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Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Trump Departs Early From G7 Summit in Canada

Katie Pavlich: President Donald Trump is leaving the G7 Summit in Canada early in order to attend to “many important matters,” according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. He has summoned his national security team to the White House Situation Room. The news comes shortly after Trump issued a series of statements on Truth Social about the situation in Iran. “AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” Trump said. “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Over the weekend, Trump defended his America First doctrine as part of his position on Iran (Townhall). New York Times: “You probably see what I see, and I have to be back as soon as I can,” Trump told fellow G7 leaders at their summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, as they gathered to take the traditional group photo. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada, the summit’s host, said he understood why Trump had to leave (New York Times).

Trump at G7: “Everyone Should Immediately evacuate Tehran”

More the from president: Iran should have signed the “deal” I told them to sign. What a shame, , a waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran! (White House). Jerusalem Post: Iranian media reported several explosions and heavy air defense fire in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Tuesday. Explosions were further reported in Tehran’s east and southeast, witnesses told Iranian dissident media site Iran International. Additionally, according to Iran International on X/Twitter, witnesses reported multiple explosions in Ahvaz, in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan in southwest Iran (Jerusalem Post). Times of Israel: US President Donald Trump has requested that the national security council be prepared in the Situation Room as he returns early from the G7 summit in Canada Monday night, the co-host of Fox News’ “FOX & Friends” program, Lawrence Jones, writes on X (Times of Israel).

Watch What Happens at Fordow

That is Iran’s most-heavily fortified and deepest nuclear facility. Seth Cropsey: the crown jewel in Iran’s nuclear program, the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, remains. Housing several thousand centrifuges and buried 80 to 100 yards underground, the facility would allow Iran to reconstitute a fissile material stockpile even if other elements of its nuclear infrastructure are badly damaged. Israel has two options to destroy Fordow. It can drop a large number of 1,000-pound and 5,000-pound bunker-busters, using its understanding of the facility’s design to maximize damage and dig through layers of soil, rock and concrete. This would take several strike waves, increasing the risk that Iran’s remaining air defenses might “trap” Israeli fighters. Alternatively, Israel could stage a commando raid, physically sabotaging the site, with profound risks to personnel. The most natural option is, instead, an American strike on Fordow. The U.S. developed the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, a 30,000-pound bunker-buster. Depending on facility design and penetration angle, it would likely take between three and eight MOPs to cripple Fordow. Each B-2 stealth bomber can carry two MOPs. The U.S. could conceivably mix MOPs and lighter weapons to use B-52s, B-1s, or stealth fighters, in the strike package. The point, putting aside the technical specifics, is that the U.S. has a one-shot opportunity to finish Iran’s nuclear ambitions, one that would take no more than a few airstrikes. This would also trigger regime destabilization (Wall Street Journal).

Trump Faces a Churchillian Choice on Fordow

Historian Andrew Roberts makes a parallel with Churchill’s decision to destroy the French Vichy fleet as it sat at Oran in Algeria—preventing it from falling into the hands of the Germans: Preemptive action sometimes works, but it requires remarkable leadership qualities. Does President Trump have them? Only the United States has the 30,000-pound “bunker-busting” bombs necessary to shatter Iranian nuclear ambitions. For if Iran’s centrifuges are still spinning in its nuclear facility 300 feet underground at Fordow, then Israel will have only scored a tactical win, rather than the strategic victory she needed. The successes against the upper echelons of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, military high command, and nuclear scientists are commendable, but nothing like enough. Only the United States has the 30,000-pound “bunker-busting” bombs necessary to shatter Iranian nuclear ambitions. So what does Trump do then? The point, putting aside the technical specifics, is that the U.S. has a one-shot opportunity to finish Iran’s nuclear ambitions, one that would take no more than a few airstrikes. This would also trigger regime destabilization… Counterintuitively, perhaps, President Trump would never deserve the Nobel Peace Prize more than if he destroyed Iran’s capacity for nuclear blackmail…. Donald Trump today has it in his power to act with Churchillian ruthlessness and wreck Iran’s nuclear—and thus regionally strategic—ambitions for a generation. I fear he will not do this, however, for as his constant tergiversations over tariffs have shown, his bark tends to be much worse than his bite. If he does not, he ought to remove Winston Churchill’s bust from the Oval Office….” (Free Press).

“Pitch Perfect”

That’s Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton’s characterization of President Trump’s handling of the Israeli strike on the terror-supporting regime in Tehran. With Hugh Hewitt on Monday: I think President Trump has been pitch perfect on this campaign going back to Thursday, really going back 10 years. And he’s been clear from the beginning that we cannot allow to have Iran get a nuclear weapon, which means they cannot be allowed to get enrichment capability. Also, prime Minister Netanyahu, the IDF and Mossad have once again acted with bravery and audacity, and we should commend them as well. The premise of the question is that we have to close all of these key nuclear sites, most notably the enrichment sites at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow…. Fordow, though, as you ask, is really the key terrain because it’s the biggest single site and it’s buried deep under a mountain. It’s kind of been the “tell” all along that Iran plans to build nuclear weapons, otherwise why are they enriching uranium beyond civilian purposes at a deep fortified underground bunker? And it would be, as you imply, Hugh, a disappointing and inconclusive outcome to this campaign if Iran maintained any enrichment capability, especially at Fordow. Now: how it gets closed is in some ways up to Iran. We do have the capability with our long-range heavy bombers and 30,000 pound bunker busting munitions to close it … And also … you have to assume, after what we saw last Thursday night, with Mossad agents in Iran with drone parts already smuggled into Iran and being manufactured there … Israel has always had a few tricks up its sleeve and it may have more tricks up its sleeve. So I don’t think Iran should believe that Israel has played its final cards here yet (Hughniverse).

