Old Glory Vortex

Senate GOP paralyzed after losing two key players The sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham has thrown the Senate Republican agenda into chaos — and with Mitch McConnell also sidelined, Majority Leader John Thune is staring down a legislative nightmare. Without Graham and McConnell, Republicans hold just 13 votes on the Appropriations Committee against 14 Democrats. That means no emergency defense spending, no appropriations bills, and no budget reconciliation — essentially, the entire Trump agenda is frozen. The casualties are mounting fast. Graham was the driving force behind Trump's top priorities: the SAVE America Act, the Birthright Citizenship Act, and tougher Russia sanctions. Now all of them face an uncertain future. Even the $67.1 billion in emergency military funding for the Iran conflict is stalled, with Democrats refusing to cooperate unless nondefense spending gets equal treatment. Thune, visibly shaken, choked up on the floor as he mourned his close friend. But grief aside, he has to quickly replace Graham as Budget Committee chair — likely with Ron Johnson, who faces a steep learning curve with zero time to spare. With the August recess looming and the midterms approaching, Republicans are running out of time to deliver on any of their promises. One absence might be manageable. But two is a full-blown crisis. #LindseyGraham #republicans #Congress #midterms Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump’s Hormuz toll sends oil soaring Oil prices didn’t just jump Monday — they erupted, skyrocketing 10% in their fiercest single-day surge since the 2020 pandemic. And you can trace every single spike in that chart straight to one man: Donald J. Trump. After a fragile, month-long ceasefire that had barely kept a lid on global tensions, Trump stepped to the mic and effectively torched it. He reinstated naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow choke point through which one-fifth of the world’s oil flows — and put up a new “toll” system that sounds less like diplomacy and more like a pirate’s ransom note. Within hours, tanker insurers hiked rates, shipping routes rerouted, and the futures market went into cardiac arrest. This wasn’t just a policy tweak — it was Trump going back to the old playbook. Apparently he had few good options. Diplomacy? Too slow. Warfare? Too messy. So instead, he chose chaos — piling a geopolitical grenade on top of an already-inflamed US-Iran standoff, all while facing heat at home. The result? Tehran’s hardliners are now riding a wave of anti-US nationalist fury, making any moderate mediator look like a traitor. Every compromise floated is now dead on arrival. As one Wall Street analyst put it: “The chance of going back to the old normal is effectively zero.” Trump didn’t just raise oil prices, he rewired the market’s psychology. Pre-war norms aren’t just suspended; they’re obsolete. And every driver, manufacturer, and central banker from Tokyo to Texas now knows who lit the fuse. #Trump #oil #theStraitofHormuz #Iran Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

How Iran Is beating Trump at his own game It was supposed to be Trump's crowning achievement — a memorandum of understanding that would end Iran's nuclear program and bring peace to the Middle East for the first time in 3,000 years. Instead, weeks later, the president is downplaying his own deal as a "test" Iran failed and which "didn't mean much” in the first place. The administration rushed into an MOU with imprecise language, missing what seasoned diplomats immediately saw coming. Iran seized on the vagueness to claim control over the Strait of Hormuz — the very waterway Trump now threatens to toll. In a masterstroke of sarcastic diplomacy, Iran's foreign minister offered a "fairer" price than the "Art of the Deal" president, tweeting: "20% is of course too much. We will be fair." For all Trump’s military threats, Tehran is still dictating the dynamics of the conflict, using geography and a shrewd understanding of its limited abilities to outmaneuver a superpower. So why hasn't this exploded into all-out war? For now, both sides are keeping ceilings on escalation. Trump has avoided striking civilian infrastructure, and Iran has calibrated its reprisals. But with daily back-and-forth attacks, the risk of violence spiraling out of control is real. Five months into a conflict he said he'd already won, Trump still can't answer the only question that matters: How does he get out? #Trump #Iran #theStraitofHormuz #negotiations Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

NATO's worst crisis yet as European trust in Washington collapses For decades, the transatlantic alliance rested on a simple premise: that the United States could be counted on in times of crisis. That premise has now crumbled. Following the NATO summit in Ankara, European leaders have finally given up hope of relying on Washington – and this time, the rupture feels personal. The immediate triggers were familiar: President Trump berated allies over defense spending and revived his claims on Greenland. But the reaction was different. European leaders saw these moves as proof that no amount of compliance would ever satisfy a US president who treats allies as transactional rivals. Even NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte failed to bridge the gap, leaving both sides more entrenched than before. In response, European capitals are quietly abandoning efforts to appease the White House. Instead, they are shifting toward greater