Trump's lethal presidency … - He's attacked seven nations, three of which — Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela — had never been targeted by U.S. military strikes. … The White House argues he still is — that he always exhausts diplomacy before acting, and that projecting overwhelming force is itself a path to lasting peace.

Pentagon tells Congress no sign that Iran was going to attack US first, sources say  —  Trump administration officials acknowledged in closed-door briefings with congressional staff on Sunday that there was no intelligence suggesting Iran planned to attack U.S. forces first, two people familiar with the matter said.

How to Think About Trump's War With Iran  —  To think clearly about Middle East wars, you need to hold multiple thoughts in your head at the same time.  It's a complicated, kaleidoscopic region where religion, oil, tribal politics and great power politics interweave in every major story.

Trump Says War Could Last Weeks and Offers Contradictory Visions of New Regime  —  In a brief interview, he said the country's hardened military should simply surrender their weapons to the Iranian public.  —  President Trump said on Sunday that the U.S. military intends to sustain its assault on Iran for …

A Directionless War Meets a Constitutional Crisis  —  As we were putting this newsletter to bed this morning, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took to a Pentagon podium to brief the media on the ongoing state of the conflict in Iran.  TL;DR: Mission Accomplished.

Iran Live Updates: Trump Set to Speak as U.S. Sends More Forces to Mideast  —  Iran and allied militias, including Hezbollah, attacked Israel and U.S. targets, and Israel struck in Lebanon.  Top U.S. officials talked of new attacks and an extended campaign.  —  Watch Live: President Trump Awards Medal of Honor

Trump Wants You to Get Used to This.  Don't.  —  Authoritarian politics and military aggression are a dangerous mix.  As Donald Trump announced his war on Iran wearing a baseball cap in a video released in the middle of the night while he was at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, that lesson hung heavily over the proceedings.

Hegseth doesn't rule out U.S. troops in Iran … The open timetable — along with the possibility of deploying ground forces — stands in contrast to President Donald Trump's campaign promises that he would avoid any new wars of choice.  In his election night victory speech in November 2024 …

Middle East crisis live: Israel launches new attacks on ‘heart of Tehran’; US fighter planes mistakenly shot down in Kuwait  —  Iranian strikes hit Saudi and Qatar energy sites; US crew bailed out safely before crash-landing, says Kuwait  —  Trump doesn't rule out possibility of US boots on ground in Iran

Trump tells CNN the ‘big wave’ is yet to come in war with Iran  —  President Donald Trump told CNN in a nine-minute phone interview Monday morning that the US military is “knocking the crap” out of Iran - but the “big wave” is yet to come.  —  “We're knocking the crap out of them,” Trump told CNN's Jake Tapper.

U.S. and Israel delayed original Iran strike by a week, officials say  —  The U.S. and Israel originally planned to attack Iran a week earlier than they did, but the opening strike was delayed for operational and intelligence reasons, according to senior U.S. and Israeli officials.

Trump's Shifting Goals for Iran Complicate Military's Mission  —  President and his allies went back and forth Sunday, between ending the threat from Tehran and regime change  —  WASHINGTON—The length of America's military commitment to its confrontation with Iran depends on what the goals are.

The money behind the new Iran War  —  In private calls over the last several weeks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) reportedly urged President Trump to attack Iran.  Iran is a top regional rival of Saudi Arabia, and MBS had become concerned about Iran's growing military capabilities.

The irrational strongman we've been warned about is here  —  PN is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one ⬇️  —  🫵 Subscribe to PN 🫵  —  In the run up to the Iraq War, President George W. Bush characterized Saddam Hussein as a “madman” …