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Apr 16, 2026 - World

The Republican Party has a problem on its hands that is bigger than anything President Donald Trump is currently doing, a political analyst has claimed.David Pakman believes recent comments from Marjorie Taylor Greene and former GOP representatives, including Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, highlight the problem with current reps. Greene, a once-prominent ally of Trump and the MAGA movement, commented on the alleged cognitive decline of Trump in a recent interview.In a clip shared by News 4 Tucson, Greene said, "I really think that his [Trump's] mental capacity needs to be examined. His rhetoric has been shocking to many Americans and people around the world."A separate appearance on CNN earlier this week from Greene had the GOP ex-rep, who resigned from Georgia's 14th congressional district in 2026, criticize Trump for a Truth Social post.Trump, referencing Iran in a post to Truth Social on April 7, wrote, "...a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." Greene reposted the comment, adding, "25th AMENDMENT!!!"The 25th Amendment provides a temporary transfer of the President's powers to the Vice President. This transfer can be made by the President or on the initiative of the Vice President, with the backing of a majority of the cabinet.Greene added, "I think we have to truly question the mental stability of any President who threatens to wipe out an entire civilization of people. That would include all the innocent people in that country who have nothing to do with the war."Especially after President Trump said this was about freeing the Iranian people from the Iranian regime. For him to call to wipe out an entire civilization of people, it's absolutely wrong."Pakman believes the change in rhetoric from one of "Trump's most ardent defenders" is a sign the GOP must be vocal about their opposition to the President.He said, "This is way bigger than Trump. It exposes the Republican Party as happy with a system in which they know better, but they don't say a word. They just allow it to continue festering and perpetuate itself. Every once in a while, somebody like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Adam Kinzinger, or Liz Cheney, breaks rank and they say the quiet part out loud."Whether it's about Trump's authoritarianism or the cognitive stuff, they are seen as the exception. Now, they may not be the majority of Republicans, but there are a lot of Republicans who believe the exact same thing because they see the exact same thing."

Apr 16, 2026 - World

Yet another conflict of interest is blossoming in plain sight in the Trump administration, Zeeshan Aleem warned in an analysis for MS NOW — this time centering on Eric Trump's involvement in a state visit to China."It’s going to be a high-stakes visit, during which he’s likely to discuss trade, fentanyl trafficking, and Iran policy with Chinese President Xi Jinping. And for some reason he’s bringing along his son Eric Trump," wrote Aleem. "Eric Trump is not a member of his father’s administration. He’s the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, whose holdings include real estate properties and blockchain."The Trump administration, for its part, insists everything is aboveboard, that Eric Trump is just coming along in his “personal capacity as a supportive son,” and that he doesn't have business interest in China.But all of this still stinks, Aleem wrote: "This trip creates all kinds of possibilities for deal-making that could undermine the public interest. And we know Trump knows this, too — if for no other reason than his obsession with slamming the Biden family for Hunter Biden accompanying then-Vice President Joe Biden to China."Eric Trump has already come under scrutiny for his deals to create World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency firm that stands to gain big from the Trump administration's financial policies. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, Aleem noted."Donald Trump has made his second term unfathomably corrupt, and he has brazenly profited off his presidency," Aleem continued. "Trump has a media company, several cryptocurrency businesses, and opaque merchandise businesses. He has reportedly insinuated to oil executives that his policies are for sale. He has secured money from legal settlements that look more like tributes to a king than reasonable financial or legal agreements." All told, The New Yorker believes the Trump family has profited by at least $4 billion through abusing their access to the presidency, although some of Trump's business partners dispute these figures.Ultimately, Aleem concluded, "Eric Trump’s decision to accompany his father doesn’t just look inappropriate, it looks like a signal for investors. Why else bring Eric Trump along on a state visit? He could always visit on his own, privately. But then there would be less opportunity to further blur the line between private and public interests, and less opportunity for Trump’s family members to line their pockets."

