Iran War “Terminated?”
Politico wrote on May 1:
“President Donald Trump notified lawmakers Friday that the Iran war has ‘terminated’ — an effort to quelch the fight over the need for Congress to approve the conflict. The White House laid out its rationale in a letter… as the Middle East conflict reached a 60-day legal deadline under which operations must halt unless lawmakers authorize military force. A ceasefire with Tehran, Trump argued, effectively stops the clock. [It does not.] The missive seeks to head off a growing battle on Capitol Hill, where Trump faces the prospect of losing Republican support as the war stretches into its second month with no clear exit strategy…
“The 1973 War Powers Resolution requires U.S. forces to withdraw from a conflict 60 days after the president notifies Congress, unless lawmakers vote to authorize continued military action. The White House can seek to extend military operations for another 30 days for the purposes of winding down the conflict… Trump’s GOP support for the war could be starting to wane, particularly with a public who largely wants it to end.
“Trump on Thursday derided lawmakers who were pushing for authorization. ‘I don’t think it’s constitutional what they’re asking for,’ he said. ‘These are not patriotic people.’
“Advocates of reining in Trump through the 1973 law contend he is misreading the statute. And they note that despite the ceasefire, the U.S. military is still engaged in a blockade meant to force Tehran’s hand as Trump seeks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, not to mention roughly 50,000 American troops still stationed in the Middle East… Pentagon officials have said American military forces remain on standby to resume attacks on Iran if peace talks break down.”
Of course, Trump is under an obligation to follow that law. His objections are ludicrous, as the Iran war has clearly NOT ENDED. But Congress is too weak and ineffective to force Trump to obey the law.
Note the next article.
Congress “Deferring” to Trump
ABC News wrote on April 30:
“GOP lawmakers… continue to defer to the White House…. Congress made no attempt at enforcing that requirement, leaving town for a week on Thursday… Trump administration has shown no interest in seeking congressional approval at all….
“The reluctance to defy Trump on the war comes at a politically perilous time for Republicans, with public frustration mounting both over the conflict and its impact on gas prices.”
Congress is not doing Trump and the public any favors with its own severely damaged reputation any favors.
Trump’s Project Freedom– Ceasefire Ended?
The Hill wrote on May 4:
“The fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is under threat of falling apart after President Trump declared that the U.S. would ‘guide’ vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in an effort he called ‘Project Freedom’… In response, Iran’s armed forces said they would not allow passage to American combat forces or commercial ships without their authorization. Tehran’s forces opened fire on U.S. warships and commercial vessels on Monday, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) head Adm. Brad Cooper told reporters. He said American forces returned fire and destroyed six small Iranian boats... [Iran denies this.]
“The situation is threatening to reignite a war that has been paused during the temporary ceasefire and send gas prices even higher. It may also fuel frustration in Congress, after Trump told lawmakers last week the war was over as it passed the 60-day mark.”
The Daily Mail wrote on May 4:
“Trump has today confirmed Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, hours after Tehran launched a series of missile and drone attacks on the UAE. Tehran launched four missiles at a US-backed Middle Eastern ally on Monday, blowing up a major oil port following the President’s move to reopen the Strait. Trump later threatened to ‘blow Iran off the face of the earth’ if US warships and commercial vessels continue to be targeted…”
ABC News reported on May 5:
“President Donald Trump suggested that Iran hasn’t yet violated the ceasefire despite firing shots in the Strait of Hormuz, saying ‘I’ll let you know’ when it is breached. ‘They didn’t shoot the ships that were guarded by us,’ Trump said during an Oval Office event on Tuesday…. ‘Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,’ Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Tuesday.”
Zeteo wrote on May 5:
“President Donald Trump claimed hostilities against Iran had been ‘terminated,’ that seems, predictably, anything but the case, as the US, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates attack and counterattack over the Strait of Hormuz.”
Trump called the current situation a “mini war,” while he falsely alleged that America’s “economy is booming.” His terminology is carefully chosen as he tries to avoid abiding by the 60-day deadline of the War Powers Resolution of 1973. But he did not even have to be that concerned as most Republicans in control of Congress have shown no sign of holding Trump to that limit.
