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Last Notes

2026-05-24 17:35:07 CEST

Rutgers Canceled Me as a Graduation Speaker Because of My Advocacy for Palestine
Rutgers’s School of Engineering held its graduation ceremony on Friday – without me, its convocation speaker.
As a Rutgers engineering graduate and engaged alumnus, I was honored when the dean of the school – whom I had done a fireside chat with in March – invited me to deliver the convocation address back in December.
Two weeks before the event, he called again and [disinvited me][1].
The reason, in his own words: some students had complained that my social media posts about Palestine “are against their beliefs,” and might not attend their own graduation. He told me candidly that he had decided not to review what I posted before making the decision. He acknowledged this had never happened before at this convocation. And in the same call, he floated a long-term solution – the school might simply discontinue having convocation speakers altogether, so “we don’t have this issue anymore.”
“This issue” is not me. It is the willingness of a public American university to host any speaker whose humanitarian advocacy on Gaza some students and administrators would prefer not to hear.
[Subscribe now][2]
My core philosophy is that everybody matters. I have spoken publicly on issues many consider controversial – Black lives, abortion, ICE, DEI, Palestine. This isn’t the first time I’ve been targeted for the last of these; I’ve weathered multiple attempts to silence me as a public-company CEO. In response to one such attempt, my social media was reviewed in detail by a leading law firm. The conclusion: posts on “a broad range of social, humanitarian, and global issues,” focused on “critiquing government actions and spotlighting humanitarian concerns.” Nothing improper. Protected speech. If a leader of another ethnicity were harassed like this, it would make news. But for Arab and Muslim Americans, it’s the casual racism our communities endure.
My posts call out [civilian casualties][3], the [mass killing][4] of [children][5] and [journalists][6], the systematic destruction of [hospitals][7] and [schools][8], and the [subversion][9] of our [democracy][10] in the service of a foreign state.
Rutgers says it wants to focus on students. That logic collapses on contact with the facts: the cancellation was driven by a small number of students, against the visible opposition of a far larger one. The faculty union demanded my reinstatement. A student campaign generated more than 36,000 signatures on a [petition][11] calling for the same. My mere presence, Rutgers Engineering has decided, is what its graduating engineers cannot be exposed to. Unable to challenge me on the facts, the institution stifled the speech instead.
I write this shortly after World Press Freedom Day. Israel has [killed more journalists][12] [than any nation in history][13] — more than the known number of journalists killed in the U.S. Civil War, WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam War combined. In July 2024,* The Lancet *medical journal estimated Israel had killed [186,000][14] people in Gaza since October 2023. With entire neighborhoods and cities reduced to rubble now, nearly two years after that study, that number is feared to be much higher. Thousands of students protesting these atrocities have been met with violence or silence. Now, a handful of students object to a speech and get exactly what they want. Therein lies the bias at the heart of the Palestine exception: one side gets congressional hearings, the other gets [revoked degrees][15] and [broken noses][16].
[Subscribe now][17]
This is not a university balancing competing speakers, weighing student safety, or navigating the boundaries of protected speech. On the one side: my public statements on the moral crisis of our time. On the other side, a small number of students who disagree with those statements. That the existence of the objection – not its substance – was sufficient is itself a testament to anti-Palestinian bias at Rutgers.
What happened is textbook viewpoint discrimination by a state actor. Rutgers is a public university. The First Amendment fully applies. A public university cannot rescind a speaking invitation because others disagree with the speaker’s views – especially views expressed in protected political activity on a matter of grave humanitarian and public concern.
It is also a betrayal of what Rutgers claims to be. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression [ranks][18] Rutgers-New Brunswick 236th out of 257 American colleges and universities for free speech – an F grade, dropping 38 places in a single year.
I do not believe a speaker of a different background, holding views on a different conflict, would have been treated this way. I am Egyptian-American, and I have spoken publicly for Palestinian civilians. I am the second Arab-American speaker in two years to face a Rutgers campaign over humanitarian advocacy on Gaza. Last year, the institution held the line. This year, it did not.
A university is the last institution in American life whose explicit purpose is to be a place where ideas are tested and contested. The four years a student spends on campus are supposed to be where they learn to encounter disagreement without requiring its removal. When a public university models the opposite – when it teaches by its own example that the answer to objection is silencing, and that the answer to the difficulty of defending a speaker is to abolish the institution of having speakers altogether – it is failing not one speaker or one class of students. It is failing the generation of students it was built to serve.
[Share][19]
***Rami Elghandour** is a graduate of Rutgers School of Engineering (2001). He is Chairman and CEO of Arcellx and Executive Producer of The Voice of Hind Rajab & American Doctor.*
***The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Zeteo.***
***ICYMI – Watch Rami’s interview with Zeteo’s Prem Thakker: ***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/rutgers-grad-speaker-canceled-for-social-posts-speaks-out
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLaE6biRbwX/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D
[4]: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gujournal_since-october-2023-over-18000-children-activity-7381025454272512000-Ir_Q?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACvHHUBDhtOzmd7Ukvj9c4_eRjj4RL9Hbc
[5]: https://x.com/RamiElghandour/status/1815474687272485027?s=20
[6]: https://x.com/andrewperezdc/status/1784670347528151467?s=20
[7]: https://x.com/RamiElghandour/status/1723381070358352270?s=20
[8]: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kiwanja_breakthesilence-ugcPost-7376190869114351616-S3D4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACvHHUBDhtOzmd7Ukvj9c4_eRjj4RL9Hbc
[9]: https://x.com/RamiElghandour/status/1987907192893366759?s=20
[10]: https://x.com/RamiElghandour/status/2040970856634225098?s=20
[11]: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/demand-rutgers-to-honor-their-commitment-to-diversity-and-academic-freedom-and-reinstate-rami-elghandour-as-convocation-speaker?source=direct_link&
[12]: https://cpj.org/issue/israel-gaza-war/
[13]: https://cpj.org/special-reports/record-129-press-members-killed-in-2025-israel-responsible-for-2-of-3-of-deaths/
[14]: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01683-0/fulltext
[15]: https://www.newsweek.com/columbia-revokes-degrees-pro-palestine-student-protesters-2044596
[16]: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/cops-dont-belong-at-campus-protests-oped
[17]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[18]: https://www.fire.org/colleges/rutgers-university/free-speech-rankings
[19]: https://zeteo.com/p/rutgers-canceled-me-as-a-graduation?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/rutgers-canceled-me-as-a-graduation

2026-05-23 04:07:17 CEST

This Week in Democracy – Week 70: Trump Loses His National Intelligence Chief, Wins Immunity From Tax Probes
*Trump speaks in front of the American flag to the press as he departs the White House on May 12, 2026. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images*
The sheer amount of news coming out of the Trump administration is hard to keep up with every week, but it was especially true this week: Tulsi Gabbard [announced][1] her resignation, a grand jury indicted 94-year-old former Cuban President Raúl Castro, and we witnessed what some have [called][2] the single “most brazen act of presidential corruption this century.”
On the last point, Donald Trump’s cronies at the Justice Department announced the so-called settlement of the president’s bogus lawsuit (effectively against himself), which includes the creation of a $1.776 billion slush fund to benefit his allies and immunity for Trump and his family for pending tax audits.
Trump doesn’t even rely on distraction anymore; he’s doing everything right out in the open.
From Trump’s slush fund to Republicans canceling a vote on the War Powers Resolution to shield the president from a likely humiliating result to a *Democrat *commuting an election denier’s prison sentence, here’s just a taste of how Trump and his allies hurt democracy, undermined the U.S. Constitution, and harmed societies worldwide:
#### **Saturday, May 16 – Commuting Tina Peters’s Sentence Sets ‘Dangerous Precedent’**
On MS NOW, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold [slammed][3] Democratic Governor Jared Polis for commuting the prison sentence of Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk who was [convicted][4] of tampering with voting machines following the 2020 presidential election.
Griswold called the move, which Trump had [repeatedly][5] [called][6] [for][7], a “gross injustice” and “demoralizing” to election officials, and warned that it sets a “dangerous precedent” for future elections. (Polis was later [censured][8] by Colorado Democrats for his decision.)
[Subscribe now][9]
#### **Sunday, May 17 – Acting AG Says DOJ Is Hard At Work Investigating 2020 Election**
On Fox, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche [spoke about][10] the Justice Department’s investigation into the 2020 presidential election, ridiculously claiming that “there’s a ton of evidence that the election was rigged,” and adding that the DOJ is “very focused on finding out whether the right people voted.”
He also [claimed][11] that the “incredibly troubling things” the DOJ is supposedly uncovering will be made public “at some point, at the right time.”
#### **Monday, May 18 – DOJ Approves Trump’s Very Own Slush Fund**
Trump’s Justice Department officially [announced][12] the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as part of the DOJ’s so-called “settlement” with Trump in his lawsuit against the Treasury Department and IRS over the leaking of his tax returns.
The fund will be overseen by a commission appointed by Blanche, whose members Trump can fire “[without cause][13],” and will be made available, in secret, to those who claim they were wrongfully targeted by the government– [potentially even those][14] Trump pardoned over their involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection.
#### **Tuesday, May 19 – Trump Gets Immunity From Tax Probes**
Acting AG Blanche [signed off][15] on a new provision as part of Trump’s “settlement” that “FOREVER” prohibits the IRS from investigating or prosecuting the president, his family, or his businesses for pending tax claims, including a current audit that could have reportedly cost Trump more than [$100 million][16].
Meanwhile, CNN [reported ][17]that longtime Trump ally and former administration official Michael Caputo filed the first known “Anti-Weaponization Fund” claim, seeking $2.7 million and claiming the “machinery of government was clearly politically weaponized against my family.”
[Subscribe now][18]
#### **Wednesday, May 20 – Trump’s Pay-to-Play Extends to the Tobacco Industry**
The *New York Times* [reported][19] that Trump’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new guidance opening the door to the sale of flavored vapes after a tobacco company donated $5 million to the Trump-backed super PAC, MAGA Inc.
Two days after the donation, Trump had lunch with tobacco industry representatives, during which he interrupted the conversation to complain to his administration officials about the FDA’s e-cigarette regulations. The new guidance was issued just days later.
#### **Thursday, May 21 – House GOP Leaders Cancel Vote To Limit Trump’s War Powers in Iran**
House Republican leaders [abruptly canceled][20] a vote on an Iran War Powers Resolution, which was likely to be approved due to the absences of Republican members of Congress and others who signaled their support for the measure.
The cancellation comes after the Senate advanced a similar resolution earlier this week to limit Trump’s military action against Iran without congressional approval.
#### **Friday, May 22 – Tulsi Gabbard Resigns as Director of National Intelligence**
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard [notified][21] Trump that she’s resigning from her position, effective June 30, noting her husband was recently diagnosed with “an extremely rare form of bone cancer.”
During her time on Trump’s Cabinet, Gabbard, whose job is to oversee the country’s intelligence agencies and advise the president on national security matters, spent months [investigating][22] Trump’s long-debunked claims of the 2020 presidential election being stolen, and even [appeared][23] at an FBI raid of an election center in Fulton County, Georgia, back in January. You can read **Zeteo’s** Swin Suebsaeng’s [take here.][24]
[Share][25]
*NOTE: If you subscribe to **Zeteo’s** U.S. Politics’ morning newsletter, **[First Draft][26]**, a reminder that there will not be a newsletter on Monday 25 due to it being a federal holiday in the U.S.*
***Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up [here][27]. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/breaking-tulsi-gabbard-resigns-trump
[2]: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/why-legal-experts-say-trumps-new-anti-weaponization-fund-is-unprecedented
[3]: https://www.ms.now/news/tina-peters-clemency-jared-police-colorado-trump-2020-election-denier
[4]: https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/two-tiered-system-trump-calls-tina-peters-freed-prison-rcna205070
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-democracy-46-trump
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-48-trump-epstein
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-weeks-50-51-trump
[8]: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/21/colorado-democratic-party-censure-jared-polis-00931682
[9]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[10]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2056015791032553699?s=20
[11]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2056015011298812100
[12]: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-anti-weaponization-fund
[13]: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1441201/dl?inline
[14]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-billion-slush-fund-irs-corruption
[15]: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1441216/dl
[16]: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/11/us/trump-taxes-audit-chicago.html
[17]: https://x.com/PaulaReidCNN/status/2056842557334904940
[18]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[19]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/us/politics/donation-big-tobacco-vaping.html
[20]: https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/21/politics/house-trump-iran-war-powers
[21]: https://www.axios.com/2026/05/22/tulsi-gabbard-removed-trump-administration
[22]: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/spy-chief-tulsi-gabbard-is-hunting-for-2020-election-fraud-07ea2383
[23]: https://x.com/MarkWarner/status/2016722913420845333
[24]: https://open.substack.com/pub/zeteo/p/breaking-tulsi-gabbard-resigns-trump?r=17zg6&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
[25]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-70-trump?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[26]: https://zeteo.com/s/first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=menu
[27]: https://zeteo.com/s/this-week-in-democracy
https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-70-trump

2026-05-21 00:40:48 CEST

Is Bari Weiss Getting Demoted?
Good evening, and welcome to this week’s **‘Ragebait.’**
**Justin Baragona** here, bringing you the latest media dispatches from the right-wing industrial outrage complex and Bari World. In tonight’s edition, speculation that Bari Weiss’s role will be scaled back has reached a fever pitch. So, who could lead a combined CNN-CBS if not Bari? Also, Fox’s coverage of the San Diego mosque shooting sparks internal criticism, and Jeff Bezos has thoughts on ‘Melania.’
[Subscribe now][1]
# **Is Weiss About to be Bari-ed?**
*Bari Weiss speaks onstage during an event in New York City on Nov. 19, 2024. Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for The Free Press*
In just seven short months at the helm of CBS News, **Bari Weiss** is already hearing the rumors rumbling in the background that she could see her role significantly scaled back just as Paramount is readying itself to add CNN to the mix.
[ Read more ][2]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/is-bari-weiss-getting-demoted
https://zeteo.com/p/is-bari-weiss-getting-demoted

2026-05-19 22:02:39 CEST

Donald Trump’s War Crimes Game Show
*Donald Trump speaks at the White House on May 18, 2026. Photo by Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images.*
Donald Trump is a game show host. Ever since 2015, he’s been telling the American voter – twice successfully – that his time hosting ‘The Apprentice’* *and ‘Celebrity Apprentice’* *should be seen as a [qualification][1] for the United States presidency.
Once in the White House, Trump imported many aspects of how he ruled over that NBC reality TV series to how he governed the U.S. This includes his casual, incredibly stupid [racism][2], his cruelty towards those who are different and [people with disabilities][3], and his propensity for [covering for those credibly accused of sexual misconduct][4]. After all, “handle it like you handled it on ‘The Apprentice’” is [actually something he said to][5] one of his senior White House aides during his first term.
But now, Trump has grafted his game-show-host sensibilities onto how he’s running an illegal, horrifying, grossly unpopular, and economy-shredding war on the Iranian people. We are almost a year and a half into the Trump-Vance administration, and this president and his cronies have been so [consistently, luridly lawless][6] and uniquely corrupt that it seems almost quaint to note that President Trump just committed yet another impeachable offense.
[Subscribe now][7]
Still, it cannot possibly be stressed (or yelled about) enough: If the way Trump is waging his Middle East war – with the president openly, routinely declaring his plots to unleash carnage not on the Iranian government but on Iranian *civilians*, with all the Tune-In-Next-Week-style teasing and banal melodrama of episodic reality television – is not an impeachable offense, then nothing is.
And these are not idle threats. “[Donald The Dove][8]” is executing and plotting all of these crimes and killings with the backing of nearly every single senior appointee, administration attorney, and Cabinet member whose actual job it is to tell the president: *[Sir, that would be completely illegal][9]*. Therefore, instead of acknowledging any standard guardrails, the president of the United States is planning sprees of murderous war crimes by his so-called “Department of War” like it’s a fucking game show, with [guest appearances][10] by his celebrity pals and powerful, rich buddies.
[ Read more ][11]
[1]: https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2024-10-16/we-created-a-tv-illusion-for-the-apprentice-but-the-real-trump-threatens-america
[2]: https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-kept-calling-lil-jon-an-uncle-tom-on-celebrity-apprentice/
[3]: https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-called-deaf-apprentice-marlee-matlin-retarded-three-staffers-say/
[4]: https://www.thedailybeast.com/apprentice-staffer-claims-gary-busey-groped-her-and-then-donald-trump-laughed/
[5]: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Sinking_in_the_Swamp/JSKbDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=handle%20it
[6]: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-musk-lawless-second-term-1235290095/
[7]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/happy-new-wars
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-hegseth-admin-lawyers-warn-boat-strike-illegal
[10]: https://x.com/SecWar/status/2048933734204801389
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/donald-trump-iran-war-crimes-game-show
https://zeteo.com/p/donald-trump-iran-war-crimes-game-show

2026-05-16 15:05:53 CEST

‘Mega-Bloodbath’: Trump Officials Hate His Plan to Seize Iran’s Uranium
*Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One on May 15, 2026. Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images.*
As Donald Trump weighs a potentially imminent [escalation of his war on Iran][1], five sources in and close to his administration tell **Zeteo** that the president continues to tell senior U.S. officials and other confidants how interested he is in plans for sending American troops into Iran to capture and remove stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.
Seemingly everybody in the federal government thinks such a mission would be a bloodbath.
The president seems to have cooled somewhat on plans his administration drew up for invading other parts of Iran, such as [Kharg Island][2], but knowledgeable sources maintain that he is still intrigued by the idea of sending U.S. troops and special forces to invade Iran for the purpose of seizing the nuclear material.
[Subscribe now][3]
President Trump has [publicly][4] acknowledged as much, stressing, “I’d just feel better if I got it.” It does not appear that Trump has made a final decision on this yet, even as his administration lays the groundwork [for ramping the war on Iran back up][5].
Sources who’ve discussed this idea with the president say that earlier this year, he used to insist that a uranium-extraction operation would be “easy” for elite U.S. special forces units – or, at least easier than critics and naysayers are making it out to be.
When Trump has spoken about it behind closed doors, it’s often sounded like “he’s talking about a scene in a movie,” one Trump administration official says.
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-fever-back
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XgjOEu5skrM
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-05-15/did-trump-just-say-he-s-at-war-for-pr-reasons
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-fever-back
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-uranium-mega-bloodbath
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-uranium-mega-bloodbath

2026-05-14 13:08:28 CEST

Higher Gas Prices? Trump Doesn’t Care
*On this day in 1796, English doctor Edward Jenner administered the world’s first vaccination as a way to prevent smallpox. By 1970, the disease was eradicated worldwide. Just don’t count on Health Secretary [Robert F. Kennedy Jr][1] to mark Jenner’s achievement today.*
Good morning! **Andrew** here. Perhaps you thought this before, but have you noticed since **Donald Trump** launched his war with Iran that he *really, really* doesn’t care if every American – and well, everyone around the globe – suffers? Relatedly, does anyone know how to make a campaign ad?
There is no paywall in this installment of **‘First Draft’** thanks to today’s sponsor, **[Ground News][2]**!
In today’s **‘First Draft,’ **we review Trump’s history of saying *on camera* that he knew gas prices would go higher, potentially a lot higher, and he launched his war anyway. Plus, a U.S. judge blocks sanctions against United Nations special rapporteur **Francesca Albanese** for investigating Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, and Trump’s favorite Democrat, attention-seeker **John Fetterman**, casts the key vote to keep the Iran war going.
[Subscribe now][3]
# ‘I Expected Worse’
*Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House on May 12, 2026. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images.*
Donald Trump won in 2024, [in large part][4], because Americans didn’t like the Biden-era economy, and the higher prices that followed the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
**“Starting on day one, we will end inflation,”** Trump pledged on the campaign trail, as he promised to drive down energy prices and grocery prices – while also [claiming][5] he’d avoid disastrous regime-change wars in the Middle East.
As both top Trump and Kamala Harris campaign aides [have told it][6], the most effective Trump campaign ads in 2024 revolved around the idea that she was *more of the same*, and video clips of the vice president arguing that **“Bidenomics is working.”**
That, of course, feels like a lifetime ago. As president now, Trump is leading a financial WMD of a regime-change war that’s seen Iran choke off the flow of oil, sending diesel and gasoline prices soaring. Consumer inflation accelerated last month – and it’s likely about to [get much worse][7], as wholesale prices have started to spike.
[Subscribe now][8]
*And Trump couldn’t give a shit. *
That’s not my opinion. Trump keeps screaming it out loud, on video, in the middle of a midterm election cycle that would look very bad for Republicans if they weren’t trying so hard to eliminate Democratic congressional seats and Black voting power in the South.
Asked Tuesday if Americans’ financial situations were motivating him to make a deal to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, Trump [said][9]: **“Not even a little bit,” **adding:** “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation.”**
If that, for some reason, sounds like it could be taken out of context, as Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson [suggested][10] on Wednesday, or sounds like a **“misrepresentation”** of what Trump said, as Vice President JD Vance falsely [claimed][11], there are many similar clips of Trump sounding wholly unconcerned with the economic havoc he’s creating.
Since launching his war of choice, which has seen the price of gas increase by more than 50% in the US, Trump has repeatedly said he expected oil prices would go much higher.
**“We figured oil prices would go up, which they will,” **he [said][12] on March 7, a week after launching his war, or **“excursion,”** as he put it that day.
The national [average][13] gas price in the U.S. was $2.98 the day Trump launched his war. It was $3.41 on March 7.
**“I expected worse, actually,”** Trump [said][14] later that month. **“I thought that oil prices would go much higher.”**
At his March 26 Cabinet meeting, Trump [said][15],** “I thought the oil prices would go up more.”** A day later, at a Saudi investment conference, Trump [said][16], “**I thought oil prices were going to go up higher than they are now.”** Gas was $3.98, a full dollar higher nationally than it was before Trump’s war.
On April 16, Trump dismissed the idea that Americans were facing high gas prices. **“They’re not very high,”** he [told][17] a reporter.
Speaking at The Villages in Florida on May 1, Trump [said][18], **“I thought the oil prices would go up much more,” **adding, **“We have no choice whether it does or doesn’t, I have to do what’s right.”**
[Share][19]
In a bizarre scene a week ago, [surrounded][20] by UFC fighters in the Oval Office, Trump [said][21] he thought the price of a barrel of oil would be triple or nearly quadruple what it was when he launched his Iran war. “**I thought oil prices would go to $200, $250, it’s at $100 now,”** he said. **“Even if it went to $200, it would have been worth it.”**
The national gas price average was $4.54 that day.
On Tuesday, as [he said][22], **“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,”** Trump added that **“a lot of people”** thought oil prices would be even higher. **“It was $99 yesterday, which is low, which is relatively low.”**
As Trump remains so oddly impervious to Americans’ economic pain, observers step in to tell his public just how bad things are getting politically. On Wednesday, CNN data guru Harry Enten [greeted][23] a new report about annualized wholesale inflation up 6% with a disbelieving “**Jesus…**” Then he went to town on just that one aspect of Trump’s terrible cost-of-living polling.
**“These are the ugliest numbers I have ever seen on inflation,”** Enten said. **“And it’s not just one poll… it’s many polls. Just take a look here. President’s net approval on inflation, the five worst polls ever for any president. They all belong to Donald John Trump, and they have all occurred in the last month…**
**“It is a record. Simply put, you do not want to have the five worst polls ever.”**
*We used Ground News to analyze the story on Trump dismissing concerns over high oil prices.*
*Ground News is a news app and website that scans 50,000+ articles while offering built-in bias comparisons, fact checks, and funding transparency for every source.*
*For this story, we see there is a split in the coverage, with 29% left, 44% right, and 27% center**.** The topics are the same, but the coverage couldn’t be more different. Ground News makes it easy to see the difference in how both sides are covering the same story.*
*The built-in factuality and ownership features also highlight the hidden angles behind every article. With Ground News’s Vantage Plan, information becomes your superpower. Learn more at ground.news/zeteox and get 40% off the unlimited Vantage Plan.*
*(This portion of the post was sponsored content.)*
## **🇮🇷 **Iran War Updates
* **Split decision: **John Fetterman’s sole Democratic “no” meant the Senate [failed][24] a seventh time to pass a measure to end Trump’s war. Republican Lisa Murkowski switched to yes with one GOP senator absent. The measure went down 49-50.
* **China crisis:** As Trump landed in Beijing to meet Xi Jinping, the *New York Times* [reported][25] that U.S. officials say Chinese firms are plotting to sell arms to Iran. Meanwhile, a Chinese oil tanker [exited][26] the Strait of Hormuz, controlled by Iran, after being stranded for two months. Trump later [hailed][27] the Chinese president a “great leader” and “friend” and [invited][28] him to the White House.
* **Talks talk:** Vice President Vance [said][29] talks to end the war were “making progress” but Trump’s “red line” was an end to Iran’s nuclear program. An Iranian general [said][30] the country’s military had “no room for retreat.”
* **Secret visit: **Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the UAE during operations against Iran, the Israeli prime minister’s office [said][31]. The UAE [denied][32] that the visit was secret.
* **Lebanon latest:** Strikes on vehicles in southern Lebanon [killed 22 people][33], including eight children, the Health Ministry said, per the BBC. Continuing to ignore the supposed ceasefire, Israel claimed it hit Hezbollah targets and warned residents of nine villages to evacuate ahead of more strikes. The death toll has [topped][34] 2,895 people.
[Share][35]
## **UN Official Beats Trump Sanctions**
*Francesca Albanese speaks in Barcelona, Spain, on May 8, 2026. Photo by Mario Wurzburger/Getty Images*
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, celebrated on Wednesday after a federal judge [blocked][36] U.S. sanctions against her.
The Italian lawyer [said][37]: “As the judge says: ‘Protecting the Freedom of speech is always just the public interest.’ Thanks to my daughter and my husband for stepping up to defend me, and everyone who has helped so far. Together we are One.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio sanctioned Albanese in July 2025, after Trump issued an executive order authorizing measures against anyone involved with the International Criminal Court investigation of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.
Albanese’s “offense” was to recommend war crimes prosecutions against Israeli and U.S. nationals.
The sanctions barred Albanese from entering the U.S. or banking there. As she previously lived in Washington, DC, while attached to the World Bank, and maintains a house in the city, Albanese and her family faced serious problems. In February this year, [Albanese told ][38]**[Mehdi][39]**[ and a ][40]**[Zeteo][41]**[ town hall audience][42] about life under U.S. sanctions, including how she could not “make any financial transaction.” She also discussed a crude video spread by pro-Israel groups attempting to paint her as antisemitic.
Albanese’s husband, Massimiliano Cali, and daughter, who is a U.S. citizen, sued the Trump administration in U.S. District Court in Washington, DC. On Wednesday, in his ruling, Judge Richard J. Leon wrote: “Protecting the freedom of speech is ‘always’ in the public interest … That is so even when an individual's views are ‘hurtful,’ ‘caustic,’ or ‘even outrageous,’ as defendants clearly believe Albanese's speech to be … Indeed, the ‘proudest boast’ of our First Amendment is that it protects the freedom to express even ‘the thought that we hate…’
“Enough said.”
## **🗞️ **What You Need to Know
* **Fed led:** Kevin Warsh was [confirmed][43] as the new Federal Reserve chair. Only one Senate Democrat – *Fetterman, obvs* – backed Trump’s pick, amid concern over the president’s attacks on Fed independence.
* **Legal news:** Trump’s DOJ [sued][44] the Washington, DC, Bar for disciplining Jeffrey Clark, a government lawyer who worked on Trump’s attempt to stay in power after losing the 2020 election. In Florida, Trump, state officials, and trustees of Miami Dade College were [sued][45] over a land deal for Trump’s presidential library.
* **Et tu, Kash?: **After getting FBI Director Kash Patel to [agree][46] to take a test to see if he has a drinking problem, Senator Chris Van Hollen [took][47] a test himself. Meanwhile, MS Now reported agents saying Patel is manipulating statistics [relating][48] to FBI arrests.
* **Epstein update:** Howard Lutnick’s House Oversight [transcript][49] was released. Of the commerce secretary’s attempts to explain issues including a visit to the late sex offender’s island he first failed to mention, Democrat Ro Khanna said: “It was just contortions and lies… He made a farce of the English language.”
* **Drunken slurs:** Senator Rand Paul’s son, William Paul, made antisemitic comments to GOP congressman Mike Lawler at a DC bar, NOTUS [reported][50], adding that Paul said he was “really drunk” and told Lawler to “watch more Tucker Carlson.” Lawler isn’t Jewish. Paul [apologized][51] and said he was seeking help.
* **ICE impunity: **A witness to a [homicide][52] at a Texas ICE facility whose [account ][53]**[Zeteo][54]** published had his appeal dismissed and was ordered removed from the U.S., **Zeteo** learned. In Colorado, a judge [said][55] ICE is violating court orders, including by making and failing to document warrantless arrests.
* **Power play:** Nearly 50,000 Lake Tahoe residents must find a new energy source as their current supplier will feed data centers instead, *Fortune *[reported][56].
[Share][57]
## 🧠 Pop Quiz!
***By his own account, new Fed chair Kevin Warsh appeared in which 1987 movie drama starring Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep?***
Keep your eyes out for the answer below!
## 🌏 Anywhere But America
* **🇵🇸 Don’t forget Gaza: **The Gaza Health Ministry [told Reuters][58] 120 Palestinians, including eight women and 13 children, had been killed in Gaza since the Iran war paused on April 8 – 20% more fatalities than in the previous five weeks.
* **🇵🇸 Plain murder: **A Palestinian man climbed the separation wall between the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, seeking to find work, AP [reported][59]. Israeli forces killed him.
* 🇬🇧 **Keir clings on: **British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stayed in his job despite intense pressure from his own party after disastrous local election results. Health Secretary Wes Streeting was [reportedly][60] set to launch a leadership challenge.
* 🇱🇻 **The PM who is resigning: **Center-right Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa announced that she was resigning after her coalition partner, the Progressives, effectively said it would no longer support her. The resignation comes days after she pushed out Defense Minister Andris Sprūds, of the Progressives, over his handling of multiple incidents of Ukrainian drones flying into Latvia’s territory.
* 🇵🇭 **Senate shots:** Gunfire was [heard][61] in the Philippine Senate, as authorities tried to arrest Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who, as national police chief, enforced former president Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug efforts in which thousands were killed.
[Share][62]
## **😳** WTF?!
Before Doug Burgum became Trump’s interior secretary, he was governor of North Dakota, a state that [produces][63] a lot of energy, renewable sources included.
But he doesn’t seem to know how solar power works.
Appearing before the House Natural Resources Committee, Burgum, who has extensive oil and gas ties, sought to cast doubt on solar projects.
Addressing the California Democrat Jared Huffman, [the secretary said][64]: “All of these projects you are describing in Nevada have one thing in common: When the sun goes down, they produce zero electricity… the whole machine doesn’t work when the sun goes down.”
Huffman requested “unanimous consent to enter in the record this amazing new technology that apparently the secretary is unaware of: It’s a battery.”
Bruce Westerman, the committee’s Republican chair, smirked.
Burgum [stayed stone-faced][65].
#### 🧠 Trivia answer: Ironweed. (Warsh [made the claim][66] to the* Stanford Daily*, while an undergraduate. [IMDB][67] doesn’t list him.)
## ICYMI From Zeteo
*Zeteo’s Martin Pengelly contributed to this newsletter.*
[Share][68]
*Still want to get **Zeteo **content, but not this newsletter? You can unsubscribe directly from ‘**First Draft**’ by going to ‘[manage subscription][69]’ in Substack, scrolling down, and toggling the button for ‘First Draft’ off. *
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/dangerous-irrational-illogical-rfk
[2]: https://ground.news/
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/why-kamala-harris-lost-election-2024-1235154713/
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/team-trump-iran-war-regime-change
[6]: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/campaign-2024-democrats-failure-1235230952/
[7]: https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/13/economy/us-ppi-wholesale-inflation-april
[8]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[9]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2054262313788768765
[10]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2054572871247130733
[11]: https://x.com/acyn/status/2054632706454257884?s=46
[12]: https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-press-gaggle-air-force-one-march-7-2026/#41
[13]: https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/gas-prices-iran-war-state-national-cost-trump-rcna265835
[14]: https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-press-gaggle-before-marine-one-departure-march-20-2026/#104
[15]: https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-remarks-cabinet-meeting-march-26-2026/#50
[16]: https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-speech-saudi-investment-conference-florida-march-27-2026/#111
[17]: https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-press-gaggle-before-marine-one-departure-april-16-2026/#41
[18]: https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-speech-senior-citizens-the-villages-florida-may-1-2026/#95
[19]: https://zeteo.com/p/higher-gas-prices-trump-doesnt-care?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[20]: https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-remarks-ufc-fighters-oval-office-may-6-2026/#79
[21]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2052102649110237682?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
[22]: https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-press-gaggle-before-marine-one-departure-may-12-2026/
[23]: https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/2054713129334951940
[24]: https://x.com/sahilkapur/status/2054603779530793136?s=46
[25]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/us/politics/china-iran-weapons-trump-xi.html
[26]: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chinese-supertanker-attempts-hormuz-passage-data-show-2026-05-13/
[27]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/5/14/trump-xi-summit-live-us-china-leaders-to-hold-talks-on-trade-tech-iran
[28]: https://apnews.com/live/trump-administration-updates-05-14-2026#0000019e-2614-d1f2-a99e-a7d64a390000
[29]: https://www.reuters.com/video/watch/idRW035413052026RP1/
[30]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/5/13/iran-war-live-trump-travels-to-china-as-conflict-with-tehran-looms-large
[31]: https://x.com/TreyYingst/status/2054609964241444959?s=20
[32]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/13/netanyahu-visited-uae-in-secret-during-us-israel-war-on-iran-office-says
[33]: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1k2zekj8y9o
[34]: https://www.moph.gov.lb/en/Media/view/84565/1/-updated-total-toll-of-the-aggression-2896-martyrs-and-8824-wounded
[35]: https://zeteo.com/p/higher-gas-prices-trump-doesnt-care?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[36]: https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2026cv0688-48
[37]: https://x.com/FranceskAlbs/status/2054678738126676308
[38]: https://zeteo.com/p/francesca-albanese-fake-video-gaza-board-of-peace-donald-trump-israel-genocide-united-nations
[39]: https://zeteo.com/p/francesca-albanese-fake-video-gaza-board-of-peace-donald-trump-israel-genocide-united-nations
[40]: https://zeteo.com/p/francesca-albanese-fake-video-gaza-board-of-peace-donald-trump-israel-genocide-united-nations
[41]: https://zeteo.com/p/francesca-albanese-fake-video-gaza-board-of-peace-donald-trump-israel-genocide-united-nations
[42]: https://zeteo.com/p/francesca-albanese-fake-video-gaza-board-of-peace-donald-trump-israel-genocide-united-nations
[43]: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/05/13/us/trump-news-updates
[44]: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-complaint-against-dc-bar-disciplinary-authorities-over-their
[45]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/05/13/trump-library-project-faces-suit-around-hotel-remark-land-transfer/
[46]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2054271883823173801
[47]: https://x.com/ChrisVanHollen/status/2054576877025509515?s=20
[48]: https://www.ms.now/news/fbi-insiders-kash-patel-is-padding-the-stats-to-boost-his-record-of-arrests
[49]: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/read-the-full-transcript-of-howard-lutnicks-testimony-about-jeffrey-epstein
[50]: https://www.notus.org/congress/william-paul-mike-lawler-confrontation-antisemitism
[51]: https://x.com/TastyBrew1776/status/2054658199840559352
[52]: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/01/21/texas-el-paso-immigrant-death-ice-custody-homicide/
[53]: https://zeteo.com/p/texas-ice-homicide-choking-guards
[54]: https://zeteo.com/p/texas-ice-homicide-choking-guards
[55]: https://x.com/rgoodlaw/status/2054595875981205732?s=46
[56]: https://fortune.com/2026/05/12/lake-tahoe-data-center-49000-residents-power-source/
[57]: https://zeteo.com/p/higher-gas-prices-trump-doesnt-care?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[58]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-steps-up-attacks-gaza-since-iran-truce-military-says-hamas-rearming-2026-05-13/
[59]: https://apnews.com/article/west-bank-shooting-israel-palestinians-d230dc14e42fd45f319b4ad083a1495f
[60]: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/13/wes-streeting-prepares-to-launch-leadership-challenge-against-keir-starmer
[61]: https://apnews.com/article/philippines-gunfire-senate-dela-rosa-icc-fdaeba231d80a51f191b06ce25057f40
[62]: https://zeteo.com/p/higher-gas-prices-trump-doesnt-care?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[63]: https://www.eia.gov/states/ND/analysis
[64]: http://x.com/atrupar/status/2054578539375042613
[65]: http://x.com/atrupar/status/2054578539375042613
[66]: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-04/warsh-will-need-his-vaunted-people-skills-to-smooth-return-to-fed-he-s-scorned
[67]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093277/fullcredits/
[68]: https://zeteo.com/p/higher-gas-prices-trump-doesnt-care?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[69]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu
https://zeteo.com/p/higher-gas-prices-trump-doesnt-care

2026-05-11 12:59:11 CEST

🤮 Trump the Golden Calf
*On this day in 1997, chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov conceded defeat by Deep Blue, an IBM supercomputer. Having lost 2-1 with three draws, Kasparov said simply, “I lost my fighting spirit.” Nowadays, college professors flooded with essays written by ChatGPT might know how he felt.*
Good morning, friends. **Prem** here. Wishing you a wonderful Monday and new week, wherever you are, and a happy belated Mother’s Day to all you magnificent moms across the world, doing your best to help us be our best. Thank you. 💜
In today’s **‘First Draft,’** a grotesque golden statue of **Donald Trump** is unveiled at one of his lavish resorts; an ex-Biden State Department official collects tens of thousands of dollars from lobbyists and figures including **Antony Blinken** and **Jake Sullivan** as he tries to beat a populist for a US House seat in Nebraska; and debate flares regarding **Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez**, MAGA exile **Marjorie Taylor Greene**, and their views on Israel and Palestine.
[Subscribe now][1]
# Idol Chatter
*A statue of President Donald Trump is seen during the first round of the Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral Miami on April 30, 2026, in Doral, Florida. Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images*
Late last week, a giant golden statue of a sadistic, narcissistic, psychopathic antagonist was unveiled – blasphemously, some said.
Oh, and we were [also][2] introduced to a gold statue of [Homelander][3], a power-hungry, insecure villain from the Amazon superhero show ‘The Boys.’
In Florida on Thursday, a group of evangelical and Jewish clergy, led by South Carolina congressional[ candidate][4] and presidential “spiritual adviser” Pastor Mark Burns, [gathered][5] to bless a 22-foot-tall, gold-colored statue of Donald Trump.
[Subscribe now][6]
The statue, dubbed “**Don Colossus**” and actually bronze covered in gold leaf, stands proudly at the Trump National Doral golf club resort, depicting Trump raising his fist, as he did after surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.
Trump addressed the launch event, and his cult followers, by phone. Thanking attendees for their support, particularly Pastor Burns, the president inevitably rambled off-topic.
After talking golf, because of the venue, Trump said: “**Iran is not doing good because of us. They are not doing well at all. And good things are happening.**”
He was speaking right after he was forced to pause his slapdash effort to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway closed because of his war, because key allies had not given permission.
In any case, it didn’t take much for many people to raise an eyebrow at the obsequious display, at the spectacle of religious leaders gathered beneath a garish statue. Did someone say idolatry? Does that stuff even matter anymore?
[ Read more ][7]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://x.com/DiscussingFilm/status/2053160337097040270?s=20
[3]: https://deadline.com/2026/04/the-boys-creator-homelander-god-was-too-out-there-trump-1236876556/
[4]: https://www.markburns.org/
[5]: https://www.thelettersfromleo.com/p/maga-religious-leaders-dedicate-and
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-the-golden-calf
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-the-golden-calf

2026-04-13 04:08:09 CEST

What Viktor Orbán’s Landslide Defeat Can Teach Anti-Fascists Across the World
*Viktor Orban waves to supporters in Budapest after conceding defeat in Hungary’s general election on April 12, 2026. Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP via Getty Images*
After 16 straight years in power, Viktor Orbán has finally lost, in a landslide. Young voters in Hungary [mobilized in record numbers][1] to vote out the 62-year-old four-term prime minister – and ally of Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Vladimir Putin. Hungary’s youth saw through the fear-mongering that had buoyed Orbán in election after election since 2010. They want a future different from a fake return to a mythical past.
I once witnessed the future Hungary could have had, and could now have once again. In 2009, I spent two weeks co-directing a summer school on the meaning of the word “if” at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Central European University (CEU) was a new university, with a spectacular urban campus in Budapest. Unusually for a European University, its departments were attracting leading professors from around the world. More than 50 graduate students from across the world attended the summer school – of them, about half a dozen are now tenured professors at leading universities, including Princeton, UCLA, Cornell, and Oxford. I met other academics spending the summer in Budapest, attracted by what Sam Gosling, a University of Texas psychology professor whom I met at Corvino, a fashionable Budapest rooftop bar, declared to be “the new Berlin.” We all agreed that the Hungarian capital was destined to be the crown jewel of cosmopolitan Europe, and Central European University
had the brightest future of any continental European university.
[Subscribe now][2]
2009 was an optimistic year. George Bush, the Iraq War, and the financial crisis were (mostly) in the rearview mirror. Barack Obama was the president of the United States. It was a good time to be thinking about the meaning of the word “if,” a concern about as far removed from fascism as I can imagine. I returned to conduct another summer school in Philosophy of Language a year later, in summer 2010.
But in 2010, Budapest had changed. The mood among my Hungarian friends had turned somber since the election of Viktor Orbán and his far-right, Christian nationalist Fidesz party. There was a great deal of talk of increased hostility towards the Roma people, and many grim jokes about politicians’ obsession with restoring Hungary’s past glory, stolen when “greater Hungary” was taken away by an international cabal of globalists with the Treaty of Trianon at the end of World War I. And Central European University was gradually becoming a political target, along with its Jewish “globalist” benefactor, George Soros. CEU was attacked for spreading “Gender Ideology” – the view that gender is a social rather than a biological construct – and other supposed progressive ills.
### **Return of European Fascism**
[ Read more ][3]
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/12/viktor-orban-concedes-defeat-as-opposition-wins-hungarian-election
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/viktor-orban-landslide-defeat-means-trump-vance
https://zeteo.com/p/viktor-orban-landslide-defeat-means-trump-vance

