‘A Very Consequential Two Weeks’ - Clarice Feldman

 

by Clarice Feldman

In less than two weeks, Trump has shown that his impact on American history has centered on his persuasive powers and using them to execute leadership.

 

That’s Selena Zito’s take, and I fully agree with her.  

There is an old wisdom in political science that real presidential power, whether domestic or international, is the power of persuasion. In less than two weeks, Trump has shown that his impact on American history has centered on his persuasive powers and using them to execute leadership.

While elites struggle to understand the appeal of Trump and conservative populism, what they miss, what they have always missed, is the nuance of what “Make America Great Again” meant to voters. The media saw it as a vulgar attempt at nationalism, often brazenly calling it so. But it never was. For most Trump supporters, it meant the connective tissue not with him, but with each other, that they were all part of something bigger than self.

To date, President Franklin Roosevelt has had the longest impact on American politics in our short history. Trump will exceed that, especially if he continues to have two-week stretches such as these.

So much has happened in the past two weeks to confirm her view that I cannot cover all of it -- especially all the successes in the economy, tariff negotiations, peace deals around the world, lowering the rate of inflation, closing the border, and deporting illegals, included. All of these are greatly consequential, but this week I concentrate on the amazing successes in Iran and the Supreme Court. I picked these to clarify what the legacy media distorts. 

Bombing Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

Despite CNN and much of the legacy media misusing a leaked preliminary assessment (of “low confidence”) the bombing was of great value to both Israel and the United States. 

Israel’s use of the F-35 was an absolute success for the U.S. for the following reasons:

1. Combat-Proven Validation -- Israeli F-35s successfully struck deep into Iranian territory without losses, proving the jet’s stealth and precision in real-world combat.

2. Global Surge in Demand -- The success triggered a wave of interest, with countries like Romania, Greece, and Germany accelerating purchases, boosting U.S. defense exports.

3. Massive Economic Benefit -- Lockheed Martin gains billions in new deals, creating thousands of American jobs and expanding the U.S. defense industrial base.

4. R&D and System Improvements -- Israeli combat experience helped identify and fix performance issues, saving the U.S. billions in research and development.

5. Strategic and Tactical Edge -- Insights from Israeli operations now inform U.S. Air Force tactics, improving readiness and increasing pilot survivability.

In short, this wasn’t just a success for Israel. It was also a major win for Lockheed Martin and the U.S. economy.

Catherine Herridge posts the Pentagon Assessment, which should put paid to media liars:

Pentagon Assessment Operation Midnight Hammer : Planned Over 15 Years #Iran

Chairman Joint Chiefs GEN Dan Caine @thejointstaff

 Strike at Fordow exploited two ventilation shafts

Days before, Iran tried to cover shafts with concrete cap

First US weapon removed concrete cap

Weapons 2, 3, 4, and 5 entered main shaft, traveling at 1000 feet per second  to Iran’s underground mission center

Weapon 6 “flex” capability

The “kill” mechanism was the combination of blast and overpressure on the target

Officer from DTRA (Defense Threat Reduction Agency) began the mission 15 years ago when the underground target was identified and the officer recognized the US did not have a weapon to counter it. 

Years of highly classified (likely special access program) development and testing followed.

Caine said he talked with the two DTRA officers who “lived this single target” for years. 

Post mission, they described hearts “ filled with pride to be a part of this.”

@SecDef  HEGSETH

Leaked DIA record was preliminary assessment and low confidence.     He accused some media of amplifying the report to create doubt, search for scandal, division and to “cheer against Trump”

NOTE: In the hierarchy of intel reports, a preliminary assessment with low confidence would not carry much weight.  It’s an early snapshot that concedes the picture will likely change as more intelligence is developed. 

IRAN RETALIATION

44 service members defended the Al Udeid base from Iran retaliatory strikes

Ranged in age from 28 year old captain to 21 year old private

Had “2 minutes to succeed or fail”

Single largest Patriot engagement in US history

GEN Caine “they absolutely crushed it”

BOMBER CREWS

Active Duty Air Force and Guard

said goodbye to their families Friday, not knowing the outcome, when they would return.

On Sunday, teams returned, tears flowed with families,  said it “felt like the Super Bowl”

You can bet that surveillance of Iranian efforts -- if any -- to reconstitute nuclear weapons is and will continue to be extensive, and the President has made clear that any such construction will be bombed again.

It was days after the ceasefire agreement before Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei was seen, and then he gave an utterly delusional account of events in which Iran was victorious, following which President Trump canceled all sanction relief for Iran. Reasonable analysis indicates the reins of power have shifted elsewhere to more rational Iranian actors (likely the military commanders) away from this lunatic.

Implications of this success -- besides the world understanding that we have a leader whose words have meaning and consequences -- are substantial for the entire Middle East, a focal point for decades of mushy-mouthed “foreign policy” gurus -- John F. Kerry comes to mind and, like Khamenei, he made a televised appearance this week, deserving the same back of the hand dismissal the Ayatollah now gets.

Immediately after the American attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, there was a quadruple phone call between US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.

President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu intend to quickly break into new peace agreements with Arab countries, as part of the expansion of the Abraham Accords.

The following principles were agreed upon in general lines:

The war in Gaza will end in two weeks. The termination conditions will include the entry of four Arab countries (including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates) that will manage the Gaza Strip in place of the murderous Hams terror organization. What is left of the Hams leadership will be exiled to other countries, and of course, the hostages will be released.

Several countries around the world are expected to absorb many residents of Gaza who wish to emigrate.

The Abraham Accords will be expanded: Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Arab and Muslim countries will recognize Israel and establish official relations with it.

Israel will express its willingness to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians in the future under the concept of "two states," and this is conditional on reforms in the Palestinian Authority.

The United States will recognize the application of some Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

The Supreme Court

The Court issued three significant opinions this week: The first in a case involving birthright citizenship obliterated the Left’s obvious plan of hogtying the President through a series of nationwide injunctions in a few Democrat districts. The second enforced parental rights over the public school board’s insistence that parents could not exempt their kids from clearly pornographic and pro LGBT+ lessons. The third found constitutional a Texas law requiring porn sites to confirm the age (adulthood) of viewers.

All three cases are important, but the ruling against district court nationwide injunctions frees up the carrying out of the Trump agenda and rightfully has garnered the most attention.  Jeff Childers explains for those who are non-lawyers or who went to one of those There-Ought-to-be-a Law schools, which have in recent years replaced real ones: 

Let’s discuss what this decision is and what it isn’t.

