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    Trump Threatens New Attacks on Iran as U.S. Ramps Up Largest Strike Campaign Yet

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump warned Friday that the United States could intensify its military campaign against Iran, boasting of America’s military strength and threatening further attacks that could devastate Tehran’s remaining capabilities.

    In an early morning post on Truth Social, Trump said the U.S. military has overwhelming power and signaled that additional strikes were imminent.

    “We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time – Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today,” the president wrote.

    “They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them,” he continued. “What a great honor it is to do so!”

    According to U.S. Central Command (Centcom), American forces have struck approximately 6,000 Iranian targets since the conflict began at the end of February. U.S. operations have also hit or sunk more than 90 Iranian vessels during the campaign.

    Trump’s remarks come as tensions escalate following threats from Iran’s new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed power after his father was killed in a U.S.-Israeli strike.

    In his first public statement since taking power, Khamenei vowed retaliation against American forces in the region. His message came amid reports that he had been severely injured during the strike that killed his father, with speculation circulating that he had been in a coma and had part of his leg amputated. Khamenei also reportedly lost his wife in the same attack.

    In a statement read by Iranian state media, Khamenei warned that Iran would escalate the conflict if necessary.

    “The Strait of Hormuz must remain closed. American bases in the Middle East must be closed,” he said. “Iran’s other military and regional capabilities will be activated if necessary.”

    Trump responded to the threat during an interview with Fox News commentator Brian Kilmeade, saying Iran’s leadership has done “a lot of talking” but may soon be forced to act.

    “We’ll have to see because we are decimating them,” the president said. “We’ve knocked out most of their missiles. We’ve knocked out many of their drones. We knocked out a lot of the manufacturing areas where they manufacture the missiles and now the drones. We’re hitting them harder than anybody’s been hit since World War II.”

    The president also said he believes Iran’s new supreme leader is still alive despite reports of severe injuries.

    “I think he probably is. I think he’s damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form, yeah,” Trump told Kilmeade in an interview set to air Friday morning.

    Senior U.S. officials echoed Trump’s assessment that Iran’s leadership has been severely weakened.

    Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Friday that Khamenei “lacks legitimacy” and suggested the new leader is in hiding following the strikes that killed his father.

    “Iran’s leadership is in no better shape. Desperate and hiding, they’ve gone underground, cowering. That’s what rats do. We know the new so-called not so supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured,” Hegseth said at the Pentagon.

    “He put out a statement yesterday. A weak one, actually, but there was no voice. And there was no video. It was a written statement,” Hegseth continued.

    “He called for unity, apparently killing tens of thousands of protesters is his kind of unity. Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father dead. He’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run and he lacks legitimacy.”

    Hegseth also indicated that the United States was preparing to significantly expand its military operations Friday.

    “Today will be yet again the highest volume of strikes that America has put over the skies of Iran and Tehran,” he said.

    “The number of sorties, the number of bomber pulses, the highest yet, ramping up and only up.”

    U.S. officials say the sustained campaign has dramatically degraded Iran’s military capabilities.

    “Iran has no air defenses. Iran has no air force. Iran has no navy,” Hegseth said earlier. “Their missiles, their missile launchers and drones being destroyed or shot out of the sky. Their missile volume is down 90%. Their one way attack drones yesterday, down 95%.”

    “And as the world is seeing, they are exercising sheer desperation in the Straits of Hormuz. It’s something we’re dealing with. We have been dealing with it and don’t need to worry about it. We’re on plan to defeat, destroy, disable all of their meaningful military capabilities at a pace the world has never seen before,” he added.

    The strategic waterway has become a focal point of the conflict. About one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

    U.S. Central Command said American forces destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the strait earlier this week as Iran attempted to disrupt shipping through the crucial route.

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    Senior Iranian Official Issues Deadly Threat To Trump

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    A senior Iranian official issued a pointed warning to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, escalating tensions after Iran selected a new supreme leader without consulting the United States and as conflict in the region continues to intensify.

    Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, responded directly to Trump’s recent warnings about Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz.

    “The sacrificial nation of Iran doesn’t fear your empty threats,” Larijani wrote on the social media platform X in a post translated by The Associated Press. “Even those bigger than you couldn’t eliminate Iran. Be careful not to get eliminated yourself.”

