#US Central Command has announced that it will begin a blockade of #Iran #ports on Monday at 10AM ET.

#CENTCOM said the blockade would be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations” entering or departing Iranian ports & coastal areas.

It said it would still allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the #StraitOfHormuz.

#idiocracy #Trump #IranWar #war #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #NationalSecurity #MiddleEast #inflation #economy #oil
apnews.com/live/iran-war-israe…

"Something that's struck me about the Trump Administration throughout its second term is its profound misunderstanding of power. Over and over again, Trump and his minions demonstrate that they think they have a monopoly on power and that history will unfold as their actions without any reactions, a literally inconsequential view as in 'there will no consequences other than the ones we impose.'"

~ Rebecca Solnit

#Trump #power #stupidity #ignorance #history
/1

meditationsinanemergency.com/f…

Flowers Bloom on Soldiers' Graves: Lessons in Power and Consequence

What is power? It is at its most essential the ability to influence an outcome on any or all scales, to protect one's own at a minimum and to influence, even control others at a maximum.

^{Rebecca Solnit (Meditations in an Emergency)}

I'm celebrating the news from Hungary with some soul-stirring Woody Guthrie: "All You Fascists Bound to Lose."

#Orbán #Hungary #Putin #Trump #JDVance
/7

youtube.com/watch?v=VwcKwGS7OS…

"Viktor Orbán concedes defeat in Hungarian election after 16 years in power. … In a brief speech, Orban says the election result is 'painful for us, but clear.'”

~ Jakub Krupa

#Orbán #Hungary #Putin #Trump #JDVance
/6

theguardian.com/world/live/202…

"Major breaking news: the far-right has lost in Hungary. Viktor Orbán, a key ally of Donald Trump and JD Vance, was defeated despite backing from both the U.S. president and vice president."

~ Aaron Parnas

#Orbán #Hungary #Putin #Trump #JDVance
/5

aaronparnas.substack.com/p/bre…

BREAKING: Far-Right Loses in Hungary Despite Trump Endorsement, More Epstein Developments, Trump Announces Blockade of the Strait

^{Aaron Parnas (The Parnas Perspective)}

"He is being annihilated. And the majority that is annihilating him is on the threshold of the power to undo everything he built — the constitutional rewrites, the judicial capture, the media laws, the rigged electoral architecture itself."

#Orbán #Hungary #Putin #Trump
/4

"The gerrymandered map that was supposed to make Orbán permanent didn’t just fail. It was overrun.

Viktor Orbán — the philosopher kings’ proof of concept, the strongman who made democratic backsliding look irreversible, the man JD Vance flew to Budapest to embrace four days ago — is not losing."

#Orbán #Hungary #Putin #Trump
/3

"The Hungarian people have spoken.

With 37% of the vote counted — results still coming in as this is written — TISZA holds 132 seats to Fidesz’s 65 — one seat from the two-thirds supermajority required to rewrite the constitution. TISZA is winning 93 of 106 individual constituencies. Fidesz has collapsed from 87 constituency seats in 2022 to 13 tonight. Sixty-three percent of the vote is still uncounted."

~ Mike Brock

#Orbán #Hungary #Putin #Trump
/2

notesfromthecircus.com/p/the-f…

The First Domino

A Crisis Dispatch

^{Mike Brock (Notes from the Circus)}

"I have said since early 2025 that Trump is in office to solve Putin’s problems. Orban provides a template. Bloomburg published revelations that on a phone call last October, Orban reportedly told Putin 'I am in your service' - and compared himself to a mouse and Putin to a lion. Hungary’s current afflictions are the outcome of this path and these priorities."

~ Ruth Ben-Ghiat

#Putin #Orbán #Trump
/1

lucid.substack.com/p/orban-mad…

Orban: Made in Hungary, America, and Russia

Turns out that self-dealing, serving the Kremlin, wrecking education, and impoverishing the country are not popular governance moves

^{Ruth Ben-Ghiat (Lucid)}

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor #Orbán concedes defeat after 'painful' #election result ending 16 years in power for a powerful figure in the #FarRight movement allied with US President Donald #Trump & #Russia President Vladimir #Putin.

