Free Republic

The U.S. military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two U.S. officials told Reuters, in what could become a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries. The disclosure by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the diplomacy underway between the United States and Iran. U.S. and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week in an effort to revive diplomacy over Tehran's nuclear program, after Trump amassed military forces in the...

A federal grand jury refused to hand up an indictment Tuesday against six Democratic lawmakers accused by President Trump of “seditious behavior” this past fall. DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro led the failed effort to indict Reps. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chris Deluzi (D-Pa.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) and Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) over a video posted on social media this past November urging members of the military and intelligence community to “refuse illegal orders.” *** Slotkin, who previously accused Trump of “directing the FBI to target us” and “weaponizing the federal government” against...

A notable number of Republican lawmakers broke sharply with the White House on Friday after President Trump posted — and later deleted — a video on social media that included a clip of former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama depicted as apes. Republicans have generally been careful about voicing criticisms of Trump, and Friday’s episode began with a more typical partisan line, with Democrats quick to condemn the video as racist. But then Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) — a close Trump ally and the only Black Republican in the Senate — soon joined them, paving the way...

The White House deleted a meme video posted on President Trump’s Truth Social that depicted former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, as apes — after a prominent GOP senator called the clip the “most racist thing I’ve seen” and demanded it be taken down. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially defended the post and accused critics of fomenting “fake outrage” — but the video was taken down a little before noon Friday. A White House official added that a staffer had “erroneously made the post. It has been taken down.” Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the highest-ranking black...

@RepThomasMassie The President of the United States called me a moron at the National Prayer Breakfast this morning because I’m still fighting for what he promised the American people: Reduce big spending, DOGE, no new wars, end foreign aid, defend 1A 2A 4A, prolife, and expose sex traffickers.

Donald Trump has sparked fresh outrage in the UK after saying Nato troops stayed "a little off the front lines" during the war in Afghanistan. Labour MP Emily Thornberry, the chair of the foreign affairs committee, called it an "absolute insult" to the 457 British service personnel killed in the conflict, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: "How dare he question their sacrifice?" Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who served in Afghanistan, said it was "sad to see our nation's sacrifice, and that of our Nato partners, held so cheaply". The UK was among several allies to join the...

Donald Trump was "wrong to diminish the role of troops, including British forces" in Afghanistan, Downing Street has said. The prime minister's official spokesperson told political lobby journalists: "Trump was wrong in diminishing sacrifice as part of NATO in Afghanistan." "The president was wrong to diminish the role of troops, including British forces". "457 British personnel were killed in Afghanistan, more wounded. Many suffered life changing injuries, their sacrifice and others were made in service of security and in response to an attack on an ally," they said. The spokesperson said Sir Keir Starmer was very proud of service personnel...

Summary UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Donald Trump's remarks about British troops in Afghanistan are "insulting and frankly appalling" "If I had misspoken in that way - or said those words - I would certainly apologise," he says. The US president's comments have sparked outrage among UK veterans and politicians. The UK was among several allies to join the US in Afghanistan from 2001, after it invoked Nato's collective security clause following the 9/11 terror attacks - 457 British service personnel were killed in the conflict Corporal Andy Reid, who served in Afghanistan, tells the BBC Trump's claim is...

@RepThomasMassie Ouch, I thought Switzerland was neutral territory !

@ShadowofEzra Lindsey Graham is going viral after appearing drained and miserable, looking deeply disappointed as reports spread that President Trump refused to bomb Iran. Graham is considered one of the most corrupt politicians in Congress today.

Summary President Donald Trump insists the US needs Greenland for "national security", adding that anything less than American control of the territory is "unacceptable" It comes as US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers in the White House Trump's demands to take control of the island have been rejected by Greenland's leaders and Nato member Denmark, of which the island is a semi-autonomous territory European powers have thrown their support behind Danish sovereignty over Greenland The Danish military says it's boosting its presence in Greenland in "close cooperation with Nato...