Project Freedom on Hold
The Guardian wrote on May 5:
“Donald Trump announced he is pausing ‘Project Freedom’… so he can finalise a deal with Iran, but added that his blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place… The announcement came after military leaders and the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, insisted a ceasefire in the Middle East was still holding and that – while the conflict is not resolved – the initial major US military operation against Iran has concluded. ‘The operation is over. Epic Fury – as the president notified Congress – we’re done with that stage of it,’ Rubio said…
“Trump’s pausing of Project Freedom appeared to run counter to comments from Rubio and the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, only hours earlier. In a Pentagon news conference, Hegseth said the US had successfully secured a path through the waterway and that hundreds of commercial ships were lining up to pass through. ‘We know the Iranians are embarrassed by this fact. They said they control the strait. They do not,’ he said.
“Rubio later said the US was working to get ships through the strait as a ‘favour to the world … because we’re the only ones that can’… So far, only two merchant ships are known to have passed through the US-guarded route, with hundreds more, carrying up to 23,000 crew members, bottled up in the Persian Gulf.”
ABC News added on May 5:
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the White House that operation Epic Fury is now over, saying the U.S. is now involved in a ‘defensive’ operation as it seeks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. ‘If they pose a threat to our forces, we’ll shoot down drones, we’ll shoot down missiles. But it’s defensive in nature,’ Rubio said.”
This is such nonsense. But IF operation Epic Fury is over, then America has LOST the war on all fronts… a terrible and humiliating, unparalleled defeat.
Pete Hegseth—Incompetent and Out of His Depth
The Independent wrote on April 30:
“Pete Hegseth is struggling: that much has been clear for a while. When it comes to the Iran war and the updates he is tasked to provide, he’s most comfortable in front of a journalistic audience, where he can yell and berate people for ‘being negative’ any time they ask anything that sounds too much like an actual question…
“But today, pressed calmly and continually by a bipartisan group on strategy and military expenditure, it became extremely obvious how out of his depth Hegseth is…. Asked about the length of the war, he pulled out manufactured outrage, talking about how his generation served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that was a quagmire, and ‘you stain the troops’ by suggesting this war has been going on too long. ‘Who you cheering for?’ he yelled, adding, ‘Your hatred for President Trump blinds you to the truth of the success of this mission!’ In the quiet, unostentatious room, his words sounded flat, eerie, cult-like. They did not project the power he must’ve hoped that they would…
“Here is a man who cannot answer basic questions about what his decisions mean to the average American taxpayer; a man who is quick to call his fellow Americans adversaries and reluctant to talk specifics; a man who performs shockingly badly under pressure and becomes volatile in high-pressure situations. Just who you want in charge of the Pentagon…. it is, of course… deeply and unrelentingly scary.”
Hegseth should never have been placed in the position of Secretary of Defense or of War.
USA to Withdraw 5,000 Troops From Germany
CBS News wrote on May 1:
“The Pentagon is planning to withdraw about 5,000 American forces from Germany… officials characterized the move as a signal of President Trump’s discontent with the level of assistance that European allies have offered in the U.S.-Iran war. Mr. Trump has publicly criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the leaders of other NATO member states for not getting directly involved in the U.S.’s military campaign against Iran.
“The U.S. military has a massive presence in Germany dating back to the aftermath of World War II and the Cold War. More than 36,000 active duty troops were assigned to bases throughout Germany as of last December, along with nearly 1,500 reservists and 11,500 civilians. Japan is the only foreign country with a larger presence of U.S. troops.
“Germany is also home to the headquarters of U.S. European Command and Africa Command, and its Ramstein Air Base is a key hub for U.S. operations.”
ABC News wrote on May 2:
“Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, sharply criticized the move, calling it a ‘foolish decision,’ in a statement.
“‘Withdrawing thousands of American troops from one of our most important strategic positions in the middle of a war is a serious mistake that will reverberate well beyond this moment,’ Reed said in the statement. ‘Weakening our military footprint in Europe at a time when Russian forces continue to mercilessly attack Ukraine and harass our NATO allies is a priceless gift to Vladimir Putin and suggests American commitments to our allies are dependent on the president’s mood.’”
