Why has Barron Trump become the center of mockery amid Trump's Iran escalation?
Barron Trump has unexpectedly become the target of online mockery following President Donald Trump's announcement that the United States launched a series of airstrikes on Iran. The military action, which targeted three key sites early Sunday, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel—one that the US has now openly joined, as reported by the Irish Star. Barron Trump faces online mockery after airstrikes on Iran, as users joke about a potential military exemption due to inherited bone spurs. AP/PTI(AP01_21_2025_000054B)(AP)
As political tensions rise and critics question the legality of the strikes, attention on social media has oddly turned toward the President's youngest son.
Also Read: Can Trump declare war on Iran without US Congress approval? His airstrikes raise fears and questions Why is Barron Trump being criticized?
The strikes sparked a wave of fear online, with many warning that the conflict could escalate into World War 3. Alongside genuine concern, a flood of dark humor and speculation emerged across social media, as users joked about the possibility of being drafted into military service. This led to unfavorable comparisons between Barron and his father, Trump, who famously avoided stepping into the Vietnam War after being diagnosed with bone spurs.
In 1968, amid the height of the Vietnam War, Trump, then 22 years old, was diagnosed with bone spurs in his heels, a condition that ultimately exempted him from military service. This diagnosis came after he had already received four deferments for educational reasons.
Now, with the war-like situations rising again, many jokes on social media are that Barron would avoid joining the army just like his father did.
Also Read: Tulsi Gabbard 'missing' from Trump's Situation Room? Photos of Iran strikes raise questions Netizens mock Barron Trump amid Trump's Iran escalation
A user wrote on X, 'Barron Trump just announced he has bone spurs. He will be excluded from military service.' A second user wrote, 'Wonder if Barron Trump will step up for the families war on Iran or declare he has inherited bone spurs from his father.' A third user wrote, "Barron Trump's military exemption? Will it be "bone spurs 2.0" like Dad's? A new, creative mental health claim? The world waits with bated breath... Let's be honest, a Trump in uniform? Unlikely".
Another user wrote, 'Apparently Barron Trump has been spotted visiting a doctor to get his hereditary bone spurs checked out.'
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Indian Express
22 minutes ago
- Indian Express
With its strikes against Iran, US may be wading into a conflict it cannot manage
In what may prove to be a defining moment for Donald Trump's presidency, in the early hours of June 22, the US directly entered the Israel-Iran war. In a swift operation, US planes targeted three nuclear sites in Iran and retreated. The American media reported that US B-2 Spirit stealth bombers dropped 30,000-pound, GPS-guided, bunker buster bombs — GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) — on the underground site at Fordow, while the other two sites at Natanz and Isfahan were targeted by Tomahawk missiles. Breaking the news on Truth Social, Trump ended his post with 'Now is the time for peace.' The assertion seems to flow from his oft-repeated doctrine of 'Peace through strength'. However, the history of US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, based on the same doctrine, certainly brought no peace to either of these nations or to the US. The bloodshed continued for years and extremist groups like al Qaeda and Daesh/Islamic State emerged from these wars to haunt the world. Could the US get bogged down with yet another war? What would it mean for Trump? Trump has often stated that his objective is to ensure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons. However, over the past few weeks, Trump clearly listed two goals and one aspiration. The first goal was that Iran should negotiate a deal for a peaceful nuclear programme and totally give up enrichment capability, and the second goal was that Iran should surrender in the war with Israel. His aspiration was to see a regime change in Iran; he had even threatened possible action in this regard in the future. Has the targeting of three nuclear sites brought Trump closer to achieving his goals and aspirations? Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has emphasised that Iran will not bring its nuclear programme to 'zero'. A couple of hours after the US airstrikes, Iran restarted air attacks on targets in Tel Aviv and Haifa in Israel. Iranian officials have claimed that Fordow had been 'completely emptied and evacuated' a long time ago and that it did not suffer 'irreversible' damage. It is not hard to imagine Iran taking precautions by taking a cue from the US airstrikes on Houthi targets earlier. Western media reports had indicated that since late-March, the US had deployed six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers at the base in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. These bombers were reportedly used to drop a GBU-57 MOP on underground Houthi targets in Yemen, while the US was engaged in warding off attacks on US vessels in the Red Sea. Initially developed for 'psychological' effect, the 'MOP' was perhaps used to achieve a deal with the Houthis — which happened in May — with both sides pledging not to attack each other. It would be hard to ascertain whether uranium-enriching centrifuges and the stock of enriched uranium remain intact, without having international inspections or invading