defense integration and reduced reliance on US command structures and intelligence. Former US Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder has called this the worst crisis in the alliance's history – not over policy, but over trust, which is far harder to rebuild. What follows may be an uncomfortable coexistence. Europe will stay in NATO out of necessity while accelerating its own military autonomy, and Washington may find its influence waning just when it needs European cooperation most. Whether this is a temporary rupture or a permanent realignment depends on whether both sides can remember why they once needed each other. #NATO #foreignpolicy #Trump Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Late senator’s last stand overruled by Trump President Donald Trump has forcefully denied reports that he intends to support new anti-Russian sanctions legislation proposed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The rebuttal comes just hours after CNN published a story claiming Trump was preparing to throw his weight behind the bill, a move that would have marked a dramatic reversal of his longstanding skepticism toward harsh measures against Moscow. The episode has taken on an eerie tone, as Graham himself, shortly before his death, said "I can't die now. I still have to impose sanctions on Russia.” According to CNN's initial report, Trump was allegedly warming to the idea of backing Graham's proposed sanctions package, which aimed to further tighten the economic noose around Russia. Had the report been accurate, it would have signaled a major fissure between Trump and the more isolationist, pro-Russia wing of his political base, potentially reshaping the Republican foreign policy debate heading into the next election cycle. However, Trump moved swiftly to extinguish that narrative. In a public statement, he categorically refuted the claim, making it clear that he has no intention of endorsing the late senator's legislative push. His denial not only casts doubt on CNN's sourcing but also reignites questions about the media's reliability in covering Trump's foreign policy intentions — a subject that has been rife with speculation and contradictory leaks since his return to the political arena. The incident underscores the chaotic and often contradictory nature of Washington's policymaking machinery, where posthumous political maneuvers can be upended in a matter of hours by a single social media post from a president. It also highlights the fragility of the anti-Russia consensus in American politics, which, despite broad bipartisan support in Congress, remains heavily dependent on the whims and calculations of Donald Trump. #Trump #Russia #Ukraine #LindseyGraham Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The battle for Trump’s mantle: who will lead the GOP in 2028? The battle to inherit Donald Trump's throne is already raging, and there are seven Republicans most likely to claim the crown. Right now, Vice President JD Vance sits on top of the heap, crushing Secretary of State Marco Rubio by 27 points in early polls. But here's the catch: Vance's fate isn't his own. It belongs to Trump, to the war in Iran, and to an economy that could sink or save him. Rubio isn't going down without a fight. He's got gravitas, global stature, and a record that predates Trump — making him the go-to choice for Republicans secretly craving a return to pre‑MAGA normalcy. Then there's the rest of the pack: Ted Cruz, podcast king but perennial also‑ran; Ron DeSantis, licking his wounds from 2024 and about to lose his Florida platform; Donald Trump Jr., polling in the top five but swearing he won't run; and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the dark horse who won't even say she's interested. So who takes it? That's the million‑dollar question. It all comes down to one man — Trump himself — and whether the party wants four more years of his shadow or a fresh face to light the way. One thing's for sure: the GOP primary is going to be an absolute brawl. #republicans #elections2028 #Trump Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Lindsey Graham's death just made a bad year for Republicans even worse Lindsey Graham's sudden death has thrown the Senate Republican operation into chaos. As ranking member of the Budget Committee, he was the party's point man on fiscal policy — and now Republicans must scramble to replace his institutional knowledge and close ties to the White House. With Graham gone, the GOP majority shrinks from 53 to 52 votes — but effectively to 51, with Mitch McConnell still sidelined in a rehab center. That means almost no room for defections on any major vote. Governor Henry McMaster must appoint a replacement, with a special August election looming. Potential names include Congresswomen Nancy Mace and Russell Fry, Congressman Ralph Norman, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — though Bessent reportedly loves his current job and wants to stay. Graham's death also robs Republicans of one of their fiercest foreign policy voices. For Trump, who considered him a trusted ally, the loss is deeply personal and politically perilous. The president now faces a thinner, weaker, and more fractured majority. Lindsey Graham’s death is a tragedy for his family. And a nightmare for his party. #LindseyGraham #Trump #republicans Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