It isn’t a ban on injunctions, per se. Activist lawyers can still haul their wife-beating illegal aliens into court and get temporary deportation relief for that criminal. But they can no longer get midnight orders on behalf of all the other illegal aliens around the country who aren’t parties to their lawsuits. One wonders whether it will be worth the effort in most cases.

They can still litigate the merits of their cases, seeking final decisions that a particular executive order or statute is unconstitutional -- but they can’t get it frozen nationwide while the case unfolds. Just frozen as to the specifically named parties.

Activists can also still seek to certify class actions. If they can certify a class -- and a slew of those types of emergency motions were filed yesterday in the wake of SCOTUS’s decision -- then they can still get a national injunction for their certified class, which in many ways is similar to a regular nationwide injunction.

The problem -- and the reason why they haven’t tried it so far -- is that class certification is much harder and more demanding even than getting a straight injunction.

In other words, certifying a class is more than double the effort. Now, the activist lawyers must both prove entitlement to an injunction and meet strict requirements for class certification. It almost certainly rules out after-hours temporary injunctions, since there’s no class yet at that early stage of the proceedings.

Naturally, efforts are underway by the Left immediately to fill friendly courts with class-action suits. Maybe the now chastised judges will be less amenable to ignoring the law.

A lot of attention has been focused on the unique, sharp criticism by Justice Amy Coney Barrett (Notre Dame) of the outrageously political and unreasoned dissenting opinion of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (Harvard). This is not a “cat fight” as some idiots have claimed. All six of the justices who signed on to the majority opinion signed on to this rebuke, something that Jonathan Turley summarized for those who do not want to read the whole opinion:

Liberals who claim “democracy is dying” seem to view democracy as getting what you want when you want it.

It was, therefore, distressing to see Jackson picking up on the “No Kings” theme, warning about drifting toward “a rule-of-kings governing system”

She said that limiting the power of individual judges to freeze the entire federal government was “enabling our collective demise. At the very least, I lament that the majority is so caught up in minutiae of the Government’s self-serving, finger-pointing arguments that it misses the plot.”

The “minutiae” dismissed by Jackson happen to be the statutory and constitutional authority of federal courts. It is the minutiae that distinguish the rule of law from mere judicial impulse.

Justice Barrett clearly had had enough with the self-aggrandizing rhetoric. She delivered a haymaker in writing that “JUSTICE JACKSON would do well to heed her own admonition: “[E]veryone, from the President on down, is bound by law.” Ibid. That goes for judges too.”

She added, “We will not dwell on JUSTICE JACKSON’s argument, which is at odds with more than two centuries’ worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself. We observe only this: JUSTICE JACKSON decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary.”

In other words, the danger to democracy is found in judges acting like kings. Barrett explained to her three liberal colleagues that “when a court concludes that the Executive Branch has acted unlawfully, the answer is not for the court to exceed its power, too.”

The last term has laid bare some of the chilling jurisprudence of Justice Jackson, including a certain exasperation with having to closely follow the text of laws.  (In an earlier dissent this term, Jackson lashed out against the limits of textualism and argued for courts to free themselves from the confines -- or shall we say the “minutiae” -- of statutory language). In this opinion, Barrett slams Jackson for pursuing other diversions “because analyzing the governing statute involves boring ‘legalese.'” Again, what Jackson refers to as “legalese” is the heart of the judicial function in constraining courts under Article III.

Untethered by statutory or constitutional text, it allows the courts to float free from the limits of the Constitution.

For many, that is not an escape into minutiae but madness without clear lines for judicial power.

Any week in which good sense and rational, effective government prevails is a rare, much to be wished for one. And we just had two of them. 

Clarice Feldman

Source: https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/06/a_very_consequential_two_weeks.html

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Trump’s tough negotiating tactics make intransigent allies more cooperative on trade, defense - Steven Richards

 

by Steven Richards

After initially challenging the American president, European and Canadian allies are eager to secure deals and give Trump credit.

 

After a rocky start, some U.S. allies are negotiating in good faith with the Trump administration, from trade to burden sharing in military alliances, showing the effectiveness of the American president’s tough negotiating tactics. 

The latest evidence is Canada’s quick action to rescind a digital services tax that would have cost U.S. technology companies billions after President Donald Trump abruptly canceled all trade talks between the countries over the issue, renewing the threat of increased tariffs on goods exported to Canada’s largest trade partner. 

The move, the Canadian finance minister said, was aimed at restarting the negotiations to come to a mutually beneficial trade deal by the previously agreed-upon July 21 deadline.

The quick and conciliatory action is a big change from the early Trump administration, when Canadian officials took firm stances against Trump in general, and in particular, the American president’s tariff threats and sensational prodding about the U.S. annexing its northern neighbor.

A deal-making pattern is developing

The changes in the Canadian reaction to President Trump are part of a larger pattern that is emerging among the United States’ closest allies—many of which had strong negative reactions initially against the U.S. leader’s about face on trade and defense policy compared to his predecessor. Now, many allies are cooperating on trade and defense, handing a series of wins to America. 

At the outset of the new administration, European leaders decried Trump’s tariff hikes, objected to calls to significantly increase their defense spending, and taking on the primary role in aiding Ukraine. 

But now, the continent has shown increasing willingness to engage with Trump in good faith. In response to Trump’s tough demands, the member states of the continent-wide NATO alliance — with the exception of cash-strapped Spain — agreed to increase defense spending to five percent of gross domestic product, an increase that the American president has long wanted from the country’s closest allies. 

In an example of how the countries are seeking to please Trump, the new target was proposed by the alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, to meet the U.S. request for greater European commitment to the common defense of the alliance. Up until the new commitment, most NATO members spent about 2% of GDP on defense. Rutte’s plan allows for a flexible commitment for 5%, with 3.5% for conventional defense and 1.5% in broader security-related expenditures—like infrastructure. All members signed on except Spain, which sought a special carveout to keep its defense spending low, citing domestic constraints. 

In his response to Spain’s lower commitment, the president appeared to link Europe’s cooperation on defense expenditures to the ongoing trade talks with the European Union, of which many allies are members. Trump said that the U.S. is going to make Spain “pay twice as much” in a future trade deal because of its failure to increase defense spending. 

“I like Spain. It's a great place, and they are great people, but Spain is the only country out of all the countries that refuses to pay. So they want a little bit of a free ride, but they will have to pay it back to us on trade because I'm not going to let that happen. It's unfair,” the president said last week. 

Unlike Spain, the rest of the NATO members heaped praise on the president and largely credited him with strengthening the alliance, which resulted in softer rhetoric from the American leader compared to his early words about the group. 

