Iran War Day 156: Trump Cancels Anticipated Strikes, Iran Denies Claims of Hormuz Deal

On Saturday night, President Donald Trump called off anticipated airstrikes on Iran, claiming that Iran had agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end its “nuclear threat.” But Iran denied that any such agreement had been reached, as the Iran War entered its 156th day on Sunday.

In the Truth Social post in which he made the announcement, Trump said that, while the U.S. is prepared to attack Iran “at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II,” the U.S. and Israel will “hold off any attack” because “the perimeters of a deal” had been agreed to.

Shortly thereafter, Iran’s Mehr News agency, citing Iranian military officials, called Trump’s claim “nothing but a new lie,” while the Fars news agency likewise reported that no agreement on Hormuz had been reached.

Trump and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly spoke over the phone on Saturday, with the latter expressing concerns about Trump’s reported plans to escalate militarily against Iran. Trump’s Truth Social post had said that Iran “and other Middle Eastern countries” asked the president to hold off on attacks.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said that he warned the foreign ministries of Turkey and Saudi Arabia and officials in Pakistan that Iran would act “decisively” if the U.S. and Israel followed through on threats to launch massive strikes against Iran.

Axios reported Saturday that Qatari mediators held separate talks with Omani officials, Araghchi, and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff regarding management of the Strait of Hormuz. The memorandum of understanding signed last month by Trump and the Iranian president broke down largely over disagreements pertaining to the Strait of Hormuz.

The post Iran War Day 156: Trump Cancels Anticipated Strikes, Iran Denies Claims of Hormuz Deal appeared first on The American Conservative.

‘Shared Mission’: Pope Leo XIV Meets with Radical Pro-Abortion Rocker Patti Smith

Pope Leo welcomes pro-abortion singer Patti Smith. Image: video screenshot via Vatican News.

On Friday, Pope Leo XIV met with radical rocker Patti Smith in a meeting a Vatican official described as a ‘shared mission,’ even as Smith makes it clear publicly that she is not even Catholic.

Smith, who originally hails from Chicago like the pontiff, is a radical, pro-abortion, pro-LGBT punk rock star who made her mark in the 1970’s.

Among the lyrics she became famous for is the opening line from the song “Gloria” from her 1975 debut album Horses, which states, “Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine.”

Smith has been a vocal supporter of abortion, something that the Vatican did not seem bothered by in their celebration of her private audience with Leo.

During a press conference in 2018, Smith made statements supporting legal access to abortion, framing it as a complex personal matter where protecting women’s lives takes priority over ideology and as a ‘healthcare’ issue.

She said at the time, “It is a personal matter, and each one has to do what seems right to them. I believe it is more important to save the lives of young women, or of any person who makes this type of decision, than to base the decision on any type of ideology.”

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, she described the decision as “terrible.”

She said her “heart is broken,” and criticized the Court for appearing to have been “manipulated” and shifted rightward rather than remaining neutral. She added that the U.S. was not setting a good example for other countries.

Yet the Vatican celebrated the meeting.

Father Antonio Spadaro, undersecretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education, said a “spark was lit” when Smith met with the Pope and did not mention the obvious conflict with her views on abortion and what is supposed to be an important issue within the church.

Spadaro wrote on X, “When that door opened, something happened… a spark was lit – one that came with a few lighthearted moments, but also with a profound sense of emotion and of a shared mission in this challenging world.”

“Two Americans. Two Chicagoans. Two remarkable figures whose voices speak hope to a divided world: the “priestess of rock,” as #PattiSmith is often called, and the Holy Father, #PopeLeoXIV.”

Pope Leo, open to entertaining radical pro-abortion figures, is less willing to meet with conservative Catholics and has refused meetings with the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), particularly its Superior General, Father Davide Pagliarani.

The post ‘Shared Mission’: Pope Leo XIV Meets with Radical Pro-Abortion Rocker Patti Smith appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

JUST IN: Democrat Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur Hospitalized After Hit-and-Run Car Crash

Democrat Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur was hospitalized on Sunday after a hit-and-run car crash in Toledo, Ohio.

