Trump Weighs Limited Iran Strike to Force Nuclear Deal

President Trump is weighing an initial limited military strike against Iran designed to force compliance with his demands for a nuclear deal, according to reporting from people familiar with the matter. The opening assault, if authorized, could occur within days and would target select military or government sites as a pressure tactic rather than a full-scale invasion.

Trump stated during a Board of Peace meeting that a decision on Iran could come within the next 10 days, indicating he is considering a range of military options while claiming he still prefers diplomacy. The strategy outlines a two-stage escalation: a limited initial strike followed by a broad campaign against regime facilities if Iran refuses to abandon its nuclear enrichment program.

The proposal demonstrates Trump’s pattern of threatening military action to extract concessions from adversaries, mirroring his deployment of a massive armada to Iran and threatening escalated military strikes if the regime does not comply with nuclear demands. This escalatory approach subordinates diplomatic channels to coercive military pressure as the primary negotiating tool.

The second phase of Trump’s strategy explicitly contemplates regime change, with potential U.S. operations aimed at toppling the Tehran government if Iran continues nuclear enrichment activities. This fundamentally transforms the stated objective from nuclear compliance into broader geopolitical restructuring of Iran’s government.

(Source: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/trump-hints-at-10-day-window-for-decision-on-iran-6370e477?st=fjbZxr&reflink=article_copyURL_share)

Trump Dozes at Board of Peace Summit with World Leaders

President Trump, 79, repeatedly appeared to close his eyes and nod off during Thursday’s inaugural “Board of Peace” meeting in Washington, DC, with cameras capturing him with his eyelids shut as world leaders including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and leaders from Kuwait and Bahrain addressed the gathering. Trump had spoken for over 45 minutes before taking his seat, and at one point jolted upright when applause erupted, snapping his eyes open, while at other moments he sat slumped to the side with his eyes closed during speakers’ remarks.

When confronted about similar incidents at previous White House meetings and Cabinet gatherings, Trump defended himself by claiming the cameras caught him merely blinking and dismissing one earlier meeting as “pretty boring,” contradicting video evidence of extended eye closure. Trump stated he had not actually slept through a December Cabinet meeting, though footage showed him with his eyes shut for extended periods during official proceedings.

Trump had declared the “Board of Peace” event “the most consequential board” with “the greatest world leaders,” yet his apparent inattention throughout the three-hour gathering contradicted this characterization. At the event’s conclusion, Trump remained seated while signing fundraising pledge documents, then handed them to others to hold and distributed pens as though conducting a ceremonial bill-signing.

Trump’s pattern of closing his eyes during meetings with top officials and world leaders, combined with his late-night social media posting sessions, has prompted questions about his cognitive state and fitness for office at age 79, making him the oldest president ever elected.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-79-jolts-awake-struggling-164937807.html)

Trump Banner on DOJ Building Signals Authoritarian Capture

A banner displaying President Donald Trump’s portrait and the slogan “Make America Safe Again” was installed on the Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, mirroring similar displays at the Department of Labor. The blue banner hung above Pennsylvania Avenue as contractors assembled it while pedestrians and workers passed by, marking a visible assertion of Trump’s control over a federal law enforcement agency.

Senator Dick Durbin, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, stated that Trump orchestrated institutional capture through operatives Stephen Miller, Pam Bondi, and Kash Patel to weaponize the Justice Department for personal protection rather than serving the public. Durbin said Trump “shouted ‘weaponization’ and ‘witch hunt’ into the void for years…just to do it himself,” directly contradicting Trump’s prior claims that the DOJ had been weaponized against him under President Joe Biden. The Justice Department’s official mission emphasizes independence and freedom from political influence, standards the banner directly contradicts by fusing Trump’s image with the institution itself.

Democratic officials and Trump critics compared the display to authoritarian regimes. California Representative Dave Min called it “outrageous and inconsistent with democracy and the rule of law,” while former Obama strategist David Axelrod noted the banner resembled Trump’s mugshot. Governor Gavin Newsom characterized it as “dictatorship-style,” and the Unite the Country PAC stated that “historically, leaders who plaster their portraits on government buildings have rarely been the good guys.” These responses reference Trump’s 34 felony convictions in New York, establishing the irony of his image adorning the nation’s premier law enforcement agency.

Ken Dilanian, reporting for MSNBC Now, described the banner as “a stunning confirmation” that Trump has “seized control of the once independent Justice Department and is using it to pursue his political objectives—including trying to punish his perceived enemies.” The DOJ’s previous failed attempt to indict Democratic lawmakers over a military video and a federal judge’s rebuke of DOJ claims that Trump can unilaterally control historical narratives further demonstrate institutional capture. The display institutionalizes Trump’s personalization of law enforcement, completing the transformation of the DOJ into a tool of executive vengeance rather than impartial justice.

