While most of our attention is currently focused on the war in the Middle East, it is worth remembering that our would-be-autocrat, Donald Trump, continues to attack his perceived enemies at home, including the press.
Aggression abroad, repression at home — that is the authoritarian playbook. Trump’s war in Iran is illegal as it hasn’t been authorized by Congress. But he pursues it shamelessly, expanding the war zone to the Indian Ocean.
Meanwhile, a simple, legitimate question by CNN’s Kaitlin Collins set Trump’s press secretary Carolyn Leavitt off on an unprovoked, extended rant Wednesday against CNN’s coverage of the war, which in fact has been fair and balanced.
Leavitt’s verbal assault was pathetic but dangerous. Trump labels unfriendly press as the “enemy,” and he tries to destroy all his enemies.
CNN’s future is already in doubt due to a pending corporate takeover by a Trump ally, and this is one battle that we must hope one bastion of our free press wins. We need CNN to remain free.
Otherwise our democracy may share the same fate as the Iranians.
These are dangerous times. We have an autocratically minded leader who is attempting to impose his will on the whole world. And that includes you and me.
HEADLINES:
US says it will strike ‘deeper’ into Iran as war spreads across region (CNN)
The One Variable that Could Decide the War (Atlantic)
Pete Hegseth says Iranian regime is ‘toast’ as US expands military offensive (Guardian)
U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed six, imagery shows (WP)
A son of Iran’s late supreme leader is a possible candidate to replace his father as war rages (AP)
Iran’s Strategy: Expand the War, Increase the Cost, Outlast Trump (NYT)
Lebanon was pulled deeper into the war as the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel. (Reuters)
The rationale for striking Iran was already a mess. Trump just made it worse. (CNN)
‘MAGA is Trump’: President fires back at right-wing mutiny over Iran (WP)
Federal judge demands answers from top Minnesota prosecutor in ‘extraordinary’ contempt hearing (NBC)
Can Talarico win in November? (Silver Bulletin)
Nasty GOP primary in Texas heads to a runoff, and other takeaways from a big primary night (WP)
Bondi is Subpoenaed to Testify About Handling of Epstein Case (NYT)
Syngenta says it will stop making pesticide linked to Parkinson’s disease (Guardian)
'It’s too warm': Greenland’s fishermen are under threat from climate change (AP)
Paramount-Warner Deal Promises to Shake Up Streaming (NYT)
Savannah Guthrie Officially Says ‘Goodbye’ to Her Mom as Searchers Look for ‘Something Decomposed’—’Just Heartbreak’ (Yahoo)
Japan’s Population Crisis Worse Than Expected, Births Data Shows (Newsweek)
British TV Journalists Of Color Bemoan DEI “Backlash” & Describe “Apartheid Newsrooms” (Deadline)
Candace Owens’ ‘Bride of Charlie’ Is Fueling MAGA Online ‘Transvestigation’ of Erika Kirk (Daily Kos)
Can AI Save Local News? (WSJ)
I Worked for Block. Its A.I. Job Cuts Aren’t What They Seem. (NYT)
The one thing Claude does better than any other AI — and how to try it yourself (Tom’s)
Anthropic’s AI tool Claude central to U.S. campaign in Iran, amid a bitter feud (WP)
A Dire Warning From the Tech World (Atlantic)
Where Are China’s A.I. Doomers? (NYT)
ICE Agent Injured After Repeatedly Trying To Detain People In Neighborhood Mural (Onion)
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