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    Trump Smuggled Off Air Force One Amid Reported Iranian Missile Plot

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    President Donald Trump answers questions from members of the media aboard Air Force One en route to Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, for a rally on the economy, Tuesday, December 9, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    President Donald Trump appeared to board Air Force One in Ankara and prepare for an ordinary flight home.

    Then he vanished.

    Shortly before the presidential jet departed Turkey on July 8, Trump was secretly moved from the aircraft with the help of an airport catering truck and taken to a smaller military plane, according to explosive new reporting.

    The covert switch followed intelligence about a reported Iranian plot to target the president’s aircraft as it left the Turkish capital.

    CBS News reported that U.S. intelligence had detected a credible plan involving Iran and its allied proxies to fire a missile at the plane carrying Trump.

    Trump had already acknowledged the danger during the NATO summit, describing himself as Iran’s “number one target.”

    A Presidential-Scale Decoy

    Television cameras captured Trump climbing the stairs of the older, blue-and-white Air Force One at Ankara Esenboğa Airport. A catering truck could be seen parked against the opposite side of the aircraft.

    Minutes later, the truck pulled away and drove toward another U.S. government plane—an Air Force C-32A, according to The Washington Post, which first revealed the deception operation.

    Trump flew to a refueling stop in the United Kingdom aboard the smaller plane. Meanwhile, reporters and some members of the president’s staff traveled the same route on the older presidential aircraft, apparently believing Trump was with them.

    They had unknowingly become part of the decoy.

    Reporters aboard the plane were instructed to keep the window shades in the press cabin closed. When later asked about that order, Trump said they were “probably on a dangerous flight” because of the adversaries the United States was confronting.

    The operation was so tightly controlled that the administration never publicly disclosed that the president had traveled separately.

    The Iran Threat Behind the Ruse

    The unusual security measures unfolded during a dangerous moment in the conflict with Iran. The United States had launched fresh strikes against Iranian targets shortly before Trump’s departure, further raising fears that Tehran or one of its proxies could retaliate against the president.

    The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had warned Washington about a possible Iranian plot to kill Trump. Some U.S. officials reportedly questioned how fully credible that intelligence was, but the warning was serious enough to help trigger extraordinary precautions.

    CBS later reported that U.S. intelligence had identified a specific missile threat against Trump’s aircraft.

    The differing assessments underline the uncertainty security officials faced: They could not know whether an attack was imminent, but they could not afford to assume it was a bluff.

    The Disappearing Act Continued

    The deception apparently did not end when Trump landed in Britain.

    According to reporting cited by The Guardian, Trump was driven from the C-32A back to the older presidential aircraft at RAF Mildenhall. He boarded through a separate entrance before emerging from the familiar upper door, creating the appearance that he had traveled aboard the jet alongside the press.

    Trump then boarded the newer, Qatari-donated presidential plane for the flight across the Atlantic. He spoke with reporters during that leg of the trip without revealing that they had spent the first flight aboard a decoy.

    The maneuver was extraordinary, but not unprecedented. President Bill Clinton used a similar operation during a 2000 trip to Pakistan, flying aboard an unmarked executive jet while the official presidential aircraft served as a decoy.

    The C-32A used in Trump’s operation is a specially configured Boeing 757 normally employed to transport the vice president, Cabinet officials and other senior government leaders. The Air Force describes it as a secure, long-range aircraft equipped with advanced communications and avionics.

    Questions Surround Trump’s New Jet

    Hours before leaving Ankara, Trump announced that he would use the older Air Force One “for old time’s sake” instead of the newly retrofitted Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar.

    He said the move would also allow American service members at the British refueling stop to tour the new plane.

    Behind the scenes, however, CBS reported that the Secret Service had recommended using the older aircraft for security reasons. At the time, questions were already being raised about whether the Qatari-donated jet possessed the same visible missile-detection and countermeasure equipment found on the legacy presidential planes.

    The Air Force has maintained that the newer aircraft is safe and properly equipped for presidential travel. The White House has similarly insisted that it contains high-level security systems.

