The World Against Trump

The Guardian wrote on July 6:

“Fifa’s willingness to bow to the wishes of Donald Trump by lifting the suspension of the USA striker Florian Balogun for the host side’s World Cup last-16 game against Belgium was criticised strongly on Monday, with European politicians, football associations and the governing body Uefa condemning the decision. In an unprecedented intervention in the middle of a tournament, Uefa accused Fifa of crossing ‘a red line’ by making an ‘incomprehensible and unjustifiable’ decision to rescind Balogun’s automatic one-match ban, which it claimed undermined ‘the integrity of the game and the credibility of the competition’… the US president made three calls to Fifa urging an intervention after the 25-year-old was sent off…

“In a move that will reignite a long-simmering conflict with Fifa, Uefa claimed that the world governing body had ignored its own rulebook for political reasons… The Royal Belgian Football Association expressed its own ‘astonishment’ at the decision, with the national team manager, Rudi Garcia, comparing it to an April Fools’ Day joke. The RBFA has also received strong support from some of its European counterparts. The German Football Association questioned whether the outcome was the result of political interference, and said that Fifa’s credibility was at stake….

“… the England head coach, Thomas Tuchel, criticised the decision following his side’s thrilling 3-2 win against Mexico that secured their place in the last 16, where they will meet Norway in Miami on Saturday. Tuchel said: ‘Where does it end now?…’”

The new designated German coach Juergen Klopp also condemned FIFA’s decision and Trump’s involvement in the strongest terms, saying these two people (Trump and controversial FIFA president Gianni Infantino), “who know nothing about soccer,” should stay out of the game and leave it to us.

Although, objectively speaking, Balogun’s foul did not warrant a red card, Trump’s interference and the about-face by his sycophant Infantino are truly outrageous. Naturally, all of this once again damages the global reputation of the USA—Trump and FIFA lost all respect long ago anyway—as well as that of the American soccer team. Trump even admitted that he did not even know what a red card was.

Europe Must Oust Infantino—and Trump Is Intolerable

Bild Online wrote on July 6:

“It is a scandal the likes of which football has never seen! US President Donald Trump calls FIFA boss Gianni Infantino (a Swiss, Italian, and Lebanese national) and ensures that the suspension of US star Balogun—imposed following a controversial red card—is lifted so he can play in the World Cup again. There is a massive global outcry. The values ​​of the game are being trampled upon. The time for standing by and watching the FIFA boss’s shameless conduct must end now…

“The uprising must… be led by the powerful Europeans. The nations that send 60 to 70 percent of the stars to the tournament—Germany…, England, France, and Spain—along with UEFA, must join forces. Condemn Infantino’s machinations. NOW!… It is time to send a clear signal. And since Infantino is unlikely to leave voluntarily—being far too obsessed with power—UEFA should at least threaten to leave FIFA, and, if necessary, show strength and actually go through with it.

“We must not stand by and watch as the football we all love so much is taken away from us for good! The very thought of Trump and Infantino presenting the World Cup trophy after the final on July 19 is already unbearable.”

In another article, dated July 6, Bild Online commented:

“Have you lost your mind, Mr. President? Please stay out of this! As a football fan, I’m used to a lot by now—World Cups in rogue states, transfer fees completely divorced from reality. But the fact that the most powerful man in the world is now apparently interfering in the World Cup as if it were a video game really takes the cake… Is politics going to step in from now on whenever football matches don’t go the way people want?… Six months before the World Cup, Trump received a peace prize from Infantino that had been cooked up on the spur of the moment. And now, another gift between cronies?”

Wars have started over far less.

“Belgium Avenges the Football World”

Bild Online wrote on July 7:

“The football world was watching this World Cup match very closely! Belgium knocks out the last World Cup host, winning the Round of 16 match against the USA 4–1 and advancing to the quarter-finals against European champions Spain on July 10…

“For the Belgians, this success is a source of special satisfaction—the Europeans are avenging the football world!… Substitute Romelu Lukaku scores the 4–1 goal from ten meters out…—sealing the victory of retribution!”

Trump’s ridiculous stunt achieved nothing—except to once again turn the world against him. But given his incredible arrogance, he seems completely indifferent to that. Perhaps he even enjoys it. In any case, Belgium’s well-deserved victory is a case of poetic justice.

China vs. Germany

Kyiv Post wrote on July 5:

“Chinese and Russian military forces will hold joint naval and air exercises in Chinese territory this July, marking further military cooperation between the two nations, Bloomberg reported… The announcement of the Joint Sea-2026 exercises comes shortly after Germany summoned the Chinese ambassador for urgent diplomatic talks on Friday, July 3. The meeting was prompted by reports that Chinese military facilities secretly trained Russian soldiers last year.

“The German Foreign Ministry confirmed it had requested the meeting following Reuters’ revelations that the training had been personally approved by Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov… ‘Anything that enables Russia to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine also threatens our security,’ a German foreign ministry source told Reuters. ‘China’s decisive and growing support for Russia’s brutal war of aggression directly impacts our security.’

“The Chinese embassy in Germany denied the allegations, labeling them ‘entirely unfounded.’”

China, Russia, North Korea, India, Pakistan and other Far Eastern countries, including Ukraine, will form the biblical “Kings of the East.”

European Censorship and Suppression

EU News wrote on July 2:

“The Court of Justice of the European Union has clarified that the ban on disseminating content from the Russia Today (RT) channelalso applies to those who operate a website that is freely accessible to the public and funded solely by users’ voluntary contributions. The ruling stems from criminal proceedings brought in Germany against three individuals accused of repeatedly publishing videos from the RT Germany channel on a freely accessible website…

“Across the EU, ‘operators’ are not permitted to broadcast RT content following the restrictive measures adopted in the context of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine… [The Judge was] clarifying that the concept of ‘operator’ encompasses any person responsible, directly or indirectly, for making prohibited content available, even in the context of an unpaid activity. This classification does not depend on either the scope or the duration of the dissemination.

“Only this interpretation, the Court emphasises, makes it possible to prevent the spread of Russian propaganda and to protect public order and the security of the Union…”

The criminal prohibition also includes the dissemination of written articles of RT in Europe. It reminds us of the book-burning mania of the Nazis prior to and during World War II. And even citing from a RT article is prohibited if it is cited as stemming from a “valid or objective news source.”

And who is protecting us from German or European or American propaganda?

How to Keep Trump on Board of NATO?

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 4:

“NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is working to keep the alliance united and Donald Trump engaged. But disputes over burden sharing, US military commitments, and the Iran war are creating a major test for NATO unity…

“Just days before a crucial NATO summit kicks off in Ankara on July 7, Rutte was doing what has become one of, if not his most, important tasks: keeping Donald Trump on board. The summit will bring together the leaders of NATO’s 32 allied countries at a moment of growing uncertainty amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and Russia’s ongoing war with the Ukraine.

“As the US reviews its military posture in Europe, many European governments are worried about how committed Trump remains to the security alliance.

“An important part of the Ankara summit will also be to secure further support for Ukraine, including potential new billion-dollar funding pledges to strengthen the country’s defense and security.

“According to news agency AFP, NATO’s European members and Canada will pledge to give Ukraine 70 billion euros ($80 billion) in military aid both this year and next at the upcoming Ankara summit. But tensions persist among European allies about sharing the burden.”

Unpredictable!

Politico wrote on July 8:

“President Donald Trump spent his first hours at the NATO summit publicly bashing the alliance and reciting a list of grievances that had allies fearing the worst. Then he went behind closed doors and changed his tune… The president was far more positive on Wednesday, when he gave a final 30-minute speech… The shift was a notable about-face for a president who has threatened repeatedly to leave the alliance — and came after European leaders heaped praise on Trump for helping ensure allies boosted their defense spending. But those in attendance weren’t clear what specifically changed his stance….

“His remarks represented a sharp turn from his condemnations on Tuesday and Wednesday when he lambasted NATO for failing to help with the Iran war and bristled at Spain’s refusal to spend more on defense. Trump went so far as to call for the U.S. and other countries to cut ties with Spain….

“The turnaround also underscores why European leaders remain on tenterhooks around the president, who relishes his own unpredictability. America’s carefully crafted diplomatic statements are increasingly a relic and what Trump says at one meeting may not represent his views at the next… But the tension is far from settled…”

No Future for NATO

ntv wrote on July 4:

“For the former Green Foreign Minister [Joschka Fischer], the transatlantic alliance is on the verge of collapse… and, in that event, he advocates for a European alliance with its own nuclear umbrella… Fischer said the only alternative is… the Europeanization of NATO…

“However, he spoke out emphatically against a national German nuclear umbrella: ‘For historical reasons, that would be very counterproductive.’… It is only because of the US presence that no one has had to worry until now about the potential resurgence of aggressive German nationalism. ‘Without the US, the situation changes. That is why we are already facing a potential loss of trust in Germany,’ the former foreign minister warned.

“In this context, Fischer criticized the German government’s communication—such as the announcement that the Bundeswehr should become Europe’s strongest conventional army. ‘I have doubts about whether that needs to be trumpeted so loudly. We must take our neighbors’ concerns seriously. We need a sense of our history and an understanding of the reactions it triggers in others.’ What is needed, he said, is sensitive communication—something he does not currently see coming from the German government.”

Germany has never been known for sensitive communication.

Germany a Major Military Power

Caliber wrote on July 6:

“Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed Germany’s growing defence role within the alliance, saying the country is on its way to becoming a major military power…Stoltenberg also cautioned against taking NATO’s long-term future for granted, saying the alliance’s continued existence cannot be guaranteed…

“Stoltenberg said European NATO countries have begun investing more heavily in defence, pointing to Germany as a notable example…”

Insane Rearmament Spending

Cryptobriefing wrote on July 6:

“Europe just decided it’s done relying on American security guarantees. The continent’s response: borrow an almost incomprehensible amount of money and start building weapons.

“The ReArm Europe initiative, unveiled on March 4, 2025 by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, aims to mobilize nearly €800 billion across EU member states to strengthen defense capabilities through 2030. Germany, the economic engine of the continent, is at the center of this shift, reforming its constitutionally enshrined debt brake to unlock potentially €400 billion in additional defense spending.

“The €800 billion figure isn’t Germany alone borrowing that sum. It’s a pan-European mobilization effort combining national budgets, joint procurement programs, and EU-level borrowing. Of that total, roughly €150 billion will be borrowed directly at the EU level to support member states’ needs for air defense systems, missiles, and drones…

“The obvious winners are European defense contractors. Companies involved in missile production, drone manufacturing, air defense systems, and military technology are positioned to absorb a massive wave of procurement spending.”

With these weapons, millions upon millions of people will be killed.

USA Too Close to Turkey?

Israel Today wrote on July 6:

“Concerns grow in Jerusalem that Donald Trump may grant Turkey military concessions, thereby weakening Israel’s strategic position in the Middle East... The unusually harsh statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that Israel has become ‘a burden humanity can no longer bear’ is no longer being viewed in Jerusalem as merely another verbal exchange between Israel and Turkey. Rather, Israel sees it as part of a broader escalation in relations…

“Israel’s foreign policy and security establishment understands that the decisive question is no longer what Erdoğan or his foreign minister says, but what concessions Trump may grant Turkey as part of his efforts to draw Ankara closer to Washington once again.”

Trump’s Crazy Commitments Towards Turkey

ABC News wrote on July 7:

“President Donald Trump, during the first day of the NATO Summit in Ankara on Tuesday, said he will consider allowing Turkey to buy American F-35 fighter jets — despite possessing Russian-made air defense systems, which his first administration sanctioned the country for six years ago…

“In a 2020 release, Trump’s former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said those systems ‘would endanger the security of U.S. military technology and personnel and provide substantial funds to Russia’s defense sector, as well as Russian access to the Turkish armed forces and defense industry.’…

“Trump later said the U.S. had an ‘obligation’ to maintain the engines of planes Turkey has bought because Turkey, he said, has been ‘more helpful’ on Iran than other NATO countries. Trump again lashed out at other NATO allies for their reluctance to join U.S. military operations in reopening and patrolling of the critical Strait of Hormuz. ‘I was very disappointed with NATO,’ Trump said. ‘And frankly, if it weren’t held in Turkey, where my friend happens to be a very strong leader, a very strong person, it’s possible that I wouldn’t have attended… Italy turned us down, and Germany turned us down and France turned us down… They’ve [The Turks have] been extraordinary in many ways with respect to our relationship, including trying to end the war with Iran, or whatever you call it, it’s not even a war, it’s a military operation, it’s a denuclearization, that’s really what it is, of Iran…”

What absolute nonsense. Not a war with Iran? And Trump’s good friend Erdogan—an Antisemite, mass murderer and autocrat—helped the USA? Turkey will turn against the USA and Israel. Trump is building a Frankenstein monster.

Erdogan—the Leader of the Muslim World?

Politico wrote on July 7:

“Erdoğan remains an uncomfortable peacekeeper for much of NATO. At home, he has spent the last year methodically dismantling what remains of Turkey’s political opposition…  and deploying riot police to storm the headquarters of the country’s main opposition party…. He also maintains an open line of communication with Moscow even as European allies demand a harder line on Russia. Europe doesn’t love any of it… What appalls Europe about Erdoğan doesn’t appear to bother Trump,…

“… he is more than the president of Turkey. He is the leader of the Muslim world. He is the key interlocutor between North and South, East and West, the inheritor not of Ataturk but of the Ottoman sultans,’ said one former senior administration official who served in both the first Trump and Biden administrations… ‘This is a role history and destiny have granted him, and no one else in the world has this kind of presentational ability.’”

Trump’s and Netanyahu’s Lost Iran War

Former British diplomat Alastair Crooke of the Strategic Culture Foundation wrote on July 6, 2026:

“The prediction of a popular uprising in Iran has proved to have been a strategic mistake of such bearing that per contra, it catalysed a stronger, more defiant and assertive Republic…. now we have civil war inside the White House over Iran – Vance vs Rubio… For now, the oil coming out of the Persian Gulf is not heading to the U.S…. even were tankers to head to the U.S. now, the U.S. would still face a serious deficit of sour crude until 23 August at the earliest, given the 42 days voyage time to the U.S….

“The expected triumph of Israel over the Middle East has failed. The connected revolutionary war on Russia and the siege of China are faltering also…

“… some in Israel – including senior military figures – are already lamenting Israel’s assassination of the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on 28 February 2026 – ‘At least we knew where we stood with Khamenei’, a senior Israeli military source told Ben Caspit. ‘[Khamenei] had red lines, he had a strategy, and he was sober to some extent. There was a certain stability to the Iranian madness. The current leadership is much less stable, far more extreme and unpredictable. They are intoxicated by power and hubris, convinced that they defeated both America and Israel.’”

Hezbollah Will Not Be Disarmed

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on July 3:

“Mint Press News posted there is a possibility US ground troops will be sent to Lebanon to tackle the impossible task of eliminating Hezbollah… In addition, The Washington Post reported on June 30 the US military has a plan to put ‘troops on the ground’ in Lebanon to assist the Lebanese military and Israel disarm Hezbollah….

“Hezbollah cannot be permanently dismantled without regime change in Iran and dismantling its domestic financial system and political power… In the Lebanese general election of 2022, Hezbollah secured fifteen seats in the Parliament… Hezbollah is the most prominent of Lebanon’s political movements, and has long been the most powerful in the country…

‘On June 30, Hezbollah reiterated its opposition to the framework agreement. Senior official Mahmoud Qamati characterized the accord as ‘stillborn,’ cautioning that the resistance movement ‘will not permit its implementation’ and will ‘oppose it using all available means… Despite a stillborn or deadlocked framework, France and Italy are preparing to deploy an international coalition force to southern Lebanon, supported by the United States… The U.S. and the EU are funneling millions of dollars into the Lebanese military, with the EU recently adopting a EUR 100 million assistance measure to help the state restore its authority…

“Israel, the United States, France, and Italy will not be able to disarm Hezbollah…”

And Europe supports the Lebanese army. The conflict between the USA, Israel and Europe is getting stronger.

Iran’s New Leadership: Younger, Savvier, Ruthless and Even More Hard-Line

Reddit wrote on July 24:

“After surviving months of strikes by the U.S. and Israel, the Iranian regime has emerged emboldened… Iran ‘might be weaker when it comes to its economic situation, its industries, some of its strategic capabilities,’ said Raz Zimmt, head of Iran research at the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel. ‘But the bottom line is that we are facing a new, bolder, self-confident Iran.’

“Even those perceived as moderates by the Trump administration were shaped by years spent in security agencies or war zones. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament and a main representative in peace talks with the United States, served as an IRGC commander during the Iran-Iraq war.

“By contrast, Iranian leaders with civilian backgrounds largely have been sidelined as part of the war-driven shake-up, officials and experts said. They include President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who previously led talks with the United States but has seen his position and influence diminished. The swift consolidation of power by loyalists contradicts claims by President Donald Trump that the war accomplished ‘regime change’ and empowered pragmatists willing to acquiesce to U.S. demands.”

Trump lost this war big time. Note the next article.

One of the Worst Foreign Policy Moves

Ron Paul wrote on the Ron Paul Institute on July 6:

“President Trump was reportedly ‘shocked’ to see many thousands of Iranians in the street mourning at the funeral of the country’s late leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, over the weekend… ‘I thought they hated him,’ Trump said of the murdered religious leader of Iran. Not only did the Iranian people not rise up to replace their leadership with one friendly to Washington, but the society seems to have become even more cohesive and patriotic….

“In Soccer when you kick the ball into your own goal, it is referred to as an ‘own-goal.’ That is what President Trump achieved with his attack on Iran on February 28th. In fact, it was not just one ‘own-goal,’ but a series of them. The blunder will likely go down in American history as one of the worst foreign policy moves in our history.”

Peace Deal Over

The Huffington Post wrote on July 8:

“Just weeks after admitting he agreed to a peace deal with Iran to avoid a global economic calamity, President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the deal was ‘over’ and disparaged the same leaders he recently praised as moderate and reasonable as ‘scum’ who could not be trusted…

“His comments came after the U.S. military announced another round of attacks on Iranian targets around the Persian Gulf, which were in response to Iranian attacks on oil and natural gas tankers trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz using a channel not approved by Iran.”

How Trump Unites the Catholic Church

New Lines Magazine wrote on July 3:

“For the first time, a sitting U.S. president publicly questioned the legitimacy of a pope’s election. And Pope Leo XIV refuses to back down from confronting him. The conflict between perhaps the two most famous Americans on the planet has no historical precedent, not least because Leo XIV is the first American pope. ‘It is an event that evokes the historical clashes between the papacy and the empire,’ Giovanni Maria Vian, historian and former editor of L’Osservatore Romano, the Holy See’s daily newspaper, told New Lines. He described the confrontation between the pope and the U.S. president as ‘unprecedented’ …

“Half a year ago, shortly before the first anniversary of Leo’s papacy, a senior Vatican diplomat was summoned to the Pentagon. This was not a courtesy call. Some sources inside the Holy See described the meeting as a confrontation: U.S. defense officials allegedly warned that Washington had the military power to act as it pleased and that the church had better take its side. That meeting marked the beginning of a rupture without precedent in the modern era. President Donald Trump has since questioned the legitimacy of the pope’s election, posted an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus, and declared he is ‘not a fan of Pope Leo.’ Leo, for his part, has said he has ‘no fear of the Trump administration’ and has continued to speak out….

“The relationship between the U.S. and the Holy See is at its lowest point since it was formalized in 1984. But what Trump does not seem to understand is that his outbursts are proving remarkably helpful in achieving one of the key objectives that led to Leo’s election. The new pope after Francis was expected to have two priorities: to prevent a world war and to reunite the Catholic community. Leo was elected in part to calm the disputes between conservative U.S. cardinals and the Vatican. It is no coincidence that his election came above all at the behest of American cardinals anxious to restore Vatican finances….

“Trump’s insults are helping Leo to effect reconciliation within the deeply fractured American Catholic Church…. Since the day Trump accused Leo of being ‘terrible for foreign policy,’ America’s bishops have rallied around Leo in ways they never did with Francis.” 

And so, Trump is inadvertently fulfilling biblical prophecy once again, without having any clue that he does.

America’s Marriage Laws

Israel 365 News wrote on May 5:

“Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married Friday night at Madison Square Garden, and the man who sealed the deal was not a priest, not a judge, not a chaplain flown in from a Manhattan cathedral. It was Adam Sandler, star of Billy Madison and The Waterboy, presiding over one of the most-watched weddings of the decade with all the rabbinic authority…

“Here is the part that ought to make headlines of its own. According to the state of New York, Sandler did not need a seminary degree, a house of worship, or a single day of religious training to legally marry two of the most famous people on the planet. Any adult can apply for a One-Day Marriage Officiant License in New York State and stand at the altar, no questions asked. Sandler filled out a form. That is the entire ordination process….

“… the ease with which American law hands out marriage authority for an afternoon says everything about how far the modern wedding has drifted from the Bible’s own definition of the institution.”

Sandler, a Jew, officiated over a “Christian” wedding.

Adding Trump to Mount Rushmore?

Daily Mail wrote on July 4:

“Donald Trump has long boasted that his record is deserving enough to be added to Mount Rushmore, but the President seems more convinced now than ever as he drops hints about his inclusion on the historic monument…

“Trump shared an AI-generated video depicting a gold-plated engraving of Mount Rushmore with his face added to the far right of the monument, alongside Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt…. The Trump administration also heavily hinted at Trump’s addition to the monument, handing out cookies on Air Force One showing his face etched in the mountain alongside Lincoln.”

What record? Trump’s haughtiness and pride are truly remarkable.

Repeating One of America’s Ugliest Chapters?

NPR wrote on July 4:

“President Donald Trump ushered in the 250th anniversary of American independence on Friday with soaring rhetoric about American exceptionalism before veering into a darkly political speech with warnings about a sinister threat of communism that evoked one of the country’s ugliest chapters. ‘Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty,’ he said from Mount Rushmore. ‘It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11.’…

“Trump’s language evoked the Red Scare of the 1950s, when alleged communists were persecuted and blacklisted from jobs across America, from Washington to Hollywood….”

This was indeed one of the darkest chapters in America’s history, and Trump’s revoking ofthis ugly and inhumane conduct is indeed a deeply alarming development.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Fighting Continues

The Independent wrote on June 27:

“Iran has said it has struck targets linked to US forces, as each side continued to accuse the other of violating last week’s agreement meant to end the four-month-old war. Iran’s foreign ministry did not identify the locations of its ‘defensive’ attacks, which it said were a response to US strikes on its coastal surveillance facilities. Later, Bahrain,  which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, condemned what it said was an Iranian drone attack on its territory as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty. A tanker also reported being struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz…

“The US military had carried out strikes on Iranian missile and drone storage sites in the wake of Donald Trump accusing Iran of a ‘foolish violation’ of the ceasefire agreement, claiming Tehran fired at least four kamikaze drones at ships in the Strait of Hormuz… He did not name the ship, but it came hours after a Taiwanese-operated ship was fired on by Iran…”

Daily Mail had reported earlier on June 25:

“Iran launched an explosive-laden suicide drone at a cargo ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, endangering the regime’s fragile truce with the US after Donald Trump had declared the waterway safe for oil tankers.  US officials told the Washington Post that a Singaporean ship was attacked by an Iranian Shahed drone on Thursday evening… Prior to the attack, Iran issued warnings through regime media to oil tankers, cautioning that routes through the strait were restricted and that other routes were ‘completely dangerous.’…

“Although the President has said the strait is reopened following the ceasefire, only 50 vessels passed through the waterway on Wednesday.”

Tolls for Strait of Hormuz?

The Wall Street Journal wrote on June 25:

“Iran is pushing to make billions of dollars from the Strait of Hormuz as the regime positions itself to manage the global oil artery it severed at the start of the war. 

“The Islamic Republic estimates that charging for security, safety and environmental services in the strait would bring in $40 billion a year in revenue for states involved, according to officials familiar with the matter. The idea, if implemented, would bring Tehran cash flow and control that it didn’t command before the war.”

So, Iran is still determined to charge for tolls, in spite of Trump’s repeated “warnings.”

Talks Off Again Amidst Ongoing Fighting

CNBC wrote on June 28:

“Talks to end the war in Iran are on hold after the U.S. struck Iranian military targets in retaliation for Tehran’s latest strikes on shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz…. The diplomatic freeze comes after the exchange of fire prompted U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday to again threaten Iran with annihilation following U.S. attacks on Iranian military targets in retaliation for Tehran’s latest strikes on shipping in the strategically vital waterway. Iran’s neighbors, Kuwait and Bahrain, reported incoming missiles and drones overnight.

“The U.S. military attacked a number of Iranian targets after a commercial tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was reported to have been struck by a projectile on Saturday….  The ship was transiting the strait with more than two million barrels of crude oil…”

Subsequently, both parties agreed once more to halt strikes ahead of Tuesday (June 30) talks. These “agreements” become a shame and a farce.

Sanhedrin: Iran Deal Will Cost America Dearly

Israel 365 News wrote on June 24:

“On 7 Tammuz 5786, June 23, 2026, the nascent Sanhedrin, the Jewish court reconstituted in Israel after a 1,600-year absence, issued a formal ruling addressed to the American people, warning that the US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in Switzerland is built on illusion and places the United States in existential danger… The message: America is making one of the greatest strategic miscalculations in its history…

“The Sanhedrin does not limit its concern to the Iranian threat alone. The court warns that China, Russia, and North Korea are watching American decision-making with interest, and what they see is weakness… The court further warns that the imaginary peace carries an internal American dimension. It predicts that armed militia groups operating within the United States will see the instability created by this agreement as a signal to act…

“The Sanhedrin’s ruling concludes with a direct call to every Jew in America to make aliyah, the Jewish return to the Land of Israel, immediately, before the situation deteriorates beyond recovery. 

“The nascent Sanhedrin, reestablished in 2004, has not achieved universal acceptance within the Orthodox world. Its authority is contested. But its warnings have a way of landing in the middle of real events… Whether or not one accepts the court’s halachic standing, its geopolitical reading is not easily dismissed…”

Also, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has said that the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement signed in Washington is “null”, a “humiliation” and a surrender of sovereignty…”

“There Is Nothing to Celebrate, Mr. Trump!”

Bild Online wrote on June 28:

“Four months ago today, US President Donald Trump began the war against Iran… Iran is trumpeting the claim that the agreement documents the USA’s defeat! The terrible thing, I fear, is that the mullahs are right. Of course, Trump is celebrating himself for ending the war he unleashed himself. But what has he actually achieved in these four months? Nothing. Nothing for the people of Iran, who have been subjugated by the mullahs’ terror regime and murdered by the thousands.

“Tehran’s rulers still have their highly enriched uranium; they still have their vast arsenal of missiles and drones; the Revolutionary Guards are more firmly in the saddle than ever. Sanctions are set to be lifted, and frozen assets released. And the Strait of Hormuz—a shipping route vital to the global economy—is controlled by Iran. The fact that the ‘Supreme Mullah’ Khamenei was eliminated by the Americans on the very first day of the war is certainly no cause for jubilation. Now, the ‘Junior Mullah’—his son—is simply in charge.

“We are all paying the price for Trump’s resounding defeat—at the gas pump, at the supermarket, everywhere. Inflation has risen, and the economy is even weaker than feared. This is the ‘Horror of Hormuz’: supply chains are disrupted, insurance premiums are climbing, oil facilities are damaged, and cargo ships (along with nearly 11,000 seafarers) are stranded. Goods worth nearly $125 billion have recently been backed up in the strait. And the question remains whether Iran will demand transit fees in the future.

“I call this—since everyone is currently caught up in World Cup fever—an own goal of historic proportions. Of course, Trump can claim that the US wasn’t defeated militarily. But neither was Iran. And there are no draws in war…

“I simply ask myself: What was it all for? Since February 28, 2026, the world hasn’t become a whit safer, but it has definitely become more expensive. The man who so desperately wanted the Nobel Peace Prize (but only received the ‘Mickey Mouse’ version from FIFA boss Infantino) was determined to make history. Now he has a story: the 80-year-old looking out the window and realizing he doesn’t like the world he sees. Thanks for nothing, Mr. Trump.”

The author is right. Trump’s war has been a terrible defeat and humiliation for the USA of unparalleled proportions.

Trump a Liability For Right-Wing European Parties

Politico wrote on June 23:

“For Europe’s populist right, U.S. President Donald Trump’s embrace was once seen as a political asset. Not anymore…

“Even as the Trump administration’s leading figures have thrown their weight behind Europe’s nationalist parties, the U.S. president’s embrace has become a ‘poisoned gift,’ said Jean-Yves Dormagen, president of the Cluster17 polling institute. ‘Trump is really creating a problem for these leaders,’ he stated. While their electorates are divided over Trump, they increasingly see him as a threat, he added….

“In a POLITICO poll conducted by Public First in June, only 31 percent of AfD voters… agreed that the U.S. is ‘a reliable ally.’… In the U.K., Trump has become a liability for Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist Reform UK party… Meanwhile, in Germany, the Iran war has aggravated a crisis of confidence between Trump and the far right, which had already been building before the conflict.”

Nobody likes Trump.

Bolton Pleads Guilty to Politically Motivated Charge

Daily Mail wrote on June 26:

“President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton… pleaded guilty on Friday to a single charge of retaining classified information…  Prosecutors said Friday that Bolton ‘abused his position of trust’… by sharing roughly 1,000 pages of classified information in the form of ‘diaries’ with his wife and daughter. Bolton then retained the documents related to national defense at his home in Montgomery County, Maryland, after leaving the White House…

“The investigation into Bolton’s handling of classified materials moved forward in part during the Biden administration, and career prosecutors in the US attorney’s office signed off on the charges…”

So Bolton is guilty? Guilty of sharing unclassified documents with his wife and his daughter… not to a foreign power! And retaining them? What about Trump and Biden who all retained unclassified documents illegally? What about Hillary Clinton who destroyed unclassified documents? When will they be held accountable?

Fauci Subpoenaed to Testify

Chemistry World wrote on June 26:

“Anthony Fauci… has been subpoenaed by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s chairman Rand Paul. Fauci… is being accused of manipulating intelligence on the origins of the pandemic and lying to Congress to cover up alleged wrongdoing at the agency. He is expected to testify before the committee in July….

“‘Fauci was the behind-the-scenes adviser who, with his hand-picked experts, pushed the [intelligence community] to endorse a natural, animal origin to hide his dangerous research,’ Gabbard’s office stated. In a statement, it said that the NIH, under Fauci’s leadership, provided millions in funding for gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, falsely claiming that it ‘is now widely viewed as the source of the unintentional lab leak that sparked the pandemic’….

“To protect Fauci and other officials from political persecution by the incoming Trump administration President Biden took the unusual step of granting them pre-emptive, ‘full and unconditional’ pardons… before he left office in January 2025.”

The legality and constitutionality of such preemptive pardons is being widely questioned. However, the real origin and source of the virus spreading the disease is still up for debate.

Tucker Carlson Attacks Trump

Daily Mail wrote on June 26:

“[Tucker Carlson] compared Trump to a boxer who was all talk and taunting but ‘you don’t have to worry about’ when they make threats, before sending him a blunt message… Carlson appears to have defected from Trump in the months since the war began. In an April 15 clip from the Tucker Carlson Show, which is the former Fox host’s popular independent podcast, Carlson became biblical in his criticism.  

“’Here’s a leader who’s mocking the gods of his ancestors, mocking the god of gods, and exalting himself above them,’ Carlson said in the clip.  ‘Could this be the Antichrist?’ he then said. ‘Well, who knows?’…

“Carlson’s stark abandonment of Trump has poured kerosene on the fire already engulfing right-wing circles.”

