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Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of the Republican Party’s most influential voices on national security and one of Israel’s staunchest allies in Congress, died tonight after a brief illness, his office announced. He was 71.

According to a statement released by his office, Graham passed away on Motzoei Shabbos “from a brief and sudden illness.”

“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement continued.

A Republican from South Carolina, Graham had served in the U.S. Senate since 2003 after four terms in the House of Representatives. Before entering Congress, he served in the U.S. Air Force and later in the Air Force Reserve, while also practicing law and serving in the South Carolina legislature.

Over more than two decades in the Senate, he became one of the chamber’s most recognizable figures, chairing several major committees, including the Senate Judiciary Committee and, most recently, the Senate Budget Committee.

Graham was in the midst of campaigning for a fifth six-year Senate term and had recently secured the Republican nomination for reelection.

Throughout his career, Graham emerged as one of Congress’ strongest defenders of Israel. He was a frequent visitor to the Jewish state, consistently advocated for robust American military assistance, backed sanctions against Iran, and repeatedly argued that Israel had both the right and obligation to defend itself against Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations.

Following the October 7 massacre, Graham became one of Israel’s most outspoken supporters on Capitol Hill, urging decisive military action against Hamas and pressing the Biden administration—and later the Trump administration—to maintain unwavering support for Israel’s security.

Although he was at times a vocal critic of President Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Graham later became one of Trump’s closest political allies in the Senate. The two developed a strong working relationship, particularly on judicial appointments, immigration, foreign policy, and defense issues.

Emergency responders were dispatched to Graham’s Capitol Hill residence tonight after receiving a report of a person in cardiac arrest, according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC News. Photographs reviewed by NBC News showed paramedics removing an individual from the home on a stretcher before transporting the person by ambulance. Police and fire department vehicles also responded to the scene.

Just one day before his death, Graham had returned from Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of his continued involvement in U.S. foreign policy and support for Ukraine.

A large-scale search operation is underway in Beit Shemesh after a local resident disappeared on Shabbos morning, prompting growing concern among family members and emergency responders.

ZAKA’s emergency hotline received a report shortly before midnight on Motzoei Shabbos that the man, a resident of Beit Shemesh, had last been seen on Shabbos morning in the Ramat Beit Shemesh D neighborhood and had not returned.

Immediately after receiving the report, ZAKA’s Missing Persons Unit in Beit Shemesh established a field command center to coordinate an extensive search effort throughout the area.

Searches are being conducted in close cooperation with emergency services and security agencies, with volunteers working to locate the missing man as quickly and safely as possible. Members of ZAKA’s Missing Persons Unit are combing the area using advanced technological equipment while gathering and analyzing information from every available source.

Avremi Kapp, commander of ZAKA Beit Shemesh, said, “Immediately upon receiving the report, we established a command center in the field and began directing the search operation from there. Volunteers from ZAKA’s Missing Persons Unit are searching the area, gathering information, and utilizing every resource at their disposal to locate the missing individual as quickly as possible. We hope to share good news soon.”

Authorities have not yet released additional details regarding the circumstances surrounding the disappearance as search efforts continue.

{Matzav.com}

A dispute over a café that recently began operating on Shabbos escalated into violent confrontations in Yerushalayim on Shabbos, as protesters blocked roads, police intervened to restore order, and a minor was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

The latest unrest highlights the growing tensions between the city’s chareidi and secular communities over the public character of Shabbos.

The controversy centers on Café “Basimta,” located in a neighborhood with both chareidi and secular residents. After the café began opening on Shabbos several weeks ago, local chareidi residents launched protests, arguing that the move constitutes a public desecration of Shabbos. The dispute has since evolved into a broader political and ideological battle over the city’s identity.

The demonstrations first began about a month ago, when area residents discovered that the café was operating on Shabbos. Videos of the protests quickly spread on social media, along with the café’s exact location, drawing increasing attention and prompting repeated police deployments to prevent physical confrontations.

On Shabbos, Yerushalayim City Council member Tzachi Brim joined the protest together with a number of young demonstrators.

According to Yerushalayim District Police, protesters placed objects in the roadway, blocked traffic, and endangered public safety by refusing to clear the streets.

Police officers on the scene ordered the demonstrators to disperse and reopen the roads. When they refused, Border Police officers and members of the Lev Habirah police station moved in to clear the area and restore traffic.

The confrontation intensified during the evacuation of the protesters when, according to police, one of the demonstrators—a minor—allegedly assaulted a police officer. He was arrested at the scene and taken in for questioning.

Police emphasized that while they are committed to protecting the right to lawful protest and freedom of expression, they will continue taking firm action against anyone who disrupts public order or assaults officers carrying out their duties.

The dispute has also moved beyond the streets into City Hall, where chareidi and secular council members have taken opposing positions. Chareidi representatives are exploring legal and regulatory avenues to shut down the café and preserve the city’s Shabbos character, while secular officials argue that the business is exercising its legal right to operate and that residents are entitled to freedom of choice.

The controversy comes amid broader tensions in Yerushalayim over Shabbos observance. Last week, sharply worded posters appeared throughout the city criticizing the chareidi parties for supporting Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s media reform plan, linking the issue to the broader struggle over the city’s public character.

