OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

Botch

Botch said:

Botch said:

Sh*t.  CBS Evening News just said the B-2s are en-route across the Atlantic.
During the Gulf War they attacked Iraq, refueled in-air, and returned to Whiteman AFB (Knobnoster MO) as they needed special docks and couldn't be parked in the rain (VERY long flights).  
I've been out of that world long enough that I don't know if we have suitable facilities for B-2s to land in Europe, but if not, we're bombing Iran in the next few hours.
Dammit.  

Someday I'll learn not to quote early reports of news items.  
A short time later I read that the B2's left WAFB west for Guam, and I assumed that, okay, we have docking stations for them there now.  
Now I'm learning dpsh*t has already hit some sites in Iran already.  Sigh.
Debating whether I should just watch cat videos tonight, turn on the news, go for a long walk, or **** the Sig again.  

And tonight CBS News reports that a dozen or so B-2s did head to Iran across the Atlantic, and an equal number headed west towards Guam as a diversion.  Also, the Navy subs cleaned up after the original attack with Tomahawks.  

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

The U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear sites has widened its scope for a military response, Iran said today, adding, “Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it.” While President Trump saidIran’s nuclear program had been “completely and totally obliterated” by the strikes, top U.S. officials say it is too soon to assess whether Iran still retained the ability to construct a nuclear weapon. Parisa Hafezi, Phil Stewart, and Maayan Lubell report for Reuters; Maggie Haberman, Farnaz Fassihi, Eric Schmitt, Aaron Boxerman, and Michael D. Shear report for the New York Times; Leo Sands and Abbie Cheeseman report for the Washington Post.

Trump yesterday floated the possibility of a leadership change in Iran, hours after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the “mission was not and has not been about regime change.” BBC News reports.
 

The United States does not plan to send ground troops into Iran and there is “no interest” in engaging in a “protracted conflict,” Vice President Vance said yesterday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also echoed the sentiment, saying yesterday that there are no plans for further attacks on Iran unless they “mess around” and attack Americans or U.S. military sites. Donica Phifer reports for Axios. 

U.S. military and intelligence officials have reportedly detected signs that Iran-backed militias are readying to attack U.S. bases in Iraq, and possibly Syria, in retaliation for the U.S. strikes in Iran. Iraqi officials are working hard to prevent militia action, a U.S. official added yesterday. Eric Schmitt reports for the New York Times.

In the days before Trump gave the final order for the attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, Iran sent a private message to Trump saying that Tehran would respond to such a move by unleashing terrorist attacks on U.S. soil through the use of sleeper cells operating inside the country, sources told NBC News. Meanwhile, a memo sent Saturday from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said, “The threat of sleeper cells or sympathizers acting on their own, or at the behest of Iran has never been higher.” Freddie Clayton, Dan De Luce, Kevin Collier, Keir Simmons, and Carol E. Lee report; Tara Suter reports for The Hill.

Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan quietly worked to organize a meeting between top U.S. and Iranian officials in Istanbul this week, but the effort collapsed when Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — who is in hiding for fear of being assassinated by Israel — could not be contacted to approve it, sources told Axios. Barak Ravid reports.

The IDF today launched an “unprecedentedly powerful strike” against an expanded set of targets across Iran, the Israeli Defense Ministry said, as fears grow over the likelihood of a wider regional war. During the same period, at least 21 people were wounded yesterday after Iran launched a wave of missiles across four Israeli regions. The Washington Post reports; Haley Ott reports for CBS News.

Iran’s parliament has reportedly endorsed the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway that around 20% of the world’s oil and gas shipments pass through, state media reported today. The ultimate decision is now in the hands of the country’s top leaders. The Washington Post‘s Annabelle Timsit, Evan Halper and Josh Partlow report.

At the request of Iran, the U.N. Security Council met yesterday to discuss the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. The resolution, proposed by  Russia, China, and Pakistan, calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East, according to a draft viewed by Reuters. It is unclear when the council could vote on the text, which also condemns attacks on Iran's nuclear sites, without specific reference to the United States or Israel. At the meeting, Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. condemned Washington’s involvement, telling members, “The timing, nature and the scale of Iran’s proportionate response will be decided by its armed forces.” Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters; Katie Wadington reports for The Hill. "

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine controls “90 square kilometers of territory” inside Russia’s Kursk region, Ukraine’s top military commander said yesterday, adding that its activity in the area has prevented Russia from sending a large number of troops to Ukraine’s eastern region of Donetsk. Reuters reports.

There is a Persian word millions of Ukrainians fear.  Shahed – also spelled as Shaheed or Shahid, originally a Quranic term for “martyr” or “witness” – is the name given to the triangular, explosives-laden, Iranian-designed drones that became a harrowing part of daily life and death in wartime Ukraine.

These days, they are assembled in the Volga-region Russian city of Yelabuga and undergo constant modifications to make them faster, smarter and deadlier during each air raid that involves hundreds of drones.

Their latest Russian versions shot down in Ukraine earlier this month have artificial intelligence modules to better recognise targets, video cameras and two-way radio communication with human operators.

“The word ‘Shahed’ will forever be cursed in Ukrainian next to ‘Moscow’ and ‘Putin’,” said Denys Kovalenko, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Shaheds are the most visible and audible part of the military alliance between Moscow and Tehran that is being tested this month amid attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran.

Other aspects of the alliance that affect the Russia-Ukraine war include Iranian-made ammunition, helmets, and flak jackets, according to Nikita Smagin, an author and expert on Russia-Iran relations.

The Kremlin has invested tens of billions of dollars into its military-industrial complex and shadow systems to supply chips, machine tools and dual-purpose goods for its weapons that bypass Western sanctions.