The 80-year-old Ohio lawmaker was on her way to church when a vehicle crashed into her car.

Rep. Kaptur, who was a passenger in the car at the time of the crash, is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Full statement from Rep. Kaptur’s office:

This morning Congresswoman Kaptur was a passenger in a vehicle on her way to a church service when the car she was traveling in was struck.

She is active, alert, and being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

We look forward to additional information from Toledo Police as they investigate the accident.

Congresswoman Kaptur is thankful for the quick actions of first responders from Toledo Police and Fire Departments who arrived promptly on scene, and the medical professionals helping to take care of those involved in the crash.

She expressed her deep gratitude to the hundreds of constituents who have reached out and looks forward to returning to a full schedule soon.

According to WKYC, the driver of the other vehicle fled the scene.

“Officers responded to the crash shortly before 11 a.m., police said. Two people were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening,” WKYC reported.

“The crash was described by police as a “hit-skip.” A witness told WTOL 11 that the other driver was picked up by another vehicle and fled the scene shortly after the crash,” the outlet reported.

The post JUST IN: Democrat Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur Hospitalized After Hit-and-Run Car Crash appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Italian Navy Intercepts and Boards Tanker From Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’ in the Mediterranean

Screengrab after footage by Italian Ministry of Defense

Cargo ships are a soft target.

In the fifth year of the Ukraine war, the European countries finally found a way to safely flex their military muscles by boarding defenseless cargo ships allegedly part of Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’.

We have seen France, the UK and now Italy engage in these interceptions.

Euronews reported:

“The Italian navy has boarded a Russian tanker in international waters off Pantelleria, an island located between Sicily and Tunisia. The operation was carried out as part of an arms and oil trafficking monitoring mission with the support of a Greek vessel and a Polish maritime patrol aircraft.

[…] The tanker Toa Payoh, which is subject to European Union sanctions and belongs to the so-called Russian ‘shadow fleet’, has undergone nationality verification, which for ships is determined by the flag they are authorized to fly. The Toa Payoh is sailing under the declared flag of Cameroon.

The tanker, which left the port of Cotonou in Benin on 16 July bound for Istanbul, was intercepted west of Pantelleria. According to the ministry’s account, the tanker’s master initially did not provide the requested cooperation. A team of Italian military personnel then reached the vessel by helicopter from the ship Thaon di Revel and carried out the planned checks.”

Reuters reported:

“The ​vessel had switched to a Cameroon registry only last week, according to ⁠a source familiar with the operation. Maritime authorities launched the inspection to verify that ​the tanker was legally entitled to fly the Cameroon flag and that its registration documents ​were valid.

The source said the EU naval mission, named operation EUNAVFOR MED Irini, did not have the authority to seize vessels during such inspections, meaning the Toa Payoh was not detained.

However, documentation gathered during ​the boarding was still being examined and could be used by national authorities for ​a subsequent sequestration if necessary.

The Toa Payoh’s captain initially failed to cooperate with the EU mission, prompting ‌a team ⁠of Italian military personnel to board the vessel from a helicopter launched by the Thaon di Revel, the EU’s EUNAVFOR MED’s flagship.”

Read more:

WATCH: France Intercepts and Seizes ‘Shadow Fleet’ Oil Tanker Linked to Russia – Kremlin Condemns ‘Borderline Piracy’

The post Italian Navy Intercepts and Boards Tanker From Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’ in the Mediterranean appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Seriously? “I Don’t Know Whether He Really Believes That” – Senator John Kennedy Says Trump is “Anxious”, Defends Jeanine Pirro Dropping Charges Against David Hearn (VIDEO)

Senator John Kennedy

Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) appeared to trash Trump over charges that were recently dropped against the accused reflecting pool vandal, David Hearn, during a Sunday appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press. 

