The Conversation -- June 24, 2025

Julian Barnes, et al., of the New York Times: “A preliminary classified U.S. report says the American bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites sealed off the entrances to two of the facilities but did not collapse their underground buildings.... The early findings conclude that the strikes over the weekend set back Iran’s nuclear program by only a few months.... Before the attack, U.S. intelligence agencies had said that if Iran tried to rush to making a bomb, it would take about three months. After the U.S. bombing run and days of attacks by the Israeli Air Force, the report by the Defense Intelligence Agency estimated that the program was delayed less than six months.... The findings suggest that ... [Donald] Trump’s statement that Iran’s nuclear facilities were obliterated was overstated, at least based on the initial damage assessment. Congress had been set to be briefed on the strike on Tuesday..., but the session was postponed. Senators are now set be briefed on Thursday.”

Adam Liptak & Mattathias Schwartz of the New York Times: “The Trump administration returned to the Supreme Court on Tuesday in the case of eight men it seeks to deport to South Sudan, asking the justices to make clear that an order they issued on Monday was intended to apply to the group. The clarity was apparently needed because the Supreme Court on Monday had issued only a brief order letting the government send migrants to countries with which they have no connection without giving them a chance to argue they would face torture. The court provided no explanation of its reasoning. The Supreme Court’s order paused an injunction issued by Judge Brian E. Murphy, of the U.S. District Court in Boston, who had forbidden the deportations of all migrants to third countries unless they were afforded due process. Soon after the Supreme Court ruled, lawyers for the men filed an emergency motion with Judge Murphy asking him to continue blocking the deportations of eight men currently held in Djibouti.

“In a brief order Monday night, the judge denied the motion as unnecessary. He said that he had issued a separate ruling last month, different from the one the Supreme Court had paused, protecting the men in Djibouti from immediate removal. That left the fate of the men unclear, as ... [Donald] Trump and a top aide cried foul. Judge Murphy 'knew absolutely nothing about the situation' and was 'absolutely out of control,' Mr. Trump wrote on social media. Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff..., said, 'Expect fireworks tomorrow when we hold this judge accountable for refusing to obey the Supreme Court.'”

Devlin Barrett of the New York Times: “A senior Justice Department official, Emil Bove III, told subordinates he was willing to ignore court orders to fulfill the president’s aggressive deportation campaign, according to a whistle-blower complaint by a department lawyer who has since been fired. The account by the dismissed lawyer, Erez Reuveni, paints a disturbing portrait of his final three weeks on the front lines of the Trump administration’s legal efforts to ship immigrants overseas, often with little notice or recourse. In Mr. Reuveni’s telling, Mr. Bove discussed disregarding court orders, adding an expletive for emphasis, and other top law enforcement officials showed themselves ready to stonewall judges or lie to them to get their way. Mr. Reuveni’s account, which was obtained by The New York Times, was filed to lawmakers and the Justice Department inspector general on Tuesday, just one day before Mr. Bove is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a nomination to a federal appeals court....

“Mr. Bove’s boss, Todd Blanche, called Mr. Reuveni’s description of events 'falsehoods purportedly made by a disgruntled former employee and then leaked to the press in violation of ethical obligations.' Mr. Blanche denounced this article as 'a false hit piece a day before a confirmation hearing,' criticizing The Times for publishing it. 'The claims about Department of Justice leadership are utterly false,' he said in a statement. The filing, however, suggests a copious trail of emails, texts and phone records that would support Mr. Reuveni’s version of events.” MB: Bove and Blanche, as you recall, worked together as private lawyers to defend Felonious Trump. ~~~

     ~~~ The account, submitted by the Government Accountability Project to the DOJ inspector general and others, is here. (Unfortunately, it is a pdf provided by the NYT, so firewalled.)

Scott Nover of the Washington Post: “In a hearing Monday to determine the future of Voice of America, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth scolded the government for not complying with his preliminary injunction from April. Lamberth lamented the 'paucity' of information provided by the Trump administration about how it is complying with the statutory obligations for running Voice of America and its parent, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, as ordered in an April injunction. At one point, Lamberth asked the assistant U.S. attorney representing the government, Brenda González Horowitz, why he should not start a contempt trial for violating his injunction. While the federal circuit court for Washington stayed parts of Lamberth’s injunction in May that brought staffers back to work, the government did not appeal a requirement of the order that required it to uphold the statutory obligations of the agency.”

Kate Conger & Kenneth Vogel of the New York Times: “Media Matters, a liberal advocacy organization, sued the Federal Trade Commission on Monday, claiming that the agency was waging a 'campaign of retribution' against the group on behalf of the Trump administration and Elon Musk. The F.T.C. started investigating Media Matters last month over whether the organization had illegally colluded with other advertising advocacy groups to pinch off revenue from X, Mr. Musk’s social media company, and other right-leaning sites. Media Matters reported in 2023 that ads on X appeared alongside antisemitic content. Media Matters said in its lawsuit that the Federal Trade Commission had employed 'sweeping governmental powers to attempt to silence and harass an organization for daring to speak the truth.' The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., claimed that the agency was trying to limit the organization’s free speech rights, and asked a judge to immediately halt the investigation.”

The New York Times is liveblogging the Democratic primary election, being held today, for New York City mayor: “After months of campaigning, caustic debates and a deluge of attack ads, the consequential Democratic primary for mayor of New York City will come to a head today as voters stream to the ballot box in blistering heat. The contest has narrowed into a two-man sprint between Andrew M. Cuomo, the state’s scandal-plagued former governor, and Zohran Mamdani, an assemblyman and democratic socialist with a short track record, with a crowded field of nine rivals trailing behind. Polls suggest the outcome is a tossup. By Tuesday night, the city is certain to know which candidate is in the lead. But because New Yorkers will be voting under a ranked-choice system, unless one candidate receives more than 50 percent of first-choice votes outright, the final result will not be determined until July 1. That is when voters’ backup choices are scheduled to be tabulated. Whoever prevails will become the front-runner in the general election....”

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All Must Obey World's Supreme Leader 

Kareem Fahim, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump claimed in a social media post Monday that Iran and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire, hours after Iran fired missiles toward an American air base in Qatar retaliating for U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities with a less-than-furious attack that caused no casualties. There was no immediate corroborating announcement from the Israeli government. Iran’s top diplomat said that Iran’s military had halted its operations but appeared to take issue with the framing of the U.S. announcement, writing on social media that there had been no agreement on 'ceasefire or cessation of military operations.' Trump’s announcement followed a streak of social media posts in which he thanked Iran 'for giving us early notice' on the missile attack, while also calling it a 'very weak response.' A day earlier, he floated the possibility of 'regime change' in Iran — prompting White House officials to later explain that the official U.S. posture that it did not strike the Iranian nuclear sites to bring about a regime change had not changed.” 

Yamiche Alcindor of NBC News: “In an exclusive phone interview with NBC News tonight, Trump [said of] the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, '... I’m very happy to have been able to get the job done.'... Asked how long the ceasefire would be, Trump said: 'I think the ceasefire is unlimited. It’s going to go forever.' He added that the war is completely over, saying he does not believe Israel and Iran 'will ever be shooting at each other again.'” Also, please tell the Nobel Peace Prize committee that my address is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., USA 20500.