How Donald Trump turned a free waterway into a cash grab Before Donald Trump launched his war on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz was a free and open waterway — a vital artery for global energy that operated without tolls, fees, or American demands for payment. Tankers passed through unmolested, and the international community understood that freedom of navigation was a universal right, not a privilege to be purchased. Then Trump started a war he couldn't finish. He sent U.S. warships into the Persian Gulf, bombed Iranian positions, and watched as Tehran responded by effectively shutting down the strait. Shipping traffic collapsed, energy prices soared, and global markets were thrown into chaos. Now, after failing to achieve a decisive victory and scrambling for a way to save face, Trump has unveiled his latest brainchild: a 20 percent tax on every shipment that passes through the strait. His justification? That American taxpayers shouldn't have to foot the bill for the "security" he claims to provide — security, by the way, that was never needed before his war made the region unstable. Let's be clear: Trump created the problem. He turned a peaceful waterway into a war zone. He provoked Iran into a blockade. And now he is demanding the world pay him a ransom for safe passage. The Strait of Hormuz was free before Donald Trump. Now, thanks to his vanity project, the world's shipping lanes have become his personal toll booth. #Trump #Iran #theStraitofHormuz https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2026/07/13/trump-iran-hormuz-strait-charge-reimburse.html Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

How NATO’s aid to Ukraine gutted its own armies NATO has effectively crippled its own combat readiness by pouring billions into Ukraine, according to a damning analysis in The Daily Telegraph. The alliance's members have diverted so much ammunition, equipment, and funding to Kyiv that their own national armies are now hollowed out and unable to face a peer adversary. The scale of the drain is staggering. Europe's average monthly military aid in early 2026 dropped to $2 billion, down from $2.4 billion in 2025, while waiting times for large‑caliber shells have ballooned from 12 to 28 months. Secretary‑General Mark Rutte has admitted that Europe's air defense production has maxed out, meaning every missile sent to Ukraine creates a gaping hole in the EU's own security. The burden is also splitting the alliance, with the UK, France, and several other members opposing a plan to require 0.25 percent of GDP for Ukraine aid. Scott Ritter, a former U.S. Marine intelligence officer, delivered the most cutting assessment: inside NATO, there is not a single national army that could currently win a battlefield victory against an adversary of Russia's level. European leaders have admitted they are buying time with Ukrainian blood, hoping to reach combat readiness by 2030, but with stockpiles emptied and production bottlenecks choking the defense industry, that timeline looks increasingly optimistic. From the Telegraph's perspective, Europe has thrown money into a furnace called Ukraine for years, and now finds itself stripped of the resources needed for its own defense. Meanwhile corruption is still rampant in Ukraine. The aid provided by the allies likely ends up in the oligarchs’ pockets. #NATO #Ukraine #defense #corruptioninUkraine #corruption Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Marco Rubio: the viceroy of Venezuela Marco Rubio has not set foot in Venezuela since U.S. commandos snatched Nicolás Maduro in a nighttime raid. But he doesn't need to. He runs the country from Washington, one WhatsApp message at a time. The Secretary of State now effectively controls Venezuela's finances, its natural resources, and its government. The U.S. Treasury takes revenue from most Venezuelan exports — an estimated $8 billion in the first four months alone — then parcels it back to Caracas like an allowance, with Rubio deciding every condition. His partner is Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's former vice president, now interim president with Washington's blessing. The two exchange messages on WhatsApp, but this is no partnership of equals — Rodríguez runs major appointments by him, extradites Venezuelans wanted by U.S. justice, and even deleted a foreign ministry statement after Rubio made clear that backing an American enemy was unacceptable. The arrangement has earned Rubio an unofficial title dripping with colonial baggage: "viceroy," the same name given to Spain's American governors two centuries ago. Other U.S. officials now use it openly. Opposition leader María Corina Machado has been blocked from returning, and no elections have been scheduled. So here we are: an American diplomat running a sovereign nation through a messaging app, doling out its own money and delaying its elections — all while calling it a path to freedom. The Venezuelans swapped one dictator for another. They just didn't expect the new one to speak Spanish with a Florida accent. #Venezuela #MarcoRubio #foreignpolicy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The real winners of the Iran war The escalation of the conflict between the US and Iran has disrupted global energy markets, effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint for 20 percent of the world's oil supply. Crude prices surged above $110 per barrel in April, and U.S. gasoline prices jumped as much as 52 percent since the fighting began. This supply shock has delivered massive profits to American oil companies. The industry raked in over $40 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone, with ExxonMobil and Chevron