The Dictatorship
Foreign minister leaves Islamabad without meeting US envoys…
Edited By BRIAN P. D. HANNON and AISHA I. JEFFERSON
Today’s live updates have ended. Follow more live coverage on the Iran war.
Iran’s foreign minister will visit Pakistan again
That’s according to a report by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.
It says Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will return to Pakistan after his current visit to Oman on his way to visiting Russia.
The report said he was expected to be back in Islamabad on Sunday and would join other members of his delegation who had gone to Tehran for consultations and “instructions on the topics related to the end of the war.”
US says it’s hunting for explosive mines in latest push to open the Strait of Hormuz
Trump says the U.S. Navy is clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz. The vital sea route for Persian Gulf oil is closed to most ships, and that’s a strain on the global economy.
Experts say sweeping for underwater explosives could take months despite a tenuous ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
Any future claims that the U.S. cleared the waterway where 20% of the world’s oil typically passes might fail to convince commercial freighters and their insurers that it’s finally safe.
“There’s only so much the U.S. can do to give that confidence back to commercial shipping,” said Emma Salisbury, a scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s National Security Program.
Seeking out mines is among the latest tactics announced by the Trump administration to get traffic moving again through the strait as rising energy prices and wider economic effects pose a political risk.
Trump says Iran presented new offers 10 minutes after he canceled US team’s trip
Amid the stalled negotiations with Iran, the president said the Iranians sent over a new peace proposal, but that it “could have been better,” and rejected it.
“They gave us a paper that could have been better, and interestingly, immediately when I canceled it, within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better,” Trump said to reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from Florida.
The President wouldn’t offer specifics about what was in the latest proposal other than saying “they offered a lot.” But he stressed that one of his conditions is that Iran “will not have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump said he cancelled the latest rounds of negotiations with Iran because it was “a lot of traveling” and because his negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, “weren’t meeting with the leader of the country.”
Trump said the U.S. will “deal by telephone and they can call us anytime they want” before adding that “we have all the cards.”
Israeli fire kills one Palestinian in Gaza, health officials say
The drone strike near a school in northern Gaza City wounded at least two others, according to officials at Shifa hospital, where the casualties arrived.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Israel continues to carry out near-daily strikes across Gaza, where more than 800 Palestinians have been killed despite a fragile ceasefire with Hamas since October, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
Pakistan PM, Iran president hold ‘warm’ talks on regional situation
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by phone on Saturday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, holding what he described as a “warm and constructive discussion” on the evolving regional situation.
In a post on X, Sharif said he appreciated Iran’s continued engagement, including the dispatch of a high-level delegation to Islamabad led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
He added that, with the support of friends and partners, Pakistan remains committed to serving as an “honest and sincere facilitator” to advance durable peace and lasting stability in the region.
Netanyahu orders ‘vigorous’ strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
Netanyahu orders “vigorous” strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
The statement by the prime minister’s office follows a string of rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah on northern Israel and on Israeli ground troops in southern Lebanon on Saturday. There were no injuries.
Also on Saturday, Israel launched multiple airstrikes in southern Lebanon while a fragile temporary ceasefire was in effect, killing at least six people it said were Hezbollah militants.
Netanyahu has instructed the army “to vigorously attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon,” the statement said, without providing further detail.
Iran’s top diplomat arrives in Oman
Abbas Araghchi has arrived in the capital, Muscat. He’s expected to meet about regional developments. Oman was a mediator for indirect talks before the war.
Iran says continued US naval blockade will trigger ‘powerful response’
Iran’s joint military command warned in a statement Saturday that if the U.S. continues its “naval blockades, banditry, and piracy in the region,” it will provoke a decisive military response from Iran.
The statement, carried by the state-run IRNA news agency, added that if the U.S. and Israel renewed their aggression, they would face more losses.
It remains unclear whether Iran and the U.S. will resume negotiations soon. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan, the key mediator in the negotiations between the two countries, a few hours ago, with no immediate word on possible resumption of talks. Shortly after, Trump said in a social media post that he called off sending U.S. envoys to Pakistan for negotiations.
Pakistan eases Islamabad restrictions after Iran delegation leaves
Pakistani authorities on Saturday evening began easing restrictions following the departure of an Iranian delegation and a U.S. decision not to send its delegation to Islamabad for potential talks, offering relief to hundreds of thousands of residents after nearly a week of near-lockdown conditions.
