Comfortable Friday! What a busy weekend in D.C.:
In right now’s concern:
- Handheld computer on Israel’s Iran assault
- Trump convenes Nationwide Safety Council
- World braces for potential battle
- Rain, storms forecast for Trump’s parade
- Pope nearly speaks in Chicago on Saturday
📍️ NEWS THIS MORNING
Fears of battle mount after Israel, Iran strikes:
Israel launched a serious, unprecedented assault on Iran in a single day, dramatically escalating the long-simmering tensions between the 2 international locations. The nation lobbed strikes within the Iranian capital of Tehran, concentrating on nuclear and navy amenities.
The world is now bracing for a possible battle within the area.
Why did Israel escalate?: Israel sees Iran’s increasing nuclear program as a risk to its very existence. The U.S. has been attempting to barter a cope with Iranian officers to minimize their nuclear weapon functionality, however these talks have hit an deadlock.
Has Iran retaliated but?: Sure, Iran has launched greater than 100 drones towards Israel, however Israel has been intercepting them.
💡 The large, looming query: Iran has signaled extra retaliation. Would the U.S. help Israel if and when that occurs?
🗨️ Follow today’s live blog— That is significantly helpful on days like this.
🔎 What we know about the attack
📸Maps and photos of the attack
Uncommon footage of the assault: Israel’s spy company released footage that reportedly reveals Israel’s covert operations and focused drone strikes in Iran. 📹 Watch the footage
➤ THE U.S. RESPONSE:
President Trump met together with his Nationwide Safety Council at 11 a.m. EDT.
Washington is warning Iran to not assault any American bases or U.S. residents as a part of its retaliatory motion. The U.S. doesn’t wish to get pulled into this battle.
Trump told NBC News this morning that Iran “might have one other alternative” to make a nuclear cope with the U.S., suggesting that Iranian officers have been calling him to talk.
^ There are reports that Iran’s chief negotiator was killed within the assault. That will complicate the Trump staff’s efforts for talks. And remember Trump ripped up the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, which put in movement years of attempting to get Iran again to negotiating desk.
Trump posted on Truth Social this morning that these his staff was coping with are “DEAD.” He sarcastically told CNN’s Dana Bash that “they didn’t die of the flu; they didn’t die of Covid.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio distanced the U.S. from Israel’s strike: Rubio released a statement shortly after the strike stressing that the U.S. was *not* concerned in Israel’s escalation. “Tonight, Israel took unilateral motion in opposition to Iran. We aren’t concerned in strikes in opposition to Iran and our prime precedence is defending American forces within the area,” Rubio mentioned.
Was Trump conscious of Israel’s plans?: Sure, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that his staff knew about Israel’s plans to assault Iran.
Trump additionally warned Iran: The president warned of “much more brutal assaults” except Iranian officers comply with a deal, per WSJ, urging them to take action “earlier than there may be nothing left.”
Republican lawmakers again Israel’s assault: “Recreation on. Pray for Israel,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) posted on X. Different GOP lawmakers echoed similar sentiments.
➤ THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE:
The U.N. Safety Council is assembly right now after Iran requested an emergency session, per Reuters.
^ Talking of: A U.N. watchdog determined Thursday that Iran has been breaking the rules on its nuclear nonproliferation guidelines. The Iranian authorities referred to as the decision “politically motivated” and introduced it’s going to launch a brand new uranium enrichment facility in response.
➤ MORE READS ON THE SITUATION:
The Atlantic: Israel’s Daring, Dangerous Assault: The Israeli marketing campaign could also be essential, however preventive wars carry nice ethical and sensible dangers.
Axios: Israel’s strike on Iran was 8 months within the making
Foreign Policy: Israel Is Going for the Dying Blow on Iran: The Israeli assault on Iran is about far more than its nuclear program.