Portland Looks Like a War Zone as Antifa Terrorizes City

With facilities belonging to ICE at the center of the violence. Andy Ngo: War-like scenes in Portland, Ore. on June 14 as federal officers responded to Antifa insurrectionists who smashed up the front of the ICE building and were trying to rush inside to set it on fire. Antifa have been attacking the building for days (Ngo). KOIN 6 CBS: After two days of heavy protests outside the Portland Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building, the block appears to be clear Monday afternoon. Several protesters camping outside of the ICE facility were ordered to move, and they are now set up down the street. Tensions were high over the weekend, with hundreds of people protesting outside the ICE building on Saturday. (KOIN).

Americans Feeling More Bullish on Economy

JUST IN: For the first time in 4 YEARS, a majority of Americans believe the U.S. economy is strong, 52% to 48% – Harvard/Harris. It’s WORKING (Eric Daugherty). Full poll (Harvard Harris). Rasmussen: Economic confidence increased to 112.1 in this month’s Rasmussen Reports Economic Index, more than five points lower than May. Enthusiasm about the economy surged during President Donald Trump’s first term, reaching as high as 147.8 in January 2020 before tumbling after the coronavirus lockdown threw Americans out of work and closed many businesses. By November 2020, it had recovered to 126.4, but dropped sharply after President Joe Biden was elected. The index reached a low of 78.6 in July 2022 (Rasmussen).

Supreme Court: No, Roman Catholic Diocese Does Not Need to Cover Abortion

The New York court will have to re-hear the case. New York Sun: The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned a New York state court decision that compelled the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany to include abortion coverage in its employee health care plan. The diocese contends this state mandate, which New York has required of employers since 2017, violates its First Amendment rights. While state law includes exemptions for some religious organizations, New York courts have repeatedly ruled that the Catholic Diocese of Albany does not qualify because its primary employment and service extend beyond members of its own faith. The Diocese of Albany has consistently argued that this exemption is too narrow, contending that it remains a religious group dedicated to serving the poor, irrespective of their faith. The diocese asserts it should not be penalized for not requiring its employees to be Catholic (New York Sun). Lori Windham of Becket Fund: For the second time, the Supreme Court has kept alive efforts by nuns and religious organizations to serve all those in need, without being forced into paying for abortions. It’s time for New York to take the hint. Religious groups need to be able to care for the most vulnerable consistent with their beliefs (Windham). Background: (Becket).

Supreme Court to Hear Case of Pro-Life Pregnancy Resource Center

First Choice Women’s Resource Centers are challenging New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin’s heavy-handed and intrusive effort to get donor data on the non-profit. Alliance Defending Freedom: The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Platkin. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing First Choice, a faith-based pregnancy center, are asking the Supreme Court to allow it to challenge in federal court an unconstitutional investigation by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. Platkin served a subpoena demanding that First Choice identify—by name—the donors behind nearly 5,000 donations and produce up to 10 years of its internal, confidential documents. The First Amendment protects donor identities from unjustified disclosure and prohibits a state official from retaliating against speech with which he disagrees. “New Jersey’s attorney general is targeting First Choice—a ministry that provides parenting classes, free ultrasounds, baby clothes, and more to its community—simply because of its pro-life views,” said ADF Senior Counsel Erin Hawley, vice president of the ADF Center for Life and Regulatory Practice. “The Constitution protects First Choice and its donors from unjustified demands to disclose their identities, and First Choice is entitled to vindicate those rights in federal court” (ADF).

10.

Ten-Year Anniversary of Trump’s Descent Down the Golden Escalator

And into the political arena. Charlie Kirk: Ten years ago today, President Trump came down the golden escalators and launched one of the greatest political movements in American history. Onward (Kirk). Freelance writer David Sypher: June 16, 2015, Donald Trump descended a golden escalator in Trump Tower and into political history. The press corps snickered. The consultant class rolled its eyes. Late-night comedians feasted on the spectacle. Most people thought it was a joke. What they missed – and still miss – is that Trump didn’t invent the anger that powered his campaign. He simply noticed it first. The pundits focused on Trump’s bombast. But voters were focused on something else entirely: someone, finally, was saying out loud what they’d been thinking for years…. Trump didn’t win because he was polished. He won because he was early. He said the unsayable – not to provoke, but because he knew people were already thinking it (Spectator). Fox News: Trump has changed American politics — creating the MAGA movement and serving as the 45th and 47th president of the United States, after beating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 and former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2020. Trump is the only president to serve two nonconsecutive terms other than Grover Cleveland who was elected in 1884 and again in 1892. “This will truly be the golden age of America,” Trump said, upon winning the 2024 election in a landslide (Fox News).

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