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“Israeli Soldiers will Not Be Participating on the Ground.” – Israeli Official Says Israel Will Not Provide Ground Troops if US Forces Invade Iran

As President Trump deploys more troops to the Middle East and reportedly weighs a ground invasion of Iran, it’s being reported that Israel will not commit any ground troops to the potential mission. 

This comes as Trump threatens to escalate the war amid the deployment of thousands of additional troops and weighs his options to end the war or deploy boots on the ground. Trump has also given Iran until Monday, April 6, to stop blocking oil shipping in the Strait of Hormuz amid negotiations.

Trump said on Monday that he will escalate the war, targeting Iran’s energy and water infrastructure if they do not reach a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On the deployment of ground troops, Trump told reporters the day prior, “I just have lots of alternatives,” also noting, “we have tremendous numbers of ships over there.”

Trump later suggested that he will withdraw troops from the Middle East and force Europe, Asia, and the Gulf nations to deal with Iran’s blockade on the Strait of Hormuz after they refused his calls for help. “The U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” Trump said in a statement on Tuesday, offering to supply oil from the United States if the countries cannot “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.”

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Israel retaliates against France

Israel’s Defense Ministry has announced retaliatory steps against France after US President Donald Trump openly criticized the European NATO member for refusing to allow access to its airspace for arms shipments being delivered to the Middle East.

Posting on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump described the French decision as “very unhelpful” to the US-Israeli war on Iran, adding that Washington “will remember” the move. France’s restriction on facilitating weapons transfers to Israel came alongside a broader embargo on arms sales to West Jerusalem introduced more than a year ago.

Israeli Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Baram stated in a Channel 12interview on Tuesday that he and Defense Minister Israel Katz aim to curb reliance on foreign arms suppliers, especially from countries such as France that Israel does not view as “friendly.”

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Philippines Path to ASEAN’s Ukraine?

Last week, the Pentagon disclosed that the US-led military manufacturing partnership (PIPIR) is assessing funding for a major new ammunition assembly and production line in the Philippines.

Under its ultra-conservative PM Sanae Takaichi, Japan is taking the lead to set up a new program to produce propulsion systems used in many guided weapons, while the Philippines is tasked to host ⁠a large new weapons facility. The bilateral cooperation has intensified for half a decade.

Meanwhile, defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro has been negotiating stronger defense cooperation with the NATO leaders in Europe.

Following these reports, China’s foreign ministry warned the United States against bringing “conflict and the chaos of war” to the Asia-Pacific. In Beijing’s view, a potential ammunition facility would destabilize the region.

Toward major instability

The new military tasks of the Philippines were recently promoted by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). This US thinktank played a role in legitimizing Biden administration’s engagement in Ukraine, Israel’s Gaza “war”, and Iran mobilization.

From an international military standpoint, the Philippines is transforming itself to serve as a forward staging area for US forces, air and naval logistics hub, missile deployment sites, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), sea lane control in South China Sea, and protection of Japanese/US military supply routes.

In some ASEAN countries, the concern is that these strategic moves could pave the way to major instability and possibly a major Asian war.

The following commentary draws only from public sources and discourses on EDCA locations, logistics plans, ammo sites, and targeting doctrines seen in Ukraine, Middle East, and NATO war-gaming.

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Federal Judge STRIPS Citizenship from Chinese Couple Who Sold Out America to China

A federal judge has revoked the U.S. citizenship of a married couple who conspired to steal sensitive American medical technology and funnel it to China.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge James E. Simmons Jr. ordered the denaturalization of Li Chen and Yu Zhou, ruling that the pair illegally obtained their citizenship after engaging in serious criminal conduct that disqualified them from ever becoming Americans in the first place.

Chen and Zhou weren’t just any immigrants—they were highly educated researchers working inside Nationwide Children’s Hospital, entrusted with cutting-edge medical research.

Instead, prosecutors say they:

  • Stole proprietary exosome medical technology
  • Profited financially from the theft
  • Funneled sensitive intellectual property to China
  • Received funding tied to the Chinese government

The couple ultimately pleaded guilty to:

  • Conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets
  • Conspiracy to commit wire fraud

According to the DOJ press release:

On March 30, Judge James E. Simmons Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California entered an order revoking the naturalized U.S. citizenship of husband and wife Li Chen and Yu Zhou, finding they illegally procured their naturalization. Chen and Zhou each previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which the court determined constituted crimes involving moral turpitude that prevented them from having the good moral character necessary to naturalize. The court additionally found that both Chen and Zhou were ineligible to naturalize because they committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on their moral character for which there were no extenuating circumstances.