The developments signal a setback to Pakistan’s efforts to host a second round of talks.
The Islamabad administration said in a post on the social platform X that entry of all types of public and goods transport has been allowed. It added that bus terminals across the capital have reopened, except for a key terminal on the city’s outskirts, which will remain closed until further notice.
The move is expected to improve the supply of fruit, vegetables and other essential items in the capital.
Trump says he called off dispatching top U.S. envoys to Pakistan for negotiations with Iran
The president said in a social media post, “I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going is Islamabad.”
That came shortly after Trump told Fox News that he’d instructed U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner not to go.
He wrote in the subsequent post, which he signed misspelling his own name, “Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work!”
The president also repeated his past suggestions that the leadership of Iran remains unsettled, writing, “Nobody knows who is in charge.”
Trump’s post followed two Pakistani officials saying Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has left Pakistan without meeting U.S. officials.
Trump tells Fox News he’s no longer sending Witkoff and Kushner to Pakistan for Iran talks
Trump says he told top U.S. envoys not to travel to Pakistan to negotiate with Iran, telling Fox News that ”they can call us anytime they want.”
In a brief phone interview, Trump told Fox News that he told U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, “You’re not going to be making any more 18-hour flights to sit around talking about nothing.”
Trump also said of the U.S. side, “We have all the cards.”
His comments on Saturday came after the White House said Friday that Witkoff and Kushner would be heading to Pakistan for another round of negotiations with Iran.
JUST IN: Trump tells Fox News he’s no longer sending Witkoff and Kushner to Pakistan for Iran talks
Lebanon’s top Sunni religious authority backs the president’s right to hold talks to end war with Israel
The Supreme Islamic Sharia Council, headed by Lebanon’s Sunni Muslim Grand Mufti Abdul-Latif Derian, said that the “constitutional right” of President Joseph Aoun to pursue diplomatic negotiations to end the war with the “Zionist entity” should be respected.
The council blasted Israel, saying it launched “a devastating and relentless war on Lebanon and committed the most heinous and dangerous crimes.”
Lebanon and Israel’s ambassadors to Washington held two rounds of talks this month, the first official meetings between the two countries in decades.
The Iran-backed Hezbollah group is opposed to direct negotiations with Israel and has blasted the meetings held in Washington.
Trump said this week that Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to meet in Washington in the coming weeks.
There has been no official confirmation from Lebanon that Aoun will attend such a meeting with Netanyahu.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry raises death toll to 2,496
The ministry added in figures released Saturday that 7,725 people were wounded in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war that broke out on March 2.
The war started after Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked its main backer, Iran.
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on April 17. The ceasefire was extended by three weeks on Thursday.
Despite Lebanon ceasefire, Israeli strikes kill suspected militants and Hezbollah fires on Israel
The Israeli military said that in multiple strikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, it killed six people that it said were militants. And several rockets and drones were launched at Israel from Lebanon, the army said, causing no injuries.
A 10-day ceasefire, in effect since April 17, has been repeatedly violated by both sides. On Thursday, Trump said Lebanon and Israel agreed to extend it by three weeks. Hezbollah has not been part of the ceasefire talks.
One strike, in the village of Yohmor, killed three people driving a truck that the army said was loaded with weapons. A second strike in that area killed a person on a motorcycle. A third strike, in the Litani area, killed two people that the army said posed a threat to Israeli ground forces.
Iran’s foreign minister leaves Islamabad without meeting US envoys, Pakistan officials say
Two Pakistani officials say Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has left Pakistan without meeting U.S. officials.
Senior Pakistani officials were at an airport near Islamabad to see him off. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Araghchi had met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and other senior officials about matters including Iran’s red lines in negotiations.
JUST IN: Iran’s foreign minister leaves Islamabad without meeting US envoys, Pakistan officials say
Israeli airstrikes kill 4 people in southern Lebanese village
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said that Israeli airstrikes on the village of Yohmor in southern Lebanon targeted a pickup truck and a motorcycle, killing four people.
Saturday’s airstrikes came despite a 10-day ceasefire in place since April 17.
Since the truce went into effect, it has been repeatedly violated by both sides.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Lebanon and Israel agreed to extend the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks.