Ahead of the meeting, the Rutte sent a message to Trump praising him for the successful negotiations to increase defense spending, a sentiment echoed by several other European leaders during and after the summit in The Hague, Netherlands. 

“You are flying into another big success in the Hague this evening,” Rutte wrote. “Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win.”

Trump's global winning streak

The United Kingdom pioneered a new response to Trump’s tariffs, entering early negotiations with the new administration and securing a deal to stave off the steep tariff increases that Trump promised. The agreement entered into force on Monday after successful negotiations earlier this year. 

The U.S. and the U.K. agreed to minimal 10% tariffs on several key sectors, which the Americans said would increase the country’s access to the U.K. market and British officials said will protect local jobs by providing reinvigorated trade with the U.S.

The trade agreement with the U.K. comes only weeks before a July 9 deadline for negotiations with the European Union. On that day, the U.S. tariffs on the political and economic block are slated to rise to about 50% across the board—a potentially catastrophic market impact European officials seem keen to avoid. 

Stephen Miran, Chair of President Trump's Council of Economic Advisors, told Just the News that he would not be surprised if a "flurry" of new trade deal frameworks were announced ahead of the looming deadline. 

"Obviously, the UK deal is already done, but there's promising progress from a number of other countries," Miran told the Just the News, No Noise TV show on Monday. 

"You know, on the campaign trail, the President promised 10 to 20% tariffs on the whole world and 50 to 60% tariffs on China in particular. We're not far from that right now," he said. "We've got about 10% of the whole world and 50% on China, and it's bringing in trillions of dollars of revenue over the 10-year window, and countries are lining up to make concessions, to keep tariff rates at relatively low levels and to avoid them, to avoid them spiking back up." 

This is a big change from early European reactions to President Trump’s tariff policies. These duties elicited sharp reactions from senior E.U. and other European officials. At the time, the E.U. bluffed with a tough retaliatory package if talks failed and lamented the American president’s assault on bilateral trade. 

But, now European officials are reportedly optimistic that an agreement with the U.S. can be reached before Trump’s July 9 deadline. Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reportedly told bloc leaders that she believed a deal was imminent and notably admitted that European officials would be willing to accept an imbalance in order to prevent escalating tariffs.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also said he is “optimistic” that the two sides can reach an agreement ahead of the deadline. 

“Europe has done an excellent job, they’re working hard,” Lutnick told Bloomberg TV on Thursday. “I’m optimistic — I think we can get a deal now.”  

Steven Richards

Source: https://justthenews.com/government/diplomacy/trumps-tough-negotiating-tactics-turn-intransigent-allies-more-cooperative

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Trump orders end of sanctions on Syrian government institutions - Mike Wagenheim

 

by Mike Wagenheim

With Iran on its back foot, “it’s a moment that requires everybody to step back and say let’s give peace a chance,” a senior Trump admin official said.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio holds an engagement with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in Antalya, Turkey, May 15, 2025. Credit: Freddie Everett/U.S. State Department.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday removing longstanding sanctions on the Syrian government while maintaining sanctions on the regime of deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad and other destabilizing actors.

The executive order ends the national emergency that the U.S. government declared in 2004 under Executive Order 13338 and revokes the five orders that constitute the basis of that program, according to a senior Trump administration official, who spoke to reporters on background.

The executive order also directs “certain actions with respect to waivers of applicable statutory-based sanctions, export controls and other restrictions,” the official said.

The order essentially eases sanctions on certain parts of the Syrian government, including state-owned entities, such as the central bank.

Congress alone can repeal the sanctions package, which passed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, but Trump issued waivers for some of the elements earlier this year and intends to explore mechanisms to suspend them under his executive order on Monday.

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Some of the sanctions impacted by Monday’s action date as far back as 1979.

“Today’s action will help provide the opportunity to reconnect Syria’s economy with global commerce and rebuild the country’s infrastructure,” stated Scott Bessent, the U.S. treasury secretary. “The Syrian government must continue to take steps towards building a stable, unified country that is at peace with itself and its neighbors. It is my hope that the actions taken by the United States will not only provide much-needed relief for the Syrian people, but also give the country a chance to succeed.”

“I’m unbelievably hopeful,” Thomas Barrack, U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, told reporters. “None of this happens by itself.”

“You see what’s happening with Israel and Iran. That’s a window,” he said. “That window has never existed, so when we talk about diplomacy, what you can do in Syria, what you can do in Lebanon, what you can do in Iraq, it’s an opportunity that we have never ever seen.”

Rather than taking gradual steps to reduce sanctions, Trump opted to suspend them more fully, according to U.S. officials.

“The bottom line is it doesn’t work” to gradually withdraw sanctions and monitor the progress, a second senior Trump administration official told reporters on background. 

“We have consistently said we’re not nation-building, and the conditions that we impose on any government is another string that only causes frustration,” the second official said.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who remains a U.S.-designated terrorist, “has said that he has no resentment or hostility to Israel in any regard and is looking forward to starting conversations, which have been reported to have happened on a back channel basis,” according to the second U.S. official.

‘What we have to do is build trust’

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani in Antalya, Turkey, May 15, 2025. Credit: Freddie Everett/U.S. State Department.

The way to entice Syria to normalize relations with Israel, the second official said, is to “make it fruitful for them on an economic basis, on a civilization basis, on a peace and prosperity basis, and that’s all coming together.”

“Throughout history, Syria was a key center on the Silk Road and a hub for global trade, multiculturalism and entrepreneurship,” Brad Smith, acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the U.S. Treasury Department, told reporters.

“Today’s actions will end the country’s isolation from the international financial system for global commerce in the region, as well as from the United States,” he said.

The second administration official addressed whether the longstanding dispute over possession of the Golan Heights along the Israel-Syria border was a topic discussed during the sanctions easement or a potential impediment to a deal between Israel and Syria.

“The lines that were drawn in 1948 and 1926 and 1967 and 1974 are all illusions,” the senior U.S. official said. “It’s men drawing lines for each other based on the fact that they were there.”

The present moment “has to end all of those kinds of discussions and say, ‘Look, let’s come to a practical cessation of hostilities,’” the official said.

The official suggested the model of the Israel-Egypt peace treaty. Jerusalem and Cairo said, “Why don’t we stop fighting about what the line is, and let’s talk about how we coexist,” according to the official.

“What we have to do is build trust. We just have to build trust day by day,” the official said.

The issue isn’t about a particular border but about who is threatening whom and facing off over that line, according to the Trump administration official.

“That’s the issue because it doesn’t matter what the line is,” the official said. “If you don’t trust each other on the other side of the line, it’s going to continue forever.”

