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CNN Commentator Suggests He’ll Run for Senate if Trump Tells Him To

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CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings signaled that he would run for Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) seat in 2026 if President Donald Trump tells him to.

During an interview with Jennings on the Real America’s Voice show Bolling!, host Eric Bolling asked, “A lot of people are floating your name to take over, to jump into Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat next year in ’26. You thinking about it?”

“Yeah, I haven’t made any announcements about that,” replied Jennings, who worked as a special assistant for former President George W. Bush. “There’s three people in the race, I know them all, like them all, have been in and out of their lives in varying degrees over the years. I’ve supported them all in various endeavors, so I’m confident the seat will remain Republican.”

He continued, “I do think politics is a team sport, and I think Trump’s the head coach. And eventually he’s gonna weigh in on this, and my political advice would be to anybody, you know, if he calls a play, we’re gonna have to run it. I wouldn’t want to run against the president in Kentucky. So, I don’t really have any announcement about it at the moment.”

After Bolling pressed, “If Trump taps you, you’re gonna run?” Jennings said cryptically, “I pay very close attention to everything the president says.”

McConnell, who has held his Senate seat since 1985, announced in February he would not seek re-election in 2026 amid growing concerns over his health.

Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and businessman Nate Morris have all declared their candidacy in the race.

Trump Threatens Lawsuit Over Wall Street Journal Epstein Story

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President Trump means business…

President Donald Trump is suing The Wall Street Journal after it published a story about his relationship with deceased financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

The Journal reviewed an album containing 50th birthday greetings to Epstein from his associates in 2003. That album was compiled by Epstein’s friend, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for child trafficking.

“Pages from the leather-bound album—assembled before Epstein was first arrested in 2006—are among the documents examined by Justice Department officials who investigated Epstein and Maxwell years ago, according to people who have reviewed the pages,” the publication stated. “It’s unclear if any of the pages are part of the Trump administration’s recent review.”

One of those well-wishers was Trump, who sent Epstein a birthday letter that contained a drawing of a nude woman:

The letter bearing Trump’s name, which was reviewed by the Journal, is bawdy—like others in the album. It contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appears to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker. A pair of small arcs denotes the woman’s breasts, and the future president’s signature is a squiggly “Donald” below her waist, mimicking pubic hair.

The letter concludes: “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”

The message also contained an imaginary dialogue between Trump and Epstein:

“Voice Over: There must be more to life than having everything,” the note began.

Donald: Yes, there is, but I won’t tell you what it is.

Jeffrey: Nor will I, since I also know what it is.

Donald: We have certain things in common, Jeffrey.

Jeffrey: Yes, we do, come to think of it.

Donald: Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?

Jeffrey: As a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you.

Trump: A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.

Trump denied he drew the photo and threatened to sue the Journal:

“I’m gonna sue The Wall Street Journal just like I sued everyone else.”

The Justice Department last week released a memo concluding there was no evidence suggesting the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender kept a “client list” to blackmail high-profile individuals. The memo also found no evidence to suggest foul play in Epstein’s death, which had previously been ruled a suicide.

The memo spurred fierce backlash from many Trump supporters, who had long called on the government to release material on Epstein that they argue would expose wrongdoing at the highest level of elite circles.

Trump has brushed aside calls to reveal more information about the Epstein case and has shown increasing frustration when asked about it over the past week.

“You mentioned past supporters when you were talking about the Epstein issue. Does that mean that you’re effectively disowning any supporters who are now calling—” a reporter asked Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

Trump cut off the question and added, “I’ve lost a lot of faith in certain people, yeah, I’ve lost. Because they got duped by the Democrats.”

(edited)

Tucker Carlson Holds Funeral for Dan Bongino’s Career Following Epstein Outburst

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Dan Bongino via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Is FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino circling the drain? His former Fox News colleague says so.

On Sunday, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson essentially hosted a funeral for Bongino’s career and credibility after the former Fox contributor reportedly threatened to resign over Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

On Culture Apothecary, host Alex Clark asked Carlson to weigh in on the feud.

“Well, as we’re recording this, Dan Bongino is threatening to resign if Pam Bondi does not resign as AG. What does that tell us, in your opinion?” she inquired.

