020 election claims.
"Then there were 2 (with Fulton County): Arizona Republican Just hands over keys to election. He posts that he 'received and complied with a federal grand jury subpoena for records relating to the Arizona State Senate’s 2020 audit of Maricopa County. The FBI has the records.' Uggh," Harry Litman, professor and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice, wrote on Bluesky.
"Good Lord. You lost man, move on," author and historian Cal Schoonover wrote on Bluesky.
"To be clear: In 2021, the AZ Senate hired a now-defunct company, Cyber Ninjas, to lead 'recount/audit' into Maricopa's 2020 results -- the Cyber Ninjas found that, in fact, Joe Biden had won the county, per their hand count, by 360 more votes than originally believed," Vaughn Hillyard, MS NOW senior White House reporter, wrote on X.
"The subpoena of the audit records comes at a time that the Trump administration is seeking to rehash the 2020 election. Biden's narrow win in Arizona, which was reaffirmed by the GOP-led audit, was a major focus of Trump's," Eliza Collins, Wall Street Journal politics reporter, wrote on X.
White Nationalist Jan. 6 participant Jacob Lang recently wished for the death of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Just days after he was targeted with an explosive device for protesting Muslims in New York, Lang told conspiracy theorist Alex Jones that he viewed Trump's attack on Iran as a righteous war on Islam.
"I stand by our commander-in-chief. Now that we've engaged with the enemy, it's time for total decimation," he explained on Monday. "I love seeing the Muslims being absolutely dominated by the American forces in the Middle East. It shows the warring Christians are stronger than the weak Muslims."
"Right now, we're at war with Islam in our streets, and we're at war with Islam in the Middle East," he continued. "It's good to see the Christian countries of this world, America being the most dominant Christian country, show its absolute strength and prowess. When it comes wartime, these Muslims know who's on top."
At one point, Lang suggested that "nuclear warheads" were the answer for alleged Muslim rapes.
"They're grabbing little white girls and pinning them down. And the court said the rape didn't last long. Nuclear warheads!" he exclaimed. "You kidding me? Scourge on the earth! They're sending, they're sending, they're sending, they're sending Zohran Mamdani over here to take over our mayorship role, okay? Wouldn't it be a lot better if our American military forces stop that communist Muslim b------ in his tracks in his homeland?"
"Hey, Jake," Jones interrupted. "You're running hot here."
"I'm running hot, Alex!" Lang shouted. "I'm going to put a reaction, baby. They come at me and my family on my home turf in New York. They're asking for war. I got it. I'm a peaceful American living and exercising my First Amendment. But we will not cower, or we will not relent to radical Islam."
Piers Morgan had a sharp response to MAGA influencer Ben Shapiro and his claims about the host on Monday.
In an episode of "Piers Morgan Uncensored," Morgan responded to Shapiro's comments after Morgan hosted comedian and political commentator Dave Smith, who took a few swipes at both Morgan and his guest.
"Apparently his job is never to tell jokes but to instead give poorly informed foreign policy takes, but also to hate America," Shapiro said.
Morgan reacted to Shapiro's remarks, then took a few of his own jabs at the MAGA podcast host's biases.
"Ben Shapiro is undoubtedly an intelligent and influential commentator," Morgan said. "I’ve always liked and respected him, even when we disagree. I still do. He’s stridently partisan and staunchly conservative, of course, but he’s willing to criticize other Trump and others in the administration when he thinks they’ve got it wrong. One thing he doesn’t criticize, however, is Israel. And he routinely gets upset when other people do. It’s such a blind spot for Ben, that through the red mist of his rage, he’s in an alternative reality where anybody who disagrees with him is a demonic, America-hating terror apologist who could only possibly be doing it for ratings."
Morgan called Shapiro "cowardly" for not debating Smith or others he disagrees with, instead labeling people who don't have the same world views as him.
"We also invite many people who don't support his world view and don't invite the Israeli government," Morgan said.
Shapiro said that Morgan was inviting "Nazis" or "Nazi-adjacent" guests — and that's why Shapiro stopped joining Morgan on his show.
"It's Piers' choice who he decides to have on his show and how he tries to conduct the kind of clown car 'Battle Royale' that he does on his show every night and it's my choice not to join that circus," Shapiro said, saying it had to do with his principles for why he didn't appear on Morgan's show anymore.
Morgan instead described that Shapiro's stance on Israel and the war In Gaza is part of why he's no longer involved in the show, adding that Shapiro has his number and hasn't responded to his messages.