2026-04-04 19:02:58 CEST

This Week in Palestine: Israeli Lawmakers Cheer the Death Penalty for Palestinians and ICE Abducts Palestinian Green Card Holder
*Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir celebrates after the Israeli Knesset passed a one-sided death penalty law for Palestinians on March 30, 2026. Photo by Oren Ben Hakoon/Reuters*
Another Palestinian dies in Israeli custody. Another Palestinian green card holder is detained by ICE. And Israel passes another draconian law targeting only Palestinians, and Israeli lawmakers celebrate with…champagne.
It goes without saying that it’s been another depressing week in Palestine.
We have all those stories and more below, but a quick note first: For now, we’re sending **‘This Week in Palestine’** to all **Zeteo **subscribers, but that won’t always be the case. To ensure you get the newsletter every week, go to ‘[manage subscription][1]’ in your Substack account, scroll down, and toggle **on** the button for ‘**This Week in Palestine**’. Please make sure you’re a**[paid Zeteo subscriber][2]** so you can read past the paywall.
[Subscribe now][3]
Now, here’s another troubling **‘This Week in Palestine’**:
#### **Saturday, March 28 – Another Palestinian Dies in Israeli custody**
Marwan Herzallah, a 54-year-old man from Nablus, died in Israeli custody. He’s one of more than 100 Palestinian detainees who have died in Israeli prisons or detention camps since Oct. 7 (89 have been identified), according to the [Palestinian Prisoners’ Society][4].
Herzallah had been in detention since early January on “incitement” charges. He had lost a leg in 1995 after being shot by Israeli forces.
#### **Sunday, March 29 – Israel Blocks Jerusalem Cardinal From Holy Site on Palm Sunday**
Israel [blocked][5] the top Roman Catholic official in Jerusalem from marking Palm Sunday in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Christianity’s holiest site, and where many believe Jesus was crucified and resurrected. After outcry, including by the [Trump administration][6], Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [reversed][7] the decision for the rest of Holy Week.
Israel has closed Holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City since the beginning of the war on Iran. Notably, the US did not express outrage over the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to Muslim worshippers on Eid.
#### **Monday, March 30 – Israeli Lawmakers Approve ‘War Crime Against the Palestinian People’ **
[ Read more ][8]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu
[2]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=928661946800422&set=pb.100089698756233.-2207520000&type=3
[5]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-police-block-catholic-cardinal-jerusalems-holy-sepulchre-palm-sunday-2026-03-29/
[6]: https://x.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/2038267075592872362
[7]: https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2038363314732867896
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israel-gaza-death-penalty
https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israel-gaza-death-penalty

2026-04-04 16:36:36 CEST

‘I Feel More In Danger Than Ever Before’: Palestinian Activist Speaks Out After Foiled Murder Plot
A 26-year-old man’s alleged assasination attempt against Palestinian-American activist **Nerdeen Kiswani** was foiled. But, she tells Prem, she is still facing threats as we speak.
Kiswani, co-founder of the organization [Within Our Lifetime][1], has been active in Palestinian human rights advocacy for years and has been the target of increased harassment over the past two-and-a-half years during Israel’s genocide in Gaza. It’s led to her suing Betar USA, one of several anti-speech organizations that have directed threats toward people in the United States – especially Palestinians – for speaking out against Israel’s genocide. The threats culminated in last week’s attempt to firebomb her home.
Though the plot was foiled, she tells Prem, **“I actually feel more in danger than I ever have before.” **
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Her alleged would-be assailant, [Alexander Heifler][3], was a member of an offshoot of the violent Jewish Defense League organization. His group boasted of working with Betar. Kiswani says groups like Betar have attached **“bounties”** to her, encouraging people to give her **“beepers”** (in reference to Israel’s terrorist attack on Lebanon in 2024, using pagers).
Kiswani says threats have continued since the attack. **“Tons of Zionist organizations are saying ‘better luck next time,”** she says. **“It feels like they’re still getting support from lawmakers, government officials, emboldening people to really take the next step and finish the job without getting caught next time.”**
Watch Kiswani talk about the plot against her and her family, how she felt about New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s response to it, and what she makes of racist Republican Rep. Randy Fine’s vicious campaign against her.
We are removing the paywall so you can watch this interview in full. Please **[subscribe][4]**to avoid paywalls in the future – and to help us do more of this work, and to enable as many people as possible to read and watch it all, too.
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***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://wolpalestine.com/
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/meet-accused-pro-israel-coder-plot-kill-nerdeen-kiswani
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?utm_source=menu&simple=true&next=https%3A%2F%2Fzeteo.com%2F
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/nerdeen-kiswani-assassination-plot-palestinian-american-activist?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/nerdeen-kiswani-assassination-plot-palestinian-american-activist

2026-04-04 02:07:27 CEST

No More Aid to Israel, Including the Iron Dome, Declares Rep. Ro Khanna
There seems to be a new Israel stance taking hold among progressive Democrats eyeing a 2028 campaign — no more military aid for either offensive or defensive systems, including the Iron Dome. [AOC has made this shift][1], as has **Rep. Ro Khanna,** who tells **Mehdi **while the Dome **“is important in terms of saving lives, Israel can buy it with their own money.”**
Mehdi challenges him, asking why send any aid at all to an apartheid state committing genocide, noting the US doesn’t sell arms to Russia, who illegally invaded Ukraine.
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**“Ultimately I am for saving lives and whether they are Jewish lives, Israeli lives or Palestinian lives”** says Khanna, noting that in the case of Russia, it can produce its own defense weapons.
Mehdi pushes back again, raising the argument that the Iron Dome is not merely defensive, but a part of an *offensive* arsenal that allows Israel to “get away with” striking other nations with impunity.
**“They’re able to get away with that because the United States policy has been a blank check,” **Khanna says.** “Why don’t we try some things like not giving them military aid first?”**
Khanna, who has led the charge against the Trump admin’s horrific handling of the Epstein files, also speaks to Mehdi about:
* Trump’s threats against [Iran’s civilian infrastructure][3]: **“He’s threatening war crimes…He should be impeached over those things.”**
* [Allegations that Trump sexually abused a minor][4] in the Epstein files and whether he thinks there’s a cover up: **“I absolutely do”**
* Taking credit for Pam Bondi being fired as US Attorney General
**Paid subscribers** can watch the whole interview. **Free subscribers **can watch a four-minute preview. Consider [becoming a paid subscriber][5] to **Zeteo** to unlock this episode and the rest of our award-winning content.
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***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[ Read more ][7]
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/02/aoc-blocks-israel-military-aid
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://www.politico.eu/article/bridges-next-then-electric-power-plants-us-donald-trump-threatens-irans-civilian-infrastructure/
[4]: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/doj-releases-epstein-files-containing-sexual-assault-allegations-against-trump
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/no-more-aid-to-israel-including-the?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/no-more-aid-to-israel-including-the
https://zeteo.com/p/no-more-aid-to-israel-including-the

2026-04-03 23:20:47 CEST

This Week in Democracy – Week 63: Trump Tries to Seize Control of Elections
*Hundreds of thousands march at a ‘No Kings Protest’in New York City on March 28, 2026. Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images*
Welcome to **‘This Week in Democracy – Week 63.’**
First, the good: At least some levers of our democracy are still working, as shown by the millions who exercised their right to protest by marching against King Donald last weekend. Plus, the Supreme Court [signaled][1] it may rule against Donald Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship (though we’re not giving too much credit to a court that has repeatedly given *more* power to the president).
Now, the bad, and as per usual, there was a lot of it: Trump’s [incoherent address][2] to the nation did little to clear up why the US is fighting a war that is costing us billions, killing thousands, and wreaking havoc on the global economy. The president continued his efforts to seize control of elections. And he reminded us, it’s ridiculous to think a nation at war (even if it’s a war the nation [does not ][3]want) should pay for… day care.
[Subscribe now][4]
Here’s just a taste of what Trump and his cronies did this week that harmed democracy, undermined the Constitution, and hurt societies worldwide:
#### **Saturday, March 28 – ‘No Kings’ Protests Break Record**
More than 8 million people in all 50 states and across more than a dozen countries [participated][5] in the third series of “No Kings” protests, in opposition to the Trump administration’s executive overreach.
With more than 3,300 rallies across the country, the demonstrations marked the largest number of protests in a single day in US history, according to one of its organizers.
#### **Sunday, March 29 – Suspicious Trading on Trump’s Policies**
Reuters [reported][6] that unknown traders have netted millions of dollars in profits through well-timed trades anticipating some of Trump’s biggest policy shifts, a pattern that suggests investors may have been tipped off in advance and one that some legal experts believe should be investigated.
The lucrative policy shifts include options traders making millions just minutes before Trump announced he would pause his “Liberation Day tariffs” last April, which caused the stock market to spike. Six people generated a combined $1.2 million in profits from Polymarket bets hours before the US and Israel attacked Iran.
#### **Monday, March 30 – DOJ Watchdog MIA During ‘Epidemic of Misconduct’**
In a letter to the House and Senate Judiciary committee leaders, lawyers for a DOJ whistleblower [accused][7] the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General of failing to investigate “any of the serious allegations of misconduct” made by him and others, including complaints from members of Congress.
The letter warns that the inaction “comes at a time when the amount of governmental misconduct and violation of court orders by DOJ lawyers around the country have reached epic and unprecedented proportions.”
[Subscribe now][8]
#### **Tuesday, March 31 – Trump (Who Votes By Mail) Targets Mail-In Voting**
In his latest effort to take control of elections, Trump [signed][9] an executive order to restrict mail-in voting by creating a list of eligible US citizen voters in every state and prohibiting the US Postal Service from sending absentee ballots to any voter who isn’t on a state’s approved list.
The order, which is being [challenged][10] by states including Oregon and Arizona, who argue it violates the Constitution, also threatens to withhold federal funding from states that refuse to comply.
#### **Wednesday, April 1 – Even Red States Aren’t Safe**
Trump’s Justice Department [sued][11] Idaho for refusing to turn over sensitive data from its voter rolls.
The DOJ has now [sued][12] at least 30 states and DC to obtain unredacted voter rolls, including other red states such as Utah, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
#### **Thursday, April 2 – Trump Fires Bondi**
After trying (and [failing][13]) to prosecute Trump’s perceived political enemies and botching the release of the Epstein files, Trump [fired][14] Attorney General Pam Bondi.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported that Bondi’s upcoming deposition about the Epstein files played a role in the timing of her firing “because the White House wanted to avoid it.” She’s the second woman in Trump’s Cabinet to be fired.
Trump appointed Deputy AG Todd Blanche, who was Trump’s former criminal defense attorney, to replace Bondi in an acting capacity.
#### **Friday, April 3 – White House Wants Historic Military Budget. Sorry Healthcare!**
The Trump administration [asked][15] Congress to approve roughly $1.5 trillion in defense spending, up nearly 40% from the current level and the highest in US history.
To pay for the [additional warfare funds,][16] the proposal calls for a 10% cut in non-defense spending, including cutting $73 billion from domestic programs involving healthcare, housing, and education.
The cuts could have devastating impacts on Americans nationwide. But hey, at least Trump asked for enough money – [$152 million ][17]– to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz as an active prison. 🤬
[Share][18]
***Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up [here][19]. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:***
[1]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/us/politics/birthright-citizenship-trump-supreme-court.html
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/has-iran-broken-trump-address-first-draft
[3]: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/americans-have-bleak-views-iran-war-reutersipsos-poll-shows-2026-04-03/
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[5]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/28/no-kings-protests-trump
[6]: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/lucrative-bets-that-anticipated-trumps-policy-surprises-warrant-scrutiny-experts-2026-03-29/
[7]: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/30/politics/doj-whistleblower-inspector-general-complaint
[8]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[9]: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/ensuring-citizenship-verification-and-integrity-in-federal-elections/
[10]: https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mail-voting-elections-47cc334b1fb7742244a9c4f176b355cd
[11]: https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/1-2026-04-01-Complaint-1.pdf
[12]: https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-doj-sues-idaho/
[13]: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/02/18/trump-justice-department-indictments-bondi/88714118007/
[14]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116336247856387679
[15]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/us/politics/white-house-defense-budget.html
[16]: https://zeteo.com/p/donald-trump-warmonger-in-chief
[17]: https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/trump-asks-152-million-rebuild-alcatraz-reopen-22187580.php
[18]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-60-hegseths?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoyMjQ3MDM3NDYsInBvc3RfaWQiOjE5MDY3MDA0NSwiaWF0IjoxNzczOTQ3ODg1LCJleHAiOjE3NzY1Mzk4ODUsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yMzI1NTExIiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.HnjKF46BTvks3KIDTtxBnVCAqYEWA_4yQ8w0QdczdEQ
[19]: https://zeteo.com/s/this-week-in-democracy
https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-63-trump

2026-04-03 17:02:05 CEST

BREAKING: US Fighter Jet Shot Down, Iran Says
*An F-15 taxis at RAF Lakenheath on April 11, 2025, in Lakenheath, England. Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images*
Iran says it has shot down a US F-15 fighter jet. Videos circulating online indicate there’s an ongoing US rescue mission underway to recover the two pilots.
Iranian state media has apparently issued a public call for residents to help locate and capture the pilots, with a reward offered for anyone who helps recover them alive.
By Friday morning, there was a mad dash inside the Trump administration to figure out what was going on and the whereabouts of the American crew, following the launch of a search and rescue operation. The Pentagon did not immediately confirm or deny the Iranian accounts, but sources in the Department of Defense and White House tell **Zeteo** that they are treating the situation as very real.
[Subscribe now][1]
One senior Trump administration official – who is among the many on Team Trump who quietly view the war as a disaster that, if prolonged, could bring down the administration – bemoans that a potential hostage situation is one of the scenarios that various officials have feared for weeks: a situation that could inspire President Donald Trump to escalate further instead of attempting to wind down the American war effort.
Even as Trump assures the American people that he wishes to be done with his Middle East “[excursion][2]” soon, he has repeatedly warmed to (only to quickly then cool on) the idea of sending in ground troops, an Iran invasion for which his administration has indeed [very much prepared][3]. Several senior US officials who spoke to **Zeteo** believe that a particularly aggressive move by the Iranians, or other factors that Trump may read as a personal humiliation, could easily nudge him back in the direction of extending his war or invading.
The news of the downed jet came a day after the Trump administration attacked civilian infrastructure in Iran – blowing up a bridge, killing eight people and wounding at least 95 – and [bragged about it][4] on social media. Trump [pledged][5] to carry out more war crimes: “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!”
As news developed about Iran downing a US fighter jet, Trump [posted][6] gleefully on social media about the thought of taking over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has effectively shut down the crucial waterway, stopping the flow of oil and throttling the global economy. US allies have, thus far, refused to join in on any mission to clear the strait – which would be exceedingly dangerous.
[Share][7]
Trump suggested in his primetime address on Wednesday evening that he would leave it to other countries to open the strait. Yet, on Friday morning, he posted, “With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD??? President DONALD J. TRUMP”
*This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. *
***Check out more from Zeteo:** *
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-excursion-incursion
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-kharg-island-bloodbath
[4]: https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2039744702946107396/
[5]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116338464010194156
[6]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116340751005894827
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/breaking-us-fighter-jet-shot-down?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/breaking-us-fighter-jet-shot-down

2026-04-03 13:32:23 CEST

Donald Trump, Warmonger-in-Chief
*On this day in 1948, President Harry Truman formally created the Marshall Plan, providing aid to European Cold War allies. In a move the current president might question, Truman kept his name off the plan, instead using bipartisan respect for Secretary of State George Marshall to smooth its passage through Congress.*
Good morning, **Mehdi** here. Thank goodness it’s Friday? Normally, yes. Normally, you can relax a bit at the end of the week. But during this war, Fridays bring an ominous feeling to all of us here at **Team Zeteo**. Because the weekends, with markets closed, are when Trump[ likes to escalate][1]. Will this be the weekend, *[the long weekend][2]*, that Trump decides to send ground forces into what could become a [“][3]**[bloodbath][4]**[”][5] for US troops? We’ll be watching.
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ **warmonger Trump** picks the military-industrial complex over his own working-class base; women don’t seem to last long in the Trump administration; **Tiger Woods** calls Trump from the scene of his DUI car crash; and **Hamas** refuses to disarm until Israel withdraws its forces from **Gaza**.
[Subscribe now][6]
# Warfare Not Day Care, Says Donald
*Trump at a rally with US Army troops on June 10, 2025, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.*
Do you remember when private citizen Donald Trump and then 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump pretended to be anti-war? When he said US wars in the Middle East had **“bled our country dry,”** and railed against** “wasting lives and money” **overseas? When he repeatedly insisted that those billions should be used at home to **“rebuild the USA”**?
Today, *President* Donald Trump is spending billions of dollars *every single day* on his own illegal and catastrophic war of choice in the Middle East. One online tracker puts the direct cost of his Iran war at almost [$40 billion][7] in less than 40 days. The Trump administration is already seeking more than [$200 billion][8] in additional funding from Congress for the Department of Defense, to pay for the war and to restock munitions.
But that’s not all. Later today, the president of the United States will unveil his [2027 White House budget][9], which is expected to feature a massive and unprecedented escalation in defense spending across the board.
The expected 50% jump in Department of Defense spending, from [$1 trillion to $1.5 trillion][10], would mean the US would be spending roughly three times as much on defense as all of the European members of NATO *combined*. It would be the biggest increase in US defense spending since the Korean War and would exceed the biggest year-on-year increases in Pentagon expenditures under Republican hawks like Ronald Reagan (around 20% in 1983) and George W Bush (around 15% in 2003).
But wait… there’s more.
[ Read more ][11]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/gay-ayatollah-trump-story-first-draft
[2]: https://www.investopedia.com/stock-investors-brace-for-uncertainty-over-the-upcoming-long-weekend-iran-war-11941431
[3]: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cGj7_oJgPII
[4]: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cGj7_oJgPII
[5]: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cGj7_oJgPII
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[7]: https://iran-cost-ticker.com/
[8]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/world/middleeast/pentagon-200-billion-iran-war-funding-hegseth.html
[9]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/business/economy/trump-budget-spending.html
[10]: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/07/trump-calls-record-defense-budget-00715298
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/donald-trump-warmonger-in-chief
https://zeteo.com/p/donald-trump-warmonger-in-chief

2026-04-03 03:17:30 CEST

Trump Wasted $3 Billion on Tomahawks to Attack Iran. Here's What Americans Could Have Got Instead.
*A destroyer fires a Tomahawk missile in support of Operation Epic Fury, on Feb. 28, 2026. Photo by U.S. Navy via Getty Images.*
Donald Trump is costing American taxpayers billions of dollars for a lethal long-range missile to illegally bomb Iran, even as he slashes funding for public services at home.
The Tomahawk – a long-range, precision-strike cruise missile that can carry up to a 1,000-pound warhead – has already been used in at least one documented war crime. The *New York Times *[reported][1] that videos showed a Tomahawk had struck near the Minab girls’ school in the early hours of the US-Israeli war in Iran. The footage further proved that the US was responsible for the horrific attack, since it is the only country in this war with access to Tomahawk missiles.
One Tomahawk takes up to two years to make, and the latest model costs $3.6 million. The US has used over 850 of them in Iran, [according][2] to the *Washington Post, *burning through a limited supply of the costly missile and setting a grim [record][3] for the number of times the Tomahawk has been used in one US conflict alone. The same missiles were also used in Trump’s attacks last year on Iran, Yemen, and Nigeria.
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The estimated 850 Tomahawk missiles used to bomb Iran so far in Trump’s latest war have cost an estimated $3.1 billion. Here’s what that money could fund instead:
# School Lunches
[ Read more ][5]
[1]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/08/world/middleeast/iran-minab-school-strike.html
[2]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/27/iran-war-tomahawk-missiles/
[3]: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/middle_east/2026-03-30/tomahawk-burn-rate-epic-fury-21225805.html
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-tomahawk-missiles-buy
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-tomahawk-missiles-buy

2026-04-02 23:16:11 CEST

We've Spent Trillions on Our Pentagon Budget. So Why Are We Losing Against... Iran?
*Trump arrives to address the nation on his war in Iran on April 1, 2026. Photo by Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images*
Americans are used to hearing that they have the greatest military on Earth. An[ increasing][1] number are aware they also have the most *expensive* military on Earth, especially after [Donald Trump announced yesterday][2] that his trillion-dollar Pentagon budget is the reason we can’t afford daycare, Medicare, or Medicaid. So, one month into the US-Israeli war against Iran, why is the US taking around [10 casualties per ][3]*[day][4]* (that’s without setting foot on Iranian soil), unprepared for sea mines, running out of air defenses, and seeing hard-to-replace strategic aircraft blown up on the tarmac?
The Egyptian military, which knows a thing or two about having planes blown up on the ground (Israel launched the 1967 “Six Day War” with a surprise attack on Egypt’s air force that is widely considered a historic strategic coup), might have the answers we’re looking for.
[Subscribe now][5]
Like many Army officers of the so-called ‘Global War on Terror’ era who were expected to work alongside Middle Eastern partners, I had to study up on the Egyptian army. Required reading included a much-cited, embarrassingly orientalist [paper][6] entitled “Why Arabs Lose Wars,” whose author attributes the dismal record of Arab countries’ militaries to alleged cultural defects like penchants for “paranoia” and “deception,” and a “[predilection to confuse facts with wishes][7]” ([sound familiar][8]?), while underplaying the real reason modern Arab armies didn’t win many wars: *That’s not what they were designed to do.* Instead, they were optimized to protect authoritarian regimes from perceived domestic threats by quelling dissent and maintaining supporters with patronage in the form of contracts or jobs. Most Arab militaries have excelled at what they were* designed to do*, with the operationally unimpressive Egyptian Armed Forces emerging victorious from their skirmish with popular
rule following the Arab Spring.
So, what is the US military actually *designed* to do, and how does that explain the failures of the Iran war?
[ Read more ][9]
[1]: https://news.gallup.com/poll/1666/military-national-defense.aspx
[2]: https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/pointing-to-the-iran-wars-cost-trump-abandons-his-pre-election-promises-about-daycare
[3]: https://theintercept.com/2026/04/01/iran-war-us-casualty-numbers-trump-hegseth/
[4]: https://theintercept.com/2026/04/01/iran-war-us-casualty-numbers-trump-hegseth/
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu/olj/meria/meria00_den01.html
[7]: https://ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu/journals/meria/v17i1/f_0029666_23981.pdf
[8]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nfz2DLVm_k
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/pentagon-budget-iran-war-losing
https://zeteo.com/p/pentagon-budget-iran-war-losing

2026-04-02 20:12:42 CEST

BREAKING: Trump Fires Pam Bondi… for Not Being Corrupt Enough
*Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Oct. 7, 2025. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images.*
Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday for, among other things, failing to put his enemies in jail.
Bondi is the second Cabinet member that Trump has ousted, after he fired former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last month.
In the days leading up to this latest sacking, sources with direct knowledge of the situation told **Zeteo **that President Trump had been privately trashing Bondi’s job performance behind her back for weeks, if not months. Complaints were multi-faceted, and included griping about her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files debacle, which continues to haunt the White House to this day.
[Subscribe now][1]
However, another recurring grievance of Trump’s, these sources recount, is that he believes she did a “very subpar” job (in the words of a person who speaks to Trump often) leading the Justice Department’s baseless criminal investigations into and prosecutions of his political enemies. In recent months, the president has repeatedly vented to confidants that the Bondi-era DOJ isn’t prosecuting his many foes swiftly or ferociously enough, and that the now-former AG was at risk of letting his political foes, in Trump’s phrasing, “get away with it.”
Sources in and close to the administration also add that Trump has at times fumed that Bondi and the Justice Department have not investigated the 2020 presidential election results as aggressively as he’d like; Trump of course lost that election to Joe Biden but for years has worked to turn his anti-democratic lies and conspiracy theories into Republican dogma.
In other words: one of the key reasons that President Trump is getting rid of Attorney General Bondi – who went all-in on Trump’s cult of personality, and has overseen a Department of Justice that has indeed corruptly gone after Trump’s vindictively selected targets – because she is not corrupt or authoritarian *enough*.
In typical Trump fashion, he [announced][2] Bondi’s ouster on Truth Social while calling her a “Great American Patriot and loyal friend.” He also claimed she will be taking a job in the private sector, and said her deputy, Todd Blanche, will step in as acting attorney general in the interim.
[Several][3] [outlets][4] have reported, and **Zeteo **can confirm, that Trump is considering EPA administrator Lee Zeldin for Bondi’s replacement, a staunch Trump ally who as a congressman voted *against *certifying the election results when Joe Biden won in 2020.
Bondi’s firing comes just 12 days ahead of her [scheduled][5] deposition over how the Justice Department has handled the release of its files relating to pedophile and former Trump friend Jeffrey Epstein. The House Oversight Committee [voted][6] to subpoena Bondi last month to compel her testimony on the matter.
A previous congressional hearing over the Epstein investigation in February devolved into a shouting match when Bondi – who faced the impossible task of defending the indefensible – resorted to [insults][7] and bizarre diversions. At one point, she pivoted to the stock market to avoid answering questions about her failures on the investigation and apparent coverup of her boss’s alleged ties to Epstein.
[Share][8]
“The Dow is over 50,000 right now. The S&P [is] at almost 7,000 and the Nasdaq [is] smashing records. Americans’ 401k and retirement savings are booming right now,” Bondi [said][9] as Epstein survivors seated behind her looked on. “That’s what we should be talking about.”
Her performance on Capitol Hill was just one example of her servitude to Trump, which in the end, was still not enough to stay in his good graces.
At a Cabinet meeting last summer, Bondi [lavished completely nonsensical praise][10] on Trump – an enduring theme of her short, rocky tenure as the president’s yes-man in court.
“Mr. President, your first 100 days has far exceeded that of any other presidency in this country ever … ever,” she said. “Never seen anything like it. Thank you. Your directive to me was very simple: Make America safe. And, despite that, we’ve still been defending over 200 civil lawsuits filed against you.”
Bondi then read some numbers on Trump’s supposed fentanyl seizures, then said, “which saved – are you ready for this media?” She turned to the camera and said “258 million lives” – or about 75% of the nation.
And off-camera, she faced Trump’s scolding push – sometimes publicly – to weaponize the Justice Department to prosecute his perceived enemies.
In a September Truth Social [post][11] that read more like a berating text, Trump ordered Pam to hire his former personal lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, as US attorney, and to prosecute high-ranking Democrats that had dared to stand up to him, including New York Attorney General Letitita James, former FBI director James Comey, and Senator Adam Schiff.
Bondi’s Justice Department did attempt several prosecutions, including of [James][12] and Comey but they’ve all failed in court – and Halligan completely embarrassed herself.
[Subscribe now][13]
No matter how upset Trump was with Bondi’s job performance, numerous Trump officials privately say that the president himself has made it harder for them to charge his political enemies, given how obvious and public he is about [ordering up selective and vindictive prosecutions][14] of people who pissed him off.
As AG, Bondi turned the Justice Department’s mission into serving the personal and political interests of the president. A recent [ProPublica analysis][15] found that the Justice Department had quietly abandoned over 23,000 criminal cases in just the first six months of Trump’s second term – including hundreds of investigations into terrorism, white-collar crime and drugs – all to shift resources to his anti-immigration efforts.
Bondi even explicitly instructed employees of the Justice Department to serve the interests of the president, even though the agency is meant to be independent.
“When Department of Justice attorneys, for example, refuse to advance good-faith arguments by declining to appear in court or sign briefs, it undermines the constitutional order and deprives the president of the benefit of his lawyers,” Bondi wrote in a [memo][16] dated Feb 5. 2025.
But Bondi’s fierce allegiance to Trump – even over her sworn obligation to the rule of law – still fell short for the [Mad King][17].
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116336247856387679
[3]: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/01/politics/pam-bondi-trump-discussed-ousting
[4]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/us/politics/trump-pam-bondi-future.html
[5]: https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/03.17.2026-Subpoena-Cover-Letter-Bondi-FINAL.pdf
[6]: https://www.c-span.org/program/house-committee/house-oversight-committee-votes-to-subpoena-attorney-general-pam-bondi/674772
[7]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/11/pam-bondi-democrats-epstein-hearing
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-fires-pam-bondi-justice-department?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[9]: https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/republicans-subpoena-attorney-general-bondi-epstein-files-release/
[10]: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-dear-leader-bondi-noem-republican-propaganda-1235356187/
[11]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115239044548033727
[12]: https://zeteo.com/p/letitia-james-indicted-as-trump-continues
[13]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[14]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-doj-political-enemies-prosecution-backfire
[15]: https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-doj-immigration-bondi-declinations-criminal-investigations
[16]: https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1388521/dl?inline
[17]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-one-year-america-first-mad-king
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-fires-pam-bondi-justice-department

2026-04-02 16:03:29 CEST

Shouldn’t Democrats Be Able to Condemn Genocide?
*Mallory McMorrow (left). Andy Beshear (right). Photos by Getty Images.*
This shouldn’t be at all controversial. After two and a half years, Democratic candidates and elected officials should – and indeed, must – be willing and able to name and condemn the genocide that Israel has committed against Palestinians with US support.
It is [not a question][1] of whether Israel has committed genocide. Putting aside the [long list][2] of human rights experts and organizations that have come to this conclusion, we in the US have all watched the genocide unfold on our screens, and on our dime. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed at least 72,289 people in Gaza – and potentially as many as [215,000][3] people – while forcibly displacing 1.9 million.
The genocide is precisely why Americans’ opinions on Israel and Gaza have radically and rapidly shifted – especially among Democratic voters. And Kamala Harris’s inability to separate herself from Joe Biden’s support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza likely played [a significant role][4] in why Democrats lost the 2024 election.
[Subscribe now][5]
Unfortunately, we continue to see Democrats – from Senate candidates, to potential 2028 presidential hopefuls, to party-aligned think tanks that advise Dems what to say and think – refuse to call Israel’s genocide what it is. In doing so, they deny reality, and doom themselves both morally and politically.
If Democrats want to regain power and the trust of the American people – and restore America’s supposed standing in the world – they cannot assume they can dance their way around this issue.
### ‘Purity Tests’
The preferred rhetorical crutch these days appears to be that voters who want Democrats to condemn Israel’s genocide in Gaza are not attempting to gauge their politicians’ values, but instead are unfairly subjecting them to a “purity test” or “litmus test.”
Take the Michigan Senate race, for example.
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPHl8ffEI3U
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/who-says-israel-committing-genocide-gaza-list-politicians-countries
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/truth-about-gaza-death-toll-part-3
[4]: https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/kamala-harris-gaza-israel-biden-election-poll
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/democrats-genocide-mcmorrow-beshear-third-way
https://zeteo.com/p/democrats-genocide-mcmorrow-beshear-third-way

2026-04-02 12:58:48 CEST

Has Iran Broken Trump?
*On this day in 1992, a New York jury found mob boss John Gotti guilty on 13 counts, including murder. A key witness was Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, a former Gotti lieutenant who confessed to 19 killings and who would one day make headlines by endorsing Donald Trump. “We need a gangster,” Gravano said in 2024. *
Good morning! **Swin** and **Andrew** here. Moments before President Donald Trump went live last night, Swin predicted that his Wednesday night address on the Iran war would sound eerily similar to that scene from ‘A Fish Called Wanda’ in which the **Kevin Kline** character, gun drawn, [angrily insists that America][1] did not lose the Vietnam War. Well, Swin was wrong… Trump’s so-called speech was much, *much* worse than that.
In today’s **‘First Draft,’** we review that sleepy, bumbling, bloodthirsty** primetime address**, the wider Iran war news produces more **nasty polling** for the president, and even Trump’s pet **Supreme Court** justices seem skeptical about his bid to end **birthright citizenship**.
[Subscribe now][2]
# Like ‘Listening to Joe Biden’
*Trump addresses the nation from the White House on April 1, 2026. Photo by Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images.*
[As we reported in yesterday morning’s ][3]**[‘First Draft,’][4]** very few people – including in Trump’s own administration – are actually buying his effort to declare victory in Iran and move on. **“However poorly you think the war is going, it is worse,”** one senior administration official said in recent days. A different senior US official bluntly stated: **“Iran can declare victory, too,”** adding that **“nobody will buy our attempt to sell this as a big win.”**
Still, if you are the US commander in chief, and you’re one month into a major war that you launched, the *one* communications job you have is to be able to go on live TV and project calm, confidence, and reasonably high energy to the American people, when you’re telling them how well the war is going.
On Wednesday night – April Fools’ Day, funnily enough – President Trump couldn’t even be bothered to do that. (He’s a former reality TV star; he is supposed to be good at doing TV.) Setting aside for a moment the typically incoherent jumble that pervaded his televised address, the American president delivered a jarringly listless, elderly-seeming speech that did little to inspire confidence – including in his own ranks.
[Subscribe now][5]
During and after his address, an array of Trump advisers, administration officials, allies on Capitol Hill, and rich Mar-a-Lago buddies gave **Zeteo** their snap reviews of Trump’s message and delivery. (Yes, they asked for the cloak of anonymity, so as to not piss off God King Donald.) Virtually across the board, the president was panned by his own people, with some denigrating the speech as pointless, and others reiterating how much senior members of the administration never wanted this to happen in the first place.
One Trump administration official said the following on Wednesday night: “**It reminded me of listening to Joe Biden speak**.”
In Trumplandia, that is perhaps the worst possible thing you could say about anyone, much less the sitting president and leader of the GOP.
But Wednesday night’s speech revealed the extent to which Trump’s reckless and illegal war is breaking him down – in ways that numerous other massive crises, criminal investigations, and scandals simply could not. For once, his bullshitting, bullying, and bravado aren’t working – and he *cannot take it*. Plus, he’s sounding notably old and drained as he tries to pretend, to a late-night audience of millions, that he can.
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X6QqZF3J14
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/will-trump-surrender-iran-primetime-address
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/will-trump-surrender-iran-primetime-address
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/has-iran-broken-trump-address-first-draft
https://zeteo.com/p/has-iran-broken-trump-address-first-draft

2026-04-02 01:34:03 CEST

Tapper vs. Piker: Is the CNN Anchor Auditioning for David Ellison?
Good evening, and welcome to this week’s **‘Ragebait.’**
**Justin Baragona **here, bringing you the latest media dispatches from the right-wing industrial outrage complex and Bari World. In tonight’s edition, we dig into how **Jake Tapper** taking on **Hasan Piker** is making many wonder if the CNN anchor is pandering to his soon-to-be new bosses – or maybe he’s just trying to make his dad happy. Plus,** Donald Trump** thinks a **Bush**-era neocon is “Brilliant” and **CBS News** is doing all white.
[Subscribe now][1]
# **Tapper ‘Auditioning to be CNN’s Dokoupil’**
Three weeks after [drawing the ire of progressives][2] for targeting **Zohran Mamdani** and his wife for hosting pro-Palestinian activist **Mahmoud Khalil**, CNN star **Jake Tapper** is once again under fire for taking aim at a left-wing critic of Israel and painting that person as antisemitic.
In this instance, Tapper’s target is popular progressive streamer **Hasan Piker**, who has suddenly found himself [the focus of a cancellation campaign][3] by centrist groups and [right-wing Jewish publications][4] looking to marginalize his influence in upcoming Democratic primaries.
Tapper has struggled with balancing his reporting on Israel and Palestine throughout the years. According to one former CNN colleague, the anchor – who is Jewish – would get calls from his father accusing him of “selling out” if he did anything too “Palestinian-friendly,” prompting Tapper to “do something that was kind of pro-Israel” shortly after.
[ Read more ][5]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/how-the-fox-news-cabinet-helped-jumpstart
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/third-way-hasan-piker-democrats-mcmorrow
[4]: https://jewishinsider.com/2026/04/jon-ossoff-hasan-piker-democrats-georgia-jewish-community/?utm_source=cio
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/tapper-vs-piker-is-the-cnn-anchor
https://zeteo.com/p/tapper-vs-piker-is-the-cnn-anchor

2026-04-01 20:25:12 CEST

Dispatch From Iran: 'How Will We Rebuild What We Have Lost?'
*Medical workers rally in front of a hospital damaged in a US-Israeli strike, in Tehran on March 7, 2026. Photo by Shadati/Xinhua via Getty Images*
*TEHRAN, Iran* – More than 750 schools. Over 300 healthcare centers. And 90,000-plus homes.
The US and Israel have destroyed or damaged more than 115,000 civilian structures, Iran’s [Red Crescent Society ][1]says – leaving behind a system of chaos, with hospitals, schools, water plants, and civilian roadways turned to dust or rendered useless.
But the toll goes far beyond the loss of structures: The chaos has put enormous pressure on the country’s healthcare workers and first responders, disrupted education for students at every level, and [displaced hundreds of thousands][2], inflicting both physical and psychological trauma that will take many years to recover from, if Iranians can at all.
“Destruction here is not simply material loss,” Tehran’s municipal spokesperson, Abdulmutahhar Mohammad Khani, tells me. “It means disrupting the lives of citizens and inflicting profound psychological and social harm.”
[Subscribe now][3]
I spoke to doctors, teachers, officials, and other civilians here in Tehran and across the country to get a sense of the human toll the US and Israel’s assault on civilian infrastructure is taking. What they told me paints a picture of a systematic destruction that no military objective can justify and of a population left to absorb a catastrophe that the world is still debating.
### **‘After A Shift Ends, I Find Myself Crying’**
Even as a growing number of Iranians require emergency treatment – the US-Israeli strikes have [killed][4] more than 3,400, including over 1,500 civilians, and injured tens of thousands of others – the country’s medical infrastructure is buckling under the pressure of an unprecedented inflow of patients.
“Since the bombardment began, the hospital has been in a permanent state of emergency,” says Dr. Amir Karimi, a general practitioner at Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad, a city in northeast Iran. He has worked at the hospital for 20 years and says he’s never seen the medical system in such a deep state of crisis.
“Every minute, new cases arrive – blast injuries, burns, psychological trauma. We work without stopping,” Karimi tells **Zeteo**.
Making matters worse, doctors face a shortage of medical supplies, a result of [years-long sanctions][5] that have hampered the country’s ability to import critical materials.
After treating two children wounded in the bombing of a nearby school – one suffering multiple fractures and burns, the other in severe shock – Karimi and his colleagues had to improvise.
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://x.com/Iranian_RCS/status/2039339227721138332
[2]: https://www.unhcr.org/us/news/press-releases/unhcr-3-2-million-iranians-temporarily-displaced-iran-conflict-intensifies
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.en-hrana.org/day-31-of-u-s-and-israeli-attacks-on-iran-humanitarian-concerns-amid-hundreds-of-strikes/
[5]: https://www.dw.com/en/iran-sanctions-mean-life-saving-medication-in-short-supply/a-74825554
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/dispatch-from-iran-how-will-we-rebuild
https://zeteo.com/p/dispatch-from-iran-how-will-we-rebuild