Tensions reached another peak this past Shabbos, when long lines of customers formed outside the café. Many patrons said they were intentionally visiting the establishment as a statement in support of personal freedom, while chareidi demonstrators gathered nearby to protest the public desecration of Shabbos.

Police deployed large forces to separate the two groups, preventing protesters from reaching the entrance to the café. Although shouting matches broke out and emotions ran high, authorities succeeded in preventing major physical clashes.

The unrest follows other recent Shabbos-related demonstrations in Yerushalayim, including protests near Bar-Ilan Street over light rail construction work that led to confrontations between demonstrators and police.

Meanwhile, chareidi city council members continue examining legal options to close the café, while secular activists are organizing efforts to defend its right to remain open. Police say they will maintain an increased presence in the coming weeks in an effort to prevent further violence.

{Matzav.com}

A heated debate over Israel’s draft law, the arrests of bnei Torah, and the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study erupted on the “Black Kippahs” program, with lawmakers, journalists, and legal experts clashing over the future of military service and the changing demographics of Israeli society.

Likud MK Osher Shekalim launched a blistering attack on Israel’s judicial system and the opposition, arguing that the recent arrests of draft evaders have only discouraged enlistment.

“The moment these arrests began, all motivation to enlist disappeared,” Shekalim said. “This is purely political. The attorney general is a full-fledged political player who identified a weak point and is trying to create chaos in order to bring down the government. The Left has no interest whatsoever in drafting chareidim. MK Shiri is simply lying and misleading the public.”

Attorney Hadad, who represents draft evaders, echoed that criticism and argued that the military itself has failed to live up to its commitments.

“The army isn’t really interested in chareidim and does not keep its promises,” he said. “The only real solution is to establish a professional army.”

During the discussion, journalist Israel Izikovich presented demographic data showing that, over the past three years, the majority of Jewish children entering first grade have come from the religious and chareidi sectors. He argued that within less than a decade, they will constitute the majority of Israel’s military-age population.

“We’re entering a new era,” Izikovich said. “You are becoming the minority, while we are becoming the majority. The army will have no choice but to change and adapt itself to us.”

His remarks drew a sharp response from MK Naor Shiri of Yesh Atid, who dismissed the argument and criticized the coalition’s approach.

“This is complete fantasy,” Shiri said. “As if, before these arrests, thousands of chareidim were lining up outside the induction center just waiting for someone to let them in. Why should we serve if you don’t?”

Shiri concluded with a stark warning about Israel’s future if current trends continue.

“Sorry for the lack of optimism, but the country you’re describing simply has no future in 20 years,” he said. “There won’t be an army, there won’t be an economy, and the country will once again fall apart. The Jewish people have already experienced destruction twice in history—so good luck with the third one.”

A federal appeals court has temporarily halted the release of roughly 70 hours of audio recordings from President Joe Biden’s interviews with his ghostwriter, granting him a brief reprieve while the court considers his emergency request to keep the tapes from becoming public.

On Friday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit — Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan along with Judges Gregory Katsas and Florence Pan — issued an administrative injunction preventing the Department of Justice from turning over the recordings to the Heritage Foundation and Mike Howell, the former director of its Oversight Project, until 11:59 p.m. on July 20.

The judges made clear that the temporary order is intended solely to maintain the current situation while they consider Biden’s request for a longer-lasting injunction during the appeals process. According to CBS News, the unsigned order emphasized that it “should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits.”

The appellate court’s action temporarily suspends a June decision by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who ruled against Biden’s attempt to keep the recordings confidential under the Freedom of Information Act.

In her ruling, Friedrich weighed FOIA’s presumption in favor of public disclosure against Biden’s privacy claims and determined that, after redactions made by the Justice Department, the recordings “contain no information about Biden’s family or other private persons.” She ultimately concluded that the public’s interest in the material outweighed what she described as Biden’s reduced expectation of privacy.

The recordings stem from interviews Biden conducted in 2016 and 2017 with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer while preparing his memoir, Promise Me, Dad.

Federal investigators later obtained the audio as part of former Special Counsel Robert Hur’s probe into Biden’s handling of classified documents after leaving the vice presidency.

Hur’s report, released in February 2024, concluded that Biden had willfully retained and disclosed classified information, including by reading portions aloud to Zwonitzer. However, Hur declined to recommend criminal charges, writing that a jury would likely view Biden as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

The Heritage Foundation requested access to the recordings through a Freedom of Information Act request filed in 2024.

Although the Biden Justice Department denied that request, the Trump administration reversed that position earlier this year, prompting Biden to intervene in court and file suit, arguing that the recordings captured private conversations conducted inside his home.

“We are monitoring the situation and, as always, will do whatever is in the best interest of getting these tapes out to the American people as fast as possible,” Howell told the Washington Examiner.

The D.C. Circuit is expected to decide before July 20 whether Biden should receive a longer injunction while his appeal continues. Until then, the temporary order blocking the release of the recordings remains in place.

{Matzav.com}

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner officially ended his campaign Friday, submitting a withdrawal letter to state election officials that concluded with an expletive as he exited the race amid mounting political and personal turmoil.

Platner later posted an image of the letter on X. While announcing his withdrawal, he did not indicate whom he believes should replace him as the Democratic nominee to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.