    Yet for the most dangerous leg of Trump’s journey, neither of the large presidential jets carried him. One served as a decoy while the other flew separately.

    Officials Furious Over Security Leak

    Several Trump administration officials reportedly expressed anger after details of the operation became public, warning that exposing classified protective procedures could make similar tactics harder to use in the future.

    White House communications director Steven Cheung did not directly confirm the plane switch when questioned about it. He said the administration uses “every tool at our disposal” to protect the president from America’s enemies.

    In Ankara, that meant hiding Trump’s movements from the press, much of his own staff and anyone who might have been watching the presidential aircraft.

    For several tense hours, the plane presented to the world as Air Force One carried nearly everyone—except the one man the entire operation was designed to protect.

    END THE INDOCTRINATION OF AMERICA’S STUDENTS – your input is urgent.

    Iran’s Sick New Threat Targets Melania And Barron Trump

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    First Lady Melania Trump participates in the Senate Spouses Luncheon at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, May 21,2025. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

    Iranian propaganda has crossed another sinister line — this time placing First Lady Melania Trump and her 20-year-old son, Barron, in its crosshairs.

    Tasnim News Agency, an outlet closely associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, released a disturbing video Monday encouraging attacks against the president’s wife and threatening that Barron could be next.

    The roughly two-minute clip opens with a bloody image of Melania alongside the words, “Where to Kill Melania?!” It then purports to track her movements through New York City, displaying footage of her motorcade and making claims about her security arrangements and personal routines, according to The Times.

    The video calls on supporters of the Islamic Republic and so-called “global freedom fighters” to take action against the First Lady.

    It closes with an even more chilling warning: “This is just the beginning. Barron Trump, wait for us.”

    Russian state television outlet RT helped spread the propaganda on social media, claiming that the video revealed routes and routines using information obtained from “anonymous security networks,” Mediaite reported.

    Much of the material, however, appears to have been compiled from publicly available information and wrapped in menacing graphics intended to make the threat appear more sophisticated.

    The Secret Service confirmed Tuesday that it is examining the video.

    Nate Herring, an agency spokesman, told Newsweek that the Secret Service investigates “anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees.”

    “Out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence,” Herring added, according to The Independent.

    Both Melania and Barron receive full-time Secret Service protection, and the Trump family’s residences are heavily secured, according to the New York Post.

    Neither the White House nor the First Lady’s office had publicly responded to the video as of Tuesday morning.

    Fox News host Mark Levin condemned the clip after it began circulating online.

    “The Iranian regime continues to threaten the assassination of Trump family members,” Levin wrote.

    The threat is not an isolated piece of Tehran’s increasingly grotesque propaganda campaign.

    Days earlier, billboards appeared along a highway in Tehran depicting fabricated images of Melania, Barron and Ivanka Trump as corpses. The word “KILLED” was splashed across the images alongside the warning, “Hey, terrorist! Get ready to die.”

    Another display placed portraits of President Trump, his wife and all five of his children above American flag-draped coffins under the message “Blood for Blood.” Other regime-linked artwork has depicted Trump dead or staring down the sights of a rifle, the Post reported.

    Some Iranian propaganda has veered into the bizarre, including AI-generated videos featuring Lego-like versions of Trump and other world leaders. But the regime’s history of pursuing assassination plots on American soil means its latest threat cannot be dismissed as another crude cartoon.

    In March, a federal jury convicted Asif Merchant, an Iranian intelligence operative who entered the United States to arrange political assassinations on behalf of the IRGC.

    Merchant contacted people he believed could serve as hired killers, discussed possible attacks and paid a $5,000 advance before being arrested. The supposed hitmen were undercover law enforcement officers.

    The Justice Department said Merchant understood that Trump could be the eventual target of the plot, which was intended to avenge the 2020 killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.

    “This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump,” then-Attorney General Pam Bondi said following Merchant’s conviction, according to the Justice Department.

