Zero Rss

Trump's Cryptic "The End Is Near" Post Sends Internet Into A Frenzy

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

In a development that quickly fueled online speculation, President Trump posted a video of Frank Sinatra performing his signature hit “My Way” on social media with no accompanying text or explanation. The move came just hours after he convened a high-level meeting in the White House Situation Room to discuss the ongoing standoff with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.

The post featured the classic track whose lyrics speak of independence and resolve. While Trump has long used the song at rallies, inaugurals, and even as Air Force One departed at the end of his first term, its sudden appearance amid rising tensions drew immediate attention.

Trump posted a video of Frank Sinatra performing “My Way”.

“And now, the end is near / And so I face the final curtain…
?Regrets, I’ve had a few / But then again, too few to mention…
?I did it my way.” pic.twitter.com/9y4aPnloZj

— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 19, 2026

I just woke up to this ?

Should I laugh or head to a bunker? pic.twitter.com/OLDXdQdLaZ

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 19, 2026

Donald Trump posting Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” has to mean something right…

“The end is near and so I face the final curtain.”

Is he dying? Is he stepping down? Or is he just trolling us? pic.twitter.com/DtDvAYjW9Q

— Power to the People ?? (@ProudSocialist) April 19, 2026

Trump on an apparent sentimental bender last night posted Sinatra's My Way on TruthSocial. Whoa. Get inside of his mind and listen to these lyrics. "and now the end is near…" end of everything type references. Trump dealing with his mortality? Something we should know about?? pic.twitter.com/lu9GjTfg6p

— IncarcerNation.com (@IncarcerNation) April 19, 2026

this one is far Worst than his end of the whole civilization threat. Donald Trump is becoming so erratic and unstable. pic.twitter.com/thlIdCaf8K

— Mars Jupiter (@sen_ven49488) April 19, 2026

This latest social media activity follows fresh statements from Trump on Truth Social addressing direct accusations of Iranian ceasefire violations. In the post, shared widely on X by accounts including RedWave Press, Trump laid out his position clearly:

“Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it? My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations. Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it. They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day! The United States loses nothing.”

He added, “In fact, many Ships are headed, right now, to the U.S., Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, to load up, compliments of the IRGC, always wanting to be ‘the tough guy!’ We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years. IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!”

MOMENTS AGO: President Trump on Truth Social: “Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it? My… pic.twitter.com/8s0ytsYCHE

— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) April 19, 2026

After a U.S.-brokered 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect, Iran initially announced the Strait of Hormuz was open to commercial vessels for the truce period. Oil prices dropped on the news. But the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) quickly reversed course, citing the continued U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and ships. Iranian officials, including Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned that without concessions the strait would remain closed.

Trump has maintained that the American blockade will stay in place until Tehran reaches a broader agreement that includes commitments on its nuclear program. He has described conversations with Iranian counterparts as productive but stressed that the U.S. position will not shift without concrete steps from the other side. No new direct talks are currently scheduled.

Saturday’s Situation Room session included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. According to Axios reporting, the focus was on assessing ceasefire compliance and preparing for possible next steps in negotiations. No immediate policy changes were announced afterward.

This episode echoes dynamics we previously covered, when major outlets claimed Trump was preparing to “nuke” Iran ahead of a deadline tied to the same Strait of Hormuz standoff. The White House pushed back firmly at the time, clarifying that any potential action would be conventional strikes on infrastructure rather than nuclear weapons. Media speculation ran hot then, much as it has with today’s cryptic post.

As of this writing, U.S. representatives are set to arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan, tomorrow evening for indirect negotiations. Iran has not publicly responded to the latest Trump statement, and shipping interests continue to watch developments closely given the strait’s critical role in global energy flows.

The situation remains fluid, with both sides signaling openness to a deal while holding firm on core demands. Whether the current pressure and diplomatic track yield results or further escalation will depend on the coming days of talks.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 15:10

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Finally Joins Reusable Rocket Club - But Suffers Craft Issues In Space

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket reached space on its third flight and successfully landed its booster for the first time, but ultimately failed to place an AST SpaceMobile satellite into low Earth orbit. The booster landed on a large barge in the Atlantic Ocean, while the satellite separated and powered on but ended up in what Jeff Bezos' rocket company described as an "off-nominal orbit."

pic.twitter.com/BMAUIwF5jk

— Dave Limp (@davill) April 19, 2026

The New Glenn rocket, carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite, blasted off from the launchpad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at about 7:25 a.m. local time. Its reusable first stage returned to Earth ten minutes later, touching down on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.

LIFTOFF! New Glenn clears the tower at LC-36, carrying @AST_SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite.

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) April 19, 2026

"BOOSTER TOUCHDOWN! 'Never Tell Me The Odds' has done it again!" Blue Origin wrote on X, with Bezos posting footage of the now-reusable rocket touching down on the barge.

pic.twitter.com/0WzaWjjjL9

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) April 19, 2026

However, the mission yielded mixed results for the Blue Origin team, which is already behind schedule with New Glenn and is trying to establish itself as a credible competitor to Elon Musk's booming SpaceX.

"We have confirmed payload separation. AST SpaceMobile has confirmed the satellite has powered on. The payload was placed into an off-nominal orbit," Blue Origin wrote in a follow-up X post after the booster touched down.

In other words, "off-nominal orbit" suggests that the BlueBird 7 satellite is not at the correct altitude, speed, or trajectory it was supposed to be, and what that means for the satellite's future remains highly uncertain.

AST SpaceMobile has partnered with several mobile network operators, the largest being AT&T, and has also worked with Verizon on direct-to-cell satellite connectivity.

Today's launch is the first of the year for AST SpaceMobile, which started 2026 with only seven satellites in orbit. The company aims to have 60 satellites in orbit by year's end.

Congratulations to Bezos on his first reusable first-stage rocket returning successfully to Earth, but for context, SpaceX has been doing this for years. Falcon 9 first-stage boosters have landed successfully in 598 of 611 attempts, with 573 of 579 for the Falcon 9 Block 5 version. A total of 565 reflights of first-stage boosters have all successfully launched their second stages and, all but one, their payloads.

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 14:35

Here's Why Trump's Hormuz Blockade Should Stoke 'Strait Chaos' For China

The currently closed Strait of Hormuz, situated between Oman and Iran, connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and has emerged as a major flashpoint in the US-Iran war. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, off Yemen's coast, has also remained a focal point among critical maritime chokepoints, given ongoing threats from Iran-linked Houthi rebels.

While both critical chokepoints have been in sharp focus in the news cycle and among US officials, institutional research desks, intelligence analysts, observers, the OSINT community on X, and even everyday viewers watching Fox News or CNN, there is also another set of regional and transregional straits that warrant additional monitoring given their importance to global energy flows and commercial shipping.

Shifting from the Hormuz chokepoint, the latest data from Bloomberg, citing AIS ship-tracking data, shows that tankers bound for China transiting from the Gulf area through the Strait of Malacca is yet another maritime chokepoint, especially for energy and trade flows into Asia. 

The Strait of Malacca, at its narrowest point, is only 1.7 miles wide, creating a natural bottleneck. Most of the tankers transiting the tiny but very critical strait are hauling crude and LNG bound not just for China, but also for Japan, South Korea, and other countries in the region. This strait is a key link between Hormuz and China's coastal refineries.

The list of narrow maritime chokepoints through which energy products flow on tankers should be very concerning to Beijing, given the US blockade of Hormuz and its potential to serve as a pressure campaign against China ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting.

Strait of Hormuz

This is the most important upstream chokepoint for China's Gulf oil imports. A large share of Chinese crude from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar must exit through Hormuz first.

Strait of Malacca

This is China's main downstream maritime bottleneck. Even after oil clears Hormuz, much of it still has to pass through Malacca on the way to East Asia. This is the classic "Malacca dilemma."

Singapore Strait

Operationally linked to Malacca. Disruption here would compound any pressure on vessels transiting between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

Lombok and Makassar Straits

These are major alternative routes if Malacca becomes constrained. Pressure here would matter because Chinese shipping would likely try to reroute through Indonesia.

Sunda Strait

Less ideal than Lombok, but still a secondary bypass route. It matters mainly in a broader interdiction or diversion scenario.

Bab el-Mandeb

This would affect Chinese crude and product flows tied to the Red Sea/Suez route, including some cargoes from North Africa or Atlantic Basin-linked trade. It is less central than Hormuz or Malacca for Gulf oil, but still important.

Our assessment here is that China's crude import routes are highly vulnerable at Hormuz and Malacca, and the US can certainly throw a wrench in that system and disrupt those flows, as Hormuz has proven.

Zoltan Pozsar of advisory firm Ex Uno Plures explained it best: the Trump administration is "methodically building a portfolio of assets" to pressure China, centered on strategic energy supply nodes and maritime chokepoints that have historically supported Beijing's cheap crude imports.

The obvious question is what happens if China doesn't play ball with the US ahead of Trump's upcoming Xi meeting. Beijing can clearly see the emerging pattern in which the Trump administration is willing to use US naval power, maritime chokepoints, and even the threat of blockade to generate leverage. That's why the other straits noted above should serve as a warning to the Chinese leadership.

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 13:25

Short-Covering Rally... Or Something More?

Authored by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,

▶ WEEK CLOSE:  S&P 500 7,126.06 (+1.2%)  |  Nasdaq 13-Day Win Streak (longest since 1992)  |  Russell 2000 New ATH  |  Brent Crude -9.1%  |  VIX 17.42

What began as a short-covering rally on April 7th has spent the last two weeks proving the bears wrong. Friday’s close at 7,126, the first finish above 7,100 in the index’s history, up 13.1% from the March lows, arrived alongside one of the most consequential single-session catalysts of the year. Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz “completely open.” Brent crude collapsed 9.1%. The Russell 2000 logged a new all-time high. The short-covering rally that skeptics said would exhaust itself in days has now run for three weeks and taken every major index to record territory.

