(VIDEO) Trump Addresses Assassination Concerns After Sending New Air Force One to Europe Instead of Flying Home on Plane – UPDATE: Press Told to Keep Window Shades on Air Force One Closed

UPDATE: The White House Press Pool was advised to keep the window shades on Air Force One closed while en route to the United States after taking off from Ankara, Turkey, at 8:43 pm local time.  It is still unclear if this is due to security concerns. The post (VIDEO) Trump Addresses Assassination Concerns After Sending New Air Force One to Europe Instead of Flying Home on Plane – UPDATE: Press Told to Keep Window Shades on Air Force One Closed appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Trump Says US May Strike Iran Again, Threatens New Blockade

President Donald Trump said the US would probably launch further strikes on Iran and could resume a blockade on the country’s ports, ratcheting up pressure on Tehran and raising the prospect of a return to all-out war. Trump spoke hours after the US launched strikes on Iran, with almost 40 fighter jets — F-35s, F-15s, F-16s and F/A-18s as well as drones — hitting targets with precision-guided weapons, according to a US official. The US earlier on Tuesday revoked a waiver that allowed Tehran to sell its oil globally, in response to attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz that it blamed on the Islamic Republic. The moves posed the greatest threat yet to a ceasefire deal between the US and Iran and talks toward a broader agreement to end the war. Bloomberg's Oliver Crook and Jeff Mason join Joe Mathieu on Balance of Power to discuss. (Source: Bloomberg)

Maine lawmaker says Platner urged her to run for Senate if he stepped down

Maine state Rep. Valli Geiger on Wednesday said Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner privately nudged her to seek to replace him if he suspended his bid for office as his campaign remains embroiled in controversy.  Geiger told WMTW that Platner called her Monday evening and threw his support behind her, saying, “Valli, you are a […]

Doctor accuses Republicans of engaging in 'elder abuse' to prove McConnell isn't dead

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) remains in the hospital after a serious episode that reportedly included cardiac arrest and advanced life support, but his staffers refuse to communicate the exact status of his condition, beyond some of his political allies claiming they spoke with him over the phone and he is recovering.But his exact physical state is just the beginning of the issue, vascular surgeon and Healthcare for Action founder Dr. Anahita Dua told The Daily Beast. Also at issue is the possibility that his allies are committing "elder abuse" in the course of downplaying his condition.For one thing, noted the report, "the offices of senators John Thune and John Barrasso said they had spoken to him this week. GOP commentator Scott Jennings claimed he spoke to McConnell for 20 minutes. All three indicated they discussed policy, including Iran, Ukraine, and defense spending," but none of them offered details on his health and simply indicated he was "eager" to return to work. That is a red flag, Dua argued.“Is it right for somebody who has just had a major cardiac event to be expected to go back to the floor and make major decisions with the level of stress?” she said. “I don’t think so. I think that’s elder abuse.”“They call him for 20 minutes, and they talk about public policy? Like, how about ‘how you doing, man?’” she continued. “That’s terrible and stressful and not a very nice thing, and if I were his doctor, I would take away his phone.”If McConnell's hospitalization is due to a heart attack, said Dua, he would need surgery to catheterize his heart and remove the blockage. “But if his heart did stop, and he did have decreased blood flow to a portion of his heart for a period of time, then recovery from that can take a while because now your heart muscle is literally damaged and doesn’t pump the way that it’s supposed to be pumping, and that can cause further problems moving forward,” she said. Even the mere act of CPR could have given him rib fractures.None of this indicates a person who should be "eager" to get back to a high-stakes, high-stress job, she said — and even if he is on the road to recovery, it could take "months."McConnell's hospitalization comes not long after Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) mysteriously vanished for months with an unspecified medical issue, only revealing upon his return that he was hospitalized for depression.

Kentucky governor makes unusual request as mystery deepens over Mitch McConnell's health

Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has taken a dramatic step after Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.) was hospitalized last month.On Wednesday, Beshear issued a letter requesting that McConnell answer questions about his health after weeks of silence.'Allowing speculation to continue in the media is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians.' McConnell has been dealing with health issues and was admitted to a hospital on June 14. His office has released almost no substantive updates, leading to some speculation that his condition may be very grave.After several of McConnell's colleagues and acquaintances reported talking to him since Monday, Beshear made a formal request of the Republican leader."Over the last several weeks, Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the health and well-being of Sen. McConnell. As Governor — and a fellow public official who understands the commitment we've made to the people we serve — I am requesting the Senator provide an update on his current health status," the governor said in the letter."Allowing speculation to continue in the media is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians," he added, "and my hope is that this provides him the opportunity to share the information in a transparent manner, direct from the source. I wish him a safe and speedy recovery."Among those who said they had spoken with McConnell were CNN contributor Scott Jennings, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).The reports led to some seemingly mocking posts."I spoke to McConnell for about 20 minutes this morning. He said we should end the war with Iran, quit giving aid to Israel, stop spying on Americans without a warrant, and he's really sorry about how my primary turned out," Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky wrote."I spoke to Mitch McConnell for 20 minutes yesterday. He said America needs an assault weapons ban, ICE should take their masks off, and that Gavin Newsom is very presidential. Then he said he was 20 minutes late for pickleball and hung up," wrote Saddam Azlan Salim, a Democratic Virginia state senator.RELATED: Concerning new details emerge about Mitch McConnell's latest health scare Other voices are calling for McConnell's office to be more transparent. "We need the truth about Mitch McConnell NOW. It is unacceptable that the party who spent four years criticizing Joe Biden's health is now silent on McConnell's," Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck said on social media."What's the difference between that and what Iran's leaders are doing with the new Ayatollah?" he added. "Is McConnell braindead? Or is he chatting about Graham Platner and Iran? It is OUR RIGHT to know. That seat isn't McConnell's. It belongs to the people of Kentucky."McConnell announced in Feb. 2025 that he would retire at the end of his current term in office. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

It's On: Trump Orders New Strikes on Iran to Protect Ships in Strait of Hormuz

Bernie-backed socialist who allied with Platner could supplant him on ballot

Troy Jackson filed candidacy paperwork as Graham Platner faces pressure to withdraw over rape allegations, with Chuck Schumer urging him out.

NEW: Jack Smith Repeatedly Mishandled Classified Information in His Investigation Into Trump’s Mishandling of Classified Documents

Jack Smith's team repeatedly mishandled classified materials in his investigation into Trump's mishandling of classified documents. The post NEW: Jack Smith Repeatedly Mishandled Classified Information in His Investigation Into Trump’s Mishandling of Classified Documents appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.