President Biden announced a new proposal Friday for a temporary — and eventually permanent — ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The plan consists of three phases that would see the release of hostages and a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. The plan would begin with a six-week ceasefire that would extend until both sides agreed to terms to end the war permanently. Israel did not comment on the proposal, which comes days after a top official said the war would extend through the end of the year.
Israeli forces expanded into central Rafah, a city where hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians have gathered seeking refuge, while humanitarian aid continues to be disrupted. The Biden administration urged Israel against a potentially devastating Rafah invasion, but also said the latest developments haven’t yet crossed Biden’s “red line.”
Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he’s leaving the Democratic Party to become an Independent. The decision is a culmination of the conservative-leaning lawmaker’s longtime break-up with the Dems. Manchin has previously said he won’t run for re-election, in a state where Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) is now widely expected to win in November. Thanks a lot, Joe! Hope the coal money was worth it!
Trump’s MAGA-media allies spewed dangerous, vengeful rhetoric in defense of the felonious former president after his guilty verdicts were announced. The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh and The Federalist’s Sean Davis both argued that Trump should make a list of Democrats that he should throw in prison should he get back in office in November. Tucker Carlson said the verdict marks the end of our justice system. Fox News’ Laura Ingraham compared Democrats to evil dictators, and Sean Hannity said the Constitution is “literally dying before our eyes.” Hey, what happened to the “Law and Order” crowd, huh?
Meanwhile, former Republican Governor of Maryland turned Senate candidate Larry Hogan said Americans need to “respect the verdict and the legal process.” Hogan was never a fan of Trump and it took guts for him to speak out against him while running for a spot in the GOP Senate. A senior Trump advisor fired back on X, telling Hogan “You just ended your campaign.” Very mafia-coded!
Elon Musk has agreed to host live video town halls with Trump and his second rival presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that will stream on X, formerly known as Twitter, where platform users will be able to ask questions. The move underscores Musk’s deeper dive into right-wing politics coupled with his many attempts to get eyeballs on the struggling platform. It also underscores his desperate need for the kind of negative attention that apparently even the CyberTruck didn’t fulfill.
