Wednesday, April 16, 2025
'Rabbi' defending campus antisemitism While A "goy" Has to Set Him Straight
CNN's Scott Jennings had a tense back and forth with left-wing rabbi Jay Michaelson, who appeared intent on deflecting instances of antisemitism on college campuses last year.
While on a panel discussing President Donald Trump's decision Monday to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funds that had been set to go to Harvard University, Jennings said he agreed with the move.
Jennings referenced the letter from the government to Harvard sent out last week that in part demanded the private university prevent admitting international students hostile to the American values,' which included 'students supportive of terrorism or antisemitism.'
During the heat of the protests last year against Israel's war in Gaza following the October 7 attack by Hamas, there was a pro-Palestine encampment on Harvard's campus that lasted for 20 days.
'I think that this is all about antisemitism,' said Jennings.
'I believe that what has happened on these campuses in the Ivy League and in other places, mostly private institutions, has been an abomination. And someone has to stand up for these Jewish kids.'
Michaelson, who is a journalist on top of being a rabbi, said he wouldn't be the one standing up for Jewish students, some of whom were prevented from going to class by protestors at places like UCLA.
'It's not going to be the rabbi at the table and it's not going to be the entire Jewish community and it's not going to be my friends in Jewish Studies who just had their grants canceled,' Michaelson said.
'Until Donald Trump came along and his administration decided to connect federal funds to stamping out the scourge of antisemitism on these campuses, nobody was willing to stand up for [Jewish students],' said Jennings, an alum in the George W. Bush administration.
'I think the American people don't want a private university with a $53 billion endowment to get a dollar while a Jewish kid is being discriminated against on campus,' he added.
Michaelson quickly fired back by saying, 'What a joke. What a complete joke.'
He argued that the Republican party has its own problem with antisemitism, pointing to Nick Fuentes who has promoted white supremist ideologies.
Michaelson also made not-so-subtle references to Elon Musk, who donated nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to Trump's 2024 campaign and subsequently became the head of the cost-cutting DOGE department.
He pointed out that Musk publicly supported German far-right party AfD, which has been accused of using Nazi slogans. Michaelson also reminded the panel that Musk was highly-criticized for doing a 'salute' during Trump's inauguration.
Jennings then steered the conversation back to its original topic, pressing Michaelson on whether he condoned 'what's happening to these Jewish kids' on college campuses.
Michaelson didn't give a clear answer and host Abby Phillip jumped in to reign in her guests who were now shouting over one another.
'Scott, I think the issue is not whether these universities should adjust antisemitism, the question is how is the government using government power to do it,' Phillip said.
'There is a complete distinction between the university addressing its own problems and the government forcing them to do it in a particular way.'
Jennings hit back: 'If Harvard wants to give up the federal money, you can do all the antisemitism I guess you want at Harvard or any other school.'
The heated cable news clash comes as the Trump administration already brought down the hammer on Columbia University, which last year had to have its pro-Palestine encampment disbanded by NYPD officers in riot gear.
Trump pulled $400 million in federal funding from Columbia in the beginning of March. By March 21, university administrators caved and agreed to change their policies when it comes to student protests.
The university's interim president said in a letter that Columbia will bar protests inside academic buildings. Students will also not be permitted to wear face masks on campus 'for the purposes of concealing one's identity.'
In an effort to expand 'intellectual diversity' within the university, Columbia will also appoint new faculty members to its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies department.
Jeffrey Melnick Must be Banned From Israel
Jeff Melnick of U Mass is a Jew who must never again be allowed into the Jewish state. He’s a pro BDS jihadi lover and symbolic of the sick Jews at U Mass who stand with our enemies. We confirm his name was submitted to Israeli government authorities of those we’d recommend be… pic.twitter.com/d1S1bv1JWY
— Betar Worldwide (@Betar_USA) April 14, 2025
Pro-Hamas Supporter Tabassum Wyne Calls Police When Offered a "Free Ticket" to Gaza
Oakville resident Tabassum Wyne attended a City Hall meeting to oppose a bylaw that would prevent Hamas rallies outside of places of worship when someone offered to get her a ticket to Gaza to help her cause.