More Than “Just” 5,000 Troops?
The Guardian wrote on May 3:
“Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw more US troops from Germany after stunning European leaders and some senior members of his own party by last week announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany. The move left 30,000 US troops still in the country… But Trump threatened on Saturday that more cuts were coming. ‘We are going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,’ he told reporters on Saturday….
“The Republicans who chair the armed services committees in Congress, Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Representative Mike Rogers of Alabama, released a joint statement on Saturday saying they were ‘very concerned’ by the possibility of reducing troops in Germany… Any reduction in troops should be done in coordination with Congress and allies.’
The reduction is supposed to be completed in six to twelve months, according to Die Welt, dated May 3. Nius added on May 3 that American nuclear weapons are also stationed in Germany.
It is anticipated that many GOP members will submit to Trump in this regard as well, even though 62% of the population rejectsTrump’s policies, according to NTV, dated May 3, while 37% give him a positive evaluation. One has to wonder who those 37% are!!!
Withdrawing Troops From Spain and Italy As Well?
The Guardian wrote on May 1:
“Donald Trump also threatened Italy and Spain for not helping to reopen the strait of Hormuz…. Asked late on Thursday whether he would consider pulling US troops out of Italy and Spain, Trump told reporters: ‘Probably … look, why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.’… About 13,000 US military personnel are stationed across seven naval bases in Italy….
“According to the US Defense Manpower Data Center, at the end of last year the US military had 68,000 active-duty military personnel assigned permanently in its overseas bases in Europe… Late last year, in an apparent rebuke to Trump’s threats to downgrade military ties with Europe, the US House approved a defense bill limiting the president’s authority to reduce troop numbers, barring levels on the continent from falling below 76,000 for more than 45 days and blocking the removal of major equipment….
“On 1 April, Trump said he was ‘absolutely without question’ considering withdrawing from Nato because of the European allies’ refusal to take part in the war on Iran and help secure the strait of Hormuz. A US withdrawal would be catastrophic for Europe’s security but is seen as unlikely because of US legislation passed in 2024 that bars a president from leaving Nato without either a two-thirds Senate majority or an act of Congress.”
But Trump may not abide by any of these provisions.
No Anti-Putin Missiles
Bild Online reported on May 2:
“This decision by US President Donald Trump really hurts! Not only is he withdrawing 5,000 American troops from Germany, but he is also canceling the planned deployment of Tomahawk cruise missiles. Defense experts view this development as dangerous to our defensive capabilities against Russia… These long-range precision weapons were originally scheduled to be stationed in West Germany this year. In the event of a defensive conflict, they would have enabled strikes against targets within Russia as well…
“The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Henning Otte (57), reacted with concern: ‘The withdrawal of US combat units sends a poor signal regarding Germany’s defensive capabilities. This loss must be compensated for.’ Trump’s decision ‘tears a gap in Germany’s defense architecture.’”
Trump Announces 25 Percent Tariffs on Cars and Trucks
Die Welt reported on May 2:
“Trump announces plans to raise tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union to 25 percent…
“Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed on a trade deal in July of last year. That agreement established a tariff rate of 15 percent for most goods. However, the status of the agreement was called into question by a Supreme Court ruling in February, which held that Trump lacks the authority to declare an economic emergency in order to impose tariffs on EU goods…
“Should Trump proceed to raise US tariffs as announced, the EU reserves the right to take countermeasures… Bernd Lange, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, has sharply criticized the announced tariffs on European cars. ‘This latest move demonstrates just how unreliable the US side is,’ the SPD politician declared on Friday. ‘This is not how one treats close partners.’ Trump’s conduct is unacceptable. The European Union must now respond with the utmost clarity and determination, from a position of strength, Lange demanded…
“For economist Marcel Fratzscher, the renewed escalation in the trade conflict with the U.S.—triggered by President Donald Trump’s tariff threats—comes as no surprise. ‘For President Trump exploits Germany’s and Europe’s constant yielding as a sign of weakness,’ the President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) told the news agency Reuters on Friday. ‘It is now coming back to haunt us once again that the European Union, as well as the German government, have repeatedly given in to Trump during this conflict and allowed him to have his way.’”
