Today’s read: 3 min 47 sec
Good morning. Iran has been behind every part of the Middle Eastern conflict; funding and directing Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah. Saturday’s barrage was an unprecedented direct attack, but they’ve been involved much longer, and in much deadlier efforts, than before this weekend.
- Ari David, Founder
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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
🏛 Donald Trump’s hush money trial kicks off today. The GOP nominee for president is facing down 34 counts of falsifying business records relating to “hush money” payments made to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump. "This is really an attack on a political opponent,” asserted Trump outside of the Manhattan courtroom. “So I'm very honored to be here.”
🔨 Trump channels Reagan foreign policy. During a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump slammed President Biden’s failures on the international stage in light of Iran’s attack on the Israeli homeland. The former president articulated his “peace through strength” ideal, exclaiming, “I will revive American strength abroad and we will restore American strength at home.”
🌐 Canada’s spy agency was aware of Chinese interference in elections. Canadian intelligence reportedly informed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that China “clandestinely and deceptively” meddled in their 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Further, the Chinese intended to sway Canadians away from Conservative candidates, with Conservative party leaders estimating these actions may have cost their party nine seats in Parliament.
🗳 Johnson and Trump announce new voting legislation. Meeting in Mar-a-Lago, the former president and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) declared their support for a new bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote. The legislation mandates states to remove noncitizens from their current voter rolls by accessing Homeland Security and Social Security Administration databases.
GEOPOLITICS
Israel and its allies defend against Iranian strikes
What’s happening: Iran launched over 300 drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles at Israel on Saturday in retaliation to the killing of a top Iranian general in Syria.
Key takeaways: Israel’s air defense systems proved remarkably capable, and much of the Middle East is united against wanton Iranian aggression.
Air defense: A top national security think tank noted Iran’s attack on Israel was modeled after successful Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukraine. However, Iran miscalculated that Israel would have only a slightly higher interception rate than Ukraine.
Israel intercepted more than 99 percent of all drones and missiles — much higher than Ukraine’s average of 46 percent.
More: Iran’s attack was much larger than any similar attack in recent years, yet caused no significant damage. Israel neutralized it with very light damage on a military base.
United against Iran: Israel did not successfully defend against Iran’s attack alone. The United States, the U.K., and France all assisted, and notably, so did Arab countries in the region such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Jordan shot down dozens of drones over their country and allowed Israeli and U.S. planes to use its airspace during its defensive mission.
Saudi Arabia also assisted in the mission and has committed to shoot down any “suspicious object” in its airspace.
Important: After the attack, an official from the Saudi royal family accused Iran of “engineer[ing] a war in Gaza” to disrupt Saudi Arabia’s normalization with Israel.
What’s next: War cabinet Minister Benny Gantz reportedly wants to strike back at Iran now, while Prime Minister Netanyahu is considering the next move. After Israel’s successful defense, President Biden told Netanyahu to take the “win,” urging Israel not to retaliate.
—J.E.
The lawfare crisis is escalating fast — and it can change everything ahead of 2024.
We interviewed Josh Hammer on this unprecedented political moment.
Why should America pay attention to this topic?
Josh: We are focusing now on the 2024 presidential election and, above all else, on the persecution of Donald Trump.
What is currently happening with lawfare is that this is the first time there has been a presidential election in which a major party’s candidate is being criminally prosecuted.
Every day that this continues, we inch ever closer to the abyss of becoming another third-world banana republic.
People say the term ‘unprecedented’ is often misused. Is there any prior history of what’s happening now?
No, we have never criminally prosecuted a major party presidential candidate or a former president of the United States. I cannot underscore that very basic, rudimentary point enough.
How does this lawfare saga affect Americans?
It will make us more and more divided and take us further toward the brink of something I don't particularly want to contemplate — what some conservative commentators refer to as an amicable divorce, mutually agreeable divorce, or national divorce. It’s not something I advocate for or want, to put it mildly.
It will create even greater animosity.
We asked much more.
Josh gives his thoughts on Donald Trump’s prosecutions and how we got to this point, the problems with the judicial system, and what the solutions are. And why we should remain optimistic.
WHAT WE’RE HEARING
Left-wingers in Chicago met to discuss their plans to disrupt the DNC convention this summer and to express their support for Iran, chanting, “Hands off Iran!”
Chris Sununu, New Hampshire’s moderate Republican governor, announced he would support Donald Trump in the 2024 race.
NPR’s new CEO has a history of making radical statements, akin to those of a far-left activist.
China Ramps Up Military Production as US Lags
What’s happening: An internal U.S. Navy report revealed key shipbuilding programs are years behind schedule. The damaging report comes amid an unprecedented Chinese military buildup…
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OUR QUESTION TO YOU
📊 Should Israel retaliate after this weekend?
POLL RESULTS FROM YESTERDAY
Do you agree with Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens's critiques of Israel?
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 👍 Yes (52)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 👎 No (218)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤔 Unsure (70)
👍 Yes: “Critiquing Israel doesn't make someone antisemitic.” — Trey
👍 Yes: “Tucker is trying to be a unique source - and I applaud him for that - but he's more and more frequently failing to vet his own information.” — Jordan
🤔 Unsure: “The more I learn about all sides of the realities involved, the more I become unsure.” — Robby
IN THE LOOP
The House of Representatives approved an updated version of the FISA reauthorization bill after initially rejecting it last week.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said the House will likely bring an Israel-aid bill to the floor this week.
The average price of a used car is $18,600 - nearly 40% more than it was in 2019.
10 suspected illegal migrants were arrested in a Texas “stash house” for allegedly owning child pornography.
The most clicked link in our last newsletter was our interview with Josh Hammer.
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Today’s newsletter was written by Brandon Goldman and Jack Elbaum. Edited by Ari David.
