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A U.S. official warned that President Donald Trump may authorize a major military operation against Iran if he “feels embarrassed or disenfranchised” after the midterms, sparking panic among countless onlookers.“The mad King theory just might be the right theory. But so sad for our country,” wrote Yale University professor Howard Forman, referencing a political theory that suggests a political figure being perceived as mad can help boost credibility.The initial warning was reported by Axios’ Barak Ravid, who claimed that the unnamed U.S. official warned that Trump “might be more inclined to order a major military operation if Republicans lose badly in the midterms.”“If he feels embarrassed or disenfranchised he will do something bold,” the U.S. official said, according to Ravid. “That’s what everyone are telling the Iranians. Their best shot to get a deal is right now.”Iran was sent a draft peace plan on Sunday by Qatari mediators, Reuters reported, as talks between Washington and Tehran continue. A senior Iranian official, however, has already “dismissed the proposals as unacceptable,” according to Reuters.With the midterms fast approaching on Tuesday, and with Republicans facing an increasingly dire midterm outlook, critics feared a deadly escalation could be imminent.“A slightly different/more accurate way to phrase this is Trump requires a kind of executive self-soothing,” wrote journalist Josh Marshall, editor-in-chief of Talking Points Memo. “His loss of power/popularity at home requires him to focus on areas of presidency where his power is essentially unlimited to try to reassert a sense of dominance.”Others, like Tommy Vietor, a former Obama administration official and Democratic political commentator, argued that the U.S. official’s warning was nothing more than an attempt to manipulate Tehran into accepting the Trump administration’s terms for ending the deeply unpopular conflict.“Give me a f------ break with this spin. You don’t need to regurgitate this bull----,” Vietor wrote in a social media post on X.Trump official says Trump might bomb Iran because his feelings are hurt.— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) October 31, 2026

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) warned this week that the Trump administration plans to resume its war on Iran after the midterms — an “insane” scheme he said he learned of in confidential briefings. By Saturday night, he was still the only lawmaker to speak out about those briefings, leaving one independent journalist furious.“In one of these briefings, we did get the chance to have a fairly detailed conversation about what the war plan would be if we restarted military operations,” Murphy said, speaking at the Middle East Institute. “You’ve heard a preview that it would be a short-duration plan. I will just say this: their plan is insane. It will lead to devastating escalation and the likely destruction of our commitment to the rule of law. The plan that they have developed will lead, in my view, to a prolongment and escalation of this war that will be devastating for our security interest.”As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and ranking member of the Department of Defense Subcommittee, Murphy is often briefed on matters related to U.S. military operations and foreign policy. As noted by Murphy, however, he was not the only member of Congress to have been briefed on the Trump administration’s post-midterm plans for Iran.“How has literally no other member of Congress mentioned this briefing???” independent journalist Ken Klippenstein wrote in frustration Saturday evening, later calling the lack of interest in the briefings from other members of Congress “just pathetic.”Murphy’s warning came after reports that the U.S. told Gulf nations to prepare for a short-lived, high-intensity campaign after the Nov. 3 election. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was weighing strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and civilian infrastructure. Trump has said he won’t launch any attacks on Iran until after the election.How has literally no other member of Congress mentioned this briefing ???— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) October 31, 2026

President Donald Trump sparked a wave of outrage with a new social media image many read as a blunt warning to a U.S. ally.On Saturday, Trump shared an image on Truth Social showing Greenland transformed into a sprawling American air base, the island's entire surface paved over with runways, hangars and rows of military jets. A massive U.S. flag flies over the scene, with "WELCOME TO GREENLAND" splashed across the bottom in bold block letters.The image landed as Trump continues to push for American control of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, despite repeated objections from leaders in Nuuk and Copenhagen.Independent journalist Aaron Rupar flagged the image, describing it as a depiction of Greenland "as a giant American military colony."Greenlander Orla Joelsen, a political activist and former parliamentary candidate, didn't hold back."Oh Donald, what on earth is this?" he asked. "An enormous American aircraft carrier parked on top of Greenland? Is this your latest fantasy of owning our country?"Joelsen pointed to U.S. plans for two new military facilities on the island, along with upgrades to Pituffik Space Base, and insisted, "That's military cooperation, NOT American ownership." He also reminded Trump that the U.S. and Denmark signed an agreement recognizing Greenland's right to self-determination."Did you forget what you signed, Donald?" Joelsen added. "Or are you just hoping your voters can't read either?"Anti-Trump influencer Lucas Sanders didn't mince words either. "He's Deranged Don," Sanders said.Progressive voice Joe Mikhaili called the image "the type of un-American s— that only a self obsessed dictator does."Hollywood Reporter editor-at-large Kim Masters turned her fire on Republicans. "Behold the GOP fealty to a lunatic," she remarked on Bluesky.British tech writer Tom Coates kept it short. "What a f— a—," he fumed.Social media personality Mario Nawfal mocked the image too, quipping that "Denmark is trying to have a diplomatic conversation while Trump is playing Battleship with an entire country."Popular anti-Trump commentator Molly Ploofkins summed up the mood with a single word. "Sigh," she replied.Oh Donald, what on earth is this? An enormous American aircraft carrier parked on top of Greenland? Is this your latest fantasy of owning our country?Here’s a reality check for you:The United States is planning two new military facilities in Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, along with upgrades to Pituffik Space Base.That’s military cooperation, NOT American ownership.You signed an agreement recognizing Greenland’s right to self-determination and the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark.Did you forget what you signed, Donald? Or are you just hoping your voters can’t read either?— Orla Joelsen (@OJoelsen) October 31, 2026