— Leviathan (@l3v1at4an) April 13, 2025
A crying Tabassum says she then called @HaltonPolice & reported it as… pic.twitter.com/eoFzETe3so
BBC is beginning their “imminent famine in Gaza” cycle again
The BBC is beginning their “imminent famine in Gaza” cycle again. Here is every time the BBC said that famine was imminent in Gaza:
9 Oct 2023
12 Oct 2023
13 Oct 2023
18 Oct 2023
9 Dec 2023
22 Dec 2023
10 Feb 2024
21 Feb 2024
22 Feb 2024
27 Feb 2024
3 Mar 2024
4 Mar 2024
5 Mar…
Mark Levin Warns Trump About making any Concessions to Iran!
Another diplomatic solution with an Islamist-Nazi Regime that has killed our troops, sought to assassinate our President, has sworn to destroy our country, that funds terrorism around the world, is attempting to conquer much of the Middle East, supplies drones to Russia to kill…
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) April 15, 2025
A bereaved father has had enough of the "signed letters" refusing to serve and calling to free the hostages at any price,
We have seen enough “emeriti” has-beens who in the name of their military record, pushed us into the blood-soaked, egregious Oslo disaster, we have seen the “intelligentsia” and the “wise experts” who led us to leave the Katif Bloc in the Gaza Strip while swearing that not one rocket would be launched from there and that tranquility would reign at our southern border. It did not quite work out that way. The time has come for a bit of humility.
To my mind, my sweet son Yonatan was killed because of the Oslo Accord adventure and the Disengagement, plans that most of you supported. The spirit of those disasters permeates every line of your letters.
Despite that, I am not accusing you of not valuing my son’s life and the lives of so many others who were victims of Oslo and the Disengagement from Gaza, nor am I accusing your for your naive eagerness to sign agreements with murderers. I am not accusing you of “personal and political interests” that made you advance the vision of the lauded “New Middle East” that collapsed on us.
Don’t you dare accuse me either.
You have opinions, and the right to express your opinions, but you do not have the right to taint me and millions of other people who think differently. You do not have the right to say that we want the war to continue because of a “desire for revenge” – that is a disgusting lie.
And on the same subject:
You do not have the right to say that we are willing to abandon the hostages because of “political and personal interests.” That, too, is an abominable lie. It is a mendacious portrayal of me, and of the government with whose policies millions agree, policies that say that in the name of the sanctity of the lives of the hostages, the citizens and the soldiers, it is incumbent upon us to continue to fight with all our might until the last terrorist is eliminated.
And don’t you dare preach to me about the “sanctity of life.” Believe me, I know what it is to lose someone. I cry for my fallen holy son every day, I want the hostages home no less than you do, but I still think differently than you. Say whatever you wish. Erase the idea of refusal to serve. And stop saying that all the truth and morality is in your hands. It is insulting to those who go out to battle the same as you, it insults others in your profession who do not agree with you. It insults me. Become accustomed to hearing disagreements with respect, even on critical issues, and learn to listen to other opinions.
Leave your echo chamber.
Translation: Rochel Sylvetsky
Haggai Luber is very well known in Israel as an actor, playwright, theater director, acting teacher, and the founder and artistic director of the Aspaklaria Theater and Acting School. He is the father of Yehonatan Hy"d, who fell in batle in Gaza in the Swords of Iron War, leaving a pregnant wife and infant son.
Letitia James in a Big "DOO DOO" Referred for Federal Mortgage Fraud Probe
New York Attorney General Letitia James is facing a federal referral over alleged mortgage fraud tied to two property deals, according to a letter sent Tuesday by FHFA Director William Pulte.
Pulte alleges James misrepresented a Virginia home as her primary residence in 2023 to obtain a better mortgage rate, just weeks before launching her civil fraud trial against the Trump Organization. He also accuses her of repeatedly misclassifying a five-unit Brooklyn property as a four-unit in official documents to secure more favorable loan terms.
In earlier deals, James and her father were allegedly listed as “husband and wife” on mortgage applications, raising further questions.
Pulte claims these actions could constitute wire fraud, bank fraud, and other federal crimes. James’ office has not responded publicly. The referral comes as her office reviews possible insider trading linked to Trump’s recent tariff pause.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
LOL!!! Bernie Sandars with his "oligarchy" Crap
We’re not moving toward an oligarchy all THAT rapidly, apparently. pic.twitter.com/953oGwddVd
— Chris Stigall (@ChrisStigall) April 11, 2025
Harvard Refuses to Cave to Trump so he Freezes $2.3 billion in funding ...Obama Crawls Out of HIs cave to Back Harvard!
Trump admin freezes $2.3 billion in Harvard funding
US Department of Education freezes $2.3 billion in funding to Harvard University after the school pushed back on demands made by the government, including to clamp down on campus antisemitism.
The Trump administration has halted approximately $2.3 billion in federal funding allocated to Harvard University following the school’s refusal to comply with directives from the White House targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, Reuters reported.
According to an announcement on Monday from the US Department of Education, the decision encompasses a freeze on $2.2 billion in grant money, as well as $60 million in federal contracts previously designated for the Ivy League institution.
“Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation's most prestigious universities and colleges—that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws,” stated the department’s task force on combating antisemitism.
While Harvard has not issued a detailed public response to the funding suspension, the dispute marks a significant escalation in tensions between the federal government and elite universities over the direction and governance of campus policies related to diversity and civil rights compliance.
The funding cut was announced hours after Harvard University President Alan Garber announced the university would refuse to comply with the Trump administration's demands on campus protests, diversity programs, and campus antisemitism.
“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Garber wrote.
In addition, attorneys representing Harvard claimed that the demands made of the school are illegal and that Harvard “is not prepared to agree to demands that go beyond the lawful authority of this or any administration.”
The Trump administration recently issued a firm ultimatum to Harvard University, demanding sweeping policy changes as a condition for maintaining its access to nearly $9 billion in federal grants and contracts.
Harvard, like other universities in the US, has seen an uptick in anti-Israel activity since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the war in Gaza which followed. The university has come under fire over its handling of antisemitism on campus.
Just two days after the October 7 massacre, a coalition of 34 Harvard student organizations released a statement in which they blamed Israel for Hamas’ attack.
Later, then-Harvard President Claudine Gay came under fire after she, along with MIT President Sally Kornbluth and University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill, testified before a congressional hearing on the issue of antisemitism on college campuses.
All three university presidents gave similar answers to Rep. Elise Stefanik in which they failed to unequivocally condemn antisemitism or even calls for genocide against Jews. Gay eventually resigned as President of Harvard.
Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions – rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom, while taking concrete steps to make sure all students at Harvard can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and… https://t.co/gAu9UUqgjF
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 15, 2025
Leftists Spread Pitas Outside Home Of MK Idit Silman, Who Left Previous Gvt. Over Chametz Leniencies
Left-wing activists placed dozens of pitas on Monday morning near the home of Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, who left the Bennett-Lapid government two years ago over the issue of allowing chametz (leavened food) into hospitals during Pesach. Silman’s action culminated in the fall of that government and the establishment of the current government of which she is also a member.
A similar incident occurred last year near Silman’s home.
Minister Silman responded to the display:
“Pesach. A street mostly made up of religious and traditional people. These despicable individuals come and scatter pitas all over the street. This isn’t for the hostages. It’s not for democracy. It’s not even for politics.”
“It’s just because they are vile people, lacking basic human values. Zero care for others, zero respect for Judaism, and zero decency. Absolute zeroes. The overwhelming majority of the people are disgusted by them. Happy holiday!”
Media personality Yinon Magal commented:
“If I understood correctly, we’re supposed to be shocked by an insult to Macron, who wants to give terrorists a state in the heart of our country, while we’re laying out pitas in the heart of a religious neighborhood during Pesach?”
Palestinian "Student" Shows Up at Immigration Office to get his US Citizenship Gets Arrested and faces Deportation
A Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University was arrested Monday at a Vermont immigration office where he expected to be interviewed about finalizing his U.S. citizenship, his attorneys said.
Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident who has held a green card since 2015, was detained at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, his lawyers said.
The attorneys said they do not know where he is. They filed a petition in federal court seeking an order barring the government from removing him from the state or country.
“The Trump administration detained Mohsen Mahdawi in direct retaliation for his advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and because of his identity as a Palestinian. His detention is an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza. It is also unconstitutional,” attorney Luna Droubi said in an email.
According to the court filing, Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp in the West Bank and moved to the United States in 2014. He recently completed coursework at Columbia and was expected to graduate in May before beginning a master’s degree program there in the fall.
The petition describes him as a committed Buddhist who believes in “non-violence and empathy as a central tenet of his religion.”
As a student, Mahdawi was an outspoken critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and organized campus protests until March 2024. He co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia with Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian permanent resident of the U.S. and graduate student who recently was detained by ICE.
Khalil was the first person arrested under President Donald Trump’s promised crackdown on students who joined campus protests against the war in Gaza. On Friday, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Khalil can be deported as a national security risk.
Christopher Helali, a friend of Mahdawi who lives near him in Vermont, was present outside the immigration office when Mahdawi was detained and recorded a video of Mahdawi being led away by authorities. In the video, which Helali released on social media Monday, Mahdawi is shown giving a peace sign with his hands and being led away to a car.
Helali described Mahdawi as a peaceful demonstrator who has worked to foster dialogue about the struggle of Palestinians in his homeland. Helali said he and Mahdawi were aware that Mahdawi could be detained today and that his friend went forward with the appointment anyway.
“And rightfully so, he was nervous for what was going on around him. But he was very much resolute in coming to this interview and coming today because he didn’t do anything wrong and was a law-abiding citizen, or soon-to-be citizen,” Helali said.
Monday, April 14, 2025
Hamas rejects Egyptian ceasefire proposal, refuses to discuss disarming
Hamas refused an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire with Israel, citing the requirement that Palestinian factions disarm.
A senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera on Monday that Egypt recently presented a new cease-fire proposal that includes a 45-day truce in exchange for the entry of food and shelter into the Gaza Strip.
Half of the Israeli hostages would be released in the first week, the Egyptian plan stipulated. Hamas is demanding that Israel end the war, but Cairo has made it clear in its proposal that any long-term end to the fighting depends on Hamas disarming.
On the other hand, Hamas asserted that its disarmament is not open for negotiation, and that the Israeli military must withdraw from Gaza. They responded by stressing that any agreement must begin with a cease-fire and an Israeli withdrawal, not disarmament, which they say is not up for negotiation. According to the official, the proposal conditions extending the truce and continuing humanitarian aid on the return of all Israeli hostages – both living and deceased – by the end of the 45-day period.
Could it be Possible that the "Rasha" of the Haggada is a Charedie???
What?
Are you being serious??
So before we take this apart, let's ask the time-honored question!
What is really the difference between the "Chacham" and the "Rasha?'
After all they are basically asking the same question!
?חכם: מה הוא אומר? מה העדות והחוקים והמשפטים אשר צוה ה' אלוקינו אתכם
"What are the testimonies, decrees and ordinances which Hashem, our G-d has commanded YOU!"
?רשע: מה הוא אומר? מה העבודה הזאת לכם
"Of what purpose is this work to YOU?"
Yes the Chacham added "Hashem Elokeinu" but he like his brother the Rasha says the word "YOU" meaning he is excluding himself!
Now, one could possibly say that the "Chacham" is no "Tzaddik" after all the Baal Haggada on purpose doesn't call him a "Tazadik" "righteous' but calls him a "Chacham" "Smart "so it is no wonder that he says "YOU", he is excluding himself as well, he is "Smart" enough to know what would trigger his father at the seder table and so to pacify him, he mentions G-D, that's why he is called "The Chachem" but he is no "Tzadik!"
There are probably a million explanations for this dilemma; every single year a hundred brand new Haggadas are published with another thousand new ideas on what the author of the Haggada meant!
