Category: Unpresidential

Trump Claims Credit for Ending Wars He Started

Trump claimed at a Turning Point USA event in Arizona that he has ended ten wars, adding Iran and Lebanon to his previous list of eight. Trump stated, “If we add Iran and Lebanon, that will be 10 wars ended, and many, many millions of lives. Think of how many lives we have saved.” The State Department previously promoted this claim in October 2025, and Trump repeated it during a November 60 Minutes interview with CBS News’s Norah O’Donnell, pulling a written list from his pocket to enumerate conflicts he said he resolved through tariff threats.

CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale documented that Trump’s list contains fabricated or mischaracterized claims. The list includes a diplomatic dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia that was not a war, an undefined situation between Serbia and Kosovo that also was not a war, and the war in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which has not ended despite a Trump administration-brokered peace agreement that was never signed by the rebel group leading the fighting. Trump falsely attributes credit for resolving conflicts that either did not occur as wars or remain active despite his claimed interventions.

Most significantly, Trump initiated one of the wars he now claims to have ended. Trump ordered U.S. strikes on Iran that began in June 2025 and escalated into major military action with Israel starting in February 2026. By claiming credit for ending a conflict he himself started, Trump demonstrates the disinformation central to his broader pattern of threatening war crimes against Iran while simultaneously portraying himself as a peacemaker.

Trump’s methodology for claiming war resolution relies on unsubstantiated assertions about his negotiating power. During his 60 Minutes appearance, he claimed he resolved disputes by threatening tariffs, stating, “I said, in many cases, in 60% I said, ‘If you don’t stop fighting, I’m putting tariffs on both of your countries.'” No evidence supports these claims, and many of the conflicts on his list predate his presidency or have continued regardless of his stated involvement.

Trump has repeatedly invoked the “eight wars” claim throughout his presidency to build his political brand as a peacemaker. This pattern of fabrication demonstrates abuse of power through the weaponization of false narratives to reshape his public image, diverting attention from actual military escalations he has ordered and supported.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-proactively-claims-credit-for-ending-two-more-wars-one-of-which-he-started/)

Iran says Strait of Hormuz ‘closed again’ until US blockade lifted | The Independent

Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed on Saturday in response to the Trump administration’s naval blockade of Iranian ports, with the Revolutionary Guards stating the waterway would remain shut until the US military lifts its restrictions on Iranian vessels. Two Indian-flagged tankers reported coming under gunfire in the channel shortly after Iran’s announcement, escalating tensions in one of the world’s most critical shipping routes.

Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei threatened “bitter defeats” on enemies, effectively undermining prospects for weekend peace negotiations between the nations. The threat reflects Tehran’s hardening stance as Trump administration pressure tactics intensify following the collapse of earlier diplomatic efforts in Pakistan.

Trump convened a crisis meeting to address the escalating situation in the Strait, where approximately 21 percent of global petroleum passes through daily. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council is currently evaluating new US proposals that were transmitted through Pakistani intermediaries, though the blockade remains a fundamental point of contention.

Trump publicly warned Tehran that it “can’t blackmail us,” characterizing Iran’s closure announcement as coercive rather than a legitimate response to American military aggression. The administration’s threats to eliminate Iranian vessels violating the blockade and consideration of military strikes have narrowed diplomatic pathways and intensified the crisis.

The standoff represents a significant escalation from Trump’s announcement of the blockade following failed negotiations, with both sides now locked in a direct confrontation over control of the strategic waterway and regional naval dominance.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/trump-iran-war-latest-strait-of-hormuz-b2960383.html)

Trump signs executive order accelerating research into psychedelic drug therapies despite known deaths

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 18, 2026, to accelerate federal approval and research of psychedelic drug therapies, particularly ibogaine, for treating PTSD, depression, and addiction. Trump announced the order in the Oval Office alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Mehmet Oz, and podcaster Joe Rogan, framing the initiative as benefiting veterans with severe mental health conditions.

Ibogaine remains classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance with limited human research and documented serious safety risks, including potentially fatal heart arrhythmias, neurological complications, and gastrointestinal side effects. The Drug Enforcement Agency designates it as having high abuse potential and no currently accepted medical use, though Trump claimed the order would eliminate “unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles” in the approval process.

