Trump, Leavitt dismiss Kent’s allegations on Iran war as ‘false’ and ‘absurd’

 Trump, Leavitt dismiss Kent’s allegations on Iran war as ‘false’ and ‘absurd’

President Trump and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday railed against Joe Kent after he resigned from his post as director of the National Counterterrorism Center.

“I read his statement. I always thought he was a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security. I didn’t know him well, but I thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday. 

Kent alleged Israel influenced the U.S. decision to strike Iran in his resignation letter, echoing rhetoric from Tucker Carlson and a few other conservatives who have railed against the war on Iran.

US Counterterrorism Official Resigns Over Iran War

 https://www.newsweek.com/joe-kent-national-counterterrorism-center-iran-war-trump-11690209

The director of the National Counterterrorism Center has resigned, saying he “cannot in good conscience” support the ongoing war with Iran.

In a resignation letter addressed to President Donald Trump shared on his X account, Joe Kent said Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Kent described the conflict as one that serves no clear benefit to the United States and raised concerns about the human and economic costs of continued engagement.

Trump furious with Europe: 'We're not interested in your help'

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/424106

US President Donald Trump once again criticized European countries, as well as other allies of Washington, this evening (Tuesday), and said that they do not want to intervene in a war with Iran, even though they support the move, as he put it.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "The United States has been informed by most of our NATO 'Allies' that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East, this, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon."

"Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance - WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea. In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP," his Truth Social post concluded.

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NATO Countries Rebuff Trump’s Plea to Help with Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran Oil Crisis

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Countries Reject Trump Call For Help Opening Strait

 https://www.newsweek.com/iran-strait-of-hormuz-latest-updates-11681879

Germany is among countries which have rejected demands by President Donald Trump for help to stop Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz.

But Germany, Australia, Luxembourg, and Japan said they have no plans to send vessels to the region. German defense minister Boris Pistorius said Monday, "this is not our war, we have not started it.” The European Union and the U.K. have said they are weighing up a response to open the strait as oil prices continue to spike.

China has also not directly accepted Trump's proposal, with its foreign ministry calling on all parties "to immediately cease military operations." When asked what help was needed, Trump replied, “whatever it takes,” adding that allies should send minesweepers. 

White House Tries to Build Coalition on Iran to Address Energy Crisis

https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/white-house-tries-to-build-coalition-on-iran-to-address-energy-crisis-803e2f32

The Trump administration is asking other countries to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, but a deal isn’t set

 President Trump and top aides spent the weekend framing their Iran operation as a resounding military success while imploring other countries to join their effort to resolve a worsening energy crisis related to the Strait of Hormuz.

The Trump administration as soon as this week plans to announce that multiple countries have agreed to form a coalition that will escort ships through the waterway, which runs along the Iranian coast, U.S. officials said. The U.S. and potential coalition countries are still discussing whether those operations would begin before or after the war ends.

Allies hold back on Hormuz mission as Trump urges coalition amid Iran war turmoil - Trump fails to get help

 https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-890072

Japan and Australia said on Monday they were not planning to send navy vessels to the Middle East to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump called on allies to create a coalition to reopen the vital waterway.

Trump said his administration has already contacted seven countries, but did not identify the countries. In a weekend social media post, he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would participate.

Despite repeated claims from US authorities to have destroyed Iran's military capabilities, drone attacks continued to threaten Gulf states on Monday

Trump says he’s not ready to declare victory in Iran

 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5785853-donald-trump-not-ready-declare-victory-iran/

President Trump  said late Sunday that he is not ready to declare victory against Iran despite saying the U.S. has decimated the country militarily and economically. 

“No, I’m not going to do that. There’s no reason to,” Trump told The Hill while speaking with reporters on Air Force One. 

 “I just say they’re decimated. I think that we’ve done damage to them,” he said. 

“If we left right now, it would take them 10 years and more to rebuild but I’m still not declaring it,” he added. 

Sinning for Good

 Avoda Zara (04b) The Israelites made the golden calf only in order to place a good argument in the mouth of the penitents, as it is said, O that they had such a heart as this alway, to fear Me and keep all My commandments etc.This last statement accords with what R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon b. Yohai: David was not the kind of man to do that act, nor was Israel the kind of people to do that act. David was not the kind of man to do that act, as it is written, My heart is slain within me; nor were the Israelites the kind of people to commit that act, for it is said, O that they had such a heart as this alway etc. Why, then, did they act thus? God predestined it so in order to teach thee that if an individual hath sinned and hesitates about the effect of repentance he could be referred to the individual David, and if a community commit a sin they should be told: Go to the community.

Bribing Satan

 Sifra (Shemini Introduction) "And he said to Aaron: Take for yourself a bull-calf for a sin-offering": We are hereby taught that Moses said to Aaron: Aaron, my brother, even though G-d has consented to forgive your sins in the episode of the golden calf, you must "place something in Satan's mouth." Send your gift before you before entering the sanctuary lest he condemn you upon your entering the sanctuary. And lest you say: Is it only I who need atonement? Israel, too, needs atonement, "And to the children of Israel shall you speak, saying: Take a kid of goats for a sin-offering, and a calf, etc." And why was it Israel's lot to bring more than Aaron? He said to them: You are culpable in the beginning and culpable in the end. In the beginning at the sale of Yosef  "And they slaughtered a kid of goats, etc."; in the end "They have made for themselves a molten calf." Let a kid of goats come and atone for the "act" of goats, let a calf come and atone for the "act" of the calf.