Vice-Chancellor Klingbeil Criticizes Trump’s Mess
t-online reported on May 1:
“SPD leader and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has defended Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) against criticism from the USA. ‘We really don’t need any tips from Donald Trump right now. He should take a look at the mess he has created. He should ensure that serious peace talks are held in Iran immediately,’ said Klingbeil…
“Klingbeil also voiced criticism of Trump’s strategy in Iran. ‘I believe he genuinely thought this would be a matter of two or three days, and then everything would be fine,’ he said. ‘He now bears the responsibility for ensuring that this war in Iran ends quickly,’ said the Federal Minister of Finance. ‘Above all, he must ensure that the burdens resulting from his war do not end up on our doorstep—on workers, consumers, and the economy.’
“However, it is also crucial that Europe be economically strong enough ‘that we do not have to let ourselves be blackmailed by anyone,’ said Klingbeil. ‘I do not want us to be dependent on whatever mood Donald Trump happens to be in today or tomorrow.’”
US Surveillance of Europeans
Fodors wrote on April 30:
“Citizens of the European Union do not need to apply for a visa to visit the U.S. The two sides have a visa waiver program in place. Now, however, the U.S. is adding a condition: If the EU wants to continue to enjoy visa-free travel, it needs to give American authorities access to its database…
“This is a highly controversial move in Europe. The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) offers strong protections to residents regarding their data. Businesses must comply with rules about data collection and processing of EU residents. They need to be clear and transparent about data use, and residents have the right to deny or withdraw consent at any time. The U.S., however, does not have such protections in place, and experts are concerned this could lead to mass surveillance…. A member of the European Parliament, Hermida-van der Walle, criticized the proposal calling it blackmail….
“It is possible that criticizing the government or its policies could get travelers barred from entering the country… experts warn this could create a chilling effect among travelers, who might take their tourist dollars elsewhere.”
Trump—The Chaos President
t-online wrote on May 2:
“Over the past few days, Trump has worked himself into an ever-increasing rage. The trigger for his anger: Friedrich Merz. Trump’s outbursts—flanked by numerous statements from other administration officials, such as his ‘Secretary of War’ Pete Hegseth—culminated finally in a threat from the President directed not only at Spain and Italy, but above all, once again, at Germany. The long-standing specter of a troop withdrawal had suddenly returned….
“Trump’s familiar modus operandi against his chosen adversaries was visibly playing out: First, the personal attacks against Merz. Then, the threats. Then, the economic pressure. On Friday, Trump also announced new punitive tariffs of 25 percent on European automobiles. That alone constituted a very concrete, frontal assault on Germany’s industrial heartland. Shortly thereafter came the security-policy leverage: US troops out of Germany. The lesson intended to be taught is this: Anyone who dares to criticize Trump publicly—and as harshly as Merz did—will be made an example of….
“A simple principle governs Trump’s domestic and foreign policy: Loyalty or reprisals. The mere fact that Germany is not participating militarily in the conflict with Iran was enough to land it in his crosshairs. The fact that Merz then proceeded to lash out against him, too, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Now, the US President is making an example of the Chancellor. Trump is bullying Merz. Germany is to be the victim…
“Trump’s erratic policies do not merely weaken Germany; they weaken all of Europe. And they benefit Russia. Trump’s often impulsive decisions do not merely sacrifice security on the other side of the Atlantic; they also jeopardize the security of the United States itself. For the United States, Europe is indispensable to maintaining its own global standing—whether in the Middle East or the Arctic, whether against Russia or against China. Trump, however, does not care. He snubs allies whenever it suits him…
“Military capabilities cannot be accelerated by decree. The Trump administration knows this all too well, given its dwindling military stockpiles resulting from the conflict with Iran, or its naval fleet, which is falling further and further behind China…
“Trump remains a ‘chaos president’—fighting on too many fronts with far too little strategy. He spreads himself too thin across the globe: war with Iran, presidential abductions in Venezuela, unlawful sanctions of economic blackmail against Cuba. Yet, he suspends those directed at Russia. He weakens his European allies—and even threatens them territorially, as seen in Greenland—wherever and whenever he can. The US President escalates conflicts everywhere simultaneously, thereby losing control. Ultimately, what is missing is the very thing that made America a global power for decades: trust.”