Joe Walsh, et al., of CBS News: "Israel and Iran said Tuesday they are complying with a ceasefire agreement announced by ... [Donald] Trump. Mr. Trump said on Truth Social just after 1 a.m. ET Tuesday that a ceasefire he announced earlier between the two countries 'IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!'" 

The New York Times' live updates of developments Tuesday in the Iran/Israel/U.S. war are here: “The fate of a truce announced by ... [Donald] Trump that went into effect early Tuesday hung in the balance, as the Israeli military said Iran had fired another missile barrage and vowed to retaliate. The claim from Israel’s military came just hours after the country had joined Iran in agreeing to the truce, spurring cautious hopes for an end to 12 days of unprecedented warfare between the adversaries, and as both sides seemingly claimed victory in the conflict. Iran’s military denied firing missiles after the cease-fire went into effect, according to Iranian state news outlets — adding to the uncertainty. Mr. Trump’s announcement, on the eve of the NATO summit, could give the president a chance to take a victory lap at the gathering — if the truce holds. The timing of it had caught some of his own officials by surprise, and both sides continued to trade fire in the last moments before confirming a truce was in effect.... In the last moment before the cease-fire was meant to take effect, both sides continued to trade fire.”

Update: “... [Donald] Trump lashed out at Israel and Iran on Tuesday over concerns that both sides had violated an hours-old cease-fire, intensifying the uncertainty over the fragile deal that he had helped broker to end the deadly conflict. In expletive-laced remarks to reporters, Mr. Trump accused both sides of launching attacks, pledging to 'see if I can stop it.' In a Truth Social post, the president warned Israel not to 'drop those bombs' and demanded the country 'bring your pilots home now.' It was unclear whether either side had breached the cease-fire. Israel’s military accused Tehran of firing missiles after the deal went into effect on Tuesday and vowed to retaliate. Iran’s military denied doing so, according to Iranian state news outlets.” ~~~

     SO THEN. BBC News: "... speaking to reporters before heading to the Nato summit in The Hague..., [Trump said,] 'We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing.'... [Earlier, in a social media post, Trump wrote,] 'ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!'"

     AND THEN. From the Guardian's live updates: “Donald Trump has posted once more on his Truth Social, insisting the ceasefire is 'in effect'. Trump posted: 'ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly “Plane Wave” to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect! Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES”

Here's an update of the New York Times' liveblog for Monday on the Israel/Iran/U.S. war: “Iran appeared poised to strike an American base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East, according to Iranian and Israeli officials with knowledge of the matter. A senior White House official confirmed that the United States is aware of a potential attack by Iran against the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The base, which serves as the headquarters for the U.S. Central Command, is considered a prime potential target should Iran retaliate over American strikes on its nuclear installations over the weekend. Earlier in the day, the United States and Britain warned their citizens in Qatar to shelter in place. The warnings came as Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Tehran on Monday and promised more 'in the coming days,' pressing on with its bombing campaign a day after the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear sites. The new Israeli barrage, which a military spokesman said targeted a paramilitary headquarters, a notorious prison and access routes to the Fordo nuclear enrichment site that the U.S. military bombarded over the weekend, came as Iran fired salvos of missiles that sent Israelis to huddle in shelters. The strikes came despite calls from world leaders for de-escalation, and as ... [Donald] Trump’s decision to join Israel’s campaign against Iran raised fears that the war would intensify.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

Here's a second update: “Iran on Monday launched a missile attack on an American base in Qatar, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, in what appeared to be calculated retaliation for U.S. strikes on three critical Iranian nuclear sites. Even as it attacked, there were signs that Iran might have been looking for an off-ramp from a confrontation with the United States. The Iranian officials said their government had given advance notice that the missile strike was coming, to minimize potential casualties, and ... [Donald] Trump responded with an olive branch online.” 

Jess Bidgood of the New York Times: Donald Trump narrated the war on his social media account. “Armistices may never be the same again.”

Because Nothing Is Ever Trump's Fault. Hannah Sampson of the Washington Post: “The State Department is warning Americans around the globe that they could face travel difficulties and hostility due to the conflict between Israel and Iran. In a security alert issued Sunday afternoon, less than a day after U.S. bombers struck nuclear sites in Iran, the department urged 'worldwide caution.' The advisory did not mention the strikes from the United States. 'The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,' the alert says. 'There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.'”

Marie: I'll admit I avoided reading the various stories about how Trump got from promoting international peace to "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran." But yesterday RAS pointed out this New York Times story, with lead reporter Mark Mazzetti, that shows how Trump listened to they pro-strike hype at Fox "News" to make his decision: "The president was closely monitoring Fox News, which was airing wall-to-wall praise of Israel’s military operation and featuring guests urging Mr. Trump to get more involved." Also central to the story -- and not a bit surprising to us -- is how the military brass was petrified that President* Looselips would tell all -- which he came close to doing: "All the while, Mr. Trump was making blustery statements indicating he was about to take the country into the conflict.... [Trump's] public pronouncements generated angst at the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command, where military planners began to worry that Mr. Trump was giving Iran too much warning about an impending strike." (Also linked yesterday.) 

Marie: I suppose it's kind of comforting to know that Trump's press secretary is as ignorant of history as he is. The amazing part of Leavitt's ignorance is not that one needs to be a student of ancient history to have heard the phrase "peace through strength." People, even on Fox "News" no doubt, repeat it regularly as an argument for maintaining, threatening to use and/or using military power to ensure hegemony. Thanks to RAS for the link.

We've linked to stories about some of these folks before, but "Trump's poor choices for national security staffing have new relevance after Iran bombing": ~~~

