| From | Matt (Crooked) <[email protected]> |
| Subject | What A Day: War & Sheesh |
| Date | June 18, 2025 9:48 PM |
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Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
MATT BERG
& CROOKED MEDIA
WEDNESDAY
JUNE 18, 2025
I thank God she’s managing that insane asylum.”
— Steve Bannon, [on Katie Miller,]([link removed]) Elon Musk’s super controversial aide… who is also nutty.
NUKE SPOOK
Donald Trump seems to be taking Israel’s word and ignoring his own top spies, as he publicly flirts with bombing Iran.
- It doesn’t matter how high-stakes the issue — President Donald Trump loves keeping an audience in suspense. “I may do it, I may not do it. Nobody knows what I’m gonna do,” he [told reporters]([link removed]) this morning. He was referring to a possible strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, a scenario that would very likely drag the United States into another devastating war in the Middle East. Trump has already [reportedly told aides that he approved]([link removed]) of attack plans for Iran, but hasn't given a final order. “I like to make a final decision one second before it’s due," he said today.
- It’s unsettling that the president talks about going to war with the same nonchalance he’d show when deciding whether to put pickles on his Big Mac. What’s downright concerning, however, is that he seems to be shoving aside U.S. intelligence assessments as he makes his decision.
- Trump claims Iran is “[very close]([link removed])” to obtaining a nuclear weapon. But U.S. officials don’t necessarily believe that Iran has decided to build a bomb, [the Wall Street Journal reports]([link removed]). What’s more, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard [testified that]([link removed]) Iran isn’t developing one and that the country hadn’t reauthorized its old nuclear weapons program. Asked about that discrepancy yesterday, Trump’s response was blunt: “I don’t care what she said.” Afterwards, Gabbard [insisted that]([link removed]) they’re on the same page… lol.
- Trump certainly does seem to be on the same page as someone else: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tehran is “marching very quickly” toward developing a nuclear weapon via its “secret plan,” Netanyahu said on Sunday. Sound familiar? He’s been warning about Iran building a nuke [for 33 years]([link removed]). Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful energy production among other uses, though it [might be able]([link removed]) to quickly build a bomb if it wanted to.
- “There’s no reason that this war had to happen now … There’s a lot of echoes of the Iraq War here,” Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security adviser in the Obama administration, [said on Pod Save The World]([link removed]). How does Iran feel about all this? There will be “irreparable damage” if the U.S. becomes involved, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today.
As Trump buddies up with Netanyahu, MAGAworld is becoming more divided over the possibility of U.S. military intervention.
- Some far-right hawks on Capitol Hill are foaming at the mouth [over the idea]([link removed]) of striking Iran. “Be all in, President Trump, in helping Israel eliminate the nuclear threat,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) [told Fox News]([link removed]).
- And then there are the MAGA isolationist folks. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), who’s best known for his staunch belief that the government is [hiding aliens]([link removed]) from us, described his pro-intervention Republican colleagues as “war pimps.”
- “I got a daughter, just turned 18 last week … I don’t want to see her go to war,” Burchett [told CNN]([link removed]) this morning. “I just don't see American boys and girls going to a faraway land that many of us couldn't even find on a map. Again, it's Israeli — the Israelis can handle this thing. Let's let them handle it.”
- You know things are getting weird when even Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) starts making sense. “The American people have been brainwashed into believing that America has to engage in these foreign wars in order for us to survive, and it’s absolutely not true,” Greene [said earlier this week]([link removed]), blaming “propaganda” on the left and right.
This stuff is downright scary. But Tucker Carlson — of all people! — brought some joy when he humiliated Ted Cruz over his lack of knowledge on Iran. [Go watch, it’s incredible]([link removed]).
IN PLANE SIGHT
There’s renewed focus on airplane safety following a string of deadly crashes this year. The world’s most awkward comedian is suddenly a leading advocate to solve the problem.
On the HBO show “The Rehearsal,” Nathan Fielder enlists longtime aviation expert John Goglia to figure out how to make flying safer. The plan? Use elaborate roleplaying (involving a life-size airport set and plane simulations) to study how pilots communicate with each other in the cockpit. Miscommunication between pilots is a major factor in many deadly crashes, Fielder says.
“The issue is on point,” Goglia, an 81-year-old grandpa who has become a minor celebrity since the show aired, told What A Day. “He is exactly right in what he identified. There's people criticizing him because of the way he portrayed it, but then they ignore the issue.”
The show has had an impact. Fielder [met with]([link removed]) Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), a top lawmaker on aviation issues. During a recent hearing, Cohen [asked about]([link removed]) pilot communication, seemingly inspired by the television show. On CNN, Fielder [called the FAA “dumb”]([link removed]) after it refuted his claims that the agency doesn’t train pilots well enough on communication.