“Well, it tells us that Dan Bongino got shafted, completely shafted. And I’m saying this as a friend of his, and someone who respects and likes him, but also just as an observer, I’m an informed observer of it,” replied Carlson. “So Pam Bondi, who’s, by the way, I don’t hate Pam Bondi, she’s a totally nice person. If he was here, you would enjoy-, I don’t know if you know her, but she’s a very nice person. I’m not against Pam Bondi in the slightest. But the fact is she got on television on Fox News and started saying stuff like, ‘I’ve got the client list on my desk!’ And actually, no, you don’t. And, ‘I’ve got thousands of videos of Epstein having sex with kids.’ Well, actually, no, you don’t. Most of the material was commercial porn taken off his computer. Like, that’s just not true. Why did she say that? Probably because she’s insecure and she’s trying to please the audience, I would expect.”

“Do you think Dan is upset because his integrity is being questioned now over her mistake?” followed up Clark.

“Of course! Oh my gosh! So you’re Dan, and you’re a media figure, and you’ve got one of the biggest podcasts in the country, and you’re making tons of money, and you’re having a great time — which he was. You just built this brand new studio in Florida, you work with your wife who you really like, which he does, and you get the call saying, ‘You be deputy FBI director,’ and you’re like, ‘I love Donald Trump, I love this country. I will cut my pay into a 10th of what it was, and I will leave my house and move to D.C.,’ which is a kind of prison sentence itself,” answered Carlson. “‘And I will do this because I love the president, I love the country,’ and you’re there a few months, and all of a sudden everybody thinks you’re covering up Epstein’s crimes, and it kind of wrecks Dan’s career. Like he can’t go back-, it’s gonna be very hard at this point, I mean, things may change, but as of today, pretty hard for Dan to go back to his podcast audience and be like, ‘I’m telling you the truth,’ when they all think that he’s covering up for Epstein.”

“Who did that? Pam Bondi did that,” he added, before going on to say he “feel[s]” for Bongino.

The Justice Department last week released a memo concluding there was no evidence suggesting the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender kept a “client list” to blackmail high-profile individuals. The memo also found no evidence to suggest foul play in Epstein’s death, which had previously been ruled a suicide.

The memo spurred fierce backlash from many Trump supporters, who had long called on the government to release material on Epstein that they argue would expose wrongdoing at the highest level of elite circles.

Dan Bongino, the Deputy Director of the FBI, reportedly threatened to leave the bureau if Attorney General Pam Bondi remains on the job due to her handling of the Epstein files, a source close to Bongino told The Daily Wire.

One source close to Bongino predicted to Axios, “He ain’t coming back.”

CNN reports that Trump — who has been desperate to move past the Epstein story — was furious at Bongino, as well as FBI Director Kash Patel. Vice President JD Vance reportedly tried to hammer out a peace between the administration’s top Justice Department officials. But CNN reports that Bongino is still very much hanging by a thread.

“It remains to be seen if Bongino ultimately resigns, which he told others he was considering,” the CNN report stated. “But sources say his relationship with the White House has become basically untenable. Even if he does not quit now, some inside the administration believe he will not stay in the job long-term.”

However, President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believes FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is “in good shape” following a reported clash with Attorney General Pam Bondi.

“I spoke to him today,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. “Dan Bongino, very good guy. I’ve known him a long time. I’ve done his show many, many times. And he sounded terrific actually. No, I think he’s in good shape.”

Watch:
Discussion of the Epstein files begins around 14:14 in the video.

Elon Musk Claims Steve Bannon Is ‘Going Back to Prison’ for a ‘Long Time’

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Thor Brødreskift / Nordiske Mediedager, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Billionaire CEO Elon Musk’s public feud with Steve Bannon is not fizzling out.

Elon Musk took to X to claim that Steve Bannon is “going back to prison” as tensions between Musk and President Donald Trump continue to escalate.

“Bannon is going back to prison. This time for a long time,” Musk wrote in response to a user saying Bannon wants to “nationalize” Musk’s Space X.