Iran. Moreover, Russia has clearly warned against the targeting of the Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran. Apart from the presence of hundreds of Russians building more nuclear facilities at the site, Russia had warned that an attack on the plant would have consequences comparable to the Chernobyl accident in the former USSR in 1986. The Chernobyl accident led to prolonged release into the atmosphere of large quantities of radioactive substances, including gases, aerosols and finely fragmented nuclear fuel particles. Due to specific conditions such as graphite fires and winds, radioactivity had spread across the northern hemisphere, mainly Europe, and was also recorded in the US, Canada and Japan. The targeting of nuclear sites which are not nuclear power plants, with the objective of destroying centrifuges used for uranium enrichment, remains a dangerous proposition too. These nuclear sites may also be storage sites for radioactive material, including Spent Fuel or High Level Waste (HLW), or even a research reactor. It is a great relief to the global community that the head of the Iranian National Centre for Nuclear Safety System has confirmed that no radioactive contamination or nuclear radiation was detected outside the targeted sites. By mid-morning, the IAEA too informed that no increase in 'off-site radiation levels' had been reported. The Saudi Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission independently confirmed the same for all Gulf Cooperation Council States. The Kuwaiti National Guard too stated that the radiation levels in the air and water remained stable across the country. The fallout of targeting nuclear sites is and will remain the key concern for regional and global nations, a fact the US cannot ignore. By naming his successors, the supreme leader of Iran has ensured that the regime remains intact in any eventuality. The US attacks on nuclear sites in a country that takes pride in its scientific prowess are likely to solidify public support for the supreme leader as a rallying point. In the Israel-Iran war, sabotage, miscalculations or accidents could still draw US troops into the theatre. It might be recalled that about 125,000 US and British troops had invaded Iraq in March 2003 to oust Saddam Hussein, trapping the US in a bloody war which, over eight years, killed 4,400 of its soldiers and injured several thousands. The US withdrew fully by December 2011, but the destabilisation of the region saw the emergence of Daesh in Iraq around 2012 and the rise of a Caliphate. The US-led coalition was forced to return to the theatre in 2014. The rest is history. As more questions will be asked about the remaining capability of Iran, will the US continue to indulge in adventurism that could result in nuclear catastrophe for the region and beyond? Trump's economic plans would come to a standstill if he needs to manage the physical, political and legal fallout of such actions. With the airstrikes, the US has lost the power to bring Iran to the negotiating table on its own. It would need help from Russia and Europe, and maybe also China, to pursue nuclear talks with Iran. The world is in a dangerous phase. The writer is a security analyst and former director general of police
The Print
29 minutes ago
- The Print
Iran has fewer options & more risks than before. Its choices will affect all of Middle East
At the heart of this tectonic move was the deployment of the most penetrative weapon in the US arsenal—the GBU-57—used to target Iran's most fortified nuclear sites: the deeply hidden Fordow, along with Natanz and Isfahan. And with this strike, Trump continues the unbroken legacy of American presidents authorising military action in the Middle East. In a dramatic escalation this morning, the United States formally entered the war against Iran. While President Donald Trump had been publicly mulling his decision with vague references to a 'two-week window,' American B-2 bombers were already airborne—on a mission that would mark a seismic shift in the current US foreign policy. This marks a stunning departure for Trump, who won re-election on a promise that emphasised avoiding foreign military entanglements. Though initially hinting at restraint, he has now thrust the US directly into a volatile regional war. His abrupt mid-speech exit from the G7 summit in Canada suggested that something was brewing. That speculation was tempered by his two-week 'thinking period'—but all such ambiguity vanished with this morning's airstrikes, surprising Republicans, Democrats, and even Trump's own Make America Great Again (MAGA) base. Strategic deception The operation bore signs of strategic deception. Around 11 pm US time, six B-2 bombers were spotted heading west over the Pacific, refuelling midair near Hawaii, which now appear to have been decoys. In reality, another formation flew east from Missouri. These three B-2s undertook a 37-hour round-trip mission, refuelling midair before releasing a full payload of GBU-57s on Fordow. Each B-2 can carry two GBU-57s, suggesting that at least six of these 'Massive Ordnance Penetrators' (MOPs) were used. Fordow, located beneath a mountain and engineered to withstand conventional attacks, had been enriching uranium to 60 per cent—just short of weapons-grade—according to the recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report. This is the first time the GBU-57 has been used in combat. Weighing 30,000 pounds and capable of drilling through 200 feet of reinforced concrete, it's the 'grandfather of all bunker busters.' Until now, only its smaller cousin (GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast) had seen combat use, notably