Pakistan’s prime minister meets with Iran’s foreign minister
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday at the prime minister’s office in the capital, Islamabad.
Sharif’s office issued a statement saying the meeting was ongoing.
It said Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir were also present.
No further details were immediately available, and the statement only said the “current regional situation will be discussed.”
Iran’s top diplomat meets with Pakistan army chief to discuss mediation efforts
Iran’s top diplomat and Pakistan’s army chief have discussed efforts to launch a new round of talks with the United States.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Telegram that he met with Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir Saturday morning in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, and explained Iran’s views on ending the war between the Islamic Republic and the U.S.
Araghchi didn’t offer further details, but said Tehran will continue engaging in the Pakistani-led mediation efforts “until a result is achieved.”
Iran’s president calls on people to save electricity
Iran’s president has urged people to reduce their use of electricity after American and Israeli strikes damaged the county’s energy infrastructure, state media reported.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said the government aims to “control consumption” of electricity, according to the Iranian state television.
“Instead of turning on 10 lights at home, turn on two lights. What is wrong with that?” he said.
He said the U.S. and Israel “destroyed our infrastructure,” and noted that the U.S. imposed a blockade on Iran’s ports.
Commercial flights resume at Tehran’s airport
Commercial flights resumed Saturday at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran for the first time since the war with the United States and Israel started about two months ago.
Iran’s state-run television reported the airport has flights to Istanbul in Turkey, Oman’s capital Muscat and the Saudi city of Medina.
Flightradar24, a flight tracking platform, showed at least three Istanbul-bound flights departed Saturday morning.
Iran partly reopened its airspace earlier this month during a ceasefire with the U.S.
JUST IN: Commercial flights resume at Tehran’s international airport for first time since the war, Iranian state media report
Germany to deploy minesweeper ships
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said his country plans to deploy minesweeper ships to the Mediterranean, which later could be transferred to the Strait of Hormuz.
“We will deploy a minesweeper to the Mediterranean and provide it with a command and supply ship,” Pistorius told the Rheinische Post newspaper Saturday.
He did not say exactly when the ships are scheduled to depart.
After an end to hostilities between the U.S., Israel and Iran, the German minesweepers could be deployed in the Strait of Hormuz, though such a mission would need to be approved by Germany’s parliament.
“To save time, we have decided to deploy part of the German units to the Mediterranean early on so that — once the mandate is approved — we do not lose any further time,” Pistorius said.
Islamabad locked down before talks
Pakistan’s capital Islamabad appeared to be in a near-lockdown Saturday morning, hours after Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived on a closely watched visit as Pakistan attempts to ease tensions between the United States and Iran.
The weeklong security restrictions have disrupted daily life, with hundreds of thousands of residents struggling to commute even short distances. Checkpoints, road closures and diversions have become routine sights, particularly around sensitive zones.
The usually busy arteries leading to the airport and the heavily fortified Red Zone were largely deserted early Saturday, with movement tightly restricted. Soldiers and police were at key intersections while helicopters circled overhead.
The measures were reinforced over the past 24 hours on the city’s outskirts with additional forces stationed along key airport access routes. Soldiers were visible on rooftops overlooking major approach roads, particularly near the airport where the Iranian delegation arrived late Friday.
Iran executes another man over alleged ties to Mossad
Iran hanged a man Saturday over alleged ties to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency and his participation in anti-government protests in January.
Erfan Kiani was the latest in a series of executions in Iran following the war and nationwide protests.
The Mizan news agency of Iran’s judiciary announced Kiani was convicted of charges including attacks on security forces in the city of Asfahn in January.
The agency claimed he was on a “mission for Mossad” without offering evidence.
Human rights activists long have said Iran convicts people in closed-door trials without allowing defendants to properly defend themselves.
There recently have been multiple executions of alleged spies, as well as protesters and those affiliated with an Iranian exiled opposition group.
Pakistan president will travel to China
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is expected to travel to Beijing on Saturday to begin a weeklong visit at the invitation of the Chinese government.
Discussions will include economic and trade cooperation and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
China has played a role in facilitating Pakistan as a host for ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran. Zardari is expected to discuss his country’s efforts to host a second round.
The visit is part of a longstanding tradition of high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China and holds special significance as they mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said.
