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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States continues to strike Iran forcefully while insisting his administration still prefers a negotiated settlement over a broader military conflict.

Speaking during an appearance in Nevada, Trump said military pressure has been intense but stressed that his ultimate objective is to avoid unnecessary bloodshed through diplomacy. “I would rather make a deal because I don’t want to kill people,” the President stated, adding, “We were set for the biggest attack of any attack, and we’ve hit them very hard for the last few months, but we were all set for the biggest attack since World War II. And they called me, and they said, ‘Please don’t do it, let’s talk. And then they said, we never said that.”

Trump continued by saying discussions with Tehran remain underway despite Iran’s public denials. “But we are talking, let’s see what happens. But they respect us. They respect us,” he said, continuing, “It’s been 50 years. And no other president has done what you should have done a long time ago, because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump: "I don't want to kill people. I do not want to kill people. But … " pic.twitter.com/is8y4tRrRt

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 5, 2026

The president’s remarks echoed comments he made Tuesday night during an interview on Fox News, where he confirmed that communication between Washington and Tehran is ongoing while warning that additional military action could follow if key maritime shipping lanes remain blocked.

During that interview, Trump reaffirmed that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains a non-negotiable objective. “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. They already can’t, but it’s going to be formal. The Strait’s going to be open very soon, or they’re going to get hit very hard, and then the Strait’s going to be open,” he said in the interview.

Trump also insisted that negotiations are progressing, even if Iranian officials publicly deny they are taking place. “They are having very good discussions,” he said before adding, “They don’t like to admit that, but you know it’s a little bit disconcerting. You tell people ‘we’re having wonderful discussions’ and then some guy will come out of Iran and say ‘We have not met.’ It’s a lie. They want to make a deal.”

Asked how long he is willing to continue pursuing diplomacy before concluding the effort has failed, Trump replied simply, “I have plenty of time.”

Those comments followed statements the president made Monday, when he indicated he remains prepared to authorize major military operations if necessary while still giving diplomacy every opportunity to succeed.

“I think we’re going to maybe get something, but I want to give them every last chance before decapitation,” he noted, observing, “Very tough to do what we have planned, still planned. We’ll see what happens, but it’s a very, very tough thing to do.”

Trump again emphasized that, despite military preparations, he hopes a peaceful resolution can still be achieved. “I think I’m very proud of the fact that I will give people a chance,” he said, adding, “This is a big move to do an attack that big on a country. I’d rather not do it.”

Earlier Monday, the president sharply criticized Iran’s leadership after officials in Tehran denied reports that direct talks with the United States were taking place.

In a Truth Social post, Trump accused Iranian officials of saying one thing privately while claiming something entirely different in public. “Iranian leadership is unbelievably duplicitous! They ask for a meeting, some would say ‘beg,’ talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they’re not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they’re only dealing with ‘Oman.'”

Despite ongoing security tensions, several major foreign airlines continue to postpone their return to Israel, while others are increasing their operations—and a number of international carriers have resumed service to Ben Gurion Airport in recent days.

Portugal’s national carrier, TAP Air Portugal, announced Sunday that it is extending the suspension of its flights to Israel until September 15. Meanwhile, American Airlines has also delayed its return, saying its New York–Tel Aviv route will not resume before March 2027.

While some airlines remain cautious, others are expressing confidence in the Israeli market. Ethiopian Airlines has continued operating its flights and has maintained its commitment to serving Israeli travelers throughout the recent period of uncertainty.

Two foreign airlines resumed flights to Israel this week.

German carrier Condor, represented in Israel by Tal Aviation, officially launched its new scheduled route between Frankfurt and Tel Aviv with the arrival of its inaugural flight at Ben Gurion Airport on Saturday.

The new service will operate daily, strengthening air connectivity between Germany and Israel while providing convenient travel options for both business and leisure passengers. Founded in 1956, Condor is one of Germany’s oldest and best-known airlines.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), part of the Lufthansa Group, also resumed flights to Israel on Saturday, coinciding with Switzerland’s National Day.

SWISS will operate a daily Zurich–Tel Aviv route using Airbus A330 aircraft. The airline’s return is part of the Lufthansa Group’s broader expansion of flight operations to Israel.

The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ending nearly a year in which the nation’s leading public health agency operated without a permanent leader.

Schwartz was confirmed by a 51-44 vote that largely followed party lines, with Republicans backing her nomination and most Democrats voting against it. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., broke with his party to support Schwartz, saying last month that he regretted opposing former CDC Director Susan Monarez and had since apologized to her.

Before her confirmation, Schwartz served as deputy surgeon general during President Donald Trump’s first administration. Earlier in her career, she served as a Navy physician and later as the Coast Guard’s chief medical officer.

The CDC has been led by a succession of acting directors since August 2025, when Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed Susan Monarez just 29 days after she assumed the position. Most recently, the agency was headed by Jay Bhattacharya, who has overseen the CDC since February while simultaneously serving as director of the National Institutes of Health. Although federal law required the administration to nominate a permanent CDC director by March, Schwartz’s nomination was submitted a month later.

As the agency’s new leader, Schwartz will be responsible for directing the nation’s public health efforts, including overseeing responses to disease outbreaks and approving vaccine recommendations. She assumes the role amid the largest measles outbreak in the United States in 35 years, as well as a growing outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness linked to shredded iceberg lettuce. She will also confront increasing vaccine hesitancy, which some public health experts contend has been fueled by Kennedy’s rhetoric and policy decisions.

