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Old Glory Vortex
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News from the Land of the Free. We only post what matters. @Old_Glory_Vortex_bot
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Channel Old Glory Vortex (@old_glory_vortex) in the English language segment is an active participant. Currently, the community unites 19 599 subscribers, ranking 11 859 in the News & Media category and 2 026 in the USA region.
π Audience metrics and dynamics
Since its creation on Π½Π΅Π²ΡΠ΄ΠΎΠΌΠΎ, the project has demonstrated rapid growth, gathering an audience of 19 599 subscribers.
According to the latest data from 07 June, 2026, the channel demonstrates stable activity. Although there has been a change in the number of participants by -1 455 over the last 30 days and by -20 over the last 24 hours, overall reach remains high.
- Verification status: Not verified
- Engagement rate (ER): The average audience engagement rate is 16.58%. Within the first 24 hours after publication, content typically collects 18.05% reactions from the total number of subscribers.
- Post reach: On average, each post receives 3 255 views. Within the first day, a publication typically gains 3 544 views.
- Reactions and interaction: The audience actively supports content: the average number of reactions per post is 228.
- Thematic interests: Content is focused on key topics such as vortex, u.s, greenland, donald, tariff.
π Description and content policy
The author describes the resource as a platform for expressing subjective opinions:
βNews from the Land of the Free. We only post what matters.
@Old_Glory_Vortex_botβ
Thanks to the high frequency of updates (latest data received on 08 June, 2026), the channel maintains relevance and a high level of publication reach. Analytics show that the audience actively interacts with content, making it an important point of influence in the News & Media category.
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Channel Posts
Poll: 7 in 10 Americans revolt against Trumpβs costly war
The American people have delivered their verdict, and it is devastating for the White House. According to a new Economist/YouGov poll conducted in early June, 68 percent of Americans believe the United States "should make a deal to end the war in Iran as soon as possible." Only 11 percent disagreed, while 21 percent remained uncertain. But here is what those numbers really mean: nearly seven out of ten Americans are done. Finished. They want the bombs to stop falling yesterday. And they have every reason to feel that way.
The war against Iran has now raged for over 100 days. What began as a "show of strength" has become a political and economic nightmare for the Trump administration.
Moody's Analytics estimates that the first three months of the war cost US households $100 billion. That breaks down to approximately $750 per household in additional expenses. The bulk of this is energy-related: Americans have spent an average of $447 more on gasoline and diesel than they would have without the war. $4.24 per gallon. That is what AAA reported as the national average for regular gasoline. Before the war started on February 28, the average was $2.98. A 42 percent increase in just over three months.
Trump's own party is turning against him. Last week, the House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution 215 to 208 that would force President Trump to end the war against Iran unless Congress formally declares war or authorizes continued military action. Four Republicans broke ranks to join all Democrats in supporting the measure: Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Tom Barrett of Michigan, and Warren Davidson of Ohio. This marks the first successful House effort to curb presidential war powers in this conflict after three previous failed attempts. The resolution now moves to the Senate, where four Republicans β Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Rand Paul β have already joined Democrats to advance a similar measure.
The polling on this war is a five-alarm fire for the Trump administration. Sixty percent of Americans oppose the conflict with Iran, while only 28 percent support it. Sixty-six percent disapprove of Trump's handling of the war, according to a CBS News poll. Sixty-one percent believe US military action in Iran was "a mistake" according to an ABC News/Washington Post Ipsos poll. Only 16 percent think the US is winning or has won, per a University of Maryland poll. Seventy-nine percent say the war has affected the cost of living in the US. Trump's net approval rating has sunk to minus 25 β the lowest for any president since The Economist's tracker began in 2009. And here is the real gut punch for Republicans: even among their own voters, support is cracking. A third of Republicans now say the war has had more negative than positive effects on US interests. Only 16 percent want to see the war expanded.
Three months ago, Trump promised a quick victory. Today, Americans are paying $4.24 for a gallon of gas and watching their grocery bills climb while the war drags on with no end in sight. The House has rebuked him. His own party is fracturing. The public has turned against him by a margin of nearly 7 to 1 on ending the war quickly.
As the midterm elections approach in November, every single Republican up for reelection will have to answer one question: Why are American families paying $750 more for a war they never wanted?