A portion of the executive order contains provisions that will ensure that sanctions remain on “Assad, his cronies and other destabilizing regional actors, including terrorists, as well as those that proliferate weapons of mass destruction, in addition to counter-narcotics, specifically Captagon-related proliferation,” according to the first U.S. official. 

The order does so by expanding an existing national emergency declared by Executive Order 13894. The U.S. Treasury will rely upon that authority as needed “to ensure that sanctions remain on those regionally destabilizing actors like Assad, his inner circle and human rights abusers,” the official said.

“While we remain hopeful for the country’s future and its new government, we are also clear-eyed that threats to peace remain,” Smith told reporters. “The United States will remain ever vigilant where our interests and security are threatened, and Treasury will not hesitate to use our authority to protect us and international financial systems.”

“It’s a moment that requires everybody to step back and say, ‘Let’s give peace a chance,’” the second official said.

Mike Wagenheim

Source: https://www.jns.org/trump-orders-end-of-sanctions-on-syrian-government-institutions/

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Mamdani and 'fact checkers' deny he is a Communist, but his own words say otherwise - Jerry Dunleavy

 

by Jerry Dunleavy

Will the real Mamdani please stand up? Zohran Mamdani says he's a proud Democratic Socialist. But while denying that he is a Communist in hopes that liberals will "mainstream" him, his long record of hardcore Marxist commentary seems to give away the game. 

 

Zohran Mamdani, the self-described "democratic socialist" and presumptive Democratic Party nominee to be mayor of New York City, has been supported by so-called "fact-checkers" and legacy media in denying that he is a Communist — but his oft-repeated past comments strongly contradict his denials. Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), but he denies that he is a Communist.

An investigation by Just the News shows that in tweets, speeches, and affiliations, Mamdani, at his core, holds a strong affinity for straight-up Communism: praising and campaigning with a Marxist state senator in New York; declaring that NYC needed a mayor just like a famously young Indian mayor who was a member of an explicitly Marxist and Communist Party; praising the bloody 1917 Russian Revolution which led to the establishment of the Soviet Union at the cost of millions of lives; arguing about the need to “seize the means of production” in a reference to a core Marxist principle; praising famous radical Communist figures; and much more.

After the win by Mamdani on Tuesday, President Trump weighed in by declaring Mamdani “a 100% Communist Lunatic.”

“It’s finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor,” Trump said on his Truth Social account. “We’ve had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous. He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart, he’s got AOC+3, Dummies ALL, backing him, and even our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, is groveling over him. Yes, this is a big moment in the History of our Country!”

Mamdani retorted last week in an interview with ABC News that "this is not the first time that President Trump is going to comment on myself, and I encourage him — just like I encourage every New Yorker — to learn about my actual policies to make the city affordable.”

Mamdani works to sanitize his image, gets help from legacy media

He followed up in a Sunday interview on NBC's Meet the Press with an explicit denial that he was a Communist when asked about it by host Kristen Welker.

“No, I am not. And I have already had to start to get used to the fact that the president will talk about how I look, how I sound, where I'm from, who I am, ultimately, because he wants to distract from what I'm fighting for. And I'm fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower, that he has since then betrayed,” Mamdani said. “And when we talk about my politics, I call myself a democrat socialist in many ways inspired by the words of Dr. King from decades ago who said, ‘Call it democracy or call it democratic socialism. There has to be a better distribution of wealth for all of God's children in this country.’ And as income inequality has declined nationwide, it has increased in New York City.”

The self-described fact-checking website PolitiFact declared last week that “Zohran Mamdani is favored to win the NYC mayoral primary. Claims he's a communist are False.” The outlet said that “some politicians and social media posts falsely labeled him a communist” and that “experts say he hasn’t espoused key tenets of communism, such as government takeover of industry and private property.”

PolitiFact also alleged that “accusing Democrats of being communists or communist sympathizers is a frequent misleading attack line by some Republicans” and that “it is a red scare tactic that has existed in U.S. politics for decades, but has been transformed by the success of some democratic socialists.”

The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera re-published the PolitiFact “fact check” too.

The denials notwithstanding, Mamdani's own words may very well reveal what is behind the facade.

Mamdani heaped praise on “Marxist” Julia Salazar and his other “Comrades”

Mamdani has repeatedly praised his fellow “comrades” in the DSA, and seems to have been especially close with New York State Sen. Julia Salazar, who endorsed him and with whom he campaigned during his 2020 run for the New York state assembly, and whom he also praised and thanked for her endorsement when he was running for mayor in 2025.

Salazar is a self-described “Democratic Socialist” who has repeatedly declared that she is an avowed Marxist. Mamdani made it clear in 2020 that he was well aware of Salazar’s Marxist views — and strongly suggested he agreed with them, meaning Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour is not Mamdani's only controversial close associate.

Leftwing activist Daniel Nichanian tweeted in December 2020 that “i've been told that Democratic politicians are all marxists, & now [Kelly] Loeffler is telling me that [Raphael] Warnock would be the country's ‘first Marxist Senator’, and so I'm confused.”

Mamdani quoted that tweet in a retweet and said that “Warnock is admirable in many ways, but ‘first marxist senator’ credit where ‘first marxist senator’ credit is due.” Mamdani was sharing a screenshot of a tweet from his ally Salazar who had tweeted in 2019 that “I’m a marxist, ama about my policy stances.”

When running for mayor, Mamdani tweeted in April of this year that “I am so honored to receive the endorsements of North Brooklyn elected officials at the federal, state and city level” and said “thank you” to “@JuliaCarmel__.”

“So grateful to receive the #1 rank endorsement of Senator Julia Salazar (@JuliaCarmel__), a smart and tough legislator who led the fight for Good Cause Eviction protections and stands up for working people every single day,” Mamdani also tweeted as he lavished Salazar with praise in June.

Mamdani repeatedly tweeted his praise for his “comrade” Salazar over the years, and his tweets show him repeatedly collaborating with her while in the New York state assembly. One such example of many is when Mamdani declared “solidarity w/ my comrade @JuliaCarmel__” in March 2020 when he was first running for New York state assembly.

She tweeted that “I’m a Marxist” in January 2019, and tweeted again in April 2020 that “I have a Marxist worldview.” Salazar tweeted again that “to be clear, as ever, I'm a Marxist” in October 2023.

Salazar also played a role in helping Mamdani win during his 2020 race for New York state assembly. Mamdani repeatedly touted being endorsed by Salazar in his 2020 race, and the two collaborated on issues and virtually campaigned together in the lead up to the election.