The flow of military technologies usually went the other way as Moscow supplied advanced air defence systems, missiles and warplanes to Tehran, keeping Israel worried.

Washington’s arms supplies to Israel have already affected Kyiv’s ability to withstand Russia’s air raids and slow advance on the ground.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 9 that the White House decided to divert 20,000 anti-drone missiles earmarked for Kyiv.

“Without the help of the United States, we’ll have more losses,” Zelenskyy said in televised remarks.

More Ukraine-bound military aid may now be diverted to Israel, and the Kremlin “counts on this scenario”, analyst Smagin said.

This possible diversion already alarms Ukraine’s top brass.

Arms that were “made for Ukraine will go to the Middle, so there are no illusions about it”, Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former deputy head of Ukraine’s general staff of armed forces, told Al Jazeera.

There should be no illusions about Russia’s ability to protect Iran, he said.

Even though Moscow and Tehran hail their strategic partnership, it does not envisage a mutual defence clause.

Therefore, the Kremlin will hardly be able to commit to military action similar to the Russian air raids against Syria’s then-opposition to support then-President Bashar al-Assad’s faltering regime, he said.

“They won’t change anything significantly,” Romanenko said. “But they will have enough for arms supplies.”

Any arms supplies may, however, enrage US President Donald Trump, who has so far showed unusual leniency towards Moscow’s actions in Ukraine as his administration botched peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.

Moscow’s condemnation of Israeli and US strikes on Iran evoked a sense of hypocrisy, some observers said, as Russia’s description of the attacks sounded familiar."

lousubcap

Recent commentary about Iran and "What next?"

What happens next? Iran says it will close the Strait of Hormuz, a 20-mile-wide passage which carries an estimated 20% of the world’s petroleum and natural gas. If Iran follows through on this threat, it “could upend financial markets and send global energy costs soaring,” the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. 

 But will it? “Many oil traders and energy executives still view the scenario as a scorched-earth tactic and distant possibility. Tanker-tracking firms said Sunday that traffic through the strait was proceeding as usual.”

 Closing the strait would likely prompt a surge of U.S. Navy activity, and it’s unclear how long those operations could take, a former Navy intelligence analyst told the Journal. 

 It could also prompt swift opposition from China, which is Iran’s top customer for its oil exports. 

 Iran also reportedly promised to carry out terrorist attacks inside U.S. soil, NBC News reported Sunday. “In the days before Trump gave the final order for the attack on the nuclear sites, Iran sent a private message to the president that it would respond to such a move by unleashing terrorist attacks on U.S. soil carried out by sleeper cells operating inside the country, according to two U.S. officials and a person with knowledge of the threat.”

 Caveat: “It is not clear that Iran could carry out a terrorist attacks inside the United States,” NBC writes, citing past attempts in which “Tehran has struggled to carry out operations on American soil, using hired hitmen that have botched their missions, according to U.S. authorities.”

 As promised several days ago, the Houthis in Yemen announced they will resume attacks on U.S. Navy and commercial ships transiting the Red Sea as an act of solidarity with Iran. “It is impossible to remain silent about any American attack and aggression supporting the Israeli enemy against Iran aimed at enabling the Israeli enemy to control the entire region,” spokesman for the group said in a statement on Sunday. 

 Rewind: The Iran-backed militants had agreed to a brief ceasefire with the White House after the Pentagon’s short-lived Operation Rough Rider failed to achieve its goals—and cost the U.S. several aircraft lost at sea during evasive maneuvers to avoid Houthi missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea between March and early May. 

 Notable: That ceasefire excluded Houthi attacks against Israel, which have continued periodically since November 2023, shortly after Hamas attacked Israel and triggered the wider conflagration involving Hamas, Hezbollah and now the state of Iran. 

 A top Russian propagandist claims several countries are ready to arm Iran with their nuclear warheads. That would be former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who alleged on social media on Sunday morning, “A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads,” 

Developing: U.S. citizens are at increased risk when traveling abroad, the State Department announced in a brief travel advisory posted Sunday. 

Also: Expect Iran to retaliate against U.S. networks, according to a Department of Homeland Security bulletin issued Sunday. The notice, scheduled to expire Sept. 22, adds that “hacktivists and Iranian government-affiliated actors routinely target poorly secured U.S. networks and internet-connected devices for disruptive cyber attacks.” Read more at Nextgov.

Analysis: Is an Iranian bomb now more or less likely? It depends on at least a few significant factors, Defense One’s Patrick Tucker reported Sunday evening. According to Pranay Reddy Vaddi, former senior director for arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation at the National Security Council, Iran has at least three options moving forward: 

• Accept a deal with zero enrichment and give up any nuclear ambition, which means Israel or the United States can act with impunity against Iran anytime they wish and Iran will be far away from a bomb;
• Ignore diplomacy, try to reconstitute their program in secret. “In this scenario they are running the risks of the U.S. and Israel attacking again, of course… so this only works if they feel confident they can protect their program.” Russia or China could play a role in that assurance;
• Negotiate a deal with the White House that allows for gradual phasing out of enrichment activities. “I don’t see this as likely,” he said.

Wild card: Much now depends on the degree to which China or Russia chooses to intervene on Iran’s behalf, Tucker reports. On the other hand, “the best course of action for the United States now is for Trump to attempt to reconstitute something like the Iran nuclear deal he walked away from in his first term,” two sources said. Continue reading, here. 

 Among the more bleak forecasts: “One dangerous possibility…is that the Iranians do real damage to American assets or kill a number of U.S. servicepeople, and Trump, confused and enraged, tries to widen his war against a country more than twice the size of Iraq,” former Naval War College professor Tom Nichols argues in The Atlantic.

