With the unusual conflicting information coming from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, about the lower confidence level in Iran’s weaponized nuclear weapons program; and contrast against the weird video she recently posted about Japan and the use of nuclear weapons; and considering that CIA Director John Ratcliffe has remained completely silent (although not surprising for him) about the Iranian nuclear program; there is the potential for this otherwise ordinary senate hearing to deliver some surprises.

DNI Tulsi Gabbard is the only administration official who has said publicly she did not think Iran was trying to develop a nuclear weapon.  President Trump dismissed a question about the intelligence conflict last night, saying “I don’t care what she said, I think they were very close to getting one.”

As DNI, Gabbard has made some strong moves over the past three months in support of President Donald Trump, including the interception of an impeachment construct within the National Intelligence Council inside the CIA, and the beginning deconstruction of the Obama era Intel Community Inspector General (ICIG) construct.

DNI Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director Ratcliffe will testify together in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee at 10:30am today. It will be interesting to see if the subject of Iran and Israel is brought up by the Senators.  [Livestream Links Below]  WATCH: The senate just changed the hearing to “closed” status.

FUBAR!

I was hoping we would see Ratcliffe and Gabbard questioned together about the same issue.

(more…)

After departing the G7 in Canada, President Trump held a press availability aboard Airforce One at approximately 1:00am.  President Trump and Secretary Rubio were returning to the White House early to address issues of concern in the Iran-Israel conflict.   WATCH (prompted):

The president’s entire national security apparatus are assembled in the White House today (Tuesday) as the principals review events from the situation room.

Jennifer Jacobs (Bloomberg) provides a solid recap of the AF1 presser. “Trump wants “a real end” to the nuclear problem with Iran and this morning will find him in the White House Situation Room, monitoring developments in Middle East, he told us during his midnight departure from Canada.

“I didn’t say I was looking for a ceasefire,” he said on AF1. He said he wants “a real end,” with Iran “giving up entirely” on nukes.

The Israelis aren’t slowing up their barrage on Iran, he predicted. “You’re going to find out over the next two days. You’re going to find out. Nobody’s slowed up so far.”

Asked his thinking on calling for Tehran to evacuate, he told me he wants “people to be safe.”

(more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

(more…)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

.

(more…)

[Source]

Tehran, the capital and largest city of Iran, has a population of around 9.8 million in the city as of 2025, and 16.8 million in the metropolitan area.  Evacuation would be a hot mess.

(more…)

Sometimes a media report from “sources familiar with the matter” does actually track with the way President Trump’s doctrine is seen.  This is one of those times.

According to Axios, White House officials have directly relayed to mid-east friends that President Trump has no intention of using U.S. military resources to target Iran, unless the Iranian regime does something stupid like target Americans.

It is easy to imagine this type of relay was made by President Trump to Saudi Arabia (MbS), Qatar (Muslim Brotherhood) and/or Jordan (King Abdullah II), with the full intention of the message reaching Iranian govt officials.

[AXIOS] The big picture: The U.S. has helped Israel intercept missiles, but made clear Israel is acting alone in attacking Iran. The U.S. message is that if Iran attacks Americans in response, it will be crossing a red line.

The intrigue: The U.S. sent a similar message to the same countries about an hour between Israel launched the war last Thursday, telling them the U.S. would not participate.

In both cases, the U.S. seemed to expect the countries to pass that message to Iran to discourage any retaliation against U.S. forces or interests in the region.

(more…)

U.S. President Trump and U.K Prime Minister Starmer finished signing the details of the U.S-U.K trade agreement on heavy industry, aerospace, car tariffs and automobile trade.   Both Trump and Starmer delivered remarks to the assembled press pool prior to answering questions.

The media were full of questions for President Trump about the latest developments in the Israel-Iran conflict.  President Trump noted he needs to conclude the commitments on his schedule before he can engage in Iranian negotiations.

The British media, maintaining their longstanding history against the Russian Federation, are worried that President Trump might like Russia and or even agree with Russian perspectives.  To the British press this possibility gives them the vapors.  President Trump tries to intercept the U.K fainting by reminding the Brits the goal is to “stop death” at a rate of 5,000 young lives per week.  WATCH:

.

(more…)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomes President Donald Trump at the beginning of the working sessions for the G7 assembly in Canada.

During the press availability President Trump notes the G7 used to be the G8, however following the Crimea referendum and President Putin’s response to accept the outcome of the vote, the NATO alliance led by President Barack Obama took Russia out of the group.  President Trump says he “agreed” with Putin’s reaction to the decision.

The G7 speak about Russia consistently at almost every meeting, without a willingness to listen to the voice or opinion of Russia in context to their protestations.  Quite simply it is easier for Italy, Canada, the U.K, France, Germany, Japan and the USA to exist inside an echo-chamber without having their multilateral arguments challenged.  President Trump does not fear the debate of ideas with Russia present in the room, another point of distinction between Trump and the assembly.

Wrong is wrong even if everybody does it; and right is right even if nobody does it. It takes strong confidence to assert a position counter to popular opinion, this is what makes President Donald Trump a transformative political influence.

In the background, President Vladimir Putin is undoubtedly paying attention.

Also, read carefully what President of the European Council António Costa said today:

(more…)

I’m becoming increasingly convinced that people on the ConInc side of the conversation also need to pretend not to know things.

There is an increased sentiment of frustration toward President Donald Trump being espoused, and obviously that will be amplified by those who want to use a narrative of “increased sentiment of frustration toward President Trump.”

The part that surprises me is the part where people seem to have forgotten the purpose of the U.S. Senate.

CONTEXT – Currently there is a Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) in the senate, the culmination of years of work by President Trump and his team together with politicians in congress. There is no smaller BBB, there is no modified BBB, there is only one big comprehensive package of initiatives and priorities for President Trump’s agenda. One Big Beautiful Bill.

That’s it. Just this one legislative priority that has all the stuff Donald Trump promised in the 2024 election. It’s all in one bill; all of it. As a consequence, President Trump needs this bill to pass congress; there is no fallback position; there is no alternative; there is no safer option. The BBB is an all or nothing swing for the fences.

GAINING VOTES – This BBB is the legislative package approach that President Trump accepted. As a consequence whatever it takes to get that BBB legislation passed, is exactly what we should expect to see done. Remember, this is a legislative construct that only targets REPUBLICAN VOTES. Republicans control every element of this BBB discussion.

People not happy about President Trump remarks about illegal-alien farm workers. Well, President Trump is buying gaining the votes of Big Ag state senators.

People not happy about President Trump support for Israel. Well, President Trump is buying gaining the votes of Big War senators.

People not happy about President Trump support for more Ukraine weapons against a peace initiative targeting Vladimir Putin. Again, President Trump is buying gaining the votes of the defense contractor senators.

These are just a few examples of stuff in the background.  The passage of the BBB is a priority for President Trump and every Republican senator knows this.  Every single republican senator is willing to blackmail President Trump to get support for their vote.

(more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

(more…)