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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}