    Larijani’s remarks came after Trump issued a stark warning Monday on Truth Social, threatening severe retaliation if Iran interferes with oil shipments passing through the strategic waterway.

    “If Iran does anything that tops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” Trump wrote.

    “Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!” he continued. “This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated.”

    The exchange comes as Iran moves forward with a major leadership transition following the death of longtime supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s governing clerical establishment selected his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader — a move that has drawn scrutiny abroad and further strained relations with Washington.

    Trump said he is skeptical that Iran’s new leader will bring stability to the region.

    “I don’t believe he can live in peace,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst.

    Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the new supreme leader of Iran, “would be wise to heed the words of our president, which is to not pursue nuclear weapons and come out and state as such.”

    The leadership change comes amid a rapidly expanding regional conflict. Iranian forces launched a new wave of attacks Tuesday targeting Israel and several U.S.-aligned Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, according to The Associated Press.

    In Bahrain, an Iranian strike on a residential building killed a 29-year-old woman and injured eight others.

    The escalating confrontation follows the U.S.-Israeli joint military campaign against Iranian targets, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, which began Feb. 28 and aimed to dismantle Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons capabilities.

    The conflict has also disrupted global energy markets.

    Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it would block oil exports from the region in response to the attacks.

    The Guard said it would not “allow the export of even a single liter of oil from the region to the hostile side and its partners until further notice.”

    The threat has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes through the strait each day, making it one of the most critical energy chokepoints in the world.

    Shipping traffic has slowed dramatically.

    According to monitoring data from hormuzstraitmonitor.com, only two ships passed through the strait in the last 24 hours — far below the typical average of about 60 daily vessels. As of Tuesday, 157 ships remain stranded near the passage, including 98 oil tankers and 34 bulk carriers.

    The disruption has already driven up energy prices.

    West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the benchmark for North American markets, rose to just over $90 per barrel Tuesday morning. The national average price for gasoline in the United States climbed to $3.54 per gallon, according to AAA.

    Trump has defended the military campaign despite the economic fallout, arguing that higher fuel prices are a necessary cost to eliminate Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

    The spike in oil prices is a “very small price to pay,” he said.

    Still, some lawmakers worry the administration may not have fully anticipated the economic consequences.

    Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) criticized the White House for appearing unprepared for the energy market shock.

    “For heaven’s sakes, are you telling me you didn’t game this one out?” she told Punchbowl News last week. “I’m starting to think they didn’t game this one out.”

    With tensions rising and oil markets rattled, the confrontation between Washington and Tehran appears poised to intensify as Iran’s new leadership consolidates power and the U.S. continues its military pressure campaign.

    On Tuesday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon that Iran is “fighting, and I respect that.”

    “But I don’t think they’re more formidable than what we thought,” he added about Tehran’s defensive capabilities.

    “Our strikes mean we’ve made significant progress in reducing the number of missile and drone attacks out of Iran,” Caine also said. “Ballistic missile attacks continue to trend downward, 90% from where they’ve started, and one-way attack drones have decreased 83%, since the beginning of the operation.”

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    Trump Addresses Possibility Of Ordering Boots On The Ground In Iran

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    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

    President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States is “nowhere near” sending ground troops into Iran to secure enriched uranium reportedly stored at the country’s Isfahan nuclear complex.

    In a phone interview with the New York Post, Trump said no decision has been made about deploying American forces on the ground.

    “We haven’t made any decision on that. We’re nowhere near it,” Trump told the outlet.

    Trump’s comments come after reporters aboard Air Force One asked him Saturday about the possibility of deploying ground troops as part of a potential operation involving Iran.

    At the time, Trump indicated such a move would require strong justification.

    “There would have to be a very good reason,” he said.

    “And I would say if we ever did that, [Iran] would be so decimated they wouldn’t be able to fight at the ground level,” Trump added on Saturday.

    The president also addressed Iran’s leadership transition following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly succeeded him as Iran’s new supreme leader.

    Trump said he was displeased with the development, telling the New York Post he is “not happy” that the younger Khamenei has taken power.

    Asked what actions he might take in response to Iran’s new leadership, Trump declined to elaborate.

    “Not going to tell you. Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him,” Trump said.