The question every investor is asking right now isn’t whether to believe in the rally. The price action is undeniable, but the question is what kind of rally this actually is, and what investors who missed the initial short-covering rally should do about it.

The answer, as of Friday’s close, has shifted meaningfully. This no longer looks like a purely mechanical short-covering rally. The data is starting to point to something more durable. Here’s why that distinction matters, and what it means for your portfolio.

As we discussed in the #DailyMarketCommentary this past week, the recent price action felt like a release valve being pulled. Goldman’s prime brokerage flows guru, Lee Coppersmith, described a clear pivot toward risk-on, noting that sentiment has shifted toward FOMO among investors who dumped positions amid peak AI disruption fears and rising Middle East tensions.

That pivot makes sense from a mechanics standpoint. Short exposure across U.S. macro products, index futures, and ETFs had climbed to the 93rd percentile over the past five years, with hedge fund gross exposure near an all-time high of 307%. When the Iran ceasefire headlines crossed, that positioning became a coiled spring. Shorts covered, hedges unwound, and global equities were net bought for the first time in eight weeks, with Goldman’s Equity Fundamental Long/Short Performance Estimate rising 4.01%, the best weekly reading since February 2021.

That’s the good news, and we’ve seen this movie before. The build-up of stress in the market gets investors overly bearish, and then “hope” arrives, relieving the pressure. The “hope” causes a rush to gain positioning, short positions unwind sharply, and the headline indices surge.

The trap, however, is confusing the “market squeeze” with a new bull leg higher. Understanding which dynamic is actually driving this market right now is the most important analytical question any investor can ask.

A Review

The S&P 500 peaked at 7,002 on January 27th and spent the next eight weeks coming apart at the seams. The trigger wasn’t an earnings collapse or a credit event. It was a geopolitical shock that repriced three variables simultaneously: oil, inflation expectations, and the Federal Reserve’s flexibility.

When U.S. forces launched Operation Epic Fury in late February, Brent crude surged from roughly $72 per barrel toward a peak of $119–$120 by mid-March. The stagflation trade that the market had been dismissing suddenly had a fundamental basis. JPMorgan cut its year-end price target. Recession probability estimates at the major banks rose from 25% toward 50%. Five consecutive weekly losses followed, with the index falling 7.5% from the January peak to lows near 6,300 by late March. Short interest built to multi-year highs as institutional investors layered on hedges through ETFs. The market was coiled.

What followed was initially a textbook short-covering rally. The ceasefire on April 7th lit the fuse. Trump’s April 13th comment that Iran wants to ‘work a deal’ accelerated it. And Friday’s Strait of Hormuz announcement — combined with oil’s single biggest drop of 2026 — may have completed the transition from short-covering rally to genuine bull market resumption.

The initial move off the lows was textbook, short-covering rally mechanics. Short interest at multi-year highs, extreme bearish sentiment, and oversold technicals created the conditions. All that was needed was a catalyst, and Trump’s April 13th comment that Iran wants to “work a deal” provided exactly that. Now, we have all three pillars in place to determine, potentially, what happens next.

• Pillar One: The short-covering rally ignites.  According to AInvest analysis, total S&P 500 component short interest was at elevated levels as the index traded near its lows, creating a concentrated pool of traders who must eventually buy back shares. When the ceasefire news broke on April 7th, the buying cascade began. What followed was a short-covering rally that sent the Nasdaq to its best multi-session run on record. The velocity was characteristic of forced covering rather than fresh conviction buying, which is precisely why the bears initially dismissed it.

• Pillar Two: Geopolitical de-escalation extends the move.  A pure short-covering rally typically exhausts itself within a few sessions once the most exposed shorts are covered. What extended this one was sustained improvement in the Iran narrative. Ships began clearing the Strait of Hormuz blockade. The Islamabad negotiations shifted tone from bellicose to cautiously optimistic. Vice President Vance noted the “diplomatic off-ramp is wider than it was a month ago.” That war premium embedded in equity valuations began to dissolve, giving the short-covering rally a fundamental tailwind.

• Pillar Three: Earnings season anchors the move.  Goldman Sachs posted EPS of $17.55 against expectations of $16.47. Morgan Stanley beat with $3.43 versus a forecast of $3.02. JPMorgan cleared the bar on nearly every metric. The financials sector handed the market a fundamental anchor at exactly the moment it needed one. As TheStreet contributor James ‘Rev Shark’ DePorre observed: “Investors are betting on the long-term strength of the U.S. economy, with AI as the primary driver. The Iran situation is being treated as a temporary distraction.”

So, who is likely right: the bulls or the bears?

Short-Covering Rally or Something More?

Every investor right now is trying to answer that question.

If there is a single dataset that most clearly distinguishes a short-covering rally from a genuine bull-market resumption, it’s sector rotation. Short-covering rallies tend to be narrow; they lift the most-shorted names while leaving cyclical and economically sensitive sectors behind. Genuine recoveries broaden. The sector data from the wartime selloff (February 27 to March 30) compared to the recovery (April 7 to April 17) tells a very clear story.

Breadth has also improved sharply, but there is certainly more room to broaden.

However, that rotation is exactly what you want to see following a geopolitical shock. Energy, the wartime beneficiary, has given back its gains. Technology has led the recovery. Consumer discretionary has followed, with Friday’s cruise sector surge (Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival all up 9%+) signaling consumers are betting on normalcy. Industrials and financials have contributed. And the Russell 2000 has outperformed the S&P 500 by a margin that argues for something well beyond a short-covering rally. That’s five of eleven sectors posting meaningful gains with genuine fundamental drivers behind each.

Another important factor right now is earnings. As we noted earlier this week, Goldman Sachs is maintaining its year-end S&P 500 target of 7,600. That target is premised on $309 per share in 2026 earnings and 12% growth, which they describe as “a fundamental floor.” In their view, this is more supportive of a bull market.

“The bull market is maturing, not ending. With 12% earnings growth acting as a safety net, the transition offers a more sustainable path.“

On the other hand, we must also consider the bears’ argument. The argument that this is “just a short-covering rally” with no staying power may be true, but it gets harder to sustain when you study the historical record for geopolitical shocks of comparable magnitude. Across more than 20 major events since World War II, the pattern is consistent: markets recover faster than most investors expect, and the investors who stay disciplined through the short-covering rally phase and into the recovery tend to come out ahead.

The current episode has already outpaced the average recovery time of under 60 days, completing its round-trip to new highs in just 21 days. The speed is notable, comparable to the post-Iraq War recovery of 2003, which went on to produce a 33.7% 12-month return. The COVID comparison (148 days to recover, then +43.6% over six months) is also instructive. What initially looked like a mechanical short-covering rally in April 2020 turned out to be the opening act of one of the most powerful bull markets of the modern era. The key distinction in all these cases is what’s happening beneath the surface, and in 2026, that’s increasingly constructive.

The weight of evidence has shifted. At the start of this week, our scorecard was roughly balanced — three confirmed bull signals against three legitimate bear concerns. As of Friday’s close, the bull case has added three material confirmations: Russell 2000 at a new ATH (breadth), oil’s single-session collapse (geopolitical resolution), and sector rotation into cyclicals (genuine buying, not short-covering alone). The bear case retains one critical point: RSI at 72.3 argues for near-term patience on new entries, not a reversal of the trend.

The verdict: This is no longer a short-covering rally. It was one when it started. It isn’t one anymore. The transition from a mechanical short-covering rally to a fundamental bull market resumption typically happens when:

• The shorts have been largely covered,

• Breadth expands,

• Sector rotation confirms the recovery is economic rather than positioning-driven, and

• A fundamental catalyst removes the original trigger for the selloff.

As of Friday, all four conditions have been met.

🔑 Key Catalysts Next Week

The calendar pivots from bank earnings to the consumer and Big Tech, with March Retail Sales, Tesla, and the final pre-FOMC sentiment read all compressed into five sessions. The April 27–28 FOMC meeting looms, with the Fed in its quiet period. That means every data point this week will be interpreted through the lens of what it means for rate policy under new Chair Kevin Warsh (assuming confirmation by then) or lame-duck Powell.

Tuesday’s March Retail Sales is the week’s economic anchor and the first consumer spending report to fully capture the oil price spike at the pump and the tariff pass-through into goods prices. February’s report was already soft. If the control group, which feeds directly into the GDP nowcast, contracts, the slowdown narrative hardens further heading into the FOMC. Pending Home Sales will also tell us whether buyers are pulling back as mortgage rates reverse higher. UnitedHealth reports that morning as well, and with the healthcare cost trend approaching 11% and Medicare Advantage pressure weighing on the managed care sector, a read on both healthcare inflation and corporate margins will be important.

Wednesday is the marquee earnings day. Tesla after the close is the event: Q1 deliveries already missed expectations, margins are under pressure, and the street is trying to price a company that’s spending aggressively on AI and robotaxi infrastructure while the core auto business decelerates. Musk’s macro commentary will move futures. IBM (IBM) reports the same evening that the AI enterprise revenue trajectory is critical following February’s 13% single-day plunge amid fears of disruption from Anthropic. ServiceNow (NOW) is also the SaaS bellwether, with its “Now Assist” agentic AI product now past $600 million in ACV. Philip Morris (PM) that morning tests consumer pricing power with $500 million in guided tariff headwinds.

Friday closes with a one-two punch: Durable Goods Orders for the capex demand signal, and the final UMich Consumer Sentiment reading for April. The inflation expectations embedded in UMich are the last data point the Fed will see before convening. A spike in five-year expectations above 3% would all but guarantee a hawkish hold, while a decline would crack the door for dovish language.

