Trump Plays UFC Tough To Mask His Capitulation To Iran, Weakening Of America, Declining Health, And Sagging Political Fortunes

Desperate men do desperate things

Morning all. Yes, there is a new Iran “deal,” but of course nothing is written and once again the White House is disputing Iranian reports of what Trump agreed to. Some notes on the “deal”:

How Much Money Did Trump Promise Iran? - This is the big one. Iran wants hundreds of billions to rebuild their country after Trump’s attacks. They can get it by tolling the Straight of Hormuz or Trump pays. Trump claims there will be no tolls and there was no commitment for a $300b reconstruction fund (yes that the American people be on the hook for). I don’t believe him.

Israel And Bibi Are Not On Board - In the past when Israel broke Trump’s “cease fire” Iran would respond with attacks against its adversaries in the region. Will that cycle begin anew?

When Will We Get The Real Bill? - How much will Trump’s failed war actually cost the US? It’s critical we fight for true costing of the huge inflation we’ve seen, the repairing of our bases in the region, the rebuilding of our military, whatever Trump promised to buy off Iran, and reduced American global deterrence (due to our weakened state, failure in the region, delusional leadership). We’ve come out of the war in a far weaker global position and that weakness may end up proving very, very costly to America.

Here is a rough estimate Claude ran for me this morning of the true cost of Trump’s failed war - $1 trillion……

No authorization from Congress. No debate. Trump just spent at least $1 trillion, illegally, without authorization, and did enormous harm to our global standing and the global economic and political order, which could bring staggering additional costs - financial and national security - in the coming years. Pure Mad King, autocratic, un-American destructive actions that are causing our Founders to turn violently in their graves.

Note these estimates do not include whatever monies he promised to Iran. Perhaps that is why Trump is rushing to the G7 - to demand our global allies to foot the bill for his failed war…..

Congress Is Not Happy With The War, And May Be Done Giving Him A Blank Check - Here’s Punchbowl this am:

While praising Trump for stopping a war he started, Hill Republicans will be monitoring the nuclear talks intently. They want Congress to have a say in any final agreement, as Senate Majority Leader John Thune told us last week.

“Under our law, any nuclear deal with Iran will be sent to Congress for review and a vote,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a key Trump ally. “I look forward to reviewing the final product and I believe it is imperative that the architect of the deal, Vice President Vance and his negotiating partners, be part of the process in presenting the final deal to Congress.”

I’ve updated our Trumpian deficit tracker with new war data. The cost of our increased deficits under Trump are staggering:

It’s going to be critical for Democrats to build a politics around the costs of Trump’s many manifest failures and how those who he has worked tirelessly to benefit - the oligarchs - need to pay for it all. Not us, the American people who’ve soaring inflation and gutted health care. Them. They need to pay.

Things like making Trump and his family personally liable for any pay outs to Iran for his unauthorized war I think becomes fair game now. He’s leaving us a ridiculous bill. We should not agree to pay it. He and his enabling and corrupt buddies need to do so.

Other news we’re tracking:

• In a deeply ominous development 100 FBI agents raided an Ohio voter registration group

• The NYT comes out hard against Todd Blanche for Attorney General - Todd Blanche Is Unfit For Office - and Jen Rubin warns “Senate Republicans who vote to confirm Todd Blanche for attorney general should take heed: They will be haunted for the rest of their careers (some of which may very well end with the midterms) by the courageous survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s monstrous crimes”

• A GOP front group called “Progressive Champions PAC” has started attacking Cait Conley in NY-17 Democratic primary

• The Trump regime restricted global deployment of new Anthropic AI models in “latest in a series of adverse Trump administration actions targeting the company” that the regime doesn’t like

• Paul Krugman works his magic in a new essay, Elon Musk, Human Ponzi Scheme

Things to call Congress about this week:

• Finish the job on the Ukraine Support Act, get it passed through the Senate and to the President’s desk

• No to the ballroom, the Arch, the gilded statues, the slush fund, the corruption, self-enrichment……

• hell no to Todd Blanche as Attorney General, and yes to very tough questioning of the new DNI nominee, Jay Clayton

• Hell hell no to the new OMB regs that will destroy government-funded science in America. Join the new Stand Up For Science campaign to Stop Vought. Save Science today.