⭐ Hearts of Darkness. Ann Marimow of the Washington Post: “The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for the Trump administration to deport immigrants to countries where they are not citizens, temporarily blocking a decision by a lower-court judge who said migrants must have a 'meaningful opportunity' to contest their removal. The court’s order, which drew a sharp dissent from the three liberal justices, was the latest of several allowing  ... Donald Trump to move forward with a major change in policy while litigation on the issue continues in lower courts. Each has been made as part of the court’s 'emergency docket.'... Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, wrote a nearly 20-page dissent, criticizing the administration for violating the lower-court order and trying to send migrants to 'a nation [South Sudan] the State De­partment considers too unsafe for all but its most critical personnel.... Rather than allowing our lower court colleagues to manage this high-stakes litigation with the care and attention it plainly requires,' the liberals wrote, the majority was 'rewarding lawlessness' by halting an order the administration has repeatedly defied.” Politico's report, by Josh Gerstein & Kyle Cheney, is here. MB: I'd like to send six Supremes to South Sudan. ~~~

~~~ Steve Vladeck on "the Court's disastrous ruling...[: Justice Sotomayor's] dissent makes three distinct arguments, all of which should have militated against the relief the majority (again, with no analysis) provided.... The ruling going to have massive (and potentially harmful) effects.... Even more importantly, here is one of the most stark examples to date of the Trump administration overtly defying rulings by a federal district judge. Indeed, it did so twice in this case. For the Court to not only grant emergency relief in this case, but to offer nary a word of explanation either in criticism of the government’s behavior, or in defense of why it granted relief notwithstanding that behavior, is to invite — if not affirmatively enable — comparable defiance of future district court orders by the government.... But it’s impossible to imagine that the Trump administration will view it any other way."

Judge Says Pam Blondie Is Full of It. Glenn Thrush & Alan Feuer of the New York Times: “In early June, Attorney General Pam Bondi unveiled the indictment of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the immigrant mistakenly deported to El Salvador.... She predicted he would be easily convicted. On Sunday night, 16 days later, a federal magistrate judge gave a far different assessment of the evidence presented so far: The department’s case had serious problems, relied heavily on deals with multiple informants, included dubious claims about his actions that bordered on 'physical impossibility' and was rife with hearsay testimony. The judge, Barbara D. Holmes, ordered Mr. Abrego Garcia to be released, but conceded he was likely to be detained for immigration violations as his case moves through the courts.... 

“Although Judge Holmes did not mention Ms. Bondi by name, her 51-page ruling represented a rejection of efforts by top administration officials to publicly discredit Mr. Abrego Garcia by suggesting that he was a prominent member of the violent street gang MS-13, and that he trafficked women and minors.... [Ms. Bondi] has disregarded departmental norms to level lurid public accusations at Mr. Abrego Garcia without first detailing evidence in court filings, or through the sworn testimony of federal law enforcement officials. The attorney general’s actions are in line with what her boss wants.”

Stephanie Saul of the New York Times: “For the second time in less than a week, a federal judge in Boston rejected efforts by the Trump administration to bar international students at Harvard, blocking a presidential proclamation that would prevent new students from abroad from enrolling at the school.... [Donald] Trump had sought to bar the students using a law designed to safeguard national security. In a strongly worded ruling on Monday, Judge Allison D. Burroughs sided with lawyers for Harvard who had argued that such presidential power was intended to be used against foreign enemies, not international students. The judge’s order temporarily stops the presidential proclamation from going into effect. Judge Burroughs, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, issued a similar decision on Friday. In that ruling, she temporarily blocked another effort by the Trump administration to keep international students out of Harvard through other means. In her ruling on Monday, Judge Burroughs noted that the issues at stake involved 'core constitutional rights that must be safeguarded — freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech' and that free speech, particularly in the academic arena, 'must be zealously defended and not taken for granted.'” ~~~

~~~ Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory. Michael Schmidt & Alan Blinder of the New York Times: “Harvard University, battered by a devastating conflict with the Trump administration that has jeopardized its elite standing, is facing a problem as it weighs a possible truce with ... [Donald] Trump: how to strike a deal without compromising its values or appearing to have capitulated.... Unlike many other powerful institutions that have struck bargains with Mr. Trump, Harvard, the nation’s oldest and richest university, spent much of this spring as the vanguard of resistance to the White House, credited by academic leaders, alumni and pro-democracy activists for fighting the administration and serving as a formidable barrier against authoritarianism. Despite a series of legal wins against the administration, though, Harvard officials concluded in recent weeks that those victories alone might be insufficient to protect the university.” MB: Yes, how does one pretend to defend academic freedom while kowtowing to an ignorant bully who wants to run the university?

Medicos Try to Save Americans from RFKJ. Lena Sun & Rachel Roubein of the Washington Post: “Professional medical societies, pharmacists, state health officials and vaccine manufacturers, as well as a new advocacy group, are mobilizing behind the scenes to preserve access for vaccines as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. works to upend the nation’s decades-old vaccine system.... The groups are discussing ordering vaccines directly from manufacturers and giving greater weight to vaccine recommendations from medical associations. And they are asking insurance companies to continue covering shots based on professional societies’ guidance instead of the federal government’s, according to more than a dozen people familiar with the conversations.... The moves come as Kennedy has replaced members of the key federal vaccine advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that decides which vaccines are recommended for whom and whether they’ll be covered by insurance. Kennedy fired the 17-member committee earlier this month and handpicked eight new members, several of whom are vaccine critics.

