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The Dictatorship

In second week of the Iran war, the White House emphasizes ‘fun’ and meme videos

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In second week of the Iran war, the White House emphasizes ‘fun’ and meme videos

At his political rally in Kentucky, Donald Trump told a curious story about Iranian ships destroyed by the U.S. military in recent days. According to the president’s version of events, he grew angry with his military leaders, asking, “Why the hell did we kill them? Why didn’t we just capture them and use them in our navy?”

Eventually, according to Trump, a U.S. general told him, “Sir, it’s a lot more fun doing it this way.”

The Republican told a nearly identical story to members of the House Republican conference two days earlier, again claiming that military leaders told him it’s “more fun” to sink Iranian ships than to capture them.

The use of the word “fun” was jarring for all of the obvious reasons. Trump was, after all, talking about a U.S. military offensive that has killed some American service members and left many more wounded — in addition to the massive casualties in Iran, including an apparent American missile strike on an Iranian girls’ school that killed 175 civilians, most of whom were children.

There are a variety of adjectives that a wartime American leader should use when talking about this avoidable crisis. “Fun” isn’t one of them.

But by all appearances, the White House has come to a very different conclusion. As The New York Times reported:

On Feb. 28, the Trump administration launched war on Iran. The following week, it drafted Iron Man, Walter White and SpongeBob.

These characters, and many more figures from movies, TV, sports, music and video game memes, appeared in a series of short, trolling videos from the White House, on platforms including TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter), that reduce the war’s carnage and upheaval to flippant, dystopian amusements.

On Wednesday night, the White House released another installment that featured Iranians as bowling pins. It looked like the sort of thing one might expect from an over-caffeinated 12-year-old, but it was instead released with apparent pride by the executive branch of the world’s preeminent superpower.

It was followed a day later by yet another video, this one combining actual footage of combat in Iran with clips from sports video games.

Connor Crehan, an Army veteran of the war in Iraq who co-hosts a Barstool Sports military podcast, argued via social media last week, “War isn’t a video game. The consequences of war are final. I wish we didn’t treat it with such a cavalier approach.”

The president and his team, however, appear eager, almost gleeful, to be cavalier about matters of life and death in ways that are fundamentally at odds with basic human decency.

It’s as if the White House saw the evidence of widespread public opposition to the war and concluded the way to turn things around is through juvenile taunts and jokes an adult should be embarrassed to make.

I don’t know what, if anything, could improve public support for this inexplicable war, but if the president and his team could try acting like grown-ups for a while, it’d be a step in the right direction.

Perhaps the best thing you can say for this particular public-relations effort is that at least it accurately embodies the pointless, slapdash amorality of the military offensive it’s meant to bolster.

Steve Benen is a producer for “The Rachel Maddow Show,” the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He’s also the bestselling author of “Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans’ War on the Recent Past.”

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The Dictatorship

Trump administration kicks off new tariff strategy

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Trump administration kicks off new tariff strategy

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Wednesday opened a new trade investigation into manufacturing in foreign countries — an effort that comes after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s previous use of tariffs by declaring an economic emergency.

Trump and his team have made clear that they’re seeking to replace the hundreds of billions of dollars in lost revenues after the Supreme Court’s February ruling by using different laws to establish new tariffs.

In this case, the administration is starting investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which could eventually lead to new import taxes. But U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in a Wednesday call with reporters, said he didn’t want to prejudge the outcome of the process.

“The policy remains the same — the tools may change depending on, you know, the vagaries of courts and other things,” said Greer, stressing that the goal was to protect American jobs.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer speaks with reporters at the White House, Oct. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file)

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer speaks with reporters at the White House, Oct. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file)

The start of the process to fully replace Trump’s prior tariffs could invite a return of much of the drama that rattled the global economy last year. The since-overturned tariffs led to new frameworks with U.S. trade partners — and it’s unclear what impact a new set of import taxes could have on those agreements. Greer described the trade frameworks as standing on their own and suggested they were separate from the new investigation.

This new set of tariffs could play out against the backdrop of a war in Iran and midterm elections in which Democrats are running against Trump’s Republican allies by emphasizing that the public is owed tariff refunds following the Supreme Court decision.

Greer said that the investigation would examine excess industrial capacity and government backing that could give foreign companies an unfair advantage over U.S. companies.

Containers are stored in a cargo terminal in Frankfurt, Germany, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Containers are stored in a cargo terminal in Frankfurt, Germany, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

The entities subject to the investigation include China, the European Union, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, the self-governing island of Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Japan and India. The government is looking for what it deems to be persistent trade surpluses with the U.S. and policies such as subsidies and the suppression of workers’ wages, among other factors.

The administration is also rolling out a Section 301 investigation to ban the importing of goods made by forced labor.