Trump’s Bizarre Interaction With a Ghost

Daily Mail wrote on July 1:

“Trump’s bizarre interaction with dead president shocks viewers…Donald Trump interacted with an AI-powered ghost of Theodore Roosevelt, sparking immediate concern online over the surreal encounter… The President… asked if the fake AI-Roosevelt believed building the Panama Canal his ‘greatest achievements.’ ‘The canal stands as one of my proudest battles, no question. But greatness is a strange thing,’ the AI-powered ghost told Trump …

“Trump has often compared himself to Roosevelt, and notably threatened to seize the Panama Canal during the early days of his second term. Speaking at the Roosevelt Library, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to expanding US control of the waterway…”

Weird, shocking and frightening. Who knows with whom Trump was communicating?

Slimy Trump Deals

The California Post Editorial Board wrote on June 29:

“It was bad when the Bidens did it, and it’s just as bad when the Trumps do it. Insider deals, finders’ fees and backdoor introductions to family members are business-as-usual in Third World banana republics, but these slimy practices have now been normalized in the White House, to the shame of the nation…. Eric and Donald Trump Jr., sons of President Trump, and Kyle and Brandon Lutnick, sons of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, are tied to a billion-dollar tungsten mining deal that the US government is financing in Kazakhstan…. The Trumps sons… are part-owners or investors in companies neck-deep in a key defense contract to mine tungsten reserves in Central Asia. It stinks to high heaven.

“If a president’s family making bank from obscure resource companies in the former Soviet Union sounds familiar, maybe that’s because Hunter Biden’s lucrative connection to Burisma — a Ukrainian gas company — was a major scandal in the 2020 election and beyond. Republicans, including Donald Trump, were justifiably outraged at the obvious influence-peddling…. True, no one thought of Trump & Co. as unblemished saints, but who would’ve thunk that he, his kin and associates were going to use the Biden family template — virtually backing up the truck and stealing the carpets and silver — as a model of ethical behavior?…

“Democrats in Congress are pressing for an investigation into Trump sweetheart deals. If they take the House in the midterms, these hearings are surely coming.”

Incredible Decision on Pesticides

The New York Times wrote on June 25:

“The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with the manufacturer of the weedkiller Roundup, overturning a jury award for a Missouri man who claimed the widely used herbicide caused cancer in a decision that could have sweeping impacts on thousands of other Americans who similarly claim the product sickened them… Justice Kavanaugh wrote that the Missouri case would ‘require a cancer warning on Roundup’s label,’ which would directly conflict with the label required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Because of this conflict, he wrote, federal law ‘expressly pre-empts’ the Missouri man’s claim.

“The dispute focused on a single case, a $1.25 million award for John Durnell, a gardener in St. Louis who had used Roundup for decades and claimed that years of exposure to the product led him to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer. Mr. Durnell claimed that the company had failed to warn consumers of the dangers of the product. The ramifications of the decision could be enormous, potentially jeopardizing thousands of lawsuits pending in state and federal courts against Bayer, the German company that acquired Roundup’s original maker, Monsanto, in 2018…

“The Environmental Protection Agency, which is in charge of labeling pesticides throughout the country, has determined Roundup is safe. Bayer claims that the finding, which allows Roundup to be sold without a warning label, should override claims by Mr. Durnell and others that under state laws, they were injured by the product. The Trump administration joined the case on Bayer’s side, reversing the position taken by the Biden administration. The Trump administration’s support for the Roundup manufacturer has been controversial among the Make America Healthy Again movement, whose activists had largely supported the president’s political rise…

“Roundup, which was created by Monsanto in the 1970s, is one of the most popular weedkillers in the world. But concerns over one of its active ingredients — a chemical called glyphosate that is absorbed by plants, traveling into their roots and blocking an enzyme used for their growth — have prompted one of the biggest waves of class-action lawsuits in U.S. history.

“Evidence in lab animals, along with more limited evidence in humans, has shown a link between glyphosate and cancer, and a 2015 report by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified it as ‘probably carcinogenic in humans.’”

The Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to determine that Roundup is safe, is perceived to be wrong. Still, the Supreme Court thinks it is bound by a wrong decision! Everybody knows (or should know) that these pesticides are harmful. The stupidity of man is just mind-boggling.

“Trump’s Most Ruthless Immigration Weapons Unlocked as Supreme Court Hands Him Stunning Double Victory”

The Daily Mail wrote on  June 25:

“The Supreme Court on Thursday handed Donald Trump two rare wins in a huge victory for his strict immigration agenda. The Court cleared the way for Trump to revoke temporary protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian nationals living in the United States – siding with the president on one of the most closely watched and consequential immigration cases this term. And the Justices also decided to give Trump more authority to limit asylum seekers in the US coming from Mexico.

“The court ruled 6-3 to grant Trump administration’s request to revive a controversial ‘metering’ policy that allows federal immigration officers to turn away asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border. The high court ruled 6-3 that the courts cannot review the Haitian and Syrian nationals’ non-constitutional claims, because the TPS statute bars judicial review. ….

“Justices ruled in both cases along ideological lines, and, in a rare move, Justice Sonia Sotomayor responded to the asylum case by reading aloud a summary of her dissent from the bench…. Thursday’s ruling… could make hundreds of thousands of individuals in US suddenly eligible for deportation, including many who have been living and working in the country legally for years.”

Bad decisions by a conservative majority strictly along ideological lines. Why would a nominally independent Court act this way?

Bad Consequences For America of Supreme Court Decision

The Huffington Post wrote on June 27:

“In the hours since the Supreme Court announced it would allow the Trump administration to end temporary protected status [TPS] for immigrants from Haiti and Syria, the potential consequences have ricocheted through American communities… Without further intervention from lower courts, about 400,000 Haitians and Syrians, or about a third of the 1.3 million total people with TPS, will have just about three months before they are eligible for deportation — three months to figure out what to do with the lives they have built in the United States, whether to leave behind U.S.-born children or bring them along to dangerous nations…

“But the impact will also be felt by the nation as a whole… There are at least 740,000 TPS holders in the U.S. workforce, with many holding jobs in critical fields like healthcare, childcare and elder care… More than 20% of Haitians in the nation work in healthcare… Many TPS holders, Yoon said, are in the ‘direct care’ sector, like those who provide long-term care services to people with disabilities and the elderly…

“These fields are already facing a massive workforce shortage which will only be exacerbated by the loss of a swath of workers…

“TPS holders contribute over $29 billion annually to the American economy, and that they pay almost $8 billion in federal, payroll, state and local taxes. Haitian and Syrian TPS holders alone contribute $4.4 billion to the U.S. economy annually… Some cities may be decimated if TPS holders are forced to leave the U.S.”

The decisions are plain stupid and inhumane.

Supreme Court Upholds Constitutional Birthright Citizenship

ABC News wrote on July 1:

“President Donald Trump brushed off his loss after the Supreme Court rejected his attempt to end birthright citizenship– rooted in the 14th Amendment — on Tuesday, saying the decision is ‘too bad for the Country’ and insisting that he can ‘easily make it up in Congress through Legislation.’

“The court ruled in a 6-3 decision to reject Trump’s executive order that he issued on the first day of his presidency, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing for the majority, ‘Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights — to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to every free-born person in this land. We keep that promise today.’

“Trump responded to the court’s decision with a post on his social media platform, writing, ‘The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process,’ he wrote on his social media platform.

“Birthright citizenship is rooted in both the Constitution and 1940 federal citizenship law. But even if the law were to be changed, this would likely be challenged in court on constitutional grounds with the possibility of the issue making its way back to the Supreme Court…

“House Speaker Mike Johnson… acknowledged a constitutional amendment would be ‘very complicated’ and a ‘many-years-long process,’ but said he thought it was likely the only way forward.  Amending the Constitution would take a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress [or] ratification by three-quarters of the states.”

This will never happen. Trump lost this case for good.

Unfounded MAGA Anger

“Amy Coney Barrett, taking office in 2020, was the final of three justices appointed by the President during his first term. But she sided with Chief Justice John Roberts, also a Republican appointee, and the Court’s three liberals to overrule the dissent of justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch. 

“Justice  Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s second appointee, concurred with the judgment but disagreed with the majority’s argument.”

We feel that the Supreme Court decision was right. Three conservatives sided against Trump. The ruling is a major defeat for Trump. Any MAGA anger is unjustified.                                          

US Threatens to Cut Gas Supplies to EU

Big News Network reported on June 26:

“The US has warned the EU that American liquefied natural gas (LNG) could be diverted elsewhere unless Brussels eases planned methane emissions regulations…

“The EU replaced much of its Russian pipeline gas with American LNG following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 and the imposition of sanctions on Moscow. The shift made the US the bloc’s largest external gas supplier and was hailed by EU leaders as a step toward greater energy security. Europe’s energy crisis has worsened since then, with gas and electricity prices soaring to record highs….

“US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said American exports would ‘flow somewhere else’ if the EU refused to change the rules, which are due to take effect in 2027…. The US has joined Qatar, Algeria and Nigeria in urging the EU to amend or delay the legislation. Exporters argue there is no practical way to comply…

“EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen rejected calls to weaken the legislation, insisting the bloc would not compromise its environmental standards despite pressure from suppliers…”

Brussels’ environmental regulations ARE ridiculous to a large extent. The relationship between the USA and Europe will never recover.

No Alaska Agreement?

Pravda wrote on June 26:

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticised US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for saying that no agreements on ending the war in Ukraine were reached during the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Anchorage…

“The Russian foreign minister also said he wanted to clarify the US role in efforts to resolve Russia’s war against Ukraine following Rubio’s remarks. In this context, Lavrov claimed that ahead of the Anchorage summit, US envoy Steve Witkoff had brought Moscow a proposal from President Trump for a settlement to the war…

“‘In Anchorage… Putin, looking at Witkoff, who was also present, began going through the American proposals point by point. After each point, in the presence of Trump and Secretary of State Rubio, he asked Witkoff whether he had correctly presented the ideas he had brought to Moscow before the Anchorage meeting. Each time, Witkoff answered in the affirmative,’ Lavrov said… ‘If one side – in this case the United States – puts forward proposals on a settlement and on how to approach this crisis, and the other side agrees with those proposals, then saying there was no agreement seems, frankly, not very sophisticated,’ Lavrov added.”

Witkoff is not considered to be a sophisticated negotiator either. He is certainly no match for Putin, nor has he (or Jared Kushner) been a match for Iran.

England’s New PM?

The Daily Mail wrote on June 30:

“Andy Burnham insisted Britain needs to go back to the 1970s today as he put the ‘wealthy’ South on notice for his Downing Street takeover. Delivering his first big speech in Manchester, the PM-in-waiting… argued that ‘trickle down’ economics must be ditched and replaced with a Left-wing concept of ‘good growth’. That included more state ownership…

“He suggested his Government would copy German post-reunification legislation dictating that all states must have ‘equivalent living standards’ [which turned out to be a colossal fiasco]…

“The presumptive PM has already had to conduct a series of humiliating U-turns. They include dropping a promise of £10billion compensation for so-called Waspi women within hours, and admitting he will not try to rejoin the EU…

“In a worrying sign for Mr Burnham, YouGov research released today showed his popularity already dropping. Some 43 per cent had a negative view, against 32 per cent who were positive. That is seven points worse than immediately after his by-election victory…

“Mr Burnham has previously backed a property tax that will punish those with more valuable homes, as well as an increase in capital gains tax and a new ‘death tax’ to fund social care… Analysis has found that a ‘wealth tax’ being pushed by senior Labour figures would actually wipe billions of pounds off Treasury revenues…”

Pure Madness: Britain Tests Long-Range Missile For Ukraine to Bombard Moscow

Uncut-News wrote on June 23:

“Ukraine is making it clear that it aims to ‘take the war to Russia’—and that is precisely what lies behind the recent series of massive Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, which have caused devastating damage, particularly to energy processing facilities and regional air traffic. The fact that… NATO supports such actions against a nuclear-armed superpower is madness.

“Beyond covert support for target acquisition, the United Kingdom is now adopting a more open stance, having reportedly just tested missiles with a range of 300 miles that are slated for delivery to the Ukrainian military. The British missile platform has the capability to deliver a 500-pound warhead all the way to Moscow…

“The Ministry of Defence (MoD) called on companies to develop long-range weapons capable of flying at speeds exceeding 370 miles per hour, costing around £400,000 apiece, and capable of being produced at a rate of 20 units per month…

“The open and blunt admission that these future systems could soon be deployed to directly attack the Russian capital would represent an insane escalation by NATO. Once NATO and Western systems begin destroying buildings in Moscow, direct military retaliation by Russia against Europe suddenly becomes a much more imminent reality. Once again, this is a case of sheer madness and insanity on the part of some of Europe’s most aggressive political leaders.”

Europe is provoking Russia needlessly. It shows that Europe IS willing to go all the way. Does Europe really want “total war”?

What If Putin Were To Invade Eastern Europe?

The Guardian wrote on June 27:

“A nightmare scenario has been playing on eastern European minds with increasing intensity since Donald Trump returned to the White House: what if Russia attacks and the US does not join the fight?…

“The problem, which would continually undermine such positivity, is that in the world of Trump, a firm promise today can be undone by a Truth Social post tomorrow….

“This is the uncertainty that sits at the core of European concerns about American reliability. For as long as Trump is in the White House, it creates… a state of ambiguity over whether the US is in or out, which will continue until a hypothetical moment of truth arrives.”

That moment arrives when Europe decides to attack the USA militarily.

Israel Is Dependent on Europe

Jerusalem Post wrote on June 27:

“Israelis like to say that Europe is ‘finished’ – an aging, divided, weak continent, increasingly Muslim and hostile to Israel. Polls show only about a third of Israelis hold a positive view of the European Union, while roughly half describe Israel-Eu relations as poor. This narrative is not entirely accurate – and certainly unwise. Israel actually depends on Europe more than on any other global actor except for the United States.

“Europe is Israel’s largest trading partner, is central to Israeli research and innovation, is an important investment source, and is home to partner academic institutions. It is also the region from which the modern Jewish state largely emerged…

“Many Europeans underestimate the threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran and apply standards to Israel that are not applied to others… Many Israelis have convinced themselves that as long as America supports their approach, Europe doesn’t matter.

“As is now evident, even President Donald Trump has grown weary of the bloodshed, realizing that US public opinion is shifting. European public opinion has shifted even further, and that is serious… When Israelis say Europe is ‘finished,’ they often mean it is becoming a Muslim continent. Yet Muslims account for only about 7% of the combined population of the EU and Britain, and no serious demographic forecast suggests a future Muslim majority…

“Israel simply cannot afford to treat Europe as a secondary concern or a lost cause. Losing Europe would be devastating, and Israelis need to understand this and recalibrate.”

Israel will seek help from Germany, but won’t get it.

A Red Heifer Born?

Israel 365 News wrote on June 30:

“A red heifer born last month in the hills of the Galilee, sired by imported American semen and born to a black-coated mother, has reignited a coordinated national campaign among Israeli rabbis, breeders, and educators to restore the lost laws of ritual purity to the Jewish people.

“The campaign arrives at a moment when public appetite for Temple-related preparation appears to be surging: a recent survey found 55 percent of Israeli Jews now support rebuilding the Holy Temple on the Temple Mount, and a report published this week put the number of men enrolled in Temple service training at 150,000, out of a planned 200,000.”

Even though a “red heifer” is not biblically required, many Jews believe it is.

Vatican Excommunicates Bishops of St. Pius X Society

ABC News wrote on July 2:

 “The Vatican responded aggressively Thursday to a traditionalist society that consecrated bishops without the pope’s consent, declaring the Society of St. Paul X in schism, excommunicating its bishops and priests and warning its faithful they too face the harshest sanctions in the Catholic Church…. The society, known by its acronym SSPX, celebrates the ancient Latin Mass and opposes the modernizing reforms of the Catholic Church, which it considers to be rife with heresies and errors…

“French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the SSPX in 1970 in opposition to the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council… Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without papal consent in 1988. The Vatican promptly excommunicated Lefebvre and the four bishops and declared the consecrations a ‘schismatic act.’ Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 lifted the excommunications as part of his yearslong outreach to the group.”

Earthquake Cluster Rocks Venezuela, California and Japan Within Seven Hours

Daily Mail wrote on June 25:

“Harrowing footage has revealed the extent of the damage and chaos inflicted on Venezuela by a pair of massive earthquakes last night. The back-to-back 7.1 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck near the coast, sending terrified residents racing out from swaying apartment blocks as walls collapsed and clouds of dust rose over the capital.

“’High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,’ the US Geological Survey said, ‘with an initial death toll estimate likely between 10,000 and 100,000.’… The quakes are among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century…”

IBT added on June 25:

“Just seven hours earlier, USGS reported a notable quake with a magnitude of 5.6…. north of Redwood Valley, California…. Less than an hour after reporting the twin quakes, USGS again noted a Magnitude 6.9 earthquake… east-northwest of Kuji, Japan… (Allegedly,) the quakes were not related as they occurred on separate fault systems and plate boundaries…”

Not related? Maybe God sees it differently?

Even though the death number is still climbing (on June 28, about 1,500 were reported), more than 51,000 people are reported missing, and “nearly 7 million may be impacted”(Deutsche Welle, dated June 28).

Also, a magnitude 6.1 quake struck Afghanistan on June 27, and a magnitude 5.4 quake struck Pakistan on the same day.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Germany’s Rearmament

The Financial Times wrote on  June 20:

“German power and action are back in the spotlight today, but is the goal to reform Europe? That is the new German question. As Europe rapidly strengthens its defense capabilities in the face of Russian aggression and an increasingly unreliable United States, Germany has thrown off its pacifist shackles, eased borrowing limits and embarked on a rearmament of historic proportions.

“Its military budget surpasses that of France and Britain, two nuclear powers. It is investing 35 billion euros in military space capabilities. Liana Fix, a German scientist working in the United States, warned earlier this year that Germany could become Europe’s new hegemon – and that we should be wary of the dangers of German power…. what is missing from Berlin is a clear explanation of the European role of this army…

“Warsaw and Paris are particularly concerned. Poland still has unresolved disputes with Germany dating back to World War II… Berlin’s decision earlier this month to abandon the Franco-German FCAS future fighter jet project… only heightened concerns in Paris that Germany had decided to go it alone…  In such turbulent times, Germany’s European partners should not be left in the dark about its new direction.”

The concern regarding increasing German military power is well-founded.

Clashes Within the EU

Politico wrote on June 19:

“Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz struck out against the EU for opening up communication with Vladimir Putin, putting the leaders of Europe’s two largest countries on collision course with a large part of the rest of the bloc. In an unexpectedly discordant late-night summit in Brussels ― the first since 2010 without longtime contrarian ex-Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ― the French president and the German chancellor scorned efforts by European Council President António Costa, who acts on behalf of all 27 governments, to reach out to the Kremlin…

“The clashes bring to light simmering tension at the heart of the EU over its approach to Russia and who should talk on Europe’s behalf… Leaders from some of the most staunchly anti-Russia countries, as well as Denmark and the Netherlands, rallied behind Macron and Merz, with some displaying unprecedented fury with Costa…

“Thursday evening’s summit exposed several faultlines: In addition to the Costa vs. E3 [France, Germany and the U.K.] divide, Italy and Poland (forming an informal “E5”) were frustrated by their exclusion from initial talks between the E3 and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the summit…”

“Poland’s President Strips Zelenskyy of Top Honor

Deutsche Welle reported on June 19:

“Karol Nawrocki’s decision to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest honor is likely to spark a severe diplomatic crisis between Poland and Ukraine… Tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv have been high for days due to Zelensky’s decision to name a Ukrainian army unit after an insurgent army (UPA) from World War II that Warsaw accuses of participating in massacres against Poles.

“In 2023, Poland’s then-President Andrzej Duda awarded Zelenskyy the Order of the White Eagle for his contributions to security, resilience, and the defense of human rights.

“In his address on X, Nawrocki said Poland had ‘repeatedly’ called on Ukraine to change the name of the unit. ‘The Ukrainian side’s position has not changed,’ he added… Meanwhile, Poland’s liberal Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that the conflict between Poland and Ukraine ‘pleases (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and shocks our allies.’… The Polish president’s move escalates the dispute between the neighbors and allies.”

Poland is one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters. Ultimately, Ukraine will become part of or collaborate with Russia, against Europe.

Russia-Ukraine War Continues Unabated…

Newsmax wrote on June 21:

“Four people were killed and fuel sales were suspended in Russian-occupied Crimea, the Moscow-backed authorities there said on Sunday, after a massive Ukrainian barrage hit the Black Sea peninsula… Ukraine said it targeted military and energy facilities in Crimea… in one of the biggest attacks on the peninsula in recent months… Part of the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, was left without power after the attacks…

“Separately, overnight Russian strikes in eastern Ukraine killed three people…

“Ukraine has in recent months also stepped up drone attacks on energy facilities in Russia, striking targets deep behind the front lines. Earlier this week, it hit a large refinery in Moscow twice… Some petrol stations in Russia, the world’s third-biggest oil producer, introduced fuel rationing this month. Fuel exports have been banned since April…

“Talks on ending Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II remain frozen, while fighting on the front line is effectively at a standstill.”

Vance Warns Israeli Officials

The Hill wrote on June 18:

“Vice President Vance warned Israeli officials Thursday against speaking out and criticizing the peace deal negotiated by President Trump’s administration with Iran, suggesting Israel should be grateful for partnership with the U.S. while it is isolated on the international stage. ‘If I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,’ Vance said at a press conference at the White House. 

“‘The other thing that I would say is that over the last three months, two-thirds of the defensive weapons that protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars.’”

As Israelis see it, it is they who have been attacked by Trump. And America has also become more and more isolated in the world.

Saudi Arabia Warns Israel

The Times of India wrote on June 18:

“Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan issued a sharp warning to Israel, saying the country would face serious consequences if it continued its military operations across the region. Speaking amid escalating tensions, Faisal condemned Israeli attacks in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank…

“He said he expects the U.S. president Donald Trump to intervene into Gaza and West Bank where Israeli military actions continue unabated and are worsening the already tense situation with daily bloodshed.”

More and more Arab “friends” turn against Israel… which is in accordance with biblical prophecy.

Is “Cyrus” Becoming “Judas”?

Israel Today wrote on June 19:

“… it looks a lot like President Trump is throwing Israel under the bus. The man who had appeared to be a modern-day Cyrus figure is turning out to be a potential Judas, leaving Israel at the mercy of terrorists while ensuring the safe passage of oil…

“Iran remains determined to wipe out the Jewish state… It’s very naïve to think Iran’s current leaders are suddenly being reasonable and with good intentions; the US leader should heed the wise advice Winston Churchill once offered to appeasers in our Parliament that you cannot negotiate with the devil…

“In the meantime, Israel may well end up alone – even without American support…”

To be a Cyrus and a Judas is not mutually exclusive…

Unlimited Power?

The Daily Mail wrote on June 19:

“Donald Trump triumphantly declared in an interview with Axios on Thursday that there are ‘no limits’ to his power when pressed on if he’s found any constraints on his abilities… While attending the Group of Seven summit this week, he put on display the haughty view of himself for all to see. ‘I’m the boss,’ he told the leaders candidly while taking his seat on Wednesday. 

“On Thursday evening, the President posted a two-page memo from his social media claiming that he is even more powerful than historical leaders like Genghis Khan and Napoleon, Hitler, Mao and Stalin. Those notorious men, the document written by ‘presidential historian’ Dave King states, only had local power; Trump by comparison has ‘global reach’…

“‘Sounds good to me!’ Trump celebrated in his social media post about being more powerful than the strongmen… ‘They didn’t have airplanes, right? You couldn’t travel around,’ Trump reportedly said of Alexander the Great, the Caesars of Rome and William the Conqueror. Trump relished being more powerful than Napoleon and ‘the evident pleasure he took in the company of Mao, Hitler, and Stalin’ was clear.”

These are very strange comments indeed.

Does Trump Actually Realize How Bad His Deal Is?

Bild Online wrote on June 18:

“The mullahs get the carrot and no longer have to fear the stick. Does Trump realize how bad his Iran deal is? At the G7 press conference in Évian on Wednesday, he spent an hour praising himself for the agreement (which he subsequently signed at Versailles)—yet he could not disguise the fact that, in reality, he is capitulating to the mullahs…

“US allies in the Middle East feel betrayed by Trump. The deal allows the Iranian regime to firmly re-establish its position, generate billions in revenue, rebuild its missile capabilities, and rearm its proxy armies across the region…

“Trump even praises Iran’s new leadership… He claims there are now ‘reasonable people’ there with whom one can negotiate. This, he suggests, amounts to a form of ‘regime change.’ Similarly, he even praises the Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip, claiming they have ‘behaved very reasonably’ since the ceasefire agreement last October…

“According to Trump, the Iranian regime must be allowed to build missiles again… He even concedes the regime the right to uranium enrichment!… Yet Trump insists the deal ensures the Iranian regime will not acquire nuclear weapons—even though the agreement postpones negotiations on that issue to a later date, leaving the mullahs with a far better negotiating position than they had before the war…

“Incidentally, there is one thing Trump no longer mentions: the people of Iran who have been trying to get rid of the mullahs for decades. He had incited them to revolt, promising: ‘Help is on the way.’ On January 8 and 9, 2026, between 30,000 and 40,000 of them were massacred by the mullahs’ henchmen. They evidently died for nothing. Trump is suddenly casting them aside.

“Both Democrats and disillusioned Republicans are appalled, regarding the deal as worse than anything Obama or Biden negotiated with the Iranian regime. ‘Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave. This is the worst foreign policy blunder in decades,’ concludes Senator Bill Cassidy, a rival of Trump’s within the party.”

ABC News added on June 19:

“… several Republican senators have broken with the president over the agreement… ‘I do have concerns that certain aspects of this deal are stepping in the wrong direction,’ Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News on Thursday…

“‘History demonstrates that giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is an exceptionally bad idea, and I think unfortunately the president is receiving some really bad advice on this deal,’ Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said of the reconstruction fund…”

Worse Than Obama’s Deal

The New York Post Editorial Board wrote on June 19:

“As he prepared to sign his ‘memorandum of understanding’ with the Islamic dictatorship of Iran, President Trump again insisted that his deal was much different than that of his predecessor, President Barack Obama.  He’s right — it’s probably worse.

“Obama’s treaty did not prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, it simply punted the issue down the road in exchange for cash. Trump’s agreement has the same vague promises, the same payouts, but with the added twist that Iran can and will take the world hostage by shutting the Strait of Hormuz at will. On Friday, just days after the signing of the MOU, Iran moved to close the Strait, saying no ships could cross without its permission and suggesting that ‘insurance fees’ must be paid.

“This isn’t in violation of the deal. This is part of the deal. Point No. 5: ‘The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct [a] dialog with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz.’ Why would opening the door for ‘administration’ of a previously free international waterway even be part [of] this agreement? How is this in any way the ‘unconditional surrender’ Trump described?…

“Trump is betraying his base — and his allies… What’s the plan here? Make sure we have no friends left?”

The New York Post is normally Trump-friendly. But they also see how bad this deal is. So do other Trump-friendly outlets. Note the next article.

“We Feel Betrayed”

Newsmax wrote on June 19:

“An Israeli newspaper owned by a Donald Trump megadonor published an open letter that condemned the president for agreeing to a memorandum of understanding with Iran. The sharply worded open letter appeared Thursday in Israel Hayom, the Israeli newspaper founded by the late Sheldon Adelson and now owned by his widow, billionaire philanthropist and major Trump supporter Miriam Adelson.

“Under the headline, ‘You could have been the greatest president of all, but you failed,’ veteran Israeli journalist Danny Zaken accused Trump of abandoning a strategy he said had weakened Iran and moved the region closer to lasting security… ‘We feel betrayed…’, Zaken wrote near the end of the letter. ‘You lost your patience and your moral and leadership compass.’”

The following article shows how far apart the sides are.

Not to Return

The Credle Media quoted on June 19, Israel’s Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, as follows:

“‘We have flattened the entire first line of villages in southern Lebanon, all the houses have been destroyed. The residents will never see them standing ever again.’

“In a stark acknowledgment of systemic ethnic cleansing, Israeli War Minister Israel Katz boasted on Friday that the Israeli military has completely obliterated the entire first tier of Lebanese border villages. Framing the mass destruction as a permanent ‘security zone’, Katz explicitly declared that the 200,000 displaced Lebanese residents ‘are not returning.’”

Closed Again

The Associated Press wrote on June 20:

“Iran dealt two quick blows to the interim agreement with the United States on Saturday, angered by Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon, saying it had closed the Strait of Hormuz and announcing that while its negotiators were going to Switzerland for talks, not much is likely to happen there….

“Earlier Saturday, Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 16 people, including two children, hours after reports emerged of a ceasefire agreement there… An Israeli military official… said Hezbollah had fired more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon overnight. Israel’s army said it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets and militants in southern Lebanon, including Hezbollah command centers…

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep Israeli forces in southern Lebanon until any threat to Israel is eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to halt its attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing from Lebanon, which Iran says is also a condition of the deal.”

Peace Far Off…

The Daily Mail wrote on June 21:

“President Donald Trump renewed threats against Iran on Sunday just hours after Vice President JD Vance arrived in Switzerland along with top Iranian officials to begin negotiations with Tehran… Vance attempted to downplay the intensity of the fighting in Lebanon during Sunday morning’s negotiations. Minutes later, Trump renewed threats of bombing Iran if the country does not rein in Hezbollah and the militant group’s strikes against Israel…

“Hours before, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran will maintain its right to a nuclear program. ‘What is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it,’ Pezeshkian said on Sunday

“During an interview with Fox News Sunday morning, Trump shot back and said that Pezeshkian ‘better watch his mouth.’ He also told Iran that they won’t have a country if the Strait of Hormuz is closed.  Trump also criticized Israel, saying the country ‘can’t do anything without blowing up buildings’ in its fight against Hezbollah in Lebanon…”

Trump “Reacts”

Fox News wrote on June 21:

“President Donald Trump on Sunday told Fox News that he delivered a stark warning to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to ‘blow the s— out of them’ should Tehran close the vital waterway… Trump reiterated his threat to potentially collect tolls for vessels traversing the strait should Iran fail to reach an agreement….

“Trump said that the 60-day ceasefire and negotiation framework established under the Memorandum of Understanding he signed last week ‘is just an option,’ and ‘I can do whatever I want after that option.’”

Is he backpaddling, due to the bad reactions to his “deal”? Note the next article.

Out of Desperation?

The New York Post wrote on June 19:

“[President Trump fired] back at Iran’s ‘probably gay,’ disfigured supreme leader’s claim he settled war out of ‘desperation’… insisting the opposite was true.

“‘We didn’t meet out of desperation, Iran did. They are FINISHED! We’ll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not ten cents!’ Trump wrote…”

Prediction: US-Iran Deal Will Fail

Newsmax wrote on June 22:

“Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., predicted Sunday that the U.S.-Iran framework agreement signed last week will collapse… Graham, who told CBS he spent 4 1/2 hours with Trump on Friday, made the comments on ‘Face the Nation’…

“He said that if talks break down, ‘President Trump is going to take the Strait of Hormuz over by force. The United States will control the Strait of Hormuz. We’ll charge a fee for all those who go through to pay for the operation… If Iran continues to attack Israel and Lebanon, the new policy will be, we’ll hit Iran…’”

Ending the War?

Ron Paul wrote in the Ron Paul Institute on June 22:

“Against the odds, the Memorandum of Understanding… may collapse, but it has survived a first round of talks between the two sides in Switzerland over the weekend. President Trump started a war on Iran against all sober guidance and in violation of the US Constitution’s requirement that only Congress can declare war. There must be a reckoning for our elected leaders who violate their oath of office, the Constitution, and simple common sense.