    In a separate interview with ABC News on Sunday, Trump suggested Iran’s new leader would struggle to remain in power without U.S. backing.

    “Whoever becomes Iran’s new leader is not going to last long without approval from us,” Trump said.

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    Iran Rebukes Trump Demand While Announcing New Supreme Leader

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

    Iran has selected a new supreme leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following his death in a U.S.-Israeli strike, while rejecting demands from President Donald Trump to have any role in the leadership selection.

    Iran’s Assembly of Experts — the powerful body of senior clerics responsible for choosing the country’s supreme leader — announced Sunday that Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s 56-year-old son, will succeed his father.

    CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, reporting from Tel Aviv, said the decision came just over a week after the killing of Ali Khamenei during the opening phase of the conflict with Israel.

    “This is just in from Iran’s Assembly of Experts,” Diamond said. “This is the body of senior Iranian clerics responsible for electing the next supreme leader, and they have now chosen, just over a week after the assassination of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba Khamenei as his successor.”

    Diamond noted that Mojtaba Khamenei is widely seen as a hardline figure with close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

    “He is known for having close ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and his selection will largely be viewed as a continuation of his father’s rule,” Diamond said. “This is quite a hard-line stance for the Assembly of Experts to be choosing as the next supreme leader of Iran.”

    According to the report, Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded in the same strike that killed his father. The attack also killed his wife.

    His appointment comes amid escalating tensions with the United States and Israel, both of which have sharply criticized Iran’s leadership.

    President Trump had previously dismissed the possibility of Mojtaba Khamenei becoming supreme leader, calling him a “lightweight” in an interview with Axios and saying such a choice would be unacceptable.

    Iranian officials, however, have firmly rejected any suggestion that Washington could influence the selection.

    Speaking Sunday on NBC News’ Meet the Press, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the choice of supreme leader is strictly an internal matter for Iran.

    When asked whether Iran would allow Trump any role in choosing the country’s next leader, Araghchi responded bluntly.

    “We allow nobody to interfere in our domestic affairs,” he said. “This is up to the Iranian people to elect their new leader. They have already elected the Assembly of Experts, and the Assembly of Experts will do the job. It is only the business of the Iranian people and nobody else’s business.”

    Araghchi also pushed back on Trump’s earlier demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”

    “This is what he asked the previous time in June, when Israel started to attack us,” Araghchi said. “President Trump used the same phrase, ‘unconditional surrender.’ That was the tweet he made. And that didn’t happen.”

    “We resisted, and after 12 days Israelis asked for an unconditional ceasefire,” he continued. “So we never give up, we never surrender, and we will continue to resist as long as it takes. We are defending our territory, our people, and our dignity. And our dignity is not for sale.”

    Even as Iran moves forward with its new leadership, Israeli officials have issued stark warnings that the country’s next leader will also become a target.

    Days before the leadership announcement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that anyone appointed to lead Iran’s ruling regime could face assassination if they continue policies hostile to Israel and its allies.

    “Every leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue and lead the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people will be an unequivocal target for elimination,” Katz wrote in a post on X.

    “It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides,” he added.

    Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for such action as part of Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Lion’s Roar.

    “The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to prepare and act by all means to carry out the mission as an integral part of the objectives of Operation Lion’s Roar,” Katz said.

    He added that Israel will continue coordinating with the United States to weaken the Iranian regime and create conditions that could lead to political change inside the country.

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    Hegseth Confirms Leader Behind Trump Assassination Effort Has Been ‘Hunted Down and Killed’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that the Iranian leader behind multiple assassination attempts against President Donald Trump was killed during U.S. strikes on Iran over the weekend as part of Operation Epic Fury.

    “The leader of the unit that attempted to assassinate Trump has been hunted down and killed,” Hegseth said during a press conference Wednesday morning.

    “Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh,” Hegseth continued. “Now, this is not a ‘mission accomplished’ situation. This is simply a reality check.”

    U.S. officials confirmed earlier this week that strikes against Iran, which began Saturday, killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior figures in the regime’s leadership.

    The military campaign comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran following repeated threats from Iran against Trump after the 2020 U.S. strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.

    In 2024, Iran-linked actors attempted to arrange an assassination plot targeting Trump. The U.S. government has also previously warned of other Iranian efforts to target the former president.

