World

Lindsey Graham threatens Saudi Arabia with 'consequences' if it doesn't join Iran war

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."

Keep reading... Show less

'Incorrect, Mr. Pete Hegseth': Steve Bannon lashes out at Trump's defense secretary

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.

Keep reading... Show less

Conservatives flip out as MAGA icon makes 'truly unhinged' prediction about US troops

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.”

Keep reading... Show less

'Tone deaf' Trump granddaughter flaunts Secret Service on 'crazy expensive' shopping trip

Kai Trump, the granddaughter of the president of the United States, made a video bragging about taking her Secret Service agents on a luxury shopping trip.

In a 20-minute YouTube video titled "I Brought My Secret Service to Erewhon," Kai Trump shared her experience shopping at the upscale grocery chain.

Keep reading... Show less

'WTF?' Trump's Pentagon furious as ally blindsides it with major war escalation

Pentagon war planners were blindsided by the scope of Israeli strikes on Iran, sparking the first significant rift between the U.S. and Israeli militaries since the conflict began eight days ago.

According to Axios, the Israeli Defense Forces destroyed an estimated 30 fuel depots during the offensive Saturday — far more extensive than what U.S. military officials expected when Israel provided advance notice of the strikes.

A senior U.S. official bluntly stated, "We don't think it was a good idea." An Israeli official characterized the American reaction as: "WTF?"

Pentagon strategists are concerned that destroying infrastructure serving ordinary Iranians could backfire strategically, potentially unifying Iranian society behind the regime while simultaneously driving global oil prices higher — a political liability Trump desperately wants to avoid.

"The president doesn't like the attack. He wants to save the oil. He doesn't want to burn it. And it reminds people of higher gas prices," a Trump adviser told Axios.

The scale of the destruction has alarmed even Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a consistent war supporter. Graham posted on X: "Please be cautious about what targets you select. Our goal is to liberate the Iranian people in a fashion that does not cripple their chance to start a new and better life when this regime collapses. The oil economy of Iran will be essential to that endeavor."

The disagreement between the allies is expected to be addressed at senior political levels as both nations confront the unintended consequences of the escalating air campaign.

Trump gets warning he's triggered unplanned crisis — and it could 'destabilize the world'

A pitch from Donald Trump to present himself as the strongman of the Middle East could destabilize the world, a political analyst has warned.

Though the U.S. joined Israel with a series of strikes on Iran, longer-term changes in the Middle East could prove troublesome for other world leaders not involved in the conflict. CNN analysts Stephen Collinson, Kylie Atwood, and Tal Shalev, suggest the strong-arming Trump has used to pull the U.S. into war with the Middle East could affect the wider world, irrespective of success.

Keep reading... Show less

'He blew it': President found to have tossed away 'golden opportunity' to stop Iran war

Even some conservatives are sounding the alarm after a report revealed that Donald Trump apparently threw away a "golden opportunity" to de-escalate a global conflict and bring an end to the Iran war.

It started with a report from Trita Parsi, an Iranian-Swedish writer and political analyst, who sought to reveal what happened with Iran issuing a reconciliation video to its neighboring nations. When that dropped, Trump seized on the opportunity to humiliate Iran, but Parsi shows how that could have been the wrong move.

Keep reading... Show less

Trump ally stuns with war proclamation: 'We're going to blow the hell out of these people'

Senator Lindsey Graham issued a stark warning during a Fox News interview, suggesting the United States and Israel are planning significant military escalation in the coming weeks.

"You just wait to see what comes the next two weeks," Graham told host Maria Bartiromo, refusing to elaborate on his cryptic statement.

Keep reading... Show less

WSJ exposes Lindsey Graham for 'coaching' foreign leader on lobbying Trump for war

Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has been exposed by the Wall Street Journal for "coaching" a foreign leader on how to influence Donald Trump.

The WSJ ahead of the weekend published a story called, "Lindsey Graham's Quest to Sell Trump on Striking Iran." In that piece, there is a nugget about the senator engaging in a campaign to help Netanyahu to persuade Trump to launch an Iran war.