“Perhaps the most likely outcome, however, is more mixed,” he speculates. “The Iranian program may not be completely destroyed, but if the intelligence was accurate and the bombers hit their targets, Tehran’s nuclear clock has likely been set back years. (This in itself is a good thing; whether it is worth the risks Trump has taken is another question.) The Iranian people will likely rally around the flag and the regime, but the real question is whether that effect will last.” 

Another possible knock-on effect: “Other nations might see American planes flying over Iran and think that the North Koreans had the right idea all along: assemble a few crude nuclear weapons as fast as you can to deter further attempts to end your regime,” says Nichols. Read on, here. "

 

lousubcap

This just in from Politico-

Iran launched a missile attack on Al Udeid Air Base — the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East, which President Donald Trump visited just last month — after the U.S. carried out a series of bombings against three nuclear sites in Iran over the weekend.

The details: Qatar’s “air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles,” and no injuries were reported, per AP’s Jon Gambrell. The strikes from Iran “matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on its nuclear sites this weekend, signaling its likely desire to deescalate,” Gambrell reports. “Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas.”

Iranian officials said they gave advance notice that the attacks were coming in an effort to minimize casualties, NYT’s Farnaz Fassihi reports. “The officials said Iran symbolically needed to strike back at the U.S. but at the same time carry it out in a way that allowed all sides an exit ramp.” They “described it as a similar strategy to 2020 when Iran gave Iraq heads up before firing ballistic missiles at an American base in Iraq following the assassination of its top general.”

Back in Washington: Trump “summoned top officials including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine to the White House’s Situation Room Monday afternoon amid reports of Iranian attacks targeting U.S. troops in Qatar,” POLITICO’s Megan Messerly, Nahal Toosi and Joe Gould report. An administration official “added that the White House and the Defense Department are monitoring the situation in both Qatar, Iraq and elsewhere across the Middle East where the U.S. has military bases.”

The response: Qatar, in a statement posted by Foreign Minister spokesman Majed al-Ansari, said it “reserves the right to respond directly in a manner equivalent with the nature and scale of this brazen aggression,” but also emphasized that “such escalatory military actions will undermine security and stability in the region.” It called for “the immediate cessation of all military actions and for a serious return to the negotiating table and dialogue.”

From Russia, with love: Ahead of a meeting with Iran’s top diplomat, Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the attacks today, calling them “absolutely unprovoked,” per WaPo’s Robyn Dixon and Natalia Abbakumova, though they note that Putin “so far stopped short of any more concrete measures to assist Russia’s regional ally.”"

lousubcap

And the latest-

Trump signals readiness to de-escalate Israel-Iran war

The White House is signaling its openness to de-escalation in the Middle East after President Trump on Monday announced the parameters of ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Trump said the ceasefire was “fully agreed” to by both sides and will begin to be phased in six hours from now.

He expressed confidence that the end of the fighting between the two countries, which he dubbed “the 12 day war” would stick. The announcement came just two days after the U.S. entered the conflict, hitting three nuclear sites in Iran over the weekend.   The announcement comes after Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a response to the U.S. strikes. But Iran provided advance notice of the strike, a signal that Tehran was not looking to provoke additional American military action.   “I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” President Trump posted on Truth Social.   “I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured,” Trump added. “Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.”"

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

Hours after President Trump announced that a ceasefire was “in effect,” Israel today accused Iran of breaching the terms of the truce and vowed to launch fresh strikes on Tehran. Trump announced the ceasefire last night and said the truce would take a phased approach, with Iran ending its attacks on Israel first, then Israel stopping its attacks on Iran 12 hours later. However, the exact proposed timing of those events was unclear. The Israeli military’s chief of staff accused Iran of the violation after rocket alert sirens blared out in northern Israel, and said the IDF will respond “with force.” Iran has denied accusations that it had violated the truce. Helen Regan, Lex Harvey, John Liu, Lauren Said-Moorhouse, and Rob Picheta report for CNN; BBC News reports. 

At least four people were killed in an Iranian missile strike on a residential building in Israel, moments before the ceasefire was due to come into effect. Meanwhile, Iranian state media today reported that Israeli strikes killed another senior nuclear scientist. CNN reports.  

Last year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set motions in place to attack Iran — long before Trump initiated efforts to resolve nuclear concerns through mediation — current and former Israeli officials say. Throughout the fall, the Israelis had met with their Biden administration counterparts to discuss mutual intelligence that reportedly showed Iranian nuclear scientists resuming weaponization research, sources say. Israeli government officials had decided back in March, weeks before Netanyahu met with Trump in the Oval Office, to strike Iran with or without U.S. participation by June the latest, on the reasoning that Iran would have rebuilt its air defenses by the latter half of the year, sources added. Gerry Shih, Warren P. Strobel, and Souad Mekhennet report for the Washington Post.

In the hours after Israel launched its first wave of strikes on Iran on June 13, Israeli intelligence called senior Iranian officials on their cellphones and warned that that they too would be killed unless they ended their support of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime, according to an audio recording obtained by The Washington Post. “I can advise you now, you have 12 hours to escape with your wife and child. Otherwise, you’re on our list right now … We’re closer to you than your own neck vein,” an Israeli intelligence operative told a senior Iranian general, who is a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Over 20 Iranians in positions of power were contacted, a source said, with the covert Israeli campaign reportedly aimed at dividing and destabilizing Tehran’s regime. Warren P. Stroble, Souad Mekhennet, and Yeganeh Torbati report. 