“We've seen how much having just 1 socialist legislator in office helped shift politics & policy in New York. Imagine what a whole socialist caucus could do. I'm proud to be endorsed by @JuliaCarmel__ & look forward to serving alongside her & the entire @nycDSA slate in Albany,” Mamdani tweeted in April 2020. 

Mamdani also tweeted that month that “we need a socialist New York to give these workers their power back” and laid out an alleged plan on “how @JuliaCarmel__ & I would do it.” He also tweeted that ”I'm honored to fight alongside” Salazar. Mamdani also tweeted: “We don't need austerity. We need to tax the rich.” He said that he was “running to join @JuliaCarmel__ in Albany to do just that.”

Mamdani shared a quote on Twitter about Salazar which he had given to the far-left Jacobin that month. “You can go in and make trouble and have an incredible impact like Julia Salazar has done in her two years in office,” Mamdani told the outlet. “But if we want to change the nature of politics in New York State wholesale, it will require bringing in a lot more DSA members.”

Mamdani again praised her in June 2020, tweeting, “Few people in government can claim the kind of track record @JuliaCarmel__ can after just one term. She helped lead the fight for the rent laws that helped turn back the tide of landlord & developer control of our politics. I can't wait to work with her to do even more.”

Mamdani continued to praise Salazar after he won his state assembly race.

He tweeted in June 2022 that he had “picked up a copy of Sofia Warren’s Radical from our local bookshop yesterday! cannot wait to read this one - shoutouts @JuliaCarmel__ & @housing4allNY.” The book — Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator — is described by Penguin Randomhouse thusly: “You won the election… now what? Activist organizing meets government gridlock as a millennial New Yorker cartoonist follows a first-year senator on her unforgettable journey — from outsider to insider.”

NYC needs a Marxist mayor?

Mamdani has also repeatedly praised famous Communist figures and leaders. A tweet by him from December 2020 was especially striking, as it suggested that he believed NYC needed a Communist mayor — a job he would pursue himself just a few years later while denying that he is a Marxist.

“them: so what kind of mayor does nyc need right now? me:” Mamdani tweeted as he shared a Twitter thread from the Indian Puducherry State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) — or the CPI(M).

“Comrade Arya Rajendran, age 21, new Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She will be the youngest mayor of a major city in the world. Here she leads a detachment of Red Volunteers in @CPIMKerala. #CPIM  #LeftAlternative #Communist,” the Indian Communist Party tweeted. The profile for that branch of the Communist Party included a hammer and sickle emoji in its Twitter description.

Tagged in the tweet threat was the “Official Twitter Handle of CPI(M) Kerala State Committee.” The thread Mamdani was re-tweeting contained two other tweets.

“21-year-old comrade Arya Rajendran elected as the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation today. Congratulations comrade. #CPIM #Communist #LeftAlternative #Women #womeninleadership,” the Twitter thread also said.

Tear down statues of Columbus, calling them "symbols of hate"

When Mamdani tweeted in June 2020 that NYC should pull down a statue of Christopher Columbus, among the three options he suggested for statues to replace Columbus was a famous Italian Communist.

“In 2017, NYC ordered a review of public works constituting "symbols of hate" for potential removal. But a statue of Columbus remains in Astoria, in defiance of the values of humanity, empathy & justice that we stand for. It has to go. Sign the petition,” Mamdani tweeted. He then ran a Twitter poll, asking, “The Italian-American community has a rich history in Astoria. Who should we honor instead? Tony Bennett (Astoria native, music icon) Walter Audisio (Communist partisan, killed Mussolini) Sacco & Vanzetti (Executed due to anti-Italian sentiment).”

Tony Bennett is of course a famed singer. Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed for murder in 1927, in a case that stirred up protests proclaiming their innocence.

The obituary by The New York Times for Walter Audisio described him as “the Communist partisan who claimed credit for the execution of Italy's World War II Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini.”

Mamdani also repeatedly tweeted his praise for the radical far-left Black Panther leader and noted Marxist, Fred Hampton.

Mamdani quoted Hampton in an August 2020 tweet: "You can jail revolutionaries, but you can't jail the revolution." Mamdani’s tweet continued: “- Fred Hampton (August 30th, 1948 - December 4th, 1969) Rest in power.” Mamdani then tweeted in December 2020 that “Fred Hampton believed in Black liberation, socialist revolution, and solidarity with the poor, the workers, and the colonized around the world. So must we. Rest in power.”

Hampton was a member of the Black Panther Party and was a Marxist-Leninist. In one speech in 1969, Hampton said, “We not only thought about the Marxist-Leninist theory—we put it into practice. This is what the Black Panther Party is about.” Hampton would eventually die in a shootout with FBI agents.

Mamdani also shared a humorous tweet about Communism which still hinted at his affinity for it.

“Most people: DSA’s rebirth happened in 2016 bc [because] of Bernie’s first run and the beginning of the Trump era,” Mamdani tweeted in September 2022. “Real ones: It was in 2009 when Lil’ Wayne said ‘I’m down like the economy’ while wearing a shirt that says COMMUNIST in the Down music video.”

Praise for the Russian Revolution

Mamdani has repeatedly posted approvingly about the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the fall of Czar Nicholas II, which ushered in Communist rule in Russia and the establishment of the brutal Communist-led Soviet Union.

Mamdani tweeted in March 2023 — and then again with the exact same language in March 2024 — praise for the 1917 February Revolution in Russia, which led to the abdication and murder of the Romanov family and the Bolshevik takeover.

“On March 8, 1917, women textile workers in Russia organized a massive strike, calling for ‘bread and peace,’ an end to war and the fall of the Czar. A week later, he abdicated. Women received the right to vote. The 1st #InternationalWomensDay in Russia was a revolution,” Mamdani tweeted in both 2023 and 2024.

An analysis by History.com made it clear that this February Revolution — named such because the Russians used the Julian calendar — led almost directly to Vladimir Lenin’s dictatorship in Russia.

The Victims of Communism Foundation, authorized by an Act of Congress and “devoted to commemorating the more than 100 million people killed by communism” across the globe, similarly showed that the February Revolution’s ousting of Czar Nicholas meant a swift Soviet takeover.

“Following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in 1917, Russia formed the liberal Provisional Government, which was transitional and weak,” the foundation wrote. “Lenin was not a man to waste an opportunity, and he and his Bolsheviks seized control of a capital in chaos, incited civil war, and forged the first communist nation along Marxist principles.”

Desires a proletariat seizing "the means of production"

Mamdani spoke of “the end goal of seizing the means of production” in 2021 while he was a New York state assemblyman.

