Feed aggregator
Trump: I Would ‘Absolutely’ Consider Bombing Iran Nuclear Sites Again
At a press briefing held at the White House on Friday, President Donald Trump made it clear that he would be open to launching additional airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities if intelligence pointed to a growing threat.
“Sure, without question, absolutely – it has to be unbelievable,” Trump said in response to a reporter who asked whether he might consider ordering strikes on Iran again if new intelligence raised red flags regarding uranium enrichment activities.
Trump also expressed confidence that Iran was currently incapable of quickly reviving its nuclear ambitions following the damage inflicted by U.S. attacks on its nuclear infrastructure.
When pressed on whether he was concerned about undisclosed nuclear sites possibly still operating within Iran, Trump shrugged off the idea, indicating he believed Iran was in no position to prioritize nuclear ambitions at this stage.
“Can I tell you – they’re exhausted. And Israel’s exhausted too. And I dealt with both of them, and they both wanted it settled – both of them – and we did a great job. But they’re exhausted. The last thing they’re thinking about right now is nuclear. You know what they’re thinking of? They’re thinking about tomorrow, trying to live,” stated Trump.
Trump also claimed that Tehran was eager to enter negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program. His remarks echoed those of Steve Witkoff, the administration’s Middle East envoy, who recently stated that preliminary steps toward dialogue with Iran were already underway.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have publicly denied any plans to engage in renewed nuclear talks. On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected reports suggesting otherwise.
“Some speculations about the resumption of negotiations should not be taken seriously,” Araghchi declared, adding, “I would like to state clearly that no agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations. No plan has been set yet to start negotiations.”
WATCH:
{Matzav.com}Trump: “I Saved Khamenei From A Very Ugly Death”
Donald Trump launched a fierce attack on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday, reacting to Khamenei’s declaration that Iran had triumphed in its conflict with Israel. Using his Truth Social platform, Trump accused Khamenei of fabricating a narrative of victory and disclosed that he had been exploring lifting sanctions on Iran—an effort he abandoned in light of the Ayatollah’s remarks.
“Why would the so-called ‘Supreme Leader,’ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war torn Country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie, it is not so,” Trump wrote.
Trump didn’t hold back, expressing outrage over what he saw as a complete distortion of the facts. He reminded followers that Iran had suffered massive devastation and suggested he personally intervened to stop Israel or the U.S. from killing Khamenei. “As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie. His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life. I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'”
He went on to reveal that he had instructed Israel to abort what he described as a massive military operation targeting the Iranian capital. “In fact, in the final act of the War, I demanded that Israel bring back a very large group of planes, which were heading directly to Tehran, looking for a big day, perhaps the final knockout! Tremendous damage would have ensued, and many Iranians would have been killed. It was going to be the biggest attack of the War, by far.”
Trump then turned to his diplomatic efforts in the conflict’s aftermath. He noted that he had been making headway toward easing sanctions to help Iran recover—but the Ayatollah’s inflammatory rhetoric caused him to reverse course. “During the last few days, I was working on the possible removal of sanctions, and other things, which would have given a much better chance to Iran at a full, fast, and complete recovery – The sanctions are BITING! But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more.”
In closing, Trump painted a bleak picture of Iran’s condition and warned of further deterioration unless its leaders embraced a different approach. “Iran has to get back into the World Order flow, or things will only get worse for them. They are always so angry, hostile, and unhappy, and look at what it has gotten them – A burned out, blown up Country, with no future, a decimated Military, a horrible Economy, and DEATH all around them. They have no hope, and it will only get worse! I wish the leadership of Iran would realize that you often get more with HONEY than you do with VINEGAR. PEACE!!!”
{Matzav.com}
Wall Street Roars Back: S&P 500 Hits Record High After Trade War Fears Fade
Trump Abruptly Ends Trade Talks With Canada Over Digital Services Tax: ‘Direct And Blatant Attack On Our Country’
President Trump delivered an unexpected blow to trade relations with Canada on Friday, declaring that he would be halting all negotiations in response to Canada’s decision to implement a tax targeting American tech giants.
“We have just been informed that Canada … has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
He accused Canada of mimicking policies from across the Atlantic: “They are obviously copying the European Union, which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us, also. Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately.”
Trump also warned that economic repercussions were on the way. “We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The Canadian government has committed to instituting a 3% tax on digital revenues earned by large-scale platforms such as Facebook and Google. The proposed levy would be retroactively applied to earnings going back to 2022 and would only affect companies that generate over $14.6 million annually.
