Iran War Is an Ever-Expanding Catastrophe

‘Likely decide by Sunday’: Trump gives ‘50/50’ odds that he blows Iran ‘to kingdom come’

Amid growing speculation that the Trump administration is preparing to resume hostilities with Iran this weekend, President Donald Trump revealed Saturday that a final decision would likely be made by Sunday, with there being a “solid” chance that the United States would “blow [Iran] to kingdom come,” according to Axios.Axios reporter Barak Ravid revealed Trump’s remarks after claiming to have had a phone call with the president Saturday morning, the details of which he expanded on in the outlet’s exclusive report.“Trump said it was a ‘solid 50/50’ as to whether he would be able to make a ‘good’ deal or else ‘blow them to kingdom come,’” Ravid wrote in Axios’ report.According to Axios, Trump is expected to meet with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance later on Saturday to discuss Iran’s latest peace proposal, which included a proposal to fully re-open the Strait of Hormuz, Drop Site News reported.Iran’s proposal, however, would “defer nuclear enrichment talks,” per a senior Iranian official speaking with Drop Site News on the condition of anonymity, a potentially fatal inclusion given Trump’s past claim that he would not accept a deal that omitted the matter of Iran’s enriched uranium.

Trump teases full takeover of Iran amid fears of impending US attack

President Donald Trump floated the idea of a U.S.-takeover of Iran Saturday with an image of a map of the Middle East nation overlaid with the American flag, and the caption in the form of a question: “United States of the Middle East?”Trump shared the image on his social media platform Truth Social, and amid growing speculation that his administration is preparing to launch a massive attack on Iran sometime this weekend. Signs supporting a U.S. attack commencing this weekend include the president’s abrupt cancellation of his weekend plans in New Jersey, as well as Iran shutting down much of its airspace until Monday.Trump has already set a precedent for a hostile U.S.-takeover of a sovereign nation after declaring full U.S.-control of Venezuela in January after the Trump administration’s unprecedented attack on the South American nation and abduction of its president, Nicolás Maduro.The United States and Iran have been in a fragile ceasefire since early April, and peace talks between Washington and Tehran remain stalled. Iran has warned that it would “spread war beyond the Middle East” were the United States to launch another attack.

Trump's catastrophic week exposes how out of touch he is with reality

Life finally man-handled President Donald Trump like it typically abuses Democratic presidents: with pushback and disappointment. But don’t expect to see this brand of ego acknowledge it, says Washington Post writer Luke Broadwater.“By pretty much any estimation, President Trump has had a very bad week,” said Broadwater. “New poll numbers show his approval rating has hit a second-term low. He is weighing whether to restart a bombing campaign in an unpopular war against Iran. Gas prices are high and inching higher heading into Memorial Day weekend. And his grip over Republican lawmakers is beginning to slip after he proposed a pair of deeply unpopular spending items, prompting an unusual revolt from the Senate.”Normally when confronted with so intense a backlash ahead of precarious midterm elections, politicians pivot — maybe even display some humility — while redirecting their priorities to more popular policies.“But Mr. Trump has decided to double down, presenting himself as politically all-powerful even in the face of indications that he is not,” said Broadwater. Trump has proven invincible after winning re-election despite being under multiple criminal indictments. He has managed to twist the nonpolitical DOJ into his personal team of lawyers to prosecute his enemies and he has successfully targeted members of his own party for daring to oppose his policies, acknowledge his Jan. attempted coup or push for the release of the Epstein files — which for some reason Trump really wants to keep under wraps.And Trump has doubled down on his despised $1.8 billion slush fund to reward, said Broadwater, moaning that he could have simply used the taxpayer money to enrich himself. And he has sent his former personal lawyer and now acting attorney general Todd Blanche to ply Congressional Republicans to approve the fund. But what Blanche got was a verbal trouncing for daring to broach the topic.“The meeting went so poorly for Mr. Blanche that party leaders scrapped planned votes on another of Mr. Trump’s top priorities: a $72 billion immigration crackdown measure lawmakers had planned to muscle through before Memorial Day,” said Broadwater.“There’s a boiling point here,” said George Washington University political science professor Sarah Binder, driven primarily by Trump’s habit of doubles down instead of showing any sign of self-awareness or awareness in temperature changes around him. His dogged pursuit of other taxpayer-draining projects like his ballroom and the Trump Arch, while Americans struggle with his self-caused inflation and high gas prices, are other examples.And Binder says it does not appear to matter to him that he is jeopardizing the very Republican enablers that make his invincibility possible.“He’s focused on the arch. I think he’s focused on his own personal legacy. He’s focused on vengeance,” said Binder. “He doesn’t have a legislative agenda, so does he really need a Republican Senate?”

Even if the Iran war ended today, US fuel prices aren’t likely to normalize this year

Prewar US gas prices averaged about $3 a gallon nationally – kiss that number goodbye for 2026Sorry, US drivers, but don’t expect pump prices to return to prewar levels any time soon, even if the US and Iran agree to a lasting peace deal tomorrow.As the war with Iran enters its third month, drivers have become infuriated by rising gas prices – and inflation – and Donald Trump is facing a historic backlash in the polls. The president promised recently that relief will be swift once the war ends. “I see it going down very substantially when this is over, I think very rapidly too, at levels that you’ve never seen,” he said. Continue reading...

Trump administration eyes Cuba as possible military victory as Iran talks stall

The Trump administration has ratcheted up its pressure campaign on Cuba, the island only 90 miles from the southern tip of Florida, as talks with Iran have still not resulted in a breakthrough. President Donald Trump has tried to squeeze the communist government for months, dating back to the military’s capture of former Venezuelan dictator […]

Rep. Amo Discusses DNC Autopsy, War Powers Vote

Gabe Amo, Democratic Representative of Rhode Island, joins Joe Mathieu on Bloomberg's Balance of Power to discuss the DNC's autopsy of the 2024 election as well as the likelihood of Congress passing a war powers resolution, saying the 'long-term solution' is to end the war in Iran. (Source: Bloomberg)

Trump 'at war with Senate Republicans' will need a favor from GOP lawmaker he betrayed

President Donald Trump's move to push out a longtime Republican ally could backfire — because he now needs his help, according to reports on Friday.Burgess Everett, Semafor congressional bureau chief, pointed out that as Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation as director of national intelligence, it has left three openings for the Trump administration to fill all while he navigates a more tense relationship with GOP lawmakers in the economic fallout over the Iran war, the White House ballroom funding and his controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund."Upshot from Gabbard resigning: Trump now has three Cabinet vacancies (Labor, AG) while he's basically at war with Senate Republicans," Everett wrote in a post on X."And confirming a new DNI will require the votes of Sens. Collins and ... Cornyn in Senate Intelligence Committee, whom Trump just snubbed," Everett added.Interim leaders have been tapped to run the Labor Department and Justice Department until Trump names new nominees to the roles."Acting attorney general Todd Blanche faces a tough road to confirmation if Trump nominates him to a permanent role," according to a Semafor report."Any Gabbard replacement would have to get approval from the Senate Intelligence Committee, whose members include moderate Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who has voted against several Trump nominees and priorities, as well as Texas Sen. John Cornyn, recently snubbed by Trump in his primary. Gabbard’s successor would need both of their votes — and confirming her was a challenge to begin with at the peak of Trump’s power," Semafor reported.

Memorial Day Weekend Could Mark Next Chapter in U.S.-Iran Conflict