Lefties Losing It: Trump drops ‘historical' F-bomb
Sky News host Rita Panahi has reacted to US President Donald Trump's "historic" F-bomb following the ceasefire collapse between Iran and Israel.
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The Advertiser
22 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
NATO members commit to spending hike sought by Trump
NATO leaders have backed a big increase in military spending that US President Donald Trump had demanded, and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack after a brief summit in the Netherlands. While Trump got what he wanted at the annual meeting, tailor-made for him, his NATO allies will be relieved that he committed to the military alliance's fundamental principle of collective defence. Trump told a press conference that "we had a great victory here," adding that he hoped that the additional funds would be spent on military hardware made in the United States. However, he threatened to punish Spain after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared it could meet its commitments to NATO while spending much less than the new target of five per cent of GDP. "I think it's terrible. You know, they (Spain) are doing very well ... And that economy could be blown right out of the water when something bad happens," Trump said, adding that Spain would get a tougher trade deal from the US than other European Union countries. In a five-point statement, NATO endorsed the higher defence spending goal - a response not only to Trump but also to Europeans' fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The 32 allies' brief communique added: "We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defence as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty - that an attack on one is an attack on all." Asked to clarify his own stance on Article 5, Trump said: "I stand with it. That's why I'm here. If I didn't stand with it, I wouldn't be here." Trump had long demanded in no uncertain terms that other countries step up their spending to reduce NATO's heavy reliance on the US. Despite an appearance of general agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the issue of the steep import tariffs threatened by Trump, and the damage they may do to transatlantic trade, as a barrier to increased military spending. "We can't say we are going to spend more and then, at the heart of NATO, launch a trade war," Macron said, calling it "an aberration". He said he had raised it several times with Trump. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who hosted the summit in his home city of The Hague, said NATO would emerge as a "stronger, fairer and more lethal" alliance. The former Dutch prime minister said Trump deserved "all the praise" for getting NATO members to agree on raising defence spending. Asked by a reporter if he had deployed excessive flattery to keep Trump onside during the summit, Rutte said the two men were friends and judgment of his approach was a matter of taste. The new spending target - to be achieved over the next 10 years - is a jump worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the current goal of two per cent of GDP, although it will be measured differently. Countries pledged to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence - such as troops and weapons - and 1.5 per cent on broader defence-related measures such as cyber security, protecting pipelines and adapting roads and bridges to handle heavy military vehicles. NATO leaders have backed a big increase in military spending that US President Donald Trump had demanded, and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack after a brief summit in the Netherlands. While Trump got what he wanted at the annual meeting, tailor-made for him, his NATO allies will be relieved that he committed to the military alliance's fundamental principle of collective defence. Trump told a press conference that "we had a great victory here," adding that he hoped that the additional funds would be spent on military hardware made in the United States. However, he threatened to punish Spain after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared it could meet its commitments to NATO while spending much less than the new target of five per cent of GDP. "I think it's terrible. You know, they (Spain) are doing very well ... And that economy could be blown right out of the water when something bad happens," Trump said, adding that Spain would get a tougher trade deal from the US than other European Union countries. In a five-point statement, NATO endorsed the higher defence spending goal - a response not only to Trump but also to Europeans' fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The 32 allies' brief communique added: "We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defence as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty - that an attack on one is an attack on all." Asked to clarify his own stance on Article 5, Trump said: "I stand with it. That's why I'm here. If I didn't stand with it, I wouldn't be here." Trump had long demanded in no uncertain terms that other countries step up their spending to reduce NATO's heavy reliance on the US. Despite an appearance of general agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the issue of the steep import tariffs threatened by Trump, and the damage they may do to transatlantic trade, as a barrier to increased military spending. "We can't say we are going to spend more and then, at the heart of NATO, launch a trade war," Macron said, calling it "an aberration". He said he had raised it several times with Trump. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who hosted the summit in his home city of The Hague, said NATO would emerge as a "stronger, fairer and more lethal" alliance. The former Dutch prime minister said Trump deserved "all the praise" for getting NATO members to agree on raising defence spending. Asked by a reporter if he had deployed excessive flattery to keep Trump onside during the summit, Rutte said the two men were friends and judgment of his approach was a matter of taste. The new spending target - to be achieved over the next 10 years - is a jump worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the current goal of two per cent of GDP, although it will be measured differently. Countries pledged to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence - such as troops and weapons - and 1.5 per cent on broader defence-related measures such as cyber security, protecting pipelines and adapting roads and bridges to handle heavy military vehicles. NATO leaders have backed a big increase in military spending that US President Donald Trump had demanded, and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack after a brief summit in the Netherlands. While Trump got what he wanted at the annual meeting, tailor-made for him, his NATO allies will be relieved that he committed to the military alliance's fundamental principle of collective defence. Trump told a press conference that "we had a great victory here," adding that he hoped that the additional funds would be spent on military hardware made in the United States. However, he threatened to punish Spain after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared it could meet its commitments to NATO while spending much less than the new target of five per cent of GDP. "I think it's terrible. You know, they (Spain) are doing very well ... And that economy could be blown right out of the water when something bad happens," Trump said, adding that Spain would get a tougher trade deal from the US than other European Union countries. In a five-point statement, NATO endorsed the higher defence spending goal - a response not only to Trump but also to Europeans' fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The 32 allies' brief communique added: "We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defence as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty - that an attack on one is an attack on all." Asked to clarify his own stance on Article 5, Trump said: "I stand with it. That's why I'm here. If I didn't stand with it, I wouldn't be here." Trump had long demanded in no uncertain terms that other countries step up their spending to reduce NATO's heavy reliance on the US. Despite an appearance of general agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the issue of the steep import tariffs threatened by Trump, and the damage they may do to transatlantic trade, as a barrier to increased military spending. "We can't say we are going to spend more and then, at the heart of NATO, launch a trade war," Macron said, calling it "an aberration". He said he had raised it several times with Trump. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who hosted the summit in his home city of The Hague, said NATO would emerge as a "stronger, fairer and more lethal" alliance. The former Dutch prime minister said Trump deserved "all the praise" for getting NATO members to agree on raising defence spending. Asked by a reporter if he had deployed excessive flattery to keep Trump onside during the summit, Rutte said the two men were friends and judgment of his approach was a matter of taste. The new spending target - to be achieved over the next 10 years - is a jump worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the current goal of two per cent of GDP, although it will be measured differently. Countries pledged to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence - such as troops and weapons - and 1.5 per cent on broader defence-related measures such as cyber security, protecting pipelines and adapting roads and bridges to handle heavy military vehicles. NATO leaders have backed a big increase in military spending that US President Donald Trump had demanded, and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack after a brief summit in the Netherlands. While Trump got what he wanted at the annual meeting, tailor-made for him, his NATO allies will be relieved that he committed to the military alliance's fundamental principle of collective defence. Trump told a press conference that "we had a great victory here," adding that he hoped that the additional funds would be spent on military hardware made in the United States. However, he threatened to punish Spain after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared it could meet its commitments to NATO while spending much less than the new target of five per cent of GDP. "I think it's terrible. You know, they (Spain) are doing very well ... And that economy could be blown right out of the water when something bad happens," Trump said, adding that Spain would get a tougher trade deal from the US than other European Union countries. In a five-point statement, NATO endorsed the higher defence spending goal - a response not only to Trump but also to Europeans' fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The 32 allies' brief communique added: "We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defence as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty - that an attack on one is an attack on all." Asked to clarify his own stance on Article 5, Trump said: "I stand with it. That's why I'm here. If I didn't stand with it, I wouldn't be here." Trump had long demanded in no uncertain terms that other countries step up their spending to reduce NATO's heavy reliance on the US. Despite an appearance of general agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the issue of the steep import tariffs threatened by Trump, and the damage they may do to transatlantic trade, as a barrier to increased military spending. "We can't say we are going to spend more and then, at the heart of NATO, launch a trade war," Macron said, calling it "an aberration". He said he had raised it several times with Trump. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who hosted the summit in his home city of The Hague, said NATO would emerge as a "stronger, fairer and more lethal" alliance. The former Dutch prime minister said Trump deserved "all the praise" for getting NATO members to agree on raising defence spending. Asked by a reporter if he had deployed excessive flattery to keep Trump onside during the summit, Rutte said the two men were friends and judgment of his approach was a matter of taste. The new spending target - to be achieved over the next 10 years - is a jump worth hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the current goal of two per cent of GDP, although it will be measured differently. Countries pledged to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence - such as troops and weapons - and 1.5 per cent on broader defence-related measures such as cyber security, protecting pipelines and adapting roads and bridges to handle heavy military vehicles.