The post Musk was replied to was itself a response to a Truth Social post in which Trump that targeted Musk. The president claimed once again that Musk’s problem with his Big Beautiful Bill budget is that it cuts electric vehicle mandates. Musk and Trump’s relationship has soured over the bill, with Musk calling it an “abomination” that will add to the national debt. Trump has hit back by teasing looking into cutting Musk’s government contracts.

The poll Bannon referenced brought in more than 1.2 million votes, with around 65% backing Musk’s idea for “the America Party.”

Musk further explained, “One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts. Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring that they serve the true will of the people.”

In a July 5 early morning X post, Musk again called for Bannon to go to prison, something that’s become fairly regular for Musk.

Bannon previously served four months behind bars last year for contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with a subpoena from a congressional subcommittee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Billionaire Elon Musk announced the launch of his new political party on Saturday, but has yet to share any further details on how he plans to navigate the red tape to establish a viable alternative.

Elon Musk’s plan to launch a new US political party could split the Republicans, Donald Trump’s allies have warned.

Musk, who until recently was a key Trump ally, said the America Party would adopt a “laser focus” on winning a handful of Senate seats and House districts in a bid to sway key votes on legislation.

Stacey Abrams Claims Trump Will Turn US Into Autocracy

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Failed gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams recently claimed President Trump is attempting to shift the United States from a democracy to an autocracy.

Abrams appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” where guest host Anthony Anderson asked her to explain the “10 steps to autocracy.”

Abrams said her 10 steps apply to “every nation that has become an autocracy having been a democracy,” specifically referencing Brazil India, Russia, and the Philippines.

“Start with winning an election,” Abrams said. “Usually the last one you’ll get to have for real.”

Office of U.S. House Speaker, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Abrams’ next steps included expanding executive power and weakening Congress and the judicial branch.

“Like, I don’t know, the Supreme Court is giving you unfettered power and saying we don’t have the ability to stop things,” Abrams said, presumably referencing the recent Supreme Court ruling limiting nationwide injunctions.

Abrams then conveniently avoided mentioning former President Joe Biden, who notably ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down his student loan forgiveness plan.

Abrams then said autocracies then “gut the civil service” to “break democracy” and put loyalists in the FBI “so they go after your enemies.”

She again failed to mention that under the Biden administration, Trump was charged in four criminal cases that were widely viewed as political prosecutions.

Abrams said that Trump “[going] after DEI” was evidence that he was looking for someone to blame, which she said was another hallmark of autocracies.

She then suggested Trump’s mobilization of the National Guard and the U.S. Marines in Los Angeles was one step away from a full autocracy.

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“You send the U.S. Marines into spaces where they should not be, you send the National Guard in, you kidnap people off of the streets and pretend that’s normal,” Abrams said.

“Once you’ve done those nine steps, step 10 is easy,” Abrams said. “That’s when you decide there won’t be new elections because everyone’s either afraid, poor, broken, or complicit.”

Abrams has claimed dozens of times that the 2018 gubernatorial election was stolen from her. In 2019, she said, “I didn’t lose. I got the votes. But we won’t know exactly how many because of how they cheated.”

Paramount Settles ’60 Minutes’ Lawsuit With Trump

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

CBS parent company Paramount announced on Tuesday that it would pay President Donald Trump $16 million to settle his lawsuit against the company over a 2024 interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris.

The $16 million “includes Mr. Trump’s legal fees and costs and that the money, minus the legal fees, will be paid to Mr. Trump’s future presidential library,” according to a Paramount statement obtained by the New York Times,

Paramount will also “release transcripts of ’60 Minutes’ interviews with eligible U.S. presidential candidates after such interviews have aired, subject to redactions as required for legal or national security concerns,” according to the Times, which reported that the settlement would not include an apology to Trump.

While Paramount will pay at least $16 million as part of the settlement, Fox News reported that the total amount of money “could reach north of $30 million” in total.

“There is an expectation that there will be another allocation in the mid-eight figures set aside for advertisements, public service announcements, or other similar transmissions, in support of conservative causes by the network,” according to the network.

