Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Netanyahu’s 2024 Diary Reveals Frequent Meetings and Calls With Sen. Lindsey Graham

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Netanyahu’s 2024 Diary Reveals Frequent Meetings and Calls With Sen. Lindsey Graham

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 2024 diary reveals that he spoke frequently with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who was working at the time to ensure the US continued providing unconditional military aid to Israel to support its genocidal campaign in Gaza.

According to Haaretz, the diary, published by the Israeli non-profit Hatzlacha, shows that Netanyahu held seven meetings and nine phone calls with the South Carolina senator in 2024. What was discussed during the meetings and calls was not included in the diary, but one call, made on May 7, came one day before Graham grilled Biden administration officials at a Senate hearing about military aid to Israel.

At the time, the Biden administration had paused a bomb shipment to Israel over its attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, though the US ultimately supported the offensive. “If we stop weapons necessary to destroy the enemies of the State of Israel at a time of great peril, we will pay a price,” Graham said at the hearing. “This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need to fight the war they can’t afford to lose.”

In one meeting that was made public, Netanyahu praised Graham for his support of Israel. “We have no better friend, and I mean it, than Senator Lindsey Graham,” Netanyahu said when hosting Graham at his office in Jerusalem on May 29, 2024. At the time, Graham was also working against efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to seek an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over his role in war crimes in Gaza.

“This is one of the most challenging times for the State of Israel since its founding,” Graham told Netanyahu at the May 29 meeting. “There are so many problems and challenges to overcome, but one of the problems you never have to worry about is America. I promise you that we will do all we can, Mr. Prime Minister, to hold the ICC to account for this outrage against the people of Israel. To the International Court of Justice, you’re a joke. The head judge of the ICJ is a raving antisemite.”

Netanyahu’s diary also revealed regular contact with US House Speaker Mike Johnson, who worked to get a major military aid package for Israel passed by Congress in 2024. Johnson frequently hosts Netanyahu when the Israeli leader visits Washington, and invited him to address a joint session of Congress last year.

Netanyahu also frequently met with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is known for supporting the US invasion of Iraq and has been involved in discussions on future plans for Gaza. Blair is expected to be part of the so-called “Board of Peace,” a body chaired by President Trump that will govern Gaza for at least two years under the Gaza ceasefire deal, which Israel continues to violate.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com. 

Report: Trump Plans To Hold Talks With Venezuela’s Maduro

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Report: Trump Plans To Hold Talks With Venezuela’s Maduro

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Trump has told his advisers that he’s planning to speak directly with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Axios reported on Monday, citing administration officials.

While the Trump administration has continued to build up its forces in the Caribbean, bomb boats in the region, and leak information to the media that suggests it’s preparing a regime change operation in Venezuela, Trump has signaled in recent weeks that he’s open to diplomacy with Maduro’s government after previously cutting off talks. “I see a diplomatic solution as being very likely,” one Trump adviser told Axios.

But it’s unclear what sort of deal Trump would be satisfied with that doesn’t involve Maduro voluntarily stepping down from power, something the Venezuelan leader is very unlikely to do. Maduro has reportedly already offered a deal that would give US companies access to his country’s vast natural resources and reduce ties with China, Russia, and Iran, but the administration rejected it. The Venezuelan government has also continued to cooperate with the US on deportations of Venezuelan nationals.

Sources told Axios that Trump’s openness to talks with Maduro suggests that missile strikes on Venezuela aren’t imminent, but said attacks on alleged drug-running boats in the region would continue. “Nobody is planning to go in and shoot him or snatch [Maduro] — at this point. I wouldn’t say never, but that’s not the plan right now,” one official said.

Another US official also described Trump as a “hawk” on Venezuela, disputing the idea that the US is only escalating in the region because of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “The hawk in Venezuela is Donald Trump, followed by [White House Deputy Chief of Staff] Stephen Miller, followed by Marco Rubio,” the official said.