Trump showed anger this morning and was critical of both Iran and Israel, but he reserved his harshest criticism for Israel who he said “unloaded” on Iran “as soon as we made the deal.” “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*ck they’re doing,” Trump said of both countries, each of which he accused of violating the ceasefire he announced the night earlier. In a social media post today, Trump warned Israel not to “drop those bombs,” adding, “If you do it is a major violation.” Kevin Liptak reports for CNN; Michael D. Shear reports for the New York Times.  (My add:  There goes the Nobel Peace Prize once again!)

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy yesterday visited the U.K. to press for increased military support. The meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III came just hours after a major Russian attack on Kyiv killed at least nine people. Zelenskyy said the meetings focused on developing joint weapons production projects and sanctions on Russia. Constant Méheut reports for the New York Times.

Zelenskyy is due to attend a NATO leaders’ summit, which is scheduled to start in The Hague on Tuesday. NATO head Mark Rutte said earlier this week that the security bloc maintains its unwavering support for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy and Starmer signed an agreement to share “battlefield technology” that will see Ukraine and the UK produce long-range drones together – which will be capable of striking targets in Russia.

The UK government said “technology data sets from Ukraine’s front line are set to be plugged into UK production lines, allowing British defence firms to rapidly design and build, at scale, cutting edge military equipment available nowhere else in the world”.

Russia says it intercepted about a dozen Ukrainian drones overnight that were heading towards Moscow and the Russian border regions of Kursk and Bryansk.

Ukrainian forces hit an oil depot in southern Russia that was supplying Russian forces in occupied sections of Ukraine, according to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces."

lousubcap

Wednesday Middle East update:

The U.S. military strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities last weekend did not destroy Tehran’s nuclear program and likely only set it back by months, according to officials familiar with the early intelligence assessment findings. The assessment by the Pentagon’s intelligence arm is at odds with Trump’s repeated claims that the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Trump today insisted that Iran’s nuclear prorgram has been set back “decades,” and said the damage inflicted was “very severe … it was obliteration.” Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis, and Zachary Cohen report for CNN; Felicia Shwartz reports; BBC News reports; Jeff Mason, Alexander Cornwell, and Parisa Hafezi report for Reuters. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the leaked report is “preliminary” and “low confidence,” and suggested there may be a “political motive” behind it. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today that Iran is “much further away from a nuclear weapon than they were before the president took this bold action … Substantial damage was done to a variety of different components, and we’re just learning more about it.” Hegseth said today that the FBI is probing the leak of the intelligence report. BBC News reports; Felicia Shwartz reports; The Wall Street Journal reports. 

Iran should not try to rebuild its nuclear program after the U.S. strikes, Trump said today at the NATO summit in the Hague, adding that “the last thing they want to do is enrich anything.” When asked if Washington would strike Tehran again if they do rebuild nuclear capacities, Trump replied, “Sure.” Annie Linksey reports for the Wall Street Journal. 

Iranians and Israelis were working to get back to normal today as the ceasefire deal appears to be holding up. Both countries have taken steps indicating that they expect the truce to hold, with Israel lifting emergency restrictions that had closed schools and workplaces, and supporters of the Iranian government holding a victory rally yesterday. Adam Rasgon, Michael D. Shear, and Francesca Regalado report for the New York Times.

Under pressure from Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu significantly reduced a planned retaliation against Iran’s breach of the ceasefire agreement, Israeli and U.S. officials said yesterday. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Iranian lawmakers today approved the outline of a bill to suspend cooperation with the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog in a 221-2 vote, Iranian state broadcaster reported today. Feliz Solomon reports for the Wall Street Journal. "

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

Drone debris found in Ukraine indicates that Russia is using new technology from Iran, a Ukrainian drone expert told AP News. Emma Burrows reports.

Russia says it intercepted dozens of drones overnight across its territory, including the Voronezh region on the border of eastern Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said on X that Russia and Ukraine have not moved any closer to a ceasefire. “The Russians once again openly and absolutely cynically declared they are ‘not in the mood’ for a ceasefire. Russia wants to wage war. This means the pressure the world is applying isn’t hurting them enough yet, or they are trying very hard to keep up appearances.”

lousubcap

Thursday Middle East update:

"Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today said that the United States “failed to achieve anything significant” by attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities and that President Trump’s account of the damage was “unusually exaggerated.” In a social media post, Khamenei also said that Iran “delivered a heavy slap to the US’s face.” Ghoncheh Habibiazad reports for BBC News.

Iran’s nuclear installations were “badly damaged” in U.S. and Israeli strikes, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said in a televised interview yesterday. The spokesperson also said that while the Iranian parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, it did not approve the suspension of Iran’s membership in the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Mostafa Salem reports for CNN.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe yesterday said that the agency had obtained “a body of credible evidence” that “indicates Iran’s Nuclear Program has been severely damaged” by recent strikes. Ratcliffe said the CIA’s evidence indicates that “several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years.” Ratcliffe’s statement came a day after an initial analysis by the Defense Intelligence Agency that suggested that U.S. strikes likely only set back Tehran’s nuclear ambitions by a matter of months. Katie Bo Lillis, Zachary Cohen, and Natasha Bertrand report for CNN.

Israel’s intelligence services believe the U.S. and Israeli strikes caused “very significant” damage to Iran’s nuclear programs, sources say, adding that although Israel has not produced a final assessment on the issue, the emerging Israeli assessment presents a more optimistic view than a preliminary report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. Barak Ravid and Zachary Basu report for Axios.