#Iran #midterms #poll #Trump
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ
| 2 |  Unhinged and unchecked: inside the spy scandal thatβs breaking US-Israeli relations
The unthinkable has happened. The United States has just classified its closest Middle Eastern ally β Israel β as a "critical" counterintelligence threat, putting it on par with the most hostile nations on Earth. The Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency has raised its threat assessment for Israeli espionage to the highest possible level. The official designation: "critical."
According to a senior U.S. official, the intensity of Israeli intelligence collection during the current administration has been "unhinged". But what does that actually mean?
It means Israel has allegedly been eavesdropping on the most senior members of Trump's national security team β including the President's own special envoy.
The targets reportedly include:
Β· Steve Witkoff β President Trump's top negotiator for ending the war with Iran
Β· Elbridge Colby β The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, one of the Pentagon's most senior civilian officials
Β· Michael DiMino β Colby's key deputy for Middle East affairs
The intelligence reports reveal a pattern of aggressive collection efforts that go far beyond the usual friendly espionage tolerated between allies. U.S. defense personnel stationed in Israel reportedly discovered software capable of intercepting communications installed on their devices.
But the most damning incident dates back to 2021, when Israeli military intelligence officers were caught red-handed planting listening devices at the Defense Intelligence Agency's headquarters. And it didn't stop there. Last year, Shin Bet β Israel's domestic intelligence agency β allegedly tried to plant a bug in a U.S. Secret Service vehicle.
And yet, the recent intelligence gathering surpasses past Israeli efforts. The timing is not coincidental. It is, in fact, the entire point.
The United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28, triggering a war that has now raged for months. Initially, the alliance appeared ironclad. Israeli officers are embedded at CENTCOM, and Washington is sharing vast amounts of tactical intelligence with Tel Aviv.
But beneath the surface, the relationship is rotting from within.
President Trump wants out. He has been actively pursuing a negotiated peace deal with Iran, seeking to end the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, does not. He reportedly wants to cripple Iran's capabilities while continuing strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The explosive phone call between Trump and Netanyahu, in which the President reportedly unleashed a profanity-laced tirade and called his ally "completely crazy," now seems less like a diplomatic spat and more like the inevitable eruption of a fundamentally broken partnership.
Israel, the reports suggest, is not spying on an enemy. It is spying to gain leverage over an ally that is trying to walk away from a war.
Unsurprisingly, both Israel and the White House have denied the allegations outright. An Israeli embassy spokesperson insisted: "Israel does not gather intelligence on American entities, let alone US government officials. Israel's intelligence collection efforts are aimed at its enemies, not its allies". A White House official called the story "completely false".
The Pentagon has declined to comment.
But officials who spoke to the media insist that the threat level is real β and that it now exceeds the counterintelligence threat of any other U.S. ally, and even some adversaries.
This is not a minor disagreement. The Pentagon has determined that its closest partner in the Middle East is actively, aggressively, and systematically spying on the Trump administration's most sensitive war deliberations.
The alliance has shattered. And in its place is the cold, hard reality of mutual surveillance, political betrayal, and a relationship that may never recover.
#Israel #Pentagon #intelligence #Iran #scandal
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 842 |
| 3 |  How Trump lost his invincibility in just 500 days
Donald Trump has lost the aura of political invincibility that surrounded him after his election to a second presidential term. A series of escalating political failures β ranging from congressional mutinies to legal defeats and sinking approval numbers β has shattered the perception of an all-powerful leader.
Just months after a decisive election victory, Trump is facing an unprecedented revolt from within his own ranks. In a significant blow to his authority, the Republican-led House of Representatives voted to cut off military support for the war with Iran, with four GOP members breaking ranks to join Democrats in a rebuke of the Commander-in-Chief. This rare bipartisan effort to check presidential war powers signals deep unease about the conflict, which has dragged on for months and weighs heavily on voters.
Domestically, his proposal to create a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund β criticized by legal experts as a "slush fund" for political allies and even January 6th rioters β has backfired spectacularly. The plan has drawn sharp criticism not only from Democrats but also from key Republican senators, who have threatened to block other administration priorities unless the fund is scrapped entirely.