This year I walked into shul, and a little charedie boy was clutching his homemade haggada which he colored in school. When he got distracted, I picked it up and saw lo and behold 4 cartoons of the "arba banim" ... the four sons!
The "Chacham" wore a Shtreimel" of course, and the Rasha was wearing a Kippah but was holding a smartphone in his hand!
Now, I'm confused, because I know that his father has a smartphone. I'm wondering when he colored the Rasha and made sure that he didn't color out of the lines, if he for one second gave thought that his own father with the Shtreimel could also be a Rasha! I am certain that the father did not notice the caricatures of the 4 sons, but if he didn't, someone in the household will, and then what?
Which got me thinking, going back to the question, what is the difference between the Rasha and the Chacham, I thought that there must have been more to the statement of the Rasha that the Baal-Haggada left out!
To find out what else he could have said, I figured out that the answer must be on how we respond to the Rasha, which would tell me the difference!
And sure enough, the response is as clear as day!
לכם ולא לו, ולפי שהוציא את עצמו מן הכלל כפר בעקר
He says "To YOU" thereby excluding himself. By excluding himself from the community, he denies the basic principle of Yiddishkeit"
Wow! Pretty strong words "Koifer Be'ikar!"
The hagadda talks about Paro, talks about Lavan, yet here when we are talking about a "SON" the Baal Haggada uses language that I only saw in the Vayoel Moshe vis-a-vis the Rabbanim that support the Zionists in the Knesset!
The Baal Haggada doesn't even call Paro a "Koifer"!
So what's up with that?
It looks as if "excluding one's self from the community," which the Shulchan Aruch frames as someone being פורץ גדר "breaking the fence," is called a Rasha!
Shloime Hamelech says in Koheles פורץ גדר ישכנו נכש ..... "A snake should bite a poirtz geder"
The "Chacham" the smart one, though he too took himself out of the community, the tone of his question was possibly not as defiant, and by adding "Hashem our G-d" ...the father gave him the benefit of the doubt, but know that he is no "Tzadik!"
What does all this have to do with us??
Those of us who live in Israel ran to the shelters yesterday on the first day of Pesach! In fact, fragments fell in Chevron!
We are still at war with savages that want to kill us all, only because we are Jews!
Just over the weekend, an Imam based in Jordan told the entire world that the war has "nothing to do with land," it is about killing all infidels, and he added that if the Jews gave back the entire Land of Israel, it would still incumbent on Muslims to either convert them or to murder them! The only ones that don't believe this Imam, is the Israeli Left, Satmar, Neturi Karta and BMG in Lakewood
Last week, the week before Pesach, people on the local chats were asking families to invite the widows and orphans of this war for the seder. They were asking people to invite the "Living" widows the living "orphans" whose husbands and fathers will not be at the seder because they are at the front! All the Dati publications were asking families to not forget them and include them.
However, I perused the Hebrew Yated, the Chareidie Chadash, Hapelas, etc and couldn't find an honorable mention of the widows and orphans! In fact reading the Charedie news media, you would not even know that we are at war! They are totally disconnected! Not only won't they do anything to help the country that is so good to them, not only won't they show Hakaras Hatoiv to those on the front, they call them "Garbage Cleaners"
They are being "moitzeh themselves from the klaal"; they are excluding themselves from the community, they are being פורץ גדר
וכאן הבן שואל
What is the difference between the Chacham and the Rasha?
If You are Going To Protest Don't Wear a Sheitel!
Dreams do come true 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/m8Hqn4ZFQN
— Matt Couch (@RealMattCouch) April 12, 2025
Our Lioness Fears No One!
Our lionesses fear no one 🔥🩷 pic.twitter.com/ojipmIirLm
— Cheryl E 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🎗️ (@CherylWroteIt) April 12, 2025
🚨CAUGHT IN THE ACT🚨
🚨CAUGHT IN THE ACT🚨
— Jews Fight Back 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@JewsFightBack) April 13, 2025
Hamas terrorists were spotted planting explosive devices near IDF forces in northern Gaza. Big mistake. They were instantly eliminated from the air.
