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The Herald Scotland
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Will US attack Iran? Trump's Truth Social feed offers clues
In precarious moments like the one we are in now, as the world wonders if the United States will join Israel in attacking Iran, that's a problem. Trump's social media posts, and even his interviews with traditional news outlets, are often unserious and haphazard. He taunts his foes like an NBA point guard and relies on a stream of consciousness communication style that is both cringeworthy and dangerous in a world where wars are a constant threat. Please, Mr. President, stop. For the love of all that is peaceful and for the sake of the men and women who serve in our nation's military, would you close the app and put down the phone? Hey Trump, maybe log off Truth Social for a bit? Trump's social media page on Truth Social is a cacophony of thoughts that I'm loathe to read. He frequently posts messages to world leaders that ought to be conveyed, if at all, behind closed doors. Opinion: Trump must back Israel against Iran. 'Kooky' Carlson is wrong about nuclear threat. On June 17, Trump posted: "We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Reading that makes me nauseous. Trump is, after all, our nation's commander in chief and the stakes for Israel, the United States and the world couldn't be higher. On June 18, Trump responded to a reporter's question about a potential American strike on Iranian nuclear sites in his typical manner: "I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do. I can tell you this that Iran's got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate. And I said, why didn't you negotiate with me before? All this death, and destruction." He spoke about missile strikes like they were a casual game of checkers with a friend. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter on conservative values, family and religion from columnist Nicole Russell. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter on conservative values, family and religion from columnist Nicole Russell. Get it delivered to your inbox Trump has been like this for years, of course, but he's once again the president. What he says and how he says it, even where he says it, matters. A lot. In May, Trump described Russian President Vladimir Putin on social media as "absolutely CRAZY!" The United States was at the same time trying to negotiate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Not surprisingly, the carnage continues in that war. He is never shy about picking a fight. In February, Trump posted, "CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!" That successfully goaded progressives into the "No Kings" protests we saw recently. His supporters love that kind of drama. But now we're talking about war, not domestic politics and all of the silliness it entails. Opinion: Israel's successful attack on Iran is proof American support is worth the money Whatever happened to speak softly and carry a big stick? I'm not arguing that the president doesn't have the right to express himself on social media. He has often used his vast following to his advantage. However, when it comes to handling enemies like Iran and the terrible dangers of nuclear weapons, the world doesn't need the American president's half-baked thoughts served up at 3 a.m. Trump would do well to channel Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy adage, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." He also would do well to negotiate quietly, talk less, listen more and stop posting on social media every random thought that floats into his head. Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.
The Herald Scotland
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
See? Trump's tariff gamble paid off in new China trade deal
News of the trade agreement sent stock markets soaring. The S&P 500 climbed more than 3%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged more than 1,100 points and the Nasdaq Composite rose more than 4.3%. Stock analysts told USA TODAY that the trade deal means record highs for U.S. markets are once again possible after a rocky first few months of 2025. I have mixed feelings about Trump's use of tariffs as a negotiating tool. Tariffs are a tax on everything from groceries to clothes to automobiles. I can understand why Trump made this gamble - American workers will be the winners if more goods are manufactured in the United States. Even so, the tariffs have slowed economic growth, unsettled investors and cost Trump political capital with Republicans in Congress (which he will need if his tax cut proposal is to become law). Opinion: Trump's 'beautiful' tax bill will do a lot of good. But there's one big downside. China trade deal is better than expected However, things finally appear to be moving in the right direction. The administration announced a trade deal with the United Kingdom May 8, and the ceasefire in the trade war with China was achieved faster and more broadly than most analysts anticipated. "This was a larger-than-expected de-escalation ... though the negotiation process will likely remain challenging," Lynn Song, chief economist of greater China at Dutch bank ING, told USA TODAY. It's too early to pop the champagne. Trump's team must still broker a final deal with China by August. Otherwise, everything will revert to the chaos we've experienced since new tariffs were announced in April. What if Trump seals the deal with China? After Trump imposed tariffs on China, Canada, Mexico, the European Union and other trade partners, Democrats, the mainstream media and even a few Republicans blasted him. Opinion: Scott Jennings gives conservatives a voice on CNN. The media should listen. A CNBC story on April 12 cited a retailer who said Trump's tariffs on China will cause "irreversible" damage for U.S. businesses. Time magazine warned that the tariffs could trigger a global recession. And The New York Times described the tariffs as a self-inflicted debacle. I understand that reaction, but as I watched the markets soar May 12, I wondered if the news media would admit that Trump might have been right after all. Will journalists give him credit for negotiating a deal in a matter of weeks that could help Americans prosper for years to come? Sign up for our Opinion newsletter on conservative values, family and religion from columnist Nicole Russell. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter on conservative values, family and religion from columnist Nicole Russell. Get it delivered to your inbox Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently noted the news media's hesitancy to give Trump credit when it's due. "There was a story 10 days ago that said this is the worst April for the stock market since the Great Depression," Bessent said April 27 on ABC News' "This Week." "Ten days later, the Nasdaq is now up on the month of April, and I haven't seen a story that says oh, the stock market has biggest bounce back ever." I've noticed the same thing. The constant storyline from progressives and the media is that everything is awful all the time with Trump in the White House. But that's not the reality. When stocks soar, the economy surges and Americans prosper in the years ahead, will Trump's critics finally admit they were wrong all along? Nicole Russell is a columnist at USA TODAY and a mother of four who lives in Texas. Contact her at nrussell@ and follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @russell_nm. Sign up for her weekly newsletter, The Right Track, here.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
By what measure is America on 'the right path'?
Re: March 30 commentary, "Pleasant surprise: Trump has the US on right path," by Nicole Russell Nicole Russell says the U.S. is on the right track. Voters wanted the economy to get worse? We wanted the richest, most powerful nation to start a global trade war, send the stock market down, raise inflation and hurt low-income U.S. citizens the most? We wanted Canada, the EU, Greenland, Denmark and Panama to be our enemies? And wasn't Russia's war going to be over on Day 1? We wanted to have unelected billionaire Elon Musk lower taxes for billionaires by firing air traffic controllers, cutting U.S. AID and letting diseases like Ebola go unchecked, axing NOAA technicians who keep weather alert systems running, firing tax collectors and thus raising the U.S. debt, and cutting Social Security and Medicare? We wanted to join Russia in being against the Paris Climate Agreement and in not backing the United Nations resolution condemning Russia's aggression? We wanted to pardon Jan. 6 insurrectionists who attacked police? Don Hammond, Austin On the subject of income taxes, Democrats in particular have been demanding that certain groups — usually the very rich — must pay their "fair share" of taxes. A couple days ago, I saw President Trump's chart of tariffs imposed on us by other countries, compared to our tariffs on their imports to us. My opinion? It's high time the United States started collecting our fair share of tariffs. Kenneth K. Ebmeier, Round Rock First they came for women's reproductive rights, but I'd gone through menopause so I remained silent; then they came for the federal workers, but I'm retired so I remained silent; then they came for Blacks, but I'm white so I remained silent; then they came for the immigrants, but I'm a American citizen so I remained silent; then they came for the Muslims, but I'm a Christian so I remained silent; then they came for those on Medicaid, but I have Medicare so I remained silent; then they came for public schools, but my grandchildren are in private schools so I remained silent; and then they came for the universities, but I already have a degree so I remained silent. But now they're coming for my Medicare and my Social Security and I'm afraid there'll be no one left in this country to speak up. Sharon Austy, Fort Worth The Texas Legislature is off to a busy start, and rather than tackling the important issues facing Texans, my legislators are busy playing the culture wars. Rep. Ellen Troxclair is busy promoting her bill discriminating against people in the transgender community. Sen. Donna Campbell is concerned about Pride flags in classrooms and making sure students learn about the horrors of communism. Both support voucher bills that many Texans do not want. In the meantime, Texans are struggling with housing affordability, water shortages, healthcare and our deteriorating education system. Why won't you tackle real issues that matter to Texans? Karen Santhanam, Cedar Park Re: March 30 commentary, "Texas needs action to reverse literacy rates," by Amber Shields This piece needs to be reviewed by the governor, lieutenant governor and Texas lawmakers who favor voucher legislation. The opinion indicates the need for early child development for 3- and 4-year-olds. It also supports the tracking of literacy skills. A better idea is to create a state fund for employers, nonprofits (including religious organizations) and parents: a 'Super' Day Care/Early Development program for 3- and 4-year-olds. At the end of pre-K, students would be assessed for attending 'Super' kindergarten or regular kindergarten. The 'Super' kindergarten