“However, what is more telling is the reaction when President Trump finally took the correct move and attempted to end the war. The neocons who had hailed him as a great leader – Levin, Bolton, Pompeo, etc. – suddenly turned against him when he turned against further escalation of the war…

“And more telling even than this was the reaction of the ‘opposition’ party in Congress, the Democrats. They attacked him harder for ending – or at least pausing – the war more than for starting the war in the first place… When it comes to wars, there is no Republican Party nor is there a Democratic Party. There is only the ‘yes!’ party…

“Yes, there is plenty to criticize. After weekend talks, the US side, led by Vice President JD Vance, is celebrating as a ‘breakthrough’ that the Strait of Hormuz is open again and that Iran has reportedly agreed to the return of UN inspectors. But the Strait was open before this war and UN inspectors were in Iran before President Trump unilaterally pulled out of the… ‘Iran Deal’ in his first term.

“The only difference now is that we burned through likely several hundred billion dollars, we lost dozens of aircraft and other military equipment, and we likely lost more service members than the Pentagon is admitting. It is a reminder of why the Founders intended to make sure that any war must be declared by the people’s Representatives before the first bullet is shot: it should be very hard to launch wars.

“Nevertheless, those who are truly against the wars should, in my opinion, hold their fire for the time being in hope that a lasting resolution can be found. The President Is being attacked from all sides by the war party. Now may not be the best time for the peace party to join in.”

Ending a war is always a good thing. The only problem is that Trump’s ongoing concessions and Iran’s ongoing demands, as well as ongoing disagreements, virtually guarantee that the war has not ended, but that it will resume very soon. The following article makes this very plain as well.

Conflicting Statements

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 23:

“During a news conference between [Iran’s President] Pezeshkian and [Pakistani President] Sharif, Pezeshkian asserted that Iran’s ballistic missiles are not part of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding and ‘will never be.’  Sharif said Iran has a right to ballistic missiles like other nations and that the issue was never on the table when it came to the discussions regarding the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding…

“Rubio said the US would not accept any tolls or fees in the Strait of Hormuz, reiterating that any final deal with Tehran would forbid Iran from charging for passage…. ‘No country [that would include Oman as well] is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That’s existing international law,’ Rubio said. [So, then, Trump wouldn’t be allowed to do so either, even though he said he might.] … The MoU says that Tehran will allow the passage of shipping without tolls for 60 days only…

“US President Donald Trump says Iran has agreed to far-reaching nuclear inspections, sharply contradicting denials from Tehran [and] dismissing what he called Iran’s ‘protestations and false statements.’ Trump also maintained that unfrozen Iranian assets would be tightly controlled and used to buy US humanitarian goods, including ‘Corn, Wheat, and Soybeans from our great American Farmers.’ Iran has already rejected both assertions…

“Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said there had been no agreement on inspections and no plans to invite the UN nuclear watchdog back to the country.

“Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva pushed back against the use of frozen assets to buy food from the US, insisting that Tehran alone would decide how any released funds are used.

“The conflicting accounts underscore deep divisions between the two sides, even as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue.”

Senate Passes a Symbolic Resolution Rebuking Trump

CNN wrote on June 23:

“The Senate adopted a resolution on Tuesday directing the president to remove military forces from the conflict with Iran a significant rebuke to Donald Trump and a strong message that the war lacks support in Congress…. GOP Sens. Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Bill Cassidy joined Democrats in voting for the resolution, while Democratic Sen. John Fetterman voted against it. The final tally was 50-48. The absences of GOP Sens. Mitch McConnell and Dave McCormick, who have previously voted against advancing war powers resolutions, contributed to the measure’s adoption….

“The measure passed the House earlier this month. But because it is what’s known as a concurrent resolution, it does not require the president’s signature and, by definition, does not carry the force of law.”

Key Republicans Flip

Fox News wrote on June 24:

“An explosive meeting in the Senate turned into a win for President Donald Trump and his administration as key Republicans flipped on another bid to handcuff the administration’s authorities in Iran. 

“In its final act before leaving Washington, D.C., for an over two-week break, the Senate rejected Democrats’ attempt to rein in Trump’s war powers in Iran as talks continue between Iran and the U.S. to hammer out a long-term peace deal. … Trump argued to the GOP that the previous war powers resolution, which passed on Tuesday thanks in part to a pair of Republicans being absent, hurt the administration’s negotiating position with the Iranians….

“[Rand] Paul, who voted present, noted that his ‘opinion on the debate over war and executive power has not changed and I have voted that way several times.’ ‘But since hostilities seem to be over and the President asked me to give consideration to his negotiating position, I will do so,’ Paul said on X. ‘My vote of present is a way to give the President more space and leverage to negotiate a lasting peace.’”

Sounds good, but with potentially bad and really dangerous consequences. The “peace deal” with Iran will not materialize. What if Trump returns to war, which is to be expected. Now could have been an occasion to restrict Trump’s war powers. But the chance was blown by some key Republicans. A way may seem good to a man, but finally, it will cause death.

Charlie Kirk’s Opposition to War With Iran

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on June 18:

“The Charlie Kirk Show is now distributed by a federally registered agent of Israel… It is part of a whopping $46 million dollar annual contract between the Israeli government and Brad Parscale, the former chief of staff for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. This may be the largest lobbying contract in the history of foreign influence operations in the US…

“Since Kirk’s killing, his successors have done their best to bury his vehement opposition to war on Iran, as well as his public fits of disgust with Netanyahu and his army of lobbyists in the US. Kirk’s widow and replacement as TPUSA CEO, Erika Kirk, now insists that she and her husband never wavered in their support for Israel. She has also been unwilling to state what her late husband would have thought about the war the US and Israel waged on Iran this year…

“However, in the months before his killing, Kirk left little mystery about where he stood on the US imposing war on Iran. In one of many tirades against attacking Iran, he slammed Sen. Lindsey Graham and other cheerleaders for war as ‘pathologically insane’ … On August 6, 2025, just over a month before his death, Kirk openly raged against Jewish ‘leaders’ and ‘stakeholders’ harassing him for his criticism of Israeli policies..

“To date, there is no evidence that the state of Israel was responsible for the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Yet it is undeniable that Kirk’s killing removed one of the greatest obstacles to Israel’s plans to compel Trump to launch a massive regime change war on Iran… Kirk was the only figure in Trump’s inner circle to personally appeal to the president against committing US forces to Israel’s 12-day-long assault on Iran during June 2025. Trump ‘barked’ at Kirk… and angrily dispatched him. Days later, Trump ordered US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, setting the stage for Operation Epic Fury the following year…”

Kirk was right, and Trump should have listened. Now, it’s all forgotten, and Kirk’s views are being misrepresented or suppressed.

Problematic Supreme Court Decision Regarding Green Card Holders

ABC News reported on June 23:

“The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Tuesday bolstered the ability of federal border agents to remove from the country lawful permanent residents, or green card holders, who may have committed a crime involving ‘moral turpitude.’ 

“In a 6-3 decision by Justice Clarence Thomas in Blanche v. Lau, the court said border agents do not bear the burden of having to prove by ‘clear and convincing evidence’ that an immigrant seeking to re-enter the country after a trip abroad had committed a crime before denying them admission, but need only show that there was reason to believe they had…

“U.S. immigration law states that green card holders who legally leave the U.S. for short periods should be allowed to re-enter, but there are exceptions – among them if the green card holder is convicted of or admits to having committed ‘a crime involving moral turpitude.’”

“In a dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, argued that the government must bear the burden of first proving that a green card holder had, in fact, committed a crime before stripping their status.”

The dissent is right.

Outrage in Italy

AFP wrote on June 19:

“Italy reacted angrily on Friday after reported comments by US President Donald Trump mocking Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni… Meloni said she was ‘frankly stunned’ by Trump’s comments to Italian channel La7.

“According to a written transcript of the phone interview provided to AFP by the network, he said Meloni ‘begged me for a picture’ at the G7 summit this week and he agreed only because he ‘felt sorry for her.’ He also suggested that Meloni was probably ‘happy that I talked to her, I didn’t have to talk to her’. Meloni called what Trump said ‘made up’, adding: ‘Neither I nor Italy ever beg.’

“‘I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,’ the far-right leader wrote on X. ‘I can only say that it’s a pity he doesn’t show the same determination with enemies of the West, with enemies of the United States, with leaders with whom, instead, he is far more accommodating,’ she said.

“Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on X called Trump’s words ‘grave and offensive’ and said he was cancelling a visit to the US planned for June 21 and 22. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio said the comments were a ‘painful injury’ to Italy-US ties…

“Meloni has tried to position herself as a bridge between Europe and the Trump administration, but the relationship came under strain during the Middle East war. Trump turned on Meloni in April after she defended Pope Leo XIV from the US president’s harsh criticism of the pontiff’s anti-war views. Meloni condemned Trump’s remarks as ‘unacceptable’ — prompting the president to turn his fire on her… He accused Meloni of failing to help the United States with NATO. Trump has threatened to pull US troops from Italy, saying Rome ‘has not been of any help to us’ in the Iran war.”

Dispute Escalates

Bild Online reported on June 20:

“The dispute between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (49) and Donald Trump (80) continues to escalate. Following Trump’s disparaging remarks about a photo Meloni allegedly begged for, a right-wing conservative Italian newspaper is now attacking the US President on its front page with a crude insult… ‘Trump è un Coglione,’ the paper [‘Libero’] writes in its Saturday edition—which translates roughly to: Trump is a total moron! Depending on the context, there are even cruder translations… ‘Only a total moron could ruin everything with a lie so massive it borders on the ridiculous’…

“Why might Trump have made the claim? The answer lies in the meaning of the word ‘Coglione,’ writes [the newspaper]. ‘An incompetent, stupid person who acts with little sense…’ ‘Libero’ is a nationally known tabloid, famous for biting commentary and attacks on the left-wing mainstream—or… on politicians who publicly humiliate the Prime Minister…”

ABC News reported on June 20:

“President Donald Trump continued his war of words with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday, insisting she ‘begged’ for a photo of them together at this week’s G7 summit, despite denials from Meloni and pushback from Italian ministers… ‘She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America… when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a Nuclear Weapon (But so did NATO, for that matter!),’ the president said in his post.

“Meloni snapped back on Trump with her own social media post later in the morning… ‘As for my popularity, being your friend has certainly not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you… In any case, my popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours,’ she said to Trump…

“Italian politicians, including opposition party members, have come out in support of Meloni while also arguing this shows that being too acquiescent with the U.S. administration is counterproductive.”

Ultimately, Italy will totally turn against America, as will be the case for the rest of Europe.

Nothing Goes Without Germany

Politico wrote on June 19:

“Germany has a reminder for Washington: The United States needs Europe in order to get to outer space.

“‘Germany and Europe provide critical key technologies’ for U.S. space missions, German Space Minister Dorothee Bär told POLITICO in an interview this week. ‘That is why we can confidently say: without us, it cannot be done.’”

Keir Starmer Resigned

The U.S. Sun wrote on June 22:

“SIR Keir Starmer fought back tears today while announcing he will QUIT as Prime Minister after just two years in power. Andy Burnham (sometimes called the King of the North) is the clear favourite to succeed him as more MPs swing behind his leadership claim…

“Sir Keir will become the sixth premier to resign in the last decade when he formally leaves No10 by September at the latest. He quit after a succession of Cabinet Ministers had joined Labour MPs in losing faith in his premiership following months of turmoil and drift…

“Labour nominations will open on July 9 and, if more than one candidate makes the ballot, a new leader will be elected before Parliament returns on September 1. But with senior figures already lining up behind Mr Burnham, there is growing speculation there may be no contest at all… This could see Mr Burnham enter Downing Street as Britain’s next Prime Minister as early as July 17 or 18…

“Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said his party will demand a general election immediately…

Trump said that one of the main reasons for Starmer’s demise was his opposition to the USA and the Iran war. This is clearly incorrect. Starmer gained support in Britain for occasionally standing up to Trump, especially as Trump is probably the most despised and rejected leader in the West.

“The Stupidest Idea Trump Ever Had”

Report 24 wrote on June 20:

“US President Donald Trump is turning heads at the G7 meeting in Evian. Because he is dissatisfied with Israel’s successes against Hezbollah in Syria, the new Syrian regime is supposed to handle the job. In other words, Sunni Al-Qaeda murder squads against Shiite Hezbollah fanatics… After threatening the terror regime in Tehran with destruction, [Trump] now appears to be striking a ‘deal’ with the mullahs that betrays the Iranian people and Israel. In Syria, he has sold out long-standing Kurdish allies and supported the new jihadist regime—led by internationally wanted Al-Qaeda terrorists…

“Trump first boasts that he himself was ‘very responsible for Syria’: ‘The man leading Syria now is someone I installed together with President Erdogan. He is doing a great job bringing everyone together.’ He claims the man is very capable and has done everything he—Trump—wanted. The person in question is Ahmed al-Sharaa, who remained on the UN list of internationally wanted Al-Qaeda terrorists until 2025. Al-Qaeda is, after all, the organization that carried out the 2001 terror attacks in New York. In 2013, the US had offered a substantial $10 million reward for information leading to al-Sharaa’s capture. Since taking power in Syria alongside other terrorist groups, the regime has carried out a series of massacres targeting Christians, Druze, Alawites, and Yazidis. A process of gradual ethnic cleansing is underway. …”

“The Syrian army consists of Al-Qaeda and ISIS… They will burn everything down… And they will do a better job than Israel? Doesn’t [Trump] know what happened in the Syrian Civil War?… [That] hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians [were] killed in that war? Is he aware of what war in the Middle East looks like when Muslims fight Muslims?… What does Trump [think] the Syrian army would do better? Would the Al-Qaeda gangs have better and more precise missiles, better intelligence, or a better air force than Israel? Does Trump think the Syrian army would notify the fire department and warn residents via text message before an attack—‘Leave the building, we’re about to bomb it’? Israel does that. Does Trump think Al-Qaeda will do the same?…

“… of course, no one in their right mind could welcome a Syrian invasion of Lebanon. It wouldn’t just be jihadist fanatics who died, but also countless Christians and Druze, who together make up about half the population…

“However, Trump is right about one underlying aspect: if the Syrian army takes action against Hezbollah and hundreds of thousands of people lose their lives in the process, the international outcry will be far less than if a few thousand were to die in Israeli attacks… The left-globalist mainstream public has emphatically demonstrated in recent years that it is capable of stubbornly remaining silent about mass killings committed by Muslims in Yemen, Sudan, Syria, etc….”

Christians Across Africa Are Slaughtered… But Europe Looks the Other Way

Brussels Signal wrote on June 16:

“The harrowing footage reaching (or, to be exact, not reaching) Western monitors from the Oromia region of Ethiopia leaves no room for interpretation. Dozens of Orthodox Christians murdered, churches systematically targeted, and ancient communities subjected to raw, asymmetric violence. What is unfolding in the Horn of Africa is not an isolated tribal skirmish. It is part of a brutal campaign of Islamist extremist aggression sweeping across the continent from Nigeria to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique – and ultimately threatening Europe itself.

“Unfortunately, the geopolitical hypocrisy of the West hardly makes an impression anymore… the systematic erasure of Christian populations in Africa is met with an orchestrated guilty silence… Ethiopia, a nation with deep, 1,700-year-old Christian roots, is becoming a testing ground for a wider civilisational cleansing. If nobody reacts, the killing continues. We see the exact same pattern across the Sahel and Nigeria, where entire Christian villages are routinely slaughtered while international media look the other way… The Western media establishment fears that reporting the truth will fuel domestic reactions at home, so they choose complicity through silence instead….

“This leaves the global Christian population completely unprotected in the face of rising militant fanaticism. In Nigeria, the blood of martyrs has stained the Middle Belt for years, yet the European Union continues to disburse billions in development aid without demanding a single act of protection for these vulnerable groups…”

Shameful and appalling.

“Fauci Funded Lab Research that Sparked COVID”

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 19:

“A trove of communications and documents released by outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard show that Dr. Anthony Fauci ‘provided millions in U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research’ on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology…

“In a viral overnight social media video already seen by millions, Gabbard announced [that Fauci] worked with politicized elements within the Intelligence Community to suppress the truth about his actions and hide the virus’ lab-leak origins, and lied to Congress while under oath in 2024.”

Fauci can still face certain charges in spite of the broad preemptive pardon issued by President Biden. While the pardon protects him from almost all federal criminal prosecutions, it does not provide blanket immunity against state-level laws or civil lawsuits. Also, legal scholars feel that Fauci’s broad preemptive pardon may be illegal.

Breitbart reported on June 20:

“Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) [said], ‘I don’t think anyone has to debate the damage that the release of this virus caused in trillions of dollars, and you know, countless lives around the world. What we do have to do is specifically get to an official investigation and charges on two major counts, the perjury count before Congress, and the cover-up…  often the cover-up is worse than the original lie, and in this case, it appears as though he willfully impeded Congress and everyone else in getting to the truth, which probably cost even more lives…’”

Cuba Invasion?

Axios wrote on June 19:

“President Trump said Thursday on ‘The Axios Show’ that ‘it’s possible’ a potential Cuba invasion would resemble the swift capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January.”

The War Against Ivermectin

The Independent wrote on June 19:

“A rising number of cancer patients are being prescribed ivermectin instead of undergoing chemotherapy… A report… found that ivermectin prescriptions for cancer patients doubled between January and July 2025…

“Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic medication primarily used by veterinarians. It was popularized among humans by Covid vaccine skeptics during the pandemic. It has no proven medicinal properties beyond being an effective treatment for parasitic infections…

“The celebrity endorsement … was from actor Mel Gibson, who told Joe Rogan in 2025 that three of his friends survived cancer by taking ivermectin…

“MacMillan Cancer Support chief medical officer Richard Simcock… explained that a lot of the disinformation stems from some existing studies of ivermectin in the lab showing that the drug has the potential to help induce death in cancer cells when taken alongside conventional treatment. However, Simcock stressed that lab studies cannot be directly replicated in humans…

“Additionally, even the more promising lab tests were taken in conjunction with existing cancer drugs [those used in conjunction with chemotherapy]…

“Secretary of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr., [promoted] the use of ivermectin as an alternative to the Covid vaccine on his podcast prior to working for the White House…”

The article contains numerous errors. Just note the following statements:

The National Library of Medicine wrote on September 21, 2020: “Ivermectin has powerful antitumor effects, including the inhibition of proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenic activity, in a variety of cancer cells.”

Everyday Health wrote on July 7, 2025: “Researchers have been exploring ivermectin as a possible cancer drug, but they emphasize that the findings are preliminary…”

Anticancer Research wrote in June of 2026: “… ivermectin [was] associated with high rates of self-reported clinical benefit and favorable tolerability.”

Many doctors, paid by pharma, oppose ivermectin, as they do the use of medical marijuana, even though the latter has been proven to be extremely effective in certain cases. We know that chemotherapy is harmful. We also know it’s very expensive, and doctors profit from using it. No wonder pharma is quick in rejecting remedies which would affect their lucrative income and that of their agents. Ivermectin was rejected by pharma and many doctors as a remedy against Covid. They instead promoted harmful and dangerous Covid vaccinations, causing serious and deadly side effects.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

America the Unfree

The Rutherford Institute wrote on June 10, 2026

“America has become an occupied nation. Not by one invading army, but by many occupying powers: the police state, the surveillance state, the war state, the corporate state, the foreign influence machine, and a ruling class that treats the American people as little more than collateral damage in its pursuit of power, profit and control. We have been policed, surveilled, taxed, indebted, manipulated, censored, tracked, searched, silenced and sold out. Foreign powers are buying up our farmland, buying favor with the Trump family…  dictating national policy…

“The swamp under President Trump has taken on a decidedly foreign flavor: any nation with enough money, leverage or strategic value to enrich the Trump family can now get its hands on a piece of the American pie—all the while, the American people continue to struggle to survive Trump’s self-enrichment schemes, broken promises, endless wars, militarized streets and vanity projects…

“That is how far we have fallen… we now have a Congress that hides government power inside thousand-page defense bills, intelligence authorizations, classified annexes and emergency spending packages. From founders who warned against foreign influence, we now have rulers who auction off access to foreign governments, foreign donors, foreign wars and foreign intelligence interests…”

The USA is controlled and to a large extent owned by foreigners, as the Bible predicted. America has “fallen,” and it will continue to do so.

Ice-Cold ICE Agents

The Mirror wrote on June 12:

“Two parents were arrested by ICE agents during a preschool graduation ceremony in Maryland, as multiple children cried through the arrest… Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson… said the arrested individuals had their children in the backseat, who screamed as their parents were ‘ripped from the car.’

“Ferguson said ‘heroic educators’ brought the children inside as the arrests unfolded ‘to try to protect them from these unbelievable and out-of-control federal agents.’ He added that the agents quickly left after taking the parents into custody…. Last month, the City of Baltimore signed an emergency bill prohibiting federal agents from operating and conducting arrests in ‘sensitive locations like public schools.’..

“Mayor Brandon Scott… called it a ‘disturbing incident’ and said, ‘Let me reiterate, this type of enforcement is not welcome in Baltimore… The presence of ICE has not made our city any safer, and in fact has led to greater fear and anxiety, especially for our immigrant neighbors… Schools are places where children should feel safe, where parents should be able to drop off their kids without fear, and where educators should be able to focus on teaching, not where federal agents carry out immigration enforcement actions in front of children.’”

This Gestapo-like conduct of ICE agents is deplorable. God does most certainly not bless a country, calling itself “Christian,” which engages in such despicable behavior.

India Wants German Submarines

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 13:

“A multibillion-dollar submarine deal between India and Germany reflects New Delhi’s push for military self-reliance — and Berlin’s growing interest in the Indo-Pacific. India is moving to strengthen its navy with a new generation of submarines designed in Germany and to be built in India. The deal, worth around $8 billion (€7 billion), is expected to be signed this summer, according to the German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

“The deal comes as… submarines [are] playing a central role. China’s growing naval reach and Pakistan’s deepening military ties with Beijing are sharpening India’s sense of urgency…. The submarines in question are German-designed Type 214 boats, built by Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS…

“[Their] technology [of air-independent propulsion (AIP)] allows them to stay underwater much longer than other conventional submarines — making them harder to detect and better suited for patrols in crowded waters… In a US‑led naval exercise in 2005, a small Swedish AIP submarine slipped through heavy defenses and scored simulated hits on a US aircraft carrier — twice. That seems to be exactly the kind of capability India wants as it modernizes its fleet.”

Later on, India, as part of the Kings of the East, will use these submarines against Germany and Europe.

Putin Is Preparing For War With Europe

Daily Mail wrote on June 12:

“Fears are mounting that Vladimir Putin is preparing for a wider war with Europe… Satellite images have exposed the expansion of dozens of military bases along Russia’s borders with Nato countries. The evidence – released by Denmark’s national broadcaster in cooperation with intelligence services – shows a flurry of construction work has been taking place. New barracks, warehouses and military vehicles have been added over the past two years…

“Intelligence assessments suggest Russia’s Murmansk region, near Finland and Norway, could now accommodate up to 17,000 additional troops within striking distance of neighbouring countries… Another military site near the Estonian border has also amassed significant numbers of vehicles, according to the images. The expansion comes amid wider concerns over Russia’s growing hostility towards the Western alliance.

“The Ministry of Defence has warned Downing Street that Russian aggression towards Nato is now at record levels. Russian jets and drones are said to have violated Nato airspace more last month than at any other point this year, while the total number of incidents in 2026 has already surpassed the whole of 2025…

“Former British military intelligence officer Philip Ingram told The Sun… that Russia was creating the conditions to rapidly rearm and deploy forces towards Nato’s borders once the war in Ukraine eventually comes to an end… Danish Defence Academy analyst Anders Puck Nielsen warned that Russia sees a future confrontation with Europe as increasingly likely… Recent incidents have included Russian submarines being tracked near British undersea cables in the North Atlantic…”

According to the Bible, such a confrontation will occur; in fact, Russia, as part of the Kings of the East, will destroy Europe. Note the next article.

“Germany Must Prepare For War With Russia”

NewsFire wrote on June 11:

“Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, who assumed leadership of the German army in October 2025, stated that Russia is reconstituting its armed forces at a pace that exceeds the requirements of its war in Ukraine…

“German and allied Western intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia may possess the capability to launch a major assault on NATO territory by 2029. Freuding has previously characterized this timeline as arriving almost immediately…

“Moscow has dismissed claims it intends to attack NATO as fabrications, charging Western governments with manufacturing threats to legitimize increased military budgets.”

Of course, Russia denies any ambitions like that. So, Europe feels “compelled” to respond militarily; but it will lead to Europe’s downfall. America’s conduct in this regard will only exacerbate the situation, as the next article shows.

Europe’s Nuclear Expansion

Uncutnews wrote on June 2:

“According to a Financial Times report, the United States is currently considering extending the NATO nuclear sharing system to additional member states. Specifically, this involves… combat aircraft capable of deploying both conventional weapons and US nuclear bombs…

“Poland has repeatedly signaled its readiness to assume a more active role in nuclear sharing. Other Eastern European NATO states are also pushing for a stronger US military presence…

“One fact is particularly noteworthy: Should a direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO ever occur, the hostilities would not take place on American soil. The targets would be in Europe. The presence of American nuclear weapons at European military bases automatically turns these locations into potential targets in the event of a crisis. The further the system is extended eastward, the greater the risk for the countries involved. Washington supplies the weapons—Europe bears the consequences…

“The history of the Cold War demonstrates how quickly misunderstandings, miscalculations, or technical errors can bring the world to the brink of catastrophe. Expanding nuclear capabilities along Russia’s borders may be viewed by strategists as a sign of strength. For many Europeans, however, it likely represents something else entirely: another step toward a more dangerous and unstable future.”

According to the Bible, this unstable future begins with a NUCLEAR European attack on the USA and the UK, resulting in their total destruction, followed by a NUCLEAR war between Russia and Europe.

Britain in Trouble

The Daily Mail wrote on June 14:

“The [afore-mentioned Russian] activity will heighten pressure on Keir Starmer to resolve months of bitter internal wrangling over funding, which triggered the dramatic resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey yesterday…

“Sir Keir has now promoted security minister Dan Jarvis to fill the key Cabinet post, but the Defence Investment Plan remains unfinished. It is meant to lay out how the Government will fill a £28billion shortfall in budgets over the next four years, but it has emerged the Treasury is only offering £10billion of extra funding…”

The UK will be in no position to defend itself against continental Europe.

Putin Calls Trump

Newsmax wrote on June 14:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone Saturday with President Donald Trump to wish him a happy 80th birthday, using the occasion to discuss major international issues, including the war in Ukraine, tensions involving Iran and the future of U.S.-Russia relations. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov…  said Trump was particularly appreciative of the gesture because Putin was the first foreign leader to call and congratulate him on his birthday…

“Analysts also note that if diplomatic progress with Iran leads to adjustments in sanctions regimes or energy markets, Moscow could benefit from improved conditions for oil exports and greater flexibility in global energy trade… According to Ushakov, Trump argued that ending the [Ukraine] war quickly would open the door to a new era in relations between Washington and Moscow… The Kremlin also announced that Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to return to Russia in the near future for additional discussions…”

Putin knows how to play his cards, while Trump reacts naively when flattered. However, during the G7 meeting, Trump said that Putin should end the war. Some felt that this was a sign that he was turning against Putin. We don’t think so.

From Pharaoh to Erdogan

Israel Today wrote on June 11:

“It is one of the most astonishing phenomena in world history. Few peoples are as small as the Jewish people. Few states are as tiny as Israel. And yet great powers, empires, kings, caliphs, popes, dictators, and presidents have occupied themselves again and again for thousands of years with the same land and the same people. From the pharaohs of Egypt to Haman in Persia, Antiochus, the Romans, the Inquisition, the pogroms of Europe, Hitler, the Soviet Union, and the ayatollahs in Tehran — the same claim resurfaces time and again: that the Jews are a danger [Regarding Pharaoh, the claim was not just directed at the Jews, but at all the tribes of Israel]. That Israel is a danger. That the Jewish state threatens peace, order, or even humanity itself.

“Today we hear similar words once more. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declares that Israel is ‘a threat to all of humanity.’ The Iranian leadership has described Israel for decades as an enemy of the peoples. Ali Khamenei referred to Israel over the years as a ‘cancerous tumor’ and a ‘rabid dog,’ and declared on multiple occasions that Israel must disappear…”

Erdogan is a hateful arch-enemy of Israel, and the Bible predicts some awful conduct by Turkey towards Israel.

More Israeli Control Over Al Aqsa?

MEE (Middle East Eye) wrote on June 4:

“Israeli authorities are seeking to recruit ultranationalists and settlers into police units deployed at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, according to a report by Haaretz… According to Haaretz, rabbis associated with Temple Mount movements – groups that organise regular incursions into Al-Aqsa and advocate for its destruction – have encouraged their followers to enlist…

“Many Israeli groups advocate the destruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque to build a third temple in its place.”

However, it will happen, a third temple will be built on the Temple Mount prior to Christ’s Return.

Israel Not on Board

The Guardian wrote on June 14:

“Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli military launched strikes on Beirut… Iran’s highest national security body warned later that a response was ‘imminent’… In an earlier Truth Social post, Trump criticized the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for launching the attack as Washington and Tehran were in the midst of negotiating the deal.

“‘Why did Bibi [Netanyahu] have to do a f… attack?’ Trump told Axios. ‘I was so p… off. I let him know. He has no f… judgement. I let him know that.’ Trump added that he asked Iran not to respond against the Israeli strikes.”

Deal Reached… So They Say!

The Associated Press wrote on June 14:

“The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz… Key mediator Pakistan said the signing will be Friday in Switzerland. Key issues like Iran’s nuclear program are expected to be addressed [over the next 60 days]. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed a deal had been reached and said he had authorized an end to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz [but see the articles below]…

“Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, confirmed the agreement on state television but said Iran would not start implementing it until it was signed on Friday… Iranian state TV showed a banner asserting: ‘US was forced to sign an agreement to end the war.’…

“‘Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,’ Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said…

“The deal likely returns the region to a status that existed before the war, but with thousands of people dead and Iran wielding a new source of negotiating pressure with its ability to influence shipping in the strait…

“Of the stated targets by the U.S. and Israel when they launched the war on Feb. 28 with strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Tehran still has a missile program, support for armed proxies in the region like Hezbollah and a stockpile of highly enriched uranium for its nuclear program…

“The emerging deal had been sharply criticized by Israel’s government [see articles below] and by critics in Trump’s own Republican Party. Some said it did not improve on the terms of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that Trump withdrew the U.S. from during his first term and still describes as ‘bad.’…

“The central question of Iran’s nuclear program remains… Iran has 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is peaceful...”

Trump’s declaration that Iran has agreed not to build a nuclear weapon would be meaningless, in any event, as Iran had pronounced that position long before the war started, claiming that its nuclear program was “peaceful,” which is of course highly doubtful.

The fact that the issue of Iran’s nuclear program has not been resolved is confirmed by the following articles as well.  

Fate of Iran’s Nuclear Program Unresolved

The Guardian wrote on June 14:

“By any assessment, the fate of the Iran’s nuclear program – a key rationale given by Trump for the war on Iran – has not been resolved in the latest agreement. The president repeated on Sunday his promise that ‘Iran will never have a nuclear weapon’ but senior Pakistani officials told the Associated Press that nuclear talks would continue over the next 60 days…”

Another unresolved question is the Strait of Hormuz, as the following articles show.

What About the Strait of Hormuz?

Daily Mail wrote on June 14:

”Trump told the New York Times in an interview on Sunday that the agreement with Iran would make the Strait ‘permanently toll free’ and that negotiations to reach a final nuclear accord would begin Friday in Switzerland.  If those details couldn’t be worked out, Trump threatened to resume attacking Iran or make the US ‘the guardian of the Middle East,’ in return for 20 percent of the region’s revenues, the Times said.”

In light of Trump’s ever-changing promises and declarations, the following article is quite revealing:

Iran’s Last Minute Changes

The Daily Mail wrote on June 15:

“Iran has said it will continue to charge fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz after a ‘last-minute’ amendment to its ceasefire deal with the US. Over the next 60 days, Tehran will guarantee free passage through the strait, but after the ceasefire extension period is over, ships will be required to pay tolls to cover security, navigation, environmental and insurance services.