“But the extraordinary effort to create parallel systems of recommending, and perhaps even providing, vaccines faces major challenges.... There is no guarantee that health plans will cover every shot without guidance from the CDC panel, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP. States, which determine school vaccine entry requirements, may make different decisions. And potential competing recommendations could sow confusion among doctors as well as patients if it becomes unclear which recommendations to follow.” ~~~

~~~ GOP Senator/Doctor Suddenly Notices His Obvious Gross Mistake. Rachel Roubein & Lena Sun of the Washington Post: “Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) is calling for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health department to delay a much-anticipated meeting of an influential vaccine advisory panel, citing concerns over the backgrounds of new members handpicked by Kennedy and potential bias against certain shots. Earlier this month, Kennedy abruptly dismissed the 17-member committee charged with making immunization recommendations for the United States — an unprecedented move that marked an escalation of his overhaul of federal vaccination policy. Kennedy then named eight members to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, including at least three people who have criticized the use of mRNA coronavirus vaccines. The newly reconstituted panel is set to meet for the first time Wednesday and Thursday.... The call for the delay marks one of the first times Cassidy has directly asked ... Donald Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services to alter how it’s handling vaccine policy, though he did not directly mention Kennedy by name. Specifically, Cassidy called for the meeting to be delayed until the panel is 'fully staffed with more robust and balanced representation — as required by law — including those with more direct relevant expertise.'” Politico's story is here. MB: I'd say Dr. Cassidy forgot the "first do no harm" bit. 

Good Luck, Trees! Lisa Friedman of the New York Times: “The Trump administration said on Monday that it would open up 58 million acres of back country in national forests to road construction and development, removing protections that had been in place for a quarter century. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced plans to repeal the 2001 'roadless rule' that had preserved the wild nature of nearly a third of the land in national forests in the United States. Ms. Rollins ... said the Clinton-era rule barring road construction and logging was outdated and 'absurd.'... 'Once again, President Trump is removing absurd obstacles to common-sense management of our natural resources by rescinding the overly restrictive roadless rule,' Ms. Rollins said in a statement. She said the repeal 'opens a new era of consistency and sustainability for our nation’s forests.'” Looks like a gift link. The AP's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Of course it's common sense to build roads through the national forests, if only to make it easier to get the vacuum cleaners in to vacuum the forest floors. As for development, well yes, a vacuum cleaner store in a strip mall would be just the thing. 

Stef Kight of Axios: "Sen. Lisa Murkowski is leaving the door open to caucusing with Democrats if they managed to produce enough midterm upsets to create a 50-50 tie in 2027.... 'There is some openness to exploring something different than the status quo,' she told the GD Politics podcast. She called caucusing with Democrats as an independent an 'interesting hypothetical,' but added she has plenty of disagreements with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) conference."

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Florida. “Alligator Alcatraz.” Hamed Aleaziz of the New York Times: “Florida is building a detention facility for migrants nicknamed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' turning an airfield in the Everglades into the newest — and scariest-sounding — holding center designed to help the Trump administration carry out its immigration crackdown. The remote facility, composed of large tents, and other planned facilities will cost the state around $450 million a year to run, but Florida can request some reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security. Florida’s attorney general, James Uthmeier, a Trump ally who has pushed to build the detention center in the Everglades, has said the state will not need to invest much in security because the area is surrounded by dangerous wildlife, including alligators and pythons. A spokesperson for the attorney general said work on the new facility started on Monday morning.”

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Coddling the Fat Toddler. Ellen Francis of the Washington Post: “NATO leaders are tiptoeing around rifts at a two-day summit starting Tuesday, straining for a veneer of unity. But among Ukraine’s European backers, reality is setting in that the Trump administration has no willingness to provide fresh military aid to Kyiv, and assistance approved during the Biden era is running out. Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was treated as a VIP guest at NATO summits. But this year, Zelensky is being relegated to the background as officials try to avoid irking ... Donald Trump. Trump might meet Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit, but NATO officials are trying to keep them apart as much as possible in public — a recognition of Trump’s occasionally volcanic disdain for the Ukrainian leader.”

The Conversation -- June 23, 2025

Here's an update of the New York Times' liveblog on the Israel/Iran/U.S. war (also linked below): “Iran appeared poised to strike an American base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East, according to Iranian and Israeli officials with knowledge of the matter. A senior White House official confirmed that the United States is aware of a potential attack by Iran against the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The base, which serves as the headquarters for the U.S. Central Command, is considered a prime potential target should Iran retaliate over American strikes on its nuclear installations over the weekend. Earlier in the day, the United States and Britain warned their citizens in Qatar to shelter in place. The warnings came as Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Tehran on Monday and promised more 'in the coming days,' pressing on with its bombing campaign a day after the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear sites. The new Israeli barrage, which a military spokesman said targeted a paramilitary headquarters, a notorious prison and access routes to the Fordo nuclear enrichment site that the U.S. military bombarded over the weekend, came as Iran fired salvos of missiles that sent Israelis to huddle in shelters. The strikes came despite calls from world leaders for de-escalation, and as ... [Donald] Trump’s decision to join Israel’s campaign against Iran raised fears that the war would intensify.” ~~~

Update: “Iran on Monday launched a missile attack on an American base in Qatar, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, in what appeared to be calculated retaliation for U.S. strikes on three critical Iranian nuclear sites. Even as it attacked, there were signs that Iran might have been looking for an off-ramp from a confrontation with the United States. The Iranian officials said their government had given advance notice that the missile strike was coming, to minimize potential casualties, and ... [Donald] Trump responded with an olive branch online.” ~~~

     ~~~ Matt Bradley of NBC News says sirens are blaring over Doha, Qatar. MSNBC now has a chyron up that says missiles have been fired at Qatar, Bahrain & Kuwait. The chyron doesn't say who launched the missiles. CNN's chyron sys Iran has fired missles at Qatar & Iraq. Another says U.S. military in Qatar are in "duck & cover mode."

Marie: I'll admit I avoided reading the various stories about how Trump got from promoting international peace to "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran." But RAS points out this New York Times story, with lead reporter Mark Mazzetti, that shows how Trump listened to they pro-strike hype at Fox "News" to make his decision: "The president was closely monitoring Fox News, which was airing wall-to-wall praise of Israel’s military operation and featuring guests urging Mr. Trump to get more involved." Also central to the story -- and not a bit surprising to us -- is how the military brass was petrified that President* Looselips would tell all -- which he came close to doing: "All the while, Mr. Trump was making blustery statements indicating he was about to take the country into the conflict.... [Trump's] public pronouncements generated angst at the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command, where military planners began to worry that Mr. Trump was giving Iran too much warning about an impending strike." 

Marie: I suppose it's kind of comforting to know that Trump's press secretary is as ignorant of history as he is. The amazing part of Leavitt's ignorance is not that one needs to be a student of ancient history to have heard the phrase "peace through strength." People, even on Fox "News" no doubt, repeat it regularly as an argument for maintaining, threatening to use and/or using military power to ensure hegemony. Thanks to RAS for the link. 

Marie: I said I wouldn't embed this speech, but here it is in more digestible form. The skeptical and horrified expressions of JayDee & Little Marco are pretty funny. I'm not sure that is who dumps a load during the speech, but it's quite understandable: ~~~

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The New York Times' live updates of developments Monday in the Israel/Iran/U.S. war are here: “Civilians, diplomats and military officials on several continents were waiting anxiously on Monday to see the ramifications of ... [Donald] Trump’s decision to bomb a trio of Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, a move that will almost certainly have far-reaching impacts on global security. After the bombings on Sunday brought the United States into Israel’s war against Iran, fears grew ... of a dangerously escalating conflict across the region. American military and intelligence officials detected potential signs that Iran-backed militias were preparing to attack American bases in Iraq, and possibly Syria.... [Iran's] Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Monday.... And world leaders and diplomats were scrambling to prevent more violence. E.U. foreign ministers discussed the situation in Iran on Monday. The war, and the U.S. strikes will likely dominate a NATO summit that opens at The Hague on Tuesday.” ~~~

~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for today are here: “Iran is weighing its response and said at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council that it reserved the right to defend itself against 'blatant U.S. aggression.'... Donald Trump — who is slated to meet with his national security team Monday afternoon — raised the prospect of regime change in Tehran, undercutting the messaging from his top officials. He also continued to claim substantial damage to the nuclear facilities without providing additional evidence. The International Atomic Energy Agency is assessing the damage. As the world awaits the ramifications of the U.S. strikes, Israel and Iran continued to trade fire into an 11th day, with explosions heard over both countries.” ~~~

     ~~~ Donnie Dimwit Unable to Stay on Message. Felicia Schwartz & Amy MacKinnon of Politico: “... Donald Trump’s top national security officials spent much of Sunday insisting his administration doesn’t want to bring about the end of Iran’s government, only its nuclear program. Then Trump left the door open for exactly that. 'It’s not politically correct to use the term, “Regime Change,” but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!' Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.... His words undercut what had appeared to be a coordinated message from his top advisers. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth each insisted Sunday that the U.S. was only interested in dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities.”

Meg Kelly, et al., of the Washington Post: “Satellite images provide the first glimpses of the aftermath of U.S. strikes on three sites said to be central to Iran’s nuclear program, revealing severe damage at aboveground facilities as well as the entry points left by bombs that burrowed deep underground to target some of the program’s most protected operations.” The article includes numerous photos and some analysis. 

In keeping with Donald Trump's inability to "act presidential," JayDee has followed on by demonstrating that he doesn't know how to "act vice-presidential": ~~~

~~~ Joe Sommerlad of the Independent: “Speaking to Kristen Welker on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday morning, hours after the U.S. launched airstrikes against three Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israel’s Operation Rising Lion offensive, [JD] Vance attacked Bush’s administration and those of Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden without directly naming them. 'I certainly empathize with Americans who are exhausted after 25 years of foreign entanglements in the Middle East,' he said. 'I understand the concern, but the difference is that, back then, we had dumb presidents and now we have a president who actually knows how to accomplish America’s national security objectives....'” Nevermind that Trump doesn't know how to stick to those objectives and he keeps making unsubstantiated claims about the success of the mission (see WashPo liveblog); he's not as  dumb” as those former presidents.  