In the letter, Platner pointed to the 156,084 votes he received in last month’s Democratic primary, arguing that his victory by more than 70 percentage points demonstrated one thing: “People are desperate for change.”

“Mainers voted for a new kind of politics,” the letter read. “One that is representative of people down here in the real world — not billionaires, oligarchs or the political establishment.”

He went on to declare, “Mainers voted for Medicare for All; to ban billionaires from buying elections; and for an end to taxpayer-funded genocide and forever wars.”

The letter ended with the message: “[Curse] ICE. Free Palestine. Up the Hearts.”

Had Platner stayed in the race beyond the July 13 deadline, he would have automatically remained the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. His withdrawal now gives Maine Democratic leaders until July 27 to convene a nominating convention to select a replacement candidate.

Maine’s Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that “a formal notice has been received” from Platner notifying officials that he has officially withdrawn from the contest.

Several Democrats are already being mentioned as possible replacements on the November ballot, including former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, former public health official Nirav Shah, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Maine Beer Co. co-founder Dan Kleban, former Capitol Hill staffer Jordan Wood, and social worker Paige Loud.

Before formally withdrawing, Platner released a video Wednesday in which he alleged that “large forces,” “corporate media” and the “political establishment” had worked together to derail his campaign.

“This was the last week to try to get me off of the ballot. And that’s why this is occurring,” Platner said, while urging Democrats to hold what he described as an “open, transparent and democratic” nominating process.

The upcoming nominating convention is expected to include approximately 600 delegates, including 100 members of the state Democratic committee and roughly 500 delegates selected proportionally by county committees.

Platner also argued that “people in DC need to stay in DC.”

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman says he plans to invoke a little-known provision of the New York State Constitution in an effort to block New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposed $70 million taxpayer-funded network of city-owned grocery stores.

Blakeman argues that the proposal runs afoul of the Constitution’s “Gift and Loan Clause,” which bars municipalities from providing public funds or property to private entities.

“This unconstitutional subsidy poses a direct threat to long-standing, tax-paying businesses, risking widespread closures and job losses within the community,” Blakeman told The New York Post.

The constitutional provision, enacted roughly 150 years ago, was originally designed to prevent local governments from funneling taxpayer money to private railroad companies and other favored businesses or individuals. It also requires that public money be spent only for a legitimate public purpose or benefit.

According to Blakeman, Mamdani’s proposal to establish one city-owned supermarket in each of New York City’s five boroughs — with the stores operated by selected private companies — violates that constitutional restriction because taxpayer dollars would be used to subsidize prices, giving the government-backed stores an unfair advantage over private competitors.

“Local independent supermarkets and bodegas, which operate on razor-thin margins, cannot compete with a government-backed entity that faces zero overhead costs,” said Blakeman, who trails Gov. Kathy Hochul by six percentage points in the latest gubernatorial polling.

Although Hochul has endorsed Mamdani’s mayoral bid, she has previously expressed skepticism about the concept. Speaking to business leaders during an August 2025 breakfast in the Hamptons, she remarked, “I favor free enterprise.” She has not publicly addressed the proposal since then.

Any attempt to stop the plan is likely to end up in court, where judges would have to determine whether the proposal satisfies the Constitution’s public-benefit requirement.

Supporters of the plan are expected to argue that lowering grocery prices for city residents constitutes a valid public purpose. Blakeman, however, contends that government-operated supermarkets would ultimately eliminate competition, cost private-sector jobs, and reduce consumer choice.

James M. McGuire, a former New York appellate judge and chief counsel to former Gov. George Pataki, said Blakeman “may have a difficult time” prevailing because of existing “precedents” established by the New York Court of Appeals.

Gristedes CEO John Catsimatidis said he was unfamiliar with the Gift and Loan Clause but expressed hope that “common sense prevails” and that Mamdani’s grocery store proposal is ultimately abandoned, regardless of the outcome of the gubernatorial race.

The billionaire businessman and WABC radio owner suggested that if Mamdani genuinely wants to reduce grocery prices, the city should instead subsidize retailers purchasing staple goods such as milk, eggs, and bread in bulk, provided those savings are passed directly on to consumers.

Blakeman sharply criticized the proposal, calling it “an incredibly expensive socialist pipe dream that forces local mom-and-pop shops — who already pay astronomical state taxes — to compete against a government monopoly subsidized by those very same tax dollars.”

“We are literally forcing neighborhood grocers to fund their own demise,” he continued. “New York runs on fiscal responsibility, free enterprise, and the grit of local entrepreneurs — not bottomless government spending on Soviet-style supermarkets.”

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance said he is convinced that accused murderer Tyler Robinson killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but believes it remains possible that others played a role in encouraging or influencing the attack.

Speaking Saturday in an interview with The Daily Wire’s Mary Margaret Olohan, Vance said he continues to question whether Robinson acted entirely on his own.

“I’m always going to wonder,” Vance said. “I’m always going to wonder what was said and how many contacts [Robinson] had beforehand. By the way, it doesn’t mean that [Robinson’s] any less guilty. But do I wonder if there are other people who are more directly involved in Charlie’s murder? Absolutely, because I don’t think that it’s possible for a young man to get radicalized like that without somebody encouraging him, whether informally or formally.”

While emphasizing that Robinson bears primary responsibility for the killing, Vance suggested others may share moral responsibility.