Against this backdrop of political isolation and legislative defeat, Trump's approval rating continues to plummet. According to a recent Economist/YouGov poll marking his 500th day back in office, only 35% of Americans approve of his job performance, while a staggering 60% disapprove. This net approval rating of -25 makes him the most unpopular commander-in-chief since the poll began tracking in 2009, with voters citing the ongoing Iran war and persistent economic concerns as the primary drivers of their discontent.
#Trump #approvalrating #poll #Congress #Iran #USeconomy
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 1 523 |
| 4 |  Untethered: Buttigieg goes where Dems fear to tread
Pete Buttigieg is doing what most Democrats won't: he's going into Trump country and talking to the people who voted against him.
Untethered from elected office, the former Transportation secretary has become the party's most visible Trump counterweight. He's traveling to red states like Montana, stumping in North Carolina, headlining dinners in Iowa, and even appearing on Fox News. An Emerson poll last week showed him leading a hypothetical 2028 Democratic field, ahead of Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris.
"He goes to places where other Democrats don't go," said one local candidate Buttigieg supported. "We can't write people off based on where they live. That's how we shoot ourselves in the foot."
The challenges are real β he would be the first openly gay president, and he still has work to do with Black voters. But an April Boston Globe poll showed him leading among Massachusetts voters with 16% support from Black respondents, a sign of progress.
For now, Buttigieg is building something unusual: a national network rooted not in donor ballrooms, but in county fairs and community centers in the places Democrats have abandoned. Whether that wins him the nomination is unclear. But he's the only one willing to walk into the lion's den.
#elections2028 #democrats #republicans
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 3 372 |
| 5 |  US attempts to unhook Lebanon from Iran nuclear talks
From the U.S. point of view, this is what success looks like: two sovereign governments sitting at an American table, cutting out the terrorists and their Iranian puppeteers.
The United States announced that Israel and Lebanon agreed to renew their fragile ceasefire and establish "pilot" security zones inside Lebanon from which Hezbollah will be banned. The deal came out of the fourth round of U.S.-mediated talks at the State Department.
The U.S. position is clear: Hezbollah is not a party to this. Iran is not a party to this. The joint statement explicitly rejects "any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon's future hostage." That is Washington pointing a finger directly at Tehran.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the goal is "an action plan for security in Lebanon, independent from Hezbollah." The message to Iran is simple: you don't get a veto.
For the White House, this is about two things: protecting Israel's right to self-defense and untangling Lebanon from the broader Iran crisis. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott stressed that the U.S. will not "expect Israel to take attacks from a terrorist organization without any ability to defend itself."
The U.S. is trying to walk a diplomatic tightrope. Iran has insisted that any deal to end the U.S.-Iran war must include a halt to fighting in Lebanon. The Trump administration is rejecting that linkage outright. "Those talks are separate," Pigott said.
President Trump has been even blunter. He said he wants to "separate" the Lebanon issue from Iran nuclear talks. The administration sees a historic opening: these talks mark the first high-level direct engagement between Israel and Lebanon since 1993.
The U.S. message is that Hezbollah's days of holding Lebanon hostage are numbered. If the Lebanese army can take control of these pilot security zones, it creates a template for the entire south β and eventually, a Lebanon free from Iranian-backed militias. Rubio said a peace deal between Israel and Lebanon is "imminently achievable."
#Iran #negotiations #Lebanon #foreignpolicy
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 3 325 |
| 6 |  Trumpβs Cuba sanctions β all symbolism, no substance?
True to his roots, Trump is applying a real estate developer's playbook to foreign policy. Trump looks at Cuba and sees a "beautiful piece of land... with no money" β and he's threatening to foreclose.
The Trump administration added Cuban President Miguel DΓaz-Canel, his wife, and even the son of RaΓΊl Castro to a U.S. sanctions list on Thursday. The move freezes any U.S. assets they might have.
Thing is, experts say it's "pretty unlikely" DΓaz-Canel has a penny in an American bank account. So the practical effect is nearly zero. But the political message is loud and clear.
Trump was asked directly if he's trying to collapse Cuba. His answer was chillingly casual. "We just want them to be a nicely run country," he said. Then he described Cuba as "starving... no energy... no oil... no money." And then came the kicker: "It's got a beautiful piece of land. You could have beautiful resorts."