Although Schwartz was generally viewed as a mainstream choice to lead the CDC, some public health specialists expressed disappointment with her testimony before the Senate last month, arguing that she did not sufficiently distance herself from several of Kennedy’s more controversial positions. During the hearing, Schwartz affirmed that vaccines are safe and effective but said she was unfamiliar with some of Kennedy’s vaccine policy changes and declined to say whether she supported them.

During that hearing, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and a physician, criticized Schwartz for what he viewed as evasive responses when asked whether she would oppose Kennedy if scientific evidence were being undermined.

“We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization,” Cassidy said.

Despite those concerns, Cassidy later announced his support for Schwartz after holding additional conversations with her and consulting individuals who had worked closely with her.

“I am confident that she knows what she is doing and will stand against those who do not,” he said during a HELP Committee meeting on July 23.

Cassidy also noted that, “as a sign of good faith,” the Department of Health and Human Services recently revised a CDC webpage discussing vaccines and autism. While the page continues to state that studies have not definitively ruled out a connection between childhood vaccines and autism, it now also notes that scientists have not identified the underlying causes of autism.

The National Public Health Coalition, an advocacy organization made up of former CDC employees that has frequently criticized Kennedy, said last month that it could not support Schwartz’s confirmation based on her Senate testimony.

“The public needed to hear clear commitments about how she would protect CDC guidance from political pressure. Too often, her stated commitments were incomplete, vague, or missing,” the group said.

Responding to those criticisms, HHS spokeswoman Emily Hilliard defended Schwartz, saying her qualifications were well established.

“Claiming that Dr. Schwartz was evasive because she declined to speculate on policy decisions outside the scope of her nomination is simply political theater,” she said in a statement.

Kennedy, who has long been associated with anti-vaccine activism, revised the federal childhood immunization schedule in January to recommend fewer vaccines for all children, though a federal judge blocked that policy in March. Last year, he also dismissed every member of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee and replaced them with new appointees, many of whom have expressed skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines. Monarez later testified before Congress that Kennedy removed her because she refused to automatically approve recommendations from the new advisory panel.

During her confirmation hearing, Schwartz insisted that Kennedy would never pressure her to pre-approve vaccine recommendations.

“As CDC director, my sacred responsibility is to provide the American people with public health guidance that is clear, honest and evidence-based,” she said. “I will never betray the science.”

Former Shas chairman Eli Yishai is reportedly considering a return to Israeli politics through an alliance with the newly formed Hatzibur Hachareidi party, according to a report aired by Channel 12.

The report says Yishai, who led Shas for 14 years, has recently held a series of meetings with representatives of the new party, and the possibility of a joint run in the next Knesset election is being seriously explored. No final decision has been reached, however, and both Yishai and party officials declined to comment on the report.

Hatzibur Hachareidi has positioned itself as an alternative for working Chareidim and voters who have grown dissatisfied with the established Chareidi parties. At the same time, the party’s stance on the enlistment of Chareidim into the IDF has become its most controversial issue, drawing strong opposition from members of the Chareidi community who remain firmly committed to the olam haTorah and the protection of bnei yeshiva.

The reported talks have generated particular interest because of Yishai’s long history at the helm of Shas, as well as his previous attempt to establish an independent political movement. In 2014, after leaving Shas, Yishai founded the Yachad party together with Maran HaGaon Rav Meir Mazuz zt”l. Although the party received approximately 125,000 votes, it failed to cross the electoral threshold.

According to the report, political observers believe that a partnership between Yishai and Hatzibur Hachareidi could improve the new party’s chances of entering the Knesset. At the same time, they acknowledge that the issue of military service could become a major obstacle, particularly among Chareidi voters who view preserving the status of bnei yeshiva as a non-negotiable principle.

Channel 12 also reported that the party hopes to attract voters who have become disillusioned with Shas, pointing to recent polling that reflects dissatisfaction among some of the party’s traditional supporters. Nevertheless, analysts say there is a significant difference between criticizing Shas politically and embracing a party perceived as supporting Chareidi enlistment, a position that could make it difficult for the new party to gain broad acceptance within the wider Chareidi community.

For now, the discussions remain preliminary and no agreement has been finalized. Even so, the prospect of Eli Yishai returning to politics through a new party—particularly one whose message centers on the highly sensitive issue of the draft—is already fueling intense debate within the Chareidi political world.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir declared Wednesday that Israel’s military will continue aggressively targeting Hamas, preventing new threats from emerging along the country’s borders, and relentlessly pursuing everyone responsible for the October 7 massacre during a visit to troops operating in the Gaza Strip.

Zamir toured the sector alongside Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, 99th Division Commander Brig. Gen. Elad Tzuri, Gaza Division Commander Brig. Gen. Liron Batito, and other senior officers. During the visit, he received operational briefings from field commanders and reiterated that the IDF’s security strategy is being applied consistently across every one of Israel’s borders.

“We are implementing the security strategy we defined-not only here, but along all of the State of Israel’s borders,” Zamir said. “The IDF is positioned at the front, ahead of the communities and their residents, in order to protect them.”

Discussing the campaign against Hamas, Zamir said Israeli forces have dramatically altered the battlefield and inflicted major damage on the terror organization while making Israel’s southern frontier significantly more secure.

“In the Gaza Strip, we have struck Hamas, significantly weakened it, and fundamentally changed the security reality,” he stated. “The IDF will continue to operate proactively and according to the principle we established-to remove threats and, in every situation, protect the communities and their residents and safeguard their security.”

The chief of staff emphasized that Israel will never again permit the kind of terrorist buildup that culminated in the October 7 attacks.

“We will not allow a threat to emerge on our borders like the one we experienced during the October 7 massacre,” Zamir declared.

Zamir also placed the fighting in Gaza within the context of Israel’s broader regional military campaign, noting that the same determination he observed during a recent visit to forces in southern Lebanon is evident among the troops now operating in Gaza.

