Outside the Beltway

Outside the Beltway

@realDonaldTrump Truth Social July 7, 2026

Iran War Back On (Not That it Ever Stopped)

The blowing up of shit has recommenced in earnest.

James Joyner
17

Comments

WaPo (“Trump says ceasefire with Iran is over, calling its leaders ‘scum’“):

The ceasefire between Iran and the United States is “over,” President Donald Trump declared Wednesday, castigating Tehran after days of escalating attacks and raising the prospect of major renewed hostilities.

“I think it’s over,” Trump said at a meeting of NATO leaders, the morning after U.S. forces launched over 80 strikes on Iran in response to Iranian attacks on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The president spoke after Iran launched heavy retaliation overnight, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying it had targeted 85 U.S. military facilities including in Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday, according to the semiofficial media outlet Fars.

“They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people, and they’re vicious, violent people,” Trump said. “Far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them. They’re liars … there’s something wrong with them. They’re cuckoo. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over.”

Trump said that talks with Iran could continue, but that he was deeply skeptical they would be productive.

“They can talk, but I think they’re wasting their time. They’re a bunch of lying guys,” Trump said. “They’re bad people, and frankly, I don’t want to waste my time with them. Now, I’ll let our wonderful negotiators keep talking if they want, but I don’t see it.”

The President’s Truth Social page is dominated by calls to pass the SAVE AMERICA Act, legislation that would make voting more difficult and lacks the necessary votes. But he does take a moment to acknowledge that the commander-in-chief has resumed the war effort.

There is a video of bombs going off, along with various reposts of juvenalia supporting “finishing the job.” A representative sample:

A digitally edited image showing a close-up of two men, one resembling Donald Trump offering what looks like a pill to the other who resembles a middle-eastern leader holding a bottle labeled 'VITAMIN B2'.
A fictional travel agency sign reading 'The Trump Afterlife Travel Agency' with a striped awning, featuring a closed sign stating 'SORRY CLOSED due to Large Demand shortage of Afterlife Virgins.'
@realDonaldTrump Truth Social July 7, 2026
A digital illustration of a pilot, resembling a well-known public figure, animatedly steering an aircraft, with the text 'U.S. DEPT. OF WINNING' at the bottom.
@realDonaldTrump Truth Social July 7, 2026
A meme depicting three presidents: Obama, Biden, and Trump, each in a negotiation setting, alongside a person wearing a mask and holding explosives, with text responses emphasizing threats over negotiation.
@realDonaldTrump Truth Social July 7, 2026
A political map showing the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and surrounding countries, with the label 'STRAIT OF TRUMP' prominently displayed.
@realDonaldTrump Truth Social July 7, 2026
A digitally altered image of Mount Rushmore featuring the faces of historical American figures alongside a likeness of Donald Trump. The text 'LEGENDS OF AMERICA' is prominently displayed above the sculptures, with words like 'LEADERSHIP,' 'COURAGE,' 'VISION,' 'STRENGTH,' and 'AMERICA FIRST' beneath.
@realDonaldTrump Truth Social July 7, 2026
A digitally created image showing a military scene with missile launches and a warship, alongside a large image of a man with blonde hair (associated with a political figure) pointing and smiling, with text reading 'The planes I sent to Iran did not carry pallets of cash.'
@realDonaldTrump Truth Social July 7, 2026
A split image featuring two men with beards: one on the left wearing glasses and a traditional outfit, and the other on the right with glasses and a casual shirt, accompanied by the text suggesting caution for Letterman.
@realDonaldTrump Truth Social July 7, 2026

I will concede that the Letterman one gave me a chuckle.

Given the incredible success of the “I’ll blow shit up!” strategy thus far in the conflict, I’m sure the Strait (of Trump) will be open in no time and those IRGC bastards will beg for mercy.

,
, , , , ,

17 responses to “Iran War Back On (Not That it Ever Stopped)”

  1. MarkedMan Avatar
    MarkedMan

    I have to admit I don’t even get the Trump Afterlife Travel Agency thing. Feels like an AI attempt at humor, but I may just be clueless

    1. Scott Avatar
      Scott

      It is supposedly about Muslim men who die as martyrs in battle get 72 Virgins in heaven.

  2. Scott Avatar
    Scott

    We are led by a bunch of immature, online video game addicted sociopaths.

    The market reacts: a/o 0723 CDT: Dow Futures down 422, crude up $3.53 or 5%.

    1
  3. Daryl Avatar
    Daryl

    The entire administration looks weak and incompetent.
    No one more than Vance.
    Meanwhile it looks like we’re stuck with $4 gas.

    1
  4. steve222 Avatar
    steve222

    Gas prices going up and elections getting closer. Places in the world that were already short on oil/gas are going to have severe shortages. Negotiations will keep going on but much more likely than ever that Iran gets explicit control of the strait. (AFAICT Trump fans, ie cult members, forget there were negotiations before the fighting started and believe it is only the bombing that forced Iran to negotiate. Somehow I dont think the negotiations before the fighting included gifting them $300 billion or talks about the strait.)