Denmark and the US are stuck in a 'fundamental disagreement' over Greenland after leaders from both countries met for talks in Washington earlier today. Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the meeting with vice president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio was 'frank but also constructive' but admitted work was needed to 'find a common way forward'. 'The discussions focused on how to ensure the long-term security in Greenland, and here our perspectives continue to differ,' Mr Rasmussen told reporters after joining Greenland's foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, for the talks. 'I must say the president has made...

More than 2,000 people have been killed during the violent crackdown by security forces on protests in Iran, a human rights group has said, as President Trump promised Iranians that help was "on its way". The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that it had so far confirmed the killing of 1,850 protesters, 135 people affiliated with the government and nine uninvolved civilians as well as nine children over the last 17 days despite an internet blackout. An Iranian official also told Reuters that 2,000 people had been killed but that "terrorists" were to blame. Trump said Iranian...

@LindseyGrahamSC Mr. President: your decisive leadership in isolating this regime economically through your actions today are most impressive. Your promise to have the protestors’ back and put the regime on notice that you will not tolerate the killing has led to the largest outpouring of demonstrators against this fanatical regime since its founding. Mr. President: I believe the Iranian regime has crossed red lines. They are killing their people in large numbers and mocking your leadership. It is now time to take decisive military action — no boots on the ground – going after those who do the killing. Make...

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers will visit Denmark this week as President Donald Trump threatens a takeover of Greenland, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark that hosts a US airbase. The delegation will be led by Democratic Senator Chris Coons and will include Republican Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Dick Durbin, along with several members of the House of Representatives, Coons’ office said in a statement on Monday.

The mention of President Donald Trump's two impeachments and his role in the January 6 Capitol attack has been removed from a Smithsonian. In the 'America's Presidents' exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, an updated portrait of Trump has been hung, this time without a wordy display. The White House shared the new image, shot by White House photographer Daniel Torok, over the weekend. In it, Trump stands imposingly over the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. Alongside it, two medallions tell visitors that Trump served as the 45th and now 47th president, and that's it. Two other Trump...

The move by the five GOP senators to curtail Trump’s powers as commander in chief represents one of the biggest schisms between the Senate Republican Conference and the White House during the president’s first year of his second term. The votes enraged Trump, who lashed out at Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), one of the five Republicans, in a “profanity-laced” phone call after she supported the measure, reading her the riot act, according to one source. The Senate will vote this week on a motion to proceed to the war powers resolution and spend a chunk of the week debating it....

Summary At least 648 protesters have been killed in an ongoing crackdown against anti-government demonstrations in Iran, a human rights group says Norway-based group Iran Human Rights warns the death toll could be far higher, but a nationwide communications blackout is making it difficult to verify information Earlier, Donald Trump said the US was considering "very strong options" to intervene in the country, after previously warning he would act if protesters were killed Following Trump's comments, Iran's supreme leader accuses the US of "deceit" and relying on "treacherous mercenaries", while praising state-organised pro-government rallies Trump must now decide whether to...

Trump administration officials are set to meet with Danish officials about Greenland on Wednesday, diplomatic sources tell CBS News. The meeting, which has not been officially announced, comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress last week that President Trump is interested in purchasing the Danish territory. The White House also said Tuesday officials are discussing a wide range of options for acquiring Greenland, including using the U.S. military to take it by force. While Rubio had downplayed the threat of military force in his remarks to reporters, Mr. Trump doubled down on the possibility Friday, saying, "I would...

President Donald Trump is set to be briefed by top aides this week as he plots out the level of his response to the Iranian regime's brutal crackdown against citizen-led protests. Trump's top military and diplomatic staffers, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine, are anticipated to be present at the meeting, per the Wall Street Journal. The meeting comes as Trump is understood to be considering further US involvement in the region, but no final decisions are expected to emerge until after Tuesday's scheduled meeting. Putting U.S. troops'...