2026-04-01 16:07:12 CEST

No, Iranian Americans Don’t Support This War
In 2002, Iraqi exiles led by Ahmad Chalabi helped sell George W. Bush’s catastrophic war on Iraq. Today, as Donald Trump follows in Bush’s footsteps in Iran, a similar question looms: where do Iranian Americans stand?
In [new polling][1] conducted one month into the war on Iran by Zogby Analytics and commissioned by my organization, the National Iranian American Council, there is a clear answer: Iranian Americans overwhelmingly oppose this war.
[Subscribe now][2]
### **A Community in the Crosshairs**
Iranian Americans have been heavily propagandized in recent years. Ten years ago, virtually every major Iranian diaspora figure, including those who now support the war – from [Shireen Ebadi][3], to [Nazanin Boniadi][4], to even the son of the deposed Shah [Reza Pahlavi][5] – shared our organization’s position in support of the Obama-era nuclear deal. As Iranians inside Iran celebrated the historic accord in hopes of a brighter future, polling of Iranians in the diaspora showed broad support for the agreement – and strong opposition to war from even some of the most fervent opponents of the Islamic Republic.
But while Iran hawks and hardliners failed to block Obama’s nuclear deal, they redoubled efforts to put the US and Iran back on the war path – including by working to reverse the broad support inside Iran and among the diaspora for US-Iran diplomacy.
Networks like [Iran International][6] were launched with millions in funding from Saudi Arabia and support from Israel to promote regime change. Organizations like the “Iran Disinformation Project” were established with funding from the Trump State Department to [attack Iranian-American opponents][7] of war. And many formerly pro-deal voices shifted to support tearing up the deal and imposing “maximum pressure” sanctions. Prominent figures like Reza Pahlavi were cultivated by the Israeli government and became the beneficiaries of [Israeli-funded online influence operations][8]. And Iranian Americans who dared oppose war or sanctions were [threatened, doxed, and intimidated into silence][9] in what appeared to be a [coordinated campaign][10].
[Share][11]
The end result of this steady barrage of propaganda, combined with the Islamic Republic’s violent repression and a crumbling sanctions economy, was a steady winnowing of opposition to war among Iranian Americans. When we polled the community [before the 12-day war][12] in June 2025, a majority opposed military action (53%) but by smaller margins than in the past. By the time we polled Iranian Americans at the outset of the current war, the community was nearly [evenly split][13] on the question of initiating the conflict.
But now, one month into the war, that dynamic has shifted back to where it once was. Iranian Americans overwhelmingly oppose the war and want Trump to end it now through a negotiated off-ramp. There is no mandate from this war from the Iranian-American community: while some may want us to reprise the role of Chalabi, they don’t have the support of the community behind them.
### **Two-Thirds of Iranian Americans Oppose the War**
In our new polling conducted by Zogby Analytics from March 24-27, 66% of Iranian Americans say they oppose the US war on Iran, with just 33% in favor. This is a 16-percentage-point swing from the beginning of the war, when Iranian Americans were evenly split, 49%-49%, on the war.
There are a number of potential explanations for the initial divide. Support for war among Iranian Americans likely spiked in the aftermath of the horrific Iranian government crackdown that killed thousands of Iranians amid anti-government protests in January. Those feelings of grief and despair were likely buttressed by fantastic claims laundered by Persian media outlets and diaspora activists that the US and Israel would only strike “the Islamic Republic” while somehow not striking Iran in what would be a “rescue mission”; that tens of thousands of defectors were lined up to quickly depose the regime once the fighting started; and that a transitional government led by the son of the deposed shah who hasn’t set foot in Iran in over 40 years would quickly sweep into power.
[Subscribe now][14]
But while the opening phase of the war may have been celebrated by many when the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed, soon we learned that over 150 girls were [killed in a US bombing of Minab][15]. And now, after a month in which thousands of Iranians have been killed, and we began to see wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure that evokes recent memories of the destruction of Gaza, our community’s flirtation with war has ended. The community has returned from a period of ambivalence and increased openness to war to a clear position opposed to war with Iran.
### **Iranian Americans Want Change – But Not From Foreign Intervention**
When asked what the impact of the war will be one year from now, Iranian Americans’ views are overwhelmingly negative.
A majority of Iranian Americans say life in Iran one-year from now will be worse for Iranians (57%).
A majority also believes the Islamic Republic will remain in power (53%) after the war, but if the war does achieve its initial objective of “regime change,” just 37% of Iranian Americans say it will lead to a better government taking power. 60% anticipate negative outcomes from US-led regime change, including state collapse, a worse government taking power, or civil war.
On the question of “regime change,” a majority of Iranian Americans do want to see Iran’s government changed (61.1%) – but they say only if it is changed by the Iranian people, not through foreign intervention. Just 27.5% said the US should pursue regime change through military intervention or other action.
### **Now What?**
If the president or lawmakers care to hear what Iranian Americans really think about this war, and not just to use them as puppets to promote a war, the message is stark. Some 70% of Iranian Americans say the US should end the war now. Despite the significant opposition to Iran’s government, over 65% of Iranian Americans say the US should negotiate an agreement with that government to end the war. And the number one thing that Iranian Americans say the US can do to help Iranians is to end the war.
[Share][16]
***Jamal Abdi** is the president of the National Iranian American Council, which was founded in 2002 to advance peace, civil rights, and the priorities of Iranian Americans. Previously, he served as an aide in Congress focused on foreign policy, national security, and immigration.*
***The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Zeteo.***
***Check out more from Zeteo:***** **
[1]: http://www.iranianamericanpoll.org/
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://lobelog.com/exiles-join-iranian-majority-in-supporting-iran-deal-congress/
[4]: https://cyruskrane.wixsite.com/support-peace
[5]: https://youtu.be/DcmBqEOr91U?t=508&si=prsoFwtAr1f49af6
[6]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/31/concern-over-uk-based-iranian-tv-channels-links-to-saudi-arabia
[7]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/31/us-cuts-funds-for-anti-propaganda-group-that-trolled-activists
[8]: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/security-aviation/2025-10-03/ty-article-magazine/.premium/the-israeli-influence-operation-in-iran-pushing-to-reinstate-the-shah-monarchy/00000199-9f12-df33-a5dd-9f770d7a0000
[9]: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/04/22/iran-diaspora-harassment-00092598
[10]: https://www.socialforensics.com/reports-2/state-sponsored-platform-manipulation
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/no-iranian-americans-dont-support?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[12]: https://niacouncil.org/views-of-the-iranian-american-community-niac-yougov-poll-may-june-2025-full-report/
[13]: https://niacouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-NIAC-Zogby-Poll-Report-.pdf
[14]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[15]: https://zeteo.com/p/gaza-iran-children-minab-killed-western-imperialism-israel-us
[16]: https://zeteo.com/p/no-iranian-americans-dont-support?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/no-iranian-americans-dont-support

2026-04-01 13:14:11 CEST

Will Trump Surrender At 9pm Tonight, Invade Iran, or... Brag About His Ballroom?
*On this day in 1789, the House of Representatives elected its [first speaker][1]. Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania was thought suited to the role because his “rubicund complexion” and “ample dimensions” created a sense of dignity – not a quality in notably high supply in Congress today.*
Good morning! **Andrew** here. It’s April 1! No pranks from us today. We will, however, watch **Donald Trump’s** primetime address tonight so you don’t have to.
In today’s **‘First Draft,’** we ponder what **“important update”** the president will have for us about his war, which is going even worse than you think; Americans don’t approve of Trump’s **fascist paramilitary**; and **AOC** clarifies her stance on aid for Israel.
[Subscribe now][2]
# Fool to Address the Nation
*Trump shows off renderings of his planned White House ballroom, while aboard Air Force One, on March 29, 2026. Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP Via Getty Images.*
When Donald Trump launched his dangerous and very illegal war against Iran, he broke with modern presidential tradition. Rather than give a live primetime address, as is customary, he posted a prerecorded video from Mar-a-Lago. Tonight, he will finally give his first live primetime address about the war… on April Fool’s Day…. begging the question: Is he messing with us?
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tweeted Tuesday that **“President Trump will give an Address to the Nation to provide an important update on Iran.”**
What should you, dear **Zeteo** reader, expect to hear from America’s first Mad King on Wednesday at 9pm ET? Let’s break down the various options:
[ Read more ][3]
[1]: https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1800-1850/The-first-Speaker-of-the-House,-Frederick-A-C--Muhlenberg-of-Pennsylvania/
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/will-trump-surrender-iran-primetime-address
https://zeteo.com/p/will-trump-surrender-iran-primetime-address

2026-04-01 03:04:06 CEST

Kharg Island: Everything You Need to Know About the Island Trump Wants to Invade
*Satellite view of Kharg Island off the coast of Iran. Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2024.*
As the US-Israeli war with Iran enters its fifth week, Donald Trump is openly talking about seizing a tiny island most Americans had never heard of, and it turns out he first floated the idea [38 years ago][1].
Kharg Island – a five-mile-long coral outcrop in the Persian Gulf that houses Iran’s vital oil export terminal – could soon become ground zero for what would be the most reckless escalation of the conflict yet.
[Subscribe now][2]
As **Zeteo** has reported, senior Trump administration officials have been briefed on [casualty estimates][3] for a Kharg ground invasion, and in multiple scenarios, American losses would be “considerable.”
So, here are 7 things you should know about Kharg Island…
### 1. Welcome to the ‘Forbidden Island’
Kharg Island sits about 20 miles off Iran’s northern coast in the Persian Gulf. It’s only about five miles long and three miles wide, barely a speck on a map compared to Iran’s over 630,000 square miles of land.
Kharg is officially restricted; there are no tourists, no journalists, and no visits to the island without government clearance. It’s earned the nickname[ “Forbidden Island”][4] because the only people allowed on it are oil workers, military personnel, and around 8,000 residents.
Satellite images of Kharg show rows of massive storage tanks, flames shooting from flare stacks, and a web of pipelines running to vast piers where supertankers dock. Beneath all that infrastructure? 2,400-year-old[ rock carvings][5], ruins of one of the[ oldest Christian monasteries][6] in the Persian Gulf, and an 18th-century Dutch East India Company fort. Iranian writer Jalal Al-e-Ahmad once called it[ “the orphan pearl of the Persian Gulf.][7]”
### 2. It’s Iran’s Economic Lifeline
[ Read more ][8]
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/12/polly-toynbee-1988-interview-donald-trump
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-kharg-island-bloodbath
[4]: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/trump-may-eyeing-irans-kharg-island-risk-rcna264875
[5]: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/trump-may-eyeing-irans-kharg-island-risk-rcna264875
[6]: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/kharg-island-is-key-to-irans-oil-exports-targeting-it-carries-major-risks
[7]: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/3/11/the-orphan-pearl-inside-kharg-the-beating-heart-of-irans-oil-empire
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-kharg-island
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-kharg-island

2026-03-31 22:49:41 CEST

7 Ways Israel Is Turning Lebanon Into Gaza
*Israel strikes a residential building in the Dahiyeh area of Beirut on March 31, 2026. Photo by Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu via Getty Images*
Israel isn’t hiding it. In the last month, its far-right government has been explicitly clear that it plans to do to southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut what it did to Gaza.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has [warned][1] that Beirut’s southern suburbs of Dahiyeh will soon look “like Khan Younis,” a city in Gaza that Israel has left almost completely uninhabitable.
Defense Minister Israel Katz has [said][2] he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israeli military to destroy the infrastructure near Lebanon’s border as it did in Rafah and Beit Hanoun, two cities in Gaza that Israel completely decimated.
We’re already seeing exactly how Israel’s plan is playing out. With the [death toll][3] already at more than 1,260, here are seven ways Israel is using its genocidal Gaza playbook to kill, decimate communities, and take over parts of Lebanon while flaunting international law in the process.
### **1. Killing Journalists**
Over the weekend, Israel [killed][4] three Lebanese journalists – Fatima Ftouni, her brother Mohammed Ftouni, and Ali Shuaib – in targeted strikes on their vehicle, which was reportedly clearly marked as press. As it’s done in Gaza, where it’s [killed][5] over 250 Palestinian journalists, Israel attempted to justify its attack by claiming one of the reporters, Shuaib, was a militant.
But also, as it’s done after killing journalists in Gaza, Israel offered no tangible proof. Hezbollah rejected Israel’s claim that the journalist was part of its elite Rawdan Force. In an extremely rare admission, Israel [told][6] Fox it had photoshopped a photo showing Shuaib in a military uniform. “Unfortunately there isn’t really a picture of it, it was photoshopped,” the Israeli military said.
Israel, of course, said nothing of Fatima and Mohammed Ftouni.
*A woman holds up a poster of three journalists killed the previous day by Israeli airstrikes, during their funeral in Choueifat, south of Beirut, on March 31, 2026. Photo by Sally Hayden/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images*
### **2. Targeting Health Workers and Infrastructure**
Since Oct. 7, Israel has [killed][7] more than 1,700 health workers across Gaza in what UN experts have labeled a “[medicide][8].” We’re now witnessing another medicide take place in Lebanon.
Lebanese officials [say][9] that in just the last four weeks, Israel has killed more than 50 healthcare workers, targeted scores of ambulances and emergency service workers, and [forced][10] five hospitals to close, including, as the UN points out, four with maternity wards. One hospital in the southern city of Tyre has been hit at least five times, according to [Al Jazeera][11]. Nine hospitals have been damaged, and more than 50 primary healthcare centers have been forced to close, per the [UN][12].
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Israel uses the same types of allegations it uses in Gaza to attempt to justify its actions. It claims Hezbollah is using ambulances and medical facilities for military purposes. Of course, as we know from Gaza, these claims are baseless (remember the “Hamas headquarters” Israel [insisted][14] was under Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza?)
Regardless, targeting healthcare facilities unless there’s definitive proof that they’re being used for military purposes renders such infrastructure protected under international law, experts [say][15].
### **3. Genocidal Language**
[ Read more ][16]
[1]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-orders-residents-leave-southern-beirut-2026-03-05/
[2]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/16/israel-expansion-lebanon-ground-campaign-fears-prolonged-occupation
[3]: https://www.moph.gov.lb/en/Media/view/83600/1/daily-report-on-the-aggression-1-268-martyrs
[4]: https://cpj.org/2026/03/israeli-strike-on-media-car-targets-kills-3-journalists-in-south-lebanon/
[5]: https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/12/1166481
[6]: https://x.com/TreyYingst/status/2038211697022808099
[7]: https://www.ochaopt.org/content/reported-impact-snapshot-gaza-strip-25-march-2026
[8]: https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/two-healthcare-workers-killed-every-day-average-during-israels-genocide-gaza
[9]: https://www.moph.gov.lb/en/Media/view/83600/1/daily-report-on-the-aggression-1-268-martyrs
[10]: https://reliefweb.int/report/lebanon/lebanon-flash-update-12-escalation-hostilities-lebanon-26-march-2026
[11]: https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/3/31/tyre-hospital-hit-five-times-since-start-of-israels-attacks-on-lebanon
[12]: https://reliefweb.int/report/lebanon/lebanon-flash-update-12-escalation-hostilities-lebanon-26-march-2026
[13]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[14]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/17/idf-evidence-so-far-falls-well-short-of-al-shifa-hospital-being-hamas-hq
[15]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/17/can-hospitals-be-military-targets-international-law-israel-gaza-al-shifa
[16]: https://zeteo.com/p/7-ways-israel-uses-gaza-playbook-lebanon
https://zeteo.com/p/7-ways-israel-uses-gaza-playbook-lebanon

2026-03-31 16:09:27 CEST

Debunked! Bill Maher Is Wrong About Israel, Again.
“Every war Israel has fought is a war of defense. Every war, they were attacked first.”
That’s what Bill Maher claimed on Friday’s episode of ‘Real Time’ on HBO.
Maher urged Democrats to spread this message to younger voters who according to him don’t know anything about the history of the region and get their information only from TikTok. But, in his latest scathing ‘Debunked’ monologue, **Mehdi sets the record straight** and brings the receipts to show Israel’s long history of aggression – just look at 1956, he argues. And 1967. And 1982.
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And history seems to be repeating itself right now as Israel again attacks or starts wars of aggression in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and beyond.
Mehdi’s message to Maher and the pro-Israel brigade in this must-watch explainer video is clear: Israeli aggression is nothing new. “**Israel is attacking its neighbors, attacking Arab countries, without justification, and in violation of international law. And they’re doing it again right now, to Iran**,” he says.
If you’re a free subscriber, consider [upgrading][2] to paid to support **Zeteo’s** work and stand up to corporate media bias. You can also [donate][3] to **Zeteo** to help us grow.
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https://zeteo.com/p/debunked-bill-maher-is-wrong-about

2026-03-31 13:43:31 CEST

Meet the Pro-Israel Coder Accused of Plotting to Kill a Palestinian-American Activist
*On this day in 1985, the first Wrestlemania event was held at Madison Square Garden in New York. Wrestlers included Mr. T and Hulk Hogan, with Muhammad Ali refereeing and timekeeping from Liberace. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Donald Trump soon got involved, first hosting the event at one of his Atlantic City casinos in 1988.*
Good morning friends! It’s **Prem**. Wishing a happy April Fool’s Eve to all who celebrate – and a happy Farmworkers Day to all the hardworking people who give us the gift of sustenance. May we repay the favor.
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ messages leaked to **Zeteo** give a better picture of the man accused of seeking **to kill a Palestinian-American activist**; three United Nations peacekeepers were killed in **Lebanon** as Benjamin Netanyahu expands Israel’s illegal invasion; and the White House **openly boasts about killing Iranian leaders** for the crime of… disagreeing with them during nuclear negotiations.
Let’s get into it.
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# Caught Slacking
*Pro-Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani speaks during a press conference in City Hall Park on March 30, 2026, in New York City. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images.*
The man accused of plotting to assassinate Nerdeen Kiswani, a Palestinian-American activist in New York, concerned colleagues at a previous job with provocative internal communications, according to sources and messages seen by **Zeteo**.
Alexander Heifler, 26, was [arrested last week][2] for an alleged plot to firebomb the home of Kiswani, who lives in Brooklyn with her infant son and husband.
Heifler [reportedly][3] identified as a member of the JDL 613 Brotherhood – a New York and New Jersey-based group that has taken inspiration from the Jewish Defense League, a violent extremist organization that was listed on the FBI terrorist list.
Leaked messages obtained by **Zeteo** show Heifler justifying genocidal language used by Israeli government officials and feeling paranoid about his safety amid Israel’s war on Gaza.
[ Read more ][4]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/hoboken-new-jersey-man-charged-possession-and-making-molotov-cocktails
[3]: https://www.npr.org/2026/03/27/g-s1-115549/new-york-gaza-firebomb-home-plot-activist
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/meet-accused-pro-israel-coder-plot-kill-nerdeen-kiswani
https://zeteo.com/p/meet-accused-pro-israel-coder-plot-kill-nerdeen-kiswani

2026-03-30 22:32:07 CEST

BREAKING: Israel Approves Extreme Death Penalty Law Targeting Only Palestinians
*Israeli soldiers detain Palestinians during a raid in the occupied West Bank on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP via Getty Images*
Israel’s parliament approved a one-sided death penalty measure to execute Palestinians. It’s one of the most extreme laws in the nation’s history, and will exacerbate the far-right government’s illegal system of apartheid.
Some members of the Knesset, including ultranationalist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, were seen wearing noose pins in the Knesset on Monday, and [celebrating][1] with drinks on live TV after the bill passed. Ben-Gvir [said][2] hanging is “one of the options,” as is execution by the electric chair or euthanasia.
The bill drew international condemnation ahead of its passage, including from the [European Union][3], UN special rapporteur [Francesca Albanese][4], and Amnesty International. Human rights groups have [vowed][5] to challenge the bill in Israel’s supreme court.
[Subscribe now][6]
The legislation, which has garnered broad public support in Israel, authorizes executions for “terrorists” who kill “with the intent to deny the existence of the State of Israel,” [according to Haaretz][7] – effectively ensuring it won’t apply to any of the settlers who routinely murder Palestinians.
In military courts in the occupied West Bank, [execution][8] will now be the default punishment for terrorism. Only Palestinians are tried in these courts, and [96% of people are convicted][9], though cases are largely built on “confessions” extracted through torture.
The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians [condemned][10] the bill on Monday ahead of the vote as an “extreme escalation in Israel’s genocidal policies against Palestinians.”
“The progression of the legislation marks not just a profoundly unjust and illegal act of discrimination under international law, but a far more sinister escalation of Israel’s apartheid legal systems,” the center wrote.
*Lawyers protest the draft bill to impose the death penalty on Palestinian detainees, on Nov. 9, 2025 in Hebron. Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Anadolu via Getty Images*
Israel is currently imprisoning about 9,500 Palestinians, according to the human rights group B’Tselem, and about half of them are held under administrative detention.
According to the group, the Israel Prison Service has already started to prepare designated execution facilities.
B’Tselem on Sunday called the bill “another official killing mechanism” that will further normalize the slaughter of Palestinians, as Israel continues its genocide in Gaza and intensifies attacks in the occupied West Bank.
[Share][11]
“The death penalty is a total violation of the most basic human rights, primarily, the right to life,” B’Tselem wrote. “Israel enforces a comprehensive policy of killing and oppression against the Palestinian people in all the territories it controls. The Death Penalty Law gives Israel’s apartheid regime yet another tool for advancing that policy.”
On top of Monday’s bill, the Knesset is also considering another death penalty measure to impose on alleged Oct. 7, 2023, attackers. [According][12] to Amnesty, that bill would effectively expand the unilateral powers of military judges and eliminate judicial safeguards.
*Have a tip for Minnah? Reach out on Signal at minnahfarshad.94.*
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://x.com/JalalAK_jojo/status/2038681147740188777?s=20
[2]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/30/israel-passes-law-death-penalty-palestinian-convicted-terrorists
[3]: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/israel-statement-spokesperson-death-penalty-bill_en
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/entrenching-apartheid-amnesty-un
[5]: https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-death-penalty-bill-knesset-ben-gvir-c67c1c14f218a4d67ed3d5011cd5cf8d
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[7]: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-politics/2026-03-30/ty-article/israel-passes-bill-mandating-death-penalty-for-palestinians-convicted-of-terror/0000019d-3f83-d3ba-abbf-bfdfd95c0000?utm_source=App_Share&utm_medium=iOS_Native
[8]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/30/israel-passes-law-death-penalty-palestinian-convicted-terrorists
[9]: https://x.com/btselem/status/2038306992012345741
[10]: https://www.icjpalestine.com/2026/03/30/israels-death-penalty-for-palestinians-is-a-solidification-of-its-ethnic-cleansing-campaign/
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/israel-approves-death-penalty-law-palestinians?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[12]: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ACT50/0677/2026/en/
https://zeteo.com/p/israel-approves-death-penalty-law-palestinians

2026-03-30 21:00:28 CEST

Who’s in Charge: Israel or the US? Mehdi and Prem React
The war on Iran continues to spiral into a quagmire that seems to have Donald Trump stuck. Why?
Well, it seems like the US might not be calling the shots. In a revealing moment, Trump [said][1] last week that he couldn’t name the Iranian negotiator he was in talks with because he “doesn’t want them to be killed.”
**“Why couldn’t we just tell the Israelis not to kill him? Because we don’t control Israel, apparently. Apparently, Israel controls us,” **says** Mehdi **to** Prem **on** **‘Ask the Editor,’ **Zeteo’s** weekly live Q&A. **“$3.3 billion a year, for what?”** Prem responds.
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Watch the** full video above** to hear Prem and Mehdi unpack:
* A possible ground invasion of Iran: **“Trump likes to watch action movies. I like to watch action movies. But I’m not president, and I don’t think action movies are real life. Trump does.”**
* JD Vance suggesting that this war could last up to a year (?!)
* Democrats dragging their feet on this war:** “Why the fuck are you in Congress then?”**
* Mehdi’s reaction to his viral [‘Professor’ Jiang interview][3]
* …and much more!
Let us know what you think in the comments, and [subscribe][4] to catch our next episode of **Ask the Editor** every **Monday at 11am ET **on [Zeteo.com][5], [YouTube][6], or on the Substack app.
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*If you believe in the work we do and want to see more of it, do consider [becoming a paid subscriber][8]. A [donation][9] to Zeteo also goes a long way.*
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[1]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2036084891654164923?s=20
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-goes-head-to-head-with-professor-jiang
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[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/whos-in-charge-israel-or-the-us-mehdi?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
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https://zeteo.com/p/whos-in-charge-israel-or-the-us-mehdi

2026-03-30 13:26:30 CEST

Are These Trump's Worst Poll Numbers... Ever?
*On this day in 1981, President Ronald Reagan, his press secretary James Brady, and two officers were shot outside the Washington Hilton Hotel. All four survived, though Brady was paralyzed. The shooter, John Hinckley Jr., was charged with attempting to assassinate the president but found not guilty by reason of insanity. *
Good morning! **Andrew** here. Two days after 8 million people took to the streets to reject **Donald Trump** as part of the nationwide “No Kings” protests, a new poll shared exclusively with **Zeteo** finds Trump with what may be his worst approval rating of his political career.
Today’s newsletter is paywall-free, thanks to our sponsor, **Ground News.**
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ only **33% **of Americans approve of **Trump’s job performance**, not even MAGA voters want their Mad King to put boots on the ground in Iran, **AOC** is tired of being hit from the left, and the US will allow **Cuba** to receive one oil tanker.
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# Everybody Hates Don
*Trump at Miami International Airport on March 27, 2026. Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images.*
Donald Trump keeps musing about his desire to serve an unconstitutional third term. Last week, he [shared][2] a post on Truth Social about how he deserves a third term **“as a reward”** for the 2020 election being stolen from him – which is, of course, a complete lie.
New polling shared exclusively with **Zeteo** demonstrates just how delusional our president really is: Only **33%** of Americans approve of the job he is doing, and **62% **disapprove, according to the UMass Amherst national poll. This figure may well represent the worst approval rating of Trump’s political career.
The UMass poll finds broad opposition to Trump’s illegal and dangerous war in Iran: **29%** say they approve of Trump’s military actions against Iran, while **54%** disapprove.
[Subscribe now][3]
The war has more support among MAGA fans.** “With the war entering its second month, our findings suggest that the Trump administration has withstood the criticism coming from within its own base,”** Tatishe Nteta, director of the poll and political science professor at UMass Amherst, tells **Zeteo**.
But that could change if Trump decides to put boots on the ground in Iran. Only **8% **of Americans believe the US should send ground troops, and **67%** disagree with the idea, per the UMass poll. Among people who **“very much” **identify with MAGA, **30%** say the US should put boots on the ground in Iran, while **36%** of MAGA devotees disagree.
As **Zeteo** has reported, Trump has for weeks been [weighing a ground invasion][4] of Iran – despite obvious [logistical problems with the idea][5] – and senior administration officials have been briefed that efforts to seize Kharg Island, a decades-long goal for Trump, [would result][6] in **“considerable”** American casualties.
The *Washington Post* [reported][7] over the weekend that the Department of Defense **“is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran,”** citing US officials, **“as thousands of American soldiers and Marines arrive in the Middle East for what could become a dangerous new phase of the war should President Donald Trump choose to escalate.”**
Trump [spoke][8] with the *Financial Times* on Sunday about his desire to **“take the oil in Iran”** by occupying Kharg Island, from where most of Iran’s oil is exported. Trump complained that **“stupid people back in the US say: ‘Why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people.”**
Americans, by and large, understand the US-Israeli war in Iran is causing energy prices to spike: **79%** say invading Iran will increase oil prices, while only **7%** disagree.
**“The American public does not seem to be buying what President Donald Trump is selling when it comes to the war with Iran,”** Nteta says.
[Share][9]
Outside of the war, which could get much worse at any moment, Trump’s approval on key issues ranges from bad to catastrophic: **24%** say Trump has handled inflation well, **28%** say he’s handled tariffs well, and **22%** believe the president has done a good job handling the release of information concerning his former friend Jeffrey Epstein, the world’s most famous pedophile.
According to the UMass poll, **59%** of Americans agree with the following statement: **“The Trump administration is hiding important information about the Epstein case.”** And **50% **of Americans believe Trump’s attacks on Iran are meant to distract from the Epstein files, while **30% **disagree. Those figures [mirror the findings][10] of a recent Data for Progress poll conducted on behalf of Drop Site News and **Zeteo**.
Nteta notes that immigration – Trump’s signature issue – has **“quickly become one of the president’s most pressing vulnerabilities.” **Only **35% **say he’s handled immigration well, and** 60%** say he hasn’t.
The UMass poll is one of many showing Americans are turning on Trump. The president’s response, beyond urging his party to pass a sweeping voter-suppression bill, is to publicly pretend it isn’t happening.
**“Right now my polls are better than they’ve ever been before,”** he lied on Friday.
## 🇮🇷 Iran War Updates
**Death tolls:**
* **Iran:** Iran’s deputy health minister [told][11] Al Jazeera that at least 1,937 people had been killed in US-Israeli attacks. Iranian officials said earlier this month that nearly 20,000 people had been injured.
* **Lebanon:** Israel has killed at least 1,238 people, including more than 120 children, in Lebanon, according to yesterday’s [figures][12] from the country’s Health Ministry.
* **US troops**: At least 13 US troops have died in incidents related to the war.
* **Israel**: At least [25][13], including six Israeli soldiers, have been killed and thousands injured in Iranian and Hezbollah attacks in Israel.
* **Elsewhere in the region:** Dozens of others have been killed across the region, including four Palestinian women in the occupied West Bank.
**And in more Iran war news…**
* **Oil and uranium:** Trump may want Iran’s oil, but according to [the ][14]*[Wall Street Journal][15]*, he’s also considering an operation to “extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium.” Such a mission would be extremely risky and dangerous for US troops, experts noted.
* **Spain closes airspace to US military: **Spain has [closed its airspace][16] to US aircraft involved in strikes on Iran, further cementing its opposition to the war after already saying the US cannot use joint military bases inside the country to launch attacks.
* **Israeli and Kuwaiti infrastructure hit:** In Israel, a fire broke out at an oil refinery in Haifa after missiles were fired toward the city. Earlier, a chemical plant in Israel was [hit][17]. In Kuwait, a power and desalination plant was [targeted][18].
* **War widens:** Iranian-backed Houthis [claimed][19] responsibility for missiles fired at Israel from Yemen, the first since the war began.
* **Israel kills reporters:** An Israeli strike [killed][20] three Lebanese journalists, including Al-Mayadeen’s Fatima Ftouni, her brother, Mohammed, and Al-Manar’s Ali Shuaib. Their car was reportedly clearly [marked][21] “press.” Israel [admitted][22] to targeting Shuaib, whom it accused without evidence of being part of Hezbollah’s intelligence unit – an allegation the group, which controls Al-Manar, denied. Israel also admitted that it photoshopped an image of Shuaib in a Hezbollah uniform.
* **‘Buffer zone’:** Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [said][23] Israel would “further expand” operations in southern Lebanon, though it was not clear if he was referring to territory beyond the Litani River. More than a million people have already been displaced.
[Subscribe now][24]
*A recent report shows that more than 11,000 US citizen children have had their parents detained by ICE. Of these arrests, nearly 60% have resulted in deportations. The impacts of such enforcement are undeniable – the Trump administration is leaving many children without their parents, resulting in devastating trauma and family separation.*
*What’s also troubling is the limited coverage that this story is receiving. Despite the urgency of the situation, only 10 outlets have covered the latest reports, and none of them were right-leaning news sources. This means that regardless of your political views, you may never see this story.*
*In a time this turbulent, don’t miss out on the facts. [Ground News][25] is a news app and website that scans 50,000+ articles while offering built-in bias comparisons, factuality checks, and funding transparency for every source. The Blindspot feature also highlights stories like this one that you might miss in your daily reading. *
*With Ground News’ sVantage Plan, information becomes your superpower. Learn more at [ground.news/zeteox][26] and get 40% off the Vantage Plan for just $5 a month.*
*(This portion of the post was sponsored content)*
## AOC Hits Back
Last year, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rankled the left by voting against an amendment from conservative Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to block $500 million for Israel’s Iron Dome and missile defense programs.
Ocasio-Cortez [argued][27] at the time that the measure would do “nothing to cut off offensive aid to Israel,” and would only target defensive aid “while allowing the actual bombs killing Palestinians to continue.” She ended up voting against the overall military funding bill and, to be clear, even Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot agrees that she has [never actually][28] “voted to approve weapons sales or major military aid packages to Israel.”
Nevertheless, eight months later, AOC is still catching heat from some on the left for her vote on the Iron Dome amendment – and now she’s hitting back.
Political commentator Ana Kasparian, from The Young Turks, tweeted at Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday, “You should vote to send Israel more money for weapons!”
AOC [replied][29] with a burn: “I never have. Feel free to continue lying publicly, though. Those checks don’t cash themselves and you aren’t talented enough to be relevant with the truth.”
## **🗞️ **What You Need to Know
* **DHS chaos:** With the partial shutdown [dragging on][30] and airport misery ongoing, Republicans who [failed][31] to pass funding tried to pass the buck. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise [said][32] senators had “buyer’s remorse” after voting to fund DHS but not ICE or part of Customs and Border Protection, but didn’t name any.
* **House of Mouse: **Lindsey Graham didn’t let the DHS mess stop him from flying to Disney World. [TMZ][33] published snaps of the senator breakfasting at Chef Mickey’s. Graham said he flew to Orlando to meet Trump envoy Steve Witkoff.
* **Endorsement watch: **[Justice Democrats][34], backer of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Summer Lee, and other progressives, announced new endorsements: Saikat Chakrabarti in California’s 11th district and Adam Hamawy in New Jersey’s 12th.
* **DNC vs. AIPAC?:** The Democratic National Committee will next month consider a resolution criticizing the pro-Israel lobby group by name, Semafor [reported][35]. The measure also “condemns the growing influence of dark money and corporate-backed independent expenditures in Democratic elections."
* **Piker likers:** Three possible Democratic presidential hopefuls – Gavin Newsom, Ro Khanna, and Rahm Emanuel – [told][36] *Politico* they would speak to left-wing influencer Hasan Piker. Cory Booker, Ruben Gallego, and Elissa Slotkin said no – even though they’re all happy to go on Islamphobe Bill Maher’s HBO show!
[Share][37]
## 🧠 Pop Quiz!
***As a child, Senator Lindsey Graham earned a distinctive nickname from the patrons of the Sanitary Café, the bar his father owned in Central, South Carolina. What was it?***
Keep your eyes out for the answer below!
## 🚨 Don’t Miss It!
Will Trump carry out a ground operation in Iran? Join **Mehdi** and **Prem** TODAY **at 11am ET, 8am PT, or 4pm GMT,** for **Zeteo’s** **‘Ask the Editor.”**
[TUNE IN HERE][38]
## Anywhere But America
* **🇵🇸 Don’t forget Gaza: **An Israeli airstrike today [killed][39] at least three Palestinians in Gaza City. Over the weekend, Israel [killed][40] at least 10, including a 15-year-old boy as he was returning home after collecting aid at a UN food distribution point.
* **🇵🇸 More press attacks: **Israeli soldiers [detained][41] CNN journalists in the occupied West Bank, after putting the crew’s photojournalist in a chokehold. In a rare condemnation, Israel said the soldiers’ actions represented a “serious ethical incident” and that the battalion would be suspended from operations in the West Bank, though as Al Jazeera [noted][42], soldiers often face no significant consequences for wrongdoing.
* **🇷🇺 🇨🇺 Oil in: **The US will [allow][43] a Russian tanker to reach Cuba, after a months-long blockade that has caused blackouts and amid dire threats from Donald Trump.
* **🇳🇵 Oli out**: Nepal’s former prime minister Khadga Prasad Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak were [arrested][44] over the deaths of protesters in September, shortly after ex-rapper Balendra Shah was elected prime minister.
* **🇸🇩 Sudan death toll climbs**: At least 14 people were killed, and 23 others injured, in the central region of Kordofan of Sudan after the Rapid Support Forces and their allies [carried out][45] a targeted attack on residential areas in the city of Dilling.
* 🇨🇦 **Canada’s NDP looks for comeback: **Canada’s primary progressive party, the New Democrats (NDP), [elected][46] Avi Lewis, the husband of **Zeteo **contributor Naomi Klein, as its new leader in a decisive first ballot vote.
[Share][47]
## 📊 Chart of the Day
With the SAVE Act, Republicans are proposing that over 5 million voting-age Americans have to drive [at least an hour][48] just to register to vote.
#### 🧠 Trivia answer: “[Stinkball][49].”
## 📺 Sunday Show Roundup
* On CBS’s ‘Face the Nation,’ Border Czar **Tom Homan** [said][50] that the agency is planning to “continue an ICE presence” at airports until they feel that airports are fully staffed.
* Meanwhile, on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ GOP Senator **James Lankford** [called][51] Democrats’ demand for ICE to be kept away from polling places “absolutely absurd” – because obeying the law that bans federal officers from the polls is crazy, right?
* “They trained activists to obstruct justice, encouraged them to put themselves in harm’s way, knowing they could get harmed. They got two martyrs, then they used their martyrs as their excuse to try to defund law enforcement.” That’s Senator **Ron Johnson’s** outlandish [explanation][52] on Fox for why Democrats are to blame for the partial DHS shutdown.
* The GOP controls the House, Senate, and White House, but has failed to control the DHS funding battle. When Fox’s Maria Bartiromo [called][53] this out, GOP Rep. **Lisa McClain** had no good response – chalking up the fight to “radical Democrats” wanting open borders.
* Democratic Rep. **Jim Himes**, ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, said Trump lied about being in talks with Iran. “He just made it up that they’re in negotiations with the Iranians,” he [told][54] Margaret Brennan of CBS News.
## 🗓️ Mark Your Calendars
* **Monday, March 30: **A federal court is scheduled to hold a hearing in the *[New York Times’s][55]*[ case][56] accusing the Pentagon of violating a court order blocking its restrictive press access policy.
* **Tuesday, March 31: **The Endangered Species Committee, aka the “God Squad” to environmental groups, is set to meet to consider [exempting oil and gas drillers][57] in the Gulf of Mexico from a mandate aimed at protecting endangered species.
* **Wednesday, April 1: **The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments over Trump’s bid to restrict birthright citizenship – one of the most high-profile cases this term. Plus, the launch window for NASA’s Artemis II mission, set to be the first crewed flight around the moon in more than half a century, will open.
* **Thursday, April 2**: A US District Court will hold a hearing on a proposed [$72.5 million settlement][58] in a lawsuit from victims of Jeffrey Epstein, alleging Bank of America aided in their abuse.
## ICYMI From Zeteo
*Zeteo’s Martin Pengelly, Akshay Gokul, and Ninar Taha contributed to this newsletter.*
[Share][59]
*Still want to get **Zeteo **content, but not this newsletter? You can unsubscribe directly from ‘**First Draft**’ by going to ‘[manage subscription][60]’ in Substack, scrolling down, and toggling the button for ‘First Draft’ off. *
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://meidasnews.com/news/trump-reposts-message-calling-for-third-term-reward
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-kharg-island-bloodbath
[5]: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Dc7kTRJTIFw
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-kharg-island-bloodbath
[7]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/28/trump-iran-ground-troops-marines/
[8]: https://www.ft.com/content/3bd9fb6c-2985-4d24-b86b-23b7884031f5?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/new-poll-most-americans-believe-trump
[11]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/27/iran-war-live-trump-delays-attacks-on-iranian-energy-sector-by-10-days
[12]: https://www.moph.gov.lb/en/Media/view/83171/1/daily-report-on-the-aggression-death-toll-rises-to-850#/en/Media/view/83488/daily-report-on-the-aggression-1-142-martyrs
[13]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/how-many-people-have-been-killed-us-israel-war-iran-2026-03-17/
[14]: https://x.com/alexbward/status/2038403337515655617?s=46
[15]: https://x.com/alexbward/status/2038403337515655617?s=46
[16]: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/spain-closes-airspace-us-planes-involved-iran-war-el-pais-says-2026-03-30/
[17]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/adama-chemicals-plant-southern-israel-hit-by-iranian-missile-or-debris-2026-03-29/
[18]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/30/iran-war-live-worker-killed-in-kuwait-israel-intercepts-drones-from-yemen
[19]: https://www.dw.com/en/iran-war-houthis-claim-2nd-attack-on-israel-in-24-hours/live-76573681
[20]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/world/middleeast/funerals-lebanese-killed-israeli-strike.html
[21]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/28/three-journalists-killed-in-israeli-strike-on-marked-press-car-in-lebanon
[22]: https://x.com/treyyingst/status/2038211697022808099?s=46
[23]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-orders-expansion-security-buffer-zone-southern-lebanon-2026-03-29/
[24]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[25]: http://ground.news/zeteox
[26]: http://ground.news/zeteox
[27]: https://x.com/AOC/status/1946588421197046084?lang=en
[28]: https://x.com/grok/status/2038316062198972761
[29]: https://x.com/AOC/status/2038310906845614535
[30]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/29/dhs-longest-partial-government-shutdown
[31]: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/27/dhs-shutdown-house-gop-mess-00848735?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ2HI9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR63SkN71fJWXXDrEUVJStzzUKvhUhtiK78vpzA9JtoOGdOZji4IQWfbY_o5sA_aem_CGI0__jrlMBhxmaWmAlehQ
[32]: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/29/scalise-homeland-security-vote-00849583
[33]: https://www.tmz.com/2026/03/29/lindsey-graham-at-disney-world-during-shutdown/
[34]: https://justicedemocrats.com/
[35]: https://x.com/daveweigel/status/2038424304895816008?s=46
[36]: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2026/03/28/dems-piker-pickle-00849445?nname=playbook&nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nrid=0000014e-f10d-dd93-ad7f-f90de50d0003
[37]: https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[38]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2WTc8Xlq3o
[39]: https://aje.news/p0huh8?update=4445621
[40]: https://www.haaretz.com/gaza/2026-03-29/ty-article/.premium/idf-strikes-kill-at-least-10-palestinians-in-gaza-health-ministry-says/0000019d-3ab0-dc64-a3df-faff7db70000
[41]: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/27/middleeast/israeli-soldiers-settler-ideology-detain-cnn-crew-latam-intl
[42]: https://aje.news/p0huh8?update=4445744
[43]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/world/americas/cuba-russian-oil-tanlker.html
[44]: https://apnews.com/article/nepal-former-prime-minister-oli-arrest-protests-0853943a32336ba71f3564e2ee93c246
[45]: https://apnews.com/article/sudan-war-military-rsf-6abc282349c8deba92481895d1744913
[46]: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-new-leader-avi-lewsi-9.7146004
[47]: https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[48]: https://www.axios.com/2026/03/29/save-act-voter-registration-distance-travel?utm_campaign=editorial&utm_source=x&utm_medium=owned_social
[49]: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/11/lindsey-graham-reverse-ferret-john-mccain-trump
[50]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2038265706899202203?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ
[51]: https://x.com/calltoactivism/status/2038271512612831258?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ
[52]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2038263593255256358?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ
[53]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2038262012220715089?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ
[54]: https://x.com/facethenation/status/2038292514684203352?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ
[55]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/business/media/new-york-times-pentagon-court-order.html
[56]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/business/media/new-york-times-pentagon-court-order.html
[57]: https://newrepublic.com/article/208313/trump-god-squad-endangered-rices-whale-extinction-gulf-mexico
[58]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/business/bank-of-america-epstein-victims-settlement.html
[59]: https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[60]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu
https://zeteo.com/p/are-these-trumps-worst-poll-numbers-first-draft