Republicans Against Trump declared on social media that “the DOJ is working for Trump, prosecuting his enemies and covering for his corruption, not upholding the law or serving the American people.” The banner’s installation represents the final visual codification of what Trump’s operatives have already achieved administratively: the elimination of the DOJ’s independence and its conversion into an instrument of authoritarian control, where justice is redefined as loyalty to the leader’s will.

(Source: https://www.newsweek.com/new-pro-trump-banner-appears-doj-headquarters-11551137)

Trump family business files for trademark rights on any airports using the president’s name

The Trump Organization filed federal trademark applications seeking exclusive rights to use President Trump’s name on airports and related merchandise including buses, umbrellas, travel bags, and flight suits. The filings were triggered by a Florida state bill proposing to rename Palm Beach International Airport after Trump, and separate disputes over naming rights for a New York-New Jersey tunnel and Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

The Trump Organization stated it would not charge royalties or accept financial consideration for the Palm Beach airport renaming, claiming the applications were filed to protect against “bad actors” exploiting what it asserts is “the most infringed trademark in the world.” The company did not respond when asked whether it would charge royalties for using Trump’s name at other airports or on merchandise covered by the trademark filings.

Trademark lawyer Josh Gerben, who discovered the filings, called them “completely unprecedented,” noting that no sitting president’s private company has previously sought trademark rights in advance of airport naming proposals. He highlighted that presidents historically wait years—or must die—before airports are named after them: Bill Clinton waited 11 years, Ronald Reagan nine, and Gerald Ford 22 years, with JFK being the exception at one month following his assassination.

Recent months have seen multiple public venues and infrastructure renamed for Trump, including the Kennedy Center performing arts venue, a boulevard outside Mar-a-Lago, and a new class of battleships. The Trump Organization has also expanded its branding internationally, placing the Trump name on towers, golf resorts, and residential developments in Dubai, India, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam, while simultaneously selling Trump-branded electric guitars, bibles, and sneakers through its DTTM Operations unit.

Trump has previously defended his family’s business activities by stating the company is held in trust by his sons and that he has no day-to-day involvement, a response to ongoing criticism that he and his family are profiting from his presidency. The company’s claim of having the world’s most infringed trademark could not be quickly verified against established luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, and Rolex, which have all battled extensive counterfeiting for decades.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-family-business-files-trademark-172427158.html)

NATO Transfers Commands to Europe, Cuts U.S. Leadership Roles

NATO announced the transfer of two Joint Force Commands from U.S. to European leadership, with the United Kingdom assuming command of Norfolk, Virginia’s Joint Force Command and Italy taking control of Joint Force Command Naples. The shift, expected to occur gradually over the coming years, follows President Trump’s demands that European allies assume greater responsibility for continental defense. A Pentagon official stated the decision was “made jointly among all allies” and strengthens the alliance by demonstrating European leadership in European defense.

The Trump administration’s National Defense Strategy, released last month, mandates that NATO allies assume primary responsibility for Europe’s defense while the U.S. prioritizes homeland defense and deterring China. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, the strategy’s lead author, is attending this week’s NATO Defense Ministerial in place of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, marking the first such ministerial Hegseth has skipped since taking office. The U.S. will retain the position of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), currently held by Air Force General Alexus G. Grynkewich, who leads 80,000 U.S. service members in European Command.

Once implemented, all three Joint Force Commands directing operational crises will be under European control, while the U.S. assumes leadership of the Allied Maritime Command, currently led by a U.K. vice admiral. Germany and Poland will share rotational command of Joint Force Command Brunssum. The Norfolk facility housing one command will remain under U.S. Navy control despite the change in operational leadership, preserving American infrastructure presence on the continent.

The command restructuring reflects Trump’s stated priority of reducing U.S. military commitments abroad and shifting costs to allied nations. NATO’s announcement preceded this week’s defense ministerial meeting, where Trump administration officials will face European counterparts regarding defense spending increases and strategic burden-sharing arrangements.

(Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/nato-to-shift-2-commands-from-us-to-european-leadership/)

Trump Appoints Unqualified Receptionist to Arts Commission

President Donald Trump appointed 26-year-old Chamblerlain Harris, his receptionist-turned-deputy director of Oval Office operations, to the Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday. Harris, who has served as an executive assistant and administrative staff member since Trump’s first term, lacks the art expertise traditionally required for commission membership, which historically advises on major design projects for presidential administrations.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the appointment by claiming Harris “understands the President’s vision and appreciation of the arts like very few others,” despite her absence of formal credentials in architecture, design, or urban planning. The White House characterized her as a “loyal, trusted, and highly respected advisor” to Trump, prioritizing loyalty over demonstrated professional qualifications.

