Saturday Afternoon News Updates: Iran Strikes US Bases, Trump Flees to Bedminster
While more attacks break out in the Middle East, Trump is rage-posting AI videos
Hi all, Ben here. It’s Saturday, June 6th , the anniversary of D-Day anniversary, and there is a lot going on. Let me give you the rundown before we get into everything. I’ll keep this quick.
Stories we’re tracking today:
Iran strikes US interests in Kuwait and Bahrain following US strikes in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran is now threatening complete closure of the strait and $200 oil
Trump cuts his Meet the Press interview short after 50 minutes, then flees to Bedminster
The Pentagon raises Israel’s counterintelligence threat level to “critical” — the highest possible rating
Trump regime deletes a confirmed second New World Screwworm detection in Texas
New FBI documents show a Butler County sheriff’s deputy exchanged emails with Thomas Crooks before the July 13, 2024 shooting
Hegseth uses his D-Day speech at Normandy to attack European immigration policy
After Trump falls asleep at his desk (again), Hochul, Newsom, and the entire internet respond
The Kushner-Albania resort controversy heats up even more as Albania’s PM dismisses dying flamingos and “depressed turtles”
Hunter Biden wins hearts and minds of even MAGA users with his posts on social media
Before I go any further, if you haven’t yet joined as a paid subscriber, consider doing so now by clicking here to support our work. This is how we grow. And if you’re already a Meidas+ paid Substack subscriber, thank you for supporting pro-democracy media. We’re making this update free for everyone to read.
Let’s get into it.
Iran Strikes Back Overnight
Here’s where things stand in the Strait of Hormuz. Overnight, US forces struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites after shooting down Iranian drones that were headed toward the strait. Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles and drone attacks on US interests in Bahrain and Kuwait. Air raid sirens went off across both countries, massive explosions were heard as far away as Basra, Iraq, and you could see smoke rising over Kuwait City.
CENTCOM says it intercepted all seven ballistic missiles. Iran says it successfully hit its targets. Unfortunately, CENTCOM has lied repeatedly about these incidents over the course of this war.
What isn’t in dispute is what Iran said next. The IRGC formally warned the United States that it will now completely and absolutely close the Strait of Hormuz and that the US will be “fully responsible” for what that does to global oil markets. Iran knows exactly what $200-a-barrel oil does to this country, and they are trying to ramp up the pressure.
According to Iran’s own account, the overnight exchange went like this: four tankers tried to exit the strait at 1:30 AM Tehran time. One was struck and stopped. Three turned back. The US then hit telecom towers in Qeshm with drones. Iran then responded with ballistic missile strikes on US air bases and Fifth Fleet facilities. Their message to Washington was essentially: “Try us again.”
Meanwhile, global oil inventories are now weeks away from hitting historic lows after IEA nations drew down strategic reserves faster than at any point in history. The $200 projection isn’t fringe analysis anymore.
And in the middle of all this, Trump is posting AI videos of himself. An image of his reflection in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. “Panicans got real quiet.”
Trump Runs Away From His Own Interview
Trump sat down with NBC’s Kristen Welker for what was supposed to be a 90-minute to two-hour Meet the Press interview in a barn in Wisconsin. He left after about 50 minutes, reportedly after the rain got loud on the metal roof and after pushing back on questions about election integrity. Then he got on Marine One and headed straight to Bedminster, where Alina Habba, his former personal lawyer who briefly played US Attorney for New Jersey, posted an Instagram story welcoming him home to Toby Keith music.
During the abbreviated interview, Trump said the US has “totally destroyed” Iran’s military, but then said that Iran still has 21 to 22 percent of its missiles. “That’s a lot of missiles,” he admitted in the same breath.
He also said that Iran hasn’t agreed to a US deal because its leaders are “strong” and “proud.”
After the interview, Trump posted about the Maryland governor blocking golf course renovations at Joint Base Andrews, outraged, apparently, that military personnel might have to drive somewhere to play golf. Forget the war. Trump has golf courses, reflecting pools, and ballrooms to worry about.
