Sadly Less Optimistic
Iran saying things doesn't make them true
Stanford walkout🎓: A bunch of Stanford graduates walked out on the school’s commencement address to protest Google working with the Israelis.
🗣️Google’s CEO and Stanford alumnus was the commencement speaker
🤷At least that’s what I think they were protesting.
🤦It’s admittedly hard to follow the logic of the Marxists.
If I were their parents, I would want a refund —
Plus➕: Why would you hire any of these people?
Recommended📱: My friend and colleague Markie Martin is now on Substack!
📷She and her husband came to visit Rachel and me for a weekend of grilling and campfires — pictures here on Instagram.
Caveman logic🗿: Social media is more addictive and destructive to kids than most drugs — ban it.
❌NO, seriously — The United Kingdom just banned social media following Australia.
Note✏️: The U.K. bans Elon Musk’s X but not the more liberal Bluesky!
Politics at play: X is one of the few places where Brits can freely discuss the Islamification of their country.
🤦Reportedly, big tech CEO’s won’t let their kids have social media accounts — but they will spend hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying Congress.
Makes sense🤔: No difference than cigarette CEOs not letting their kids smoke
Watch tonight📺: Mother and activist Jillian Michaels, who wrote “Big Tech built a digital drug — and our kids are hooked”
Earned it🏅: Politics in DC is now TMZ-worthy — that is, the hyper-aggressive celebrity news site known for JUICY scoops and unapologetic on-the-street confrontations interviews.
DC is Hollywood for ugly people, and to be fair, many politicians behave like celebrities.
Watch tonight📺: The TMZ Washington editors join us with how they think D.C. journos are missing the mark.
Reality Matters‼️
❗At best, the Iran deal is a deal to talk about another deal that might get us to something akin to Obama’s nuclear deal, with perhaps some additional teeth.
Good news👍: Gas prices are down — that will help Republicans — although we have always said that was a short-sighted metric.
🤦The most telling thing about the deal is that Trump won’t show it to us.
We have no idea what the metrics are or the payoffs for Iran.
Be smart🧠: It’s not just money and sanctions relief from the U.S. but from the rest of the Gulf
Be smarter🤓: The moment the U.S. Navy lifts its blockade of American oil, Iran and the IRGC get a new lease on life.
The spin🌀: Team Trump is telling us a lot of things about the deal they either want to be true or hope will become true — rarely has this White House felt so alone in trying to declare victory.
🤦JD Vance’s sales techniques need some help — telling NBC that WWII ended in negotiation is inexplicable.
The silence from Rubio is deafening.
🐘The Left says Trump got played and got a deal no better than President Obama’s — which they now admit sucked.
🫏The Right says Trump got played and caved, leaving Israel alone and America’s credibility in the Middle East shot.
🤷By definition, the truth is somewhere in the middle
📖Go back and read Trump’s book “Art of the Deal” and you will learn a lot
🤷For many things in real estate and public opinion, saying it enough makes it become true.
“This is the GREATEST golf course in history”
“My building is the MOST luxurious ever built”
“‘The Apprentice’ is the highest-rated TV show next to the moon landing”
“I got such a good deal on that lot in Atlantic City — nobody could have negotiated that deal
Different game🤷: The “Art of the Deal” doesn’t work with religious warriors hell-bent on spreading Shia Islam around the world.
‼️Israel likely feels more isolated than during the Obama administration
📰The Wall Street Journal writes, “Israel Is Alarmed by Trump’s Deal With Iran”
Read: Amit Segal’s devastating takedown of Trump and the deal
Be fair⚖️: Trump should get points for masterfully playing Bibi Netanyahu
What I am thinking💭: Israel is now forced to get MORE, not less, aggressive to prove they can defend themselves.
Still possible👀: If Trump gets everything he says the deal will deliver — and the Iranians deliver — without us giving them massive amounts of money…well, that will be incredible.
Fair warning⚠️: The Iranians giving up on their nuclear program, keeping open the Strait of Hormuz and stopping funding terrorists is getting them to go against 1,400 years of Shia Islam.
🤦It’s like teaching Dutch, my overweight black Lab, to not beg for bacon on Saturday morning.
Watch tonight📺: Bill O’Reilly on how we should judge the Iran deal – and why Trump pivoted from listening to Rubio and Hegseth to Vance.
Thank you!🙏: Thank you to all those who joined me in donating to the GoFundMe “Help Collin Walk Again”
Peter
Robert
Trisha
Theresa
Mark
Freeman
Kelley
Ernest
ICYMI‼️: It’s impossible not to be moved by San Francisco Nexstar anchor James Fletcher’s dedication to his son, Collin.
We wrote about this last night: “Things I Tell My Friends”
🏥Collin lost the ability to walk because of a rare neurological disorder — and James is on medical leave to be at his son’s bedside 24/7.
📃If you read one thing today, make it this — James’ story about Collin will inspire you and restore faith in the goodness of humanity.
Make a difference‼️: I’ve (already) donated and would be grateful if you would consider doing so as well
📥Forward Amanda (amanda@warnotes.com) the email with your donation to Collin, and I’ll match the first $2000 in donations from War Notes readers.
GoFundMe “Help Collin Walk Again”
I Am AOC, Hear Me ROAR
🤔Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is unquestionably the most interesting person in the Democratic Party.
Proof☑️: In just the last month, four progressive House candidates endorsed by AOC won their open primaries
Her speedy uprising gives every reason to think she’s running for president — she’s talking about the things people like, understand and want.
Good read📰: Axios headlines “AOC’s hot streak on endorsements divides the left”
‼️AOC was one of the first to understand the post-Bernie socialism — but the more populist Bernie socialism
Look back🔙: In 2016, Bernie understood this rise of modern populism and where the anger was and did well in 2020.
Today📅: AOC is inheriting that movement — just like how Trump inherited the Pat Buchanan, Ross Perot or Michele Bachmann Tea Party movement.
Reality🤷: We know what socialism does — it’s an epic disaster
👀We saw it in Venezuela, Cuba, the Soviet Union
What I’m thinking💭: The idea of having someone like Governor Josh Shapiro or Andy Beshear win the Democratic primary in 2028 is seeming less and less likely.
📈Polling shows AOC leading the polls (26%) in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary
Pete Buttigieg - 22%
Gov. Gavin Newsom - 21%
Kamala Harris - 13%
Gov. Andy Beshear - 4%
😱WOW! Democrats sent a fundraising email showing former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown up eight in the Ohio Senate race.
Trump won the state by 11.2%.
Tonight📺: Former Democratic advisor Dan Turrentine on whether the activist class is writing checks the voters won’t cash.
For example: Mainstream Democrats refuse to engage with Graham Platner in Maine