“I think there are a lot of people with blood on their hands in the case of Charlie Kirk, but of course, the person most directly who has blood on their hands is Tyler Robinson.”

Vance’s comments followed his assertion that “the evidence is clear” Robinson murdered Kirk during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in September.

The interview came just days after Robinson appeared in a Utah courtroom for a preliminary hearing in the criminal case against him. The New York Times described the proceeding as “like a reduced trial, with testimony and exhibits presented to a judge.”

Vance is not alone in concluding that the evidence presented during the hearing strongly points to Robinson’s guilt.

Donald Trump Jr., who attended two days of the proceedings at the courthouse in Provo, Utah, told Fox News that the case against Robinson was “damning.”

Among the evidence presented was surveillance footage showing Robinson driving approximately 4½ hours from his home to Utah Valley University and interacting with Turning Point USA staff before the event where Kirk was fatally shot.

Trump Jr. also pointed to video showing Robinson appearing to develop what he described as a “magically” acquired limp before climbing onto a rooftop that he called a “perfect” vantage point from which to shoot Kirk. He said the unusual gait led both prosecutors and himself to believe Robinson was concealing a firearm in his pants.

“The shot happens and within seconds, and he’s seen jumping off the building and running into the nearby woods,” Trump Jr. continued.

He added sarcastically that the combination of Robinson later surrendering to authorities, together with the video footage and physical evidence, amounted to “minor details” that nevertheless made his guilt unmistakable.

Later in the week, prosecutors also introduced text messages they allege show Robinson confessing to the killing.

If convicted, Robinson could face the death penalty.

{Matzav.com}

Americans have become markedly less favorable toward both the Israeli people and Israel’s government over the past several years, while opinions of Palestinians and their leadership have changed relatively little, according to a new survey released by the Pew Research Center.

The poll found that, as recently as 2022, Americans viewed Israelis far more positively than Palestinians. That gap has now nearly disappeared, with both groups receiving almost equal levels of public support. Pew attributed the dramatic shift largely to changing attitudes following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel and the wars that followed in Gaza and Iran.

The survey questioned 12,574 U.S. adults between May 4 and May 17, approximately two months after the U.S.- and Israeli-led military campaign against Iran began and before Hamas announced it was dissolving its governing authority in Gaza.

Despite the decline in support for Israelis, the study found that many Americans continue to distinguish between the Israeli public and the country’s political leadership.

According to Pew, majorities of Americans hold unfavorable opinions of the Israeli government, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas. However, negative views of Israel’s government have increased much more dramatically than unfavorable opinions of either the Palestinian Authority or Hamas.

The survey also found that declining support for Israelis extends across political affiliations, age demographics, and most religious groups, although the magnitude of the shift differs significantly among those categories.

Republicans and Republican-leaning independents continue to express much warmer views toward both the Israeli people and Israel’s government than Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents. Democrats, meanwhile, are considerably more favorable toward Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority than Republicans, although positive views of Hamas remain low across both political parties.

Support for Israelis has declined among Republicans as well as Democrats since 2022, but the drop has been substantially greater among Democrats, further widening the partisan divide over Israel.

The differences are especially pronounced among younger Americans.

Among adults under the age of 30, 58 percent expressed favorable views of Palestinians, compared with just 32 percent who viewed Israelis favorably. Pew found that this disparity is driven largely by young Democrats, 72 percent of whom hold favorable opinions of Palestinians, while only 26 percent view Israelis favorably.

Young Republicans now rate Israelis and Palestinians at nearly identical levels, marking a significant shift from several years ago, when support for Israelis was considerably stronger.

Among Americans age 50 and older, Israelis continue to receive more favorable ratings than Palestinians, particularly among older Republicans. Older Democrats also expressed somewhat warmer views toward Palestinians than Israelis, though the difference was considerably smaller than among younger Democrats.

The survey also found particularly strong opposition to Israel’s government among younger Democrats. Among Democrats under 30, respondents were slightly more likely to express favorable views of Hamas than of Israel’s government, although overall support for Hamas remained relatively low. Democrats across all age groups also viewed the Palestinian Authority somewhat more favorably than Israel’s government.

Religious affiliation likewise played a significant role in shaping public opinion.

Jewish Americans and White evangelical Protestants expressed the strongest support for both the Israeli people and Israel’s government. White evangelical Protestants were the only major religious group in which a majority—57 percent—held favorable views of Israel’s government.

Among Jewish respondents, favorable views of Israelis declined from 89 percent in 2024 to 83 percent this year. Favorable opinions of Israel’s government also fell, dropping from 54 percent to 47 percent.

Pew found that Muslims, Black Protestants, and religiously unaffiliated Americans were more likely than other religious groups to express favorable opinions of both Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority. The survey also found that younger Jewish adults were less supportive of both Israelis and Israel’s government than older Jewish respondents.

{Matzav.com}

Political commentator Tucker Carlson called today for U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to be removed from his post, accusing him of failing to publicly defend Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) after the congressman said he was detained during a visit to Israel.

Carlson launched the attack in a sharply worded post on X, criticizing Huckabee for promoting a Fox News appearance instead of speaking out on behalf of an American lawmaker. In the post, Carlson misspelled “American” as “Amercian.”