In a nutshell, Retail Sales will tell us if the consumer is breaking. Tesla will tell us whether the growth premium is justified, and UMich will signal the Fed’s next move. All with the FOMC one week away. Position defensively into Wednesday’s close.

What To Do If You Missed The Rally

This is the most emotionally loaded question in the room. If you have been listening to the “Perpetual Purveyors Of Doom,” you watched a short-covering rally turn into an 11% surge and a new all-time high, and now you’re wondering whether to chase it. The instinct is understandable. The discipline required to resist the “negative commentary” is what separates good investors from the rest.

Here’s what history consistently shows: most breakouts that begin as a short-covering rally, and then sustain above key moving averages, offer a secondary entry point within 4 to 6 weeks of the initial move. Markets rarely transition from correction lows to sustained new highs in a straight line. The more common path involves:

• An initial surge (the short-covering rally phase),

• A consolidation or shallow retest of former resistance, and

• Then a continuation move. That retest is your entry.

Therefore, as shown below, depending on how you are currently invested, you can take actions to navigate whatever comes next.

The macro backdrop hasn’t been cleared of all risk, as oil remains above $90 per barrel, inflation is sticky, and the Fed has no near-term rate cuts in the pipeline. The ceasefire is fragile, and the Islamabad negotiations haven’t yet produced a signature. Any deterioration on those fronts is a reason to reduce exposure, not add to it.

What we are watching most closely over the next two to three weeks isn’t the price level, it’s the breadth confirmation. We want to see the percentage of S&P 500 stocks above their 200-day moving average cross back above 60%, then 70%. We want to see volume improve on up-days and dry up on pullbacks. And we want to see earnings season deliver results that justify the multiple, not just the sentiment reset that a short-covering rally provides.

BOTTOM LINE:  The S&P 500’s return to all-time highs is technically significant, but significance and sustainability are not the same thing. Yes, a short-covering rally lit the fuse, but the sustained move above the 200-day moving average, the improving VIX, and the early earnings beats suggest something more durable may be taking shape. History is clear that markets recover from geopolitical shocks faster than almost anyone expects. The investors who come out ahead aren’t the ones who chase; they’re the ones who use pullbacks to build positions in quality names, maintain discipline on stops, and resist the urge to mistake speed for safety. The next two to three weeks of earnings will tell us whether this is a new leg higher or the best exit ramp before a retest.

Trade accordingly.

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 12:50

Marjorie Taylor Greene Amplifies Viral Doubts About Butler Assassination Attempt

Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has drawn attention to a detailed personal account from a longtime Trump supporter who now questions key elements of the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on then-candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In an April 12 post on X, Trisha Hope, a self-described J6 activist and 2024 Republican National Convention delegate from Texas, details how she shifted from staunch MAGA supporter to skeptic -  writing "I learned of the attempt on Trump's life at the Butler rally.  I was in the middle of having dinner at a restaurant in Little Rock, AR."

Then, at the convention, she thought it was strange that Trump opened his speech by saying he would recount the incident “exactly” once because “it’s actually too painful to tell,” which she found out of character for someone who makes everything about himself. Hope also thought that the 'ICONIC' photograph of Trump rising with fist raised, shouting “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT” was weird and “perfectly timed” with a flag lowering and Secret Service agents positioned as if for a staged shot.

"Following the inauguration, I found it odd that Trump wasn't going aggressively after those who allowed this to happen.  He seemed to behave like it was no big deal," she writes, adding that Trump later promoted Sean Curran - the agent visible in the white shirt in that photo - to head of the Secret Service on January 22, 2025, rather than dismissing anyone for security failures. She also questions Trump’s limited subsequent references to the event, except to say he “took a bullet for us,” and argues that Corey Comperatore’s death was necessary to make the incident believable, while his widow has been denied ongoing answers. Hope concludes by urging readers to apply “critical thinking skills” and have “at least some questions.”

"Instead of his SS detail being terminated as they should have been, Trump made the gentleman in the white shirt the HEAD of the Secret Service on January 22, 2025.  Instead of losing his job Sean Curran was given a massive promotion," she said. 

I was a long time Trump supporter, I became a National Delegate to make certain Trump was seated as the nominee.

While en-route to Wisconsin, I learned of the attempt on Trump's life at the Butler rally. I was in the middle of having dinner at a restaurant in Little Rock, AR.… pic.twitter.com/Ed1gz2HiyB

— Trisha Hope - National Delegate-TX (@JustTheTweets17) April 12, 2026

Greene - a former MAGA loyalist whose split with the party over the Epstein files, airstrikes on Iran, Trump's continued support for Israel and the Gaza conflict, and US involvement in Ukraine - led to her November 2025 resignation from Congress, amplified the post six days later. 

"Extremely important post worth the read and consideration. Corey Comperatore’s family deserves to know the truth about Matthew Crooks and what happened in Butler on July 13, 2024," Greene wrote. "President Trump, of all people, should be leading the charge. Why isn’t he? That’s the question."

Extremely important post worth the read and consideration.
Corey Comperatore’s family deserves to know the truth about Matthew Crooks and what happened in Butler on July 13, 2024.
President Trump, of all people, should be leading the charge.
Why isn’t he?
That’s the question. https://t.co/kTpoRHYsYZ

— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) April 18, 2026 The Official Story

According to the FBI, congressional investigations, and law enforcement accounts, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, acted alone when he fired eight rounds from an AR-15-style rifle from the roof of a building near the Butler Farm Show grounds. The shots grazed Trump’s right ear, killed 50-year-old volunteer firefighter and former fire chief Corey Comperatore (who was shielding his family), and critically injured two other attendees, David Dutch and James Copenhaver. A Butler County Emergency Services Unit officer and a Secret Service counter-sniper returned fire; Crooks was killed on the roof. The FBI has stated after extensive interviews and analysis that Crooks acted alone, though questions about his motive have persisted. Security lapses were acknowledged, including how Crooks was able to access the rooftop despite local police spotting him earlier, but the incident was classified as a genuine assassination attempt.

The Official Doubt

A growing number of voices - particularly from within former Trump-supporting circles - aren't buying it - arguing that the iconic photograph appeared too perfectly composed to be spontaneous, with the flag lowering in sync, agents seemingly posing, and Trump allowed to stand exposed on stage for the image. Some note Trump’s RNC remarks as unusually curt, suggesting an intent to shut down further discussion rather than capitalize on the drama. Critics highlight the promotion of a Secret Service agent involved in the detail instead of widespread firings or accountability, and Trump’s relative silence on the matter afterward beyond occasional references to “taking a bullet.”

Trumps just been shot but here’s the Secret Service guiding photographers around ignoring danger to get the famous photo while the crane operator lowers the flag into position ignoring the danger.

Staged event. pic.twitter.com/P922el59kJ

— Irlandarra (@martinez_j7902) April 18, 2026

Skeptics also note several early security lapses and immediate post-incident actions as further reason to question the official timeline. Video and photographs show FBI investigators hosing down the rooftop where Crooks was killed the day after the shooting, arguing the scene was cleaned too quickly and that biological evidence was potentially lost. 

Then there's police radio chatter that captured officers spotting Crooks, losing sight of him, and struggling to clearly relay the escalating threat between local law enforcement and the Secret Service - communications that were later explained as coordination failures but struck many as highly unusual. Multiple confirmed reports show Crooks was identified as suspicious, photographed with a rangefinder roughly 90 minutes before the shooting, and was spotted on the roof by Secret Service snipers about 20 minutes before he fired - details critics say should have prompted immediate action to remove Trump from the stage or secure the building.

NEW - Trump Assassin video shows him crawling on the roof while multiple people point him out to police

They yelled about him for *almost an entire minute*

It’s insane how Secret Service allowed this amateur to almost kill Trump pic.twitter.com/CWfHBGzOCp

— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) July 15, 2024

BREAKING: New footage shows Trump rally attendees desperately shouting to law enforcement that there was someone with a gun on top of a structure.

How the hell did rally attendees see the suspect before Secret Service and police??

"He's got a gun! He's got a gun!" they… pic.twitter.com/VaiNDp3ZH9

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 14, 2024

What say you?

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 12:15

Warrantless Surveillance Fight Again Ignites Massie vs. Trump Showdown

Via The Libertarian Institute

President Donald Trump said Congress must extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) even if it means giving up “rights and privileges.” Section 702 allows for the collection of Americans’ data without a warrant. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged House Republicans to reject any amendments to the legislation that would extend Section 702. “I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor,” he wrote. “We need to stick together when this Bill comes before the House Rules Committee today to keep it CLEAN!”

Republican Congressman Thomas Massie attempted to introduce three amendments to the legislation that would have required law enforcement to obtain a warrant before collecting Americans’ data. His amendments were rejected. 

Trump argued that he and Americans should be willing to sacrifice their 4th Amendment right to privacy in exchange for security.

"While parts of FISA were illegally and unfortunately used against me in the Democrats’ disgraceful Witch Hunt and Attack in the RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA Hoax, and perhaps would be used against me in the future, I am willing to risk the giving up of my Rights and Privileges as a Citizen for our Great Military and Country!" He added, "Our Military Patriots desperately need FISA 702, and it is one of the reasons we have had such tremendous SUCCESS on the battlefield."

Congress last voted to extend Section 702 in 2024. If Congress does not pass a new extension, the government’s Section 702 powers will expire on Monday. The House is currently considering an 18-month extension. 

Last night between midnight and 2am, they tried to pass two bad versions of FISA…

Both would have allowed Feds to unconstitutionally spy on Americans.

We stopped both versions, but the fight isn’t over. Eventually, it was decided to give them two more weeks to fix FISA. https://t.co/VkckZwH5j4

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 17, 2026

During the debate in 2024, Trump, who was then a Republican Presidential candidate, demanded Congress terminate FISA. “KILL FISA, IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS. THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN!!!” Trump wrote. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson is seeking to fulfill Trump’s demand to extend Section 702 before the deadline.

