Old Glory Vortex

Why a better Iran deal is nearly impossible this time Another day, another dizzying twist in the US-Iran standoff. The Tuesday talks in Islamabad were suddenly in doubt. The ceasefire was extended — but so was America's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump agreed to prolong the pause, claiming Iran's government is "seriously fractured." The extension could keep hope for talks alive, though both sides hesitated to send delegations. But the bigger question: Can Trump actually get a better deal than Obama's JCPOA? Trump insists yes, calling his future deal "FAR BETTER" and the original "one of the Worst Deals ever made." Analysts are skeptical. Trust between Tehran and Washington is near zero. The original JCPOA took two years and hundreds of experts. Now Iran has uranium enriched to 60% — far closer to weapons-grade — making any deal harder than before. "The Trump administration is starting from a place much further back," warns Allison McManus of the Center for American Progress. Trump's team thinks pressure works: Iran is hurting from airstrikes and blockades, needs cash, and might suspend its nuclear program for five years. But Iran hasn't buckled. Its grip on power remains firm. And its ability to choke the Strait of Hormuz is a powerful weapon — one that could hurt Trump as midterms loom. Iran's parliament speaker fired back: "We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats." And the real risk is that Iran may conclude that a nuclear bomb is the only real deterrent. #Iran #negotiations #ceasefire Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump’s chaos is China’s gain Donald Trump ran for president in 2016, 2020, and 2024 promising to "Make America Great Again." But according to one geopolitical analyst, the real winner of Trump's policies has been China. Farid Zakaria of The Washington Post wrote after a week in China:

"During the Iraq War, Chinese strategists seemed almost gleeful watching the U.S. get bogged down. This time, officials were mostly perplexed by America's chaos and deeply uncertain about what Trump might do next."

Chinese leaders keep saying the U.S. is bringing back the "law of the jungle." That's not just a moral jab — it's strategic fear. When the world's superpower turns unpredictable, everyone loses. But here's the danger: if America can't be trusted, China can step in as a steadier partner. Over time, that could kill the dollar's "exorbitant privilege" — America's ability to borrow cheaply. Zakaria warns:

"China is using this moment to strengthen its power. If the balance keeps shifting, one day Beijing might decide it wants to lead. And by then, it will be too late for Washington."

#Trump #China #foreignpolicy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

