U.S. Halts Key Weapons for Ukraine in New Sign of Weakening Support for Kyiv
The U.S. move to withhold arms deliveries earmarked for Ukraine reflects the Trump administration's slackening commitment to aiding Kyiv in its defense against Russia. Administration officials have stressed the need to focus more on the longer-term threats from China and, more immediately, military needs in the Middle East.
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Fox News
15 minutes ago
- Fox News
Mamdani is an existential threat to Jewish New Yorkers
A man who has a twisted, revisionist theory about the Holocaust and the history of Jewish suffering has a real chance to become the mayor of the largest populated Jewish city outside of Israel. Let that sink in. A man who was asked to condemn "Globalize the Intifada," a violent, vicious series of uprisings against Jews across Israel, and refused to do so may become mayor of New York City. "To me, ultimately, what I hear in so many is a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights," Zohran Mamdani said, notably with no regrets. He never backed down, and instead of apologizing to the Jewish community, decided to take a moment to speak about Islamophobia. Yes, that is a very real issue, and one I have worked hard to combat myself throughout my own career. But this was a moment for Mamdani to show the Jewish world that he is empathetic and can admit when he made a mistake. He didn't. He just said: "It pains me to be called an antisemite." Well, if Jewish leaders are calling you an antisemite, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, maybe you should speak with us to see why we believe this is so. A mayor who openly protested Jewish students on campus and started a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter will certainly not be friendly to Jews who don't fit his tokenized criteria of what makes a good Jew. His support of BDS is another shocking reality that Jewish New Yorkers may face if he wins the November general election. Simply put, anti-Zionism is the latest form of antisemitism. Anti-Zionism denies Jews the right to self-defense. Anti-Zionism denies the historical connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Furthermore, according to Politico, this is a man who refused to co-sponsor a bill condemning the Holocaust. His rhetoric is simply unacceptable and indefensible. Since that article, Mamdani accused Politico of making "baseless accusations" and "falsely claiming that I refused to condemn the Holocaust," the publication reported at the time. In May 2024, Mamdani introduced the antisemitic "Not on Our Dime" bill, seeking to strip Jewish nonprofits supporting Israel of their tax-exempt status. Needless to say, it was rejected as a "nonstarter" by New York lawmakers. Imagine what would have happened in New York City if Iran and Israel's 12-day war took place with Mamdani as mayor. Do you think Jewish New Yorkers would feel safe? Do you think there would be extra protection at synagogues and Jewish events? The answer, emphatically, is no. In April, the NYPD reported 41 antisemitic hate crimes, the highest since 45 incidents in June 2024. I am truly worried to speculate what will happen if Mamdani becomes mayor and the antisemitic gangs he's associated with feel empowered. This is a challenging time for Jewish New Yorkers. In the words often attributed to the Anglo-Irish philosopher and statesman Edmund Burke, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." We call on men and women of goodwill from all faiths and ethnicities to raise their voices in screaming protest and to call out Mamdani's blatant antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric and diatribe.
Fox News
15 minutes ago
- Fox News
Trump could arm Israel with US B-2s and bunker busters if Iran tries to go nuclear under new proposal
FIRST ON FOX: A bipartisan pair of lawmakers has proposed authorizing President Donald Trump to transfer B-2 stealth bombers and 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs to Israel if Iran is found to still be developing a nuclear weapon after last week's strikes. The legislation, proposed by Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., introduced the Bunker Buster Act, which would allow Trump to "take actions to ensure Israel is prepared for all contingencies if Iran seeks to develop a nuclear weapon." B-2 bomber pilots launched 14 bunker buster bombs on Iran's top three nuclear sites, in a move that Trump claims "totally obliterated" the Iranian regime's nuclear program. Israel, for its part, hit a number of Iranian sites and took out top military brass. However, it doesn't possess the 30,000-pound GBU 57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, precision-guided munition bombs developed for the U.S. Air Force. The 20-foot-long weapons can travel 200 feet deep inside a target before exploding. As of 2024, the U.S. had 19 B-2s in operation. It does not transfer custody of its B-2 stealth bombers to any of its allies. "Iran, the leading state sponsor of terror, and one of America's top enemies, can never have a nuclear weapon. That's why I strongly supported our military actions earlier this month. Iran has killed scores of Americans, including our service members, and repeatedly attacked our key democratic ally, Israel. Israel must be able to defend herself against Iran, and ensure that Iran cannot rebuild its nuclear capabilities," Gottheimer said in a statement. "This bill gives the President the authority to equip Israel with the tools and training they need to deter Tehran and make the world a safer place," said Lawler. The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Chair Rafael Grossi told Radio France Internationale the centrifuges at Iran's underground Fordow nuclear site are "no longer operational," after the U.S. strikes. However, some have questioned whether Iran may have attempted to move its stock of enriched uranium away from the sites that were targeted, but Grossi told CBS over the weekend that Iran may again begin enriching uranium in a "matter of months." "The capacities they have are there. They can have, you know, in a matter of months, I would say, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that. But as I said, frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there," he said. "It is clear that there has been severe damage, but it's not total damage," Grossi added. "Iran has the capacities there; industrial and technological capacities. So if they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again." Meanwhile, after a Houthi strike on Israel, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee suggested the U.S. send B-2 bombers to Yemen to strike Houthi targets. "We thought we were done with missiles coming to Israel, but Houthis just lit one up over us in Israel. Fortunately, Israel's incredible interception system means we go to the shelter & wait until all clear. Maybe those B2 bombers need to visit Yemen!" B-2 bomber planes traveled to Yemen to strike Houthi targets in October 2024.
