President Donald Trump has announced via Truth Social, his intent to designate Antifa as a major terrorist organization, operating within the United States.
It will be interesting to watch how the Dept of Homeland Security, FBI, Dept of Justice and U.S. State Department respond to this intended designation.
For many years we have watched the various assemblies of Revolutionary Communists (RevCom), Occupy Wall Street (OWS), Black Lives Matter (BLM) and personnel related to these organizations, evolve and align into the organization of radical leftists now known as Antifa.
Previously, despite their funding, organized and coordinated activities, the FBI had called them a “movement and ideology” and not an organization. However, their organizational model should not be hard to unravel. There is a funding mechanism for these activities which should be easy for government officials to research.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a 911 remembrance event at the Pentagon. President Trump delivers powerful remarks below. WATCH:
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the media in Mexico City amidst his tour of Latin America, underscoring U.S. efforts to confront drug cartels, curb migration, and boost regional security cooperation. Mexico is being squeezed economically with increased internal pressure by cartels about sovereignty, Mexico seeks balanced collaboration. WATCH:
Attorney General Pam Bondi and other top law enforcement officials held a press briefing in Brooklyn, New York, after Sinaloa Cartel boss Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia pled guilty in federal court. WATCH:
Apparently, according to multiple sources citing a TSA internal memo, U.S. airline travelers no longer need to remove their shoes when going through the security screening process. [There’s nothing on TSA website]
Perhaps the USA will soon catch up to The Netherlands, where everything including your personage are scanned as you pass through the newer tech systems/gateways and you do not need to take off anything, nor remove anything from carry on luggage. It makes travel much faster.
YAHOO – In a sweeping update to airport security procedures, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has made a significant policy change: all travelers, regardless of PreCheck status, will now be allowed to keep their shoes on during security screening.
This marks the most significant revision to TSA’s screening process in more than two decades and effectively ends one of the most notorious post-9/11 requirements for air travel in the United States.
[…] Starting Monday, July 7, TSA officers nationwide will begin implementing the updated protocol. The policy applies to all U.S. airports and all passengers, whether they are enrolled in TSA PreCheck or not. The only known exception at this time is for individuals who are unable to present a REAL ID-compliant form of identification, a federal standard that was fully enforced back in May 2025. (read more)
Some thoughts on what I would call ‘modern warfare’ for citizen preppers. Some of this experience may pertain to urban areas, some perhaps pertinent overall.
Dimitri’s wife is grabbing her purse to go to the grocery store, when he casually says “it’s 5:45.” She just as ordinarily replies, “I’ve got cash.” Dimitri sees the slightly puzzled look on my face and flippantly notes, “they turn off the internet at six thirty now,” shrugs, and goes back to reading his paper.
Perhaps similar to London life during the blitz. Various municipal govts coordinated the shut down of lights and people wait. Others got about doing what they needed to do, sirens notwithstanding.
There is a familiar life amid modern drone warfare, and with the similar control of electricity comes the need to add internet.
When the drones are coming they turn off the internet.
As I contemplate the contrasts in social resilience, my most familiar reference point is life after a hurricane. In Florida when we are dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane, no power, no water, no internet, etc., you adapt to life without modern technological conveniences.
If you’ve ever lived amid the aftermath of natural disasters, you understand the need for a plan and quick adaptation. Do it a few times and adaption becomes ordinary. Horrible in ways, yes; awkward, certainly. But you take things in stride; overcome, figure out the optimal solution and keep moving. However, not everyone is prepared to consider a disruption an ‘inconvenience’ and many people who need consistency to retain stability end up in panic. I think long term readers well understand the reference.
As Dimitri goes back to the paper my mind shifts to stuff I’ve heard in bits and pieces but never given context before.
I think about this U.S. ‘Space Force’ thing, and now realize there are people who have gamed out modern warfare more than we discuss as a western technological society.
President Trump has responded with a “thank you” to Iran for their forewarned retaliation; noting he will “enthusiastically encourage” Israel to seek peace now. Via Truth Social:
PRESIDENT TRUMP – “Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered. There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was “set free,” because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their “system,” and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” (source)
PRESIDENT TRUMP– “I’d like to thank the Highly Respected Emir of Qatar for all that he has done in seeking Peace for the Region. Regarding the attack today at the American Base in Qatar, I am pleased to report that, in addition to no Americans being killed or wounded, very importantly, there have also been no Qataris killed or wounded. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” (source)
A few surface points. The time of day, just after 8pm local reflects an “attack” intended to be intercepted, reviewed and assessed. The target U.S. base in Qatar, an intermediary and friendly geopolitical ally to Iran, reflects coordination to give optics of retaliation in name only. No doubt Iran coordinated this retaliatory strike with Qatar. The scale, 6 easily intercepted missiles.