You want to rig bombs to kill Jews? Then you die before you even finish the job. That’s how it works now. pic.twitter.com/yQDSO9tJi0
Look what’s left of the Pennsylvania Governor’s mansion after Cody Balmer Set it On Fire
Praying for @JoshShapiroPA and his entire family. What sick evil exists in this world. And to do this on Passover is truly demonic. https://t.co/vgBVnsFOnD
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) April 14, 2025
This is the Filthy Prof Teresa Sharpe of Columbia Univ
🚨 Professor Teresa Sharpe, Sociology Dept. at Columbia University.
— NizNellie3 (@NizNellie3) April 12, 2025
Signed a faculty statement stating that the Oct 7 Hamas attacks were "a military response by people who have endured crushing occupation."
This is the filth that passes for a professor at an Ivy League school. pic.twitter.com/rnMamMaL7N
Arielle Konig the Battered nuclear engineer appears in court after husband allegedly tried to push her to her death off cliff in Hawaii
The nuclear engineer whose anesthesiologist husband allegedly tried to kill her on a hike in Hawaii made her first public appearance in court on Friday while still bearing injuries reportedly sustained during the attack.
Renowned nuclear engineer Arielle Konig, 36, sported a clear stitch just below her right eye while she sat front and center at the first hearing for her 46-year-old husband Dr. Gerhardt Konig. She appeared to ask the court to extend her restraining order against Gerhardt.
The court granted Arielle’s request and Gerhardt will have to stay away from her and his two children until the order either expires or is extended again.
At the hearing, Arielle wore a black-and-white floral headscarf. The alleged attack left her critically injured and she required surgical treatment, but it is unclear if the headpiece was worn to conceal new scars.
Prosecutors said Arielle was attacked by her husband with a rock and multiple syringes containing an unknown substance before he attempted to shove her off a cliff. Police said the attack began after Arielle refused to take a photo at the edge of a scenic cliffside lookout.
Gerhardt then fled, and nearby hikers called 911 around 10:30 a.m. that morning. While Arielle’s injuries were treated at a nearby hospital, a six-hour manhunt for Gerhardt ensued. He was eventually captured following a foot pursuit and charged with attempted murder.
Arielle’s tumultuous six-year marriage was laid out in detail to the court on Friday. Gerhardt had apparently accused her of having an affair, while Arielle asserted that he sexually assaulted her.
The couple originally moved to their $1.5 million home in Maui in 2022 for Gerhardt’s “dream job.” They have two young children in their family, including at least one from Gerhardt’s prior marriage.
Gerhardt’s medical license is still active, but he was suspended by Maui Health while they launch an investigation.
The criminal case will continue into May with a trial expected in June.
Trump says no exemption for iPhones and other Chinese-made electronics
President Trump settled the debate over the tariffs on iPhones and other Chinese-made devices — saying that there is no “exemption” and that new duties are coming.
“NOBODY is getting ‘off the hook,'” Trump said on Truth Social Sunday. “There was no Tariff ‘exception’ announced on Friday. These products are subject to the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.’”
“We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.”
Late in the day on Friday, Trump’s team filed a rule that exempted a myriad of electronic devices from the president’s steep “reciprocal” tariff on Chinese imports to the US.
The ruling appeared to grant a reprieve for Apple and other consumer electronics makers, who were facing tariffs of up to 145% under Trump’s sweeping new rules.
More than 80% of Apple products are assembled in China, according to data from Evercore ISI. Apple CEO Tim Cook has courted close relations with Trump amid the tariff push.
Even before Trump upped the ante on China, experts were suggesting that top iPhone models could increase in price to $2,300 under the tariff regime.
Prior to Trump’s clarification Sunday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick publicly explained that electronics being imported from China will soon face their own unique tariff.
“So what he’s doing is he’s saying they’re exempt from the reciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two. So these are coming soon,” Lutnick told ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday.
“All those products are going to come under semiconductors, and they’re going to have a special focus type of tariff to make sure that those products get restored.”