The report came the same day that the State Department provided the administration with a pretext for attacking Venezuela by designating the so-called Cartel of the Suns, a group that doesn’t actually exist, a “Foreign Terrorist Organization.” The US claims Maduro is the leader of the Cartel of the Suns, which is a term used to describe a network of Venezuelan officials allegedly involved in drug trafficking, but it doesn’t exist as a structured organization.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com. 

 

US Designates Non-Existent Cartel as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization’ To Justify Attacks on Venezuela

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US Designates Non-Existent Cartel as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization’ To Justify Attacks on Venezuela

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) The US State Department on Monday formally designated the Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns, a group that doesn’t actually exist, as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” providing a pretext for a potential attack on Venezuela.

The term “Cartel of the Suns” was first used in the 1990s to describe two Venezuelan military generals with sun insignias on their uniforms who were involved in cocaine trafficking. 

According to a 60 Minutes report that aired in 1993, one of the generals was working with the CIA at the time.

Today, the term is used to describe a loose network of Venezuelan military and government officials allegedly involved in drug trafficking, but the Cartel of the Suns doesn’t actually exist as a structured organization.

According to InSight Crime, a think tank that receives grants from the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, recent US sanctions mischaracterized the Cartel of the Suns, which InSight described as “a system of corruption wherein military and political officials profit by working with drug traffickers.”

Despite the reality, the US is now calling the Cartel of the Suns a terrorist organization and claims that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is its leader, a push being led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has long sought regime change in Caracas.

President Trump has claimed that the terror designation would allow him to target Maduro or his assets, but any US attack on Venezuela would be illegal without congressional authorization. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in an interview last week that the designation gives the Pentagon “new options” to go after the “cartel,” meaning the Venezuelan government.

The real allegation against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to InSight Crime, is that he allows lower-level officials to profit from the drug trade to keep them content. InSight said that the Venezuelan officials aren’t necessarily directing drug shipments but rather use their “positions to protect traffickers from arrest and ensure that shipments pass through a territory.”

For his part, Maduro and his government strongly deny the allegations, pointing to their recent operations targeting cocaine shipments. The Venezuelan government on Monday rejected the US designation and said that it was meant to justify a regime change war.

“Venezuela categorically, firmly and absolutely rejects the new and ridiculous fabrication of the secretary of the US Department of State Marco Rubio, who designates the non-existent Cartel of the Suns as a terrorist organization, thus reviving an infamous and vile lie to justify an illegitimate and illegal intervention against Venezuela under the classic US regime-change formula,” said a statement from Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil.

Gil urged the US “to correct this erratic policy of aggressions and threats, forcefully rejected by the American people themselves, which harms the development of Caribbean nations and does nothing to contribute to a true and genuine fight against illicit drug trafficking.”

While Venezuela neighbors Colombia, where most of the world’s cocaine is produced, very little of the cocaine that arrives in the US transits through the country. Venezuela is also not a producer or a transit point for fentanyl, which has caused the most overdose deaths in the US in recent years.

 

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

Pentagon Opens Investigation Into Sen. Mark Kelly Over Call for Troops to Disobey Unlawful Orders

Headline USA Editor
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Pentagon Opens Investigation Into Sen. Mark Kelly Over Call for Troops to Disobey Unlawful Orders

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) The Department of War published a statement saying the agency received serious allegations of misconduct by Senator Mark Kelly and is opening an investigation into the claims against the former Navy captain.

The Department of War posted on X:

“The Department of War has received serious allegations of misconduct against Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.). In accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 688, and other applicable regulations, a thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures. This matter will be handled in compliance with military law, ensuring due process and impartiality.”

The investigation follows a video released by several Congressional Democrats who urged US troops not to follow unlawful orders. The video incited a firestorm of inflammatory comments from Republicans and President Donald Trump.

Trump posted on Truth Social, following the publication of the video, that it was “seditious behavior, punishable by death.” He later walked back the remarks, saying he was “not threatening death.”