Hugo Lowell of the Guardian: “The US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, on Sunday repeated claims by Donald Trump that US strikes had completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities and its ability to acquire nuclear weapons even as the Pentagon acknowledged it was too early to provide a full damage assessment. At a news conference, Hegseth and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Dan Caine, said the strikes, codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, devastated the Iranian nuclear program. 'Thanks to President Trump’s bold and visionary leadership and his commitment to peace through strength, Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated,' Hegseth said. 'The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant.'” MB: Good to know. (Also linked yesterday.) 

Jon Gambrell, et al., of the AP: “Amid fears of a wider regional conflict, the Trump administration sent a clear message that it wanted to restart diplomatic talks with Iran. 'Let’s meet directly,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with CBS. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that the U.S. 'does not seek war.' But Tehran said the time for diplomacy had passed and that it has the right to defend itself. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he would immediately fly to Moscow to coordinate with close ally Russia.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

Well, gosh darn, maybe the U.S. military strikes did not “completely and fully obliterate” Iran's nuclear sites as Donald Trump said last night. According to the NYT live updates Sunday, l“Pentagon officials said on Sunday that three of Iran’s nuclear sites sustained 'severe damage' from the U.S. strikes.... The full extent of the damage to the sites was not immediately clear, and top Pentagon officials later said that it was too soon to say whether Iran still retains some nuclear ability.” And even JayDee would say only that “'I think we set [Iran's nuclear] program back substantially, and we did it without endangering the lives of the American pilots.' Later, when [NBC's Kristin] Welker pressed again on Mr. Trump’s claim late on Saturday that the three bombed facilities were 'totally obliterated,' Mr. Vance would not answer directly. '... I feel very confident that we’ve substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon,' Mr. Vance said. 'And that was the goal of this attack.'” You might be excused for speculating that the Big Grifter had oversold his supposed success. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Update: David Sanger writes, “A day after ... [Donald] Trump declared that Iran’s nuclear program had been 'completely and totally obliterated' by American bunker-busting bombs and a barrage of missiles, the actual state of the program seemed far more murky, with senior officials conceding they did not know the fate of Iran’s stockpile of near-bomb-grade uranium.... In a briefing for reporters on Sunday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, avoided Mr. Trump’s maximalist claims of success. They said an initial battle-damage assessment of all three sites struck by Air Force B-2 bombers and Navy Tomahawk missiles showed 'severe damage and destruction.' Satellite photographs of the primary target, the Fordo uranium enrichment plant that Iran built under a mountain, showed several holes where a dozen 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrators ... punched deep holes in the rock. The Israeli military’s initial analysis concluded that the site, the target of American and Israeli military planners for more than 26 years, sustained serious damage from the strike but had not been completely destroyed. But there was also evidence, according to two Israeli officials with knowledge of the intelligence, that Iran had moved equipment and [enriched] uranium from the site in recent days.” Here's Sanger's full article on what's known and what's not.

Here's someone who diaagrees with JayDee about who the "dumb" president may be: ~~~

Simon Tisdale of the Guardian: “Trump says he has not declared war on Iran. He claims the attack is not an opening salvo in a campaign aimed at triggering regime change in Tehran. But that’s not how Iran’s politicians and people will see it. Trump’s premature bragging about 'spectacular' success, and threats of more and bigger bombs, sound like the words of a ruthless conqueror intent on total, crushing victory. Trump, the isolationist president who vowed to avoid foreign wars, has walked slap bang into a trap prepared by Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu – a trap his smarter predecessors avoided. Netanyahu has constantly exaggerated the immediacy of the Iranian nuclear threat. His alarmist speeches on this subject go back 30 years.... So, once again, the US has gone to war in the Middle East on the back of a lie, on disputed, probably faulty intelligence purposefully distorted for political reasons. Once again, as in Iraq in 2003, the overall objectives of the war are unclear, uncertain and open to interpretation.... Once again, there appears to be no 'exit strategy.'...”

Heather Cox Richardson puts a damper on all of Trump's bunker-buster bluster.

Alan Feuer of the New York Times: “In a sharp rebuke to the Justice Department, a federal judge said on Sunday that Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia should be freed from criminal custody as he awaits trial on smuggling charges after his wrongful deportation to El Salvador and return to the United States. In a scathing order, the judge, Barbara D. Holmes, ruled that Mr. Abrego Garcia was neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community. The decision undermined repeated claims by ... [Donald] Trump and some of his top aides who have described the Salvadoran immigrant as a violent gang member, even a terrorist. But the decision by Judge Holmes, filed in Federal District Court in Nashville, was likely to be a short-lived victory for Mr. Abrego Garcia and his defense team. The judge acknowledged that he would probably remain in the custody of immigration officials, as his charges of smuggling undocumented immigrants across the United States moved through the courts. Judge Holmes’s ruling was the first judicial evaluation of the charges filed against Mr. Abrego Garcia since he was suddenly brought back to U.S. soil last month after prosecutors indicted him in Nashville.” The ABC News story is here.

Jonah Bromwich of the New York Times interviews Mahmoud Khalil, who “was the first student protester targeted and detained by the Trump administration. On Friday, after having spent more than three months in detention in Jena, La., he was released on bail.... 'All the “Know Your Rights” information and fliers I read and familiarized myself with were useless,' Mr. Khalil said. 'There are no rights in such situations.... It felt like kidnapping,' he said.”

Catie Edmondson & Michael Gold of the New York Times: “The Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough..., rejected on Sunday a measure in Republicans’ sweeping domestic policy bill that could limit lawsuits seeking to block ... [Donald] Trump’s executive actions. The measure would target the preliminary injunctions and temporary restraining orders issued by federal judges on Mr. Trump’s directives. Those rulings have halted or delayed orders on a host of policies, including efforts to carry out mass firings of federal workers and to withhold funds from states that do not comply with demands on immigration enforcement. The G.O.P. proposal would require parties suing over federal policies to post a bond covering the government’s potential costs and damages from an injunction if thejudge ’s order were found later to have been wrongly granted.... Republicans are ... using special rules that shield legislation from a filibuster.... But to qualify for that protection, the legislation must only include proposals that directly change federal spending and not add to long-term deficits.... [Ms.] MacDonough ... ruled that the [injunctions and TRO] measure did not meet the requirements.” The Hill's story is here.

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Michigan. Amanda Holpuch of the New York Times: “A man clad in a tactical vest and carrying a long gun and handgun opened fire on a Michigan church filled with children attending Vacation Bible School on Sunday before being fatally shot by two members of the church’s staff, officials said. The shooting, which was reported a little after 11 a.m. at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Mich., which is about 25 miles west of Detroit, left one church staff member with a gunshot wound in a leg, the Wayne police chief, Ryan Strong, said at a news conference on Sunday night. The staff members who opened fire were not publicly identified. The chief said the staff member who was shot had injuries that were not life-threatening. The chief credited the emergency training of staff and parishioners for swiftly responding to the threat.”