2026-03-30 02:57:44 CEST

Ground Troops to Iran? Mehdi Takes Your Questions LIVE on Monday for 'Ask the Editor'
Don’t miss out on this week’s episode of ‘Ask the Editor!’
Join **Mehdi** and **Prem** for a live Q&A on **Monday** at **11am ET, 8am PT, or 4pm GMT** to break down the latest stories. Subscribers can join the conversation on [Zeteo.com][1], the Substack app, or [YouTube][2].
[Subscribe now][3]
**Zeteo’s** editor-in-chief will unpack the latest chaos from Donald Trump’s war on Iran (including a possible ground invasion!), Israel’s lawless violence in the West Bank and further invasion into Lebanon – and whatever news you’re asking about.
Don’t miss it. **Tune into ‘Ask the Editor’ below:**
[Tune in here!][4]
*If you support the work we do, consider becoming [a paid subscriber][5]. A [donation][6] would also go a long way in supporting our mission of independent, accountability journalism.*
***Catch up on more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/147866?utm_source=post-publish
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2WTc8Xlq3o
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[4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2WTc8Xlq3o
[5]: https://substack.com/redirect/87804755-6b5b-4164-ad33-8dc58a67bb24?j=eyJ1IjoiNG4xMWJiIn0.VdqxNfiAjWMuJ0INyIr1sjJ74hlF9jPSY_30l39faNc
[6]: https://substack.com/redirect/20ac81a5-7391-4986-aed0-cf4649d94472?j=eyJ1IjoiNG4xMWJiIn0.VdqxNfiAjWMuJ0INyIr1sjJ74hlF9jPSY_30l39faNc
https://zeteo.com/p/ground-troops-to-iran-mehdi-takes

2026-03-29 22:02:23 CEST

The Palestinian Question Is Still the Core of the Middle East Conflict
*Palestinians rally on Land Day on March 30, 2018, in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus. Photo by Nedal Eshtayah/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images*
At the start of every parliamentary session, Benjamin Netanyahu would give his customary speech. He would parade his achievements, while his servants in parliament rose to applaud him at every pause, and he would ignore his failures. But there was always one topic he reserved for after a long, deliberate pause – his way of signaling its importance. By now, we knew exactly what was coming.
He would smile and declare with confidence something along the lines of: ‘They used to say the Palestinian issue is the root of the conflict. But the real root is the refusal to recognize Israel. The Abraham Accords show that peace with the Palestinians does not guarantee peace with the Arab world.’ He would add, ‘The true challenge is achieving peace between Israel and the Arab states.’
We knew this argument contradicted both reality and reason. Yet, in recent years, the Palestinian issue has been at a difficult turning point. Several Arab states were normalizing relations with Israel, one after another, with strong encouragement from Donald Trump. At the time, we warned clearly that the Israeli occupation of the Palestinians would not end unless it became truly costly for Israel.
Now everyone understands that the occupation has indeed become unbearably costly.
[Subscribe now][1]
The latest war began in [Gaza][2], and after two and a half years of staggering loss – both in lives and resources – its consequences have rippled across the entire region.
What began in Gaza has now escalated into a wider confrontation between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran (with support from Russia and China) on the other – a conflict with ripple effects stretching far beyond the battlefields. In this expanding crisis, Tehran’s network of regional actors has been engaged to varying degrees, with some militias intensifying attacks even as others hold back from full‑scale war.
As a member of the Knesset, I sit in many parliamentary committee meetings – and there is not a single committee untouched by the occupation, whether directly or indirectly. The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is an obvious example. The Finance Committee debates a budget that dramatically strengthens the occupation and the settlements, all at the expense of social and economic needs. The Interior Committee grapples with crime in the Arab community, which the government refuses to address seriously, seeing Palestinian citizens as part of a people it treats as an enemy. And the Constitution Committee, led by the settler Simcha Rothman, pushes a judicial overhaul designed to allow the seizure of privately owned Palestinian land in Area C without interference from the Supreme Court.
And so it goes across the entire Knesset.
Yet those who suffer most inside Israel are the country’s [Palestinian citizens][3], who make up roughly 20% of the population. Their reality is like that of a tightrope walker in a circus: lean too far toward their national identity, and they risk losing their citizenship; lean too far toward citizenship, and they risk losing their national identity. Since October 7, even this fragile rope has begun to fray.
*Palestinian citizens of Israel in Tel Aviv protest against the Israeli government’s inaction over growing crime in Arab-Israeli communities on Jan. 31, 2026. Photo by Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images*
History has lessons.
Thucydides wrote that “war is a violent teacher,” revealing harsh truths about power, fear, and human limits. His lesson is evident today: the war in Gaza has violently exposed the limits of force. At first glance, it seemed to offer the Israeli right every possible advantage: the most right-wing, ideologically cohesive government in Israel’s history; October 7 as justification to pursue its full political agenda; a war [backed][4] by more than 90% of Jewish Israeli citizens; the longest and most intense conflict since 1948; and two American administrations more supportive than ever.
Yet despite all this, when the war ends, there will still be roughly 7.5 million Palestinians and 7.5 million Israelis living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. That reality has not changed – and it will not.
After the wars of 1948 and 1967, the vast majority of Israeli Jews felt triumph, while Palestinians endured the humiliation of defeat. This war is different. Ask Israelis and Palestinians today whether they would return to October 6, 2023, and most would likely say yes. That alone reflects a profound transformation in the region’s political and human landscape.
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The war with Iran – yet another consequence of the unresolved Palestinian question – has revealed something else: the United States and Israel are unlikely to achieve their stated goal of regime change.
Everything that has unfolded over the past two years shows that the Middle East will remain a region prone to repeated eruptions of violence. At the center of that instability is the unresolved Palestinian question.
But there is a solution.
This is certainly not the solution proposed by the Israeli right, which has repeatedly failed. Just a year ago, it claimed Hezbollah had been neutralized – yet the group remains a powerful and determined fighting force. The same has happened with Hamas, and the same has happened with other Palestinian leaders who were eliminated in the past.
The founding event of the Zionist left over the past 30 years is the [Oslo Accords][6]. The founding event of the Israeli right is October 7, and this war.
After Oslo, the right attacked the Zionist left, claiming that the peaceful approach brought neither a solution nor security.
Now all of us can attack the Israeli right by arguing that the military approach has also brought neither a solution nor security.
Both peoples must not choose death separately, but rather life together, or separately. They must recognize one another and choose life.
You cannot defeat an idea with military force alone. Ideas can only be challenged with better ideas. The only truly convincing idea is one that recognizes the national rights of both peoples – Jewish and Palestinian – and guarantees self-determination for each.
I believe the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, first launched by Saudi Arabia, offers a realistic and achievable framework. Its core principle is simple: Israel recognizes a Palestinian state, and in return, it secures peace and normalization with the entire Arab and Muslim world.
Some groups or states may still oppose such an agreement. But if the Palestinians themselves – the people whose rights are directly at stake, including the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, which support it – accept it, there would be no practical basis left to reject it.
After two and a half grueling years, what we need most is an ethical and courageous choice: the choice of peace rooted in the rights of both peoples.
*Ayman Odeh protests against the war in Gaza on Nov. 4, 2023. Photo by Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images*
On October 7, the Palestinians struck the Israelis more than at any time since the beginning of the conflict 100 years ago. But the result is that the State of Israel still exists.
After October 7, the Israelis struck the Palestinians more than at any time since the beginning of the conflict. But the result is that the Palestinian people remain.
Both peoples must not choose death separately, but rather life together, or separately. They must recognize one another and choose life.
***Ayman Odeh **is a Palestinian citizen of Israel and the chair of the Hadash–Ta’al List in the Knesset. *
***The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Zeteo.***
[Share][7]
***Check out more from Zeteo: ***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/dont-forget-gaza-and-palestinians-iran-war
[3]: https://zeteo.com/s/diary-from-a-palestinian-in-israel
[4]: https://www.inss.org.il/publication/israel-war-support/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://imeu.org/resources/important-events/explainer-the-oslo-accords/116
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/palestinian-israeli-conflict-middle-east-solution-ayman-odeh?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/palestinian-israeli-conflict-middle-east-solution-ayman-odeh

2026-03-29 18:33:30 CEST

Mehdi Debates Right-Wing Podcasters on Iran, Israel and Immigration
If you’ve been waiting for a good-faith, wide-ranging, substantive, lengthy debate between **Mehdi** and the right on hot-button issues like Israel, Iran and immigration, well… *the wait is over.*
It was two against one as **Zeteo’s** editor-in-chief appeared on the popular UK politics podcast ‘Triggernometry,’ to take on right-wing hosts **Konstantin Kisin** and **Francis Foster**.
[Subscribe now][1]
Mehdi, as ever, didn’t hold back as the three of them discussed and debated:
* How this Iran war began (**“There’s a history of Israel bombing [Iran] every time we’re close to a deal”**)
* The role of AIPAC (**“There is an Israel lobby that has massive, oversized influence on American politics”**)
* The left’s response to rising immigration (**“You triggered me with ‘open borders’”**)
* Which Democratic candidates may have a chance of winning in 2028 (**“Do I wish there was a more dynamic Democrat? Yes.”**)
[Subscribe now][2]
You can watch the full hour-plus debate above, which was filmed in Washington DC just over a week ago.
Do please support the important and independent journalism we do here at **Zeteo** by becoming a **[paid subscriber][3] **today, and/or by donating to **Zeteo** **[here][4]**.
[Donate][5]
If you are already a **paid subscriber**, first, *thank you!*, and second, do please feel free to give your feedback on the debate and especially on Mehdi’s performance in the comments below.
***Don’t miss these other Zeteo stories:***
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[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-debates-right-wing-podcasters?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-debates-right-wing-podcasters

2026-03-29 16:22:21 CEST

The Campaign Against Hasan Piker Is About Crushing the Left
*Hasan Piker at the Web Summit Qatar on Feb. 4, 2026. Photo by Noushad Variyattiyakkal/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images.*
Donald Trump is leading a horrifying ethnic-cleansing campaign, gutting the Constitution, and trying to give himself king-like powers. He’s leading an illegal and reckless war against Iran, in partnership with Israel, that’s immiserating so many people here and abroad.
Meanwhile, prominent Democrats – ranging from elected members of Congress, to 2026 Senate candidates, to likely 2028 presidential hopefuls – are spending their time condemning Hasan Piker, the left-wing streamer and influencer, as part of a cancellation campaign spearheaded by Third way, the centrist think tank.
Third Way, which is funded by billionaires and corporate interests, has been quite open about its broader goal and ongoing campaign to marginalize the left. “We will be the chief opponent of the left in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary,” the organization’s president, Jon Cowan, [recently pledged][1]. Asked to define the kind of lefty candidates Third Way doesn’t like, he pinpointed pols who “are for Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, abolishing ICE, open borders.”
Cowan told the *New York Times* that Third Way will “probably spend $30 million to $50 million” toward this campaign over the next few years.
[Subscribe now][2]
In a [memo][3] [last year][4], Third Way advised Democrats to build “a moderate Democratic infrastructure, including media, talent pipelines, and communications networks.” And it urged Dems to “reduce far-left influence and infrastructure,” neither of which meaningfully exists yet in US politics.
Third Way is targeting Piker as part of a broader effort to keep the Democratic Party under the control of big corporations, the ultra-wealthy, and supporters of Israel, no matter what the party’s base wants.
[ Read more ][5]
[1]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/us/politics/democrats-centrism-2028-election.html
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000195-5511-d4a2-afbf-dd7121940000
[4]: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/02/third-way-patriotism-democrats-campaign-00206890
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/third-way-hasan-piker-democrats-mcmorrow
https://zeteo.com/p/third-way-hasan-piker-democrats-mcmorrow

2026-03-29 04:17:46 CEST

WATCH: Zeteo Was at the Huge ‘No Kings’ Rally in a State Trump Tried To Destroy
On Saturday, **Zeteo **returned to St. Paul, Minnesota, to cover the massive “No Kings” rally in front of the state Capitol.
President Donald Trump has unleashed a brutal campaign of terror and violence on the state and the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Despite a supposed “drawdown” of forces, armed ICE agents remain in Minnesota in large numbers – and the residents of the two cities and its suburbs are still *remarkably* pissed off.
Many of the locals who spoke to **Zeteo’s** senior political correspondent **Asawin “Swin” Suebsaeng** explicitly connected what the Trump-Vance administration had done to them to what the president is now doing to Iranians with his latest illegal war.
**Watch the video above** to see **Zeteo**’s coverage of the St. Paul event, where turnout was massive, **Bruce Springsteen** sang, an array of liberal and progressive leaders spoke, and middle fingers (real and figurative) raised at President Trump abounded.
Several Minnesotans told Swin about the people they know who were abducted by ICE. Everyone we spoke to expressed their continued desire to fight on and remain vigilant against Trump’s wrath – for the sake of their families and neighbors, citizen and noncitizen. **Zeteo** also spoke one-on-one with Democratic Senator **Amy Klobuchar** and **Kat Abughazaleh**, who ran for Congress in Illinois.
We are not putting this article behind a paywall. Please help us do more of this reporting by [becoming a paid subscriber][1], or [making a donation][2], and watch for more of **Zeteo**’s coverage from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
*Zeteo’s Liam Mann contributed to this post and video.*
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?utm_source=menu&simple=true&next=https%3A%2F%2Fzeteo.com%2F
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo
https://zeteo.com/p/no-kings-trump-minnesota-ice

2026-03-28 17:05:00 CET

This Week in Palestine: Israeli Forces Allegedly Torture Gaza Toddler to Force His Father to Confess
*According to doctors, the marks on the legs of Jawad Abu Nassar are consistent with deliberate cigarette burns that his family said he suffered while in Israeli custody. Photo by Ramzi Abu Amer/IMAGO Images via Reuters*
Israeli forces allegedly tortured a 1-year-old boy in Gaza to coerce a confession from his father – and the story barely got any media coverage at all.
A leading UN expert said Israel is systematically torturing Palestinians. Most Western media didn’t seem to care.
These are just two stories from this week in Palestine – a week defined by torture – that likely wouldn’t have gotten much Western media attention even if the US wasn’t pursuing an illegal war, ICE wasn’t in US airports, and Donald Trump wasn’t spewing out his latest lies. But they’re stories, like the rest below, we at **Zeteo** didn’t miss, and are exactly why we launched this project a few weeks ago.
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A quick note before we jump into this week: For now, we’re sending **‘This Week in Palestine’** to all **Zeteo **subscribers, but that won’t always be the case. To ensure you get the newsletter every week, go to ‘[manage subscription][2]’ in your Substack account, scroll down, and toggle **on** the button for ‘**This Week in Palestine**’. Please make sure you’re a**[paid Zeteo subscriber][3]** so you can read past the paywall.
Now, here’s another troubling **‘This Week in Palestine’**:
#### **Sunday, March 22 – Israel ‘Tortured’ 1-Year-Old Boy to Get Confession From Father, Family Says **
*Jawad Abu Nassar suffered physical and psychological injuries after he and his father were arrested by Israeli forces near the Maghazi refugee camp. Photo by Ramzi Abu Amer/IMAGO Images via Reuters*
Palestine journalist Osama Khalout[ reported][4] that the family of 21-month-old Jawad Abu Nassar said they believe the toddler was tortured by Israeli forces to coerce a confession out of his father.
Israeli forces[ took the child after arresting][5] his father, Osama, near the so-called yellow line near Gaza’s Maghazi refugee camp earlier this month. When Israel returned Jawad 10 hours later (a return Israeli forces filmed), his family noticed his pants were bloody, and he had marks on his legs.
“I observed multiple deep uniform lesions on his lower body, which are clinically consistent with deliberate cigarette burns used as a form of physical torture,” Dr. Bisan Ahmed, who conducted the examination of Jawad,[ told Sky News][6].
Israel denied the claims, suggesting to Sky News that the child may have suffered light injuries in the gunfire they claimed was directed towards the father and son in an attempt to get them to turn around. They also claimed Osama confessed to being a member of Hamas, and ridiculously said he was using his son as a “human shield.”
Osama remains in Israeli custody.
[Share][7]
#### **Monday, March 23 – World Has Given Israel ‘License to Torture Palestinians’**
[ Read more ][8]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu
[3]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[4]: https://www.instagram.com/osama.kahlout/reel/DWLw3WyigrQ/
[5]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-toddler-released-israeli-custody-cigarette-burn-wounds
[6]: https://news.sky.com/video/family-in-gaza-says-toddler-detained-by-israeli-forces-by-for-10-hours-13524867
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israeli-forces?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israeli-forces
https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israeli-forces

2026-03-28 14:05:28 CET

Mehdi Goes Head-to-Head With ‘Professor’ Jiang, the Internet Sensation
Self-styled “professor” **Xueqin Jiang** became an internet sensation after a 2024 video he posted to his YouTube channel went viral. In the video, Jiang made three big predictions: Trump would win the 2024 election, the US would go to war with Iran, and ultimately, the US would lose that war.
He has been [dubbed][1] “China’s Nostradamus” and his [YouTube channel][2] now has more than 2 million subscribers.
But in this riveting, can’t-miss **Mehdi Unfiltered** interview, **Mehdi** challenges Jiang on how accurate – or unique! – those predictions are, including the big 2024 prediction he got *wrong*; whether he has slipped into antisemitic conspiracy theorizing; and why exactly his YouTube channel* isn’t* being censored by China.
**“It is possible I’m a useful idiot and I suspect that there are many entities around the world who would like to amplify my message**,” Jiang tells Mehdi, referring to both the Chinese and Russian governments.
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Also during this provocative and wide-ranging interview, Mehdi presses Jiang on peddling conspiracy theories about the Illuminati and the Jesuits, as well as his promotion of the far-right concept of “Pax Judaica.”
“**Surely you understand why a lot of people think, at best, you’re trafficking in pretty antisemitic tropes, and at worst, you’re a card-carrying antisemite when they see that stuff,**” Mehdi says.
**Paid subscribers** can watch the whole interview, in which Jiang warns of an impending US ground invasion of Iran, while predicting that the US and Israeli governments will *not* use nuclear weapons.
**Free subscribers **can watch a 5-minute preview. Consider [becoming a paid subscriber][4] to **Zeteo** to unlock this episode and the rest of our award-winning content.
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***Check out more from Zeteo:***
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[1]: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/chinas-nostradamus-predicts-how-iran-36856458
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/@PredictiveHistory
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-goes-head-to-head-with-professor-jiang?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-goes-head-to-head-with-professor-jiang
https://zeteo.com/p/mehdi-goes-head-to-head-with-professor-jiang

2026-03-27 23:03:47 CET

Our New World Order Is Here
*This essay was [first published by Arnaud Bertrand on his Substack][1]. **Zeteo **is republishing it with his permission.*
*A plume of smoke rises after a reported Iranian strike on fuel tanks in Muharraq on March 12, 2026. Photo by Fadhel Madhan/AFP via Getty Images*
By now, it’s painfully obvious that the Iran war is of a qualitatively different nature than most other US wars these past few decades.
Take Vietnam, Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Serbia, etc. (the list is unfortunately very long): the pattern was roughly always the same, with an immense power differential between aggressor and victim. These wars were, by and large, imperial: the empire attempting to crush a much weaker people whose only realistic recourse was guerrilla resistance. And that is when they actually had the will to resist: some – like Libya – barely even bothered, just resigning themselves to their fate.
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As spectators of these wars, if you had any moral sense, the dominant emotion was a kind of helpless disgust: you were watching a giant stomp through someone else’s house.
Sure, the US actually lost many – if not most – of these wars, famously replacing the Taliban with the Taliban or being expelled with their tail between their legs from Vietnam, but the power differential was no less real for it. It’s just that power doesn’t always guarantee victory: sometimes the giant can’t kill everyone, and eventually tires of trying. But the “victories” won this way were always pyrrhic at best: the people endured, yes, but what they were left with was a country in ashes. Meanwhile, in the grand scheme of things, the giant walked away with little more than a bruised ego.
Iran is – remarkably – proving to be an entirely different beast: when others were merely *surviving* a giant, Iran appears to be able to *compete* with one.
[ Read more ][3]
[1]: https://arnaudbertrand.substack.com/p/the-first-multipolar-war
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/iran-first-multipolar-war-world-order-us-israel
https://zeteo.com/p/iran-first-multipolar-war-world-order-us-israel

2026-03-27 19:07:45 CET

This Week in Democracy – Week 62: ICE at the Airport, a Big Admission in Court, and a Top Dem Targeted...Again
*Demonstrators protest against ICE at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on March 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images*
The US is at war, and possibly about to launch what will undoubtedly be a deadly ground invasion in Iran, and the president is busy, talking about… how “glad” he is that one of his perceived enemies is dead. Priorities!
Tomorrow, Americans in thousands of cities nationwide will take to the streets to protest Mad King Trump and his ongoing decimation of democracy. They will protest against the very things we highlight each week – the ways in which Trump and his cronies undermine the Constitution, harm Americans, and hurt societies worldwide.
[Subscribe now][1]
This week, of course, was no exception. From Trump sending ICE to airports to his administration admitting there was no evidence against Jerome Powell, here’s ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 62’:
#### **Saturday, March 21 – ‘I’m Glad He’s Dead’**
On Truth Social, Trump [gloated][2] about the death of former FBI Director and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated the president during his first term in relation to Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.
“Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!” Trump wrote.
#### **Sunday, March 22 – ‘Test Run’ for ICE at the Polls**
Trump [confirmed][3] that his administration would send ICE agents to major airports across the country on Monday to “help” TSA agents who have been working without pay for over a month due to the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown. At least one person has been [violently arrested][4] by ICE in an airport since Trump’s announcement.
Later, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon [said][5] on his podcast that the move can be used “as a test run…to really perfect ICE’s involvement in the 2026 midterms,” calling it “perfect training.”
#### **Monday, March 23 – Judge Rules Against Trump**
A federal judge [blocked][6] the Trump administration from enforcing a new policy authorizing the arrest and detention of refugees if they didn’t obtain a green card within one year of being in the US – a policy that could have put more than 100,000 refugees at risk of being arrested.
Meanwhile, ProPublica [reported][7] that Trump immigration authorities detained the parents of at least 11,000 US citizen children in the first seven months of his second term, leaving an average of 50 kids per day with a parent in detention.
#### **Tuesday, March 24 – A Big Admission Contradicts Trump in Powell Case**
The *Washington Post* [reported][8] that a top deputy to US Attorney Jeanine Pirro admitted during a closed-door hearing that Trump’s Justice Department didn’t have any evidence of misconduct in its investigation of the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell.
The admission contradicted Trump’s claims that there was “criminality” in the $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed’s headquarters.
[Share][9]
#### **Wednesday, March 25 – Trump Admin Goes After Letitia James Again**
Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte [issued][10] two new criminal referrals to the Justice Department against New York Attorney General Letitia James over “suspected homeowners insurance fraud,” in a renewed effort to target one of Trump’s perceived political enemies.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department reached a settlement with a pardoned former Trump official, handing over what AP [reported][11] as $1.2 million in taxpayer funds to former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who [pleaded guilty][12] to lying to the FBI about his conversations with Russia’s ambassador to the US. He was later [pardoned][13] by Trump.
#### **Thursday, March 26 – Trump Admin Nears Deal on Voter Rolls**
CBS News [reported][14] that Trump’s Justice Department is close to securing a deal to turn over voter roll data it has collected from states to the Department of Homeland Security, which could then be used for immigration and criminal investigations.
The data-sharing arrangement could result in a system that would allow officials to match voter registration data with DHS databases to determine whether non-citizens are registered to vote or have voted in the past, which is already illegal and [extremely rare][15].
#### **Friday, March 27 – Hegseth Nixes Two Black Officers and Two Women from Promotion List**
The *New York Times* [reported][16] that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked four Army officers – two of whom are Black and the other two are women – from receiving promotions to one-star generals, a move that the outlet called “highly unusual” and has led senior military officials questioning if the decision was rooted in racial and gender bias.
[Share][17]
***Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up [here][18]. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-robert-mueller-death-celebrates
[3]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116272713025328785
[4]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/us/tsa-data-ice-deportation-san-francisco-airport.html
[5]: https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/bannon-trump-ice-airport-deployment-test-run-2026-midterm-elections/
[6]: https://www.reuters.com/world/us-judge-blocks-trump-administration-detaining-thousands-refugees-2026-03-23/
[7]: https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-family-deportations-ice-citizen-kids
[8]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/24/powell-fed-chair-subpoena-prosecutor/
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-62-ice?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[10]: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/25/politics/bill-pulte-criminal-referral-letitia-james
[11]: https://apnews.com/article/trump-michael-flynn-russia-justice-department-7b1d493300b5336900cb508c855fd59d
[12]: https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/01/muellers-office-announces-flynn-will-plead-guilty-274349
[13]: https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed
[14]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-dept-finalizing-deal-voter-roll-data-homeland-security/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&linkId=923582010
[15]: https://time.com/7381495/trump-non-citizen-voter-fraud-claims-research-immigration/
[16]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/us/hegseth-promotion-list.html
[17]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-60-hegseths?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoyMjQ3MDM3NDYsInBvc3RfaWQiOjE5MDY3MDA0NSwiaWF0IjoxNzczOTQ3ODg1LCJleHAiOjE3NzY1Mzk4ODUsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yMzI1NTExIiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.HnjKF46BTvks3KIDTtxBnVCAqYEWA_4yQ8w0QdczdEQ
[18]: https://zeteo.com/s/this-week-in-democracy
https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-62-ice

2026-03-27 15:13:38 CET

Has Trump Started Something He Can’t End? Tommy Vietor on Iran, Iraq, and the Democrats
Can Donald Trump *really* end this war on Iran? Where does the US go from there?
Ex-Obama NSC aide and Pod Save America co-host **Tommy Vietor** joins **Zeteo’s John Harwood** on Substack Live to break down Trump’s shambolic war, the president’s bizarre mental state, whether this nightmare of an administration is largely a consequence of having elected a Black president in 2008, and much more.
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Watch the **full video above** to hear Vietor and Harwood compare the Iran and Iraq wars, discuss whether ‘No Kings’ will make a difference, and dissect how Democrats will fare in the midterms – and whether Trump could actually stop the elections!
**Free subscribers** can watch a **5-minute** preview. Consider upgrading to a **[paid subscription][2] **to never hit a paywall again!
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*This was a **live** conversation on [Zeteo.com][4] and the Substack app, where subscribers could ask questions. Be sure to [subscribe][5] to **Zeteo** to catch the next Substack Live.*
***Catch up on more from Zeteo:***
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[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/has-trump-started-something-he-cant?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
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[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/has-trump-started-something-he-cant
https://zeteo.com/p/has-trump-started-something-he-cant

2026-03-27 12:12:44 CET

About that ‘Gay Ayatollah’ Story...
*🚨 Breaking: Early this morning, the Senate [passed][1] legislation that would fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA, but not ICE and Border Patrol. The bill now faces an uncertain future in the House.*
Good morning! **Swin** and **Andrew** here, with a story of war, intrigue, and psychological warfare in the Trump-Vance era, one that “a lot of people” are talking about, as **Donald Trump** likes to say.
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ we peel back the onion on the “gayatollah” story put out about **Mojtaba Khamenei**, Trump will be the first president to put his signature on US dollars, and does it feel like the US president always escalates his war on the weekends?
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# Inside the ‘Gayatollah’ MAGA Group Chat
*Mojtaba Khamenei attends a demonstration to mark Jerusalem Day in Tehran on May 31, 2019. Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images.*
In recent weeks, following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, several Trump administration officials and some of their close outside allies cooked up a plan to run a psyop against their Iranian enemies and the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, four sources tell us.
The idea was to plant a public narrative about how US intelligence agencies had classified information strongly indicating that Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is gay and closeted. Under the regime in Tehran, LGBTQ Iranians are, of course, persecuted – and during Trump’s war on Iran, his administration has sought to sow discord, chaos, and division among the Iranian people and their government.
There is one issue, though: There is no intel, certainly no credible intel, indicating he’s gay – the idea was fabricated and pushed behind the scenes in the past several weeks by a cohort of Trump advisers, US government personnel, and MAGAworld associates, two people with knowledge of the matter and another two sources briefed on it tell us.
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Some of them have been having a good laugh about it ever since. **“We wanted to mindfuck [the Iranians] with gay shit,”** one of the knowledgeable sources says. Another source – a Trump administration official familiar with how this all went down – adds that one of their MAGA group chats is titled, simply: **“gayatollah.” **
By late Thursday night, the White House had not responded to our request for comment. However, not long after we emailed our comment request, Trump suddenly appeared on TV blabbing about the topic.
The president was asked by Fox’s Jesse Watters if the CIA had told him that the new supreme leader is gay. **“Well, they did say that, but I don’t know if it was only them,”** Trump replied. **“I think a lot of people are saying that, which puts him off to a bad start in that particular country.”**
As you would expect, Trump went on to claim he **“did very well with the gay vote”** ([he did not][4]) and that **“no Republican’s ever gotten the gay vote like I did.”**
The **“gayatollah”** tale burst into the public domain earlier this month – in spectacular, tabloid-y fashion.
[ Read more ][5]
[1]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/us/politics/senate-dhs-ice-shutdown-funding.html
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/lgbt-voters-away-from-trump-2024-election-record-change-rcna178939
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/gay-ayatollah-trump-story-first-draft
https://zeteo.com/p/gay-ayatollah-trump-story-first-draft

2026-03-27 01:03:28 CET

Here Are Trump’s Many Contradictions on His War in Iran
*Donald Trump at the White House on March 26, 2026. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.*
“I can change my mind in seconds.”
That’s what Donald Trump [told][1] Fox’s Brian Kilmeade during a March 13 interview about the US-Israeli war in Iran.
Over the past four weeks, the president has failed to articulate a coherent basis for launching his illegal war. He can’t present a consistent message when it comes to the threat Iran supposedly posed, whether the war is “very complete” or just beginning, and if he’s going to “obliterate” Iran or make a deal with its leadership.
We combed through Trump’s interviews, press conference transcripts, and Truth Social posts to spotlight some of the many contradictions that this erratic president has made since the start of the war. Here’s what we found:
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### **What Was the Alleged Threat?**
**Saturday, Feb. 28**
“I think there was a threat. Had we not done Midnight Hammer, which was one of the greatest things country has ever done, we would’ve been faced with a nuclear weapon within a month – we would have been faced with a very powerful nuclear weapon within a month.”
“And then they were trying to build back… They would’ve had in a fairly short period of time some very fairly big nuclear capacity and we were not going to put up with that.”
- Trump to Rachel Scott, [ABC News][3]
**Sunday, March 1**
“If we didn’t do that, they would have had a nuclear weapon within two weeks. And then all of this would not have been possible.”
- Trump to [Fox
][4]**Monday, March 9**
“If we waited three days, I believe we would have been attacked.”
- Trump to [Fox][5]
### **
### Is It a War? **
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-interview-brian-kilmeade-fox-news-radio-march-13-2026/
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://x.com/rachelvscott/status/2027872407440986394
[4]: https://x.com/JacquiHeinrich/status/2028127909093798201
[5]: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-says-hes-not-happy-irans-choice-new-supreme-leader
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/here-are-trumps-many-contradictions
https://zeteo.com/p/here-are-trumps-many-contradictions

2026-03-26 18:26:07 CET

EXCLUSIVE: Mehdi Interviews Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman on the War
You’ll see US and Israeli officials all over cable news and the mainstream media in the West, discussing their illegal war on Iran. But what is the position of the Iranian government on escalating conflict? What is Iran’s approach to negotiations and diplomacy?
In this exclusive and wide-ranging **Zeteo** interview, **Mehdi **presses a senior Iranian official – Foreign Ministry Spokesman **Esmaeil Baghaei**, who was involved in last month’s nuclear meetings in Geneva – on the state of the war, the future of negotiations, Iran’s human rights record, and more.
The half-hour interview was conducted via Zoom, with Baghaei in Tehran, and is both revealing and challenging, with Mehdi and the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman discussing:
* Trump claiming that Iranian negotiators are now [“begging”][1] for a deal **(“Insane.”)**
* Last month’s negotiations in Geneva** (“The deal was within reach.”)**
* Iran’s new supreme leader, [Mojtaba Khamenei][2] **(“How is your country not a dictatorship?” **Mehdi asks, as well as **“Is he even alive?”**)
* Iran’s attacks on its [Gulf neighbors][3] **(“We just defend ourselves.”)**
* Why Iran reportedly had a stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, which is just steps away from weapons-grade enrichment (**“To reciprocate the US’s withdrawal from [the nuclear deal].”**)
* The Iranian government’s brutal crackdown on protesters earlier this year (**“These are eyewitness accounts,” **Mehdi says.)
Mehdi also presses the spokesman on Iran’s illegal use of cluster munitions in this war, including an Iranian missile [attack][4] that killed three Palestinian women in the occupied West Bank last week. The Foreign Ministry spokesman was also asked about [reports][5] that the US’s lead negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were regarded as “Israeli assets” during the negotiations, and whether Iran prefers to deal with Vice President JD Vance going forward.
**Paid subscribers** can watch the full 34-minute interview. **Free subscribers** can watch a 7-minute preview. Do please consider becoming a[ paid subscriber][6] today, or [donating][7] to **Zeteo**, to support independent journalism in a time of war, misinformation, and propaganda.
*NOTE: Baghaei conducted this interview via Zoom from Tehran, which has been experiencing [internet issues][8] due to the war. There may be audio issues as you watch the interview.*
***Check out Zeteo’s other recent stories:***
[ Read more ][9]
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/26/iran-war-live-updates-trump-deal-us-military-strikes-israel-lebanon-hezbollah?page=with:block-69c509858f089a55d361b15d
[2]: https://www.npr.org/2026/03/09/nx-s1-5742375/mojtaba-khamenei-iran-supreme-leader
[3]: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/26/gulf-states-ready-for-self-defense-against-iran-as-war-stance-shifts.html
[4]: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0ljl23plpzo
[5]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/17/uk-security-adviser-attended-us-iran-talks-and-judged-deal-was-within-reach
[6]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo
[8]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/5/iranians-get-by-as-us-israeli-bombs-rain-down-internet-blocked
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/esmaeil-baghaei-iran-war-israel
https://zeteo.com/p/esmaeil-baghaei-iran-war-israel

2026-03-26 15:15:10 CET

The Anger of a Stumbling Presidency
## **NOTE**
Join Zeteo’s **John Harwood** in a live conversation with **Pod Save America’s Tommy Vietor at 4:30pm ET / 8:30pm GMT on Substack.** They’ll discuss Trump’s war in Iran and Democrats’ prospects in the midterm elections.
[Watch it here][1]
*Donald Trump speaks outside the White House on March 20, 2026. Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images.*
Donald Trump didn’t surprise anyone by [welcoming the death][2] of Robert Mueller, an American hero who exemplified all the admirable qualities he does not possess.
But the president’s fresh demonstration of depravity underscored a defining characteristic of his presidency. I do not mean corruption, or dishonesty, or ignorance, though Trump is thoroughly corrupt, dishonest, and ignorant.
I mean his anger. For all the wealth, fame, and power he has accumulated, Trump is an angry man directing an angry administration.
[Subscribe now][3]
He was angry at Mueller, a decorated combat veteran and former FBI director, for obvious reasons. As Justice Department special counsel, Mueller documented the extensive interactions between Trump’s Russian benefactors and his 2016 campaign, and prosecuted some of his closest aides and allies.
But Trump seethes at anyone who spotlights his failures, investigates his crimes, or interferes with his self-aggrandizement. That includes partisan opponents ([“radical left lunatics”][4]), Supreme Court justices ([“unpatriotic and disloyal”][5]), journalists (“fake news”), and television comedians ([“late night morons”][6]).
All expose facets of his life as a con man, so he uses his influence to menace them legally, politically, financially, or physically.
[ Read more ][7]
[1]: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/145705?r=95c1q&utm_medium=ios#:~:text=talking%20with%20Pod,Add%20to%20calendar
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-robert-mueller-death-celebrates
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/11/trump-says-we-have-to-beat-the-hell-out-of-radical-left-lunatics-after-kirk-killing-00559170
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/time-for-trump-to-go
[6]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116235861005528220
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-anger-stumbling-presidency
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-anger-stumbling-presidency

2026-03-26 12:24:15 CET

The Thug of War
*On this day in 1945, US forces secured the island of Iwo Jima, at the cost of nearly 7,000 American lives and more than 18,000 Japanese killed. Now, GOP hawk Lindsey Graham gleefully cites the battle, one of the costliest of World War II in the Pacific, as proof that the US will easily take Kharg Island from Iran.*
Hi, all. It’s **Swin** and **Andrew**, again. Swin is heading to Minnesota at the end of this week to cover, among other things, what is expected to be a huge “No Kings” rally in St. Paul. **Bruce Springsteen** says he [will be there too,][1] because he wants “to meet the moment.” Good for him. If you’re in the Twin Cities area this week, feel free to drop him a line at [[email protected]][2]. 🙂
Now let’s get started… In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ **Pete Hegseth** has a new nickname inside the Pentagon, **ICE misled about immigration court arrests**, and **Antony Blinken** admitted he “could have done better,” even as he defended giving Israel weapons to carry out its genocide.
[Subscribe now][3]
# ‘Dumb McNamara’
*Hegseth in the Oval Office on March 24, 2026. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.*
Donald Trump’s so-called “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth has earned himself a new nickname, current and former US officials tell us. Among various staffers and officials working within the august confines of the Pentagon and Department of Defense, the former [‘Fox & Friends’ co-host][4] and “[death and destruction][5]”-obsessed Trump acolyte is known as “**Dumb McNamara**.”
This is, of course, a reference to former Defense Secretary [Robert McNamara][6], an architect of American military escalation in Vietnam who, despite his disastrous record, maintained a reputation as a brilliant, shrewd thinker. It is exceedingly hard to find anyone in the corridors of Washington power – or anywhere on the planet – who would label Hegseth a brilliant mind.
However, the nickname **“Dumb McNamara”** has spread within the US government due to Hegseth’s cheerleading of the war and bombing blitzes – overzealous bloodlust and enthusiasm for military fiasco that reminds American officials of, well, a very stupid version of Robert McNamara. **“We negotiate with bombs,”** Hegseth said Tuesday. **“You have a choice, as we loiter over the top of Tehran.”**
Oh, it was over the top, alright…
Trump has seemed eager to shift some credit (or blame, depending on who you ask) for his disastrous war in Iran to Hegseth. Earlier this week, the president [said][7], **“Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up. You said, ‘Let’s do it.’” **
It’s Trump’s war, to be sure, but as things continue to go south, it’s easy to see the president’s Iran bloodbath getting framed as **“Hegseth’s war,”** in the way Vietnam famously became **“McNamara’s war.” **
[ Read more ][8]
[1]: https://www.startribune.com/bruce-springsteen-no-kings-rally-streets-of-minneapolis-joan-baez-jane-fonda-bernie-sanders/601631211
[2]: mailto:[email protected]
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-and-friends-host-pete-hegseth-privately-lobbied-trump-to-pardon-accused-war-criminals/
[5]: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1JDfamDVHjY
[6]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU1bzm-BW0o
[7]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2036125189172244962
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-thug-of-war
https://zeteo.com/p/the-thug-of-war

