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Jul 13, 2026 - World

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have quietly raked in billions as the Pentagon has invested in new defense technology, according to a new Washington Post investigation published Monday.President Donald Trump's sons have made significant investments in military-related startups, "further entangling the United States’ interests and the Trump family’s financial fortunes in an area with immense stakes for national security," The Post reported.Many of these financial investments have come as Trump returned to the White House."The companies have collectively generated at least $3.2 billion in direct government business since the sons invested and an additional $3.1 billion in future contract options," according to The Post. "Some have gained coveted spots on shortlists of preapproved contractors that can bid exclusively on up to nearly $200 billion in future work."A top priority for Trump's second administration has been focusing on national security and "modernizing the tools of warfighting." And the Trump sons have reportedly cashed in on this Pentagon initiative by building a portfolio focused on this spending priority."The Trump sons are part of investment groups that have poured money into established government contractors, such as SpaceX and Anduril, as well as lesser-known start-ups aspiring to build a new generation of nimble, tech-forward weaponry — from drones to humanoid robots that can either mow a lawn or use deadly force," The Post reported. "Most of the firms are in the defense industry, but some focus on products not meant for the battlefield: One company is partnering with the luxury fashion label Prada to design spacesuits, and another is trying to build quantum computers."Before they sought Pentagon and defense contracts, neither Trump son had notable experience in the defense tech industry. They do not hold any government titles and are currently the vice presidents of the Trump Organization. The White House has denied any inappropriate conduct surrounding the sons' investments or potential conflicts of interest."Trump’s sons have described their investments in patriotic terms," according to The Post. "Eric Trump has said the U.S. 'better be winning' the AI race. Trump Jr. has repeatedly argued that the U.S. should be developing an industrial base that can crank out drones to meet potential threats from China."Political analysts reacted to the explosive new report."How fortunate for these two that Daddy can pardon them on the way out the door. Those around them may be less fortunate," Joyce Vance, a former U.S. attorney appointed by former President Barack Obama, wrote on X. "Trump Jr. & Eric Trump now have investments in over a dozen defense tech companies. Thanks to the nature of defense tech companies, their only real viability is if they can get gov contracts, & guess what! Turns out it is pretty easy to get gov contracts when your dad is the most corrupt president in history," the account They Call Me Gary, a progressive political commentator, wrote on Bluesky.

Jul 13, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States will reinstate its naval blockade of Iran and be "reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped" through the Strait of Hormuz, a levy he did not explain.Trump said the strait itself would stay open to every country other than Iran. Hours earlier, in a call-in to Fox News, he said: "We're taking over the strait. They've got nothing." He added that the US would "probably run it" and "get paid for guarding it — a lot of money."“The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.“The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately.”Trump’s announcement comes amid a flare-up of violence in the Middle East, and two days after Iranian officials declared the Strait of Hormuz to be “closed.”The United States launched strikes at Iran Saturday in response to an attack on a container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran claimed violated the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement. Iran responded early Sunday morning with strikes targeting major U.S. allies in the region.

Jul 13, 2026 - World

Exclusive: Three men killed in incidents over past year allegedly involving G4S guards, who replaced in-house team after previous deathsBereaved families and politicians have raised alarm about continued killings on Del Monte’s pineapple farm in Kenya despite the company hiring a British security firm to replace its in-house security team after previous deaths were exposed by the Guardian.The multinational food company appointed G4S to guard the farm, which is estimated to cover at least 40 sq km, the area of a small city, after the Guardian detailed allegations of brutal assaults and killings of people suspected of trespassing on its land. Kenyan police have been working with G4S to guard the site. Continue reading...

Jul 13, 2026 - World

Add to the growing list of conservatives who have been turned off by Vice President JD Vance: influential Jewish donors with deep pockets who are furious about his criticisms of Israel.According to a report from Politico, Vance is facing a brewing rebellion from powerful Republican donors and pro-Israel activists who view his foreign policy positions as a betrayal of the party's traditional unwavering support for the Jewish state.The tension centers on Vance's role in brokering a ceasefire agreement with Iran and his public criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government—stances that have alarmed major GOP fundraisers who helped bankroll Donald Trump's return to power."It's hard to find any support for him at all in the Jewish community," said Eric Levine, a prominent Republican bundler and board member of the Republican Jewish Coalition, told Politico.According to the report, high-profile conservative voices have begun openly questioning Vance's leadership on Israel. Media personality Mark Levin condemned the Iran memorandum of understanding, while former NCAA basketball coach Bruce Pearl announced he won't support Vance's anticipated 2028 presidential bid unless he "breaks" with Tucker Carlson, who has split from the Republican Party.Multiple pro-Israel GOP insiders, speaking anonymously, told Politico there is widespread concern about Vance within their networks. "There's angst among a significant majority of pro-Israel Republicans, Christians and Jews alike," one major donor said. "Overwhelmingly, I'm seeing unease, and it could be even worse than that."The friction threatens to fracture the Republican coalition as Vance positions himself as Trump's likely successor in 2028—an election expected to shatter fundraising records. Politico is reporting that Vance's credibility problems with pro-Israel conservatives extend beyond his Iran diplomacy. Last fall, after leaked messages showed Young Republicans praising Hitler and making Holocaust jokes, Vance dismissed the incident, calling it kids "doing stupid things." During a Turning Point USA event in Mississippi, Vance failed to challenge a student who claimed Judaism was inherently hostile to Christianity and questioned why America supports Israel."When I talk to people in the pro-Israel space about Vance, the Turning Point event comes up in almost every conversation," one veteran GOP strategist involved in pro-Israel advocacy told Politico.

Jul 13, 2026 - World

The decision by the Trump administration to go after New York Times reporters with subpoenas after they reported on the critical vulnerabilities with a Qatari plane gifted to the president was hammered on MS NOW on Monday morning. Appearing on “Morning Joe,” an incensed Jim VandeHei, founder of Axios, claimed the decision to fly the luxury jet into the Middle East put the president and the nation at risk. Then he blasted conservatives who are applauding the DOJ investigation.MS NOW contributor Katty Kay prompted VandeHei with, “Jim, you and I were talking during the break about how this seems like overkill from the White House to issue these subpoenas. Is this just because the president was embarrassed about the reporting when we knew that this plane wasn't ready in a defensive capacity?”“Yeah, I think it's both dumb and dangerous, right?” he shot back. “It's dumb in that it was pretty widely known that this aircraft wasn't up to the standards of Air Force One. That usually goes to a two-year period of being built and being vetted, and everybody knew that this was gifted by the Qataris. Everyone also knows that the Iranians are trying to actively assassinate the president of the United States, and he's in the Middle East.” "And so this idea then is that you go after the reporters — and they wrote about it after the fact — the only way you'd actually have a plausible case is if you put the president's life at risk or you really jeopardize national security because you reported it before it happened,” he continued before repeating, “They reported it after it happened.”“And anybody out there who's like, ‘Oh, yeah, but oh, it's the New York Times, I hate the New York Times,’ again, you have to always think about imagine that the other party does this,” he cautioned. “Any time that you don't like a story, that you send agents of the federal government to their home to try to intimidate them because they wrote something that made you feel uncomfortable, that was actually authentically, really, really important to the safety of the president of the United States, whether you like him or not, matters profoundly. And so when you start doing these things, you start normalizing these things, and if anybody cheers it, you better cheer it when they come after you.” - YouTube youtu.be