“The Gaza front is part of a multi-front effort,” he said. “Last week I met with the troops in southern Lebanon, and here I see the same spirit-a spirit of initiative, determination, and commitment to the mission. It is this spirit that enables us to continue implementing the principle we established and to maintain the initiative in our hands.”

He commended the Southern Command and the units fighting in Gaza for maintaining constant offensive pressure, pointing to the military’s ongoing effort to track down every terrorist involved in planning and carrying out the October 7 atrocities.

“I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Southern Command and the divisions operating in this sector for their initiative, determination, and sustained offensive approach,” he said. “A clear example of this is the pursuit of the Nukhba terrorists and everyone involved in planning and carrying out the October 7 massacre.”

Zamir stressed that bringing the perpetrators of the massacre to justice remains a permanent obligation for the IDF, saying the victims continue to guide the military’s mission.

“The images from the communities, the Bibas family, the surveillance soldiers, and all the victims of the October 7 massacre are before our eyes every day,” Zamir said. “We will continue to pursue those responsible, and we will not relent until we bring every person who played a part in the massacre to justice-sooner or later. This is a permanent and ongoing mission.”

Closing his remarks, Zamir reaffirmed the military’s commitment to safeguarding the residents of communities surrounding the Gaza Strip, saying the IDF will continue strengthening security and maintaining a forward defensive posture.

“We must continue acting to protect the residents of the communities near the Gaza Strip,” he said. “Your protection and security are our mission-we will continue working to strengthen security. We have fundamentally changed the security reality, and we will continue to act to ensure that the IDF remains at the front, protecting the communities and their residents and safeguarding their security.”

New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act officially took effect Wednesday, allowing certain terminally ill adults to request life-ending medication, though access to the law is expected to vary across the state as hospitals and healthcare systems determine whether and how they will participate.

With the law now in force, New York becomes the 13th U.S. jurisdiction to authorize medical aid in dying, joining 12 other states and Washington, D.C. Under the legislation, mentally competent adults who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and are expected to live six months or less may request medication to peacefully end their lives.

The New York State Department of Health says patients must be capable of administering the medication themselves, a requirement intended to ensure that the decision is made voluntarily and intentionally. The law does not compel physicians, hospitals, or healthcare providers to participate, and many are still awaiting additional guidance from the Department of Health. State officials have also emphasized what the governor’s office describes as “additional guardrails that will make sure people won’t be taken advantage of.”

The new law remains highly controversial, with opponents warning that it could place vulnerable individuals at risk.

“As part of our work, the work of the church, we do a lot to care for the vulnerable, vulnerable populations. And that includes the medically disenfranchized, the poor, the medically underserved, and, of course, the disabilities community,” Kristen Curran, the New York State Catholic Conference’s Director of Government Relations said. “We do a lot of work with the disabilities community. And we know, again, having watched this law be implemented elsewhere. We know that this is a very dangerous and devastating law.”

Supporters argue that individuals facing terminal illness should be free to make their own end-of-life decisions without religious objections preventing others from exercising that option.

“We also don’t believe that the religious views of some should be able to stop other people from using a law if they so desire,” Death With Dignity National Legislative Consultant Geoff Sugerman said.

New York’s legislation closely mirrors Oregon’s pioneering law, which was first enacted in 1994. Since then, several states have modified their statutes by expanding eligibility, permitting advanced practice nurses and nurse practitioners to participate in the process, eliminating residency requirements, and shortening waiting periods between approval and the dispensing of medication. In New York, the required waiting period is five days.

The law has already been challenged in court.

Just last week, a federal district judge ruled that a lawsuit filed by a coalition of disability rights advocates could not proceed because the plaintiffs lacked legal standing, rejecting their request to block the law from taking effect.

A separate lawsuit has been filed by four Catholic religious orders and several Catholic healthcare ministries, which argue that the law violates their religious liberty by compelling them to participate in medical practices that conflict with their religious beliefs.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an incident in which Marine One, carrying President Donald Trump, briefly came too close to a commercial airliner Tuesday evening as the presidential helicopter approached the same Washington-area airport where a deadly midair collision occurred in 2025.

According to the FAA, a preliminary review found there was a “momentary loss of separation” between Marine One and a commercial aircraft. Under FAA regulations, aircraft are generally required to maintain at least 1.5 miles of horizontal separation and 500 feet of vertical separation.

The agency said air traffic control was in contact with both aircraft throughout the incident and emphasized that President Trump “never in danger.” Officials added that the circumstances surrounding the close encounter remain under investigation.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the incident, noting that flight operations at Reagan Washington National Airport were not suspended following the brief loss of separation.

Marine One departed from the White House on Tuesday afternoon en route to Joint Base Andrews at roughly the same time a regional commercial flight bound for Pensacola, Florida, was departing Reagan National Airport, Reuters reported.

The incident has drawn added attention because it occurred near Reagan National Airport, where an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River in 2025, killing all 67 people aboard. The tragedy was the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States since November 2001.

That fatal crash followed several other close calls in the Washington airspace and prompted the FAA to tighten restrictions on helicopter traffic near the airport. Reuters also reported that air traffic controllers are typically given about three minutes’ notice before Marine One departs from the White House area so they can temporarily halt nearby air traffic.

The latest incident comes as questions continue to surround the president’s aircraft fleet. Last month, the Boeing VIP jet gifted by Qatar officially entered service as the new Air Force One, with President Trump using it to travel to a NATO summit in Ankara.

However, after hostilities between the United States and Iran resumed, the president switched back to the older Air Force One during his departure from Turkey, flying instead to RAF Mildenhall, a U.S. Air Force base in Suffolk, England.