2026-03-26 02:04:54 CET

3 Things Trump Needs to Do to End the Iran War
***A note from our Editor-in-Chief:***
*I am delighted to re-introduce Harrison Mann to **Zeteo**. A former Middle East analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and a former US Army major, he has written for **Zeteo** before but now, thanks to your support and paid subscriptions, he’s officially a **Zeteo** contributor. As the US gets closer to a ground war in Iran, Harrison will be bringing his expertise and experiences to **Zeteo** readers. If you’re not already a **paid** subscriber, please become one today to avoid the paywall and to support independent journalism in a time of war. *
[Subscribe now][1]
***-Mehdi ***
*Trump and Rubio speak to reporters on March 20, 0226. Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images*
This week, President Donald Trump launched a one-man diplomacy blitz to end his war with Iran – maybe literally “one-man,” because it’s unclear if Trump was negotiating with anyone[ but himself][2].
On Monday morning, just two days after he threatened to bomb Iranian power plants – a likely [war crime][3] – Trump[ posted][4] about “VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES,” between unnamed American and Iranian negotiators. On Tuesday, he both tacked on the puzzling[ claim][5] that Iran had given him a “very big present,” and[reportedly][6] sent Iran a 15-point ceasefire plan similar to US demands already rejected *before* the war.
Pakistani intermediaries confirmed they had[ delivered][7] Trump’s messages to Tehran. Iranian officials denied talks had taken place – and made [their own demands][8].
Whether or not Tehran has opened Trump’s DMs, the sad truth is that Trump’s own actions have made negotiating a peace nearly impossible in the immediate term. The good news is there’s still a lot he can do to speed up the end of his war. But let's start with what he can't do:
[ Read more ][9]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/25/us-talking-to-itself-says-iran-as-trump-claims-wheels-of-diplomacy-turning
[3]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/us/politics/trump-iran-power-stations.html
[4]: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/23/trump-iran-war-power-plants-energy-infrastructure-middle-east.html
[5]: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-touts-significant-iran-present-linked-strait-hormuz-deal-talks-heat-up
[6]: https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-march-24-2026-8bb5e79a98ea72fccc5c50b4931ad778
[7]: https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-march-25-2026-be07c54139bcc70672bb33f0773ede6a
[8]: https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-us-israel-news-updates/card/iran-sets-high-bar-in-cease-fire-talks-here-s-what-tehran-is-asking-for-zBFbHUSXni4wrMT1AKqY
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/3-things-trump-needs-to-do-to-end
https://zeteo.com/p/3-things-trump-needs-to-do-to-end

2026-03-25 21:44:58 CET

Bari Weiss Is ‘Rolling Out the Red Carpet’ for Pete Hegseth
Hello, and welcome to this week’s** ‘Ragebait’!**
**Justin Baragona **here, bringing you the latest dispatches from Bari World and the right-wing industrial outrage complex. In today’s edition, I cover how** Pete Hegseth** has a new favorite network – and it’s not his old stomping grounds, the influence Fox has had on the growing acceptance of a neo-Nazi conspiracy theory, an “idiot” trying to stop the latest Serial podcast, and independent journalism stepping up to the plate on long-form reporting.
[Subscribe now][1]
# Hegseth’s New Favorite Channel
*Screenshot via Dokoupil’s ‘CBS Evening News’ interview with Hegseth in January 2026 on [YouTube][2]*
Ever since news outlets – including Fox and Newsmax – were [nearly unanimous in rejecting the Pentagon’s loyalty pledge last fall][3], which prompted dozens of journalists to walk out en masse, these organizations have refused to bring on Defense Secretary **Pete Hegseth **for interviews.
All but one, that is.
[ Read more ][4]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLqM0UjDcls
[3]: https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-press-access-hegseth-trump-restrictions-5d9c2a63e4e03b91fc1546bb09ffbf12
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/bari-weiss-cbs-news-hegseth
https://zeteo.com/p/bari-weiss-cbs-news-hegseth

2026-03-25 18:03:47 CET

Dems Prepare for Trump to Seize Ballots and Interfere in the Midterms
*Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office on March 24, 2026. Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images.*
When FBI agents showed up at a warehouse in the Atlanta area in late January, local officials were surprised, to say the least. The agents seized hundreds of thousands of ballots and other material from the 2020 election as part of Donald Trump’s never-ending quest to prove a stolen election that never was.
Now, Trump’s Justice Department is fighting to hold on to the ballots and other records seized by the FBI as Fulton County, Georgia, fights in court to retrieve the materials. In the process, Justice Department lawyers have made legal arguments asserting extraordinary powers over election records like those seized in late January – prompting concerns that the Trump administration could try to seize ballots, voting machines, or other equipment as votes are being counted in the November midterms.
After all, Trump did try to steal the 2020 election, and he has [already said][1] he “should have” directed his administration to seize voting machines after he lost. With Trump now explicitly using ICE to deal with a political problem – long lines at airports – concerns over armed federal agents at the polls in November have been renewed.
[Subscribe now][2]
Trumpworld provocateur and Jeffery Epstein pal Steve Bannon on Monday [called][3] ICE’s presence at the nation’s airports a “test run” and “perfect training” for November, arguing federal agents should “check IDs” at polling locations.
Following the Fulton County raid, election officials across the country are wargaming scenarios in preparation for unprecedented federal government interference in November’s midterms. Secretaries of state, attorneys general, county attorneys, and local election officials have all taken the raid as a stark warning.
“Our highest risk in 2026 and potentially in 2028 is the federal government trying to disrupt and undermine our elections,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold tells **Zeteo**. “It’s not Russia, it’s not China, it’s Donald Trump.”
[ Read more ][4]
[1]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/us/trump-voting-machines-2020-election.html
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/steve-bannon-calls-ice-agents-at-airports-part-of-a-test-run-for-the-midterm-elections
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-dems-midterms-interfere-ice-polls-ballots
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-dems-midterms-interfere-ice-polls-ballots

2026-03-25 15:14:48 CET

UNRWA Chief Warns of ‘De-Facto’ Annexation of the West Bank
After two consecutive terms as the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, better known as [UNRWA][1], **Philippe Lazzarini’s** tenure at the agency is coming to an end. The outgoing Commissioner-General joins **Mehdi **to reflect on the organization he leaves behind, the current reality in Palestine as it’s overshadowed by the war in [Iran][2], and the ways in which [Israel][3] has attacked UNRWA and how it can survive.
[Subscribe now][4]
From [settler violence][5] in the occupied West Bank to what Lazzarini describes as a **“cease-fire by name” **in occupied Gaza, the UNRWA official remarks on the headlines not making the front page because of the war on Iran. **“Life there is still extraordinarily miserable,” **he tells Mehdi.
This important and wide-ranging discussion includes:
* How US Ambassador to Israel [Mike Huckabee][6] is **“endorsing” **the vision for a ‘greater Israel.’
* The **“de facto annexation” **of the occupied West Bank.
* How Trump’s ‘[Board of Peace][7]’ is a **“bad copy of what the United Nations has been all about.”**
* Funding, and what Lazzarini’s successor must do to guarantee the organization’s survival.
* What a reformed UN looks like and the path to making it more effective.
[Share][8]
**Paid subscribers** can watch the full video above. **Free subscribers** can watch a 3-minute preview. Consider [becoming a paid subscriber][9] to unlock content like this and a lot more from **Zeteo**.
**Catch the latest stories from Zeteo:**
[ Read more ][10]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/debunked-seven-israeli-myths-about?utm_source=publication-search
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/i-wargamed-iran-for-obama-this-is
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/cbs-owner-paramount-pushed-pro-israel
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israeli-settlers
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/11-lies-mike-huckabee-israel-carlson-debunk?utm_source=publication-search
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/tony-blair-should-be-on-trial-for?utm_source=publication-search
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/unrwa-chief-warns-of-de-facto-annexation-israel-trump-gaza-occupation?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[9]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23234856710&gbraid=0AAAAA-F9BazexDKE8DZfrLzh4CXXMQ9fn&gclid=CjwKCAiA2PrMBhA4EiwAwpHyC2IegxZtZP36gmzZ73GExvPfwxqiDiV4yqd6ZxaWjUqalj4PBDbmRxoCbb0QAvD_BwE
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/unrwa-chief-warns-of-de-facto-annexation-israel-trump-gaza-occupation
https://zeteo.com/p/unrwa-chief-warns-of-de-facto-annexation-israel-trump-gaza-occupation

2026-03-25 12:23:59 CET

America Is Broken
*On this day in 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. led 25,000 protesters to the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, the culmination of a five-day march for voting rights reform. Sixty-one years later, Donald Trump is pushing his anti-voting rights SAVE America Act, while organizers of “No Kings” anti-Trump protests on Saturday expect millions to turn out.*
Good Morning! **Andrew** here. What happens when a Mad King gains total control over a government built for dysfunction? Today’s answer: US air travelers have a very bad time.
In today’s **‘First Draft,’** we review one of the many ways **Donald Trump** and **MAGA** are breaking America, likely Democratic presidential candidate **Gavin Newsom** has changed his mind about Israel being an “apartheid state,” and the Supreme Court could help Trump mistreat more immigrants.
[Subscribe now][1]
# Has Trump Made the US a ‘Shithole Country’?
* ICE agents look on as travelers stand in long lines at the Atlanta airport on March 23, 2026. Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images.*
Donald Trump likes to make racist [complaints][2] about immigrants from **“shithole countries.”** He recently described Somalia as a **“fourth-world”** nation, claiming: **“They don’t have government … They shoot each other all over the place.”**
The United States, the exceptional nation that it is, has a [higher][3] gun mortality rate than Somalia. And in Trump’s second term, our already dysfunctional government is operating according to the whims, edicts, and tantrums of America’s first Mad King. It is absolutely breaking our country.
Take a look at US airports, where travelers have been waiting in three- and four-hour TSA security lines, with many missing their flights, because of a partial government shutdown. At several major airports, security lines [have][4] [stretched][5] to parking garages outside.
Republicans have repeatedly rejected offers from Democrats to end the partial shutdown. Democrats have refused to provide new money to ICE without reforms, after Trump turned the agency into a masked secret-police force that racially profiles and kidnaps people off the streets, kills US citizens on camera, and acts as his personal militia.
[Subscribe now][6]
Now consider this: When an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night, killing two pilots and injuring dozens of people, federal safety investigators were significantly [delayed][7] in responding to the accident due to the excessively long security lines.
National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy [said][8] Monday that an** “air traffic control specialist”** had been stuck in a TSA line in Houston for three hours until her team called **“to beg, to see if we can get her through.”**
Insane, right? The incident occurred after the president [forbade][9] Republicans from reaching a deal with Democrats to fund the Department of Homeland Security, and start paying TSA workers again. Trump has demanded Republicans pass his sprawling, dangerous [voter-suppression bill][10] as part of a shutdown deal.
Instead of accepting a bipartisan deal on Sunday, Trump made the personal, political, partisan decision to send ICE agents to major airports – underscoring just one reason why Democrats aren’t comfortable giving ICE more money without reforms.
On Tuesday, Trump said Republicans and Democrats may be **“fairly close”** to a funding deal – but added that he is **“not happy”** about it. He said Democrats had **“hurt our country”** by refusing to fund ICE, and had done so **“at a very difficult time because, we are at, they would say, a war.” **
[ Read more ][11]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/10/politics/donald-trump-shithole-countries-phrase
[3]: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2024/oct/comparing-deaths-gun-violence-us-other-countries
[4]: https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/orleans/tsa-lines-at-louis-armstrong-airport-stretch-into-parking-garage-for-third-week-amid-shutdown-new-orleans/289-6e367db3-c9e4-4565-8af6-bc0420d7f63b
[5]: https://pix11.com/news/local-news/massive-tsa-lines-stretch-to-parking-lot-at-laguardia/
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[7]: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03/23/nyregion/laguardia-airport-plane-crash-truck
[8]: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/investigation-into-deadly-laguardia-crash-delayed-by-3-hours-for-truly-ridiculous-reason_n_69c2b0b0e4b0810704c24aae
[9]: https://punchbowl.news/article/senate/trump-thune-dhs/
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-save-america-elections
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/america-is-broken-trump-dhs-tsa-first-draft
https://zeteo.com/p/america-is-broken-trump-dhs-tsa-first-draft

2026-03-25 01:47:36 CET

He Worked For US Intelligence. Now He’s Writing for Zeteo
*Dear Friends,*
At a moment when war is being sold and marketed as inevitable and unavoidable - and when much of the mainstream media is falling into familiar patterns of deference, distortion, or outright silence in the face of numerous Israeli and American war crimes, I am pleased to announce that we’re expanding **Zeteo’s **Iran** **coverage with voices that cut through all of the noise.
We are proud to have teamed up with the **[Egab][1]** platform so as to be able to bring you voices from freelance journalists working inside of Iran, on the ground, as well as to announce **Harrison Mann** as **Zeteo’s **newest contributor.
Mann isn’t just another pundit parachuting into war commentary. He spent over a decade inside the US military and intelligence system, including at the Defense Intelligence Agency, working directly on Middle East policy. He later made the rare - and consequential - decision to resign from the Biden administration in protest over US policy on Gaza, citing what he described as a profound moral and strategic failure at the highest levels of government.
[Subscribe now][2]
Since then, he has emerged as one of the clearest voices on US foreign policy and national security - particularly when it comes to this escalating war with Iran, and is currently the Associate Director for Campaigns and Policy at [Win Without War][3]. His writing cuts through official narratives to expose how wars are sold, how intelligence is shaped, and how the public is misled. Check out [his viral piece][4] for **Zeteo **- from earlier this month.
At **Zeteo**, he’ll be writing regularly on the war in Iran and the consequences for the wider region, breaking down military strategy, interrogating the claims coming out of Washington and Tel Aviv, and helping readers understand what’s actually happening behind the scenes.
And, via **Egab**, we hope to also amplify local Iranian voices and bring you more original reporting from the ground in Iran too.
Because if there’s one thing we know, truth is the first casualty of every war - and **Zeteo** is committed to bringing you truth, facts, the *real* story.
So, I want to ask again for your support - if you’re a free subscriber, please consider becoming a *[paid][5]*[ subscriber][6] today.
[Subscribe now][7]
And if you’re already a paid subscriber, thank you so much for your immense support. If you’d like to help **Zeteo **even further, and have the means to do so, you can [upgrade ][8]to become a Founding member and you can also [donate][9] to **Zeteo**.
I appreciate you all. Let’s keep fighting the good fight together!
*Best,*
***Mehdi***
Founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of **Zeteo**
[Share][10]
[1]: https://www.egab.co/about
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://winwithoutwar.org/
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-ground-invasion-plans-forever-war
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[7]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[8]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/he-worked-for-us-intelligence-now?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/he-worked-for-us-intelligence-now

2026-03-24 22:55:45 CET

The 5 Most Islamophobic Tweets From Republicans Since the Iran War Began
American wars in the Middle East have always relied on Islamophobic tropes and dehumanization to manufacture consent at home, but the vile, anti-Muslim rhetoric we’re seeing coming from congressional Republicans has reached new levels since Donald Trump launched his illegal war on Iran.
There are five Republicans in particular who, since the Iran war began, have somehow become even more Islamophobic and vicious than they already were. Democrats and civil rights groups have denounced many of them, but Republicans have largely remained silent.
[Subscribe now][1]
Here are five of the most Islamophobic tweets from Republicans since the Iran war began less than a month ago:
#### **1. Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles: ‘Muslims don’t belong in American society’**
This March 9 [tweet][2] from Rep. Andy Ogles was rightly condemned by Democrats and civil rights groups. Guess who [refused][3] to condemn it? House Speaker Mike Johnson.
#### **2. Florida Rep. Randy Fine: ‘We need more Islamophobia’**
Like Ogles, Rep. [Randy Fine][4] has made *so* many Islamophobic comments in the last three weeks (and his entire congressional career) that it was difficult to choose the worst. But bluntly [calling][5] for *more *Islamophobia, as he did on March 12, certainly meets the bar.
[Subscribe now][6]
#### **3. Texas Rep. Brandon Gill: ‘Islam is a problem’**
Rep. Brandon Gill has long been an open racist, so it should come as no surprise that the Texas congressman hasn’t held back in spewing hateful rhetoric toward Muslims as he did in this March 1 [tweet][7], calling an entire faith, practiced by 2 billion people worldwide, including 4.5 million in the US, “a problem” – while turning “God is Great” in Arabic into a violent reference.
#### **4. Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden: ‘Radical Muslim sleeper cells’**
Then there’s Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who [revived][8] an old favorite dog whistle: radical Muslim sleeper cells.
#### **5. Texas Rep. Keith Self: ‘Radical Islam is on the offensive in America’**
Rep. Keith Self has [focused][9] on another one of the favorite go-to tropes for Islamophobes – creeping Sharia!
[Share][10]
### **The Sharia-Free America Caucus and Its Leaders**
These Republicans, of course, are not the only Islamophobic members of Congress – they’re just perhaps among the worst.
The rapidly growing Sharia-Free America Caucus has now [reached][11] 59 members who come from 24 states, Self, the group’s co-chair, announced today. This group’s mission is to “save Western Civilization and fight back against the threat of Sharia.”
At its core, this group is pushing for a Muslim ban. “Our immigration system must be prepared to confront this challenge and defend our Judeo-Christian values,” said Congressman Roy.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) [designated][12] the caucus an anti-Muslim hate group, the first time the civil rights group has made the designation for a caucus in its 32-year history.
[Share][13]
*Zeteo’s Ninar Taha contributed to this piece.*
***Check out more from Zeteo:***** **
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://x.com/RepOgles/status/2031002097135599717
[3]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/10/mike-johnson-anti-muslim-comments
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/meet-randy-fine-america-most-racist-congressman
[5]: https://x.com/RepFine/status/2032230398009200896
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[7]: https://x.com/RepBrandonGill/status/2028296028642820307?s=20
[8]: https://x.com/derrickvanorden/status/2032294871633981766?s=20
[9]: https://x.com/RepKeithSelf/status/2022000789250879783?s=20
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-5-most-islamophobic-tweets-from?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[11]: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWRxdqXCVbE/?img_index=1
[12]: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-designates-houses-sharia-free-caucus-an-anti-muslim-hate-group/
[13]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-5-most-islamophobic-tweets-from?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/the-5-most-islamophobic-tweets-from

2026-03-24 20:05:24 CET

Israel Plans to Occupy Large Parts of Southern Lebanon
*Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike targets the Qasmiya Bridge, one of the key transit points connecting the southern and northern parts of the country, linking the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon to Sidon, on March 22, 2026. Photo by Ahmad Kaddoura/Anadolu via Getty Images*
The Israeli government said on Tuesday that it will occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, marking a major escalation in the far-right government’s expansionist goals under the guise of self-defense.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces will control all remaining bridges and establish a so-called “security zone” up to the Litani River, which would amount to Israel [occupying][1] nearly 10% of Lebanon.
Katz said that the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese residents who fled north of the river will not be allowed to return to their homes “until security for the residents of the north is ensured.”
[Subscribe now][2]
He also said Israeli forces will continue to destroy homes and buildings in southern Lebanon as they did in Gaza by implementing “[the Rafah and Beit Hanoun models][3],” referring to two towns in the Strip that Israel completely decimated.
Hezbollah [slammed][4] the planned occupation as an “existential threat” to the Lebanese state and vowed to fight back.
Since March 2, when Israel ramped up its offensive in Lebanon, it has [displaced][5] more than 1.16 million people – over a quarter of the population – according to Lebanese officials. Israeli forces have [killed][6] at least 1,072 people, including more than 120 children, in Lebanon, per the country’s Health Ministry.
*First aid responders arrive to the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese coastal city of Tyre on March 24, 2026. Photo by Kawnat Haju/AFP via Getty Images*
## ‘Greater Israel’
Tuesday’s escalation reflects a long-held aspiration endorsed by Benjamin Netanyahu known as [“Greater Israel,”][7] a plan to take over much of the region, including not only historic Palestine but also parts of Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan.
Ultranationalist Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday [said][8] that Israel should move its border to the Litani River.
“The Litani must be our new border with the state of Lebanon, just like the ‘Yellow Line’ in Gaza and like the buffer zone and peak of the Hermon in Syria,” he said.
In late February, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid [said][9] he would support “anything that will allow the Jews a large, broad, strong land and a safe haven for us.”
“[T]he biblical borders of the land of Israel are clear,” Lapid said. “Therefore, the borders are the borders of the Bible.”
In an interview with alt-right commentator Tucker Carlson, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said, “It would be fine if they took it all,” referring to Israel conquering much of the Middle East.
Huckabee’s comments spurred international outrage, and several governments in the Middle East released a [joint statement][10] that condemned his remarks as “a flagrant violation of the principles of international law.”
[Share][11]
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***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israels-military-occupy-swathe-southern-lebanon-defence-chief-says-2026-03-24/
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/less-than-1-of-public-bomb-shelters
[4]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israels-military-occupy-swathe-southern-lebanon-defence-chief-says-2026-03-24/
[5]: https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2036217058631807396
[6]: https://www.moph.gov.lb/en/Media/view/83171/1/daily-report-on-the-aggression-death-toll-rises-to-850#/en/Media/view/83356/daily-report-on-the-aggression-1-039-martyrs
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/greater-israel-syria-occupation
[8]: https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-says-litani-river-should-be-israels-new-border-with-lebanon/
[9]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/26/what-is-greater-israel-and-how-popular-is-it-among-israelis
[10]: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/MediaHub/News/2026/2/22/UAE-Arab-countries-US
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/israel-plans-occupy-parts-lebanon?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/israel-plans-occupy-parts-lebanon

2026-03-24 16:50:25 CET

US Troops Are Being Told to ‘Get Ready’ to Invade Iran
Donald Trump’s administration is moving thousands of US service members to the Middle East East, amid the disastrous US-Israeli war on Iran. And, just as with the historic public opposition to the war, there is unprecedented dissent brewing inside the military – with some troops *currently on their way to the Middle East seeking to refuse fighting.*
Mike Prysner of the [Center on Conscience and War][1] joins Prem to discuss the remarkable levels of dissent inside the military, the fear and intimidation US service members are facing, and how the Trump administration and Israel are to blame for US troops now aiming to leave their posts.
Apparently, soldiers are being told to prepare for the worst. Prysner said directives coming from command to the rank-and-file are stark: “**They’re saying a ground war is inevitable, like this is happening, you better get ready.”**
High-profile alleged war crimes, including the strike on the Minab girls’ school, as well as the US attack of the Iranian Naval ship returning from an Indian training exercise, have disturbed many US soldiers, Prysner said. He told Prem his organization has seen a **“1,000% increase”** in new conscientious-objector clients since the start of the war in Iran.
Watch the interview above to hear more details about the dissent brewing inside the military, the rank-and-file disrespect of Trump and Pete Hegseth, and how many more troops may join the “dozens” who already left because of the genocide on Gaza.
The media is either loudly banging the drum for war, or completely disregarding the historic public and military dissent to it. **We at** **Zeteo are reporting on the war like it is. **Please subscribe to support us in our mission to build a media fit for the moment.
[Subscribe now][2]
We are giving you a 5-minute preview of this interview. Become a paid subscriber to watch the whole conversation – and to make sure you have full access to all our content. Thank you!
If you have any tips or information on the war, you can text Prem on Signal @ premthakker.35. You can remain anonymous.
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[ Read more ][3]
[1]: https://centeronconscience.org/
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-troops-iran-get-ready-invade
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-troops-iran-get-ready-invade

2026-03-24 12:32:56 CET

So Now WE Are Using Human Shields?
*On this day in 1942, the US government began moving Americans of Japanese ancestry into internment camps. Some 84 years later, the Department of Homeland Security is keeping thousands of people in disturbingly parallel conditions, despite increasing public disgust. *
Good morning! **Prem** here. Thinking about contingency. Would the Iraq War have unfolded how it did if the [chads weren’t hanging][1] in Florida in 2000? Where would we be if Kamala Harris had said literally *anything* other* *than “not a thing comes to mind” when asked if she’d do anything differently than Joe Biden? What would the *world* look like if someone had given Donald Trump a reality show he stuck with, instead of a political Napoleon complex? And what coin-flips will we look back on with horror, if we don’t see them now?
In today’s ‘**First Draft**’, I pose to you: are Israeli and US forces using human shields? Plus, Trump is sending ICE agents to airports to “help” the TSA agents he is refusing to pay (a dry run of sending them to the polls in seven months) – and *speaking of*, the Supreme Court is considering a decision that would *stop* certain mail-in ballots from being counted.
Here we go…
[Subscribe now][2]
# Human Shield of Lies
*A view of US military refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport on March 22, 2026. Photo by Nir Keidar/Anadolu via Getty Images*
For two and a half years, the US and Israeli governments and their media allies all justified the Israeli military’s horrific bombing of hospitals, schools, and homes in Gaza on the grounds that Hamas was hiding its fighters and military infrastructure in civilian areas and, therefore, using Palestinians as “human shields.”
Now, as the US and Israel continue their illegal war on Iran, one could question who is actually using “human shields.”
Months before the war, the US evacuated hundreds of troops from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, moving some to [hotels][3] in the region. A US official and another source familiar told NBC News this was in order to keep them out of harm’s way. If Palestinian fighters or Iranian soldiers had been moved in such a fashion, you could imagine the US or Israel contending that civilians had actually been put in* *harm’s way.
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In the days leading up to the war, the US was [placing][5] refueling tanker airplanes at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport – the country’s busiest, serving thousands of civilians every day. During the war, it has [been used][6] for refueling.
Iranian airstrikes have killed US service members in a [“makeshift operations center”][7] at a civilian port in Kuwait and [injured][8] US personnel at a hotel in Bahrain. Inside Israel, apartment buildings were [destroyed][9] when Iran targeted an Israeli nuclear research center in retaliation for Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.
It’s unclear why Israeli officials placed nuclear infrastructure near residential homes, or why US officials have positioned US military assets in and around civilian infrastructure.
**“We started by attacking their military bases. They have evacuated their military bases and gone to the hotels and made human shields for themselves,”** Iranian Foreign Minister **Abbas Aragchi** [said][10], shortly after the US and Israel began the war.
In Israel’s case, it’s structural. As CNN’s **Jim Sciutto** [described][11] two years ago, the headquarters of Mossad, Israel’s international intelligence agency, is in **“a densely-populated area”** within Tel Aviv, **“with civilians around it.”**
[ Read more ][12]
[1]: https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/hanging-chad-or-not-2000-presidential-election
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/trump-iran-protest-execution-death-toll-crackdown-us-military-rcna253952
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[5]: https://x.com/manniefabian/status/2027385226503090520?s=20
[6]: https://x.com/evanhill/status/2029980097638236558?s=20
[7]: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/02/politics/six-soldiers-killed-in-iranian-strike-kuwait
[8]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/03/02/us-israel-iran-hezbollah-military-strikes-live-updates/
[9]: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/dozens-injured-in-israel-after-iranian-missile-strikes-target-two-areas-near-main-nuclear-research-center
[10]: https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2028170118690402498?s=20
[11]: https://x.com/adamjohnsonCHI/status/1841167259391160660?s=20
[12]: https://zeteo.com/p/israel-us-human-shields-iran-first-draft
https://zeteo.com/p/israel-us-human-shields-iran-first-draft

2026-03-24 01:03:45 CET

Less Than 1% of Public Bomb Shelters in Israel Are in Palestinian Communities
*First responders inspect a home hit by an Iranian missile in the Arab-Israeli town of Zarzir in northern Israel on March 13, 2026. Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images*
In response to Israel’s (now usual) bombing of foreign countries like Lebanon and Iran, there is usually some sort of (expected and natural) response. Two questions are immediately posed inside Israel: 1) Do you support Israel’s bombing of Country X or Y, and 2) Do you feel “safe”? It is in response to these two questions that you can see just how different Israeli and Palestinian lives are, as well as their perceptions of the world.
[Subscribe now][1]
For Jewish Israelis, an overwhelming (and by overwhelming, I mean overwhelming) majority support Israel’s latest strikes on Iran, just as they support every Israeli attack on every country and on Palestinians, always. In a survey by the [Israel Democracy Institute][2], a whopping 92.5% of Jewish Israelis support the attack on Iran, including 68% of those who self-identify as “left wing” in Israel. By contrast, Palestinian citizens of Israel largely do *not* support this or any other Israeli military attack, with roughly 25% saying they support Israel’s strikes on Iran. This same survey asked whether people in Israel feel protected from Iranian attacks: 79% of Jewish Israelis surveyed feel protected compared to 15% of Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Why the differences? Simple. Because Palestinians in Israel have never been part of Israeli society, yet we pay the price for Israel’s wars. (Incidentally, no one ever bothers to poll Palestinians in the occupied West Bank – including Jerusalem – or in the Gaza Strip, and they too [pay a price][3] for Israel’s assaults.)
### **Only 37 Shelters**
Let’s begin by looking at the issue of “safety” and feeling “protected.”
[ Read more ][4]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://en.idi.org.il/articles/63704
[3]: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03/18/world/iran-war-news-trump-oil
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/less-than-1-of-public-bomb-shelters
https://zeteo.com/p/less-than-1-of-public-bomb-shelters

2026-03-23 20:15:49 CET

Trump Sends ICE to Airports to ‘Help’ the TSA Agents He Won’t Pay
*ICE agents stand around as passengers wait in long lines at the Atlanta airport on March 23, 2026. Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images.*
Donald Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to major airports across the US on Monday after the president reportedly rejected a deal from Republicans to pay TSA officers – because the plan would not immediately give the administration extra money for its domestic war on immigrants.
ICE agents descended on over a dozen airports, purportedly to “help” the TSA agents Trump is refusing to pay, including major hubs in New York, Atlanta, and Chicago. TSA agents have been working without pay for over a month since Congress deadlocked over funding the Department of Homeland Security, after Trump’s masked, violent federal agents were videotaped murdering two US citizens in Minneapolis.
Trump’s “border czar,” Tom Homan, told CNN on Sunday that ICE would assist airport security “in areas that don’t need [TSA’s] specialized expertise,” such as guarding exit doors. But on Monday morning, Trump [declared][1] that ICE would make immigration arrests at airports, calling the locales “very fertile territory,” while also claiming the agents are “really there to help.” He also [threatened][2] to deploy the National Guard to airports if ICE is “not enough.”
Congress already gave ICE tens of billions of dollars in new funding last year. Placing highly paid ICE agents at airports to, in the best of scenarios, [stand around][3] [watching][4] unpaid TSA employees carry out essential duties is an insult to those workers, and a visual reminder to American travelers how their tax dollars are being wasted. There is also the risk that these ICE agents start violently kidnapping people.
[Subscribe now][5]
Even congressional Republicans are losing patience with Trump’s prolonged fight for more ICE funding.
Over the weekend, GOP Senate Majority Leader John Thune [offered][6] a solution to fund DHS without ICE, then later fund the controversial agency in a separate budget package. Trump rejected the plan, which Democrats have been pushing for weeks, effectively denying thousands of federal workers their paychecks for no reason other than it would mean admitting defeat.
“I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they Vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to his dangerous voter-suppression bill.
Trump allies followed suit.
“I’m glad the president put ICE in airports. That’ll drive the Democrats crazy,” [said][7] Republican House Oversight chair James Comer, while sidestepping Trump’s refusal to pay public servants.
Others in the party dissented. Senator Lisa Murkowski [said][8] deploying ICE to airports was a “bad idea.”
“Do you really want to have even additional tensions on top of what we are already facing?” the Alaska Republican said.
On Sunday, over 11% of the 50,000 TSA workers called out sick, setting a new record in this shutdown, and over 400 officers have [quit][9].
Democrats have offered several bills to [fund][10] key parts of the Department of Homeland Security, including airport security officers, but Republicans have rejected all of them.
[Share][11]
Sending ICE to airports will, of course, put more Americans and immigrants at risk of violent encounters – while also ensuring such incidents are widely shared on the internet.
Viral bystander videos [captured][12] [on Sunday][13] at San Francisco International Airport show plainclothes agents violently grabbing and arresting a woman as she cries out in distress, [reportedly][14] as her daughter watches. An airport spokesperson [confirmed][15] to NBC Bay Area that ICE detained a woman at the San Francisco airport Sunday night but said it was unrelated to Trump’s deployment of officers on Monday.
The ICE deployment comes as the agency and Trump’s immigration agenda bleed public support.
In a recent Economist/YouGov [poll][16] published March 3, half of Americans said they supported abolishing ICE entirely, the highest figure since YouGov began polling on that question.
“The last thing that the American people need are for untrained ICE agents to be deployed at airports all across the country, potentially to brutalize or in some instances kill them,” Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries [said][17] Sunday. “We have already seen how ICE conducts itself.”
[Share][18]
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[1]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2036083777164775452
[2]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2036082865759309940?s=46&t=uXB-axTQSod3D2EIebJYlQ
[3]: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/immigration-and-customs-enforcement-agents-are-seen-working-news-photo/2267588948?adppopup=true
[4]: https://x.com/swd2/status/2036082071777525956
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://punchbowl.news/article/senate/trump-thune-dhs/
[7]: https://x.com/TheTNHoller/status/2036080976997106037
[8]: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/federal-immigration-agents-sent-to-u-s-airports-to-support-security-during-budget-impasse
[9]: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/400-tsa-officers-quit-shutdown-rcna264581
[10]: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/minority/in-24-hours-senate-republicans-block-five-separate-bills-to-fund-tsa-fema-cisa-coast-guard-and-other-dhs-functions
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-ice-agents-airports-tsa?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[12]: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8bxJ6HF/
[13]: https://x.com/longtimehistory/status/2036091012687274411?s=46
[14]: https://x.com/Scott_Wiener/status/2036100245688553477
[15]: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/sfo-ice-agents-immigration-enforcement/4056414/
[16]: https://yougov.com/en-us/articles/54225-support-for-abolishing-ice-reaches-50-percent-february-27-march-2-2026-economist-yougov-poll
[17]: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/22/politics/video/jeffries-slams-plan-ice-agents-airports-vrtc
[18]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-ice-agents-airports-tsa?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-ice-agents-airports-tsa

2026-03-23 15:04:26 CET

Meet the Democratic Congresswoman Donald Trump Is Trying to Imprison
When Donald Trump vowed to go after his political enemies if he returned to the White House, he wasn’t joking.
One of the people on his list of targets is none other than **LaMonica McIver**, the New Jersey Democratic Congresswoman who has been [charged by the Department of Justice][1] for allegedly “assaulting, impeding, and interfering with law enforcement” during a routine oversight visit to an ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey last May, that [devolved into all-out chaos][2].
[Subscribe now][3]
**“They tried to stop us from going in to have oversight,”** McIver tells Mehdi.
She was never arrested on the day of the oversight visit, and is now the only lawmaker facing charges – which could land her up to 17 years in prison. **“If they [the Trump administration] can do what they can to me and other members of Congress that we’ve seen happen, imagine what they’re doing in the dark,”** she says of the Trump administration.
Nevertheless, Rep. McIver continues to speak out against ICE’s lawlessness: **“I think a lot of people have to be prosecuted and held accountable, including Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi... I think they’ve committed crimes and I think that they have to be held responsible for those.”**
In this wide-ranging interview, Rep. McIver also talks to Mehdi about:
* The White House’s smear campaign against her
* Whether Democratic Party leadership is fit for this moment
* The ongoing [DHS shutdown][4]
* Trump’s war in Iran
* The effort to censure Reps. Randy Fine and Andy Ogles over their [Islamophobic statements][5].
**Paid subscribers** can watch the full conversation above, while **free subscribers** can watch a four-minute preview. Consider upgrading your subscription to unlock full access to all of **Zeteo’s** offerings.
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***Catch up on some of Zeteo’s latest stories:***
[ Read more ][7]
[1]: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/congresswoman-charged-forcibly-impeding-and-interfering-federal-officers
[2]: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/newark-mayor-ras-baraka-arrested-ice-detention-facility-new-jersey-rcna205949
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/dhs-funding-bill-senate-hurdles-killed-minneapolis-rcna255769
[5]: https://www.axios.com/2026/03/13/censure-ogles-fine-muslims-democrats-republicans
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/meet-the-democratic-congresswoman-trump-trying-to-imprison?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/meet-the-democratic-congresswoman-trump-trying-to-imprison
https://zeteo.com/p/meet-the-democratic-congresswoman-trump-trying-to-imprison

2026-03-23 12:54:12 CET

🇮🇷 The Kharg Island Bloodbath?
*On this day in 2022, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken formally declared that members of Russia’s armed forces had committed war crimes in Ukraine. Four years on, Donald Trump initially said Iran had until Monday evening to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, or he would “obliterate” power plants – an act generally considered a war crime itself. He said this morning he was postponing any strikes on Iran’s power plants for five days.*
Good morning! **Swin** and **Andrew** here, with an update on **Donald Trump’s** illegal, pointless, disastrous, and *expanding* war in Iran. Our idiot president has, for decades, wanted to “go in and take” Kharg Island and seize Iran’s oil infrastructure – and because he’s surrounded himself with cultists and sycophants in his second term, he’ll get to carry out his fantasy, if that’s what he chooses.
The only problem? Well, many Americans would likely die pointlessly.
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ the Trump administration knows many Americans will die if he invades **Kharg Island**, Trump and Iran exchange dire threats to** life-sustaining infrastructure**, and **ICE** is heading to America’s airports.
[Subscribe now][1]
# A ‘Considerable’ Body Count
*Kharg Island is located in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Iran. Photo by Orbital Horizon/Gallo Images via Getty Images.*
Senior Trump administration officials have been briefed on US casualty estimates – prepared by military and intelligence personnel – for a variety of possible ground invasion scenarios in their illegal Iran war, two sources familiar with the situation and another person briefed on it tell us.
In multiple scenarios, if Donald Trump were to invade and try to occupy Kharg Island for an extended period of time, American casualties would very likely be **“considerable,”** one of the people familiar with the matter says. Some estimates, the first two sources tell us, are easily in the dozens for an initial phase of occupation, with numbers likely to rise sharply if President Trump wished to hold the island for an extended duration.
Some of the internal Kharg analysis has been shared directly with Trump in recent weeks, sources stress.
Trump has long been fascinated with Kharg Island, which holds the bulk of Iran’s oil exports. During his *Art of the Deal* book tour in 1988, [Trump said][2] he would **“go in and take it.” **
[Subscribe now][3]
Harrison Mann, a former US intelligence analyst, has [written for ][4]**[Zeteo][5]** about why a Kharg Island invasion is a bad idea. He [writes][6] further for the Quincy Institute’s Responsible Statecraft blog: **“For the troops unlucky enough to receive orders to take Kharg, the operation would land somewhere between a suicide mission and a self-imposed hostage crisis.”**
As he explains, it’s not clear what the point of the Kharg mission would be, because securing Iran’s oil infrastructure might not necessarily create much leverage for Trump. **“The opportunity to inflict a mass casualty event that could sap limited US public support for the war, or to hold entire battalions as de facto hostages, may well appear more valuable to Tehran than oil revenue,” **Mann adds.
Joe Kent, Trump’s former director of counterterrorism, [who just resigned][7] over Trump’s Iran war, [told][8] the *Washington Post *that a Kharg invasion **“would be a disaster.” **
**“It would essentially be giving Iran a bunch of hostages on an island that they could barrage with drones and missiles,” **he said.
One thing was obvious to us lately: A good number of **Zeteo**’s well-placed sources, in and close to the US government, are leaking things like this to us (and, we’re sure, others in the media and elsewhere) because they *do not want* the president to pull the trigger on this. They say they think a ground invasion, whether protracted or not, would be an inevitable bloodbath and political disaster for the American side.
We will be straight with you: We do not think their efforts to spook President Trump out of this are going to work. We really hope we are wrong.
[ Read more ][9]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://www.newsweek.com/trump-kharg-island-iran-hormuz-strait-11678474
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-ground-invasion-plans-forever-war
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-ground-invasion-plans-forever-war
[6]: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/kharg-island-iran/
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-war-iran-maga-elite-joe-kent
[8]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/22/joe-kent-iran-war-trump/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/the-kharg-island-bloodbath
https://zeteo.com/p/the-kharg-island-bloodbath

2026-03-22 23:05:04 CET

7 Things You Need to Know About the Strait of Hormuz – That Trump Didn’t!
*A navy vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on March 1, 2026 and Donald Trump. Photos by Sahar Al Attar/AFP via Getty Images and Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images*
Donald Trump is digging himself deeper and deeper into a war he [seems][1] to know nothing about. So when Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz – a threat the US has known about for years – Trump was, of course, unprepared. But it was a predictable move to the officials who [briefed][2] him… or to anyone who has looked at history, or at a map, ever.
Now, the tiny waterway is at the very center of this war, has spiked oil and gas prices globally, and is sending both developed and developing worlds into an economic crisis.
So, here are 7 things you should know about the Strait of Hormuz (that Trump probably didn’t!)...
[Subscribe now][3]
### **1. Where it is on a map…**
Bordered by Iran to the north and Oman and the UAE to the south, the Strait of Hormuz connects the oil-rich Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It’s only 24 miles wide at its narrowest point. Shipping is restricted to a pair of two-mile-wide lanes: one outgoing, one incoming. It’s the *only* passage out of the Gulf to the rest of the ocean.
### **2. It’s the world’s most important waterway**
The strait facilitates over one fifth of the world’s oil shipments. In fact, this war is causing the world’s [largest][4] oil supply disruption in history. Thanks to geography and political tension, there’s no real alternative to the strait. Try as they might, Saudi and UAE pipelines can only carry a small fraction of the energy, and even then, are vulnerable to attacks from insurgent groups like the Yemeni Houthis.
Besides the US, China, India, and Japan also heavily depend on the oil that passes through the strait. Even if this block on oil tankers is only temporary, it will raise global energy prices, spike shipping costs, cause major supply delays, and could even lead to a worldwide [food shortage][5] – Hormuz is a crucial shipping route for fertilizers needed now for planting season.
### **3. “Opening the Strait of Hormuz” is virtually impossible**
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2033606083038875863?s=20
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-grand-theft-auto-memes
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/world-faces-largest-ever-oil-supply-disruption-middle-east-war-iea-says-2026-03-12/
[5]: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/3/18/not-just-energy-how-the-iran-war-could-trigger-a-global-food-crisis
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-the
https://zeteo.com/p/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-the