“The eleventh-hour change comes despite US President Donald Trump stating the vital waterway, set to reopen on Friday, would remain ‘permanently toll-free’.”

Trump subsequently stated he was not surprised by about Iran’s position regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s declared goal of Iran’s regime change has not been reached, and now Trump even falsely claims that he never advocated regime change.

Disagreement on Lebanon

Daily Mail wrote on June 16:

“Donald Trump unleashed a new tirade at Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday as he said that Israel would have ‘been blown up a long time ago’ if he hadn’t intervened… The US President told reporters at the G7 summit in France that Israel’s war with Hezbollah has gone on too long as he urged Mr Netanyahu to be ‘more responsible’ in Lebanon…

“However it appeared that Mr Netanyahu was not heeding the US President’s calls as the Israel Defense Forces confirmed it had undertaken several strikes in Lebanon on Tuesday. The strikes came a day after Israel said its forces would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, saying the deal between Washington and Tehran ‘does not bind us in any way’.

“But Tehran repeated its demand that Israel withdraw from Lebanon as part of the secret peace agreement, which is due to be signed on Friday. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Aragchi said: ‘Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the termination of the war will not be complete.’”

If both sides stick to their guns, the deal is off.

The Wall Street Journal wrote on June 15:

“President Trump is touting his latest cease-fire deal with Iran as peace in our time, but the world is more likely to see it as a strategic retreat short of achieving his war aims. To reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Mr. Trump is accepting Iran’s promises merely to negotiate over its nuclear program.”

Disagreement in the Trump Administration

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 16:

“CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned senior American officials that US intelligence agencies had gathered evidence that raises doubts about Iran’s willingness to make concessions regarding its nuclear program…  

“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared Ratcliffe’s concerns and raised questions about the memorandum of understanding during the meetings. Ratcliff and Rubio… said that based on the intelligence, they doubted Iran would agree to the US’s nuclear demands…

“JD Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, on the other hand, reportedly advocated for the deal… Trump listened to all opinions, but noted that ‘everyone understands he is the final decision-maker’ on the matter.”

Meaning, he will be rightly blamed for a deal which accomplishes nothing.

Trump Failed

On June 16, Michael Posner wrote the following in his newsletter:

“There is no shortage of losers in this diplomatic debacle — America, Israel, Lebanon, the Gulf States, the West in general. But the brave, betrayed Persians are surely the biggest losers. Despite all the bold promises, no one came to liberate them. Despite repeated assurances that help was on the way — that this time, the West was serious about toppling the mullahs — the white knights were a No Show.

“On the contrary…, the Persians have been abandoned. Yet again… for the foreseeable future, the world‘s most evil regime will remain securely in place, and in de facto control of the Straits of Hormuz. They will play that destabilizing card whenever it suits them, especially when Israel is again forced to take on Hezbollah in Lebanon, or Hamas in Gaza, or the Houthis in Yemen…

“The enriched uranium… will stay in Iran. Assurances to Trump notwithstanding, the chance that the IRGC won’t immediately press the restart button on building the bomb is zero. The factories that manufacture ballistic missiles arsenals… [are] being rebuilt as we speak, providing the future shield for Iran’s nuclear program.

“The billions of dollars in sanctioned and frozen Iranian bank assets… will be gradually released… finance[ing] proxy militias in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza…

“Donald Trump blinked… Too eager to make a deal — any deal… Trump capitulated… America has been humiliated, exposed as a paper tiger…

“Donald Trump… never took the time to justify the war to Americans, to explain exactly why the Islamic Republic is a greater threat to Western civilization than Russia or even China… The fighting spirit is no longer there….

“The war has also driven a spike through the heart of the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem… Growing Republican and Democratic factions are seeking to distance themselves from Israel…”

Sadly, what the article expresses is so true.

“A Serious Strategic Mistake”

Die Welt wrote on June 16:

“Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah, has spoken out against any agreement with Iran that leaves the current leadership in Tehran in power. ‘An agreement with this regime will fail, and we will all have to bear the consequences,’ Pahlavi stated on online platforms on Tuesday. After the regime killed 40,000 Iranians, an agreement would be ‘not only morally unacceptable but also a serious strategic mistake,’ he declared on X. ‘The Iranian people will not accept it.’

“Tehran would never ‘make a genuine peace,’ just as the government had ‘never made peace with its own citizens,’ the 65-year-old explained.”

We agree with Reza Pahlavi.

Superpower Suicide

On June 16, Focus wrote:

“The world is noting with great astonishment that the superpower USA, despite its overwhelming military strength and presence in the Gulf region, is being forced to negotiate with Iran merely on a return to the pre-war status quo in the Strait of Hormuz…. This is a slap in the face for the USA as a global superpower and undermines its status as a guarantor of freedom of navigation. ‘The Iran conflict has left the USA in a weaker position than at the start of the conflict,’ says Rebecca Lissner, a senior fellow at the US think tank Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)….

“‘While the Iran conflict demonstrated the extraordinary military strength of the USA, it simultaneously revealed its inability to translate that strength into anything even remotely resembling a strategic victory over Iran.’… US foreign policy under Trump amounts to ‘superpower suicide’…”

America is indeed committing national suicide.

Mark Levin Rebukes Trump

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 16:

“Fox News’ major MAGA ally Mark Levin slammed US President Donald Trump over the Iran war peace deal… Levin on X wrote: ‘I have asked for days, why can’t we, the people, see the d… MOU [Memorandum of Understanding]? Not through people briefed by an anonymous person. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like this. If it is a great outcome for peace, then release it… if you want people to stop speculating about the MOU, release the MOU. Don’t brief a few anointed ones to control the narrative and expect everyone else to sit silently. That’s not how our country works. It’s going to be signed soon. It takes time for people to digest it all once it is released…’

“Levin, a pro-Israel hawk, also slammed the president for lashing out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. ‘In a period of two-months, Israel has gone from a great ally and partner in war, fighting by our side against a horrible enemy that has killed thousands of our people, killed tens of thousands of their own people, and was a dire nuclear threat intent on attacking us, to Israeli PM Netanyahu being a difficult person who should be thanking us for saving his country from Iran and should get our permission if he wants to defend his people from Hezbollah and Iran, and stand down when his country is attacked,’ Levin wrote.”

Trump should think twice when even his most loyal supporters are openly disagreeing with him. An alleged text of the MOU was leaked, but it does not include some of the provisions referred to earlier in the press. Even though, note the next article.

The Sun wrote on June 17:

“Trump reminded world leaders at the G7 summit in France that the memorandum was not complete yet. He said: ‘It’s a memorandum of understanding. And if I don’t like it, we’ll go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs on their head. If I don’t like it, if they don’t behave, we’ll go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head, OK?’”

Israel Disappointed

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 15:

“This morning, senior Israeli officials are left feeling frustrated. There is deep criticism of the US administration and growing concern that a war that began with the stated goal of toppling the Iranian regime may end, at least for now, with that regime intact, stable, and once again benefiting from a flow of financial resources. ‘Help is on the way,’ Netanyahu and Trump told the Iranian people at the outset of the conflict. Yet for the moment, the Iranian public remains on the sidelines. The Ayatollah regime emerges from the war alive, breathing, and still firmly in power…

“National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in an X/Twitter post that Israel is not bound to US President Donald Trump’s US-Iran ceasefire agreement…  ‘Israel is not subject to the United States, and we are an independent and sovereign nation,’ he said…

“Other Israeli officials took to X on Monday morning to state their positions, including Yair Golan, leader of The Democrats, who criticized Netanyahu for capitulating to a deal he deemed unsatisfactory… ‘Trump signs an agreement that funnels billions to the Ayatollahs’ regime, leaves the nuclear infrastructure intact, preserves the ballistic threat as is, and throws a lifeline to the murderous regime in Tehran,’ he said in harsh criticism of the agreement…

“Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, said ‘… it is forbidden to agree to restrict Israel’s freedom of action in Lebanon or to a withdrawal that endangers the residents of the north… The emerging agreement with Iran appears to be a strategic failure…’

“Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also posted on X, saying, ‘The agreement with Iran is bad for Israel and for the entire free world. Period.’ He also implied that Israel will have to continue to carry out the war against Iran itself in order to ensure that Iran does not achieve nuclear weapons.’

Netanyahu and Trump Face Broad Disapproval

The Washington Post added on June 15:

“Caught between Trump’s public browbeating and broad discontent at home, Netanyahu faces a challenge like never before over how to navigate the next two months… The mounting pressure on Netanyahu from across the Israeli political spectrum and the Israeli military establishment could place the conflict in Lebanon — and the broader U.S.-Iran peace talks — on a hair trigger and deepen a public split between Israel and the United States that is unlike anything seen in recent years…

“Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israeli troops will stay ‘indefinitely’ in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip…

“In the end, it was those who are close to Netanyahu who lashed out with a bitterness and sense of betrayal rarely seen directed by Israelis toward Trump. In a stunning social media tirade early Monday, Yinon Magal, a former lawmaker and anchor on Channel 14 television who is often described as Netanyahu’s most prominent mouthpiece, lashed out at Trump as a ‘loser,’ Vance as a ‘lowlife,’ and Trump’s special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as ‘two little Jews … whom Qatar bought for a lot of money and who sold out their brothers in Israel.’

“Amit Segal, another influential right-wing television analyst close to the prime minister, simply offered a quote attributed to Henry Kissinger, per William F. Buckley Jr.: ‘It may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal.’”

Trump might have lost Israel as America’s closest ally…which the Bible also prophesied to happen.

Another U-Turn

Daily Mail wrote on June 17:

“In a stunning departure from decades of established US foreign policy, President Donald Trump revealed that a forthcoming peace agreement with Iran will likely allow the regime to retain its conventional ballistic missiles. Standing before reporters at the G7 meeting in France, the President argued that a complete ban is unrealistic because ‘they got to have some.’ ‘What am I going to do? Am I going to let Saudi Arabia have missiles, but they can’t have them?’ Trump said during the briefing. ‘Missiles aren’t the problem. They hurt a little location, but they don’t blow up the planet.’…

“For months, Rubio centered his argument for military action against Iran on the necessity of neutralizing the nation’s missile capabilities. He labeled the regime’s unwillingness to negotiate regarding its arsenal a ‘big problem’ and an ‘unsustainable threat,’ asserting that Tehran maintained weaponry ‘solely designed to attack America and attack Americans.’

“For generations, every American administration has maintained a strict ‘red line’ against Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities…. Trump broke not only with his predecessors but with his own historical stance by conceding that Iran would likely retain a missile arsenal. His sudden concession that Iran ‘has to have’ them isn’t just a break from establishment bipartisan policy; it’s a U-turn on his own first-term record.”

This is truly irresponsible.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Ukrainian Drones Target St. Petersburg

The Associated Press wrote on June 6:

“Residents of St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, were told not to leave their homes after a ‘large-scale’ Ukrainian drone attack targeted the city Saturday morning, underscoring Kyiv’s growing ability to hit deep inside Russia, a day after the Russian president refused an offer to meet his Ukrainian counterpart…

“Although no casualties were immediately reported, the renewed attack on St. Petersburg is the latest embarrassing blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to cast the conflict as a distant event that doesn´t affect Russian daily life. A Ukrainian drone strike set ablaze an oil terminal in the city and hit a nearby naval base Wednesday, hours before the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin´s annual showcase for investment…

“With the front line barely moving as swarms of drones hinder advances, both sides have sought an edge by launching long-range strikes… Russia targeted Ukraine overnight with 272 strike drones, and air defenses shot down 249 of them, the Ukrainian air force said Saturday…”

First, Russia’s drones hit Romania; now Ukraine’s drones hit St. Petersburg. This war is far from over.

China Meets North Korea

NPR wrote on June 6:

“Chinese leader Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea next week… in what will be his first visit in nearly seven years. His trip will be the latest in a series of steps by China to reinforce its close ties with its nuclear-armed neighbor. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reached out to Russia in recent years, notably by sending troops and conventional weapons to support its war against Ukraine.

“But in the past year, Kim has likewise been trying to improve ties with China, the North’s biggest trading partner and provider of aid… The announcement of the trip came a day after North Korea unveiled a new facility to produce the material for nuclear bombs. During a visit to the plant, Kim announced plans to bolster the country’s nuclear forces ‘at an exponential rate.’ Experts say the plant’s disclosure implies that Kim was eager to cement his country’s status as a nuclear weapons state ahead of Xi’s visit.”

The kings of the East are forming…

US-Iranian and Israel-Lebanon Fighting Ongoing

Politico wrote on June 6:

“The U.S. said its forces intercepted several Iranian ballistic missiles aimed at Kuwait and Bahrain, which were fired after the American military shot down drones and targeted Iranian radar sites, in another escalation that threatens a shaky ceasefire in the region…  With talks between Iran and the U.S. stalling, navigation in the Strait of Hormuz remains sharply reduced, causing a lasting spike in oil prices. But even as hostilities continue between the two countries, Washington has granted visas to Iran’s World Cup football team, ahead of the first match in Los Angeles this month.

“In another sign of continued regional instability, Israel carried out strikes in southern Lebanon after the militant group Hezbollah rejected a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.”

The fighting continues… see the next article.

Netanyahu Defies Trump—Fighting Continues

The Associated Press wrote on June 7:

“Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs without warning on Sunday, days after a ceasefire agreement in Washington went into effect and despite a U.S. request not to attack Lebanon’s capital… Iran had warned that an attack on Beirut would renew full-scale war across the Mideast, even as Pakistan tries to restart talks between Tehran and Washington…

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it was in retaliation for the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group firing at northern Israel earlier… “

Iran Warns the USA and Israel

The Sun wrote on June 8:

“IRAN has vowed that the Middle East will become ‘hell’ for Israel and the US if the allies ‘make another mistake’…

“[The] warning comes after Israel and Iran paused bombardments as Donald Trump blasted their ‘ignorance and stupidity’ and demanded both parties ‘immediately stop shooting.’”

Is Trump Calling the Shots?

n-tv wrote on June 8:

“On Sunday, US President Trump asked Israeli leader Netanyahu to refrain from a retaliatory strike against Iran. To no avail…

“Trump conveyed the message—not only to Axios but to other media outlets as well—that he had the Israeli Prime Minister under control…

“Trump’s problem is that he is not, in fact, calling all the shots in this war, which is highly unpopular in the US… Netanyahu has no interest in a quick end to the war; Israel fears that Trump will agree to a bad deal just to bring the conflict to a close.”

Focus wrote on June 8:

“The relationship between the US and Israel is fractured—that is the only way to describe it now. Trump has lost his hold on Netanyahu… Israel relies on US arms shipments and needs cooperation with American intelligence agencies. Yet Netanyahu seems confident that Trump will not pull these levers, as doing so would meet with resistance within the US.”

Israel Spying on the USA?

NBC News wrote on June 5:

“The Pentagon is increasingly concerned about Israel ramping up its spying on the U.S., recently raising the counterintelligence threat level from America’s top ally in the Middle East to the highest level… amid rising tensions between Israel and the U.S. over the way forward in the war with Iran. A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., said in a statement that it is ‘completely false’ that Israel spies on the U.S… A White House official said in a statement, ‘This entire story is false…’

“While it is commonplace for allies and adversaries across the globe to spy on each other, the current and former U.S. officials said Israel’s recent efforts have gone well beyond what is typical and expected espionage…

“In the 1980s, spying by Israel caused a rift with Washington, with U.S. Navy intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard spending 30 years in prison after he was found to have sold suitcases of top-secret documents to Israel.

“The U.S. also spies on its allies and seeks to gather intelligence on foreign partners, as evidenced in 2013 by leaks from intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. Those leaks showed that the U.S. was eavesdropping on European leaders, including then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone, sparking outrage in Berlin.”

The more they deny it, the more it appears true.

Pushing Trump to His Limits?

ABC News wrote on June 8:

“After dominating American politics for the past 18 months, the US president now confronts his moment of truth: he is in deepening trouble and he doesn’t seem to know how to get himself out of it. Trump is a man who likes to be in complete control — and at the moment he is not. The Iran war is the president’s worst political problem, and it just won’t go away. Neither Israel nor Iran is doing what he wants…. he can see that this war and his support for Israel is becoming an increasing liability…

“60 per cent of US adults now have an unfavourable view of Israel — up from 53 per cent last year… 59 per cent have little or no confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do “the right thing” regarding world affairs… 41 per cent said they sympathised more with Palestinians compared to 36 per cent with Israelis. In a country with a long history of supporting Israel and a hitherto powerful Israeli lobby, this is a dramatic change…

“Clearly, the White House is angry with Netanyahu. There have been several phone calls between them over the last day, after fighting between Israel and Iran resumed despite a ceasefire… Trump told Netanyahu: ‘You might find yourself alone against Iran very soon.’…

“There was also an earlier phone call between Vice-President JD Vance and Netanyahu. It was reported as Vance telling the Israeli prime minister that he had been wrong in his pre-war assessments about how quickly the Iranian regime would fall under the weight of combined US and Israeli attacks. Israeli media reported that the Iran conflict was not the only source of anger — Vance had shouted at Netanyahu about the surge in violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank….

“In the Situation Room on February 11, Mr Netanyahu made a hard sell, suggesting that Iran was ripe for regime change and expressing the belief that a joint US-Israeli mission could finally bring an end to the Islamic Republic. Mr Netanyahu and his team outlined conditions they portrayed as pointing to a near-certain victory: Iran’s ballistic missile program could be destroyed in a few weeks. The regime would be so weakened that it could not choke off the Strait of Hormuz, and the likelihood that Iran would land blows against US interests in neighbouring countries was assessed as minimal.

“That assessment, of course, was completely wrong. The regime of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remained in power and, if anything, has become more hardline. And the Strait of Hormuz has indeed been choked off — not just by Iran but also by the US, which has imposed a blockade in a bid to stop Iranian ships passing. In coming weeks, the world’s energy market is set to be severely hit as supplies in many parts of the world dry up. There are predictions that petrol prices in the US will skyrocket….

“What is clear is that Trump wants Israel’s bombing of Lebanon to stop — immediately. What is also clear is that Netanyahu wants the bombing to continue…. Netanyahu is outsmarting Trump in the sense that he’s pushing Trump to the limit, straining the relationship with a volatile president but stopping just short of breaking that relationship…. But just as Israel is outmanoeuvring Trump, so, it seems, is Iran.

“Iran clearly sees the political pain it’s inflicting on Trump. Petrol prices are high, and Americans are increasingly jaded by this very unpopular war. So despite heavy bombing in the first weeks of the war, the US and Israel have not been able to destroy either military leadership or missiles — they are simply too far spread out and their locations are often difficult to assess. And even Iran appears surprised at the power it now has with control over the Strait of Hormuz. That power is set to grow in coming weeks when supplies in many countries begin to run dry while few if any tankers leave the Middle East.”

The War Continues

Bild Online wrote on June 10:

“The US is retaliating and attacking Iran! According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for the Gulf region, these are ‘self-defense’ strikes following the downing of a US Apache helicopter… Earlier that day, Trump had stated that while the pilots were unharmed when the helicopter was shot down, the United States was ‘compelled to respond to this attack’…. According to media reports, Iran responded with counter-attacks…. This makes an end to the war seem like a distant prospect once again.

“The strained relationship between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu can no longer be concealed. During a cabinet meeting yesterday, Monday, Netanyahu said… ‘We might find ourselves in a situation where we have to face the Iranians alone, without support from the US…’ Chief of General Staff Zamir warned against the emerging agreement: ‘As we see it right now—almost any agreement is a bad agreement.'”

News18 wrote on June 10:

“Trump is close to ordering new attacks on Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate.”

The Associated Press added on June 10:

“Trump’s warnings at the White House and on social media came hours after Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan — all of which host U.S. troops — came under Iranian fire… Trump’s comments underlined the American leader’s whipsaw approach to the war. He suggested on Monday that a deal to end the conflict could be reached in a matter of days…

“… both countries seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict — if they can manage to sell it as a win at home. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing much more difficult goals: the collapse of Iran’s theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear program, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. That will make compromise much harder.”

House Defies Trump

ABC News wrote on June 4:

“The House passed a measure to provide almost $2 billion in aid to Ukraine and impose new sanctions against Russia Thursday, sending the measure to the Senate behind a 226-to-195 tally — despite GOP leadership in full opposition to the measure.

“Eighteen Republicans voted in favor of the bill — creating a bipartisan majority — although Democrats carried most of the water on the vote… The measure faces a challenging path in the Senate, where the support of 60 senators is required before it could be presented to Trump for his approval or, more likely — his veto.”

Still, the fact that 18 Republicans have challenged Trump should not be ignored.

Trump’s Tantrum

The Huffington Post wrote on June 7:

“President Donald Trump dipped into his arsenal of insults as he grew increasingly frustrated with ‘Meet the Press’ host Kristen Welker doing her job as a journalist before he eventually stormed out of an interview that aired Sunday… Trump went on to accuse California election officials of being ‘crooked’ before attacking Welker, adding, ‘Just like you’re crooked, your press is crooked. And “Meet the Press” is crooked.’ ‘You’re either crooked or you’re stupid,’ Trump told Welker.

“He continued his tantrum about the ‘crooked’ media, a rambling set to the tune of rain hitting the metal roof of a farm building in Wisconsin, the site of the interview. ‘You’re a one-sided crooked network. Sorry. Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time,’ he said as he tossed his microphone to the ground and made a dismissive hand gesture toward Welker…

“He then signaled for his team to leave, got up from his seat and proceeded to walk off camera. After the interview aired, Welker said she spoke with the president Saturday and the two acknowledged the ‘complications’ posed by the rain during the interview. Trump has agreed to sit down for another interview, per Welker…”

California Governor Newsom, no stranger to controversy himself, stated through his press office: “The most severe case of California Derangement Syndrome we’ve ever seen.” The fact is, in light of Trump’s irate behavior, voices questioning his mental cognitive faculties are getting louder, especially in light of the unproven claim that he might be suffering from Alzheimer’s.

WHY Did Trump Build a Strong Military?

The New York Times wrote on June 6:

“President Trump, who campaigned on a central promise to keep the United States out of overseas wars, denied in an interview aired on Sunday that he’d ever made the pledge. ‘I didn’t guarantee no war,’ Mr. Trump said in a lengthy interview with Kristen Welker, the host of NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’ …  ‘Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?’…

“He did promise. As a candidate in 2024, Mr. Trump repeatedly pledged not to involve the United States in war, including on the night he won the election. ‘They said, “He will start a war,”’ Mr. Trump said during his victory speech. ‘I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.’”

Apart from the fact that he clearly promised that he would not start a new war, he inadvertently admitted that building a strong army was NOT for the purpose of deterrence, but for the purpose of starting new wars… which he has already done. When is America waking up?

Hegseth Threatens Europe

Newsmax wrote on June 6:

“U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Saturday that Europe faced what he called an invasion of dangerous ideologies arriving by sea, linking immigration to the ‌legacy of the D-Day landings in remarks in Normandy. His ​remarks echo criticisms often made by the administration of President Donald Trump about Europe… ‘Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different, dangerous ideologies. Beaches in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria — boats and men arrive,’ Hegseth said… ‘When will ​European capitals do ‌something about that invasion or is it too late?’…

“U.S. officials, including Trump — and Vice President JD Vance as ⁠recently as ⁠Friday — have often criticized European countries for failing to control immigration. A U.S. National Security Strategy ‌document issued last year warned Europe faced ‘civilizational erasure’ and must course-correct if it is to remain a reliable U.S. ally. That document — and other ‌comments by ​senior Trump officials — ‌have upended postwar assumptions about Europe’s close relationship with its strongest ally, and concentrated minds across European capitals on the ​urgent need to diversify away from reliance on U.S. technology and defense.”

The Huffington Post wrote on June 8:

“On ABC’s ‘This Week’ Sunday, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas)  characterized the remarks as ‘inappropriate’ and ‘out of place’ at an event meant to honor veterans of the operation, in which 2,500 Americans died…

“English historian Simon Schama was more direct in his denouncement… He described Hegseth’s comments as a ‘special kind of loathsomeness: a blend of historical deafness, grotesque stupidity and comically ludicrous self-importance. As if the little people’s rage against immigration somehow is superior to the war against the 3rd Reich and entitles this comic book nobody to lecture the actual heroes,’ Schama said.

“Even before the remarks, some residents of Colleville-sur-Mer, France, wanted Hegseth to know he was not welcome. The local association, Langrune en commun, called for his appearance to be canceled and knocked him for his ‘warlike statements,’ ‘anti-European remarks’ and ‘American supremacist pronouncements’…”

The positions between Europe and America are currently diametrically opposite, contributing to the growing alienation between these two power blocs.

DOD Officially Drops 180 Faiths From Military’s Recognized Religion List

Military.com wrote on June 4:

“… the Department of Defense, for the first time in almost 10 years, has dramatically reduced its number of recognized religious faiths and belief systems by approximately 180…, decreasing the total number of faiths from 211 to its new number of 31… The revised list… includes Agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, Islam (Muslims), Judaism, Sikh, and a wide range of Christian-based groups like Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists.”

The list of Christian groups include Assemblies of God (AG); Baptist (BA); Brethren (BR); Catholic (CA); Church of Christ (CC); Church of God (CG); Church of the Nazarene (CN); Episcopal/Anglican (EA); Evangelical (EV); Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW); Lutheran (LU); Methodist (ME); Non-Denominational (ND); Orthodox (OX); Other (CO); Pentecostal (PE); Presbyterian (PR); Quaker (QU); Reformed (RE); Scientist (SC); and Seventh Day Adventist (SA).

The Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJ)) were originally listed without being identified as Christian, but after a strong rebuke by the church, they were designated as Christian.

Freedom of Speech Undesirable in Germany

Nius wrote on June 4:

“We live in a state where one is no longer allowed to call the Chancellor ‘Lügenfritz’ [Lying Fritz], even though he has lied to, deceived, and swindled citizens and voters out of their money countless times. Yet, one is prosecuted and convicted for using the word ‘Lügenfritz’—as just happened to a man in Heilbronn. Prosecutors accused the man of undermining trust in ‘the integrity of the victim’ by using the term ‘Lügenfritz,’ arguing that it was ‘capable of stoking further negative reservations or aggression among like-minded people’….

“Stoking reservations against the country’s most powerful liars is now a punishable offense. With the relevant Section 188 of the Criminal Code, those in power have created their own version of the crime of ‘lèse-majesté’ [insulting the sovereign]… The era of freedom of speech in Germany is over…”

Bringing the Dead Back to Life?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 5:

“US President Donald Trump claimed that an unnamed new drug could bring people back from the dead during a press event for maternal healthcare last month. ‘We’ve taken people that were dead. We had a person given the last rites – gone, the kids are crying, and everything – and started them on this drug. And the person became better. It works,’ Trump insisted.”

MSN elaborated on May 31:

“Medical professionals have been quick to respond, pointing out that while the claim has gone viral, it lacks verifiable evidence… Experts emphasise that recoveries in such cases are typically from clinical death, a temporary state where heart and breathing stop but revival is possible with prompt intervention, not from true biological death where brain function ceases irreversibly… Current resuscitation science offers no drug that can literally bring the dead back to life…

“Research into near-death experiences has shown brain activity can persist or even surge up to an hour after the heart stops in some cases… However, once biological death is confirmed, no treatment currently available can reverse it.”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Netanyahu Blames Trump For Unmitigated Catastrophe

The Daily Mail wrote on May 29:

“Netanyahu privately views the looming US-Iran pact as an unmitigated catastrophe and lays the blame squarely at Trump’s feet… Netanyahu’s inner circle is also pinning blame on Trump for squandering what Israeli security chiefs saw as a genuine shot at toppling Tehran’s leadership by arming Iran’s Kurdish minority.  The plan, however, was reportedly killed by Trump at the eleventh hour under pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan…

“The Kurds were reportedly eager to assist the US and Israel, viewing an invasion of Iran as a step toward the ethnic group’s ultimate goal of establishing their own independent state… Trump also repeatedly postponed and cancelled significant operational plans to overthrow the regime.”

Taking Control of 70% of Gaza Strip?

AFP wrote on May 29:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he had ordered the country’s military to take control of 70% of the Gaza Strip, in defiance of the terms of a fragile ceasefire that took effect in October…. ‘We are currently squeezing Hamas. We now control 60% of the territory in the strip,’ he said at a conference in an occupied West Bank settlement… My directive is to move to … 70%. … We’re squeezing them from all (sides)…’

“The first phase of the truce saw the last hostages seized in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza, released in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. The transition to the second phase, which was supposed to involve Hamas’ disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, has been stalled for months… Israel said on Wednesday it had killed the new head of Hamas’ armed wing in Gaza, Mohammed Odeh, after killing his predecessor earlier this month.”

Stripping Jordan of Al-Aqsa Custodianship?

United Cultures wrote on May 25:

“The US and Israel are ‘actively working’ to strip Jordan of its historic custodianship of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, and are pursuing a new arrangement that would see the management of the revered Muslim site closely aligned with Israeli interests, multiple sources have told Middle East Eye.

“… under the plan, championed by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has no official role in the administration, and the US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, the authority of the Jordanian-backed Islamic Waqf would abruptly end and a new body created by the Israeli government would declare the Al-Aqsa Mosque a ‘multi-faith centre’… The officials said that the Trump administration would like to see the Al-Aqsa Mosque stripped of its Muslim identity, with the site turned into a landmark tourist attraction that hosts all three Abrahamic religions.”

Only Prolonging the Inevitable

Reuters wrote on May 29:

“Even if a deal emerges, it may not restore the pre-war status quo of energy shipments… tanker crossings were running at roughly four per day, compared with nearly 50 before the conflict. To get anywhere close ​to pre-war levels, mines must be cleared and vessels repositioned… It could take roughly two months from a… re-opening date before energy buyers actually get their oil… even this timeline may be optimistic…

“Governments ​have already released more than 400 million barrels from emergency reserves. Those emergency stocks, and other buffers, are being depleted… Every month that passes, the global economy heads closer to a more painful oil crunch. If Iran believes this strengthens its bargaining position, the regime has every reason to play hardball on nuclear negotiations and other issues. It ​follows that a possible ceasefire extension is ​no solution to the Hormuz crisis. ⁠At worst, it may only postpone the reckoning.”

“Americans have paid an additional $59 billion in inflated fuel prices since Trump started his Iran war,” according to The Independent, dated May 29.

Iran Deal Still Far Off

Fox News wrote on May 31:

“President Donald Trump sent back changes to a proposed Iran deal after a meeting on Friday… This will extend the negotiations for at least another week…. [Reportedly,] the president requested tougher language on Iran’s nuclear commitments and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s requests came a week following his declaration that the Iran deal was ‘largely finalized,’ signaling the end of the war was near.

“However, even after Trump saying he would make his ‘final determination’ during the meeting on Friday, a conclusive decision was not reached. Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that no agreement will be approved until Tehran’s ‘rights’ are secured… [He said:] ‘The soldiers of the diplomatic battlefield have no trust in the words and promises of the enemy…’”

“Just Sit Back and Relax”?

The Sun wrote on June 1:

“DONALD Trump has told critics to ‘just sit back and relax’ after launching fresh strikes on Iran…

“Trump said it was tougher for him to negotiate when surrounded by political commentary…. He wrote: ‘But don’t the Dumocrats [sic], and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans, understand that it is MUCH tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate, when political hacks keep negatively “chirping” at levels never seen before, over and over again, that I should move faster, or move slower, or go to war, or not go to war, or whatever.’

“Trump ordered his critics to, ‘Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end’, adding, ‘It always does!’”

Such blatant nonsense!