Apr 16, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump risks losing his most emboldened MAGA supporters because of his maddening Truth Social posts. Trump has used the social media platform to criticize political opponents, issue threats to world leaders, and announce endorsements for political candidates. More recently, he has used his Truth Social account to issue threats to Iran, with the war between the Middle Eastern country and the United States set to enter its seventh week of conflict. Professor Anthony Glees, a political professor at the University of Buckingham, says the constant barrage of Trump posts has angered his core support, who may now abandon him ahead of the midterm elections. Glees told Raw Story, "The last thing Trump wants to do is put US boots on the ground; the casualties would be massive and US public opinion would mean he'd be impeached. So he has to settle. He knows his MAGA base is deserting him."The folks who largely elected him because he did promise no overseas 'forever wars' and because he said there'd be an end to US boots on the ground, are now turning against him big time. That's unhinged, and it has terrified his own supporters as much as it terrified ordinary Iranians, although I doubt if it worried either the ayatollahs or the IRGC commanders."Glees also referenced a post made by Trump on April 7, where Trump ordered the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened. A post made earlier this week by Trump saw the president promise to open the Strait of Hormuz permanently. Trump wrote, "China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz. I am doing it for them, also - And the World. This situation will never happen again. They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran. "President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks. We are working together smartly, and very Well! Doesn't that beat fighting??? BUT REMEMBER, we are very good at fighting, if we have to - far better than anyone else!!!"Glees added, "The peace will stick more or less because both sides want it. The ayatollahs and the IRGC get to carry on running Iran (they are the bad side of evil of course), and Trump gets to avoid impeachment."Why does Trump want a peace deal with Iran? Because he's not winning, he's losing the war. Iran is not finished, and it currently has the world's economy in a stranglehold."

Apr 15, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump has used the word "loser" to describe plenty of his enemies, but now that insult might be coming back to haunt him, an analyst said on Wednesday. The New Republic's Matt Ford discussed how Trump's Iran war has suspended trade through the Strait of Hormuz, effectively "the geopolitical equivalent of stabbing the global economy’s femoral artery." Iran has taken control of the channel, and although Trump has argued that the United States has won the conflict, the world does not see it as he does. "This is what happens when losers are elected to lead the world’s only superpower," Ford wrote. Trump has surrounded himself with people, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who have openly expressed a similar sentiment — "whose worldview is driven by personal grievances against the world." "Fascism and loserdom go hand in hand because fascism is predicated on the notion that the fascist has been unjustly cheated and robbed, and that only through force can they restore and revitalize themselves," Ford wrote. "Fascists idolize losers because no fascist society has ever flourished and because they see themselves reflected in other people’s failures. It is fitting that Trump and his allies have lavished praise and public statuary upon Robert E. Lee, a Virginia-born colonel who is best known for leading a failed rebellion against the United States on behalf of a slaver aristocracy in the South.""The goal of Trumpism, it could be said, is to create losers of us all," Ford added. "The political and economic project’s goal is not to materially improve its adherents’ lives. Instead, it is to create a sense of social order for some people that offers an aesthetic sense of improvement, even as one’s standard of living declines in real terms."

Apr 15, 2026 - World

The United States UN ambassador was facing a tough line of questioning from lawmakers on Wednesday over the ongoing Iran war and President Donald Trump's dire threat to destroy "a whole civilization." Mike Waltz was testifying to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on American foreign policy amid the ongoing military conflict, as the ceasefire between the United States and Iran was just days away from ending. His responses around the president's threats last week reportedly caught the lawmakers off guard. Kyle Griffin, executive producer of The Weeknight on MS NOW, described on X how Waltz reacted when he "was asked by senators about Trump's threat to obliterate Iran — when he posted 'a whole civilization will die tonight.'"Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) posed a question for Waltz, describing how the United Nations and the United States have historically been involved in developing laws of war to prevent unnecessary civilian deaths in military conflicts. "But President Trump has said that if Iran does not comply with his demands that he will 'end Iran's civilization' with specific threats to target civilian infrastructure," Murphy said. "This looks to a lot of us, and to the world, like a promise by the president of the United States to commit war crimes. I'm sure you don't agree with that assessment, but we've never had a president before threaten to 'end an entire civilization,' and double down on that claim, if that country does not accede to the demands of the United States." "So what does the president mean when he says that if these negotiations don't work out, he will 'end Iran's civilization'?" Murphy asked.Waltz defended Trump's comments, citing Iran's previous actions. "Senator, it was some tough talk," Waltz said, claiming that Trump's comments had led to a ceasefire and prompted ongoing negotiations. Murphy pushed back on Waltz. "I guess it's an open question whether we should pursue our aims by threatening another nation with mass civilian casualty," Murphy said. "I don't know if that's something we should celebrate that we are able to cow nations to our demands by threatening to kill civilians." Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) pressed Waltz to explain why the U.S. should continue fighting in a "deeply unpopular war.""It might be some mean tweets, it might be some tough love, but they got the message," Waltz said, defending Trump's decision to post the threat on his Truth Social platform. Users on social media commented on Waltz's response about "mean tweets." "We are all in Middle School," former Republican and political commentator Nancy Ruth Gorelo wrote on X."Mike Waltz's response is totally unacceptable for a UN ambassador," Artist and commentator Art Candee wrote on X."Well, mean tweets are typical from Trump and JD Vance, the meanest p---- a-- b------ hanging with the other mean girls in the cafeteria," political commentator Robert Johnson wrote on X, sharing two photos of "Mean Girls" with Trump and Vice President JD Vance.