The statement from the Department of War included a warning to other retired soldiers not to speak out on the issue. The X post continued:

“The Department of War reminds all individuals that military retirees remain subject to the UCMJ for applicable offenses, and federal laws such as 18 U.S.C. § 2387 prohibit actions intended to interfere with the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces. Any violations will be addressed through appropriate legal channels.

All servicemembers are reminded that they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ to obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful. A servicemember’s personal philosophy does not justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order.”

Sen Kelly responded on his personal X account, saying he would not be intimidated by Trump. “I swore an oath to the Constitution in 1986. I’ve upheld it through 25 years of service and every day since I retired.” He added, “If Trump’s trying to intimidate me, it won’t work. I’ve given too much to our country to be silenced by bullies who care more about power than the Constitution.”

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

Oregon’s Governor Declares Emergency to Ensure the State Gets Enough Fuel After Pipeline Leak

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Oregon’s Governor Declares Emergency to Ensure the State Gets Enough Fuel After Pipeline Leak

(Headline USA) Oregon’s governor declared a state of emergency Monday to ensure that enough fuel arrives to the state while the Olympic Pipeline, which supplies more than 90% of the state’s fuel, remains shut down due to a leak ahead of Thanksgiving travel.

Gov. Tina Kotek’s declaration is intended to keep enough fuel arriving to the state by ships and trucks partly by waiving certain regulations on how long commercial drivers hauling fuel can operate, according to the governor’s order.

The BP petrochemical pipeline runs from Washington into Oregon and has been shut down for a week following the first report of a leak and intermittent shutoffs earlier this month.

BP crews have excavated 200 feet (60 meters) of the 400-mile-long (644-kilometer-long) pipeline, working around the clock to discover the source of the leak that was reported outside Everett, Washington, the company said in a statement.

Oregon officials said they did not expect a fuel shortage in the state or at Portland International Airport with the emergency measures but cautioned that drivers might see an uptick in prices because of the more costly delivery methods.

In Washington, where Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a similar state of emergency last week, the shutdown is starting to slow some air travel in Seattle ahead of Thanksgiving.

On Monday, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s largest carriers, Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines, acknowledged some delays caused by the fuel shortages. Meanwhile, fuel is being brought in by tanker trucks, and airlines are directing flights to show up with extra fuel or stop afterward to top up.

Trump Designates Muslim Brotherhood as Terrorist Organization 

Luis Cornelio
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Trump Designates Muslim Brotherhood as Terrorist Organization 

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Donald Trump on Monday began the process to give the Muslim Brotherhood the recognition critics say it has long earned: a designation as a foreign terrorist organization. 

The Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist organization founded in 1928 in Egypt, has long leveraged its ties to terrorist groups to exert influence across the Middle East. 

Since Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Muslim Brotherhood has been accused of fueling terrorist acts and undermining U.S. interests and allies in the region. 

Trump’s order specifically singles out the Brotherhood’s chapters in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt for supporting Hamas after the terrorist attack. 

For instance, the Lebanese chapter’s military wing joined Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian factions after Oct. 7 to launch rockets against civilian and military targets in Israel following that attack. 

Similarly, a senior leader in the Egyptian chapter of the Brotherhood called for violent attacks against the U.S., while the Jordan chapter has long provided material support to Hamas terrorists, Trump said. 

“Such activities threaten the security of American civilians in the Levant and other parts of the Middle East, as well as the safety and stability of our regional partners,” Trump added. 

The order directs Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to coordinate with the DOJ and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to submit a joint report on the designation within 30 days. 

Within 45 days of the report’s submission, both Rubio and Bessent “shall take all appropriate action” regarding the designation. 

Trump hinted at the move over the weekend, telling Just the News that the designation would “be done in the strongest and most powerful terms.” 

The president’s action follows similar steps taken by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who declared the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations.

Sean Duffy Tells Fliers: Ditch Pajamas, Show Some Respect

Luis Cornelio
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Sean Duffy Tells Fliers: Ditch Pajamas, Show Some Respect

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Boarding a flight ahead of Thanksgiving? Think twice about what you wear. 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last week rolled out a new campaign urging Americans to ditch pajamas and slippers in an effort to restore basic civility at airports. 