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Ukraine/Russia, et al. Lizzie Johnson & David Stern of the Washington Post: “The whine of drones and hiss of incoming missiles jarred the Ukrainian capital awake in an overnight Russian attack Monday that lasted hours and killed at least seven people and injured 31, officials said.... The attack came the same day the Russians said they would be contacting Ukraine about setting the date for a third round of negotiations to end the conflict. It was a familiar violent scene in the Ukrainian capital in the third year of the war. This time, the Ukrainian armed forces said, the attack consisted of 352 self-detonating drones and 16 missiles — mostly aimed at Kyiv. Though the majority were shot down, there were six direct hits. Fragments of downed aircraft hit 25 other locations. In a statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed out that many of the drones were Iranian-designed Shaheds, which Russia now manufactures, and the missiles appear to have been made in North Korea.”

The Conversation -- June 22, 2025

Hugo Lowell of the Guardian: The US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, on Sunday repeated claims by Donald Trump that US strikes had completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities and its ability to acquire nuclear weapons even as the Pentagon acknowledged it was too early to provide a full damage assessment. At a news conference, Hegseth and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Dan Caine, said the strikes, codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, devastated the Iranian nuclear program. 'Thanks to President Trump’s bold and visionary leadership and his commitment to peace through strength, Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated,' Hegseth said. 'The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant.'” MB: Good to know. 

Jon Gambrell, et al., of the AP: “Amid fears of a wider regional conflict, the Trump administration sent a clear message that it wanted to restart diplomatic talks with Iran. 'Let’s meet directly,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with CBS. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that the U.S. 'does not seek war.' But Tehran said the time for diplomacy had passed and that it has the right to defend itself. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he would immediately fly to Moscow to coordinate with close ally Russia.”

Well, gosh darn, maybe the U.S. military strikes did not “completely and fully obliterate” Iran's nuclear sites as Donald Trump said last night. According to the NYT live updates, linked next, “Pentagon officials said on Sunday that three of Iran’s nuclear sites sustained 'severe damage' from the U.S. strikes.... The full extent of the damage to the sites was not immediately clear, and top Pentagon officials later said that it was too soon to say whether Iran still retains some nuclear ability.” And even JayDee would say only that “'I think we set [Iran's nuclear] program back substantially, and we did it without endangering the lives of the American pilots.' Later, when [NBC's Kristin] Welker pressed again on Mr. Trump’s claim late on Saturday that the three bombed facilities were 'totally obliterated,' Mr. Vance would not answer directly. '... I feel very confident that we’ve substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon,' Mr. Vance said. 'And that was the goal of this attack.'” You might be excused for speculating that the Big Grifter had oversold his supposed success. ~~~

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~~~ The New York Times' live updates for today of the Israel/Iran/U.S. war are here: “American warplanes and submarines attacked three key nuclear sites in Iran early Sunday, bringing the U.S. military directly into Israel’s war and prompting fears that the strikes could lead to more dangerous escalations across the Middle East.... [Donald] Trump said the objective was the 'destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity.' He claimed success, saying in a televised address from the White House that the nuclear facilities had been 'completely and totally obliterated.' 'Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,' Mr. Trump said. 'If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.' The strikes ushered in a period of high alert in the region, where more than 40,000 American troops are on bases and warships, as the Pentagon braced for almost-certain retaliation.... On Sunday morning..., air-raid sirens in Israel were warning of incoming Iranian ballistic missile fire. The Israeli authorities said that at least 16 people had been wounded in the barrage....

“Top Republicans rallied behind Mr. Trump, calling the strikes a necessary check on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But senior Democrats and some Republican lawmakers condemned the move as unconstitutional and said that it could drag the United States into a broader war.... Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Sunday that the U.S. strikes had been carried out 'in full coordination' between the American and Israeli militaries.... A U.S. official said that six B-2 bombers dropped a dozen 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs on the Fordo nuclear site, which lies deep underground, and Navy submarines fired 30 TLAM cruise missiles at Natanz and another nuclear site in Isfahan. One B-2 also dropped two bunker busters on Natanz, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. The strikes marked the first time the U.S. Air Force had ever used the 30,000-pound bomb, called the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, in combat.” ~~~

The AP's live updates of the Israel/Iran/U.S. war are here: “... Donald Trump says Iran’s key nuclear sites were  'completely and fully obliterated' by U.S. strikes. Speaking at the White House hours after the attacks, he threatened more strikes and said Iran faced a choice between 'peace or tragedy.'” (Also linked late yesterday.) ~~~ 

     ~~~ Video of Trump's speech is here. The transcript, provided by the AP, is here. It was a stupid, embarrassing speech of the sort you'd expect from Cadet Bonespurs. ~~~

~~~ ⭐ The New York Times' live updates of the Israel/Iran/U.S. war are here (also linked earlier Saturday): “The United States has entered Israel’s war against Iran. American warplanes dropped bombs on three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday..., [Donald] Trump announced on Saturday night, bringing the U.S. military directly into the war after days of uncertainty about whether he would intervene. 'All planes are now outside of Iran air space,' he said in a post on social media, adding that a 'full payload' of bombs had been dropped on Fordo, the heavily fortified underground facility in Iran that is critical to its nuclear program. 'All planes are safely on their way home.' The three sites that Mr. Trump said were hit on Saturday night included Iran’s two major uranium enrichment centers: the mountain facility at Fordo and a larger enrichment plant at Natanz, which Israel struck several days ago with smaller weapons. The third site, near the ancient city of Isfahan, is where Iran is believed to keep its near-bomb-grade enriched uranium, which inspectors saw just two weeks ago.” (Also linked late yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Aamer Madhani, et al., of the AP: “... Donald Trump said Saturday that the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel ’s effort to decapitate the country’s nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran’s threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict.... 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,' Trump said in a post on social media. 'All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.' Trump added in a later post that he would address the national at 10:00 p.m. eastern time, writing 'This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!'” (Also linked late yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: That first tweet, the one with the BOMBS, ends with the inappropriate, business-letter convention, "Thank you for your attention to this matter!" AND who the hell tweets, tweets! "I dropped some really big ole BOMBS! Thank you for your attention to this matter!" announcing a war with the same devil-may-care attitude he takes in defaming all of us "radical liberal lunatics" or whatever nonsense he goes on about?

     ~~~ Here's one reason -- though certainly not the primary reason -- you don't use your crap social media platform to announce you just plunged your country into a new war: ~~~

     ~~~ Aanchal Sinha of News18 (India): "Just minutes after ... Donald Trump announced that the US had bombed Iran’s nuclear sites, the social media platform Truth Social went down across the United States on Saturday evening. As of 8:20 p.m. EDT, DownDetector had received over 1,700 reports of outages, with many users experiencing server issues affecting both the app and the website."

Sahil Kapur of NBC News: "Several members of Congress in both parties Saturday questioned the legality of ... Donald Trump’s move to launch military strikes on Iran. While Republican leaders [including Mike Johnson & John Thune] and many rank-and-file members stood by Trump’s decision to bomb Iran’s major nuclear enrichment facilities, at least two GOP lawmakers joined Democrats across the party spectrum in suggesting it was unconstitutional for him to bomb Iran without approval from Congress." ~~~

