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Serious questions were raised about market manipulation as President Donald Trump and his administration came under scrutiny over the status of the ongoing Iran war amid a chaotic rise and fall of oil prices. Axios released a report early Wednesday that the United States was moving closer to an end of the Iran war — that's when people started to notice suspicious activity in the market. The Kobeissi Letter challenged the timeline of incidents in a post on X."According to our analysis, ~$920 million worth of crude oil shorts were taken 70 minutes before an Axios report claimed the US and Iran were near a '14-point' deal to end the war," according to The Kobeissi Letter. "At 3:40 AM ET today, nearly 10,000 contracts worth of crude oil shorts were taken without any major news. This is equivalent to ~$920 million in notional value, an unusually large trade for 3:40 AM ET. At 4:50 AM ET, just 70 minutes later, Axios reported that the US is 'close' to a 'memorandum of understanding' to end the Iran War. By 7:00 AM ET, oil prices had fallen over -12% with these crude oil shorts gaining approximately +$125 million. Minutes later, Iran launched the 'Persian Gulf Strait Authority' and oil prices surged +8%. What just happened?"Experts and lawmakers reacted to the volatile market. "Record levels of fraud," Michael Bento, owner of Valois Capital Management, LLC, wrote on X."The most corrupt war in US history. Maybe in world history," Phillips O'Brien, historian and professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews, wrote on X."Shocker," Rick Wilson, former Republican strategist and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, wrote on X."This has to stop. Lives on the line so they can insider trade!" Jessica Tarlov, Fox News co-host and podcast co-host, wrote on X."$900M in oil shorts right before the Axios article. I’ve found at least another $100M in the same kind of trades onchain. Meaning multiple insiders knew about the article forthcoming and traded on it," Adam Cochran, professor, policy consultant and journalist, wrote on X."When is everyone going to start realizing that the manic on again off again war/peace rhetoric is really just insider trading? And sprinkle in some murder. Only a select few in the top tax bracket are benefiting from this, and the majority of you ain’t in it," former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) wrote on X."WTF!" Independent journalist and former CNN correspondent Jim Acosta wrote on X.

Americans wanting to dance the night away at a popular nightclub in Mexico City can expect to fork over $300 as a cover charge just to get past the doorman — and they can thank Donald Trump’s attacks on the southern neighbor of the US for the high price of admission, The Guardian reported.The Mexico City hotspot is charging American visitors a steep $300 cover charge to enter — while citizens from other countries pay just $20 and Mexicans and Latin Americans pay $14 — in a pointed protest against Donald Trump's relentless attacks on America's southern neighbor.The tiered pricing policy from Japan, a nightclub in the Roma Norte neighborhood, has struck a chord with Mexico City residents. The Instagram announcement detailing the eye-watering cover charges has been liked over 26,000 times and garnered more than 200 comments, mostly in support of the policy as part of a broader backlash against what many see as American economic and political overreach, the report said.In a pointed Instagram post, the club reframed its pricing strategy. "It's not that 'we charge gringos more' it's that we offer discounts to people that need it," Japan wrote. "The cover charge is $5,000 [pesos]. Citizens of the USA don't get a discount."The post explains that citizens from any other country receive a 93% discount, Mexicans and Latin Americans get 95% off, and students and teachers receive a 97% discount, paying just 150 pesos for entry.Club owner Federico Crespo made clear the pricing reflects deteriorating Mexico-U.S. relations under Trump. "This is a response to a year of insults directed at us – as a country – by the United States. It's very much a response to the many attacks against Mexico from Trump," Crespo said.Rather than pocket the extra revenue, Crespo said the money collected from American cover charges is distributed among Japan's workers — many of whom are struggling with rising rents, soaring cost of living, and longer commutes."By giving the workers the money collected from cover charges, we help them out a little bit," Crespo told the Guardian

The internet was stunned by White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett's comments on Wednesday as he bragged about how credit card spending on higher-priced gasoline was "through the roof." Hassett made the remarks in an interview with Fox Business on Wednesday morning where he discussed the ongoing Iran war, the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the American economy. Media experts and political voices were shocked by the comments. "Is this supposed to be a brag?" Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) wrote on X."We must consider the possibility that Kevin Hassett is secretly working for the Democrats," Jon Favreau, co-founder of Crooked Media and co-host of Pod Save America, wrote on X."Trump’s chief economic advisor is bragging that people are surviving on credit cards right now," MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski wrote on X."?" New York Times White House correspondent Katie Rogers wrote on X. "Make this guy the spokesperson for the entire Republican party," House Majority PAC, a Democratic Super PAC, wrote on X."Do they understand that this is not a good thing?" Nobel Prize nominee Andrew Gebo wrote on X.Do they understand that this is not a good thing? https://t.co/2rngKsQsJX— Andrew Gebo (@Gebo___) May 6, 2026