Chicago Tribune
17 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
President Donald Trump keeps saying the GOP mega bill will eliminate taxes on Social Security. It does not
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump keeps saying that Republicans' mega tax and spending cut legislation will eliminate taxes on federal Social Security benefits. It does not. At best, Trump's 'no tax on Social Security' claim exaggerates the benefits to seniors if either the House or Senate-passed proposals is signed into law. Here's a look at Trump's recent statements, and what the proposals would — or would not — do. Trump repeatedly told voters during his 2024 campaign that he would eliminate taxes on Social Security. As his massive legislative package has moved through Congress, the Republican president has claimed that's what the bill would do. Trump said on a recent appearance on Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures' that the bill includes 'no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, no tax on overtime.' But instead of eliminating the tax, the Senate and House have each passed their own versions of a temporary tax deduction for seniors aged 65 and over, which applies to all income — not just Social Security. And it turns out not all Social Security beneficiaries will be able to claim the deduction. Those who won't be able to do so include the lowest-income seniors who already don't pay taxes on Social Security, those who choose to claim their benefits before they reach age 65 and those above a defined income threshold. The Senate proposal includes a temporary $6,000 deduction for seniors over the age of 65, contrasted with the House proposal, which includes a temporary deduction of $4,000. The Senate proposal approved Tuesday would eliminate Social Security tax liability for seniors with adjusted gross incomes of $75,000 or less or $150,000 if filing as a married couple. If passed into law, the tax deduction would last four years, from 2025 to 2029. The deductions phase out as income increases. Touting a new Council of Economic Advisers analysis, the White House said Tuesday that '88% of all seniors who receive Social Security — will pay NO TAX on their Social Security benefits,' going on to say that the Senate proposal's $6,000 senior deduction 'is estimated to benefit 33.9 million seniors, including seniors not claiming Social Security. The deduction yields an average increase in after-tax income of $670 per senior who benefits from it.' Garrett Watson, director of policy analysis at the Tax Foundation think tank, said conflating the tax deduction with a claim that there will be no tax on Social Security could end up confusing and angering a lot of seniors who will expect to not pay taxes on their Social Security benefits. 'While the deduction does provide some relief for seniors, it's far from completely repealing the tax on their benefits,' Watson said. The cost of actually eliminating the tax on Social Security would have massive impacts on the economy. University of Pennsylvania's Penn Wharton Budget Model estimates that eliminating income taxes on Social Security benefits 'would reduce revenues by $1.5 trillion over 10 years and increase federal debt by 7 percent by 2054″ and speed up the projected depletion date of the Social Security Trust Fund from 2034 to 2032. Discussions over taxes on Social Security are just part of the overall bill, which is estimated in its Senate version to increase federal deficits over the next 10 years by nearly $3.3 trillion from 2025 to 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Administration officials have said the cost of the tax bill would be offset by tariff income. Recently, the CBO separately estimated that Trump's sweeping tariff plan would cut deficits by $2.8 trillion over a 10-year period while shrinking the economy, raising the inflation rate and reducing the purchasing power of households overall.