Help Make Hopium Stronger, Bigger, Better - A big thank you to everyone who has become a paid subscriber in recent days. We’ve signed up 107 new people, well on our way to our goal of 500 by July 4th. Take 10% off a paid annual Hopium subscription today and help make our Independence Day membership sale and drive a success!

Now, Let’s Get To Work, People!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winning The Midterms, Competing In Red States and Red Places, Expanding The Map

Hopium’s Winning The House Campaign - $773,200 raised, $1,000,000 goal (new ambitious, audacious even, q2 goal) - Donate to all twelve of our endorsed House challengers with a single contribution split twelve ways | Get to know Jamie Ager (NC-11), Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Paige Cognetti (PA-08), Rebecca Cooke (WI-03), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Sean McCann (MI-04), Jo Mendoza (AZ-06), Chaz Molder (TN-05), Jonathan Nez (AZ-02), Janelle Stelson (PA-10), Shannon Taylor (VA-01), and Sarah Trone Garriott (IA-03) by watching our recently recorded Hopium interviews.

Friends if these twelve win, the House will flip, no matter redistricting madness the Rs execute in the coming days. So eyes on the prize here everyone!

Hopium’s Winning The House - Second Wave - $77,100 raised, $250,000 goal - We’ve launched a second House fund, one targeting candidates who’ve recently emerged from primaries or have to run in new districts. Our initial crew is Rebecca Bennett (NJ-07), Bob Brooks (PA-07), Johnny Garcia (TX-35), Bob Harvie (PA-01), Denise Powell (NE-02), and Bobby Pulido (TX-15). A donation to the Second Wave Fund is split evenly among these six, and more as other worthy candidates emerge for their primaries. We are off to a great start here people!

Josh Turek For Iowa Senate - $16,400 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more and volunteer | Watch my wonderful new interview with Josh Turek

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Winning Iowa - $6,700 raised, $100,000 goal - We’ve also set up a new Winning Iowa campaign that splits a contribution three ways - to Turek, to Gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand, and to the Iowa Democratic Party and its great chair, Rita Hart | Watch my new interview with State Auditor Rob Sand

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Roy Cooper for NC Senate - $122,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn more through my new discussion with Gov. Cooper

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Advocate For The Hopium Agenda/Pass Resolutions Of Condemnation In Your Community/Winning In An Evolving Battlefield/Voting Early And Voting On Day 1

There are a few more ways to go to work in the coming days - call your leaders and advocate for elements of our working, ever evolving Hopium Agenda; bring resolutions that condemn our Mad King and lets facts be spoken to a candid world to your state or local government; learn how you can help us win in evolving political and electoral battlefield this year; help your networks and community start preparing to help everyone Vote Early this November.

Here’s our working, evolving Post-Iran Disaster Agenda:

• Work to end this ridiculous new gulf war and Trump’s Imperial global ambitions

• Support Ukraine and Europe, not Russia by passing HR 2913, The Ukraine Support Act, in the House this week

• Roll back the new, illegal tariffs

• Rescind the Trump tax cuts, claw back the extra ICE funding, fund the IRS so it can collect the taxes the rich are hiding from us

• Launch a major anti-corruption, renewing democracy campaign, one that ensures accountability for the crimes and treason committed, limits the political power of our emerging oligarchy, and strengthens democracy here and everywhere

• Make the US a clean energy superpower, fight for true energy independence, and lower utility and energy prices for the American people

• Rein in ICE, end Mass Deportation

• End Trump’s destructive war on science, research, our health scare system and our public Health

• Make clear to American farmers that we want to end the failed war, repeal the terrible tariffs, find legal pathways for farm workers, and make health care and energy more affordable

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Keep working hard everyone. We have a country to save, and elections all across this great country to win, together! - Simon