The unrelenting flow of statements about the state of the war with Iran, with positions and plans changing from hour to hour depending on who is speaking, has the White House “flailing” to come up with a coherent message for a deeply skeptical US populace, according to analysts.On Wednesday morning, Donald Trump was on Truth Social claiming the end of war is at hand, which Iran immediately disputed, less than 24 hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the war is already over.As reports continued to stream in Wednesday morning, MS NOW co-host Jonathan Lemire told “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski, “What we've seen here, and it's just, it's head-spinning. We shouldn't lose sight of it: it's dizzying. The different messages from this administration right now, including yesterday, where we had the secretary of state go to the White House briefing room, a rare senior official beyond Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, to talk about this war. And he did so and said that we're winding down the conflict. But this operation to keep the strait open is proceeding, and it's going to be a success that we want to have the Strait of Hormuz open.""Hours later, the president says, 'Nope’ we're done with that. Now we have this idea of a deal being, he [Trump] says, within reach and now Iran is saying no,” he reported. “And we know President Trump wants to be out of this war, but he has set deadline after deadline after deadline and every time Iran has called his bluff. Is that going to happen again, or does Trump feel like he actually, this time, is going to need to follow through with the resumption of a bombing campaign?”“And what would that look like? Would most military targets have been hit? Does that mean now the infrastructure, does that mean the bridges, the power plants? Does that mean wading into the territory of war crimes?” he asked. “There's a lot here that shows, to your point, Mika, this administration is flailing for an answer to this war.” - YouTube youtu.be

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was hit with a serious fact check on Tuesday after denying that President Donald Trump had previously said that Pope Leo was "endangering" Catholics with his comments against the Iran war. Rubio was filling in during a press conference for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt who was on maternity leave when he was asked to clarify Trump's comments. "I don't think that's an accurate description of what he said," Rubio said, denying the president's remarks. Christopher Hale, a political operative and Letters from Leo publisher, pushed back on Rubio's response. "That’s 100% what President Trump said. Here’s the proof," Hale wrote in a post on X, sharing the recent Salem News Channel interview with Trump where he did indeed say that Pope Leo was "endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.""I guess if it's up to the pope, he thinks it's just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon," Trump said in the interview. That’s 100% what President Trump said. Here’s the proof. https://t.co/8vX3hUYd6X pic.twitter.com/iPGkFaQMOL— Christopher Hale (@ChristopherHale) May 5, 2026