    In 2022, an Iranian video depicted an assassination attempt on Trump while he played golf.

    Trump referenced those threats during a phone call with ABC News’ Jonathan Karl earlier this week following reports of Khamenei’s death.

    “I got him before he got me,” Trump said.

    “They tried twice,” Trump continued, referring to Iran’s previous attempts on his life. “Well, I got him first.”

    During Wednesday’s press conference, Hegseth said the combined power of U.S. and Israeli intelligence and military forces is rapidly weakening Iran’s ability to respond.

    “America is winning decisively, devastatingly and without mercy,” Hegseth said.

    He also emphasized that the current military campaign was never intended to be evenly matched.

    “This was never meant to be a fair fight and it is not a fair fight. We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be,” he said.

    Iran has launched retaliatory attacks in response to the strikes. A drone strike in Kuwait earlier this week killed at least six Americans, according to U.S. officials. Hegseth vowed those casualties would be avenged.

    He said:

    “As President Trump said, more and larger waves are coming. We are just getting started. We are accelerating, not decelerating. Iran’s capabilities are evaporating by the hour, while American strength grows fiercer, smarter and utterly dominant. More bombers and more fighters are arriving just today. And now, with complete control of the skies, we will be using 500-pound, 1,000-pound and 2,000 pound GPS and laser-guided precision gravity bombs, of which we have a nearly unlimited stockpile. We used more exquisite standoff munitions at the start, but no longer need to. Our stockpiles of those, as well as patriots, remains extremely strong.”

    Hegseth added that the United States has the capacity to sustain the conflict if necessary.

    He warned the U.S. can “sustain this fight easily for as along as we need to.”

    The defense secretary compared Iran’s situation to a football team that had prepared only the opening portion of a game.

    “I liken Iran’s predicament to a football team who scripted the first 20 plays of a game,” he said. “The team knew what plays to run because their first few drives were scripted. But now that the game has started and the blitz is on, they don’t know what plays call, let alone how to get in the huddle and call those plays.”

    Hegseth concluded by saying the strikes represent Trump getting the “last laugh” against Iran.

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    Dem Senator Left ‘Baffled’ By Lack of Support for Trump’s Iran Strikes and Death of ‘Evil’ Leaders

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    5
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is expressing disbelief at fellow Democrats who have criticized President Donald Trump’s military strikes against Iran, calling the action a decisive moment for regional peace and security.

    Fetterman questioned members of his own party who voiced opposition to the strikes, arguing that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon has long been a bipartisan priority.

    “Every single member of the Senate has agreed that we can never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear bomb, and clearly they [Iran] were actually intending to do that. So, are you really committed to that?” Fetterman asked Monday on Hannity.

    U.S. and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes on Iranian military and government targets on Feb. 28, deploying air, sea and missile power in what officials described as a sweeping operation. The mission, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, struck more than 1,000 military, intelligence and government sites across Iran within its first 24 hours, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior regime officials were eliminated in the strikes.

    Fetterman said he was “baffled” that more people were not celebrating the death of what he described as “one of the most evil men ever” and the crippling of the Iranian regime.

    “It’s a good thing for the region, it’s a good thing for Israel, it’s good for America, and so, for me, that’s why I stand with the country over perhaps what the base may demand,” Fetterman said.

    Watch:

    He also defended the legality and strategic rationale behind the operation, pushing back on critics who questioned whether the president overstepped his authority.

    “Imagine if people just listened to the conventional wisdom, that they could have possibly have acquired a bomb if we weren’t bombed back in June. So, yes, there is a threat. It’s not imminent that it could happen right now. But it’s one that I think is entirely appropriate to deal with it,” Fetterman told CNN host Dana Bash. “And that’s why I support it. So, again, people keep— describe that it was a legal war. Now read the War Powers Act. And, now, that has not been violated at this point what happened yesterday.”

    The War Powers Act requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing U.S. military forces. The Trump administration notified the “Gang of Eight” — the bipartisan group of top congressional leaders and intelligence committee chairs — before the strikes but did not seek formal authorization.

    Fetterman noted that Trump had previously attempted diplomacy before resorting to military action.