    Trump has said Iran considers him its top target and has publicly warned Tehran that any attempt on his life would trigger overwhelming retaliation.

    “I’m the No. 1, because they’re scum,” Trump told reporters earlier this month. “That’s the way they act.”

    The president later wrote that the U.S. military had received orders to “completely decimate and destroy” Iran if the regime attempted to assassinate him.

    The latest threat emerged as Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House to discuss the Iran war and possible negotiations with Tehran.

    Even as Trump considers giving diplomacy another chance, the Iranian regime appears determined to send a different message — one aimed directly at his family.

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    Trump Takes Rare Public Swipe At Netanyahu Over Iran Warning

    By
    Seijah Drake
    -
    0
    President Donald J. Trump visits the El Arepazo Doral restaurant, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Miami, Florida. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

    President Donald Trump publicly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday after reports emerged that the Israeli leader planned to present new intelligence suggesting Iran is continuing work on its nuclear program at a deeply buried facility known as Pickaxe Mountain.

    Speaking during an interview on Fox & Friends, Trump said he was already fully aware of developments at the Iranian site and questioned why Netanyahu had publicly discussed the matter before their scheduled White House meeting.

    Trump: “I Know Exactly What’s Going On”

    Asked about reports that Netanyahu would present intelligence regarding Iran’s activities at Pickaxe Mountain, Trump dismissed the notion that he needed to be briefed by the Israeli leader.

    “Well, I don’t need Bibi to tell me that. Bibi is telling me that because he wants me to stay involved,” Trump said.

    “We know exactly what’s going on. But no, I heard Bibi announce that. I said, ‘Why don’t you just tell it to me? Why do you have to announce it to the world?'”

    Trump said the United States has been closely monitoring the underground facility through satellite surveillance.

    “I know exactly what’s going on at Pickaxe. It’s not a big problem. We took out their nuclear site, and we’ll have to take out Pickaxe if we don’t make a deal.”

    Focus on Pickaxe Mountain

    Pickaxe Mountain is located roughly 120 miles south of Tehran near Iran’s Natanz nuclear complex, which the United States targeted in June 2025.

    According to previous reporting by The New York Post, Israeli intelligence believes Iran has transferred nuclear centrifuges into tunnels buried approximately 300 feet beneath Kolang Mountain, making the site significantly more difficult to destroy than above-ground facilities.

    Netanyahu is expected to argue that the activity demonstrates Iran continues pursuing nuclear capabilities despite recent military operations.

    Israeli officials are also reportedly prepared to present evidence that Iran has been rebuilding its missile arsenal following the joint U.S. and Israeli strikes carried out earlier this year.

    Questions Over Iran’s Intentions

    The intelligence briefing comes as the Trump administration continues negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program.

    According to The New York Post, Israeli officials remain concerned that Iran is negotiating in bad faith while continuing to advance its military capabilities underground.

    Trump, however, insisted discussions remain productive despite repeated public denials from Iranian officials that direct negotiations are taking place.

    “For some reason, we can be in the midst of a beautiful discussion, and they’ll come out and say ‘We’re not talking or we didn’t discuss nuclear,'” Trump said.

    “Well, that’s all we discussed because they’ll never have a nuclear weapon.”

    “They understand that, and we have had some very good talks.”

    Military Action Still on the Table

    Although Trump expressed optimism about negotiations, he reiterated that military action remains an option if diplomacy fails.

    “If they don’t make a deal, then I go back, and I finish the job. But that’s going to take them forever to rebuild,” he said.

    The president insisted that the United States possesses the capability to inflict significant damage on Iran’s infrastructure but that he is reluctant to target facilities that would primarily harm civilians.

    “I could take out most of their bridges in less than an hour, less than an hour,” Trump said.

    “It really decimates a country. So those are the big things. And then there’s always the desalination plants, and who am I hurting there? I’m hurting the people, so I’m not looking to do that. I just want, very simply, they cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

    Growing Tensions Between Allies

    Trump’s unusually public criticism of Netanyahu comes amid reports of increasing disagreements between the two longtime allies over Iran and broader Middle East strategy.