    Steve

    2
  5. gVOR10 Avatar
    gVOR10

    Remember the thing during the Cuban missile crisis about us blocking offensive weapons from Cuba? Led to the question of whether bullets were stamped O or D so we could tell. Now we seemed to have invented cease-fire compliant bombs and missiles. Maybe Trump is restarting the war, maybe he’s just blowing. If he’s restarting hostilities, it’s earlier than I expected. ICE has been lying low, so far Trump hasn’t blown up NATO, we haven’t done anything decisive one way or the other on Ukraine, we’ve been “negotiating” with Iran. I’ve started to really worry what these people are going to do after the mid-terms.

  6. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    I wonder what El Taco will give up for the next ceasefire. Maybe Diego García? After all, it’s not even his.

  7. Scott F. Avatar
    Scott F.

    “They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people, and they’re vicious, violent people,” Trump said. “Far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them. They’re liars … there’s something wrong with them. They’re cuckoo. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over.”

    Has there EVER been a more obvious example of “every accusation is a confession (EAIAC)?”

    3
  8. Bobert Avatar
    Bobert

    So apparently I’m a bit contrarian on this latest heat-up of the Iranian War. What troubles me is that (supposedly by AIS count) 63 differently flagged ships passed through the Hormuz and proceeded into the Arabian Sea in the last seven days with no hostility from Iran. But two vessels ignored (reportedly) warnings by Iran that they should navigate about 2 miles north for uncontested passage. Instead those ships chose to insist on “freedom of navigation” and elected to put their ship, cargo and crew at risk.
    I’m all in favor of the principle of “freedom of navigation”, but when there is a choice between the principle and the potential safety of a vessel, I seems like the prudent thing to do is chose the safer route, especially when it involves a 15-20 minute “excursion”.

    Wonder if it was a deliberate provocation.

    1
    1. JohnSF Avatar
      JohnSF

      I doubt the Gulfies are inclined to passively sit back and let Iran establish control, and tolls, over the Straits, which are of vital interest to them.
      And likely, quietly and behind the scenes, other interested parties may share those concerns.

      There’s a high likelihood that they will periodically attempt the southern route to test Iran on this.

      1. Bobert Avatar
        Bobert

        Are the Iranians charging a “toll” or “service fee” currently. Independent reporting is that these fees are suspended during the 60 day duration of the MOU, and that (to the best sources can tell) none of the 60 some ships that passed undisturbed had to pay Iran anything.
        I understand the principle of wanting “freedom of navigation”, but still…. at the risk of ships, cargo, crew, it would seem easier to move two miles out of the way.

  9. JohnSF Avatar
    JohnSF

    The Straits are open!
    The Straits are closed!
    The war is off!
    The war is on!
    eyeroll

    One point though: Iran also has a serious interest in ending this; their economy is not in good place.
    They are not in a good situation to have war restarting periodically after a temporary opening alleviates the global and local economic effects.

    The key issue seems to be, how determined is Iran to force their control (and tolls) at Hormuz?
    Does that prize outweigh continuing entropic decay of their economy?

    1. Kathy Avatar
      Kathy

      definitely the Gulf monarchies won’t want to let Iran control Hormuz. The easiest way to get the Mad Mullahs to relinquish their claim is to buy them off. This lends itself to ongoing tribute payments. I wonder if expediency would beat dignity in this case.

      The alternative is to keep p the war until Iran gives up. Perforce this would mean entering the war more actively than the Gulfies have done thus far.

      I wonder, too, at the Bab al-Mandab Strait on the other side of the Arabian peninsula. Yemen sits right at the narrowest point. Could the Houthis emulate the Iranians, should the Mad Mullahs so order? Close both, and you effectively choke off the Saudis.

      Reminder, none of this would be happening if El Taco weren’t so eager to act as Bibi’s lackey.

      1. JohnSF Avatar
        JohnSF

        Which is why I suspect the Gulfies are privately steamed at both Netanyahu and Trump.

        But conceding Iranian control and tolls at the Straits are a knife at their throat.
        I doubt they want all-out war; but they have every reason to periodically push back.

        As to the Houthis, if they push too hard they risk a renewal of full scale war.
        Before various parties got cold feet back in 2021, the anti-Houthi alliance came very close to taking Hodeida and driving the Houthis away from the coast,

        1. Kathy Avatar
          Kathy

          Suppose Iran backs down for some reason, and things go back to normal. What prevents the Mad Mullahs from closing off the strait again any time they think they should? I’d say the knife is already at their throat.

          I don’t suppose Iran had any serious plans to close off Hormuz and charge tolls before El Taco and Bibi amply demonstrated the limits to their military power. Now they may see it as an additional revenue stream, a particularly rich one.

          1
  10. Charley in Cleveland Avatar
    Charley in Cleveland

    Scott F stole my thunder:

    “They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people, and they’re vicious, violent people,” Trump said. “Far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them. They’re liars … there’s something wrong with them. They’re cuckoo.

    I like to think that is what we’d hear if Trump’s honest alter ego was asked to describe his own administration.

  11. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    It looks like full resumption of hostilities. I’d be astonished if Iran does not declare Hormuz closed.

    even if they don’t, a lot of shippers will be reluctant to risk transit through a war zone.

    So, here comes more expensive oil again. Surely now Wersh will lower interest rates, right?

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Trending