Sources close to the situation told Fox News Digital that CBS has agreed to update its editorial standards to install a mandatory new rule. Going forward, the network will promptly release full, unedited transcripts of future presidential candidates’ interviews. People involved in the settlement talks have referred to this as the “Trump Rule.” 

“With this record settlement, President Donald J. Trump delivers another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit. CBS and Paramount Global realized the strength of this historic case and had no choice but to settle. President Trump will always ensure that no one gets away with lying to the American People as he continues on his singular mission to Make America Great Again,” a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team told Fox News Digital. 

“The settlement will include a release of all claims regarding any CBS reporting through the date of the settlement, including the Texas action and the threatened defamation action,” parent company Paramount said in a statement.

In his lawsuit, Trump accused the company of interfering in the 2024 presidential election after it deceitfully edited a teaser for an interview with Harris in a way that made it look as though the then-vice president had given a different answer to a question.

In May, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump’s team had rejected a $15 million settlement offer and wanted “more than $25 million,” along with an apology from the company.

Trump confidently declared the case against CBS a “winner” in April.

“They cheated and defrauded the American People at levels never seen before in the Political Arena. Kamala Harris, during Early Voting and, immediately before Election Day, was asked a question, and gave an answer, that was so bad and incompetent that it would have cost her many of the Votes that she ended up getting,” Trump posted on Truth Social ahead of mediation, going on to accuse the newsmagazine of perpetrating a fraud on the American people.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff Accuses CNN’s Anonymous Sources of ‘Treason’

CNN Headquarters via Wikimedia Commons

U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff accused several anonymous CNN sources of “treason” on Tuesday.

In an exclusive report from CNN, three sources briefed on intelligence of the operation claimed that the damage done to Iran’s nuclear program “likely only set it back by months” despite Trump’s claims to have “completely and totally obliterated” it by U.S. bombing.

“This leaked intel assessment, it’s an early look at what was actually accomplished on the ground,” said Fox News host Laura Ingraham during an interview with Witkoff. “But it was leaked. Somebody decided to leak this from the DIA and it’s being used in the media, and it’s all over today, that, ‘Aha, Trump said it obliterated, but it’s not obliterated. It’s set back months, but it’s not over.’”

Witkoff replied, “Well, it goes without saying that leaking that type of information, whatever the information, whatever site it comes out on, is outrageous. It’s treasonous. So it ought to be investigated, and whoever did it, whoever’s responsible for it should be held accountable.”

He concluded, “It could hurt lives in the future. This leaking is a completely unacceptable thing.”

CNN spoke to seven anonymous sources in total, who described the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA) assessment of the Trump administration’s strikes. Two of the sources “said Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed,” according to the CNN report, while “one of the people said the centrifuges are largely ‘intact.’”

“Another source said that the intelligence assessed enriched uranium was moved out of the sites prior to the US strikes,” CNN reported.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth lashed out at CNN’s report, calling it “flat-out wrong.”

“This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community,” Leavitt said. “The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”

While Leavitt tried to pin the leak on a single source, CNN — in its report — cited “three people briefed” on the U.S. intelligence assessment.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in a separate statement, likewise claimed the sites were leveled in the blasts:

Based on everything we have seen and I’ve seen it all, our bombing campaign obliterated Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons. Our massive bombs hit exactly the right spot at each target and worked perfectly. The impact of those bombs is buried under a mountain of rubble in Iran. So anyone who says the bombs were not devastating is just trying to undermine the president and the successful mission.

In a statement to Mediaite, a CNN spokesperson said, “CNN stands by our thorough reporting on an early intelligence assessment of the recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which has since been confirmed by other news organizations. The White House has acknowledged the existence of the assessment, and their statement is included in our story.”

Conservative Pundit Candace Owens Says She’s Embarrassed She Supported Trump

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Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

The MAGA base is split over President Trump’s recent foreign policy moves…

Popular conservative pundit Candace Owens said she’s “embarrassed” she supported Donald Trump in the 2024 election following his decision to bomb multiple nuclear facilities in Iran.

“This is not the candidate that I voted for,” Owens told Morgan in a wide-ranging interview on his YouTube show Piers Morgan Uncensored.