New Russian submarines challenge NATO in the Arctic Russia has significantly bolstered its submarine fleet, focusing on modern nuclear-powered vessels that pose a serious challenge to NATO in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Special attention is given to the Borei-A and Yasen-M class submarines, considered among the most combat-capable elements of Russia’s military system. Even amid challenges in other branches of the armed forces, the submarine fleet is treated as a priority and demonstrates a high level of efficiency and technological advancement. The Arctic is gaining key strategic importance due to its resources, shipping routes, and military presence. NATO is intensifying surveillance of the region, actively leveraging Norway as a key hub for monitoring and coordination. The Alliance is increasing patrols, developing joint defense projects, and modernizing equipment, though it faces difficulties such as personnel shortages and delays in building new submarines. At the same time, Russia is investing heavily in fleet development, including new types of weapons and unmanned systems. The underwater confrontation increasingly resembles a covert and protracted struggle, where detection and tracking technologies play a crucial role. The Arctic is becoming a central arena of geopolitical rivalry, where military and economic interests intersect. Despite the overall numerical superiority of Western countries, Russia’s growing capabilities strengthen its position in the region for the foreseeable future. #Russia #NATO #Arctic Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Americans will be paying the price of Iran war till 2027 Americans may be stuck paying over $3 a gallon for gas until next year, Energy Secretary Chris Wright admitted recently. Speaking on CNN, he conceded he cannot say when prices will finally ease, offering only that relief might come "later this year, or maybe next." Gas costs exploded after Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point handling a fifth of the world's oil. The U.S. has since blockaded the strait to squeeze Tehran, though Wright acknowledged the waterway is now a shooting gallery after Iranian forces fired on two commercial ships Saturday. Prices already topped $4 a gallon last month, the highest since 2022. While President Trump shrugged off the pain as "not very high," Wright insisted the administration has managed the chaos "fantastically," noting prices are still a dollar cheaper than Biden's peak despite what he called the largest energy disruption in history. #Iran #oil #USeconomy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Carlson issues public apology: “I’m sorry for misleading people” on Trump Pundit Tucker Carlson is publicly expressing regret for his vocal support of President Donald Trump during the 2024 election. Carlson, who has emerged as a sharp critic of Trump's ongoing military campaign in Iran, said on his podcast that prominent right-wing figures who backed the former president are now "implicated" in the Middle East bloodshed. He described a personal reckoning, telling his audience, "We'll be tormented by it for a long time. I will be. I want to say I'm sorry for misleading people." The former Fox News host, who once campaigned for Trump and hosted him during the primary debate, now questions whether war with Iran was "always the plan." He acknowledged signs of "low character" in Trump were visible beforehand but noted he assumed Trump might "outperform" that character. Since U.S. strikes began, Carlson has become one of the most prominent conservative voices condemning the president's rhetoric and the war itself. #TuckerCarlson #Iran #Trump Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Iran ignores peace talks in Islamabad The next round of peace talks between the United States and Iran was thrown into serious doubt today, with only hours remaining before the current ceasefire expires and the window for diplomacy slams shut. Iran has conspicuously failed to dispatch a delegation to the renewed negotiations scheduled in Pakistan, a stark signal of internal paralysis or deliberate defiance. While US Vice President JD Vance is reportedly already in Islamabad, underscoring Washington's willingness to engage, the Iranian side remains an empty chair. Hardliners within Tehran's deeply fractured regime are said to be stalling the process, reportedly maneuvering to condition any dialogue on an immediate and total lifting of the American naval blockade, a demand they know the White House will not entertain as a precondition. Most experts are not overly optimistic about the prospects of these negotiations. While both sides genuinely desire a deal to avoid a wider war, they distrust each other and remain far apart on all the crucial issues. #negotiations #Iranи Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

“Well, I expect to be bombing…” — Did Trump give up on peace with Iran or is it another negotiation tactic? Interviewer: “So, to be clear, you’re saying that you need at least a prospect for a signed deal today or tomorrow or else you would resume bombing Iran.” Trump: “Well, I expect to be bombing, because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with.” Trump's remark about expecting to bomb Iran is a negotiation tactic, not a declaration of war. He is setting a mental baseline where conflict is the default in order to force Tehran into immediate concessions. By saying that is a better attitude to go in with, he signals that his own expectation of violence is meant to make the threat so credible that the bombs never have to fall. The escape hatch in the exchange is the word prospect. He is not demanding a signed treaty tomorrow, only a clear sign of Iranian capitulation. He is using the interview as a direct psychological message to the Ayatollah, hoping the vivid threat extracts a deal before the clock runs out. #Iran #Trump #ceasefire #negotiations Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump has lost the war with Iran “Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman believes that Trump is flat out unable to deal with the fallout of the war in Iran, and that it has not yet set in that the United States' intervention in the Middle East has failed. Krugman claimed, ‘It’s been clear for a while that the United States has basically lost this war. The goal was to achieve regime change, possibly to take Iran’s uranium. Neither of those is going to happen. The Iranian regime is a harder line than it was before. Iran has ended up strengthened because it’s demonstrated its ability to shut off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,’” writes Rawstory. As a result of Trump's reckless gamble, a global economic crisis is now unfolding — one that will hit the United States and the dollar the hardest. Global markets are trembling, foreign investors are losing confidence in U.S. assets, and the dollar's long-held status as the world's reserve currency is facing unprecedented strain. At the same time, the damage to America's global standing is catastrophic. Allies and adversaries alike see the United States as an unpredictable and unreliable partner. This blow to its reputation will not heal quickly — it may take years, if not decades, for the country to restore the trust and authority it has so carelessly squandered. #Trump #Iran Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