However, he is struggling to pressure enough Republicans to vote for the legislation without amendments. Capitol Hill sources told Politico that a vote is unlikely to happen this week as Johnson does not believe enough Republicans will vote for the bill.

* * *

Massie, a Trump defying Republican and Libertarian-leaning firebrand, is up for reelection in the House...

Rep. Thomas Massie puts his Republican 'brand' against Trump's in Kentucky https://t.co/HXjhXKBgZQ pic.twitter.com/whNG10JsPV

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) April 15, 2026 Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 11:40

Uranium Supply Crunch Worsens Amid Kazakhstan’s Plan For Strategic Reserve

Drawing further attention to the global uranium supply-demand mismatch that we've been pounding the table on since 2020, Kazakhstan has outlined plans to accelerate exploration and create a strategic reserve for the nuclear fuel. 

We've repeatedly emphasized that the US is not moving fast enough if it hopes to secure fuel for its reactor fleet…

US Is Rapidly Expanding Its Nuclear Supply Chain: It's Not Nearly Fast Enough https://t.co/gly9hVAKnr

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 19, 2026

The strategy, approved by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, calls for geological work on at least two new prospective deposits each year. The goal is to uncover high-potential resources while advancing development on already explored sites to refine estimates, extraction methods, and launch preparations.

Kazakhstan, the world’s top uranium producer with roughly one million tonnes of confirmed resources (14 percent of the global total as of early 2025), operates 14 extraction enterprises across multiple regions. 12 are joint ventures with partners from China, Russia, France, Canada, and Japan.

Kazakhstan stands alongside Australia and Canada as the main source of uranium ore imports to the US...

The document emphasizes guaranteeing long-term domestic supply for future nuclear power plants, strengthening export positions, and ensuring reliable sulfuric acid deliveries for in-situ leaching. It also envisions new alternative extraction technologies and full loading of future conversion, enrichment, and fabrication facilities with domestically sourced uranium.

As we highlighted in “Why The Price Of Uranium Is About To Soar,” a widening cumulative net deficit of 211 million pounds between 2025 and 2045, driven by reactor builds in China, Russia, and the United States, is already pushing long-term prices higher. Spot uranium recently traded near $86 per pound, with Goldman Sachs models pointing to roughly $91 by year-end 2026.

We also covered earlier this year on how hyperscalers such as Microsoft are actively exploring uranium-backed projects to secure zero-carbon electricity. With data center capex nearing $1 trillion over the last six years, data center developers have decided now is the time to check for fuel.

The hyperscalers have already outspent the most famous US megaprojects pic.twitter.com/D54qD8kO61

— Fin Moorhouse (@finmoorhouse) April 17, 2026

More countries are likely to announce strategic uranium reserves as the supply outlook for the industry becomes more bleak by the week...

China is adding reactors at breakneck speed and India is now looking to catch up, but the US is still grossly behind the rest of the world when it comes to construction of large-scale grid-supporting reactor plants…

Four months later, China has added 9 more reactors and is now building a total of 39 nuclear power plants. Meanwhile the US has added 0 and is still building 0 https://t.co/TJ6BoMghNk pic.twitter.com/O4idOANNUr

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 15, 2026

With the US still nearly completely reliant on the import of raw uranium ore, domestic producers such as Energy Fuels and Uranium Energy Corp stand to be called upon and supported by federal and state governments to reduce what could be framed as a national energy security threat. 

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 11:05

Is A "Vicious" Treasury Market Emergency At Our Doorstep?

 Submitted by QTR's Fringe Finance

When Henry Paulson steps back into the public conversation after years of relative silence, it’s not random timing. This is someone who sat at the center of the 2008 financial crisis and understands how quickly confidence can evaporate once stress begins to build in core markets.

Paulson also appears to be one of about…oh, I don’t know…six people in the entire nation who know that $39 trillion in debt is an unsustainable level for the country.

If you ask me, his recent interview with Bloomberg that is being passed around by traders should be read less as random innocuous commentary and more as a timing signal.

In his interview, Paulson is explicitly warning that the scale of U.S. borrowing is now testing confidence in the Treasury market itself. With federal debt approaching $39 trillion, he points to the risk that the long-standing assumption of endless demand for U.S. government debt may no longer hold.

As he put it, “That’s a dangerous thing,” describing a scenario where foreign demand declines and Treasury prices fall. That is not a small shift in tone. The entire global financial system is built on the idea that Treasuries are the ultimate safe asset, and once that perception begins to weaken, the consequences cascade quickly.

What stands out even more is what he says next about how such a situation would resolve: “Should enough investors back out… the Federal Reserve would step in as a buyer of last resort.”

And as we all know, a “buyer of last resort” is simply another way of describing a return to large-scale intervention by the Federal Reserve. Whether policymakers call it stabilization, liquidity support, or something else (like the A.S.S.H.O.L.E.S. plan), the mechanism is the same: the central bank absorbs supply when the market no longer can. In other words, quantitative easing returns.

That leaves two realistic interpretations of why Paulson is speaking now.

1. Either he sees early signs of stress already forming beneath the surface of the Treasury market—declining foreign participation, weakening liquidity, or rising yields that are no longer being absorbed smoothly.

2. Or he is helping prepare the narrative for the policy response that will follow when those stresses become undeniable. Those two possibilities are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they often occur together.

His comments about needing an emergency response framework make that even clearer. He said, “We need an emergency break-the-glass plan… ready to go when we hit the wall,” and followed it with “It will be vicious.”

🔥 50% OFF FOR LIFE: Using this coupon entitles you to 50% off an annual subscription to Fringe Finance for life: Get 50% off forever

Notice he said when we hit the wall, not if.

That is not the language of a former official casually discussing long-term fiscal challenges. It is the language of someone who expects a disorderly adjustment and understands how quickly conditions can spiral once confidence breaks.

Markets already assume that after the next deleveraging cycle, central banks will return to QE. That part is widely understood. What is not fully appreciated is the implication if the stress originates inside the Treasury market itself. Treasuries are not just another asset class. They underpin global collateral systems, anchor borrowing costs across the economy, and support the U.S. dollar reserve currency status. If confidence in that market begins to erode, the feedback loop is far more severe than a typical recessionary downturn.

In that scenario, the Federal Reserve stepping in as the marginal buyer would not simply stabilize markets. It would fundamentally alter how capital allocates globally. Real yields could compress rapidly, confidence in fiat stability could weaken, and capital could rotate into hard assets at a pace that exceeds even aggressive expectations. The move would not just be cyclical, it would be structural.

The second-order risk is even more significant. If foreign demand for Treasuries fades and the U.S. increasingly relies on its own central bank to finance deficits, the signal to the rest of the world is unmistakable. That is how pressure begins to build on a reserve currency. An FX adjustment tied to the dollar is not the base case today, but neither was a systemic breakdown in mortgage markets prior to 2008. These transitions always look implausible until they are suddenly obvious.

The key point is that Paulson is not someone who reappears without purpose. He understands the plumbing of the system and the fragility that sits beneath it when leverage is high and confidence is stretched. His warning that “We have to prepare for that eventuality” should not be dismissed as generic caution. It suggests that the risks are no longer theoretical.

There is more in his comments than a simple observation about rising debt levels. Either he sees stress forming already, or he is preparing markets for the policy response that will follow when that stress becomes visible. In both cases, the implication is the same: something larger is developing beneath the surface of the Treasury market, and when it breaks into the open, the consequences will extend far beyond bonds.

For portfolio ideas for this scenario, read this article at Fringe Finance here. 

--

QTR’s Disclaimer: Please read my full legal disclaimer on my About page here. This post represents my opinions only. In addition, please understand I am an idiot and often get things wrong and lose money. I may own or transact in any names mentioned in this piece at any time without warning. Contributor posts and aggregated posts have been hand selected by me, have not been fact checked and are the opinions of their authors. They are either submitted to QTR by their author, reprinted under a Creative Commons license with my best effort to uphold what the license asks, or with the permission of the author.

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Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 10:30

Fury As Nigerian Migrant Caught Cooking Cat In Public Park Next To Children's Playground

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

A Nigerian immigrant was arrested in Sarzana, Italy after local residents spotted him roasting a freshly killed cat on a makeshift barbecue in a Park—right beside a children’s playground.

The man, described as shoeless, had set up a grate over an open fire in the Crociata public space dedicated to a local partisan commander. Passersby called the carabinieri (Italian police), who arrived to find him in the act. He was charged with animal cruelty offences.

The shocking scene, captured in photos that quickly spread online, has triggered nationwide anger in Italy. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini branded it “a heinous act that must not go unpunished.”

🇮🇹 Sarzana. Policja zatrzymała Nigeryjczyka, który zabił i upiekł na grillu kota parku publicznym na oczach przechodniów. Dostał zarzuty znęcania się nad zwierzętami. „Okrutny czyn, który nie powinien mieć miejsca w cywilizowanym społeczeństwie”, komentuje radny ds bezpieczeństwa pic.twitter.com/mLdg08SrsI

— Adam Gwiazda (@delestoile) April 17, 2026

Sarzana’s Administrative Officer and Security Councillor Stefano Torri reacted with fury, urging “What happened this afternoon in Crociata Park is an atrocious act that cannot and should not have a place in a civilised society,” he stated.

Torri went further: “As an Administration, we are ready to reiterate strongly: we will not allow anyone to come into our territory to import sick and barbaric customs and customs. Those living in our country have a duty to respect our laws and our sensitivity towards animals. We won’t tolerate our land being turned into a theatre of the uncivilised by those who have no respect for the rules of civil life.”

He promised improved safety measures and to “return it to the citizens,” adding that the administration is working on a tender to bring “positive aggregation, order, light and legality” back to the park.

