Anatomy of a debacle
How Netanyahu sold Trump a war, Erdogan broke the plan, and Washington rushed into a ceasefire before the oil clock ran out
This Week in the World Affairs Brief
WILL THE AGREEMENT WITH IRAN HOLD UP?
President Trump signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or “Strategic Framework Agreement” with Iran on Wednesday. Trump signed it in France where he was attending the G7 Summit. The MOU was signed electronically at the Palace of Versailles with cameras rolling, and filmed so that it could be transmitted to the Iranians who did the same with their signing. The framework agreement sets a 60 day time limit, wherein the MOU is to be transformed into a final deal. The White House has released the text of the 14-point plan which opens the Strait of Hormuz without tolls, removes the US blockade of Iranian ports and lays out broad commitments aimed at restraining Iran’s nuclear program. So far, it doesn’t require Iran to give up its ballistic missile program, a major setback for Trump’s original demands. The biggest threat to the deal turns out to be Israel, which refuses to abide by Iran’s demand in the deal that Israel stop attacking Lebanon, and withdraw from its occupation of S. Lebanon. Trump has expressed considerable displeasure with PM Netanyahu over Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, but it is doubtful Trump has the determination to threaten Israel with a cutoff of military aid if Netanyahu continues to sabotage the US/Iran deal. Israel may even have blackmail on Trump through the still-concealed Epstein files. I’ll cover all of these stories and more in this week’s important brief. To receive a free one-time sample of this Brief, click on Request a sample on the left.
Also:
- Israel Already Trying to Scuttle Trump’s Iran Deal
- Russia Losing the War in Ukraine
- Preparedness Tip: Shelter Sleeping Options
Daily News
Trump scolds Netanyahu at G7 summit: ‘I feel bad for Lebanon’
Trump, speaking at a press conference as the summit concluded, said Netanyahu “gets a little excited sometimes” and that the two men had a “little dispute” over Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israel-Hezbollah Agree To Ceasefire After Clashes Stall Opening Round Of US-Iran Nuclear Talks
Israel and Hezbollah Agree To Ceasefire Opening Round Of US-Iran Nuclear Talks Postponed After Israel-Lebanon Clashes Erupt
Gabbard Drops Fauci COVID-19 Receipts On Last Day: He Funded The Research, Cooked The Cover Story, Then Lied To Congress
So, he lied. According to a statement released with the files, "Fauci worked with politicized career leadership in the Intelligence Community (IC) to suppress the truth about his actions, the virus’ lab-leak origins, and his role in directing U.S. funding for this dangerous research that caused immeasurable harm and countless lost lives. These documents expose Fauci’s direct role in influencing and manipulating IC assessments on COVID-19, and how Fauci lied to Congress in 2024, when under oath he denied knowledge of or participation in discussions with intelligence officials about viral research."
Russia Vows "Massive Group Strikes" On Ukraine After Drone Swarm Attack On Refinery
On Thursday, 200 Ukrainian suicide drones swarmed Gazprom's Moscow Refinery in what military observers are calling Kyiv's most brazen offensive of the four-year war to date. Footage from the southeastern outskirts of the city showed the drone swarm attack and the resulting columns of black smoke billowing from the heavily damaged refinery and storage tank farms.
Senate Unanimously Passes Resolution to Condemn CCP Leader Xi Jinping
“There is no greater threat to America’s way of life, peace, and prosperity in the world than Xi Jinping and the CCP,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who introduced the resolution earlier this month, told the Senate before the vote. “Xi Jinping hates us. Communist China wants to destroy us. He is not a partner. He is not a competitor. He is a brutal dictator leading a criminal organization that lies, cheats, steals, exploits slave labor, and commits genocide and crimes against humanity on an industrial scale.”
Removing AI Spyware From Your Google Account
You could say that Google is always watching you. This is their profit model: watching and selling you ads, watching and selling your profile. It’s why they’re so rich. But it seems, at least for now, that turning smart features off in your Gmail and Google Workspace account means AI is no longer used to power those feature, and indeed is turned off. In addition, as of this writing, Google claims that Gmail smart features is not a backdoor way of training its AI. At least so far.