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow warned Saturday of a “credible threat” of an attack that could cause mass casualties at a popular park in the Russian capital. Observers noted the warning was strikingly specific.“The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has learned of a credible threat of an incident that could result in mass casualties TODAY, October 31, on the grounds of the Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve in Moscow,” the embassy wrote on X. It said the U.S. government “is coordinating response measures with the relevant authorities of the Russian Federation.”The embassy told Americans to avoid the park Saturday, stay away from large crowds, keep their phones charged and carry identification. Tsaritsyno is a sprawling former royal estate in southern Moscow that draws large crowds.The alert quickly drew comparisons to the March 2024 Crocus City Hall attack outside Moscow. In that attack, gunmen linked to the Islamic State killed more than 140 people at a concert venue, weeks after the U.S. Embassy publicly warned that extremists were planning to target large gatherings in Moscow.“Last time I remember this kind of specific alert it was before the Crocus City concert hall ISIS-linked attack in 2024,” wrote ABC News international correspondent Patrick Reevell, calling the warning “unusual.”Sarah Adams, a former CIA targeting officer and author of “Benghazi: Know Thy Enemy,” shared the alert with a brief comment: “You don’t see this everyday.”Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a Kremlin envoy who has taken part in talks with the Trump administration, cast the warning as a sign of improving relations.“In a spirit of goodwill, the US has informed Russian security services and issued a public alert about a possible terrorist attack in Tsaritsyno Park in Moscow,” Dmitriev wrote. “US-Russia security services cooperation is vital for global security.”The embassy did not say who was behind the threat or what kind of attack it anticipated. There were no reports of an attack as of publication.

A GOP strategist torched a former Trump White House aide on live TV over her "naive" plan to end a raging war.Republican strategist and CNN commentator Shermichael Singleton tore into Caroline Sunshine on Wednesday's episode of "NewsNight," guest hosted by CNN's Michael Smerconish, after she urged the U.S. to pull funding from Ukraine to force it to negotiate an end to its war with Russia. Singleton called the idea "the most absurd thing" and told her she was "incredibly naive."The clash broke out during a segment on young men souring on President Donald Trump. Smerconish cited Harvard's latest youth poll, noting nearly 70 percent of men under 30 disapprove of the job Trump is doing.Sunshine, a former Trump White House aide, laid the blame on the president's staff."I want us to win the midterms. But if we don't win, it will be because the president's staff failed to execute his winning playbook in 2024," she said. "We're not live streaming the rallies. We're not making TikToks. We're not going on podcasts. We're not talking to that audience."She said she had been "dismissed" for months while pushing for appearances with podcasters Joe Rogan and Theo Von."I don't think the president's staff trusts his instincts," Sunshine said, before urging Trump to "get a staff that understand where young men are at," to "get Ukraine to the negotiating table" and to "stop listening to" rapper Nicki Minaj.Singleton immediately jumped in."What do you mean get Ukraine to the negotiating table? You mean Russia?" he asked. "What did they do that was unlawful, illegal, immoral and unethical? It wasn't the Ukrainians. It was the Russians."Sunshine countered that "hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians are dying every day in this war" and argued the U.S. should cut Ukraine off."Ukraine is not a NATO ally. The United States has no role in this war except to end it. And the only way that it ends is by yanking funding from Ukraine," she said.Singleton shot back that it was “the most absurd thing,” as Sunshine insisted she was talking about “ending the war peacefully.” He accused her of being "intellectually dishonest" and blasted the idea of forcing Ukrainians to "come to the table over something they didn't start.""That's never been the posture of the United States," he said.As Sunshine kept pressing, Singleton cut her off. "You are incredibly naive," he said. "Why would we put pressure on the Ukrainians instead of the Russians?"He then questioned whether she grasped the subject at all."Do you even understand these issues? No, I don't think you do. I don't think you understand these issues at all," Singleton said.Smerconish eventually stepped in to move the conversation along.