“It reflects the deep commitment of both countries to further strengthening the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership,” the ministry said.
Read more here.
Iran foreign minister arrives in Pakistan
Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met late Friday with Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir shortly after arriving in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, officials said.
On Saturday morning Araghchi met with Munir and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, officials said.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the Iranian delegation will hold talks with Pakistan’s senior leadership on the latest regional developments and efforts to promote peace and stability.
The visit comes as Pakistan also is preparing to receive U.S. envoys, although officials have not specified when Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are due in Islamabad.
Egyptian and Pakistani officials discuss the Iran war
Egyptian and Pakistani foreign ministers late Friday discussed efforts to launch a new round of talks between the United States and Iran.
Badr Abdelatty of Egypt spoke by phone with his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
The Egyptian foreign ministry said the diplomats affirmed that negotiations are the best way to end the war.
The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination, a spokesperson said late Wednesday, as two retiring Republicans on the panel dug in over President Donald Trump’s personal “anti-weaponization” deal with the government he runs.
Sen. Chuck Grassley’s decision to delay the committee vote that had been set for Thursday marks a setback for one of Trump’s highest-profile Cabinet nominees, at the hands of Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a pair of Republicans set to leave the chamber next year.
“Chairman Grassley works to set President Trump’s nominees up for success in committee, not failure. Senators Cornyn and Tillis want written assurances from the Department of Justice regarding the Trump-IRS settlement,” the committee spokesperson said.
Blanche’s nomination to permanently head the Department of Justice needs the support of either Cornyn or Tillis to make it out of the committee to a vote by the full Senate, assuming all Democrats remain opposed.
“Why don’t you call over the Department of Justice and tell them they have one hour and 50 minutes to get me what I asked for,” Cornyn told reporters Wednesday afternoon amid the hardening standoff over his demand that Blanche and the DOJ put in writing a commitment never to pursue the president’s prized “anti-weaponization” fund, and to clarify the terms of Trump’s personal deal with the Internal Revenue Service.
Tillis told MS NOW that the conversations were complicated by the need for the Justice Department to get “several parties” to agree on the language of the statement Cornyn and Tillis are seeking.
“What I’ve advised the chair, and I would assume Senator Cornyn said something similar, is that we’re not prepared to vote yes yet,” he added.
“The Department has been in regular communication with Committee members for weeks, and we look forward to continuing to work productively with Senators to address any concerns,” a Justice Department spokesperson said in response to the decision to postpone the committee vote.
Cornyn was set to meet with Blanche on Wednesday morning, but the meeting was called off after Blanche failed to meet the senator’s demand for written proposals to modify the controversial settlement agreement he brokered between Trump and the IRS. The Republican senator is set to leave Congress when his term ends in January after a bruising May primary loss to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Trump’s chosen candidate.
“Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him,” Trump told reporters Wednesday afternoon in the Oval Office. “I don’t know what it is, but I haven’t heard that there’s a problem. I heard (Blanche) is going through quite nicely.”
Cornyn made clear to Blanche during his confirmation hearing that he will not get his support until he agrees to reopen and modify the settlement. Due to the committee’s narrow Republican majority, one GOP “no” vote is enough to sink Blanche’s nomination.
The senator has asked Blanche to provide proof that the proposed nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund established as part of the deal between Trump and the IRS is formally dead, and he has also demanded Blanche narrow the tax audit immunity provisions the settlement afforded to Trump and his family.
Blanche has publicly stated that his department has dropped the fund, but he and the DOJ have dodged requests from Cornyn and a federal judge to put that in writing.
After announcing his meeting with Blanche would not take place Wednesday morning, Cornyn told reporters that changes from Blanche “in a modified release form” would be acceptable, but that “for some reason … they simply refuse to do it,” referring to the DOJ.
Shortly after the meeting was called off, a Justice Department official told MS NOW that the department “provided a written proposal to Senator Cornyn’s staff yesterday following ongoing discussion with both the Committee and the Senator’s office.”
Cornyn said that proposal was “not responsive” to his demands because it did not address the tax audit immunity provisions in the settlement, one of his key demands.
In May, Blanche signed an addendum as part of the deal that granted Trump, his family and his businesses immunity from pending IRS tax audits. That agreement, which has been decried by former IRS officials and legal experts as unlawful self-dealing, is being contested in federal court.
