Trump throws JD Vance under the bus over Iran debacle

Top Stories for June 18:

Trump says he likes idea of blaming Vance if Iran deal doesn’t work out
Once the details of Trump’s embarassing surrender deal with Iran were made public, it became clear that someone was going to have to fall on this sword – and it certainly wasn’t going to be Trump. It appears that Vice President JD Vance is going to be the sin-eater for the concessions we were forced to make to Iran, as one does when they lose a war. During remarks at the G7, Trump was asked whether he was setting JD Vance up to fall by sending him to personally sign the peace deal. “I like that. If it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD” laughed Trump.

Other prominent figures on right-wing media appear to have gotten their marching orders. Right-wing propagandist Ben Shapiro tried to make a “Good Tsar, Bad Boyars” argument for the Iran deal, saying “The Vice President, the chief negotiator on this project has not well served the president.”

If Trump has anything resembling a reedeemable quality, it’s that he shares our disgust for the people who debase themselves on his behalf and delights in making them eat shit. JD Vance spent the entire war leaking to the media about how he was quietly disapproving of the war, likely in preparation for his 2028 run, and now he’s going to have to take the blame for it. The irony is delicious.

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VIDEO OF THE DAY: Trump sinks himself in bonkers presser
Brian Tyler Cohen breaks down Trump’s disastrous Iran deal and the flabbergasting press conference that followed, in which Trump re-affirmed Iran’s right to a ballistic missile program, that they should have a civilian nuclear program, that the US needed to release Iran’s frozen funds because it’s their money after all, and that Israel shouldn’t knock down entire buildings in Beirut every time a drone or two crashes harmlessly in the desert.

All fairly reasonable assertions that are the COMPLETE opposite of everything Trump has said over the past three months…and prompted a colossal meltdown among the MAGA faithful and the national security ghouls.

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Paralympian Democrat Josh Turek goes for gold in must-win Senate race in Iowa
Josh Turek for US Senate: Josh Turek is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist for Team USA and self-described “prairie populist” currently representing the reddest state House seat held by a Democrat in all of Iowa. The same grit and determination that helped Josh overcome 21 surgeries by the age of 12 to become a US Paralympian will serve him — and all of Iowa — well in the US Senate, but he needs our help to win back the open seat currently held by retiring Republican Joni Ernst. Will you chip in to help Josh flip this critical seat back into the blue column and send an unmistakable message to Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress that a new day is dawning in America?

Israel issues new Lebanon occupation map in defiance of US-Iran peace deal
Trump’s war against Iran was started largely at the behest of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who saw this as his only opportunity to try and take out the only regional power capable of keeping Israel’s expansionist ambitions in check. But the Israelis have just learned the downsides of trying to deal with the world’s most selfish man, finding themselves entirely cut out of of the negotiating process and publicly derided by Trump, who has clearly lost his patience with the Netanyahu government’s shocking brutality and their constant efforts to sabotage his peace deal. The Israelis appear intent on doing so again.

On Thursday, the IOF released a map showing an expanded zone of control for its troops in Lebanon and rejected calls to withdraw its forces in direct defiance of the Iran peace deal, which asserts the “the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon” and an immediate end to the violence. Israel has killed 3,912 people, wounded 11,873 others, and displaced more than one million from their homes with its invasion and has been documented committing relentless war crimes against civilians, hospitals, and journalists.

Unless Trump is willing to take the unprecedented act of withholding aid and funding to Israel if they refuse to cooperate with the peace deal, this will be the second peace treaty signed at Versailles that led to more violence.

Hegseth announces in Brussels a review of U.S. forces in Europe, and a “NATO 3.0”
The Secretary of War Crimes threw a fit on Thursday morning, trashing our NATO allies for refusing to let us use their bases to commit war crimes in Iran and announcing a six-month review of US forces in Europe, with the implication that US forces would be removed if the host countries don’t take responsiblity for their own security.

“This will be a real review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” he told his NATO counterparts in Brussels, before going on to complain that Europe was too busy focusing on gender and immigrants instead of building tanks and bombs. An embarassing tantrum by a homicidal sociopath who has no business being in government.

Republicans fear Trump is hurting their chances. He can’t understand why.
Tensions are boiling between Trump and elected Republicans, as he can’t understand why they aren’t willing to cheat even more egregiously to win the midterms. “If everyone just follows his lead, follows the blueprints he’s laid out, and runs on the record that he has, then I think we’ll fare well,” said a senior White House official. Those blueprints include gerrymandering everywhere possible, getting rid of the filibuster, firing the Senate parliamentarian and passing his election-steal bill, the “SAVE America Act.”

But Senate Republicans are wary of the blowback from passing these bills…and aren’t particularly pleased with the president right now after he backstabbed Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP Texas primary. They would rather he focus on fixing the economy than constantly screaming about voter fraud. Tiny violins are to be played for both sides.

Supreme court sides with Texas marijuana user who wants to own a firearm in latest case expanding gun rights
In a rare, unanimous 9-0 ruling, the justices sided with Ali Danial Hemani, a Texas man who was charged with felony gun possession after he acknowledged being a regular marijuana user. Hemani wasn’t charged with any other crimes or accused of using the weapon under the influence. Seems like a reasonable ruling, as we have a sneaky suspicion that the Trump administration’s desire to brand this man a felon may have something to do with his last name.

Our oceans put into huge danger from Trump’s corporate cronies
World Ocean Day: Our oceans cover more than 70% of the planet, yet only about 10% of them are currently protected. That means most of our oceans remain at risk from horrible threats such as overfishing, bottom trawling, and deep sea oil drilling — and thanks to Trump’s regulation rollbacks for his billionaire backers, the danger is growing by the day. Science tells us that we must protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 to help stop the overexploitation of marine life, combat the worst effects of the climate crisis, and ensure an equitable and healthy future for the next generations. This month, we celebrated World Ocean Day. Now, the oceans need our help. Will you add your name to demand world leaders protect our oceans?

Arrests of immigrant parents create mental health crisis for children
It cannot be lost or forgotten the sheer scale of the cruelty being inflicted on hundreds of thousands of innocent children by the Trump administration’s horrific deportation, detention, and persecution policies. There must be a reckoning after all is said and done that involves prosecution for the perpetrators and therapy for the victims. Trump’s crypto company can pay for it.

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins looks dumbfounded as Republican Senator argues for Iran’s right to defend itself
Republican Senator Roger Marshall told Collins that Iran needs to be able to defend itself “otherwise we turn this into a forever war” in one of the most striking rhetorical shifts we’ve ever seen. He is, shockingly, correct. It’s a new day in Washintgon and the world, folks. Buckle up.

Floridians rebel against Palm Beach effort to rename their airport after Trump
The state of Florida has been inundated with messages from furious voters after bootlicker DeSantis decided to rename the Palm Beach airport, where Trump arrives to go to Mar-a-Lago, after the president. The messages are a good bellweather for how the American people are feeling about the president and Republicans these days. At least 17 messages mentioned pedophilia. Several commenters encouraged Florida officials to perform sex acts on themselves. One person even called in a bomb threat. Yeah, they seem mad.