According to Carlson, Huckabee’s silence amounted to an unacceptable failure to represent U.S. interests, and he argued the ambassador should be dismissed immediately.

“An Amercian member of congress is threatened by foreign terrorists carrying American rifles, backed by a foreign military paid for by American taxpayers, and the US ambassador to that country says not a word in defense of his own countryman, and instead uses his social media accounts to promote his own vapid cable news appearances, which amount to propaganda for that same foreign country. It’s too much, too insulting and humiliating to America. This is how revolutions start. For the sake our nation, Mike Huckabee should be removed from his post immediately.”

Carlson’s comments came after Khanna said he had been detained while traveling in Israel.

Mediaite’s Zach Leeman summarized Khanna’s account of the incident: “The congressman, a vocal critic of Israel’s government, said he was detained by Israeli settlers, and later Israeli military, during a three-day trip this week while he touring the demolished-Palestinian Bedouin village of Khirbet Zanuta. Khanna told The New York Times Israeli settlers with guns blocked his vehicle and others from leaving via the road to the village. The men were reportedly “swearing at them in Hebrew and Arabic and kicking the tires of their minibus.” A Times photographer was in another vehicle and witnessed the incident. Two Israeli military vehicles later arrived and Khanna assumed they were there to help him leave, but they “smoked cigarettes, chatted with the men and after the settlers left, moved a car to block the road. I felt powerless in that situation, which is not an easy thing, as I have a lot of privilege in life,” he said. “Imagine how people feel every day, Palestinians under the occupation, if they could make an American congressperson feel powerless for 90 minutes.””

The latest criticism marks another chapter in the ongoing public feud between Carlson and Huckabee over Israel.

During an interview between the two in February, Huckabee forcefully rejected Carlson’s assertion that Christians were being driven out of Israel.

“But I would also say that when you said the Christians were kicked out, Tucker, Christianity is growing in Israel. And there is a big lie that goes out there, but let me finish this because I keep hearing that Christians are really not treated well in Israel — that’s simply a lie. It is a lie! There are lots of different… There were 34,000 Christians in Israel in 1948. There are 184,000 Christians here today,” Huckabee said.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has declared that he has left standing instructions for the U.S. military to unleash overwhelming force against Iran if the regime ever succeeds in carrying out its long-standing threats to assassinate him. While the president’s warning underscores the seriousness with which he views the threat, constitutional procedures mean that any military response following a president’s death would ultimately rest with his successor.

Under the Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, Vice President JD Vance would immediately assume the presidency and become commander in chief if Trump were killed. That would give Vance the authority to carry out the type of military response Trump has called for, alter those plans, or pursue a different course of action altogether.

Although Trump suggested he has standing orders in place, experts note that the United States has never employed an automatic or pre-authorized military retaliation mechanism triggered by a president’s death.

“The U.S. has, for a whole variety of reasons, never utilized a technical ‘dead man’s switch,'” said Garrett M. Graff, author of Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die.

The United States maintains extensive continuity-of-government plans designed to preserve national leadership during a nuclear attack or other catastrophic event. Those procedures, however, do not authorize the military to launch retaliatory strikes automatically upon the death of a president, even if prior instructions had been issued.

Trump reiterated his warning Saturday in a Truth Social post, saying Iran had repeatedly threatened his life and that the U.S. military stood ready to respond with overwhelming force.

He wrote that 1,000 “missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat.”

Hours later, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, renewed calls to avenge the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the opening U.S. and Israeli strikes earlier this year.

Retaliation, he declared, “is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out.”

In a televised address, Mojtaba Khamenei added, “We pledge to take revenge for the pure blood of you and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraceful killers. This revenge is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out.”

The White House did not immediately respond to questions regarding how Trump’s standing military directives would be handled if the president were assassinated.

During funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this week, crowds repeatedly displayed banners and signs calling for the deaths of both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Israel recently warned U.S. officials about new Iranian efforts to assassinate Trump. Although the White House declined to comment, Trump appeared to reference those threats during this week’s NATO summit in Turkey.

“They want to take out the U.S. leader — me.”

Sabrina Singh, who served as deputy Pentagon press secretary during the Biden administration, said the threat posed by Iran against senior American officials is well understood within the national security community.

“Iran wanting to target senior American leaders is something that we know is happening.”

“You have to take these as credible threats,” Singh said.

Trump also survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 presidential campaign and, earlier this year, a gunman breached security at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while the president was attending the event.

Security surrounding the president has drawn renewed attention after Trump traveled part of the way back from Turkey aboard an older Air Force One aircraft rather than the newer Boeing 747 donated by Qatar. Reports indicated the refurbished aircraft lacks some of the missile-detection and defensive countermeasure systems installed on previous presidential jets.

The aircraft change came as fighting between the United States and Iran resumed, placing renewed strain on last month’s agreement intended to halt the conflict.

Asked about Iran’s threats while aboard Air Force One, Trump replied, “I’m No. 1 on their list.”

Graff noted that throughout the Cold War, the United States developed elaborate contingency plans governing the transfer of nuclear launch authority in the event Washington was incapacitated, including maintaining airborne command posts that could preserve military command after a surprise attack.