Cornyn noted that Blanche testified under oath that he could meet the request during his confirmation hearing.
“Maybe they think I’m just going to give up or you know, go along, but they’re mistaken,” Cornyn said when asked why he thinks the DOJ could be slow-walking his request.
Kevin Frey contributed to this report.
Sydney Carruth is a breaking news reporter covering national politics and policy for MS NOW. You can send her tips from a non-work device on Signal at SydneyCarruth.46 or follow her work on X and Bluesky.
Mychael Schnell is a reporter for MS NOW.
Ebony Davis is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked at BLN as a campaign reporter covering elections and politics.
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived this week for his tour of Washington, he may have had a mission in mind.
Netanyahu needed to overcome his newly diminished stature and waning influence over his once close friend President Donald Trump as both leaders grapple with the unpopularity of a war they started together and is escaping their control.
His meeting at the White House with Trump on Tuesday, which was closed to the press, was the first face-to-face encounter between the two allies since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack against Iran on Feb. 28.
Trump gave him a muted welcome and afterwards simply described the meeting as “very good.” “Obviously, many important subjects were discussed,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
Rather than an intimate one-on-one setting, the Oval Office was full of top U.S. officials — Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
But Netanyahu continued the full court press on the Trump administration.
Over the course of two days, in addition to seeing Trump and attending Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral at the Capitol, Netanyahu also met separately with Vance, Hegseth, and Rubio, White House and Israeli officials confirmed to MS NOW.
The Israeli prime minister’s slate of meetings with key U.S. national security officials comes at a pivotal moment in the Iran conflict as tensions escalate in the region and Americans increasingly sour on the war. A recent Quinnipiac poll shows 60% of American voters opposing U.S. military action against Iran and 74% against sending U.S. ground troops into Iran.
Not only does Trump face pressure as Republicans face an uphill battle to retain congressional control in this fall’s midterms, Netanyahu’s fate as prime minister is at stake in Israel’s upcoming September elections – and he can’t afford to lose Trump’s favor.
The talks largely focused on what to do next as Iran continues to menace shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and retaliate against American bases in the region and launch attacks on Gulf allies.
According to a senior Israeli official who was granted anonymity to describe the closed-door meeting, President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu did not come to a final decision after discussing three paths forward: get a “good deal” focused on Iran’s nuclear program and enriched material, have no deal and instead continue the blockade and economic pressure, or take escalated military action.
But Netanyahu did not tell Trump what he should do – nor did he express a preference.
The senior Israeli official noted Netanyahu has not ruled out diplomacy – as long as it is coupled with “very strong pressures,” calling the push to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program “a contest of will and a contest of force.”
“There are ways of squeezing them and squeezing them and squeezing them and negotiating at the same time,” the official said.
Netanyahu did not present President Trump with new intelligence regarding the underground Iranian nuclear facility Pickaxe Mountain, per the senior Israeli official, noting the U.S. and Israel already are constantly sharing intelligence – and know where Iran’s highly enriched material is. “We don’t think it’s moved, and I think we have a pretty good grasp on that,” the official said.
During their meeting on Tuesday, Trump and Netanyahu discussed ways Israel and the U.S. can work together to stop Iran’s nuclear program and get the Strait of Hormuz open to maritime trade, the senior Israeli official said.
The two leaders also discussed a third goal: to continue to undermine the Iranian regime and “possibly create future conditions for a change in that area.” U.S. officials have backed away from pursuing paths that would overthrow the current leadership, but Netanyahu still believes that could happen.
“The chasm that has been created between the people and the regime is not about to be closed,” the senior Israeli official said of Netanyahu’s thinking.
Netanyahu advised Trump in February that Israeli intelligence indicated launching strikes against Iran would lead to the toppling of the Islamic Republic’s regime – and five months later, the slain ayatollah’s son retains power with a close circle of hardliners, calling into question the accuracy of Israel’s intelligence apparatus.
But the senior Israeli official said at the time, Netanyahu did not promise the Iranian people would take fate into their own hands following a coordinated attack. Rather, he chose his words carefully and said that an attack could create conditions to “advance the probability or the possibility that that would happen.”
The conditions needed for the Iranian regime to fall, “did not materialize,” the official told MS NOW, adding, “not for lack of insight, but for either operational failure or decisions that were made.”