~~~ Joe Gould, et al., of Politico: "... Donald Trump’s sudden announcement Saturday night that he bombed three Iranian nuclear sites has Republican skeptics of U.S. military action against Iran largely falling in line. The prospect of strikes against Iran had sparked backlash from Democrats and days of infighting within Trump’s MAGA coalition, but after the president posted on Truth Social that the U.S. has bombed Iran, several GOP critics cheered the strikes as a limited action. Several top Democrats denounced the strikes as illegal and warned they could drag the U.S. into another Middle East war." ~~~

~~~ Stephen Neukam of Axios: "Top Democrats on Capitol Hill say they weren't briefed in advance of the U.S. attack on Iran on Saturday.... Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the top Democrats on the Senate and House Intelligence panels, weren't briefed before the attack, sources familiar told Axios on Saturday. Their Republican counterparts were given advance notice. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) was given what was described by a source as a perfunctory notice shortly before ... [Donald] Trump's announcement on Saturday night."

David Sanger, et al., of the New York Times: Donald “Trump unleashed a show of raw military might that each of his last four predecessors had deliberately avoided, for fear of plunging the United States into war in the Middle East. He is betting that the United States can repel whatever retaliation Iran’s leadership orders against more than 40,000 American troops spread over bases throughout the region. All are within range of Tehran’s missile fleet, even after eight days of relentless attacks by Israel. And he is betting that he can deter a vastly debilitated Iran from using its familiar techniques — terrorism, hostage-taking and cyberattacks — as a more indirect line of attack to wreak revenge. Most importantly, he is betting that he has destroyed Iran’s chances of ever reconstituting its nuclear program. That is an ambitious goal: Iran has made clear that, if attacked, it would exit the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and take its vast program underground.”

Helene Cooper, et al., of the New York Times: “The U.S. strikes on nuclear sites in Iran are an extraordinary turn for a military that was supposed to be moving on from two decades of forever wars in the Middle East, and they put the United States back on war footing. Across the region, where more than 40,000 American troops are on bases and warships, the strikes ushered in a period of high alert as the Pentagon braced for almost-certain retaliation from Iran.... The strikes, whether successful or not, are likely to trigger a fierce response. Tehran has vowed to strike at American bases in the Middle East, and American intelligence agencies confirmed before the strikes took place that Iran would take steps to widen the war and hit U.S. forces in the region.... Iran has many ways to retaliate, including naval assets and other capabilities it would need to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could pin any U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf, American military officials say. Iranian officials have threatened to mine the strait if the United States joined Israel’s attack on the country.”

Ilan Goldenberg in Foreign Affairs: “Events could turn in several directions. The American attack could indeed lead to Iranian capitulation on terms friendly to Israel and the United States. But it is equally or even more likely to draw the United States deeper into the war with profoundly negative consequences. Iran will almost certainly seek some manner of retribution, perhaps by attacking nearby U.S. bases and potentially killing U.S. soldiers. That could lead to ever widening escalation, with devastating effects for the region and American entanglement in a war that few Americans want.... Iran’s most likely response will be to attack U.S. bases in the Arabian Peninsula or in Iraq just as Iran did in response to the American strike that killed the Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani in 2020. Under siege from two powerful adversaries, Iran’s leadership may choose to launch a limited number of missiles at U.S. bases, just as it did in 2020.... Accidents and miscalculations could make things much worse.... Given the number of variables..., much will depend on the wisdom and restraint of Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khameini, and the people around them. And that does not bode well in the short or long term.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: These are three reckless, demagogical, dictatorial, doddering old men, all of whom believe some god is blessing their every move, and none of whom has much longer to live on this sorry planet. Any decision any of them makes is certain to be flawed. And that is where the gods and the people have placed the future of the Earth. 

Scott Lemieux in LG&$: "If I may once again be forgiven to invoke such quaint anachronisms..., Bush’s logical successor’s bombing of Iran is not, how you say, legal[.]... The combination of an immense standing army and completely supine legislative majorities render any constitutional checks and balances moot." Lemieux' citation of a few lines from an opinion by Justice Robert Jackson, written nearly 3/4ths of a century ago, is apt. MB: We are a nation of foolish and forgetful people. If we learn almost nothing from our own experiences, we learn nothing at all from our elders and their experiences.

Scott Lemieux in LG&$: What AOC said.

Robert Reich on Substack: “A single person — Donald J. Trump — has released the dogs of war on one of the most dangerous countries in the world, and done it without the consent of Congress, our allies, or even a clear explanation to the American people. Anyone who has doubted Trump’s intention to replace American democracy with a dictatorship should now be fully disabused.... The attacks fit perfectly with Trump’s desire to divert attention from his multiple failures at home.... Besides, there’s nothing like a war to help a wannabe dictator like Trump justify more 'emergency' powers.... Trump is being advised on Iran by a close-knit group of political advisers and ideologues, none of whom has deep knowledge of Iran or the Middle East. All are totally loyal to Trump.... As a result, he’s probably getting decent advice about what’s good for Trump but not about what’s good for America or the world.... Trump claims that the facilities were 'completely and totally obliterated,' but who trusts Trump to tell the truth, or to be told the truth?”

Dan Perry of the Forward: "If Iran does not try to fight back — a big if — we are looking at an Israeli-American victory that may rehabilitate the embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reset the strategic equation in the Middle East, and weaken the Islamic Republic to the point that its existence may be endangered.... What should follow are negotiations that leave Iran isolated, weakened and exposed. The U.S. and Israel should demand not only an abrogation of any further nuclear ambitions on the part of Iran, but also the end of its project of spreading chaos around the Middle East via proxy militias.... But if Iran retaliates, the more likely outcome is a U.S.-Israeli war aimed at toppling the Iranian regime."

Naftali Bendavid of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump [is taking] aim at post-Watergate reforms on transparency, spending, conflicts of interest and more. By challenging and disregarding, in letter or in spirit, this slew of 1970s laws [designed to prevent the ways in which Richard Nixon exploited the presidency], Trump is essentially closing the 50-year post-Watergate chapter of American history — and ushering in a new era of shaky guardrails and blurred separation of powers. In 1976, for example, Congress created a 10-year term for FBI directors; Trump has forced out two FBI directors. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 aimed to prevent presidents from dismantling agencies; Trump has essentially done just that. Lawmakers in 1978 installed independent inspectors general in government offices; Trump has fired many of them and is seeking to replace them with loyalists. Trump has also disregarded post-Watergate safeguards intended to prevent the unjustified firings of federal workers.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Many of the unethical things Nixon did were not necessarily against the law. But most of the laws written to prevent Nixon 2.0 are still on the books, and Trump is violating them. Congressional sheeples are allowing him to do so. The courts, though attempting to thwart some of Trump's most illegal and unconstitutional acts, will probably be overruled by the majority of the Supreme Court which follows the Nixon Rule, now modified to assert, "If a Republican president* does it, it's not illegal."

Jonah Bromwich of the New York Times: “Mahmoud Khalil walked through a nondescript door into a Newark airport lobby on Saturday, his wife to his left, a congresswoman to his right and a stroller in front of him. His fist was raised and he could not stop smiling.... When Mr. Khalil emerged at the Newark airport with his wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, he was quickly surrounded by roughly 50 supporters, reporters, lawyers and relatives. Mr. Khalil briefly addressed the crowd, saying he would immediately resume his outspoken work on behalf of Palestinian rights, speech he said that should be celebrated rather than punished.”

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: “Elizabeth MacDonough, the [Senate] parliamentarian..., on Friday night rejected a bid by Republicans to slash federal food aid payments as part of their sweeping legislation carrying ... [Donald] Trump’s domestic agenda, sending party leaders scrambling to find another way to help offset the massive cost of the bill.... Republicans are moving the bill through Congress using special rules that shield it from a filibuster, depriving Democrats of the ability to block it. But to qualify for that protection, the legislation must comply with a rigorous set of budgetary restrictions meant to ensure that it will not add to the deficit.... [Ms.] MacDonough ... ruled that the SNAP measure, which would push some of the costs of nutrition assistance onto the states, did not [meet the requirements].... She also said Republicans could not include a provision that would bar immigrants who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents from receiving SNAP benefits, according to Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Budget Committee.” The AP report is here. ~~~