Owens has long been a supporter of the president and was among the many prominent media supporters that urged Trump to stay out of the conflict. This faction of the MAGA movement noted that Trump campaigned on extracting the United States from foreign conflicts, and clashed with pro-war supporters of the president like Laura Loomer, who recently dubbed Owens, “Tehran Candy.”

“It’s all of the same rhetoric dating back to 9/11. All of the same tactic trying to smear people who are against this war as ‘jihadists,’” Owens told Morgan, arguing that conflict between Israel and Iran was “simply not our business.”

“There was no imminent threat to the United States when Trump made this decision to do what Bibi wanted,” Owens said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “This was not Trump’s decision it was Bibi Netanyahu’s decision. And that is the reason that he did it. We’re very aware that Israel is dictating our foreign policy, and we’d now like that to stop.”

Owens, who first voiced opposition to the United States’ potential bombing last week, said she now sees her support of Trump in a different light.

“He’s been a chronic disappointment,” said Owens. “And I feel embarrassed that I told people to go vote for him because this wasn’t going to happen and it is happening.”

Owens said there was “no imminent threat” to the United States while slamming Trump’s Sunday strikes. However, Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and others have alleged that Iran was nowhere near obtaining nuclear weapon capability, which the president adamantly denied.

“I don’t care what she said. I think they were very close to having one,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday.

Watch:

Other well-known voices within the MAGA base have also criticized the President’s recent move against Iran.

Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) engaged in an explosive argument with Fox News host Mark Levin online which eventually spilled over to another interview on One America News.

Speaking to OAN’s The Matt Gaetz Show, Greene stepped up the MAGA civil war by laying into Levin and questioning his support for President Donald Trump.

The two conservatives have clashed over Levin’s support Trump’s bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, while Greene has opposed it. She told CNN on Monday: “I got elected on the exact same campaign promises that President Trump got elected on. We promised: no more foreign wars, no more regime change.”

Earlier in the day, she wrote in a lengthy post on X that Trump’s decision to authorize US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend “feels like a complete bait and switch” on the MAGA agenda.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Stirs GOP Infighting With Latest Attack On ‘Screeching’ Fox News Host

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It’s a war of words…

Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) engaged in an explosive argument with Fox News host Mark Levin online which eventually spilled over to another interview on One America News.

Speaking to OAN’s The Matt Gaetz Show, Greene stepped up the MAGA civil war by laying into Levin and questioning his support for President Donald Trump.

The two conservatives have clashed over Levin’s support Trump’s bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, while Greene has opposed it. She told CNN on Monday: “I got elected on the exact same campaign promises that President Trump got elected on. We promised: no more foreign wars, no more regime change.”

Earlier in the day, she wrote in a lengthy post on X that Trump’s decision to authorize US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend “feels like a complete bait and switch” on the MAGA agenda.

Greene was asked if Trump risks alienating his MAGA base to which the Republican lawmaker acknowledged a “very big divide” among Republican voters, noting younger generations are more “skeptical.”

“We’ve been lied to too many times, and I think it’s right to be skeptical,” she said.

The Fox News host has also been taking shots at Greene on his X account, including one from earlier this month that read, “Who died and named Marjorie Taylor Greene the queen of MAGA?… You’re a little known politician from Georgia. Hate to break the news to you. We’re Team Trump. Go Trump!”

On Monday, Greene told Gaetz, “I can’t believe that Fox News allows one of their hosts to go around and call me names on his social media. That is so unprofessional and it really speaks to what kind of media company Fox News is.”

“Mark Levin, obviously, he was a NeverTrumper from the beginning,” she said. “He hated Donald Trump. He was totally against him and tried to stop him from becoming president, but yet now somehow Mark Levin is the voice of MAGA?”

She continued, “I don’t think so, Matt. You and I, Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, all of us have been fighting hard to stay on these America-first policies and stay out of foreign wars. We’re MAGA, we’re the voice of MAGA, and the people totally agree with us.”

The Georgia lawmaker then attacked Levin’s speaking voice and ratings.

“It doesn’t matter what Mark Levin actually has to say. People don’t watch his show. I don’t know anyone that watches his show, and his screeching is absolutely unbearable, but I think Fox News needs to reel him in, although I won’t expect much out of them.”