President Trump yesterday said that U.S. officials plan to meet with the Iranians next week but that a nuclear agreement with Iran is “not necessary” in light of the extent of damage U.S. and Israeli strikes have done to Tehran’s nuclear facilities. In response to a question on the potential easing of the U.S. sanctions on Iran, Trump also stated that Tehran will “need money to put that country back into shape” and “[w]e want to see that happen.” Amy MacKinnon reports for POLITICO; Jeff Mason reports for Reuters."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Trump yesterday described Russian President Vladimir Putin as the “more difficult” party to convince to end the war in Ukraine, adding that Putin “really has to end that war” and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is fighting a “brave” and “tough” battle. Alexander Ward reports for the Wall Street Journal. 

The United States will see “if [it] can make some [additional Patriot air defense systems] available” to Ukraine, Trump said yesterday, while cautioning that the systems are “very hard to get” and in limited supply. Trump did not make it clear whether the planned transfer would be a donation or a sale of the systems. Constant Méheut reports for the New York Times.

The governor of the Russian region of Voronezh, which borders Ukraine, reported that more than 40 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed throughout the day.

The Russian Ministry of Defence, in a report earlier in the evening, reported that 18 drones had been destroyed over a three-hour period in several regions extending through central and southern Russia.

The whole of NATO, including the US, is “totally committed” to keeping Ukraine in the fight against Russia’s invasion, the alliance’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, said in an interview."

lousubcap

Friday Middle East update:

"Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains largely intact following U.S. strikes on the country’s main nuclear sites, according to preliminary intelligence assessments provided to European governments. The intelligence suggests that the stockpile was distributed to various locations away from the Fordow enrichment plant before the strikes, sources say. Neither the White House nor the CIA commented on the stockpile’s status, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that he was not aware of any intelligence that “things were not where they were supposed to be” at the Fordow complex. Henry Foy and Andrew England report for the Financial Times; Michael R. Gordon, Dustin Volz, and Lara Seligman report for the Wall Street Journal. 

Centrifuges at the Fordow uranium enrichment plant in Iran are “no longer operational,” International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said yesterday, citing IAEA’s assessments based on satellite imagery. Grossi added that while it would be “too much” to assert that Iran’s nuclear program had been “wiped out,” it has suffered “enormous damage.” Aurelien Breeden reports for the New York Times.

Senate Republicans briefed on U.S. strikes in Iran yesterday did not clearly endorse President Trump’s claim that Iran’s nuclear program was “obliterated,” with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) telling reporters he does not think “anybody’s been on the ground to assess the extent of the damage” and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) stating the results of the strikes were “as expected.” Connor O’Brien, Joe Gould, John Sakellariadis, Lisa Kashinsky, and Calen Razor report for POLITICO.

The Trump administration has discussed helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program, easing sanctions on Tehran, and releasing billions in restricted funds in order to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, sources say. The proposals are preliminary, the sources note, and contingent on Iran carrying out no uranium enrichment. Zachary Cohen, Alayna Treene, Kylie Atwood and Jennifer Hansler report for CNN.

Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Tehran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said yesterday, contradicting Trump’s earlier claim that U.S.-Iran talks are to take place next week. Reuters reports.

Trump on Wednesday threatened to sue the New York Times and CNN for publishing articles about a leaked preliminary intelligence report that suggested that the U.S. strikes were less damaging to Iran’s nuclear program than Trump claimed. Both news outlets refused to retract their reports. Trump also threatened to prosecute Democrats who he accused, without evidence, of leaking information about the strikes. Michael M. Grynbaum reports for the New York Times; April Rubin reports for Axios."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian forces have halted Russia’s advance into the northern Sumy region and stabilized the front line near the Russia-Ukraine border, Ukraine’s top military commander Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said yesterday. Russian officials made no immediate comment on Syrskyi’s claim. Illia Novikov reports for AP News.

North Korea will send more troops to Russia to assist in its war against Ukraine, possibly as early as July, a South Korean lawmaker said, citing information from Seoul’s spy agency.

Russia said there was no progress yet towards setting a date for the next round of peace talks with Ukraine, Interfax news agency reported. Another state news agency, TASS, quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying Russia was in favour of continued United States efforts to mediate talks.

The European Union’s 27 leaders have agreed to extend sanctions on Russia for another six months, resolving fears that Kremlin-friendly Hungary would let the measures lapse, officials said. The sanctions include the continued freezing of more than $234bn in Russian central bank assets until at least early 2026.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the European Council to send “a clear political message” that Brussels backs Kyiv in its effort to join the EU.

Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that a state-organised consultation gave him a “strong mandate” to oppose neighbouring Ukraine’s EU accession at the EU summit in Brussels."

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine’s military has said it struck four Russian Su-34 warplanes at the Marinovka base outside Russia’s city of Volgograd, some 900km (550 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Ukraine’s air force said it downed 359 out of 363 drones and six of eight missiles launched by Russia in an overnight attack.

President Donald Trump said he thinks something will happen in Russia’s war in Ukraine that would get it “settled”, citing his recent call with Putin but offering no other details.

Putin said relations between Russia and the US were beginning to stabilise, attributing the improvement to efforts by President Trump. Putin reiterated that he had “great respect” for the US leader and was willing to meet him.  Putin also said Moscow was ready to hold a new round of peace negotiations with Ukraine, potentially in Istanbul, although the time and venue have yet to be agreed."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"President Trump on Friday said that he “absolutely” would be willing to bomb Iran again if Tehran resumed enriching uranium to a concerning level, adding that “Iran wants to meet” and that he does not believe that the country is “going to go back into nuclear anytime soon.” Separately, Tehran's deputy foreign minister told BBC News that the United States must rule out any further attacks if it wants to resume diplomatic talks and that Iran would “insist” on continuing to enrich uranium for “peaceful purposes.” Michael Crowley and Jonathan Swan report for the New York Times; Lyse Doucet and Alex Boyd report.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday said that Israel was contemplating more strikes on Iran and that he plans to pursue a “policy of enforcement” against the country. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran would respond to anything it considered a breach of the ceasefire. Erika Solomon, Ronen Bergman, Adam Rasgon, and Johnatan Reiss report for the New York Times. 

