- Friday August 7th, 2026
- "It Is Not A Question of Who Is Right Or Wrong But What Is Right Or Wrong That Counts."
- --Geoff Metcalf
- Providing an on line Triage of the news since 1998
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Please consider listening to it and encouraging others to do so too.
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World & Nation
A Deal With Iran Over Hormuz May Require a Compromise From Trump
To reach a deal with Iran that reopens the economically vital Strait of
Hormuz, President Donald Trump may need to do something out of
character — compromise.
"He divides the world into winners and losers, and this would make him
a loser," said Eliot Cohen, who served as counselor of the State
Department in the George W. Bush administration. "And the image of
being a loser, I think, would be intolerable for him."
The sticking point has been over control of the Strait of Hormuz,
through which 20% of the world's oil normally flows. While both sides
say a deal is close, the Trump administration has ruled out any
arrangement that would cement Iran's grip over the Persian Gulf
waterway, including Tehran charging fees.
Something strange happened in Tehran within hours: The deal was postponed, then declared to be in its final stage instead
Iran Keeps Pouring Cold Water On A Deal - But Does It Matter? - Iran
has once again thrown efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz into
disarray, publicly disputing Washington’s description of how
negotiations are progressing only hours after the U.S. suggested that
an agreement could be announced as soon as Wednesday, August 5.
The most recent confusion arose when Axios reported early today, citing
two regional sources and a U.S. official, that Iran, Oman, and the
United States were close to finalizing a new 60-day interim arrangement
governing the passage of commercial traffic through the Strait of
Hormuz.
Iranian state-linked media, however, subsequently reported that the
Iran-Oman agreement had been postponed, blaming American interference
and President Donald Trump’s military threats.
The Islamic regime also reportedly took umbrage with Washington’s
attempts to characterize itself as a party to the negotiations.
Ex-Obama, Biden diplomat blasts former boss’ border failures: 'They woke up too late'
Salazar argues neglect of Mexico and failure to communicate strategy handed Trump his strongest political issue
Former Cabinet secretary and U.S. Ambassador
to Mexico Ken Salazar says the Biden administration "woke up too late"
to address the border crisis, arguing its failure to prioritize Mexico
and effectively communicate its strategy helped hand President Donald
Trump one of his strongest political issues.
Salazar, whose family has lived in the southwest since it was part of
Mexico, laid out in his new book "Borderlands" how America’s foreign
policy is too often on an "east-west paradigm" looking to Asia and
Europe and neglecting Mexico and the Americas. He also argued that same
mindset plagued the Biden administration, leaving it overly focused on
Europe and Asia while neglecting Mexico and the Western Hemisphere.
"From day one, there should have been a great sense of urgency in
addressing the crisis of a broken border and the migration crisis that
we are seeing," Salazar said, arguing the Biden White House lacked both
a comprehensive strategy and a coherent communications operation,
creating what he described as a communications vacuum that Republicans
filled.
Russia could attack NATO, allied country as early as this fall, US intelligence warns
Russian President Vladimir Putin may test the NATO alliance’s strength
with an attack on an allied country as early as fall — including a
possible land invasion, according to new US intelligence reports.
The reports on the potential of a limited assault, which could range
from a cyber attack to a military incursion, come as the US deals with
a shortage of critical munitions it would need to respond to such an
attack from Russia or China, US officials told the Wall Street Journal.
An attack is estimated to happen between this fall and 2029, the intelligence assessment warned.
Putin’s goal of an attack on a NATO nation is to force the US’s hand and fracture the 77-year-old alliance.
Secret ‘Oxferd Comma’ probe cast Trump as potential Russian asset after Comey firing
The investigation, codenamed 'Oxferd Comma,' opened after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May 2017
Article III Project president Mike Davis discusses the DOJ subpoena of
former FBI Director James Comey in an investigation into a ‘grand
conspiracy’ to undermine Trump’s presidency on 'The Ingraham Angle.'