"He lacks the self-awareness to realize that many pro-Palestine contributors got very angry with our show for hosting so-called genocide enablers — like him," Morgan said. "That's exactly why I'm not partisan, and don't want to be. There is more than one view on any emotive or consequential subject. You can't possibly know you're right if you don't know what the other side thinks. That's precisely why free speech exists as a principle we all defend."
"But his own compromising views on Israel, and America's military and political sport for Israel, has turned him into a cancel culture vulture with the very same sneering intolerance that he used to loathe," Morgan said.
Morgan delivered a message to Shapiro directly, using his platform.
"The difference between you and me, Ben, is that I'm heavily criticized by both sides because I listen to both sides and very often I criticize both sides, too, without fear or favor," Morgan said. "You're only criticized by one side because you choose to only air one side and you choose to ignore or even silence the other. I'm a journalist, you are a propagandist. Oh, and facts don't care about your feelings."
Amid his war in Iran, President Donald Trump shared a 2007 video from the so-called Christian prophet Kim Clement.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump described the video as "Kim Clement prophesying about Donald Trump, 2007."
"This that shall take place shall be the most unusual thing, and transfiguration, and going into the marketplace, if you wish, into the news media where Time magazine will have no choice but you say what I want them to say, Newsweek what I want to say, The View what I want to say. Trump shall become a trumpet, says the Lord," Clement says in the video.
"I will raise up the Trump to become a trumpet, and Bill Gates to open up the gate of a financial realm for the church, says the Lord. I will not forget 9-11. I will not forget what took place that day, and I will not forget the gatekeeper that watched over New York who will once again stand and watch over this nation, says the spirit of God."
In the video, Clement predicts "that the man that I place in the highest office shall go in whispering my name, that God said when he enters into the office. He will be shouting out by the power of the spirit, for I shall fill him with my spirit when he goes into office, and there will be a praying man in the highest seat.
"There will be a praying president, not a religious one, but I will fool the people, says the Lord. I will fool the people. Yes, I will. God says, the one that is chosen shall go in, and they shall say he has hot blood," the alleged prophet continues. "But the spirit of God says, yes, he may have heard blood, but he will bring the walls of protection on this country in a greater way, and the economy of this country shall change rapidly, says the Lord of Hosts. Listen to the word of the Lord God.
"I will put it in your helm for two terms, a president who will pray, but he will not be a praying president when he starts. I will put him in office, and then I will baptize him with a holy spirit and my power, says the Lord of hosts. Come on!"
Clement, who died in 2016 at the age of 60, was described as a "false prophet" by fellow Christians.
A GOP senator fired a shot across the bow of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon for going ‘through tens of billions of dollars on impulse purchases” at the end of the fiscal year with multiple purchases drawing scrutiny, reports the conservative Daily Caller.
According to government watchdog Open The Books, the Department of Defense's spending in September reached levels not seen since at least 2008 — a total of $93 billion. The extravagant purchases have taken on new importance now that the Pentagon may be on the verge of depleting its munitions stockpile as Trump's war on Iran escalates.
The waste was staggering. The Pentagon spent over $225 million on furniture alone — the highest amount since 2014. This included $12,000 on fruit basket stands and more than $60,000 on premium Herman Miller chairs.
Dining also received generous funding. The Pentagon purchased $2 million worth of Alaskan king crab in September — a feat the department has accomplished five times during Trump's tenure.
Musical instruments joined the shopping list. A $98,329 Steinway & Sons grand piano, a $26,000 violin, and a $21,750 handmade Japanese flute were among $1.8 million spent on instruments.
The Pentagon also made $6.6 billion in purchases from foreign governments and businesses — over $1 billion more than the previous record of $5.2 billion in September 2023. These expenditures included $3 billion for training classes, janitorial work, and border surveillance, plus $3.6 billion in goods including computer chips and firetrucks.
Open The Books CEO John Hart called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to refocus the department's spending. "Under Secretary Hegseth, the Pentagon has consistently said its mission is to refocus on warfighting and lethality," Hart stated. "Last year, we highlighted the problem of wasteful use-it-or-lose-it year-end spending. We noted that this reform is fully within the secretary's control and is a historic opportunity to make good on that promise."
Republican Iowa Senator Joni Ernst issued a direct rebuke, stating: "If taxpayers are going to be asked to spend $1.5 trillion on defense — nearly as much as the rest of the world combined — Washington must be able to defend how every dollar is being spent. Open the Books' findings that binge-buying bureaucrats at the Pentagon burned through tens of billions of dollars on impulse purchases, like fruit basket stands, footrests, doughnuts by the dozen, and a custom-made flute, demonstrate how much work still needs to be done to meet that goal."