Ceasefire Collapsed

Daily Mail wrote on June 1:

“Iran has severed all diplomatic talks with the United States, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire by bombing its proxy militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran’s top negotiators on Monday stopped exchanging messages with the US through Pakistani intermediaries as Tehran vowed to fully shut down the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Iranian state-affiliated news outlet Tasnim….

“The regime says ‘No dialogue will take place’ until Israel fully withdraws from Lebanon and also stops attacks in Gaza, according to Tasnim. ‘Also, the resistance front and Iran have resolved to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate other fronts including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait [which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is controlled by the Houthis]…

“The ceasefire’s collapse comes after Iran fired missiles and drones at a US airbase in Kuwait, in retaliation for American airstrikes that Washington described as ‘self-defense strikes’ against the regime’s radar and drone command facilities…”

So predictable. Trump’s apparent naivety is unparalleled.

Iran Ready to Keep On Fighting

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 31:

“Iran is already poised to continue firing missiles at Israel and other countries in the Middle East, after having dug out the tunnel entrances that US and Israeli bombings had collapsed… Iran used simple equipment such as bulldozers and dump trucks to clear roads and tunnel entrances, which had been destroyed by the bombing, leading experts to tell CNN that their missile capabilities would be very difficult to destroy….

“… experts said that Iran still has around 1,000 missiles stored underground, and that these stockpiles were unlikely to have been damaged from strikes at ground level.”

Trump Out of Control

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 2:

“US President Trump accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being the reason for global hatred of Israel in an angry call on Monday, Axios reported… [He] called the prime minister ‘f… crazy.’… ‘You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving you’re a… Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,’ Trump told Netanyahu…

“Members within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition [including National Security Minister Ben-Gvir, as well as the opposition parties] sharply criticized Israel’s decision to cancel strikes on Beirut at the urging of US President Donald Trump on Monday, calling on the premier to ‘say no’ to Trump and strike in Lebanon with full force… Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of behaving as though Israel were a protectorate state of the US.”

It was also reported that Saudi Arabia no longer trusts the US to provide protection, and that Trump’s refusal to return to war and overthrow Iran’s regime will cost him dearly, while claiming that the US president has shown that he is a paper tiger. 

Who Is Lying?

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 2:

“Iranian media had reported US-Iran negotiations were halted amid continued fighting in Lebanon. Donald Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, rejected reports that the US and Iran have stopped discussions due to Israeli offensive action in Lebanon. 

“Fake News Reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the USA, stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous,” Trump said.  

Well, they could not have been that false, fake and erroneous. There are also reports of continuing strikes involving both Israel and Hezbollah after Trump had said attacks would stop. Also, as ABC News reported on June 3, Iran attacked Kuwait and Bahrain saying that they “bear responsibility for the Iranian attacks on U.S. facilities on their soil, because they allowed the U.S. to use bases on their land to commit an aggression against Iran.”

Erdogan the Real Winner of the Iran War?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 31:

“An article published in The Telegraph in the UK argues that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ‘is the real winner of the Iran war.’ The argument is that Turkey’s leader has been cracking down on its domestic opposition while the world is focused on the war with the Islamic Republic of Iran…

“‘Turkey is emerging as a long-term winner from the US-Israeli war against Iran, which has provided Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, room to accelerate an anti-democratic backslide with no global repercussions,’ The Telegraph says.”

Trump—the GOAT?

Daily Mail wrote on May 31:

“President Donald Trump is looking to cancel America’s 250th birthday concert after artists have dropped out and instead turn it into a rally and make himself the new headliner. Trump, 79, is ready to add another career accomplishment to his name as he called himself ‘THE GOAT’ – which stands for the greatest of all time – and said he would take over as the main headliner of the birthday event. 

“In a long Truth Social post on Saturday, he dubbed himself the ‘Number One Attraction anywhere in the World’ and compared himself to Elvis. Trump said unlike The King, who needed a guitar to wow his fans, all the President needs is a microphone and a good speech to get ‘much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime,’ he wrote…  ‘Two years ago, the United States was DEAD. Now we have the “HOTTEST” Country anywhere in the World,’ he wrote.”   

It’s so hot that many Europeans and others refuse to come to the USA, being afraid that they might be burned upon arrival. Trump’s proud self-aggrandizement is beyond words.

Controversial US Government Action Against US Citizens

Politico wrote on May 28:

“Trump administration officials on Thursday said Americans exposed to Ebola during the current outbreak in the Congo will be sent to a newly constructed facility at an air base in Kenya, instead of returning them to the U.S. … The decision is a break from past practice during prior Ebola outbreaks when Americans were brought home for care… At this point, there is no one at the Kenyan facility…

“Administration officials said any Americans moved to Kenya due to exposure to the lethal hemorrhagic fever will mostly quarantine there. They will ultimately be transported to Europe if they become sick. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting that U.S. borders were closed to anyone with Ebola….

“… the approach… has sparked pushback from doctors, public health advocates and career diplomats, who argue that the United States has over a dozen of the best facilities in the world to care for people with Ebola and should not deny its citizens, some of whom are responding to the outbreak, that lifesaving treatment. The American Foreign Service Association, the labor union representing career diplomats, protested the decision Wednesday after the New York Times reported it, stating that its members exposed to Ebola had a ‘right to come home.’”

The United States cannot legally prevent its citizens from entering the country. Under U.S. law and the Constitution, every American citizen has an inherent, fundamental right to enter and remain in the United States, and this right cannot be legally revoked or denied. In case of a “pandemic,” returning citizens can be legally detained and subjected to mandatory quarantine or isolation orders at designated federal facilities or at home. Even though Kenya had originally agreed to Americans being treated at a new facility in Kenya, a Kenyan court (the High Court in Nairobi) suspended the plan.

DHS “Clarified” Its Ridiculous Announcement

Newsweek wrote on June 1:

“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has clarified a controversial immigration policy issued last week, saying most green card applicants will not be required to leave the United States while their cases are processed [This is in clear contradiction to its earlier announcements, stating the exact opposite.] …

“The clarification follows confusion and backlash from applicants, attorneys, and business groups concerned about disruptions to long-standing immigration processes. Applicants may still be asked to leave the U.S. depending on individual circumstances, but most will continue applying from within the country under officer discretion…

“That framing marks a clear shift from last week’s USCIS release, which described applying from within the U.S. as an ‘extraordinary’ exception. Despite the update, DHS has not defined when applicants might be required to leave, leaving decisions largely to individual officers… Critics say the administration is trying to contain backlash from last week’s announcement.”

Far from it being a “clarification,” DHS clearly backpedals its earlier announcement, but it’s still unclear what exactly it’s trying to do. The picture of ensuing incompetence emerges more and more within the Trump administration…

National Emergency in the USA?

Focus wrote on June 1:

“As the US approaches the 2026 midterm elections, a development is emerging that goes far beyond normal election campaigning…. For Europe, this is a risk of the highest order… For Europe, this means: The US can be relied upon less in matters of war and peace…

“Trump doesn’t think in terms of majorities, but rather in terms of loyalty. A smaller, but completely controlled camp is more valuable to him than a larger, but independent one… Pro-Trump activists are circulating a draft executive order, a presidential decree, which, citing alleged foreign interference—particularly by China—would declare a national emergency. The aim would be to grant the president extraordinary powers over the election process…

“A presidential emergency specifically to control elections would be historically unprecedented…. Even a legally questionable step could have massive political consequences in the short term—for example, through delays, uncertainty, or delegitimization of the electoral process…

“For Europe, these developments are not a distant, domestic problem of the United States, but directly affect the continent.… Europe must strategically reposition itself. Greater military capability, less dependence on Washington, and greater economic resilience have become essential… The discussion about states of emergency and election organization shows how serious this issue has become. For Europe, this is not just about America. It is about the future of its own security. The era of strategic dependence is ending. Europe should act—before it has to react.”

Tear the Jefferson Wall Down?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 22:

“Then-US president Ronald Reagan went to Berlin on June 12, 1987, and demanded, ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.’ The Berlin Wall was the symbol of what Reagan branded the ‘evil empire.’ It stood for less than 30 years and was gone within 30 months of the president’s appearance…

“Trump on Sunday spoke to thousands of predominantly conservative white Evangelical followers who were gathered on the National Mall, demanding he tear down Thomas Jefferson’s wall, the one that has stood as a foundation of American democracy for 250 years, and declare the United States a Christian nation. They want him to accelerate his dangerous efforts to tear down what the author of the American Declaration of Independence and the Constitution called the ‘wall of separation’ between religion and state…

“The founders were deeply committed to the separation of religion and state because they had seen what happened in Europe, where the blending of the two often led to religious wars and persecution not only of dissenting Christians but also of Jews, Muslims, atheists, free thinkers, and others who didn’t share their beliefs… Trump… has posted on his social media outlet memes of himself as Jesus and as a pope, and has said of himself, ‘I am the chosen one.’”

Chemicals in Our Food

npr wrote on May 29:

“99% of chemicals in our food right now were added without FDA approval. Many were added in secret…

“The FDA has essentially admitted it doesn’t have the capacity to verify the safety of new food chemicals. So they leave it up to food companies and chemical makers to declare their brand new chemicals are safe. These chemicals are used in everything from chocolate and smoked fish, to tea bags, protein drinks, popcorn, and seeds….”

UK Special Relationship With US Meaningless

The Independent wrote on May 30:

“[Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said:]  ‘You can’t just say, “Oh, we’ve been friends for a long time, so let’s work together.” It’s: “We’ve been friends for a long time, so you better have the same capabilities we do, because if we don’t, our alliance is meaningless.’… ‘… for those who believe they can continue to free ride on the generosity of the American taxpayer, hear us now: the era of the United States subsidising the defence of wealthy nations is over.’…

“There has been an increasing breakdown in relations between the UK and the US as Mr Trump has repeatedly accused the UK and other European allies of not spending enough on defence. He has also accused Sir Keir Starmer of not standing by the US in its war in Iran…”

Hegseth’s provocative speech was also directed at Europe. Focus reported, Hegseth criticized Europe as “unusually harsh”  [“ungewöhnlich scharf.”]

False Alarm at Munich Airport

The U.S. Sun wrote on May 30:

“A MAJOR European airport was locked down with all flights suspended after a suspected drone sighting. Munich airport in Germany was shut this morning as police swarmed the area following the alert….

“Around 9am, pilots made a suspicious observation… At around 10am local time Federal Police said their search revealed ‘no suspicious findings.’”

The hysteria followed an alleged Russian drone attempt to violate Lithuania’s airspace and the shooting down by a NATO fighter jet of a suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia, with Ukraine claiming Russia had been “redirecting” their drone.

Russian Drone Hits Romania

The Guardian wrote on May 29:

“The Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, has said the alliance is ‘ready to defend every inch’ of its territory after a Russian drone hit an apartment building in Romania, a member state, during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine… The incident in Galați, which injured two people, prompted swift condemnation and the threat of repercussions, even as Vladimir Putin attempted to suggest, without evidence, that the drone might have been a stray Ukrainian weapon…

“The foreign ministry said it had asked Nato to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities and suggested it would call on article 4 of the Nato treaty, which would trigger formal discussions within the organisation about threats to Romania’s security. It described the incident as a ‘grave and irresponsible escalation’ and a serious breach of international law.

“The strike in Romania is the latest example of the war in Ukraine spilling beyond the country’s borders, amid growing concern over Russia’s wider campaign of hybrid warfare across Europe.”

A New Chernobyl?

Times of India wrote on May 31:

“Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has issued a stark warning after Moscow claimed that a Ukrainian drone targeted equipment at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

“Medvedev said that any catastrophic damage to a nuclear facility could trigger a ‘new Chernobyl’ and warned that Russia could respond with strikes on Ukrainian nuclear plants and even nuclear facilities in NATO countries involved in the conflict.”

All these threats will ultimately become reality.

Unlocking Billions of Euros for Hungary

Reuters wrote on May 29:

“Hungary’s progress in reforms under its new government will allow the European Commission to unlock €16.4 billion of previously frozen EU ​recovery and cohesion funds for the country, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen ‌said…

“The EU money is crucial to kick-start the Hungarian economy that has practically stagnated for ​3 years.”

But there are conditions attached which Hungary’s new government might or might not be able to fulfill. Still, we feel that Hungary will become one of the prophesied 10 core nations of Europe.

Poland Outraged Over Naming of Ukrainian Unit

t-online reported on May 30:

“Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has sparked outrage in Poland by naming a unit of the Ukrainian army after the notorious Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). During World War II, the UPA was responsible for massacres of Poles within the territory of present-day Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated on Friday that Zelenskyy’s decision ‘offends our historical sensibilities.’ Karol Nawrocki, head of the Institute of National Remembrance, proposed stripping Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle.

“In the 1940s, the UPA was regarded as the military wing of the OUN—the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. During massacres committed between 1943 and 1945, UPA members killed up to 100,000 ethnic Poles in the Volhynia region. Until 1939, this region was part of Poland; following the Hitler-Stalin Pact, it was incorporated into the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. Today, it is located in northwestern Ukraine.

“In their struggle for Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union, the OUN and UPA collaborated—at times—with Nazi Germany during World War II. In contemporary Ukraine, members of the OUN and UPA are revered as heroes. In 2024, disagreements regarding the Volhynia massacre led to diplomatic disputes between Kyiv and Warsaw…”

At this point, Poland is one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine. But this will change in time.

Jews No Longer Welcome in Belgium

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 27:

“Jews have lived continuously in Belgium for 800 years, and an estimated 30,000 live there today. They are no longer being made to feel welcome. How can we say this? Because the country is going ahead with the prosecution of two mohels, those who perform ritual circumcision, a Jewish rite mandated by the Torah and performed since the time of Abraham. You can’t want Jews in your country and outlaw ritual circumcision. The two are mutually exclusive….

“This is especially troubling given Belgium’s history. According to Yad Vashem, some 66,000 Jews lived in Belgium when the Nazis occupied the country in May 1940, and approximately 28,000 were murdered in the Holocaust. One would think that history alone would make Belgian authorities especially sensitive to measures perceived by Jews as an assault on their religious identity.

“… why do Jews want to live there? Might this not be the time for Belgium’s Jews – and, indeed, Jews of other countries where Jewish life is coming under daily attack – to ask themselves whether they belong in a country sending unmistakable signals that they are not wanted?”

History is repeating itself.

Nazi Parallels—Propaganda or Justified?

Nius wrote on May 29:

“Time and again, the Federal Government exploits the crimes of National Socialism to demonize political opponents. Just recently, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned against cooperating with the AfD, drawing historical parallels to the NSDAP in the process… Editor-in-Chief Julian Reichelt [expresses] his astonishment at this rhetoric—which, in his view, is excessive…

“Julian Reichelt takes particular issue with the implication inherent in such comparisons. ‘Which Germans does Friedrich Merz actually see who would be capable of such things?’ he asks. Anyone who warns of a new National Socialism is, ultimately, accusing millions of citizens of being capable of repeating the crimes of the past… ‘Which Germans does Friedrich Merz actually see who would commit such crimes? Who have forgotten their lesson so completely—who are simply yearning to commit such crimes once again?’”

How very wrong Reichelt is! 

Federal Police Deny Exit to Spokesperson for German Identitarians

Nius reported on May 29:

“The Federal Police have prohibited Maximilian Märkl, the national spokesperson for the Identitarian Movement Germany, from leaving the country for Porto [Portugal]. Märkl intended to attend a ‘Remigration Summit’ there. The official justification: doing so could have damaged the reputation of the Federal Republic… On the platform X, Märkl wrote: ‘I have just been detained at Munich Airport and prevented from leaving the country. My fundamental right to freedom of movement has been violated because I allegedly threaten the reputation of the Federal Republic of Germany.’…

“Maximilian Märkl faces no criminal charges. The justification provided by the German authorities states: ‘The conspiracy theory of the “Great Replacement” is used to disseminate the view that political elites are intentionally promoting mass immigration in order to replace the indigenous peoples and cultures of Europe.’ Märkl’s active participation would have ‘strengthened the international connections of the Identitarian Movement in Europe’ and disseminated the ‘Identitarian interpretation of the term remigration.’

“Märkl’s supporters expressed outrage over the travel ban. They argued that illegal migrants are permitted to enter unhindered, while an EU citizen is denied freedom of travel… The incident is reminiscent of a similar one in May of last year. At that time, the Federal Police detained eight activists from the New Right ‘Identitarian Movement’ at Munich Airport and interrogated them for hours… They were prohibited from traveling to Italy. The group was en route to a so-called ‘Remigration Summit’ in Milan. Their departure was blocked pursuant to the Passport Act (PassG) on the grounds that the individuals posed a ‘threat to public safety and order.’ A portion of the group later managed to reach Italy by other means to attend the meeting.”

Nazi methods?

So Much for a “Voluntary” Bundeswehr!

MDR reported on May 29:

“Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius is planning a return to mandatory participation by reservists in Bundeswehr training exercises. The SPD politician confirmed that a legislative draft is currently being prepared within his ministry, under which reservists would be required to perform service in the future—even during peacetime.

“Pistorius stated… ‘Military service itself is voluntary.’ However, anyone who undertakes it knows ‘that a subsequent obligation follows: to also participate in reserve exercises’… Reservists should benefit from meaningful training exercises. Yet, this cannot be based on a voluntary principle. Therefore, a mandatory requirement will be put in place…

“Until now, the principle of ‘dual voluntariness’ applied to the deployment of reservists. Under this principle, both the individuals concerned and their employers could decline participation in training exercises… Pistorius’s plans [include] an obligation for employers to release employees for reserve exercises, up to a certain limit…

“Accordingly, anyone who has completed at least six months of voluntary military service could be called up for duty until the month of their 45th birthday. Those who have served for at least one year as career soldiers or soldiers on a fixed-term contract could be called up until the month of their 65th birthday… As has been the case previously, the provision remains that reservists may be called up for indefinite military service should the Bundestag declare a ‘state of tension’ or should Germany come under attack.”

One should think very carefully about whether one truly wishes to perform military service “voluntarily,” and be fully aware of the consequences—quite apart from the fact that Christians are forbidden by God from fighting in wars or joining the Bundeswehr or any Army.

Steinmeier’s Dangerous Nonsense

t-online reported on June 1:

“[German] Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier doubts that the voluntary military service introduced by the ‘black-red’ governing coalition will suffice to ensure the Bundeswehr secures enough soldiers… ‘If it should turn out that the voluntary principle—which we have currently enshrined in the Bundeswehr’s service regulations—is insufficient to reach the necessary personnel strength, then the debate regarding conscription will once again become a live issue.’…

“Against this backdrop, the Federal President renews his call for a period of mandatory service for all citizens: ‘I wish to state that this idea is by no means dead… I could envision a duration of anywhere between six months and a year…’”

This is how the German people are being hoodwinked—and prepared and compelled for the return of conscription…

No Just War

MSN reported on May 29:

“One of Christianity’s most influential teachings regarding war has been directly challenged by the head of the Catholic Church. Pope Leo has used his first major papal document to reject the long-standing ‘just war’ doctrine as a framework for modern conflicts…. The doctrine traces its roots back to… Augustine…. Augustine argued that wars could be morally justified only under strict conditions, including the goal of restoring peace rather than pursuing conquest or vengeance…

“US Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, has cited the theory in defense of military action against Iran…. Despite Leo’s criticism, the doctrine remains deeply entrenched in military training worldwide. Augustine’s principles continue to be part of the curricula at institutions such as West Point, the US Naval Academy, and the US Air Force Academy.”

Ultimately, the Catholic Church will go back to its ideas of a just war.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

The Iran War—Trump’s Dreamworld

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 23:

“US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that an agreement had been ‘largely negotiated, subject to finalization’ between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and various other countries. ‘Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,’ Trump said, adding that ‘the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.’… Trump said the chance of an agreement was a ‘solid 50/50,’ while threatening to ‘blow them to kingdom come’ if talks fail. Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke of ‘slight progress’ in negotiations… Rubio also refused to rule out a resumption of US attacks on Iran if negotiations fail.

“Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, meanwhile, told state broadcaster IRIB that Tehran was in the final stages of drafting a framework for a deal, but said a final accord would take more time. ‘Within a reasonable period of 30 to 60 days, the details of these points will be discussed and a final agreement will ultimately be concluded,’ Baqaei told IRIB. He added that major gaps remain between both sides and that an end to the US blockade of Hormuz be part of the framework. .. While Rubio restated US demands that Tehran hand over highly enriched uranium linked to Iran’s controversial nuclear program, Baqaei insisted nuclear talks would not be part of the initial deal….

“Progress in the talks caused Trump to abruptly cancel plans to attend his son’s wedding on Friday to stay in Washington due to ‘circumstances pertaining to government.’ This move fueled speculation that talks had entered a sensitive stage or that Trump could order fresh military action. US media outlets Axios and CBS News reported that the White House is considering renewed strikes, while Rubio told NATO foreign ministers gathered in Sweden on Friday that there must be a ‘Plan B’ in case talks fail. In turn, Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf vowed a ‘crushing’ response from Tehran, warning Trump against ‘another act of folly,’ insisting that Iran’s armed forces had been rebuilt during the initial ceasefire.”

It was reported that Iran had agreed to give up its stockpile of enriched uranium—believed to be enough to build 11 nuclear bombs—as part of the deal announced by President Trump Saturday. We highly doubt the accuracy of that report, or if it were correct and Iran had agreed to this, it would only be for the purpose of gaining more time to be able to produce more weapons. A real and lasting peace deal agreeable to both sides does not seem to be likely, if at all possible.

Trump’s Strange AI Postings

Aljazeera wrote on May 23:

“President Donald Trump has posted a photo of the United States flag covering the map of Iran, with the question: ‘United States of the Middle East?’… It carries the potential to roil both regional allies and foes alike given Washington’s past intervention in the Middle East, most notably during the US invasion of Iraq from 2003 to 2011, as well as the Trump administration’s push to increase its influence abroad. The sentiment also appears to run counter to the Trump administration’s repeated statements that it is not seeking a prolonged occupation of Iran.”

The Times of Israel wrote on May 24:

“US President Donald Trump posts an AI-generated image captioned ‘Adios’ showing a US drone destroying an Iranian navy ship, amid reports of an emerging deal to end the war with Iran. It is unclear what message Trump is trying to convey with the post amid the ongoing talks with Tehran.”

Intended Only for Americans?

Bild Online reported on May 24:

“U.S. officials and intermediaries have privately urged Tehran during indirect talks to ignore Donald Trump’s Truth Social posts. This is reported by Fars News, a news agency close to the Revolutionary Guards. The posts, the intermediaries reportedly explained, are directed primarily at a U.S. audience and do not reflect Washington’s negotiating position.”

Trump also posted another AI image regarding Greenland (see article below).

US Military Irrelevant

On May 25, Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column:

“The pattern of media reports – based on White House leaks – that an agreement with Iran is almost completed has become predictable… It is dangerous to have a US Administration that no one in the US or the rest of the world believes. When White House ‘sources’ claim a deal is in sight only to have President Trump post another AI graphic of the US military – or himself – firing missiles at Iran, the futility of engaging with the United States becomes reinforced to the rest of the world…

“A US government whose word is no good will soon find a world that refuses to speak with it… A world that sees force as the only way to negotiate with the United States may not attack us immediately. But it will prepare to do so… while it is true that we have a powerful military, more expensive than most others combined and capable of projecting force worldwide, it is also irrelevant…

“Just a few weeks of fighting has nearly depleted our arsenal while barely denting that of Iran.  Despite the US Administration’s initial claims that 90 percent or more of Iran’s military was destroyed, we now know that the opposite is the case: nearly 90 percent of Iran’s military remains intact.”

Concerns and Skepticism

Newsmax wrote on May 23:

“President Trump announced Saturday that the United States and Iran are on the verge of reaching what he described as a broad ‘Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE,’ signaling a potentially dramatic pause in what many feared was an imminent return to war in the Middle East. Yet even as diplomatic momentum accelerated, critics in Washington and Israel warned the proposed agreement could ultimately strengthen Iran, weaken regional deterrence, and merely postpone a larger conflict until after the U.S. midterm elections…

“Senator Lindsey Graham issued a pair of sharply worded statements on X warning that any deal perceived as allowing Iran to retain long-term leverage over the Strait of Hormuz or Gulf oil infrastructure could dramatically alter the regional balance of power… Graham warned that such perceptions could embolden Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq while undermining Israeli security’…

“Israeli concerns have also intensified behind the scenes. According to Israel’s Channel 12, Israeli officials believe U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is attempting to secure an agreement ‘at any cost’ and has been urging Trump not to resume military action…

“Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, warned that a 60-day cease-fire extension based on vague Iranian promises could effectively eliminate U.S. military leverage… Dubowitz also warned that Iran could emerge with billions in sanctions relief while continuing to use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage against global energy markets.”

The Hill wrote on May 23:

“Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) sparred with one of President Trump’s outside advisers on social media Saturday…

“‘I am deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran “deal,” being pushed by some voices in the administration,’ Cruz wrote on the social platform X… ‘If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime—still run by Islamists who chant “death to America”—now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake,’ the senator wrote.

“His criticism echoed that of several other hawkish Senate Republicans who also agreed on Saturday that any deal that allows the current Iranian regime to remain in power could embolden them — a rare moment of discord between the president and his usually steadfast GOP allies.”

Focus wrote on May 23:

“Military expert Phillips O’Brien also sharply criticizes the deal. ‘If this is true, it would be a complete capitulation by Trump and would go down in US history as the fastest and most decisive defeat in war.’

“Iran expert Danny Citrinowicz wrote on X: ‘It is hard to overestimate just how much… Netanyahu perceives this moment as a potential personal and political defeat. An agreement between the US and Iran under Trump would be a severe blow to him—primarily diplomatically, but above all, politically.’”

Trump’s deal has been compared with Obama’s deal which Trump had strongly condemned in the past. He is saying now his deal would be the exact opposite (?) and that he makes no bad deals. Really?

And On We Go!

Bild Online reported on May 26:

“On behalf of Iran’s senior cleric, Mojtaba Khamenei (56), a message with explosive implications was published at the start of the annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. ‘In various parts of Iran and the world—and in the days following this blessed period—“Death to America” and “Death to Israel” will be the rallying cries shared by the Islamic community and the oppressed peoples of the world,’ the document states… According to a separate statement posted on Mojtaba Khamenei’s Telegram channel, the U.S. can no longer rely on the Gulf states to provide protection for its military bases in the future. The message asserts that there will no longer be any safe haven for the U.S. within the region…

“On Monday night, U.S. and Israeli fighter jets attacked the Iranian Navy in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as other targets. U.S. Central Command stated that American forces had struck missile launch sites in Iran, along with boats that were attempting to lay mines. The attacks were described as defensive in nature, serving to ‘protect troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.’…

“The U.S. insists that Iran surrender its entire stockpile of enriched, weapons-grade uranium. Tehran strictly rejects this demand. At the same time, the mullahs have declared they will only reopen the Strait of Hormuz if they are permitted to levy tolls on passing vessels. Furthermore, Tehran insists that Iran’s assets currently frozen abroad by the U.S. be released. Experts estimate the value of these assets at more than 100 billion U.S. dollars.”

More Fighting

Times Now News wrote on May 29:

“The US-Iran conflict has entered another volatile phase after fresh American strikes in southern Iran triggered retaliatory threats from Tehran and heightened tensions across the Gulf. Iranian forces warned of ‘more decisive’ action after attacks near Bandar Abbas, while military activity around the Strait of Hormuz intensified with naval confrontations and renewed concerns over maritime security. At the same time, Israel expanded its Lebanon operations with sweeping displacement orders, as aid agencies warned of a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the south.

“With military strikes, naval confrontations, economic pressure and fragile diplomacy unfolding simultaneously, the Middle East remains at one of its most dangerous moments in recent years, with fears of broader regional war continuing to grow.”

Trump Threatens Oman

The Guardian wrote on May 28:

“In a casual aside during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Donald Trump threatened to ‘blow up’ Omana US ally, if it failed to ‘behave’ over the reopening the strait of Hormuz… ‘The strait is going to be open to everybody,’ Trump said. ‘Nobody’s going to control it. We’re going to watch over it… Oman will behave just like everybody else. Or else we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that.’”

The Jerusalem Post added on May 28:

“Oman has historically been a friend of the US. However, many US partners and friends abroad have found themselves getting the cold shoulder in recent years from the US administration. Whether it is NATO allies, or Denmark, Ukraine, or Taiwan, many countries feel the US is moving away from historic partnerships. In recent days, America’s Gulf friends and allies have also been put under pressure to join the Abraham Accord.”

This push has been strongly rejected by Trump’s “Gulf friends.”

Tense Phone Call Between Trump and Netanyahu

The U.S. Sun wrote on May 21:

“DONALD Trump has said Benjamin Netanyahu will ‘do whatever I want’ after the pair reportedly had a tense phone call over the Iran war. The ‘lengthy and dramatic’ chat was focused on Trump’s decision not to restart airstrikes on Tehran after the US president claimed he was just minutes from launching a fresh round of attacks on Monday.

“Netanyahu has been clear from the start that his war aims are to abolish Iran‘s support for regional militias such as the Houthis, dismantle their nuclear programme and destroy all missile capabilities. Israel is yet to be convinced any of these three key goals have been achieved. But Trump said yesterday he is in ‘no hurry’ to begin strikes again…

“Israel’s Channel 12 said it was a ‘lengthy and dramatic’ call. Netanyahu’s ‘hair was on fire’ after the call… Trump later told reporters that he managed to convince the Israeli PM to agree to his point of view… ‘He’s [Netanyahu] fine, he’ll do whatever I want him to do…’

“Trump also told reporters on Wednesday that he ‘could run for prime minister’ in Israel – and believes he could even win. He said after his second, and final, term in the Oval Office: ‘I’ll go to Israel, run for prime minister. I had a poll this morning. I’m 99 per cent, so that’s good.’…”

Trump and Netanyahu do NOT see eye to eye on the Iran War. Ultimately, the USA and Israel will become enemies, not friends.

Experts Surprised by Israeli Weakness

Focus reported on May 23:

“For several weeks now, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia has been intensifying its attacks on Israel using kamikaze drones… Israel is struggling to devise effective countermeasures.

“Since March, the Lebanese Hezbollah has increasingly relied on so-called FPV (First Person View) drones, which provide pilots with a real-time visual feed of their target. Several Israeli soldiers have lost their lives in these attacks, and many others have been injured. What particularly concerns Israeli military experts is this: an increasing number of these drones are controlled not via radio, but via fiber-optic cables. Their signals are transmitted to the pilots through thin cables unwound from a spool. The result: both locating the drones and jamming their communications… is virtually impossible using conventional electronic warfare methods…

“Given a trend that has been emerging for years, many observers are puzzled that even Israel’s military does not appear better prepared… A tank costing tens of millions of dollars can now suddenly be attacked by an FPV drone that can be purchased on Alibaba for just $400.”

Cuba Next?

BBC wrote on May 21:

“Cuba poses a ‘national security threat’ to the US and the likelihood of a peaceful agreement is ‘not high’, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said. His comments come just a day after the US charged Cuba’s former president Raúl Castro with murder over the 1996 downing of two planes resulting in the killing of US nationals… [Rubio] also accused Cuba of being ‘one of the leading sponsors of terrorism in the entire region’, which [Foreign Minister Bruno] Rodríguez vehemently denied in a post on X. The Cuban foreign minister criticised Rubio for trying to ‘instigate a military aggression’…

“Trump has repeatedly sought to exert pressure on Cuba and has openly discussed toppling its communist regime… Wednesday’s indictment of the former Cuban president is seen by some as reminiscent of Trump’s seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January… Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who announced the charges in Miami on Wednesday, said the US ‘expect he [Castro] will show up here, by his own will or another way.”

It appears that an American invasion of Cuba is highly likely.