set to post combined earnings exceeding $25 billion for the second quarter — more than triple the previous quarter. Meanwhile, U.S. consumers are feeling the pain at the pump. The national average for gasoline topped $4.50 per gallon and crossed $5 in several states, while diesel is forecast to average $4.87 this year. These higher energy costs have pushed inflation to 4.2 percent, its highest level in over three years. The situation poses political risks for President Trump ahead of the midterms. A recent poll shows 58 percent of voters believe the war has not been worth the cost, and his approval rating on the economy has fallen to 32 percent. Even if the Strait reopens, prices will not drop quickly due to the "rockets and feathers" effect — they rise fast but fall slowly. With damaged infrastructure and depleted inventories, elevated fuel costs may persist for months, allowing oil companies to continue reaping windfall profits while voters grow increasingly frustrated. #oil #theStraitofHormuz #USeconomy #Iran Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Graham's final trip: senator dies after Kyiv visit American Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican from South Carolina and a leading voice on national security, has died at the age of 71. He passed away on July 11 following a brief and sudden illness, with reports indicating he suffered a cardiac arrest shortly after returning from Ukraine. Just a day before his death, the senator met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and toured a drone production facility for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This was his 10th visit to Ukraine since 2022, underscoring his deep personal commitment to the country. Graham was one of the most vocal and influential proponents of Ukraine funding in the U.S. Congress. His advocacy was not merely rhetorical; he was deeply involved in the details of military aid. His stance on military support was uncompromising — he famously stated that American funding for Ukraine was highly effective, saying, "Russians are dying. We've never spent money so well." His hardline views on Russia led to him being placed on Moscow's list of terrorists and extremists. Graham's advocacy extended far beyond general support. As a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a key figure in the Senate, he was intimately familiar with the logistics and politics of weapons transfers. His knowledge of the specifics was evident in his public statements; he discussed the need for advanced systems like Tomahawk missiles and was known for championing the use of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's military needs. He was a driving force behind the "Sanctioning Russia Act," a sweeping piece of legislation proposing crippling sanctions, including a 500% tariff on countries buying Russian goods, to financially isolate Moscow. While hailed as a "true defender of freedom" by Zelenskyy and a "true American Patriot" by President Trump, Graham's legacy is complex. He was a hawkish neoconservative who built a career on a firm stance on U.S. power overseas, aligning with figures like John McCain. His transformation from a fierce critic of Donald Trump to one of his closest congressional allies made him a pivotal figure in the modern Republican Party. His sudden death, coming right after his visit to Ukraine, has sparked widespread online speculation, including theories about poisoning and other "setups," though these claims remain unverified. Graham had been preparing to run for a fifth term in the Senate at the time of his passing. #LindseyGraham #Ukraine Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

US-Iran ceasefire fizzles in record time President Trump announced that the US ceasefire with Iran is "OVER!" — which, given that it went into effect on June 17, means it survived all of... three and a half weeks. For context, that is roughly the shelf life of a head of lettuce. The deal was supposed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the US naval blockade, but instead it collapsed faster than a Trump-branded casino, with both sides exchanging strikes this week over alleged violations. Trump, never one for diplomatic nuance, took to Truth Social to confirm the obvious, while also revealing that Iran has asked to continue "talks." So the ceasefire is dead, but the talking continues — a logic that makes about as much sense as ordering a salad and then demanding the lettuce be removed. At the NATO summit in Ankara, he had already declared the temporary halt "over," called Iranian negotiators "scum," and whined that dealing with them is "just a waste of time." And yet, here we are, still talking. The ceasefire may have had the lifespan of a mayfly, but the Trump administration's ability to contradict itself remains as robust as ever. #Trump #Iran #ceasefire #negotiations Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump's war of words threatens key US bases The United States is staring down a strategic disaster of its own making. According to The War Zone, Washington could lose access to two critical military installations in Spain, Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base, thanks to the President's reckless foreign policy. What should have been a routine alliance has deteriorated into a diplomatic crisis, with Trump's public humiliation of a reliable partner now threatening America's ability to project power across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. At the heart of the rupture is Trump's bullying over