In summary, a response from Iran intended for domestic consumption to give/save regional face for Persians.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards, in an official statement:
In response to the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, we carried out a powerful and devastating missile strike against a strategic asset – the largest American airbase in the Middle East. Any repetition of U.S. aggression will accelerate the collapse of the American military establishment in the region.
Qatar condemns the puff-n-bluster ballistic missile attack by Iran on U.S. Al Udeid Air Base, adding that all of the missiles were intercepted and that there are no reported injuries so far. If Iran does it again, they will be met with a more strongly worded letter.
In return Iran’s top security body tells Qatar: “THIS ACTION DOES NOT POSE ANY THREAT TO ‘OUR FRIENDLY AND BROTHERLY’ NEIGHBOUR QATAR”
Iran’s military claimed it had carried out a “devastating and powerful” missile attack on the Al Udeid U.S. military base in Doha, but Qatar said the missiles were intercepted. Qatari officials said the nation reserves the right to respond directly and in accordance with international law after Iran tried to strike the base.
In this interview, the insufferable Margaret Brennan attempts to match intellect with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Ms. Brennan fails miserably. The outcome is an epic broadcast of media bias, dramatic acting by Brennan and a very visible smackdown from a highly competent Rubio.
Margaret Brennan attempts to tell Marco Rubio what intelligence assessments are and how they are used. Now keep in mind as a U.S. Senator Marco Rubio was the Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a member of the Gang of Eight conducting intelligence oversight for years. Brennan thought she could match wits with Rubio, she failed miserably; embarrassingly so. WATCH:
[Transcript] – MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary of State and acting White House National Security Adviser Marco Rubio now joins us. Mr. Secretary, I know it has been an intense few hours, but so far, it does not appear that Iran has yet retaliated against the United States. What intelligence do you have at this point about their capabilities to respond, the intent of their proxies? Is there any kind of command and control structure left to activate them?
SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO: Yeah, well, we’ll see what Iran decides to do. I think they should choose the route of peace. We have been- we’ve done everything. We have bent over backwards, okay, to create a deal with these people. Steve- Steve Witkoff has traveled the world extensively, met with them- well not even met with them, met through the Omanis with them, and discussed back and forth. We even put an offer to them that they wanted elements of it in writing, and we offered it to them- very generous offer by the way. We’ve done- and we’re prepared right now.
If they call right now and say, we want to meet, let’s talk about this. We’re prepared to do that. The President’s made that clear from the very beginning. His preference is to deal with is to deal with this issue diplomatically, but he also told them we had 60 days to make progress or something else was going to happen. And I think they thought they were dealing with a different kind of leader, like the kinds of leaders they’ve been playing games with for the last 30 or 40 years. And they found out that’s not the case.
So this mission was a very precise mission. It had three objectives, three nuclear sites. It was not attack on Iran. It was not an attack on the Iranian people. This wasn’t a regime change move. This was designed to degrade and, or destroy three nuclear sites related to their nuclear weaponization ambitions, and that was delivered on yesterday. What happens next will now depend on what Iran chooses to do next. If they choose the path of diplomacy, we’re ready. We can do a deal that’s good for them, the Iranian people and good for the world. If they choose another route, then there will be consequences for that.
There are many critical interviews today that will be highlighted. We are at an important geopolitical inflection point with multiple consequences amid each chosen path.
The bombing of Iran has united the neocon pro-war groups within the Senate and legislative branch (pro-Ukraine, Pro-Israel) which may assist President Trump’s primary objective to get the Big Beautiful Bill over the finish line. That can be a big short-term strategic benefit, if the operational strikes on Iran do not escalate into a regional conflict.
That said, Secretary of State/National Security Advisor Marco Rubio is the principal person to watch as President Trump’s geopolitical agenda is carried out. Here he is talking to CFR Maria Bartiromo in his first comments after the strike took place. “No regime change” but the era of “playing games” is over. WATCH:
