Free Republic

President Donald Trump proclaimed on Tuesday that talks with Iran were not happening, a direct contradiction to his own son-in-law and top negotiator Jared Kushner, who said a day earlier that the negotiations were ongoing. “There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the president posted to Truth Social on Tuesday. “The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” But Trump’s post may have been news to Kushner,...

President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice threw in the towel in its attempt to prosecute David Hearn for allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, but the White House is now asking them to try again, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. White House officials are now asking the DOJ to “consider a new prosecution” of Hearn, citing sources “familiar with the discussions,” the Journal reported. Any attempt to bring new charges “would be highly unusual,” the article noted, because the U.S. Attorney Office for the District of Columbia, headed by Jeanine Pirro, already admitted it...

CNN’s Harry Enten took a deep dive into “all the red flags” popping up for Democrats, who were widely believed to be poised to sweep the November midterms. snip “Take a look here. Republicans at this point, $657 million! My goodness gracious, that’s why I’m talking about these bills, right?” Enten said. “While the Democrats, only about $334 million — only about half the level of Republicans. And, of course, cash is what makes the world go round in politics.” snip Enten took a look at Democratic net favorability. “Back in 2018 when Democrats were able to take control of...

Former Republicans Majorie Taylor Greene and Tucker Carlson are apparently serious about their plans to launch a new political party — and they’ve got some help too. Greene posted a picture on Saturday of her and her new husband Brian Glenn sitting at a wooden table headed by Carlson, who was flanked by lame duck Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and another ex-fan of President Donald Trump: Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center who quit earlier this year in protest of the Iran war. Massie and Kent’s wife are also seated at the table. Everyone appears to...

President Donald Trump insisted Russia and China are “not participating” in the Iran war. The president made the declaration Friday in a Truth Social post. The post included Trump claimed he is doing “very big favors” for Chinese President Xi Jingping: "President Xi, at our recent meeting in Beijing, China, told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran — And that statement included Chinese Companies. Considering our relationship, I take him at his word and, besides, l am doing him very big favors, also. Likewise, President [Vladimir] Putin, despite...

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) pressed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in a testy exchange on Iran and the state of the Strait of Hormuz. At a Tuesday Senate hearing, Kennedy questioned both Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. John D. Caine on the Strait as tensions have escalated between the United States and Iran with the U.S. launching days of strikes and Iran continuing to target ships in the Strait. “Will they put tolls on the Strait?” Kennedy asked Caine. “I don’t know, sir. That’s a decision that’s a hypothetical and will depend on what happens in the...

President Donald Trump took back his 20% fee on all cargo transported through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, some twenty-four hours after first making the surprise announcement. In yet another yo-yo move of his tariff and trade policy, Trump claimed that he will replace the transit fee on the Strait with “trade and investment deals” for individual countries using the key energy hub. “Oil is flowing like never before, thanks to the awesome Power of the United States Military. A special salute to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, and Commander...

On Wednesday via X, Donald Trump Jr. alleged that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) — an ally of President Donald Trump — is “lying thru his teeth” with his recent comments on the administration’s memorandum of understanding with Iran. Speaking with The Daily Wire on Wednesday, Cruz said of the deal to end the conflict in the region: What has been released so far suggests that, unfortunately, the president is getting, I think, very poor advice when it comes to this deal. History teaches that giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is a bad idea....

CNN’s Jake Tapper delivered a blockbuster report about the United States’ ongoing military operation in Iran after a private interview with President Donald Trump on Monday. Anchor Kate Bolduan paused an interview with John Bolton to allow Tapper to call in before asking her colleague about his conversation with the president. “I just got off the phone with President Trump. It was a nine-minute phone interview, and we talked just about the war in Iran. I’m going to share some of it with you right now. The president said, quote, ‘We’re knocking the crap out of them. I think it’s...

President Donald Trump has deleted a controversial video that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. Thursday evening, Trump posted a video with baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 election that included a short clip at the end of the Obamas’ faces superimposed on apes’ bodies. The video was furiously criticized by members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, members of the media, and other political commentators as racist. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the post as simply sharing an “Internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of...

Paul addressed federal officials’ claims that Pretti posed a threat to ICE officers.... I saw no evidence of him assaulting the police,” Paul said. “The president’s advisor, Stephen Miller, called Pretti an assassin. That’s a lot of people–not telling the truth,” Pelley added. Paul shook his head at Miller’s statement and added, “It sounds like terrible judgment. I mean, terrible conclusions, incorrect conclusions, stating things that no one else believes.

Former Capitol Police Officer Michael Fanone confronted a MAGA election denier to his face at a Thursday congressional hearing for former Special Counsel Jack Smith. Former Capitol Police officer Michael Fanone confronted a MAGA election denier to his face at a Thursday congressional hearing at which former special counsel Jack Smith testified.At Thursday’s hearing, Fanone, who was at the Capitol on duty during the January 6 riot, was filmed during a break confronting Ivan Raiklin. At one point, Fanone was held back by multiple people, including fellow former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn. Raiklin is a 2020 election conspiracy theorist...

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre replied Monday to President Donald Trump’s highly controversial letter linking his desire to acquire Greenland to being snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is given out by a committee of five chosen by the Norwegian parliament. “I can confirm that this is a text message that I received yesterday afternoon from President Trump. It came in response to a short text message from me to President Trump sent earlier on the same day, on behalf of myself and the President of Finland Alexander Stubb,” Støre replied, adding: "In our message to Trump we...