No Kings and No New Wars

6.16.25

Ally Sammarco Jun 17

Happy Monday! I think we need another weekend after last weekend because this one gave us no rest. Nevertheless, welcome back to Common Sense—your source for news and analysis on the circus that is American politics and entertainment.

No Kings protests overshadow Trump’s military spectacle….On Saturday, while Washington D.C. hosted a costly military parade celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s 79th birthday, millions marched nationwide in the “No Kings” protests demanding resistance to authoritarianism. The event featured over 7,000 troops, 100+ tanks, historical reenactments, fireworks, and a Blue Heeler dog—yet turnout and on‑site atmosphere were subdued to say the least. On the other hand, coordinated by the 50501 movement, the No Kings protests drew participants in 2,000+ cities, totaling an estimated 5 million across the U.S.—from Philly (80,000 marchers) to the Bay Area (tens of thousands).

Minnesota political assassination shocks the nation....Early Saturday, Vance Luther Boelter, impersonating a police officer, carried out a politically motivated attack in suburban Minneapolis. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot at their home in Champlin around 2 a.m.; both sustained multiple gunshot wounds but survived—"incredibly lucky to be alive," their family said. Police then proactively checked on former House Speaker Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in Brooklyn Park (~3:35 a.m.). Boelter shot Mark through the door and killed Melissa inside; he then fled amid an exchange with responding officers. This spurred Minnesota’s largest manhunt ever, involving hundreds of officers, SWAT teams, and helicopters. Boelter was found hiding in woods near his home and surrendered on Sunday. Boelter has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder (Hortman and Mark) and two counts of attempted murder (the Hoffmans); federal charges are also expected. Authorities recovered a list of ~70 potential targets—mostly pro–choice Democrats and abortion providers—from his vehicle, along with “No Kings” protest flyers, triggering temporary shelter-in-place orders across Minnesota.

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Escalation in the Middle East…..The conflict between Israel and Iran has officially gone from “tense” to terrifying. We’re now five days in, and the violence is only escalating. Israel hit Tehran hard again today, prompting Iran to activate its air defenses. Meanwhile, Israel says it intercepted more incoming missiles from Iran. Trump took a break from the G7 to post a warning (on Truth Social of course) to Iranians to evacuate Tehran—because nothing says diplomacy like a caps-locked post in the middle of a war. Netanyahu claims the strikes have "set back" Iran’s nuclear program “a very, very long time.” No word on what that means strategically—but it definitely means things are about to get worse before they get better. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel. In Iran, the death toll is 224 and rising. Trump is cutting his G7 trip short to return to the U.S. “because of what’s going on in the Middle East,” according to the White House. Translation: it’s bad, and the ripple effects will reach far beyond the region.

Trump Snubs Tucker Carlson….While confronting questions about Tucker Carlson’s recent criticism—where Carlson accused Trump of being “complicit” in Israel’s actions against Iran—Trump responded sharply: “I don’t know what Tucker Carlson is saying. Let him go get a television network and say it so that people listen.” Shortly after on Truth Social, he doubled down: “Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!” Carlson—who is no longer on Fox after 2023—criticized Trump for supporting Israel’s military response, saying it betrays his "America First" base and makes the president complicit. We don’t agree with Tucker Carlson on much, but he may be right here.

Today’s Buzz: “The Naked Gun” Reboot Confirmed for August Release….The beloved slapstick comedy franchise is back. The Naked Gun reboot, set to premiere on August 1, 2025, is directed by Akiva Schaffer and produced by Seth MacFarlane. Liam Neeson steps into the iconic role as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. alongside Pamela Anderson as Beth, Paul Walter Hauser as Ed Hocken Jr., Danny Huston as the villain, plus Liza Koshy, Kevin Durand, CCH Pounder, and WWE star Cody Rhodes. The film will follow Drebin Jr. as he teams up with Beth to solve her brother's murder and rescue the Police Squad from being shut down.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading. Check back tomorrow for the next edition of Common Sense.