Psilocybin, found in psychedelic mushrooms, has stronger clinical evidence than ibogaine for treating depression and received FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for treatment-resistant cases. A Nature Medicine review of 12 studies showed psilocybin combined with psychotherapy produced response rates nearly three times higher and remission rates approximately four times higher than control groups, though long-term safety data and real-world effectiveness remain uncertain.

MDMA, used for PTSD treatment, failed to gain FDA approval in 2024 despite its Breakthrough designation due to concerns over clinical trial conduct, inconsistent results, and safety issues requiring additional research. The executive order directs the FDA to expedite review of psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapy drugs and provides expedited rescheduling for any psychedelics later approved by the FDA for medical treatment.

Kennedy, who has criticized antidepressants and conventional mental health therapies, influenced the executive order through direct advocacy to Trump. Researchers emphasize that psychedelic treatments require careful medical supervision in controlled settings, with major safety concerns and limited data on long-term effects, even as early studies focus on severe, treatment-resistant mental health conditions.

(Source: https://abcnews.com/Health/trump-signs-executive-order-accelerating-research-psychedelic-drug/story?id=132171927)

Kash Patel Says He’s Suing Over Report Claiming He’s Repeatedly Been Intoxicated in Public While FBI Director – Yahoo News UK

FBI Director Kash Patel announced plans to sue The Atlantic after the publication reported that he had struggled to log into a computer system on April 10, initially believing he had been fired by President Trump. According to the article by Sarah Fitzpatrick, Patel panicked and frantically contacted aides and allies about his supposed termination, with nine sources describing his behavior and two characterizing it as a “freak-out,” though the lockout was later determined to be a technical issue unrelated to any personnel action.

The Atlantic’s report also detailed allegations that Patel had been intoxicated in public at restaurants in Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas. The publication claimed that members of his security detail had experienced difficulty waking Patel on multiple occasions due to excessive alcohol consumption, and that a request for breaching equipment typically used by SWAT teams was made after Patel became unreachable behind locked doors.

Patel’s response came through FBI spokesperson Erica Knight, who dismissed the reporting as “fabricated” and announced a lawsuit would be filed. Patel himself posted on X stating he would meet the outlet “in court” and accused it of producing “fake news,” suggesting the actual malice standard required in defamation cases would favor his legal position.

FBI Assistant Director Benjamin Williamson released a statement calling the article “one of the most absurd things” he had read, characterizing it as “completely false reporting at a nearly 100% clip” despite a tight two-hour deadline provided to the publication for response. The statement was included in Patel’s social media post as supporting documentation for his claims of inaccurate reporting.

(Source: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/kash-patel-says-suing-over-031725423.html)

Billionaire Trump hasn’t heard of a ‘corner store’ and laments poorer people ‘don’t think in terms of deductions’ at tax event | The Independent

During a Thursday tax event in Las Vegas, President Donald Trump demonstrated a disconnect from working-class experience when he claimed unfamiliarity with the term “corner store,” despite asserting he understands the concept. Trump questioned who wrote the phrase into his remarks, suggesting surprise at its usage in a discussion framed around Republican tax policy.

Trump asserted that wealthy individuals consistently seek tax deductions while suggesting middle-class and poor people fail to think strategically about deductions. This statement contradicts the reality that lower-income households often lack sufficient deductions to benefit from itemization and typically rely on standard deductions, revealing Trump’s misunderstanding of how taxation functions across income levels.

Trump claimed the current economy exceeds his first-term performance “despite our little diversion to the lovely country of Iran,” referring to military conflict he initiated in the Middle East. The Iran conflict has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, causing national average gas prices to surge to $4.09 per gallon from $2.92 before the war began, with Nevada prices approaching $5 per gallon according to AAA data.

Despite acknowledging the war’s economic impact, Trump labeled war-driven inflation as “fake inflation” and told reporters gas prices “are not very high” while highlighting stock market gains. The International Monetary Fund has warned the conflict could trigger global recession, undermining Trump’s claims about economic superiority.

Trump revealed market sensitivity to his rhetoric by stating his statements make “the whole market go a little jittery” and instructing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “clean it for me” after his comments. Trump reported approximately 50 percent of American tax-filers utilized new tax policies and roughly five million people have established “Trump account” savings pools for children.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-tax-las-vegas-corner-store-inflation-iran-b2959483.html)

Trump Demands No Judge Stop His Military Ballroom

President Donald Trump posted inflammatory messages on Truth Social attacking Judge Richard Leon’s ruling on his $400 million White House ballroom project, characterizing the structure as militarily essential and declaring “no Judge can be allowed to stop” its construction. Trump’s posts came after Leon issued a revised order allowing underground construction of bunkers, bomb shelters, and military installations while prohibiting Trump from finalizing the above-ground ballroom design without Congressional approval, which the project still lacks.