Sudan… The Forgotten War

The Los Angeles Times wrote on May 24:

“The civil war in Sudan… enters its fourth year: a staggeringly brutal conflict where stagnating front lines have given way to intense drone campaigns targeting rear-guard cities, many after sunset… While much of the world’s attention in recent years has focused on Gaza and Ukraine, the Sudan civil war has killed well over 150,000 people — and that count is more than a year old. Some estimate the death toll is more than triple that number… Nearly 880 Sudanese civilians were killed in drone strikes between January and April, making drones… far and away the leading cause of civilian deaths…

“The war is a power struggle between the Sudanese army and its onetime ally, a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, for control of the country… The Sudanese army has received UAVs and military support from Iran, Turkey, Russia and Egypt; the latter is running drone operations from a base near Sudan’s border. Saudi Arabia is giving Sudan billions of dollars’ worth of UAVs and air defenses purchased from Pakistan, and even fifth-generation Chinese fighter jets…

“How the RSF appears to have an inexhaustible supply of drones has been the subject of speculation, but observers say it has a wealthy Persian Gulf patron of its own in the United Arab Emirates. The Emirates has consistently denied those claims and insists it backs no side in the war. But Sudanese officials, U.N. investigators and open-source experts say the UAE has created what they describe as a transcontinental logistics pipeline utilizing airports, seaports and transit highways — in Chad, South Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic — to deliver drones and the mercenaries who operate them to the RSF.”

The conflict has already forced more than 14 million people out of their homes.

Germany Ready for NATO Leadership Role

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 21:

“Ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the Swedish port city of Helsingborg on Thursday, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stressed Berlin’s readiness to assume greater leadership responsibility in NATO. ‘Our goal is a new burden-sharing arrangement that reflects Germany’s and Europe’s economic and military potential,’ he said in Berlin before departing for Sweden, adding that ‘Germany is accepting its leadership responsibility.’

“‘We want a stronger NATO with a greater role for Europe,’ Wadephul said. ‘To achieve this, we want to pool the capabilities of our industries through more intensive defense cooperation.’”

Germany will become the military leader of Europe.

Now Trump Wants to Send 5,000 Troops to Poland

Newsmax wrote on May 21:

“President Donald Trump said Thursday that an additional 5,000 U.S. troops will be sent to Poland, reversing a decision announced last week. The move comes amid a broader effort to scale back America’s military footprint in Europe …

“Trump announced the move on Truth Social, citing the election last year of Karol Nawrocki as Poland’s president. Nawrocki is considered a staunch Trump ally, but the decision to withdraw the deployment of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division, known as the ‘Black Jack’ brigade… blindsided him.”

The Daily Beast wrote on May 22:

“Pete Hegseth apparently created a huge mess for Donald Trump in his rush to keep the 79-year-old president happy. Insiders have revealed that the defense secretary’s abrupt maneuver to cancel the deployment of U.S. troops to Poland triggered an angry phone call from Trump, who was forced to explain that Poland was not one of the European allies that had earned his wrath. Hegseth, 45, blindsided officials on both sides of the Atlantic last week when he canceled the deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland at the eleventh hour. The decision stirred confusion within the Pentagon and quickly sparked a firestorm of criticism from American lawmakers and European allies…. Trump phoned Hegseth to demand an explanation for his decision to cancel the troop deployment, 

“White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told the Journal that ‘President Trump appreciates all the secretary has done—and will continue to do—in executing the America First agenda within our military and prioritizing our warfighters like never before.’…

“Trump changed course on the deployment of troops to Poland in a bizarre Truth Social post on Thursday night that invoked the election win of Polish President Karol Nawrocki—which occurred almost a year ago.”

What confusion and embarrassment. What incompetence on Hegseth’s part. What ridiculous comments by White House spokesperson Anna Kelly and Donald Trump.

But there might be more going on behind the scenes, explaining Trump’s sudden “change of mind.” Note the next article.

Trump’s “Change of Mind”

The Associated Press wrote on May 22:

“NATO allies and defense officials expressed bewilderment on Friday at U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after he had ordered 5,000 troops to be pulled out of Europe… ‘It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate,’ Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters… U.S. defense officials were also confused. ‘We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement. We don’t know what this means either,’ said one of two officials…

“NATO allies have been blindsided, despite a U.S. pledge to coordinate troop deployments… About 80,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe. The Pentagon is required to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment stationed in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests. The withdrawal of 5,000 troops might drop numbers below that limit.”

Greenland—Time and Again

Die Welt reported on May 23:

“Donald Trump has sparked speculation with a post on his platform, Truth Social. He posted a photomontage in which he is depicted peeking out from behind the mountains of Greenland, accompanied by the caption: ‘Hello, Greenland.’ Trump has repeatedly characterized Greenland—an island with a population of 57,000—as strategically vital for curbing the influence of Russia and China in the Arctic. The U.S. maintains an active military base there. Since his return to the White House, Trump has repeatedly asserted claims of ownership over Greenland—which belongs to the NATO and EU member state of Denmark—thereby plunging NATO into a deep crisis…

“Last week, Greenland’s Head of Government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, met with U.S. Special Envoy Jeff Landry. Afterward, Nielsen stated that he perceived no change in the U.S. position regarding the dispute over the Arctic island… ‘We have unequivocally reaffirmed that the people of Greenland are not for sale and that Greenlanders possess the right to self-determination,’ Nielsen emphasized. Greenland’s Foreign Minister, Mute Egede, also stated that the U.S. government has not abandoned its intention to acquire the island. ‘We have our red lines. The American stance, too, remains unchanged,’ the Foreign Minister said.”

Trump will not easily give up his idea to acquire Greenland… by whatever means.

“UNESCO Warns a Tsunami in the Mediterranean Is Inevitable”

Science Daily wrote on May 20:

“The French Riviera may look like an unlikely place for a tsunami disaster, but scientists warn the threat is far more real than most people realize. Historical events and new modeling show that destructive waves have already struck the Mediterranean coast — and could hit again with very little warning.

“Some tsunami scenarios could reach beaches in under 10 minutes, leaving almost no time for traditional alerts.”

Potential 2026 Disaster Could Echo 1877 Catastrophe

Daily Mail wrote on May 19:

“Scientists have warned that an imminent ‘super El Niño’ could be even more powerful than a previous event which caused over 50 million deaths. The 1877 El Niño was one of the most severe climate events in recorded history, triggering a global humanitarian disaster known as The Great Famine.

“Climate reconstructions suggest water temperatures in a key region of the Pacific Ocean rose by 2.7°C (4.86°F), which caused disruption to rainfall patterns around the world. Estimates indicate the resulting scarcity of food and disease outbreaks killed up to four per cent of the Earth’s population at the time. That would be the equivalent of at least 250 million people if it happened today.

“Now, forecasts suggest water temperatures could potentially exceed 3°C (5.4°F) above average later this year – making the upcoming super El Niño even more powerful than the one nearly 150 years ago…

“India was among the worst–hit regions as monsoon rains disappeared, while Northern China suffered devastating dry spells that led to harvest failures. In Brazil rivers dried up and agriculture collapsed, while parts of Africa, southeast Asia and Australia also experienced severe drought and forest fires. The resulting famine weakened societies, intensified colonial control in some regions, accelerated migration and exposed how vulnerable global food systems were to climate shocks. There were also outbreaks of malaria, plague, dysentery, smallpox and cholera across weakened populations…

‘While it is not yet certain, this is a very strong sign that a powerful El Niño weather pattern is brewing.”

Tulsi Gabbard Steps Down as Director of National Intelligence

The Guardian wrote on May 22:

“Tulsi Gabbard’s tumultuous 15-month tenure as the nation’s top intelligence official ended Friday, when she submitted her resignation as director of national intelligence. Gabbard was an unconventional choice for the role: the former Democrat lacked an intelligence background and her foreign policy views at times diverged with Donald Trump, particularly on questions of overseas military intervention. And yet she also took unusual measures to ingratiate herself to the president by vowing to root out politicization across US spy agencies and embracing his agenda of election denial.

“Over time, Gabbard became increasingly sidelined by the president, who excluded her from key national security conversations on Iran and Venezuela… Gabbard said Friday that she was resigning from office because her husband had been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer…”

Politico added on May 22:

“During her tenure as a Democratic member of the House, Gabbard regularly critiqued America’s national security establishment. She backed Trump’s 2024 campaign in part because he vowed to keep the country out of costly foreign wars. But Trump’s second-term foreign policy quickly proved far more muscular than his first, and Gabbard’s position in his administration had seemed uncertain for months. She was not a major player in the three major military operations Trump has launched since returning to office.

“She was not with Trump in Mar-a-Lago when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February, and she did not participate in the initial briefings to Congress about the decision to strike. When the Trump administration launched a surprise military raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro in early January, she was back in her home state of Hawaii. And, she was not at Camp David when Trump decided to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites last summer…

“Last June, she posted a video warning of nuclear holocaust that was not well received by Trump, who mused about firing her shortly thereafter. Trump reportedly considered firing Gabbard again in April after she failed to strongly endorse the war in Iran during testimony before Congress, but he was talked out of this.

“In an administration that prized loyalty above all else, she could never fully dispel concerns that she was not totally on board with Trump’s military decision-making. Her troubles were magnified this March when one of her top aides, Joe Kent, resigned in protest over the war and questioned whether Iran had posed an imminent threat to the U.S…”

When you cross Trump, you are history.

Horrible New Rules for Green Card Applicants

The Associated Press wrote on May 22:

“Foreigners in the U.S. who want a green card will need to leave and apply in their home country, the Trump administration announced Friday, in a surprise change to a longstanding policy that sowed confusion and concern among aid groups, immigration lawyers and immigrants. For over half a century, foreign nationals with legal status have been able to apply for and complete the entire process for permanent residence in the United States — including individuals married to U.S. citizens, holders of work and student visas, and refugees and political asylum seekers, among others.

“The announcement from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is the latest step by the Trump administration making legal immigration more difficult for foreigners already in the U.S. and for those hoping to come here. The changes comes on top of steps the administration has already taken to restrict and limit entry for people from dozens of countries. In some cases, there are outright bans on travel from those countries, while people from others face pauses in visa processing. Experts and attorneys warned that forcing people from those countries to return home to apply for a green card would result in them being barred from coming back.

“‘If families are told that the non-citizen family member must return to his or her country of origin to process their immigrant visa, but immigrant visas are not being processed there, it’s a Catch-22. These policies will effectively create an indefinite separation of families,’ wrote World Relief, a humanitarian and refugee resettlement organization….”

These are terrible developments.

Trump’s “Exceptions”

NPR added on May 22:

“In an emailed statement to the Associated Press the agency said people who provide an ‘economic benefit’ or ‘national interest’ could likely stay in the U.S. while others would have to go abroad to apply… immigration lawyers and aid groups pushed back, saying it was longstanding practice for many groups to be able to adjust their status in the U.S. and that many people couldn’t return home because it wasn’t safe or they had no embassy to apply at. The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, for example, has been closed since the U.S. pullout in August 2021…

“‘USCIS is trying to upend decades of processing of adjustment of status,’ said Shev Dalal-Dheini, senior director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association. ‘This all applies very broadly to anyone seeking a green card.’ Among them could be individuals married to U.S. citizens, immigrants with humanitarian protection who are applying for a green card, and holders of work visas — including doctors and professionals — as well as student and religious visa holders, the attorney noted.At some U.S. consulates abroad, wait times for a visa appointment could take up to more than a year, said Dalal-Dheini.”

People of national interest are apparently only those who do not dare to criticize Trump.

Most Anti-Legal Immigration Administration in US History

The Hill added on May 22:

“The Trump administration on Friday announced prospective immigrants would need to return to their home country to apply for green cards, a move that would stifle the most common pathway used for legal immigration. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) portrayed the new policy memo as ‘returning to the original intent of the law,’ [which is utter nonsense] while immigration advocates said the change was a cruel and disruptive move targeting those in the country legally [indeed, it is.].

“Under the new USCIS policy, those who have already legally lived and worked in the U.S. for years would have to return to their home country to apply to return. Meanwhile, the State Department has halted immigrant visa processing in 75 different countries…

“David Bier, director of immigration studies at the libertarian Cato Institute… wrote on the social platform X, directing his message to USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. ‘This admin continues to prove itself to be the most anti-legal immigration admin in US history. [That is undoubtedly true.] The harms this will cause to legal immigrants is incalculable. Impossible to explain how stupid and evil this policy is. [We agree.] It’s intended to cost people their jobs and their families.’…

“HIAS, an immigration and refugee resettlement agency previously known as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, blasted the policy as the latest effort to target immigrants. ‘The administration’s new policy could force thousands of people to be separated from their families, their jobs, and their homes in order to wait for years outside of the country for their green card,’ the group’s president Beth Oppenheim said in a statement. ‘It echoes again and again the notion that no one is permanent here, unless they fit a particular notion of what it means to be worthy of protection. And that simply cannot stand.’…”

Again, worthy of protection if you agree with Trump.

Yahoo!News also quoted Bier as follows:

“These are all people who qualify to stay here permanently and Congress clearly wanted them to have a way to stay,’ he wrote Friday. ‘He’s telling them to leave America.’”

The New York Post added on May 22:

“Under the new policy, green card petitioners will be required to wait for their application to be processed outside the country through consular processing via the State Department.”

This new directive might face legal challenges. Many immigration attorneys and advocacy groups argue that this sweeping requirement violates the statutory framework established by Congress, which has historically allowed many visa holders to “adjust their status” from within the United States to prevent family separation and job disruption. Critics expect the policy to be heavily litigated in federal court.

Trump’s immigration policy is designed to get foreigners out of the USA or to prevent them from becoming permanent residents and ultimately US citizens. And if they do not leave voluntarily, other measures will be used against them. Trump’s fight against DACA and birthright citizenship are more examples.

Green Card Holders BARRED From Entering USA

The Guardian wrote on May 23:

“US authorities have temporarily banned green-card holders from entering the country if they have traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Uganda or South Sudan in the last 21 days.

“The order issued on Friday is part of an expanding attempt to prevent Ebola from entering US borders. A previously announced travel restriction blocked only people without US passports who had visited those countries from entering but exempted US citizens and lawful permanent residents….

“The order added that green-card holders may maintain stronger ties to families and communities outside the US than US citizens and nationals, ‘such that prohibiting their entry is comparatively less burdensome’… In a separate statement, the CDC said that ‘applying this authority to lawful permanent residents for a limited period of time provides a balance between protecting public health and managing emergency response resources’… The entry ban on green-card holders coming from the African region is for an initial 30 days.”

It is doubtful that this order is legal. A green-card holder can only be barred from entering the USA under highly specific and limited circumstances, which are: abandonment of residence; serious criminal record; national security threats; immigration fraud; and pending deportation. Undoubtedly, the US government will claim that green card holders who have been in certain African countries pose a national security threat. During times of alleged epidemics, everything goes, as the coronavirus circus has proven.

Jens Spahn – Private

Bild Online wrote on April 4:

“‘As a child, the first thing I associated with Easter was the Easter egg hunt. Faith was a given in our home. We went to church every Sunday or Saturday evening. For someone like me, who is more of a cultural Christian, but still a Christian, Easter is simply a beautiful holiday.’… For the Christian Democrat, religion is more than ritual. This upbringing in faith remains his foundation to this day. ‘Knowing that someone is there gives me a deep inner serenity and peace. My faith sustains me, especially when things get difficult.’

“Jens Spahn has been married to Daniel Funke (44) since December 22, 2017. That he speaks so naturally of ‘my husband’ wasn’t always conceivable. Because while he was an altar boy and sat in the pews on Sundays, he had long since realized that he didn’t feel the same way as many of his friends… And his faith and the Catholic Church? His answer is surprising in its… sobriety: ‘To be honest, I was never interested in the Church’s stance on homosexuality.’”

Watch Jens Spahn!

“Historian Götz Aly (79) Reveals Bitter Truth”

Bild Online wrote on May 23:

“The Holocaust and other crimes were no secret during the Nazi era. Many Germans participated in them, profited from them, or were aware of them. And what’s more: According to Aly, the leadership even wanted the population to know about the crimes – in order to motivate them to fanatical resistance…

“‘Many steps of the Holocaust took place in full public view,’ says Aly… Many citizens profited from the expropriation of Jews. In Hamburg alone, 400,000 people participated in the auctions of ‘non-Aryan property’… Knowledge of the systematic extermination of Jews by so-called Einsatzgruppen, as well as the mass murder of Soviet prisoners of war, spread rapidly within the Wehrmacht and among the general population, the historian argues…

“The Nazi dictatorship… wanted the German population to be involved in the crimes or at least aware of them. ‘In my book, I refer to this as the transition from the national community to the community of crime,’ says Aly. ‘Community of crime doesn’t mean that everyone is actively involved in crimes—but passively. Through small gains, through silence, through passive, silent support.’…

“This resulted in a great fear of defeat and a fanatical fight against the Allies. Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels spoke of ‘strength through fear’… Götz Aly sees a direct connection between the crimes of the Germans and their fanatical conduct of the war. It is now ‘to be assumed with certainty’ that the Holocaust contributed to ‘strengthening the resilience of the German people’… Because of their crimes and the resulting fear of possible revenge, the Wehrmacht fought until its complete collapse.”

Most will follow the beast and become thereby actively and passively involved in his crimes.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Little Success in China—Taiwan THE Big Issue 

Politico wrote on May 15:

“President Donald Trump returns from his two-day summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping with hints of deals but no progress on key issues that vex the U.S.-China relationship…

 “… despite repeated assurances from White House officials that U.S. policy toward Taiwan would not be on the summit agenda, Trump said that the two leaders had discussed U.S. ties to the island at length. Trump told reporters he was willing to reconsider U.S. arms sales to the self-governing island — a key longtime demand of Beijing — despite longstanding U.S. commitments to provide defensive weaponry to deter potential Chinese aggression…

“Whether Trump would revisit arms sales to Taiwan remains uncertain, but he was clear that he does not feel bound by a 1982 pledge former President Ronald Reagan made to the island that it wouldn’t consult with Beijing on weapons sales to Taiwan… Taiwan had emerged as a flashpoint during the meeting, with Xi warning Trump that mishandling of the island, which China considers part of its territory, could lead to ‘clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy.’…

“While Trump appeared willing to bend to Xi’s sensitivities on Taiwan, the Chinese leader offered no indication that he would use his influence to address one of Trump’s key concerns — Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.”

Trump’s position on Taiwan is very troubling, as the following articles document as well.

No Taiwan Commitment

Daily Mail wrote on May 16:

“Donald Trump has warned Taiwan not to declare independence from China following the two-day summit in Beijing this week… But he said he had declined to answer questions about whether the US would intervene to defend the island nation in the event that China invaded. Mr Trump’s warning came despite Taiwan, a democracy, demanding for the US to keep supplying it with weapons to defend itself…

“Mr Trump said he had ‘made no commitment either way’ about the question of sovereignty… 

“However, just hours after Mr Trump’s warning, the island declared itself ‘independent’. Taiwan’s foreign ministry said on Saturday that the island is a ‘sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China’. It also insisted that US arms sales were part of Washington’s security commitment to Taiwan, after Mr Trump flagged that he was considering the issue…

“Under US law, America is required to provide weapons to Taiwan for its defence, but it has been ambiguous on whether US forces would come to the island’s aid in the event of Chinese annexation.”

On Sunday, Taiwan’s president said: “Taiwan will not, under pressure, give up national sovereignty and dignity, or its democratic and free way of life.

Even though the law requires it, Trump may not be willing to provide Taiwan with weapons. Note the next article.

Trump Attacks Taiwan

Mediaite wrote on May 16:

“President Donald Trump went on a rant against Taiwan, telling Fox News anchor Bret Baier that they ‘stole our chip industry’ as he was pressed about his private remarks to  China’s President Xi Jinping… ‘

“In one exchange, Baier pressed Trump about whether he will approve a pending arms sale to Taiwan. He asked Trump ‘Should the people of Taiwan feel more or less secure after your meetings with President Xi?’

“Trump insisted they should feel ‘neutral’ — but then went on a riff about Taiwan’s history of ‘stealing our chip industry’…”

Trump’s refusal to answer Baier’s question is telling, and his attack on Taiwan is deeply disturbing.

No Iran Commitment

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 16:

“The Beijing circus is over and Donald Trump’s talks with Xi Jinping produced nothing more than some pleasing photo ops and some performative diplomacy with no substantive accomplishments. There was no final communique at the end of Trump’s two days of meetings with Xi Jinping. Instead, we are left to rely on the statements from each government…

“The Chinese readout… said that ‘the two sides discussed the Middle East conflict’ without offering any further details — no mention of the Strait, no mention of tolls, no mention of Iran’s nuclear program, and no acknowledgment of any agreed position on any of those issues…

“The White House is asserting that China agreed Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and opposed Iran’s toll regime… However…, Xi firmly rejected Trump’s request that China apply pressure on Iran and help open the Strait of Hormuz…

“The most telling asymmetry runs in the opposite direction on Taiwan. The White House readout did not mention Taiwan at all, while China centered its entire readout on Xi’s Taiwan warning.”

 China does not seem willing to “help” America on the Iran question.

A New Cold War With China?

Fox News wrote on May 17:

“America and China are increasingly operating within conditions resembling a new Cold War — driven by military power, economic leverage, competing technological ambitions and irreconcilable visions for world order… The headlines following the two-day meeting at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People focused on symbolism, modest trade discussions, and elaborate pageantry. Yet beneath the surface, three realities stood out. Taiwan overshadowed everything. Iran exposed the limits of Chinese cooperation. And Xi himself chose language drawn from ancient Greek warfare to remind Washington of what this rivalry ultimately means…

“Even as Trump emphasized friendship, trade and ‘fantastic deals’ on the return flight to Washington, Xi was framing the relationship in terms of historic rivalry and potential conflict… The summit also demonstrated that Washington and Beijing remain deeply divided over Iran, despite public statements suggesting alignment…

“To his credit, Trump achieved one immediate objective: preventing the summit from deteriorating into open hostility… Americans should resist interpreting the summit’s warm optics as evidence the rivalry is fading… The new Cold War is already here. The summit proved it.”

 Xi was clearly the winner. As was Putin during his controversial meeting with Trump in Alaska.

Pentagon “In Panic” as Trump’s Visit to China Backfires

 Express wrote on May 16:

“Donald Trump’s China visit failed to deliver a breakthrough on one of the most critical parts of the US-China trade war – Beijing’s restrictions on rare earth exports vital to America’s military industry… In fact, Chinese academic Zhang Weiwei has warned Beijing is prepared to tighten controls even further – particularly against the US military…

“The remarks [have] triggered alarm, with geopolitical commentator Furkan Gözükara claiming: ‘The Pentagon is in absolute panic.’ He added: ‘Prof. Zhang Weiwei confirms China has officially cut off all rare earth exports to the US military. He exposes how Washington’s disastrous tech war completely backfired, leaving their weapons manufacturing severely crippled.’

“Rare earth materials are essential for advanced US weapons systems, semiconductors, fighter jets, submarines, missiles, radar systems and precision-guided weapons. A recent Pentagon briefing warned that securing rare earth elements is now a ‘national security imperative,’ highlighting growing concerns over America’s reliance on Chinese-controlled supply chains…

“The ongoing restrictions have already caused shortages across parts of the US aerospace and semiconductor industries, with some critical materials remaining in limited supply despite months of negotiations. Analysts say the standoff demonstrates how China’s control over critical minerals has become one of Beijing’s most powerful weapons in the wider economic conflict with Washington.”

It does not appear that America can win any more on any major issue.

Iran’s Collaboration With China

Newsmax wrote on May 17:

“Iran allowed approximately 30 ships — including several Chinese-linked vessels — to pass through the Strait of Hormuz overnight Thursday into Friday under what Tehran described as ‘Iranian-managed transit protocols,’ according to Iranian state-linked media and statements from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps…

“Iranian officials said the transits were conducted in ‘close coordination’ with China… State-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported that the arrangement reflected the ‘strategic partnership’ between Tehran and Beijing, while Iranian military officials emphasized that access to the narrow shipping lane remains contingent on Iranian approval….

“A commander with the IRGC reportedly said vessels tied to what Iran considers ‘hostile states’ remain barred from passage.. The latest developments further highlight Washington’s inability to restore completely free navigation through the critical maritime corridor despite repeated U.S. military deployments and international calls for unrestricted access… Analysts say the situation represents a major strategic victory for Tehran…”

Iran’s Threats

On May 20, Newsmax published the following article by AFP:

“Iran warned on Wednesday that the Middle East war would spread far beyond the region if the United States and Israel resumed their attacks, after President Donald Trump threatened to strike again unless a deal is reached… The U.S. leader is himself under pressure, with rising energy costs beginning to bite at home…

“The future of the waterway is a key sticking point in negotiations, but without a deal fears are growing for the global economy as pre-war stockpiles of oil are used up.”

Bounty on Trump?

The Times of India wrote on May 16:

“A major controversy is erupting after reports claimed that Iran’s parliament is reviewing a bill that would reward anyone who assassinates U.S. President Donald Trump. According to Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi, the proposed legislation would require the Iranian government to pay €50 million to any individual or organization carrying out what was described as a ‘religious and ideological mission.’

“Azizi reportedly told Iranian state television that the U.S. president, Israel’s prime minister, and the CENTCOM commander ‘must be targeted and subjected to reciprocal action.’…”

Not Much Time?

The Daily Mail wrote on May 18:

“A revised proposal from Iran to end the conflict in the Middle East has been shared with the US, a Pakistani source said on Monday, as peace talks appeared to remain stalled. ‘We don’t have much time,’ the source said, when asked if it would take time to close gaps, adding that both countries ‘keep changing their goalposts.’ It comes as Donald Trump warned over the weekend that the ‘clock is ticking’ for Iran, adding in a post on Truth Social that Tehran ‘better get moving fast, or there won’t be anything left of them.’”

Trump’s Ongoing Chaotic Reversals

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 20:

“Since February 28, 2026, Donald Trump has released 11 statements suggesting the war with Iran was over or that a negotiated deal is close, only it turns out to be a hoax… In his latest whipsaw action, Trump spent the weekend posting images suggesting an attack on Iran was imminent, only to do another of his chaotic reversals…

“‘I have been asked by the Emir of Qatar…,  the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia…, and the President of the United Arab Emirates… to hold off on our planned Military attack of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow [Tuesday], in that… a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond. This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!…’”

This attack was allegedly planned in secret, with no one knowing about it. So, how did the Arab Gulf nations know about it? Also, a meeting with Trump’s military advisors was planned for Tuesday as well. Trump said he will delay the attack for a few days… or a week or so…

“Enriched Uranium Must Stay in Iran”

Reuters wrote on May 21:

“Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad, two senior Iranian sources said, hardening Tehran’s stance on one of the main U.S. demands at peace talks.

“Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s order could further frustrate U.S. President Donald Trump and complicate talks on ending the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

“Israeli officials have told Reuters that Trump has assured Israel that Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, needed to make an atomic weapon, will be sent out of Iran and that any peace deal must include a clause on this.  

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will not consider the war over until enriched uranium is removed from Iran, Tehran ends its support for proxy militias, and its ballistic missile capabilities are eliminated.”

Trump’s Crazy AI Images

The Huffington Post wrote on May 18:

“Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Sunday to post an AI -generated image showing him bombing the Earth, minutes after his pre-taped Bible reading played at a MAGA-friendly prayer event on the National Mall. The image, which Trump unleashed as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) prayed for ‘mercy upon our land’ and ‘mercy upon us for our mistakes,’ shows the president pressing a red button on a control panel while inside some sort of space station or starship orbiting above the planet.

“The visual features Trump surrounded by small, military-like figures seated by the control panel as several screens show massive explosions taking place on the ground.

At least one screen shows a mushroom cloud-like blast alongside the text, ‘TARGET DESTROYED.’ The out-of-this-world image shared by the self-described ‘peace’ president is a kind of fantastical continuation of his recent tendency to post genocidal threats on the platform….”

The Looting of America

On May 19, Reuters published the following article by Paul Krugmann:

“So the Trump administration is creating a $1.776 billion slush fund… to pay off victims of ‘lawfare and weaponization.’ Just to be clear, if you’re a U.S. taxpayer, this action means that almost $1.8 billion of your money will be handed out to whomever a panel appointed by Donald Trump decides to reward. The beneficiaries are likely to include January 6 insurrectionists, as well as Trump, his family, and his allies.

“Few things shock me these days, but this development — in which a Justice Department that works for Trump is paying a vast sum to ‘settle’ a lawsuit brought by Trump himself — is a new nadir in self-dealing, further revealing Trump’s utter contempt for the American people…. the shamelessness of this latest episode of looting takes it to a new level. Until now, we’ve seen a combination of crony capitalism and insider trading…

“Vladimir Putin has obviously stolen billions, but never this brazenly. Even Third World dictators normally try to mask their corruption…”

America’s 51^st State?

 Breitbart wrote on May 15:

 “President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post depicting Venezuela overlaid with an American flag and labeled the 51st state followed a Fox News report that Trump said he was ‘seriously considering’ such a move.”

 “Acting President” Delcy Rodríguez strongly opposed Trump’s ambitions in this regard.

US Fears Growing Drone Threat From Cuba

Newsmax wrote on May 17:

“Cuba has acquired more than 300 military drones and has discussed potential scenarios involving the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, U.S. military vessels, and Key West, Florida, according to classified intelligence…

“The intelligence reflects growing concern within the Trump administration about advances in drone warfare and the presence of Iranian military advisers in Cuba, according to a senior U.S. official…

“CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Cuba on Thursday and warned Cuban officials against actions viewed as hostile by the United States… Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said during a congressional hearing that the presence of foreign adversaries operating so close to the United States remains a concern.”

Is all of this a pretext for an American invasion of Cuba? In the meantime, China told Trump to stop threatening Cuba. 

American Troops Overstretched

Focus wrote on May 15:

“According to the Navy’s highest-ranking non-commissioned officer, Master Chief Petty Officer John Perryman, current crew deployment models are no longer sufficient to maintain a permanently operational fleet…

“The past wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the fight against terrorism since the 2001 attacks in New York, are still taking their toll on the US military… Troops and equipment are being run down…”

No US Troops for Poland

Politico wrote on May 14:

“Pete Hegseth’s last-minute decision to cancel the deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland caught Pentagon staff and European allies by surprise — the latest example of an abrupt personnel move from the Defense secretary that blindsided both sides of the Atlantic…

“The decision was even more surprising because troops and equipment had already started to arrive in the country. It sent fresh waves of anxiety through European capitals and inside the Pentagon on Thursday about whether such moves could embolden Russia — and which ally might turn into the next target… The move follows Hegseth’s announcement this month that the Pentagon would withdraw 5,000 troops from bases in Germany.”

Trump said that the Pentagon would be “cutting a lot further than 5,000.”

Polish Government Tries to Spin US Decision… Without Success

Politico wrote on May 16:

“Poland, one of the closest U.S. allies in Europe, was blindsided by this week’s surprise decision from Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to cancel the planned deployment of 4,000 American troops to the country.  The government is now scrambling to respond while insisting that the move doesn’t undermine the country’s security… But there was no disguising that the U.S. move left Poland flat-footed… U.S. actions are confusing Europe…

“Poland, along with Romania and the Baltic countries, is hoping to get some of the troops being withdrawn from Germany, although it is still unclear if they’ll stay in Europe or go home…

“Polish governments have pushed for years to increase the number of U.S. troops in the country — making Hegseth’s decision such a surprise to Warsaw. Krzysztof Bosak, leader of the far-right opposition Confederation party, condemned what he called ‘internal chaos and a loss of credibility on the part of our most important ally,’ telling Polish radio that the unexpected decision ‘doesn’t build credibility’…

“Trump has also questioned the U.S. commitment to NATO’s Article 5 common defense pact and threatened to annex Greenland, a territory of alliance member Denmark. Oana Lungescu, a former NATO spokesperson and senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said [America’s] ‘haphazard and uncoordinated decisions… risk alienating European allies and encouraging Russian President Vladimir Putin.’”