Architects and past commissioners criticized the appointment. Harvard Graduate School of Design professor and former Obama-appointed commissioner Alex Krieger called it “disastrous,” stating that appointees “have no qualifications to evaluate matters of design, architecture, or urban planning.” Previous commissioners included architect Billie Tsien, who is currently working on Barack Obama’s library, and landscape architect Perry Guillot, who redesigned the White House Rose Garden during Trump’s first term.

Harris’s swearing-in occurs on the same day the Commission of Fine Arts is expected to vote on advancing Trump’s controversial White House ballroom project, which involved demolishing the entire East Wing. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has attempted to block the demolition and construction effort, citing preservation concerns.

Architect Witold Rybczynski, who served on the commission under both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, acknowledged that past presidents have appointed some political figures and lesser-known experts to the panel, noting that “the degree of expertise … has varied.” However, the appointment of an unqualified staff member to oversee a major White House construction project demonstrates Trump’s pattern of prioritizing personal loyalty over institutional competence and expertise.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-appoints-his-26-year-old-ex-receptionist-to-commission-overseeing-white-house-ballroom-construction/)

Rubio Praises Orbán Autocrat He Warned Against

Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during a Budapest visit on February 16, 2026, declaring that U.S. national interests depend on Orbán remaining in power and that President Trump is “deeply committed” to Orbán’s success. Rubio stated, “We want this country to do well. It’s in our national interest — especially as long as you’re the prime minister and the leader of this country,” effectively campaigning for Orbán ahead of his difficult reelection fight against opposition leader Péter Magyar.

This reversal contradicts Rubio’s May 2019 letter to Trump, co-signed with Senators Bob Menendez, Jeanne Shaheen, and James Risch, warning that “democracy in Hungary has significantly eroded” under Orbán’s rule, with the judiciary increasingly controlled by the state and press freedom declining as independent outlets faced advertising boycotts and ownership consolidation. The senators expressed “profound concern” about Orbán’s close relationship with Russia and urged Trump to address Hungary’s “downward democratic trajectory” during their meeting.

Trump’s public endorsement of Orbán as “a truly strong and powerful Leader” who “fights tirelessly for…his Great Country” mirrors the administration’s pattern of aligning with authoritarian figures. Trump previously sat alongside Orbán while boasting about policy successes, normalizing the relationship between Washington and Budapest despite Hungary’s systematic dismantling of democratic institutions.

Orbán currently opposes Ukraine’s EU membership, rejects military aid requests, and frames his opponents as wanting to “drag Hungary into the war”—positions that align Trump’s foreign policy toward weakening NATO cohesion and Ukraine support. The 2019 senators’ concerns about countering “Kremlin aggression across Europe” proved prescient following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, yet the Trump administration continues strengthening ties with an autocrat resisting European unity against Russian expansion.

Critics labeled Rubio’s Budapest statements a “campaign ad” for Orbán, exposing how Trump officials now openly endorse authoritarian consolidation of power, judicial control, and press suppression—policies Rubio himself documented as threats to U.S. interests just seven years earlier.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/this-is-a-campaign-speech-for-orban-rubio-effusively-praises-hungarian-autocrat-he-once-warned-trump-about/)

Trump Admin Removes NCAR Supercomputers, Dismantles Weather

The Trump administration is dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, a leading American weather and climate research institution, by removing its supercomputing facility according to a National Science Foundation letter released Thursday. The administration characterizes NCAR as a source of “climate change alarmism” and plans to transfer the supercomputer to an unspecified third party, disrupting access for approximately 1,500 researchers from over 500 universities who depend on the facility for weather forecasting models, climate simulations, and extreme weather prediction research.

The supercomputing center’s separation from NCAR threatens critical infrastructure that directly serves the American public through more accurate weather forecasts and climate event predictions used in daily weather applications. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently selected a weather modeling system developed by NCAR researchers and relies on the supercomputing facility to operate its current models, making the facility essential to national weather forecasting capabilities.

NCAR director Everette Joseph acknowledged in a staff letter that the center lacks clarity on the transition timeline or the identity of the managing entity, stating “We do not yet know who the new managing entity will be nor do we know the timeline for this transition.” The NSF has requested proposals for reorganizing NCAR and national weather research infrastructure, notably omitting climate research from its mention of continuing programs while indicating support for weather-related work.

Colorado officials, including Democratic Governor Jared Polis, view the dismantling as retribution targeting the state to pressure clemency for Tina Peters, a former county election clerk convicted in a 2020 election-related data breach scheme and prominent election denier. Former NCAR director James Hurrell and prominent atmospheric scientists have warned NSF that fragmenting or dismantling NCAR contradicts national interests and could undermine NOAA’s efforts to improve weather modeling capabilities that lag international competitors.

(Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/13/weather/trump-colorado-lab-ncar-supercomputer-climate?fbclid=IwdGRleAQB3sZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeB6HO7iqiW0l93wkU2pdoFbFYU71nTPeuDRUryMCYA5dlIL1su5RbInEfngw_aem_NInVf6P89PWWZQxvhGK8pA)

Hegseth Forces Removal of Col Butler From Army Public

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to remove Col. Dave Butler from his position as chief of Army public affairs on Thursday, according to Fox News. Butler, who had served as public affairs chief under Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and was slated for promotion to brigadier general, had volunteered to withdraw his name from the promotion list to help unlock other pending officer advancements that Hegseth has blocked for nearly four months.

Driscoll, an Army veteran and close ally of Vice President JD Vance, resisted Hegseth’s pressure to remove Butler for months due to Butler’s contributions to Army transformation efforts. Butler has extensive experience in military communications, having served as public affairs officer for Joint Special Operations Command from 2015 to 2018 and as chief spokesman for all U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan under Gen. Scott Miller. A former four-star commander described Butler as “the consummate professional” and “the most competent Public Affairs officer I have ever worked with.”

Hegseth entered the Pentagon in 2025 and immediately removed or forced into early retirement numerous senior military leaders without stated cause, including Adm. Lisa Franchetti (chief of naval operations), Gen. CQ Brown (chairman of the Joint Chiefs), Gen. James Mingus (vice chief of the Army), Gen. Douglas Sims (director of the Joint Staff), and others. This pattern of unexplained dismissals has created fear and reluctance among senior officers to speak openly.

Butler, who is retiring after 28 years of service, had traveled with Driscoll to Ukraine in November 2025 to help initiate peace negotiations. President Trump publicly recognized Butler by name during the Army’s 250th birthday celebrations in 2025 for organizing the Washington, D.C. parade. Driscoll stated in a statement that he “greatly appreciate[s]” Butler’s “lifetime of service” and his role in the Army’s transformation.

(Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/scoop-hegseth-orders-removal-army-public-affairs-chief-amid-broader-pentagon-purge)

Trump Vows Executive Order Voter ID Mandate Bypassing Congress

President Donald Trump announced Friday via social media that he would issue an executive order mandating voter identification for midterm elections if Congress does not pass legislation to that effect. Trump stated, “There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” and claimed there are “legal reasons” supporting such an order, though he provided no specifics. The House passed the SAVE America Act on Wednesday with unanimous Republican support, requiring states to obtain documentary proof of citizenship before voter registration and imposing new mail-in ballot restrictions.

Legal experts directly contradicted Trump’s authority to unilaterally alter election procedures. Stanford law professor Nate Persily stated the Constitution explicitly grants election regulation power to state legislatures, not the president, and that “the Constitution is clear on this.” Rick Hasen, director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA School of Law, said any executive order requiring states to comply with Trump’s voter ID mandate would “similarly be found to be unconstitutional” based on a federal judge’s January ruling that permanently blocked a prior Trump executive order attempting to alter voting laws. Trump issued that sweeping order in March 2025 seeking to impose mail-in ballot deadlines and citizenship proof requirements, which a federal court determined exceeded presidential authority.

The SAVE America Act now faces a Senate vote requiring 60 votes to succeed—an unlikely threshold given Democratic opposition and Republican defections. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska became the first Republican senator to oppose the bill, noting that GOP colleagues claimed in 2021 to oppose federal election mandates imposed on states. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer characterized the legislation as imposing “Jim Crow type laws to the entire country” and declared it “dead on arrival in the Senate.” Democrats argue voter ID laws are designed to disenfranchise voters, emphasizing that voting by noncitizens is already illegal and exceedingly rare.

Persily connected Trump’s voter ID push to broader attempts to federalize election administration, including the FBI’s recent seizure of ballots and voter records from Fulton County, Georgia—a seizure Trump’s continued false claims about the 2020 election have motivated. Persily stated Trump’s push represents a coordinated effort: “It’s not an isolated tweet here, right? There’s a lot that’s going on. So you’ve got the action in the legislature, in Congress, you’ve got these, the earlier executive order, you have the seizing of the ballots and other materials from Fulton County, right? And so it’s all of a piece with the desire to have greater federal oversight of elections.”

Trump’s pattern of attempting to circumvent constitutional limits on presidential power reflects his stated goal to federalize election administration from states he deems incapable of running elections honestly, specifically targeting Democratic-led jurisdictions. His explicit threat to impose voter ID requirements “whether approved by Congress or not” contradicts the constitutional separation of powers and follows his documented history of pressuring state officials to overturn legitimate election results.

(Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/trump-vows-voter-id-requirements-midterms-rcna259018)

1 2 3 4 … 503