2026-03-22 17:15:14 CET

This Week in Palestine: Israel Kills 4 Members of One Family and Attacks Muslim Worshippers on Eid
*Palestinians pray over the bodies of four members, two children and their parents, of the Bani Odeh family who were killed by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank's northern town of Tammun this week. Photo by Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP via Getty Images*
As the US-Israeli war rages in Iran and Israel escalates its bombardment of Lebanon, Israel’s genocide in Palestine continues.
Just this week, Israeli forces shot dead four members of one family whose only crime was being Palestinian while driving home at night after dinner in the occupied West Bank. Israel also killed [more than a dozen Palestinians][1] across [Gaza][2]; we learned just how dangerous the US-Israeli war on Iran can be for Palestinians in the West Bank; and Israeli settlers carried out a night of violence, setting fires to cars and homes and beating Palestinians.
The Iran war, high oil prices, and Donald Trump’s idiocy have turned away what little attention there was on the ongoing genocide in Palestine, but as we promised, **Zeteo **will not become distracted. That’s why we started **‘[This Week in Palestine][3]’** – bringing some of the biggest and most underreported stories from across the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
A quick note before we jump into this week: For now, we’re sending **‘This Week in Palestine**’ to all **Zeteo **subscribers, but that won’t always be the case. To ensure you get the newsletter every week, go to ‘[manage subscription][4]’ in your Substack account, scroll down, and toggle **on** the button for ‘**This Week in Palestine**’. Please make sure you’re a **[paid Zeteo subscriber][5]** so you can read past the paywall.
[Subscribe now][6]
Now, here’s **‘This Week in Palestine’**:
#### **Saturday, March 14 – Israeli Forces Kill 4 Members of Palestinian Family**
Israeli forces [shot dead][7] Ali Bani Odeh, his wife, Waad, their blind 6-year-old son, Othman, and their youngest son, Muhammad, in their car as they returned home from dinner in the occupied West Bank late Saturday night. The couple’s two eldest sons, Khaled, 11, and Mustafa, 8, survived the attack, with Khaled [telling reporters][8]: “My mother let out a cry and then she went silent and I did not hear my brothers.” He added that Israeli soldiers beat him and his brother and said, “We killed dogs” when they reached the car.
As it often does, Israel attempted to paint the family as a threat to justify the shooting, but its comments were quickly dispelled by the accounts of the two surviving brothers and [other witnesses][9].
#### **Sunday, March 15** – 93% of Gaza’s Cemeteries Destroyed
[ Read more ][10]
[1]: https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-war-hamas-6b085df37d118091c442e29e481f0d91
[2]: https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/168396
[3]: https://zeteo.com/s/this-week-in-palestine
[4]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu
[5]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[7]: https://www.dci-palestine.org/two_brothers_killed_as_israeli_forces_open_fire_on_palestinian_family_s_car
[8]: https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/3/15/two-brothers-survive-after-israeli-troops-kill-family-in-occupied-west-bank#flips-6390982893112:0
[9]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/world/middleeast/palestinian-family-killed-west-bank.html
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israel-kills
https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israel-kills

2026-03-22 14:05:40 CET

Civil War in Iran Would Be ‘Tenfold as Deadly’ as Syria, Journalist Explains
15 months ago, Syria finally saw an end to the nearly 14 years of civil war after the [ousting][1] of Syrian Dictator Bashar Al-Assad.
Now, as the US and Israel’s war on neighboring Iran only escalates while they continue calls for Iranian civilians to [“take over”][2] their government, the question remains: could a Western-backed, civilian-led uprising come to fruition in Iran? And how much more difficult would regime change be there versus a country like Syria?
Who better to ask than Middle East journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist **Anand Gopal **– whose newest book, *Days of Love and Rage*, reports in-depth on Syria’s civil war. His former book, *No Good Men Among the Living*, was nominated for a Pulitzer and provides detailed coverage of the US’s failure at regime change in Afghanistan.
[Subscribe now][3]
**“However deadly and disastrous the civil war in Syria is, it would be tenfold in Iran,” **Gopal says to Mehdi.
In this ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ interview, Gopal explains to **Mehdi** which lessons from Syria’s civil war are relevant for Iran today.
Gopal also reveals why he believes the US continues to launch disastrous interventions in the Middle East, despite the lessons of Afghanistan and the Iraq war.
**“The political media elites in our country… tend to believe the propaganda of the US,” **Gopal says to Mehdi.
Click [here][4] to buy a copy of Gopal’s book, *Days of Love and Rage: A Story of Ordinary People Forging a Revolution.*
[Share][5]
*Editor’s Note: This interview is being shared without a paywall. If you’re a **free subscriber**, consider [upgrading][6] to **paid** to help us continue doing more unfiltered journalism and stand up to corporate media bias. You can also [donate][7] to **Zeteo** to help us grow.*
***Check out Zeteo’s other recent stories:***
[1]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-rebels-celebrate-captured-homs-set-sights-damascus-2024-12-07/
[2]: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/read-trumps-full-statement-on-iran-attack
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://bookshop.org/p/books/days-of-love-and-rage-a-story-of-ordinary-people-forging-a-revolution-anand-gopal/9aa94926a56f13b0
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/anand-gopal-iran-syria?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[6]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo
https://zeteo.com/p/anand-gopal-iran-syria

2026-03-21 20:03:42 CET

‘I’m Glad He’s Dead’: Trump Spits on Robert Mueller’s Grave
*Donald Trump speaks to reporters outside the White House on March 20, 2026. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.*
On Saturday afternoon, President Donald Trump took a break from [weighing a ground invasion of Iran][1], so that he could dance on the grave of former FBI Director and Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
“Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!” he wrote on his social media site, before [signing his post][2], “President DONALD J. TRUMP,” so that nobody could be confused about the official nature of the proclamation. One of the White House’s verified Twitter accounts dutifully [shared][3] Trump’s post.
[Subscribe now][4]
Trump and the GOP have been furious with the late special counsel, who was a registered Republican, ever since the president’s first term, when Mueller led the federal investigation into Trump and his associates over Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election.
**Zeteo** emailed the White House to ask whether it would be appropriate for other politicians to react this way if they were to hear news of Trump’s passing. (We all know how the Trump-Vance administration responded [after Charlie Kirk’s assassination][5].)
The White House did not immediately respond to our request for comment.
This type of conduct is a frequent occurrence from the supposed leader of the free world. In December, for example, President Trump [giddily mocked][6] filmmaker Rob Reiner, upon news of his brutal killing, and naturally made it all about himself.
[Share][7]
“Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS,” Trump posted on social media.
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-latest-first-draft
[2]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116268334535345382
[3]: https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2035415101809803744
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[5]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mFm3mOkP_g
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/breaking-trump-dances-on-rob-reiners
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-robert-mueller-death-celebrates?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-robert-mueller-death-celebrates

2026-03-21 14:03:14 CET

How US Imperialism Shaped the Iran We See Today
On February 28, the political landscape of the Middle East shifted dramatically following a reported US airstrike that killed Ayatollah Khamenei. But 2026 is far from the first time the US has been involved in Iranian politics.
[Subscribe now][1]
Many of the sentiments and strategies we see today echo actions from over 70 years ago in 1953, when a democratically elected leader was overthrown after attempting to nationalize Iran’s oil. For many Iranians, this moment feels like part of a much longer pattern of Western intervention shaping the country’s trajectory. If you think you know the story, let’s take a closer look at how the past and present are deeply connected.
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
https://zeteo.com/p/how-us-imperialism-shaped-the-iran

2026-03-21 00:21:42 CET

First Draft: American Idiot Holds World Hostage
*On this day in 2003, the Bush administration launched a ground invasion of Iraq. The US is supposed to finally fully withdraw from Iraq later this year, over two decades later, which might make you wonder: Why would Donald Trump launch a war in Iran?*
Good morning! **Andrew** here to discuss what was a pretty normal day in **Donald Trump’s** second term: The president of the United States joked about Pearl Harbor with Japan’s prime minister and also made a not-so-subtle nuke threat, as his illegal war in Iran inches closer and closer to spiraling fully out of control.
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ Trump embarrasses the US again, as his war gets more expensive for everyone; the Department of Homeland Security keeps trying to steal employees from the Pentagon; and muted Eid and Nowruz celebrations are held across the Middle East as the US-Israeli war on Iran rages.
[Subscribe now][1]
# Our Mad King, Global Edition
*Donald Trump meets with Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Oval Office on March 19, 2026. Photo by Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images.*
**“Why didn’t you tell US allies in Europe and Asia, like Japan, about the war before attacking Iran?”** a reporter asked Donald Trump on Thursday, as the president sat in the Oval Office with Japan’s prime minister.
Trump, the man with no filters, no restraint, no sense of decorum, responded by joking about… wait for it… Pearl Harbor. **“We didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise,”** he said. **“Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor? … You believe in surprise, I think much more so than us.”**
[Subscribe now][2]
The comments made Japan’s right-wing leader, Sanae Takaichi, visibly uncomfortable – while also confirming that Trump’s administration didn’t inform our allies before launching his illegal war in Iran, a conflict with disastrous implications for the global economy.
Moments like this, in the Oval Office, have become routine under America’s first Mad King. Last summer, Trump joked to Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, that D-Day was **“not a pleasant day for you.” **Merz quickly corrected him, explaining: **“In the long run, Mr. President, this was the liberation of my country from Nazi dictatorship.”**
But Trump isn’t just embarrassing the US on the global stage, or mocking key allies on camera. He’s spent the past 14 months attacking, threatening, and alienating them with his tariffs.
And with the US-Israeli attack on Iran, Trump has taken our allies along for the ride as he wages what is already [the worst-run war in US history][3], and as the conflict generates blowback of all kinds, both around the Middle East and throughout the world.
And the blowback was entirely predictable.
[ Read more ][4]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/is-this-the-worst-run-war-in-us-history
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/american-idiot-holds-world-hostage
https://zeteo.com/p/american-idiot-holds-world-hostage

2026-03-21 00:21:37 CET

Who'll Win the ‘MAGA Podcast Wars’? Krystal Ball and Mehdi on Ben Shapiro vs. Tucker Carlson, AIPAC, and Iran
If you’re as terminally online as the rest of us at **Zeteo, **you may have noticed that conservative podcasters are at war with each other. Ben Shapiro is attacking Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson is attacking Ben Shapiro, and everyone is attacking Mark Levin. So for this week’s ‘We’re Not Kidding’, **Mehdi **is joined by **Krystal Ball**, co-host of the massively popular online news show ‘[Breaking Points][1]’, to unpack all of the MAGA drama.
**“What are the right-wing MAGA podcast wars? What is going on right now?” **Mehdi asks.
**“It would take a long time for me to give you all of the subplots. But the major fissure is around Israel,” **Krystal says.
[Subscribe now][2]
The two also get into how Donald Trump’s disastrous war with Iran is creating even MORE rifts within the Republican party, Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu’s role in instigating the war, and why we shouldn’t totally trust defectors like Trump’s now former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent. **“They are very comfortable saying, ‘Israel, Israel, Israel. It’s all Israel’s fault,’”** Krystal says. **“But at the end of the day, this is Donald Trump’s war. He’s not a baby. He’s the most powerful man on the planet.”**
The two also discuss:
* Krystal’s famous [hardball interview][3] with Sen. Elissa Slotkin.
* How AIPAC’s brand has become **“completely toxic” **with Democratic voters.
* Why podcasts will be important for 2028 presidential candidates.
* And whether Gavin Newsom will be brave enough to appear on ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ or ‘Breaking Points’...
***Free subscribers get a 5-minute preview of the video above while Zeteo’s paid subscribers can watch it in full. As always, you can also listen wherever you get your podcasts.***
[Spotify][4]
[Apple Podcasts][5]
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://breakingpoints.locals.com/support
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFrEJTFbSTc
[4]: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ogT7ZvKhH04CInjNQbbdp
[5]: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-friends/id1743028415
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/maga-podcast-wars-krystal-ball
https://zeteo.com/p/maga-podcast-wars-krystal-ball

2026-03-21 00:21:32 CET

This Week in Democracy – Week 61: Trump Shushes Woman Reporter, Goes on Another Racist Rant, and Threatens Media Licenses
*Trump speaks to reporters on board Air Force One and berates ABC News journalist Mariam Khan on March 15, 2026. Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images*
Threats. Tirades. And tantrums. King Trump’s America on repeat.
As thousands die and oil prices soar in the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran, Donald Trump and his cronies at home are busy berating and threatening the free press, going on racist rants, and joking about…[Pearl Harbor][1]?!
Needless to say, Trump and his allies are still undermining the Constitution, hurting democracy, and harming free societies in the US and worldwide. Here’s ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 61’:
#### **Saturday, March 14 – Brendan Carr’s Newest Threat**
After Trump complained about Iran war coverage, FCC chair Brendan Carr [warned][2] broadcasters that they could have their licenses revoked, baselessly accusing them of “running hoaxes and news distortions.”
Broadcasters “have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up,” he said in a tweet.
[Subscribe now][3]
In [response][4], Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called Carr’s threat “straight out of the authoritarian playbook.”
#### **Sunday, March 15 – Trump Tries to Shush Woman Reporter**
Trump shushed ABC News’s Mariam Khan during a gaggle on Air Force One and called her a “very obnoxious person” after she asked why his administration was sending thousands of marines and sailors to the Middle East.
Earlier in the gaggle, he called ABC News “one of the worst, most fake, most corrupt … news organizations on the planet,” and said he wouldn’t take any more questions from the network after she asked about whether it was “appropriate” to include a photo of the president attending a dignified transfer in a recent fundraising email by his Never Surrender PAC.
#### **Monday, March 16 – Another Racist Tirade Against Ilhan Omar**
In the Oval Office, Trump went on his latest [racist tirade][5] against Somalia, calling the country “maybe a fourth-world nation” where they “shoot people all over the place” and accused Somalis of coming to the US to “steal” billions of dollars.
He also continued to peddle ridiculous claims about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a US citizen, being in the country illegally and encouraged his new White House anti-fraud task force to look into Omar, whom he baselessly called a “ringleader.”
#### **Tuesday, March 17 – Bondi Subpoenaed Over Epstein Files**
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee [issued][6] a subpoena for Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the Justice Department’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, as well as the DOJ’s compliance (or lack thereof) with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Later, Democrats on the committee [walked out][7] of a private briefing with Bondi about the Epstein files after she refused to commit to a deposition in accordance with the subpoena.
[Subscribe now][8]
#### **Wednesday, March 18 – The FBI Is Buying Your Location Data**
During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, FBI Director Kash Patel admitted under oath that his agency is [buying][9] Americans’ location data.
His comments drew ire from even Republican lawmakers, with Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) [calling][10] the practice “a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment” and pushing for the passage of the Government Surveillance Reform Act “to close the data broker loophole that allows intelligence agencies to buy Americans’ private data.”
#### **Thursday, March 19 – DHS Wrongfully Deported Over 100 Asylum Seekers**
During a court hearing, a US Citizenship and Immigration Services asylum officer [revealed][11] that the Trump administration has wrongfully deported more than 100 asylum seekers, violating a court-ordered settlement agreement prohibiting their removals.
#### **Friday, March 20 – Prosectors Investigate Colombian President Gustavo Petro**
The *New York Times* [reported][12] that two US attorney’s offices are conducting criminal investigations into Colombian President Gustavo Petro, led by prosecutors focused on international narcotics trafficking.
The investigations have been probing whether Petro and drug traffickers had any meetings, as well as whether his presidential campaign sought donations from traffickers. The *Times* says there is no indication that the White House was involved in launching either of the investigations. Trump has attacked Petro in the past, [calling][13] him a “sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.”
Don’t forget, it was less than four months ago, that Trump [pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández][14], who was *convicted* on drug trafficking charges.
[Share][15]
***Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up [here][16]. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/american-idiot-holds-world-hostage
[2]: https://x.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/2032855414233047172
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://x.com/SenWarren/status/2032924552452292856
[5]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2033639066332184922?s=46
[6]: https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/03.17.2026-Subpoena-Cover-Letter-Bondi-FINAL.pdf
[7]: https://x.com/kylegriffin1/status/2034417157010845819
[8]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[9]: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/18/fbi-buying-data-track-people-patel-00834080
[10]: https://x.com/Rep_Davidson/status/2034303103344783775
[11]: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/exclusive-trump-admin-wrongfully-deported-more-than-100-asylum-seekers
[12]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/nyregion/colombia-president-petro-investigation-drugs.html
[13]: https://abcnews.com/International/trump-implies-target-colombias-president-cuba-appears-ready/story?id=128904574
[14]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-hernandez-pardon-honduras-election-drugs
[15]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-60-hegseths?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoyMjQ3MDM3NDYsInBvc3RfaWQiOjE5MDY3MDA0NSwiaWF0IjoxNzczOTQ3ODg1LCJleHAiOjE3NzY1Mzk4ODUsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yMzI1NTExIiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.HnjKF46BTvks3KIDTtxBnVCAqYEWA_4yQ8w0QdczdEQ
[16]: https://zeteo.com/s/this-week-in-democracy
https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-61-trump

2026-03-21 00:21:23 CET

Trump’s White House Is Screaming at Me That Americans Love His Awful War
*Donald Trump speaks to the press before departing the White House on March 20, 2026. Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images.*
Here at **Zeteo**, we thought we could *perhaps* get through one work week without Donald Trump’s White House – [once again][1]! – calling me a “moron” for publicly stating objectively true things.
We were wrong. What was my crime this time?
On Thursday, Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, took to social media to claim that “Americans Agree that Operation Epic Fury Is an Overwhelming Success” – meaning the president’s disastrous war in Iran.
I [pointed out][2] that the senior Trump apparatchik was lying, and had in fact shared “an article showing only MAGA Republicans support the war.”
[Subscribe now][3]
In response to this, “@RapidResponse47,” a Trump White House propaganda account on Twitter blasted me as a “[moron][4]” and suggested I was “trembling too much at the idea that Americans support killing terrorists.”
Of course, that’s not what’s happening – civilians are suffering as a result of Trump’s regional bloodbath, and poll after poll shows this war is uniquely unpopular at home.
And the White House made clear how unpopular the war is with its own [press release][5]. In it, the administration pointed people to a relatively rosy *Washington Post* [article][6] that still notes more people “would prefer that the strikes stop than continue,” and that the paper’s average of recent polls show “Americans opposing US strikes 50% to 38%.”
Not exactly a ringing endorsement!
The Iran war – started by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – is now entering its fourth week. It has been an unmitigated disaster from the beginning, and it’s strangling the global economy. The president appears to be preparing to deploy US ground troops to Iran, for a mission that looks like [sheer suicide][7].
As we’ve reported at **Zeteo**, the war is starting to [tear apart the MAGA elite][8], and is already a political catastrophe at home for Trump and the Republican Party – [and they][9] [know it][10]. And America’s allies [have decided][11] not to join us on this [so-called “excursion.”][12]
The president and his party want to [silence anyone in the media][13] willing to admit what a colossal shitshow this all is. We refuse to be silent.
[Subscribe now][14]
In recent months, the Trump White House [has called][15] **Zeteo** “a fake news blogsite run by left-wing hacks that no one should take seriously.”
The White House [issued a statement][16] calling one of our political correspondents “a deranged hack who couldn’t even hold a job at Rolling Stone and is now writing for a Greta Thunberg blog.”
And the Trump administration routinely comes after me, and tries to smear me as a terrorist-loving “moron.”
Clearly, **Zeteo** is getting under their skin.
But the only way we can fight back is together.
So if you’re able, please consider[ becoming][17] a***[paid][18]*****[ subscriber][19]** to **Zeteo** today to support us and help grow independent media. If you’re already a paid subscriber (*thank you kindly!*), you can also consider making a[ donation][20] to **Zeteo**.
Every paid subscription, every donation, every financial contribution, big or small, sends a message to this authoritarian, warmongering administration and this country’s ruling party and its enablers that we won’t be bullied, we won’t be silenced, and we won’t stop telling the truth about fascism, genocide, illegal wars, and other moral and literal atrocities.
[Donate to Zeteo][21]
The Trump administration wants to wear out everyone – in the media, in the opposition, in the electorate. They aren’t getting tired yet. Neither are we.
Thank you for standing with **Zeteo. **
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-white-house-attacks-mehdi-zeteo-support
[2]: https://x.com/mehdirhasan/status/2034855527834849657
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2035033818160120101
[5]: https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2026/03/americans-agree-that-operation-epic-fury-is-an-overwhelming-success/
[6]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2026/iran-war-strikes-poll/
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-ground-invasion-plans-forever-war
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-war-iran-maga-elite-joe-kent
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/us-intel-trump-iran-regime-first-draft
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-grand-theft-auto-memes
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/insufferable-bully-demands-friends
[12]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-excursion-incursion
[13]: https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/18/free_press
[14]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[15]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-threatens-election-2020-replay
[16]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-40-the
[17]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[18]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[19]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[20]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo
[21]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-white-house-attack-zeteo-iran-war

2026-03-17 00:01:45 CET

‘Greater Israel’: Mehdi Unpacks Israel’s Goals in Iran and Lebanon
Donald Trump is losing the war *he* started. But he’s doubling down… Why?
Well, there’s Epstein, and there’s the midterm elections, and there’s the fact that Israel isn’t backing down. And when it comes to Israel, what exactly is Benjamin Netanyahu’s aim here?
**“I think his goal is ‘Greater Israel,’”** says **Mehdi** to **Prem** on ‘Ask the Editor,’ Zeteo’s live show where the two answer subscriber questions on [Substack][1] and [Youtube][2] every Monday. **“This is what he thinks his legacy will be, giving Israel new and further and secure borders in places like Lebanon, in places like Syria.”**
[Subscribe now][3]
Watch the full video above to hear **Zeteo’s** editor-in-chief break down…
* How Trump is **“gaslighting”** and **“bullying”** us about the Iran war – and how this is the one time **“it’s not working”**
* What’s happening on the ground in Lebanon
* How Trump could be planning to avoid the midterm elections (!)
* The long-term impact on US relations with the Gulf
* The difference between Israel, the Israeli public, and the Jewish community
* …and much more.
Let us know what you think in the comments, and [subscribe][4] to catch our next episode of **Ask the Editor** every **Monday at 11am ET **on [Zeteo.com][5], [YouTube][6], or on the Substack app.
[Share][7]
*If you believe in the work we do and want to see more of it, do consider [becoming a paid subscriber][8]. A [donation][9] to Zeteo also goes a long way.*
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Get more from Mehdi Hasan in the Substack app
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[Get the app][10]
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[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/greater-israel-mehdi-unpacks-israels?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
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https://zeteo.com/p/greater-israel-mehdi-unpacks-israels

2026-03-16 19:05:54 CET

Zeteo’s (Fake) Democratic Consultant Is Back — And Already Working on 2028!
The 2028 presidential primary in the US is only two years away, which means it’s basically already started. From the slew of [political][1] [memoirs][2] hitting the bookshelves to the myriad [podcast][3] [appearances][4], most of the Democratic hopefuls are already throwing their hats in the ring.
So who better to weigh in on the top contenders than **Zeteo’s** very own (fake) Democratic consultant? In this new and hilarious parody video, **Zeteo’s** **Frank Cappello** imagines what members of the consultant class *really* think of each candidate — and who will offer the biggest payday.
[Subscribe now][5]
Will it be California Governor and **“movie president”** Gavin Newsom? What about Pete Buttigieg, who in just 15 years of public service has shown almost as much backbone as Bernie Sanders’ cardboard standee? Or perhaps Kamala **“Third Time’s the Charm”** Harris will give it another go.
After all, with the 2024 election costing upwards of[ $5 billion][6], the consultants are the real winners anyway.
*Zeteo’s Frank Cappello and Liam Mann contributed to this video.*
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/646296/young-man-in-a-hurry-by-gavin-newsom/
[2]: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/where-we-keep-the-light-josh-shapiro?variant=44415011684386
[3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jraRu00p5mc
[4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgx7GvYSq64
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://www.opensecrets.org/elections-overview/cost-of-election
https://zeteo.com/p/zeteos-fake-democratic-consultant

2026-03-16 15:04:59 CET

Meet Spain’s Anti-War, Anti-Trump, Pro-Palestine Prime Minister
*Pedro Sanchez in May 2025. Photo by Carlos Lujan/Europa Press via Getty Images*
For those wondering if there are any Western leaders upholding the minimum values of a democracy and basic human rights, the answer is just the one: Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain. Sánchez has been an outlier, a voice of dissent in a time of genocide and endless warmongering. In the aftermath of the United States and Israel’s reckless attacks on Iran, Spain was amongst the few Western states to reject yet another illegal war on a Muslim state. “Twenty-three years ago, another US administration dragged us into war in the Middle East,” Sánchez declared in a speech. “No to violations of international law. No to the illusion that we can solve the world’s problems with bombs. No to repeating the mistake of the past. No to war,” he later added in a [tweet][1].
It’s a position long in the making.
[ Read more ][2]
[1]: https://x.com/sanchezcastejon/status/2029147260324389279
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/spain-israel-iran-palestine-pedro-sanchez
https://zeteo.com/p/spain-israel-iran-palestine-pedro-sanchez

2026-03-16 12:38:30 CET

🤦🏽‍♀️ Insufferable Bully Demands Friends
*On this day in 1882, the US Senate ratified the Geneva Convention of 1864, legitimizing the International Red Cross and the American Red Cross. The current administration can be succinctly defined as [proudly][1] [anti-the-Geneva-Conventions][2].*
Good morning! **Swin** here. The Oscars aired last night. I’ll admit I didn’t watch all of it, but host **Conan O’Brien** had this to say: “Welcome back, we’re coming to you live from the ‘Has a Small Penis Theatre.’ Let’s see [Donald Trump] [put his name in front of that][3]!” Around 10pm ET Sunday, I emailed the White House for comment, given how much Trump and his senior staff like to [respond to such celebrity ongoings][4], or to [jabs at his manhood][5]. I’ll let you know if or when I hear back. 🙂
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ Trump would really, *really* like some other countries’ assistance in fixing the global crisis he started, the US president’s economic adviser thinks you’ll believe ANYTHING, and **Javier Bardem** uses his moment at the Oscars to say, “Free Palestine.”
[Subscribe now][6]
# Where Did All Our Friends Go?
*Trump on March 13, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images.*
Over the weekend, Donald Trump and top US officials spent much of their time begging American allies (and also Trump’s [good pal Xi][7] in China) to bail him out of the economic fiasco he created with his illegal war.
The amount of begging was jarring and unbecoming, [even for them][8].
Since the start of the US-Israeli war late last month, the Iranian government has been firing on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and reportedly laying [mines][9], shutting down the narrow and crucial waterway. As a result, an oil, gas, and fertilizer crisis is rapidly unfolding.
[Subscribe now][10]
This was all entirely predictable. President Trump [was warned in advance][11] that Iran would likely [respond this way][12]. He went ahead with his war. Trump’s escalations haven’t led Iran to back down, so he and his team have decided to plead with other countries to help the US clear the strait.
Trump [claimed][13] Saturday that **“many countries”** would be sending **“War Ships**” to reopen the Strait, before adding with less certainty: **“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area.”**
On Sunday, Trump’s energy secretary, Chris Wright, went on ‘Meet the Press’ to [feign][14] solidarity with all nations – and to implore China to fix everything. **“We care first about Americans, but Americans live in a globalized world, so we care about all the nations,”** he said, adding, **“I do expect China will be a constructive partner in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.”**
Trump’s UN ambassador Mike Waltz [told][15] CNN on Sunday the president and his lieutenants **“welcome, encourage, and even demand [other nations’] participation to help their own economies.”**
Like any common schoolyard bully, Trump is now vacillating between self-pitying and threatening to take his ball and go home.
[ Read more ][16]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-hegseth-admin-lawyers-warn-boat-strike-illegal
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/kill-them-all-sums-up-trumps-policies
[3]: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3_h2uRk3bjI
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-white-house-sabrina-carpenter
[5]: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/stephanie-grisham-book-trump-defends-penis-cats-show-tunes-1233647/
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[7]: https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-couldnt-give-a-shit-about-china-rounding-up-millions-of-uighur-muslims/
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-white-house-address-speech-primetime
[9]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/world/middleeast/iran-mines-strait-of-hormuz-us.html
[10]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/us-intel-trump-iran-regime-first-draft
[12]: https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/iran-oil-hormuz-blockade-trump-f96bdd53
[13]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116227904143399817
[14]: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mh43pdyxrs2q
[15]: https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/state-of-the-union-with-jake-tapper/episodes/f733a2dc-b5a8-11f0-968c-7fb04db2f210
[16]: https://zeteo.com/p/insufferable-bully-demands-friends
https://zeteo.com/p/insufferable-bully-demands-friends

2026-03-16 03:10:12 CET

Is Trump Losing This War? *LIVE Q&A* With Mehdi
Bring your best questions for this episode of ‘Ask the Editor!’
Join **Mehdi** and **Prem** for a live Q&A on **Monday** at **11am ET, 8am PT, or 3pm GMT** to break down the latest stories. Subscribers can join the conversation on [Zeteo.com][1], the Substack app, or [YouTube][2].
[Subscribe now][3]
There’s no shortage of news for **Zeteo’s** editor-in-chief to unpack from Donald Trump’s war on Iran, the latest developments – and much more. And he’ll answer your questions too.
Don’t miss it. **Tune into ‘Ask the Editor’ below:**
[Join here!][4]
*P.S., the best way to get your question answered is to become [a paid subscriber][5] on Substack. If you support the work we do, a [donation][6] would also go a long way in supporting our brand of independent, accountability journalism.*
***Catch up on more from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/131917?utm_source=post-publish
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6YI2QStXF0
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[4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6YI2QStXF0
[5]: https://substack.com/redirect/87804755-6b5b-4164-ad33-8dc58a67bb24?j=eyJ1IjoiNG4xMWJiIn0.VdqxNfiAjWMuJ0INyIr1sjJ74hlF9jPSY_30l39faNc
[6]: https://substack.com/redirect/20ac81a5-7391-4986-aed0-cf4649d94472?j=eyJ1IjoiNG4xMWJiIn0.VdqxNfiAjWMuJ0INyIr1sjJ74hlF9jPSY_30l39faNc
https://zeteo.com/p/is-trump-losing-this-war-live-q-and

2026-03-15 18:33:07 CET

Zeteo Launches WhatsApp Channel!
Do you get too many emails? It is hard to find stories from **Zeteo** in your inbox? Are you missing our best content?
Well, now you can get notifications when our pieces go out ***directly on WhatsApp*****!** Follow the **[Zeteo][1]****[channel][2]** and anytime you open the app, you’ll see links to our pieces right there. (It’ll make it really easy to share content too.)
*NOTE: You will still need to be a paid subscriber to read all of our premium content.*
[JOIN ZETEO'S WHATSAPP CHANNEL][3]
The weather might be changing, but **Zeteo** is as reliable as always to keep you covered — literally. Our [merch store][4] is fully stocked with hoodies, t-shirts, quarter zips, sweatpants, hats, and everything in between. So, as you put the heavy coats and sweaters away, consider filling the space with a new **Zeteo** fit or two.
[Shop here][5]
Wearing your support for **Zeteo** not only spreads the word about the work we do, but directly supports our mission of delivering **bold and unfiltered journalism**, from groundbreaking documentaries like [‘Gaza: Doctors Under Attack’][6] to our latest coverage from inside the US and Israel’s [war on Iran][7]. And, of course, our [shows][8], award-winning [podcasts][9], and op-eds and essays from your favorite [authors][10].
A **20% off discount **code to use on all merch purchases** **is** **available to **paid subscribers** [here][11].
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*Please note that everything in our store is made on demand, only when you order it, so we don’t accept returns unless there is something wrong with the product. Delivery is available only to the US, the UK, and Canada, and is free only for orders placed within the United States.*
[1]: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAwshj0LKZ8q6Nxk61u
[2]: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAwshj0LKZ8q6Nxk61u
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[6]: https://zeteo.com/s/gaza-doctors-under-attack
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/iran-war-2026-latest-coverage
[8]: https://zeteo.com/s/mehdi-unfiltered
[9]: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends
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[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/new-merch-wear-your-support-for-zeteo?utm_source=publication-search
[12]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
https://zeteo.com/p/zeteo-launches-whatsapp-channel

2026-03-15 12:05:50 CET

Here’s What Trump’s Iran War Money Could Fund Instead
*Smoke rises after airstrikes in Tehran, Iran, on March 13, 2026. Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images.*
Donald Trump is burning through US taxpayer dollars to fund his illegal war abroad after he slashed funding for American public services in [every zip code][1].
According to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, Trump’s war on Iran will [directly cost][2] American taxpayers an estimated $65 billion – more if it continues for longer than two months – for military operations and replacement of equipment, munitions, and other supplies. The estimated economic loss on top of direct costs ranges from $50 billion to $210 billion, according to the budget model.
The first six days of the war alone already cost over $11 billion, Pentagon officials [told][3] Congress in a closed-door briefing Tuesday (though [according][4] to Senator Chris Coons, who sits on the appropriations and foreign relations committees, the full toll is even higher.) That’s about how much the federal government [spent][5] per week on Medicaid before Trump’s cuts to the program, which insures low-income and disabled Americans.
And the White House is [reportedly][6] [expected][7] to request $50 billion in supplemental funding to bankroll the war, on top of the Pentagon’s $1.4 trillion* *[budget][8].
[Subscribe now][9]
Yet pundits and politicians in Washington who often gripe about the price tag of public service projects have little to say about the costs of Trump’s illegal war in Iran.
Here’s how the federal government could spend $65 billion instead of to bomb Iran:
# Ending Homelessness
The Iran war chest could end homelessness in the US for two to six years, [according][10] to Scioto Analysis, a public policy analysis firm, which estimates an annual cost of $11-$30 billion.
Homelessness affected 771,480 Americans in 2024, up 18% from the previous year, [according][11] to federal data. The National Alliance to End Homelessness says the surge is driven by the affordability crisis – which Trump in December [called][12] a Democratic “hoax” after he ran on lowering prices in 2024.
# Healthcare for Millions
[ Read more ][13]
[1]: https://democrats-appropriations.house.gov/weeks-away-end-fiscal-year-trump-blocking-410-billion-funding-owed-communities-nationwide
[2]: https://fortune.com/2026/03/02/how-much-trump-iran-war-operation-epic-fury-cost-taxpayers/
[3]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/11/world/middleeast/iran-war-costs-pentagon.html?smid=url-share
[4]: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/first-6-days-iran-war-cost-11-billion-pentagon-tells-senators-rcna263060
[5]: https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-financing-the-basics/#870ed126-45c3-4465-8b9a-ae0eea487dcf
[6]: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/defense-executives-plan-meet-white-house-strikes-iran-diminish-stockpiles-2026-03-04/
[7]: https://www.ft.com/content/14713f6f-a1a6-4477-bd10-d3780fbc8ab5
[8]: https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/department-of-defense?fy=2026
[9]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[10]: https://www.sciotoanalysis.com/news/2024/1/16/what-would-it-cost-to-end-homelessness-in-america
[11]: https://endhomelessness.org/state-of-homelessness/
[12]: https://www.npr.org/2025/12/11/nx-s1-5639957/trump-affordability-hoax-economy-midterms
[13]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-money-healthcare-gaza
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-money-healthcare-gaza

2026-03-14 22:45:16 CET

WATCH: How Trump is Turning DC into Pyongyang
World peace? Curing cancer? Unimaginably fast trains? Nay. Donald Trump’s final frontier appears to be one thing, and one thing only: Washington DC (aka Donald City).
As Trump carries out a historically unpopular and violent war in Iran, and maintains a militarized domestic security force disappearing and terrorizing Americans at home, the president is laser-focused on creating the illusion that people in this country actually revere him.
To see what Trump has already slapped his face and name onto – and a preview of his other ambitions – **watch the video above, where Prem takes you on a tour of Donald Trump’s “Pyongyang.”**
[Subscribe now][1]
For decades, Trump has been obsessed with how other nations – including ones run by extraordinarily repressive regimes – honor their leaders with lavish, expensive public celebrations. In private conversations, per sources who’ve been in the room with him, he can go on and on about how much (in Trump’s words) “respect” and “love” these countries shower on their rulers, and how supposedly great it is for the people’s national morale. He does not seem to understand or care that many of these societies he cites – whether in North Korea or in certain Arab monarchies – do those things under the constant threat of arrest, torture, or execution.
Since the start of his new presidency, Trump has privately asked multiple times about how to get his face up there on Mt. Rushmore, crowing to close allies how he is a more accomplished president than some of those faces on the memorial, according to people familiar with the matter. Sources close to the president have told **Zeteo** that on separate occasions over the past year, Trump has talked to longtime advisers about what it would take to officially make his birthday a national, federal holiday. Similarly, he has already repeatedly inquired about getting a Donald Trump-shaped monument built in our nation’s capital, and mentioned that he wants final approval on the size, look, location, content, and design of the statue and memorial.
It’s tax season – so if you want to know where your hard-earned money is going, here’s one thing to keep in mind. At **Zeteo**, we ran the numbers, and during his first few months back in office, the Trump administration and the Republican Party marshaled upwards of $1 billion in public funds towards projects and initiatives specifically designed to make Donald Trump feel good about himself. That’s right: that’s a Billion with a “B” – in US tax dollars.
And if he and his party get their way, Trump’s “Pyongyang-ification” of Washington is just the beginning.
[Subscribe now][2]
Sources inside and close to the Trump-Vance administration tell **Zeteo** that the president repeatedly asks about myriad different things in and outside of DC that his allies could work to get his name or face on. Buildings, parks, airports, military bases, US battleships, highways, and city streets and squares – you name it, President Trump has likely schemed to slap his face and name all over it. He does this often enough that in some corners of the federal government, it has become a running “joke” in private conversations to just start adding his name to, well, everything: The Donald J. Trump National Portrait Gallery. The Donald Trump Washington Union Station. The Donald Trump Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. *I’m headed down to the Donald J. Trump Whole Foods Market*, they’d quip.
[Share][3]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/donald-trump-pyongyang?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/donald-trump-pyongyang

2026-03-14 17:57:12 CET

This Week in Palestine: Israeli Settlers Kill With Impunity, Israeli Solders Rape With Impunity
***A note from our Editor-in-Chief: ***
*Donald Trump claims the war in Gaza “is over.” The media is moving on, as the war in Iran grabs all the attention. More and more people seem to have “Gaza fatigue.” So how do we ensure Gaza, where the genocide is far from over, isn’t displaced from the news headlines? How do we combat the “fatigue”? Welcome to **Zeteo’s **newest segment, **‘This Week in Palestine.’** Every Saturday, we will round up stories, on a day-by-day basis, that you may have missed from Israel and the Occupied Territories. We here at **Zeteo** won’t be moving on. *
*For the next few weeks, we’ll be sending ‘**This Week in Palestine’ **to all **Zeteo **subscribers.** **But to ensure you get the newsletter every week, go to ‘[manage subscription][1]’ in your Substack account, scroll down, and toggle **on** the button for ‘**This Week in Palestine**’.* *Oh, and please make sure you’re a **[paid Zeteo subscriber][2]** so you can read past the paywall and support independent journalism!*
***-Mehdi***
[Subscribe now][3]
#### **Saturday, March 7 – Settler Kills 28-Year-Old Palestinian**
An Israeli settler [shot][4] dead ‌28-year-old Palestinian Amir Muhammad Shanaran in Masafer Yatta, an area near the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, where settlers routinely harass and violently threaten villagers. Shanaran’s killing came after settlers [killed][5] two Palestinian brothers in the West Bank village of Qaryut the previous week.
#### **Sunday, March 8 – **Settlers Kill 2 More Palestinians in West Bank, as Israel Kills Journalist, Paramedic, and Children in Gaza
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu
[2]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: http://btselem.org/press_releases/20260309_under_cover_of_the_war_settler_militias_increas_lethal_shooting_of_Palestinians_as_part_of_wb_ethnic_cleansing
[5]: https://www.btselem.org/press_releases/20260309_under_cover_of_the_war_settler_militias_increas_lethal_shooting_of_palestinians_as_part_of_wb_ethnic_cleansing
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israeli-settlers
https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-palestine-israeli-settlers