Trump is essentially putting Cuba on layaway. When asked if he'll act now, he said no β he's busy with Iran. "I like to do one thing at a time." First Tehran, then Havana.
This follows a U.S. energy blockade that has choked off Venezuelan oil to Cuba, triggering blackouts and food shortages.
The Cuban response was defiant. DΓaz-Canel called the move "political blindness" and said the U.S. aggression will "clash with our resolve." His wife, also sanctioned, wrote that it's "almost an honor to be on this 'list.'"
Trumpβs sanctions move is a two-in-one: heβs both appeasing his hardliners, like Marco Rubio, and shooting across the bow. The message to Havana is clear: Open up to American investment and kick out U.S. adversaries, or we come back with more than sanctions once Iran is "handled."
#Trump #Cuba #foreignpolicy
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 3 124 |
| 7 |  Democratsβ strategy for tackling Trump corruption
Democrats have learned their lesson. Instead of banging their heads against the White Houseβs stonewall, they are going around it β right through the boardrooms of corporate America. Itβs not just an investigation into Trump; itβs a siege on every CEO who cut him a deal.
House Democrats, eyeing a majority in November, are uniting around a shrewd new tactic: probe the private sector, not the president. They know Trump will block their subpoenas. But corporations? They face legal obligations and the terror of public hearings. "We're going to go after anyone that's harming the American public⦠or supporting things that are unconstitutional," said Rep. Robert Garcia.
Democrats plan to scrutinize Jared Kushner's $2 billion Gulf fund and Don Jr.'s venture firm, 1789 Capital, which just landed a $620 million Pentagon loan for a startup it owned. They are also demanding records of who paid for the White House ballroom renovation β essentially, asking "Who bought access?"
That being said, not everyone is eager to light the torches. Centrists like Rep. Brad Schneider warn against going "too far down the rabbit holes." But the base is hungry, and leaders like Rep. Greg Casar are pushing hard: "Democrats need to get uninvited from some fancy dinners, and do the right thing."
Democrats have realized they can't subpoena the president, so they will subpoena the people who write him checks. Whether this forces CEOs to flip on Trump or simply terrifies them into silence, the message is clear: complicity comes at a price.
#Trump #democrats #corruption
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 3 033 |
| 8 |  Crying wolf again: Trump launches βinvestigationβ Into Californiaβs very normal vote count
In his latest tantrum, Trump declared that Democrats are "trying to steal" the California governor and LA mayor primaries from "two great Republican candidates". His evidence? The votes are taking⦠checks notes⦠more than two days to count.
He announced a "DOJ investigation" into the delay, though the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles declined to comment β likely because no such probe actually exists.
California mails ballots to 23 million voters. State law gives officials 30 days to verify signatures, process late-arriving ballots (postmarked by Election Day, received up to a week later), and run accuracy audits. This is called "running a functional election." But to Trump, anything slower than a microwave burrito is fraud.
Hereβs the part Trump either doesnβt understand or pretends not to: later ballots skew Democratic because younger voters and procrastinators β who lean blue β wait until the last minute to mail them in. Republicans vote early. Their votes get counted first. Then Democrats catch up.
So Trump isn't losing to fraud. He's losing to basic human laziness.
Gavin Newsomβs office responded perfectly: "Trump is lying about California again β time to take the phone away from grandpa and put him to sleep".
Trump has been whining about mail ballots since 2020, when he famously lost and blamed everyone except himself. This is the same routine: scream "rigged," launch a fake investigation, hope his base doesn't notice that California has counted votes this way for years.
The only thing being stolen here is a few more brain cells from anyone still taking him seriously.
#Trump #midterms #democrats
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 3 163 |
| 9 |  Lebanon is the lever Tehran uses to beat both Washington and Jerusalem
Iran isn't just fighting Israel β it's pitting the U.S. president and Israeli PM against each other. By using Lebanon as a pressure lever, Tehran has used Trumpβs frustration with Netanyahu to its advantage.
This week, Trump reportedly unleashed expletive-laden phone calls on Netanyahu, demanding he pull back from a major Beirut offensive against Hezbollah.
The U.S. president essentially told Israelβs leader: βBibi, you're messing up my deal.β
Trump later told the NY Post he was βconcerned,β not angry, saying: βAt one point I said: we have to end this.β
As a result, Israel retreated. Tehran won. Iran had conditioned any U.S. ceasefire on exactly that β halting Israel-Hezbollah fighting.