A bipartisan group of senators hoping for answers about a recent disruption to Ukraine's battlefield communications hit a wall at the Pentagon.The Defense Department's inspector general has turned down the lawmakers' request to investigate the throttling of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. In a response dated Tuesday, the watchdog told the nine senators that the Air Force was better positioned to address their concerns.The senators, four Republicans and five Democrats, sought the probe after Ukrainian officials said this month that connection speeds on Starlink and Starshield, its military-grade counterpart, had been slowed. Officials in Kyiv said the restrictions hampered their ability to intercept incoming Russian drones.A congressional aide who spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity characterized the decision as the watchdog declining to look into Musk and Starlink, even though the office is well equipped to do so. According to the aide, worries in Congress about Musk's grip on Starlink stretch back years and helped drive the creation of Starshield in the first place."It is concerning that the Inspector General has apparently decided not to investigate satellite communication disruptions that Ukraine relies on to protect its civilians," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and one of the lawmakers requesting an investigation, said in a statement to the AP.Shaheen added that "the Trump administration and SpaceX have provided conflicting accounts of what led to those disruptions" and called for "an independent accounting and review to determine responsibility and prevent this from happening in the future."Those accounts have indeed diverged. Musk admitted over the weekend that SpaceX had throttled Starlink in Ukraine, claiming the country broke the service's terms, a charge Ukrainian officials rejected. He insisted, however, that any changes to Starshield were in the hands of the U.S. government. President Donald Trump has denied ordering any restriction, while Vice President JD Vance has hinted at coordination between the White House and Musk.Mollie Halpern, a spokeswoman for the inspector general's office, said the watchdog "carefully considered the congressional request and determined that the matters raised were best addressed by the Department."The Pentagon pointed questions to the inspector general's office, and the Air Force did not immediately answer the AP's request for comment. Both have previously sidestepped questions about the slowdown.

Vice President JD Vance has quietly stepped into an unexpected role while President Donald Trump threatens to unleash more bombing.Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, a hard-line power broker in Tehran, in an attempt to get peace negotiations back on track, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. Rezaei leads Iran's Supreme National Security Council and has commanded the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps longer than anyone else. One person familiar with the matter told The Journal that the letter went out at Trump's direction, and Trump knows about the outreach.According to The Journal, Vance is feeling out whether the two countries share enough ground to convince Trump to hold off on a brief but punishing attack he has signaled could come within weeks.The back channel cuts against Trump's own public messaging. Last week, he insisted the administration was not in talks with Tehran. "We're not negotiating with them," Trump said, adding that "it'll happen soon." On the campaign trail in recent days, he has told audiences he expects fighting to resume and that the conflict will end on his timeline.Trump kept up the pressure Tuesday night. "They've wanted to make a deal, but they like tapping it along," he told reporters, suggesting Iran might be waiting out the election before warning "that's not gonna help them."The exchanges so far have centered on how talks might be structured rather than the terms of any deal, a source told The Journal. Rezaei himself said last week Iran would not come to the table until certain core demands were satisfied. Earlier this month, he warned Tehran could hit the United Arab Emirates along with internet cables and data centers across the region.Vance has publicly supported the war while privately voicing doubts about dragging it out, according to The Journal. He pushed for more diplomacy before Trump launched "Operation Epic Fury" in February and later served as lead negotiator, traveling abroad twice for talks. A memorandum of understanding reached in June fell apart within two weeks over disputes about reopening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.The timing also carries political weight. Republicans are bracing for losses in next week's midterms, with voters pointing to the war and rising fuel costs as reasons for their frustration. Vance is considered the early frontrunner for the GOP's 2028 presidential nomination, The Journal noted.A Vance spokesman declined to discuss the talks, and the White House referred questions to the vice president's office. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on social media that "Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed."

A former Defense Intelligence Agency staffer’s warning that Americans need to start preparing for a crisis has caused a stir with observers, and they can’t agree on whether to start stockpiling or roll their eyes.Farijah “Doc” St. Clair is head of technology and intelligence at the risk firm Crisis24. He wrote on X that “something is brewing” and that Americans’ “window to prepare, even with the basics, is closing.” He warned that “you will be on your own” in a national-scale crisis, urged people to prepare quietly and even “feign poverty,” and closed with: “It’s going to get rough.”Some readers took the warning seriously.“I have no idea what’s coming, if anything,” wrote novelist Danielle Langlois. “But when a former Defense Intelligence Agency employee shares advice like this (on top of the announcements I’ve seen from other nations), I take note. Go buy more food, maybe. Because this is weird.”Don Shift, a post-apocalyptic fiction author and Ventura County Sheriff’s veteran, called it “probably a very sober take on what’s really ‘up.’”Others wanted to know what, exactly, they’re supposed to be getting ready for.“What. Are. We. Preparing. For??” wrote Martin Skold, a geostrategist, policy adviser and author. “I’ll grant the premise: Having useful things on hand is useful, but anything more than that requires specifics.”“Preparing for an internet outage is not the same as preparing for a gasoline shortage is not the same as preparing for a nuclear strike is not the same as preparing for riots is not the same as preparing for a bank hack is not the same as preparing for a market crash,” Skold wrote. “I’m old enough to remember when telling people to stockpile necessities was considered pointless panicmongering.”Rebecca V., opinion editor at the publication Wrongspeak, dismissed it outright.“This is all a psyop to get people scared,” she wrote. “Power hungry elites just want more power. This is the way it’s been forever and will be until the end of time.”AI researcher David Bellamy, who works on training infrastructure for open-source AI and holds a PhD from Harvard, responded with a joke about AI-powered cyberattacks: “Yeah…so anyways, thrilled to release Claude Fable 5.5, which is a step change in cyberattack capabilities. Good luck everybody else!”St. Clair didn’t say what kind of event he believes is coming, telling readers “to not focus on the ‘what.’”