Kennedy suggested Trump has grown “anxious” and that he may not really believe Hearn committed a crime, while defending Jeanine Pirro’s decision to drop the charges.

Over a dozen people have been arrested or cited for their suspected role in the vandalism, but the most notable arrest was that of former Olympian David Hearn.

A grand jury in far-left DC returned an indictment of the three-time Olympic canoeist for his alleged vandalism of the reflecting pool last month. Hearn faced up to ten years in prison after a grand jury in the DC Superior Court returned the indictment.

When he was arrested in June, local independent journalist Emily Miller appeared to catch his arrest on camera. She shared the clip on X, saying he was vandalizing the pool and tried to impede workers cleaning the pool by “grabb[ing] the hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae.” It is unclear if this claim was even presented to the grand jury that returned an indictment.

However, as The Gateway Pundit reported, the Justice Department on Friday dropped the charges against Hearn. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who previously accused Hearn of “violently and forcefully” ripping up the sealant, claimed on Friday that “flawed installation by the contractor” was responsible for the damage.

Trump lashed out at Pirro on Saturday morning, slamming her for dismissing the case.

WHOA! President Trump Slams Pirro For Dropping Lincoln Reflecting Pool Vandalism Criminal Case Against Former Olympian David Hearn

Trump went on to share a four-minute-long surveillance video of alleged vandals writing on Truth Social, “Look for yourselves at the VANDALISM that took place at The Reflecting Pool. The material is being cut with a knife or a box cutter, for all to see!” Previously, the US Park Police shared part of this footage and requested help from the public in identifying the suspect as part of a destruction of government property investigation.

WATCH:

Asked about the David Hearn case and whether the reversal could “undercut the public’s faith in the Justice Department,” Senator Kennedy described the case as a “multiple vehicle pileup,” suggesting President Trump is being dishonest.

“Let me start with the president. The president says it was caused by vandals. I don’t know whether he really believes that, or it’s part of his political messaging, or he’s just thinking out loud,” he said.

“You and I both know the president well. He exists loudly, and he grows anxious when he has an unexpressed thought. I’m not saying he doesn’t really believe it. I just don’t know.”

On Pirro, he noted that the stakes are higher in a court of law and suggested that she would need to lie in order to secure a conviction. “You can’t lie to a federal judge. If she can’t prove her case, she was right to pull back because if you fool around with a federal judge, you will find out,” he said.

He then suggested that there was never any evidence against Hearn, saying, “I don’t know why she filed the suit without having without doing a full investigation. She says she relied on the Department of Interior, but she was smart to pull it back.”

WATCH:

The post Seriously? “I Don’t Know Whether He Really Believes That” – Senator John Kennedy Says Trump is “Anxious”, Defends Jeanine Pirro Dropping Charges Against David Hearn (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

UPDATE: Witness Recounts In-N-Out Shooting That Killed an Employee, Identity of Heroic Armed Bystander Revealed – Police Still Have Not Named Suspect or Motive (VIDEO)

Armed bystander attempts to stop gunman at Twin Falls, Idaho In-N-Out (screenshot via ABC 7)

New details from Saturday’s horrific In-N-Out shooting are emerging, including the possible identity of an armed bystander who was seen firing back at the gunman. 

Police have still not released the identity of the suspect, who was killed at the scene or a motive.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, three were confirmed dead on Saturday evening after a shooting at an In-N-Out restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho. At least five victims were wounded in the attack.

In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder confirmed in a statement that one of the lives lost was a female In-N-Out employee and asked those mourning to “turn to God.” The killer, she noted, is a “disgusting human who doesn’t value the lives of others or his own.”

Snyder wrote:

My heart is broken, my chest is heavy, my eyes burn from the tears I’ve shed.

We lost one of our beautiful Associates tonight. She was taking care of our most important asset – our Customers, and her life was taken by a disgusting human who doesn’t value the lives of others or his own. He shot both on our property and off, and ended his life shortly after he took the precious lives of our Associate and Customers, innocent people who never saw it coming.