It is hard not to notice the utter confusion within the American government. The question is: what is really behind these strange decisions?

Republicans Not Happy

The Hill wrote on May 15:

“Republican lawmakers on Friday grilled Army leaders over the Pentagon’s seemingly last-minute decision to cancel the temporary deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland, with House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) saying the panel is ‘not happy.’..

“It also came roughly seven months after the U.S. informed allies that it is pulling some American troops from NATO’s eastern flank, including Romania. That plan also angered [Republicans] Rogers and Wicker, who said Congress had not been consulted prior to the decision.”

When does the Pentagon ever “consult” Congress before making wide-ranging decisions?

Mario Draghi Charlamagne Prize Winner

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 14:

“The former head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi was presented with the prestigious Charlemagne Prize at a ceremony in Aachen, western Germany, on May 14… Draghi is likely mostly remembered as the head of the Frankfurt-based European Central Bank (ECB), who worked to stabilize the eurozone during turbulent times… Draghi tirelessly defended the single currency and became known for saying the ECB would do ‘whatever it takes’ to stop the euro from failing…

“With the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Iran, and strained relations between the US and most of the world, the prize is being seen as a timely reminder that European unity is indispensable…

“For centuries, the small town of Aachen has been used as a symbol of a united Europe. It was from here that Charlemagne (ca. 748-814) ruled the largest empire in western Europe since the fall of Rome, a legacy that later led him to be considered a medieval ‘father of Europe.’ The Charlemagne Prize honors those who strive for European unity in a more modern way.”

Some past recipients would clearly not have fallen under that category.

Spain For EU Army

MSN wrote on May 15:

“Spain is calling for the creation of a European Union army, amid fears the continent can no longer rely on NATO for military protection…

“Spain has been one of the most vocal opponents of the US in Europe…

“The US president has… suggested he could withdraw US troops from bases in Spain, and would even try to suspend Spain from NATO over Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez’s refusal to support Trump’s war in Iran…”

A European army is coming.

Putin to Be Given Power to Invade Foreign Countries

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 15:

“Russia’s parliament approved a bill on Wednesday to expand President Vladimir Putin’s power to invade foreign countries. If approved, the bill would let the Kremlin send troops abroad to “protect” Russian citizens who are facing arrest, detention, or any other form of perceived persecution…. Putin now has 14 days to sign the bill into law.

“Moscow has previously justified its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 by claiming that it was protecting Russian-speaking regions of the country, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Russia still demands the reinstatement of the Russian language and the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine as part of any peace agreement.

“Officials from the European Union have expressed concern that Putin will initiate a conflict with Europe within the next year or two to test the United States’ commitment to NATO… In December, Putin said that Russia was ready for war with Europe.”

Russia’s threatening conduct towards Europe is not being overlooked.

“Netanyahu ‘Blunder’ Threatens US-Backed Israel-UAE Alliance”

Fox News wrote on May 17:

“The U.S.-brokered alliance designed to counter Iran in the Middle East is showing signs of strain amid tensions between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, an analyst says, as the possibility of a broader conflict with Tehran intensified Sunday.

“The friction first surfaced May 13 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he held a ‘historic breakthrough’ meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a ‘secret visit’ to Al Ain near the Oman border. The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a swift denial following the announcement…

“[Nathan] Sachs… said Netanyahu’s UAE meeting claim ‘seems like a diplomatic blunder because it embarrasses the UAE… This was an odd move to make since the UAE has been a close partner of Israel, even during this war… Either Netanyahu didn’t think, or he was thinking about something else — domestic politics. It would not be the first time he did that.’”

EU and Arab Persecution of Jews Continues

Israel 365 News wrote on May 14:

“The nations that herded Jews into ghettoes, expelled them from their cities, and handed them over to Nazi death camps have now found a new cause: sanctioning Jews for the crime of living in Judea and Samaria. On Monday, the foreign ministers of all 27 European Union member states convened in Brussels and reached a political agreement to impose sanctions on Israeli settler leaders and organizations, equating them, in the same diplomatic breath, with Hamas terrorists.

“The sanctions themselves consist of two specific measures: an asset freeze and a travel ban. An asset freeze means any funds or economic resources owned or controlled by the sanctioned individuals or organizations within EU jurisdiction are locked; banks in EU member states cannot process transactions for them, and any property or holdings in Europe cannot be accessed or transferred. A travel ban means the sanctioned individuals are barred from entering or transiting through any of the 27 EU member states…

“Meanwhile, the EU has for years funneled millions of euros into illegal Arab construction in Area C,  land that, under the Oslo Accords, remains under full Israeli civil and security control. 

“The EU sanctioning Jews for living in Judea and Samaria takes on a particularly sharp edge when set against what the Arab world has done and continues to do regarding Jews within its own borders. As of 2024, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Syria, and Yemen all imposed outright bans on Israeli nationals, including Israeli Arabs… They are official state prohibitions on the entry of Jews holding Israeli passports, and in some cases, extended to anyone whose passport shows evidence of travel to Israel. Dual nationals are also affected, as many nations extend the ban to anyone entering with an Israeli passport, regardless of additional citizenship…

“The reason Jews no longer live in significant numbers in Arab nations is not a mystery… More than 850,000 Jews were forced to leave their homes in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Morocco, and several other Arab countries in the twenty years following the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. These were not refugees fleeing a war zone. These were doctors, lawyers, engineers, merchants: communities rooted in those lands for centuries, in some cases millennia, predating the Arab conquest of the region entirely.

“… In Syria, real estate purchase was prohibited to Jews in 1947, and Jews began to be discharged from public service positions. In Egypt, a long process of discrimination in the public service began in 1929, and by 1945-1948, Jews were excluded from public service entirely. From Morocco to Iraq, governments established laws meant to ostracize and disenfranchise their Jewish communities… property and assets were confiscated; Jews were arrested on suspicion of espionage based on trumped-up charges. In Iraq, it was worse than expulsion: in 1969, nine Iraqi Jews who had chosen to stay in the country after the mass flight of the early 1950s were convicted and executed behind closed doors…”

Horrible.  And the “civilized” world has been standing idly by.

Religious Persecution in the UK

Fox News wrote on May 17:

“A 66-year-old U.K. pastor [was] arrested while street preaching in London… Maile is a gospel singer and the senior pastor of Oasis City Church in Watford, England, a town outside London. For 45 years, the New Zealand native has preached and performed mission work globally. He told Fox News Digital that he often performs famous songs with lyrics altered to convey a Christian message… Maile [was] approached and handcuffed behind his back by Hertfordshire Constabulary officers… A female police officer appeared to mockingly respond, ‘In the name of Jesus, get in the car.’…

“Maile said he was detained for 12 hours without his phone and was not allowed to use the restroom. Police initially told Maile he was under arrest for assaulting a teenager, a charge Maile denied and which was later dropped. Maile remains under investigation for an alleged public order offense…

“Police said he was released on bail while an investigation into the public order offense continues and ‘the conduct of the officers was reviewed and it was deemed no further action was necessary.’..

“The Christian Legal Centre called the arrest ‘deeply troubling.’ ‘A peaceful, Christian preacher was treated like a serious criminal for expressing his Christian beliefs and that Islam is a false religion in a public place,’ said Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre. ‘The footage raises fundamental questions about whether policing in this country is now criminalizing Christianity…’’

No question about it.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Iran “Responds” To US Proposal

The Associated Press wrote on May 10:

“Iran has sent its response to the latest U.S. ceasefire proposal to Pakistani mediators and wants negotiations to focus on permanently ending the war, Iran’s state-run media said Sunday. State TV said Iran seeks to end the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and ensure the security of shipping. Washington’s latest proposal had addressed a deal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and roll back Iran’s nuclear program, an issue that Tehran would rather discuss later…

“Another sticking point in negotiations is the fate of Iran’s highly enriched uranium. The U.N. nuclear agency says Iran has more than 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels. In an interview with state media posted late Saturday, a spokesman for Iran’s military said its forces were on ‘full readiness’ to protect nuclear sites where uranium is stored… The majority of Iran’s highly enriched uranium is likely at its Isfahan nuclear complex…”

The Sun wrote on May 11:

“The US President blasted the regime on Truth Social, writing: ‘I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called “Representatives.” I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.’… The US President earlier accused Iran of playing games with the US for almost 50 years, threatening: ‘They will be laughing no longer!’”

Al Jazeera added on May 11:

“Donald ⁠Trump says the ceasefire with Iran is ‘on life support,’ after dismissing Tehran’s response to ⁠a US peace proposal as ‘stupid.’ The US president’s swift rejection… has fuelled concerns that ⁠the 10-week-old conflict will drag on, and continue to paralyse shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“Referring to the latest proposal, Trump said the ceasefire is ‘the weakest right now after reading that piece of garbage they sent us.’… The search for an agreement between the US and Iran has so far proved elusive, with Trump threatening a return to war… Iranian officials have also expressed a lack of trust in the US, which has previously attacked Iran during periods of negotiation.”

Chinese Merchant Ship Attacked

Reuters reported on May 7:

“A Chinese-owned oil products tanker was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday… as President Donald ‌Trump launched a U.S. plan that day to help stranded vessels but suspended ‌it a day later... This was the first time a Chinese oil tanker has been attacked… China remains a key buyer of Iranian oil, which has been targeted by a U.S. blockade in ⁠the Gulf of Oman…

“Due to the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, hundreds of ships and 20,000 seafarers remain trapped inside the Gulf, with traffic through Hormuz paralysed after renewed attacks on ships this week.”

Why Project Freedom Might Have Been Paused

Breitbart wrote on May 7:

“President Donald Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ — the plan for American military forces to safely escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz — was ‘paused’ after less than 48 hours because Saudi Arabia denied the use of its airbases to protect ships from attacks by Iran… the Saudi government was ‘surprised’ and ‘angered’ when Trump announced Project Freedom with a Truth Social post on Sunday afternoon… [This was denied by the White House, claiming that ‘regional allies were notified in advance’]…

“Another theory about the abrupt suspension of Project Freedom is that Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states were made nervous by the Trump administration’s low-key response to the latest wave of Iranian attacks against the United Arab Emirates…”

The Most Embarrassing U-Turn Yet

The Independent wrote on May 7:

“Not for nothing is Donald Trump known as the ‘TACO’ (Trump Always Chickens Out) President. He announces major decisions and issues dire threats… and then scraps them. But even by his own shameless standards, Trump’s abandonment of his so-called Project Freedom to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is the granddaddy of all TACO somersaults…

“The official White House version is that Project Freedom is being ‘paused’ for ‘a short period of time’ to see if a peace deal with Iran can be reached. ‘Great progress’ has been made towards that end, claimed Trump, without a shred of evidence… A more likely explanation is that he was told that Project Freedom never had a hope of working and was almost guaranteed to make the war much worse, not end it. Experts were near unanimous in warning that it was likely to end the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran and renew the ‘hot war’ between them…

“Sir John Sawers, former head of Britain’s MI6 intelligence agency, said Trump’s latest switch on Iran showed we are ‘living in an Alice in Wonderland world’ whereby the ‘ceasefire is intact as long as the president says it is intact’… Every intelligence agency in the world could have told Trump before he launched the war that it would result in Iran retaliating by blocking the Strait of Hormuz.”

“Trump’s Iran War Boasts SHREDDED”

The Daily Mail wrote on May 7:

“A leaked CIA briefing to the White House concludes that Iran retains significant ballistic missile capabilities, undercutting Donald Trump’s claims that the regime’s stockpile has been wiped out. The regime retains roughly 70 percent of its prewar missile stockpile and 75 percent of its mobile launcher inventory, according to a confidential CIA analysis provided to Trump officials.

“A US official told The Washington Post that Iran has recovered and reopened the vast majority of the underground storage facilities damaged in the opening stages of the war. Sources added that Iran has not only repaired damaged missiles but has also managed to produce new ones…. Intelligence officials found that Iran can withstand the economic toll of Trump’s naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for at least three to four months.”

DNYUZ added on May 7:

“Citrinowicz, a senior researcher at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies [and] former head of the Iran branch in Israeli military intelligence, said that even if the blockade lasted several months, it would not force the regime to bend to Washington’s demands…

“‘What started as a war supposedly aimed at toppling the regime and dismantling its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities,’ Citrinowicz posted Wednesday on X, ‘may instead leave Iran’s regime stronger than before — empowered by sanctions relief, still retaining significant missile capabilities, continuing support for its proxies, and almost certainly preserving uranium enrichment on its own soil.’”

Why the Iran War Will Not End Any Time Soon

The Ron Paul Institute published on May 8 the following opinion piece by Larry Johnson:

“…someone in the Trump administration who has been briefed on Trump’s upcoming statements about the war in Iran made a financial killing yesterday. This is part of a continuing pattern of deliberate deception by Trump, i.e., pretending there is great progress with talks with Iran, which in turn produces a boost in the US stock market and a decline in the futures price of oil. Here is the reality: There will be no negotiated end to the war with Iran in the next six months because the US narrative and the Iranian narrative cannot be reconciled.

“Let’s start with the US position or narrative… Iran is an irredeemable Islamic terrorist state that is teetering on the edge of collapse. Iran’s political and military leaders are deeply divided. Iran’s economy has no way to recover as long as the war goes on. Iran’s military capabilities have been decimated. Iran must cease enriching uranium and must allow complete, unhindered inspections of its nuclear facilities…

“Iranian leaders are equally firm… Iran will only agree to a negotiated settlement to end the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz [SOH] if Israel agrees to a complete ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza. The Strait of Hormuz will remain under Iran’s control and that they would never relinquish control of the SOH. On May 5, 2026, Iran launched a new body called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), requiring all ships wishing to cross the Strait of Hormuz to register, fill out forms, and pay a toll before receiving a transit permit. Iran will never give up its supply of enriched uranium and, as a sovereign nation and signatory to the NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty], will exercise its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. Iran will continue to support the Palestinian people and their quest for freedom and self-rule and will continue to provide assistance to Hezbollah. Finally, Iran will not compromise on its right to build ballistic missiles.

“This… is called an impasse. The US position rests on a number of false assumptions… there is no rift between the political leaders of Iran and the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]… the President, the Foreign Minister, the Head of the Iranian legislature and the Ayatollah all fought and served with the IRGC during the war with Iraq… Iran’s economy is beginning to revive thanks to support from Russia, China and Pakistan and from the high price of oil… the Iranian navy, air force and ballistic missile, cruise missile and drones are intact and able to continue exchanging blows with the US and Israel.

“Donald Trump faces several dilemmas… The US economy is beginning to falter with growing public anger over the surging price of gasoline. There are no viable military options to effect a regime change in Iran or to compel Iran to agree to US demands. The US supplies of critical weapons systems will be further depleted if the US renews its aerial and missile attacks on Iran…

“The real threat to the US is not military, it is economic. The continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran confronts the world with an unprecedented economic threat. US attempts to block this will only worsen what will become a global economic catastrophe… Iran holds the ultimate trump card… Trump holds none.”

Trump’s Illusion

t-online wrote on May 10:

“One thing is… already clear to most people… Donald Trump has maneuvered himself into a conflict regarding Iran from which, in reality, there can no longer be any politically orderly withdrawal… Trump’s dilemma is now becoming apparent almost daily. For instance, in all those excessive threats to—as a next step—‘wipe Iran off the map’ or ‘obliterate’ an entire ‘civilization.’ What followed almost invariably was: nothing.

“However, the President’s predicament is also evident in his most recent, grotesque post on his platform, ‘Truth Social.’ Following a heavy engagement between Iranian and American forces in the Strait of Hormuz, he wrote: Iranian drones shot down by the U.S. military ‘sank so gracefully into the sea, just like a butterfly falling to its grave.’ Anyone who romanticizes an obviously fragile ceasefire and active combat in such flowery terms has a problem. While… rockets and drones continue to fly, American destroyers come under fire, and Iranian fast attack craft are sunk, Trump feels compelled to trivialize this war. That is why he went so far as to characterize the recent U.S. retaliatory strikes against Iran as a ‘love tap’—a ‘loving little pat’…

“Yet his war—and its devastating consequences—cannot be permanently denied. His approval ratings are hitting new lows. More and more Republicans are attempting to distance themselves from his Iran policy… Trump has maneuvered the United States, Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world into a situation in which almost everyone is affected… All for a war whose strategic objective remains unclear.

“This strategy will collapse the moment an American ship is severely damaged, should there be further U.S. casualties, or if another massive oil-price shock further worsens the daily lives of Americans. That is when Trump’s painstakingly constructed illusion—of a war that is supposedly no longer a war—will come to an end.”

The U.S. Navy’s Submarine Crisis

National Security Journal wrote on May 7:

“The U.S. Navy is currently experiencing a submarine crisis. It needs more submarines than it has at its disposal. America’s naval shipyards are backlogged, understaffed, and lack the capacity to maintain or repair existing submarines, let alone complete new builds in a reliable and affordable manner…

“…diesel-electric submarine technology has advanced considerably since the Navy last employed it. Many European and Asian allied nations employ diesel-electric AIP technology. In fact, AIP-driven diesel-electric submarines have consistently demonstrated an impressive ability to sneak up on US nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, get within firing range during multinational wargames, and simulate sinking them successfully….

“Israel employs German-made, AIP-driven Dolphin-class submarines as part of its nuclear strike capability, too. Of course, the Israelis have never officially acknowledged their possession of a nuclear weapons arsenal. It is, in fact, the worst-kept secret in the Middle East. Many believe that the Israelis have armed their Dolphin-class diesel-electric submarines with nuclear-tipped cruise missiles that serve as a sea-based nuclear strike capability…

“We live in an age where quantity trumps quality, after all. Time is not on the Navy’s side. They must act to plug the sizable gaps America’s broken naval shipyards have created in its nuclear submarine force. Diesel-electric subs cannot do that…”

Blasphemy and Idolatry

Letters from Leo wrote on May 9:

“A 22-foot effigy of Donald Trump, wrapped in gold leaf, now stands at his Doral golf course in Miami. The president boasted about it Thursday morning on Truth Social with the all-caps line: ‘The Real Deal — GOLD.’ Before the unveiling, the figure was blessed. Pastor Mark Burns — Trump’s longtime spiritual adviser and a candidate for Congress in South Carolina’s 3rd District — assembled a circle of evangelical and Jewish clergy at the foot of the gilded statue and consecrated it. What happened at Doral is not unusual; in fact, it is ancient — the modern American repetition of the oldest act of unfaithfulness recorded in scripture.

“… a ceremony like the one Pastor Burns staged is a sin against the living God… The sacred was dragged into filth. A Christian pastor bent religion into the service of a man who calls his own gilded image ‘the real deal,’ and the clergy who should have refused stood beside him while he did it.”

Trump: I Don’t Think About Anybody!

The Huffington Post reported on May 12:

“President Donald Trump  on Tuesday gave his two cents to a reporter who asked to what extent ‘Americans’ financial situations are motivating’ him to strike a deal to end his unpopular Iran war.  His answer? ‘Not even a little bit.’ ‘The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon,’ he told reporters on the White House lawn. ‘I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody.’…

“Consumer prices have jumped and gas prices have surged by 50% since the start of the conflict in late February, figures that have buried a president who once promised to eradicate inflation (among other economic promises) on day one of his second term.

“His comments arrived on the same day the latest CNN/SSRS poll found 77% of Americans blamed Trump’s policies for increasing the cost of living in their communities. That includes 55% of GOP respondents who pointed the finger at the president for a rise in living expenses. The poll also found that 70% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 79% of respondents disapproved of his handling of gas prices. More than half of Republican disapproved of his handling of prices at the pump (52%), as well.”

Trump went on to insult two female reporters, calling one a “dumb person” after she asked about the controversial White House ballroom project, and another a “stupid person” after she asked about inflation. His habit to insult female reporters is well-known.  He called them “piggy,” “ugly”, a “disgrace,” “horrible,” “stupid and nasty.” Of course, Trump attacks everyone—male or female—who disagrees with him. Incredibly or perhaps predictably, the Pentagon has been defending Trump’s inappropriate outbursts.

Vatican Humiliates Rubio

The Daily Beast wrote on May 7:

“The Vatican did Secretary of State Marco Rubio no favors with its response to his meeting with Pope Leo XIV on Thursday amid deep tensions between the Catholic leader and his boss, President Donald Trump… After the summit on Thursday morning, it was also revealed that the pope was not subtle in his choice of gift for Rubio. The secretary of state gifted Pope Leo, who is from Chicago, a crystal football bearing the State Department seal, while the pontiff gave Rubio a pen made from olive wood. He noted that an olive branch is the symbol of peace…

“The Vatican put out a statement describing the talks as ‘cordial; and insisted the ‘shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America was reaffirmed.; But the niceties stopped there. ‘There followed an exchange of views regarding the regional and international situation, with particular attention to countries marked by war, political tensions, and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as to the need to work tirelessly in support of peace,’ the Vatican added.”

CubaWarns USA

ABC News wrote on May 8:

“In a sit-down interview with ABC News’ Whit Johnson in Havana on Thursday, [Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno] Rodriguez said he takes Trump’s threats ‘very seriously,’ …. ‘It seems that the U.S. government has chosen a dangerous path, a path that could lead to unimaginable consequences, to humanitarian catastrophe, to a genocide, to the loss of Cuban and young American lives, it could also lead to a bloodbath in Cuba,’ Rodriguez told ABC News in Spanish…  

“Rodriguez maintained Cuba’s independence and said that if attacked militarily, ‘Cuba will exercise its right for its legitimate defense to the very last consequences with massive, mass support of the people.’… Rodriguez told ABC News on Thursday that there has been no progress in the talks with the U.S…”

Tucker Carlson’s Interview Regarding Trump

Die Welt reported on May 7:

“[Tucker] Carlson now levels a grave accusation in an interview with Die Zeit: Trump, he claims, ‘led the U.S. into this war with Iran’—specifically ‘at the behest of the Israeli government.’ In his view, this constituted a betrayal of the United States… ‘The pressure from the Israelis—and from Israeli advocacy groups within the U.S.—as well as from his donors, was simply too great,’ Carlson continued. Trump, he argued, allowed himself to be persuaded, believing that ‘regime change’ in Iran could be ‘brought about just as easily’ as it had been in Venezuela in early January.

“Carlson also recounts how he personally attempted to dissuade Trump from the war with Iran. He says he ‘flew straight to Washington’ and met with the U.S. President in the Oval Office. ‘I spent the entire day with him and have spoken with him many times since then.’ He told Trump… that he was ‘walking into a trap,’ that the U.S. would derive ‘no benefit’ from it, and that Iran posed ‘no threat to the United States.’ Furthermore, he reminded Trump of his promise ‘not to start any new wars’…”

“Trump did not contradict him on this point, Carlson said. ‘He knew it was true’… Carlson describes Trump as a politician who ‘isn’t interested in details’ and ‘doesn’t understand them, either’…

“It is noteworthy whom Carlson explicitly praises in this context: Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz. When Die Zeit asked him about Merz’s criticism… Carlson replied: ‘Absolutely! Merz is absolutely right. There was no plan.’ Trump was furious with anyone who pointed out his mistake to him… Carlson adds: ‘There is a deep humiliation of the United States embedded in all of this…’

“Carlson views the political consequences as far-reaching. The coalition that delivered Trump his victory in 2024—comprising ethnic minorities and the politically disengaged—is ‘history.’ ‘Oh, he completely destroyed it,’ says Carlson, when asked what the war is doing to the MAGA (‘Make America Great Again’) movement. ‘There is such anger among Trump’s voters; I feel it, too.’ For the midterm elections in November, Carlson sees a bleak outlook for the Republicans. ‘I don’t know what they could campaign on to score points. Nothing hurts as much as being betrayed…'”

It has also been reported that in 2025, Charlie Kirk advised Trump repeatedly against attacking Iran.

Epstein’s Suicide Note a Fake?

The Daily Beast wrote on May 9:

“Mark Epstein said he believes the handwritten [“suicide”] note, which was unsealed this week by a federal judge, is a fake designed to prop up the official ruling that his brother died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial in 2019….

“The note remained buried in court records for years before a federal judge unsealed it this week as part of criminal proceedings tied to Nicholas Tartaglione, Epstein’s former cellmate. Tartaglione, a former police officer convicted of murdering four men and burying them on his upstate New York property, claims Jeffrey Epstein left the note inside a book after a suicide attempt in July 2019, weeks before the notorious pedophile was found dead inside New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center. According to court filings, the note changed hands multiple times between 2019 and 2020 as people attempted to verify its authenticity.

“‘They investigated me for [a] month—FOUND NOTHING!!!’ the alleged note reads. ‘So 15 year old charges resulted. The FBI arrested me for a stack of cash and old headlines. It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye,’ Epstein reportedly wrote. The final line closely resembles phrases Epstein used in previously released emails to friends and family, apparently referencing the 1930s comedy series Little Rascals.

“But his brother argued that detail only deepened his suspicions, claiming anyone attempting to fake the note could have copied language already floating around publicly… Epstein has consistently rejected the official findings and maintains his brother was murdered… He also claimed Jeffrey initially accused Tartaglione of attacking him in jail before later backing away from the allegation because he feared retaliation…”

Newsom Under Attack

The New York Post wrote on May 9:

“California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing accusations of corruption for paying $20 million in taxpayer money to a nonprofit led by an executive who also sits on the board of his wife’s organization that promotes gender equity… The program aims to provide free diapers to newborns through hospitals statewide, but the deal has triggered a wave of scrutiny over how the nonprofit was chosen, and its proximity to Newsom’s political and personal network…

“Despite the criticism, Newsom has promoted ‘Golden State Start’ as a flagship child welfare initiative, calling it ‘a first-in-the-nation program to provide free diapers to all new babies born in California.’”

Trump in China

Newsmax wrote on May 13:

“The Chinese embassy is warning that there are ‘four red lines’ President Donald Trump must not challenge during his meetings this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping… stating that the United States, during Trump’s meetings, must not challenge the ‘Taiwan question,’ China’s record of democracy and human rights, the nation’s path and political system, and ‘China’s developmental right.’…

“The leaders are expected to discuss the Iran war, trade relations, and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan during the talks… The administration is facing bipartisan pressurefrom lawmakers to continue supporting Taiwan militarily despite objections from Beijing…”

Israel’s Government to Collapse

NPR wrote on May 12:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition may collapse next week, after one of his key ultra-Orthodox coalition partners called for the parliament to be dissolved…

“The political crisis comes after Netanyahu told ultra-Orthodox political leaders that he would not advance legislation to exempt ultra-Orthodox Jewish Israelis from military service… A vote to dissolve the parliament has been called for next week. If parliament dissolves, new elections would be scheduled in three months’ time. By law, Israel must hold new elections by Oct. 27…

“Netanyahu would remain acting prime minister until a new government is formed after elections. He is seeking a new term.”

Now Everything Is Happening Very Fast

Bild Online reported on May 7:

“For months, there was bickering and outcry over the new military service scheme; now, suddenly, everything is moving very fast. Although draft notices have only been sent out since January, the first recruits are already standing in uniform on the barracks grounds! To ensure that willing applicants don’t have a change of heart at the last minute, new recruits are being inducted on a monthly basis. According to the Ministry of Defense, over 200,000 letters have landed in the mailboxes of 18-year-old Germans so far. A good 12,500 new ones are added every week.

“…The Bundeswehr aims to send out 650,000 letters in 2026 alone, with the goal of increasing the number of active-duty personnel over the course of the year from the current 12,700 to 20,000. To achieve this, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is relying on… ‘lightning recruitment’ drives!…

“72 percent of the 18-year-old men contacted by the Bundeswehr so far have completed the questionnaire regarding the new military service; 28 percent, however, have not—despite being legally obligated to do so. In plain terms: More than one in four is ignoring their civic duty! Anyone who fails to complete the questionnaire faces a fine of 250 euros… However, the fine will only be collected if a young man has received multiple reminders and still fails to respond.

“According to the law, fines of up to 1,000 euros would have been possible—however, the ministry led by Boris Pistorius (66, SPD) has set the penalty significantly lower. The men have one month to complete the online questionnaire. Women—who are also being contacted—are not legally obliged to provide information…

“There is a great deal at stake here: The questionnaire assesses both suitability and willingness. Notably, around half of those who responded have signaled an interest in performing the voluntary military service, which lasts at least six months.”

Not Going Well for Merz

Politico wrote on May 12:

“As Friedrich Merz’s popularity plunges to new lows — compounding his already-weak coalition’s troubles little more than a year into office — the chancellor is traveling the country to persuade Germans that things remain on the right track. It’s not going well. Instead, Merz looks like he is only compounding his problems, often appearing out of touch and further alienating some of the very voters he can least afford to lose….

“The chancellor’s failure to connect with voters is one reason a vast majority of Germans — 86 percent — are unhappy with the work of the coalition government… Merz is markedly less popular than even his ill-fated predecessor, Olaf Scholz, was at the same point in his chancellorship….”

Russia’s Medvedev Attacks Germany

Die Welt reported on May 7:

“Russia’s former President Dmitry Medvedev has accused Germany of militarism and revanchist desires over its defeat in the Second World War, and has called into question the Federal Republic’s very right to exist. He argued that no referendum on reunification ever took place, rendering the process legally dubious…

“Furthermore, Medvedev wrote that Berlin had violated the ‘Two Plus Four Treaty’ by opening a maritime tactical headquarters in Rostock. Consequently, he claimed, the treaty governing German unity is invalid…

“Once again, in a text peppered with Nazi comparisons, Medvedev also took direct aim at Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He accused the government of driving the German economy into the abyss. Merz apparently fails to recognize that rearmament will not generate economic growth, he wrote—this against the backdrop of a rearmament drive in Russia itself that is unprecedented, with 40 percent of budget revenues currently flowing into the defense and security apparatus.

“Moreover, he accused Berlin of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. In this context, he issued threats of war. He made it clear that even the mere prospect of Germany acquiring nuclear weapons would constitute grounds for war in the Kremlin’s eyes. Furthermore, he wrote that even a conventional war—one fought without nuclear weapons—would end in Germany’s total destruction.

“Medvedev, who served in the Kremlin from 2008 to 2012, was widely regarded during his tenure as a beacon of hope for the liberalization of Russia. However, since the outbreak of the war against Ukraine—ordered by President Vladimir Putin in 2022—he has sought to cast himself as a hardliner. He has repeatedly drawn attention to himself through threats, such as those involving nuclear strikes against Western capitals like Berlin, London, or Paris.”

Romania’s Government Collapses

Politico wrote on May 5:

“Romania’s [pro-European] centrist government collapsed on Tuesday, throwing one of Europe’s most strategically important countries into turmoil at a critical time. Center-right Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, who heads the National Liberal Party, lost a confidence vote in the country’s parliament after only 10 months in office, bringing his short-lived and unpopular attempt to rein in the country’s budget deficit to an abrupt end…

“Bolojan’s defeat was in part masterminded by far right leader George Simion… But Simion’s bid to oust the prime minister only succeeded because his far right Alliance for the Union of Romanians joined forces with the center-left Social Democratic Party (PSD), which quit Bolojan’s coalition government last month…

“Romania is also suffering from soaring inflation and has the EU’s highest budget deficit. If the country does not complete key reforms by August, it risks losing out on around €11 billion in EU funding…”

New Government in Hungary

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 9:

“Conservative ‌Peter Magyar ⁠was ⁠sworn in as Hungary’s new prime minister on ‌Saturday… He has… vowed to repair ties with the EU. Relations between the NATO member and the bloc were strained under Orban, who moved closer to Moscow and opposed EU efforts to support Ukraine against Russia’s invasion…

“One of his first tasks as prime minister will be trying to unblock billions of euros in suspended EU funding to help kickstart the economy. The money was frozen during Orban’s time in office due concerns about rule of law and corruption in Hungary. Also on Saturday, the EU flag was raised on the parliament building in Budapest for the first time since Orban removed it in 2014.”