Karl Marx’s book Das Kapital repeatedly uses the term “means of production,” which has become a central pillar of Marxist theory. “Capital is dead labor, that vampire-like, only lives by sucking living labor, and lives the more, the more labor it sucks,” is just one example of the phrase appearing in Marx’s work.

“In the Manifesto of the Communist Party of 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels presented their vision of an international workers’ revolution, in which all social distinctions would be swept away by the inevitable forces of history. Property, family, religion, and country and nation would fall before the righteous onslaught of the working class as it seized control of society and government,” the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation assessed. “The mechanism by which the proletariat would seize the means of production and enforce its collective will—the Communist Party—was assumed to be preordained. The ideology was certain; the particulars were vague.”

Mamdani declared his affinity for seizing the means of production during a Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) winter conference in February 2021. The full context of the quote shows that Mamdani was attempting to stress how serious he was about that affinity.

“I wanted to make sure to say is that when we — when our position starts to change, when we start to accumulate power, when we start to elect individuals such as myself and my slate mates into local office, we are started to be treated in a different way than we used to be,” Mamdani said. “And the way in which power engages us now is very critical for all of us to remember what it is that we are fighting for, and to remember that our agenda is an agenda that must not be dictated by calculus, but by conviction.”

Mamdani continued: “[T]here are other issues which we firmly believe in, whether it is BDS [Boycott, Divest, and Sanction], right, or whether it is the end goal of seizing the means of production, where we do not have the same level of support at this very moment. And what I want to say is that it is critical in the way that we organize, the way that we set up our work and our priorities, that we do not leave any one issue for the other, that we do not meet a moment and only look at what people are ready for, but that we are doing both of these things in tandem.”

Momdani seemed to have previewed this sentiment in a December 2020 tweet. The Democratic Party had tweeted that “the Biden-Harris administration is committed to rebuilding an economy that welcomes everyone as full participants.” That didn't go far enough for Mamdani, who responded by saying that “if we want everyone to be full participants in the economy, we need worker ownership of the means of production.”

“Congratulations, Comrade!”

Mamdani hasn’t just used the “Comrade” moniker for his Marxist ally Julia Salazar, but it is rather a term of endearment he repeatedly uses with his fellow DSA members and allies.

The term “comrade” has a long — but not exclusive — association with Communist movements. Soviet Union dictator Joseph Stalin was referred to as “Comrade Stalin” and Chinese Communist Party dictator Mao Zedong called himself “Comrade Mao” — among many such examples. When Mamdani spoke at the YDSA winter conference in February 2021, he referred to the other elected socialist officials as his “comrades.”

Mamdani loves to call his fellow leftwing and socialist candidates his “comrades” on Twitter. As one example, he tweeted his congratulations to Lee J. Carter in November 2019 when the Virginia socialist won reelection in the Virginia House of Delegates.

“Congratulations to my comrade @carterforva on his reelection!” Mamdani tweeted. “He won his seat in 2017 without the Democratic establishment & kept it after 2 years of red-baiting attacks, not once wavering in his commitment to socialist politics. From NY to VA, we're building a better world.”

Carter’s Twitter profile currently describes him as a “Queer communist.  Former politician, current union thug.  Probably not a man but definitely not a woman.  A secret third thing.”

Mamdani similarly pushed for “comrade” Samelys Lopez, another New York socialist, in her race for Congress, though she ultimately lost the primary.

Mamdani tweeted in February 2020 that “I’m not surprised that @AOC’s new PAC endorsed my comrade @SamelysLopez. I’ve seen her at just about every labor action in the city for months, doing the work of building power & solidarity for a socialist future. Let’s help her get get [sic] to Congress.” He tweeted in June 2020 that “I’ve been honored to fight alongside my comrade @SamelysLopez right here in NY.”

Mamdani even said at a DSA event in November 2024, in the early days of his mayoral campaign, that the “free buses” idea in his platform came from “my comrade” and fellow DSA member.

Suddenly not a Communist anymore

Mamdani is now trying to flee from his pro-Communist sentiments as he runs for mayor.

By Mamdani’s own admission, his philosophy of running on a platform of providing free things in exchange for votes dates back to at least his time at the elite Bronx High School of Science.

“I made a rap song to run for vice president — ultimately an unsuccessful one. … I promised things that were simply … I promised fresh juice for everyone everyday using locally-sourced fruits. There was a supermarket like four minutes away,” Mamdani said on the AirGo podcast in May 2017. “I promised credits for going to after school games instead of having to go to gym. … For just going to the games I said that would serve as credits.”

Mamdani admitted, though, that his rival “whooped my ass in that election.” It remains to be seen if his socialist platform — which he insists is not a Communist one — will help him win this time around.

Jerry Dunleavy

Source: https://justthenews.com/government/local/mamdani-and-fact-checkers-deny-he-communist-his-own-comments-suggest-otherwise

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Trump’s Path to World Peace: American Strength and Economic Partnership - William Sullivan

 

by William Sullivan

Only Donald J. Trump has recently had the intestinal fortitude to exert America’s military might in order to establish a global order of deterrence by using Iran as an example. 

Despite having overseen both the obliteration of Iran’s nuclear ambition and a cessation of hostilities in a war that had been raging between Israel and Iran for nearly two weeks, President Trump is not being treated to any of the requisite accolades that should come with such an accomplishment. 

To call what Trump has done “heroic” isn’t the slightest bit hyperbolic -- several American presidents have signified that a nuclear-armed Iran would be unacceptable, and have committed to ensuring that it would never happen. 

Yet actually ensuring that outcome would require a credible threat of consequences for Iran’s noncompliance, and to have any credibility in making threats requires action beyond clandestinely sending pallets of cash to the mullahs, as Obama did.  Only Donald J. Trump has recently had the intestinal fortitude to exert America’s military might in order to establish a global order of deterrence by using Iran as an example.  And Trump did this without suffering a single American casualty in the operation.

The competence and seemingly flawless strategic execution of this operation were refreshing for most Americans.  Joe Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, by comparison, was an inept tragedy of errors that anyone paying even a little bit of attention could recognize. 

Why, for example, did Biden allow Bagram Air Force Base to be evacuated before American citizens and our allies were extracted from Kabul?  Thirteen American soldiers were killed at Abbey Gate as the Taliban reclaimed control of the country after America’s botched escape.  Hundreds or thousands of Americans and our allies were left stranded, as terrible images of desperate Afghanis clinging to the wheels of departing American planes were imprinted in American minds.

Conversely, consider the past few weeks. 