Trump’s pronouncements that America is respected again is nonsense. Just the opposite is the case.
Trump—a Master Builder Full of Pride
The Atlantic wrote on April 29:
“The tendency to self-aggrandize is as fundamental a feature of Trump as his sculpted hair and overlong red ties. But it has become even more important in setting his priorities and steering his actions as he hurtles through his final term in office. He no longer has to worry about the judgment of voters and can instead focus on what he’s decided really matters: ascending to become one of history’s so-called great men and leaving an enduring—and, in many cases, physical—imprint. The result, at least so far, has cost many lives and billions of dollars, damaged the world economy, strained already fragile alliances, and cratered the president’s standing with the public. But those around him cast his new focus as a liberation…
“Trump’s heightened tendency to view himself as a world-historical figure—capable of brash, misunderstood greatness—has transformed his second term, and not necessarily in a good way. …
“A foreign leader visiting Washington today would find a city under reconstruction, with tower cranes over the White House, a spectacle that recalls Roman Emperor Augustus’s claim that ‘I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marbles.’ There’s the planned remodeling (and recent renaming) of the Kennedy Center, the affixing of his name to the United States Institute of Peace, the attempted seizure of D.C.-municipal golf courses that Trump plans to renovate, the paving over of Jackie Kennedy’s Rose Garden into a Mar-a-Lago-style patio, and the tearing down of the East Wing to make way for the massive ballroom. (That destruction prompted the largest outcry, perhaps because the symbolism was visual, physical, visceral—a wrecking ball laying waste to a cherished pillar of democracy.)
“The proposed ‘Arc de Trump,’ a 250-foot structure modeled after Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, would be taller than any similar structure in world history, and more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial, across the river from where it would stand. ‘The GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World,’ Trump declared three days after announcing the cease-fire with Iran.”
So, when is he going to start building the Third Temple in Jerusalem?
Trump: After Iran We’ll Take Over Cuba
The Telegraph wrote on May 2:
“US president suggests Cuban government would ‘give up’ if his warships appeared near Havana. Donald Trump has warned that American forces could ‘almost immediately take over Cuba on the way back from Iran…”
Some said Trump was joking or partly joking, but his actions towards Cuba so far are no joke. His ambition to take over Cuba is far too obvious. Vox asked the question on May 1: ”Trump says Cuba is ‘next.’ What does that mean? The island may be next in the administration’s crosshairs after Venezuela and Iran…”
Spirit Airlines Folds… Blow to Trump
Reuters wrote on May 2:
“Bankrupt discount carrier Spirit Airlines ceased operations on Saturday, the industry’s first casualty linked to the Iran war, after failing to secure creditor support for a U.S. government bailout plan. The collapse of the carrier following a doubling in jet fuel prices during the two-month-old Iran war will cost thousands of jobs. It is a blow to President Donald Trump, who had proposed $500 million to save Spirit despite opposition from some of his closest advisers and many Republicans in Congress.
“No U.S. carrier of Spirit’s size – it accounted for 5% of U.S. flights at one point – has liquidated in two decades. Spirit helped keep fares lower in markets where it competed against major carriers… Spirit’s collapse highlights the unintended consequences of the Iran war launched by Washington.”
The Associated Press added on May 2:
“The airline said on its website that all flights have been canceled and customer service is no longer available. Some passengers arrived Saturday for flights and were stunned to find them canceled, while workers learned overnight they were out of jobs…
“U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Saturday that Spirit had a reserve fund set up for customers who bought directly from the airline to get refunds. People who bought from third-party vendors like travel agents would have to seek refunds from them.”
Other airlines are in danger of collapsing as well. For example, in late April, Lufthansa announced that they are permanently withdrawing 27 aircraft belonging to its subsidiary CityLine from service due to rising jet fuel prices and ongoing labor disputes. Lufthansa (including SWISS, Austrian, Brussels, and ITA Airways) also cancelled approximately 20,000, or 1% of its capacity, in short-haul flights across key European hubs (Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome) until October 2026.