Despite Netanyahu insisting Israel and the U.S. are on the same page, differences still remain: the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and the Saudi nuclear arrangement did not come up during Wednesday’s White House meeting, according to a second Israeli official granted anonymity to describe sensitive discussions.
Meanwhile, the conflict continues to spread, with an Iranian drone attacking a U.S. gas storage tanker off the coast of Egypt on Wednesday.
Trump indicated he would not let Iran’s latest action slide, telling reporters on Wednesday that the U.S. would retaliate against Iran even as he leaves room for diplomatic talks to resume.
“It’s our turn, and we’ll see if we get there with an agreement at some point,” Trump said. “But we’re going to hit them very hard.”
As for what it would take for Israel to join the U.S. strikes, the senior Israeli official said that if Israel is attacked by Iran, “We will respond very, very forcefully and very quickly. And I think Iran would make a great mistake.”
Julia Jester covers politics for MS NOW and is based in Washington, D.C.
International rage over FIFA’s close ties to President Donald Trump has reached a fever pitch after soccer’s governing body announced a plan to sell a significant stake to an investor group led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law.
The president and his family have all but turned the White House into their personal piggy bank. And FIFA — which has its own sordid history of corruption — seems to have made itself a party to Trump’s self-enrichment under Gianni Infantino’s leadership, such as by paying for space inside Trump Tower in New York. (The organization has defended the office rental as a World Cup outpost.)
Soccer is seen by many as a unifying game. But Trump’s incorporation of FIFA into his political dynasty is threatening that idea.
FIFA has announced plans to sell a large minority stake in a new company that will run its main events, including the World Cup and Club World Cup, as part of a plan to triple the amount of development money it dishes out to its 211 member associations.
Under the proposals — which are subject to approval by a majority of those national associations and FIFA’s 37-member council — a new entity called FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE) will take over all commercial operations, while FIFA remains the game’s global governing body and retains a majority stake in FFE.
A press release from FIFA confirmed the plans and said Thrive Eternal, which was launched by Joshua Kushner, is expected to lead the investment group that would control FIFA Forward Enterprise. FIFA did not clarify why Thrive Eternal was selected, and Kushner was already dabbling in sports.
But Trump basically has already given son-in-law Jared Kushner carte blanche to dictate U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East while simultaneously hatching business plans in the region. (Jared Kushner has denied any conflicts of interest.)
Joshua Kushner reportedly has been a major donor to Democrats. But, predictably, the idea of another Kushner becoming financially entwined with the World Cup — the world’s most popular sporting event — and basically being dropped into a position of global significance isn’t going over well. Several other soccer governing bodies have expressed concerns, including Europe’s UEFA.
“This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross,” UEFA said in a statement about The Athletic’s report, adding: “The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee also rebuked the plan, writing on X: “Apparently the fake Peace Prize and giant lease with Trump Tower weren’t enough — now Infantino performs a kickback hat trick by pursuing a multibillion-dollar deal with Jared Kushner’s brother to sell ownership stakes in the World Cup to private investors.”
FIFA, Donald Trump’s favorite corrupt racketeering enterprise in world sports, is now going directly into business with the Trump family!
Apparently the fake Peace Prize and giant lease with Trump Tower weren’t enough—now Infantino performs a kickback hat trick by pursuing a… https://t.co/knSZibuMea
— House Judiciary Dems (@HouseJudiciary) July 28, 2026
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., has already launched an investigation into the FIFA leader’s relationship with the Trump administration, while dozens of European lawmakers — citing concerns about “potential breaches of political neutrality” — have called for the FIFA Ethics Committee to investigate Infantino. This new proposal seems unlikely to assuage those concerns.
But what it does seem likely to do is fuel global anger toward the U.S. — the kind that has been growing since Trump retook office.
And when you consider that, it’s truly remarkable how the same MAGA movement whose members whined for years about politics mixing with sports is now in lockstep with a president who seems dead-set on casting his shadow over every sports event he can.
This post on X basically sums up the foul stench around FIFA’s latest proposal.
Sepp Blatter was Infantino’s predecessor as FIFA president and oversaw the organization amid some of its many scandals. When heof all people, is warning about how Trump and Infantino’s relationship is “deeply damaging” soccer, it’s a sign of how far FIFA has descended into the gutter.
Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.
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