    The president had reportedly considered expanding military operations against Iran earlier this month before pausing the campaign on July 24 as negotiations resumed.

    Netanyahu traveled to Washington this week and was scheduled to attend a memorial service Tuesday afternoon honoring the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, with discussions on Iran expected to remain a central focus of meetings between the two leaders.

    END THE INDOCTRINATION OF AMERICA’S STUDENTS – your input is urgent.

    Secret Service Reveals Security Lockdown for Trump’s WHCA Dinner Do-Over

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    There will be no second chances for a security nightmare.

    Nearly three months after gunfire and chaos cut short the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, the Secret Service is locking down Washington’s Waldorf Astoria for President Donald Trump’s return Friday night.

    The revamped protection plan includes a private entrance, individually assigned digital tickets, government ID checks, airport-style screening, a heavy police presence and road closures surrounding the Pennsylvania Avenue hotel.

    “Our agency grows and adapts from every event we secure, and we have engaged with WHCA to ensure attendees are given timely information in the unlikely event of an emergency during the event,” Secret Service communications director Anthony Guglielmi told Fox News Digital.

    Unlike the April 25 dinner at the Washington Hilton, guests will not enter through the hotel’s main lobby. The ballroom will be accessible through a separate, secured entrance, with every pre-screened attendee required to present a unique QR code and valid identification.

    “Guests will see a visible police presence around the Waldorf Astoria hotel,” Guglielmi said, adding that everyone holding a ticket will pass through “airport-style magnetometer screening.”

    Roads immediately surrounding the hotel will also be closed Friday evening, while detailed arrival instructions are being sent directly to ticket holders.

    The Secret Service and a private security company hired by the WHCA have worked together to close the gaps exposed during the April attack, according to People.

    That night descended into panic before Trump could deliver his speech.

    Federal prosecutors say Cole Tomas Allen, 31, charged through a magnetometer outside the Washington Hilton ballroom while carrying a shotgun. Secret Service Officer Victor Gonzales was struck in the chest but survived because he was wearing a ballistic vest.

    Gonzales returned fire as other agents swarmed Allen, who was arrested before reaching the ballroom where Trump, administration officials and hundreds of journalists were gathered.

    Authorities recovered a 12-gauge shotgun and a .38-caliber pistol from Allen, according to the Justice Department.

    Prosecutors allege Allen traveled from California to Washington by Amtrak and checked into the Hilton one day before the attack. Shortly before the shooting, he allegedly sent a pre-scheduled message to relatives and a former employer apologizing for what he was about to do.

    Allen has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges, including attempting to assassinate the president and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. He remains behind bars awaiting trial, CBS News reported.

    While the Secret Service has maintained that its agents successfully prevented Allen from reaching Trump or the ballroom, Friday’s tighter perimeter makes clear that officials are taking no chances.

    The venue itself is also a major departure from tradition.

    For decades, Washington’s glitzy annual gathering of reporters, celebrities and political power brokers has unfolded inside the sprawling Washington Hilton. Friday’s redo will instead take place inside the Old Post Office building, which housed the Trump International Hotel before becoming the Waldorf Astoria.

    The gathering will also be dramatically smaller. Roughly 680 guests are expected, compared with approximately 2,600 people who attended in April, according to People. There will be no red carpet or surrounding weekend party circuit.

    Trump, however, will be back at the center of the room.

    The president is expected to deliver the remarks he never got to make in April, calling the rescheduled gathering a show of “Strength and Fortitude.”

    “We cannot allow Lunatics to change our way of life, or even its scheduling,” Trump wrote when the new date was announced.

    Much of Trump’s Cabinet is also expected to attend, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, according to Fox News Digital. First lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will miss the event because of prior commitments.

    Friday’s dinner will also put the spotlight back on the officer credited with helping prevent a potential massacre.

    Gonzales is set to receive the WHCA’s President’s Award for Exceptional Service for his actions during the attack.

