News
Why Donald Trump has had a very bad week | ticker VIEWS
TRUMP HAD A BAD WEEK. HE HAS NO REVERSE GEAR
Former President Donald Trump has a very bad week – one of his worst since he left office in January. But nothing stops him from moving forward.
Arizona. The so-called “audit” by a Trumpist data firm in Arizona – a state Joe Biden took away from Trump last November – found that Biden actually won the key county there by as bigger margin than finally certified. Trump was enraged by Fox News when its election night “decision desk” called Arizona for Biden, and never resiled from his belief that Arizona was rigged and stolen from him. Trump was wrong — and has been proven wrong. So what does he say?
The Fake News is lying about the Arizona audit report! The leaked report conclusively shows there were enough fraudulent votes, mystery votes, and fake votes to change the outcome of the election 4 or 5 times over.
The House Select Committee investigation into the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Trump hates this investigation. His arch enemy, Republican Liz Cheney, is on the committee; she was stripped of her House leadership position by her party room because she supported the probe into what happened on January 6 and why. The Select Committee has demanded all White House documents relating to January 6. Trump has said he will assert “Executive Privilege” to shield those materials from the Select Committee. But guess what? He is no longer the president. He no longer has the power to invoke Executive Privilege. President Biden has said he has no problem with the committee’s request and is preparing to turn them over.
The Select Committee has also subpoenaed several Trump associates, including his former chief of staff and chief strategist. Their presence is demanded for depositions in the coming days.
Trump could care less:
“The Leftist ‘select committee’ has further exposed itself as a partisan sham and waste of taxpayer dollars with a request that’s timed to distract Americans from historic and global catastrophes brought on by the failures of Joe Biden and the Democrats.”
Trump’s taxes. Trump sued his niece Mary Trump for $100 million to try to punish her for allegedly providing the New York Times with Trump tax returns going back several years. Those tax returns helped form the basis of the indictment of Trump’s CFO of his company in New York. There are reports the Manhattan District Attorney is preparing more indictments before the end of the year.
The latest blockbuster book on Trump’s final year in office, by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa of the Washington Post, paint a picture of a president obsessed and deranged by his election defeat, in complete denial of the truth, and relentlessly pressuring Vice President Pence to directly overturn the election result on the day Congress met to declare Biden the winner. No president has ever acted in this manner.
But Trump does not go into reverse – ever.
Trump wants all the states he sees as key to him to change their laws to make it harder for citizens to vote and easier for state legislatures – especially if controlled by Republicans – to unilaterally overturn the voting results in their states. Trump won Texas handily last year. But that is not good enough. Taking a cue from Arizona, her wrote Texas governor:
“Despite my big win in Texas, I hear Texans want an election audit! You know your fellow Texans have big questions about the November 2020 Election…Texas needs you to act now …Your citizens don’t trust the election system, and they want your leadership on this issue, which is the number one thing they care about. It is their most important issue—one that will affect 2022 and 2024 …Texans know voting fraud occurred in some of their counties. Let’s get to the bottom of the 2020 Presidential Election Scam!“
President Donald Trump walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in Washington. The President is traveling to Texas. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert )
And guess what? The governor immediately agreed, and an audit and legislation are in the works.
Yesterday, Trump took his attack to Georgia– another key state he lost to Biden, a defeat he profoundly despises. He hates all the Republican officials who followed the law, conducted the recounts, and certified Biden as the winner. He hates them so much, he wants them ousted in elections next year. And he hates the governor so much that he told the rally he would rather see a Georgia Democratic leader, Stacy Abrams, serve as governor:
“Of course, having her, I think, might be better than having your existing governor. It might very well be better … Stacey, would you like to take his place? It’s OK with me,”
The authors of the leading books on Trump have all concluded that Trump intends to run for the presidency again in 2024. He wants to win. He wants to get back his power. And he wants something else: Vengeance. This is how Woodward and Costa conclude their new book, PERIL, with the words of Brad Parscale, a Trump campaign manager from 2020:
“I don’t think he sees it as a comeback. He sees it as vengeance.”
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 06: A large group of pro-Trump protesters stand on the East steps of the Capitol Building after storming its grounds on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. A pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol, breaking windows and clashing with police officers. Trump supporters gathered in the nation’s capital today to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory over President Trump in the 2020 election.
Trump’s base is intact. He has plenty of campaign money. He has the power to sink the pre-selection of Republicans who are insufficiently loyal to Trump. His allies are changing voting laws in key states to keep Democratic voters away from the polls, and to enable Republican officials to change the outcome of the voting.
Recounts that show Biden won, congressional investigations, possible indictments.
Trump has only one gear. Forward.
By Bruce Wolpe, US Political Contributor
What’s happening in the Middle East?
- President Donald Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed.
- Trump describes the moment as the greatest opportunity for the Iranian people to “take back their country”.
- Iran insists its leader is “firmly commanding the field”.
- Israel and the U.S. have carried out strikes on Iran.
- Impacts have been reported in Israel and across Gulf states as Iran launches retaliatory attacks.
- The escalation has sparked fear and panic, with civilians fleeing major cities.
News
U.S. and Israel strike Iran as missiles hit Gulf bases and oil surges
U.S. and Israel launch major military operation against Iran; tensions rise as conflict escalates, impacting global markets.
U.S. and Israel launch major military operation against Iran; tensions rise as conflict escalates, impacting global markets.
The United States and Israel have launched a sweeping military operation against Iran, striking leadership targets and more than 500 military sites in what President Trump has dubbed Operation Epic Fury.
Explosions have rocked Tehran, with civilians fleeing the capital as U.S. sea and air assets carry out sustained attacks. Washington says the mission is designed to prevent a nuclear armed Iran and has even called on Iranians to rise up against the regime.
Iran has retaliated with a barrage of missiles and drones targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. While many projectiles were intercepted, a U.S. base in Bahrain sustained damage.
Gulf states long seen as stable hubs for global business are now directly in the firing line, raising fears of a wider regional war.
Oil prices are climbing and tankers are diverting from the Strait of Hormuz as markets react to the escalating conflict. U.S. aircraft carriers, advanced fighter jets and missile destroyers remain in position, signalling more strikes could follow.
With global leaders scrambling diplomatically, the world is watching to see whether this spirals further or shifts back to negotiations.
News
Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz
Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions and military buildup in the region
Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions and military buildup in the region
– Iran’s Guard Corps advises ships to avoid the Strait of Hormuz due to rising tensions.
– Tankers have diverted to Qatar and UAE amidst concerns over safety and potential Iranian threats.
Ships have been repeatedly warned against entering the strait, as stated by crews in the area and the European Union’s naval command, Aspides. On Saturday, dozens of tankers diverted, with some seeking refuge in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates while others opted to steer clear of the region, as reported by oil brokers and shipowners.
Shipping Concerns
Tensions continue to impact shipping operations as carriers remain cautious in the Gulf region.
Tanker crews reported hearing explosions near Iran’s Kharg Island, which is vital for the country’s oil exports, as it handles 90% of its crude oil shipments.
-
Tech5 days ago
OpenAI moves to replace software giants with AI products
-
Money3 days ago
Australia’s inflation report and Nvidia earnings impact explained
-
Tech2 days ago
Meta launches lawsuits over alleged scam advertising operations
-
Tech4 days ago
Nvidia earnings soar as AI drives 75% revenue growth
-
News4 days ago
Qantas announces 8,500 jobs and frequent flyer changes
-
News23 hours ago
U.S. and Israel attack Iran, escalating regional conflict
-
News16 hours ago
Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz
-
News23 hours ago
Crude oil prices spike amid U.S.-Israel military action