It remains unclear how Trump’s order will immediately impact existing trade structures, since the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) continues to govern the overall commercial relationship between the two nations.
Still, the announcement rippled through financial markets, prompting a decline in tech-related stocks on Wall Street. However, despite the dip, broader indices remained on track for a positive weekly close.
Trump has previously warned the European Union of facing a steep 50% tariff in retaliation for its own digital tax plans, though he postponed enforcement until July 9 to allow room for dialogue.
{Matzav.com}
Trump Halts Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Tax, Threatens New Tariffs
Amy Coney Barrett Rips Ketanji Brown Jackson Over Dissent In Birthright Citizenship Case: ‘As Brutal As I’ve Ever Seen’
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett delivered a striking and sharply worded dismissal of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissent in a major case on birthright citizenship, surprising many who closely follow the court’s inner dynamics. In the ruling, which curtailed the ability of lower courts to issue sweeping injunctions, Barrett offered a blunt critique of Jackson’s reasoning.
“We will not dwell on Justice Jackson’s argument, which is at odds with more than two centuries’ worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself,” Barrett wrote, forcefully rejecting the basis of Jackson’s stance. “We observe only this: Justice Jackson decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary.”
Barrett, who wrote the majority opinion in the decision seen as a significant win for President Trump, limited the authority of federal district courts to halt presidential actions with universal injunctions—a judicial practice that has become increasingly common in recent years.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor authored the primary dissenting opinion on behalf of the liberal justices, joined by Jackson. However, Jackson also issued her own dissent, expanding on the concerns she felt were being overlooked by the court’s conservative majority.
Jackson’s separate opinion focused less on statutory interpretation and more on what she described as dangerous consequences of the ruling. “It is not difficult to predict how this all ends. Eventually, executive power will become completely uncontainable, and our beloved constitutional Republic will be no more,” she warned in stark language.
Elsewhere, Jackson argued that the case wasn’t just about technicalities but raised core questions about checks and balances: “Quite unlike a rule-of-kings governing system, in a rule of law regime, nearly ‘[e]very act of government may be challenged by an appeal to law,’” she wrote. “At the very least, I lament that the majority is so caught up in minutiae of the Government’s self-serving, finger-pointing arguments that it misses the plot.”
She further dismissed legal debates surrounding the Judiciary Act of 1789 as obfuscating the essential issue. “Legalese” is how she referred to it, adding that it “obscures a far more basic question of enormous legal and practical significance: May a federal court in the United States of America order the Executive to follow the law?”
Barrett responded with a tone that verged on sarcastic: “Because analyzing the governing statute involves boring ‘legalese,’ [Jackson] seeks to answer ‘a far more basic question of enormous practical significance: May a federal court in the United States of America order the Executive to follow the law?’”
She continued: “In other words, it is unnecessary to consider whether Congress has constrained the Judiciary; what matters is how the Judiciary may constrain the Executive. Justice Jackson would do well to heed her own admonition: ‘[E]veryone, from the President on down, is bound by law.’ That goes for judges too.”
Though Barrett acknowledged that Sotomayor stayed within the boundaries of traditional legal reasoning, she had far less patience for Jackson’s approach. “While Justice Sotomayor focuses her dissent on conventional legal terrain, like the Judiciary Act of 1789 and our cases on equity,” Barrett noted, Jackson veered off in a completely different direction. Barrett described her colleague’s argument as “a startling line of attack that is tethered neither to these sources nor, frankly, to any doctrine whatsoever.”
Barrett was especially critical of Jackson’s dismissal of legal limitations on judicial power. “Waving away attention to the limits on judicial power as a ‘mind-numbingly technical query’ … she offers a vision of the judicial role that would make even the most ardent defender of judicial supremacy blush,” she wrote.
Adding to the tension, Jackson did not close her opinion with the customary “I dissent” or “Respectfully, I dissent,” an omission that court observers interpreted as a sign of deep discontent.
“It’s not something that we see every day,” Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said in an interview with The Post, referring to Barrett’s unusually direct criticism. Bird noted, however, that Barrett’s comments remained focused on legal arguments rather than descending into personal attacks.
Reactions on social media were swift and intense. “Holy …, this is about as brutal as I’ve ever seen SCOTUS be on one of their own,” attorney Kostas Moros posted on X, quoting Barrett’s “imperial Judiciary” line. “Translated: ‘you are so stupid that you aren’t even worth responding to.’”
Others suggested Barrett’s harsh tone might reflect growing frustration within the court. “The FACT that six Justices were OK with signing onto an opinion where Justice Barrett took a personal shot at Justice Jackson is a VERY STRONG indication that Jackson has alienated her colleagues and there is a growing lack of respect for her work,” wrote X user Shipwreckedcrew, who identifies as a former federal prosecutor.