Trump accused Leon of undermining national security and engaging in “illegal overreach,” claiming the ballroom is vital for presidential safety during events, inaugurations, and global summits. In his lengthy Truth Social rant, Trump detailed the ballroom’s purported military features, including missile-resistant steel, drone-proof ceilings, blast-proof glass, and military-grade venting, framing these specifications as necessary for protecting future presidents and world leaders.

Trump insisted the underground and above-ground portions are inseparable, claiming the underground sections serve no purpose without the upper structure and that the entire project is “tied together as one big, expensive, and very complex unit.” He further asserted that material worth hundreds of millions of dollars has already been ordered and partially paid for, suggesting the court order threatens investments already committed to the construction.

The ballroom remains funded through private donations and Trump’s personal cash rather than taxpayer money, yet Trump has framed judicial oversight as obstructing national defense. Trump previously attacked the court halt, and his administration appointed an unqualified receptionist to the Commission of Fine Arts, illustrating his pattern of circumventing institutional expertise and oversight on the project.

Trump’s assertion that judges cannot stop the project defies judicial authority and the requirement for Congressional approval, establishing a precedent for executive defiance of court orders. His characterization of legitimate legal review as “Trump Hating” and a “mockery to our Court System” exemplifies his broader pattern of attacking judicial independence when rulings oppose his interests.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-drops-wild-post-about-his-militarily-imperative-ballroom-no-judge-can-be-allowed-to-stop-it/)

Hegseth scolds reporters as ‘Pharisees’ in fire-and-brimstone Iran war briefing after Trump-as-Jesus furor | The Independent

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a Pentagon briefing on Iran operations on Thursday to attack journalists, comparing them to biblical Pharisees with “hardened hearts” who reject truth. Hegseth claimed the press exhibits “relentlessly negative coverage” and “unpatriotic” bias while refusing to acknowledge what he described as the “historic and important success” of U.S. military efforts and an emerging deal to address Iran’s nuclear program.

Hegseth’s attack centered on a Sunday church sermon about Pharisees witnessing Jesus heal a man, which he said paralleled journalists documenting military operations without recognizing their significance. He accused reporters of being “politically motivated” and “Trump hating,” stating their focus on negative coverage rather than military achievements proves they function as adversaries rather than observers of fact. Hegseth also attacked what he called “fake news” for failing to cover recruitment surges and national morale he attributed to Trump administration policies.

The defense secretary’s press conference assault on journalists reflects his ongoing hostility toward media access at the Pentagon, including attempts to restrict reporters from workspace designated for their use for decades. His tenure has been marked by repeated diatribes against the press during briefings conducted with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair General Dan Caine, establishing a pattern of blaming journalists for insufficient support of administration military operations.

Hegseth’s invocation of religious imagery to attack the press mirrors Trump’s recent posting of AI-generated images depicting himself as Jesus, which drew backlash even from conservative allies before Trump deleted and later reposted similar content. Pope Leo XIV responded with a statement condemning those who “manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain,” appearing to directly reference the administration’s use of religious rhetoric to justify military action.

The briefing underscores the Trump administration’s systematic attack on press freedom amid broader military escalation against Iran, with officials employing religious language and accusations of disloyalty to delegitimize journalistic scrutiny of war policy. Hegseth’s comparison of reporters to biblical antagonists represents an escalation in the administration’s framing of independent journalism as an obstacle to military objectives rather than a constitutional safeguard.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/hegseth-iran-war-briefing-press-ai-photos-b2959018.html)

Hegseth Reads Fake Bible Verse from Pulp Fiction

Pentagon Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recited a fabricated Bible verse during a prayer service at the Department of Defense on Wednesday, presenting it as an authentic scripture passage. Hegseth introduced the text as a prayer used by military pilots during a rescue mission in Iran, claiming it was titled “CSAR 25:17” in reference to the biblical book of Ezekiel. He urged attendees to pray along with him as he delivered the passage aloud.

The text Hegseth read closely mirrors a fake version of Ezekiel 25:17 quoted by actor Samuel L. Jackson in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film “Pulp Fiction,” which Jackson’s character recites before committing violence. The actual Ezekiel 25:17 from the King James Bible contains only a brief passage about vengeance and divine judgment, bearing minimal similarity to the elaborate text Hegseth presented. Tarantino himself had sourced the fabricated verse from a 1970s Japanese martial arts film.

