"Ceasefire Must Start Now": Ex-Lebanese Minister Amid Deepening Crisis

04/15/26 3:37 PM

Former Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad calls for immediate ceasefire amid healthcare collapse and rising civilian casualties.

'Bye bye, Viktor!' Internet erupts as Trump-endorsed far-right leader loses election

04/12/26 8:27 PM

The internet erupted on Sunday after a Trump-backed autocrat lost a high-stakes election. Viktor Orbán, a strongman and staunch Russian ally who has led Hungary for the last 16 years, conceded defeat to opposition party leader Peter Magyar in the country's national election. Orbán has been a symbol of the rise of the far right across Europe as he sought to roll back the country's democratic reforms. Orbán lost the election despite U.S. Vice President JD Vance traveling to the country to campaign for him. President Donald Trump also endorsed Orbán in multiple Truth Social posts. Orbán described his loss as "painful," according to a report from the Associated Press. Political analysts and observers reacted to the news on social media. "Bye bye Viktor!" former Republican lawmaker Adam Kinzinger posted on X. "MAGA hero is gone." "Voters in Hungary said no to a strong man. We can do it too," legal expert Joyce Vance posted on X. "I’m incredibly obsessed with JD Vance sinking Victor Orban," political commentator Molly Jong-Fast posted on Bluesky. "Off with you, you fascist Putin puppet," author Paul Kemp posted on Bluesky. "The return of Trump has been dreadful news for hard-right politicians around the world, and now they're disrespecting him by accepting electoral defeat," Larry the Cat, who lives at the U.K. Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street, posted on X.

'Can’t send the two real estate developers': Top Dem slams Trump's Iran negotiators

04/11/26 7:20 PM

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) spoke out on Saturday against special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner taking part in Middle East diplomatic efforts amid the ongoing Iran war, The Hill reported. Witkoff and Kushner were among diplomats and leaders meeting for trilateral talks discussing how to end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. In a conversation with Rev. Al Sharpton, Kelly described his concerns about the ongoing war. "You can’t send the two real estate developers to negotiate a peace with another region," Kelly said at the National Action Network Convention in New York City.Kelly also criticized Trump for lacking a plan and not consulting allies about the military attack, arguing Trump had "alienated our allies.""There is one person responsible for closing the Strait of Hormuz. It’s Donald Trump," Kelly said. "What Donald Trump taught the Iranians is they now have a strategic asset that they can exploit for decades to our detriment."Sharpton asked Kelly what Trump should try to do next to restore relationships with international allies. "You’ve got to build this, these relationships back up with our allies in the region and with NATO, and then you got to get the Iranians to the table and have a serious discussion," Kelly said. Both Witkoff and Kushner have led negotiation efforts throughout Trump's second administration. Both men have been involved in key conversations around the Russia-Ukraine war, ceasefire in Gaza and Iran's nuclear program.They joined the U.S. delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, which was meeting Saturday with Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, for the first in-person discussion since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Negotiations were slated to try to ease the growing tensions between the countries and prepare for an end to the conflict after a two-week ceasefire was reached this week, although it has shown signs of unraveling.

'Dreadful news': MAGA dismayed after European ally's 'tragic' election loss

04/12/26 8:59 PM

Fans of President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again movement were dismayed on Sunday after one of their European allies suffered a stinging election defeat. Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orbán conceded defeat to the opposition leader Péter Magyar on Sunday, ending his 16 years in power as Hungary's Prime Minister. Magyar's Tisza party is expected to take a supermajority in the country's legislature, and his victory was hailed as a relief to many across the U.S. and Europe. However, fans of Trump's MAGA movement spun Orbán's defeat as a sign of Europe's continued decline. They shared their reactions on social media. "Dreadful news for Hungary and the West," MAGA commentator Michael Knowles posted on X. "Orban is out. A sad day for Western civilization," Paul Weston, a far-right British lawmaker, posted on X. "In 5 years' time, Budapest will look like every other ruined ex-European city. This makes our Ursula very happy of course." "This is tragic," MAGA fan Wendy Patterson posted on X. "The people fell for Magyer’s lies in a month or two people are going to be in an uproar," MAGA fan Tracie James posted on X."Hungary was nice while it lasted. Where do I go on vacations in Europe now without my date and my dog being at risk of being raped by a Moslem?" conservative strategist Joey Mannarino posted on X.

