Wednesday, 18 June 2025

Trump demanded Iran's 'unconditional surrender' as Israeli airstrikes on Tehran continued, with thousands fleeing the capital. The president remained noncommittal about direct U.S. military intervention, stating 'I may do it, I may not do it,' while Iran warned of 'irreparable damage' if the U.S. joined the conflict.

A majority of Trump supporters oppose U.S. military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, according to polling data, reflecting appetite for a peaceful approach to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. However, public divisions within the Republican coalition have emerged, with figures like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon urging restraint while others advocate for intervention.

Federal agents arrested New York mayoral candidate Brad Lander and other Democratic elected officials, with images of handcuffed Democrats accumulating in what has become a pattern during Trump's second term. Conservatives accused the Democrats of publicity stunts while liberal critics expressed outrage at the escalating arrests.

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, defying Trump's demand for rate cuts. Hours before the decision, Trump called Fed Chair Jerome Powell 'stupid' for the anticipated hold, continuing his pressure campaign on the central bank.

A poll found that 62% of women and 47% of men across the political spectrum believe the economy and inflation are getting worse under Trump, revealing significant gender differences in economic anxiety. Women expressed more concern about economic conditions than their male counterparts.

PEN America expressed grave concern over the deportation of Australian writer Alistair Kitchen, who had been critical of the Trump administration. The U.S. administration denied the writer was targeted for his political beliefs, calling that suggestion 'unequivocally false.'

New U.S. visa rules will require foreign students to unlock their social media profiles for diplomatic screening, with officials instructed to look for 'indications of hostility towards citizens, culture or founding principles of United States.' The policy represents an expansion of immigration vetting procedures.

Trump queried workers at the White House about their immigration status while they installed a new flagpole, highlighting his focus on immigration enforcement. The incident exemplified the administration's ongoing immigration crackdown affecting various sectors of the workforce.

The Department of Veterans Affairs removed politics and marital status from guidelines protecting patients from discrimination, citing compliance with a Trump executive order 'defending women.' The changes come as part of the administration's broader policy rollbacks.

Trump announced plans to extend TikTok's reprieve from a U.S. ban through another executive order, giving the popular video app additional time to alter its ownership structure. The move continues Trump's pattern of delaying the app's potential prohibition despite national security concerns.