The Advertiser
22 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Trump says US will hold talks with Iran next week
US President Donald Trump has hailed the swift end to war between Iran and Israel and says the United States will likely seek a commitment from Iran to end its nuclear ambitions at talks next week. Trump said his decision to join Israel's attacks by targeting Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-busting bombs had ended the war, calling it "a victory for everybody". "It was very severe. It was obliteration," he said, shrugging off an initial assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency that Iran's path to building a nuclear weapon may have been set back only by months. Speaking in The Hague where he attended a NATO summit on Wednesday, he said he did not see Iran getting involved again in developing nuclear weapons. Iran has always denied decades of accusations by some countries that it is seeking nuclear arms. "We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don't know. To me, I don't think it's that necessary," Trump said. Anxious Iranians and Israelis sought to resume normal life after the most intense confrontation ever between the two foes. Israel's nuclear agency assessed the strikes had "set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years". The White House also circulated the Israeli assessment, although Trump said he was not relying on Israeli intelligence. He said he was confident Iran would pursue a diplomatic path towards reconciliation. "I'll tell you, the last thing they want to do is enrich anything right now. They want to recover," he said. If Iran tried to rebuild its nuclear program, "We won't let that happen. Number one, militarily we won't," he said, adding that he thought "we'll end up having something of a relationship with Iran" to resolve the issue. The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi dismissed what he called the "hourglass approach" of assessing damage to Iran's nuclear program in terms of months needed to rebuild as besides the point for an issue that needed a long-term solution. "In any case, the technological knowledge is there and the industrial capacity is there. That, no one can deny. So we need to work together with them," he said. His priority was returning international inspectors to Iranian nuclear sites, which he said was the only way to find out precisely what state they were in. Israel's bombing campaign, launched with a surprise attack on June 13, wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military leadership and killed leading nuclear scientists. Iranian forces responded with missiles that pierced Israel's defences in large numbers for the first time. Iranian authorities said 627 people were killed and nearly 5000 injured in Iran, where the extent of the damage could not be independently confirmed because of tight restrictions on media. Twenty-eight people were killed in Israel. Israel claimed to have achieved its goals of destroying Iran's nuclear sites and missiles; Iran claimed to have forced the end of the war by penetrating Israeli defences. Trump said both sides were exhausted but the conflict could restart. Israel's demonstration that it could target Iran's senior leadership seemingly at will poses perhaps the biggest challenge yet for Iran's clerical rulers, at a critical juncture when they must find a successor for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, now 86 and in power for 36 years. President Masoud Pezeshkian, a relative moderate elected last year in a challenge to years of dominance by hardliners, said it could result in reform. "This war and the empathy that it fostered between the people and officials is an opportunity to change the outlook of management and the behaviour of officials so that they can create unity," he said in a statement carried by state media. Still, Iran's authorities moved swiftly to demonstrate their control. The judiciary announced the execution of three men on Wednesday convicted of collaborating with Israel's Mossad spy agency and smuggling equipment used in an assassination. Iran had arrested 700 people accused of ties with Israel during the conflict, the state-affiliated Nournews reported. US President Donald Trump has hailed the swift end to war between Iran and Israel and says the United States will likely seek a commitment from Iran to end its nuclear ambitions at talks next week. Trump said his decision to join Israel's attacks by targeting Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-busting bombs had ended the war, calling it "a victory for everybody". "It was very severe. It was obliteration," he said, shrugging off an initial assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency that Iran's path to building a nuclear weapon may have been set back only by months. Speaking in The Hague where he attended a NATO summit on Wednesday, he said he did not see Iran getting involved again in developing nuclear weapons. Iran has always denied decades of accusations by some countries that it is seeking nuclear arms. "We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don't know. To me, I don't think it's that necessary," Trump said. Anxious Iranians and Israelis sought to resume normal life after the most intense confrontation ever between the two foes. Israel's nuclear agency assessed the strikes had "set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years". The White House also circulated the Israeli assessment, although Trump said he was not relying on Israeli intelligence. He said he was confident Iran would pursue a diplomatic path towards reconciliation. "I'll tell you, the last thing they want to do is enrich anything right now. They want to recover," he said. If Iran tried to rebuild its nuclear program, "We won't let that happen. Number one, militarily we won't," he said, adding that he thought "we'll end up having something of a relationship with Iran" to resolve the issue. The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi dismissed what he called the "hourglass approach" of assessing damage to Iran's nuclear program in terms of months needed to rebuild as besides the point for an issue that needed a long-term solution. "In any case, the technological knowledge is there and the industrial