President Trump said the change was made so American service members stationed at the base could “a chance to tour the Aircraft,” although reports indicated the Secret Service requested the aircraft swap. The move fueled questions about the newer plane’s defensive systems and whether they match the capabilities of the long-serving presidential aircraft.

Although President Trump initially dismissed concerns, he later acknowledged that the Qatar-donated aircraft would undergo another round of upgrades to ensure its security features are “maxed out.” He did not provide details about the planned enhancements, and it remains unclear whether the projected one-month upgrade period will be sufficient to bring the aircraft’s defensive systems in line with those of the previous Air Force One.

{Matzav.com}

A new move by the British government is threatening to deal a significant financial blow to the yeshiva world, as authorities have launched investigations into British Chareidi donors who contributed to several Torah institutions located beyond the Green Line.

According to a report by Ari Kalman of i24NEWS, British authorities have recently notified a number of donors that they are under investigation for transferring funds to Chareidi yeshivos operating in those areas.

The investigations come in the wake of Britain’s recognition of a Palestinian state and its policy prohibiting assistance to Israeli communities beyond the Green Line. As part of that policy shift, several British citizens who donated to Torah institutions there have already received formal notices that they are being investigated.

In response, the Association of Yeshivos and Seminaries for Overseas Students urgently appealed on Wednesday to Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Education Minister Yoav Kisch, and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, calling on them to intervene immediately before the investigations expand further.

The organization warned that if the probe broadens, it could severely damage the fundraising network on which many yeshivos depend and significantly undermine their financial stability.

{Matzav.com}

Fresh off his projected victory in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, Abdul El-Sayed reaffirmed his sharply critical views of Israel during a Wednesday appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” describing the Jewish state as “bloodthirsty” and arguing that the issues he sees with Israel extend well beyond the leadership of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Asked whether his criticism was directed primarily at Netanyahu’s government, El-Sayed responded that his objections go much deeper.

“I think we’ve seen the worst of what the Israeli government has done [under Netanyahu] but don’t forget that we’ve been talking about an illegal apartheid regime for a very, very long time, and that supersedes Netanyahu himself,” El-Sayed said.

He continued by accusing Israel of becoming increasingly aggressive under Netanyahu’s leadership while criticizing continued American military support.

“I understand that Netanyahu is a big reason why they’ve gotten so aggressive and frankly so bloodthirsty under his reign, but I also understand that it’s impossible for us to say we want a two-state solution while we’ve been aiding, arming and abetting the very people who have been trying to foreclose on the possibility of a Palestinian state,” he continued.

El-Sayed also argued that U.S. foreign policy should hold allies to the same standards it applies elsewhere, alleging that Israel has violated international law.

He said the United States should “hold foreign actors accountable to international law,” claiming Israel has “conducted a genocide, has at baseline done apartheid and has taken us into a war we have no business fighting. So why, of course, are we sending money to that country to fund their military?”

Discussing U.S. military assistance, El-Sayed said he opposes providing unconditional military aid not only to Israel but to other countries as well, including Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. He noted that his family emigrated from Egypt.

El-Sayed also addressed Jewish voters who supported his primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, because of concerns over his views on Israel, insisting that he remains committed to fighting antisemitism.

“The Democratic nominee said his message to Jewish voters who backed his opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) because of his message on Israel, is that his ‘commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own kids. We have a responsibility to take on antisemitism in all of its forms wherever we see it. It’s the same responsibility we have to take on Islamophobia. … So the things that bring us together are so much bigger than the things that divide us.’”

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration has returned roughly $100 billion in tariff payments collected under President Donald Trump’s “liberation day” trade policy after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the administration lacked the authority to impose the duties under emergency economic powers.

According to a filing made Tuesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the U.S. Court of International Trade, the agency has already refunded approximately 60% of the $165 billion collected under the tariff program, the Financial Times reported Wednesday.

The refunds began after the Supreme Court, in February, allowed a lower court’s ruling to stand, preventing the administration from relying on emergency powers to enforce the tariffs. As a result, CBP was directed to begin processing repayment claims.

CBP also disclosed that it has approved more than $128 billion in refund requests for processing, signaling that billions of dollars in additional repayments are still expected.

The speed of the refund effort has caught many trade lawyers and industry observers off guard, especially after administration officials previously indicated that resolving the claims could take years.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in February that ongoing court battles would likely delay any repayments and argued that, if refunds ultimately became necessary, they would amount to “the ultimate corporate welfare.”

President Trump has sharply criticized the Supreme Court’s decision. Writing on Truth Social last month, he argued that the ruling cost the United States “TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS” by striking down the tariffs.

Trade attorney Ted Murphy of Sidley Austin said the administration has processed the refunds at a surprisingly rapid pace. Walker Livingston, an analyst at Capstone, likewise said he was “very pleasantly surprised” by how quickly the government has moved.

Not everyone is satisfied with how the money is being distributed.

Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, argued that the refunds are flowing back to importing companies rather than to the consumers who ultimately absorbed the higher prices caused by the tariffs.

“Trump is sending the ‘refunds’ to the companies, not working people,” Casar said. “Every single cent of these refunds should go back to American consumers.”

Under the court’s refund framework, only the official “importer of record” is eligible to submit claims through CBP. As a result, many smaller businesses that paid higher costs indirectly cannot seek refunds themselves, while others say they were unaware of the process or lack the resources needed to file claims.

Even as the refunds continue, the administration is pressing ahead with a new round of tariffs under separate legal authority. Last week, it imposed fresh duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from more than 60 countries and territories under different statutory provisions.