The Pentagon Just Flagged Israel as a Spy Threat
NBC News is out with a significant investigation: the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency has raised its counterintelligence threat assessment of Israel to “critical” — the highest possible rating. The seven-page DIA assessment, viewed by a current US official, identifies specific incidents that elevated the concern and finds that Israel’s ability to conduct human espionage and technical collection against the United States has reached a level that cannot be ignored.
This comes in the context of real tension between Trump and Netanyahu. The two reportedly had a tense phone call this week, tense enough that Trump afterward acknowledged calling Netanyahu “crazy.” Since the ceasefire that went into effect in early April, Trump has been pursuing a diplomatic off-ramp with Iran. Netanyahu wants to resume bombing. Israel is extremely interested in which direction Trump goes, and they’re apparently doing everything they can to influence that decision, including spying on the people making it.
The Israeli embassy called the story “completely false.” The White House said it was “false and sourced to someone who doesn’t have knowledge of what’s going on.” The Pentagon declined to comment.
Meidas Defense: How America’s Endless Wars Are Robbing Your Family’s Future
By Joe Plenzler, co-host of Meidas Defense
Posted, Then Deleted
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed a second New World Screwworm detection — a one-month-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, 5.6 miles from the first case. She posted the announcement at 6:45 PM yesterday, detailing strike teams on the ground, sterile fly releases at 2 million aerial and 4 million ground per week, and active movement control zones.
Then she deleted it.
Texas Rep. Jonathan Richie caught the deletion and posted the full original text publicly. This is the same regime that’s been removing the detection experts and surveillance infrastructure that were specifically designed to catch outbreaks like this one before they spread. Now there are two confirmed cases, and instead of transparency, we get a post and a quiet delete.
A Stunning Update From the Butler Investigation
FBI records obtained through a Judicial Watch FOIA lawsuit reveal that a Butler County sheriff’s deputy exchanged two emails with Thomas Crooks before the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt. I should note that Judicial Watch is a very conservative organization. The documents are heavily redacted. We can see the emails existed, but we can’t see what they said. The same records show that a SWAT officer recovered both a cell phone and a remote device with an antenna from Crooks after he was killed.
A separate FBI document from July 17, 2024 references the agency’s effort to track potential threats posted online in the days after the shooting, with large sections redacted under a law enforcement exemption.
I’m going to do a full video on this, but the cover-up narrative around Butler continues to get harder to wave away.
Hegseth Went to Normandy and Talked About Immigration
On the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stood on the beaches of Normandy and used the occasion to deliver a message about migrants arriving by boat in Europe. He said that “different European beaches are stormed by different dangerous ideologies” today, and asked when European capitals would act against what he called an invasion.
I don’t have much more to say about this other than that Pete Hegseth is a disgrace to all the values our brave men and women fought for
Everything Else
Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama gave an interview to Euronews defending the Kushner-Ivanka luxury resort project that has sparked major protests in Albania over its impact on a protected ecological area. His message on the dying flamingos and what have been described as depressed turtles in the region: they don’t exist. He predicted the project will “change how Europe understands the environment.” He also called Jared Kushner “the son in love” before catching himself. Freudian slip.
Meanwhile, the clip of Trump appearing to fall asleep at his desk during a signing ceremony continues to spread. Governor Kathy Hochul used the moment to post a fake $250 bill featuring the photo of a sleeping Trump. Governor Newsom wished the president “a restful weekend.” The internet ran with it as “Weekend at Donnie’s: Director’s Cut.” Others called him the “Commander-In-Sleep.”
And Hunter Biden is posting words on social media about sobriety and recovery that are resonating with even the most ardent MAGA supporters.
That’s the Saturday afternoon update. A lot is still developing on Iran and elsewhere, and we’ll keep you posted as more comes in. I hope you have a chance to tune in to Legal AF later as well. The show will go live on YouTube at 8pm ET.
How dare Pete Hegseth stand on European soil and talk shit like that! Fuck off, Pete! You're an embarrassment! His speech had nothing to do with D-Day. Disgraceful.
Trump started this and he runs away coward