Iran has the capacity to start enriching uranium again in “a matter of months,” International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said on Saturday, adding that it is clear that the damage to Tehran’s nuclear program is “severe” but not “total” and that “one cannot claim that everything has disappeared.” Caroline Linton reports for CBS News.

Senior Iranian officials have privately remarked that U.S. military strikes on Tehran’s nuclear program were less devastating than they had expected, according to intercepted communications between Iranian officials obtained by the United States. Responding to the reports, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “the notion that unnamed Iranian officials know what happened under hundreds of feet of rubble is nonsense.” John Hudson and Warren P. Strobel report for the Washington Post.

Iran is not threatening IAEA head Rafael Grossi, or any other nuclear inspector, Iran's Ambassador to the U.N. Amir Saeid Iravani said in an interview aired yesterday. Iravani’s comments follow U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Saturday social media statement calling for Iranian officials to condemn the calls for Grossi’s execution. CBS News reports; Sarah Fortinsky reports for the Hill.

The United States did not use bunker-buster bombs to strike Iran’s Isfahan nuclear site last weekend because the site is so deep that the bombs likely would not have been effective, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine told lawmakers during a classified briefing last week, sources say. Natasha Bertrand and Zachary Cohen report for CNN.

Israel yesterday ordered Palestinians to evacuate from neighbourhoods across Gaza City and Jabalia ahead of “intensifying” westward Israeli military actions.

Trump on Friday said that he thinks that a ceasefire in Gaza is possible “within a week.” Separately, Netanyahu yesterday said that “many opportunities,” including the possibility of bringing home the hostages held by Hamas, “have opened up” following Israel’s military operations in Iran. Oren Liebermann and Tamar Michaelis report for CNN; the Washington Post reports."

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:
"Russia launched its biggest aerial attack on Ukraine to date overnight into yesterday, targeting several regions, the head of communications for Ukraine’s air force said. The drone strikes killed at least 4 civilians across Ukraine, regional governors said, and led to the death of a Ukrainian F-16 pilot and the loss of his aircraft. Following the attack, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for more support from Washington and Western allies to bolster Ukraine's air defences. Volodymyr Yurchuk reports for AP News; Pavel Polityuk and Andriy Perun report for Reuters.

Russia launched its biggest aerial attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion overnight on Sunday, firing a total of 537 aerial weapons, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 missiles, according to the Ukrainian air force.

Ukrainian forces intercepted 475 of the weapons.

Russian forces are 12 miles away from the northern Ukrainian regional capital of Sumy, outnumbering Ukrainian troops roughly 3-to-1, according to soldiers fighting there. Ian Lovett and Nikita Nikolaienko report for the Wall Street Journal.

Russian forces in recent days captured a valuable lithium deposit in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, according to battlefield maps from independent groups tracking Russian advances. Constant Méheut reports for the New York Times.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television that European countries would feel the consequences of imposing harsher sanctions on Russia. “The more serious the package of sanctions, which, I repeat, we consider illegal, the more serious will be the recoil from a gun to the shoulder. This is a double-edged sword,” he said.

Russian spy chief Sergei Naryshkin said in remarks published on Sunday that he had spoken to the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Ratcliffe, and that they had agreed to call each other at any time."

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Trump at the White House next Monday, according to U.S. administration officials. Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is also in Washington this week for talks with senior administration officials on Gaza, Iran, and other matters, according to an Israeli official. Aamer Madhani reports for AP News; Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell report for Reuters.

More than 130 charities and other NGOs operating in Gaza today issued a joint statement calling for the controversial U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to be shut down and for aid supply to revert to existing U.N.-led coordination mechanisms. “Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice: starve or risk being shot while trying desperately to reach food to feed their families,” the statement reads, adding that Israel’s restrictions are “deliberately and systematically” dismantling the humanitarian system in Gaza in favour of a “deadly, military-controlled alternative that neither protects civilians nor meets basic needs.” Helen Sullivan reports for BBC News.

Satellite images show ongoing activity at Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment plant, including an excavator with the crane appearing to be operating at the entrance to the shaft, according to Maxar Technologies, which collected the imagery this weekend. Tim Lister and Annoa Abekah-Mensah report for CNN.

The G7 member states’ foreign ministers yesterday said they support the Israel-Iran ceasefire and urged for the resumption of negotiations that would result in a “comprehensive, verifiable and durable agreement that addresses Iran's nuclear program.” Kanishka Singh and Ismail Shakil report for Reuters."

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"A Russia-appointed local official yesterday said that Moscow troops now control all of the occupied Luhansk region of Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv on the claim. If confirmed, Luhansk would become the first Ukrainian region fully occupied by Russia after more than three years of war. Illia Novikov and Geir Moulson report for AP News.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has held the first public commemorations for North Korean troops fighting with the Russian army in Ukraine, according to a program broadcast yesterday by Pyongyang’s state-run television. Experts say the ceremony is likely aimed at preparing the population for further such deployments. Dasl Yoon reports for the Wall Street Journal.

The Ukrainian Air Force, meanwhile, said it detected 107 Russian Shahed and decoy drones in the country’s airspace overnight, a day after the country experienced the biggest aerial attack from Russian forces since 2022.