Those newly imposed tariffs have already been challenged in court at least three times, including by attorneys who successfully fought the original “liberation day” tariffs.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON — Newly declassified White House documents reveal that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation in 2017 examining whether President Donald Trump was “wittingly or unwittingly” acting on behalf of Russia after he dismissed then-FBI Director James Comey.

The investigation, code-named “Oxferd Comma,” stemmed from the FBI’s broader Crossfire Hurricane probe, which examined allegations that Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign had coordinated with the Kremlin.

One of the newly released FBI memoranda states, “Based on the facts and circumstances provided to date, the FBI believes that opening this investigation is the least intrusive method to address the serious national security risk posed by the activities alleged.”

At the time, the White House publicly said Comey was fired because of his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state. It was later disclosed that Trump was also frustrated because Comey declined to publicly state that the president was not personally under investigation in the Crossfire Hurricane probe.

The May 16, 2017, memorandum authorizing the Oxferd Comma investigation was approved by then-FBI General Counsel James A. Baker and Bill Priestap, who headed the bureau’s counterintelligence division.

According to the memo, investigators were tasked with determining whether Trump “is or was directed by, controlled by, and/or coordinated activities with, the Russian Federation in a manner constituting a threat to the national security of the United States and/or a violation of federal criminal statutes.”

The memo further stated, “In addition, this investigation will also seek to determine whether President Trump and others yet to be named obstructed and/or conspiracy to obstruct any associated FBI investigation.”

Although Trump himself was not under investigation for alleged collusion with Russia during the 2016 campaign, Comey’s dismissal prompted scrutiny over whether the firing amounted to obstruction of justice. That issue ultimately became a central focus of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

Internal FBI communications from the period also show that some bureau officials questioned whether the Russia investigation should continue after many investigative leads had failed to produce supporting evidence.

“I hesitate in part because of my gut sense and concern there’s no big there there,” then-Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok wrote in a May 19, 2017, text message to FBI attorney Lisa Page.

The newly disclosed records could also become part of an ongoing review by Justice Department Counselor Joe diGenova, according to former Just the News editor-in-chief John Solomon.

Solomon, who now serves in the Trump administration on an election integrity task force, announced the document release on X and asked followers: “Should Special U.S. Attorney Joe diGenova treat the opening of Oxferd Comma as an overt act in a criminal conspiracy to violate President Trump’s civil liberties.”

Solomon also noted that the FBI launched the investigation only after agents had cleared former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn of collusion allegations and discredited key claims contained in the dossier compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele.

The Oxferd Comma investigation was formally closed on April 9, 2019, without any charges being brought against Trump.

Only weeks earlier, Mueller had concluded his investigation, finding no evidence that Trump or members of his campaign conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election, although the report noted contacts between campaign associates and individuals linked to the Kremlin.

A separate investigation led by Special Counsel John Durham later concluded that the FBI’s decision to open the original Trump-Russia investigation was “seriously flawed” and lacked an adequate evidentiary foundation, according to Durham’s May 2023 report.

Trump has repeatedly denounced both Crossfire Hurricane and the Mueller investigation as a “witch hunt,” arguing they demonstrated that federal law enforcement agencies had been weaponized against him. He has also frequently referred to Comey as a “dirty cop.”

Before Comey’s dismissal, then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein submitted a memorandum to Attorney General Jeff Sessions recommending that the FBI director be removed because of his handling of the Clinton email investigation.

In the May 9, 2017, memo, Rosenstein wrote that Comey “announced his own conclusions about the nation’s most sensitive criminal investigation, without the authorization of duly appointed Justice Department leaders.”

He continued, “Although the President has the power to remove an FBI director, the decision should not be taken lightly. I agree with the nearly unanimous opinions of former Department officials. The way the Director handled the conclusion of the email investigation was wrong.”

Rosenstein concluded, “As a result, the FBI is unlikely to regain public and congressional trust until it has a Director who understands the gravity of the mistakes and pledges never to repeat them. Having refused to admit his errors, the Director cannot be expected to implement the necessary corrective actions.”

Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan is facing fierce criticism after comments he made about the enlistment of Chareidim resurfaced this week, including remarks in which he described the Chareidi community as “a population of people that is uneducated.”

The remarks were delivered during a conference about a month ago but were republished Wednesday, igniting a political firestorm over Golan’s characterization of the Chareidi public and his views on military service.

“There is no issue that has fallen victim to cheap populism like the conscription of Chareidim,” Golan said. “It is impossible to draft all the Chareidim tomorrow morning, even if there were an amazing law. We also wouldn’t want to draft them all tomorrow morning, because we would not want to create an army that suddenly receives thousands of people in every draft cycle and has to establish gender-segregated conditions for them… In short, it’s simply impractical.”

Golan went on to argue that the process must be gradual, adding, “We also would not want such a population of people that is uneducated, lacks motivation, and lacks physical capability. It doesn’t work that way. Chareidi conscription is a process. Arab conscription is a process. The enlistment of Chareidi women is a process.”

He also said that if Israel intends to implement a system of universal national service, it would first need to overhaul the existing framework.

“If we truly believe that the guiding principle is that every young man and woman at the age of 18 or 19 should give at least one year of service to the state, then we need to reorganize the entire system,” he said.

Golan emphasized that he favors expanding national service opportunities beyond the military.

“I support service in Magen David Adom, the Fire and Rescue Service, the Israel Police, the Prison Service, and hospitals-any framework that can be supervised and genuinely serves the public.”

He further argued that while the number of young people reaching draft age continues to increase, the IDF is unlikely to expand at the same pace.

According to Golan, “the army will not grow in proportion to the size of those draft cohorts, and that is unreasonable.”