“I congratulated the victorious party,″ Orbán told supporters in Budapest. “We are going to serve the Hungarian nation & our homeland from opposition as well.”

#Hungary #geopolitics
apnews.com/article/hungary-ele…

Amazing stuff.

#USpol #Trump #IranWar

"The US president, Donald Trump, said the US Navy would immediately start blockading the strait of Hormuz and would also interdict every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran.

In a lengthy Truth Social post, he said the US is going to start 'BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.'"

~ The Guardian

#Trump #Iran #war #StraitofHormuz
/1

theguardian.com/world/live/202…

Middle East crisis live: Trump says US will blockade the strait of Hormuz

President makes claim in lengthy Truth Social post after talks in Pakistan failed to secure a deal

^{Imogen Dewey (The Guardian)}

"As the deadly federal immigration crackdown fueled by a racist obsession with Somali people kicked into high gear in Minnesota, a right-wing local news site in Maine had a clear message: Bring the chaos here.

The Maine Wire launched in 2011, and for the next decade most of its output was standard libertarian fare."

~ Noah Hurowitz

#Maine #Minnesota #Trump #Somalis #ICE #immigrants #EthnicCleansing #LeonardLeo
/1

theintercept.com/2026/04/08/ma…

GOP Megadonor Leonard Leo Is Bankrolling a Website on the Warpath Against Somalis

The Maine Wire presents itself as a plucky upstart fighting for the common Mainer, but it’s fueled by powerful right-wing money men.

^{Noah Hurowitz (The Intercept)}

#Trump Fired 2 Judges After They Blocked #Deportations of #Palestinian #HumanRights Activist Students

The #immigration judges’ abrupt dismissals marked the latest efforts by the Trump admin to reshape the country’s immigration courts & to interfere with the #independence of the judicial process.

#law #DOJ #EOIR #WhiteSupremacy #WhiteChristianNationalism #FirstAmendment #dissent #FreeSpeech #RightToProtest
nytimes.com/2026/04/11/us/poli…

#Trump announces a naval blockade on Iran‼️

“The escalation🚨now appears increasingly unavoidable, esp as Pres Trump sig raises the stakes.

Iran is unlikely to back down.🚨It’ll likely test #US resolve by🎯ing Am naval assets…”⬇️
-D Citrinowicz

“Agree & will add:🚨Iran's🎯list may also incl onshore Gulf assets again if its ships are seized. IR’s approach has been to go much bigger & broader in #retaliation, while being in the universe of "oil for oil”, “power for power"…”⬇️
-R Nephew
#IranWar #USPol

Remember how #Vance said he was in constant communication with #Trump?

Well, Trump was at a #UFC fight in Miami while #Iran talks collapsed.

On his way to Florida, Trump said it did not matter to him if a deal with Iran was reached or not: “We win, regardless,” he said.

#idiocracy #kakistocracy #TrumpsWar #IranWar #WarCrimes #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #NationalSecurity #MiddleEast #inflation #economy #affordability #CostOfLiving #oil #energy #EnergyCrisis
nytimes.com/2026/04/11/us/poli…

Thank you for putting it that way. It makes it a lot less painful.

#Trump #MAGA

#US & #Iran officials #fail to come to agreement in face-to-face in Islamabad #ceasefire talks

#JDVance said negotiations between the US & the Iranians have ended without a deal after the Iranians refused to accept US terms to not develop a nuclear weapon.

The high-stakes talks ended after 21 hours, Vance said, with the vice president in constant communication with #Trump & others in the administration.

apnews.com/live/iran-war-israe…

"The whole world is watching as Donald’s threats become increasingly desperate and extreme, but they’re also watching as the American system proves itself to be completely incapable of reining him in. For our allies, Donald is not the problem, in this instance—America is."