Since the season ended, Fielder has been texting and calling Goglia more often than when they were filming, sometimes multiple times a day. It shows the comedian’s dedication to fixing the issue, Goglia said.
“He is pushing for it,” he told me. “Part of the conversation was just that: What do we do next?”
WHAT A SPONSOR
[link removed]
With so much stressful news out there… has a good night’s sleep ever felt more important?
[Helix helps you get the rest you need to face the day.]([link removed])
With Helix, you’re getting a mattress that you know will be perfect for the way YOU sleep. They have soft, medium, and firm mattresses, and even a Helix Plus mattress for plus-size sleepers. Helix even has mattresses with specialized cooling technology, if you and your family can never agree on the temperature.
Helix has a sleep quiz to match your body type and sleep preferences to the perfect mattress for you.
Check it out now — and let them know our friends at Crooked’s Pod Save America podcast sent you for 27% Off Sitewide, Exclusive for listeners of Pod Save America!
Go to [helixsleep.com/crooked]([link removed]) for 27% Off Sitewide, Exclusive for listeners of Pod Save America!
[link removed]
WHAT ELSE?
[Israeli attacks killed at least 140 people]([link removed]) in the Gaza Strip in a 24-hour period, medics said this morning. Israel’s military defended its actions, saying that its troops are “operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities” while taking “feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.”
[The Supreme Court allowed a Tennessee law]([link removed]) banning gender-affirming care for minors to remain in place, dealing a major blow to trans rights advocates. All six of the conservative justices ruled to uphold the law, which could set a precedent for similar cases in the future.
[The Trump administration plans to extend]([link removed]) TikTok’s deadline to divest from ByteDance, its Chinese-owned parent company, by another 90 days. “President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. Trump simply isn’t enforcing the law, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. Awesome, I love that there’s no consequences for ignoring the law anymore.
[The Federal Reserve held]([link removed]) interest rates steady again, despite Trump’s attempts to bully Chair Jerome Powell into lowering them. “So we have a stupid person,” Trump [told reporters]([link removed]) today. “I think he hates me, but that’s OK. I’ve been so nice to him, fellas... I do it every way in the book. I’m nasty, I’m nice. Nothing works.” I have an idea for the lead actor in the next “Mean Girls” reboot.
[House Republicans’ “big, beautiful bill” would add]([link removed]) $3.4 trillion to America’s debt, while gutting healthcare programs and slashing taxes for the rich, according to the latest analysis from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
[Former President Barack Obama warned]([link removed]) that the U.S. is “dangerously close” to letting Trump officials act in a way “consistent with autocracies.” Hate to break it to ya, Barry, but if Donald tries to secure a third term in office, we’re tapping you in!
[DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is “alert and recovering”]([link removed]) after being rushed to the hospital yesterday evening after an allergic reaction. There’s still no word yet on what caused such a reaction…
[The Trump administration is expected to drop]([link removed]) long-standing guidelines stating that people should limit their alcohol intake to a couple cold ones per day. The new recommendations are expected to encourage people to drink in moderation due to health risks, according to Reuters.
THERE'S MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM
If you’re looking for a deep dive on the G7 summit and how it fits into the bigger picture of global politics, check out this week’s [Pod Save the World]([link removed]). Tommy & Ben tackle the big question: will Trump drag the United States into another war in the Middle East? Rep. Greg Landsman also joins for a candid debate on U.S. policy toward Israel, Iran, and Gaza — what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change. Plus, they discuss what the G7 signals about shifting global alliances. Listen to [Pod Save the World]([link removed]) now on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
[link removed]
[A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s]([link removed]) order that required Americans to choose their gender assigned at birth on their passport. District Judge Julia Kobick ruled that applicants can choose the gender they identify with, or mark “X” on the application form.
[Modern humans in Africa started to migrate]([link removed]) to more extreme environments around 70,000 years ago, according to a new study. “Effectively, what you’re talking about is a more connected species,” said Andrea Manica, the author of the study. “It’s really just a ramping up of social networks, of movement of ideas. And that suddenly allows you to be successful in quite a wide range of conditions.” That expansion helped pave the way to me living in Washington, D.C. today — and you living wherever you live!
[Astronomers captured a stunning photo]([link removed]) showing almost the entire Sculptor galaxy, spanning about 65,000 light-years. The galaxy is about 11 million light-years away from Earth, which is, exactly how far from here I’d like to be right now!
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed] [link removed] [link removed] [link removed]
[Share this newsletter]([link removed])
No longer want to receive these emails? [Unsubscribe]([link removed]).