It remains unclear whether the cat was a family pet or a stray.

Apparently this is quite common place among the new Italian populace:

Meanwhile in Italy. Man, who is not named, tried to cook a cat using a makeshift fire on a pavement near to the Campiglia Marittima station in the province of Livorno, Tuscany. pic.twitter.com/Uk3Jg8GQ8L

— Enigma (@BrumsBlueArmy) October 28, 2023

Nor is it isolated across the West. Just last month we reported on migrants filmed catching and butchering swans and ducks in parks and canals across the UK and Ireland.

Protected birds were trapped in crude wire cages, snatched from waterways, and prepared for consumption in scenes that left locals stunned.

These cases drew direct parallels to Springfield, Ohio, where Haitian migrants faced accusations of grabbing ducks by the neck, decapitating them in parks, and taking them home to eat.

A city commission meeting heard residents testify to the practice, and a clip later surfaced showing the city manager admitting he had “heard about” the reports of Haitian migrants eating pets—despite frantic media efforts to dismiss the claims as baseless.

The pattern is unmistakable. Open-border policies continue to import individuals en mass with entirely incompatible habits that clash with basic Western norms

Public parks are meant for families and children, not open-air barbecues of neighbourhood cats. When authorities have to step in to “return” spaces to the people who actually built and maintain them, it’s a damning indictment of how far unchecked immigration has already gone.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 09:20

US Prepares To Board Iran-Linked Ships Globally Following Iranian Gunboat Attack On Tanker In Hormuz Summary: 

• US officials: War may resume if no peace talks breakthrough: Axios
• Two Iranian gunboats Open Fire on a tanker near Oman; 2nd tanker hit by 'unknown projectile'.
• India summons Iranian ambassador to condemn incident
• Pentagon prepared to expand anti-vessel action, signals prepared to board Iran-linked ships globally
• Friday: Hormuz Open; Saturday: Hormuz Closed 
• Trump: Iran wanted to close up Strait again, can't blackmail us

//--> //--> Strait of Hormuz traffic returns to normal by end of April?
Yes 28% · No 72%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

*  *  *

WAR will Resume?

Not good, amid reports Pakistan peace talks could also resume, Monday perhaps:

US OFFICIAL TELLS AXIOS WAR MAY RESUME IF NO BREAKTHROUGH

🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷President Trump convened a White House Situation Room meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the renewed crisis around the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations with Iran, according to two U.S. officials. My story on @axioshttps://t.co/jElAytN5LF

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 18, 2026 Reaction by India

New Delhi has summoned the Iranian ambassador to condemn the IRGC Navy's attack on one of its tankers earlier in the day:

US Prepares to Board Iran-Linked Ships Globally

According to the latest headlines there was a second tanker incident: a Container ship reportedly hit by 'unknown projectile' in second incident while other traffic stalls.

Meanwhile on Saturday the Pentagon is signaling yet another major escalation in the latest effort to reassert US leverage over the Hormuz crisis. It is preparing to expand the fight not just to the Hormuz/Persian Gulf regions, but broadly to the high seas.

"The U.S. military is preparing in coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, according to U.S. officials, expanding its naval crackdown beyond the Middle East," WSJ reports. This means the American military will pursue vessels around the world that are helping Iran, as it steps up 'Economic Fury' as an extension of 'Epic Furty'. WSJ comments further:

The planning comes as the Iranian military continues to tighten its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, attacking several commercial vessels on Saturday as it declared the waterway was being “strictly controlled” by Iran. The developments sent shipping companies scrambling a day after Iran’s foreign minister said the strait was fully open to commercial traffic—an announcement that was welcomed by President Trump.

Audio of the Indian oil tanker Sanmar Herald pleading with Iranian forces to stop shooting at it in the Strait of Hormuz this morning. pic.twitter.com/7Y5n7Jb7o0

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 18, 2026

The past days have seen both sides try and declare and assert control over the vital waterway and their own blockade based on rival 'conditions' for ship passage. But all of this has meant a continued effective closure. US Central Command (CENTCOM) has cited that the US Navy has already turned back at least 23 ships after they were at Iranian ports. In the meantime Trump is still claiming Iran agreed to hand over its enriched uranium - or nuclear 'dust' - but Tehran has made clear it will never do so, dismissing this as a made-up fantasy.

Meanwhile...

Iranian Forces Open Fire On Tanker 

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports that a tanker was "approached by 2 IRGC gunboats, with no VHF challenge, and then fired upon."

UKMTO did not provide any further details about the two Iranian vessels that fired on the tanker or the type of weapons used in the maritime incident, which was reported to have occurred 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman.

Assume that President Trump is about to become absolutely furious on Truth Social. One can also assume that backchanneling and behind-the-scenes talks are not going well if an incident like this occurred ahead of the U.S.-Iran weekend negotiations.

Hormuz Closed (Again) 

The Trump administration’s "baffle 'em with bullshit" methodology has been on full display, as the reopening of the Hormuz chokepoint on Friday drove a broad risk-on in markets: US equities soared, crude collapsed, and Treasury yields declined, based on the assumption that disruption to global energy flows had eased. However, as of early Saturday morning, those moves may prove premature.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the world’s most important maritime chokepoint is once again closed to commercial transit.

About 20 ships waiting to enter the Persian Gulf through the maritime chokepoint have turned back toward Oman after Iran’s military declared the waterway closed again, amid a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

And rejected: the two tankers taking the neutral route, Minerva Evropi and Nissos Keros, have turned around; the Sanmar Herald which appears to be taking the Iran-sanctioned Larak island route is proceeding. https://t.co/aceBI7ki0B pic.twitter.com/gmkM37iA1U

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 18, 2026

The OSINT community on X is reporting a Hormuz closure as well... 

A bit of chaos in Hormuz this morning as nearly all of the outbound tankers have abruptly turned around.

Follows an announcement by Iranian military leadership that the Strait has "reverted to its previous state of strict military control." pic.twitter.com/XSc6lvxwJo

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 18, 2026

MERCHANT VESSELS RECEIVE RADIO MESSAGE FROM IRANIAN NAVY SAYING STRAIT OF HORMUZ SHUT AGAIN, NO SHIPS ARE ALLOWED TO PASS THROUGH, SHIPPING SOURCES SAY

— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) April 18, 2026

The vessels had reportedly been prepared to pay $2 million in tolls to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to pass through, but radio warnings indicated the strait was closed.

WSJ notes:

They are now turning back because the Revolutionary Guards are sending radio messages that the strait is closed, according to one Hong Kong owner with a container ship waiting to transit the strait.

Overnight, Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, wrote on X that President Trump's "false" claims won't help in US-Iran negotiations...

1. The President of the United States made seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false.
2. They did not win the war with these lies, and they will certainly not get anywhere in negotiations either.
3. With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open.
4. Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the "designated route" and with "Iranian authorization."
5. Whether the Strait is open or closed and the regulations governing it will be determined by the field, not by social media.
6. Media warfare and engineering public opinion are an important part of war, and the Iranian nation is not affected by these tricks. Read the real and accurate news of the negotiations in the recent interview of the Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Earlier, President Trump said peace talks with Iran are making progress and will continue over the weekend.  

“We had some pretty good news 20 minutes ago, but it seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran,” Trump told reporters traveling to Washington on Air Force One, according to MS Now. “We’ll know over a little period of time. We’re negotiating over the weekend.”

Trump said one main issue is recovering material from Iran’s nuclear program, which he said the U.S. would remove after any agreement is signed.

“Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade is going to remain. But maybe I won’t extend it, so you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we’ll have to start dropping bombs again,” Trump said.

Polymarket odds of the Hormuz chokepoint returning to normal status by the end of April have been on a rollercoaster ride over the last 24 hours, peaking at 64% on Friday morning after Iran announced the waterway was open, but dropping to 32% following Iran's announcement that the maritime chokepoint was closed early Saturday.

//--> //--> Strait of Hormuz traffic returns to normal by end of April?
Yes 33% · No 68%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

Here are the latest headlines from the Middle East:

Strait of Hormuz Status

• Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday for commercial shipping during a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon (BN) (BN)
• Iran swiftly reversed course on Saturday morning, reimposing restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz after the US said it would not end its blockade of Iran-linked shipping (AP) (SMP) (WSJ)
• Iranian forces announced control over the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous status under strict Iranian administration and supervision (NS8) (AFP)
• Some 20 ships lining up to cross the Strait of Hormuz were turning back toward Oman after Iran's military said the waterway was closed again (WSJ)

Shipping Activity

• A convoy of eight tankers was crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, comprising one very large crude oil carrier, several oil product and chemical tankers and LPG carriers (NS8)
• Four tankers loaded with Qatari LNG within the Persian Gulf moved toward Hormuz in the last 12 hours, with no loaded LNG shipment having exited the Gulf since late February (BN)
• More crude oil and gas carriers began testing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday despite mixed messages from Iranian authorities (BN)

US-Iran Negotiations

• Iran has not yet agreed to a next round of negotiations with the US due to Trump’s announcement of a naval blockade and excessive US demands (BV)
• Trump said a deal with Iran to end the seven-week war may be imminent, claiming most main points are finalized (BN) (BN)
• Trump claimed Iran has agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely, though Iran’s Foreign Ministry said enriched uranium won’t be transferred anywhere under any circumstances (BN) (BN)

Market Activity

• Strait To New Record Highs: Hormuz Hopes Spark Risk-On Wrecking Ball Across Markets
• Inverse Fear Is Taking Over The Market

Friday's US-Iran Wrap

• Iran Bats Down 'Baseless' Trump Claim On Handing Over Enriched Uranium To US, As He Declares Hormuz 'Never Again' Closed

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Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 09:14

U.S. Navy Deploys Sea Robots To Sweep Hormuz Chokepoint For Mines

The US military is deploying unmanned and autonomous surface platforms that can tow an advanced mine-hunting sonar system to detect sea mines that were deployed by Iranian naval forces. This development comes even as Iran closed the Hormuz chokepoint on Saturday morning.