IN-N-OUT will be mourning with the families and praying for them as they tread through a very painful season. I am no stranger to loss, but this is so incredibly tough, and my heart also goes out to all of the Associates and Customers who were there during this traumatic event.

I love you all, and I ask you to turn to God, not in anger, but seeking comfort and strength for those who are hurting.

We will stand together, and we will do everything we can to learn from this situation.

Love and God bless you,

One bystander described the scene, saying he witnessed the suspect “walking from a white vehicle to another vehicle with a pistol in his hand, and he popped one shot at the vehicle.”

More from Fox:

Another man was seen in the chaos yesterday, shooting at the gunman using his own handgun, though at the time it was unclear at the time if he was a heroic armed bystander or involved in the crime. It is now believed that the man was a hero named Jordan Salinas.

Video from the scene shows the man, donning a cowboy hat, firing back at the gunman using his pistol and ducking for cover in the bushes as the gunman seemingly fires back.

Via ABC 7:

Salinas is currently going viral on social media, with people crediting him for fighting back against the gunman and highlighting his social media posts, including his most recent post from July 5, 2026, where he is seen on video shooting an automatic rifle, clad in military gear, with American flags on his SUV.

WATCH:

“Celebrating the 250th as the founding fathers intended. Exercising the inalienable right to a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed,” Salinas wrote in the post.

Salinas is a patriot, as evidenced by his Facebook profile.

The post UPDATE: Witness Recounts In-N-Out Shooting That Killed an Employee, Identity of Heroic Armed Bystander Revealed – Police Still Have Not Named Suspect or Motive (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Senator Bernie Moreno Calls on Former Son-in-Law Rep. Max Miller to Resign from Congress Amid Domestic Abuse Allegations

Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) on Sunday called for Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) to resign from Congress amid allegations of domestic abuse.

Max Miller is accused of holding a gun to his wife’s head during their marriage and breaking his daughter’s collarbone.

On Sunday morning, Max Miller denied abusing his ex-wife Emily Moreno and their 2-year-old daughter.

Rep. Miller vowed to stay in the Congressional race.

WATCH:

Later Sunday, Senator Moreno said Max Miller should not serve in the House of Representatives.

Senator Moreno said the last two years have been “pure hell” for his family in the aftermath of his daughter’s divorce.

Full statement from Bernie Moreno:

As a father and husband, I can tell you the last two years have been pure hell for my wife Bridget, our daughter Emily, me, and our entire family in the aftermath of Emily’s divorce.

It has been horrific to watch this play out in full public view, all while knowing an innocent two-year-old girl is caught in the middle. Our priority has always been protecting our daughter and our granddaughter. Out of concern for the safety of my family, I hoped to keep this matter private but Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible.

As he has admitted privately, Max Miller needs serious psychological help. He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter.

If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives. I believe Max Miller needs to seek professional help to end the clear pattern of abuse he has left in his wake. I believe he should not be free to continue endangering others until he does.

I ran for office because I wanted to make a difference for the country that gave me every opportunity to succeed, and to leave this nation better for my children and grandchildren. That sacrifice has been especially hard on my wife Bridget, whose big heart and steady support have never wavered. I owe it to her, to Emily, and to my granddaughter to speak the truth now.

The post Senator Bernie Moreno Calls on Former Son-in-Law Rep. Max Miller to Resign from Congress Amid Domestic Abuse Allegations appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

BLM Rioters in Wisconsin Threaten to Kill Journalists Nick Sortor and Karlyn Borysenko While Preventing Them from Leaving Area and Attacking Car with VOMIT (VIDEOS)

Independent journalists Nick Sortor and Karlyn Borysenko were in serious danger on Saturday night after being confronted, threatened with death, and having their vehicle attacked with vomit by Black Lives Matter rioters in a self-declared “autonomous zone” that has taken over several blocks of downtown Madison, Wisconsin.