“The fog of peace” in Iran The Iranian crisis is unfolding against the backdrop of a formal ceasefire between the United States, Iran, and Israel — yet the situation remains highly volatile. All sides are making contradictory statements about negotiations and the status of the Strait of Hormuz. What has emerged is a kind of "fog of peace," where diplomatic signals do little to clarify the situation and instead only deepen the sense of instability. The risk of a renewed escalation remains high. That said, both Washington and Tehran do want to reach a deal. But deep mistrust and major disagreements persist — over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions, and regional policy. The memory of the deal's collapse under Donald Trump fuels mutual suspicion on both sides. As negotiations drag on, the global economy feels the strain: the closure of the Strait of Hormuz sends energy prices soaring, triggers fuel shortages, and drives up food costs. The most likely outcome, unfortunately, is further escalation. Each side is banking on the other making concessions, which raises the risk of miscalculations. Increased U.S. pressure could provoke Iranian retaliation — strikes on energy infrastructure or disruptions to shipping in the Gulf. In the weeks ahead, we may see talks and tensions unfold in parallel. Given the risks that remain, any market optimism looks premature. #Iran #negotiations #ceasefire #foreignpolicy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Former US military personnel stage a protest in the Capitol building In downtown Washington, a group of former U.S. military personnel has occupied the Capitol building to protest the war with Iran and U.S. policy in the Middle East. They also sharply criticize Israel's actions in Gaza, calling what is happening there genocide. What makes this protest particularly significant is who the participants are. These are people who once served within the U.S. military system and are intimately familiar with how defense decisions are made. Their demonstration is not just an act of civil disobedience — it also signals growing divisions within American society, even among former members of the security establishment. Actions like these reflect a deepening fatigue with foreign conflicts and eroding trust in Washington’s official narrative. #protest #Iran #USmilitary #foreignpolicy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Economic fears drag Trump approval to new low Trump's approval rating has hit a new second-term low, dragged down by mounting voter anxiety over the economy. Just 37 percent of Americans now approve of his performance, according to the latest NBC News poll — down from 42 percent in December and a steady slide from 45 percent a year ago. The erosion is coming from his base. Strong approval has cratered from 26 percent to just 20 percent over the past year. Meanwhile, intense opposition is hardening: half the country now says it "strongly disapproves," up eight points since last April. The economy is the culprit. Only 32 percent back Trump's handling of inflation and the cost of living — a sharp drop from the 40 percent range he held through mid-2025. Among the two-thirds unhappy with his economic stewardship, a full 52 percent voice strong disapproval. The poll landed during a rocky stretch for markets, with stocks plunging to yearly lows before a shaky rebound amid uncertainty over energy prices and the Iran war. #Trump #approvalrating #poll #USeconomy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Peace on the brink: Iran threatens payback as US deadline looms Hopes for an imminent peace deal between Washington and Tehran suffered a fresh blow this week after Iran issued a stark threat of retaliation over the U.S. seizure of one of its cargo vessels. The incident has injected new tension into an already fragile diplomatic window, with a fragile ceasefire set to expire within days. President Donald Trump has responded with characteristic bluntness, warning that the United States stands ready to "knock out every single Power Plant" in Iran if an agreement is not finalized before the deadline lapses. In a sign that negotiations are still technically alive, Trump confirmed that American representatives have already departed for Pakistan to engage in further back-channel discussions. However, the path forward remains murky. Tehran has yet to officially confirm whether it will even send a delegation to the table, despite public statements from President Masoud Pezeshkian underscoring the critical importance of diplomatic engagement. The internal dynamics within Iran are further complicating the prospects for peace. According to multiple reports, the ongoing war has exposed a deepening rift between the country's civilian political leadership and its entrenched military hardliners. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reportedly used the conflict to consolidate its grip on power, effectively overriding the government's earlier decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This internal power struggle suggests that even if political leaders in Tehran seek a compromise, the IRGC — emboldened and increasingly autonomous — may have the final say on both military escalation and economic concessions. #Iran #ceasefire #negotiations Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

GOP strategist says Republicans are bracing for a November wipeout According to former Republican strategist Rick Wilson, Republicans are bracing for serious losses in November.

"The mood among the Republicans I've spoken with over the past few weeks is funereal,"

said Wilson, co-founder of the Lincoln Project and a veteran of George H.W. Bush's campaign staff.