Crooked Media 4817 N 56th St Suite 45 Lincoln, Nebraska 68504
& CROOKED MEDIA
WEDNESDAY
JUNE 18, 2025
I thank God she’s managing that insane asylum.”
— Steve Bannon, [on Katie Miller,]([link removed]) Elon Musk’s super controversial aide… who is also nutty.
NUKE SPOOK
Donald Trump seems to be taking Israel’s word and ignoring his own top spies, as he publicly flirts with bombing Iran.
- It doesn’t matter how high-stakes the issue — President Donald Trump loves keeping an audience in suspense. “I may do it, I may not do it. Nobody knows what I’m gonna do,” he [told reporters]([link removed]) this morning. He was referring to a possible strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, a scenario that would very likely drag the United States into another devastating war in the Middle East. Trump has already [reportedly told aides that he approved]([link removed]) of attack plans for Iran, but hasn't given a final order. “I like to make a final decision one second before it’s due," he said today.
- It’s unsettling that the president talks about going to war with the same nonchalance he’d show when deciding whether to put pickles on his Big Mac. What’s downright concerning, however, is that he seems to be shoving aside U.S. intelligence assessments as he makes his decision.
- Trump claims Iran is “[very close]([link removed])” to obtaining a nuclear weapon. But U.S. officials don’t necessarily believe that Iran has decided to build a bomb, [the Wall Street Journal reports]([link removed]). What’s more, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard [testified that]([link removed]) Iran isn’t developing one and that the country hadn’t reauthorized its old nuclear weapons program. Asked about that discrepancy yesterday, Trump’s response was blunt: “I don’t care what she said.” Afterwards, Gabbard [insisted that]([link removed]) they’re on the same page… lol.
- Trump certainly does seem to be on the same page as someone else: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tehran is “marching very quickly” toward developing a nuclear weapon via its “secret plan,” Netanyahu said on Sunday. Sound familiar? He’s been warning about Iran building a nuke [for 33 years]([link removed]). Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful energy production among other uses, though it [might be able]([link removed]) to quickly build a bomb if it wanted to.
- “There’s no reason that this war had to happen now … There’s a lot of echoes of the Iraq War here,” Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security adviser in the Obama administration, [said on Pod Save The World]([link removed]). How does Iran feel about all this? There will be “irreparable damage” if the U.S. becomes involved, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today.
As Trump buddies up with Netanyahu, MAGAworld is becoming more divided over the possibility of U.S. military intervention.
- Some far-right hawks on Capitol Hill are foaming at the mouth [over the idea]([link removed]) of striking Iran. “Be all in, President Trump, in helping Israel eliminate the nuclear threat,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) [told Fox News]([link removed]).
- And then there are the MAGA isolationist folks. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), who’s best known for his staunch belief that the government is [hiding aliens]([link removed]) from us, described his pro-intervention Republican colleagues as “war pimps.”
- “I got a daughter, just turned 18 last week … I don’t want to see her go to war,” Burchett [told CNN]([link removed]) this morning. “I just don't see American boys and girls going to a faraway land that many of us couldn't even find on a map. Again, it's Israeli — the Israelis can handle this thing. Let's let them handle it.”
- You know things are getting weird when even Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) starts making sense. “The American people have been brainwashed into believing that America has to engage in these foreign wars in order for us to survive, and it’s absolutely not true,” Greene [said earlier this week]([link removed]), blaming “propaganda” on the left and right.
This stuff is downright scary. But Tucker Carlson — of all people! — brought some joy when he humiliated Ted Cruz over his lack of knowledge on Iran. [Go watch, it’s incredible]([link removed]).
IN PLANE SIGHT
There’s renewed focus on airplane safety following a string of deadly crashes this year. The world’s most awkward comedian is suddenly a leading advocate to solve the problem.
On the HBO show “The Rehearsal,” Nathan Fielder enlists longtime aviation expert John Goglia to figure out how to make flying safer. The plan? Use elaborate roleplaying (involving a life-size airport set and plane simulations) to study how pilots communicate with each other in the cockpit. Miscommunication between pilots is a major factor in many deadly crashes, Fielder says.
“The issue is on point,” Goglia, an 81-year-old grandpa who has become a minor celebrity since the show aired, told What A Day. “He is exactly right in what he identified. There's people criticizing him because of the way he portrayed it, but then they ignore the issue.”
The show has had an impact. Fielder [met with]([link removed]) Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), a top lawmaker on aviation issues. During a recent hearing, Cohen [asked about]([link removed]) pilot communication, seemingly inspired by the television show. On CNN, Fielder [called the FAA “dumb”]([link removed]) after it refuted his claims that the agency doesn’t train pilots well enough on communication.