Duffy highlighted the campaign in a press conference on Monday, saying the idea came after he noticed “a degradation in civility.”

“Whether it’s a pair of jeans and a decent shirt, I would encourage people to maybe dress a little better which encourages us to maybe behave a little better. Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport,” Duffy said. 

“I think that’s positive,” he added. 

In addition to urging Americans to dress “with some respect,” the transportation secretary encouraged passengers to thank pilots and flight attendants and to lend a hand to travelers who struggle with overhead bins. 

He stated that this is part of “common courtesy and civility,” adding that bringing “civility back, I think, enhances the travel experience for everybody.” 

Duffy’s comments came just days after his agency released data showing a sharp rise in air-travel altercations, some of which have led to violence. 

His department reported a 400 percent increase in “in-flight outbursts,” ranging from disruptive behavior to violence. 

Airports have logged nearly 14,000 reports of unruly passengers nationwide since 2021, a six percent increase between 2020 and 2021 and more than double the number recorded in 2019. 

Additionally, one in five flight attendants has allegedly experienced a physical incident since 2021. 

Jan. 6 Provocateur Threatens $50 Million Defamation Lawsuit over ‘Fed’ Accusations

Jose Nino
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Jan. 6 Provocateur Threatens $50 Million Defamation Lawsuit over ‘Fed’ Accusations

(José Niño, Headline USA) Edward Jacob Lang, a 29-year-old who received a presidential pardon for his participation in the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol, has announced plans to pursue a $50 million federal defamation lawsuit against several conservative media figures. 

According to a post he published on X/Twitter last Friday, the targets include retired mixed martial arts fighter Jake Shields, InfoWars host Owen Shroyer, and podcaster Stew Peters, among others. Lang accuses them of falsely claiming he is a “paid provocateur,” government informant, or “Jewish bad actor pretending to be a Christian.”

The lawsuit announcement follows significant backlash within right-wing circles after Lang organized an anti-Islam demonstration in Dearborn, Michigan, last Tuesday. 

During that event, Lang attempted to burn a Quran, slapped a copy with bacon, and delivered inflammatory remarks at a city council meeting. According to a report by Daily Sabah, directed comments at Muslim council members, telling them “we don’t want you in our country.” The Detroit Free Press reported that the confrontation escalated when counter-protesters clashed with demonstrators, resulting in someone punching Lang in the face.

Lang spent nearly four years in federal custody awaiting trial on charges related to the Capitol breach. Federal prosecutors accused him of assaulting police officers with an aluminum baseball bat and riot shield during the riot. Despite never being convicted, Lang endured approximately 900 days in solitary confinement before President Trump pardoned him in January 2025.

While imprisoned, Lang became a prominent voice in the January 6 political prisoner movement. Wired highlighted that Lang hosted podcasts from jail, conducted Bible studies, performed baptisms of fellow inmates, and organized the North American Patriot and Liberty Militia from behind bars. Following his release, he announced his intention to run for the United States Senate in Florida.

The accusations against Lang stem partly from video footage allegedly showing him wearing traditional Jewish religious items and praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Critics also point to claims that his sister serves in the Israeli Air Force. 

Lang vigorously denies all allegations about being a provocateur or foreign asset. He insists he has never collaborated with law enforcement agencies, the FBI, Mossad, or any governmental organization. He claims his activism is entirely self-funded and that he has never received financial support from Israel or any other entity. 

According to a report by River Reporter, Lang identifies as a born-again Christian and Messianic Jew, explaining that the Western Wall footage was recorded during a family trip ten years ago, before his involvement in politics.

The former prisoner argues his extensive time in solitary confinement provides evidence of his authenticity, stating that no federal informant would endure such harsh conditions. In his Twitter post, Lang documented what he describes as 98 paragraphs of slanderous statements made by the defendants and demands public apologies from each person named in his threatened lawsuit.

