On Cam: Trump's Border Patrol, ICE Agents Go Berserk Inside New York Court, Bash ‘ILLEGAL ALIENS'
Saudi Arabia has officially activated its first Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Jeddah after successful testing and training. This move aims to bolster Riyadh's defensive capabilities. The inauguration comes weeks after Iran struck a U.S. airbase in Qatar on June 23, following a U.S. bombing of three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22. Both strikes occurred amidst a 12-day war between Israel and Iran. The THAAD system, operating on a "hit-to-kill" method, can detect missiles over 2,000 km away. Saudi Arabia reportedly bought the THAAD battery for $15 billion during Trump's first term, with plans for six more. The Trump administration also approved $3.5 billion in weapons sales to Riyadh in June and precision-guided weapon sales in March.
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Hindustan Times
26 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Melania Trump's Texas floods post sparks outrage as she offers just two things to victims; ‘You and your husband…'
Melania Trump has come under fire for expressing her 'thoughts' and "prayers to the people affected by the catastrophic Texas flash floods. Melania Trump faces backlash for offering thoughts and prayers after deadly Texas floods that claimed 51 lives.(AFP) On Friday, devastating, swift-moving floods on the Guadalupe River swelled 26 feet (8 meters), killing at least 51 people and leaving 27 girls who were living at a summer camp in Kerr County missing. In a statement on Saturday, Melania addressed the natural tragedy on X, writing: 'My heart goes out to the parents in Texas during this difficult time. I am holding you in my thoughts and sending prayers for strength, comfort, and resilience.' Trump critics quickly blasted Melania over her post, claiming that thought and prayers are not enough in wake of her husband's massive budget cuts, which have affected federal forecasters and disaster response agencies. Before the deafly floods hit Texas, five former National Weather Service directors wrote a letter to US President Donald Trump, warning that further funding cuts would cause fatalities. 'Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life,' they warned. Additionally, a Florida weatherman informed viewers during his usual broadcast that he would no longer be able to continue forecasting local weather due to budget constraints. Also Read: Why did Trump and Melania act 'like newlyweds' during July 4th WH appearance? Surprising 'Royal' details revealed Melania Trump's faces backlash amid Texas floods Reacting to Melania's post on X, one person asked, 'When is the President of the United States going to say something? I understand it's not all about him this time, but seriously????' 'Why aren't you deported yet?' another questioned. 'Instead of Support, when you send some of that money that you and your husband scammed out of the US citizens,' a third user wrote. 'Are you going to apologize for Trump's gutting of NOAA and the NWS, which clearly put people in Texas at greater risk? How many lives could have been saved by timely warnings - or would that be 'socialism'?' the fourth user chimed in. 'How about telling Donny to give back the money to FEMA and NOAA? Thoughts and prayers don't do a whole lot!' one more stated. Meanwhile, some ridiculed the first lady for dancing with Trump on White House balcony during Fourth of July celebrations.
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
'President Elon'? Musk launches 'The America Party' after spat with Donald Trump - is it viable?
Elon Musk has done many things few thought possible: Launching rockets, developing self-driving cars, and turning a major social media platform into his personal megaphone. Now, he's taking on his most ambitious project yet: blowing up America's entrenched two-party system. On Sunday, the world's richest man unveiled the launch of the 'America Party' a self-funded political force he claims will challenge what he describes as a corrupt and bankrupt "uniparty" dominated by both Democrats and Republicans. The move formalises weeks of growing hostility between Musk and Trump, transforming a simmering feud into full-blown political warfare. 'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,' Musk declared on X, the social media platform he owns. — elonmusk (@elonmusk) Long one of Trump's biggest donors and closest policy allies, Musk now vows to bankroll challengers to Republican incumbents and push forward what he hopes will become the most consequential third-party bid in modern US history. The question now: Is this Musk's next great disruption or a high-profile experiment doomed by the very system he hopes to upend? Musk lashes out Musk's post was one of several attacks on both parties, but especially on Republicans who, in his view, have broken promises to reduce government spending. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo 'Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame!' he wrote. 