Since the season ended, Fielder has been texting and calling Goglia more often than when they were filming, sometimes multiple times a day. It shows the comedian’s dedication to fixing the issue, Goglia said.
“He is pushing for it,” he told me. “Part of the conversation was just that: What do we do next?”
WHAT A SPONSOR
[link removed]
With so much stressful news out there… has a good night’s sleep ever felt more important?
[Helix helps you get the rest you need to face the day.]([link removed])
With Helix, you’re getting a mattress that you know will be perfect for the way YOU sleep. They have soft, medium, and firm mattresses, and even a Helix Plus mattress for plus-size sleepers. Helix even has mattresses with specialized cooling technology, if you and your family can never agree on the temperature.
Helix has a sleep quiz to match your body type and sleep preferences to the perfect mattress for you.
Check it out now — and let them know our friends at Crooked’s Pod Save America podcast sent you for 27% Off Sitewide, Exclusive for listeners of Pod Save America!
Go to [helixsleep.com/crooked]([link removed]) for 27% Off Sitewide, Exclusive for listeners of Pod Save America!
[link removed]
WHAT ELSE?
[Israeli attacks killed at least 140 people]([link removed]) in the Gaza Strip in a 24-hour period, medics said this morning. Israel’s military defended its actions, saying that its troops are “operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities” while taking “feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.”
[The Supreme Court allowed a Tennessee law]([link removed]) banning gender-affirming care for minors to remain in place, dealing a major blow to trans rights advocates. All six of the conservative justices ruled to uphold the law, which could set a precedent for similar cases in the future.
[The Trump administration plans to extend]([link removed]) TikTok’s deadline to divest from ByteDance, its Chinese-owned parent company, by another 90 days. “President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. Trump simply isn’t enforcing the law, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. Awesome, I love that there’s no consequences for ignoring the law anymore.
[The Federal Reserve held]([link removed]) interest rates steady again, despite Trump’s attempts to bully Chair Jerome Powell into lowering them. “So we have a stupid person,” Trump [told reporters]([link removed]) today. “I think he hates me, but that’s OK. I’ve been so nice to him, fellas... I do it every way in the book. I’m nasty, I’m nice. Nothing works.” I have an idea for the lead actor in the next “Mean Girls” reboot.
[House Republicans’ “big, beautiful bill” would add]([link removed]) $3.4 trillion to America’s debt, while gutting healthcare programs and slashing taxes for the rich, according to the latest analysis from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
[Former President Barack Obama warned]([link removed]) that the U.S. is “dangerously close” to letting Trump officials act in a way “consistent with autocracies.” Hate to break it to ya, Barry, but if Donald tries to secure a third term in office, we’re tapping you in!
[DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is “alert and recovering”]([link removed]) after being rushed to the hospital yesterday evening after an allergic reaction. There’s still no word yet on what caused such a reaction…
[The Trump administration is expected to drop]([link removed]) long-standing guidelines stating that people should limit their alcohol intake to a couple cold ones per day. The new recommendations are expected to encourage people to drink in moderation due to health risks, according to Reuters.
THERE'S MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM
If you’re looking for a deep dive on the G7 summit and how it fits into the bigger picture of global politics, check out this week’s [Pod Save the World]([link removed]). Tommy & Ben tackle the big question: will Trump drag the United States into another war in the Middle East? Rep. Greg Landsman also joins for a candid debate on U.S. policy toward Israel, Iran, and Gaza — what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change. Plus, they discuss what the G7 signals about shifting global alliances. Listen to [Pod Save the World]([link removed]) now on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
[link removed]
[A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s]([link removed]) order that required Americans to choose their gender assigned at birth on their passport. District Judge Julia Kobick ruled that applicants can choose the gender they identify with, or mark “X” on the application form.
[Modern humans in Africa started to migrate]([link removed]) to more extreme environments around 70,000 years ago, according to a new study. “Effectively, what you’re talking about is a more connected species,” said Andrea Manica, the author of the study. “It’s really just a ramping up of social networks, of movement of ideas. And that suddenly allows you to be successful in quite a wide range of conditions.” That expansion helped pave the way to me living in Washington, D.C. today — and you living wherever you live!
[Astronomers captured a stunning photo]([link removed]) showing almost the entire Sculptor galaxy, spanning about 65,000 light-years. The galaxy is about 11 million light-years away from Earth, which is, exactly how far from here I’d like to be right now!
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed] [link removed] [link removed] [link removed]
[Share this newsletter]([link removed])
No longer want to receive these emails? [Unsubscribe]([link removed]).
Crooked Media 4817 N 56th St Suite 45 Lincoln, Nebraska 68504
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