2026-03-13 23:49:15 CET

This Week in Democracy – Week 60: Hegseth’s Insane Press Conference, and Trump Pushes Voter Suppression Bill
*Pete Hegseth speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon on March 2, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images*
Welcome to ‘This Week in Democracy – Week 60.’ We wish we could tell you things were looking better than last week, but alas… Donald Trump and his cronies are still at it: bombing the hell out of Iran, lying to the American public, and destroying democracy.
From pushing a voter suppression bill in Congress to banning press photographers over “unflattering” photos, here’s just a taste of what Trump and his allies did this week that hurt free societies around the world, harm US democracy, and undermine the Constitution:
#### **Saturday, March 7 – DOJ Pressures Federal Prosecutors**
An [investigation][1] by the *Wall Street Journal* painted a frightening picture of the Trump administration’s targeting of US citizens as part of its mass immigration crackdown.
Federal prosecutors in cities where large immigration operations are taking place say they’ve faced pressure from top Justice Department officials to pursue charges against citizens for allegedly assaulting federal officers, pulling them away from cases related to public corruption, as well as drug and gun-related crimes. None of the 181 citizens accused of assault by government officials on Twitter have been convicted at trial.
[Subscribe now][2]
#### **Sunday, March 8 – Trump Pushes for Voter Suppression **
On Truth Social, Trump [continued][3] his push to get the Republican-controlled Congress to pass the [Save America Act][4], which could disenfranchise tens of millions of voters.
He warned that he won’t sign any other bills until it passes, and supported using a “talking filibuster” to get the bill through the Senate – a move that’s [drawn skepticism][5] from Republican senators.
#### **Monday, March 9 – Another Pointless 2020 Election Probe**
The Trump administration [expanded][6] its pointless investigation of the 2020 presidential election, with the Republican leader of Arizona’s state Senate confirming he turned over records to the FBI related to an audit of Maricopa County – which concluded that Trump lost the state – as part of a “federal grand jury subpoena.”
Later, *The* *Atlantic* [reported][7] that the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative branch of ICE is conducting its own investigation into Arizona’s 2020 election results.
#### **Tuesday, March 10 – Ed Martin Faces Disciplinary Proceedings**
Multiple news outlets [reported][8] that the DC Bar filed an ethics complaint against DOJ Pardon Attorney Ed Martin over threats he made to the Georgetown University Law Center in February 2025, when he was Trump’s interim US attorney for DC.
According to the complaint, Martin “used coercion to punish or suppress… the teaching and promotion of DEI” by warning the dean that his office wouldn’t hire anyone associated with the school if it didn’t change its apparent policies.
[Subscribe now][9]
#### **Wednesday, March 11 – Hegseth Bans Photographers Over ‘Unflattering’ Photos**
The *Washington Post* [reported][10] that the Defense Department banned press photographers from attending briefings on the war in Iran after photos were published of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that his staff considered “unflattering.”
In a statement, the Pentagon’s press secretary suggested that if the move “hurts the business model for certain news outlets,” they should apply for the [highly restrictive][11] Pentagon press credential.
#### **Thursday, March 12 – More Efforts to Suppress the Vote**
CBS News [reported][12] that the Trump administration is considering cutting federal funding for a civil rights election program authorized under the Voting Rights Act to protect the right to vote and prevent discrimination at the polls.
#### **Friday, March 13 – ’This Is What Authoritarianism Looks Like’**
Attacking CNN for its Iran reporting, Hegseth said, “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.” He was referring to the Paramount Skydance chairman and CEO, whose company is on track to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns CNN.
As Mehdi [put it][13]:
[Share][14]
***Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up [here][15]. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:***
[1]: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/immigration-protests-noem-minneapolis-0b8bd496
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116193527873859174
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-save-america-elections
[5]: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/top-senate-republicans-skeptical-talking-filibuster-save-america-act-rcna260834
[6]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/09/trump-arizona-election-subpoena/
[7]: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/03/arizona-election-investigations/686310/
[8]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/us/politics/dc-bar-ed-martin-disciplinary-hearing.html
[9]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[10]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/03/11/hegseth-press-briefings-photos-iran/
[11]: https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-press-access-hegseth-trump-restrictions-5d9c2a63e4e03b91fc1546bb09ffbf12
[12]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-doj-civil-rights-election-observer-program-minority-voting-rights/
[13]: https://x.com/mehdirhasan/status/2032455369637687350
[14]: https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-60-hegseths?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[15]: https://zeteo.com/s/this-week-in-democracy
https://zeteo.com/p/this-week-in-democracy-week-60-hegseths

2026-03-13 21:11:51 CET

The Dumb Reason Trump Keeps Calling His Iran War a ‘Little Excursion’
*Donald Trump at the White House on March 12, 2026. Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images.*
In recent days, President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to his illegal war on Iran – in which American troops are dying – as an “excursion,” a term generally reserved for describing pleasant little family sojourns or brief, fun vacations.
This is, according to sources in and close to the administration, because the president is confusing the term “military incursion” with a “military excursion,” a phrase typically used only to ridicule foreign adventurism and warmongering. Some of these sources say that they or their colleagues have used the term “incursion” in front of Trump lately, but then the president just… did his own thing.
“We took a little excursion because we felt we had to, to get rid of some evil, and I think you’ll see it’s going to be a short-term excursion,” Trump said Tuesday, as he addressed Republican lawmakers at an event in Florida. Speaking at a business in Ohio on Wednesday, Trump said, “We did a little excursion, we had to take this couple weeks, few weeks of excursion.”
One way you can tell, even without asking any of Trump’s own appointees about it, that the president is botching this is that “military incursion” is a common term that a lot of people and media outlets have used to describe the president’s war in Iran. Furthermore, the Trump White House team definitely knows the term “incursion” because they use it [in official documents][1] to rant about immigrants.
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Some of Trump’s aides are afraid to correct him, or think doing so would be a complete waste of time. They are almost certainly right.
“I’m not telling him,” one administration official tells **Zeteo**. Other Trump advisers and people close to this president say that it would be a fool’s errand to privately fact-check Trump here and doing so would likely get them yelled at.
“We say ‘incursion,’ the boss says ‘excursion.’ It’s not a big deal,” another Trump official says.
[ Read more ][3]
[1]: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/invocation-of-the-alien-enemies-act-regarding-the-invasion-of-the-united-states-by-tren-de-aragua/
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-excursion-incursion
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-excursion-incursion

2026-03-13 15:03:50 CET

Israel ‘Wants a Failed State’ in Iran: Ex-Obama Official Slams the War and the Dems’ Weak Response to It
**Ben Rhodes** served as deputy national security adviser in Barack Obama’s White House for eight years. He was working with President Obama as Benjamin Netanyahu continued to pressure the US, time and time again, to attack Iran. Obama, says Rhodes, resisted the Israeli prime minister’s pressure campaign, but now under President Donald Trump’s second term, it’s clear that **“Netanyahu essentially bullied him [Trump] into this war.”**
**“Trump’s the first president who couldn’t say no to Netanyahu,” **Rhodes, now co-host of ‘[Pod Save the World][1],’ tells Mehdi.
[Subscribe now][2]
In this wide-ranging interview, **Mehdi** and Rhodes discuss Israel’s role in provoking this war with Iran, the Democratic Party leadership’s weak response to the conflict, and the events that led up to this disaster during the Obama and Biden presidencies, with Mehdi pressing Rhodes on the following topics:
* What Israel’s ultimate objective for Iran is **(“They want a failed state.”)**
* The accusation that calling this “Israel’s war” is antisemitic **(“It’s asking us to not see what we’re seeing with our own eyes.”)**
* Former President Joe Biden’s [failure][3] to restore a nuclear deal with Iran** (“That was incredibly short-sighted.”)**
* Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s refusal to align with voters on foreign policy **(“90% of the Democratic Party doesn’t want to go along with this anymore.”)**
* The Obama administration’s disastrous decision to do regime change in [Libya ][4]in 2011, without congressional approval **(“I acknowledge the mistakes made.”) **
[Share][5]
**Paid subscribers** can watch the whole interview. **Free subscribers **can watch a 3-minute preview. Consider [becoming a paid subscriber][6] to **Zeteo** to unlock this episode and the rest of our award-winning content.
***Check out Zeteo’s other recent stories:***
[ Read more ][7]
[1]: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-the-world/
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://www.thenation.com/article/world/iran-accord-biden-2025/
[4]: https://jacobin.com/2021/03/nato-libya-war-uk-us-france-regime-change
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/ben-rhodes-iran-netanyahu-obama?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/ben-rhodes-iran-netanyahu-obama
https://zeteo.com/p/ben-rhodes-iran-netanyahu-obama

2026-03-13 12:46:03 CET

Was This Iran War Planned 30 Years Ago?
*🚨 Breaking: At least four of the six crew members on board a US KC-135 refueling aircraft supporting operations against Iran were killed yesterday when the plane crashed over Iraq, US Central Command [confirmed][1] today. The US military insisted the crash was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.” *
Good morning! **Mehdi** here, sending solidarity in this month of Ramadan to my Jewish cousins in Michigan, where a Muslim man from Lebanon, a naturalized US citizen, attacked a synagogue in the city of West Bloomfield, near Detroit, and was killed in the process. Thankfully, there were no casualties inside the synagogue, and, of course, it goes without saying that there is never, *ever*, any justification for attacking a synagogue or any house of worship. More details on this disturbing story below.
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ I lead with the story of the **‘Clean Break’ memo** that explains so much of what is going on in the Middle East today, especially Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu’s **war on Iran**. Plus, **Kash Patel’s FBI** is getting new training from the strangest, the *weirdest*, of places, and two new European countries sign onto South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ.
[Subscribe now][2]
# From ‘Clean Break’ to ‘Epic Fury’
*An Iranian flag is placed on the ruins of a building destroyed during the US-Israeli strikes on a residential area of Tehran on March 9, 2026. Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images*
If you want to understand the origins of the devastating and very illegal US-Israeli assault on Iran, you don’t have to start with **Donald Trump**. You don’t have to go back a year to the 12 Day War, or 11 years to the Iran nuclear deal, or even 25 years to 9/11. You have to go back to a little-known policy paper written almost exactly 30 years ago.
It was 1996. The Cold War was over. The United States was the world’s lone superpower. And a group of American neoconservatives drafted a strategy memo for Israel’s newly elected prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
The document was called [“A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm.”][3] Its authors included a who’s who of right-wing, hawkish, pro-Israel figures who would later dominate US foreign policy during the war-obsessed presidency of George W. Bush: **Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, David Wurmser,** among others. And their proposal was a radical one: Israel, they insisted, should abandon the old **“land for peace” **formula in the Middle East and instead reorder the region through military confrontations and even regime change operations.
They were explicit about their targets. Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and, yes, *Iran*. The report talked about **“removing Saddam Hussein from power,”** **“striking”** targets in Syria, and pulling Lebanon away from Iran.
At the time, this seemed like the pipe dream of a handful of fringe ideologues. Today, however, it reads like a blueprint. Just look at what happened next.
[ Read more ][4]
[1]: https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2032389087491985700
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://web.archive.org/web/20140125123844/http://www.iasps.org/strat1.htm
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/was-this-iran-war-planned-30-years
https://zeteo.com/p/was-this-iran-war-planned-30-years

2026-03-13 03:04:43 CET

Veteran Whose Arm Was Broken As He Protested the War on Iran Speaks Out
US veteran **Brian McGinnis** stood up in the middle of a Senate hearing, loudly declaring: **“America does not want to fight this war for Israel.”** What followed was a horrifying episode that went viral, netting hundreds of millions of views around the world: A Republican senator swooped in to get him out of the room, and helped break his arm in a gruesome fashion. There were horrified yells from attendees, and shocking silence from politicians in the room.
Recovering from his injury, McGinnis spoke with **Prem** about the incident, what propelled him to speak out against the war on Iran, and the propaganda machine he’s pushing against.
[Share][1]
McGinnis described the atmosphere inside the Senate hearing room as **“dystopian,”** saying members of Congress were behaving like **“robots”** as he was violently removed.
He argued that pro-war propaganda and **“shallow”** slogans like **“support your troops”** are **“made to just hypnotize us away from thinking critically.”**
**“Find empathy in your heart for other nations… I’ve met many people from the Middle East, and sadly, many of them have lost people in bombings and military incursions,”** he said. **“I don’t know how I would react if a foreign military was entering into my hometown in a violent way and my loved ones were there.”**
While US politicians may have ignored him, McGinnis said, he’s received massive public support, reflecting an imbalance between the government and the people.
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**“Life is about hugging your children and finding your partner and loving them and creating happiness and joy,”** he said. **“Our military is being used to provoke violence and to pad the pockets of billionaires and politicians who will never lead for the causes they are pushing. And we’re all waking up to it.”**
Listen to the whole conversation above, and do support our work, so we can continue interviews like these, Prem’s Capitol Hill reporting, and so much more.
*This video is being shared without a paywall. If you believe in the work we do and want to see more of it, do consider becoming [a paid subscriber][3]. And if you’re not ready for the commitment, then a [donation][4] would still go a long way.*
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***Don’t miss these other articles from Zeteo:***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/veteran-arm-broken-speaks-out-israel-iran-senate?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
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[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/veteran-arm-broken-speaks-out-israel-iran-senate?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/veteran-arm-broken-speaks-out-israel-iran-senate

2026-03-12 23:31:17 CET

In Chile, Trump Finds Another Far-Right Friend
*Donald Trump and Jose Antonio Kast at the “Shield of the Americas” Summit at Trump National Doral, Florida, on March 7, 2026. Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images*
*SANTIAGO, Chile* — José Antonio Kast, Chile’s new president, is the country’s most far-right leader in decades. [Endorsed][1] by US President Donald Trump, Kast ran a parallel campaign rooted in nationalism, promising to quell [Chileans’ security fears][2] by targeting illegal migration and reversing four years of “[damage][3]” under former President Gabriel Boric’s leftist administration.
[Subscribe now][4]
Kast was sworn into office on Wednesday after capturing nearly 60% of the vote in a December runoff election against Jeannette Jara, a longtime member of Chile’s Communist Party.
“Chile needs an emergency government, and that is what we are going to have,” Kast [said][5] Wednesday in his inaugural address from the balcony of Palacio de La Moneda in Santiago. “An emergency government is not a slogan; it is the reality we are going to live: order where there is chaos, relief where there is pain, a firm hand where there is impunity, and real, concrete hope for those ignored for too long.”
For supporters, Kast’s presidency signals a harder line on migration, crime, and economic instability, issues many voters say have eroded the country’s sense of order. But for critics, his strongman rhetoric, Trump-style political playbook, and backing from hard-right coalitions revive fears of authoritarianism.
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://watch.australiachannel.com.au/playback/item/6386534248112
[2]: https://chile.activasite.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/252283_PULSO_CIUDADANO_OCTUBRE_Q1_1019_v3-MEDIOS-_compressed_compressed-1_compressed.pdf
[3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9BvxGStL-c
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[5]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH3hTWwBN6I&t=2s
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/chile-far-right-jose-kast-trump-pinochet
https://zeteo.com/p/chile-far-right-jose-kast-trump-pinochet

2026-03-12 19:26:42 CET

In Beirut, Nowhere Is Safe From Israel's Bombing
*A man looks at the site of overnight Israeli airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 12, 2026.*
*BEIRUT, Lebanon – *Hajar Msheik tries to convince her 2-year-old son that the explosions are fireworks.
“He’s young, but he knows something is going on,” she tells me at a playground in the Beirut neighborhood of Hamra, where dozens of displaced families are gathered for a bit of reprieve from Israel’s relentless bombings. “When we hear bombings, he says he is scared.”
Msheik, who studied computer science and journalism, had to flee her family home in the southern suburb of Dahiyeh at 2am on the first day of the new escalation of Israel’s attacks. “Honestly, it’s the second war for me. The first time in 2024 was very hard and uncertain, but now I feel I know what to do,” she says. “But it’s sad my son only has lived war so far.”
*Hajar Msjeik’s two-year-old son eats sweets at the playground of Ahla Fawda in Hamra, Beirut. Photo by Maria Cosette Molijn*
Msheik and her son are among the approximately [800,000 people][1] who have been displaced since Israel declared the whole of southern Lebanon and entire parts of the capital’s southern suburbs “evacuation” (effectively ‘leave or risk death’) zones.
[Subscribe now][2]
In 11 days, Israel killed at least 687 people, including 98 children, and wounded nearly 1,800 others, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
Since Hezbollah fired rockets toward northern Israel to avenge the assassination of the Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 2, the Israeli army has pushed further into Lebanese territory in the southern border area.
In Beirut, Israel has escalated its bombardments and drone attacks, particularly in the southern suburbs of Dahiyeh. But with the ongoing presence of low-flying drones and fighter jets across the city, it’s become clear that no place in the capital is safe.
[ Read more ][3]
[1]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-strike-hits-beirut-apartment-block-lebanese-media-reports-2026-03-11/
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/lebanon-israel-beirut-attacks-displacement-death-toll
https://zeteo.com/p/lebanon-israel-beirut-attacks-displacement-death-toll

2026-03-12 15:11:23 CET

How Will the War in Iran End? Our Panel of Experts Answers Your Biggest Questions
There are a lot of contradictory statements around the US-Israeli [war on Iran][1]: [Trump][2] claims it’s a success, but billions of dollars later, Iranians still have a Khamenei as their supreme leader and show no signs of ratcheting down their retaliation against US interests across the region. [Israel][3] claims it significantly weakened Iran’s [attack capabilities][4], but Iran says it hasn’t even begun to use their more advanced arsenal. How can you tell the lie from the truth? By listening to a panel of experts that you will only find here at **Zeteo.**
[Subscribe now][5]
**Mehdi** gathers an A-team of renowned experts to speak on the developments in the Middle East for a **Zeteo Town Hall** with *paid* subscribers: **Jeremy Scahill, **co-founder of [Drop Site News][6], which has been reporting on Iran from the ground. **[Vali Nasr][7],** Iranian-American professor, acclaimed author, and former US State Department advisor. And **Rula Jebreal**, an award-winning Palestinian-Italian journalist, foreign policy analyst, and **Zeteo** contributor. When three minds of this caliber come on together, the conversation tends to cover a lot:
* Nasr discusses the new generation leading Iran, anger from Muslims across the region reevaluating their relationship with the US, and who this war is [actually being waged on][8], saying that after Iran’s leader was assassinated, **“it’s not the regime that is under threat… It is Iran.”**
* Scahill describes the **“utter bloodbath”** that would follow a possible [ground invasion][9] of Iran, the real damage from Iranian strikes that the US and Israel are trying to hide, and the potential for a [nuclear war][10], which he tells Mehdi is **“shocking to the soul.” **He also discusses media censorship in Israel and across the Gulf countries and how we aren’t getting the full picture of the damage caused by Iran’s strikes.
* Jebreal highlights the hypocrisy on steroids in launching a new war in the Gulf that will make the Iraq war **“look like a walk in the park.” **She discusses the [religious drivers][11] behind US and Israeli politicians, the possibility of retaliation on American soil, and how Gulf states are reacting to Trump’s actions.
[Share][12]
The panel took more than a dozen questions from the audience and also discussed how this war could end and the long-term consequences of what’s unfolded over the past 13 days. **It’s an in-depth conversation you won’t find *****anywhere***** in mainstream media - and especially on cable news!**
**Paid subscribers** can watch the full, almost-hour-long discussion above. **Free subscribers** can watch a five-minute preview. Consider [becoming a paid subscriber][13] to unlock the full discussion and check out our coverage on Iran that you won’t find [anywhere else][14]!
**Catch up on Zeteo’s latest stories:**
[ Read more ][15]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/new-poll-most-americans-believe-trump?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-grand-theft-auto-memes?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/netanyahu-trump-iran-war-israel?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/no-intel-imminent-attack?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/new-poll-most-americans-believe-trump?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/vali-nasr-iran-protests?utm_source=publication-search
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/ali-vaez-trump-iran?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-ground-invasion-plans-forever-war?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/iran-nuclear-weapons-fake-israel-trump-war-iaea-iraq?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[11]: https://zeteo.com/p/holy-war-against-iran-graham-hegseth-christian-nationalism?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[12]: https://zeteo.com/p/iran-war-end-israel-united-states-trump-nuclear-threat-experts?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[13]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23234856710&gbraid=0AAAAA-F9BazexDKE8DZfrLzh4CXXMQ9fn&gclid=CjwKCAiA2PrMBhA4EiwAwpHyC2IegxZtZP36gmzZ73GExvPfwxqiDiV4yqd6ZxaWjUqalj4PBDbmRxoCbb0QAvD_BwE
[14]: https://zeteo.com/p/how-media-manufactures-war-consent-iran-new-york-times-first-draft?r=3uiw9m&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[15]: https://zeteo.com/p/iran-war-end-israel-united-states-trump-nuclear-threat-experts
https://zeteo.com/p/iran-war-end-israel-united-states-trump-nuclear-threat-experts

2026-03-12 12:33:56 CET

💥 US Intel to Trump: Iran Isn’t Breaking
*On this day in 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt conducted his first radio "fireside chat" as president. Our current president’s equivalent of that is a Truth Social post, calling actor Robert De Niro “demented” and “even sicker” than comedian Rosie O’Donnell.*
Hi! **Swin** here, with your daily dose of ‘**First Draft.**’ I keep trying to compare Donald Trump’s Iran war to another administration’s official act or policy, but it’s getting clearer by the hour that there is only *one* truly apt analogy, and it has nothing to do with past presidencies. Right now, the United States is [Thomas Jane’s character, Todd Parker][1], in the movie ‘Boogie Nights’ – we psyched ourselves up to execute the dumbest heist possible, went ahead with it after our buddies told us to abort, and now we’re paying for it.
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ US intelligence officials whisper to Trump that the **Iranian government** is still holding on tight, the president reportedly told his **top Capitol Hill ally** that “no one gives a shit about housing,” and another school in another country was hit by a drone strike, in a different horrifying war.
[Subscribe now][2]
# ‘We Won’?
*Donald Trump after landing at Joint Base Andrews on March 11, 2026. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images.*
Since last month, we at **Zeteo** have reported that virtually no one in the Trump-Vance administration had a clear idea of what the mission would be going into this new, illegal war on Iran. [Trump did it anyway][3]. We told you about how Trump was repeatedly warned by his senior officials that Americans would **“very”** likely die if he started this fight. [He did it anyway][4].
We also told you about how, in the run-up to launching this regional bloodbath, Trump’s advisers **“fully briefed and prepped”** him on how Iran’s government would likely respond by acting to explode oil prices – and damage the markets and our economy – if he went ahead with the war. Trump privately [downplayed][5] those warnings. Then [he did it anyway][6].
In recent days, two Trump advisers and two other sources briefed on the situation tell me, US officials have delivered another dire warning to our batshit crazy president: They’ve informed Trump and his lieutenants that, based on American intel, the Iranian regime at this time isn’t breaking, isn’t ready to fold on the war or stop retaliating, and that there are signs the war is causing significant rally-around-the-flag effects on the ground in Iran, including among some groups that hate the government in Tehran.
And yet – you guessed it – Donald Trump is going to [keep doing it anyway][7], even in the face of mounting casualties on all sides of the conflict, the world economy on the brink, and gas [and fertilizer][8] [prices surging][9], and increasingly disastrous poll numbers at home for this president.
On Wednesday night, Reuters [first reported][10] that **“US intelligence sees no imminent collapse of Iran government.”**
At least for now, the American president intends to continue prosecuting his war, and most crucially for him, he’s going to continue lying about his supposed progress in the region and burying the wincing intel assessments. Publicly, President Trump claims he can end this war whenever he wants to end it, and that, [somehow][11], **“the war is very complete, pretty much.” **
[ Read more ][12]
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2kXCf5D1Q8
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/an-illegal-war-iran-trump-first-draft
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-was-told-americans-would-very
[5]: https://bsky.app/profile/swin24.bsky.social/post/3mgquqni4e22b
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-war-grand-theft-auto-memes
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/new-poll-most-americans-believe-trump
[8]: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-11/fertilizer-prices-surge-due-to-war-in-iran-odd-lots
[9]: https://www.wired.com/story/trumps-war-on-iran-could-screw-over-us-farmers/
[10]: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-intelligence-says-iran-government-is-not-risk-collapse-say-sources-2026-03-11/
[11]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-iran-cbs-news-the-war-is-very-complete-strait-hormuz/
[12]: https://zeteo.com/p/us-intel-trump-iran-regime-first-draft
https://zeteo.com/p/us-intel-trump-iran-regime-first-draft

2026-03-11 23:39:13 CET

How the 'Fox News Cabinet' Helped Jumpstart Trump's Iran War
Good evening, and welcome to this week’s ‘**Ragebait**.’
**Justin Baragona** here, bringing you the latest media dispatches from the right-wing industrial outrage complex and Bari World. In tonight’s edition, we dig into how **Sean Hannity** and the “Fox News cabinet” helped push the United States into another Middle Eastern quagmire, whether **Jake Tapper **is already giving future CNN owners the Ellisons what they want, and **Bari Weiss** losing yet another high-profile journalist from CBS.
Before we hop in, I have one small request! Today is the last day we’re sending ‘**Ragebait**’ to all **Zeteo** subscribers. To ensure you get my media scoops every week, make sure you’re signed up to get ‘**Ragebait**’ by going to ‘[manage subscription][1]’ in your Substack account, scrolling down, and toggling the button for ‘**Ragebait**’ on. And ensure you’re a *[paid][2]*[ subscriber ][3]to get past the paywall!
[Subscribe now][4]
# **Hannity, Trump’s Shadow Chief of Staff, Gets His War**
*Screenshot of ‘Hannity’ on Feb. 27, 2026.*
Eight months after Donald Trump boasted that he had [“obliterated”][5] Iran’s nuclear capabilities, the president launched an illegal war of aggression to “ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.”
With much of the president’s “America First” base warning him against setting off another Middle Eastern conflict, who exactly convinced Trump to take action? Who did Trump turn to in order to justify jumping into this [deeply unpopular][6] decision?
Well, look no further than the president’s “Fox News cabinet” and his White House shadow chief of staff – **Sean Hannity**.
One of cable news’s [biggest Iraq War hawks][7], who has since spent the [past few years][8] cheerleading Israel’s war on Gaza, Hannity recently devoted much of his energy to laying the groundwork for a full-scale attack on Iran.
“It’s not surprising that Hannity, who was the network’s biggest cheerleader for the Iraq war, is bloodthirsty for another pointless, disastrous war,” one Fox insider told me. “This is a man who praised waterboarding and volunteered to do it for the troops, only to [never follow through on it][9].”
[Subscribe now][10]
A [longtime proponent][11] of military action against Iran, the shameless Trump sycophant began making the case for regime change weeks before the president ordered strikes on Iran – insisting it was necessary to stop the country’s nuclear program that Trump had supposedly already destroyed.
While Hannity had[ previously parroted Trump’s claims][12] that Iran’s nuclear ambitions “are officially dead” and that the regime “has been totally defanged” back in June, he told Iran’s leaders last month that the “clock is now ticking” because they refused to give up their nuclear program.
“I do have a little advice for the radical leaders in Iran,” Hannity declared on his Feb. 18 broadcast. “You may want to get on that plane to Russia sooner than you think – sooner than later. Now would be a good time.”
The full-court press that Hannity and his Fox cohorts were delivering on air obviously had its intended effect on our cable news-obsessed president, based on what **Zeteo’s** senior political correspondent **Asawin “Swin” Suebsaeng** has heard from his well-placed Trumpland sources. Let me turn it over to Swin real quick:
[ Read more ][13]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu
[2]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[3]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[5]: https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/06/irans-nuclear-facilities-have-been-obliterated-and-suggestions-otherwise-are-fake-news/
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/new-poll-most-americans-believe-trump
[7]: https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hannity/sean-hannity-there-were-probably-weapons-mass-destruction-iraq-were-likely-moved-syria
[8]: https://www.foxnews.com/video/6339297668112
[9]: https://www.c-span.org/clip/public-affairs-event/user-clip-hannity-weasels-out-of-waterboarding-pledge/4825812
[10]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[11]: https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hannity/hannity-proposes-bombing-oil-refineries-create-major-poverty-iranian-people
[12]: https://www.mediamatters.org/sean-hannity/sean-hannity-demanding-regime-change-iran-stop-countrys-nuclear-program-which-hannity
[13]: https://zeteo.com/p/how-the-fox-news-cabinet-helped-jumpstart
https://zeteo.com/p/how-the-fox-news-cabinet-helped-jumpstart

2026-03-11 20:03:48 CET

'Iran Is Not Gaza': Read Arundhati Roy's Scathing Speech on the US-Israeli War
***A note from our Editor-in-Chief:***
*My friend, the acclaimed novelist and activist **Arundhati Roy**, one of the bravest women I know, was in conversation in New Delhi on Monday about her recent book ‘Mother Mary Comes To Me.’ At the end of the event, Arundhati delivered impassioned remarks on the war in Iran, US imperialism, and India's own role in all of this. She has shared the text of those remarks exclusively with **Zeteo,** and you can read it below. If you aren’t already, please consider becoming a **[paid subscriber][1]** to **[Zeteo][2]**, or even a [donor][3], to support independent journalism, especially in a time of war and genocide. *
***-Mehdi***
*Author Arundhati Roy. Photo by Nick Lachance/Toronto Star via Getty Images*
I know we are here today to talk about *Mother Mary Comes To Me*. But how can we end the day without talking about those beautiful cities – Tehran, Isfahan, and Beirut that are up in flames? In keeping with my *Mother Mary’s* spirit of candour and impoliteness, I would like to use this platform to say something about the unprovoked and illegal attack by the United States and Israel on Iran. It is, of course, a continuation of the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza. It’s the same old genocidaires using the same old playbook. Murdering women and children. Bombing hospitals. Carpet bombing cities. And then playing the victim.
But Iran is not Gaza. The theater of this new war could expand to consume the whole world. We are on the brink of nuclear calamity and economic collapse. The same country that bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki could be readying itself to bomb one of the most ancient civilizations in the world. There will be other occasions to speak of this in detail, so here, let me simply say that I stand with Iran. Unequivocally. Any regimes that need changing, including the US, Israel, and ours, need to be changed by the people, not by some bloated, lying, cheating, greedy, resource-grabbing, bomb-dropping imperial power and its allies who are trying to bully the whole world into submission.
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Iran is standing up to them, while India cowers. I am ashamed of how gutless, how spineless our government has been. Long ago, we were a poor country of very poor people. But we had pride. We had dignity. Today, we are a rich country with very poor, unemployed people who are fed on a diet of hatred, poison, and falsehoods instead of real food. We have lost pride. We have lost dignity. We have lost courage. Except in our movies.
What sort of people are we whose elected government cannot stand up and condemn the US when it kidnaps and assassinates heads of state of other countries? Would we like that done to us? For our prime minister to have traveled to Israel and embraced Benjamin Netanyahu just days before he attacked Iran – what does it mean? For our government to sign a groveling trade deal with the US that literally sells our farmers and textile industry down the river, only days before the US Supreme Court declared Trump’s tariffs illegal – what does it mean? For us to now be given ‘permission’ to buy oil from Russia – what does it mean? What else do we need permission for? To go to the bathroom? To take a day off work? To visit our mothers?
Every day, US politicians, including Donald Trump, mock and demean us publicly. And our prime minister laughs his famous, vacuous laugh. And hugs on. At the height of the genocide in Gaza, the government of India sent thousands of poor Indian workers to Israel to replace expelled Palestinian workers. Today, while Israelis take shelter in bunkers, it is being reported that those Indian workers are not allowed into those shelters. What the hell does all this mean? Who has put us into this absolutely humiliating, shameless, disgusting place in the world?
Some of you will remember how we used to joke about that florid, overblown Chinese communist term, “Running Dog of Imperialism.” But right now, I’d say, it describes us well. Except, of course, in our twisted, toxic movies in which our celluloid heroes strut on, winning phantom war after war, dumb and over-muscled. Fueling our insatiable bloodlust with their gratuitous violence and their shit for brains.
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***Arundhati Roy** is an award-winning Indian author. Her novel, ‘[The God of Small Things][6],’ won the Booker Prize in 1997. Her memoir, [Mother Mary Comes To Me][7], was published last year. *
***The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Zeteo.***
***Check out more from Zeteo:***** **
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[2]: http://zeteo.com/subscribe
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/donate-to-zeteo
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[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/iran-is-not-gaza-read-arundhati-roys?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[6]: https://r.search.yahoo.com/rdclks/dWU9NjhxdGVkNWtyMzhrYiZ1dD0xNzczMjQ5MTYzOTgzJnVvPTg1MDA2NTQ4OTUyNjU1Jmx0PTImcz0xJmVzPVRDeEZKTXFDSFBIb2hKdC4zSjN0SGpuZjJVSFNOVEY3RUh4TU1kZlpqSFpLVmtoNnJ4dTh0Z2ZObVI5UHpscVV2MEpnclgwbGtnZXRmN2pX/RV=2/RE=1775841164/RO=14/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.bing.com%2faclick%3fld%3de89rkltTWWIVSBB9wbjPVMLDVUCUwWQAZCDzhf_zFN4bikEWGQplcEE5tSwTdIxGTmTIp8eREpBeZsVqt9lrI3M8U4EbL4klvBPnOKpyaGvT0U8FYDyvGN7sU7RG9PrEuTXadNEbWY1soxIWwNQa5EPa1j6uT046MmqBFLLXPpn6f49ZtVPs8vbq4CzjHYn6Ro5UBZ2zSD5F98YYxwa-64thsYBqo%26u%3daHR0cHMlM2ElMmYlMmZ1ay5ib29rc2hvcC5vcmclMmZwJTJmYm9va3MlMmZ0aGUtZ29kLW9mLXNtYWxsLXRoaW5ncy1hcnVuZGhhdGktcm95JTJmZDQ5YjQ0MDA1YzIxN2E3OSUzZmVhbiUzZDk3ODAwMDg1NTYxNzQlMjZuZXh0JTNkdCUyNnV0bV9zb3VyY2UlM2RiaW5nJTI2dXRtX21lZGl1bSUzZHBhaWQlMjZtc2Nsa2lkJTNkMmE2MGNmOTUxODJhMTRjNWEwMWNhNjI0YmFhNjViNjM%26rlid%3d2a60cf95182a14c5a01ca624baa65b63/RK=2/RS=odB9orKcvtnDsrYzL7pgirRDqV0-;_ylt=AwrEa4.LorFpIKIEpUIPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA292LXRvcA--;_ylc=X3IDMgRydAMw?
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[7]: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/mother-mary-comes-to-me-arundhati-roy/23824c690ce7c6f2?ean=9780241761717&next=t&aid=133&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=paid&msclkid=fae96bd00cc21163514d0261ae6a1679
https://zeteo.com/p/iran-is-not-gaza-read-arundhati-roys

2026-03-11 17:26:55 CET

NEW POLL: Most Americans Believe Trump Launched Iran War to Cover Up Epstein Scandal
*Trump on March 9, 2026, in Doral, Florida. Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images*
A majority of likely American voters believe that Donald Trump launched the war on Iran at least in part to distract from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal that had engulfed his presidency, according to a new survey.
The survey found that a solid 52-40 majority of voters agreed with the statement, with the other 8% saying they were unsure as to his motivations. The findings will come as little surprise to a public that has morphed Trump’s codename for the war, Operation Epic Fury, into “Operation Epstein Fury.”
The belief that Trump is trying to knock Epstein off the front pages by going to war with Iran is most strongly held, unsurprisingly, by Democrats, who agree with the statement by an 81-14 margin. For those under 45, it is approaching an article of faith, with a 66-26 majority agreeing with the idea. But even a quarter of Republicans told pollsters that Trump launched the war as a distraction from Epstein.
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The survey of 1,272 likely voters, using a national web panel of respondents, was conducted from March 6 to March 8 by Data for Progress, and paid for by Drop Site News and **Zeteo**. We put the survey into the field in order to be able to ask the American people the kind of questions mainstream news organizations shy away from. The precise wording of the questions can be found [here][2], with breakdowns among party, race, gender, and age.
The public’s belief that Trump waged the ongoing war to distract from the Epstein scandal was branded as antisemitic this week by the Anti-Defamation League and [the ][3]*[Washington Post][4]*, which said the viral claim owed its popularity to a “pro-Iran propaganda network.”
“Pretty quickly after the conflict began, this conspiratorial rebranding of Operation Epic Fury into ‘Operation Epstein Fury’ started circulating on social media platforms,” Oren Segal, the ADL’s “senior vice president of counter-extremism and intelligence,” told the *Post*. An ADL report said the phrase “Epstein Fury” has been mentioned more than 90,000 times by roughly 60,000 accounts. The *Post* did not explain why it was antisemitic to believe that Trump launched the war to distract from the Epstein scandal beyond noting that Epstein was Jewish.
The *Post* recently laid off its entire Middle East team. Nevertheless, according to the *Post*, Iranians are trying to undermine American support for the war by linking it to Epstein. “To erode public support for the joint U.S.-Israel military operation, Iranian state media has sought to portray those countries’ leaders as part of a corrupt and depraved ‘Epstein class’ or ‘Epstein regime,’” the paper reported, claiming that the “the message is spreading through generically named ‘news’ accounts” shilling for Iran. The term “Epstein class” was, in fact, first used by American Democratic politicians such as Senator Jon Ossoff, who is Jewish, and Rep. Ro Khanna, who is not.
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### **Israel’s Influence**
The survey also probed the question of Israeli influence over Trump’s decision-making. Americans were split over the question of Trump’s loyalty, with 47% saying he is more responsive to the American people than to Israel, and 46% saying he is more responsive to Israel.
Among independents, a crucial voting block that swung the election to Trump, half – 50-44% – said that Trump prioritizes Israeli interests over those of Americans. Among Republicans, 17% said the same. Democrats overwhelmingly held that view, 75-17%.
Asked if the Trump administration was pursuing its war with Iran “primarily for American interests” or “primarily for Israeli interest,” the public was also divided, but half – 50-41% – said that he was considering America first. Another 9% said they didn’t know.
Still, no president has ever gone into war with 41% of the country convinced he was doing so on behalf of a foreign country, putting Trump and Israel’s war in uncharted territory.
### **Electoral Backlash**
The survey found that Americans are sour on it, with 55% saying they disapproved; among those, 39% said they strongly disapproved, while just 42% approved. This result is in line with [other polls on the war][6].
Overwhelmingly, voters believe the war will make their lives worse. The survey was in the field before the wild volatility in the oil market, but even then, 49% of voters said the war “will make my life more difficult” compared to just 10% who said they’d see an improvement. One third said it would have no impact.
More pressing for Washington, however, may be the public’s attitude toward politicians and candidates who support the war or support emergency supplemental funding for the war, which Trump has requested. The survey asked whether voters would be more likely or less likely to vote for a congressional candidate in 2026 or a presidential candidate in 2028 if they support the war or support new war funding.
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For Democratic voters, the question is existential. A candidate who supports the war will be badly punished by primary voters in the 2026 congressional elections, with voters saying they’d be 79% less likely to support them, a number that held roughly the same for 2028 presidential candidates.
Republicans, however, would be more likely to support a pro-war candidate by a net 39 points, with only 20% saying it would make them less likely to back the candidate for president.
In the general election, this means voters would be less likely to support a congressional candidate by 19 points; roughly the same result holds for candidates who vote for war spending. Among presidential candidates, the number is negative 19.
### **Ballistic Missiles**
Still, the poll found contradictory views among Americans. By a net margin of 70 points – 83-13% – votes said it was important to them that Iran be prevented from possessing ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel. (In hindsight, the word “prevent” may have been the wrong one to use, since Iran already possesses such weapons.)
Asked if Iran should be allowed to possess ballistic missiles “because countries have a right to defend themselves,” only 13% agreed, while 14% said it’s “not a concern of the United States.” The remaining two-thirds said that they should be prevented from having them.
### **Girls’ Elementary School Strike**
Finally, we asked how much voters had read, seen, or heard about the[ attack on the girls’ school][8] in southern Iran, which killed more than 175 people, mostly young girls.
A full 32% said they had heard nothing at all, and another 23% said they had heard “a little.” Some 29% said they’d heard “some,” and 16% had heard “a lot.”
Of those who had heard of it, 70% believed it was the work of either Israel, the US, or the US and Israel together. A quarter of Americans believes Iran hit the school – a theory that was promoted by Trump and a cadre of war defenders without evidence. Republicans are the only demographic where a substantial portion holds that view, with 45% blaming Iran, 45% blaming the US and/or Israel, and 10% unsure.
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***Check out more from Zeteo: ***
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: http://www.filesforprogress.org/datasets/2026/3/dfp_zeteo_dropsite_iran_tabs.pdf
[3]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/03/10/epstein-files-pro-iran-propaganda/
[4]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/03/10/epstein-files-pro-iran-propaganda/
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/new-poll-most-americans-believe-trump?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[6]: https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/polls-us-iran-attack-2026-03-06
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[8]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/11/us/politics/iran-school-missile-strike.html
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/new-poll-most-americans-believe-trump?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
https://zeteo.com/p/new-poll-most-americans-believe-trump

2026-03-11 15:04:18 CET

IRAN WAR Town Hall TODAY: Jeremy Scahill, Vali Nasr, Rula Jebreal, and Mehdi
The war in Iran has entered its second week of bloodshed. The US continues to bomb the country and threaten a ground invasion. Israel is using the chaos to also wreak havoc upon the occupied West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon. And there is no exit strategy or ceasefire in sight.
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With so much happening so quickly, **Zeteo **is hosting this live Town Hall on Zoom with three renowned and respected experts who have a lot to share and will be taking *your* questions:
* **Jeremy Scahill,** investigative journalist and co-founder of DropSite News, which has been reporting on Iran from the ground,
* **Vali Nasr, **Iranian-American professor, author, and former US State Department advisor,
* **Rula Jebreal**, Palestinian-Italian journalist, author, and **Zeteo **contributor
* Plus, **Mehdi** will be moderating.
Clear your schedules **TODAY**, **March 11** **at** **4:30pm ET** **(1:30pm PT / 8:30pm GMT) **for the kind of conversation you won’t find anywhere in mainstream news.
**Paid subscribers** can register below. If you’re a **free subscriber**, it’s not too late to [upgrade now][2] and register via the link below.
[ Read more ][3]
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[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/iran-war-town-hall-today-jeremy-scahill
https://zeteo.com/p/iran-war-town-hall-today-jeremy-scahill