    “Officer Gonzales played a significant role when he ran toward danger so that thousands of others could make it home safely,” former WHCA President Weijia Jiang said. “His courage stemmed from a dedication to service, which we are looking forward to honoring this week.”

    Three months after the first dinner ended with guests diving beneath tables and armed agents racing through the ballroom, the tuxedos are coming back out.

    This time, they will be arriving through a fortress.

    END THE INDOCTRINATION OF AMERICA’S STUDENTS – your input is urgent.

    Kash Patel Reportedly Planning Rare Russia Trip For Secretive FSB Talks

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Kremlin.ru, via Wikimedia Commons

    FBI Director Kash Patel is reportedly preparing for a rare trip into the heart of Russia — one that could put America’s top federal lawman across the table from the successor to the Soviet-era KGB.

    Patel is expected to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg on Oct. 14 and 15, according to a U.S. official and another person familiar with the plans who spoke with Politico.

    “His host is likely to be the FSB, the Russian security service that is heir to the Soviet-era KGB,” the U.S. official told the outlet.

    The purpose of the trip has not been disclosed, and it remains unclear which Russian officials Patel intends to meet. There has also been no indication whether a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is under consideration.

    The FBI and Justice Department did not respond to Politico’s requests for comment, while the White House referred questions about the trip to the bureau.

    The Kremlin did little to clear up the mystery Tuesday.

    “These kinds of visits usually happen behind closed doors,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters while declining to confirm or deny Patel’s travel plans, according to The Moscow Times.

    The reported visit would carry particularly high stakes because Patel could be meeting with the same security service his bureau has publicly identified as an active threat to Americans.

    In a June warning, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said Russian intelligence actors were conducting an ongoing phishing campaign against high-value targets. The agencies said FSB officers and others working for Russian military services were targeting current and former U.S. government officials, military personnel, political figures and journalists.

    The campaign allowed Russian operatives to take over messaging accounts and potentially access victims’ private conversations, according to the FBI and CISA advisory.

    That creates a striking backdrop for Patel’s expected talks: The FBI may need Russian cooperation on terrorism, cybercrime and other international investigations even while treating the expected host of the trip as a hostile intelligence organization.

    If Patel makes the journey, he would become the first sitting FBI director known to visit Russia since Robert Mueller traveled to Moscow in 2013.

    Mueller’s unannounced trip came shortly after the Boston Marathon bombing and included discussions with Russian officials about the investigation and security cooperation ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

    Patel’s history makes the planned visit even more politically combustible.

    Before taking over the FBI, Patel rose to prominence as a House Intelligence Committee aide investigating the origins and conduct of the bureau’s Trump-Russia probe. He has repeatedly denounced the investigation into alleged collusion between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia as the “Russiagate hoax.”

    The trip is also being planned as relations between Washington and Moscow remain strained over the war in Ukraine and lawmakers push for tougher economic penalties against Putin’s government.

    Trump administration envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have made repeated attempts to negotiate an end to the war, but Russia has continued to demand Ukrainian territorial concessions that Kyiv has rejected, according to The Kyiv Independent.

    For now, the biggest question surrounding Patel’s journey remains unanswered: What exactly does America’s FBI director expect to accomplish behind closed doors with one of the country’s most powerful adversaries?

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    Trump Ties FEMA Funding To New Election Security Rules

    By
    Patrick Houck
    -
    5
    DHSgov, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    The Trump administration announced Friday that states will have to adopt a series of federal election security measures to receive certain Federal Emergency Management Agency grant funding, marking the latest effort to influence how states administer elections ahead of the 2026 midterms.

    The Department of Homeland Security said recipients of FEMA-administered homeland security grants will be required to implement what it called “common-sense election security measures” before receiving funding.

    “These new requirements for homeland security grant recipients will preserve election integrity and ensure that Americans can trust the results,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement.

    Funding tied to election changes

    According to FEMA grant guidance, up to 20% of funding under the State Homeland Security Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative may be withheld until states certify compliance with the administration’s election security requirements. The affected grant programs distribute roughly $1 billion annually for terrorism prevention, cybersecurity, emergency preparedness, and critical infrastructure protection.