Signing the Framework: Iran’s Doctrine of Peace While Preparing for War.
The American-Iranian framework may have ended the war, but it has not ended Iran’s preparations for the next one. To many outside observers, this appears contradictory. Why would a country that has just signed an agreement simultaneously keep its missiles, military plans and command structures on high readiness? Yet from Tehran’s perspective, there is no contradiction at all. The recent conflict has reinforced a lesson Iranian leaders have long embraced: diplomacy without deterrence is vulnerable, while deterrence without diplomacy is costly. The framework therefore represents not the replacement of military readiness but its political extension.
FISA Has Become the Very Abuse It Was Created to Prevent
In practice, however, Americans who communicate with those foreign targets are swept into the dragnet through what the government euphemistically calls “incidental collection.” There is nothing incidental about it.
Daughters of the American Revolution to Vote on Definition of ‘Woman’ Amid Criticism of Transgender Policy
“Our founders would never have anticipated men believing they are women would join a women’s only organization,” she explained. “The current membership application has us attest to the fact that we are biological women. We hope to restore our Society to what our founding daughters intended.”
US Officials Reveal Memorandum of Understanding to End Iran War
Iran to immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz without tolls during a 60-day period of negotiations. Iran has also agreed to, at a minimum, downblend its stockpile of enriched uranium. The deal allows for potential future economic relief if Iran responds favorably to the United States’ demands. The agreement would also allow Iran to sell its oil without restrictions. The deal provides for a 60-day window for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump Admits US Was Weeks Away From "Running Out Of Reserves" When Iran Deal Struck
President Trump's comment at the tail end of the G7 press conference about rapidly depleting crude reserves may have been the clearest admission yet of what is really driving the urgent push for an MoU with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. "We run out of reserves in about four weeks," Trump told reporters.
Yet More Churches Torched; Sustained Attack On Christianity Gathers Pace
A 17th-century chapel in Brittany lost most of its roof and part of its framework, while a centuries-old cloister housing thousands of rare books in the southwest saw its library devastated. These blazes fit a widening pattern of attacks on churches and sacred sites that shows no sign of slowing, even as the state claims it lacks funds for preservation while directing resources elsewhere.
Iranian Tankers Cross US Naval Blockade After Trump Deal Allows Iran To Restart Oil Sales
At least three Iranian oil tankers and two cargo ships carrying essential goods broke through the US naval blockade following an accord between the countries. A large Iranian VLCC and another vessel used to transport livestock moved from open waters toward Iranian ports, the agency said. Another Iranian tanker carrying oil also crossed the Gulf of Oman toward its designated export port, Fars said, without providing further details about the destination.
Trump Calls On Putin To Reach Deal With Ukraine After Zelenskyy Meeting
Trump made these comments during his bilateral meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on the sidelines of the G7 summit. "I'm going to do whatever I can," Trump said, to end the war in Ukraine. Trump said he wants to focus on Ukraine now, saying Iran will soon be "back in the rearview mirror."
How Flash Mobs of Teens Are Taking Over Towns, Beaches
Teen takeovers started in Chicago in 2024 and became a nationwide phenomenon in 2025. They often devolve into violence.
FBI Foils Alleged Suicide Drone Plot Targeting "Capitalist Elites" At UFC White House Event
The group allegedly planned to use explosive-laden drones to hit buildings near the event, force a mass evacuation, and steer crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team. A "second wave" was then allegedly planned to storm the White House gate, according to officials. -Fox News
Flocked: "We-Don't-Track-People"-Firm Deploys Nationwide Network Of Warrantless Pedestrian-Tracking Cameras
This saga fits a familiar pattern of privatized surveillance creep: Companies like Flock build the infrastructure, police query it with minimal friction, and civil liberties erode under the banner of security. As similar systems proliferate, the question remains whether Americans are willing to accept a perpetual digital dragnet in exchange for promised safety.