“Gaining citizenship after committing serious crimes against the American people is an unacceptable abuse of our immigration system,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These latest denaturalizations illustrate this Department of Justice’s focus on ensuring that citizenship remains a privilege to obtain, not a right to abuse.”

“Naturalization is not a right — it’s a privilege given by the generous people of this nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Divison. “When the generosity of America’s immigration process is abused, our system works to correct such abuse. Full stop.”

Chen, a Chinese national, entered the United States in 2007 on an H-1B Specialty Occupation visa sponsored by Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH). In 2011, after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved a Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker as an alien of extraordinary ability, Chen adjusted her immigration status to permanent resident. Zhou, also a Chinese national, entered the United States in 2005 as an exchange visitor. In 2008, Zhou arrived in the United States again on an H-1B Specialty Occupation visa sponsored by NCH, and he adjusted his immigration status to permanent resident in 2011 as the derivative spouse of his wife, Chen. Chen naturalized in 2016, and Zhou naturalized in 2017.

In 2019, both Chen and Zhou were arrested for criminal conduct involving the theft of medical trade secrets used in the course of their employment as NCH research scientists focused on exosome isolation. Each indictment alleged that the couple personally benefitted from their theft and sale of NCH trade secrets by establishing their own company and by acquiring shares in another company that utilized the stolen trade secrets. In addition, both Chen and Zhou received funding from the People’s Republic of China’s State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs. In total, Defendants jointly received nearly $1.5 million in transactions resulting from their exchange of exosome isolation intellectual property. Chen was subsequently sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and Zhou was sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release, with over $2.6 million in restitution ordered to be paid jointly and severally between them.

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DOJ Seeks to Hold Brian Cole’s Lawyers in Contempt for Publicly Posting Pipe Bomb Allegations Against Former Capitol Police Officer

The Justice Department is seeking to hold Brian Cole’s lawyers in contempt for violating a protective order and publicly posting allegations against former Capitol Police officer Shauni Kerkhoff.

Brian Cole, 30, of Woodridge, Virginia, was taken into custody in December and charged with use of an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials.

Cole initially admitted to investigators that he planted pipe bombs at the RNC and DNC headquarters on January 5, the night before the Capitol riot.

However, Cole pleaded not guilty to the charges this year.

Cole’s attorneys argued that their client is covered by President Trump’s blanket January 6 pardons.

On Wednesday, Brian Cole’s lawyers filed a motion for early return of subpoenas and publicly disclosed information about the DOJ’s review of Shauni Kerkhoff’s alleged role in January 6.

As TGP’s Brian Lupo reported earlier, in a motion filed Wednesday morning, Brian Cole’s lawyers alleged, “according to discovery produced by the government in this case,” “the FBI began investigating, questioning, and covertly surveilling” Kerkhoff “during the time it began investigating Mr. Cole.”

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A Baron of Lies Turns the World Upside Down—and Loses

Comedians are being deprived of their creativity: to turn Trump’s remarks into slapstick, you only have to do one thing—nothing at all. If you just let him speak, he provides “top-notch” entertainment at the lowest possible level. Less amusing is the fact that the Western media, which purports to offer reporting and analysis, takes this utter nonsense seriously. If you follow experts in the West, you’ll rub your eyes and ears in disbelief. Never before have reporting and assessments been so riddled with nonsense and so far removed from reality. The people and media of the West, in their Diederich Hessling-like subservience, don’t even begin to realize that they are being led into disaster by the powerful in Israel and the US. Instead of preparing people for the fact that the West—above all Europe—is heading toward collapse and deprivation, rosy forecasts are being issued

Yet careful research certainly makes it possible to paint a realistic picture. This is a laborious task, as the entire West has conspired to lie to the world. Through censorship and AI, the circles that shape public opinion and shape policy have the means to make Western populations believe that the Israelis are the good guys and that the Americans will prevail. This is nothing new: there have always been only winners in a war. Thus, the Nazis tried to convince their people until 1945 that final victory was tantalisingly close. During the wars in Korea and Vietnam, the Americans “won,” and Russia has been “losing” in Ukraine for four years. And now the Americans and Israelis are “winning” in Iran, Lebanon, indeed throughout the entire Middle East.