Outside the immediate region, Bloomberg reported an explosion on an oil tanker near Libya, in the latest unexplained blast on vessels that had previously called at Russian ports.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged the United States to consider whether new sanctions on Russia would help the Ukraine peace effort after a top Republican senator said he had received US President Donald Trump’s blessing to move forward on a bill introducing punitive measures against Moscow.

US envoy Keith Kellogg responded to Peskov’s comments, describing them as “Orwellian”. “Russia cannot continue to stall for time while it bombs civilian targets in Ukraine,” Kellogg said in a post on X.

German Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul, speaking during a visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of making “pure mockery” of peace talks. “His apparent readiness to negotiate is only a facade so far,” Wadephul said, adding that Germany was trying to help Ukraine get to a point where it could “negotiate more strongly”."

lousubcap

The Bill; an assessment - Spineless R's in the Senate and House-An opinion here-

Dan Pfeiffer sums things up pretty well: "Congress has done a lot of dumb **** over the years, but this bill—if and when it becomes law—might just be the dumbest. The whole process of passing it has been surreal and serves as a metaphor for the Trump-era Republican Party. No one is asking for it. Other than preventing a tax increase, it doesn’t achieve a single long-standing conservative policy goal. No one campaigned on these ideas, and the public is screaming that they hate the bill. It’s bad policy, worse politics—and yet Republicans march onward because Donald Trump wants a 'win.' Not a substantive win. Not even a political win. Just a win for the sake of a win. That’s the only rationale. There’s no further consideration for why this bill should be passed or what happens when it does. They do it because Trump wants it—even though he has no idea why he wants it, or what’s in it."

lousubcap

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian today ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, enacting a law passed by the Iranian Parliament last week. Pezeshkian’s order included no timetables or details about what the suspension would entail. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News; Reuters report.

Tehran is still willing to continue negotiations with the United States, although the talks are unlikely to restart this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS News yesterday. Araghchi also said that U.S. strikes “heavily and seriously” damaged Iran’s nuclear sites, including the Fordow site. Reuters reports.

The Iranian military last month loaded naval mines onto vessels in the Persian Gulf, raising concerns in Washington that Tehran might blockade the Strait of Hormuz following Israeli strikes on Iran, two U.S. officials say. Reuters was not able to determine whether the mines, which could be used to close one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, have since been unloaded. Gram Slattery and Phil Stewart report.

President Trump yesterday claimed that Israel had agreed to "conditions to finalize” a 60-day ceasefire in its war with Hamas, adding that he hopes Hamas will accept the deal as “it will only get worse.” Hamas today signalled openness to “any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war,” and is expected to discuss the deal with Egyptian and Qatari mediators. At the time of writing, Israel has yet to publicly comment on Trump’s announcement. Ephrat Livni and Tyler Pager report for the New York Times; Fatma Khaled, Samy Magdy, and Bassem Mroue report for AP News."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The United States has halted shipments of some air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine over concerns that U.S. weapons stockpiles have fallen too low, sources say. The initial decision to withhold some aid was made in early June, the people said, but is only taking effect now. A White House spokesperson said the decision was “made to put America’s interests first.” Paul McLeary, Jack Detsch, and Joe Gould report for POLITICO.

The halt in the United States’ issuing of new sanctions on Russia since Trump’s return to office has created an opportunity for Russia to obtain components in violation of U.S. export controls, according to analysts, trade data, online listings, and corporate registration records. Aaron Krolik reports for the New York Times.

The Ministry of Defence in Moscow said that 60 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight over several regions, including 17 over Russian-occupied Crimea, 16 over Russia’s Rostov region and four over Russia’s Saratov region.

Ukraine’s Air Force said on Tuesday that Russia launched 52 Shahed and decoy drones at the country overnight.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ceasefire in Ukraine in his first call with Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2022. A Kremlin statement said that Putin reminded Macron that “the Ukrainian conflict is a direct consequence of the policy of Western states”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “no one is delaying anything here”, after US envoy Keith Kellogg accused Russia of “stall[ing] for time” on ceasefire talks, “while it bombs civilian targets in Ukraine”.  Peskov added: “We are naturally in favour of achieving the goals that we are trying to achieve through the special military operation via political and diplomatic means. Therefore, we are not interested in drawing out anything.”"

lousubcap

Thursday Middle East update:

"Israel has accepted the latest Gaza ceasefire and hostage release proposal, an Israeli official said yesterday. According to the official, the updated framework provides stronger U.S. assurances about ending the war. Separately, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar yesterday said that there are “some positive signs” in the U.S.-led efforts to restart ceasefire negotiations, adding that Israel was eager for talks to resume “as soon as possible.” Hamas said that it is considering the new proposal. Aaron Boxerman, Ronen Bergman, and Adam Rasgon report for the New York Times; Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Alexander Cornwell report for Reuters; Kristen Holmes, Kylie Atwood, and Jeremy Diamond report for CNN.

Israeli air strikes and shootings killed 82 Palestinians in Gaza overnight into today, including 38 people who were attempting to access humanitarian aid, according to local hospitals and the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. Israel’s military did immediately comment on the strikes. The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war has now passed 57,000, the health ministry added. AP News reports.

The Hamas-run Gaza interior ministry yesterday accused Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of a well-armed Bedouin clan defying the group's control of the territory, of treason and ordered the leader to surrender and face trial. The clan described the order as a “sitcom that doesn’t frighten us.” Reuters reports.

The GHF group yesterday announced it was planning to shut its Geneva branch after the Swiss Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations earlier that day said it could order its dissolution over failures to fulfil legal requirements to operate in the country. Olivia Le Poidevin reports for Reuters.