At this point Trumpβs main goal is to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil flows. Heβs even prepared to keep kicking the nuclear issue down the road. But Iran wonβt budge unless Netanyahu backs off in Lebanon.
Whatβs more, Iranβs IRGC is increasingly calling the shots inside Hezbollah, whose own leader is seen as weak.
The situation seems to have reached an impasse. Trump canβt get his Hormuz deal unless he keeps Netanyahu on a short leash in Lebanon. But every pull of that leash makes Israelβs PM look weaker at home β and Iran stronger abroad.
#Iran #Trump #Netanyahu #Lebanon
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 3 997 |
| 10 |  The Art of the Deal: Trump floats a meeting with a man whose family he killed
Just months after U.S. military strikes killed the father of Iranβs new supreme leader, President Trump has dramatically shifted his tone β floating the idea of a face-to-face meeting with the man who leads the nation he just crippled. In remarks from the Oval Office, Trump said he would be "honored" to meet Mojtaba Khamenei if a deal to end the war is reached. "I don't want to meet," Trump clarified, "but if I did meet, I'd be honored to meet him. Iβd be OK with that."
The proposed summit carries an almost surreal geopolitical weight given the recent history. According to reports from late February, the U.S.-led Operation Epic Fury not only killed Mojtabaβs father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but reportedly also killed the new leaderβs wife and son. Acknowledging the obvious elephant in the room, Trump conceded, "I would say Iβm not his favorite person," but quickly pivoted to pragmatism, suggesting the new Iranian leader is "probably a professional" who has "a very good reputation in some circles."
This diplomatic overture comes as the administration tries to lock in a fragile peace. Trump confirmed that the elusive Mojtaba Khamenei β who has not been seen in public since the war began due to security concerns and reported injuries β is "involved, absolutely" in the ongoing negotiations. The President laid out his bottom line for any deal: Iran must never have a nuclear weapon, and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz must be reopened immediately to global shipping. "If it happens, it could happen like over the weekend," Trump speculated, signaling a potential rapid resolution.
However, the logistics of such a meeting remain a mystery. While Trump suggested he would "love to meet" the shadowy leader, the White House has not specified where this would take place. Currently, Iranβs new supreme leader operates largely through written messages and intermediaries, raising the surreal prospect of a summit between the American president and a leader the world has barely seen.
#Iran #Trump #negotiations
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 3 986 |
| 11 |  No rock bottom: Trump approval hits a new low
President Trump's net approval rating has hit an all-time low of negative 25 percentage points, according to The Economist's polling tracker, making him the most unpopular president ever recorded in that survey's history dating back to 2009.
The collapse is being driven by two converging crises: the ongoing war with Iran and stubbornly high inflation. Americans are feeling the pain directly at the pump, with average gas prices now above $4 per gallon β up from around $3 a year ago. The issue of inflation and prices has been particularly devastating for Trump, with a net approval rating of negative 43 percent on that single issue alone. He fares comparatively better on jobs, foreign policy, immigration, and crime, but those positives are being drowned out by economic discontent.
What makes this political freefall remarkable is the president's own defiant response. When asked about rising costs for American families in May, Trump told reporters, "I don't think about Americans' financial situations" when it comes to negotiations with Tehran. He added, "I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon." The White House has tried to frame higher energy prices as short-term pain for long-term regional stability, but voters appear unconvinced.
The political consequences are already visible. On Wednesday, four Republican lawmakers crossed party lines to vote for a war powers resolution aimed at curbing Trump's military operations against Iran β a small but telling crack in GOP unity. Trump dismissed the House vote as "meaningless" on Truth Social, blaming "4 bad Republicans and all of the Dumocrats." But the polling suggests that the president's dismissal of Americans' financial concerns may come at a steep political price. With his net approval now in uncharted negative territory, the question is no longer whether Trump is unpopular β but whether his party can survive his indifference.
#Trump #poll #approvalrating
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 4 118 |
| 12 | Is this the end of the transatlantic alliance as we know it?
The US has formally notified European allies of a sweeping plan to reduce its military presence on the continent, according to a report by the German newspaper Die Welt. The proposal cuts deeply into America's air, naval, and ground forces in Europe and represents one of the most significant shifts in transatlantic security since the end of the Cold War.