“What I believe Trump is saying is that he’s left standing orders to attack if he’s killed, e.g., that the Pentagon should proceed with standard launch protocols,” Graff said. “There’s a lot of reason to doubt the legality of such standing orders, since in the event of a president’s death, the nuclear launch authority would immediately pass to the vice president or designated successor — and ultimately it would be up to him or her to determine whether to proceed.”

Graff also pointed out that Trump’s social media post referred only to conventional missile strikes against Iran and did not mention the use of nuclear weapons.

He added that Trump could instead privately instruct his successor how he would want the United States to respond.

Graff said Trump also might tell Vance, “something to Vance like, ‘If I’m killed, nuke Iran,'” adding that such an instruction would “more sense and would be absolutely legal”.

U.S. intelligence agencies have long monitored credible threats against American presidents and senior officials from Iran and other foreign adversaries, though such matters are typically handled through classified channels rather than discussed publicly. Trump’s decision to openly state that he is personally a target of Tehran is highly unusual.

This is also not the first time Washington has warned Iran against targeting Trump or other American officials.

In 2022, after the Justice Department accused a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of plotting to assassinate former National Security Adviser John Bolton, the Biden administration warned Tehran that any attack on Americans would trigger severe consequences.

At the time, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated, “should Iran attack any of our citizens, to include those who continue to serve the United States or those who formerly served, Iran will face severe consequences.”

Two years later, during Trump’s presidential campaign against Democrat Kamala Harris, the Biden administration quietly delivered another warning to Iran, informing the regime that any attempt to assassinate Trump would be treated as an act of war.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump defended the ongoing renovations at the White House today, arguing that the historic residence had been allowed to deteriorate for years and promising that the restoration project will leave it more beautiful than ever.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared what he said were “before” photographs of the White House’s main entrance, contending that the property had fallen into an unacceptable state before he returned to office.

“This is the horrible front of the White House, and it’s been like that for years,” Trump wrote. “The condition is deplorable, just like our Country was when I inherited it from Sleepy Joe Biden.”

The president also dismissed criticism over the scope of the restoration effort, saying opponents have unfairly attacked him for investing time and resources into preserving one of America’s most recognizable landmarks.

“The Radical Left Dumocrats criticize me for spending so much time bringing our White House back to the Glory of 100 years ago,” he wrote. “Actually, it will be far better than that.”

Trump said the White House project reflects a broader effort by his administration to revitalize the nation’s capital and restore pride in public spaces across the country.

“This is what we are doing all over Washington, D.C., and, in different ways, with our Country, itself!” Trump wrote.

He predicted that the renovations will transform the executive mansion into an iconic showcase while preserving its historic character.

“The White House, as you can see in the before pictures attached, was an embarrassment,” he wrote. “Believe it or not, these pictures were of the Main Entrance. In a short period of time, it will be a Symbol of Extraordinary Beauty and Pride!”

The White House has undergone regular maintenance, preservation work, and renovation projects under numerous administrations over the years to protect the historic structure, which serves both as the president’s home and the headquarters of the executive branch. Because of the building’s symbolic importance, major restoration efforts have often drawn widespread public attention.

Throughout his second term, Trump has repeatedly highlighted beautification initiatives, describing them as part of a larger campaign to restore historic monuments, federal buildings, and public spaces throughout Washington.

One of the administration’s more ambitious proposals—a new White House ballroom—failed to gain congressional approval earlier this year. In May, lawmakers from both parties rejected the administration’s request for $1 billion for the project after it was attached to a Homeland Security funding measure.

The proposal became politically contentious as many Americans continued to grapple with elevated inflation and the rising cost of living.

The Washington Post reported in June that the estimated cost of the ballroom project had climbed to approximately $600 million, according to a contractor’s project summary, with more than half of the funding expected to come from taxpayers.

{Matzav.com}

The United States launched another wave of military strikes against Iran on Saturday after Tehran attacked a commercial cargo vessel and announced it was shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed.

Responding to the latest escalation, Hegseth posted a blunt warning on X, saying Iran would face the consequences of its actions.

“Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay,” Hegseth said.

His remarks accompanied a statement from U.S. Central Command, which accused Iran of carrying out an unprovoked assault on a Cyprus-flagged container ship traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM announced that, acting on orders from President Donald Trump, U.S. forces began retaliatory strikes at 4:15 p.m. Eastern time.

Describing the maritime attack, CENTCOM said one civilian crew member remains missing and that the vessel sustained extensive damage that forced it to abandon its voyage.

“A civilian crew member is missing and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engineroom damage,” CENTCOM posted about Iran’s attack earlier in the day. “Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed.”

The military added that the latest operation is intended to further weaken Iran’s ability to threaten international shipping through one of the world’s busiest waterways.

“The United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait.”

Hegseth’s statement came shortly after CNN reported that Iranian state media claimed the Strait of Hormuz had been closed after Iranian forces fired what were described as “warning shots” at a vessel that was allegedly “traveling on a route it did not approve of.”

Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, citing a senior U.S. official, reported that American forces struck multiple military targets throughout Iran, including air surveillance radar installations, missile and drone storage facilities, missile and UAV launch sites, maritime surveillance radars, and surface-to-air missile launchers.