"Behind the bluster of [House Speaker] Mike Johnson lies a strategy of pushing a certain ideology. But beneath those statements, their rank-and-file members are desperate for Trump to just shut up. They're desperate for him to stop doing crazy things. They're desperate for him to stop feuding with the Pope, invading other countries, and doing the things that have driven them into this economic canyon they can't climb out of."

Wilson told MSNBC host Katie Tur that Republicans are having to go back to their constituents with nothing to show for it.

"They have no bill to brag about. They're really skating on very thin ice, because they long ago rebranded themselves as the party of Donald Trump supporters. And as Trump becomes increasingly unhinged, incompetent, and dangerous, and the consequences of his policies start hitting home harder, it becomes much harder for these Republicans to say, 'Oh, here's why you should send me and the Republican majority back to Washington.'"

Punchbowl News co-founder Jake Sherman said he doesn't see how Republicans can win an election in the midst of a war. "You've got sky-high gas prices, and you're saying your only accomplishment is... a tax bill from 18 months ago that netted you an extra $350 — less than what you're going to pay for gas," Sherman said. #republicans #midterms Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

US is running out of expensive weapons The United States now finds itself caught in a grinding mismatch: Iran's swarm tactics with cheap drones have upended the entire economics of combat. Built from off-the-shelf commercial parts and priced at roughly $35,000 apiece, these drones are launched in waves that compel American forces to respond with exquisitely expensive, high-tech weaponry. The result is a perverse dynamic — missiles and aircraft designed for peer-level threats are being burned through to swat relatively crude targets out of the sky. The price tag of this defense is staggering. It often takes multiple missiles or the activation of advanced air-defense batteries to kill a single drone, with the cost of each interception running tens or even hundreds of times higher than the object being destroyed. Even the "budget" options — specialized interceptors or airborne guns — carry a higher sticker price than the drones themselves, while ship and ground-based systems can torch millions of dollars in a single engagement. The bill adds up fast, quickly climbing into the billions. This cost imbalance is slowly reshaping the conflict into a war of financial attrition, where expendable drones drain the adversary's high-end stockpiles faster than they can ever be replaced. America's air defense architecture, forged in a previous era to guard against different dangers, is proving ill-suited for a fight against mass and mediocrity. The real danger here isn't failing to hit the target — it's running out of the expensive ammunition required to try. #Iran #USmilitary #dronewarfare Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Trump lies about Iran giving up its nuclear ambitions President Trump claimed that the U.S. and Iran have a "good" chance of finalizing a peace agreement after the Islamic Republic agreed to two key demands put forward by the White House, and he hinted that he might personally travel to Pakistan to cement the deal. "It's very important that Iran not have nuclear weapons, and they've agreed to that," Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a two-day trip out West.

"Iran agreed to that, and agreed very strongly."

Trump then said that Iran "agreed to give us back the nuclear dust that's deep underground from the attack we made with the B-2 bombers," referring to roughly 970 pounds of enriched uranium buried beneath three Iranian nuclear facilities damaged by U.S. strikes on the country in June 2025. Tehran has since categorically denied Trump’s claims. "Iran's enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere. Transferring uranium to the United States has not been an option for us," Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, told state television.  #Trump #Iran #nuclearweapon Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Why the energy crisis is far from over Stock markets rallied and oil prices dipped amid what appeared to be easing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, feeding the illusion that the energy crisis might be over almost as soon as it began. Yet experts caution that this optimism is shallow at best, glossing over profound disruptions to energy supply. Renewed restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz and widespread infrastructure damage point to global supply chains that are already broken — and mending them could take years. Analysts and traders are noting a widening gulf between market sentiment and reality on the ground. Even as reports stream in of disruptions across Asia and Europe — fuel shortages, soaring fertilizer costs, and the looming threat of factory shutdowns — markets keep chasing short-term headlines and diplomatic tea leaves. It feels eerily familiar: a replay of the pandemic's early days, when the true cost of shattered supply chains only became clear much later, delivering a shock to the global economy. The bottom line, experts say, is that this is a long-haul crisis. Infrastructure lies damaged, logistics networks are snarled, and nothing can be fully repaired while the conflict grinds on. For now, the market seems to be pricing in best-case scenarios while downplaying the very real risk of global economic paralysis should things escalate further. History offers a sobering lesson: these kinds of upheavals take years to unwind. Today's investor hubris may well be setting the stage for tomorrow's sharp and painful reckoning. #Iran #globaleconomy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