By Sunday morning, Iran's chief negotiator said some progress had been made in negotiations with the US, but there is still a long way to go before a deal is reached.

Despite the volatility in the Hormuz chokepoint's operational status, somewhat like Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold," the US military deployed numerous sea drones towing the floating sonar minesweeping system. 

WSJ explained: 

The Common Uncrewed Surface Vessel, a drone made by RTX that tows a new floating sonar system called the AQS-20, scans the bottom of the sea for mines, patrolling columns that are 100 feet wide at a time.

Battery-powered submarine drones, called the MK18 Mod 2 Kingfish and the Knifefish, made by General Dynamics can be dropped in the water from a small boat and then scan for mines in a pattern.

MK18 Mod 2 Kingfish

Knifefish

"You're less concerned about attrition, so sending them through the minefield is much more palatable, and if you lose some, they can be replaced," said Scott Savitz, a senior engineer at Rand who previously worked with the Navy's mine warfare command and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.

The minesweeping push by the US Navy is unfolding alongside the US blockade at Hormuz, which the Trump administration hopes will pressure Tehran in talks.

On Saturday, Iran shut the waterway, and two Iranian gunboats fired on a tanker near Oman, while a second tanker was hit by a "projectile."

Clearing the backlog of tankers trapped in the Gulf could take weeks or months, and restarting energy assets in the region will also take time. There is also a loss of sizeable energy production capacity in the Gulf area, such as LNG production in Qatar, which could take several years to return to prewar levels. We've noted that the beneficiary of this loss production will be US energy exporters in the Gulf of America.

Autonomous minesweeping operations in Hormuz by the US Navy are part of a broader push toward automation and AI on the modern battlefield, as low-cost unmanned systems rise and future wars are expected to be fought with robots.

Related:

• US Deploys Ukrainian-Style Drone Boat In Iran War As AI Weapons Race Accelerates

• US Launched Kamikaze Drones Against Iran, Reflecting Lessons Learned From Ukraine

And this:

• Zelensky's Interceptor Drones Deployed Across Eurasia, Now Shooting Down Iranian Shaheds

Can't stop the 'Rise of Skynet'....

• AI' Kill Chains' And Rise Of Skynet-Like Weapons Offer Glimpse Of 2030s Battlefield

The core issue is that the hyperdevelopment of low-cost autonomous warfare systems in Ukraine, Russia, China, and elsewhere has effectively pulled 2030s-era warfare into the present. Washington is already preparing for that threat on the Homeland (read here).

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 08:45

Turkey Could Be 'Next Iran' For Israel: US Envoy Scrambles To Calm Tensions

Via Middle East Eye

US Envoy Tom Barrack has downplayed escalating tensions between Turkey and Israel as just "rhetoric" and pushed for regional cooperation between the two countries in security and energy projects.

Speaking during a panel at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Barrack pushed back against comments from some officials in both countries that suggested they could come into conflict in the near future. "I think Turkey is just not a country to be messed with," Barrack said.

​​​​​Handout: Antalya Diplomacy Forum via AFP

Barrack said that both countries were seeing a distorted image of each other as a result of sensationalized media coverage that painted both as expansionist.

"So if you wake up in Tel Aviv, you read the newspaper, what do you see? You see the diagram on the paper of The Ottoman Empire 2.0, which is Vienna to the Maldives, right," he said.

"You wake up in Istanbul and read the paper and it's Greater Israel."

Turkey was the first Muslim-majority country to recognize the state of Israel in 1949, and has enjoyed largely cordial security and trade ties throughout most of their modern history.

However, since the 2010 attack on the Mavi Marmara flotilla, when Israeli forces raided a Turkish ship delivering aid to Gaza and killed 10 of those on board, tensions have been strained and the government has increasingly hit out at Israel's treatment of the Palestinians.

The 'next Iran'?

The most recent attempt to restore relations in September 2023 - which saw Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting and shaking hands for the first time in New York - collapsed the next month after the 7 October Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the subsequent genocide in Gaza.

Since then, the rhetoric has escalated from politicians in both countries, with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett describing Turkey as potentially the "next Iran" in March.

The US government has staunchly backed Israel's military actions across the region, including joining its war on Iran. However, Turkey's status as a Nato member and US President Donald Trump's stated admiration for Erdogan has led American officials to seek to restore relations between the two countries.

Barrack told the forum in Antalya that the energy price shocks from the Iran war had proven the importance of regional cooperation to maintain energy security.

"Everything comes from Turkey. It's fiber optics. We're talking about Azerbaijan and Armenia, which is flowing oil, gas, information, data and materials. Where does it go? How does it go?" he said.

"So Israel aligned with Turkey, like Israel aligned with Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia could be aligned with Israel and, for the prosperity of the Israeli people, to me that's the answer."

Some recent rhetoric out of Israeli media:

'No matter how much Trump might deny it, Israel has grave concerns over Erdoğan of Turkey with very good reason.'@perry_dan on #TheRundown with @Nicole_Zedeck pic.twitter.com/KgPvInm5Oe

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 30, 2025

Barrack added that Israel should go further, and try to engage Turkey as part of the International Stabilisation Force established for Gaza as part of the ceasefire deal signed in September. "The smartest thing that Israel could do is to entice and embrace Turkey to enter that force," he said.

Barrack said that Erdogan's interactions with the Palestinian group Hamas was instrumental for reaching a deal to release Israeli hostages, and that it happened because Ankara didn't designate the group.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also met with Barrack on Monday for what they said was a "productive" meeting.

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 08:10

Huge Provocation: Russia-Installed Official In Ukraine Hosts Talks With North Korean Envoy

Both Kiev and Washington have been met with a new provocation related to North Korea's role in supporting Russia during the over four-year long Ukraine war, at a moment Russia continues to claim sovereignty over Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

Ukraine and its Western backers have vehemently rejected Russia's hold on Ukrainian territory, and efforts to annex and politically normalize the occupation. But now, for the first time a Russian-installed official in Kherson is hosting North Korean diplomats in an 'official' capacity. 

Vladimir Saldo (left) and Shin Hong Cheol.

"A Russian-installed official in occupied southern Ukraine has held talks with North Korea's ambassador in Moscow, discussing potential cooperation in agriculture and other sectors, according to statements and media reports," writes The Moscow Times.

It highlights the deepened political and defense ties between Pyongyang and the Kremlin amid the Ukraine war, which the Kim Jong Un government sees as a war of NATO imperialist aggression:

Vladimir Saldo, the Moscow-appointed head of the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s Kherson region, met North Korean Ambassador Sin Hong Chol at the North Korean Embassy in Moscow, South Korea’s Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

Saldo later published photographs of the meeting on social media, saying the sides explored possible collaboration in agriculture and humanitarian initiatives, as well as culture, sports and education.

But there's huge symbolism in the meeting, also in seeking to publish news of it far and wide. Russia has long demanded international political recognition of its militarily-held territories in Ukraine. This recognition is expected to start with its closest allies - but for now has stopped there.

Previously, it became well-known that North Korea sent at least 10,000 of its troops to help Russia in Ukraine. The CIA and Western countries expressed deep alarm over this.

International reports based on South Korean intelligence estimates earlier this year said that around 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting alongside Russia so far.

Now it seems the Kremlin is ready to increasingly play host to North Korean officials and greet them with open arms, working on bilateral deals and partnering in programs in agriculture and public programs.

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 07:35

Spain's Last Chance: Could Far-Left Govt's Mass Legalization Of Migrants Be Blocked By Supreme Court?

Via Remix News,

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his far-left government are not over the finish line yet when it comes to their plan to legalize hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants. Now, the Spanish legal group Hazte Oír have made the first successful step in challenging the far-left government’s “Royal Decree,” which was used to pass the legislation without a vote from parliament.

After Hazte Oír’s application was accepted for processing by the Spanish Supreme Court, the government now has a non-extendable 20-day deadline to hand over the complete administrative file regarding mass legalization.

While it does not guarantee a reversal, it places the decree in a state of significant legal uncertainty. By admitting the case, Spain’s top court has found sufficient legal grounds to examine the merits of the lawsuit rather than dismissing it outright.

🇪🇸🚨With up to 800,000 migrants set to be legalized in Spain, massive crowds have gathered outside the Moroccan Consulate in Almería.

The Moroccan Government says it will streamline documentation so that its citizens can quickly become regularized.pic.twitter.com/GK4Q62yVVs

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) April 16, 2026

The Supreme Court will verify whether the government followed correct legal procedures and whether it possessed the constitutional authority to use a Royal Decree for a mass regularization, according to La Razon.

The legal risk for the government currently remains high. The plaintiffs argue that such a measure requires a formal law passed by Parliament rather than a simple cabinet decree. Crucially, Hazte Oír has requested a precautionary suspension of the law. If the Supreme Court grants this, the legalization process would be frozen immediately while the judges deliberate on a final ruling.

Hazte Oír argues that if the decree is allowed to proceed, it will create “irreparable damage” by granting legal status to hundreds of thousands of people — a situation that would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reverse even if the decree is later found to be illegal.

Already, scenes showcasing thousands of migrants across the country lining up at different embassies to receive the proper paperwork to apply for legalization have spread across social media. The law, which went into effect on April 15, has proven controversial and been fiercely opposed by conservative and right-wing parties.

“These are the lines to manage mass regularization in each municipality of Spain. Tomorrow this chaos will move to the health centers, to the social services, to the real estate agencies… It’s called thirdworldization. It’s already happening. Our priority is to reverse it, radically,” wrote Vox party leader Santiago Abascal.

Estas son las colas para gestionar la regularización masiva en cada municipio de España.