~~~ Congressional Republicans cannot stop thinking of stupid things to do: ~~~

~~~ Jacob Bogage of the Washington Post: “A little-noticed provision of ... Donald Trump and Republicans’ massive tax and immigration legislation would force the government to undo billions of dollars in electric vehicle investments made by the U.S. Postal Service, unwinding much of the Biden administration’s climate push at the mail agency while dealing it a sharp financial setback.... The Senate’s version of Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill would see the General Services Administration take possession of the nearly 7,200 new postal EVs and associated infrastructure and put the assets up for auction. The proposal is unlikely to generate much revenue for the government; there is almost no private-sector interest in the mail trucks, and used EV charging equipment — built specifically for the Postal Service and already installed in postal facilities — generally cannot be resold.” MB: You remember how Rand Paul was supposed to be so upset about the budget deficit that he was going to vote against the Big Bad Bill? Well, this USPS change to the bill that wastes even more federal money (and of course damages the environment) is Little Randy's bright idea. ~~~

~~~ The Sad-Sack Suck-Ups of the 119th Congress. Joe Heim of the Washington Post: “House Republicans have proposed at least eight bills since January to honor the president or burnish his image. They would, among other things, put Trump’s portrait on U.S. currency, carve his face onto Mount Rushmore, rename Washington Dulles International Airport for him and make his birthday a national holiday. Two bills, both introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), called for the House to expunge Trump’s impeachments in 2019 and 2021. Longtime political observers say the GOP’s legislative love fest for the president is well outside of congressional norms. While members have often proposed legislation that honors presidents, it is almost never while they are still in office.”

For those of you who think "it was just a blow-job," explain this: ~~~

~~~ Lewinsky's Abuser Endorses (Alleged!) Serial Sexual Harasser. Emma Fitzsimmons of the New York Times: “Former President Bill Clinton will offer a last-minute boost of support for former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo by endorsing him in the New York City mayor’s race on Sunday, the last day of early voting. Mr. Cuomo worked in the Clinton administration as the housing secretary, and the former president’s backing, as well as a taped robocall providing his support, could help turn out older voters in the tightening Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday. Mr. Clinton will use the robocall to tell voters that he hired Mr. Cuomo 'because he knows how to get things done' and that they had worked together on homelessness and on improving 'communities that had been left behind.'” 

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Florida. Richard Fausset of the New York Times: A University of Florida law student named Preston Damsky, who “is also a white nationalist and antisemite..., won an academic honor after he argued in a paper that the Constitution applies only to white people.... In his capstone paper for the class, Mr. Damsky argued that the framers had intended for the phrase 'We the People,' in the Constitution’s preamble, to refer exclusively to white people. From there, he argued for the removal of voting rights protections for nonwhites, and for the issuance of shoot-to-kill orders against 'criminal infiltrators at the border.' Turning over the country to 'a nonwhite majority,' Mr. Damsky wrote, would constitute a 'terrible crime.' White people, he warned, 'cannot be expected to meekly swallow this demographic assault on their sovereignty.'... The Trump-nominated judge who taught the class, John L. Badalamenti..., [gave him] the 'book award,' which designated him as the best student in the class.” Emphasis added. Read on. Thank you to Akhilleus for the link. Since also his comments (there are two) in yesterday's thread. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: We have a federal judge, confirmed by the Senate, who is, at the least, a white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer. I'd suggest that Hakeem Jeffries put "Impeach Badalamenti" on his to-do list for the next time Democrats take control of the House. No use asking Bible Mike to do it; he's one of those "Christians" who hang pictures in their living rooms depicting Norwegian Jesus. 

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Texas, et al. Why Is Separation of Church & State So Hard for Rubes to Understand? Jim Vertuno of the AP: “Texas will require all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments under a new law that will make the state the nation’s largest to attempt to impose such a mandate. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Saturday that he signed the bill, which is expected to draw a legal challenge from critics who consider it an unconstitutional violation of the separation of church and state. A similar law in Louisiana was blocked when a federal appeals court ruled Friday that it was unconstitutional. Arkansas also has a similar law that has been challenged in federal court. The Texas measure easily passed in the Republican-controlled state House and Senate in the legislative session that ended June 2.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I would hazard a guess that quite a number of the rubes who voted for these state Ten Commandment laws are Baptists. I'll own that there are Baptists and Baptists, but they do share similar theologies. And today's rubes -- who don't know much of anything anyhow -- might be surprised to learn -- not that they're capable of learning much -- that an early articulation of the doctrine of "separation of church and state" was made by then-President Thomas Jefferson in a reply to a plea from the Danbury (Connecticut) Baptists who were mightily concerned about their religious freedom. Jefferson assured them that the "separation of church and state" as declared by "the whole American people" meant that the state could not establish some other religion nor prohibit them from practicing theirs. That is, those dimwitted Baptists in Texas & elsewhere who are trying to impose their religion on others are able to practice that Baptist religion only because the Constitution embraced by "the whole American people" guarantees Baptists their freedom from the imposition of any state religion on Baptists -- and the rest of us.   

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Canada/E.U. Gonna Get Along Without You Now. CTV News: “A security and defence partnership pact Prime Minister Mark Carney will sign with European leaders in Brussels on Monday will be among the most wide-ranging agreements with a third country Europe has ever reached, a senior EU official said on Friday. Carney is flying to Europe Sunday for a Canada — EU Summit, planned for Monday evening with European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. At the G7 summit in Alberta on Monday von der Leyen confirmed that the agreement will be signed on Monday in Brussels, calling Canada a 'key partner.' 'This is also a moment where we can strengthen Canada’s role in Europe’s rapidly evolving defence architecture,' said Von der Leyen on June 16.... Carney has been clear that he intends to expand Canada’s ties with Europe as its relationship with the United States strains under the weight of tariffs and threats of annexation.” Thanks to RAS for the link.