He added that Jackson’s dissent likely followed heated exchanges behind the scenes. “Justices circulate Memos among with their legal views on certain cases in order to bring others around to their thinking. Given what she has written in her dissent, imagine the memos that Jackson must have sent around in this case.”
The legal backdrop to the dispute involved three lower courts that had blocked President Trump’s January 20 executive order, which aimed to redefine birthright citizenship. Those courts determined the order likely violated constitutional protections under the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to all individuals born on U.S. soil.
The Supreme Court’s decision did not take a position on the constitutionality of Trump’s executive order itself. Instead, it focused solely on the scope of judicial authority to issue nationwide injunctions.
{Matzav.com}
Trump Needles Iran’s Ayatollah and Threatens More Strikes: ‘Tell The Truth, You Got Beat To H—’
President Trump on Friday urged Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to be honest about his country’s defeat, stating that he was thoroughly overpowered by both the United States and Israel. He also issued a stern warning that if Iran resumes uranium enrichment at troubling levels, American forces would respond with further military action.
“I said, ‘Look, you’re a man of great faith, a man who is highly respected in his country, you have to tell the truth. You got beat to h—,’” Trump told reporters, ridiculing the supreme leader’s assertion of victory in the recent confrontation.
Trump, speaking during an unusual visit to the White House press briefing room, emphasized that Iran’s leadership had far more pressing concerns at the moment than nuclear ambitions.
“The last thing they’re thinking about is nuclear weapons right now,” the president added.
When asked whether he would authorize another strike against Iran if the nuclear threat escalated again, Trump responded with complete certainty, leaving no room for ambiguity.
He said he would “without question, absolutely” consider bombing Iran again if it enriches uranium to an extent that concerns him.
Khamenei, however, had insisted in a Thursday statement that Iran had emerged “victorious” from the twelve-day conflict, even though Israeli forces had seized aerial dominance and American bombers had devastated three of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America’s face,” Khamenei claimed on X, referring to a symbolic launch of 14 rockets at a US base in Qatar Monday.
All of the missiles were intercepted, thanks in part to early warning from Tehran. A cease-fire deal was reached just a few hours after the launch.
{Matzav.com}Defense Minister Katz Issues Stark Warning to Iranian Regime: “This Was Just the Promo”
In a forceful statement issued today, Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz declared that Israel’s recent military campaign, Operation Am KeLavi, was merely a prelude to a new Israeli security doctrine in the wake of October 7 — and warned the Iranian regime that its perceived immunity is over.
Katz’s message, delivered in a post summarizing the achievements of the 12-day operation, praised the success of the campaign and expressed gratitude for Divine assistance. “We concluded Operation Am KeLavi after 12 days of brilliant action that will be remembered as a glorious chapter in the history of Israel — and in the annals of modern warfare,” Katz wrote.
The defense minister didn’t hold back in his assessment of the regime in Tehran, referring to its leadership as “the toothless serpent’s head in Tehran,” and cautioning that they would do well to understand the implications of this campaign. “Operation Am KeLavi was only the promo for a new Israeli policy. Since October 7, immunity is over,” he warned.
Listing what he called the operation’s strategic accomplishments, Katz outlined the following:
-
Israeli Air Force penetrated Tehran’s airspace and eliminated air defense systems.
-
The nuclear infrastructure of Iran was dismantled — with thanks to Israel’s American allies for their critical support.
-
Missile production systems were destroyed and launch platforms were heavily damaged.
-
Senior security officials and top nuclear scientists were eliminated.
-
Iran’s decades-long plan to destroy Israel, orchestrated by Khamenei and his proxies, was “shattered.”
-
In the framework of “Tornado Program,” key government institutions and regime oppression mechanisms in central Tehran were struck, prompting the evacuation of millions of residents.
Katz also emphasized the Israeli home front’s role in enabling the operation. “The Israeli public showed courage, allowing the IDF to carry out its mission with full force in Iran. Together with the Prime Minister and the IDF, we forged a united iron fist that struck the enemy with lethal force.”
Looking ahead, Katz revealed that he has instructed the IDF to draft an enforcement strategy to address ongoing threats from Iran. This includes maintaining Israeli air superiority, preventing the advancement of nuclear and missile programs, and responding to Iranian-backed terror against Israel. “We will act consistently to thwart threats of this nature,” he wrote.