Mañana este caos se trasladará a los centros de salud, a los servicios sociales, a las inmobiliarias...

Se llama tercermundización. Ya está pasando. Nuestra prioridad es revertirla,… pic.twitter.com/kfxq0tO5Wf

— Santiago Abascal 🇪🇸 (@Santi_ABASCAL) April 16, 2026

In contrast, Sánchez has been active promoting his Royal Decree, writing: “Thanks to civil society, institutions, the Church, social agents, and the Plataforma Regularización Ya for making it possible. Regularizing is not just necessary: it is just. It is recognizing a reality that already exists. It is guaranteeing rights and obligations, dignity and social cohesion.”

Hoy arranca un proceso histórico, damos un paso de justicia para quienes ya forman parte de nuestra vida cotidiana.

Gracias a la sociedad civil, a las instituciones, a la Iglesia, a los agentes sociales y a la Plataforma Regularización Ya por hacerlo posible.

Regularizar no es… pic.twitter.com/Zm3ErHEHft

— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) April 16, 2026

The law is expected to have not only a dramatic effect on Spain, including its public services, but all of Europe, as these legalized migrants will have the right to travel freely across borders within the EU.

The lawyer of Hazte Oír is pointing out the irreversible nature of the decree to argue that it is most certainly a law that should have been passed by parliament. The appellant association, Javier María Pérez-Roldán, refers specifically to the transformative aspect of the law on the Spanish system, noting “the granting of residence and work authorizations; registration with Social Security; access to benefits; and the suspension of final expulsion orders.”

Hazte Oír indicates that the Royal Decree “structurally alters the State’s immigration policy, with direct and lasting effects” on the labor market, the public benefits system, the municipal registry, “and, in the medium term, the electoral roll.”

As many critics of the law have also pointed out, the mass amnesty will have profound effects on public services, which are already buckling under the pressure of mass immigration.

“Massive regularization without planning directly impacts the saturation of essential public services (educational and social), affecting the collective interests that this association defends,” said Pérez-Roldán.

While the Supreme Court did not grant an immediate suspension, that suspension could still arrive once the court reviews the documentation justifying the law. In such a case, the process of legalization could be frozen, creating a legal limbo for all migrant applicants.

Royal Decrees are also legally reserved for situations of “extraordinary and urgent need.”

Hazte Oír argues there is no “sudden emergency” that justifies bypassing the normal legislative process. They argue the government is using a “shortcut” to avoid political friction in Congress.

In contrast, the government argues the situation is urgent because of labor shortages in key sectors like agriculture and hospitality, and the humanitarian need to bring “invisible” people into the social security system to fund future pensions.

It is unclear if the Supreme Court will buy this argument from the government.

While the Royal Decree was used to bypass parliament, which allowed the government to fast-track the process of legalization, it may also still prove the decree’s downfall.

Read more here...

Tyler Durden Sun, 04/19/2026 - 07:00

Netanyahu Left 'Personally Stunned' By Trump Rhetoric Prohibiting Lebanon Strikes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his inner circle were reportedly blindsided - left "stunned" - after President Trump dropped a surprise line effectively clipping Israel's wings in Lebanon, according to Axios, citing sources familiar with the exchange.

On Friday, Trump declared the US had "prohibited" further Israeli strikes just as the administration-brokered 10-day ceasefire with Lebanon kicked in. The US President was unusually harsh in rhetoric with America's longtime #1 Mideast ally, writing on Truth Social that "enough is enough".

AFP via Getty Images

The words were clearly not directed at Lebanon, or Hezbollah, but squarely at Israel and its deadly air campaign which had included intense bombing of Beirut at the South for the last week-and-a-half.

The statement set off alarms in Jerusalem, with Israeli officials scrambling for clarity from Washington. Almost everything out of the Trump administration has up to now been generally glowing and positive when it comes to Israel and Netanyahu.

However, Axios captures the reaction in Tel Aviv, in a Saturday report saying "Netanyahu was personally stunned and alarmed when he learned of the post, the sources said."

Israel is set to pause offensive ops, but still says it reserves the right to "take all necessary measures in self-defense at any time against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks."

The NY Times has highlighted that all of this has put Netanyahu in a tough spot:

Now, the prime minister’s critics, and even some of his allies on the right, have seized on what appears plain as day: his inability to resist Mr. Trump’s pressure, not just in pushing to bring the long-distance war with Iran to a close but even in demanding a truce with an enemy directly across Israel’s northern border.

“A cease-fire must come from a position of strength and be an Israeli decision, reflecting leverage that serves negotiations,” said Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff whose new centrist opposition party, Yashar, is gaining in the polls. “A pattern is emerging in which cease-fires are being imposed on us — in Gaza, in Iran and now in Lebanon.”

Again, this actually constitutes some of the toughest talk and restrictions ever imposed on Israel from this administration. This suggests the White House is indeed serious about cobbling together a final offramp.

Still, Netanyahu has declared that the fight with Hezbollah is not over, while at the same time confirming Israel's agreement with the 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon.

"One hand holds a weapon; the other is extended for peace," Netanyahu said in a fresh speech. "I will say honestly, we have not yet finished the job," he continued. "There are things we plan to do regarding the remaining rocket threat and the drone threat, which I will not detail."

Israel seeks to "dismantle" Hezbollah, Netanyahu continued, "but this will not be achieved tomorrow. It requires sustained effort, patience, and careful navigation in the diplomatic arena."

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/18/2026 - 22:45

Spanberger Signs Unconstitutional Bill To Strip Confederacy-Linked Groups Of Tax Exempt Status

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

There has been growing criticism (and falling poll numbers) of Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger after she ran as a moderate and then immediately veered to the far left after her election.  Once in power, Spanberger and the Democrats unleashed a slew of tax increases, moved to eliminate all but one Republican district in the purple state, passed an array of anti-gun laws, and enacted other controversial measures. One of these measures is a clearly unconstitutional effort to strip pro-Confederate groups of their tax exemption.

This week, Spanberger signed HB167, the law that eliminated the tax exemption for various confederacy-linked groups, including the Virginia Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the General Organization of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Confederate Memorial Literary Society, the Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Incorporated, the Virginia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and the J.E.B. Stuart Birthplace Preservation Trust, Inc.

Notably, as soon as they came into power, Democrats also passed House Bill 1377 to move against the Virginia Military Institute, including appointing a task force that could effectively close the historic school. Many Democrats have previoulsy sought to close VMI despite its unique and inspiring history in training some of our most famous military leaders, including General George Marshall. Liberals want to close the school due to its history from the Civil War.

Spanberger recently expressed support for the effort but returned the bill with suggestions to use the board of directors to carry out the review.

Spanberger’s substitute eliminates that task force entirely and instead directs VMI’s own board of visitors to carry out the review.

The board would be empowered to carry out a fairly hostile and open-ended agenda, including to “distance [VMI] from the Lost Cause narrative, foster an inclusive environment, and address any other concerns.” Spanberger has appointed 27 new board members, including former Gov. Ralph Northam, who is viewed as hostile to VMI.

The New York Times explained that the Democrats wanted to “distance Virginia from its Confederate past.” However, they also want to use a content-based law to discriminate against groups with which they disagree. The law clearly violates the First Amendment, but neither Spanberger nor the Virginia Democrats appear to care.

In Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 576 U.S. 155 (2015), the Court struck down a signage regulation because”restrictions … that apply to any given sign [depend] entirely on the communicative content of the sign.” Likewise, Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. Members of the N.Y. State Crime Victims Bd., 502 U.S. 105, 116 (1991), the Court stressed that the government’s ability to impose content-based burdens on speech raises the specter that the government may effectively drive certain ideas or viewpoints from the marketplace.

From taxes to trademarks, content-based discrimination runs afoul of our free speech values. In Matal v. Tam, 582 U.S. 218 (2017), the Court cited Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes decision in United States v. Schwimmer, 279 U. S. 644, 655 (1929), that “the proudest boast of our free speech jurisprudence is that we protect the freedom to express ‘the thought that we hate.'” 

Over 30 years ago, I wrote about the collision between anti-discrimination laws and the free exercise of religion. I have been critical of the use of the tax code to effectively punish organizations that do not comport with the IRS’s view of good public policy.

That prior work was critical of the 1982 decision involving Bob Jones University, in which the Supreme Court upheld the denial of tax-exempt status. In the case of Bob Jones, the university was engaged in reprehensible racial discrimination. However, I wrote how the actual standard is far more vague and could potentially be used more broadly.

Virginia is an example of precisely that problem in the use of tax exemptions to engage in viewpoint discrimination.

I have opposed such moves with a variety of organizations with which I have long-standing objections. That includes the Administration’s threat to revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status.

Tax exemption should not be a status bestowed upon those adhering to the demands of whatever party is in power. Free speech and associational rights are fostered by granting this status.

Virginia will now spend additional money to defend this unconstitutional action and fight for the right to discriminate against those who have opposing views in the state.

Jonathan Turley is a law professor and the best-selling author of “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/18/2026 - 22:10

These Are The US Cities Where No One Can Afford A Large Home

An April 2026 housing report by Highland Cabinetry highlights a growing affordability crisis across major American cities, revealing that the true cost of housing goes beyond total price and is better understood through the lens of cost per square foot. By analyzing home prices, rental costs, and average property sizes across 40 large cities, the study shows where Americans are paying the most for the least amount of living space. This approach offers a clearer picture of value, emphasizing how much space residents actually receive for their money rather than just the overall cost of buying or renting a home.

At the center of this trend is San Francisco, which ranks as the most expensive housing market in the country for both buyers and renters. Homebuyers in the city pay more than $1,000 per square foot on average, with a typical home costing around $1.24 million for just over 1,100 square feet. Renters face similar challenges, with average monthly rents exceeding $3,500. Despite these high costs, the amount of space available remains limited, meaning residents often pay a premium for relatively small living areas. This imbalance between price and space has made San Francisco the clearest example of how housing value has eroded in dense urban markets.