Last Wednesday, as Trump’s suite of customized “reciprocal” tariff rates were set to go into effect, the president abruptly reversed course and announced a 90-day pause while his team negotiates new deals with various countries. Trump remarked that people were “getting a little bit yippy, a little bit afraid” as markets cratered amid tariff fears.
Trump kept the 10% baseline tariff on virtually all imports in effect and announced a 125% tariff against goods and services coming in from China. White House officials clarified that China will still face a 20% tariff announced earlier this year due to fentanyl concerns, which brings the total rate on most Chinese imports to 145%.
Will Trump let Iran stall its way into going nuclear?
All the cut-a-nuke-deal-with-Iran enthusiasts are marveling that Tehran’s negotiator deigned to meet face-to-face with President Donald Trump’s envoy on Saturday, and agreed to meet again a week later.
Huh: Sure looks the Iranians still mean to drag the talks out until they’ve already gone nuclear; Trump needs to ensure Steve Witkoff doesn’t get sucked into the illusion of progress.
Tehran has already enriched enough uranium to weapons-grade to build multiple nuclear weapons; it only needs to play for time.
Yet the regime is more vulnerable than it’s been in decades, its Hamas and Hezbollah proxies eviscerated after going to war against Israel while US strikes are now defanging its Houthi paws — even as it has lost its Syrian puppet with the ouster of the Assad clan.
Meanwhile, renewed sanctions threaten to spark outright rebellion even as “supreme leader” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei nears death with an uncertain succession.
And Tehran’s direct exchanges of strikes with Israel have eviscerated its air defenses.
Trump rightly would rather Tehran verifiably dropped its nuke-quest than act militarily to end the nuke threat, but the regime needs to move a lot faster to offering detailed hard commitments to a full squad of US experts, and not get away with empty symbolic concessions.
The Obama crew handed Tehran a full decade with the 2015 deal; all Iran’s negotiators need do now is stall a month or three and they can go nuclear on Trump’s watch.
Don’t let Witkoff get snowed.
Victims of upstate NY plane crash ID’d as family members heading for Pesach Celebration
 |
| Dr. Michael Groff, Karenna Groff, Dr. Joy Saini, and James Santoro (left to right) were identified as victims of the small plane crash in upstate New York on April 12, 2025. |
A family of doctors and high-achieving student athletes were among six people killed when a small plane crashed in a muddy field in upstate New York over the weekend.
The Groff family – neuroscientist father Michael Groff, urologist mother Joy Saini, their MIT-grad daughter Karenna and her boyfriend James Sontoro – were all killed Saturday when the private Mitsubishi MU-2B they were travelling in smashed into the ground in Copake, not far from the Massachusetts border, Sontoro’s father confirmed.
Son Jared Groff, along with his partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte, also died, according to the Times Union.
A third child of the Massachusetts doctor couple, daughter Anika, was not on the plane.
The Groffs were headed to the Catskills aboard Michael’s private jet for a birthday and Passover celebration when the tragedy struck.
“They were a wonderful family,” John Sontoro said. “The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity. We’re all personally devastated.”
His son was also an MIT graduate and worked in finance, while Karenna was studying medicine at New York University after being named the NCAA woman of the year in 2022 for her soccer and academic achievements at MIT.
“Really, this recognition is a testament to my MIT women’s soccer family and all of the guidance, support, and friendship they have provided for me over the years,” she said in an interview after earning the prestigious sports award.
Dr. Groff was an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and also served as the executive director of neuroscience at Rochester Regional Health, the Times Union reported. He was also an experienced pilot.
“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved family members,” a statement from the surviving family read. “We will remember them as the six brilliant, dynamic, and loving people that they were.”
The family departed from a White Plains airport Saturday morning and was due to land at the Columbia County Airport around noon.
But the plane’s pilot alerted air traffic controllers that they’d missed their approach and were requesting directions for a second attempt – when the tower indicated a “low altitude alert” and then lost all contact with the plane.
Within moments, the small plane crashed in the field, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Albert Nixon said at a press conference Sunday.
The federal agency is continuing to investigate the accident.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)