    “Well, what is true is that President Trump tried to negotiate that and tried to find a firm kinds [sic] of agreements, absolutely. And they refused to those basic, basic kinds of things: remind everybody, you are never allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. And, clearly, they was [sic]. And I absolutely supported what happened last June,” Fetterman continued.

    Fetterman is one of the few Democrats who backed Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities ordered by President Trump. While most of the Democratic caucus condemned that action, Fetterman later voted as the lone Democratic senator against a war powers resolution seeking to curb the president’s authority following the operation.

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    MTG Accuses Trump Of Implementing ‘Manufactured Crisis’ To Cancel Midterm Elections

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    5
    Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

    Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said Sunday that she could envision President Donald Trump declaring a “national emergency” tied to Iran or another crisis, responding to speculation that such a move could affect the upcoming midterm elections.

    The comments came after conservative podcaster Shannon Joy posted on X, “Trump doesn’t seem to care about the midterms. Who wants to bet he’ll declare a ‘national emergency’ because of Iran (or some other manufactured crisis) and try to cancel the elections in November?”

    Greene replied, “Yeah, I could see it. INSANE.”

    Her response follows a recent public break with the president over U.S. military action against Iran. Greene has sharply criticized the strikes in multiple social media posts, arguing they run counter to the “America First” platform that helped elect Trump.

    “The Trump admin actually asked in a poll how many casualties voters were willing to accept in a war with Iran???” Greene wrote Saturday on X. “How about ZERO you bunch of sick f*cking liars. We voted for America First and ZERO wars.”

    In another post, she added: “This is NOT freeing the Iranian people!!! This is murdering their children!!! WTF are you insane people doing??? AMERICA DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS!!!”

    The exchange comes amid debate within Republican circles about the administration’s decision to strike Iran. Critics have questioned the timing, noting that Trump said in June that prior U.S. strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

    In an interview Sunday with Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich, Trump defended the latest action, saying that without U.S. and Israeli missile strikes, Iran “would have had a nuclear weapon within two weeks.”

    However, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) offered a more measured assessment during an appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”

    “I don’t have present-day intelligence on what progress they had made toward rebuilding nuclear weapons since we bombed their facilities,” Cruz said. “I have no indication that they were anywhere close to getting nuclear weapons, because our bombing was devastating… That’s one of the reasons I urged President Trump, ‘Now is the time’” to strike.

    The midterm elections, scheduled for November, are expected to be closely contested, with some political analysts projecting potential Republican losses in key districts. Greene’s comments reflect broader concerns among some conservatives about U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts and their potential domestic political implications.

    A January report from Roll Call cited a prior Oval Office meeting in which Trump discussed elections during wartime. According to the report, during an Aug. 18 meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the conditions required to restart elections in Ukraine.

    “So you say, during the war, you can’t have elections,” Trump mused, according to the report. “So you mean if we happen to be in a war with somebody, no more elections. I wonder what the fake news would say to that.”

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    Secret Service Fatally Shoot Armed Mar-A-Lago Intruder

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    Marine One lifts-off after returning President Donald J. Trump to Mar-a-Lago Friday, March 29, 2019, following his visit to the 143-mile Herbert Hoover Dike near Canal Point, Fla., that surrounds Lake Okeechobee. The visit was part of an infrastructure inspection of the dike, which is part of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee Everglades system, and reduces impacts of flooding for areas of south Florida. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) [Photo Credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

    PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 21-year-old man was shot and killed early Sunday after allegedly breaching the secure perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, prompting a multi-agency federal investigation, the U.S. Secret Service confirmed.

    The incident unfolded around 1:30 a.m. when the suspect made what officials described as an “unauthorized entry” onto the property.

    According to the Secret Service, the individual was observed near the north gate carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can. Agents, along with a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), responded immediately.

    Sheriff Ric Bradshaw identified the suspect as Austin Tucker Martin, 21, of North Carolina.

    Bradshaw said during a press conference that a deputy and two Secret Service agents assigned to the detail confronted the man after he entered what authorities described as the “inner perimeter” of the estate.

    “They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him — at which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw told reporters. “At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat.”

    Bradshaw said the suspect did not respond verbally to commands from law enforcement officers to drop the items.

    Martin was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Officials confirmed that no Secret Service personnel or sheriff’s deputies were injured during the confrontation. No Secret Service protectees were present at Mar-a-Lago at the time of the incident, and Trump was not in Florida when the shooting occurred.