The renewed military action comes just weeks after Washington and Tehran reached a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding in mid-June that established a 60-day framework for negotiating a broader peace agreement. Vice President JD Vance subsequently traveled to Switzerland for talks, later saying the Iranian negotiating position had been “extremely confusing,” while expressing optimism that progress was being made.

That diplomatic momentum now appears to have unraveled as Iran has continued violating the fragile ceasefire. President Trump has also adopted an increasingly confrontational tone, referring to Iran’s ruling regime as “scum” last week and warning Friday that the United States has 1,000 missiles “Locked and Loaded” should Iran attempt to assassinate him.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed that Israeli intelligence provided President Donald Trump with information about what he described as a credible Iranian assassination plot targeting the American leader.

The ambassador’s remarks came after Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran on Truth Social, declaring that the United States has already prepared an overwhelming military response should Iran attempt to assassinate him.

“1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME! Orders have already been given, and the U.S. Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran – PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!”

Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli intelligence had uncovered what it described as a new Iranian plot to kill Trump. The president, however, dismissed the suggestion that the threat was newly discovered, saying Iran has viewed him as a top target for years.

“No, no. Israel came up with nothing. No, no,” Trump noted. “I’ve been No. 1 [on Iran’s kill list] for a long time, and it’s the way life is, you know.”

Trump concluded the exchange with a lighthearted remark despite the seriousness of the threat: “I hope you’ll miss me.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States and Canada have reached a new agreement that will allow the long-awaited Gordie Howe International Bridge linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, to open later this month, ending a dispute over toll revenue and ownership interests.

The Canadian government announced Friday night that the $4.7 billion crossing, which had originally been scheduled to open on June 27, is now expected to begin operations on July 27 after negotiators from both countries finalized a new arrangement.

President Donald Trump had previously vowed to prevent the bridge from opening unless the United States received greater financial benefits and an ownership interest in the project.

“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve,” Trump wrote earlier this year on Truth Social.

Following negotiations with Canadian officials, Trump announced Saturday that a revised agreement had been reached that he said delivers a significantly better outcome for the United States.

“I was able to cut a MUCH BETTER DEAL for America, and by so doing, will be allowing the new and spectacular Gordie Howe International Bridge, spanning Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, to open on July 27th, as scheduled,” he wrote.

Emphasizing his dissatisfaction with the original arrangement, Trump added, “The original deal made was unacceptable to me!” before praising the revised agreement.

“The new deal is great, and fair. Thank you and congratulations to the Canadian Government. May we both have many years of success with this wonderful new development!!!”

Canadian officials said the agreement includes several joint initiatives intended to ensure that both countries benefit from the bridge’s operation.

“Canada and the United States have agreed to a series of cooperative measures focused on toll governance and transparency, as well as investments in the region, including through the establishment of a 15-year economic development fund tied to a portion of profits from bridge operations,” the Canadian government said Friday in a statement.

According to Reuters, the agreement gives the United States half of the bridge’s toll revenue while also granting Washington approval authority over any proposed toll increases exceeding 10 percent of current rates.

Reuters reported that the agreement was negotiated by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister responsible for U.S. trade.

Named in honor of Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, the 1.5-mile international bridge is expected to become one of the busiest commercial transportation corridors between the United States and Canada. Construction began in 2018, with the project financed by the Canadian government.

{Matzav.com}

Hunter Biden won a major legal victory Friday after a federal judge ordered former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne to pay $1.7 million in punitive damages for spreading false allegations that linked Biden to a massive Iranian bribery scheme.

Byrne, who has repeatedly rejected Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over President Donald Trump, had accused Hunter Biden of participating in an $800 million bribery operation involving Iran. He failed to substantiate those claims during the court proceedings.

In a 25-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson of the Central District of California concluded that Byrne deliberately spread false information while showing blatant disregard for Hunter Biden’s legal rights. The judge also noted that Byrne continued promoting the allegations even after the lawsuit had been filed.

“Here, the evidence is clear and convincing that [Byrne] has engaged in intentional misrepresentation with conscious disregard towards [Hunter’s] rights,” Wilson wrote in his 25-page ruling.

The judge further stated that Byrne’s “defamation went far beyond mere negligence,” adding that Byrne had urged his followers on social media to circulate the false accusations and expand their reach.

Wilson, who was appointed to the federal bench by President Ronald Reagan, awarded Hunter Biden the symbolic $1 in compensatory damages he had requested, along with $1.7 million in punitive damages. The judge also directed Byrne to pay nearly $35,000 in previously ordered court sanctions within two weeks, warning that failure to comply would result in an additional $1,000 fine for each day the payment is overdue.

“This is a complete vindication for Hunter Biden against the false statements made about him by Patrick Byrne,” Bryan Sullivan, an attorney for Hunter, said in a statement. “As found by the court, Byrne had no basis to say that Hunter had any involvement with Iran whatsoever.”

The lawsuit centered on Byrne’s repeated assertions that Hunter Biden had sought an $800 million bribe from Iran in exchange for persuading his father, then serving as president, to release $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets and ease U.S. pressure during negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Hunter Biden consistently denied the accusations, arguing that Byrne knowingly republished fabricated claims despite having no evidence to support them.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Yitzchak Yosef, president of Shas’ Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, delivered sharp remarks about Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu during his weekly shiur on Motzoei Shabbos, saying he does not believe the prime minister will ever do teshuvah.