2026-03-11 12:23:02 CET

How the Media Manufactures Consent for War
*🚨 Join **Mehdi and Team Zeteo** for a LIVE conversation with Oscar-winning actor **Riz Ahmed** and special guests in New York City on April 9 – grab your tickets before prices go **UP** later this week!*
*(P.S. **Paid subscribers **and **Founding Members** already received discount codes in their emails!)*
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Good morning. **Minnah Arshad** and **Andrew Perez** here, marking 12 days since **Donald Trump** dragged us into an illegal war on Iran – and 415 days since Trump took office. But hey, just 1,045 to go… we hope…
There’s no paywall on this edition of **First Draft**, thanks to today’s sponsor, **Incogni**.
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ the** *****New York Times*** is covering Trump’s illegal **war in Iran** roughly how you’d expect, the US is **bombing boats** in search of lower energy prices, and the president’s **worst attorney** is facing ethics charges.
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*(This portion of the post was sponsored content.)*
# Same Old Times?
*The New York Times building in New York City on Jan. 22, 2026. Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images*
The people who suffer the most in US wars have [generally][4] been mentioned last and least by America’s so-called paper of record. With Trump’s illegal war on Iran, history is repeating itself.
According to a **Zeteo** analysis, the *New York Times *underrepresented Iranian victims in its early coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran. The *Times* published over 100 articles on the Iran war in its Middle East section in the first four days. Only 18 of the 103 stories **Zeteo** analyzed mentioned Iranian victims, compared to 29 that mentioned casualties for the US, Israel, or Gulf countries.
Bear in mind that Iranians make up 97%* *of the [victims][5] in this war so far.
And most of the *Times*’s initial coverage also avoided noting that Trump’s war is [illegal][6] to begin with.
When the *Times* did* *report on Iranian victims in its early coverage of the war, the paper mostly used passive language – some of it mangled. In a March 3 article, the *Times* [wrote][7]: **“The war has pressed forward, expanding across the Middle East and yielding hundreds of casualties, including among Iran’s top leadership.”**
Compare that with a *Times* [report][8] on Israeli victims: **“One man stood crying in the ghastly aftermath of an Iranian missile strike that killed at least nine people in central Israel on Sunday afternoon, the worst casualty toll in the country after two days of conflict with Iran.”**
This is what [manufacturing consent][9] looks like.
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The paper did try to address readers’ criticisms of its war coverage in a Q&A with the editor who is reportedly helming war coverage, [published][11] Monday.
The story acknowledged that **“several readers argued that we initially underplayed”** the Feb. 28 attack on the elementary school in Minab compared to Iran’s attacks on Israel. It is worth noting that the first story on the school massacre appeared not on the front page of the paper but on page 11. Yet Adrienne Carter, a senior editor on the *Times*’s International desk, said the school attack was a **“priority” **while arguing that the paper had less access to on-the-ground reporting in Iran compared to Israel.
On another question about passive versus active voice, Carter said **“language evolves”** and **“initial claims don’t always bear out.”**
The coverage of this war from the US media as a whole has been embarrassing in many ways. The *Washington Post *on Tuesday, for instance, [published][12] a piece asserting that it’s a pro-Iranian **“conspiracy theory”** to argue **“that Trump attacked Iran to distract the public from the Epstein files.”**
The paper cited an executive from the Anti-Defamation League who expressed concern that social media users are calling Trump’s Iran war **“Operation Epstein Fury,”** rather than by the president’s preferred branding: **“Operation Epic Fury.”**
**“An ADL report found that the phrase ‘Epstein Fury’ was mentioned more than 90,000 times by some 60,000 different accounts on X within the conflict’s first three days,”** the *Post* reported, somehow keeping a straight face.
Of course, some mainstream journalists, including at the *Times*, are working to hold the Trump administration accountable. *Times* reporter Shawn McCreesh specifically pressed Trump on why he chose to claim Iran was responsible for the attack on the Iranian school.
**“You just suggested that Iran somehow got its hands on a Tomahawk and bombed its own elementary school on the first day of the war,”** McCreesh said Monday. **“But you’re the only person in your government saying this.”** His questioning caused Trump to, for one moment, stop lying. **“I just don’t know enough about it,”** Trump responded, before saying he will **“live with”** the results of his administration’s investigation into the school attack.
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A spokesperson for the *Times* tells **Zeteo** that the paper **“has written on the legality of President Trump’s attacks on Iran through a [domestic][14] and [international][15] lens, and[ asked questions][16] of Trump directly, among reporting on many other topics.”** The spokesperson noted the paper has published **“multiple pieces of forensic reporting on the likely US strike on an Iranian school,”** adding: **“We have done all of this reporting fairly, thoroughly, and without bias.”**
Nevertheless, the *Times* may not have [learned its lesson][17] from the lead-up to the Iraq War, when its reporting helped sell the Bush administration’s lies about WMDs. Over the weekend, the paper helped justify Trump’s Iran war [with blind quotes][18] from **“officials”** who suggested that **“Iran or potentially another group”** may have been able to access the uranium at sites after Trump’s administration bombed them last year.
The *Times* also still employs Gaza genocide apologist Bret Stephens, whose first column headline on the Iran war read: **“Trump and Netanyahu Are Doing the Free World a Favor.”**
It’s the same paper that [instructed reporters][19] to avoid words like **“genocide”** and **“ethnic cleansing”** when reporting on Palestine, and to this day, fails to recognize what the world’s leading genocide scholars have concluded: that Israel is indeed committing a genocide in Gaza.
The *Times* famously issued a half-hearted apology for its coverage of Iraq. In a [May 2004 letter][20], *Times* editors wrote, **“Looking back, we wish we had been more aggressive in re-examining the claims as new evidence emerged – or failed to emerge.”**
More than two decades later, the paper is once again failing to be aggressive in covering another US president’s baseless war.
[Share][21]
## 🇮🇷 Iran War Updates
**Death tolls:**
* **Iran: **More than 1,300 people, including over 200 children and 11 health workers, have been killed in US-Israeli strikes, an Iranian official [said][22].
* **Lebanon: **Israel has killed at least 570 people, including scores of children, Lebanon’s health officials said today.
* **US troops: **Seven US troops have been [killed][23] since the war began (an eighth service member died of a “health-related incident” in Kuwait, US Central Command said, without elaborating). The Pentagon said yesterday that some [140 troops][24] have been wounded, mostly with minor injuries.
* **Israel: **At least 12 people have been killed in Iranian attacks in Israel.
* **Elsewhere in the region: **More than a dozen others have been killed across the region.
**And in more Iran war news…**
* **Bombing boats**: The US [said][25] it had “eliminated” multiple boats, including 16 vessels it claimed were “minelayers,” in the area around the Strait of Hormuz just hours after Trump [demanded][26] that Iran remove any mines it laid, or risk “military consequences” that were “never seen before.”
* **Whoops: **Trump Energy Secretary Chris Wright [claimed][27] on Twitter that the Navy “successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets” – causing oil prices to temporarily drop. The only problem? It wasn’t true, as the White House quickly acknowledged.
* **Iran’s new targets: **Tehran [said][28] today that it could soon target banks and financial institutions associated with US and Israeli entities in the region.
* **‘Nearly 20,000’ civilian sites damaged: **Iran’s Red Crescent [said][29] today that nearly 20,000 civilian sites, including dozens of schools and health facilities, had been damaged since the start of the war.
## Really Racist Republican, Exhibit 374
GOP Congressman Andy Ogles is doubling down on his vicious Islamophobia. After [claiming][30] on Monday that “Muslims don’t belong in American society,” the attention-seeking Ogles went further on Tuesday, [saying][31] millions of Muslim Americans are “unable to assimilate” and “all have to go back.” Is it any surprise that the Tennessee lawmaker’s rhetoric is getting more and more extreme and bigoted, given the Republican Party’s leadership refuses to condemn him? Speaker Mike Johnson shamefully [declined][32] to criticize or disown Ogles’s remarks yesterday. Apparently, it’s okay to sound like a neo-Nazi in the modern GOP.
[Share][33]
## **🗞️ **What You Need to Know
* **Don’t call it ‘mass deportation’**: On Tuesday, Trump’s White House [advised][34] lawmakers to focus their messaging on deporting violent criminals, rather than mass deportation – even though that remains Trump’s policy.
* **ICE at the polls: **The Democratic National Committee is [suing][35] the Trump administration to get answers on whether it’s planning to deploy Trump’s masked, violent secret police or troops to the polls during this year’s midterms. The lawsuit says federal agencies have failed to respond to public records requests on the issue.
* **Election threats:** The Department of Homeland Security’s investigative branch has started investigating the 2020 election results in Arizona, [reportedly][36] on “direction from DC.” It’s the latest indication of how Trump is planning to wield the whole of the federal government to meddle in the 2026 midterms.
* **Always be losing: **Ed Martin, Trump’s former US attorney and current pardon attorney, is [facing][37] ethics charges from the DC Bar for attempting to unlawfully coerce Georgetown University Law Center to stop teaching “DEI” – and for attempting to quash a complaint over the matter by privately communicating with the judge.
## 🧠 Pop Quiz!
***How much money did Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon spend on Alaskan king crab in September?***
Keep your eyes out for the answer below!
## 💬 Quote Unquote
***“While there is no money for 15 million Americans who lost their healthcare, there’s a billion dollars a day to spend on bombing Iran.”***
– That’s Senator Elizabeth Warren [slamming][38] Trump’s illegal war with Iran.
## 🚨 Don’t Miss It!
Later today, we’ll have an **exclusive poll** from our friends at **Data for Progress**, which we commissioned with **Drop Site News**, on the American public’s attitude towards the **war on Iran**, whether they think it was launched to distract from the **Epstein files**, and whether politicians who support this war will pay a political penalty at the polls. It will land in your inbox in a few hours!
[Subscribe now][39]
## 🌏 Anywhere But America
* **🇵🇸 Don’t forget Gaza: **Palestinians in Gaza are grappling with expensive food prices as the US-Israel war on Iran puts further strain on the already-limited supply of basic necessities. [According to Al Jazeera][40], “Residents and traders say prices have jumped in a matter of days, while some staples have become scarce or disappeared altogether.”
* 🇭🇹 **Illegal drone strikes:** More than 1,200 people in Haiti were [killed][41] in drone strikes by Haitian security forces and private contractors between March 2025 and January 2026, including at least 17 children and 43 adults who were not members of criminal groups, according to Human Rights Watch. The group called for these unlawful killings to be investigated under international law.
* 🇸🇸 **UN calls for a ceasefire: **UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk called for an [immediate ceasefire][42] in South Sudan after more than 160 civilians were killed over the past 17 days. Türk warned that “civilians are being brutally killed, injured, and displaced on a daily basis,” and that the violence “may amount to war crimes.”
* 🇺🇦🇷🇺 **Territorial gains: **Russian and Ukrainian officials made [rival claims][43] of territorial gains as US-brokered peace talks are seemingly on pause. Ukraine said it has retaken nearly all of the Dnipropetrovsk region, while Russia said it has pushed further into the eastern Donbas region.
[Share][44]
## 🦊 Fox Watch
Noted military expert Jesse Watters thinks the US bombing a girl’s school and Israel bombing oil depots is evidence of a ‘compassionately’ fought war…
#### 🧠 Trivia answer: $2 million, according to the nonprofit transparency group, [Open the Books][45].
## ICYMI From Zeteo
*Zeteo’s Melanie Riehl and Akshay Gokul contributed to this newsletter.*
[Share][46]
*Still want to get **Zeteo **content, but not this newsletter? You can unsubscribe directly from ‘**First Draft**’ by going to ‘[manage subscription][47]’ in Substack, scrolling down, and toggling the button for ‘First Draft’ off. *
[1]: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zeteo-live-in-nyc-with-riz-ahmed-mehdi-hasan-and-guests-tickets-1984574773571?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://deal.incogni.io/aff_c?offer_id=6&aff_id=2097&url_id=136
[4]: https://news.illinois.edu/casualties-get-scant-attention-in-wartime-news-with-little-change-since-world-war-i/
[5]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/1/us-israel-attacks-on-iran-death-toll-and-injuries-live-tracker
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/international-law-trump-israel-war-iran-illegal
[7]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/world/middleeast/us-soldiers-killed-iran-war.html
[8]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/01/world/middleeast/9-killed-beit-shemesh-iranian-missiles.html
[9]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_Consent
[10]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[11]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/insider/07iran-israel-united-states-war.html
[12]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/03/10/epstein-files-pro-iran-propaganda/
[13]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[14]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/us/politics/trump-iran-war-presidential-power.html
[15]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/us/politics/iran-khamenei-dead-trump-legal.html
[16]: https://x.com/clashreport/status/2031133927256047757?s=20
[17]: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/may/26/pressandpublishing.usnews
[18]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/us/politics/iran-nuclear-site-uranium-intel.html
[19]: https://theintercept.com/2024/04/15/nyt-israel-gaza-genocide-palestine-coverage/
[20]: https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/26/world/from-the-editors-the-times-and-iraq.html
[21]: https://zeteo.com/p/how-media-manufactures-war-consent-iran-new-york-times-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[22]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/close-10000-civilian-sites-destroyed-us-israeli-bombing-irans-un-envoy
[23]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/08/world/middleeast/american-soldier-killed-iran-war.html
[24]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/world/middleeast/us-injuries-iran-war.html
[25]: https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2031489675760640370
[26]: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116206683370194686
[27]: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/10/oil-hormuz-iran-tanker-wright-00821041
[28]: https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump--03-11-2026#0000019c-dbf9-dd61-adfd-dff90e2f0000
[29]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/close-10000-civilian-sites-destroyed-us-israeli-bombing-irans-un-envoy
[30]: https://x.com/RepOgles/status/2031002097135599717?s=20
[31]: https://x.com/RepOgles/status/2031449464825667735
[32]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/10/mike-johnson-anti-muslim-comments
[33]: https://zeteo.com/p/how-media-manufactures-war-consent-iran-new-york-times-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[34]: https://www.axios.com/2026/03/10/white-house-house-republicans-mass-deportations
[35]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/us/politics/democrats-sue-to-find-out-if-trump-will-send-armed-officers-to-election-sites.html
[36]: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/03/arizona-election-investigations/686310/
[37]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doj-ed-martin-ethics-charges-disciplinary-office-georgetown-university/
[38]: https://x.com/atrupar/status/2031384481169379575
[39]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[40]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/10/gaza-food-prices-soar-as-border-closures-deepen-shortages-amid-iran-war
[41]: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/03/10/haiti-drone-strikes-put-residents-at-risk
[42]: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/03/south-sudan-turk-urges-immediate-ceasefire-war-crimes-fears-mount
[43]: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-iran-drones-us-talks-b7267b71dda7a7f5b7fd10770ac04ae8
[44]: https://zeteo.com/p/how-media-manufactures-war-consent-iran-new-york-times-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[45]: https://openthebooks.substack.com/p/pentagon-should-focus-on-defense
[46]: https://zeteo.com/p/how-media-manufactures-war-consent-iran-new-york-times-first-draft?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[47]: https://zeteo.com/account?utm_source=user-menu
https://zeteo.com/p/how-media-manufactures-war-consent-iran-new-york-times-first-draft

2026-03-11 02:03:35 CET

I Was a US Intelligence Analyst. Here's What a Ground Invasion of Iran Could Look Like
*President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speak to reporters on board Air Force One on March 7, 2026. Photo Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images*
Donald Trump bombed Iran expecting an overnight victory. Instead, he got a 14-country war, at least seven dead US servicemembers, the [worst][1] US military civilian casualty incident in decades, and skyrocketing oil prices. Desperate for a win, he’s tried [bombing Iran][2], [bombing Iran][3], and even [bombing Iran][4], and now he’s all out of ideas.
So it’s no surprise that Trump officials soft-pitched ground operations inside Iran to Axios over the weekend. If that sounds like an invasion to you, don’t worry, they would be “small special ops raids — not a big force,” [per][5] a reassuring unnamed Trump official.
[Subscribe now][6]
Before evaluating the three “small” plans on the table, we need to understand three important factors for context:
* First, for Iran hawks in [Israel and the US][7], the longer the war, the better. Trapping Trump in a quagmire raises the odds of state collapse in Iran – a humanitarian catastrophe and the ideal outcome for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
* Second, Trump has plenty of troops at his disposal, even if he hasn’t put in the months it would take to assemble an Iraq-scale invasion force. He could deploy over 10,000 [rapid-response][8] troops in weeks if he wanted to – potentially enough to buy time for a larger invasion force.
* Third, the closer US forces get to Iranian soil, the more US technological and firepower advantages are negated. The US military can bomb Iran at will, but that doesn’t protect a commando from stepping on an IED, or a landing helicopter from a concealed Iranian soldier with an RPG.
The three proposed ground operations reported – or pitched – in the media all have limited aims that sound more palatable than committing the US to a ruinous forever war in Iran. Here’s how they all risk ending up there anyway:
[ Read more ][9]
[1]: https://truthout.org/articles/un-experts-demand-probe-into-minab-massacre-as-reports-find-us-was-responsible/
[2]: https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-iran-attack-02-28-26-hnk-intl
[3]: https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/03/01/9-iranian-naval-ships-have-been-destroyed-and-sunk-trump-says/
[4]: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/trump-says-he-wont-target-iran-electricity-production-sites-unless-he-has-to/
[5]: https://www.axios.com/2026/03/08/iran-ground-troops-special-forces-nuclear
[6]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[7]: https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/lindsey-graham-trump-iran-fa5f54f0?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqdwX2QSFE_zveR2-x3q9PmY68YJLQJ9pU4FhbaWi2ESrUzW3gX4oDFk9b259Ls%3D&gaa_ts=69af1fd1&gaa_sig=aBwW6ok5N1vQTDX_GZi-z4874CzyZ3CHOCvjjnMwh6cOcYoJ_iTejezm2XzWABYstnaZv378lWSX67tlIdvTrg%3D%3D
[8]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/06/army-82nd-airborne-iran/
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-ground-invasion-plans-forever-war
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-iran-ground-invasion-plans-forever-war

2026-03-10 20:35:54 CET

Graham Platner Was Left for Dead. So Why Is He Winning?
Graham Platner at a town hall in Ogunquit, Maine, on Oct. 22, 2025. Photo by Brian Snyder/Reuters.
Many people assumed Graham Platner’s Senate candidacy was dead in October. Instead, the oyster farmer and veteran [kept campaigning][1], and [continued][2] [drawing][3] [overflow][4] [crowds][5] to town halls all over Maine.
His Democratic opponent, Janet Mills, Maine’s current two-term governor, has led a quieter campaign, and with three months left in the primary, [polls][6] suggest Platner is in the lead. Recent surveys, including a poll [released][7] Monday, suggest Platner would be a stronger candidate to face incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, too.
It was, of course, fair to expect Platner wouldn’t get past the news that he, for years, had a chest tattoo – dating back to his time in the Marines – that resembled a skull-and-crossbones symbol used by the Nazis, even after he [apologized][8] and got the tattoo covered up.
Months later, it’s clear the conventional wisdom about Platner’s demise was wrong. What’s happening in Maine, on the ground, is a fundamentally different story.
[Subscribe now][9]
**Zeteo** spoke with Platner over the weekend about the state of the Senate race, after he led a protest outside Collins’s Portland office to speak out against her vote in favor of Donald Trump’s illegal war.
As part of our wide-ranging conversation, Platner discussed why Trump’s war in Iran is “uniquely bad,” how he survived his tattoo scandal, and why he thinks it won’t doom his campaign if he makes it to the general election. “Everybody in Maine knows about it already,” he says. Platner also shared why he’s sick of being compared to John Fetterman, and what he’d like to say to Ted Cruz. (Spoiler: It’s not kind, but certainly relatable.)
*Below is our conversation, which has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity: *
[ Read more ][10]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/p/graham-platner-senate-maine-interview
[2]: https://x.com/aobrien2010/status/1982939801558175882
[3]: https://x.com/nathanTbernard/status/1989708413891199019
[4]: https://x.com/PHirschkorn/status/2030811763260772789
[5]: https://x.com/carinemhajjar/status/2030751454059725271
[6]: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/maine-us-senate-election-polls-2026.html
[7]: https://polls.quantusinsights.org/polls/maine-senate-quantus-mxnu1zpr
[8]: https://x.com/grahamformaine/status/1981087613466660950
[9]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[10]: https://zeteo.com/p/graham-platner-maine-campaign-primary
https://zeteo.com/p/graham-platner-maine-campaign-primary

2026-03-10 15:06:12 CET

Meet Three Congressional Candidates Taking on AIPAC
The Illinois primaries are just one week away, and affiliates and donors of AIPAC have poured [more than $13 million][1] to try and elect their preferred candidates in four wide-open congressional primaries in the Chicago area, according to an analysis of federal campaign disclosures.
But in a riveting panel with **Mehdi**, three pro-Palestinian candidates pull back the curtain on AIPAC’s use of shell PACs to “**hide their money**,” as support for one of the most influential lobbying groups in the country wanes among Democratic voters.
The panel includes tech entrepreneur **Junaid Ahmed**, who is** **running in the 8th district; journalist and former **Zeteo** contributor **Kat Abughazaleh**, who is running in the 9th district; and state Senator **Robert Peters**, who is running in the 2nd district.
[Subscribe now][2]
“**There’s an entire movement that’s growing that says you have to reject AIPAC**,” Peters says, with Abughazaleh noting that the group is “**grasping at straws and they’re panicking.**”
“**Right now, this race is pretty much unlimited money versus people power**,” Ahmed adds.
Also during this can’t-miss interview:
* Mehdi asks Peters about meeting with an AIPAC official shortly after launching his campaign and writing a draft position paper (*“***I actually very much regret it.**”)
* Abughazaleh responds to the recent controversy surrounding an email from her former national security adviser that referred to her as “firmly an interventionist”
* Ahmed discusses the hypocrisy of AIPAC’s preferred candidates denouncing the US-Israeli war in Iran while refusing to rule out supporting unconditional military aid to Israel
**Paid subscribers** can watch the whole interview. **Free subscribers** can watch a 5-minute preview. Consider [becoming a paid subscriber][3] to never hit another paywall again!
***Check out more from Zeteo***:
[ Read more ][4]
[1]: https://www.wbez.org/politics/2026/02/27/aipac-pro-israel-groups-chicago-area-democratic-congressional-primaries-miller-conyears-ervin-bean-fine
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[4]: https://zeteo.com/p/illinois-election-aipac
https://zeteo.com/p/illinois-election-aipac

2026-03-10 12:11:57 CET

Debunking Donald’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Remarks
*🚨 Join **Mehdi and Team Zeteo** for a LIVE conversation with Oscar-winning actor **Riz Ahmed** and special guests in New York City on April 9 – grab your tickets before prices go **UP** later this week!*
*(P.S. **Paid subscribers **and **Founding Members** already received discount codes in their emails!)*
[Get your tickets!][1]
Good morning! **Prem** here! I know we are 10 years into **Donald Trump**’s dominance of American public life, but this morning, I am basking in the wonderment you feel when you really soak in a Trump public appearance. On the one hand, I don’t want to have to subject you to it, but on the other hand, you *really* have to sink your teeth into this one. It matters! So, without further ado…
In today’s ‘**First Draft**,’ **Trump** delivers some of the **most insane** remarks he perhaps ever has (does he now believe in… **zombies**??), **Israeli forces** escalate their illegal invasion in **Lebanon**, and the Trump administration has a gift for **Ticketmaster**.
[Subscribe now][2]
# The King’s Brain Is Dead
* Trump speaks to reporters on March 9, 2026. Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images.*
Donald Trump delivered remarks in Doral, Florida, last night, to House Republicans during their retreat, and then as part of a press conference. It might not seem like an appropriate time to be off the job, but, dear reader, based on Trump’s remarks, maybe it’s better if he steps away from the steering wheel. Let’s discuss, debunk, annotate, and report on his insanity – quote by quote:
**First off, there were so *****many***** lies:**
**[“Try finding wind farms in China.”][3]**
China is the [leading producer][4] of wind energy in the world.
**[“[Democrats] don’t say [affordability] anymore because we brought down prices.”][5]**
Voters strongly disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy – to a record degree, according to a new Quinnipiac [poll][6]. Prices are only getting higher as a result of Trump’s illegal war in Iran.
**[“Virtually nobody has a system of mail-in ballots like we have; no other country in the world.][7]**”
[Dozens of nations][8] have some form of mail-in voting.
[Subscribe now][9]
**[Iran “was looking to take over the Middle East.”][10]**
There’s only one nation in the Middle East right now seeking to encroach on neighboring territories: Israel.
**[“If we didn’t go in, they would have come in after us.”][11]**
Once again, there was no proof that Iran posed any “imminent threat” to the US, and, in fact, the country was negotiating a new nuclear deal with the Trump administration before the president decided to attack.
**[“…the Tomahawk is sold and used by other countries…Iran who also has some Tomahawks.”][12]**
Trump has continued to suggest that Iran was responsible for the horrific bombing of an Iranian girls’ school, killing some 175 people, mostly children. Repeated independent reporting has found that the US was likely the culprit. Footage shows that it was a Tomahawk missile that rained down on the school – a US munition that Iran *does not possess. *
**Now onto the *****really***** absurd, brain-addled, and racist moments:**
[ Read more ][13]
[1]: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zeteo-live-in-nyc-with-riz-ahmed-mehdi-hasan-and-guests-tickets-1984574773571?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2031116714147197176?s=20
[4]: https://wwindea.org/GlobalStatistics#:~:text=Here%20are%20some%20statistics%20on%20wind%20power,of%20wind%20power%20above%20the%20world%20average
[5]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2031117043328766087?s=20
[6]: https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3952
[7]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2031132481504817201?s=20
[8]: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-trumps-claim-the-u-s-is-the-only-country-that-uses-mail-in-voting
[9]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[10]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2031115859683598416?s=20
[11]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2031116238936752259?s=20
[12]: https://x.com/Acyn/status/2031131478617444468
[13]: https://zeteo.com/p/debunking-trump-iran-press-conference-first-draft
https://zeteo.com/p/debunking-trump-iran-press-conference-first-draft

2026-03-10 03:03:00 CET

Don't Forget Gaza and the Palestinians
*Relatives of Palestinian journalist Amal Muhammad Shamali, who was killed in an Israeli strike on makeshift tents in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp, perform funeral prayers in Gaza City on March 9, 2026. Photo by Moiz Salhi/Anadolu via Getty Images*
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu couldn’t have appeared happier; he looked almost giddy. By launching an illegal attack on Iran with the United States, Netanyahu’s lifelong goal was achieved. He said as much. While standing on the rooftop of the Israeli military headquarters (Israel’s Pentagon), nestled among residential and commercial buildings in the heart of Tel Aviv, Netanyahu [proclaimed][1], “This coalition of forces allows us to do what I have yearned to do for 40 years: smite the terror regime hip and thigh. This is what I promised – and this is what we shall do.”
[Subscribe now][2]
Let’s leave aside the “40 years” comment for the moment – though it is clear that Israel has posed a threat to Iran for at least that time, given its years of attacks on the country and its allies. It’s the rest of the sentence that is equally disturbing. Just as Netanyahu made a Biblical reference to the tribe of [Amalek][3] – an enemy that must be completely wiped out – as a justification to slaughter Palestinians in Gaza, including children and infants, he is now invoking a phrase from the Old Testament’s Book of Judges in which Samson “smote them [the Philistines] hip and thigh,” to justify the war with Iran. In plain English, Samson attacked the Philistines mercilessly and viciously. Not coincidentally, Israel’s widely-reported nuclear deterrence strategy is known as the “[Samson Option][4],” in which Israel will resort to using nuclear weapons if it deems necessary. By the way, unlike Iran, [Israel has never submitted to international inspections][5], and Israel has refused to
sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty that 191 countries (including Iran) have signed.
This out-and-proud combination of unchecked military aggression, coupled with deranged Zionist biblical references, foretells what’s to come, but it also underscores what we’re already witnessing in Palestine, making it all the more important that we don’t look away from what Israel is doing in Gaza and the West Bank as the war in Iran rages on.
Just take Gaza, for instance.
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1969336447032052
[2]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[3]: https://zeteo.com/p/its-not-just-netanyahu-a-lot-of-israelis
[4]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israel-planned-war-iran-40-years-everything-else-smoke-screen
[5]: https://zeteo.com/p/why-wont-the-media-mention-israels
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/dont-forget-gaza-and-palestinians-iran-war
https://zeteo.com/p/dont-forget-gaza-and-palestinians-iran-war

2026-03-09 23:33:26 CET

'The Gaza Playbook': Mehdi Breaks Down What Israel Is Doing to Iran
Almost 1,000 Iranians and multiple Americans have been killed, oil prices are skyrocketing, and the US is barreling towards recession.
The worst part?
**“None of this had to happen. This was a war of choice by Donald Trump at the behest, request, manipulation of Benjamin Netanyahu.”**
**Mehdi** and **Prem** unpack the latest news from the war on Iran on ‘Ask the Editor,’ answering questions from **Zeteo** subscribers who participated live on [Zeteo.com][1] or on [Youtube][2].
[Subscribe now][3]
Watch the** full video above** to hear **Zeteo’s** editor-in-chief discuss what could be next in the war, whether a nuclear threat is real, and much more, including:
* How the US and Israel are using **“the Gaza playbook”** in Lebanon and Iran to brazenly kill civilians, commit potential war crimes, and get away with it
* The Trump admin’s incompetence – from just how bad this war is going to be for the US economy to a potential **military draft** (!)
* The **failed ‘regime change’** operation
* …and more.
Let us know what you think in the comments, and [subscribe][4] to catch the next episode of **Ask the Editor** every Monday at 11am ET on [Zeteo.com][5], [YouTube][6], or on the Substack app.
[Share][7]
#### **🚨LAST CHANCE to get early bird tickets!🚨**
*Join **Mehdi and Team Zeteo **for a LIVE conversation with Academy Award-winning actor **Riz Ahmed** and special guests in New York City on April 9 – secure your ticket below before the price increases!*
[Get tickets here!][8]
*If you’re a **paid** **subscriber or a Founder,** don’t forget to use the 25% off discount code below. Everyone else, you can still upgrade your subscription to get access to discounts on events and all our premium content.*
[ Read more ][9]
[1]: http://zeteo.com
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/@zeteo/streams
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[5]: http://zeteo.com/
[6]: https://www.youtube.com/@zeteo/streams
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/will-the-us-nuke-iran-mehdi-breaks?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[8]: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zeteo-live-in-nyc-with-riz-ahmed-mehdi-hasan-and-guests-tickets-1984574773571?aff=oddtdtcreator
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/will-the-us-nuke-iran-mehdi-breaks
https://zeteo.com/p/will-the-us-nuke-iran-mehdi-breaks

2026-03-09 22:02:02 CET

'They're Perceived To Be Weak': Top Pollster Explains Why Democrats Should Not Shift to the Center
Despite Democrats’ failure to rally voters around a centrist agenda back in 2024, many in the party still believe that the “middle of the road” is key to victory.
But in this Substack Live conversation, independent pollster G. Elliott Morris tells John Harwood that those counseling Democrats to move toward the center have got it wrong. There are no “**median voters” **there, as he describes to Harwood – just people who pay little attention, have mixed views, and want strong leaders.
[Subscribe now][1]
Watch the full conversation to hear Harwood and Morris also discuss Trump's unpopular Iran war, and the chances that Republicans might lose both chambers of Congress in the 2026 elections.
Morris can also be found on his Substack, [Strength In Numbers.][2]
Free subscribers can watch a 5-minute preview. Consider upgrading to a [paid subscription][3] and never hit a paywall again!
*This was a **live** conversation on [Zeteo.com][4] and the Substack app, where subscribers could ask questions. Be sure to [subscribe][5] to catch the next Substack Live.*
***Check out Zeteo’s other recent stories:***
[ Read more ][6]
[1]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[2]: https://www.gelliottmorris.com/
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[4]: http://zeteo.com/
[5]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/g-elliott-morris-democrats-center
https://zeteo.com/p/g-elliott-morris-democrats-center

2026-03-09 19:20:25 CET

Citizens In a Democracy Must Be Allowed to Criticize Israel
*This [post][1] was originally published by [Jason Stanley on his Substack][2], ‘[Front Left][3].’ **Zeteo** is republishing it with his permission.*
*Protesters gather outside the White House to demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit on Feb. 11, 2026. Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images*
When I was in Ukraine in May of 2024, a Ukrainian public figure said to me, “the Americans and Europeans think that Eastern European autocrats admire Putin the most. This is false. It’s Netanyahu who they look up to.”
The point my Ukrainian friend was making is that everyone in the world knows that Putin is a brutal dictator and Russia is an autocracy. Everyone in the West is free to criticize Russia; there is no sanction or threat in so doing. But somehow you are required to say that Israel is a democracy even though it is a country that practices apartheid, and its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been in power for almost as long as Vladimir Putin. There is real risk in stating the truth about Israel in the West; there is no risk at all in stating the truth about Russia in the West. Netanyahu is therefore the one with more power.
And yet it is essential in a democracy that its citizens are allowed to criticize the actions of any state, whether it is their own or another. Given that Israel has so much geopolitical weight in the world today, if citizens face threats and career sanctions for stating what is true about Israel, they cannot participate in a full public conversation about policy decisions. Such a country is therefore not a democracy, a state in which all citizens can freely participate in important policy decisions and debates. If you cannot say what is true about Israel’s actions in the world, you do not live in a democracy. Too many citizens live in countries whose democratic status is threatened in this way.
[Subscribe now][4]
According to a *New York Times* article published on March 2 entitled [“How Trump Decided to Go to War,”][5] the decision to go to war was “spurred by an Israeli leader determined to end diplomatic negotiations.” The article stated the obvious. There is no clear strategic interest at stake for the US behind its massive attack on Iran, nor has the administration been able to provide one. Iran poses no threat to the United States. Iran was not about to produce a nuclear weapon. Iran was not about to produce missiles capable of reaching the continental US. The Trump regime has provided shifting explanations of the decision for this massive attack. But the best explanation is the most obvious one – it is in the strategic interests of Israel to destroy the Iranian regime. And the Trump regime is, for some unfathomable reason, prioritizing what is in Israel’s strategic interest over what is in the strategic interests of the United States.
If we assume, as seems clear, that the attack on Iran is for the purposes of Israel, then we can also make a prediction about the future. If Iran becomes a democracy, its citizens will no doubt remain opposed to Israel’s actions against the Palestinians. Thus, Israel will likely seek to prevent Iran from becoming a democracy. The goal then, as Marcus Stanley of the Quincy Institute [has pointed out on X][6], would be regime *collapse*, rather than regime *change* (full disclosure – Marcus Stanley is my brother). It is in Israel’s interests to replace the states that challenge its domination over the Palestinian people and occupation of Palestinian lands by failed states, rather than democracies. For example, Libya is hardly in a position anymore to lend its weight to the cause of Palestinian liberation.
[Share][7]
I have seen from my own country how democracy has been attacked by sanctioning speech critical of Israel. When Donald Trump came into office, he targeted universities with enormous fines and many other harmful tactics for allowing protests critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza. It was a broader signal to universities that speech critical of Israel would be carefully monitored. The “Israel exception” was the primary method the Trump regime used to attack universities, which are core democratic institutions. No democracy can allow such an exception.
*A poster on May 6, 2025, shows pro-Palestine students and scholars whom the Trump administration has attempted to deport in the last year. Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images*
In any true democracy, it should be allowable to point out what seems to me to be obvious – the United States is, for some reason, doing the bidding of the State of Israel, lending its military to its causes, and sanctioning criticism of its actions domestically. Understanding this is essential to predicting what will happen in the Middle East. Given Israel’s geopolitical power, open discussion of its influence in the world today should be a free part of every democracy. Repression of such discussion is a way to dismantle democracy.
Finally, if it is not permissible for ordinary citizens in a democracy to point out situations in which Israel is responsible for world events, then it will be left to antisemites and fascists to state these truths. The speech prohibitions on Israel do not then merely threaten democracy; they threaten to make Nazis and those with sympathy for their ideologies into the only ones who are allowed to state these truths. In other words, restrictions on speech critical of Israel lend unwarranted legitimacy to antisemitic ideologies. For the sake of both democracy and Jewish safety worldwide, it is therefore essential to allow citizens to freely criticize Israel without fear or sanction.
[Share][8]
***Zeteo **contributor **Jason Stanley** is the Bissell-Heyd-Associates Chair at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. He’s also the author of seven books, including [How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them][9] and [Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future][10]. *
*For more of Jason’s writing, [subscribe][11] to his Substack, ‘[Front Left][12].’*
***The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Zeteo.***
***Check out more from Zeteo: ***
[1]: https://jasonstanleyantifascist.substack.com/p/citizens-in-a-democracy-must-be-allowed
[2]: https://jasonstanleyantifascist.substack.com/
[3]: https://jasonstanleyantifascist.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips
[4]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[5]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/us/politics/trump-war-iran-israel.html
[6]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/us/politics/trump-war-iran-israel.html
[7]: https://zeteo.com/p/democracy-criticize-israel-netanyahu-iran-trump?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[8]: https://zeteo.com/p/democracy-criticize-israel-netanyahu-iran-trump?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share
[9]: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/586030/how-fascism-works-by-jason-stanley/
[10]: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Erasing-History/Jason-Stanley/9781668056912
[11]: https://jasonstanleyantifascist.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips
[12]: https://jasonstanleyantifascist.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips
https://zeteo.com/p/democracy-criticize-israel-netanyahu-iran-trump

2026-03-09 15:10:32 CET

'Zionism Will Collapse' - Palestinian Scholar Tareq Baconi on The Nakba, Apartheid, and the Significance of Gaza
*NOTE: This episode was recorded prior to the US-Israel attack on Iran.*
In the latest episode of ‘Beyond Israelism’, **Simone Zimmerman** engages in a powerful and timely conversation with Palestinian scholar and author **Tareq Baconi,** author of ‘Hamas Contained’ and his newly released memoir ‘Fire in Every Direction’. Tareq is regarded as one of the sharpest analysts when it comes to Gaza and Hamas, but this conversation moves beyond headlines into something more intimate. In his memoir, he weaves together his journey of coming out as a queer Palestinian with his family’s history of dispossession. He tells the story of finding his grandmother’s home in Haifa that she had fled during 1948 — a reminder that history is not abstract, but rather lived and carried across generations.
**“Even before the genocide began, Gaza felt to me like the most truthful place of what the Palestinian experience is.”**
Tareq explores the legacy of the Nakba as an ongoing structure rather than a closed chapter. He reflects on what it means to tell family stories in the midst of mass violence, and why publishing a personal memoir during a genocide has felt both unbearable and necessary. Tareq recently wrote in ‘+972 Magazine’ that **“even if Hamas were dismantled tomorrow, the siege of Gaza, apartheid, and the denial of return would persist. At the same time, resistance would reconstitute itself in new forms because the condition that gives rise to it — colonial domination — remains.” **Tareq offers historical depth and clarity in a moment saturated with distortion and political theater.
This episode also lands at a critical political moment: Donald Trump unveiling his so-called “Board of Peace,” promoting glossy redevelopment schemes for Gaza while sidelining Palestinians. Against this backdrop, Tareq’s emphasis on the enduring realities of colonialism and apartheid feels clarifying and urgent. For anyone trying to make sense of this moment, this conversation offers something rare: moral seriousness, historical grounding, and a refusal to look away. This is a conversation that doesn’t just inform — it grounds us in our humanity, and invites us into a deeper understanding of what’s at stake.
***Free subscribers get a 5-minute preview of the video above while Zeteo’s paid subscribers can watch it in full. As always, you can also listen wherever you get your podcasts.***
[Apple][1]
[Spotify][2]
‘Beyond Israelism with Simone Zimmerman’* *is a provocative new video podcast series from [Tikkun Olam Productions][3], the team behind the viral and award-winning 2023 film *[Israelism][4]*. In this series, Simone will host bold and inspiring conversations that face, head on, the growing global reckoning with Zionism, the debates over Jewish identity, and the urgent struggle for Palestinian freedom. The episodes will unpack the myths of Zionism; dive deep into the meaning of Palestinian liberation, and through raw and fearless discussions examine the Jewish relationship with Israel.
***If you enjoyed this conversation, here are some additional resources:***
Order Tareq’s books *[Fire in Every Direction][5]* and *[Hamas Contained][6]*.
Tareq in +972 Magazine - [‘The Gaza Genocide Radicalized The World’][7] and [‘A Colonized Palestine Isn’t The Answer To The World’s Guilt’][8].
***Check out more from Zeteo:***
[ Read more ][9]
[1]: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-israelism-with-simone-zimmerman/id1843736886
[2]: https://open.spotify.com/show/2h6mATYvb3acjvUKx9F6aD
[3]: https://www.tikkunolamproductions.com/
[4]: https://www.israelismfilm.com/
[5]: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Fire-in-Every-Direction/Tareq-Baconi/9781668068564
[6]: https://www.sup.org/books/middle-east-studies/hamas-contained
[7]: https://www.972mag.com/gaza-genocide-world-radicalized/
[8]: https://www.972mag.com/hijacking-memory-palestine-antisemitism/
[9]: https://zeteo.com/p/zionism-will-collapse-tareq-baconi
https://zeteo.com/p/zionism-will-collapse-tareq-baconi