    Among the requirements are:

    • Verification of the citizenship of registered voters and election workers.
    • Documentation of election audits.
    • Plans to transition jurisdictions that rely on barcode- or QR code-based ballot tabulation toward hand-marked paper ballots.

    The administration has argued that election infrastructure is part of the nation’s critical security framework and that stronger safeguards are necessary to bolster public confidence in election results.

    States question federal authority

    Election administration has historically been handled by states, and several state officials and election law experts have questioned whether the executive branch has the legal authority to condition homeland security grants on changes to state voting procedures.

    The announcement follows a series of recent actions by the administration aimed at reshaping election administration, including Justice Department letters requesting voter registration records from all 50 states and President Donald Trump’s removal of the remaining commissioners of the bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

    Legal challenges expected

    The new FEMA conditions are expected to face legal scrutiny.

    Courts have already blocked portions of previous Trump administration efforts to impose nationwide election rules through executive action, with judges finding that the Constitution grants states broad authority over the administration of elections absent congressional action.

    Whether the administration can ultimately enforce the new grant conditions may depend on future court rulings. In the meantime, states seeking the affected homeland security funding will have to decide whether to comply with the new requirements or challenge them in court.

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    Trump Says He Left Orders To Bomb Iran If Tehran Assassinates Him

    By
    Patrick Houck
    -
    3
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump said he has left instructions for the United States to launch an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran if Tehran succeeds in assassinating him.

    “I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” the president told the New York Post Friday. “I’ve left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before.”

    Trump did not explain whom he gave the instructions to, which targets would be included or how such an order would be carried out after his death.

    Trump calls himself Iran’s top target

    The president’s comments followed remarks he made during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where he said Iran may be seeking to kill him.

    “I’m their No. 1 target,” Trump said.

    Iran has threatened retaliation against Trump and other former administration officials over the January 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. American authorities have also previously accused Iranian operatives of pursuing plots against Trump.

    The latest concern arose after Israel reportedly shared intelligence with the United States before Trump landed in Washington indicating that Iran was considering another plot to assassinate the president.

    Mediaite’s Tom Durante has additional details:

    On the way back to the States, the president was forced to switch planes after the Secret Service reportedly voiced concerns about the new Air Force One, a $400 million jet gifted to him from the Qatari government.

    After that, Israel claimed it had shared intelligence with the president that the Islamic regime was “considering” a new plan to assassinate the president.

    In his interview with The Post, Trump denied those claims.

    “No, no. Israel came up with nothing. No, no,” he said. “I’ve been No. 1 [on Iran’s kill list] for a long time, and it’s the way life is, you know.”

    “I hope you’ll miss me,” he quipped.

    According to reporting cited by Mediaite, Israeli intelligence had not determined how far the alleged plot had progressed or whether Tehran had taken any concrete steps to carry it out.

    Trump nevertheless delivered an unmistakable warning: Any successful attack against him would bring an overwhelming American response.

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    Mike Pence Smacks Trump’s Iran Deal ‘Smells Of Appeasement’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    5
    Mike Pence via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Former Vice President Mike Pence is blasting President Donald Trump’s controversial Iran agreement, warning that the deal looks less like a victory and more like a dangerous concession to a regime that was already on its knees.

    In a scathing Wall Street Journal op-ed, Pence praised Trump’s military campaign against Tehran but argued the administration is now squandering the leverage won on the battlefield.

    “The president deserves tremendous credit for taking the fight directly to Tehran,” Pence wrote. “But the memorandum of understanding with Iran signed last week falls well short of what is required to end the Iranian threat.”

    His verdict was blunt.

    “It smacks of the kind of appeasement the president rightly rejected during our first term,” Pence said. “It isn’t the deal a defeated Iran should be getting. It isn’t even a deal — it’s a plan to make a plan.”

    The remarkable rebuke puts Pence at the forefront of a growing conservative revolt against the Trump administration’s newly signed 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran.