Speaking about the spiritual state of the country, Rav Yosef said, “We are living, because of our many sins, in a secular state, not a chareidi state. We pray that everyone will do teshuvah. There are those who have done teshuvah, and there are those whom I do not believe will do teshuvah. Will Bibi Netanyahu do teshuvah? There is absolutely no chance. Eisenkot perhaps will do teshuvah.”

Rav Yosef has previously been highly critical of Netanyahu, particularly over comments the prime minister made about his father, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l.

Referring to those remarks, Rav Yosef said, “Netanyahu is insolent. He said that my father was a politician after my father said he was pained over the yeshiva bochurim. How can he speak so disrespectfully?”

On another occasion, Rav Yosef said that had Chacham Shalom Cohen zt”l still been alive, he would have strongly opposed relying on Netanyahu politically.

“He would have shouted at the shluchei d’Rabbanan: Why are you relying on Bibi? He is an atheist.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on Democrats and major news organizations today, just one day after his administration subpoenaed several New York Times reporters over their reporting on the security capabilities of the new Air Force One.

Posting from his golf club in Sterling, Virginia, Trump singled out The New York Times for criticism, targeting both the newspaper itself and reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, whose new book, Regime Change, details internal disputes within his administration.

Trump repeatedly mocked Haberman, referring to the 52-year-old journalist as “maggot,” calling her “one of the most unattractive people in the News ‘Business,’” while dismissing Swan, 40, as her “lightweight assistant.”

The president accused The New York Times of devoting its coverage almost exclusively to attacking him, though he did not specifically address the newspaper’s recent report about Air Force One. That article, which was not written by either Haberman or Swan, reported that Trump had returned to using the older presidential aircraft after flying the Qatar-donated Boeing 747 that underwent a $400 million refurbishment.

Trump also celebrated his 2024 election victory, ridiculed Democrats by referring to them as the “Dumocrat Party,” and expanded his criticism to several television news outlets.

“All of their Readership, Ratings, and Viewership, are “tanking” because the Public understands they are, as I have said right from the beginning, “FAKE NEWS!” They have no credibility, or it would have been impossible for me to win with only bad stories, especially in a Historic Landslide.”

The president went on to accuse Democrats of embracing communism as their political strategy.

“They are going COMMUNIST because they are a desperately “sinking ship,” and there’s not a thing they can do about it. Instead of writing inaccurate, false articles, for over 10 years now, shouldn’t it be time that they say, ‘We give up, we can’t beat him, there seems nothing we can do,’” he wrote.

Meanwhile, attorneys representing The New York Times strongly objected to the subpoenas, which direct several reporters to appear before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday.

Stephen J. Adler, chairman of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, also condemned the administration’s move, arguing in a statement that it “crushed” the public’s right to know about the actions of its government.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a defiant statement today pledging revenge for the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declaring that those responsible will be pursued regardless of who holds power in Tehran.

In a written message, the younger Khamenei vowed that Iran would retaliate not only for his father’s killing but also for the deaths of those killed during the recent conflicts.

“We swear to avenge your pure blood (Ali Khamenei) and that of all the martyrs who fell in these two wars at the hands of the murderers,” the younger Khamenei wrote, adding that, “This revenge is the demand of our nation and it must definitely be carried out soon.”

He also promised to continue his father’s legacy, saying Iran’s pursuit of revenge would not be deterred by changes in leadership.

“Now, when we part with teary eyes and broken hearts from your body, we swear that we will keep your word and, standing strong, we will walk straight along your path, which you showed us.

“These sinners, of whom there is a detailed list – they must know that this matter (revenge), is not dependent on my presence as a person or the presence of the rest of the officials. Whether we will be or will not be, this demand will be fulfilled.”

The threats were reinforced by Hamshahri, one of Iran’s leading newspapers, which published what it described as a list of those allegedly responsible for Ayatollah Khamenei’s death. The list appeared beneath the headline, “Revenge Is Certain,” alongside another warning attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei: “The criminals will take their wish for a peaceful death to the grave.”

Among those named were Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump, Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, U.S. Central Command Commander Gen. Brad Cooper, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, as well as the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy.

The United States carried out a third round of military strikes against Iran after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces attacked a commercial cargo ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command announced.

In a statement, CENTCOM said the latest operation began this evening following what it described as an unprovoked Iranian assault on the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container vessel.

“At 7:15 p.m. ET today, US Central Command forces began launching the third round of strikes this week against Iran after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces blatantly attacked M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM stated.

According to the military, one civilian crew member remains unaccounted for, while the vessel suffered extensive damage that left it unable to continue its voyage.

“A civilian crew member is missing and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engine-room damage.”

CENTCOM said Iran had been given another opportunity to comply with the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding after previous attacks on commercial shipping but chose instead to continue its aggression.

“Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels, but has again failed.”

The U.S. military said the strikes are intended to further weaken Iran’s ability to threaten international maritime traffic in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.

“In response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait.”

CENTCOM concluded by emphasizing that the military operation was authorized directly by President Donald Trump.

“The strikes are being carried out at the direction of the Commander in Chief,” the statement concluded.

Reacting to the operation, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted a brief message on social media warning Iran of the consequences of its actions: “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.”