The Wall Street Journal: In Twist, U.S. Diplomacy Served as Cowl for Israeli Shock Assault
The New York Times: Placing the Coronary heart of the Iranian Regime, Netanyahu Seems to be to His Legacy
A court docket rejected Trump’s enchantment:
“A federal appeals court docket in an 8-2 vote Friday declined President Trump’s bid to rehear his enchantment of a jury verdict discovering him accountable for sexually abusing recommendation columnist E. Jean Carroll, leaving the Supreme Courtroom as Trump’s solely remaining pathway,” stories The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld.
Again story: “In 2023, the New York jury discovered Trump accountable for sexually abusing Carroll in a Manhattan division retailer dressing room within the mid-Nineteen Nineties and defaming her by denying her story when she got here ahead throughout Trump’s first presidency. The jury ordered Trump to pay $5 million. “
Learn extra: ‘Appeals court rejects Trump’s bid to overturn E. Jean Carroll verdict’
⏱️ON CAPITOL HILL
What a wild scene:
Federal brokers pushed Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) to the bottom and handcuffed him Thursday when he interrupted Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem’s press convention in Los Angeles.
The imagery is exceptional: The video of the incident is surprising to look at. “I’m Sen. Alex Padilla. I’ve questions for the secretary,” he’s heard saying. 📹 Watch the footage
This set the political world aflame: It is a poignant instance of the rising tensions arising from President Trump’simmigration crackdown and deportation efforts.
Senate Democratic Chief Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) mentioned the video “sickened [his] abdomen” watching the “manhandling” of a U.S. senator.
Padilla later condemned the incident: “I’ll say this: If that is how this administration responds to a senator with a query, I can solely think about what they’re doing to farmworkers, to cooks, to day laborers out within the Los Angeles neighborhood and all through California and all through the nation,” he said.
The Hill’s Niall Stanage weighed in with some context. He boiled this incident down into 5 takeaways:
1. The imagery issues greater than the rest
2. Democrats see proof of Trump’s creeping authoritarianism
3. The White Home says Padilla responsible
4. The immigration debate has change into partly a battle of visible photographs
5. Might the political tide activate immigration?
🌞️ THIS WEEKEND
Everyone seems to be competing in your consideration this weekend:
🪂 President Trump is internet hosting an enormous navy parade in Washington tomorrow to formally mark the Military’s 250th anniversary, on what occurs to be Trump’s 79th birthday. The daylong pageant, culminating in a 6:30 p.m. EDT parade, will characteristic navy tanks, armed preventing autos, helicopter flyovers, parachute jumps and fireworks. 🔎 Military parade details
🪧 And if that’s not your factor: Organizers are internet hosting demonstrations throughout the nation to counter Trump’s celebration. 🔎Where “No Kings” protests are planned
⛪ And when you’d moderately flip your consideration someplace completely completely different: Tens of hundreds of individuals are anticipated to assemble on the Chicago White Sox’s Fee Discipline on Saturday to rejoice the brand new American pope, Chicago native and lifelong Sox fan Pope Leo XIV. The pope will ship digital remarks(!) This system begins at 3:30 p.m. EDT, adopted by a mass at 5 p.m. 🔎 Event details
➤ IT COULD RAIN ON TRUMP’S PARADE:
Rain and thunderstorms are forecast for Washington on Saturday.
COMING UP
The Home and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington. (All instances EST)
1 p.m.: White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt briefs reporters.
3:30 p.m. Saturday: Pope Leo XIV will deliver virtual remarks at Chicago’s celebration of his papacy at Fee Discipline.
6:30 p.m. Saturday: Trump’s navy parade. 🪖 Details and schedule
Sunday: Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) will seem on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
4 p.m. Monday: The Senate returns. 📆Today’s agenda
🐝 INTERNET BUZZ
🧁🍓Have fun: Immediately is Nationwide Cupcake Lover’s Day,and Saturday is Nationwide Strawberry Shortcake Day!
👋 AND FINALLY…
As a result of I’d like to go away you on a lighter notice earlier than the weekend, here’s a bird that I believe could also be Kendrick Lamar’s spirit animal.