Trump Proclaims National Sabbath
chabad.org wrote on May 4:
“For the first time in American history, a sitting president has called on the nation to observe a Shabbat… President Donald Trump designated the period from sundown Friday, May 15, through nightfall Saturday, May 16, as a national Shabbat, dubbed ‘Shabbat 250.’ ‘In special honor of 250 glorious years of American independence and on the weekend of Rededicate 250 — a national jubilee of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving — Jewish Americans are encouraged to observe a national Sabbath,’ the President wrote.
“‘From sundown on May 15 to nightfall on May 16, friends, families, and communities of all backgrounds may come together in gratitude for our great Nation. This day will recognize the sacred Jewish tradition of setting aside time for rest, reflection, and gratitude to the Almighty.’”
Trump also wrote the following in his proclamation:
“I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month. I call upon Americans to celebrate the heritage and contributions of Jewish Americans and to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies. I further call on all Americans to celebrate their faith and freedom throughout this year, during this month, and especially on Shabbat to celebrate our 250th year.”
It was pointed out that the move sent shockwaves through Jewish and Christian communities alike and that it is impossible to ignore the personal dimension behind the proclamation, as Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner are shomer Shabbat — fully Shabbat-observant Orthodox Jews.
Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump Calls on All Americans to Celebrate the National Sabbath.”
Trump Keeps Attacking Pope Leo
The Guardian wrote on May 5:
“Donald Trump has issued a fresh verbal attack against Pope Leo XIV, accusing the pontiff of ‘endangering a lot of Catholics’ because ‘he thinks it’s fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon’…
“Leo has never said that Iran should have nuclear weapons, but has repeatedly opposed the war on the country and the subsequent escalation of the conflict in Lebanon and the wider Middle East, calling for ceasefires and dialogue.”
Pope Leo Indirectly Accuses Trump of Lying
Der Tagesspiegel reported on May 5:
“Pope Leo XIV has responded to the latest attacks by US President Donald Trump. ‘If anyone wishes to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully,’ the head of the Church told journalists on Tuesday evening in Castel Gandolfo.
“The Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years—of this there is no doubt—Leo XIV stated, addressing Trump’s renewed assertion that the Pope would find it acceptable for Iran to possess a nuclear weapon.”
End-Times Atmosphere in Germany
Apollo News wrote on May 1st:
“These are the signs of the end times—signs that have become unmistakable in political Berlin these days. The verdict that Friedrich Merz simply isn’t up to the task—that is, the task of governing—has by now become almost indisputable, even within CDU circles. The Chancellor, meanwhile—just days before his anniversary in office—is left with nothing but a bunker mentality.
“Merz is now largely isolated. It has always been this way—at least during his tenure as parliamentary group leader—that Merz kept his distance from many people, rarely let anyone get close, and had few intimate confidants. A handicap at the start of his chancellorship, this has since evolved into a fatal paralysis for his government. By now, Merz appears to have no one left whom he trusts—and, apparently, no one left to tell him what the actual situation is.
“The man sitting in the Chancellery seems utterly detached from—and insulated against—reality. While his government is going up in flames, the ‘Great Reform Chancellor’ continues to announce one reform initiative after another, speaking of plans and projects that, outside the confines of his own mind, have long since died. His orders are merely words cast to the wind…
“It is an open secret in Berlin that the general consensus is: this coalition will fall apart sooner or later. Yet the fact that this sentiment is now being voiced so publicly serves as an ominous sign. The days of this coalition truly seem numbered.”