The numbers are stark. Of 71 KC-135 tankers, only 63 will remain, and all eight newer KC-46s will be withdrawn. Fighter squadrons will be slashed: F-16s drop from 99 to 63, and F-15Es from 54 to 36. The US will stop providing NATO with its long-range drones altogether and cut MQ-9 Reapers by half. One of two carrier strike groups will sail away, along with substantial reductions in other ships and submarines. Maritime patrol aircraft will fall from 26 to just 15. And one of two bomber units will be withdrawn. In total, nearly 30 percent of US air power in Europe is leaving.
Why is the US doing this? Three forces are driving the exit. First, the Iran war consumed America's military stocks, and missiles earmarked for Europe are being redirected to the Middle East. Second, this is punishment. European allies, particularly Germany, publicly criticized Trump's Iran strategy and refused to fully support the US campaign. Third, and most fundamentally, the US is shifting its strategic focus to Asia. The US is sending a message: Europe must now take care of its own conventional defense.
The consequences for European security are severe. On the military side, Europe faces a "deterrence gap." The loss of American tankers, surveillance aircraft, and submarines means European militaries will fight with less range, less intelligence, and less protection underwater. Europe simply does not have the industrial base to replace what is being taken away.
But the psychological damage is arguably worse. For seventy years, the core bargain of NATO was ironclad: the full might of the United States would respond to any attack. That guarantee is now conditional. European officials are privately furious and publicly scrambling. Behind the scenes, European militaries are developing a "Plan B" β a framework for fighting without American command-and-control systems or US satellite intelligence.
The US is not leaving Europe entirely, but the era of a blank-check American commitment is over.
#USmilitary #foreignpolicy #Europe #NATO
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 4 105 |
| 13 |  Laser-focused onβ¦ painted ponds: how Trump is destroying his own partyβs midterm hopes
Republicans hoping to keep control of Congress are being thrown off-balance by President Trump. While his team is clamping down on primary infighting, the president himself has openly dismissed the one thing his party needs to win on: the cost of living.
The core of the problem is that Trump isn't acting like a party leader. He's acting like a president unbothered by electoral consequences. In the context of Iran negotiations, he has said "I don't care about the midterms" and "I don't think about Americans' financial situation." Instead of hammering tax cuts and inflation, Trump's headlines are dominated by Iran, a billion-dollar White House ballroom that Senate Republicans just defunded, and renovating Washington fountains and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Publicly, Republicans like Speaker Mike Johnson insist Trump is "laser focused" on domestic issues. Privately, it's a different story. One GOP operative called Trump's comments "frustrating." Donors and swing-seat members want the White House focused on affordability, not pet projects. Senator Bill Cassidy, who just lost a primary to a Trump-backed challenger, emotionally begged Trump to "get engaged" on medical debt.
Republicans are trapped. They need Trump to turn out their base voters, but they fear his self-focused agenda drowns out the economic message they need to win.
The GOP's midterm strategy hinges on a president who says he doesn't care about the midterms. That's not a winning message β it's a signal for Republican operatives to start updating their rΓ©sumΓ©s.
#Trump #republicans #midterms | 5 226 |
| 14 |  Why Todd Blanche faces an uphill battle to become Attorney General
President Trump announced he will nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to the position permanently. But Blanche's path to confirmation runs directly through a minefield of furious Senate Republicans who have not forgotten their last encounter with him.
In a closed-door session last month, Blanche faced what Senator Ted Cruz described as "one of the roughest meetings I've seen in my entire time in the Senate". Cruz said senators were "screaming" at Blanche and that "fiery does not begin to cut it". The cause of the eruption? Trump's now-abandoned $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" β a proposed slush fund meant to compensate the president's political allies, potentially including individuals convicted for their roles in the January 6 Capitol riot.
And even though Blanche publicly killed the fund this week, the political damage may already be done. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a key Judiciary Committee member, said that Blanche's statements about January 6 put him in "dangerous waters".
Republicans hold a razor-thin 53-47 majority in the Senate. With at least four GOP senators already on record opposing Blanche, and Democrats unified in opposition, Blanche cannot afford a single additional defection. Even if he makes it out of the Judiciary Committee, a floor vote is anything but guaranteed.