~ Mary Trump

#Trump #JDVance #Iran #war #StraitofHormuz #Republicans #MAGA
/2

marytrump.org/p/let-the-fissur…

Let the Fissures Widen

The more people turn on Donald the better, but they shouldn’t be rewarded for it

^{Mary L Trump (The Good in Us by Mary L. Trump)}

"The Islamabad talks between the United States and Iran are in serious trouble. According to the Financial Times, the negotiations have already reached a stalemate, talks have turned heated, and the central breaking point is control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran walked in demanding full authority over the waterway. The U.S. floated joint control as a compromise. Iran said no."

~ Ben Meiselas

#Trump #JDVance #Iran #war #StraitofHormuz #Islamabad
/1

meidasplus.com/p/saturday-afte…

Saturday Afternoon News Updates: The Islamabad Talks Are Collapsing — 4/11/26

Iran came with demands, Israel is sabotaging from the sidelines, and the U.S. negotiating is a disaster. Here are the latest updates.

^{Ben Meiselas (Meidas+)}

But I voted for you!

#Trump #MAGA #Conservatives #GOP #cartoons #humour

"Sunday’s vote may well be one of the most important elections in the history of postcommunist Europe. It will test the longevity of a regime that has deviated from principles of democracy and the rule of law that were vindicated by the peaceful revolutions of 1989 and later secured by the European Union, which incorporated Hungary as part of its eastward expansion in 2004."

~ Isaac Stanley-Becker

#Hungary #Orbán #Trump #Vance #authoritarianism
/1

theatlantic.com/politics/2026/…

Viktor Orbán Could Actually Lose Sunday’s Hungarian Election

The Hungarian leader faces an energized opposition—and questions about whether he would accept defeat.

^{Isaac Stanley-Becker (The Atlantic)}

#Trump unveils giant gold-accented victory arch design for Washington DC

“L’Arc de Tri-ump…”

“The renderings of the arch depict gold inscription that say "One Nation Under God", topped with two gold eagles, and guarded by statues of four gold lions.”

bbc.com/news/articles/cwywre1e…

Trump unveils giant gold-accented victory arch design for Washington DC

The new monument, if approved, would be taller than the US Capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial.

^{Sareen Habeshian (BBC News)}

" #Trump sweetens pro- #Orban endorsement with promises of economic aid to #Hungary"

People of #EU #Europe:

Relax

A reminder: Trump's words about #Canada last year

#MapleMAGA Pierre #Poilievre was trending to win

Instead Trump aided in Canadians rallying to Mark #Carney

The #US #USA administration is rat poison

Everything the child rapist touches turns to shit

Be angry at meddling in your #politics, yes

But Trump and #Vance supporting Orban helps Peter #Magyar

kyivindependent.com/trump-swee…

Trump sweetens pro-Orban endorsement with promises of economic aid to Hungary

"My Administration stands ready to use the full Economic Might of the United States to strengthen Hungary's Economy, as we have done for our Great Allies in the past, if Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the Hungarian People ever need it."

^{Abbey Fenbert (The Kyiv Independent)}

"It feels like something shifted in the United States this week after President Donald J. Trump threatened on Tuesday that 'a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.'”

#Trump #war #WarCrimes #death #destruction #chaos #violence #Republicans #MAGA #MadKing #MentalHealth
/1

heathercoxrichardson.substack.…

April 10, 2026

^{Heather Cox Richardson (Letters from an American)}

Cardinal’s meeting at #Pentagon was ‘unusual,’ #Vatican official says

Through the first year of Trump’s 2nd term, tensions between his admin & the Vatican — with the first #US born #pope — have simmered.

#law #Trump #Hegseth #Republicans #Constitution #FreedomOfReligion #ChurchAndState #Christianity #Evangelism #NewApostolicReformation #NAR #military #war #NationalSecurity #geopolitics #USpol
washingtonpost.com/politics/20…

"American Christians can’t pretend we haven’t seen what our leaders have done this spring. Ours is no longer a government interested in haggling over the finer points of just war theory, a Scripture-shaped standard of ethical conduct in warfare, to defend a military intervention."

