Just Ask The Question Newsletter - 6.20.25
Iran, Israel, Political Assassinations, Nationwide Protests, and the End of the "Pax Americana"?
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We've become a failed nation-state in 150 days
From chaos and political violence to Israel and Iran, Trump's latest actions have sealed our fate
Donald Trump made his personal transformation of the White House nearly complete Wednesday morning.
He already announced his intentions to add a ballroom — “the biggest and best ever” — to the East Wing and has begun paving over the lawn of Jackie Kennedy’s iconic Rose Garden. (“It’ll be like nothing anyone has ever seen before,” he promised.) Now he’s installed two giant flagpoles, one on the North Lawn and the other on the South Lawn.
The two flagpoles, he posted on Truth Social, are “tall, tapered, rust proof” and of the “highest quality.” On Wednesday he said they were “beautiful poles” and “the best poles anywhere. . . in the world actually.” A few reporters, members of Congress and even some White House staff made the obvious snarky comments about “over-compensating” and “wishful thinking.” But the observation offered by a few who said that, with the oversized flags, Trump had turned the White House into a “used car lot” seems most accurate.
In LA, Donald Trump is both the arsonist and firefighter
Trump and Stephen Miller's made-for-TV street theater ignores the facts — and threatens democracy
Terry Moran is the latest casualty in Donald Trump’s war against reality.
Moran, the former senior White House correspondent for ABC News, recently posted on X that Trump and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller are “world-class haters.” Trump, Moran wrote, uses hate as a means to obtain the glorification that is “his spiritual nourishment.” For Miller, on the other hand, “hatreds are his spiritual nourishment,” Moran said. “He eats his hate.”
He ain’t wrong. Miller recently demanded a daily quota of 3,000 arrests per day of immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and then sold it as rounding up the “most dangerous criminals” threatening the country. That edict spurred the ICE raids that led to the protests in L.A. that are now growing across the country.
ICE agents I’ve spoken with say they have arrested or detained office workers, janitors, dishwashers, gardeners, and day laborers and raided Home Depots. “That’s not where you find dangerous criminals,” I was told.
According to ABC News, Moran was out of line. “At ABC News, we hold all of our reporters to the highest standards of objectivity, fairness and professionalism, and we remain committed to delivering straightforward, trusted journalism,” a company spokesperson said after failing to renew Moran’s contract.
Just Ask the Press - Escalating Tensions: Iran and Israel's Conflict
In this episode, Brian Karem, Mark Zaid, and John T. Bennett discuss the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the implications for U.S. foreign policy, and the political landscape in America, including Trump's recent birthday parade and the protests that followed. The conversation highlights the complexities of international relations, the role of public opinion, and the challenges of political engagement in a divided nation. The conversation delves into the recent protests in Los Angeles, the media's portrayal of these events, and the political implications surrounding them. The discussion shifts to the controversial actions of RFK Jr. regarding vaccine committees, highlighting concerns over public health and safety. Finally, the conversation addresses the ongoing litigation involving Trump, examining the complexities of legal challenges and the implications for governance and accountability.
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The incredible shrinking president
Trump goes missing while his minions loot the countryside
On Friday, Elon Musk and Donald Trump seemingly broke up amicably in the White House's Oval Office. It was like watching a married couple say, “We love each other, but we can’t live together.” Trump took a swipe at Musk by referring to him as an immigrant, and Musk responded by taking a swipe at Trump as he discussed “the majesty” of the Oval Office. Otherwise, it was all smiles. Trump even said he’d have Elon back from time to time, like they were sharing a timeshare or something.
But Trump’s breakups always get messy, so by Tuesday, Musk was referring to Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” as a “disgusting abomination” and urged Republicans to vote against it.
House Speaker Mike Johnson admitted that he tried to call Elon, but Musk ghosted him. I understand that. What’s the point of talking to Johnson? He doesn’t think for himself and Musk already knows what Trump thinks.
Meanwhile, the Democrats were attacking Musk’s alleged drug use, and in effect defecating on the one person who apparently doesn’t always kiss Trump’s . . . ahem, ring.
Just Ask the Press - ICE, Trump, and Newsom
In this episode of Just Ask the Press, host Brian Karem, along with guests Mark Zaid and John T. Bennett, delve into the recent political turmoil surrounding the White House, including the deployment of the National Guard in response to immigration protests in Los Angeles. The conversation explores the implications of escalating tensions, the hypocrisy in political responses, and the potential for martial law. Additionally, the discussion shifts to the fallout between Donald Trump and Elon Musk, examining the dynamics of their relationship and the broader political landscape. The conversation delves into the implications of Trump's investigation into Biden's cognitive health, the fallout from former press secretary Jean-Pierre's new book, and the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles, drawing parallels to historical events. The discussion emphasizes the importance of due process in political matters and critiques the motivations behind political investigations.
‘Two weeks’: GOP hawks left twisting on Iran after Trump resorts to familiar crutch
President’s many oscillations have created a Friday cliffhanger
ANALYSIS — Donald Trump resorted to his familiar time frame of two weeks in opting to give Iran more time to negotiate over its nuclear program, but the move left several Republican allies hanging and capped off a week during which the president had sounded like a hawk one moment and a dove the next.
Trump convened several Situation Room meetings over whether to order U.S. military strikes on Iranian targets and convened another in the Oval Office on Friday as Israel and Iran continue to trade fire with no signs of their weeklong conflict de-escalating. Trump told reporters several times Tuesday afternoon that he would be meeting that evening with his war council, teasing the possibility that an Iran decision could be reached.
But by Thursday, during a rare White House news briefing on a federal holiday, his top spokesperson revealed the president would do the opposite.
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All of this is awful and horrendous, it goes without saying, but I have to say I am so very sad that the iconic rose garden and stately magnolia have now fallen victim to this heinous monster too.