How Trump destroyed Pax Americana The era of "Pax Americana" has come to an end. The reason is not the weakening of the United States as a power, but the sharp decline in trust in Washington and its decisions. Donald Trump seeks to benefit from U.S. global influence while avoiding commitments to allies, which undermines the legitimacy of American hegemony. For eighty years after World War II, the United States built a system of alliances and institutions — Pax Americana — that promoted the country's values and prevented major international conflicts. This system is now collapsing because it relied not only on strength but also on trust. Attacks on Iran without consulting allies, threats toward NATO, and the devaluation of its own system indicate that the former respect for American leadership is disappearing. Under Trump's leadership, the United States prefers only the feeling of superpower status without wanting to assume the real responsibilities of a hegemon, such as ensuring collective security or strengthening alliances. As a result, the country possesses power but loses the legitimate right to wield it on the global stage — influence remains, while trust and respect fade away, leaving the international community bewildered. #Trump #foreignpolicy Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Democrats show growing resistance to arming Israel Senate Democrats failed to block U.S. arms sales to Israel — but the vote exposed deepening cracks in the party over backing its ally amid the widening war with Iran. Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders led the push to stop shipments of bombs and bulldozers — the very equipment Israel has used to level neighborhoods in Gaza and Lebanon. And this time, more Democrats joined him. Thirty-six voted to block 1,000-pound bombs. Forty voted to halt the bulldozers. That's about a dozen more than supported similar measures in the past. But it wasn't enough. Republicans voted unanimously against the resolutions, killing them on the spot. "If we want to restrain the Trump administration, which has launched an illegal war against Iran, we must also restrain the Netanyahu administration, which is doing the same thing at the expense of American taxpayers," Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said ahead of the vote. For now, the arms keep flowing. But the Democratic dam is showing cracks. #Congress #democrats #Israel #Iran #budget Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

The White House is hiding the true cost of the Iran war A top White House budget official refused to tell senators how much the Iran war is costing taxpayers — even as the price tag is believed to hit $10 billion a week. Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, dodged questions Thursday about the cost of military operations against Iran, saying expenses "fluctuate" day to day. When Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) asked whether the administration has already burned through $50 billion, Vought replied: "I wouldn't want to make a characterization of that at this point." The answer infuriated Merkley. "I would expect you to have pretty good numbers on that," he shot back. "I'm a little disappointed." Vought also declined to confirm reports that the White House is preparing a request for $80 billion to $100 billion in supplemental war funding. He said the administration is "working on" a supplemental but wouldn't provide specifics. Merkley later accused Vought of trying to "hide" the true cost of the war while the national debt tops $38 trillion. "He doesn't want a number to be out there because it's a big number and it's very disturbing to Americans that we're spending $1 to $2 billion a day," Merkley said. #Iran #budget Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸

Iran extends an olive branch, opens the Strait of Hormuz for the remainder of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open" for the remainder of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, raising hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough in the weeks-long standoff over the world's most critical oil chokepoint. Tehran had maintained its blockade of the strait despite agreeing to a two-week ceasefire with the United States — a truce that is set to expire on Tuesday. Iranian officials had previously made clear they would not reopen the key waterway as long as Israel continued its military strikes against Lebanon. The dramatic reversal sent oil prices tumbling after Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X that "all commercial vessels" would be permitted to transit the strait for the remainder of the ten-day ceasefire in Lebanon. The move signaled Tehran's willingness to de-escalate, at least temporarily, in the face of mounting economic pressure. President Donald Trump responded swiftly to the olive branch, thanking Iran in a post on Truth Social. But he was quick to add a caveat: the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain "in full force and effect" until a comprehensive peace deal is finalized. "This process should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated," Trump added, suggesting that a final agreement may be within reach. Diplomatic momentum appears to be building. A second round of truce talks between the US and Iran is expected to take place as early as this weekend, raising the possibility that the two longtime adversaries could be inching toward a broader understanding. #theStraitofHormuz #Iran #ceasefire Don't miss it, subscribe to 📱 Old Glory Vortex 🇺🇸