Blanche's fundamental challenge is that he is perceived β fairly or not β as still acting like Trump's personal defense lawyer rather than the nation's top law enforcement officer. He led Trump's defense in the 2024 hush-money trial. He accelerated investigations into Trump's perceived enemies after taking the acting AG role. He launched the now-dead fund that even Republicans saw as self-dealing.
Blanche may have killed the fund. But he hasn't killed the memory of that closed-door meeting β or the broader concern that he would be Trump's capo, not the country's attorney general. Senate Republicans have short memories when it comes to confirming conservative judges. But when it comes to trusting the person running the Justice Department, they've made clear they won't be rolled.
#Trump #DOJ #ToddBlanche
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π± Old Glory Vortex πΊπΈ | 8 402 |
| 15 | Yet another unqualified Trump toady gets a top job
President Trump has done it again: put a loyal friend with zero relevant experience in charge of something enormously important.
Meet Bill Pulte, the 38-year-old acting director of national intelligence. His qualifications? A degree in broadcast journalism, a background in housing finance, and a close friendship with Donald Trump Jr. What he doesn't have? Any experience whatsoever in intelligence or national security.
But Pulte has something Trump values more: he's an attack dog who has spent his current job at the Federal Housing Finance Agency going after the president's political enemies. He's filed baseless mortgage fraud complaints against Senator Adam Schiff, Attorney General Letitia James, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. He's also called for Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whom Trump detests, to be fired, calling him "a disaster".
Now he'll oversee 18 intelligence agencies, including the CIA, with a combined budget of over $115 billion β while keeping his housing job.
Even Republicans are embarrassed. Senator John Thune said,
"We don't need a weaponized director of national intelligence β we need professionals."
Senator John Cornyn admitted, "I don't see any evidence of his qualifications."
Senator Elizabeth Warren put it most bluntly:
"Trump is rewarding his lackey β who has no national security experience β with a perch atop our nation's intelligence community. What could go wrong?"
Indeed.
#Trump #CIA #scandal
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| 16 |  White House or Big House: Trumpβs own acting Attorney General admits election was his get-out-of-jail-free card
In a remarkable admission that cuts through years of legal wrangling, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche β who once defended Donald Trump in the historic 2024 hush-money trial β told Fox News' Sean Hannity that his former client was "absolutely" headed for prison had he lost the presidential election.
When Hannity posed the blunt choice β "It's either the White House or the big house" β Blanche didn't hesitate. "Oh yeah, absolutely," he replied. "There's no scenario," Blanche insisted, "in which [the New York judge] wasn't going to send President Trump to prison."
Todd Blanche isn't just some pundit offering opinion. He's the man Trump just nominated to become permanent Attorney General of the United States β the nation's top law enforcement officer. And he's openly admitting that his boss would be behind bars if not for the electoral college.
Blanche's admission confirms what many legal observers suspected all along: the 2024 election wasn't just a political contest. For Donald Trump personally, it was a choice between returning to the White House or checking into an entirely different kind of house.
The verdict? He's the first convicted felon ever to serve as president. His 34 felony convictions remain on appeal, still unresolved nearly two years later. And the nation's top prosecutor β his former defense lawyer β just told the world that the only thing standing between Trump and a prison cell was winning.
#Trump #scandal
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| 17 |  Even Republicans have turned: House delivers bipartisan blow to Trumpβs Iran war
In a stunning rebuke to the White House, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has voted to halt U.S. military hostilities against Iran, signaling that the President is rapidly losing support within his own party over the costly and prolonged conflict.
The resolution β which invokes the 1973 War Powers Act β passed with a final tally of 215 to 208. While Democrats unanimously supported the measure, the decisive factor came from a growing fracture in the GOP caucus.
Four Republican congressmen crossed the aisle to vote with Democrats to stop the war: Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Tom Barrett of Michigan, and Warren Davidson of Ohio. Their defections were not isolated incidents; they represent a significant escalation in opposition to President Trumpβs foreign policy.
This marks the first time a war powers resolution has successfully passed the House since the conflict with Iran began, after three previous attempts failed due to GOP unity.