A man who formerly worked for the U.S. government found himself in a shouting match with Russian "Merchant of Death" arms dealer Viktor Bout on Tuesday.During a segment on The Alex Jones Show, a caller from Kansas named Lee spoke to Bout about Russia's war in Ukraine."It's quite a unique experience to be able to talk to you, sir," Lee said. "The question I'd like to put forward to you is, you are a legislator, a legislator in your government. Is that correct?""Well, I'm a part of the regional legislature, and this year we are participating in the election to our federal Duma," Bout explained."Very good," Lee remarked. "Now, this war with Ukraine, your country has been waging the last four years, has created millions of casualties, and you've really not changed anything. The lines have been drawn for the last two and a half. At what point are you going to start coming down on Vladimir Putin about ending this war, even if it means a complete withdrawal of Russian troops from all Ukrainian territory prior to 2014?"Before allowing Bout to respond, Jones defended Russia's war of choice."Russia has stopped NATO's expansion, and it's now fighting the proxy war that was launched," Jones claimed. "And that's just a fact... The EU Commission has said they want to break up Russia. The West launches attack. Let's just be honest about it.""My response is very simple," Bout chimed in. "First of all, [Ukraine's] Donbas is a Russian land. It was illegally, you know, given to so-called Ukrainian Republic.""Second one, majority of the population of these areas is almost 90% is Russians," he continued. "What are you thinking? That Russia ever will abandon its own, you know, people to be, you know, subjugated to these neo-Nazis regime? Hell no! The population of Russia fully supported [the war]!"Bout insisted that the war was a battle for Russia's future. "And this is our land," he quipped. "So there is no way Russia will, you know, decide it or surrender or get out, because first of all, everything, if you look from the history, Ukraine has not existed. It's an artificial creation... it should be a single unitary territory of Russia."Jones again spoke up in defense of Russia: "Well, Russia's had naval bases in Crimea for 500 years.""I find it audacious that I see you on here saying, well, the Ukrainians are hitting residential areas," the caller replied. "What I mean you've been doing it for four years, sir? The other thing is, you guys invaded illegally in 2014. You started this war. The only resolution is the complete withdrawal of Russian troops!""You have lost the war!" the man exclaimed. "No, it's absolutely incorrect!" Bout shouted back. "We're not started this war!" "Would we put up with a bunch of foreign troops on the Canadian border or the Mexican border?" Jones asked."What troops were in Ukraine prior to [the war]?" the caller shot back."Oh, my! I've had family over there as advisors before this even started!" Jones bellowed. "But Lee, you sound really pissed off because you know Russia is winning this war against the unelected EU and the British Empire, who are our enemies. This war is hurting America. We should have trade deals with Russia.""Yeah, if you want to give your taxpayer money to this, you know, drug addict Zelenskyy," Bout said, "who everything — lost his legitimacy, go ahead. Spend your money. Then you don't have a [expletive], you know, bridges, schools! Go ahead, support Ukraine!"Before hanging up, Jones scolded the caller."NATO for decades has moved missiles up to the border of Russia," he ranted. "And then we were taught, oh, Russia went into Cuba because — just to start a fight. No, they did it and said because you put nukes on our border. Now they've got hypersonic nukes even closer. This is crazy!"

President Donald Trump struggled to demonstrate his athletic prowess to a group of children at the White House, failing on several attempts to putt a golf ball.After arriving on the White House lawn to "Eye of the Tiger" on Tuesday, Trump walked over to a group of kids who were on hand to promote the Presidential Fitness Test. The president observed the kids playing golf for several minutes before grabbing a club.He attempted two to three putts before giving up on trying to sink one.Trump, 79, reportedly claims a handicap of 2.8 in the Golf Handicap Information Network, the lowest recorded for any president. He has been repeatedly accused of cheating. In a 2025 viral video, the president's caddie appeared to drop a ball in a more favorable position.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has gone missing from public view and has shifted his attention away from diplomacy amid "America's global collapse," an analyst pointed out on Tuesday. Salon's Chauncey DeVega described how Rubio's focus appears to be on the State Department — and altering its previous emphasis on "cultural pluralism, secularism and inclusiveness in its public messaging and other communications" — and not on international peace negotiations, including the Iran war, or Ukraine and Russia war. "He has not visited the Middle East since last October, nor has he played a direct role in diplomatic negotiations over Ukraine and Gaza," DeVega explained. Instead, Rubio has been restructuring his "department as a tool of MAGA." "While also attending to Trump’s needs, Rubio has been busy remaking the State Department in the MAGA image — an act that is undermining democracy at home and accelerating strategic failures abroad," DeVega wrote. "What the administration calls 'America First' is, in practice, white racial authoritarianism and white Christian nationalism that governs who and what is deemed to be in America’s vital interests."Under Trump, the State Department has dropped its recognition of Islamic holidays or other non-Christian religious observations that it previously celebrated on social media. Now, Rubio has been pushing a MAGA agenda forward. "Since Trump’s return to power, the United States has been repositioning itself as an explicitly Judeo-Christian nation — and government departments and agencies are following suit," DeVega wrote. "On Easter Sunday Rubio shared a video on social media in which he passionately described the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The department’s Instagram account has featured images of Christian crosses and references to 'Christ’s sacrifice.'"Trump has reportedly asked Republican allies whether he should endorse a Rubio or Vice President JD Vance 2028 presidential nomination, with focus groups apparently favoring Rubio for the potential run."Many see him as a stabilizing force, as well as a more presentable and traditional representative for their 'America First' nationalism and so-called conservative values," DeVega wrote. "Rubio sacrificed his values and the storied institutional legacy of the State Department itself to be in closer proximity to Donald Trump, a chaos agent — and America’s reputation and power are collapsing," DeVega added.