In close coordination with America and many of the formerly-hostile surrounding Arab nations, Israel’s missiles and planes traversed over 1,000 miles to decapitate the Iranian military, its top nuclear scientists, and to completely destroy Iran’s anti-aircraft defense capability. 

In a response that was reported by CNN, Dana Bash reported that Trump told her: “Iran should have listened to me when I … gave them a 60 day warning. And today is day 61.”

This one statement suggests that Trump is a rational human being who offered Iran a clear alternative, and also that Iran could have easily avoided this outcome through negotiation.

Then, as B-2 bombers were already in the air from America, carrying payloads that would destroy Iran’s three remaining nuclear facilities (including one that was built 300-feet below ground for totally not-nefarious purposes, we were meant to presume), Trump told the world that he would make a decision within the next two weeks as to how to proceed.

That was a brilliant smoke screen, as we now know.  Within days, Iran’s nuclear facilities were reportedly destroyed, the result of bombs being precisely launched into ventilation shafts.  The operation was so was expertly planned and technologically advanced that the defenses had already been taken out by the time our bombers arrived, and there was no need for a daring trench run at low altitude like in the movies Star Wars or Top Gun: Maverick in order to deliver the payload. 

And afterward, the American pilots simply flew home safely.

Naturally, the mainstream media quickly began questioning the efficacy of America’s attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.  They began questioning whether he had the authority to do it at all, despite having no such questions for Barack Obama when he unilaterally decided to bomb Libya and Syria during his terms.  The leading reason for opposition, if we set aside those who seem to really just hate Israel or Jews or both, seems to be that it risked a greater war in the region or World War III if China and Russia became involved.

Certainly, it did involve such risks.  And that is why what Trump did was heroic.  To do great things often requires great risk.

And what great thing did Trump just accomplish?  Well, if reports are to be believed, Iran’s ability to create and deploy a nuclear weapon against Israel has been delayed by several years.  That is a good outcome, even if you disagree with his destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities because he risked World War III by doing so.

There’s lots of chatter about all of that, and it’s often muddied by lots of alt-rightish kinds of commentators that I won’t even mention because it’s useless to expatiate their silly suggestions that Israel is somehow “demonic” for waging a defensive war against Hamas and whatnot.

But China hasn’t rushed to Iran’s aid as Trump’s critics have predicted.  Given that the Strait of Hormuz wasn’t immediately closed after the attacks, it seems likely that China has been critical in keeping it open for trade, as China heavily relies on oil imports from the Persian Gulf.  And far from being angry with America for having destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities, China has  reportedly just signed a trade deal with America.

Russia is unlikely to come to Iran’s defense.  In Putin’s words, there are two million former Soviets living there, and that is a serious consideration.  Also reportedly, Trump’s negotiations in the Ukraine/Russia war continue apace, seemingly uninterrupted by the destruction of Iran’s nuclear capability. 

No one tends to talk about, however, the most important accomplishment that has been achieved by the Trump presidency – he has reestablished America’s presence as the leading hegemon for civilization in the world by the virtue of “peace through strength.” 

And, perhaps most importantly, other Arab nations that once wanted to destroy Israel are getting on board.

Fifty-eight years ago, six nations aligned in an aggressive war to destroy Israel once and for all.  These nations consisted principally of Jordan, Egypt, and Syria, supported by Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon. 

In Trump’s first term, he declared Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital, a promise made by many presidents but executed only by our current one.  Trump was instrumental in the development of the Abraham Accords – originally an economic partnership between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.

Economic partnership, as the Trump Doctrine has seemingly established, is the path to peace. 

I will not suggest that efforts toward “regime change” cannot be a path to peace, as so many seem to have parroted these past weeks.  I’ve heard several smart people say stupid things like “tell me when regime change has ever worked.”

That’s a simply indefensible assertion. “Regime change” is obviously desirable where necessary, and where it is necessary happens to be entirely subjective.  Therefore, it’s incredibly silly to insist that efforts toward “regime change” are never an appropriate solution to a global dispute or conflict.  The Germans are the better for an outside effort toward “regime change” from Nazism, after all.  And I’d wager there are several million people in Eastern Europe who would argue that America’s efforts toward “regime change” against the Soviet Union was a tremendously good thing in their lives and for the world.   

The Abraham Accords were a tremendous step forward in normalizing Arab relations with Israel, and based upon economic partnership.  Now, Hezbollah, which is an Iranian terror proxy, has sensed Iran’s weakness and is reportedly repositioning from southern Lebanon.  This creates the conditions for both Lebanon and Syria, the latter being under new leadership in the post-Assad era, to join the Abraham accords, along with potentially Saudi Arabia. 

It is the prospect of economic partnership with the United States and Israel that has led to the isolation of the terrorism-sponsoring rogue nation of Iran and the prospect of peace between Israel and its less hostile neighbors.  And this outcome can largely be credited to President Donald J. Trump, who appears to be changing the political landscape of the Middle East for the better with each passing moment of his presidency.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License

William Sullivan

Source: https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/06/trump_s_path_to_world_peace_american_strength_and_economic_partnership.html

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'They shoot people deliberately': Gazans testify that Hamas intentionally targets aid sites - Jerusalem Post Staff

 

by Jerusalem Post Staff

The testimonies reveal that Hamas seeks to disrupt the distribution of food packages at the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution sites.

 

Palestinians gather to collect aid supplies from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025.

(photo credit: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled)

 

Gazans present at humanitarian aid distribution sites testified that Hamas carries out acts of terror, propaganda, and psychological manipulation against civilians at aid sites, COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) said on Tuesday. 

The audio recordings released by COGAT reveal that Hamas seeks to disrupt the distribution of food packages at the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution sites. 

Gazans say that Hamas fires at residents near aid distribution sites and spreads false claims about IDF fire, as well as publishes "fabricated data about large numbers of casualties," through fake footage, COGAT said. 

Hamas violence against GHF workers 

The GHF disclosed on Monday that Hamas had placed bounties on American security workers in the enclave, and that 12 of the organization's local staff members had been murdered by Hamas. 

“Hamas has placed bounties on both our American security personnel and Palestinian aid workers, offering cash rewards to anyone who injures or kills them,” the GHF statement said.

Palestinians walking near aid distribution point in the Netzarim Corridor in the central Gaza Strip on June 9, 2025 (credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90)

The aid organization acknowledged the reports that the Hamas terror group has been targeting its personnel, staff, and aid workers.

It announced that 12 of its local staff have been murdered, and others have been tortured.

This is a developing story. 

