'Clear signal of defiance' shows Trump attacks are backfiring: analyst

03/10/26 10:45 AM

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?"

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

03/09/26 4:17 PM

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.

'Knock it off':  Retired general slams Marco Rubio for 'waste of time' ego boosting

03/10/26 12:18 PM

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.” - YouTube youtu.be

'Nuts!' Joe Rogan hits Trump over 'insane' Iran war

03/10/26 8:18 PM

Podcaster Joe Rogan slammed President Donald Trump for waging an "insane" series of strikes in Iran after running for election by promising not to start wars for regime change.During a Tuesday conversation on Rogan's podcast, author Michael Shellenberger said he had scrapped a column on the war in Iran because Trump's reasoning was unclear."But it's not clear that they're really out for regime change or they're just asserting power," he explained. "I mean, some of it's art of the deal, changing the person that we're negotiating with. That's Venezuela and Iran. Is it really going to change those regimes? I don't think — most people don't think so, but I'm not sure that that's what they're going for.""Well, neither thing made any sense to me," Rogan replied. "The Venezuela thing, I mean, look, they wanted him out forever.""They go in, kidnap him, get him out," he continued. "This one's nuts. Like, and what's happening in Tel Aviv. It's hard to know what's real and what's not because there's a lot of fake video going around and a lot of weird posts on X.""They might say that we want that or whatever, but that's not ultimately; they're not acting on the basis of achieving regime change," Shellenberger insisted."But just seems so insane based on what he ran on," Rogan remarked. "I mean, this is why a lot of people feel betrayed, right? He ran on no more wars and these stupid, senseless wars, and then we have one that we can't even really clearly defined why we did it."

'Religious war! It's on!' MAGA ecstatic as Hegseth invokes Bible in Iran war

03/10/26 2:46 PM

Pro-MAGA morning hosts David Brody, Gina Loudon, and Terrence Bates expressed full-throated support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's "religious war" in Iran after he quoted scripture to support the U.S. strikes."Religious war! It's on!" Brody exclaimed during a Real America's Voice segment following Hegseth's Tuesday briefing. "I'm telling you that's happening. We've always looked at this from a Judeo-Christian standpoint, as relates to spiritual warfare. We know that God is richly blessed America.""The fact that Pete Hegseth quoted Psalm 144, quoted the Bible, you've got Iran quoting the Koran," he continued. "They believe that this is all, they think they're going to heaven with 77 or whatever it is, virgins and all that. You know, they're not, by the way.""Gina, I'm telling you, and I think you agree with this, that this is being now going to be cloaked as a religious war.""Do you think that's a bad thing, David Brody?" Loudon wondered."No!" Brody insisted. "I think he just feels that God is looking over the United States of America, and the fact that he would actually go there, I think, suggests that there's going to be a lot of, that's adding some fuel to the fire.""Having said that, no, we don't. And what I mean by that is straight up. Pete Hegseth is absolutely correct that God has been watching out for the United States of America. We don't go by the Koran. We go from the Bible, and that is accurate, what he's saying."Loudon agreed: "I think the minute we shy from the fact that this is a Christian nation is the minute we remove God's hand and protection. And so I agree with you. I think we go bullish on this.""Yeah, I mean, the reality is this is a religious war from the perspective of the Iranians, and God has us protected," Bates chimed in. "And so we are operating in the right.""So kudos to President Trump. And kudos to Secretary Hegseth for invoking the Bible," he added, "in this religious war, because that's ultimately what it is. That's just the reality, whether we want to admit it or not."

'Spooked' Trump 'looking for exit ramp' in Iran as gas prices shock: lawmaker

03/10/26 3:22 PM

Rising gas prices have put President Donald Trump and his administration in a panic, a lawmaker said Tuesday. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer that, as the U.S.-Israel war in Iran moves into its second week and Americans are paying more at the gas pump, Trump was looking for a way out. Blitzer asked Warner, who was briefed on military operations, what Trump's potential exit strategy might be. "I don't have a clear timeline," Warner said. "If the timeline was going to be actually to meet the four goals that the administration has laid out, that will take an indeterminate amount of time."It appeared yesterday, because the president was spooked about the rising gas prices — you know, about $125 million a day — Americans are paying additional gas prices and that he was looking for an exit ramp that seemed to last a little while. "It seems we're back today to Hegseth saying you know, 'we're going to have the biggest attack of all of the war so far today.' And clearly, if they're going to meet the goals, we've got a great deal of time to come."

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

03/09/26 3:13 PM

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."Alright, guys, well, welcome back to the channel," the MAGA influencer began. "Right now, we are in Erewhon, which is in LA. This is to be an Erewhon video. and everything I get from Erewhon... Erewhon is the most expensive grocery store, pretty much out there. Everything's crazy expensive."At one point, the president's granddaughter joked that the shipping trip was so expensive that she would have to "file for bankruptcy."The spree came as a war in Iran started by Kai Trump's grandfather was causing gas prices to spike to over $3 a gallon in many states.Commenters on X blasted her for the "tone deaf" shopping trip."Time to enlist, girly," one person wrote."Give me a break. Put a uniform on," Tracey Gallagher agreed.

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

03/09/26 11:40 AM

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.

'You're running hot': J6er shocks Alex Jones by calling for death of Zohran Mamdani

03/09/26 7:35 PM

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."

11 Of The Best Things To Do In London This Mother's Day And Paddy's Day Weekend

03/17/23 5:02 PM

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