Keep reading... Show less

Putin has 'renewed swagger' after Trump hands him a big win: WSJ

Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin’s declining fortunes have taken a major turn for the better because Donald Trump’s war on Iran has given the staggering Russian economy a shot in the arm as oil prices lurch upward.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Russian crude that was languishing unsold just days ago has become a hot commodity. The U.S. has eased sanctions on Russian oil, opening the door for key buyers to increase purchases. With oil and natural gas prices surging, Russian producers are reaping substantial profits.

The shift is already visible in global markets. In India, traders who previously demanded steep discounts to purchase Russian oil are now attempting to sell at prices above global benchmarks—a dramatic reversal.

"The longer that this conflict goes on, the world will increasingly rely on both Russian crude oil and Russian refined products," said Naveen Das, senior crude analyst at Kpler.

Emboldened by his suddenly improved fortunes, Putin has grown more aggressive with "renewed swagger' on the global energy stage. He has threatened to cut off remaining energy supplies to Europe before the continent's deadline to eliminate Russian LNG and pipeline gas imports by 2027.

"Other markets are opening now," Putin declared on state television Wednesday. "If they shut us down in a month or two, wouldn't it be better to stop now and move to those countries that are reliable partners?"

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Friday that the Iran conflict has directly fueled demand for Russian energy products.

Global benchmark Brent crude has surged nearly 30 percent since the attacks began. While higher prices normally benefit all oil producers, disruption in the Gulf has crippled Russia's primary competitors in that region, leaving Moscow uniquely positioned to capitalize on the crisis.

You can read more here.

Trump's White House is sitting on report warning of heightened threats in the US: report

The White House has blocked the release of a joint intelligence bulletin warning state and local authorities of elevated terror threats stemming from Trump's military assault on Iran, according to the Daily Mail.

A five-page report compiled by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the National Counterterrorism Center was scheduled for Friday release but has been indefinitely held up by Trump officials.

Keep reading... Show less

Trump put Noem in the corner during 'Shield of the Americas' special envoy debut

Newly appointed “Special Envoy for the Shield of Americas” Kristi Noem made her debut in Florida Saturday morning to witness Donald Trump promote his new “Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere,” but was not invited to the lectern to speak to the assembled South American dignitaries despite her lofty status.

That led to MS NOW’s Ali Velshi to smirk at her exclusion because Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were invited to stand with the president, as well as speak, during the ceremonies, while Noem sat in the audience.

Keep reading... Show less

Leaked classified report undercut Trump's Iran plans a week before he started war: WaPo

Three members of the Donald Trump administration have confirmed to the Washington Post that a classified document created by the National Intelligence Council poured cold water on the president’s hopes about regime change in Iran following his war launch.

According to the Post, the warning was completed a week before the president gave the go-ahead for the Department of Defense, under Secretary Pete Hegseth to proceed with the bombings on February 28th.

The classified report examined succession scenarios under two potential military scenarios: a targeted campaign against Iran's leadership or a broader assault on its government institutions. In both cases, intelligence analysts concluded that "Iran's clerical and military establishment would respond to the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by following protocols designed to preserve continuity of power," according to those familiar with the findings.

The National Intelligence Council comprises veteran intelligence analysts tasked with producing classified assessments representing the combined judgment of Washington's 18 intelligence agencies.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly dismissed the implications in a statement to the Post, asserting: "President Trump and the administration have clearly outlined their goals with regard to Operation Epic Fury: destroy Iran's ballistic missiles and production capacity, demolish their navy, end their ability to arm proxies, and prevent them from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon. The Iranian regime is being absolutely crushed."

Suzanne Maloney, an Iran scholar and vice president at the Brookings Institution, characterized the NIC assessment as credible, stating: "It sounds like a deeply informed assessment of the Iranian system and the institutions and processes that have been established for many years."

Keep reading... Show less