In closing, Katz delivered an unambiguous threat to Iran’s leadership: “I suggest the toothless serpent’s head in Tehran take heed: Operation Am KeLavi was only the promo for a new Israeli strategy. After October 7, there is no more immunity.”
{Matzav.com}
Netanyahu, Katz Accuse Haaretz of ‘Libel’ After Report Claims Troops Ordered To Open Fire On Aid-Seeking Gazans
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz sharply criticized Haaretz for what they called a “blood libel,” responding to a report that claimed IDF soldiers had been instructed to shoot at civilians trying to obtain humanitarian aid.
“These are vicious lies designed to discredit the IDF — the most moral army in the world,” the two declared in a joint statement, rejecting the allegations outright.
Despite the strongly worded condemnation, the IDF has acknowledged that it has launched a senior-level internal investigation into the claims outlined in the article.
“The IDF operates under difficult conditions against a terrorist enemy that operates from within the civilian population… and operates an entire industry of lies to undermine the legitimacy of the State of Israel,” the statement continued, defending the army’s conduct in complex combat situations.
“IDF soldiers receive clear orders to avoid harming innocent civilians, and they act accordingly,” the two leaders insisted, emphasizing the ethical standards of the Israeli military.
“Israel calls on all free democratic countries to stand by it in its just and moral struggle against the murderous terrorist organization Hamas,” they concluded, appealing to the international community for support.
{Matzav.com}
Report: Iran Arrests At Least 700 Jews For Alleged Ties To Israel
Iranian authorities have detained over 700 individuals since the launch of Operation Rising Lion, citing alleged connections to Israel, according to a report released Thursday night by Association Femme Azadi, a women’s rights group made up of Iranian exiles.
“Reports confirm the arrest of rabbis and religious leaders in Tehran and Shiraz, accused, without evidence, of ties to Israel,” the organization posted on its social media platforms.
KAN News, Israel’s public broadcaster, stated that six more people have been put to death in Iran over accusations of working with Mossad.
KAN also noted that, so far in 2025, a total of nine people have been executed in Iran on charges of spying.
In a separate development, members of Tehran’s Jewish population gathered earlier Thursday to publicly align themselves with the Islamic Republic, applauding what they described as the military’s “decisive response” to Israeli strikes, KAN reported.
Those present at the gathering included Jewish soldiers currently enlisted in the Iranian military, who were seen wearing both yarmulkas and standard-issue uniforms, according to KAN.
Dr. Homayoun Sameyah Najafabadi, the lone Jewish member of Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly, told attendees that several Jewish institutions suffered physical damage during the Israeli air raids, KAN reported.
{Matzav.com}
MAJOR SETBACK: $4 Billion Federal Tax Credit For Private Schools Yanked From Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill”
Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare’s Preventive Care Coverage in 6-3 Decision
Report: Intel Warns Pakistan Is Building Missile to Reach US
U.S. intelligence agencies have reportedly determined that Pakistan is in the process of building an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of striking the mainland United States.
This revelation is included in the latest edition of Foreign Affairs, nestled within an in-depth piece that examines today’s most pressing nuclear threats worldwide.
Although Islamabad maintains that its nuclear capabilities are aimed exclusively at deterring its longtime rival India, analysts Vipin Narang and Pranay Vaddi argue in the article that Pakistan may also be attempting to dissuade the United States from stepping in on India’s side in any potential future war—or from launching a preemptive operation to dismantle Pakistan’s nuclear stockpile.
Narang and Vaddi, who are recognized authorities on nuclear policy and currently affiliated with MIT, have both served in recent years in official U.S. defense-related roles.
“If Pakistan acquires an ICBM, Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary — no other country with ICBMs that can target the United States is considered a friend,” the report said.
Should these findings be verified, it would signal a major shift in the global strategic landscape, marking Pakistan as the first nation beyond Russia, China, and North Korea to possess missiles capable of reaching American soil.
In light of collapsing arms control agreements and the erosion of traditional deterrence norms, the article underscores that this potential development adds to what the authors describe as a “Category 5 hurricane” of nuclear instability that is rapidly reshaping the global nuclear order.
{Matzav.com}
Watch: Erin Burnett Asks Zohran Mamdani What It Means To Be A Democratic Socialist. Hear His Response
CNN’s Erin Burnett sits down with Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor of New York.