Putin Threatens Armenia

RBC wrote on May 10:

“Russian leader Vladimir Putin criticized Armenia, warning Yerevan [capital of Armenia] against pursuing European integration without coordination with the Kremlin, according to Russian media. The Kremlin chief claimed that such a policy could lead to a scenario similar to the events in Ukraine in 2014, referring to Russia’s armed invasion….

“‘We are now living through everything that is happening on the Ukrainian track. And where did it begin? With Ukraine joining or attempting to join the EU,’ Putin said, adding that this later led to ‘the coup d’état, the Crimea story, the position of southeastern Ukraine and military actions.’”

Chaos in Britain

Daily Mail wrote on May 8:

“Keir Starmer was fighting for his political survival last night after Labour was thrashed in the local elections.

“MPs, ministers and unions lined up to call on Sir Keir to set out a timetable for his departure following humiliating defeats across England, Scotland and Wales. Nigel Farage hailed a ‘historic’ result last night as Reform smashed through Labour’s Red Wall strongholds in the North and Midlands…

“Sir Keir said he took ‘responsibility’ for the electoral disaster but insisted he would not ‘walk away’. However, furious Labour figures blamed the PM directly…”

Andrew Neil wrote on May 9 in the Daily Mail:

“Just when Britain needs tough and radical leadership, our new system of multi-party mayhem will deliver nothing but instability and paralysing inertia.”

Bringing Back Disgraced Gordon Brown

The Sun wrote on May 9:

“KEIR Starmer has brought Gordon Brown back for a top job as calls grow for the under-fire Prime Minister to quit. Brown, 75, has been appointed as his Special Envoy on Global Finance – more than 16 years since he was ousted from No10 in a landslide General Election defeat in 2010… [He also appointed Harriet Harman, the former Labour deputy leader, as his ‘Adviser on Women and Girls’.]

“The Prime Minister has plunged to historically unpopular levels after 21 months of U-turns, sleaze scandals and policy disasters…. Meanwhile Labour MPs and ministers blasted the appointments as ‘pure gimmick’ and ‘nonsense’ that suggests Sir Keir doesn’t ‘grasp the scale of the challenge’…. The new job announcements came as the chorus of public fury from the Prime Minister’s own MPs is continuing to crescendo today…”

Gordon Brown faced significant political difficulties during his time as UK Prime Minister (2007–2010), including allegations of bullying staff, the infamous “bigot woman” scandal in 2010, [when he slandered a female voter as “a bigot woman,” who had asked him about immigration, causing a major public relations disaster], and criticism over the sale of gold reserves, selling nearly 60% of the UK’s gold reserves between 1999 and 2002 at historically low prices, a move commonly referred to as “Brown’s Bottom”.

A Government in Decline

The Sun wrote on May 9:

“… in this moment of crisis, [PM Keir Starmer] has turned to the man who sold Britain’s gold, crashed the economy and was dumped out of office. Making Gordon Brown ‘global finance envoy’ is another spectacular misjudgment from the most unpopular Prime Minister in living memory.

“Who better to revive a dying government than a former Labour leader overwhelmingly rejected by the British people?… This is a government in decline, clinging to the ghosts of Labour past because it has nothing left to offer the country now…”

Nigel Farage’s Powerful Influence

Politico wrote on May 9:

“The leader of Reform UK would require a political earthquake to achieve a nationalsuccess. Luckily for him, volatile voters keep delivering seismic results. 

“Judged on his own record, Nigel Farage is one of the most prolific political failures in modern British history.  In three of the five elections he has fought over the past 20 years under various party banners, none of his side’s candidates won a single seat — and he finally entered Westminster in 2024 only after failing in seven previous attempts.

“But local elections across England, as well as parliamentary votes in Wales and Scotland, this week confirmed that Farage’s Reform UK party is now an undeniably powerful electoral force. The question is whether he can convert these successes into winning a general election and achieving a national majority in Westminster. POLITICO analysis suggests he has an enormous task ahead in his quest to become prime minister — but not an impossible one.”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Iran War “Terminated?”

Politico wrote on May 1:

“President Donald Trump notified lawmakers Friday that the Iran war has ‘terminated’ — an effort to quelch the fight over the need for Congress to approve the conflict. The White House laid out its rationale in a letter… as the Middle East conflict reached a 60-day legal deadline under which operations must halt unless lawmakers authorize military force. A ceasefire with Tehran, Trump argued, effectively stops the clock. [It does not.] The missive seeks to head off a growing battle on Capitol Hill, where Trump faces the prospect of losing Republican support as the war stretches into its second month with no clear exit strategy…

“The 1973 War Powers Resolution requires U.S. forces to withdraw from a conflict 60 days after the president notifies Congress, unless lawmakers vote to authorize continued military action. The White House can seek to extend military operations for another 30 days for the purposes of winding down the conflict… Trump’s GOP support for the war could be starting to wane, particularly with a public who largely wants it to end.

“Trump on Thursday derided lawmakers who were pushing for authorization. ‘I don’t think it’s constitutional what they’re asking for,’ he said. ‘These are not patriotic people.’

“Advocates of reining in Trump through the 1973 law contend he is misreading the statute. And they note that despite the ceasefire, the U.S. military is still engaged in a blockade meant to force Tehran’s hand as Trump seeks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, not to mention roughly 50,000 American troops still stationed in the Middle East… Pentagon officials have said American military forces remain on standby to resume attacks on Iran if peace talks break down.”

Of course, Trump is under an obligation to follow that law. His objections are ludicrous, as the Iran war has clearly NOT ENDED. But Congress is too weak and ineffective to force Trump to obey the law.

Note the next article.

Congress “Deferring” to Trump

ABC News wrote on April 30:

“GOP lawmakers… continue to defer to the White House…. Congress made no attempt at enforcing that requirement, leaving town for a week on Thursday… Trump administration has shown no interest in seeking congressional approval at all….

“The reluctance to defy Trump on the war comes at a politically perilous time for Republicans, with public frustration mounting both over the conflict and its impact on gas prices.”

Congress is not doing Trump and the public any favors with its own severely damaged reputation any favors.

Trump’s Project Freedom– Ceasefire Ended?

The Hill wrote on May 4:

“The fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is under threat of falling apart after President Trump declared that the U.S. would ‘guide’ vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in an effort he called ‘Project Freedom’… In response, Iran’s armed forces said they would not allow passage to American combat forces or commercial ships without their authorization. Tehran’s forces opened fire on U.S. warships and commercial vessels on Monday, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) head Adm. Brad Cooper told reporters. He said American forces returned fire and destroyed six small Iranian boats... [Iran denies this.]

“The situation is threatening to reignite a war that has been paused during the temporary ceasefire and send gas prices even higher. It may also fuel frustration in Congress, after Trump told lawmakers last week the war was over as it passed the 60-day mark.”

The Daily Mail wrote on May 4:

“Trump has today confirmed Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, hours after Tehran launched a series of missile and drone attacks on the UAE. Tehran launched four missiles at a US-backed Middle Eastern ally on Monday, blowing up a major oil port following the President’s move to reopen the Strait. Trump later threatened to ‘blow Iran off the face of the earth’ if US warships and commercial vessels continue to be targeted…”

ABC News reported on May 5:

“President Donald Trump suggested that Iran hasn’t yet violated the ceasefire despite firing shots in the Strait of Hormuz, saying ‘I’ll let you know’ when it is breached. ‘They didn’t shoot the ships that were guarded by us,’ Trump said during an Oval Office event on Tuesday…. ‘Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,’ Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Tuesday.”

Zeteo wrote on May 5:

“President Donald Trump claimed hostilities against Iran had been ‘terminated,’ that seems, predictably, anything but the case, as the US, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates attack and counterattack over the Strait of Hormuz.”

Trump called the current situation a “mini war,” while he falsely alleged that America’s “economy is booming.” His terminology is carefully chosen as he tries to avoid abiding by the 60-day deadline of the War Powers Resolution of 1973. But he did not even have to be that concerned as most Republicans in control of Congress have shown no sign of holding Trump to that limit.

Project Freedom on Hold

The Guardian wrote on May 5:

“Donald Trump announced he is pausing ‘Project Freedom’… so he can finalise a deal with Iran, but added that his blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place… The announcement came after military leaders and the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, insisted a ceasefire in the Middle East was still holding and that – while the conflict is not resolved – the initial major US military operation against Iran has concluded. ‘The operation is over. Epic Fury – as the president notified Congress – we’re done with that stage of it,’ Rubio said…

“Trump’s pausing of Project Freedom appeared to run counter to comments from Rubio and the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, only hours earlier. In a Pentagon news conference, Hegseth said the US had successfully secured a path through the waterway and that hundreds of commercial ships were lining up to pass through. ‘We know the Iranians are embarrassed by this ​fact. They said they control the strait. They do not,’ he said.

“Rubio later said the US was working to get ships through the strait as a ‘favour to the world … because we’re the only ones that can’… So far, only two merchant ships are known to have passed through the US-guarded route, with hundreds more, carrying up to 23,000 crew members, bottled up in the Persian Gulf.”

ABC News added on May 5:

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the White House that operation Epic Fury is now over, saying the U.S. is now involved in a ‘defensive’ operation as it seeks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. ‘If they pose a threat to our forces, we’ll shoot down drones, we’ll shoot down missiles. But it’s defensive in nature,’ Rubio said.”

This is such nonsense. But IF operation Epic Fury is over, then America has LOST the war on all fronts… a terrible and humiliating, unparalleled defeat.

Pete Hegseth—Incompetent and Out of His Depth

The Independent wrote on April 30:

“Pete Hegseth is struggling: that much has been clear for a while. When it comes to the Iran war and the updates he is tasked to provide, he’s most comfortable in front of a journalistic audience, where he can yell and berate people for ‘being negative’ any time they ask anything that sounds too much like an actual question…

“But today, pressed calmly and continually by a bipartisan group on strategy and military expenditure, it became extremely obvious how out of his depth Hegseth is….  Asked about the length of the war, he pulled out manufactured outrage, talking about how his generation served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that was a quagmire, and ‘you stain the troops’ by suggesting this war has been going on too long. ‘Who you cheering for?’ he yelled, adding, ‘Your hatred for President Trump blinds you to the truth of the success of this mission!’ In the quiet, unostentatious room, his words sounded flat, eerie, cult-like. They did not project the power he must’ve hoped that they would…

“Here is a man who cannot answer basic questions about what his decisions mean to the average American taxpayer; a man who is quick to call his fellow Americans adversaries and reluctant to talk specifics; a man who performs shockingly badly under pressure and becomes volatile in high-pressure situations. Just who you want in charge of the Pentagon…. it is, of course… deeply and unrelentingly scary.”

Hegseth should never have been placed in the position of Secretary of Defense or of War.

USA to Withdraw 5,000 Troops From Germany

CBS News wrote on May 1:

“The Pentagon is planning to withdraw about 5,000 American forces from Germany… officials characterized the move as a signal of President Trump’s discontent with the level of assistance that European allies have offered in the U.S.-Iran war. Mr. Trump has publicly criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the leaders of other NATO member states for not getting directly involved in the U.S.’s military campaign against Iran.

“The U.S. military has a massive presence in Germany dating back to the aftermath of World War II and the Cold War. More than 36,000 active duty troops were assigned to bases throughout Germany as of last December, along with nearly 1,500 reservists and 11,500 civilians. Japan is the only foreign country with a larger presence of U.S. troops. 

“Germany is also home to the headquarters of U.S. European Command and Africa Command, and its Ramstein Air Base is a key hub for U.S. operations.”

ABC News wrote on May 2:

“Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, sharply criticized the move, calling it a ‘foolish decision,’ in a statement.

“‘Withdrawing thousands of American troops from one of our most important strategic positions in the middle of a war is a serious mistake that will reverberate well beyond this moment,’ Reed said in the statement. ‘Weakening our military footprint in Europe at a time when Russian forces continue to mercilessly attack Ukraine and harass our NATO allies is a priceless gift to Vladimir Putin and suggests American commitments to our allies are dependent on the president’s mood.’”

More Than “Just” 5,000 Troops?

The Guardian wrote on May 3:

“Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw more US troops from Germany after stunning European leaders and some senior members of his own party by last week announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany. The move left 30,000 US troops still in the country… But Trump threatened on Saturday that more cuts were coming. ‘We are going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,’ he told reporters on Saturday….

“The Republicans who chair the armed services committees in Congress, Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Representative Mike Rogers of Alabama, released a joint statement on Saturday saying they were ‘very concerned’ by the possibility of reducing troops in Germany… Any reduction in troops should be done in coordination with Congress and allies.’

The reduction is supposed to be completed in six to twelve months, according to Die Welt, dated May 3. Nius added on May 3 that American nuclear weapons are also stationed in Germany.

It is anticipated that many GOP members will submit to Trump in this regard as well, even though 62% of the population rejectsTrump’s policies, according to NTV, dated May 3, while 37% give him a positive evaluation. One has to wonder who those 37% are!!!

Withdrawing Troops From Spain and Italy As Well?

The Guardian wrote on May 1:

“Donald Trump also threatened Italy and Spain for not helping to reopen the strait of Hormuz…. Asked late on Thursday whether he would consider pulling US troops out of Italy and Spain, Trump told reporters: ‘Probably … look, why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.’… About 13,000 US military personnel are stationed across seven naval bases in Italy….

“According to the US Defense Manpower Data Center, at the end of last year the US military had 68,000 active-duty military personnel assigned permanently in its overseas bases in Europe… Late last year, in an apparent rebuke to Trump’s threats to downgrade military ties with Europe, the US House approved a defense bill limiting the president’s authority to reduce troop numbers, barring levels on the continent from falling below 76,000 for more than 45 days and blocking the removal of major equipment….

“On 1 April, Trump said he was ‘absolutely without question’ considering withdrawing from Nato because of the European allies’ refusal to take part in the war on Iran and help secure the strait of Hormuz. A US withdrawal would be catastrophic for Europe’s security but is seen as unlikely because of US legislation passed in 2024 that bars a president from leaving Nato without either a two-thirds Senate majority or an act of Congress.”

But Trump may not abide by any of these provisions.

No Anti-Putin Missiles

Bild Online reported on May 2:

“This decision by US President Donald Trump really hurts! Not only is he withdrawing 5,000 American troops from Germany, but he is also canceling the planned deployment of Tomahawk cruise missiles. Defense experts view this development as dangerous to our defensive capabilities against Russia… These long-range precision weapons were originally scheduled to be stationed in West Germany this year. In the event of a defensive conflict, they would have enabled strikes against targets within Russia as well…

“The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Henning Otte (57), reacted with concern: ‘The withdrawal of US combat units sends a poor signal regarding Germany’s defensive capabilities. This loss must be compensated for.’ Trump’s decision ‘tears a gap in Germany’s defense architecture.’”

Trump Announces 25 Percent Tariffs on Cars and Trucks

Die Welt reported on May 2:

“Trump announces plans to raise tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union to 25 percent…

“Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed on a trade deal in July of last year. That agreement established a tariff rate of 15 percent for most goods. However, the status of the agreement was called into question by a Supreme Court ruling in February, which held that Trump lacks the authority to declare an economic emergency in order to impose tariffs on EU goods…

“Should Trump proceed to raise US tariffs as announced, the EU reserves the right to take countermeasures… Bernd Lange, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, has sharply criticized the announced tariffs on European cars. ‘This latest move demonstrates just how unreliable the US side is,’ the SPD politician declared on Friday. ‘This is not how one treats close partners.’ Trump’s conduct is unacceptable. The European Union must now respond with the utmost clarity and determination, from a position of strength, Lange demanded…

“For economist Marcel Fratzscher, the renewed escalation in the trade conflict with the U.S.—triggered by President Donald Trump’s tariff threats—comes as no surprise. ‘For President Trump exploits Germany’s and Europe’s constant yielding as a sign of weakness,’ the President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) told the news agency Reuters on Friday. ‘It is now coming back to haunt us once again that the European Union, as well as the German government, have repeatedly given in to Trump during this conflict and allowed him to have his way.’”

Vice-Chancellor Klingbeil Criticizes Trump’s Mess

t-online reported on May 1:

“SPD leader and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has defended Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) against criticism from the USA. ‘We really don’t need any tips from Donald Trump right now. He should take a look at the mess he has created. He should ensure that serious peace talks are held in Iran immediately,’ said Klingbeil…

“Klingbeil also voiced criticism of Trump’s strategy in Iran. ‘I believe he genuinely thought this would be a matter of two or three days, and then everything would be fine,’ he said. ‘He now bears the responsibility for ensuring that this war in Iran ends quickly,’ said the Federal Minister of Finance. ‘Above all, he must ensure that the burdens resulting from his war do not end up on our doorstep—on workers, consumers, and the economy.’

“However, it is also crucial that Europe be economically strong enough ‘that we do not have to let ourselves be blackmailed by anyone,’ said Klingbeil. ‘I do not want us to be dependent on whatever mood Donald Trump happens to be in today or tomorrow.’”

US Surveillance of Europeans

Fodors wrote on April 30:

“Citizens of the European Union do not need to apply for a visa to visit the U.S. The two sides have a visa waiver program in place. Now, however, the U.S. is adding a condition: If the EU wants to continue to enjoy visa-free travel, it needs to give American authorities access to its database…

“This is a highly controversial move in Europe. The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) offers strong protections to residents regarding their data. Businesses must comply with rules about data collection and processing of EU residents. They need to be clear and transparent about data use, and residents have the right to deny or withdraw consent at any time. The U.S., however, does not have such protections in place, and experts are concerned this could lead to mass surveillance…. A member of the European Parliament, Hermida-van der Walle, criticized the proposal calling it blackmail….

“It is possible that criticizing the government or its policies could get travelers barred from entering the country…  experts warn this could create a chilling effect among travelers, who might take their tourist dollars elsewhere.”

Trump—The Chaos President

t-online wrote on May 2:

“Over the past few days, Trump has worked himself into an ever-increasing rage. The trigger for his anger: Friedrich Merz. Trump’s outbursts—flanked by numerous statements from other administration officials, such as his ‘Secretary of War’ Pete Hegseth—culminated finally in a threat from the President directed not only at Spain and Italy, but above all, once again, at Germany. The long-standing specter of a troop withdrawal had suddenly returned….

“Trump’s familiar modus operandi against his chosen adversaries was visibly playing out: First, the personal attacks against Merz. Then, the threats. Then, the economic pressure. On Friday, Trump also announced new punitive tariffs of 25 percent on European automobiles. That alone constituted a very concrete, frontal assault on Germany’s industrial heartland. Shortly thereafter came the security-policy leverage: US troops out of Germany. The lesson intended to be taught is this: Anyone who dares to criticize Trump publicly—and as harshly as Merz did—will be made an example of….

“A simple principle governs Trump’s domestic and foreign policy: Loyalty or reprisals. The mere fact that Germany is not participating militarily in the conflict with Iran was enough to land it in his crosshairs. The fact that Merz then proceeded to lash out against him, too, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Now, the US President is making an example of the Chancellor. Trump is bullying Merz. Germany is to be the victim…

“Trump’s erratic policies do not merely weaken Germany; they weaken all of Europe. And they benefit Russia. Trump’s often impulsive decisions do not merely sacrifice security on the other side of the Atlantic; they also jeopardize the security of the United States itself. For the United States, Europe is indispensable to maintaining its own global standing—whether in the Middle East or the Arctic, whether against Russia or against China. Trump, however, does not care. He snubs allies whenever it suits him…

“Military capabilities cannot be accelerated by decree. The Trump administration knows this all too well, given its dwindling military stockpiles resulting from the conflict with Iran, or its naval fleet, which is falling further and further behind China…

“Trump remains a ‘chaos president’—fighting on too many fronts with far too little strategy. He spreads himself too thin across the globe: war with Iran, presidential abductions in Venezuela, unlawful sanctions of economic blackmail against Cuba. Yet, he suspends those directed at Russia. He weakens his European allies—and even threatens them territorially, as seen in Greenland—wherever and whenever he can. The US President escalates conflicts everywhere simultaneously, thereby losing control. Ultimately, what is missing is the very thing that made America a global power for decades: trust.”

Trump’s pronouncements that America is respected again is nonsense. Just the opposite is the case.

Trump—a Master Builder Full of Pride

The Atlantic wrote on April 29:

“The tendency to self-aggrandize is as fundamental a feature of Trump as his sculpted hair and overlong red ties. But it has become even more important in setting his priorities and steering his actions as he hurtles through his final term in office. He no longer has to worry about the judgment of voters and can instead focus on what he’s decided really matters: ascending to become one of history’s so-called great men and leaving an enduring—and, in many cases, physical—imprint. The result, at least so far, has cost many lives and billions of dollars, damaged the world economy, strained already fragile alliances, and cratered the president’s standing with the public. But those around him cast his new focus as a liberation…

“Trump’s heightened tendency to view himself as a world-historical figure—capable of brash, misunderstood greatness—has transformed his second term, and not necessarily in a good way. …

“A foreign leader visiting Washington today would find a city under reconstruction, with tower cranes over the White House, a spectacle that recalls Roman Emperor Augustus’s claim that ‘I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marbles.’ There’s the planned remodeling (and recent renaming) of the Kennedy Center, the affixing of his name to the United States Institute of Peace, the attempted seizure of D.C.-municipal golf courses that Trump plans to renovate, the paving over of Jackie Kennedy’s Rose Garden into a Mar-a-Lago-style patio, and the tearing down of the East Wing to make way for the massive ballroom. (That destruction prompted the largest outcry, perhaps because the symbolism was visual, physical, visceral—a wrecking ball laying waste to a cherished pillar of democracy.)

“The proposed ‘Arc de Trump,’ a 250-foot structure modeled after Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, would be taller than any similar structure in world history, and more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial, across the river from where it would stand. ‘The GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World,’ Trump declared three days after announcing the cease-fire with Iran.”

So, when is he going to start building the Third Temple in Jerusalem?

Trump: After Iran We’ll Take Over Cuba

The Telegraph wrote on May 2:

“US president suggests Cuban government would ‘give up’ if his warships appeared near Havana. Donald Trump has warned that American forces could ‘almost immediately take over Cuba on the way back from Iran…”

Some said Trump was joking or partly joking, but his actions towards Cuba so far are no joke. His ambition to take over Cuba is far too obvious. Vox asked the question on May 1: ”Trump says Cuba is ‘next.’ What does that mean? The island may be next in the administration’s crosshairs after Venezuela and Iran…”

Spirit Airlines Folds… Blow to Trump

Reuters wrote on May 2:

“Bankrupt discount carrier Spirit Airlines ceased operations on Saturday, the industry’s first casualty linked to the Iran war, after failing to secure creditor support for a U.S. government bailout plan. The collapse of the carrier following a doubling in jet fuel prices during the two-month-old Iran war will cost ‌thousands of jobs. It is a blow to President Donald Trump, who had proposed $500 million to save Spirit despite opposition from some of his closest advisers and many Republicans in Congress.

“No U.S. ‌carrier of Spirit’s size – it accounted for 5% of U.S. flights at one point – has liquidated in two decades. Spirit helped keep fares lower in markets where it competed against major carriers… Spirit’s collapse highlights the unintended consequences of the Iran war launched by Washington.”

The Associated Press added on May 2:

“The airline said on its website that all flights have been canceled and customer service is no longer available. Some passengers arrived Saturday for flights and were stunned to find them canceled, while workers learned overnight they were out of jobs…

“U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Saturday that Spirit had a reserve fund set up for customers who bought directly from the airline to get refunds. People who bought from third-party vendors like travel agents would have to seek refunds from them.”

Other airlines are in danger of collapsing as well. For example, in late April, Lufthansa announced that they are permanently withdrawing 27 aircraft belonging to its subsidiary CityLine from service due to rising jet fuel prices and ongoing labor disputes. Lufthansa (including SWISS, Austrian, Brussels, and ITA Airways) also cancelled approximately 20,000, or 1% of its capacity, in short-haul flights across key European hubs (Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome) until October 2026.

Trump Proclaims National Sabbath

chabad.org wrote on May 4:

“For the first time in American history, a sitting president has called on the nation to observe a Shabbat… President Donald Trump designated the period from sundown Friday, May 15, through nightfall Saturday, May 16, as a national Shabbat, dubbed ‘Shabbat 250.’ ‘In special honor of 250 glorious years of American independence and on the weekend of Rededicate 250 — a national jubilee of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving — Jewish Americans are encouraged to observe a national Sabbath,’ the President wrote.

“‘From sundown on May 15 to nightfall on May 16, friends, families, and communities of all backgrounds may come together in gratitude for our great Nation. This day will recognize the sacred Jewish tradition of setting aside time for rest, reflection, and gratitude to the Almighty.’”

Trump also wrote the following in his proclamation:

“I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month.  I call upon Americans to celebrate the heritage and contributions of Jewish Americans and to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies.  I further call on all Americans to celebrate their faith and freedom throughout this year, during this month, and especially on Shabbat to celebrate our 250th year.”

It was pointed out that the move sent shockwaves through Jewish and Christian communities alike and that it is impossible to ignore the personal dimension behind the proclamation, as Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner are shomer Shabbat — fully Shabbat-observant Orthodox Jews.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump Calls on All Americans to Celebrate the National Sabbath.”

Trump Keeps Attacking Pope Leo

The Guardian wrote on May 5:

“Donald Trump has issued a fresh verbal attack against Pope Leo XIV, accusing the pontiff of ‘endangering a lot of Catholics’ because ‘he thinks it’s fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon’…

“Leo has never said that Iran should have nuclear weapons, but has repeatedly opposed the war on the country and the subsequent escalation of the conflict in Lebanon and the wider Middle East, calling for ceasefires and dialogue.”

Pope Leo Indirectly Accuses Trump of Lying

Der Tagesspiegel reported on May 5:

“Pope Leo XIV has responded to the latest attacks by US President Donald Trump. ‘If anyone wishes to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully,’ the head of the Church told journalists on Tuesday evening in Castel Gandolfo.

“The Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years—of this there is no doubt—Leo XIV stated, addressing Trump’s renewed assertion that the Pope would find it acceptable for Iran to possess a nuclear weapon.”

End-Times Atmosphere in Germany

Apollo News wrote on May 1st:

“These are the signs of the end times—signs that have become unmistakable in political Berlin these days. The verdict that Friedrich Merz simply isn’t up to the task—that is, the task of governing—has by now become almost indisputable, even within CDU circles. The Chancellor, meanwhile—just days before his anniversary in office—is left with nothing but a bunker mentality.

“Merz is now largely isolated. It has always been this way—at least during his tenure as parliamentary group leader—that Merz kept his distance from many people, rarely let anyone get close, and had few intimate confidants. A handicap at the start of his chancellorship, this has since evolved into a fatal paralysis for his government. By now, Merz appears to have no one left whom he trusts—and, apparently, no one left to tell him what the actual situation is.

“The man sitting in the Chancellery seems utterly detached from—and insulated against—reality. While his government is going up in flames, the ‘Great Reform Chancellor’ continues to announce one reform initiative after another, speaking of plans and projects that, outside the confines of his own mind, have long since died. His orders are merely words cast to the wind…

“It is an open secret in Berlin that the general consensus is: this coalition will fall apart sooner or later. Yet the fact that this sentiment is now being voiced so publicly serves as an ominous sign. The days of this coalition truly seem numbered.”

“Jens Spahn: The Indestructible”

Welt Online wrote on May 5:

“Jens Spahn has been confirmed as Chairman of the Union parliamentary group. His position of power has been strengthened; the CDU politician can now present himself with greater confidence vis-à-vis Federal Chancellor Merz. But just how loyal is Spahn?…

“One year after he took office, the members of the larger governing parliamentary group confirmed the 45-year-old CDU politician in his post by a large majority, securing his tenure until the end of the legislative term. A group spokesperson reported the result as 86.5 percent…. Spahn’s tenure had gotten off to a rocky start… After those difficult initial months, however, Spahn has found his footing; his support within the parliamentary group is now considered stable.”

ntv wrote on May 5:

“Many viewed the post of parliamentary group leader merely as a stepping stone on the way to the top—to the Chancellery. Whether he will ever succeed in reaching that goal remains an open question. He is not exactly popular, in any case…”

The Survivor

Bild Online wrote on May 5:

“You have to give Jens Spahn (45, CDU) credit for one thing: He is a political survivor unlike almost anyone before him. No matter what happens—one person survives it: HE. Mask deals, COVID-related failures, COVID fundraising dinners, shady villa financing, a botched judicial election, coup plots by his own party members, a sugar tax despite a party congress veto… Political crashes look different. So do electoral rebukes….

“The man—widely rumored to harbor ambitions for the chancellorship—is unlikely to ever become the darling of the German public. He has, however, just displaced the Chancellor—from the very last spot in the Bild politician rankings.”

Jens Spahn Is Unpopular and Controversial—Yet Untouchable

Wirtschaftswoche wrote on May 5:

“The CDU parliamentary group leader was controversial within his own party, is detested by his political opponents, and is unpopular among the general public. Now, he has been re-elected. How did he manage that?… Spahn was considered a precarious candidate—a man playing for his own advantage; a liability. Today, there is no longer any talk of that…

“Merkel was always adept at pushing critics to the sidelines—at marginalizing them. Yet with Spahn, she never succeeded… Not even within the Union itself does anyone believe that his political ambitions end with the office of parliamentary group leader.”

Guttenberg and the Bilderbergers

Apolut wrote on April 23:

“It is the 72nd Bilderberg meeting… 57 of the 128 participants had already attended the previous year in Stockholm… Back at Bilderberg for the first time: Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, former Federal Minister of Defense—who resigned in 2011 due to plagiarism—and who has since been based in New York and Washington as the head of Spitzberg Partners—a consulting and investment firm operating in the transatlantic defense and technology sectors—a transatlantic networker with CSU roots and a Washington base…

“On November 22, 2019, Wolfgang Effenberger wrote in WORLD ECONOMY under the headline ‘US War Against Rival China’: ‘For the “Deep State” in the USA, the slick, model student Guttenberg thus appears to be the right man to lead Germany into war in accordance with US directives, and to sell this war to the public as a “fight against evil.” Germany would then, once again, end up being the culprit.’”…

“Today, Guttenberg is no longer a politician, but rather a transatlantic networker with direct access to Washington and Berlin. His invitation is therefore explained, first and foremost, by his professional role: He is one of the few Germans who are simultaneously deeply embedded within the American establishment and who still command respect within the German CDU/CSU sphere…”

“Guttenberg understands both sides—a quality that makes him valuable in a year when the relationship between the U.S. and Europe is under considerable strain due to Trump… Guttenberg has repeatedly ruled out a return to politics in recent times—most recently in 2022 in an interview with Stern. Yet such statements have a well-known half-life in political history.

“Guttenberg’s profile fits more precisely than ever: transatlantically connected, media-savvy, and imbued with the aura of a fallen hero who deserves a second chance.

“… Bilderberg does not invite tourists. Thus, he is likely being kept in reserve as an option—not as a designated successor, but as someone being signaled that the door remains open should the time come. This is the classic function of Bilderberg: not to make decisions, but to pave the way for possibilities.”

Elections in England… a Massacre

On May 2, broadcaster Andrew Neil wrote in the Daily Mail:

“The only unknown about next Thursday’s elections is whether it will be a terrible day for Labour or a truly historic awful one. My money is on the latter… the local election results in England will be a massacre… I see no salvation in the new, so-called insurgent parties…

“In a democracy we get the political system we deserve… the prospect of a national revival remains as far away as ever.”

This is true for Britain, as it is true for America.

Royal Navy Warship Crisis Deepens 

The Daily Mail wrote on May 4:

“The Royal Navy’s fleet of frigates was reduced to just five today after the withdrawal of HMS Iron Duke – while the Army has ‘no money to buy weapons’… The warship is to be retired due to technical issues just three years after a £103million refit.”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.