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) vowed that there would be "consequences" for Saudi Arabia if the U.S. ally did not join in the war against Iran.
"The American Embassy is being evacuated in Riyadh because of sustained attacks by Iran against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Graham wrote in a Monday post on X. "It is my understanding the Kingdom refuses to use their capable military as a part of an effort to end the barbaric and terrorist Iranian regime who has terrorized the region and killed 7 Americans."
"Why should America do a defense agreement with a country like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that is unwilling to join a fight of mutual interest?" the senator asked. "Saudi Arabia seems to be issuing statements and doing things in the background that are marginally helpful, but unwilling to participate in military operations to end the reign of terror coming out of Iran."
"Hopefully this changes soon. If not, consequences will follow."
MAGA influencer Steve Bannon lashed out at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after he scoffed at a question from 60 Minutes about whether Iran was an imminent threat to the United States.
"I think much of that discussion is silly and academic," Hegseth told CBS reporter Major Garrett during the Sunday interview.
The answer didn't sit well with Bannon on his Monday broadcast.
"There's just got to be a different messaging," he explained. "It's got to be different information... And let me be specific about that. And you know, I think the world of Pete Hegseth. Nobody fought for Pete Hegseth's confirmation more than this audience and this show."
"That being said, the 60 Minutes interview last night, you just can't sit there and go shine us on about imminent threat," Bannon continued. "Oh yeah, it's not an immigrant threat. No, it doesn't work like that. The people in the messaging part, moreover, they've got to get serious about this."
The MAGA host insisted that the American people would not accept "short-term pain for long-term gain."
"But you're going to start losing people," he noted. "And last night on 60 Minutes, just to kind of shine on imminent threat, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Incorrect, sir. Incorrect, Mr. Pete Hegseth. It was imminent threat, and I'd like to know about that imminent threat."
"Because I think you showed last night, there was not an imminent threat, and now we're in it. Now we're in it," Bannon added.
Republican lawmakers, conservative pundits and military veterans reacted with revulsion over the weekend at comments made by podcaster Tucker Carlson on Friday, in which he predicted that US troops would go on a campaign of sexual assault in Iran if the country agreed to Donald Trump’s “unconditional surrender" terms.
In an interview with “Breaking Points” co-host Saagar Enjeti, the former Fox News personality reacted to the “unconditional surrender” comments amplified by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, by telling the podcast host, “Unconditional surrender means foreign troops get to rape your wife and daughter if they want — and everyone knows that.”
He doubled down by adding, “If there is one consistent lesson of history, it means unconditional surrender means foreign troops get to rape your wife and daughter. Everyone can feel that. That’s like the most atavistic instinct there is. And so to avoid that, people will do anything.”
That drew the attention of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) who posted the clip on X and commented, “Tucker Carlson is truly unhinged. He asserts: (1) if Iran surrenders, American soldiers ‘WILL rape their wives & daughters,’ and (2) Trump is going to use nukes against Iran. This brazen lie is moronic & delusional.”
National Review contributor Pradheep J. Shanker was dumbstruck and wrote, “This is who MAGA still wants to support? A man that think our GIs would rape women...just for the hell of it? Shameful.”
"Tucker Carlson just said @realDonaldTrump seeks unconditional surrender in Iran so that American troops can rape their women and girls. What a disgusting thing to say about both Trump and our military. Tucker is not MAGA. He is bat-s—t crazy,” complained Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) who has his own history of outrageous social media posts.
Jonah Goldberg, founder of the conservative Dispatch, chimed in with: “Tucker has all of these incredibly lazy but shockingly effective rhetorical tricks. He says ‘everyone knows that’ about something everyone doesn’t know and isn't true. He says ‘no reasonable person can disagree’ about a wildly unreasonable claim. I’m always shocked by the people who fall for this c--p.”
“This is moon bat crazy! How can he not know that Germany and Japan both surrendered unconditionally in WWII?! Is he suggesting that American troops then raped all the Japanese and German wives and daughters?? Carlson has lost his mind,“ wrote Washington Times columnist Dr. Everett Piper
Military veteran Green Beret Nap Time took Carlson’s comments personally and argued, “This is the most vile and disgusting thing he could have possibly said. He’s claiming to be ‘America First’ but then saying that our troops would rape women and children in Iran if they surrender. Got it. You. Do. Not. Hate. These. People. Enough.”