The fact that this propaganda cannot be true is also evident from the fact that the claims are becoming increasingly fantastical—even the famous Baron Münchhausen would blush.

As always in my reporting, this is merely an attempt to describe and analyze the overall situation. Too many factors are at play simultaneously around the world, and when conducting an analysis, there is always a risk that one might omit certain facts—deeming them irrelevant to the overall trend—only to be proven wrong by reality later on.

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“We’re Going to Bring Them Back to the Stone Ages” – Trump Says Iran Strikes Will Continue and All Objectives Will Be Completed “Very Shortly”, Suggests He Will Let the Strait of Hormuz Reopen “Naturally”

President Trump on Wednesday addressed the nation with an update on the Iran war, where he announced that the US is close to completing all objectives of Operation Epic Fury and appeared to signal an approaching end to the war regardless of whether Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz.

The President spoke for just over 18 and a half minutes in his Wednesday night address.

During the address, Trump declared, “tonight, I’m pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion” after highlighting the decimation of Iran’s Navy, Air Force, missile progran, and ability to support terrorist proxies.

With regard to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blocked by targeting oil tankers navigating the critical shipping artery, Trump said, “The United States imports almost no oil through the Hormuz Strait, and won’t be taking any in the future. We don’t need it. We haven’t needed it, and we don’t need it.”

He continued, “The countries of the world that do receive oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage. They must cherish it. They must grab it and cherish it. They can do it easily. We will be helpful, but they should take the lead in protecting the oil that they so desperately depend on.”

“Go to the Strait and just take it, protect it, use it for yourselves,” Trump demanded, adding, “Iran has been essentially decimated. The hard part is done. So, it should be easy.” If countries do not step up and finish off Iran, he said, “buy oil from the United States of America. We have plenty. We have so much.”

Still, “In any event, when this conflict is over, the strait will open up naturally,” Trump said, noting Iran’s dependence on the flow of oil through the Strait.

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FDA Recalls Aphrodisiac Chocolates Containing Viagra Ingredients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a recall for two chocolate products sold by a California adult novelty store, Gold Lion Aphrodisiac Chocolate and ilum Male Sexual Enhancement Chocolate, after discovering they contain high levels of the active ingredients found in prescription medications like Viagra and Cialis. Consuming these chocolates could lead to a life-threatening drop in blood pressure, especially for men with heart conditions who take nitrates.

Why it matters

The recall highlights the risks of purchasing unregulated sexual enhancement products that may contain undisclosed and potentially harmful pharmaceutical ingredients. Consumers should be wary of any over-the-counter products making claims about improving sexual performance, as they may contain dangerous adulterants.

The details

According to the FDA, the recalled chocolates were found to contain sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, and tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis. These prescription drug components can interact dangerously with nitrates, potentially causing a severe and sudden drop in blood pressure that could be life-threatening. The chocolates were sold by Gear Isle, an adult novelty store in California, under the names Gold Lion Aphrodisiac Chocolate and ilum Male Sexual Enhancement Chocolate.

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LAUGHABLE: Don Lemon Signals He is Open to Running for President – Says He Could Do a Better Job Than Trump

Since being fired by CNN in 2023, Don Lemon has been making a living by becoming part of the anti-Trump media, a collection of Trump-deranged liberals and bitter, former Republicans who all speak only to each other and appear on each other’s podcasts.

This week, during an appearance on the Pod Save America podcast, Lemon hilariously signaled that he is open to the idea of running for president and actually said that he would do a better job than President Trump.

It’s amazing how highly Don thinks of himself. He has such an inflated sense of self-worth.

Given his participation in the storming of a church in Minnesota this winter, he’ll be lucky to stay out of jail.

FOX News has details:

Don Lemon talks possibility of being president, says he’d be ‘a lot better than Donald Trump’

Former CNN anchor and independent journalist Don Lemon addressed whether he would ever consider running for president.

