Hi all, Ben here. It’s Sunday. Let me catch you up on the latest news.
Donald Trump spent his Sunday morning posting unhinged messages on social media while his war in Iran continues to expand.
Let’s start with the most outrageous post of all. Trump posted that Iran is “dead.” That’s his word. Dead. Meanwhile, in reality, Iran just launched some of its most aggressive attacks yet, including missile strikes that are getting through Israeli defenses and escalating tensions across the region. Intelligence tracking shows their missile capabilities are not only intact, but increasing. There are even assessments now that Iran’s arsenal is structured to outlast U.S. and Israeli operations. So while missiles are flying and threats are escalating, Trump is online declaring victory over a country that is actively retaliating.
And then he goes further. He posts that America’s greatest enemy is now the “Radical Left, Highly Incompetent, Democrat Party.” A sitting president, after bombing a foreign country and triggering a global crisis, is telling you that your fellow Americans are a bigger enemy than the nation he just attacked. That’s reckless, dangerous, and anti-American. We can never normalize this behavior. Ever.
At the same time, Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum threatening to bomb Iran’s energy infrastructure. Not military targets. Energy infrastructure. Civilian systems. Power plants. The kind of targets that international law is very clear about. Iran responded immediately. Their military command made it clear that if the U.S. hits their energy infrastructure, they will target U.S. and allied infrastructure across the Middle East. Energy. IT systems. Desalination facilities. That’s how regional wars spiral.
And while all of this is happening, what is Trump doing? Posting memes. “Third term” fantasies. Self-congratulatory propaganda calling himself the greatest president ever. Reposting conspiracy nonsense about January 6th.
This is happening while global energy markets are starting to panic. Searches for “help with mortgage” just hit the highest level ever recorded, surpassing even the financial crisis. People are feeling the pressure already, and it’s only just beginning.
Now let’s talk about another bizarre and alarming domestic development. Trump announced that ICE agents will be sent into airports to assist TSA. ICE. At airports. With apparently no real plan beyond “guarding exits,” according to his own border czar Tom Homan, who openly admitted there isn’t much of a plan at all. Think about the message that sends to the world. Tourists arriving in the United States, World Cup approaching, and the first thing they see is immigration enforcement agents acting as airport security.
Meanwhile, Trump is lashing out politically in ways that show just how unstable things are behind the scenes. He’s attacking Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, James Talarico, in a rant filled with insults, conspiracy claims, and the kind of rhetoric we’ve seen escalate over the years. At the same time, Trump is refusing to endorse either John Cornyn or Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race, torn between the more electorally palatable choice and the MAGA choice, respectively. That’s not strategy. That’s fear. He knows that race is messy, and he doesn’t want to pick a loser.
He also continued attacking Robert Mueller after Mueller’s death. A former president is spending his Sunday attacking a deceased decorated veteran and former FBI director. Representative Jason Crow, a veteran himself, put it plainly: Mueller’s lifetime of service represents everything Trump is not. And he’s right.
Now let’s shift to what the Trump administration is actually saying about this war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is now acting as one of the main public voices on the conflict. Not military leadership. Not defense officials. The Treasury Secretary. He went on national television and repeatedly dodged basic questions. When asked whether U.S. troops could be deployed, he said “all options are on the table.” When asked about sanctions and oil, he condescended to the interviewer and claimed she was “missing the point.” At one point, he said the U.S. is “using Iran’s own oil against them” by easing sanctions.
Let me translate that. We are allowing Iran to generate revenue from oil while simultaneously escalating a war against them. Senator Chris Murphy called it exactly what it is: nonsensical. He pointed out that we are effectively putting money into the hands of countries we are in conflict with. The incompetence is staggering. Murphy also called out the logic of “escalate to deescalate,” which Bessent repeated. That phrase should sound familiar. It’s the same thinking that dragged the U.S. deeper into Vietnam and prolonged wars in Afghanistan. We know how that ends. Or doesn’t end.
Then you have UN Ambassador Mike Waltz refusing to rule out targeting nuclear-related infrastructure. When pressed on public opinion, he brushed it off by citing 100% approval among MAGA Republicans. That’s all they have left to hang onto. 100% of Trump supporters support Trump! Well, yeah. That’s what happens when you kick everyone out of your movement who isn’t 100% loyal.
And while all of this unfolds, there are credible reports that Russia has considered staging a fake assassination attempt on Hungary’s Viktor Orbán to boost his reelection. That would never happen here, right?
Except we’re already watching disinformation, propaganda, and political violence rhetoric escalate in real time.
And that brings me back to the bigger picture. While Trump floods the zone with lies, distractions, and chaos, the consequences are very real. Missiles are flying. Infrastructure is being threatened. Americans are feeling economic pressure. And the people in charge are either posting memes, dodging questions, or making it up as they go. That’s where we are.
So when you see Trump claiming Iran is “dead,” understand what that really is. It’s not leadership. It’s delusion mixed with propaganda. And when you see him calling Democrats the greatest enemy, understand that too. It’s an attempt to divide Americans at the exact moment when unity would matter most.
This is why media literacy matters. This is why paying attention matters. Because the gap between what’s being said and what’s actually happening has never been wider. We are watching a presidency that is not grounded in reality try to navigate one of the most dangerous geopolitical moments in years—one of their own making..
So stay informed. Stay engaged. And as always, I’ll keep breaking it down for you.
—Ben
