The Patriot Post® · Friday Executive News Summary
Iran’s assassination plot
“They want to take out the U.S. leader — me. I’m on whatever list. I saw this morning I’m on every single one of their lists,” President Donald Trump told reporters when asked about an intelligence report Israel had recently shared with the U.S. exposing an Iranian plot to assassinate him. “And, so far, I guess I’ve been a bit lucky, but maybe that doesn’t last very long,” Trump added. “These are evil, sick people. And we have to root out that cancer.” The Iranian regime apparently added Trump to its assassination target list following the U.S. strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020. And during the days-long funeral for Iranian dictator Ali Khamenei, the crowd raised banners that read, “We Will Kill Trump.”
Trump flies home in the old Air Force One
President Trump flew to the NATO summit in Turkey aboard the brand-new Air Force One, a retrofitted Boeing 747-8 donated to the president by Qatar. However, he returned home amid renewed hostilities with Iran aboard the tried-and-true Air Force One that has been in service for the last few presidencies. Officially, the administration explained that the decision was made so that the new luxurious jet could visit various U.S. military bases for the troops to tour. The Secret Service and Trump have denied that the choice was based on security concerns. However, the full suite of electronic warfare, anti-missile chaff, and other advanced security features in Air Force One takes over a year to install, according to industry professionals. The new Air Force One began retrofitting only last summer.
The Kirk murder case
As the preliminary hearing in the Tyler Robinson trial concludes, the mountain of evidence against the alleged assassin is truly staggering. Far from being a patsy as certain conspiratorial “right-wing” podcasters have alleged, Robinson appears to be guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. No evidence of “exploding microphones” or “second shooters” has been introduced; rather, prosecutors presented more and more previously unseen evidence that Robinson conducted a premeditated assassination. Robinson was seen entering the Utah Valley University campus multiple times the morning of Kirk’s death, apparently scoping out security and planning the angle of attack. Video shows Robinson arriving on the roof that the shot is believed to originate from, and police testimony says he was seen fleeing the roof, jumping to a grassy area within three minutes of the shot. After nightfall, Robinson’s car attempted to enter a UVU parking lot only to be scared away by police presence.
Eight indicted for White House plot
The conspirators who plotted to use drones and sniper positions to cause maximum casualties at the UFC Flag Day event at the White House have been indicted. Seven individuals were caught shortly before the event in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, California, and Washington, and an eighth man was caught by the FBI in West Virginia this week. Initially, the conspirators were charged in the states where they were caught, but the grand jury two-part indictment returned in Ohio has replaced those charges, according to the DOJ. They are charged with “conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official.”
Bum rush for Platner’s replacement
Following Graham Platner’s ignominious exit from the Maine Senate race, the Democrat Party is scrambling to name his replacement before the July 13 deadline. A number of individuals have thrown their names into the proverbial hat, including progressive former state Senate President Troy Jackson. Unfortunately, Jackson also apparently has a troubling history of abusing women. Janet Mills, the state’s 78-year-old departing governor, who suspended her campaign before the primary, could be a possible option, but she has yet to indicate an interest, nor is she viewed as a top contender. Platner himself has not endorsed anyone, but regardless, Maine’s Democrat Party has made it clear that he and his team will “have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee.”
CNN — The Most Duped Name in News
Reporting on Senator Mitch McConnell’s hospitalization, CNN cited several lawmakers’ comments indicating they had recently spoken with him. However, one of the supposed lawmakers CNN referenced is actually a parody social media account — Representative Jack Kimble of California’s fictional 54th district (California has 52 congressional districts). Kimble’s post read: “I spoke to my old friend Mitch McConnell this morning, the senior Senator from Kentucky. He’s still recovering in the hospital. We talked for just shy of 45 minutes. He’s so sharp. Just like always he let me do all of the talking. He’s a great listener. After that we prayed silently for awhile and had a staring contest. Just like always, he beat me.” This is obviously a joke; one wonders if CNN staff bothered to read past the first line before including it in its reporting. No wonder CNN’s credibility is toast.
Airport, bridge named for Donald Trump
U.S. presidents used to practiced decorum and modesty; the first president, George Washington, insisted on a simple address of “Mr. President” rather than any other honorific. The current president is cut from a different cloth. President Trump’s name was briefly added to The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts before legal challenges removed it. Now the airport the president uses to fly to his Mar-a-Lago home, formerly the Palm Beach International Airport, has been renamed in his honor. Adding to that lionization of the sitting president, a bridge on I-40 in East Tennessee has been renamed the President Donald J. Trump Bridge. Once upon a time, ships, bridges, and airports would never have been named for a living person, much less a current president; that was perhaps a better way.
Purdue becomes first university to incorporate AI graduation requirement
Artificial intelligence is not just the future; it is the present. Recognizing this fact, Purdue University has become the first institution of higher education in the nation to adopt an AI requirement for all graduates, beginning with the incoming freshman class. “We have reworked every plan of study, which is just under 200, to ensure there is an AI competency opportunity in each one,” explained Haley Oliver-Jischke, Purdue’s senior vice provost for academic and student success. “AI is changing the future of work,” requiring the school to “retool and change our degrees so students are still successful in the job marketplace.” Oliver-Jischke also noted the importance of teaching students to question and cross-check AI-generated data.
Germany to buy Tomahawk cruise missiles from U.S.
More deals emerged from the NATO summit this past week in Ankara, Turkey, including a deal to provide Germany with American-made Tomahawk missiles. “This will close an important strategic gap in our defense, and at the same time, we will work to develop our own European systems and station them in Europe,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced. This deal came alongside Trump’s agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to allow Ukraine a license to make its own Patriot air defense systems to counter the Russian missile attacks. Tomahawk cruise missiles have been in the American arsenal since the 1980s and feature an impressive range of about 1,000 miles and precision-guidance systems that make them best for hitting targets that are deep inland.
Headlines
A top Mamdani official tried to meet with Iran (City Journal)
South Carolina National Guard suspends Apache pilots who dazzled beachgoers (NY Post)
Gay cruise turned away by Turkish officials gets banned from docking in Egypt too (Not the Bee)
Death toll from devastating Venezuela earthquake climbs to 3,811(Not the Bee)
The Executive News Summary is compiled daily by Jordan Candler, Thomas Gallatin, Sterling Henry, and Sophie Starkova. For the archive, click here.