curricula would be half kindergarten/half first grade. The curricula for 'Super' first grade would be half first grade/half second grade, and so on, through 12th grade. Parents along the way could always select to place their children in regular classes. Bernard Schiff, Austin Re: March 27 article, "Georgetown district may fire librarian" My husband grew up on a farm in West Texas. His greatest joy was to go on Saturdays to the library, where he would check out five books. Andy's books were his greatest treasures throughout his life. He went on to become a Texas historian, teaching at Lamar University for 40 years. He wrote Texas history books for junior high, senior high and college students. They are all still used in Texas schools. After reading about Georgetown High School threatening to fire librarian Susan Cooper, I would like to thank her for having the courage of mind and heart to stand up, risking her job, refusing to carry out a book-removal order for 150 books per House Bill 900. Susan refused to comply to a "book ban." Thank you, Susan. You honor so many teachers, myself included. Sally Anderson, Meadowlakes A conference promoting eugenics and fertility was held last weekend in the University of Texas' AT&T Conference Center, on the Austin campus where I proudly served as a faculty member for 42 years. No words can fully describe the shame I feel. To be clear, I do not believe UT or the conference center are legally required or otherwise obligated to rent space to racist individuals and organizations. The conference organizers cannot advocate that they simply are entitled to free speech. Hate speech is not free speech. I fear in our current political climate, where colleges and universities are being attacked, institutions are easily pressured by outside political forces to do things they normally would see as wrong. My hope is that in the future, UT and other universities will stand up to these pressures. But for me there is no Hook 'em Horns today. Richard Cherwitz, Camas, Wash. Re: March 28 article, "'One tough grandma' mourned" Reading your article on the passing of Carole Keeton, I was reminded of her well-known traits of toughness, willpower and single-mindedness. I thought it worth noting that she was also kind, enthusiastic and infectiously funny. I'll never forget one day when I was asked at the last minute to join her as she read a proclamation for renowned Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges. Although there were only four of us in the small room, she projected her voice and read with great enthusiasm, making him smile again and again. Afterward, she talked to him about his time in Austin with considerable interest. He told me later that it was one of the most sincere and enjoyable presentations he had ever experienced. We'll all miss an authentic and joyful tough grandma. Paul Leche, Austin Re: March 30 column, "Tiny school district has a lesson for Texas," by Bridget Grumet I was pleased to read this column as it points out how school districts and communities can be invested in the success of their students. The Louise Independent School District has focused on this need to ensure not only the academic success of their students, but also their social and mental well-being. April Cubriel is both school counselor and chaplain and balances her counseling of students, focused first on the needs of the students and, 'if wanted,' a Christian context. In the Louise community, the superintendent says '85% to 90% of the families attend church' and are 'homogeneous in terms of our Christianity,' so this context is appropriate. However, Ms. Cubriel embraces an educational environment where all students can be successful, regardless of 'all our differences.' David J. Jones, Austin Sen. John Cornyn should review the history of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930. That law is credited with exacerbating the Great Depression by creating a global trade war. Is Cornyn prepared to repeat history at the expense of his constituents? As an intelligent man, he knows tariffs are not paid by the supplying nation. They are paid by the receiving companies and subsequently passed onto consumers, otherwise known as Texas constituents. If the Senate advances an extension of the 2017 tax cut bill — or any tax cut bill — in the face of a rapidly rising national debt and the confusion resulting from the "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" dismissal of important segments of our federal bureaucracy, it will be those legislators currently in office who will be held responsible. They should think real hard before toeing the party line on this issue. Warren Craig Hackler, Austin Social Security isn't a handout. It's a promise that millions of us older Americans have paid into with every paycheck. The Trump administration is dismantling an essential program, closing offices, cutting hotlines and spreading misinformation to justify these attacks. As an elder we deserve dignity, not broken promises. Ukraine is the canary in the mine. We must not allow Ukraine to fall. Russian aggression must be stopped. If Russia wants peace, it will go home. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas need to stand up for Social Security and Ukraine. Karen Langley, Manchaca How to submit a letter to the editor Send letters of no more than 150 words by using our online form at or send an email to letters@ We welcome your letters on all topics. Include your name and city of residence; we do not publish anonymous letters. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: By what measure is America on 'right path'? | Letters to the Editor