Hegseth’s misrepresentation of the scripture was flagged by A Public Witness, a religion-focused publication, after the Pentagon prayer service. The Secretary of Defense presented the Pulp Fiction dialogue as a genuine military prayer recited before combat search and rescue missions, falsely attributing sacred authority to entertainment industry fiction. This lie demonstrates a troubling disregard for religious authenticity and public trust in military leadership.

(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/pray-please-pete-hegseth-reads-114001144.html)

Trump believes diet soda kills cancer cells, Dr Oz reveals | Donald Trump | The Guardian

Trump claimed to Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services chief, that diet soda kills cancer cells because it can kill grass when poured on it, suggesting the logic applies to cancer cells in the human body. Oz recounted the exchange on his son Donald Trump Jr.’s podcast “Triggered with Don Jr,” describing a moment aboard Air Force One when Trump defended his consumption of orange Fanta by making this assertion, later joking that the drink could not be unhealthy because it is “fresh squeezed.”

Multiple physicians publicly rejected Trump’s claim, emphasizing that no scientific evidence supports the notion that diet soda prevents or cures cancer. Pediatrician Zachary Rubin pointed out the logical fallacy in Trump’s reasoning, noting that by the same standard, bleach would be a superfood, and he referenced Trump’s pandemic-era suggestions about injecting disinfectants as evidence of similar flawed health reasoning. Emergency physician Owais Durrani issued a straightforward statement that diet soda does not kill cancer cells.

The scientific evidence on artificial sweeteners in diet soda is limited and concerning but does not support Trump’s claims. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies aspartame, the sweetener used in most diet sodas, as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” based on limited evidence, while a 2022 French cohort study found aspartame linked to a 15 percent higher cancer risk without establishing causation. Research also indicates that artificial sweeteners may harm gut health and microbial diversity, contradicting any protective effect.

Trump has consistently defended his diet of sweet drinks and fast food as part of his health regimen, with Oz characterizing his approach as eating junk food from major chains due to their quality control standards. Don Jr. suggested his father’s consumption habits might reflect something beneficial, citing Trump’s energy and stamina despite his age, effectively endorsing disproven health claims.

These remarks emerge as the health department works to update U.S. nutrition guidelines and revise dietary recommendations to emphasize “real food,” making Trump’s promotion of diet soda particularly problematic at a moment when federal health policy is being reshaped. The incident underscores the administration’s broader push toward alternative medicine narratives that prioritize unscientific claims over established medical consensus.

(Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/15/trump-diet-coke-soda-kills-cancer)

Trump Attacks Fox News Over Steyer Coverage

President Donald Trump attacked Fox News on Wednesday for covering Democratic California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer, whom Trump called a “SLEAZEBAG” and “LOSER.” Trump posted on Truth Social that the network was “promoting” Steyer instead of focusing on Republican candidate Steve Hilton, whom Trump has endorsed to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.

Trump’s complaint about Fox News coverage lacked factual grounding. His post came approximately 40 minutes after Fox News had already featured Hilton on air discussing his campaign with host Harris Faulkner. Fox News had not run a substantial segment on Steyer on Wednesday but instead mentioned him briefly in relation to his fundraising totals, policy positions, and polling performance against other candidates.

The president appeared to reference a graphic displayed during Hilton’s interview that showed Steyer’s five-point immigration plan while Faulkner discussed his anti-ICE agenda and $120 million spending on the race. Hilton used the airtime to criticize Steyer’s immigration positions as “far-left extremism” and an extension of what he characterized as Biden-era open borders policies.

Trump’s attack on Fox News reflects a pattern of hostility toward the network when coverage does not align precisely with his preferred narrative. Trump has previously attacked both Fox News and Steyer simultaneously, demonstrating a longstanding grievance with both the billionaire Democratic donor and the Republican-aligned outlet that regularly gives Trump platform access.

Trump’s criticism of Fox News contradicts his repeated beneficiary status from the network’s coverage. Despite claiming the channel promotes Democrats, Trump continues to receive favorable treatment and extensive airtime on Fox News programming while endorsing Republican candidates aligned with his political interests.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-bashes-fox-news-for-covering-sleazebag-tom-steyer-right-after-interviewing-his-favorite-california-candidate/)

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