“Do I ever think about it? Yes,” Lemon said on “Pod Save America” Sunday. “Could it happen? Yeah, it could happen if the opportunity presented itself, the right opportunity presented itself. Look, if I wanted to, I know people are going to think I’m crazy. This is going to be the headline, and people are going to laugh about it. I think I could be President of the United States. I could definitely run this country better than Donald Trump.”

Lemon said that he currently doesn’t have any interest in running for office, arguing that it could “ruin” his life and pointing out that White male candidates “get away with” far more than female or minority ones. He also argued that he would have to change his party affiliation from independent to Democrat.

However, he pushed back on the idea that it was impossible for him to consider running.

“Am I at that point now? No. And I know people are going to say Don Lemon is crazy. But yeah, that’s…look, why can’t I think about running for office? Why can’t I think about being President of the United States when look at what we have?” Lemon said.

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Dem Rep. Susie Lee Deletes ‘I’ll Pray They F*** Him to His Face’ Post About Trump

Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV), who describes herself as “America’s #1 Most Bipartisan Member of Congress,” posted and later deleted a profanity-laced response on X to an Associated Press (AP) story about President Donald Trump’s planned attendance at Wednesday’s Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship.

Shortly after 1:00 a.m. ET on April 1, Lee replied to an Associated Press post that said Trump would attend Wednesday’s hearing on birthright citizenship, adding that the visit would make him the “first sitting president to attend oral arguments at the nation’s highest court.” In response, Lee wrote: “So fucking fucked up. I’ll pray they fuck him to his face. Sorry, I say fuck a lot these days.” She subsequently deleted the message.

During the 2018 campaign for Nevada’s Third Congressional District, long viewed as a battleground seat, Republican Danny Tarkanian said Lee was closely tied to then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, telling Breitbart News, “Nancy Pelosi helped recruit her to run, she’s raised her millions of dollars, she’s raised twice as much money as the incumbent race for the last election. It will probably be the most expensive congressional race in the country.”

In November 2019, Lee argued Trump had engaged in “clear obstruction” and “abuse of power” over Ukraine, telling a Las Vegas town hall that she supported an impeachment inquiry because she believed there was “ground enough for me to support further fact-finding.” Lee also said she was acting to uphold her oath to the Constitution, arguing that “democracies live or die by the integrity of their elections.”

The next month, Lee announced she would vote to impeach Trump, saying in a statement, “The facts are clear: the President abused the power of his office and blatantly obstructed Congress.” She added, “I took an oath of office to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” At the time, Breitbart News noted that Lee represented one of the congressional districts Trump had carried in 2016 before Democrats flipped it in the 2018 midterms, and that polling in her district suggested her impeachment stance could carry political risk.

Lee has also faced years of ethics scrutiny. In June 2020, she became the subject of an outside ethics complaint after pushing for a change to federal pandemic loan requirements that later benefited her husband Dan Lee’s company, Full House Resorts. Two weeks after the change, the company received $5.6 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Lee said she had no influence over whether the loans were approved, though a spokesperson later acknowledged she had been made aware of the application and its approval.

FACT, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, stated that Lee’s involvement with Full House Resorts created doubt about her impartiality and raised questions about whether she had acted in the public’s best interest. Days later, Joni Ernst proposed legislation requiring lawmakers, their spouses, and congressional employees to disclose PPP loans within 15 days. The proposal followed reporting that Lee was among the lawmakers or spouses of lawmakers connected to PPP benefits.

Lee again drew scrutiny in 2021 over her financial disclosures. Business Insider reported that she had failed to adequately disclose more than 200 stock trades since early 2020, valued between roughly $267,000 and $3.3 million. The trades involved companies including Planet Fitness, Wayfair, Marriott International, Carnival, Williams-Sonoma, and US Foods.

Lee’s office said the trades had been executed by a third-party money manager without her input and that she worked with a financial adviser and the House Ethics Committee to file the transactions once she became aware of them. Breitbart News reported that the late disclosures did not appear to trigger automatic penalties.

Later that year, FACT called for an investigation into Lee, contending that her repeated failures to disclose stock trades on time could amount to violations of the STOCK Act and House ethics rules. FACT Executive Director Kendra Arnold said the disclosure law must be strictly enforced to determine if members of Congress are using their positions for self-enrichment. Breitbart News also included Lee in a 2021 roundup of 11 Democrats alleged to have violated the STOCK Act.

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