Just behind San Francisco is San Jose, which actually surpasses it in terms of price per square foot for homebuyers. In San Jose, the average cost exceeds $1,200 per square foot, pushing typical home prices to around $1.4 million. The rental market is similarly expensive, with monthly costs rivaling those in San Francisco. These high prices are largely driven by strong demand tied to the region’s technology sector, where high salaries continue to fuel competition for limited housing supply. As a result, even relatively modest homes command exceptionally high prices.

On the East Coast, New York City presents a different kind of affordability challenge. While the cost per square foot to purchase a home is significantly lower than in California’s top markets, rental prices are the highest in the nation, averaging more than $3,600 per month. Apartments in New York also tend to be smaller than those in other cities, which means renters often pay more per square foot than they would in San Francisco. This creates a situation where buying may appear more attainable on paper, but renting remains financially burdensome for a large portion of the population.

Other major cities such as San Diego, Boston, and Los Angeles also rank among the least affordable when measured by space value. In these markets, home prices remain high while property sizes vary, resulting in elevated costs per square foot that continue to strain both buyers and renters. California in particular stands out, with multiple cities appearing in the top rankings, reflecting a broader statewide issue driven by housing shortages, population demand, and long-term price growth.

The report attributes much of the current situation to economic conditions that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically low interest rates made borrowing more accessible, encouraging a surge in homebuying activity. This increased demand led to intense competition, rapidly driving up prices across the country. Although interest rates have since risen, housing prices have remained elevated, leaving many Americans priced out of homeownership and facing high rental costs instead.

One of the most significant social impacts of these trends is the shift in living arrangements among younger adults. In cities like New York and San Francisco, it has become increasingly common for professionals to share apartments well into their 30s in order to manage costs. While this may offer a short-term solution, it reflects a deeper issue within the housing market, where affordability challenges are reshaping expectations around independence, space, and long-term living.

Ultimately, the findings of this study highlight a critical reality about housing in modern America. The issue is no longer just about how much people pay, but about how little space they receive in return. As urban populations continue to grow and housing supply struggles to keep pace, the cost per square foot will remain a key indicator of affordability, shaping how and where people choose to live in the years ahead.

You can access the complete research findings here.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/18/2026 - 21:35

Pro-Life Dad Awarded Million-Dollar Settlement Over Biden-Era FBI Raid

Authored by Bryan Hyde via American Greatness,

A pro-life father of seven whose Pennsylvania home was raided at gunpoint by the FBI under the Biden administration has been awarded a seven-figure settlement from the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Fox News reports that Mark Houck, a devout Catholic and pro-life activist, was arrested in 2021 by the FBI and prosecuted for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act.

The charges stemmed from an October 2021 incident that took place outside a Philadelphia, PA abortion clinic where Houck and his young son were accosted by a pro-abortion volunteer who harassed and yelled at the boy until Houck pushed the volunteer away.

A jury acquitted Houck in 2023; he and his wife then filed a lawsuit later that year alleging that the Biden DOJ had engaged in malicious and retaliatory prosecution, abuse of process, false arrest, and assault.

Houck’s lawsuit specifically accused the DOJ of what he called “a faulty investigation” and “excessive force” and the heavy-handed FBI raid on Houck’s home sparked widespread criticism of the Biden administration over accusations of targeting pro-life activists.

In 2023, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) had sharp questions for then-Attorney General Merrick Garland over the FBI’s “unbelievable show of force” in the raid.

Sen. @HawleyMO destroys Garland Mark Houck arrest: "You used an unbelievable show of force with guns, that I just note, liberals usually decry. We're supposed to hate long guns and assault-style weapons, you're happy to deploy them against Catholics and innocent children." pic.twitter.com/1xyK3ANEfP

— Media Research Center (@theMRC) March 1, 2023

According to Fox News Digital, the legal battle against the DOJ had dragged on for three years due to what Houck last year described as an “activist judge” who had blocked negotiations between Houck and the Trump-led Justice Department.

Last week, 40 Days for Life CEO Shawn Carney described the settlement as “a bigger victory for the pro-life movement at large,” as well as “a huge victory for free speech” and “a huge victory for all Americans who want our right to speak our minds peacefully in a law-abiding way without fear of our own government.”

Carney also credited President Trump for reining in federal overreach, saying that the pro-life movement had received “so much persecution from the DOJ under Biden” and expressed gratitude that “President Trump has corrected that.”

The DOJ released a report this week concluding that the Biden administration “shattered the public’s trust by weaponizing the FACE Act to advance a pro-abortion agenda.”

TODAY: The Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group published a report detailing the Biden Administration’s weaponization of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

“This Department will not tolerate a two-tiered system of justice,” said Acting Attorney… pic.twitter.com/oXV9Y7EirO

— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) April 14, 2026 Tyler Durden Sat, 04/18/2026 - 21:00

Japan Tops Canada As World's Most Polite Nation

What makes a country “polite”—and which ones stand out globally?

A new survey of over 4,600 respondents by Remitly reveals a clear frontrunner.

Japan alone captured more than 35% of all votes, far ahead of every other country on the list.

As Visual Capitalist's Gabriel Cohen shows in the chart below, the ranking highlights how perceptions of politeness vary worldwide, while also revealing strong regional patterns across Europe and Asia.

Perceptions of politeness can shape everything from tourism experiences to international business relationships.

For travelers, these rankings often influence expectations around etiquette, hospitality, and day-to-day interactions abroad.

Japan: The World’s Clear Favorite

Japan stands far ahead of every other country, capturing 35.2% of all votes—nearly three times more than second-place Canada. No other country breaks even 15%, underscoring just how dominant Japan’s reputation is globally.

Japanese culture is famous for its high emphasis on respect, etiquette, and social harmony. The country’s blend of tradition and recognizable cultural exports has helped it become well-regarded nearly everywhere.

Certain traits associated with local culture no doubt contribute to the Japanese people’s reputation of politeness, including the value placed on cleanliness and punctuality.

Beyond this, citizens of other countries may be surprised when encountering Japanese bowing, a way of conveying respect, as well as other unique elements such as relative silence on public transit within the country.

Canada’s High Respect Premium

Canada ranks second with 13.4% of the vote—less than half of Japan’s total, highlighting the gap between first place and the rest of the field.

The sprawling North American country has been deemed the most respected country worldwide by one measure, while Canadians have long been known as some of the friendliest people on the globe.

Canada’s hospitality and civility has boosted the country’s reputation for politeness, both in dealings with each other and with people from other countries. This has been reinforced in some corners by the country’s relative contrasts with its southern neighbor, the United States, which obtained just over a tenth of the share of votes (1.6%) of Canada.

Europe’s High Prevalence of Politeness

After Canada, the United Kingdom ranks third at 6.2%, leading a strong European showing. In total, European countries make up more than half of the top 25—suggesting that politeness, as perceived globally, is strongly associated with the region.

Northern Europeans appear to fare better than their peers across the Old Continent, with the UK joined in the top 10 by Germany (2.8%) and Nordic countries like Sweden (2.3%), Denmark (2.1%), and Finland (1.9%).

In contrast, Asian countries nabbed a fifth of the spots on the list, while Africa was home to only one country in the top 25: South Africa, which at 1.8% of all votes cast landed at the 10th position worldwide.

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Best Countries For Culture & Heritage, As Determined by the People on Voronoi.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/18/2026 - 20:25

'Money Laundering'? Newsom Used Donations To Inflate Book Sales

Authored by Luis Cornelio via HeadlineUSA,

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his allies spent weeks boasting that his book, Young Man in a Hurry, became a “best-seller” within hours of its March release. However, a new report found those sales were largely driven by Newsom’s own super PAC using donor funds.

FILE - California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)

The book, published March 10 and centered on Newsom’s upbringing in California, has reportedly sold 97,400 copies since its release. Of those, 67,000 were purchased by Newsom’s Campaign for Democracy Committee through a donation-for-book scheme,

The leftist New York Times reported Friday that the PAC urged supporters to make donations in exchange for a copy of the book, effectively turning each contribution into a guaranteed sale.

Critics described the setup as a potential money-laundering scheme, with the super PAC purchasing copies from its publisher Porchlight Book Company for every donation, regardless of the amount.

“Make a contribution of ANY AMOUNT today and I will send you a copy,” Newsom reportedly wrote in an email pitch.

In total, Newsom’s PAC spent $1,561,875 on the effort.

This might not be the book people expected me to write.

It's about something universal — the messiness of becoming who we are.

Young Man in a Hurry is out February 2026.

Pre-order it here: https://t.co/WMGKrREIre pic.twitter.com/OtB0MlcFSf

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) December 9, 2025

Defending the arrangement, Newsom spokesperson Nathan Click said the governor did not receive royalties from those purchases.

“Our goal was to deepen the relationship between him and the millions of folks who have already expressed support for Governor Newsom’s work. And as it turns out, the tactic more than paid for itself,” Click claimed.

Critics questioned the ethics of the program, with some suggesting it may have influenced Porchlight Book Company’s advance for Newsom’s 2026 book.

It remains unclear how much Newsom received as part of that advance. In 2019, however, he was paid $125,000 by Penguin Random House for Ben and Emma’s Big Hit, a children’s book.

A spokesperson for Newsom did not immediately respond to Headline USA’s request for comment regarding the advance for his latest book.

Steve Hilton’s on it! This is basically money laundering. Newsom writes a book, his PAC uses campaign donations to buy his books. He makes money on the royalties he gets back. His book sales are artificially inflated making him look more legitimate on the presidential stage. So,… https://t.co/iswaAlFo8a

— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) April 17, 2026 Tyler Durden Sat, 04/18/2026 - 19:50