As you read here or elsewhere earlier today, the sitting president of these United States informed the Supreme Leader of Iran that the only reason that his head was still attached to his shoulders is because he, Donald Trump, had decided to spare his life. This is beyond description that a head of state would talk to another head of state this way, but we have reached yet a new bottom. And make no mistake, this elevator is bottomless. Once Trump gets to the center of the earth, I have no doubt that he’ll keep going and come out the other end of the world. And then I guess he’ll blast through space to the moon, like that Melies masterpiece from 1902, where the man in the moon has a rocket in his eye. Lev Parnas explains that Trump is so addled that “he believes he controls the outcome of war” and the fate of other heads of state. Iran is not having any of it.
IRAN WARNS: “WE WILL UNVEIL OUR REAL CAPABILITIES”
Iran’s leadership issued a blistering statement following Trump’s threats:
“If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader.”
They warned that illusions lead to devastating mistakes — and threatened to “END any delusion about the power of Iran.” The regime claims that during recent escalations, Israel had “no choice but to run to Daddy,” mocking Trump’s influence over Middle East conflict.
This isn’t posturing. It’s escalation.
THE VOLCANO IS ERUPTING — ON MULTIPLE FRONTS
While Iran issues threats and Trump celebrates destruction, Russia is moving too. As I’m writing this letter, Putin’s forces are launching an onslaught on residential areas in Ukraine, with fresh missile assaults reported across Odessa. The attacks are brutal and ongoing — targeting civilian zones, homes, and critical infrastructure.
At the same time, Trump is reigniting his pressure campaign to absorb Canada into what his inner circle calls “State 51.” Just today, Trump abruptly cut off all trade talks with Canada.
Meanwhile, my sources confirm that a Russian delegation quietly visited the United States just 48 hours ago. It was barely mentioned in the press.
If Parnas is right about this, it is getting very little press. There is no official Russian delegation meeting with Trump. The BBC reports that Ukraine and Russia negotiated on the subject of prisoners of war about three weeks ago and that involved the United States. But I daresay that Parnas has contacts that are reliable. It is ridiculous on a certain level that we’re even having this conversation and wondering why, if Trump is meeting with a Russian delegation, this would be some obscure story.
But connecting the dots and speculating: Trump is insulting Iran, Putin just met with the Foreign Minister of Iran in Moscow this past week. The Foreign Minister thanked Putin for his support and for “being on the right side of history.” Putin has Trump by the leash so who knows what under the table deals might be going on that we know nothing about?
But what is not speculative is that Trump is pulling on the tail of a tiger by addressing Khamenei like he was a bus boy at Mar-a-Lago. That is absolutely going to blow up in our faces. It’s only a question of when and where and how many Americans get hurt.
Can nobody stop this madman? The days keep going by and he keeps posting one outrageous screed after another. He felt empowered by the SCOTUS ruling today, so he felt like he could antagonize Iran. Maybe Dan Caine, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who seems to be the sanest person in this administration right now, can persuade Trump to stand down. Somebody needs to. Or the next move will be checkmate.
He’s been distorting the 400% tariff on US dairy products for years. The truth is, this tariff only kicks in when US exports to Canada exceed a certain cap, which they have never come close to doing. The tariff is there to prevent dumping, and many countries use this mechanism to shield against it.
Thanks for pointing out this oft-overlooked facet of Canada/US trade, Roger. Just another of Trumpler’s lies, to feed red meat to his goonish MAGAt base, and to justify his absurd destruction of what was once a marvelous relationship between two neighbors. Canada won’t bow to him and that appears to severely wound his fragile ego. Doesn’t take much.
The question of whether or not his self destruction will include the rest of us…my money is on yes. We need a miracle, we truly do. I love the opening scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, where Robert Redford, as the Sundance Kid, is being goaded into a gunfight while playing cards. When asked what the secret was to his winning streak, he replied, “prayer”. Sounds right to me.