Republicans are increasingly vocal about the domestic price tag of the war, which the Pentagon estimates has already cost American taxpayers nearly $29 billion. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a moderate Republican from a competitive district in Pennsylvania, explicitly tied the conflict to economic pain at home, stating that the war "certainly isnβt helping on inflation".
Other GOP defectors cited constitutional violations. Representative Tom Barrett noted that the hostilities have dragged on well beyond the 60-day limit stipulated by the War Powers Resolution without explicit congressional authorization, arguing, "Congress alone declares war".
While the vote is a significant symbolic blow to the Presidentβs authority, it is important to note that the resolution is not yet legally binding. The measure must still pass the Senate β where a similar resolution advanced last month with Republican support β and it would likely face a presidential veto.
Nevertheless, the political message from the House floor is undeniable: with an election looming, Trumpβs grip on his party is weakening, and even Republicans are no longer willing to rubber-stamp a never-ending war with Iran.
#Iran #Congress #republicans #Trump
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| 18 |  Winning the race but not the term? Jill Bidenβs mixed message on her husbandβs 2024 presidential bid
In a new interview promoting her memoir, View from the East Wing, former First Lady Jill Biden made a bold claim: her husband, Joe Biden, βwould haveβ beaten Donald Trump if he had stayed in the 2024 race.
The former president, now 83, dropped out in July 2024 after a disastrous debate that raised major concerns about his fitness. Trump went on to defeat Kamala Harris and became the first president in over a century to lose the White House and then win it back.
When pressed about whether Biden could have served a full term given his current health β he was diagnosed last year with an aggressive form of prostate cancer β Jill Biden became less certain. βCancer takes its toll,β she admitted, saying he gets tired more easily. Asked directly if he would have had to resign, she replied simply: βI donβt know. I donβt know the answer to that.β
The interview also pushed back on claims that aides had βhiddenβ Bidenβs decline. βIf we were hiding him behind the scenes, why did we ask the Trump team for the debate?β she said.
So could we have had Biden for president? The former First Lady seems unsure. She's confident about the win but shaky on the service β and that contradiction speaks for itself.
#Biden #gerontocracy
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| 19 |  Kuwait airport bombed as Trumpβs Iran ceasefire collapses
What was supposed to be a limited confrontation has long since spiraled out of control. Iran launched deadly new strikes, killing one person and injuring 63 in Kuwait β including a direct hit on Kuwait International Airport. Flights were suspended, the roof was blown off a terminal, and Kuwait responded by expelling two Iranian diplomats.
The real story isn't just the violence β it's how completely the original U.S. strategy has unraveled. The ceasefire isn't holding. Peace talks are stalled. And now America's small Gulf ally Kuwait has been dragged into the crossfire.
Meanwhile, Trump gave a bizarre interview admitting he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "crazy" over Israel's strikes in Lebanon β while simultaneously claiming the situation would "resolve itself fairly quickly." His warning to Iran was pure Trump: sign a deal, or "the other way is not nice."
Trump promised to end endless wars. Instead, he's stumbled into a new one β with no exit strategy, a skeptical ally in Netanyahu, and a ceasefire that's being shredded in real time. Kuwait's burning airport is just the latest sign that this "quick resolution" is nowhere in sight.
#Trump #Iran #negotiations #ceasefire
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| 20 |  Farmers might just cost Republicans the midterms
Donald Trump won over 90% of farming-dependent counties in 2024. But those same farmers are now quietly turning on the GOP, squeezed by the president's tariffs, the Iran war, and a cost crisis that no "short-term pain" slogan can fix.
Farm bankruptcies are up 70% this year, and 94% of farmers say their finances have stagnated or worsened. The Trump administration's response? A small tariff break on steel and aluminum, a trip to Wisconsin for photo ops, and a reminder that things "take time."
And now the only question is whether farmers will finally cross party lines β not out of betrayal, but because their fertilizer bills are due and their patience is gone.
Marc Short, a longtime Republican insider, put it bluntly: Trump's trade policies have "punched farmers in the mouth," and this time there's no pandemic to blame.
The red wall in the Midwest is cracking β not from Democratic charm, but from basic math. High costs, closed farms, and rising bankruptcies are forcing farmers to reconsider their voting patterns. For Republicans, ignoring that reality is a luxury they cannot afford.
#farmers #republicans #midterms
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