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Hi, it’s Ben. This week has already been chaotic and it’s only Tuesday. When you step back and look at the full picture, what’s happening right now is not normal, it’s not stable, and it’s not sustainable.
Before I dive in, I want to thank you for your warm welcome of veteran reporter Scott MacFarlane to the MeidasTouch Network as our Chief Washington Correspondent. He is on the hill with our DC correspondent Pablo Manríquez holding our politicians to account. The White House has been attacking Scott and us over the past 24 hours. Nevertheless, we will never be cowered from our mission. We will always tell the truth, and if the truth scares them, that’s their problem. Make sure you subscribe to Scott on YouTube now. He just released an incredible video responding to the White House. Also make sure you are following him right here on Substack.
Now, to the news.
Donald Trump’s unlawful war in Iran is escalating rapidly, and the gap between what he’s saying and what’s actually happening has never been wider. We are now seeing the deployment of one of the most elite rapid-response forces in the United States military, the 82nd Airborne Division. This is not a symbolic move or a small advisory presence. We are talking about thousands of paratroopers, including the Immediate Response Force, being positioned in the Middle East for potential ground operations. That is how wars expand. At the same time, Marine Expeditionary Units are moving into position, the USS Tripoli is en route, and additional naval assets are following, including the USS Boxer. This is a full-scale military buildup that points to something much bigger than the White House is willing to admit publicly.
All of this is happening as the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate in real time. The United States and Israel struck Iranian energy infrastructure, and Iran responded by hitting targets in Kuwait and launching missiles, including cluster munitions, into Tel Aviv. These are direct escalatory moves, and what is especially concerning is that these strikes are becoming more effective. We are seeing higher penetration rates, more missiles getting through defenses, and more widespread damage. That is not the trajectory of a conflict that is winding down. It is the opposite.
At the same time, Trump is out there claiming that negotiations are underway, that talks are happening, and that everything is moving toward some kind of resolution. Iran says that is completely false. They are not hedging or offering a different interpretation. They are saying plainly that Trump is making it up. Iranian officials and even embassy accounts are openly mocking him, posting sarcastic messages about Trump having imaginary conversations with himself about controlling the Strait of Hormuz. Think about where we are right now. The United States is engaged in a rapidly expanding war, and the opposing side is publicly ridiculing the president for fabricating peace talks. That is a loss of credibility on the global stage.
What makes this even more dangerous is that Trump’s actions are making the situation harder to resolve, not easier. When leadership figures inside Iran are killed, they are not being replaced by moderates or reformers. They are being replaced by more extreme hardliners, people who are more entrenched and far less likely to negotiate. We saw that happen again with a senior official being replaced almost immediately by someone more extreme and more difficult to deal with. So every time Trump claims a victory, what is actually happening is that the path to diplomacy becomes narrower.
Even regional mediators, countries that typically try to bring both sides together, are now expressing deep skepticism that any agreement can be reached soon. The two sides are further apart than they were before this war began. Iran believes it has leverage, that it has strengthened its position, and that it has gained control over critical chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz. It is making demands that are incompatible with any realistic resolution. That is the situation Trump has created.
Side note: I’m often asked where I go to do research for my reporting. One of the main research tools I use is called Ground News. Ground News shows me how stories are being covered from different political perspectives, and it highlights “blindspots” where only left-wing or right-wing media is covering a story.
Ground News has been a great sponsor of our YouTube channel and podcast, and they’re now sponsoring this post as well. I worked out a deal with them: if you go to ground.news/meidas, you can get 40% off Ground News’ top-tier Vantage plan, which gives you unlimited access to all the research tools I use.
Ground News is subscriber-funded, so they don’t rely on ads that could introduce bias. By subscribing, you support both our channel and their independent team working to keep the media transparent.
Now back to my report.
This is not just about foreign policy. It is already hitting our economy. Bond markets are flashing warning signs that should not be ignored. The 20-year Treasury yield surged back toward 5 percent within 24 hours of Trump claiming that peace talks were underway. That is the market reacting to instability and calling out the disconnect between rhetoric and reality. When yields rise like that, borrowing costs go up, mortgage rates climb, and credit tightens. The ripple effects hit everyday Americans who are trying to buy homes, refinance loans, or simply keep up with rising costs. Markets do not respond to slogans. They respond to risk, and right now they are signaling that this war is unstable and unsustainable.
So what is the Trump administration doing to address this? From what we are seeing, there is no coherent strategy. Instead, there is chaos, distraction, and messaging that falls apart under scrutiny. You have Trump allies going on television telling Americans that the deaths of U.S. soldiers are worth it for a mission that has never been clearly defined. You have politicians suggesting that the plan is simply to strike first because the enemy wants to kill us. You have speeches filled with hollow language that refer to people as “human capital” while families are grieving and communities are trying to process what is happening.