Greene also criticised Fox’s ongoing coverage of the Middle East conflict.

Levin responded to Greene’s comments on his own radio show on Monday. “Marjorie Taylor Greene has to be one of the dumbest people that ever served in the House of Representatives. The stupidity that comes out of that woman’s mouth is hard to imagine,” he said.

He then continued to double down on X account on Monday: “MTG, God are you stupid,” he wrote. “And you keep banging your head against the wall. Thankfully, POTUS ignored you and hit the Iranian nuclear sites. You seem very upset about it. I’m not going away. You’re on my radar.”

In an earlier spat on X on Monday, the pair had argued over their opposing thoughts on the bombing of Iran.

As the pair exchanged posts, Levin hit back to Greene, “You should come out from under your rock more often. The fact that you say you don’t know anyone who was killed by Iran is a damnable and contemptible libel to say about those who have died at their hands. As if they never existed. They have names. They have families.”

He concluded, “You can post as many one-liners as your small brain produces, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re despicable.”

Trump Says He Rejected Putin’s Offer to Help Negotiate Israel-Iran Conflict

Kremlin.ru, via Wikimedia Commons

Trump is not quite ready to get his hands dirty…

On Wednesday, President Trump said he had declined an offer from Russian leader Vladimir Putin to help with negotiations with Iran and Israel.

President Donald Trump spoke about the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict during an impromptu press conference on the White House lawn on Wednesday after he visited with some construction workers putting up new flag poles on the ground.

At one point in the exchange, Trump boasted about the U.S. achieving dominance over Iran’s skies before pivoting to discuss a recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I mean, they’re totally defenseless. They have no air defense whatsoever. They’re totally captured. You know, we’ve totally captured the air,” Trump said of Iran’s airspace.

Trump then called on a reporter for another question, who asked, “Mr. President, you’ve been fairly compassionate towards the Iranian people—”

“I know a lot of people from Iran, from New York, from Washington, mostly from New York. They are incredible people. They’re smart, they’re energetic, they can be difficult, but so can you. You know, they are great people, smart people. And those people are getting the hell beat out of them now. And it’s really a shame. It’s so stupid. It’s stupid. This is another one. You know, Russia-Ukraine is so stupid, would have never happened if I was president,” Trump replied.

“You guys agree with that, right?” added the president, turning to the construction workers for reassurance.

“Would have never happened if I were president. Putin wouldn’t have done it. And I spoke to him yesterday, and I said, you know, he actually offered to help mediate. I said, ‘Do me a favor. Mediate your own. Let’s mediate Russia first, OK?’ I said, ‘Vladimir. Let’s mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later.’ But I think that’s going to work out, too, but so many people have been killed. The big thing with that one is far more people are dead than have been reported in the Ukraine-Russia. Many, many more people. A building falls down, they say nobody was hurt, you know. So, it’s ridiculous,” Trump concluded.

A different reporter then asked, “What does ‘unconditional surrender’ mean?”

“Well, you know what it means, ‘unconditional surrender.’ Two very simple words. A very simple, ‘unconditional surrender.’ That means I’ve had it. Okay, I’ve had it, I give up, no more. Then we go blow up all the nuclear stuff that’s all over the place there. No, they had bad intentions. You know, for 40 years they’ve been saying, ‘Death to America, Death to Israel,’ death to anybody else that they didn’t like,” Trump replied

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The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejected President Donald Trump’s calls for unconditional surrender on Wednesday.

“It isn’t wise to tell the Iranian nation to surrender,” he posted to X. “What should the Iranian nation surrender to? We will never surrender in response to the attacks of anyone. This is the logic of the Iranian nation. This is the spirit of the Iranian nation.”

In another tweet, he criticized Trump for his “absurd rhetoric” and “demands that the Iranian people surrender to him,” adding that he should “make threats against those who are afraid of being threatened. The Iranian nation isn’t frightened by such threats.”

So far, Israel has killed at least 20 of Iran’s top military leaders, damaged key nuclear facilities, destroyed more than a third of Iran’s missile launchers, and hit over 1,100 targets around Iran.