Despite his aggressive legal threats, Lang stated he would donate any financial judgment back to the defendants, with the possible exception of one Muslim critic. He emphasized his primary goal is receiving public apologies and the opportunity to address their audiences.

Lang has announced plans for another demonstration on December 13, which he calls a Christmas Crusade targeting a predominantly Muslim city in Texas. He declares himself America First and claims no allegiance to Israel, Palestine, or Middle Eastern affairs.

José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino 

Rep. Jamie Raskin Defends His Colleague Who Texted w/ Jeffrey Epstein During Hearing

Luis Cornelio
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Rep. Jamie Raskin Defends His Colleague Who Texted w/ Jeffrey Epstein During Hearing

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Controversial Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., had to eat his own words Monday when confronted about his bizarre defense of embattled Del. Stacey Plaskett, who took cues from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing. 

Raskin appeared on CNN’s Situation Room with host Pamela Brown, who replayed his remarks dismissing Plaskett’s text exchange as nothing more than speaking with a constituent. 

“Are Democrats losing the moral high ground on the Epstein issue by defending her, as you have?” Brown asked. 

Raskin immediately pivoted in response, comparing Plaskett’s actions to Republicans’ interactions with President Donald Trump. 

“Of course, our Republican colleagues engage in text exchanges all the time with Donald Trump, who has 34 felony criminal offenses to his name,” he said.  “So, I don’t know exactly what she’s being charged with there.”

The comments come after House Republicans failed to pass a censure resolution against Plaskett following the texting scandal. 

Newly released Epstein documents revealed a text in which Epstein seemingly influenced her line of questioning while Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, testified before Congress in 2019. 

“My point was simply, she had not violated the Constitution,” Raskin added. “She had not violated federal law, and she had not violated, to my knowledge, any rule of the House of Representatives.” 

Brown appeared to nod, allowing Raskin to continue uninterrupted. He added:

“We’re not afraid of anything that’s in the Epstein files, and we want to see justice done for the survivors. That’s what this is about. We want to see the truth come out. And it’s the Republicans who are running around trying to figure out who’s in there and who’s going to be implicated. And that’s not our approach to it. But Stacey Plaskett obviously didn’t violate any law, nor did they even allege that she violated a rule of the House of Representatives. What rule did she violate? People text and email and call us all the time. I mean, do I have anything to do with Jeffrey Epstein? No. It’s unfortunate that he’s got some people’s phone numbers, but he’s no longer with us. The point now is, can we do justice for the victims and survivors of this nightmare.” 

Watch the full interview below:

Judge Dismisses Cases Against James Comey and Letitia James

Headline USA Editor
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Judge Dismisses Cases Against James Comey and Letitia James

(Headline USA) A federal judge on Monday dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at President Donald Trump ’s urging was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.

The orders make Lindsey Halligan the latest Trump administration prosecutor to be disqualified because of the manner in which they were appointed.

The former FBI director said he is grateful that a judge dismissed the case against him on Monday, though he expects his saga isn’t over.

“I know that Donald Trump will probably come after me again,” Comey said in a video posted online. “I’m innocent. I am not afraid and I believe in an independent federal judiciary.”

Comey said he hopes the case sends a message that “the president of the United States cannot use the Department of Justice to target his political enemies.”

Prosecutor Lindsey Halligan was named to the job in September after a different interim U.S. attorney, Erik Siebert, stepped down due to pressure from the Trump administration to file charges against Comey and James.

After Siebert resigned, Comey’s lawyers argued, the judges of the federal court district should have had exclusive say over who got to fill the vacancy. Instead, Trump nominated Halligan. 

Comey was indicted days later on charges of making a false statement and obstructing Congress, and James was charged soon after that in a mortgage fraud investigation.

Both defendants had asked for the cases to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning that the Justice Department would not be able to bring them again.

But the judge instead dismissed them without prejudice, though it was not immediately clear if or how the Justice Department might attempt to revive the prosecutions.

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