'Fake': NY Times editors pinpoint crack in Trump's armor that could bring him down

04/14/26 3:25 PM

The New York Times editorial board had a message Tuesday on what it takes to defeat Trumpism — and authoritarianism — as midterms approach. The editors described how the landslide defeat of Viktor Orban by Peter Magyar in Hungary should inspire Americans hoping to see change in the United States amid President Donald Trump's tumultuous second administration. They outlined the different ways opposing candidates could identify vulnerabilities for Trump and his regime using Magyar as an example of how to defeat autocratic rule and apply "an American version of this strategy."By talking directly about Orban's 16 years in power and the stagnant living standards in Hungary, Magyar saw the opportunity to give voters a new promise: reliable medical care, a secure family life and retirement. He said that political connections shouldn't matter and used the frustrations people were feeling to lay out his plan. He campaigned in rural areas of the country, adopted an even harsher immigration policy and distanced himself from a Pride march and LGBTQ issues, and although the editorial board did not agree with all of his maneuvers, it did recommend other politicians look closely at the strategy. This is something a Trump opponent can do: highlight the corruption during Trump's leadership, including the Iran war, the use of pardons to excuse his allies, tax policies that have made life harder for working Americans and easier for the wealthy, and climbing gas prices."His populism is fake. It serves a small slice of wealthy, well-connected people at the expense of most Americans, and it leaves him and his party politically vulnerable to an opposition that can credibly use government as a force for good," according to the Editorial Board. Democrats can use this to their advantage. They need to develop an "ambitious agenda" and not just focus on criticism of Trump. "The second lesson may be harder for Democrats — and center-left parties in Europe — to absorb," the editors explained. "Mr. Magyar, who identifies as center right, won partly by avoiding the social progressivism that dominates elite left-leaning circles and alienates many voters. He ran as an economic progressive and a cultural moderate if not conservative."Magyar — whose last name means "Hungarian" — relied on symbolism, using the Hungarian flag and a variety of other messaging styles. "Mr. Magyar thoroughly defeated this far-right giant. The free world should take an honest look at how he did it," the editorial board added.

'I thought it was a joke': Mockery as Iran talks collapse while Trump booed at UFC event

04/12/26 2:40 AM

The internet was stunned on Saturday night after Vice President JD Vance announced that talks had failed between Iran and the United States — all while President Donald Trump and his family attended a UFC event in Miami. Trump walked into the arena to a largely cheering crowd, though many booed while Kid Rock blared, just as Vance had publicly acknowledged the conversation between the Iranian and American diplomatic teams had not reached an agreement despite the 21 hours of marathon talking. People didn't hold back from sharing their thoughts on social media:"I guess all the Iran experts had to be at the UFC?" Writer and essayist Hari Kunzru wrote on Bluesky. "When I heard that Trump was at a UFC fight tonight while Vance was trying to hammer out the Iran deal at four in the morning, Iran time, I thought it was a joke," writer Mary Pezzulo wrote on Bluesky."How the f--- is the president and Secretary of State at a UFC fight in Miami while war negotiations affecting the world economy are falling apart. And I know that MF-- isn’t going to try to play golf tomorrow too," Ron Filipkowski, Editor in Chief of MeidasNews, wrote on Bluesky."These 2 pics are happening simultaneously: LEFT: Vance after he fails to secure permanent ceasefire to the illegal war Trump launched. RIGHT: Trump attends UFC fight 5 days after threatening genocide of 90M people. This is what happens when you elect a genocidal fascist and an unqualified sycophant," Qasim Rashid, human rights lawyer, wrote on Bluesky."He clearly just wants to run the UFC, not the country. Someone should find a way to make that happen," Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin, founder of The Gaia Leadership Project & The Ripple Effect Institute, wrote on Bluesky."There was never a framework for a deal. I heard someone say, 'Not only does Iran have the cards, but they hold a strait.' Another Trump failure," writer and editor Stephen Simpson wrote on X. "The Strait was open. Trump started an unprovoked, unauthorized war, and now the enemy controls the Strait, and won’t give it back," liberal political commentator Marlene Johnson wrote on X.

'I thought she was brave': Trump turns on Italian ally over Pope criticism

04/14/26 4:46 PM

Donald Trump has turned on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, publicly denouncing her as "unacceptable" for defending Pope Leo XIV against the president's criticism of his unprovoked Iran war.According to Politico, Trump spoke directly with Italian daily Corriere della Sera to express his fury with Meloni's refusal to join his attack on the first American-born Pope who resides in Vatican City."I was shocked by her. I thought she was brave, but I was wrong," Trump said in the phone interview, delivering a stinging personal rebuke to an ally he had publicly praised just a year earlier.When confronted with Meloni's Monday statement calling Trump's criticism of Pope Leo "unacceptable," the president responded with characteristic vindictiveness:"It's her who's unacceptable, because she doesn't care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if it had the chance."Trump's grievance extends beyond the Pope dispute. He complained that Meloni expected the United States to "do the work for her" by protecting Italy from nuclear threats and ensuring stable oil supplies — suggesting she should be grateful for American military protection rather than criticizing his policies.The deterioration of their relationship is striking. Trump noted the two hadn't spoken "in a long time," a stark contrast to just last year when Meloni visited Mar-a-Lago as Trump's guest. At that dinner, he called her "a fantastic woman" who had "really taken Europe by storm."The rupture exemplifies Trump's pattern of discarding allies the moment they show independence from his agenda — a warning sign for other world leaders considering whether solidarity with the American president is worth the political cost.