    The FBI, Secret Service, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office are jointly investigating the shooting, including the suspect’s background, actions, potential motive, and the use of force.

    FBI Miami Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles said the bureau is assisting due to the location being under Secret Service protection.

    The FBI’s evidence response team is processing the scene and collecting physical evidence. Skiles urged residents in the area to review surveillance footage from late Saturday night into early Sunday morning.

    “If you see anything that looks suspicious or out of place, please contact us,” he said.

    FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X that the agency “is dedicating all necessary resources in the investigation of this morning’s incident,” adding that the bureau “will continue working closely with @SecretService as well our state and federal partners and will provide updates as we are able.”

    Heightened Security After Previous Threats

    Sunday’s incident comes amid heightened security surrounding Trump following multiple high-profile threats and assassination attempts in recent years. Most notably, Trump survived an assassination attempt during a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman opened fire, injuring Trump and killing a rally attendee. That attack prompted sweeping reviews of Secret Service procedures and significantly intensified protective measures at Trump properties and public events.

    Since then, federal authorities have reported disrupting additional threats against the former president, contributing to an already elevated security posture.

    Mar-a-Lago, which serves as Trump’s private residence and a frequent venue for political and public events, operates under layered security protocols when under Secret Service protection. Officials have not yet indicated whether Sunday’s incident is connected to any broader threat.

    The investigation remains active, and authorities say additional details will be released as they become available.

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    Report: Trump Advisor Warns ‘90% Chance’ Strike On Iran Is Coming

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
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    President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd after delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at the Donald J. Trump- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

    A senior adviser to President Donald Trump is warning that U.S. military action against Iran may be imminent as diplomatic efforts appear to be faltering.

    One senior adviser told Axios reporter Barak Ravid on Monday that there is a “90% chance” the United States could launch strikes within weeks.

    “The boss is getting fed up. Some people around him warn him against going to war with Iran, but I think there is 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks,” the adviser said.

    The comments come amid heightened tensions following three-hour talks in Geneva between Trump advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Both sides publicly stated that discussions “made progress,” though significant differences remain.

    Vice President JD Vance echoed that assessment, signaling that while diplomacy has not collapsed, it may be nearing its limits.

    Negotiations “went well” in some ways, Vance said, but “in other ways it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.” He cautioned that diplomacy could soon have “reached its natural end.”

    The administration has consistently maintained that Iran will not be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon, a position widely supported by Republican lawmakers and national security hawks. Trump has repeatedly emphasized that Tehran must meet strict conditions or face serious consequences.

    At the same time, U.S. military deployments in the region have accelerated. Two aircraft carriers, dozens of warships, and hundreds of fighter jets are being positioned across the Middle East. More than 150 cargo flights have reportedly delivered weapons systems and ammunition to support forces in the region.

    According to Axios, a potential strike on Iran would likely unfold as a sustained and coordinated U.S.-Israeli effort. Sources familiar with planning discussions indicated that any operation would not be limited to nuclear facilities but could also target key regime assets.

    While the president has continued to leave the door open to a negotiated solution, senior officials suggest patience is rapidly wearing thin.

    On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the two sides reached a “general agreement on a number of guiding principles” and agreed to begin drafting text for a possible agreement during a meeting between the two countries, with plans to exchange drafts and schedule a third round of talks. 

    “Good progress was made compared to the previous meeting,” he said, adding that while drafting would slow the process, “at least the path has started.”

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    War Department Takes Out Cartel-Owned Drone

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

    On Wednesday morning, the White House confirmed drone activity from Mexican drug cartels caused the sudden closure of U.S. airspace over El Paso, Texas.

    In a statement to Newsweek the White House said: “Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones.

    “The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel.”

    A Trump administration official told Fox News that the initial lockdown came in response to “Mexican cartel drones” that breached U.S. airspace. The FAA had announced Wednesday morning that all flights to and from El Paso were being grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation. The restriction was initially set to be effective from February 10 at 11:30 p.m. MST to February 20 at 11:30 p.m. MST.

    “Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones. The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel,” the official told Fox News.

    Restrictions set earlier by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been lifted and authorities say there remains no threat to commercial air travel.

    “The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal,” the FAA said on its X account.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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