The zone, known as the “Corey Ruiz Autonomous Zone” or “CRAZ,” was formed in the days following the July 22 police shooting of Corey Ruiz, an armed serial felon who was killed while allegedly attacking an officer with a knife.

Protesters have built barricades of pallets, furniture, and spike strips, blocked streets, set up tents, and effectively seized control of the area around Williamson and Baldwin streets, using the playbook from Seattle’s 2020 CHOP/CHAZ.

Sortor, who was driving with Borysenko in the passenger seat, stopped near the encampment and stepped out of the vehicle in an attempt to make jokes and lighten the mood.

Instead, activists surrounded him, blocked him from returning to his car, swung a pole at him, sprayed vomit on him and his vehicle, damaged the left front quarter panel, and repeatedly threatened to kill him.

WATCH:

Video footage captured one individual warning, “hurry up and leave before your life ends out here” and saying “there’s a whole team of us.”

Borysenko, filming from the passenger seat with a hood over her head, captured the escalating confrontation.

WATCH:

She noted that the woman swinging the pole had previously appeared hostile toward her during an earlier visit to the zone and that the attackers did not appear to recognize either journalist, making the incident even more alarming because “this could happen to anyone.”

Sortor immediately called 911 after escaping.

Both journalists praised the responding Madison police officers as professional and helpful.

WATCH:

In follow-up posts, Borysenko suggested many of the individuals involved appeared to be connected to drug activity, with homeless people in the encampment allegedly being used as enforcers.

“BTW all of those people are likely drug dealers who are selling drugs out of that car, or the people they are selling the drugs too,” the journalist, known for extensively studying the far-left and going undercover at their protests and events, wrote.

“The leftists are giving the homeless people in that encampment drugs to use them as their security attack dogs.”

Speaking to The Gateway Pundit, Borysenko said, “Last night, we drove by the autonomous zone in Madison. Nick got out of the car to talk to the activists and cracked a few jokes. They got aggressive and violent and threatened multiple times to destroy the car and kill him. It was absolutely terrifying. One of the same people had been aggressive towards me in the autonomous zone earlier in the day. Hopefully the city will allow the cops to go and arrest the people who did this.”

Sortor called for federal involvement, arguing that allowing violent anarchists to control city blocks should never be tolerated.

Local reporting confirms the zone has disrupted businesses, blocked emergency access, and drawn criticism from Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, yet it has remained in place into early August.

As of Sunday, no arrests related to the specific assault on the journalists had been publicly announced.

The post BLM Rioters in Wisconsin Threaten to Kill Journalists Nick Sortor and Karlyn Borysenko While Preventing Them from Leaving Area and Attacking Car with VOMIT (VIDEOS) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Woman With ‘Gift Bomb’ Tries To Enter Moscow Restaurant Where a Russian General Is Celebrating His Birthday, Is Stopped by Security – Device Detonates Killing 5 and Injuring 21

Russian authorities are investigating the bombing – Screengrab X Upscaled by Grok AI

The Kiev Regime is back to its bombing campaign.

Losing the war on the frontlines, suffering from a lack of air defense missiles and military-aged men, Ukraine is keeping up with its asymmetric warfare – a.k.a. terrorist attacks.

This time around, they tried to use the same ‘gift bomb’ tactic that killed military blogger Tatarsky in 2023, as you can read in Pro-Ukraine Russian Terrorist Darya Trepova Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Gift-Bomb That Killed Military Blogger Tatarsky.

Yesterday, an improvised explosive device (IED) killed five people and wounded 21 others in an attack at a restaurant in central Moscow.

Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee said that an unidentified woman carrying the explosive device had tried to get into the restaurant, ​but had been stopped by a security guard – at this moment the bomb went off.

RT reported:

“The explosion struck the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant near Kudrinskaya Square at around 7:55pm on Saturday. According to the NAC, an unidentified woman attempted to carry a homemade explosive device into the restaurant but was stopped at the entrance by a security guard.