'No más': GOP lawmakers signal they're ready to turn on Trump over Iran disaster

04/13/26 4:49 PM

Democratic efforts to constrain Donald Trump's Iran war are gaining unexpected momentum. More Republican lawmakers are privately signaling they're ready to join Democrats on a war powers resolution — and the defections may accelerate dramatically by month's end.According to MS NOW, Democrats believe "there's a pathway to success" on forcing votes this week that would dampen hostilities in Iran.The political math is shifting in Democrats' favor. While they would need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override Trump's almost-certain veto, a privileged war powers measure only requires a simple majority to pass — a threshold that appears increasingly achievable as GOP support erodes, MS NOW reported.The breaking point could happen on April 29. One House GOP lawmaker, granted anonymity, told MS NOW that "a lot of Republicans" would be ready to support a war powers resolution by then."This issue is already coming ripe at the end of this month, and if they don't come to us by then, they're in violation of the law. And that's when you'll see many of us saying no más," they told MS NOW.Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) framed the political stakes sharply: "Every day that Republicans stand in the way of Democratic efforts to end this war is another day that they own the chaos, the bloodshed and the economic volatility that has resulted."Senate Republicans are already showing cracks. So far, only Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has voted with Democrats on three separate Iran war powers resolutions over the past month. But Trump's apocalyptic rhetoric is pushing other Republicans toward the exit, MS NOW reported.Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) directly rebuked Trump's threat to wipe out a "whole civilization." "It cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran. It undermines our long-standing role as a global beacon of freedom and directly endangers Americans both abroad and at home," Murkowski wrote.Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) was equally damning about Trump's Easter Truth Social posts threatening to annihilate Iran's infrastructure and demanding Tehran open the Strait of Hormuz in a social media post loaded with obscenities."Completely inappropriate," Collins said of the threats. "And the subsequent post in which he threatened to essentially annihilate the whole country of Iran is also not conducive to the negotiations that will shortly be underway."

'The tears of MAGA will flow': Internet brutally mocks GOP fears over potential Orbán loss

04/12/26 1:34 AM

The internet was mocking MAGA followers over how they could respond to a potential loss for Hungary's authoritarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, a far-right symbol. Orbán has served four consecutive terms as prime minister in the Eastern European country since 2010 and MAGA was looking to the Sunday election as a signal of what could happen during midterms in the United States. Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump have also been vocal supporters, with Vance even heading to Hungary to stump for the prime minister and Trump making multiple endorsements of Orbán, who has been referred to as a dictator by outside observers. People offered their predictions of what they think MAGA would do if Orbán is not elected again. "The tears of MAGA will flow like a bitter ocean if their role model Orbán loses," Wajahat Ali, writer, political commentator and host of the "Democracy-ish" podcast wrote on X."The palpable desperation of this… shows you how much MAGA have staked on Orbán being their guy in Europe," commentator Mike Galsworthy, Chair of European Movement UK and founder of Bylines Network and Scientists for EU, wrote on Bluesky. "For Trump and Vance, Orbán must win, because there must only be one inevitable path of history, towards right-wing oligarchy and the end of democracy," Timothy Snyder, University of Toronto professor and modern European history expert, wrote on Bluesky. "When Orbán loses, that exposes the weaknesses of MAGA: talk of peace but need for war; talk of prosperity but fleecing of the working classes; talk of the nation but dependence on an international oligarchical network," Snyder added. "This. Viktor Orbán’s far-right extremist agenda is a model for MAGA. Trump and Vance are all-in on this election. If Orbán loses it would also be a political and ideological loss for the Trump regime and MAGA," Tom Joscelyn, Senior Fellow at Just Security, wrote on Bluesky. "Why does Vance care whether Orban wins? Because if he loses, it will challenge the MAGA belief that history flows in only one direction," Anne Applebaum, staff writer at The Atlantic, wrote on Bluesky.

'The vibes aren't great' at the White House as Trump chaos grows: Politico

04/14/26 11:57 AM

Appearing on MS NOW to expand upon her report on the meme war between Donald Trump’s White House and Iran on social media, which has become the latest tool for spreading propaganda, Politico’s Dash Burns claimed White House insiders admit things are not going well on multiple fronts.Speaking with the hosts of “Morning Joe,” Burns claimed Trump insiders are dismayed at how badly things are going.“You know the old adage: a picture says a thousand words? I think a meme in this moment might say even more. The dog drinking the coffee with the fire around it; I was sent that twice from two separate sources close to the White House –– an oldie but a goodie. There were some religious-themed memes," she reported.“Listen, the vibes aren't great,” she added. “The sources I was talking to were pointing to things like there's there's the religion theme that the president kicked off there, the DoorDash moment yesterday, for example, the president stepped on his own message there by attacking the pope, by posting that that Jesus-themed meme. Republicans were getting ready to hit the campaign trail talking about the economy. They're going to have a really hard time doing that right now because of what's happening with the war in Iran and what that's doing to prices back home.”“I was talking to White House officials late last year on the record, and they were saying that this was going to be the moment when the big, beautiful bill would impact the voters that really need it the most,” she recalled. “And this is when voters would start to get excited to vote for Republicans in November, because they would see those tax refunds. Well, that is also all being overshadowed by the rising cost of living because of some of the issues abroad. So this is not where the administration wants to be. And this certainly is not where Republican allies of the administration who are trying to help boost Republicans in the midterms want to be.” - YouTube youtu.be