    The agreement, signed last week, commits both sides to negotiate a final settlement within 60 days while immediately easing pressure on Tehran. The framework includes the gradual lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, waivers for Iranian oil exports, and access to frozen Iranian assets while broader negotiations continue.

    Critics argue the concessions come before Iran has verifiably dismantled its nuclear infrastructure or ended support for terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East.

    Pence warned the agreement effectively rewards the regime before securing meaningful concessions.

    “Maximum pressure worked. America’s military strength worked. The blockade worked,” Pence wrote. “Iran came to the table because the regime’s existence teetered on a knife’s edge.”

    The former vice president said the administration should use the next 60 days to force Tehran into accepting far tougher terms, including the permanent elimination of its nuclear ambitions and support for regional terror groups.

    “This 60-day period should be used to secure what this agreement doesn’t yet provide: an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, an end to Iranian-backed terror, and an end to its half-century of warfare against the U.S. and Israel,” Pence wrote.

    “If those reasonable goals cannot be achieved, Mr. Trump should let the armed forces finish the job.”

    Pence has doubled down on those concerns in television appearances this week, calling the agreement “much bigger than a mistake” and warning that sanctions relief could become “a lifeline to the Iranian regime.” He argued that the deal preserves the status quo on Iran’s nuclear program rather than forcing its dismantlement.

    He’s not alone.

    Republican lawmakers including Lindsey Graham, John Thune and other GOP hawks have demanded greater transparency about the agreement’s terms, while conservative commentators have compared the framework to the Obama-era nuclear deal that Trump famously abandoned during his first administration.

    Even some Democrats have questioned whether Tehran is receiving significant economic relief without providing ironclad guarantees on nuclear compliance.

    Supporters of the agreement, led by Vice President JD Vance, argue critics are mischaracterizing the deal. Vance has described the memorandum as a preliminary framework designed to stop the fighting and create conditions for a broader settlement. The White House insists sanctions relief and other benefits ultimately depend on Iranian compliance.

    But for Pence, the issue is simple: America already holds the stronger hand.

    The question now is whether Trump intends to play it.

    Stand with Rudy Giuliani. Add your name to “THE PEOPLE’S PARDON” today to drop the charges, protect his freedom, and help us reach our critical citizen goal.

    Senator Accuses Trump’s New Intelligence Pick of Making America More Vulnerable to Terror Attacks

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    5
    President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010

    Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) is sounding the alarm over President Donald Trump’s decision to install Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, warning the move could leave the United States more vulnerable to a terrorist attack.

    During an appearance Wednesday on MSNBC’s The Briefing with Jen Psaki, Ossoff blasted the appointment as one of the most dangerous personnel decisions of Trump’s presidency.

    “The installation of a thug and a hack like Pulte as the acting director of national intelligence is maybe the most chilling and the most dangerous nomination or appointment that this president has made,” Ossoff said.

    Trump announced earlier this month that Pulte would take over as acting DNI beginning Friday following the departure of Tulsi Gabbard. The move immediately drew criticism from Democrats, who argue Pulte lacks any meaningful background in intelligence, national security, or military affairs.

    Ossoff, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, accused Trump of prioritizing political loyalty over national security.

    “He is putting the national security of the country at risk,” Ossoff said. “His handling of this is putting the United States at risk and making a terrorist attack more likely because he is destabilizing America’s intelligence capabilities.”

    The Georgia senator also warned that Pulte could weaponize the intelligence community against Trump’s political opponents.

    “He’s putting someone in who is a political hack who will abuse his authorities in the intelligence community,” Ossoff added.

    Pulte, a longtime Trump ally and donor, has already generated controversy during his tenure at the FHFA. He has publicly pushed for investigations into alleged mortgage fraud involving several prominent Trump critics, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA).

    The controversy surrounding Pulte’s appointment comes amid broader turmoil over leadership at the nation’s top intelligence agency.