'And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth. ' Musk further accused Congress of representing a corrupt 'Democrat-Republican uniparty,' adding: 'Our country needs an alternative... so that the people actually have a VOICE.' But as the Washington Post's Prompt newsletter noted, many political observers see Musk's crusade as more performative than strategic. While he once led Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, Musk showed little real interest in cutting the national debt until the bill directly threatened his business incentives. Can Musk's 'America Party' succeed? Experts say not likely Jenna Bednar, a political scientist at the University of Michigan, echoed these concerns in an interview with The : 'In the United States' electoral system, third parties face nearly insurmountable organisational, institutional, and cultural barriers… Mr. Musk likes to build big and has ambitions for a national party. I don't see it becoming a serious rival to the two parties.' She added, however, that Musk 'could be enormously successful if he uses his wealth to support primary challengers… He could significantly reshape the Republican Party from within by freeing centrist Republicans from their fears of Mr. Trump.' Bednar also cautioned that 'there is a high likelihood that Mr. Musk's attention would wane; the earliest primaries are not until March 2026. He may move on to other projects long before then. ' Libertarian Party: Musk's cautionary tale As Musk builds the America Party from scratch, many experts point to the Libertarian Party as a cautionary tale. It remains the most consistently successful third party in modern US politics yet its influence remains marginal. Founded in 1971, the Libertarian Party has built robust ballot access, often appearing in all 50 states. It achieved its best-ever presidential performance in 2016, when Gary Johnson won 3.3% of the national vote over 4.4 million ballots. However, that momentum has yet to translate into broader national relevance. The party has found some success in local elections, winning hundreds of municipal offices and occasionally a state legislative seat. But it has never sent a member to Congress elected purely as a Libertarian. Figures like Justin Amash switched affiliation while in office but did not win re-election under the party banner. In short, even with decades of organising, broad ideological appeal, and consistent ballot access, the Libertarian Party has struggled to gain serious political traction. Musk may have resources far beyond any Libertarian candidate in history, but the same systemic barriers legal, financial, and cultural could confine the America Party to the same fate. Third-party struggles CNN highlighted how entrenched the two-party system has become, noting that even well-funded independents like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or popular outliers like Lisa Murkowski often struggle to survive politically. 'You're roadkill in the middle,' Murkowski told The Assignment podcast. Furthermore, to qualify as a party in California, for instance, a new political group must either register 75,000 voters or gather over 1 million petition signatures. And to be nationally recognised, each state branch must request an advisory opinion from the Federal Election Commission, a time-consuming and expensive process. Despite this, Musk's immense personal wealth could theoretically change the game. Musk spent $277 million in the 2024 cycle, mostly through America PAC, and could do so again. However, even with endless money, Kappel warned: 'The hurdles for creating a new party and getting it on the ballot are extremely high… It's a multi-year project and will cost hundreds of millions of dollars.' Parties that rose, ruled — and vanished Musk's America Party may seem like a moonshot in today's entrenched two-party system, but American history is filled with once-powerful parties that vanished — and others that emerged to take their place. In the early days of the republic, the Federalist Party dominated under Alexander Hamilton, only to fade after the War of 1812. It was replaced by the Whigs, who briefly rose to prominence in the mid-19th century before collapsing over divisions on slavery. Out of the Whigs' ashes came the Republican Party — a fringe movement that, within a few years, swept Abraham Lincoln into the presidency. These historical shifts show that the American party system is not as fixed as it may seem. But the key ingredient for transformation wasn't just money or media power; it was a moment of crisis, a vacuum in political leadership, and deep national realignment. America Party's 2026 plan: Targeted disruption Musk proposed focusing on just a few vulnerable Senate and House races. 'One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,' he wrote. 'Crack the uniparty system through extremely concentrated force at a precise location on the battlefield.' Still, legal and structural challenges remain enormous. Musk has yet to register the party with the FEC and will need a legal framework to coordinate donations, meet ballot requirements, and recruit candidates. Former DOGE aide James Fishback has even launched a rival super PAC to counter Musk's influence. Called FSD PAC (Full Support for Donald), it aims to raise $1 million to back Trump-aligned candidates and oppose Musk-backed challengers. 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Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
US close to several trade deals, announcements to be made in next days, Bessent says
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the United States is nearing trade agreements before a July 9 tariff deadline. The Trump administration plans to notify 100 smaller countries about potential tariff increases if progress isn't made. Letters will be sent, warning of a return to April 2 tariff levels on August 1 if deals aren't expedited. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The United States is close to reaching agreements on several trade deals ahead of a July 9 deadline when higher tariffs kick in, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday, predicting several big announcements in coming told CNN's "State of the Union" program that the Trump administration would also send out letters to 100 smaller countries with whom the U.S. doesn't have much trade, notifying them that they would face higher tariff rates first set on April 2 and then suspended until July 9."President Trump's going to be sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that, if you don't move things along, then on August 1, you will boomerang back to your April 2 tariff level. So I think we're going to see a lot of deals very quickly," Bessent said.