capacity is there. That, no one can deny. So we need to work together with them," he said. His priority was returning international inspectors to Iranian nuclear sites, which he said was the only way to find out precisely what state they were in. Israel's bombing campaign, launched with a surprise attack on June 13, wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military leadership and killed leading nuclear scientists. Iranian forces responded with missiles that pierced Israel's defences in large numbers for the first time. Iranian authorities said 627 people were killed and nearly 5000 injured in Iran, where the extent of the damage could not be independently confirmed because of tight restrictions on media. Twenty-eight people were killed in Israel. Israel claimed to have achieved its goals of destroying Iran's nuclear sites and missiles; Iran claimed to have forced the end of the war by penetrating Israeli defences. Trump said both sides were exhausted but the conflict could restart. Israel's demonstration that it could target Iran's senior leadership seemingly at will poses perhaps the biggest challenge yet for Iran's clerical rulers, at a critical juncture when they must find a successor for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, now 86 and in power for 36 years. President Masoud Pezeshkian, a relative moderate elected last year in a challenge to years of dominance by hardliners, said it could result in reform. "This war and the empathy that it fostered between the people and officials is an opportunity to change the outlook of management and the behaviour of officials so that they can create unity," he said in a statement carried by state media. Still, Iran's authorities moved swiftly to demonstrate their control. The judiciary announced the execution of three men on Wednesday convicted of collaborating with Israel's Mossad spy agency and smuggling equipment used in an assassination. Iran had arrested 700 people accused of ties with Israel during the conflict, the state-affiliated Nournews reported. US President Donald Trump has hailed the swift end to war between Iran and Israel and says the United States will likely seek a commitment from Iran to end its nuclear ambitions at talks next week. Trump said his decision to join Israel's attacks by targeting Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-busting bombs had ended the war, calling it "a victory for everybody". "It was very severe. It was obliteration," he said, shrugging off an initial assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency that Iran's path to building a nuclear weapon may have been set back only by months. Speaking in The Hague where he attended a NATO summit on Wednesday, he said he did not see Iran getting involved again in developing nuclear weapons. Iran has always denied decades of accusations by some countries that it is seeking nuclear arms. "We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don't know. To me, I don't think it's that necessary," Trump said. Anxious Iranians and Israelis sought to resume normal life after the most intense confrontation ever between the two foes. Israel's nuclear agency assessed the strikes had "set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years". The White House also circulated the Israeli assessment, although Trump said he was not relying on Israeli intelligence. He said he was confident Iran would pursue a diplomatic path towards reconciliation. "I'll tell you, the last thing they want to do is enrich anything right now. They want to recover," he said. If Iran tried to rebuild its nuclear program, "We won't let that happen. Number one, militarily we won't," he said, adding that he thought "we'll end up having something of a relationship with Iran" to resolve the issue. The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi dismissed what he called the "hourglass approach" of assessing damage to Iran's nuclear program in terms of months needed to rebuild as besides the point for an issue that needed a long-term solution. "In any case, the technological knowledge is there and the industrial capacity is there. That, no one can deny. So we need to work together with them," he said. His priority was returning international inspectors to Iranian nuclear sites, which he said was the only way to find out precisely what state they were in. Israel's bombing campaign, launched with a surprise attack on June 13, wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military leadership and killed leading nuclear scientists. Iranian forces responded with missiles that pierced Israel's defences in large numbers for the first time. Iranian authorities said 627 people were killed and nearly 5000 injured in Iran, where the extent of the damage could not be independently confirmed because of tight restrictions on media. Twenty-eight people were killed in Israel. Israel claimed to have achieved its goals of destroying Iran's nuclear sites and missiles; Iran claimed to have forced the end of the war by penetrating Israeli defences. Trump said both sides were exhausted but the conflict could restart. Israel's demonstration that it could target Iran's senior leadership seemingly at will poses perhaps the biggest challenge yet for Iran's clerical rulers, at a critical juncture when they must find a successor for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, now 86 and in power for 36 years. President Masoud Pezeshkian, a relative moderate elected last year in a challenge to years of dominance by hardliners, said it could result in reform. "This war and the empathy that it fostered between the people and officials is an opportunity to change the outlook of management and the behaviour of officials so that they can create unity," he said in a statement carried by state media. Still, Iran's authorities moved swiftly to demonstrate their control. The judiciary announced the execution of three men on Wednesday convicted of collaborating with Israel's Mossad spy agency and smuggling equipment used in an assassination. Iran had arrested 700 people accused of ties with Israel during the conflict, the state-affiliated Nournews reported. US President Donald Trump has hailed the swift end to war between Iran and Israel and says the United States will likely seek a