WATCH:
Kennedy’s Vaccine U-Turn: HHS Chief Walks Back Pledges With Sweeping Overhaul
Trump Scores Major Win In Birthright Citizenship Case As Supreme Court Curbs Nationwide Injunctions
The Supreme Court delivered a major decision on Friday, declaring that federal judges in lower courts likely go beyond their constitutional limits when they issue injunctions that apply across the entire country. The ruling was seen as a significant victory for the Trump administration and marked one of the most anticipated decisions of the term.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, writing for the court’s conservative majority, stated, “[F]ederal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch; they resolve cases and controversies consistent with the authority Congress has given them.” She added, “When a court concludes that the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer is not for the court to exceed its power, too.”
The dispute stemmed from the Trump administration’s legal fight against several broad injunctions that blocked the president’s executive order—issued on his first day in office—to rescind birthright citizenship. The justices did not weigh in on the validity of the policy itself in their ruling.
Barrett clarified the court’s position by writing, “The Government’s applications to partially stay the preliminary injunctions are granted,” adding, “but only to the extent that the injunctions are broader than necessary to provide complete relief to each plaintiff with standing to sue.”
Federal judges in lower courts have increasingly issued nationwide injunctions that halt executive actions entirely, rather than limiting relief to the individuals or groups who brought the case. This case challenged that trend head-on.
There has been bipartisan concern over the years about the scope of lower courts’ powers. However, during the hearings, the justices appeared divided on how or whether to set firm boundaries on that authority. Barrett emphasized that such broad injunctions have no foundation in judicial tradition and were not contemplated under the Judiciary Act of 1789.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor offered a sharp dissent to the majority’s opinion. But it was Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s separate dissent that triggered a pointed response from Barrett. “We observe only this,” Barrett wrote. “Justice Jackson decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary.”
{Matzav.com}
Watch: What Lindsey Graham Would Ask Iran’s Supreme Leader
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., discusses the success of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iranian regime change and more on ‘Jesse Watters Primetime.’
WATCH:
Inflation Creeps Higher While Spending Dips, Complicating Fed Rate Cut Hopes
GARDEN STATE WELCOME: N.J. Hopeful Ciattarelli Invites New Yorkers to Escape Mamdani
Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for governor in New Jersey, issued a call this week to New York City residents and entrepreneurs, urging them to consider relocating across the Hudson River in light of Zohran Mamdani’s win in the city’s Democratic primary.
“To all the residents and business owners of New York City who don’t want a socialist, defund the police, antisemitic mayor representing them, I encourage you to move to New Jersey,” Ciattarelli declared in a social media post, as Mamdani’s victory appeared inevitable, according to Politico.
He went on to promise significant policy reforms if he wins the governorship this fall. “When I win the governorship in 4+ months, we’re going to transform NJ into a beacon of commonsense, affordability, economic opportunity, and law and order,” he said, describing Mamdani’s win as “proof that the modern Democratic Party has lost its mind.”
Ciattarelli also warned that should Mamdani eventually secure the governor’s seat in New York, the ripple effects could be felt in neighboring states. He pledged to take a firm approach if elected: “Proactive” measures, he said, would be necessary to prevent “the lawlessness and chaos that will ensue” under Mamdani’s leadership.
Highlighting the contrast between his own agenda and that of progressive Democrats, Ciattarelli criticized the policies he associates with the far left. “While NJ Democrats roll over to their extreme far-left base, I will take action to protect New Jersey,” he wrote. He also slammed Mamdani and his allies, saying, “While Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, and his far-left allies push socialist handouts paid for with massive tax increases on working people, I will overhaul NJ’s tax system – lowering and capping property taxes, reducing income & biz taxes, and making NJ affordable.”
Addressing foreign policy from a state-level perspective, Ciattarelli drew a sharp line on Israel. “As Mamdani and his allies attack Israel and push the BDS [Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions] movement, I will expand NJ’s economic collaboration and partnership with Israel’s government and the business community,” he promised.
Others in the GOP also weighed in following Mamdani’s win. Billy Prempeh, a frequent Republican congressional candidate, even joked that Staten Island should break away from New York and join New Jersey instead.
Meanwhile, the Republican Governors Association issued a statement challenging Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey. The group questioned her stance on the rise of Democratic Socialists, stating that she “must decide if she is jumping on board with the Democratic Socialist movement. Voters across the tri-state area are begging to know.”
Sherrill responded by distancing herself from Mamdani while still aligning herself with his supporters’ concerns. “Plenty of disagreements with Mr. Mamdani,” she noted, adding that she does share “his voters’ goals of making life more affordable.”
Refocusing attention on her Republican opponent, Sherrill said, “I’m focused on my race and bringing costs down in New Jersey, while Jack Ciattarelli represents politics as usual: a 100% MAGA lackey who has voted to raise taxes at every level of government, and has been running for office since before my kids were born.”
{Matzav.com}
Pages