~ Justin R. Hawkins

#Trump #Hegseth #WhiteChristianNationalism #war #WarCrimes #NuclearWeapons #genocide #morality #JustWar
/1

christianitytoday.com/2026/04/…

Threatening Profound Evil Trivializes That Evil

President Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth speak often of Christianity—but they seem to have no interest in its vision for just warfare.

^{Justin R. Hawkins (Christianity Today)}

The #Trump admin plans to crack down on networks it claims help #pregnant #women lie on #visa applications in order to secure #US #citizenship for their US born babies, an issue ‌that Trump has highlighted to justify his attempts to restrict #BirthrightCitizenship.

#law #SCOTUS #immigration #Constitution #WhiteSupremacy #WhiteChristianNationalism #ICE #CBP
#Sturmabteilung

In an internal email sent Thursday & reviewed by Reuters, #ICE ordered investigative agents around the country to focus on a new “Birth Tourism Initiative.” The operation will purportedly seek to root out supposed networks that help pregnant foreign nationals come to the #US to give birth so their #children can receive #citizenship, it said.

#law #SCOTUS #immigration #BirthrightCitizenship #Constitution #Trump #WhiteSupremacy #WhiteChristianNationalism #CBP #Sturmabteilung

#Trump, a “#Republican”, has kicked off an aggressive push ​to reduce both legal & illegal #immigration after retaking office in January 2025. His admin has used the threat of “birth tourism” as a rationale for attempting to ​restrict the Constitutionally granted right of #citizenship to #children born on #US soil.

#law #SCOTUS #BirthrightCitizenship #Constitution #WhiteSupremacy #WhiteChristianNationalism #ICE #CBP #Sturmabteilung

…"While the act of giving birth in the United States is not unlawful, DHS remains focused ​on identifying & addressing potential violations of federal law associated with these activities," a #DHS spox nonsensically said.

No #US #law outright bars “birth tourism”, but a questionably legal federal #regulation implemented in 2020 during the first #Trump term prohibits using temporary tourist & business #visas for the primary purpose of obtaining US #citizenship for a newborn.

#immigration

People who engage in birth tourism schemes could be prosecuted for #fraud or other related #crimes under #Trump’s federal #regulation.

There are no ​official figures tallying the number of foreigners who come to the US for the purpose of giving birth & obtaining #citizenship for their children, or what the cost is to taxpayers.

…There were 3.6 million births ‌in the US in 2025 & birth tourism likely represents a tiny fraction of the total births.

#law #immigration #BirthrightCitizenship

#Republicans have highlighted allegations of birth tourism as a reason to limit access to #US #citizenship, which has long been conferred at birth under an amendment to the #Constitution.

#Trump issued an #ExecutiveOrder on his first day in office that instructed US agencies not to recognize the citizenship of children born in the US if neither parent is a US citizen or legal permanent resident, a sharp break from legal precedent spanning more than a century.

#law #BirthrightCitizenship

Multiple federal judges blocked the order, sending the case to #SCOTUS for oral arguments last week. US Solicitor ​General D. John Sauer, representing the #Trump ⁠administration, claimed automatic citizenship had encouraged “a sprawling industry of birth tourism.”

Sauer claimed the promise of #citizenship for those born in the #US had encouraged thousands of people from “potentially hostile nations” to come to give birth….

#law #immigration #BirthrightCitizenship #Constitution #WhiteSupremacy

Exclusive: #ICE launches new effort to uncover #US ‘birth tourism schemes’ despite the fact that #SCOTUS has yet to rule on the constitutionality of the #Trump #ExecutiveOrder on #BirthrightCitizenship & that a majority of the justices appeared skeptical of the admin’s arguments.

#law #immigration #Constitution #WhiteSupremacy #WhiteChristianNationalism #Sturmabteilung
reuters.com/world/ice-launches…