RFK Jr. Warns Vaccine Committee Not 'Functioning', Asks Court To Accelerate Decision
The committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines has been paralyzed by a March ruling by a federal judge, leaving it unable to carry out work ahead of the upcoming respiratory virus season, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has warned.
Deal Doubts Arise As Lebanese, Iranian Officials Say US Must Rein In Israel To Secure Regional Peace
Iran Says Peace Deal Requires Israeli Withdrawal From Lebanon Hormuz Fears Ease As Trump, Ghalibaf Virtually Sign US-Iran Deal, But Energy Flows Remain Months From Normal
Gavin Newsom And The DOJ Probe Opened Under Biden: Behested Payments, Family Nonprofits, & Questions Of Influence
One transaction stands out. The Washington Free Beacon reported that Newsom asked a Native American tribe to make two separate $500,000 donations to the California Partners Project. Contemporaneously, he took that tribe's side in a dispute with another tribe over a proposed casino. The juxtaposition of large directed donations to a family-linked nonprofit coinciding with favorable official action has fueled questions about whether donors with business before the state were effectively paying for access or goodwill through the governor's wife's charity.
Women Report Being Tricked and Bullied Into Taking Abortion Pills
With chemical abortion pills now readily available by mail, some pro-life advocates say abusive partners may misuse access to pressure pregnant women.
Thune Signals Senate Will Pursue Stand-Alone FISA Renewal Despite Trump’s Demands
Asked whether he was concerned Trump could veto a stand-alone renewal, Thune said he hoped the president would ultimately support restoring the authority. “I certainly would hope if we can get FISA off the floor, he would sign it,” Thune said.
Hardline Israeli Politicians Livid Over Iran Deal, Want Netanyahu Out So They Can Do 'Real Regime Change'
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett didn’t mince words on Monday: the clock for regime change in Iran starts ticking the moment Israel gets a new government.
US, Iran Reach Deal to End Conflict, Trump Authorizes Reopening of Strait of Hormuz
“Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” Sharif wrote on X moments before Trump confirmed the plan.
Trump Details Iran Deal At G7: No Nukes, Conditional Sanctions Relief
Iran will not have a nuclear weapon under the new deal. The agreement includes strong policing and enforcement powers. Past U.S. payments to Iran were a failed bribe attempt. Sanctions relief will only happen if Iran complies with terms. Iran gets no money or relief just for signing the deal. Trump: Ships starting to move through strait or Hormuz Vice President JD Vance Begins Optics Roadshow to Boost Investor Confidence On Deal Iran Offers 60-Day Toll-Free Hormuz Transit As 100s Of Ships Await Reopening
US Gas Prices Slip Below Politically Sensitive $4 Level For First Time In Months
Looking at WTI crude futures and the AAA national average for gasoline, the implied decline suggests gas prices at the pump could tumble toward $3.75 by mid-summer.
'Manufactured Story': Hegseth Goes Off In CBS Interview On Crisis Of US Arms Stockpiles
“You testified under oath that it would take years to rebuild those stockpiles,” Brennan emphasized. "You don’t have to read back to me what I testified," Hegseth shot back. "I speculated some munitions take more time than others. We’ve got lots of them, we’re building more than ever before. The Biden administration gave away hundreds of billions to Ukraine. And so President Trump had to refill, and he has, and we have in real time."
UK Government Has A ‘Thought Police’ Unit To Control Mass Migration Narrative
Former MI6 operatives caught briefing police to brand concerned citizens as “unsympathetic thugs”
UK Intercepts 'Russian Shadow' Fleet Vessel in Unprecedented English Channel Commando Boarding
According to the UK Ministry of Defense, it was a six-hour operation and a massive display of force involving a flotilla of navy vessels - including the frigate HMS Sutherland - and a fleet of aircraft, most notably heavy-lift Chinook helicopters. The target has since been identified as the Smyros - a vessel allegedly flying under the radar in an effort to bypass Western embargoes.