After his remarks drew widespread criticism, Golan issued a statement seeking to clarify his position.

“Service for everyone. Period,” he wrote. “The prime minister of the draft-dodgers and the office under investigation in the Qatar affair continue to play with edited video clips. That’s all they have left as their government collapses. In reality, they failed against Iran, failed in Gaza, failed in Lebanon, and passed draft-evasion laws that placed the entire burden on those who serve and on the reservists. Those who voted for draft evasion have no right to lecture us about service.”

He continued, “I served in the IDF for decades and was Deputy Chief of Staff. I say this as clearly as possible: service for everyone. Period. Recruitment according to the IDF’s needs and capabilities. Anyone who does not serve in the IDF will perform full national service. No tricks, no exemptions, and no draft-evasion laws. Under us, everyone serves.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir blasted Golan’s comments, accusing him of demonizing the Chareidi community.

“Yair Golan is an Israel-hater, a self-hating antisemite who spreads racist blood libels against the Chareidi sector. While he claims that Chareidim are ‘people without education or physical ability,’ we have already recruited 1,400 Chareidim into the Border Police, the Israel Police, and the national security services. As soon as the candidate lists are submitted, Otzma Yehudit will petition the Central Elections Committee to disqualify him from running because of his disgusting racism.”

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday that his administration has launched a broad effort to stop the online sale of illegal high-speed e-bikes and e-scooters to city residents, sending cease-and-desist letters to dozens of retailers serving customers across all five boroughs.

Speaking at a City Hall news conference, Mamdani said the city has notified 42 online retailers that they must immediately halt sales of high-speed e-bikes, stand-up e-scooters, and other vehicles that are prohibited from operating on New York City streets.

The letters direct the companies to stop selling the devices to customers in all 175 New York City ZIP codes.

The mayor’s announcement comes as the City Council weighs a package of 17 bills designed to tighten restrictions on illegal e-bikes and prohibit the sale of certain high-speed models that are currently legal.

Among the proposed measures are requirements that food delivery companies obtain commercial licenses and that delivery apps carry additional liability insurance.

The legislative push follows last week’s fatal crash near City Hall in which a 17-year-old riding an illegal high-speed e-bike was killed.

On Tuesday, City Council Speaker Julie Menin pointed to a sharp increase in crashes involving e-bikes and e-scooters as she urged action.

“Compared to last year, both e-bike and e-scooter collisions are up more than 30%. In 2026 alone, there have already been over 500 collisions involving e-bikes. We cannot go on like this,” Menin said.

The City Council is scheduled to hold its next hearing on the proposed e-bike safety legislation on Sept. 30.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has formally urged Israel’s High Court of Justice to reject petitions seeking the removal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, arguing that there is no legal basis for dismissing him despite the collapse of negotiations between Ben Gvir and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over his conduct in office.

Netanyahu’s latest filing was submitted after efforts to reach an agreement between Ben Gvir and the attorney general broke down. The prime minister’s position has fueled speculation over whether he would refuse to comply with a High Court ruling should the justices order Ben Gvir’s dismissal without what Netanyahu views as a clear legal foundation.

In his response, Netanyahu wrote, “After the prime minister carefully considered the matter, including receiving a detailed response from the minister regarding the incidents referenced in the petitions, the attorney general’s response to the conditional order, and the subsequent update notices, there has been no change in the prime minister’s position that Minister Ben Gvir’s appointment as minister of national security was lawful and that there are no grounds whatsoever for any administrative or judicial decision requiring his dismissal.”

The prime minister also maintained that Ben Gvir accepts the principle of police independence. He argued that even though the two sides were unable to finalize guidelines governing the minister’s relationship with the police, that alone does not justify removing him from office.

Netanyahu further contended that the matter is not one for judicial intervention and criticized Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara’s handling of the case. He accused her of “inflating the events and citing various incidents that bear no connection to any grounds for removing a minister.”

Ben Gvir welcomed Netanyahu’s response and launched a fresh attack on the attorney general.

“I congratulate the prime minister for his clear response to the criminal attorney general. The deep state bureaucrats have absolutely no authority to remove ministers from office. After the elections, we will remove the deep state bureaucrats.”

On CNN, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) reacted to Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in the Michigan Senate Democratic primary.

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A civilian drone that entered the restricted airspace around Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday morning temporarily shut down flight operations, forcing authorities to suspend both takeoffs and landings during one of the airport’s busiest periods and prompting an official investigation by the Transportation Ministry.

The unusual security incident caused significant disruptions to air traffic after the drone penetrated the airport’s protected airspace, leading aviation authorities to halt operations until the area was deemed safe.

In response, Transportation Ministry Director-General Moshe Ben Zaken ordered a special review into the incident to determine how the drone was able to enter the restricted zone and disrupt operations at one of Israel’s most sensitive strategic facilities.

The incident comes as Israeli officials continue debating whether to impose a nationwide ban on civilian drone flights. The issue has recently been discussed by the Security Cabinet, where defense officials reportedly urged ministers to consider broader restrictions as part of Israel’s preparations for the possibility of a wider confrontation with Iran.

No final decision has yet been reached, but the prospect of banning drones has already sparked strong opposition from industry professionals and aviation experts.

“To decide that drones should be banned throughout the State of Israel is to pass a law that simply cannot be enforced,” Pini Yungman, president of TSG, a company specializing in aerial command-and-control systems, told N12.

“There are millions of drones in Israel, the overwhelming majority of them operated by children. It will be extremely difficult to prevent them from flying, monitor their use, or enforce such a prohibition.”