    Trump has nominated former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton to serve as permanent director of national intelligence. However, the nomination hit a roadblock Wednesday after Trump instructed Clayton not to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee for a scheduled confirmation hearing.

    In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Clayton’s nomination process would remain on hold until Congress passes legislation combining a voter ID measure with an extension of federal surveillance authorities used to monitor foreign nationals.

    The decision frustrated some Republicans, including Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR), who called the delay “regrettable.”

    “Mr. Clayton is a patriot and a highly qualified nominee, as the president has said repeatedly,” Cotton wrote on X. “While today’s hearing is now unfortunately postponed, I look forward to proceeding with his confirmation in the near future.”

    Powerless families don’t stand a chance against government corruption without supporters like you. Read her story today — then join the fight and protect this mother.

    Trump Celebrates 80th Birthday With Iran Deal

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4

    President Donald Trump got exactly what he wanted for his 80th birthday Sunday: a peace deal with Iran — and a massive UFC event on the White House lawn to celebrate it.

    After weeks of promising that an agreement was just around the corner, Trump announced Sunday afternoon that the United States and Iran had finalized a deal to end the 108-day conflict that erupted after the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury and killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

    “The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!” Trump declared on Truth Social.

    The president initially announced that he was authorizing the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and ending the U.S. naval blockade, telling the world: “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!”

    Less than an hour later, Trump clarified that the strategic waterway would officially reopen Friday after the agreement is signed, allowing time for mine-clearing operations.

    “This Great Deal will bring Peace and Security to the whole Region,” Trump wrote. “Many presidents have tried to make Peace with Iran, and all have failed before me.”

    The timing could not have been sweeter for Trump, who spent the day celebrating his milestone birthday while hosting the highly publicized “Freedom 250” UFC event on the White House grounds.

    According to Mediaite, the president had hoped to announce the agreement Sunday, but those plans nearly unraveled after Hezbollah launched projectiles into northern Israel, prompting retaliatory Israeli strikes in Beirut.

    Trump reportedly exploded behind the scenes when he learned of the Israeli response.

    “Why did Bibi have to do a f’ing attack?” Trump told Axios. “I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no f’ing judgement.”

    The flare-up threatened to derail negotiations that Trump had repeatedly insisted were nearing completion. As Mediaite noted, the president has spent weeks predicting that a deal was imminent, at one point declaring in May that an announcement would come “shortly.”

    The Hill reported that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate negotiations, announced that a formal signing ceremony will take place Friday in Geneva, Switzerland. Vice President JD Vance later told Fox News that he plans to attend and suggested Trump may join him.

    Reports indicated the deal specifically says that Iran would agree not to produce or acquire nuclear weapons and would halt further uranium enrichment and expansion of nuclear facilities. In exchange, the United States would begin releasing up to $25 billion in frozen Iranian assets, although details remain unclear and administration officials have described the arrangement as “performance-based.”

    Iran has not yet publicly confirmed the agreement, and the White House has released few specifics about the final terms.

    Still, the announcement marks a dramatic political victory for Trump, whose administration has repeatedly stated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon was its primary objective.

    “They’ve taken a pounding,” Trump said last week while discussing renewed military pressure on Tehran. “They’ve taken a pounding like very few people could take. And they want to make a deal a lot more than I do.”

    The agreement is already drawing scrutiny on Capitol Hill.

    Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday that any nuclear-related agreement with Iran should be submitted to Congress for review.

    “I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming,” Graham wrote on X.

    Democrats offered a more mixed reaction.

    Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) welcomed the prospect of peace while arguing the reported terms resemble the Obama-era nuclear agreement that Trump withdrew from during his first term.

    “The war was a costly lesson for the US,” Khanna wrote. “But today, we can be relieved that gas and food costs will start coming down for Americans. And that no more American or civilian lives will be lost.”

    After months of war, weeks of tense negotiations, and a last-minute scare involving Israel and Hezbollah, the president finally got to make the announcement he had been teasing for weeks — on his birthday, with a UFC crowd cheering just steps from the Oval Office.

    Not a bad birthday present for President Trump.

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