in Afghanistan. In his address to the nation, Trump praised the military's precision and confirmed all aircraft had returned safely, with no American casualties. But has Fordow's enrichment capacity truly been neutralised? While initial Battle Damage Assessments (BDAs) are emerging from satellite providers like Maxar, they cannot fully reveal what occurred 200-300 feet underground. Preliminary reports and Iranian statements suggest that the enriched uranium (Iran has over 400 kilograms spread across different sites) was moved to safer locations in advance, perhaps in anticipation of an imminent strike. It's worth recalling that during Israel's own operation—codenamed Rising Lion on 13 June—the focus was on bombing and disrupting the power supply to centrifuges at Natanz. However, neutralising Fordow was always beyond Israel's capability, underscoring the indispensable role of American airpower and assets. Also read: B-2 stealth bombers, 6 'bunker busters'—how US strikes on Iran unfolded What comes next? Iran is unlikely to accept this blow passively. Its initial response—launching a limited missile barrage on Israel—was muted, but Tehran has since declared that 'all options are open.' So what might those options be? The Iranian regime faces four broad paths: retaliate, collapse, accelerate its nuclear ambitions, or accept an 'off-ramp' by freezing enrichment for three years, as some backchannel discussions suggest. Yet, autocratic regimes are seldom inclined toward humility. Some form of face-saving retaliation seems inevitable before diplomacy can resume. Let's consider Iran's six primary retaliatory options, from most likely to most dangerous: Continue strikes on Israel: Iran still possesses around 1,200 missiles, both ballistic and hypersonic, and a substantial drone arsenal. It could continue targeting Israeli cities. This would serve domestic propaganda only, but would fall short of responding to a direct US attack. Activate Proxy Groups: Iran could mobilise Shia militant groups in Iraq, Syria, and Bahrain. However, with Hezbollah and Hamas significantly weakened, their capacity for meaningful retaliation may be limited too. That said, they are easy to launch and perhaps a safer option for wrecking instability while not playing with fire. Close the Strait of Hormuz: Iran's parliament has reportedly already approved the closure of this crucial oil corridor. But it amounts to mere signalling right now, as the final decision on the matter will be taken by the Supreme National Security Council. This critical waterway, however, has been seeing reduced shipping activity since tensions began to rise. A full closure would disrupt global oil supply and raise prices sharply. However, Oman shares maritime responsibility for the strait with respect to its management, and other regional players—concerned about oil stability—may oppose this move. Remember that oil prices are spiking already, and the region's sensitivity to that fluctuation remains imminent. Target US bases in Iraq: This remains the least dangerous way for Iran to hit back at the US. Iraq's weak defence posture and complex political landscape make it a vulnerable target, especially for indirect, deniable attacks, at best carried out by proxies. Iran had, in fact, targeted the Al Asad airbase in 2020, after the US killed Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani. Strike the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain: Such an act would be seen as a declaration of war. The risks of escalation would increase dramatically, and it would compel a decisive U.S. second response. Attack Centcom Headquarters in Qatar: Perhaps the most extreme scenario. A strike at the United States Central Command – popularly abbreviated as Centcom – here would turn a contained conflict into a full-scale war and draw in global actors. Iran is certainly not prepared to handle this escalation. Based on the current scenario, Iran is unlikely to risk options five or six. Tehran understands that provoking the world's most powerful military could lead to its own destruction, when an off-ramp now exists. Also read: Iran's brutal regime is facing a reckoning. Consequences of US attack will go beyond Tehran Trump's gamble President Trump appears to be betting that one powerful blow, paired with stern rhetoric and overwhelming military might, will push Iran toward the negotiating table. It's a plausible theory—but not a guaranteed outcome. What if Tehran refuses? What if, out of desperation or pride, the Iranian regime takes an unthinkable step? The Trump administration may believe it's holding all the cards. But history shows that military superiority doesn't always translate to strategic success—especially in a region as combustible as the one in question. Iran today finds itself in an unprecedented moment of strategic loneliness. Russia, once a close ally and a steady buyer of Iranian drones for use in Ukraine, has stayed noticeably quiet, preoccupied with its own unending war in Europe. China, too, has offered no more than muted diplomatic platitudes and some technical help, which is not enough to help Iran alter the situation. Even Iran's religious and ideological partners in the broader Muslim world – the Ummah brotherhood – have resorted to lip service. In this strategic vacuum, Iran has fewer options and more risks than ever before. Its choices will now shape not just its own future, but the stability of the entire region. The Indo-Pacific costs Perhaps the most underdiscussed consequence of this strike so far is the reorientation of American focus back to the Middle East, at the expense of its Indo-Pacific commitments. For India, this is