{Matzav.com}

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FBI Director Kash Patel says the bureau has launched an unprecedented law enforcement partnership with China and Russia, arguing that carefully controlled cooperation with two of America’s chief geopolitical rivals is producing results in the fight against fentanyl trafficking, cybercrime, child exploitation, and other international criminal networks, Reuters reports.

According to Patel, the collaborations involve narrowly tailored investigations focused solely on specific categories of transnational crime rather than broader intelligence sharing. The FBI director said the initiative has already led to joint operations, intelligence exchanges, and coordinated arrests.

As part of the arrangement, Chinese law enforcement officials have traveled to the United States to work alongside FBI personnel, while American agents have made reciprocal visits to China to investigate cases and exchange information. FBI officials also said the two countries have conducted joint raids and arrests under the program.

Patel returned from Beijing in late July after meeting with Chinese officials, and FBI officials say a similar visit to Russia is tentatively scheduled for October.

In interviews with Reuters, Patel described the new relationships as partnerships with “non-traditional partners,” stressing that they are limited to targeted efforts against crimes such as international child pornography rings, cyber scam operations targeting Americans, fentanyl trafficking, and other cross-border criminal enterprises.

The initiative, organized internally through specialized “working groups,” represents a dramatic departure from longstanding FBI practice. It has also drawn concern from members of the counterintelligence community, who warn that working closely with authoritarian governments could expose sensitive U.S. security information to countries that actively seek to undermine America’s military, economic, and intelligence interests.

One example cited by the FBI occurred in May, when agents partnered with China’s Ministry of Public Security and Dubai police during “Operation Sand Dollar.” According to the bureau, the raid targeted a major cyber fraud center in Dubai, resulting in 300 arrests, the seizure of $300 million, and the rescue of thousands of trafficked workers.

Chinese state media also reported that one suspect accused of committing “serious violent crimes” was returned from China to the United States under the new cooperative framework.

For years, U.S. officials have viewed both China and Russia primarily as sources of espionage and international criminal activity rather than partners in combating those threats. Patel, who was appointed FBI director by President Donald Trump, acknowledged those concerns but argued that the risks can be managed.

“They are both new and dynamic relationships, and we are extremely mindful of their adversarial approach on many matters,” Patel said. “They are not going to stop, but if we can go and have wins for America, then we must engage.”

Patel said the current relationship began following President Trump’s trip to China in May 2025 and has since expanded through two of his own visits to Beijing. According to Patel, cooperation now centers on four working groups covering cyber fraud, crimes against children, counternarcotics, and fugitive investigations.

He also said officials from China’s Ministry of Public Security have been invited to multiple FBI facilities in the United States to exchange intelligence and investigative information.

“Every month, they send their working-level MPS officers here, and the following month we go there,” Patel said. “They are speaking with us daily, which has also never happened before.”

Asked about the growing law enforcement relationship, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington said, “We have always believed that dialog and negotiation are the right way forward, and that military means offer no solution.”

Patel emphasized that the intelligence exchanged is tightly restricted and applies only to the four agreed-upon categories of transnational crime. He also insisted that these partnerships are not intended to replace America’s traditional intelligence alliances, including the Five Eyes network with Canada, Australia, Britain, and New Zealand.

“Five Eyes will always be our most important intelligence relationship. No one is trying to replace that,” Patel said. “Unlike military and traditional intelligence agencies, we have a unique lane to drive this dynamic change with law enforcement, which is an apolitical mission.”

While in Asia last month, Patel met with Chinese Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong and Vice Minister Xu Datong to expand what Chinese state media described as “practical cooperation” against a range of criminal activities.

The expanded cooperation marks a significant shift in U.S. law enforcement policy and reflects President Trump’s broader diplomatic engagement with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Not everyone is convinced the strategy is wise.

“China and Russia are our enemies, period,” said Jeff Crocker, a former FBI supervisory agent who retired in 2024. “They are actively trying to harm our country physically, economically and militarily.”

Crocker warned that allowing Chinese officials access to FBI facilities, intelligence personnel, and other government infrastructure carries substantial counterintelligence risks. He argued that both Chinese and Russian operatives would likely exploit any opportunity to gather intelligence or penetrate sensitive systems.

“So this is great cover ⁠for them,” Crocker said.

Patel responded that every foreign visitor undergoes extensive vetting and is subject to strict counterintelligence safeguards. Three former FBI employees told Reuters that such visits typically involve extensive physical and electronic monitoring, particularly for representatives of countries viewed as America’s most dangerous adversaries.

“We know exactly who is coming here, and we vet them,” Patel said.

Neither the Kremlin nor the Russian Embassy in Washington immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Patel also revealed that the FBI has spent months quietly coordinating with Russian authorities on investigations targeting violent transnational criminal organizations.

“This stuff doesn’t happen overnight,” Patel said. “We’ve been at this for 15 months.”

An internal FBI memorandum reviewed by Reuters credited the bureau’s partnership with China’s Ministry of Public Security for several operations targeting Chinese pharmaceutical companies this year.

According to the memo, those investigations resulted in the arrests of nine individuals, the closure of two chemical manufacturing facilities and three related websites, and the seizure of fentanyl precursor chemicals “likely otherwise destined for the United States.”

The memo did not identify where those arrests or seizures occurred.

Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow specializing in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, said fentanyl overdose deaths in the United States have dropped significantly since the winter of 2022, likely because of several factors, including cooperation with China and broader access to the overdose-reversal drug Naloxone.

“It could be that the people who were already vulnerable had already died,” Felbab-Brown said.

“I think that the cooperation is useful, should be fostered, and that it contributed to some extent,” Felbab-Brown said, referring to the decline in U.S. overdoses. “But how much is really hard to know, and there are a lot of complexities to it.”