“Jens Spahn: The Indestructible”
Welt Online wrote on May 5:
“Jens Spahn has been confirmed as Chairman of the Union parliamentary group. His position of power has been strengthened; the CDU politician can now present himself with greater confidence vis-à-vis Federal Chancellor Merz. But just how loyal is Spahn?…
“One year after he took office, the members of the larger governing parliamentary group confirmed the 45-year-old CDU politician in his post by a large majority, securing his tenure until the end of the legislative term. A group spokesperson reported the result as 86.5 percent…. Spahn’s tenure had gotten off to a rocky start… After those difficult initial months, however, Spahn has found his footing; his support within the parliamentary group is now considered stable.”
ntv wrote on May 5:
“Many viewed the post of parliamentary group leader merely as a stepping stone on the way to the top—to the Chancellery. Whether he will ever succeed in reaching that goal remains an open question. He is not exactly popular, in any case…”
The Survivor
Bild Online wrote on May 5:
“You have to give Jens Spahn (45, CDU) credit for one thing: He is a political survivor unlike almost anyone before him. No matter what happens—one person survives it: HE. Mask deals, COVID-related failures, COVID fundraising dinners, shady villa financing, a botched judicial election, coup plots by his own party members, a sugar tax despite a party congress veto… Political crashes look different. So do electoral rebukes….
“The man—widely rumored to harbor ambitions for the chancellorship—is unlikely to ever become the darling of the German public. He has, however, just displaced the Chancellor—from the very last spot in the Bild politician rankings.”
Jens Spahn Is Unpopular and Controversial—Yet Untouchable
Wirtschaftswoche wrote on May 5:
“The CDU parliamentary group leader was controversial within his own party, is detested by his political opponents, and is unpopular among the general public. Now, he has been re-elected. How did he manage that?… Spahn was considered a precarious candidate—a man playing for his own advantage; a liability. Today, there is no longer any talk of that…
“Merkel was always adept at pushing critics to the sidelines—at marginalizing them. Yet with Spahn, she never succeeded… Not even within the Union itself does anyone believe that his political ambitions end with the office of parliamentary group leader.”
Guttenberg and the Bilderbergers
Apolut wrote on April 23:
“It is the 72nd Bilderberg meeting… 57 of the 128 participants had already attended the previous year in Stockholm… Back at Bilderberg for the first time: Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, former Federal Minister of Defense—who resigned in 2011 due to plagiarism—and who has since been based in New York and Washington as the head of Spitzberg Partners—a consulting and investment firm operating in the transatlantic defense and technology sectors—a transatlantic networker with CSU roots and a Washington base…
“On November 22, 2019, Wolfgang Effenberger wrote in WORLD ECONOMY under the headline ‘US War Against Rival China’: ‘For the “Deep State” in the USA, the slick, model student Guttenberg thus appears to be the right man to lead Germany into war in accordance with US directives, and to sell this war to the public as a “fight against evil.” Germany would then, once again, end up being the culprit.’”…
“Today, Guttenberg is no longer a politician, but rather a transatlantic networker with direct access to Washington and Berlin. His invitation is therefore explained, first and foremost, by his professional role: He is one of the few Germans who are simultaneously deeply embedded within the American establishment and who still command respect within the German CDU/CSU sphere…”
“Guttenberg understands both sides—a quality that makes him valuable in a year when the relationship between the U.S. and Europe is under considerable strain due to Trump… Guttenberg has repeatedly ruled out a return to politics in recent times—most recently in 2022 in an interview with Stern. Yet such statements have a well-known half-life in political history.
“Guttenberg’s profile fits more precisely than ever: transatlantically connected, media-savvy, and imbued with the aura of a fallen hero who deserves a second chance.
“… Bilderberg does not invite tourists. Thus, he is likely being kept in reserve as an option—not as a designated successor, but as someone being signaled that the door remains open should the time come. This is the classic function of Bilderberg: not to make decisions, but to pave the way for possibilities.”
Elections in England… a Massacre
On May 2, broadcaster Andrew Neil wrote in the Daily Mail:
“The only unknown about next Thursday’s elections is whether it will be a terrible day for Labour or a truly historic awful one. My money is on the latter… the local election results in England will be a massacre… I see no salvation in the new, so-called insurgent parties…
“In a democracy we get the political system we deserve… the prospect of a national revival remains as far away as ever.”
This is true for Britain, as it is true for America.
Royal Navy Warship Crisis Deepens
The Daily Mail wrote on May 4:
“The Royal Navy’s fleet of frigates was reduced to just five today after the withdrawal of HMS Iron Duke – while the Army has ‘no money to buy weapons’… The warship is to be retired due to technical issues just three years after a £103million refit.”
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.