Pentagon intelligence assessments suggest U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities set back Tehran’s nuclear program by up to two years, a Defense Department spokesperson said yesterday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously said the strikes “were able to destroy [Iran’s] nuclear capabilities,” while International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi suggested Tehran could resume enriching uranium “in a matter of months.” Lara Seligman and Michael R. Gordon report for the Wall Street Journal."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Any U.S. delays in supplying weapons to Ukraine “would only encourage the aggressor to continue war and terror, rather than seek peace,” Kyiv’s foreign ministry said yesterday, a day after the White House said it had cut off some weapons deliveries to Ukraine. According to a U.S. official, the pause includes some air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery, and other weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Washington and Kyiv are “clarifying all the details on supplies.” Laura Gozzi and James Chater report for BBC News; Lisa Mascaro and Aamer Madhani report for AP News.

The Pentagon’s decision to halt some weapons shipments to Ukraine was driven by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby and a small circle of advisers, blindsiding people who are usually closely briefed on such matters, including Congress members, State Department officials, and European allies, sources say. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) said that he is “not even sure [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio was consulted” on the move and that “we essentially don’t have a national security adviser.” Jack Detsch, Paul McLeary, Felicia Schwartz, and Eli Stokols report for POLITICO.

North Korea is set to send an additional 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to assist Russia’s war in Ukraine in the coming months, tripling the number of its troops fighting for Moscow, according to an intelligence assessment from Ukrainian officials seen by CNN and a Western intelligence official. The Ukrainian assessment also says there are signs that Russian military aircraft are being refitted to carry personnel in preparation for the new deployment. Nick Paton Walsh, Victoria Butenko, Gianluca Mezzofiore, Jo Shelley, Kosta Gak, Daria Tarasova-Markina, and Yoonjung Seo report.

Ukraine is looking to produce some weapons jointly with its international allies and create a special legal and tax framework to help Ukrainian defense manufacturers scale up and modernize production, the country’s foreign and defense ministry said this week. Illia Novikov reports for AP News."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia launched 539 drones and 11 ballistic and cruise missiles at Ukraine overnight in the largest aerial attack since the war began, according to Ukraine’s air force.

The military said its air defences shot down 270 drones while 208 more were redirected by the army or were drone simulators lacking warheads.

Russia’s air defence units destroyed 48 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia’s TASS news agency reported.

Russia has increased its use of chemical weapons in Ukraine, Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency said on Friday, citing evidence it obtained alongside its Dutch counterparts.

In a phone call on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump did not discuss the US decision to halt some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine, Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said.Advertisement

Trump said he made no progress during his phone call with Putin, who reportedly reiterated he would stop his invasion only if the conflict’s “root causes” were tackled. Trump also said he was planning to discuss the conflict with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy on Friday."

lousubcap

Since the BBB passed here's a short read on a few high/low points:

"THE POLICY …

The one-paragraph summary: “The legislation contains about $4.5 trillion in tax cuts,” AP’s Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro write. “It temporarily would add new tax deductions on tip[s], overtime and auto loans. There’s also a $6,000 deduction for older adults who earn no more than $75,000 a year, a nod to [Trump‘s] pledge to end taxes on Social Security benefits. It would boost the $2,000 child tax credit to $2,200. Millions of families at lower income levels would not get the full credit. A cap on state and local deductions … would quadruple to $40,000 for five years. … There are scores of business-related tax cuts, including allowing businesses to immediately write off 100% of the cost of equipment and research.”

How to pay for that? Frankly, the bill frankly doesn’t pay for it. The Congressional Budget Office projects it’ll increase federal deficits by nearly $3.3 trillion over the next decade, though many Republicans quibble with that math.

To the extent there is a financial tradeoff at the heart of Trump’s bill, it comes in slashing funding for Medicaid in order to partially pay for the tax cuts.

Grand Old Party vs. Grand New Party: In that way, it pits traditional Republican policy dogma against the political interests of the Trump-era Republican voter coalition, as POLITICO’s Robert King and Kelly Hooper shrewdly observe. “The Republican base now includes more working-class and low-income people, many of whom receive their health insurance through Medicaid,” they write. “But the traditional sentiment of many Republican lawmakers toward the social safety-net program — that it provides handouts on taxpayers’ dime — has largely remained the same.”

Indeed, beyond some “populist flourishes” included in the bill, “the measure is regressive,” WaPo’s Marianna Sotomayor and colleagues write. “The 10 percent of households with the lowest incomes would stand to be worse off by an average of $1,600 per year on average because of benefits cuts, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s analysis of the House version of the bill. The 10 percent of households with the highest incomes would be better off by $12,000 on average. … Adding in the impact of Trump’s tariffs — which the White House has argued will help pay for the bill’s tax cuts and new spending — the bottom 80 percent of households would see their take-home incomes fall, according to the Yale Budget Lab.”"

Gulfcoastguy

To sum it up , the vote buying tax cuts like tip and overtime and senior citizen deductions are temporary for 3 years or less. It also means that when I add social security to my pension I won’t be eligible for the over 65 deduction and neither will many other seniors. Possibly I could buy a new car but standard deductions have ruled my taxes for many years. Also all EV incentives are trashed, gee thanks Elmo.

Legume

Elon was behind eliminating them?

Gulfcoastguy

He had a lot of influence with Trmp. About $350 million worth plus a lot of help through Doge. He could have used to to reduce the impact of the hammer. I don’t think anyone could have cut the federal tax credit for purchasing an EV though he could have persuaded Trump to phase it out. At the very least he could have saved the NEVi program. But no he was too motivated by his ex wife allowing his son to become his daughter.

Legume

Kind of shoots himself in the foot though, doesn't he?