commitment from Iran to end its nuclear ambitions at talks next week. Trump said his decision to join Israel's attacks by targeting Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-busting bombs had ended the war, calling it "a victory for everybody". "It was very severe. It was obliteration," he said, shrugging off an initial assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency that Iran's path to building a nuclear weapon may have been set back only by months. Speaking in The Hague where he attended a NATO summit on Wednesday, he said he did not see Iran getting involved again in developing nuclear weapons. Iran has always denied decades of accusations by some countries that it is seeking nuclear arms. "We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don't know. To me, I don't think it's that necessary," Trump said. Anxious Iranians and Israelis sought to resume normal life after the most intense confrontation ever between the two foes. Israel's nuclear agency assessed the strikes had "set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years". The White House also circulated the Israeli assessment, although Trump said he was not relying on Israeli intelligence. He said he was confident Iran would pursue a diplomatic path towards reconciliation. "I'll tell you, the last thing they want to do is enrich anything right now. They want to recover," he said. If Iran tried to rebuild its nuclear program, "We won't let that happen. Number one, militarily we won't," he said, adding that he thought "we'll end up having something of a relationship with Iran" to resolve the issue. The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi dismissed what he called the "hourglass approach" of assessing damage to Iran's nuclear program in terms of months needed to rebuild as besides the point for an issue that needed a long-term solution. "In any case, the technological knowledge is there and the industrial capacity is there. That, no one can deny. So we need to work together with them," he said. His priority was returning international inspectors to Iranian nuclear sites, which he said was the only way to find out precisely what state they were in. Israel's bombing campaign, launched with a surprise attack on June 13, wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military leadership and killed leading nuclear scientists. Iranian forces responded with missiles that pierced Israel's defences in large numbers for the first time. Iranian authorities said 627 people were killed and nearly 5000 injured in Iran, where the extent of the damage could not be independently confirmed because of tight restrictions on media. Twenty-eight people were killed in Israel. Israel claimed to have achieved its goals of destroying Iran's nuclear sites and missiles; Iran claimed to have forced the end of the war by penetrating Israeli defences. Trump said both sides were exhausted but the conflict could restart. Israel's demonstration that it could target Iran's senior leadership seemingly at will poses perhaps the biggest challenge yet for Iran's clerical rulers, at a critical juncture when they must find a successor for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, now 86 and in power for 36 years. President Masoud Pezeshkian, a relative moderate elected last year in a challenge to years of dominance by hardliners, said it could result in reform. "This war and the empathy that it fostered between the people and officials is an opportunity to change the outlook of management and the behaviour of officials so that they can create unity," he said in a statement carried by state media. Still, Iran's authorities moved swiftly to demonstrate their control. The judiciary announced the execution of three men on Wednesday convicted of collaborating with Israel's Mossad spy agency and smuggling equipment used in an assassination. Iran had arrested 700 people accused of ties with Israel during the conflict, the state-affiliated Nournews reported.
The Age
26 minutes ago
- The Age
How Trump pivoted from bombing Iran to announcing a ceasefire in just 48 hours
In just 48 hours, President Donald Trump pivoted from an unprecedented bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities to announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, resulting in a flurry of diplomatic activity that left allies and adversaries scrambling to keep up. Trump's Monday evening announcement of the ceasefire, which appears to be holding despite breaches by both sides, reflects his mercurial decision-making process, which current and former officials say is unorthodox even by his standards. The president has largely sidestepped the traditional foreign policy establishment and the intelligence community in dealing with the Iran crisis. And in proclaiming victory and announcing major foreign policy moves, he has posted missives on social media rather than going through diplomatic channels. Early US intelligence reports have also suggested that the United States military strikes did not destroy Iran's nuclear program and may have set it back by only a few months, with stockpiles of highly enriched uranium relocated to other secure locations. 'This is Trump trying to declare success and then sell that version of reality to the American people and then hope that any countervailing facts get drowned out by other news,' Democrat Joaquin Castro, a member of the House Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committees, told The Washington Post. But some former officials say Trump could have found the slim path between preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon and preventing US military entanglement in another Middle East war. 'Trump's pivot back to negotiations puts the pressure on Iran to accept no enrichment,' Anthony Ruggiero, a former White House national security official during Trump's first term, said. 'The US military strikes provide Trump and his negotiators leverage to insist on significant limits on Iran's nuclear program.' A senior White House official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations, suggested that Trump had immediately begun to focus on the prospects of a ceasefire from the White House Situation Room on Saturday night, shortly after he saw US bombs hit nuclear sites in Iran.