Greer indicated that there could be additional Section 301 investigations over issues such as digital service taxes, pharmaceutical drug pricing and ocean pollution, among other possibilities. The Commerce Department has separate trade investigations under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act.

There are timeline pressures for the administration to complete its investigations. The administration has imposed 10% tariffs on foreign-made goods under section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, but those expire after 150 days on July 24. Trump said he planned to raise that import tax to 15%, but he has yet to do so.

Containers are stacked at the Port of Long Beach Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Long Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Containers are stacked at the Port of Long Beach Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Long Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Greer said the administration is “keying off” the new investigation based on the 150-day deadline, saying that the goal is to bring “potential options” to Trump as soon as possible.

Greer said the investigations would be separate from the trade frameworks announced last year by Trump that set baseline tariff rates, which led to 15% rates charged on goods from the European Union, Japan and South Korea, among other places, that have since been overturned by the Supreme Court. Still, he suggested that the frameworks could play a factor.

“My sense is that these countries continue to want to deal, and President Trump continues to want the deal,” Greer said, adding that since tariffs are in play the commitments that the countries have made and the implementation of the frameworks would be considered as they “bump” against the demands of the Section 301 process.

___

AP writer Mae Anderson contributed to this report.

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Gunman in deadly Old Dominion University shooting had past ISIS ties, sources say

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Gunman in deadly Old Dominion University shooting had past ISIS ties, sources say

A gunman killed one person and injured two others in a shooting on Thursday at Old Dominion University in Virginia, Norfolk police said.

Authorities have identified the shooter as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a U.S. citizen who pleaded guilty in October 2016 to attempting to provide material support to the extremist militant group ISIS, two U.S. officials familiar with the matter told MS NOW.

In that 2016 case, Jalloh, a former member of the U.S. Army, admitted to attempting to donate money to the terror group and carry out a domestic attack in its name, the U.S. officials said.

The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism. The bureau said members of the school’s ROTC program “terminated the threat” but did not shoot the gunman.

The U.S. Army Cadet Command (ROTC) confirmed in a statement Thursday evening that three victims were members of the university’s ROTC program, one of whom died. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of a member of the U.S. Army ROTC team,” the statement said.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, in an X post Thursday night, identified the deceased victim as Lt. Col. Brandon Shah. “Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was killed today in his classroom at Old Dominion University. A devoted ROTC instructor, Lt. Col. Shah didn’t just lead a life of service to our country, he taught and led others to follow that path,” the governor said.

“The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him — actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement,” FBI Director Kash Patel said.

Shortly before 11 a.m. ET, Old Dominion University and Norfolk police, as well as emergency personnel, responded to reports of a shooter at a building that houses the university’s business school, the university said. The injured were taken to a hospital, where their conditions weren’t immediately known.

“Old Dominion University has canceled classes and operations on main campus for the remainder of the day,” a spokesperson for the school said in a statement shortly after the campus went on lockdown. “Please avoid the area in and around Constant Hall where emergency personnel continue to work.”

Spanberger said in a statement that she is monitoring the investigation into the shooting.

“Adam and I are praying for the victims, their families, and every Virginian who has been touched by this terrifying shooting,” Spanberger said. “I encourage community members to continue following guidance from the university and local emergency officials.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW, with a focus on how global events and foreign policy shape U.S. politics. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.

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Democrats seek answers on millions pledged to Trump presidential library

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Democrats seek answers on millions pledged to Trump presidential library

Lawmakers are pressing major corporations for details on tens of millions of dollars pledged to a planned Donald Trump presidential library, after the nonprofit originally meant to receive the funds was dissolved quietly last year.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., along with Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., sent letters to executives at companies including ABC, Meta, Paramount and X, seeking details on at least $63 million in commitments those companies made as part of legal settlements with Trump or his allies. The letters seek to clarify whether the funds were ever transferred, and if so, how they have been used.

The Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Fund Inc., the nonprofit originally designated to receive the money, was dissolved in 2025. A successor organization, the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation Inc., has reported receiving $50 million, but has not confirmed the source of those funds, leaving it unclear whether the settlement pledges were fulfilled or redirected.

The inquiry comes amid growing scrutiny over the flow of money and assets tied to Trump’s presidency and post‑presidential plans, including reports that a luxury Boeing 747‑8 jumbo jet — valued at about $400 million and offered by the Qatari government for use as Air Force One — could potentially be transferred to the Trump library foundation after he leaves office.

The congressional investigation was first reported by The Washington Post.

Lily Becker is a producer on “The Weeknight” for MS NOW.

David Rohde headshot

David Rohde

David Rohde is the senior national security reporter for MS NOW. Previously he was the senior executive editor for national security and law for NBC News.

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