The woman and the guard were killed in the explosion, along with one of the restaurant’s patrons. The wounded sustained injuries of varying severity and were receiving medical assistance, officials said.”

Another two victims have reportedly died in the hospital during the night.

Russian Telegram channels report that an unnamed Russian General was celebrating his birthday in the restaurant and is considered to be the target of the attack.

These bombing tactics are a staple of Kiev regime’s covert actions, and they openly admit it, as you can read in Russia Demands Ukraine Arrest and Hand Over SBU Head Vasyl Malyuk, After He Admits on TV Role in Terror Attacks.

“Videos from the scene showed police officers and members of Russia’s National Guard Service, Rosgvardia, cordoning off the surrounding streets as firefighters and medical personnel worked at the site. Investigators and forensic experts remained there late into the evening.”

Read more about Ukraine’s bombings:

HORROR: Footage Shows Moment Bomb Goes Off in Monaco in Assassination Attempt of Oligarch Vadim Ermolaev and His Family

The post Woman With ‘Gift Bomb’ Tries To Enter Moscow Restaurant Where a Russian General Is Celebrating His Birthday, Is Stopped by Security – Device Detonates Killing 5 and Injuring 21 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

MORE: RFK Unloads on Dana Bash During Heated Vaccine Debate – “All You Know How to Do Is Repeat Things That People Told You and Say, Trust the Experts!” (VIDEO)

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Sunday destroyed CNN’s State of the Union host Dana Bash, blasting her for failing at her job and pushing the lies from so-called experts. 

Early in the interview, as the Gateway Pundit reported, Kennedy sent Bash into a screaming rage as he called her out for intentionally “scaring people” with her coverage of the COVID pandemic, slamming her for being “part of the problem” and committing “absolute press malpractice.”

“Your job is a fierce skepticism toward authority, and you weren’t doing that. You were beating up on people who were dissenting,” he said, scolding Bash for following marching orders from the Democratic Party.

WATCH:

Near the end of the interview, RFK’s tongue-lashing continued when Bash asked if he thinks babies should get the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, which he had already addressed several times earlier, even saying, “I have never questioned the efficacy of the MMR vaccine.”

“Yes, I said that already,” he responded when Bash asked him again about the MMR vaccine. “I know you’re flustered now,” he added, and Bash lost it.

“I don’t, I’m not flustered at all. I am frustrated,” she interrupted as Kennedy attempted to speak. “The reason I’m frustrated is because you are the HHS you are the HHS secretary, and you are talking about things that lead to vaccine hesitancy in this country, and it is something that causes problems for people when there is not anything,” Bash said.

Then RFK went off. “Let me ask you something: Do you see your job as ending vaccine hesitancy, or do you see your job as telling the truth to the American people?” he asked. “You’re repeating it like a parrot. You’re repeating it like a parrot,” he added as Bash droned on about “study after study after study.”

“I have actually read the science. Let’s you and I come back here and debate the science,” he continued. When Bash said, “I’m not debating this with you,” RFK hilariously responded, “Of course you won’t.”

“All you know how to do is repeat things that people told you and say, trust the experts. That’s what you did during COVID. Now, we know that Anthony Fauci, who was the expert, was lying about everything, about masks, about the social distancing, about natural immunity, about the transmission from the vaccine, about the source of COVID,” he continued.

“He was lying, and you were punishing people for not trusting the experts. And now you’re rolling out the experts again to talk about something that you have no personal knowledge of.”

Bash went on to claim that she’s only doing her job while angrily accusing Kennedy of “causing information to be out there that is not accurate.”

WATCH:

More from the interview:

FIREWORKS! “You’re Talking Nonsense!” – RFK Jr. Nukes Screaming Dana Bash and CNN for Pushing COVID Fear as She Lectures Him About “Vaccine Disinformation” (VIDEO)

The post MORE: RFK Unloads on Dana Bash During Heated Vaccine Debate – “All You Know How to Do Is Repeat Things That People Told You and Say, Trust the Experts!” (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.