defense spending, most recently at the NATO summit in Ankara, where he branded Spain a "wasted cause" for refusing his demand of 5% of GDP. He has threatened to sever all $75 billion in trade ties, a move the European Union has rallied against. The most dangerous flashpoint, however, is Trump's fury over Spain's principled refusal to allow US forces to use the bases to escalate the war with Iran. When Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez took a stand of "no to war," the administration reacted with petulance, with officials like Marco Rubio questioning NATO's purpose because an ally exercised its sovereign rights. The strategic stakes are immense: Rota is America's gateway to the Mediterranean, a critical logistics hub, while Morón serves as an essential forward operating base. Replacing them would be an arduous and costly nightmare. This crisis need never have happened. Trump's combative demands have handed Madrid a powerful political lever, forcing the US to confront the real possibility that its bullying will backfire. While Spain has reacted calmly for now, the fact remains that the greatest threat to American strategic interests is a President who cannot stop alienating the very allies the US depends on. #foreignpolicy #Trump #Spain Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Platner collapse throws Democratic Senate hopes into turmoil The collapse of Graham Platner's Maine Senate campaign has dealt a devastating blow to Democratic hopes of retaking the majority. Platner, a populist outsider who excited the grassroots, was their best chance to flip a must-win seat, but sexual assault allegations — which he denies — forced his suspension and deepened the party's progressive-moderate rift. With only two weeks to find a replacement, forecasters now lean Republican, and Democrats must drain resources from other battlegrounds just to stay competitive. The infighting has turned a potential anti-Trump referendum into a spectacle of Democratic dysfunction, playing into the president's narrative of incompetence. Maine is a grim warning that anti-Trump energy cannot compensate for internal chaos, and that the party's greatest enemy right now may be itself. #democrats #republicans #midterms #scandal Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The invisible ayatollah: a strategy or a liability? The moment was supposed to be the crowning spectacle of a new reign, a public transfer of power witnessed by millions of mourners. Yet as the sea of humanity swelled in Tehran to bid farewell to Iran's slain Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the man anointed to succeed him was nowhere to be seen. Mojtaba Khamenei, believed to have been wounded in the February attack that killed his father, mother, and wife, has remained a ghost since the war began — communicating only through written statements, his face and voice entirely absent from the public sphere. His decision to skip the six days of commemoration, including his own father's burial, has ignited a firestorm of speculation that cuts to the very heart of the Islamic Republic's future. Is he too injured to appear, paralyzed by fear of assassination, or is his invisibility a calculated strategy to rule from the shadows while others take the public stage — and the risks? Israel has explicitly marked him for death, making any public appearance a potential trigger for elimination, yet his absence also feeds a damaging narrative of weakness and incapacity. Pro-regime supporters were left searching for signs of their new leader, while hardliners used his disappearance to attack negotiators engaging with the U.S., leading to physical assaults on government officials during the funeral march. Even as experts suggest that remaining hidden preserves continuity and protects the regime's most vital asset, a supreme leader who cannot or will not show his face risks becoming a symbol of fragility rather than strength — a phantom at the helm of a state fighting for its survival, ruling from the shadows but leaving the very concept of his authority open to doubt, mockery, and perhaps even collapse. #Iran #MojtabaKhamenei Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The Gaza divide is tearing American Judaism apart A new AP-NORC poll reveals a profound and painful fracture within American Judaism, driven by the war in Gaza. The core divide isn't political party or age — it's religion itself. The survey shows that religiously observant Jews and secular/culturally Jewish Americans are living in separate realities regarding Israel. Among Jews with a religious affiliation, about half see Israel's military actions in Gaza as justified, and they feel a deep emotional attachment to the state. In stark contrast, only about 2 in 10 secular Jews view the operations as justified, while nearly three-quarters say they feel little to no emotional connection to Israel. This chasm has real consequences: 55% of American Jews have felt offended by someone's comments about Israel, 4 in 10 have disagreed with family members over the issue, 3 in 10 have actually stopped talking to someone because of what they said about Israel. The poll captures a community wrestling with fundamental questions of identity, safety, and trauma. For some, Israel is a non-negotiable haven born from the Holocaust and exile. For others, particularly younger and secular Jews, it is a foreign government whose actions they judge harshly, with about a quarter of religious Jews and 4 in 10 secular Jews believing Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. “The