Jerusalem Post Staff

Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-859614

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Removing al‑Burhan: The Key to Stability and Countering Extremism - Robert Williams

 

by Robert Williams

Al‑Burhan has opened the door for Iranian operatives, drones and advanced weaponry to flow into Sudan, transforming the country's tragic internal conflict into yet another front in Tehran's regional confrontation with the West and its allies.

 

• Iran sees al‑Burhan's regime as a strategic opportunity to extend its influence along the Red Sea.

• Al‑Burhan has opened the door for Iranian operatives, drones and advanced weaponry to flow into Sudan, transforming the country's tragic internal conflict into yet another front in Tehran's regional confrontation with the West and its allies.

• Every day that al‑Burhan remains in power, Iran grows more entrenched in Sudan, using the country as a potential staging ground to threaten Israel and international shipping routes, particularly those critical lanes through the Red Sea.

• The Trump administration, drawing on the president's history of unconventional diplomacy and deal-making, could play a pivotal role in this process. The Abraham Accords demonstrated the ability to broker agreements that shift regional dynamics through pragmatic, incentive-based negotiations.

• [N]one of these initiatives is possible while al‑Burhan remains in power. His regime has become a conduit for Iranian ambitions and a shield for Muslim Brotherhood-linked gunmen. So long as he rules, efforts to rebuild Sudan's economy, restore its sovereignty, and protect regional security will fail.

• Now is the moment for decisive action and Trump's unparalleled negotiating skills.

Sudan's General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has opened the door for Iranian operatives, drones and advanced weaponry to flow into Sudan, transforming the country's tragic internal conflict into yet another front in Tehran's regional confrontation with the West and its allies. Pictured: Al-Burhan in Gedaref State, Sudan, on April 10, 2024. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)

Sudan's General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's continued hold on power represents a serious threat not only to Sudan's stability but to regional security and global interests. For years, al-Burhan has cultivated an image of pragmatism and order, while in practice he has forged deep ties with the Muslim Brotherhood — an Islamist movement whose ideological and logistical networks have directly supported violent groups like Hamas in Gaza and the Houthis in Yemen. These groups have been responsible for a wave of bloodshed, terrorism, and instability across the Middle East, undermining regional security and threatening international trade corridors.

In April 2024, Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied factions announced a parallel Sudanese government-in-exile, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Several African leaders cautiously welcomed the move as a potential path toward ending the relentless conflict in Sudan. Yet, despite these diplomatic overtures, violence continues to ravage Sudan. This initiative must be acknowledged as a vital opportunity: Egypt and Saudi Arabia — regional powerhouses with vast influence — must transition from mere rhetoric to decisive action. They are obligated to pressure both sides into a ceasefire, to broker earnest national reconciliation, and to help restore civilian governance as the country's ultimate aim.

Under al‑Burhan, Sudan has increasingly become a permissive environment for extremist groups, providing them with cover, logistical infrastructure, and potential avenues for military collaboration. This is not merely a domestic political problem. It reflects a broader pattern in which transnational Islamist movements exploit weak states to expand their reach and entrench themselves in local conflicts — effectively creating safe havens for anti-Western and anti-democratic agendas.

Meanwhile, Iran sees al‑Burhan's regime as a strategic opportunity to extend its influence along the Red Sea. Tehran has long sought to establish footholds across the region — in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Gaza and beyond — in pursuit of an arc of influence aimed at threatening Israel, undermining U.S. interests, and disrupting global trade. Al‑Burhan has opened the door for Iranian operatives, drones and advanced weaponry to flow into Sudan, transforming the country's tragic internal conflict into yet another front in Tehran's regional confrontation with the West and its allies.

Every day that al‑Burhan remains in power, Iran grows more entrenched in Sudan, using the country as a potential staging ground to threaten Israel and international shipping routes, particularly those critical lanes through the Red Sea. The risks are not hypothetical: they include the expansion of extremist recruitment networks across North and East Africa, the proliferation of advanced weaponry into conflict zones, and a greater likelihood of direct attacks on U.S. personnel and regional allies.

Sanctions and rhetorical condemnation will not change this reality. A decisive shift is needed — and that begins with removing al‑Burhan from power. Only then can Sudan begin to chart a new path forward, one centered on a genuine civilian-led government free from Muslim Brotherhood influence and Iranian patronage.

Such a transition must be accompanied by a coordinated international effort that addresses both Sudan's security challenges and its economic devastation. Beyond the immediate threat posed by extremist groups and Iranian meddling, Sudan faces a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Years of civil war and political dysfunction have left millions displaced, industries shattered and infrastructure in ruins.

The Trump administration, drawing on the president's history of unconventional diplomacy and deal-making, could play a pivotal role in this process. The Abraham Accords demonstrated the ability to broker agreements that shift regional dynamics through pragmatic, incentive-based negotiations. Applying this approach to Sudan would involve several steps:

• Working with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel to strengthen Sudan's internal security forces, while ensuring they operate under robust civilian oversight. This is essential to deny extremist groups safe haven and limit Iran's ability to exploit Sudan as a proxy theater.
• Encouraging U.S. businesses to invest in key Sudanese sectors — particularly agriculture, energy, and telecommunications — once a stable civilian government is in place. Facilitating Sudan's return to international financial markets and providing targeted aid through the World Bank and IMF will be crucial to reversing economic collapse.
• Using American leverage to bring rival factions to the negotiating table, fostering a consensus-driven transition that prioritizes national stability over personal or factional power grabs. President Donald Trump's past diplomatic breakthroughs suggest it could play a unique role in brokering such an agreement.

But none of these initiatives is possible while al‑Burhan remains in power. His regime has become a conduit for Iranian ambitions and a shield for Muslim Brotherhood-linked gunmen. So long as he rules, efforts to rebuild Sudan's economy, restore its sovereignty, and protect regional security will fail.

It is time for the international community to make a clean break from past policies of accommodation and half-measures. Sudan deserves a future led by genuine civilian leadership, one that rejects Islamist agendas and Iranian interference. The Sudanese people have suffered too long from warlords, ideological extremists, and foreign meddling. They deserve a real chance at democratic governance, economic revival and peace.

America and its partners cannot afford to treat al‑Burhan as a legitimate interlocutor. His removal is the precondition for any viable path toward stability, security, and reconstruction. The stakes are high: the future of Sudan, the security of critical trade routes, and the broader fight against extremism and Iranian expansionism all hang in the balance. Now is the moment for decisive action and Trump's unparalleled negotiating skills.

Robert Williams is based in the United States.

Source: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21715/sudan-burhan-extremism

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