concerning. Relations between Washington and New Delhi have already strained in recent months, through issues ranging from trade demands to perceived US interference in India-Pakistan matters. Washington's post-Operation Sindoor closeness with Pakistan further complicates the equation. India, which had hoped for a deepened US presence in Asia to counterbalance China, may now find itself watching from the sidelines for the time being, wondering whether America can multitask or reorient in time, or whether its Middle East preoccupation will yet again overshadow its Indo-Pacific convergence. Where things go from here is still uncertain. Trump campaigned against endless wars, and yet, we are back in a familiar place: American bombers over the Middle East, oil prices rising, and an adversary vowing revenge. This could be a one-time strike meant to cripple Iran's capabilities and offer an offramp for all. Or it could be the beginning of a much longer, bloodier cycle of retaliation. For now, the GBU-57 has officially entered the theatre of war, and the world just got a lot more dangerous. Swasti Rao is Consulting Editor (International and Strategic Affairs) at ThePrint. She tweets @swasrao. Views are personal. (Edited by Zoya Bhatti)
The Print
29 minutes ago
- The Print
From Qatar to Bahrain, mapping US military presence in Middle East as US enters Israel-Iran conflict
Fox News reported that Trump had spoken privately to its news presenter Sean Hannity, telling him that the US had 'completely obliterated' Iran's Fordow nuclear facility using six bunker-buster bombs dropped from three B-2 stealth bombers. Hannity further said that according to the president, the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites were 'wiped out' by 30 Tomahawk missiles launched from US submarines stationed approximately 400 miles (643 km) away. US President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes in a series of posts on Truth Social, shortly before addressing the nation from the White House. He said that the operation targeted Iran's nuclear complexes at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, describing it as a 'spectacular success' and warning that further action could follow, if Iran did not pursue peace. New Delhi: The United States carried out coordinated air and missile strikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions and signalling Washington's direct entry into the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The Iranian government strongly condemned the strikes at the nuclear facilities, with Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi describing the attack as 'dangerous, lawless and criminal', and saying that Iran reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and interests. 'The events this morning are outrageous and will have lasting consequences,' Araghchi wrote on X. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had warned Wednesday that US military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict would trigger 'irreparable' consequences. Following Sunday's strikes, Iranian state television aired a regional map highlighting American military bases in the Middle East, accompanied by the message, 'Mr. Trump, you started it, and we will end it.' JUST IN: Iranian state television displays a graphic of U.S. bases in the Middle East titled: "Within the fire range of Iran." "Mr. Trump, you started it, and we will end it." — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 22, 2025 As the possibility of Iranian retaliation and a deepening US role in the rapidly worsening conflict looms, ThePrint maps the extensive network of US military bases and assets across the region and their positioning in the unfolding conflict. Also Read: Why Fordow, Natanz & Isfahan facilities struck by US are critical to Iran's nuclear ambitions 19 military bases In the latest available estimate, a US defence official told American think tank Council on Foreign Relations that as of June 2025, approximately 40,000 American soldiers were deployed across the Middle East, many of them aboard naval vessels operating under US Central Command (CENTCOM)—a significant reduction from the height of US military involvement in the region, when troop levels peaked at 160,000 in Iraq in 2007, and 100,000 in Afghanistan in 2011. The US currently maintains military facilities at no fewer than 19 sites across the Middle East, with at least eight reported to be permanent. These installations span countries, including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. While most fall under the jurisdiction of CENTCOM, key bases in Djibouti and Turkey, though part of separate regional commands, frequently support American military operations in the Middle East. All of these host countries mentioned above have formal basing agreements with the US, with the exception of Syria, where US deployments had long been opposed by the Bashar Assad government. However, in May 2025, diplomatic ties between the two countries began to thaw, after Trump announced plans to lift sanctions and move toward normalising relations. Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar At the forefront of the US military footprint in the Middle East is Al Udeid Air Base, located southwest of Doha in Qatar. This base is widely considered the largest US military installation in the region, in terms of both personnel and operational capability. The base hosts an estimated 10,000 American troops and supports more than 100 aircraft, including surveillance drones, aerial refuelling tankers and strategic bombers. It also serves as the forward headquarters for CENTCOM and Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT), enabling the coordination of air and support operations across Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Al Udeid's runway reportedly can accommodate the US military's largest aircraft, including B-52 bombers and C-17 Globemasters, giving it immense strategic value for long-range strike and logistical missions. Recent satellite imagery showed a sharp drop in the number of visible aircraft at this base, suggesting a repositioning of key assets amid heightened regional tensions. Furthermore on Thursday, the US Embassy in Qatar issued a security alert, temporarily restricting its personnel from accessing the Al Udeid Air Base. The advisory urged heightened vigilance among embassy staff and US nationals in the country, citing 'an abundance of caution' amid escalating regional tensions. Naval Support Activity, Bahrain In Bahrain, the US Navy operates its regional maritime command out of Naval Support Activity (NSA) in the capital city of Manama. Built on the grounds of the former British naval facility HMS Jufair, the base now serves as the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet. It is reported to support between 8,000 and 9,000 military and civilian personnel, and provides command and logistical support for US naval operations spanning the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Red Sea, critical waterways for global energy flows, and maritime trade. From this command, carrier strike groups, submarines, destroyers and maritime patrol aircraft are coordinated to ensure sea lane security and maintain a steady deterrent posture in a volatile maritime environment. Currently, several US Navy ships are homeported there, including four mine countermeasure vessels and two logistical support ships. The US Coast Guard also maintains a presence, reportedly operating six fast response cutters out of Bahrain. Camp Arifjan, Kuwait To the north, Camp Arifjan in Kuwait serves as the US Army's principal logistics and sustainment hub in the region. Located approximately 55 kilometers southeast of Kuwait City, the base was established in the wake of the Gulf War and has evolved into a central transit and support point for US forces moving through the CENTCOM area of responsibility. The base plays a key role in warehousing prepositioned military equipment, including armored vehicles and missile defence systems, while also supporting command-and-control, intelligence and cyber operations that underpin the US Army's regional footprint. Al Asad Air Base, Iraq In western Iraq's Anbar province, Al Asad Air Base is one of the largest and most fortified American military installations in the region. Originally built by Saddam Hussein in the 1980s and captured by US forces in 2003, the base features two 13,000-foot runways capable of handling heavy-lift aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster III and C-5M Super Galaxy. At its peak during the Iraq War, Al Asad supported over 20,000 US and coalition troops, with full-scale infrastructure, including hardened aircraft shelters, radar facilities, drone launch sites and logistics compounds. Today, it hosts a smaller contingent of US and Iraqi forces operating under a joint command, primarily focused on intelligence-sharing, quick-reaction forces and counter-ISIS surveillance missions. Erbil Air Base, Iraq Further north, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, the Erbil Air Base serves as a forward operating location for US special operations forces and counter-terrorism missions. Although smaller in scale than Iraq's Al Asad Air Base, Erbil has grown in operational importance due to its proximity to northeastern Syria and its role in coordinating with the Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi Security Forces. This base has been critical in advisory, intelligence and quick-reaction missions, particularly in targeting the remnants of the Islamic State, and monitoring Iran-backed militia activity along the Syria-Iraq corridor. Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE In the United Arab Emirates, the US maintains a strategically important presence at Al Dhafra Air Base, located just south of Abu Dhabi. While smaller than Al Udeid in Qatar, Al Dhafra is reported to host some of the most advanced US air assets, including F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, E-3 AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System), KC-10 aerial refueling tankers and MQ-9B Reaper drones. The base is essential to the US military's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) network, and also serves as a launch point for rapid strike missions across the Gulf, Iraq And Syria. Given its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, Al Dhafra is further viewed as a frontline asset in any potential escalation involving Iran, and the US has made substantial investments in hardening its infrastructure there. Incirlik Air Base, Turkey Outside US Central Command's area of responsibility and operating under US European Command (EUCOM), Incirlik Air Base in Turkey also remains a strategically vital outpost. Located near the city of Adana, just 70 kilometers from the Syrian border, the base offers rapid access to conflict zones in Syria and Iraq, areas where Iranian-backed militias and proxy groups maintain a significant footprint. Incirlik has historically supported both US and NATO operations across the region and is widely reported to house up to 50 B61 tactical nuclear bombs under NATO's nuclear-sharing arrangement. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: What is Strait of Hormuz & why its closure by Iran could disrupt global energy trade