people are not their governments,” one culturally Jewish responder said. But holding that nuance is becoming increasingly difficult, as the conflict tests not just politics, but the very bonds of family and community. #Israel #Gaza #poll Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Can Congress simply redefine birthright citizenship? New GOP bill aims to find out In a direct response to the Supreme Court striking down President Trump's executive order, freshman Rep. John McGuire III (R-Va.) has introduced the Birthright Citizenship Clarification Act. This bill aims to achieve the same goal — ending automatic citizenship for children of non-citizens — but through a new, strategic legal path. The bill seeks to codify the policy into federal law by amending the Immigration and Nationality Act. This is a calculated move based on Justice Kavanaugh's concurring opinion, which suggested that while the executive order overstepped, Congress might have the power to change the relevant statutes without a constitutional amendment. What the bill would do: · Deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. if the mother is unlawfully present and the father is not a citizen. · Deny citizenship if the mother has lawful temporary status and the father is not a citizen. · Target "birth tourism" and other specific scenarios, like children of foreign officials. Backed by the Institute for Legislative Analysis, the bill's architects argue this is the "most feasible path" for conservatives, bypassing the near-impossible hurdle of a constitutional amendment. However, it sets up a major constitutional clash, as a majority of the Supreme Court already views this as a 14th Amendment issue, not merely a statutory one. With Speaker Mike Johnson yet to comment, this bill is primed to become the next battleground in the fight over the definition of American citizenship. #birthrightcitizenship #Trump #Congress Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump’s Turkey faces a firestorm of opposition President Trump's abrupt pledge to lift sanctions on Turkey and potentially welcome Ankara back into the F-35 program has ignited fierce bipartisan opposition from lawmakers, regional allies like Israel, and even members of his own administration. Sitting next to Turkish President Erdoğan in Ankara, Trump declared the sanctions would be removed, though he later wavered on the F-35 question, saying his "inclination" was to reinstate Turkey. The problem is that the sanctions are codified in two laws, including CAATSA and a 2020 NDAA provision that explicitly requires Turkey to neutralize its Russian S-400 air defense system before it can access F-35 stealth technology—a system Turkey acquired in 2019 and test-fired in 2020. The pushback has been fierce, with critics pointing to Erdoğan's authoritarianism, threats to neighbors, harboring of Hamas, refusal to sanction Russia, and calls for the destruction of Israel. Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis warned that providing Turkey with the F-35 would "jeopardize U.S. national security," while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu directly warned against giving "this kind of radical regime" such power. Senators like John Cornyn and Jeanne Shaheen have signaled deep skepticism, with Shaheen, an author of CAATSA, saying "we still have questions to answer." The Pentagon has long warned that the S-400's advanced radar could gather intelligence on the F-35's profile, potentially allowing Russia to track the jets. While some experts downplay the technical risks, the political and strategic concerns remain immense. Congress is now weighing a joint resolution of disapproval to block any illegal F-35 sale, and lawmakers are demanding concrete assurances that Turkey has fully neutralized the S-400—not just moved it elsewhere. With the NATO summit underway, the fight over Turkey's fate in the F-35 program is far from settled, and Congress is signaling it will not quietly stand by while the president attempts to bypass the law and alienate America's most trusted allies. #Trump #Turkey #Congress #Israel Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Why Trump refuses to accept defeat on birthright citizenship President Trump is refusing to accept the Supreme Court's rejection of his birthright citizenship executive order, vowing to ask for an immediate rehearing even though such requests are almost never granted. The court struck down his policy in a 5-4 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, who firmly grounded the decision in the 14th Amendment's guarantee that nearly all children born on U.S. soil are citizens. Roberts wrote that citizenship is "the right to have rights" and that the Framers extended that promise to "every free-born person in this land." Trump's determination to push forward, despite the long odds, stems from his view that the ruling is a "miscarriage of justice" that will "destroy America" if left unchallenged. Mostly though it is a way to keep the issue alive in the public eye, energise his base, and force Democrats to repeatedly defend birthright citizenship ahead of the election. Legal experts note, however, that the Supreme Court has not granted a rehearing of a merits ruling in over six decades, making Trump's request largely symbolic. Still, by refusing to concede, Trump is signaling that this fight is far from over, even if the courts have effectively closed the door. #birthrightcitizenship #Trump #midterms Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