The White House released a trove of documents showing that the FBI
opened a 2017 investigation into whether President Donald Trump was
acting on behalf of or under the influence of Russia when he fired FBI
Director James Comey.
The investigation, codenamed "Oxferd Comma," opened after Trump fired
Comey in May 2017, according to the White House’s release.
Investigators sought to determine whether Trump was "directed by,
controlled by, and/or coordinated activities with, the Russian
Federation in a manner constituting a threat to the national security
of the United States and/or a violation of federal criminal statutes,"
according to an FBI memo dated May 16, 2017. The memo also said
investigators would examine whether Trump or others had obstructed or
conspired to obstruct an associated FBI investigation.
Saudi Arabia bracing for possible coordinated attack from Iranian allies in Iraq, Yemen: report
Houthi activists stand on a platform
against a banner depicting Houthi missiles, at an anti-Saudi rally in
Sanaa, Yemen, on July 31, 2026.
Saudi Arabia is expecting imminent attacks from Iraqi militias in the
north and Yemen’s Houthis in the south under the direction of Iran’s
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a report said.
A senior Saudi official told Reuters that intelligence reports from
Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and other countries indicated that energy
infrastructure, ports and airports are among the potential targets.
The official added that Saudi Arabia has observed drones and missiles
being moved in preparation, suggesting a coordinated operation from
both directions could be looming.
Saudi Arabia is ready to respond to “any aggression,” the official also told Reuters.
Trump's DOJ henchman has strong warning for Jeanine Pirro after crossing the president
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche pointedly declined to guarantee
Jeanine Pirro's job on Wednesday, reminding reporters that President
Trump can sack any US attorney he chooses.
'If President Trump wanted to fire anybody within his administration,
he understands he has the power to do that,' Blanche said when asked
about the row. 'So when he makes a decision about whether to fire a US
attorney or anybody else, that's his call.'
Trump erupted on Monday after learning that Pirro's office had dropped
charges against protesters arrested in June over the vandalism of the
Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool.
Blanche insisted she was doing a 'phenomenal job.'
Vladimir Putin just got handed an impossible choice: Guard the nuclear launch sites, or leave Moscow and St. Petersburg exposed
The War in Ukraine Continues Its Incessant Transformations - The
original war in Ukraine was supposed to be executed quickly by Russia
in a blitzkrieg style with combined arms in the air and on the ground.
It quickly bogged down due to Ukrainian anti-tank missiles and
loitering munitions that created a graveyard of Russian tanks and
armored personnel carriers.
Then both sides dug in. Trench warfare ensued. Multiple-launch rocket
systems and old-fashioned field artillery belched death and
destruction. This created a stalemate. First-person drones and kamikaze
unmanned craft took out individual soldiers and created a killing field
not seen since World War One.
Now the war has shifted again. Ukraine and Russia are going after
civilian targets. Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces have attacked energy
infrastructure, creating gasoline shortages that have made the Russians
furious as they wait in long lines. Plus, Ukrainian air raids have
eliminated warehouses belonging to Russia’s top online retailer — an
Amazon-like company that also sells dual-use civilian-military
equipment.
Sen. Cassidy Backs Todd Blanche for Attorney General
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said Friday he will back Todd
Blanche's nomination as attorney general, likely paving the way for
Blanche to be confirmed to lead President Donald Trump's Justice
Department.
The Louisiana senator announced his support on the Senate floor after
Blanche's confirmation was thrown into doubt over opposition from two
other Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins
of Maine.
Cassidy said Blanche “is not perfect” but no one is, and he suggested another nominee may not be any better.
“I will vote for Mr. Blanche,” he said.
Trump defends Pete Hegseth after report he lashed out at war secretary: ‘One of my best’
President Trump expressed full-throated support for War Secretary Pete
Hegseth Thursday – a day after a report claimed the president accused
the Pentagon chief of misleading him about the state of America’s arms
stockpile.