And then, in the middle of all of this, you have Trump’s NASA leadership going out and talking about building moon bases and cities on Mars. That is where the focus is being directed while troops are being deployed into an expanding war, while markets are signaling instability, and while Americans are struggling to afford basic necessities. It shows a complete disconnect from reality, and it would be absurd if the consequences were not so serious.
Back in Washington, administration officials are also being pressed on their role in approving massive weapons transfers, including tens of thousands of bombs being sent into this conflict. When asked directly whether proper reviews were conducted and whether legal standards were followed, they cannot provide clear answers. They dodge questions, deflect responsibility, and fall back on vague assurances that everything is compliant with the law. That is what it looks like when officials know that the full story would raise serious concerns.
So here we are. A war that is expanding, an adversary that is becoming more entrenched, markets that are signaling more danger, and a government that is lying to us. We have seen moments like this before in different forms. We know what happens when leaders mislead the public about wars, about risks, and about costs. It does not end well. But what is different right now is that people are paying attention in real time. You are paying attention. This community is paying attention, and that matters more than ever.
That is why we do this. That is why we show up every day and break this down. Not to overwhelm you, but to make sure you have clarity and context, to make sure you are seeing what is actually happening and not just what is being presented to you.
As we move deeper into this week, stay engaged. Talk to people about this. Share credible information. Do not let anyone convince you that what you are seeing is not real. Because it is real, and the stakes could not be higher.
Thanks for your support.
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Voters are demanding more fighters in Congress.
Most incumbents insist they are “fighters,” as they cash corporate PAC checks from the billionaires raising everyone’s prices and write strongly-worded letters against the agency kidnapping and murdering people in communities across America.
During this historically authoritarian, violent, and corporate administration, these so-called “fighters” are simply not good enough. That’s why Justice Democrats is backing a slate of 12 progressive candidates challenging incumbents and running for open seats this year.
We’re going to ask if you can pitch in to support our slate today. But first, let us break down how our candidates differ from the Do-Nothing Democrats they’re going up against in the 2026 primaries:
❌ Every single incumbent we are primarying takes corporate PAC money.
✅ None of our candidates accepts a cent from corporate PACs, AIPAC, Crypto, or the AI lobby.
❌ Representatives Wesley Bell, Adriano Espaillat, Jimmy Gomez, Doris Matsui, and Shri Thanedar all voted to enable Trump’s Crypto corruption to help him line his own pockets last year.
✅ Challengers Cori Bush, Darializa Avila Chevalier, Angela Gonzalez-Torres, Mai Vang, and Donavan McKinney are committed to properly regulating the Crypto industry and reject Crypto Super PACs.
❌ Representatives Diana DeGette, Wesley Bell, Jimmy Gomez, and Shri Thanedar voted this year to fund Trump’s warmongering foreign policy agenda — including codifying anti-abortion policies.
✅ Their opponents — Melat Kiros along with Cori, Angela, and Donavan — will oppose pumping more tax dollars into the military industrial complex and forever wars, and will always defend the right to abortion.
❌ Representatives Steve Cohen, Doris Matsui, and Shri Thanedar have traded millions of dollars' worth of stocks while in office.
✅ Justin J. Pearson, Mai, Donavan, and the rest of our slate support a long-overdue ban on congressional stock trading.
❌ Every single incumbent we’re challenging has voted to send the Israeli government billions of dollars to commit a genocide, while families at home can’t even afford rent or groceries.
✅ Our entire slate supports the human rights and sovereignty of the Palestinian people, and will oppose sending another cent of U.S. military aid for Israel’s genocide.
❌ Representatives Steve Cohen, Wesley Bell, and Shri Thanedar all voted in this Congress to “express gratitude” to ICE for “protecting our homeland.”
✅ The entire Justice Democrats slate firmly believes it’s time to abolish ICE.
In these twelve primary races, we’re sending the Democratic establishment a very clear message:
You are not a fighter for everyday people if you take corporate PAC money. You are not a fighter against Donald Trump if you vote for Donald Trump’s agenda. You are not a fighter for your community if a corporate PAC or right-wing lobby has ever dictated your vote in Congress. You are not a fighter unless you have the moral and political courage to stand up to the wealthy and well-connected, oppose their influence, and build the bold, visionary agenda that tackles our most urgent crises and delivers the future working-class communities deserve.
Our slate of candidates this cycle is running to do just that.
If you've stored your info with ActBlue Express, we'll process your contribution instantly:
In solidarity,
Justice Democrats
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