The FBI memo also said Chinese law enforcement partnered with agents from the bureau’s Omaha, Nebraska, field office during a June operation that dismantled an international child sexual abuse materials network, resulting in the arrests of 16 suspects.

The growing partnership follows years of strained relations between Washington and Beijing. U.S. officials have long accused China of failing to stop the production of precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl, while Chinese authorities suspended cooperation after political disputes, including then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 2022 visit to Taiwan.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a measured assessment of the renewed cooperation. Speaking during a visit to the Philippines last month, Rubio described the effort to curb fentanyl precursor shipments as “a work in progress.”

“I think we’ve made some progress on that front, but not entirely where we need to be,” Rubio told reporters.

Patel said the framework developed with China and Russia could eventually serve as a model for law enforcement cooperation with other countries when doing so advances U.S. interests.

“The fact that we did it with China,” Patel said, “when everyone said, ‘Don’t do it,’ and, ‘You can’t do it,’ shows what we can do with almost anyone.”

President Donald Trump hailed Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary on Wednesday, calling the result a major boost for Republicans as they prepare for a high-stakes general election battle in one of the nation’s key swing states.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump reacted to El-Sayed’s projected win over Rep. Haley Stevens by arguing that the Democratic Party’s embrace of a far-left nominee will improve Republican chances of capturing the seat in November.

“Great news for the Republican Party,” Trump wrote. “El-Sayed, a Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel, is the projected winner in his race with the Socialist. As usual, the Polls were way off on this one. She was not expected to do nearly as well as she did. Now, the Dumocrats crazy policies will only get worse!”

El-Sayed’s victory over Stevens marked one of the most closely watched Democratic primaries in the country and represented a significant triumph for the party’s progressive wing.

The win sets the stage for a November contest against Republican Mike Rogers, the former congressman, in a race widely viewed as one of the most consequential Senate elections of the year and one that could help determine control of the chamber.

The primary remained too close to call for much of Tuesday night before El-Sayed pulled ahead early Wednesday. Stevens later conceded the race and pledged to support his candidacy in the general election.

A former Wayne County health director, El-Sayed campaigned on a progressive platform that includes “Medicare for All,” campaign finance reform, and ending U.S. military aid to Israel.

Throughout the campaign, he cast himself as an outsider challenging the Democratic establishment and secured endorsements from prominent progressives, including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, and Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.

Following the primary, Van Hollen described the result as “a wake-up call to the Washington Democratic establishment.”

The contest underscored the ideological divide within the Democratic Party, with progressive activists lining up behind El-Sayed while establishment leaders rallied behind Stevens.

Stevens, who has served four terms in Congress, received the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and benefited from tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, including support from pro-Israel organizations.

Republicans are expected to make El-Sayed’s progressive positions a central issue in the general election campaign.

His support for government-run healthcare, opposition to U.S. military aid for Israel, and other left-wing policy proposals have already become key targets for GOP attacks as Republicans seek to portray him as out of step with Michigan voters.

Democrats, meanwhile, now face the task of uniting after an expensive and hard-fought primary battle that exposed significant divisions within the party.

The Michigan Senate race is expected to be among the nation’s most competitive and could play a decisive role in determining which party controls the Senate during the final two years of President Trump’s second term.

Republicans have already reserved substantial advertising time in support of Rogers as they seek to flip a seat Democrats consider essential to their hopes of reclaiming the Senate majority.

{Matzav.com}

Washington — U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro reportedly arrived at the White House this week carrying a large box of evidence intended to persuade President Donald Trump that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was caused by a faulty government installation—not by the Olympic canoeist and others who had been charged in the case.

According to The New York Times, Pirro entered Monday’s Oval Office meeting with a large white box filled with documents and evidence. The meeting included Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and White House Counsel David Warrington.

CBS News reported that the materials Pirro presented supported her determination that the Reflecting Pool’s damage resulted from a defective installation performed by a government contractor, rather than criminal vandalism committed by three-time Olympic canoeist David Hearn or the other defendants.

The meeting took place only hours after Trump publicly criticized Pirro’s decision to dismiss the felony case against Hearn, saying she had “folded like an umbrella” and “choked.”

Trump has continued to insist that vandals were responsible for damaging the Reflecting Pool. Burgum also defended that position over the weekend, writing on social media that “the evidence is clear.”

Despite that, Pirro’s office filed a detailed court motion on Friday seeking to dismiss the felony charge against Hearn. Prosecutors argued they had been provided incomplete and misleading information by the Interior Department before the grand jury returned the indictment.

According to the filing, evidence reviewed after the indictment revealed that the Reflecting Pool suffered from what prosecutors described as a “rushed and botched installation.” Investigators also found damage across multiple sections of the pool liner, including areas that the alleged vandals could not have reached.

Reports said the Oval Office meeting became tense, with Pirro directly confronting Burgum and accusing him of giving the president an inaccurate account of what caused the damage.

Burgum reportedly defended his department’s handling of the matter while Trump heard arguments from both sides.

The Justice Department has also asked the court to dismiss charges against three additional defendants who had been accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool after reviewing the newly uncovered evidence.

The dispute has highlighted growing disagreements within the Trump administration over how the case was handled.

Although Pirro has long been regarded as one of Trump’s closest allies, reports indicate she concluded that the prosecution could not move forward after reviewing thousands of pages of documents and determining the government lacked sufficient evidence to prove the damage was caused by vandalism.

Trump made clear Tuesday that he remains unhappy with Pirro’s decision but said he has not yet decided whether she will continue serving as U.S. attorney.

“I just think she was totally wrong,” Trump told reporters. “I haven’t made a determination” about her future, according to The Wall Street Journal.