“I think he’s actually one of my best,” Trump said of Hegseth, in an
interview with NBC News Thursday. “I’m very good at this stuff.”
Six months into the Iran war, and with the critical midterm elections
fast approaching, the president gave no indication that he plans to
shake things up at the Pentagon.
“Smart guy,” Trump said of Hegseth. “He’s very much into it. Respected by the military.”
Trump Unveils China Trade Actions on Solar, Chips
The White House imposed a series of price floors and a 15% tariff on
products made from polysilicon, the raw material used in semiconductors
and solar panels that is primarily produced by China.
U.S. President Donald Trump's proclamation under Section 232 of the
Trade Expansion Act of 1962 on Thursday is aimed at supporting
domestic chip and solar supply chains needed to compete with Beijing
on artificial intelligence and energy.
"The plan of action in this proclamation will, among other things, help
ensure the commercial viability of United States production of
polysilicon and its derivatives that is necessary to meet United States
economic and national security requirements," the order said.
Rep. Dan Meuser: Fraud Nears $1 Trillion
Government fraud equaling as much as 15% of overall spending "is just
the tip of the iceberg," Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., told Newsmax on Friday.
Meuser, appearing on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," said the scale of
fraud involving taxpayer dollars could approach $1 trillion as the
Trump administration and congressional Republicans push for tougher
enforcement.
"The fraud is extensive," Meuser said. "It literally could be as much
as 10 to 15% of our overall spend. That gets into the neighborhood of
almost $1 trillion."
Appeals Court Blocks Trump's $400 Million White House Ballroom Project
A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ordered President Donald Trump's
administration to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom on the
site of the White House's demolished East Wing, dealing the Republican
leader a major setback in a case testing his presidential authority.
The Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit in a divided 2-1 order upheld a preliminary injunction won by
the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued last year
after the administration tore down the East Wing and began building a
90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-meter) ballroom without seeking
authorization from Congress.
The appeals court placed its ruling on hold for 14 days to allow the
Trump administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump
appealed after U.S. District Judge Richard Leon twice blocked
above-ground construction on the site while allowing underground work
to continue.
Fauci's contempt of Congress is challengeable, but not his contempt for the public
Fauci invoked his right to remain silent 111 times despite holding a sweeping presidential pardon from Joe Biden
By Jonathan Turley
"Today I am the most famous and talked-about person in the country."
Those words from the diary of Dr. Anthony Fauci are certainly true as
the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental
Affairs moves forward with holding him in contempt for refusing to
answer over a hundred questions about his past conduct and statements
as the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases.
The contempt vote will start a process that is fraught with political
and legal challenges. Even putting aside the objections to the direct
referral from the Committee to the Justice Department (rather than
submit the matter to a full Senate vote), there remain serious
questions about whether Fauci can be held in contempt after invoking
his right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment. As I have
previously stated, this area is rather murky and Fauci likely has the
advantage in any litigation.
At the outset, it is important to note that Fauci always faced a risk
of perjury in his prior appearances. Even if immunized, a witness can
always be prosecuted for false statements. Fauci is in a much stronger
position today than he was in prior hearings due to the sweeping pardon
he received from former President Joe Biden. Yet, he suddenly decided
to remain silent when his own words came back to contradict him.
Gavin Newsom’s rush to embrace Abdul El-Sayed makes me sick to my stomach
By Jon Fleischman
When the dust settled Wednesday morning, Abdul El-Sayed had narrowly
won Michigan’s Democratic nomination for the United States Senate.
Gavin Newsom did not need much time to think about it.
As soon as El-Sayed was declared the winner, Newsom endorsed him. And
now, just days later, California’s governor is preparing to head to
Michigan for a multiday campaign swing supporting the Democratic ticket.
The trip reportedly was planned before the primary. Fair enough. But
Newsom embraced El-Sayed without a word of qualification and with no
apparent concern about the radical position his party’s newest Senate
nominee has taken toward Jews and toward Israel.
